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22 - With Frederick The Great - A Story of the Seven Years' War by G A Henty · With Frederick The Great: A Story of the Seven Years' War

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one. Home Fergus remained at Targau for six weeks.
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: He had two days after the battle, sent Carl off
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: to carry a letter to Thursa, telling her that he
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: had been wounded, but that she need have no uneasiness
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: about him. The surgeon, saying that the wounden was going
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: on well and that should it not break out bleeding
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: in the course of another week, he would make a
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: quick cure and would be fit for service again. Long
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: before the spring, Karl had not found his horse again,
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: but had bought for a trifle an Austrian officer's horse
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: that was found ridiless and had become the prize of
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: a trooper who was glad to part with it at
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: a quarter of its value. He took with him the
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: disguise of a countryman to put on when he approached
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: the ground held by the Austrians near Dresden, and, leaving
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: his horse fifteen miles away, had no difficulty in making
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: his way in on foot. Karl went on to the
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: back of the house. The servants recognized them as soon
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: as he entered. Will one of you ask the Count
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: to see me? Let him have the message quietly when
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: he is alone. Your master is not killed, one of
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: the women exclaimed in consternation killed. No, Colonel Drummond is
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: not so easily killed, he replied Scorntilly. I have a
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: letter from him in my pocket, but he has been
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: somewhat hurt, and it were best that I saw the
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: Count first, and that he should himself give the letter
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: to the Countess Thursa. In two or three minutes, the
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: man returned and led Carl to a room where the
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: Count was awaiting him, with a look of great anxiety
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: on his face. All is well, your excellency, Kaul said
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: in answer to the look, at least, if not altogether well,
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: not so bad as it might be. The Colonel was
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: hit at Targo. A counter ball took off his left
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: arm at the elbow. Fortunately there were surgeons at work
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: a quarter of miles away, and he was in their
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: hands within a very few minutes of being hit, so
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: they made a job of his wound at once. They
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: had not taken advandages off when I came away, But
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: as there had been no bleeding and no great pain
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: or fever, they think it is going on well. They
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: tell him that he will be fit for service, save
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: for his half empty sleeve in the spring. Here is
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: a letter for the Countess Terza. It is not written
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: by his own hand, except as to the signature. For
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: the surgeons assist that he must lie perfectly quiet, for
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: any exertion might cause the wound to break out afresh.
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: He is quite cheerful and in good spirits, as he
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: always is. He bade me give this note into your hands,
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: so that you might prepare the young countess a little
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: before giving it to her. Tis bad news call, but
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: it might have been much worse, and it will indeed
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: be a relief to us all. For since we heard
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: of that desperate fight at Torgo, and how great was
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: the slaughter on both sides, we have been anxious, indeed,
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: and must have remained so, for we should have had
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: little chance of seeing the list of the Prussian killed
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: and wounded. Now do you go into the kitchen. They
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: all know you there. Make yourself comfortable. I will give
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: orders that you shall be well served. He then proceeded
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: to the room where Thursa and a mother of war sitting.
• 3:34
  Speaker 1: The former was pale and had evidently been crying. Some
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: news has come, he said, not the very best, and
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: yet by no means the worst, Drummond is wounded, a
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: severe wound, but not, it is confidently believed a dangerous one.
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: Thirza ran to her father and threw her arms round
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: his neck and burst into a passion of tears. He
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: did not attempt to cheek them for some little time. Now,
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: my dear, he said, at last, you must be brave,
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: or you won't be worthy of this lover of yours.
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: There is one bad point about it. She looked up
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: in his face anxiously, but a smile reassured her. You
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: must prepare yourself for he being somewhat disfigured. Oh that
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: is nothing, father, nothing whatever to me. But how is
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: he disfigured? Well, my dear, he has lost his left
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: arm at the elbow. That gave a little cry of
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: grief and pity. That is sad, father, But surely it
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: is no disfigurement anymore than that saber scar on his face.
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: Tis an honor to a brave soldier to have lost
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: a limb in battle. Still, I am glad that it
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: is his left arm, though had it been his right
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: and both his legs, it would have made no difference
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: in my love for him. Well, I am very glad
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: there is it that your love has not been tested
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: so severely as I confess that for my part, I
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: would much for having a son in law who is
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: able to walk about and would not have to be
• 5:04
  Speaker 1: carried to the altar. Here is a letter for you
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: from him, that is to say, which has been written
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: at his dictation, for of course, the surgeons insist on
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: his lying perfectly quiet at present. There is a turret
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: open and ran through its contents. It is just as
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: you say, father. He makes very light of it and
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: writes as if it were a mere nothing. She handed
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: the letter to her mother and then turned to the count.
