"Wenn Menschen auseinander gehn,
So sagen sie: Auf Wiedersehn!"
"Halt! who goes there?" cried the sentry on the hill, and presented his carbine.
Both the young officers sprang to their feet. A carriage and two extra post-horses, coming rapidly along the road, drew up at the challenge of the sentry.
In a moment the officers were at the carriage door. Some dragoons appeared a little way off.
"Whom have we here?" asked Herr von Stolzenberg, looking into the carriage, in which sat a figure wrapped in a cloak. "You cannot pass the outposts."
A young man with a fresh open countenance threw back his cloak and leaned over the door to greet the officers.
"Everything is quite in order, gentlemen," he said, laughing. "I am Duve of the Chancery, and I am sent by Count Platen and General Arentschildt with a despatch from Count Ingelheim to Baron Kübeck at Frankfort; I am also to seek the Hessian army and to bring back intelligence which may enable you to join it. Here are my despatches, and here is the order for passing the outposts."
Lieutenant von Stolzenberg stepped with the pass to the light of the fire, read it, and returned it to Herr Duve.
"It is quite right," he then said. "I wish you a pleasant journey and good success; send us the Hessians soon, and if possible the Bavarians also."
"I will do what I can," returned the messenger.
"Stolzenberg," cried von Wendenstein, "bring a glass of punch. Here, sir," he said, "take this away in your stomach, it will do you good in the night; who knows when you will meet with it again?"
"To your good watch," said Herr Duve, as he emptied the proffered beaker.
The horses started, the carriage rolled on, and the officers returned to their fire.
After a short time the sentry again challenged; steps were heard on the other side of the hill, the pass-word was given, and the officers, who had hastily sprung to their feet, met Rittmeister von Einem.
The lieutenants saluted, and von Stolzenberg said: "Nothing fresh, a messenger has passed with despatches and a correct pass."
"All right, gentlemen," said the Rittmeister, "all is in perfect order. And now," he continued, laughingly, "let us lay aside duty; and give me a glass of your drink, and something to eat, for I have had so much to do to-day with the horses and men that I have not had time to find anything for myself."
The young officers hastened to get him such supper as their simple but plentiful provisions afforded, and to brew him as good and fragrant a glass of punch as he could have met with in the most comfortable dining-room.
"Yes," said von Einem, as, stretched at his ease on the straw, he lighted his cigar, "it is all very comfortable to begin with; but, by and by, when we have no more punch to drink, and no more cigars to smoke!"
"So much the better," cried von Wendenstein cheerfully; "our pluck will then be put to the test. But, Herr Rittmeister, shall we march soon? A messenger has just passed to the Hessian army. I suppose that to unite we must march. The Hessians will not come back here."
"If we shall march," said the Rittmeister, sighing, "I know nothing about it; but it does not look like it. The general staff sits and works, and writes, and rewrites; but when we shall march, I do not know."
"I am very sorry about General von Tschirschnitz," said Herr von Stolzenberg. "He was a strict old gentleman, and woe betide anyone who tried to play tricks with him. But he was of the good old stamp; why has he been sent off?"
"Count Kielmansegge, who was with me a quarter of an hour ago," said the Rittmeister, "tells me the army no longer feels any confidence in his capabilities."
"Well, I have heard for some time past that he was breaking," remarked Wendenstein; "but one could not perceive it, if one had anything to do with him. What is Colonel Dammers like--the new adjutant-general?"
"I know him but very little. I believe he is an energetic man. But we have nothing to do with all these things. The cavalry should hold to the old rule--to go in at the enemy and beat him or fall!" And he took a good draught from his glass.
"God grant that the new brooms may sweep clean, and that we may soon go forwards."
He stood up.
"Good night, and a good watch, gentlemen; we shall meet to-morrow, and I hope we shall march!"
The officers saluted, and the Rittmeister slowly walked back to the village through the dark night. The two lieutenants determined to sleep an hour each alternately through the night, whilst the other watched. So midnight passed, and all was silence at the outposts, whilst new troops poured into Göttingen, reserves and recruits streaming in from every part of the country; for all the young men desired to be enrolled in the army.
The new general staff worked all night long; much was debated and written in the great aula of Georgia Augusta, and at last it was decided that the army must remain four days longer in Göttingen, in order to prepare for the march.
Four days is a long time when events may be counted by hours.
"Was du dein Augenblick verloren,
Bringt keine Ewigkeit zurück."
Footnote 2: Droste.
"Wer nun den lieben Gott läszt walten, Und hoffet auf Ihn allezeit, Den wird Er wunderbar erhalten, In aller Noth und Fährlichkeit."
"Da sah'n wir von Weiten, Unsern König schon reiten; Er rief nach seinem Brigadier, 'Lustige Hannoveraner seien wir.'"
Footnote 5: The royal castle.
Footnote 6: The nobility.
Footnote 7: We shall meet again.
Footnote 8: In German armies the Rittmeister holds the rank of a major.