"No doubt," she replied, "the king has already decided in his wisdom what is best to do; but, if he has not finally decided and such a feature as the opinion of a woman is considered to be as a weight in the balance, I would say to you, refuse, sire!" "Oh yes, yes, sire!" cried the young prince, "refuse!" "I thought it right to consult you both," replied the king, "partly because of your upright and loyal natures, partly because your interests are one with mine." "Refuse, father: the prediction must be fulfilled to the end." "What prediction?" asked the king. "You forget, sire, that the first word which Benedict said to you was this: 'You will be betrayed by your near relation.' You are betrayed by your German cousin; why should he be wrong about the rest since he was right at the beginning?" "You know that he has predicted our downfall?" "Yes, but after a great victory. We are little kings, it is true; but we are, on the English side, great princes, let us act greatly." "That is your opinion, Ernest?" "That is my prayer, sire," said the young prince, bowing. The king turned to his wife and interrogated her by a movement of his head. "Go, my dear," said she, "and follow your own thought, which is ours also." "But," said the king, "if we are obliged to leave Hanover, what will happen to you and the two princesses?" "We will stay where we are, sire, in our castle of Herrenhausen. After all, the King of Prussia is my cousin, and if our crown is in danger through him, our lives are not. Summon your council, sire, and take with you the two voices which say to you: 'Not only no treason against others, but above all no treason against our honour!'" The king called a council of his ministers, who unanimously voted for refusal. At midnight Count Platen replied verbally to the Prince of Issemburg, who had brought the proposal. "His Majesty the King of Hanover declines the proposals of His Majesty the King of Prussia; as he is constrained to do by the laws of the Confederation." This reply was instantly telegraphed to Berlin. Immediately upon the receipt of the reply, another telegram from Berlin ordered the troops concentrated at Minden to enter Hanover. A quarter-of-an-hour later, the Prussian troops set foot over the borders of Hanover. A quarter-of-an-hour had sufficed for Prussia to receive the reply and to order the opening of the campaign. Already the Prussian troops from Holstein, who had obtained permission from His Majesty the King of Hanover to cross his territory in order to get to Minden, had stationed themselves at Marbourg, and were thus in occupation, within the kingdom, as enemies, even before the king's decision.