Kiss this branch--and now let us swear to become worthy of this
kiss; swear that in this war, which will soon begin, laurels shall
either rest upon our brows or upon our graves!"

Winterfeldt having sworn, repeated these words after him, "Amen!"
said the king; "God and Virgil have heard us."




CHAPTER XI.

THE BALL AT COUNT BRUHL'S.


Count Bruhl, first minister to the King of Saxony, gave to-day a
magnificent fete in his palace, in honor of his wife, whose birthday
it was. The feast was to be honored by the presence of the King of
Poland, the Prince Elector of Saxony, Augustus III., and Maria
Josephine, his wife. This was a favor which the proud queen granted
to her favorite for the first time. For she who had instituted there
the stern Spanish etiquette to which she had been accustomed at the
court of her father, Joseph I., had never taken a meal at the table
of one of her subjects; so holy did she consider her royal person,
that the ambassadors of foreign powers were not permitted to sit at
the same table with her. Therefore, at every feast at the court of
Dresden, there was a small table set apart for the royal family, and
only the prime minister, Count Bruhl, was deserving of the honor to
eat with the king and queen. This was a custom which pleased no one
so well as the count himself, for it insured him from the danger