“The whole of my former life passed in review before my mind. I was obliged to summon all my strength to prevent myself bursting into tears. There are moments of gratitude, in which we feel, as it were, a desire to press God to our hearts! How deeply I felt at this time my own nothingness, and how all, all had come from him! After dinner the king, to whom Rantzau had told how interesting the day was to me, wished me happiness, and that most kindly. He wished me happiness in that which I had endured and won. He asked me about my early, struggling life, and I related to him some traits of it.
“In the course of conversation he asked me of my annual income. I told him.
“ ‘That is not much,’ said he.
“ ‘But I do not need much,’ I replied; ‘my writings furnish something.’
“ ‘If I can in any way be serviceable to you, come to me,’ said the king in conclusion.
“In the evening, during the concert, some of my friends reproached me for not making use of my opportunity.
“ ‘The king,’ said they, ‘put the words into your mouth.’
