"At the next audience I will surely find an opportunity to speak of
politics," said the duke to himself. "The king cannot always be an
immovable as to-day."
But the second and the third audience came, and the king was as
inexplicable as the first time; he conversed with the duke kindly
and freely showed him the most marked attention and personal
confidence; but so often as the duke sought to introduce the subject
of politics and the public interests which had brought him to
Berlin, the king interrupted him and led the conversation to
indifferent subjects. This lasted two weeks, and the French court
looked with painful anxiety for intelligence from the Duke de
Nivernois that the old alliance was renewed and fully ratified, and
she had, therefore, nothing to fear from Prussia. This uncertainty
was no longer to be borne, and the duke determined to end it by a
coup d'etat.
He wrote, therefore, to the king, and asked for a private audience.
To his great joy his request was granted; the king invited him to
come the next day to Sans-Souci.
"At last! at last!" said the duke, drawing a long breath; and with
proud, French assurance, he added, "To-morrow, then, we will renew
this contract which binds the hands of Prussia, and gives France
liberty of action.
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