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〃But the breeches！ the breeches！〃 stammered Deesen； turning pale； 〃they are torn； and those your majesty now wears； are your last and only ones。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said the king； laughing； 〃I will continue to wear my last and only breeches； I will put on my general's coat； voila tout。〃
〃That is wholly impossible；〃 cried Deesen； wringing his hands。 〃If your majesty proposes to hold a great court； you cannot possibly wear these breeches！〃
〃Why not？ why not？〃 said the king； fiercely。
〃Sire；〃 murmured Deesen； 〃sire； that has happened to them which happened to your majesty at Torgau。〃
〃That is to say〃 said the king； questioningly。
〃That is to say； they are wounded。〃
Frederick looked surprised； and following the glance of his valet； he found his eyes fixed upon his knees。
〃You are right； Deesen；〃 said he； laughing； 〃that disaster has befallen my breeches which befell me at Torgau： they are wounded； and need a surgeon。〃
〃Your majesty must therefore graciously postpone your great court till to…morrow。 Perhaps I may find a tailor in one of the neighboring villages； he will work during the night； and early tomorrow every thing will be in order。〃
〃It must be done to…daydone immediately；〃 cried the king。 〃In a few hours the injury must be healed； and my apparel fully restored to health。〃
〃But； sire；〃 whispered Deesen； 〃how can that be possible？ Your majesty has but one pair； and you must take them off； in order that they may be mended。〃
〃Well； I will take them off；〃 said the king； 〃go and seek the tailor。 I will undress and go to bed till this important operation is performed。 Go at once！〃
While the king was undressing； he heard Deesen's stentorian voice； calling out lustily through the streets〃A tailor！ a tailor！ is there a tailor amongst the soldiers？〃
The king was scarcely covered up in bed before Deesen entered； with a joyous face。
〃Sire； I have found a soldier who can do the work； he is not a tailor； but he swears he can sew and patch； and he undertakes to dress the wounds。〃
〃And yet； it is said that a higher power rules the world；〃 murmured the king； when he was again alone； 〃accidentaccident decides all questions。 If there had been no tailor amongst the soldiers； the King of Prussia could not have received the ambassador of Tartary to…day； and the negotiations might have been broken off。〃
At this moment the door opened； and Le Catt entered； followed by a servant with the Russian flags and the carpet。 When he saw the king in bed； he started back； and asked anxiously 〃if his majesty had been taken suddenly unwell？〃
〃No；〃 said Frederick； 〃I am only making my toilet。〃
〃Your toilet； sire？〃
〃Yes； Le Catt； did you see a soldier at the door？〃
〃Yes； sire。〃
〃What was be doing？〃
〃He seemed to be sewing。〃
〃He is sewing； and he is to…day my first gentleman of the bedchamber； he is dressing me。 Ah！ in the presence of this humble patcher； I remember that a wise man said； 'A king is but a man to his valet de chambre。' But do not allow my presence to prevent you from building my throne； I will rest here comfortably； and look on。〃
While the king lay in bed waiting； the soldier who had undertaken the job； sat on a bench before the door。 He bent his head zealously over his work； and did not once look up to his comrade who stood near him； leaning against a large oak； gazing rigidly and unweariedly at him。 But in this steady and indefatigable glance； there seemed to be a strange； attractive power； which the soldier could not resist。 He raised his head involuntarily for a moment； and the sweet and noble face of Charles Henry Buschman was seen。
〃Fritz Kober；〃 said he； 〃why do you gaze at me so； and why do you follow me？〃
〃Because I have been so accustomed to be where you are！〃 said Fritz Kober； quietly。 〃When I heard Deesen call for a tailor； and you answered； 'Here！ here！' I stepped out of my tent and followed you； nothing more！ But you would also know why I look at you？ Well； while it pleases me to see you sewing； it brings strange and pleasant thoughts to my mind。〃
〃What sort of strange and pleasant thoughts； Fritz？〃 said Charles Henry； bowing down again earnestly over his work。
〃I thought；〃 said Fritz Kober； in a trembling voice； 〃that if ever I should take a wife； she must look exactly as you do； Charles Henry； she must have the same neat little hands； and be expert with the needle as you are。 Then I thought further； that in the whole world there was no man so good and brave； so gentle and intelligent as you。 Then I considered what would become of me when the war was at an end； and you should desert me and go back to your village。 Then I resolved to follow you through the whole world； and not to cease my prayers and entreaties till you promised to come into my hut； and take all that was mineunder the condition that you would keep me always with youat least as your servantand never spurn me or cast me off。 Then； I thought further； that if you said noif you refused to come into my house； I would wander far away in despair； and； in the anguish of my heart I would become a bad and contemptible man。 Without you； Charles Henry； there is no joy or peace in this world for me； you fire my good angel！ Charles Henry Buschman； do you wish me to be a dissolute drunkard？〃
〃How can I wish that； Fritz Kober？〃 whispered Charles Henry。 〃But you could never be a bad man； you have the best and noblest heart in the world！ No man dare injure or abuse you！ You give to those who ask of you； you help those who suffer； and you stand by those who are in difficulty！ Then you are a complete； true man； and know how to maintain your own dignity on every occasion。 All who approach you are compelled to respect you； and no one will ever dare to cast a reproach on Fritz Kober。 You are； at the same time； a hero； a good man； and an innocent child； and my heart rejoices in you。〃
〃What is good in me； I owe to you；〃 said Fritz Kober。 〃Before I knew you； I was a simple blockhead； and lived on stupidly from day to day； thinking of nothing。 Since I knew you； I have learned to open my eyes； and to reflect。 But all this will be changed if you desert me； Charles Henry； and I see that you will do so； yes； you will abandon me。 For three weeks past you have taken no notice of me。 You would not go into my tent with me at Bunzelwitz； but camped out alone。 Here； in the village； you would not come into my hut； but quartered with an old peasant woman。 So I followed you to…day； to ask you； once for all； if you have the heart to leave meto spurn me from you？ Look at me； Charles Henry！ look at me and tell me if you will make a pitiful and unhappy man of me？〃
Charles Henry looked up from his work； and gazed at the pale； agitated face of his comrade； and as he did so； tears gushed from his eyes。
〃God forbid； Fritz Kober； that I should make you unhappy！ I would rather shed my heart's blood to make you happy。〃
〃Hurrah！ hurrah！〃 cried Fritz Kober。 〃If this is so； listen to me and answer me； Charles Henry Buschman； will you be my wife？〃
A glowing blush suffused Charles Henry's face； he bowed down over his work and sewed on in monstrous haste。
Fritz Kober came nearer and bowed so low that he was almost kneeling。
〃Charles Henry Buschman； will you be my wife？〃
Charles Henry did not answer； tears and bobs choked his voice； and trembling with emotion he laid his head on Fritz Kober's shoulder。
〃Does that mean yes？〃 said Fritz； breathlessly。
〃Yes；〃 whispered she； softly。
And now Fritz uttered a wild shout； and threw his arms around the soldier's neck and kissed him heartily。
〃God be thanked that it is over；〃 said he； 〃God be thanked that I did not deceive myselfthat you are truly a girl。 When you were last sick； and the surgeon bled you； I was suspicious。 I said to myself； 'That is not the arm of a man。' I went out； but in the evening you were praying； and you did not know that I was in the tent； and you said； 'You dear parents in heaven； pity your poor daughter。' I could have shouted with rapture and delight； but I held my peace。 I wished to wait and see if you would be good to me。〃
〃But the expression of your eyes was so changed；〃 whispered Charles Henry； 〃I was obliged to turn away when their glanc