frederick the great and his family-第86部分

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〃I　also；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　zealously。　〃You　stay；　Charles　Henry；　we　dare　not　both　leave　the　king。　You　know　that　only　this　evening；　while　upon　the　watch；　we　swore　that；　even　if　the　whole　army　of　the　enemy　marched　against　us；　we　would　not　desert　our　king；　but　would　stand　at　our　post　as　long　as　there　was　a　drop　of　blood　in　our　veins　or　a　breath　in　our　bodies。〃

The　king　laid　his　hands　upon　the　two　soldiers　and　looked　at　them　with　much　emotion。　The　moon；　which　stood　great　and　full　in　the　heavens；　lighted　up　this　curious　group；　and　threw　three　long；　dark　shadows　over　the　plain。

〃And　you　have　sworn　that；　my　children？〃　said　the　king；　after　a　long　pause。　〃Ah；　if　all　my　men　thought　as　you　do　we　would　not　have　been　defeated　this　day。〃

〃Sir　king；　your　soldiers　all　think　as　we　do；　but　fate　was　against　us。　Just　as　I　said；　the　cats　outnumbered　us　to…day；　but　we　will　bite　them　bravely　for　it　next　time。　And　now　tell　me；　sir　king；　what　shall　I　do　over　there　in　the　camp？〃

Before　the　king　could　answer；　Charles　Henry　laid　his　hand　upon　his　arm。

〃Let　me　go；〃　said　he；　entreatingly；　〃Fritz　Kober　is　so　daring；　so　undaunted；　he　is　not　cautious；　they　will　certainly　shoot　him；　and　then　you　have　lost　the　best　soldier　in　your　army。〃

〃Your　loss；　I　suppose；　would　not　be　felt；　the　king　can　do　without　you。〃

〃Listen；　children；〃　said　the　king；　〃it　is　best　that　you　both　go；　one　can　protect　the　other；　and　four　ears　are　better　than　two。〃

〃The　king　is　right；　that　is　bestwe　will　both　go。〃

〃And　leave　the　king　alone　and　unguarded？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　king；　pointing　to　the　two　sleepers；　〃I　have　my　two　adjutants；　and　they　will　keep　guard　for　me。　Now；　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。　Over　there　is　the　enemy；　and　it　is　most　important　for　me　to　know　what　he　is　doing；　and　what　he　proposes　to　do。　Go；　then；　and　listen。　Their　generals　have　certainly　taken　up　their　quarters　in　the　village。　You　must　ascertain　that　positively；　and　then　draw　near　their　quarters。　You　will　return　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　inform　me　of　all　that　you　hear　and　see。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Fritz　Kober。

〃That　is　all。　Now　be　off；　and　if　you　do　your　duty　well；　and　return　fresh　and　in　good　order；　you　shall　be　both　made　officers。〃　Fritz　Kober　laughed　aloud。　〃No；　no；　sir　king；　we　know　that　old　story　already。〃

〃It　is　not　necessary　that　you　should　promise　us　any　thing；　your　majesty；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃we　do　not　go　for　a　reward；　but　for　respect　and　love　to　our　king。〃

〃But　tell　me；　Fritz　Kober；　why　you　laughed　so　heartily？〃　said　the　king。

〃Because　this　is　not　the　first　time　that　your　majesty　has　promised　to　make　us　officers。　Before　the　battle　of　Leuthen；　you　said　if　we　were　brave　and　performed　valiant　deeds；　you　would　make　us　officers。　Well；　we　were　brave。　Charles　Henry　took　seven　prisoners；　and　I　took　nine；　but　we　are　not　officers。〃

〃You　shall　be　to…morrow；〃　said　the　king。　〃Now；　hasten　off；　and　come　back　as　quickly　as　possible。〃

〃We　will　leave　our　muskets　here；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃we　dare　not　visit　our　enemies　in　Prussian　array。〃

They　placed　their　arms　at　the　house　door；　and　then　clasping　each　other's　hands；　and　making　a　military　salute；　they　hastened　off。　The　king　looked　after　them　till　their　slender　forms　were　lost　in　the　distance。

〃With　fifty　thousand　such　soldiers　I　could　conquer　the　world；〃　murmured　he；　〃they　are　of　the　true　metal。〃

He　turned；　and　stepping　up　to　the　two　sleepers；　touched　them　lightly　on　the　shoulders。　They　sprang　up　alarmed　when　they　recognized　the　king。

