He had given the Queen her answer. Prussia was to lose Magdeburg. The Queen had appealed in vain.
The banquet ended in a dance, and at a late hour the King and Queen returned to their lodgings in Piktupöhnen.
The next day the King and Napoleon had a talk, and those listening heard hot words and angry voices.
Frederick William was entreating for Magdeburg. Napoleon answering with scowling insolence.
"You forget," said the Emperor, his eyes narrowing, "that you are not in a position to negotiate. Understand that I wish to keep Prussia down and to hold Magdeburg that I may enter Berlin when I wish to. I believe in the stability of but two sentiments—vengeance and hatred. For the future, the Prussians must hate the French; but I will put it out of their power to injure them."
Again, that day, the Queen was forced to dine with Napoleon. She prayed to be excused, but all begged her to go. It would appear better, for the treaty now was signed.
"I have given Prussia a few concessions because of its Queen," announced Napoleon, but what they were it was hard to guess.
The King of Prussia must give up half of his dominions; he must reduce his army to 42,000 men; he must pay 140,000,000 francs as the cost of the war, and he must acknowledge the Confederation of the Rhine and all the kingdoms Napoleon might set up anywhere. Jerome Bonaparte, as King of Westphalia, was to receive half of the Kingdom of Prussia.
Knowing this, the Queen sat in her ermine and jewels; she talked with Napoleon, she smiled, she thanked him for his hospitality.
When she left he led her to the carriage.