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: Is there anything we can do? Father? Nothing whatever with
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: such a wound as that he will have to lie
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: perfectly still for some time. You may be sure that
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: as one of Frederick's personal staff, he will have every
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: attention possible. And were we all in this town, we
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: could do nothing. As soon as he is fit to
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: be moved, it will be different, but we shall have
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: plenty of time to talk over matters before that. For
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: some months, traveling will be dangerous. Frederick's army is in
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: the neighborhood again, and as Dawn and Lacia both in
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: their intrenchments, behind the poland there is no chance of
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: his again besieging Dresden. But his flying columns will be
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: all over the country, as doubtless will the croats, and
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: the roads will be altogether unsafe for traveling, no doubt.
• 6:22
  Speaker 1: As soon as he is able to be moved, he
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: will be taken to Frederick's headquarters, wherever that may be established.
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: The King will assuredly have the hospitals at Torgo cleared
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: as soon as he can, lest when he has retired,
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: the Austrians might make another dash at the town. The
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: next morning, Carl set out again, bearing a letter from
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: the court and one from Theresa, which was of a
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: much less formal character than that which he had dictated
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: to her, and which, as he told her afterwards, greatly
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: assisted his cure. A month after the battle, he was
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: per announced fit to travel, and with a large train
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: of wagons filled with convalescence, and under a strong escort,
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: he was taken to Leipsick, where the king had just
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: established his headquarters, and to which all the wounded were
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: to be sent as soon as they could safely be moved.
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: Here he was established in comfortable quarters, and call again
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: carried a letter to THURSA, ten days later, Count Eulen
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: first entered his room. You're here, Count, he exclaimed, How
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: kind of you? What a journey to make through the snow.
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: I have been dragging hither, the Count said, with a smile,
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: dragged hither, Count, Yes, Theresa insisted on coming to see you.
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: Her mother declared that she should accompany her, and of
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: course there was nothing for me to do but to
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: set out. Also, are they here, then, Count Fergus exclaimed incredulously.
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: Certainly they are here and established at the Black Eagle Hotel.
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: I could not bring them here to a house full
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: of officers. You are well enough to walk to the hotel. Yes,
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: indeed I walked them mile. Yesterday, as Karl was helping
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: Fergus into his uniform, he asked, how long were you
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: in coming here? Count? We did it in a day.
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: I sent on relays of horses two days before, and
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: as the carriage is of course on runners, and the
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: snow in good order, we made quick work of it.
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: Your man went on with the horses and rode with
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: us from the last place where we changed. I did
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: most of the journeys sitting by the coachman, which gave
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: them more roube inside and was more pleasant for me also.
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: In a few minutes they reached the hotel, and the
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: Count led Fergus to a door. You will find Thursday
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: alone there. We thought that you had best see her,
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: so at first half an hour later the Count and
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: Countess entered the room. He looked very pale and thin.
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: Mother Thursday said, after the Countess had affectionately embraced Fergus,
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: you would hardly have expect to find him fat Rosie,
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: the Count laughed. A man does not lose his arm
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: and go about as if the matter was not worth
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: thinking of. A few weeks afterwards, he is certainly looking
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: better than I expected to find him. The empty sleeve
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: is a sad disfigurement, though he added slightly. How can
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: you say so farther? Thurs exclaimed indignantly, I think quite
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: the contrary. I feel quite proud of him with it. Well,
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: there is no accounting for tasts. If you are satisfied,
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: I have no reason to be otherwise. And now, Drummond,
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: we want to hear all about Leagunitz and Torgo, for
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: we have only heard the Austrian accitnts. Dresden illuminated over
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: Dawn's first dispatch from Torgo, saying that depression attacks had
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: been repulsed with tremendous slaughter, and a complete victory gained.
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: The next morning there came, I believe, another dispatch, but
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: it was not published, And it was not until we married,
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: that Dawn and Lacey were both within a few miles
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: of the town, that we knew that, somehow or other,
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: there had been a mistake about the matter, a mistake
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: that has not yet been cleared up at Dresden. To
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: defeat part of the business, I can tell you from
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: my personal observation the victory only from what I heard. Certainly,
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: when I came to my senses after the surgeons had
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: seen to my wounds, I had no thought of anything
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: but a disastrous defeat. Never did the Prussians fight more
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: bravely or more hopelessly. They had to mount a steep
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: ascent with four hundred cannon playing upon them, and an
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: army more than three times their number waiting at the
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: top to receive them. He then proceeded to tell them
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: the whole story of the battle. Zithan seems to have
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: blundered terribly, The count said, I believe that is the
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: King's opinion too, But Zithan himself defends his actions stoutly
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: and mains that he could never have succeeded in a
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: direct attack in broad daylight. Anyhow, as the matter came
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: out all right in the end, the King was too
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: well satisfied to do no more than grumble at them.
