The talk was very violent.
News had come to Memel that the Czar had made a separate peace with Napoleon, and that the Emperor of the French, in his hatred of Frederick William, meant to rob him of his kingdom, proposing that he be no longer called King of Prussia, but only Marquis of Brandenburg.
"The monster! The upstart! The villain!" The room was full of abuse of Napoleon.
"I hate him; I would kill him!" cried one lady, her face hot with wrath.
The Queen lifted her blue eyes from her work.
"Dear Mademoiselle," she said, "we cannot lighten our sorrow by hating the Emperor, and malicious thoughts can only make us more unhappy."
The lady bit her lips and coloured, but even she had to laugh with the rest when the parrot of the Countess suddenly called out in French:
"Down with the upstart! Down with Napoleon!"
While the room was yet echoing with the merriment, a servant announced a courier from Memel.
"A letter from the King," cried the Queen, and seized it with eager fingers.