"Ach Himmel!" he cried, for before him were all the lords of Germany, no longer fighting and quarrelling with each other, but smiling and singing the lively tunes of "Germany over all," "United Germany shall it be," and "The Watch on the Rhine."
The old Redbeard beamed with delight.
"One Germany!" he cried, "then God be thanked and praised! One Germany!"
He turned to little William, standing between Bismarck and von Moltke, the statesman and general who had made him "Kaiser."
In his hand he laid the scepter, on his head he placed the crown.
"These," he said, "I lay in thy hand."
Then he breathed a long sigh of happiness.
"God be praised," he said again. "I can now go to sleep and be happy," and he went back into his cave to his ivory chair and his head sank to his hands as he settled his elbows on the marble table and the old Redbeard went again to his dreams.
They say he still sleeps in Thuringia, but calmly and happily, because there is one Germany, one Kaiser, and the ravens no longer trouble him.