wretched, starving families with bread. His diamond shoe-buckles
would almost have sufficed to pay the army, which had gone unpaid
for months. When his toilet was finished, he entered his study to
devote a few moments, at least, to his public duties, and to read
those letters which to-day's post had brought him from all parts of
the world, and which his secretary was accustomed to place in his
study at this hour. He took a letter, broke the seal hastily, and
skimming over it quickly, threw it aside and opened another, to read
anew the complaints, the prayers, the flatteries, the assurances of
love, of his correspondents. But none of them were calculated to
compel the minister's attention. He had long ago hardened his heart
against prayers and complaints; as for flattery, he well knew that
he had to pay for it with pensions, with position, with titles, with
orders, etc., etc. But it seemed as if the letters were not all of
the usual sort, for the expression of indifference which had rested
upon his countenance while reading the others, had vanished and
given place to one of a very different character. This letter was
from Flemming, the Saxon ambassador in Berlin, and contained
strange, wild rumors. The King of Prussia, it seemed, had left
Berlin the day before, with all the princes and his staff officers,
and no one knew exactly where he was going! Rumor said, though, that
he and his army were marching toward Saxony! After reading this,
Count Bruhl broke out into a loud laugh.

"Well," said he, "it must be granted that this little poet-king,
Frederick, has the art of telling the most delightful fairy-tales to
his subjects, and of investing every action of his with the greatest
importance. Ah, Margrave of Brandenburg! we will soon be in a
condition to take your usurped crown from your head. Parade as much
as you like--make the world believe in you and your absurd