Still, this girl has filled me with
misgivings. She cried in so heart-rending a tone, with so impressive
an anxiety, 'Save the king-the king is in danger! Leave Berlin--
leave Potsdam!--save the king!' that I felt a shudder pervading my
limbs, and it seemed to me as though I saw already the hand which
was raised menacingly against the sacred head of your majesty. I
certainly do not believe that the Emperor Napoleon has any thing to
do with this danger; but some officious man in authority, some
adventurous general, might strike a blow on his own responsibility,
and in the belief that he would gain the favor of his emperor, and
anticipate his most secret wishes."
"And what do you believe?" asked the king, moodily. "Tell me,
Kockeritz, what sort of danger do you think is menacing me?"
"I do not know, your majesty," said Kockeritz, almost timidly, "but
I am sure there is danger, and I would beseech your majesty to
remove the seat of government to some place where you would be
safer, and where we would not be exposed to the attacks of prowling,
reckless detachments of soldiers, such as we saw here to our
profound regret but a few days since. Your majesty ought to go to
Breslau!"
"Ah," exclaimed the king, vehemently, "Hardenberg has succeeded,
then, in gaining you over to his views? You are now suddenly of
opinion that I ought to remove to Breslau?"
"Your majesty, I swear to you that Chancellor von Hardenberg has not
even tried to gain me over to his views, and that he assuredly would
not have succeeded.
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