At that moment a loud French
command was heard by the gate, and as if the "Victoria" were conscious,
and obedient to the orders of the emperor, a tremor seemed to seize the
goddess. She rose as the horses began to descend, and her figure bent
forward as if greeting Berlin for the last time. A loud noise resounded
above the heads of the crowd--the "Victoria" had glided safely to the
ground. The prince uttered a cry, and, as if paralyzed, closed his eyes.
When he opened them again the beautiful pillars of the Brandenburg Gate
had been deprived of their ornament, and the "Victoria," with her
triumphal horses, stood deposed from her lofty throne.
Prince Augustus raised his tearful eyes to heaven and whispered, "Oh, my
brother, I envy you your death, for it was not permitted you to behold
the humiliation and sorrow of Prussia!"
BOOK II.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE TREATY OF CHARLOTTENBURG.
Queen Louisa was pacing her room in great excitement. At times she stood
still at the window, and looked anxiously into the street as if
expecting the arrival of some one. But that street--the main one in
Osterode, in which city the royal couple had spent the last few
days--remained silent and deserted. Large snow-flakes were falling from
the cheerless, lead-colored sky, and the November storm was now sweeping
them into little mounds, and again dispersing them in clouds of white
dust.
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