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: The other was a hard fought battle, too. The news
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: of that was a relief to us. Indeed, the Count said,
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: it seemed to everyone that Frederick was so completely caught
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: in the toils that he could not hope to extricate himself.
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: As you know, in this war, I have all along
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: held myself to be neutral. I considered that the plot
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: to overthrow Frederick and partition the kingdom was a scandalous one,
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: and that the King disgraced himself and us by joining
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: in it. But since that time my sympathies have become
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: more and more strongly with Frederick. It is impossible not
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: to admire the manner in which he has defended himself. Moreover,
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: the brutality with which the Confederates and Austrians, wherever their
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: army he penetrated Saxony treated the Protestants, made one regard
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: him as the champion of Protestantism. He was wrong in
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: forcing the Saxons to take service with him in his
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: army after their surrender at Pirna, and the taxes and
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: exactions have for the last three years weighed heavily on Saxony.
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: But I cannot blame him for that. It was needful
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: that he should have money to carry on the war,
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: And as Saxony had brought it on herself, I cannot
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: blame him that he bore heavily upon her. Then too,
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: there is a has for the last two or three
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: years become a perfect enthusiast for the Prussians. Whether it
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: was the King's gracious manner to herself or from some
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: other cause, I cannot say. But she has certainly become
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: an ultra Prussian. And now lunch must be ready, and
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: you look as if you wanted it, Drummond, and I
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: am sure Thursday does. She was too excited to eat
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: when we got here last night, And as for her breakfast,
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: it was altogether untouched, no doubt you think Raman Count
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: Unifirst said when he called the next morning, that you
• 13:10
  Speaker 1: have done your duty fairly to Prussia. How do you mean,
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: Count Fergus replied, someone puzzled by the question. I mean
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: that you have served five campaigns. You've been twice made
• 13:22
  Speaker 1: a prisoner, you were wounded ed Zorndorf, you nearly died
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: of fever lass winter. Now you've lost your arm at Torgo.
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: So I think that you have fully done your duty
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: to the king under whom you took service, and could
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: now retire with a thoroughly clear conscience. My own idea
• 13:41
  Speaker 1: is that the war has quite spent its strength. France
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: is practically bankrupt. Austria and Russia must be as tired
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: of the war as Prussia, and this last defeat of
• 13:51
  Speaker 1: their hopes cannot but discourage the two empresses greatly. I
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: hear from my friends in Vienna that in the capitol
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: and all the large cities they are becoming absolutely disgusted
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: with the war. And though it may go on for
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: a while, I believe that its fury is spent. At
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: any rate, I think you have earned a right to
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: think of yourself as well as others. You certainly have
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: nothing to gain by staying longer in the service. I
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: was thinking the same thing last night. Count Certainly one
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: man more or less will make no difference to Frederick
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: but I thought that unless you spoke of it, I
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: should let mattters go on as they are, except that
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: I thought of asking for three months leave to go home.
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: That you should go home for a few months as
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: an excellent plan, Drummond, But I think it would be
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: better that when you were there, you should be able
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: to stay five or six months, if so inclined. Go
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: to the king. Tell them frankly that you feel that
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: you want rest and quiet for a time, and that
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: you have no longer any occasion in the cuniary way
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: for remaining in the army, and that you want to
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: get married. All good reasons for resigning your commission. You see,
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: we have now some sort of right to have a
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: voice in the matter. You had a narrow escape at Torgo,
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: and the next time you might not be so fortunate
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: and anxious as we are for Thursday's happiness. We do
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: think it is high time that you retire from the
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: service that decides it. Count I myself am quite enough
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: of this terrible work. Where I a Prussian, I should
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: owe my first duty to the country, and as long
• 15:35
  Speaker 1: as the war continues, should feel myself bound to set
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: aside all private considerations to defend her to the last.
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: But it is not so, and my first duty now
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: is assuredly to Thursa, to you and to the Countess. Therefore,
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: I will this morning go to the King and ask
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: him to allow me to resign my commission. Do so, Drummond.
