"It is Alexander, who comes to pay you a visit," said the
king, rising. "I will meet him."
But before he had reached the door, it opened, and the Emperor Alexander
appeared. "Ah, I succeeded in surprising both of you," he said, with a
good-humored smile. Bowing respectfully to the queen, he added: "I trust
your majesty will forgive my entering without announcement, but I longed
to see my noble friend Frederick William. God and His saints be praised
that the sun has at length risen on us, and that your majesty has
arrived!"
"Yes, sire, I have arrived," said Louisa, mournfully; "however, I do
not bring the sun with me. Night surrounds us, and it seems to me I
cannot see a single star in the darkness."
Alexander became grave; he gazed long and searchingly at the pale face
of the queen, and a sigh escaped his breast. "Sire," he said, turning to
the king, "can we really make peace with the man who, in the course of a
few weeks, changed into the lily the red rose that once adorned the face
of the noblest and most beautiful lady? Can we really forgive him for
wringing tears from our august queen?"
"Fate does not ask us whether we can," said the king, gloomily. "It
tells us only that we must. In my heart I shall never make peace with
the man who, although a great captain, is no great man; else he would be
less cruel. But God has given him the power, and we must all bow to
him.
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