〃You　need　not　excuse　yourselves；〃　said　Frederick　kindly；　〃you　have　had　a　day　of　great　fatigue；　and　are；　of　course；　exhausted。　Come　into　the　house；　the　night　air　is　dangerous；　we　will　sleep　here　together。〃

〃Where　are　the　two　grenadiers？〃　said　Goltz。

〃I　have　sent　them　off　on　duty。〃

〃Then　your　majesty　must　allow　us　to　remain　on　guard。　I　have　slept　well；　and　am　entirely　refreshed。〃

〃I　also；〃　said　the　second　lieutenant。　〃Will　your　majesty　be　pleased　to　sleep？　we　will　keep　guard。〃

〃Not　so；〃　said　the　king；　〃the　moon　will　watch　over　us　all。　Come　in。〃

〃But　it　is　impossible　that　your　majesty　should　sleep　thus；　entirely　unguarded。　The　first　Cossack　that　dashes　by　could　take　aim　at　your　majesty　through　the　window。〃

Frederick　shook　his　head　gravely。　〃The　ball　which　will　strike　me　will　come　from　above；　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。See　Nicolai；　p。　118。＇　and　that　you　cannot　intercept。　No；　it　is　better　to　have　no　watch　before　the　door；　we　will　not　draw　the　attention　of　troops　passing　by　to　this　house。　I　think　no　one　will　suppose　that　this　miserable　and　ruinous　barrack；　through　which　the　wind　howls；　is　the　residence　of　a　king。　Come；　then；　messieurs。〃　He　stepped　into　the　hut；　followed　by　the　two　adjutants；　who　dared　no　longer　oppose　him。　〃Put　out　that　light；〃　said　the　king；　〃the　moon　will　be　our　torch；　and　will　glorify　our　bed　of　straw。〃　He　drew　his　sword；　and　grasping　it　firmly　in　his　right　hand；　he　stretched　himself　upon　the　straw。　〃There　is　room　for　both　of　youlie　down。　Good…night；　sirs。〃

Frederick　slightly　raised　his　three…cornered　hat　in　greeting；　and　then　laid　it　over　his　face　as　a　protection　from　the　moonlight　and　the　cold　night　air。　The　adjutants　laid　down　silently　at　his　feet；　and　soon　no　sound　was　heard　in　the　room　but　the　loud　breathing　of　the　three　sleepers。




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　RIGHT　COUNSEL。


Hand　in　hand　the　two　grenadiers　advanced　directly　toward　the　battle…　field。　Before　they　could　approach　the　enemy's　camp　they　must　borrow　two　Austrian　uniforms　from　the　dead　upon　the　plain。　It　was　not　difficult；　amongst　so　many　dead　bodies；　to　find　two　Austrian　officers；　and　the　two　Prussian　grenadiers　went　quickly　to　work　to　rob　the　dead　and　appropriate　their　garments。

〃I　don't　know　how　it　is；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　shuddering；　〃a　cold　chill　thrills　through　me　when　I　think　of　putting　on　a　coat　which　I　have　just　taken　from　a　dead　body。　It　seems　to　me　the　marble　chillness　of　the　corpse　will　insinuate　itself　into　my　whole　body；　and　that　I　shall　never　be　warm　again。〃

Fritz　Kober　looked　up　with　wide…open　eyes！　〃You　have　such　curious　thoughts；　Charles　Henry；　such　as　come　to　no　other　man；　but　you　are　right；　it　is　a　frosty　thing。〃　And　now　he　had　removed　the　uniform　and　was　about　to　draw　off　his　own　jacket　and　assume　the　white　coat　of　the　Austrian。　〃It　is　a　great　happiness；〃　said　he；　〃that　we　need　not　change　our　trousers；　a　little　clearer　or　darker　gray　can　make　no　difference　in　the　night。〃

Charles　Henry　was　in　the　act　of　drawing　on　the　coat　of　the　dead　man；　when　Fritz　Kober　suddenly　seized　his　arm　and　held　him　back。　〃Stop；〃　said　he；　〃you　must　do　me　a　favorthis　coat　is　too　narrow；　and　it　pinches　me　fearfully；　you　are　thinner　than　I　am；　and　I　think　it　will　fit　you　exactly；　take　it　and　give　me　yours。〃　He　jerked　off　the　coat　and　handed　it　to　his　friend。

