conscious, reasoning, collected woman.

"How can my father do that?" said she, doubtingly.

"He must persuade the citizens to yield without fighting."

"That my father will never do," said she, warmly.

"Yes, he will do it," replied her lover, "when he learns that all
fighting is useless. Let him have compassion on his native town, on
himself. You are all lost if you fight. Already twelve thousand of our
men, under General Tottleben, stand before the gates. At this moment,
while I am speaking, Tschernitscheff, with twenty thousand regulars,
is approaching from the other side. Count Lacy, too, with his
Austrians, is drawing near. All this tell your father. Tell him, also,
that General Tottleben has promised our Empress Elizabeth to
take Berlin, if he has to lay it in ruins and ashes. Use all your
influence, implore him to do all in his power to persuade the citizens
to a peaceful surrender."

"I have no influence over my father," said she, sadly, "and if I had
I would not abuse it. Such a surrender, without a fight, would be
cowardice."

"But a fight, with the assured certainty of defeat, would be madness.
Your father does not know the number of troops massed around Berlin.
Do you tell him."

She looked at him mournfully. "And shall I tell him, too, from whom I
received this information?"