which, while life remains, I shall never forget: "Confide in the
advice I give you; depend wholly upon me, and I will make you a
man." Whoever can feel, may imagine how infinitely my gratitude
towards the King was increased, by this his great goodness; from
that moment I had no other desire than to live and die for his
service.

I soon perceived the confidence the King had in me after this
explanation, of which I received very frequent marks, the following
winter, at Berlin. He permitted me to be present at his
conversations with the literati of his court, and my state was truly
enviable.

I received this same winter more than five hundred ducats as
presents. So much happiness could not but excite jealousy, and this
began to be manifest on every side. I had too little disguise for a
courtier, and my heart was much too open and frank.

Before I proceed, I will here relate an incident which happened
during the last campaign, and which will, no doubt, be read in the
history of Frederic.

On the rout while retreating through Bohemia, the King came to
Kollin, with his horse-guards, the cavalry piquets of the head-
quarters, and the second and third battalions of guards. We had
only four field pieces, and our squadron was stationed in one of the
suburbs. Our advance posts, towards evening, were driven back into
the town, and the hussars entered pell-mell: the enemy's light
troops swarmed over the country, and my commanding officer sent me
immediately to receive the King's orders. After much search, I