〃No；　no；　Fritz　Kober；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　in　a　voice　so　soft　and　sweet；　that　Fritz　was　confused　and　bewildered　by　it。　〃No；　Fritz；　I　understand　you　fully。　You　have　the　heart　of　an　angel；　you　only　pretend　that　this　coat　is　too　narrow　for　you　that　you　may　induce　me　to　take　the　one　you　have　already　warmed。〃

It　was　well　that　Fritz　had　his　back　turned　to　the　moon；　otherwise　his　friend　would　have　seen　that　his　face　was　crimson；　he　blushed　as　if　detected　in　some　wicked　act。　However；　he　tore　the　uniform　away　from　Charles　Henry　rather　roughly；　and　hastened　to　put　it　on。

〃Folly；〃　said　he；　〃the　coat　squeezes　me；　that　is　all！　Besides；　it　is　not　wise　to　fool　away　our　time　in　silly　talking。　Let　us　go　onward。〃

〃Directly　over　the　battle…field？〃　said　Charles　Henry；　shuddering。

〃Directly　over　the　battle…field；〃　said　Kober；　〃because　that　is　the　nearest　way。〃

〃Come；　then；〃　said　Charles；　giving　him　his　hand。

It　was　indeed　a　fearful　path　through　which　they　must　walk。　They　passed　by　troops　of　corpsesby　thousands　of　groaning；　rattling；　dying　menby　many　severely　wounded；　who　cried　out　to　them　piteously　for　mercy　and　help！　Often　Charles　Henry　hesitated　and　stood　still　to　offer　consolation　to　the　unhappy　wretches；　but　Fritz　Kober　drew　him　on。　〃We　cannot　help　them；　and　we　have　far　to　go！〃　Often　the　swarming　Cossacks；　dashing　around　on　their　agile　little　ponies；　called　to　them　from　afar　off　in　their　barbarous　speech；　but　when　they　drew　near　and　saw　the　Austrian　uniforms；　they　passed　them　quietly；　and　were　not　surprised　they　had　not　given　the　pass…word。

At　last　they　passed　the　battle…field；　and　came　on　the　open　plain；　at　the　end　of　which　they　perceived　the　camp…fires　of　the　Russians　and　Austrians。　The　nearer　they　approached；　the　more　lively　was　the　scene。　Shouts；　laughter；　loud　calls；　and　outcriesfrom　time　to　time　a　word　of　command。　And　in　the　midst　of　this　mad　confusion；　here　and　there　soldiers　were　running；　market…women　offering　them　wares　cheap；　and　exulting　soldiers　assembling　around　the　camp…fires。　From　time　to　time　the　regular　step　of　the　patrouille　was　heard；　who　surrounded　the　camp；　and　kept　a　watchful　eye　in　every　direction。

Arm　in　arm　they　passed　steadily　around　the　camp。　〃One　thing　I　know；〃　whispered　Fritz　Kober；　〃they　have　no　thought　of　marching。　They　will　pass　a　quiet；　peaceful　night　by　their　camp…fires。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃but　let　us　go　forward　and　listen　a　little；　perhaps　we　can　learn　where　the　generals　are　quartered。〃

〃Look；　look！　it　must　he　there；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　hastily。

〃There　are　no　camp…fires；　but　there　is　a　brilliant　light　in　the　peasants'　huts；　and　it　appears　to　me　that　I　see　a　guard　before　the　doors。　These；　certainly；　are　the　headquarters。〃

〃Let　us　go　there；　then；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃but　we　must　approach　the　houses　from　behind；　and　thus　avoid　the　guard。〃

They　moved　cautiously　around；　and　drew　near　the　houses。　Profound　quiet　reigned　in　this　neighborhood；　it　was　the　reverence　of　subordinationthe　effect　which　the　presence　of　superior　officers　ever　exercises　upon　their　men。　Here　stood　groups　of　officers；　lightly　whispering　togetherthere　soldiers　were　leading　their　masters'　horses；　not　far　off　orderlies　were　waiting　on　horseback　sentinels　with　shouldered　arms　were　going　slowly　by。　The　attention　of　all　seemed　to　be　fixed　upon　the　two　small　houses；　and　every　glance　and　every　ear　was　turned　eagerly　toward　the　brilliantly　lighted　windows。

〃We　have　hit　the　mark　exactly；