[ . 142 ) 60. The fatal effect of sleep. One night the emperor Joseph II. of Germamy determined on visiting his guards, to ascertain their fidelity, and what dependence might be placed on their vigilance. Finding them all asleep, he returned to his chamber for some money and bounditup in as many purses as there were soldiers on duty, twelve in number. He then visited them once more, and placed under the arm of each, one of those purses, in every one of which were an hundred pieces of gold. One of the sentries was not asleep, but only feigned to be so; he took particular notice of the emperor, and at his departure, examined the purse which had been put under his arm and sound that it contained an hundred pieces of gold. Supposing that the bag of each of his companions contained as much, he thought he might without difficulty, take possession of the money before they awoke. This he immediately put in practice.
