"I know what a true affection you bear towards me and my family. G.o.d protect you--and your emperor!" he added heartily.
Persiany returned with Count Platen to the garden, where Count Ingelheim awaited them.
"Well, my dear colleague," he cried, "you look much more cheerful. Are you growing reconciled to camp life?"
"The king has dismissed me," said Persiany; "he sends me back to Hanover; my old carca.s.s will no longer undergo such trials. But," he added, turning to Count Platen, "by the way that I came, by the same will I not return; send me to Gotha. I will get to Frankfort, from there perhaps to Umwegen, but yet it will be the quickest and safest road. I must set out at once. I may be of use in Hanover."
The old gentlemen pressed Count Ingelheim"s hand, and tripped hastily to the house, leaning on Count Platen"s arm. His carriage and a guard were soon ready.
"The storm has blown over," said Count Ingelheim, rubbing his hands, and laughing as he looked after the Russian amba.s.sador; "yes, if they wish to succeed in diplomacy in these times, they must send people with strong muscles and firm nerves."
And he walked with youthful elasticity towards the house.
An hour later the king hold a council of war. He a.s.sembled the general in command, the general staff, the adjutant-general, and General von Brandis. He also requested Count Platen, Count Ingelheim, and Herr Meding to be present.
The king urged an immediate advance upon Gotha. General von Brandis, Colonel Dammers, and all the non-military gentlemen strongly supported the king"s opinion.
Colonel Cordemann, the chief of the general staff, insisted strongly that the army, in consequence of its exhausting marches and scanty food, could not possibly undertake offensive movements, and that their course was to take up a defensive position, and make a courageous defence if attacked. The whole of the general staff agreed with the chief, and the general in command stated that under existing circ.u.mstances he could not be responsible for the consequences of an onward march.
The king gave his consent to the dispositions agreed upon with a sigh, but he declared that he would pa.s.s the night amongst his troops, and about midnight, accompanied by the whole of his suite, their royal master established himself amongst his soldiers for the night.
The royal bivouac was in a corn-field near to Merxleben, and everyone listened with anxious expectation until the morning dawned.
All was quiet. The outposts sent in no news of any movement on the part of the enemy.
About four o"clock in the morning one of the emissaries sent out several days before towards the south, returned with the intelligence that the Bavarians had been seen advancing in several detachments, and that even on the 25th they had reached Bacha. The complete inactivity of the enemy seemed to support this information, and it was believed the Prussian forces were drawn away in that direction.
This idea gave great satisfaction in head-quarters, and it was determined to wait in a strong position for the confirmation of the intelligence and the approach of the Bavarians. General von Brandis alone shook his head, and opined that if the Bavarians were advancing and the Prussians occupied in the south, it was a stronger reason for hastening as quickly as possible to meet them, and stretching towards them a helping hand, before the overwhelming Prussian forces could come down upon them from the north.
The order was given to erect batteries, and the king and his suite, exhausted by a sleepless night, repaired to Thamsbruck, a small village on the banks of the Unstrut, and there the king took up his quarters in the Pfarrhaus.
Clear and brilliant rose the sun on the 27th of June, and his first rays lighted up the varied changing picture of the Hanoverian army encamped around Langensalza.
CHAPTER XIV.
LANGENSALZA.
At about five in the morning the king withdrew to the quiet Pfarrhaus on the hill at Thamsbruck, and retired to rest. From the dispositions made by the general staff a delay of several days was expected, with probably some defensive fighting, whilst tidings were awaited of a more certain nature from the Bavarians.
Beneath a large and ancient linden-tree in front of the pastor"s house the king"s suite were a.s.sembled, discussing an extremely simple but much-relished breakfast.
A large table covered with a white cloth bore a coffee service of blue and white pottery, such as is traditional in all primitive old country-houses in North Germany, and the perfume which arose from the large pot standing on an ancient-looking chafing-dish was certainly not from Mocha.
A ham, a few sausages, a large black loaf, and a small piece of b.u.t.ter completed the provisions, over which Count Erhardt Wedel presided with the strictest impartiality.
The whole party did honour to the breakfast, with appet.i.tes rarely seen at the chamberlain"s table at Herrenhausen.
"There seems to be an immense proportion of water in this beverage,"
said General von Brandis, gazing with curiosity at the brown fluid in his blue cup.
"If the coffee has too much water, it makes up for the dryness of the sausage," remarked Count Ingelheim, as he attempted to cut a slice with his pocket-knife, but the stony nature of the sausage successfully resisted all his efforts.
"At least the drink is warm," said Count Platen, as pale and shivering he sipped the smoking coffee.
"I don"t know that warm water is much better than cold," grumbled General Brandis, without making up his mind to put his cup to his lips.
"It has its merits as an outward application, but to drink it without a prudent admixture of some stimulating body is unpleasant, especially so early in the morning."
"Your excellency shares the prejudices of the ancient legions against water," said Count Wedel, laughing. "They used to say, as water was so unpleasant when it got into their boots, how much more disagreeable it would be if it got into their stomachs!"
"Wellington"s veterans lived before the discovery of hydropathy," said little Herr Lex, as he busied himself in overcoming a large piece of ham.
"They were right!" cried General Brandis, with comic gravity. "Fire was their element," he added, setting his cup down untasted upon the table; "they did not carry on war with sugared water, as seems the present fashion."
"Perhaps I can offer your excellency a better drink for this chilly morning," said Prince Hermann Solms, drawing out a field flask covered with plaited straw. "I have a little excellent cognac left."
"You are a help in need, my dear prince," cried the old gentleman, smiling. "I will repay you some day!"
The prince, hastening into the house, came back with a kettle full of hot water, and he soon mixed the old general a gla.s.s of grog, with such a h.o.m.oeopathic allowance of water that his cheerfulness quite returned.
A loud hurrah resounded from the stable-like buildings at one side of the house, and the Crown Prince Ernest Augustus hurried from them and joined the breakfast party.
He carried his handkerchief carefully tied together in one hand, and his cap in the other.
"Guess what I have here, gentlemen!" he cried, raising both hands above his head. "Fresh eggs--just laid. Is it not a glorious find?" And he emptied the cap and the handkerchief upon the table. "Now, shall we boil them, or shall we make an omelette?"
"Why any preparation?" said General Brandis, seizing an egg, decapitating it with his sword, and hastily drinking the contents. "It is easy to see that the present generation are unaccustomed to the rigours of war."
Count Ingelheim followed his example.
"It would be great fun, though, to make an omelette!" cried the crown prince, holding his hands over the rest of his spoil.
"Alas! we have plenty of time," murmured General Brandis.
"Listen!" cried Meding, springing to his feet.
"A cannon shot," said Count Ingelheim, putting his hand to his car.
"Impossible!" remarked the adjutant-general; "where should it come from? The general staff does not expect an attack."
A short, heavy, distant sound was heard.
"Those are certainly guns!" cried Count Wedel.
"I think they are beginning to growl," said General Brandis, rising and drinking off the rest of his grog with a look of satisfaction. "It would be as well to mount!"