"
"Will your majesty permit me to withdraw?" said the chancellor,
approaching the door. "As you intrusted Major Natzmer with a secret
mission--"
"Oh, no, your excellency, pray remain; I wish you to hear the
message I sent to the emperor, and what he replied to it.--Answer my
questions now, major. Did you carry out the commission I gave you?
Did you verbally lay before the emperor the message which I dared
not confide to pen and paper? Did you tell the emperor that I would
offer him a defensive and offensive alliance if Alexander would
engage to carry on the war against Napoleon to the best of his
power, and cross the Vistula and the Oder without delay? Did you
make this offer to Alexander in my name?"
"I did, your majesty."
The king glanced quickly at Hardenberg, and the surprised face of
his chancellor of state made him smile.
"And what did the emperor reply?" asked Frederick William, turning
again to the major.
"The emperor was overjoyed at the offer, and declared his readiness
to grant all which you would stipulate now and hereafter. The
Emperor Alexander imposed only a single condition."
"What was it?"
"He demanded that the fortress of Graudenz should be garrisoned by
Russian troops, and insisted most obstinately on this point."
"Did you not tell him that I had made up my mind in regard to this
point, and would renounce the proposed alliance if Graudenz, the
most remote fortress of my kingdom, should be garrisoned by other
than Prussian troops?"
"I stated this to the emperor.
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