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: I thought of saying as much to you last year,
• 15:59
  Speaker 1: but the anxiety of those terrible three or four days
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: after Togo decided me. If I thought that your honor
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: was concerned in remaining longer in the army, I should
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: be the last to advise you to leave it, even
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: for the sake of my daughter's happiness. But as it
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: is not so, I have no hesitation in urging you
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: to retire. 'tis a good time for me to leave now.
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: My cousin, the Earl Marischal Keith, returned here three days ago,
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: and I will get him to go with me to
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: the King. I shall say nothing to my wife and
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: theirs her about it till I see you again. In
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: trouble course, the King cannot refuse, but I should like
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: him to take it in good part, as indeed I
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: doubt not that he will. I have no doubt that
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: he will, too. Count You may think it observed and
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: perhaps vain to me. But indeed it is of the
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: King that I am thinking, rather than of myself. During
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: the past three years he has been good enough to
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: treat me with singular kindness. He has had trouble and
• 17:05
  Speaker 1: care which would have broken down most men, and I
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: think that it has been some relief to him to
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: put aside his cares and troubles for an hour or
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: two of an evening, and to talk to a young
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: fellow like myself on all sorts of matters, just as
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: he does to Sir John Mitchell and my cousin, the
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: Earl Mareschal. I have no doubt of it, Drummond, and
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: I quite understand your feeling in a matter. Still, we
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: are selfish enough to think of our feelings too. As
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: soon as the Count left, Fergus put on his full
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: uniform and went to the King's quarters, he first saw
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: that Earl Mareschad had told him his error. You are
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: quite right, the old man said, hardly. You have done
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: more than enough fighting, and there is no saying how
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: long this war may drag on. I told you when
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: I first heard of your engagement to the young Countess,
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: that I was glad, indeed that you were not always
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: to remain at so your fortune, and I am sure
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: that the King will consider that you have more than
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: done your duty by remaining in his service for a year,
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: after having so splendid a prospect before you. Frederick is
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: disengaged at President, and I will go over with you
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: to him and will myself open the matter. Fergus had
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: not seen the king, says arrival at Leipsig, I am
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: truly glad to see you on your feet again, the
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: latter said, as Fergus followed his cousin into the room.
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: I felt, by no means sure that I should ever
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: see you again on that day after Targo, but you
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: still look very thin and pulled down. You want rest, lad,
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: We all want rest, but it's not all of us
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: that can get it. That is what we have come
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: to speak to you about, your majesty. Keith said, I
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: told you a year ago that he was engaged to
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: be married to the daughter of count Yuleen. First, the
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: King nodded, I remember her, the bright little lady who
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: received me when I went to her father's house. The
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: same sire, he thinks that the warning he had at
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: Torgo was sufficient, and that having done his best in
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: your Majesty's cause he has now earned a right to
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: think of himself and her and so he would beg
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: your Majesty to allow him to resign his commission and
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: to retire from the service. He has certainly well earned
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: the right, the King said gravely. He has done me right,
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: good and loyal service, even putting aside that business had
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: zoned off. And not the least of those services has
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: been that he has often cheered me by his talk
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: when I saw they needed cheering. That empty sleeve of
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: his that scar one had zondoff, are all proofs how
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: well he has done his duty. And his request, now
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: that fortune has smiled upon him in other ways, is
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: a fair and reasonable one, I hope, Colonel Drummond. He
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: went on, in a lighter tone, that as you will
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: be settled in Saxony, and this war cannot go on forever,
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: I shall some day see you and your bride at Berlin,
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: none would be more welcome. He is going home to
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: Scotland for a few months in the first place, Keith said,
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: it is only right that he should visit his mother
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: and people there before he settles here. He will, like
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: enough be back again before the campaign opens. In the spring. Fergus,
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: whose heart was very full, said a few words of
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: thanks to the King for his kindness that he had
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: always shown him and for what he had now said,
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: and assured him that he should not only come to
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: Berlin as soon as peace was made, but that as
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: long as the war lasts, that he would pay his
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: respects to him every year. When he was in winter quarters.
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: He then withdrew and made his way to the hotel.
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: It is done, he said to the Count as he entered.
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: I have resigned my commission, and the King has accepted.
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: He was most kind. I am glad that I have
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: done it, and yet it was a very hard thing
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: to do, uttered an exclavation of joy. I am glad indeed, Fergus,
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: that you are not going to do that terrible war again.
