Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 6.djvu/83

QUEEN LOUISE OF PRUSSIA 255 wrote Fouque" afterward " and as she talked she often raised her eyes to him with a very touching expression. . . . Our beloved queen has thanked us with tears. Bonaparte has dimmed those heavenly eyes . . . and we must do all we can to make them sparkle again." The bare walls, the empty cabinets of the palace, accorded with the almos ascetic habits now maintained there. Self-denial was made easy by one belief that Prussia would arise from her great suffering stronger than before. The king and queen were not left to work alone toward that high end. Able generals re- placed those who, through treachery or faint-heartedness, had surrendered the fortresses. Stein, now chief minister, curtailed the rights of the nobles, and gave the serfs an interest in guarding the soil they tilled ; while Scharnhorst, by an ingenious evasion of Napoleon's edict limiting the Prussian army, contrived to have 200,000 men rapidly drilled and trained. The universities founded at Berlin and Breslau became the headquarters of secret societies for the deliverance of the Fatherland. Princes and professors, merchants ruined by the Berlin de- crees, and peasants ground down by French exactions, joined the Jugendbund, and implicity obeyed the orders of its unseen heads. Through town and country spread that vast brotherhood, fired by the songs of Tieck and Arnim to live or die for Prussia. And Louise watched thankfully the dawning promise of better days, " though, alas ! we may die before they come." Perhaps that sad presentiment haunted her husband too. If she jested with her children he would say wistfully, " The queen is quite herself to-day. What a blessing it will be if her mind recovers its joyous tone ! " That spring Louise was attacked by spasms of the heart. They did not last long, and when the court moved to Potsdam she seemed to regain strength, and showed much interest in discussing with Bishop Eylert how best to train her boys so that they might serve their country. Though very weak, she accompanied her family to Hohengieritz, the king perforce returning to Berlin. The loving eyes that watched her saw signs of amendment, but early on Monday, July 16th, the .spasms recurred. For hours no remedies availed. She could only gasp for " Air ! air ! " and when the sharp pain had passed lay exhausted, now murmur- ing a few words of some hymn learnt as a child, faintly thanking God for each sol- ace sent her, or entreating her grandmother to rest. No complaint passed her lips ; she was only "very, very weary." They told her that couriers had been despatched for the king, and she asked anxiously, " Will he soon come ? " Before dawn he came, bringing the two elder boys. For those who tried to Cheer him he had only one mournful reply : " If she were not mine she might recover." A gleam of joy lighted her pale face when he came to her bedside, but perceiving his emotion she asked, " Am I then so very ill ? " Unable to reply, he hurriedly left the room, and she said to those .standing by, " His embrace was so wild, so fervent, that it seemed as though he would take leave of me. Tell him not to do that, or I shall die at once." He returned bringing in the children.