Count Mattzahn's prophecy came true. The King of Prussia came to
Dresden, and there, as in every other part of Saxony, found no
resistance. Fear and terror had gone before him, disarming all
opposition. The king and prince-elector were not accustomed to have
a will of their own; and Count Bruhl, the favorite of fortune,
showed himself weak and helpless in the hour of adversity. It needed
the queen's powerful energy, and the forcible representations of the
French ambassador, Count Broglio, to arouse them from their
lethargy; and what Count Broglio's representations, and the queen's
prayers and tears commenced, hatred finished. Count Bruhl's sinking
courage rose at the thought of the possibility of still undermining
the King of Prussia, and putting an end to his victorious march. It
was only necessary to detain him, to prevent him from reaching the
Bohemian borders, until the Austrian army came to their assistance,
until the French troops had entered and taken possession of Prussia.
Therefore, Count Bruhl sent courier after courier to Saxony's
allies, to spread her cry for help to every friendly court. He then
collected the army, ordered them to camp at Pirna, which was very
near the boundary of Bohemia, and, as it was guarded on one side by
the Elbe, and on the other by high rocks, appeared perfectly secure.
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