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: I can understand your feelings, Drummond, the Count said, putting
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: his hand upon his shoulder. I know that it must
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: have been a wrench to you, but that will pass
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: off in a short time. You've done your duty nobly
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: and have fairly earned a rest. Now let us talk
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: of other things. When do you think of starting for Scotland?
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: To that I must reply, Fergus said, with a smile.
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: How long are you thinking of stopping here? Assuredly, I
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: shall not want to be going as long as you
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: are here, And in any case, I should like my
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: mother to have a week's notice before I come home.
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: And I think that in another fortnight my wound will
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: be completely healed. I was thinking the Count said that
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: you will want to take a nurse with you? Do
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: you mean? Count Fergus exclaimed eagerly that Thursday could go
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: with me. That would be happiness. Indeed, I don't quite
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: see why she should not, Drummond. There are churches here
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: and clergymen. What do you say, oh father, the girl said,
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: with a greatly heightened color. I could never be ready
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: so soon as that could I mother? I don't know,
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: my dear. Your father was talking to me an hour
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: ago about it, and that was what I said. But
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: he answered that although you might not be able to
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: get a great many clothes made, there will be plenty
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: of time to get your things from home, and that
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: in some respects it would be much more convenient for
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: you to be married here than at Dresden. Your marriage
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: with one who had so lately left the service of
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: Prussia would hardly be a popular one with the Austrians
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: in Dresden, so that altogether the plant would be convenient.
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: We can set the milliners to work at once and
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: in another fortnight, get your bridal dress ready, and such
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: things as are absolutely necessary. Of course, if you would
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: rather remain single for another three or four months, your
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: father and I would not wish to press you unduly.
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: It is not that, mother, she said shyly. But it
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: does seem so very quick. If a thing is good,
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: the sooner it has done, the better, the count said,
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: and Thursda offered no further objections. The next day an
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: order appeared that Colonel Fergus Drummond had been advanced another
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: step in the Order of the Black Eagle, following which
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: came Colonel Fergus Drummond, having lost an arm in the
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: bottle of Torgo, has resigned his commission, which has been
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: accepted with great regret by the King, the services of
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: Colonel Drummond having been in the highest degree meritorious and distinguished.
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: The King, having heard from the Earl Marischal that Fergus
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: was to be married at Leipzig before leaving for Scotland,
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: took great interest in the matter, and when the time
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: came was himself presented in a cathedral, together with a
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: brilliant gathering of generals and other officers of the army
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: in the vicinity, and of many Saxon families of distinction
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: who were acquainted with Count Eulen. First Fergus had obtained
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: calls discharge from the army, the latter, who had long
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: since served his full time, having begged most earnestly to
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: remain in his service. On the following day Fergus started
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: with his wife for Scotland, drove to Magdeburg, and four
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: days later reached Hamburg, where they embarked on a boarder
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: ship for Edinburgh. Calalocausts accompanied them. It was a day
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: to be long remembered in the Glen when Colonel Drummond
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: and a Saxon wife came to take possession of his
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: father's estates, where his mother had now been established for
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: upwards of a year in the old mansion. It was
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: late when they arrived. Body of mounted men with torches
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: met them at the boundary of the estate and accompanied
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: them to the house, where all the tenants and clansmen
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: were assembled. Great bonfires blaze and scores of torches added
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: to the picturesque effect. A party of pipers struck up
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: an air of welcome as they drove forward, and a
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: roar of cheering and shouts of welcome greeted them. Welcome
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: to your Scottish home, Fergus said to his wife, 'tis
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: a poor place in comparison with your father's, But nowhere
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: in the world will you find truer hearts at a
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: warmer greeting than here. His mother was standing on her
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: steps as he leaped out, as she embraced them with
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: tears of joy, while after him she gave a warm
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: and infectionate greeting to Thursday. Then Fergus turned to the klansmen,
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: who stood thronging round the entrance with waving torches and
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: bonnets thrown wildly in the air, and said a few
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: words of thanks, but they're welcome, and of the pleasure
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: and pride he felt in coming again among them as
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: the head of the clan and master of his father's estates.
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: Then he presented there's it to them as their mistress.
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: She has brought me another home across the sea, he said,
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: and she will soon come to love this as well
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: as her own. And though I shall be absent part
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: of the time. She will come with me every summer
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: to stay among you, and will regard you as our
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: people as well as mine. Among the dependents ranged in
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: the hall was Wolf, with whom Fergus shook hands warmly.
