His hand shook and tears glittered in his eyes.
"Monsieur de Persiany is much exhausted by his journey, your majesty," said Count Platen.
The king seated himself on the sofa, and exclaimed,--
"Pray sit down, Monsieur de Persiany, you are in want of refreshment. Lex, go and find a glass of wine."
"I thank you, I thank your majesty most humbly," said the old gentleman, as he sank into a chair as if quite exhausted. "I shall find something by and by. Now let me impart to your majesty all that the emperor, my gracious master, has commanded me to say. I was to seek your head-quarters, and to assure you of his friendly sympathy."
"The emperor is very good," said the king; "I recognize in this the friendship he has always shown me, and to which my whole heart responds."
"The emperor commanded me," continued Persiany, with labouring breath, "to place myself at your majesty's disposal, as he understood negotiations were being carried on with Prussia, and thought the intervention of a neutral power, friendly alike to both sovereigns----"
The king's brow clouded.
"Negotiations have been broken off," he said.
"Good heavens!" cried Persiany, "I have come too late!" And he sank back in his chair as if broken down by the thought that his fatiguing journey had been in vain.