Frederick the Great and His Family [151]
I only wish to warm myself a little, and I think there is room for us all."
He seated himself upon the straw, and nodded to Fritz Kober to take a seat by him. Fritz tremblingly obeyed, and Charles stirred the fire, which flamed up beautifully.
King Frederick gazed at the flickering flames. Charles and Fritz sat on each side of him, and watched him in respectful silence; around the watch-fire lay the sleeping dragoons. After a long pause the king raised his head and looked about him.
"Well, children, to-morrow will be a hot day, and we must strike the Austrians boldly."
"Yes, as we struck the French at Rossbach, your majesty," said Fritz. "Mark me! it will go off bravely, and when we are done with the Austrians we will march to Constantinople."
"What will we do in Constantinople?" said the king.
"Nothing, your majesty, but march there with you, whip the Turks, and take all their gold!"
"Not quite so fast, my son."
"Why not, sir king? We have chopped up the French army; to-morrow we will do the same for the Austrians; and then, why not whip the Turks?"
The king smiled, and said: "Well, well, but first we must give the Austrians a good drubbing."
"And, by my soul, we will do that," said Fritz, eagerly. "Your majesty may believe me--I will march with you to the end of the earth, and so will my friend Charles Buschman. If we have only a little to eat, we will find water everywhere; so lead us where you will!"
The king's eyes flashed: "By heaven! it is a pleasure to lead such soldiers to battle!" Then turning, with a kindly expression, to Fritz Kober, he said: "Can you write?"
"Not well, your majesty; but Charles Henry Buschman can write much better than I. He is a scholar."
"Is that true?" said the king, gayly, to Charles.
"He will say 'No,' sir king; he cannot bear to be praised. But the truth remains, the truth even when denied--Charles is the bravest and wisest soldier in the army, and if there is justice in the world he will be made an officer."
"You must get your commission first, Fritz," said Charles, indifferently; "you earned it long ago, and if the king only knew all that you did at Rossbach, you would have it now."
"What did he do?" said the king.
"Nothing, your majesty," said Fritz.
"Yes, your majesty," said Charles, zealously; "he hewed right and left until the sparks flew in every direction. Our commander had told us the disgusting Frenchmen wanted to take our winter quarters, and even when Fritz Kober's sword was still whizzing among them, they had the insolence to cry out, 'Quartier! quartier!'--then was Fritz enraged, and cut them down like corn-stalks, and cried out, 'Yes, yes! I will give you quarters, but they will be underground!'"
"Only think," said Fritz, "they were flying before us, and the impudent scamps, when we captured them, would still twit us with the winter quarters they had intended to rob us of. How could I help cutting them to pieces?"
"But he spared those who cried 'Pardon,' your majesty," said Charles Henry, "he only took them prisoners. Nine prisoners did Fritz Kober take at Rossbach." [Footnote: The Prussians had been told that the Frenchmen intended to take possession of their winter quarters, and this enraged them greatly. When the French cavalry were flying at Rossbach, they used the German word quartier, thinking they would be better understood. The Prussians looked upon this as an insolent jest, and gave no quarter.--Nicolai's Characteristics and Anecdotes ] "I suppose the five prisoners you took were men of straw, that you say nothing of them," cried Fritz.
The king looked well pleased from one to the other.
"It appears to me you are both brave soldiers, and the braver be cause you do not boast of your deeds. Are you always such good friends as to seek to do each other kindly service?"
"Your majesty, Charles Henry is my truest friend, and if you wish to do me a service, make him an officer."
"But be says he will not be made an officer unless you are made one, so there is nothing left for me to do but to promote
He seated himself upon the straw, and nodded to Fritz Kober to take a seat by him. Fritz tremblingly obeyed, and Charles stirred the fire, which flamed up beautifully.
King Frederick gazed at the flickering flames. Charles and Fritz sat on each side of him, and watched him in respectful silence; around the watch-fire lay the sleeping dragoons. After a long pause the king raised his head and looked about him.
"Well, children, to-morrow will be a hot day, and we must strike the Austrians boldly."
"Yes, as we struck the French at Rossbach, your majesty," said Fritz. "Mark me! it will go off bravely, and when we are done with the Austrians we will march to Constantinople."
"What will we do in Constantinople?" said the king.
"Nothing, your majesty, but march there with you, whip the Turks, and take all their gold!"
"Not quite so fast, my son."
"Why not, sir king? We have chopped up the French army; to-morrow we will do the same for the Austrians; and then, why not whip the Turks?"
The king smiled, and said: "Well, well, but first we must give the Austrians a good drubbing."
"And, by my soul, we will do that," said Fritz, eagerly. "Your majesty may believe me--I will march with you to the end of the earth, and so will my friend Charles Buschman. If we have only a little to eat, we will find water everywhere; so lead us where you will!"
The king's eyes flashed: "By heaven! it is a pleasure to lead such soldiers to battle!" Then turning, with a kindly expression, to Fritz Kober, he said: "Can you write?"
"Not well, your majesty; but Charles Henry Buschman can write much better than I. He is a scholar."
"Is that true?" said the king, gayly, to Charles.
"He will say 'No,' sir king; he cannot bear to be praised. But the truth remains, the truth even when denied--Charles is the bravest and wisest soldier in the army, and if there is justice in the world he will be made an officer."
"You must get your commission first, Fritz," said Charles, indifferently; "you earned it long ago, and if the king only knew all that you did at Rossbach, you would have it now."
"What did he do?" said the king.
"Nothing, your majesty," said Fritz.
"Yes, your majesty," said Charles, zealously; "he hewed right and left until the sparks flew in every direction. Our commander had told us the disgusting Frenchmen wanted to take our winter quarters, and even when Fritz Kober's sword was still whizzing among them, they had the insolence to cry out, 'Quartier! quartier!'--then was Fritz enraged, and cut them down like corn-stalks, and cried out, 'Yes, yes! I will give you quarters, but they will be underground!'"
"Only think," said Fritz, "they were flying before us, and the impudent scamps, when we captured them, would still twit us with the winter quarters they had intended to rob us of. How could I help cutting them to pieces?"
"But he spared those who cried 'Pardon,' your majesty," said Charles Henry, "he only took them prisoners. Nine prisoners did Fritz Kober take at Rossbach." [Footnote: The Prussians had been told that the Frenchmen intended to take possession of their winter quarters, and this enraged them greatly. When the French cavalry were flying at Rossbach, they used the German word quartier, thinking they would be better understood. The Prussians looked upon this as an insolent jest, and gave no quarter.--Nicolai's Characteristics and Anecdotes ] "I suppose the five prisoners you took were men of straw, that you say nothing of them," cried Fritz.
The king looked well pleased from one to the other.
"It appears to me you are both brave soldiers, and the braver be cause you do not boast of your deeds. Are you always such good friends as to seek to do each other kindly service?"
"Your majesty, Charles Henry is my truest friend, and if you wish to do me a service, make him an officer."
"But be says he will not be made an officer unless you are made one, so there is nothing left for me to do but to promote