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e Marquis sha'n't be kissed； any more than you； nor the King either。 But I shall perhaps fall blubbering； I am weak； I am a drenched hen。 I shall make a foolish figure： never mind； I must； once more； have sight of you two。 If I cannot throw myself at the King's feet； the Plombieres waters will kill me。 I await your answer； to quit this Country as a happy or as a miserable man。 Depend on me for life。V。〃 ＇Ib。 308。＇This is the last of these obscure Documents。
Three days after which； 〃evening of March 18th〃； ＇Collini； pp。 55； 56。＇ Voltaire； Collini with him and all his packages； sets out for Potsdam； King's guest once more。 Sees the King in person 〃after dinner； next day；〃 stays with him almost a week； 〃quite gay together；〃 〃some private quizzing even of Maupertuis〃 （if we could believe Collini or his master on that point）； means 〃to return in October； when quite refitted；〃does at least （note it； reader）； on that ground； retain his Cross and Key； and his Gift of the OEUVRE DE POESIES： which he had much better have left！ And finally； morning of March 25th） 1753； ＇Collini； p。 56； see Rodenbeck； i。 252。＇ drives off；towards Dresden； where there are Printing Affairs to settle； and which is the nearest safe City；and Friedrich and he； intending so or not； have seen one another for the last time。 Not quite intending that extremity； either of them； I should think； but both aware that living together was a thing to be avoided henceforth。
〃Take care of your health； above all； and don't forget that I expect to see you again after the Waters！〃 such was Friedrich's adieu； say the French Biographers； ＇Collini； p。 57； Duvernet； p。 186； OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxv。 187 （〃will return in October〃）。＇ 〃who is himself just going off to the Silesian Reviews〃； add they；who does； in reality； drive to Berlin that day； but not to the Silesian Reviews till May following。 As Voltaire himself will experience； to his cost！
Chapter XII。
OF THE AFTERPIECE； WHICH PROVED STILL MORE TRAGICAL。
Voltaire； once safe on Saxon ground； was in no extreme haste for Plombieres。 He deliberately settled his Printing Affairs at Dresden； then at Leipzig；and scattered through Newspapers； or what port…holes he had； various fiery darts against Maupertuis； aggravating the humors in Berlin； and provoking Maupertuis to write him an express Letter。 Letter which is too curious； especially the Answer it gets； to be quite omitted：
MAUPERTUIS TO VOLTAIRE （at Leipzig）。
〃BERLIN； 3d APRIL； 1753。 If it is true that you design to attack me again ＇with your LA…BEAUMELLE doggeries and scurrilous discussions＇； I declare to you that I have still health enough to find you wherever you are； and to take the most signal vengeance on you （VENGEANCE LA PLUS ECLATANTE）。 Thank the respect and the obedience which have hitherto restrained my arm； and saved you from the worst adventure you have ever yet had。 MAUPERTUIS。〃
VOLTAIRE'S ANSWER （from Leipzig； a few days after）。
〃M。 le President；I have had the honor to receive your Letter。 You inform me that you are well； that your strength is entirely returned； and that； if I publish La Beaumelle's Letter ＇private Letter of his； lent me by a Friend； which proves that YOU set him against me＇； you will come and assassinate me。 What ingratitude to your poor medical man Akakia！ 。。。 If you exalt your soul so as to discern futurity； you will see that if you come on that errand to Leipzig； where you are no better liked than in other places； and where your Letter is in safe Legal hands； you run some risk of being hanged。 Poor me； indeed； you will find in bed； and I shall have nothing for you but my syringe and vessel of dishonor： but so soon as I have gained a little strength； I will have my pistols charged CUM PULVERE PYRIO； and multiplying the mass by the square of the velocity； so as to reduce the action and you to zero； I will put some lead in your head；it appears to have need of it。 ADIEU； MON PRESIDENT。 AKAKIA。〃 ＇Duvernet； pp。 186； 187； OEuvres de Voltaire； lxi。 55…60。＇
Here； in the history of Duelling； or challenging to mortal combat； is a unique article！ At which the whole world haha'd again； perhaps King Friedrich himself； though he was dreadfully provoked at it； too： 〃No mending of that fellow！〃and took a resolution in consequence； as will be seen。
Dresden and Leipzig done with； Voltaire accepted an invitation to the Court of Sachsen…Gotha （most polite Serene Highnesses there； and especially a charming Duchess；who set him upon doing the ANNALES DE L'EMPIRE； decidedly his worst Book）。 〃About April 2lst〃 Voltaire arrived； stayed till the last days of May； ＇ OEuvres de Voltaire； lxxv。 182 n。 Clogenson's Note）。＇ and had； for five weeks； a beautiful time at Gotha；Wilhelmina's Daughter there （young Duchess of Wurtemberg； on visit； as it chanced）； ＇Wilhelmina…Friedrich Correspondence （ OEuvres de Frederic； xxvii。 iii。 258； 249）。＇ and all manner of graces； melodies and beneficences； a little working； too； at the ANNALES； in the big Library； between whiles。 Five decidedly melodious weeks。 Beautiful interlude； or half…hour of orchestral fiddling in this Voltaire Drama； half…hour which could not last！ On the heel of which there unhappily followed an Afterpiece or codicil to the Berlin Visit； which； so to speak； set the whole theatre on fire； and finished by explosion worse than AKAKIA itself。 A thing still famous to mankind；of which some intelligible notion must be left with readers。
The essence of the story is briefly this。 Voltaire； by his fine deportment in parting with Friedrich； had been allowed to retain his Decorations； his Letter of Agreement； his Royal BOOK OF POESIES （one of those 〃Twelve Copies；〃 printed AU DONJON DU CHATEAU； in happier times！）and in short； to go his ways as a friend； not as a runaway or one dismissed。 But now； by his late procedures at Leipzig； and 〃firings out of port…holes〃 in that manner； he had awakened Friedrich's indignation again；Friedrich's regret at allowing him to take those articles with him； and produced a resolution in Friedrich to have them back。 They are not generally articles of much moment； but as marks of friendship； they are now all falsities。 One of the articles might be of frightful importance： that Book of Poesies； thrice…private OEUVRE DE POESIES； in which are satirical spurts affecting more than one crowned head： one shudders to think what fires a spiteful Voltaire might cause by publishing these！ This was Friedrich's idea；and by no means a chimerical one； as the Fact proved； said OEUVRE being actually reprinted upon him； at Paris afterwards （not by Voltaire）； in the crisis of the Seven…Years War； to put him out with his Uncle of England； whom it quizzed in passages。 ＇Title of it is； OEuvres du Philosophe de Sans…Souci （Paris； pretending to be 〃Potsdam；〃 1760）； 1 vol。 12mo： at Paris； 〃in January〃 this； whereupon； at Berlin； with despatch； 〃April 9th；〃 〃the real edition〃 （properly castrated） was sent forth； under title； POESIES DIVERSES； 1 vol。 big 8vo （Preuss； in OEuvres de Frederic； x