preventing his flight for the future? Were it not better to avoid
this possibility, and not to allow the whole world to say that
Prussia, out of love of conquest, began a fearful war, which she
could have avoided?"

"There is no reason in this war," said General Retzow; "for, though
Austria, Saxony, and Russia are not our friends, they have not shown
as yet by any open act that they are our enemies; and though
Austria's alliance with France surprised the world, so also did
Prussia's alliance with England. Our soldiers will hardly know why
they are going to battle, and they will be wanting in that
inspiration which is necessary to excite an army to heroic deeds."

"Inspiration shall not be wanting, and my army as well as yourselves
shall know the many causes we have for this war. The reasons I have
given you as yet have not satisfied you? Well, then, I will give you
others; and, by Heaven, you will be content with them! You think
Austria's unkindly feelings to Prussia have not been shown by any
overt act. I will now prove to you that she is on the point of
acting." And Frederick, lifting up some papers from his desk,
continued: "These papers will prove to you, what you seem determined
not to believe, namely, that Saxony, Russia, and, France are
prepared to attack Prussia with their combined forces, and to turn
the kingdom of Prussia into a margraviate once more. These papers
are authentic proofs of the dangers which hover over us. I will now
inform you how I came by them, so that you may be convinced of their
genuineness. For some time I have suspected that there was, amongst
my enemies, an alliance against me, and that they had formed a
contract in which they had sworn to do all in their power to destroy
Prussia. I only needed to have my suspicions confirmed, and to have