château. Day was breaking. An hour and a half later, Count von Berchem arrived from the capital. The two men had a consultation together on the position of affairs, and the secretary again returned to the King, who received him in his bed-chamber. He was lying in his blue four-post bed. The secretary read out loud a letter from Minister Bray, which Count Berchem had brought with him. Once more they touched upon the chief points in the great question. "Prompt help is double help, your Majesty," said Eisenhart. There was a pause. Then the King said: "Bis dat, qui cito dat!"--"Draft my command for the mobilisation of the army. Invite the Ministers Bray and Pranckh to come to me this afternoon at four o'clock, and inform the press." The secretary immediately prepared the required document. He handed it to the King, who provided it with his signature. The political attitude of Bavaria was sealed. Ludwig's action on this day had a significance which extended far beyond the military dispositions he had made. The result of the war would probably have been the same without Bavaria's assistance. But the future of Germany was decided by the stroke of the King of Bavaria's pen on the morning of the 16th of July, for the alliance between Prussia and the greatest of the South-German states had as its consequence the federation of Germany and the German Empire. "I have never seen the King so satisfied as to-day," declared his Minister Pranckh after the audience the same afternoon. And when the equerry in attendance, von Sauer, congratulated his Majesty, the latter said: "Yes, I have the feeling that I have done something good." A warm telegram of thanks was sent to the Monarch by King Wilhelm in Berlin, and from hundreds of others came enthusiastic telegrams. The following day, a Sunday, Ludwig travelled by special train to Munich. There was immense movement in the streets; the enthusiasm grew from minute to minute. The crowds felt the need of thanking and congratulating their King. "Heil unserm König, heil!" was sung in chorus outside the Palace. The enthusiasm rose indescribably when he showed himself at the window. Everyone pressed forward to see him, and give expression to their rejoicings. "Hoch, Ludwig! Hoch!" rose like a single cry from the Bavarian hearts. The homage of the people made a deep impression on Ludwig. "Shall I go to the window once again?" he asked, after showing himself many times, as the shouts outside became louder and warmer. He was received with ovations in the evening, when he appeared at the performance of Wagner's Die Walküre. The shouts of hurrah for the King continued to ring. Day after day, till far into the night, the crowds surged backwards and forwards. One cannot know how the dice may fall," said the Bavarian Minister of War. "But this I can already say for certain: the army will come out of the battle with honour!"