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: I shall never have got on as well as I have, Wolf,
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: he said, had it not been for your teaching, both
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: in German and in arms. I commend to your special
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: care my servant Carl, who speaks no English and will
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: feel strange here at first. He has been my companion
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: all this time, has given me the most faithful service
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: and has saved my life what it what? He has
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: now left the army to follow be Fergus remained three
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: months at home. Thursa was delighted with the country and
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: the affection shown by the people to Fergus, and studied
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: diligently to learn the language, that she might be able
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: to communicate personally with them, and above all with Missus Drummond,
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: to whom she speedily became much attached. At the end
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: of April, they returned to Saxony and took up their
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: abode on the estate the count had settled on them
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: at their marriage for two years longer the war continued,
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: but with much diminished fury, and there was no great
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: battle fought. The King planted himself in a camp which
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: he rendered impregnable, and there menacing the routes by which
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: the Saxons and Russian armies brought their supplies from Bohemia
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: paralyzed their movements, while General Playton made a raid into
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: Poland and destroyed a great portion of the Russian magazines
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: in that direction, so that the campaign came to north. Ferdinand,
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: with the aid of his English, defeated Broglio and Subaiz
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: at Billingshausen. Subaiz remained inactive during the battle, as Broglio
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: had done at Minden. At the beginning of seventeen sixty two,
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: a happy event for the king took place. The Empress
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: of Russia died, and Peter, a great admirer Frederick, came
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: to the throne. The Prussian king at once released all
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: the Russian prisoners and sent them back, and Peter returned
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: the compliment by sending home the Prussian prisoners, and six
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: weeks after his accession issued a declaration that there ought
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: to be peace with the King of Prussia and that
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: the Tsar was resolved that the war should be ended,
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: He at once gave up East Prussia and other conquests
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: and recalled the Russian army. He not only did this,
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: but he ordered his general surgeon chief to march and
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: join the king. The news caused absolute dismay in Austria
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: and hastened the Swedes to conclude a peace with Frederick.
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: They had throughout the war done little, but the peace
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: set free the force then had been watching them, which
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: had regularly every year driven them back as fast as
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: they endeavored to invade Prussia on that side. In July, however,
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: the murder of Peter threw all into confusion again. But
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: Catherine had no desire to renew the war, and it
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: was evident that this was approaching its end. She therefore
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: recalled her army, which had already joined that of the
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: King of England and France too. When negotiating terms of peace,
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: and it was clear that Austria single handed could not
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: hope to win back to Licia, the king gained several
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: small but important successes and re captured the important fortress
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: of Sweden. It's then came long negotiations, and on the
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: following February a general peace was signed by all the powers,
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: Prussia retaining her frontiers as at the beginning of the war.
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: From this time Fergus Drummond's life passed uneventually. Every year
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: he went to his old home with his wife, and
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: at time went on brought his children to Scotland, and
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: every winter he spent a fortnight at Berlin. When his
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: second son reached the age of twelve, he sent up
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: the school in England and there prepared him to succeed
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: to the Scottish estate. This he did not do for
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: many years, entering the British Army and winning the rank
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: of colonel in the Peninsular War, and it was not
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: until some years after the Battle of Waterlo that, at
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: the death of his father, he retired and settled down
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: on the Scottish estates that were now his. The rest
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: of Colonel Drummond's family took their mother's nationality. Fergus did
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: not come in for the whole of the Ulan First
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: estates until thirty years after his marriage. He then took
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: up his abode with his wife at the mansion where
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: they had first met, near Dresden, and retaining a sufficient
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: chair of the estates to support his position, divided the
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: remainder among his children, considering that the property was too
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: large to be owned with advantage by any one person.
• 31:32
  Speaker 1: His descendants are still large landowners in various parts of Saxony.
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: The king survived the signature of the peace for twenty
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: five years, during which he devoted himself to repairing the
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: damage his country had suffered by the war, and by
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: incessant care and wise reforms, he succeeded in rendering Prussia
• 31:53
  Speaker 1: far wealthier and more prosperous than it had been when
• 31:57
  Speaker 1: he succeeded to the throne. Lindsay rose to the rank
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: of general in the Prussian service, and his friendship with
• 32:04
  Speaker 1: Fergus remained close and unbroken. The old Earl Barreschal survived
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: his younger brother for twenty years and was to the
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: last one of the King's dearest and most intimate friends.
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: End of Chapter twenty one recording by Gary Alman West
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: Palm Beach, Florida, USA. End of with Frederick the Great,
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: A Story of the Seven Years War by G. A.
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: Henty