Books: NAPOLEON AND BLUCHER

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"No, your excellency," said Christian, approaching and carefully
picking up the pieces, "that is no wounded pipe, but a dead one.
Shall I fetch another to your excellency?"

He was about to turn away, but Blucher seized the lap of his hussar-
jacket. "Show me the broken pipe," he said, anxiously; "let me see
if it really will not do any more."

"Well, look at it, your excellency," said the pipe-master, in a
dignified tone, holding up the bowl with a very small part of the
tube. "It is impossible for you to use it again. If I should fill
the bowl with tobacco and light it, your excellency, it would
assuredly burn your nose."

"That is true," said Blucher, mournfully; "I believe you are right.
I might burn my nose, and that would be altogether unnecessary now.
I burn it here at Breslau every day."

"How did you do it?" asked Christian, in dismay. "Your excellency
has not yet smoked short pipes."

"Because I am myself like a short pipe," cried Blucher, with a grim
smile, "or because the miserable, sneaking vermin at court--well,
what does it concern you? Why do you stand and stare at me? Go,
Christian, and fetch me a new Pipe."

"What, a new pipe!" asked a voice by his side. "Why, Blucher, you
are still in your dressing-gown!"

It was his wife who had just entered the room by the side-door and
approached her husband without being noticed. She was in full
toilet, her head adorned with plumes, her delicate form wrapped in a
heavy dark satin dress, trimmed with costly silver lace. Her neck
and ears were ornamented with jewelry in which large diamonds shone;
in her hand, radiant with valuable rings, she held a huge fan,
inlaid with pearls and precious stones.

"Yes, Amelia, I am still in my dressing-gown," said Blucher,
gloomily gazing at his wife. "Why, you are splendidly dressed to-
day! What is it for?--and whither do you design to go?"

"Whither!" exclaimed the lady, in surprise. "But, husband, do you
forget, then, the festival to take place to-night?"

"Well, what is it?" asked Blucher, slowly drawing his long white
mustache through his fingers.

"Blucher, to-night the great ball takes place which the city of
Breslau gives at the city hall in honor of the Emperor of Russia,
when both their majesties will appear."

"Well, what does that concern me?"

"It concerns you a great deal, for you have solemnly promised the
burgomaster, who came personally to invite us, that you would attend
the ball to-night."

"And I shall not go to it after all, Amelia," cried Blucher,
striking with his hand on the table. "No, Amelia! I am no dancing-
bear to turn around at a ball, and to be led by the nose."

"But, Blucher, what has happened to you?" asked his wife,
wonderingly. "You were as merry and high-spirited as a young god of
spring; the violets laughed when they saw you pass by, and the snow-
drops rang their tiny bells in your honor, and now suddenly it is
winter again! Pray, tell me, what has happened to you?"

"Nothing at all has happened to me--that is just the misfortune,"
cried Blucher. "It is more than a month now since I have been
sitting here at Breslau, and nothing has happened. I am still what I
always was--an old pensioned general, who has no command, and
nothing to do but to retire to Kunzendorf and plant cabbage-heads,
while others in the field are cutting off French heads. And it will
be best for me to go back to Kunzendorf. I have nothing to do here;
no one cares for an old fellow like me. I have hoped on from day to
day, but all my hopes are gone now. Amelia, take off your tinsel,
and pack up our traps. The best thing we can do will be to start
this very evening and return to our miserable, accursed village!"

"Dear me! what a humor you are in!" exclaimed his wife, "Every thing
will be right in the end, my husband; you must not despair; things
are only taking their course a little more deliberately than my
firebrand wishes. But finally all will be precisely as you want it,
for without Blucher they are unable to accomplish any thing, and
will, therefore, at last resort to him."

"And I tell you they will try to get along without me," cried
Blucher; "I shall be a disgraced man, at whom the very chickens will
laugh, if he has to sneak back to Kunzendorf instead of taking the
field. Pack up. Amelia, wo shall leave this day!"

"But that is impossible, Blucher! It would look like a cowardly
flight, and your enemies would rejoice over it. No, you must go to
the ball to-night; you--"

"General Scharnhorst!" announced a footman at this moment, and there
appeared in the open door the general, dressed in his gala-uniform,
and his breast decked with orders.

"I am glad you have come, general," exclaimed Amelia, hastening to
him, and shaking hands with her friend. "Look at that stubborn old
man, who does not wish to go to the ball! Say yourself, general,
must he not go?"

"Certainly he must," said Scharnhorst, smiling, "and I come to beg
of you a seat in your carriage, and to let me have the honor of
appearing in the suite of General and Madame von Blucher. You had,
therefore, better dress at once, my dear general. It is high time.
Even their majesties have already set out."

Blucher gently shook his head, and slowly raised his eyes toward
Scharnhorst, who stood in front of him. "Scharnhorst," he said,
"every thing turns out wrong, and I wish myself dead rather than see
such a state of affairs."

"What do you mean, general?" inquired Scharnhorst. "What has
happened?"

Blucher cast a piercing glance on him, and seemed to read in the
depths of his soul. "Is the matter settled?" he asked. "Pray, my
friend, tell me the truth without circumlocution. It is better for
me to know it at once than allow this incertitude longer to gnaw at
my heart. Scharnhorst, I implore you, tell me the truth! Has the
commander of the Silesian army been appointed?"

"No, general," said Scharnhorst, gravely.

"And you do not know whom they will appoint? The truth, my friend!"

"Well, then, the truth is, that I do not know it, and that their
majesties themselves do not know it, although every patriot thinks
they ought not to doubt which of the three gentlemen who stand on
the list should be appointed, for every heart echoes, 'General
Blucher is the man whom we need, and who will lead us to victory.'
The emperor and the king are still vacillating; precious time is
lost--Napoleon is organizing new armies, and strengthening himself
on all sides, while they are hesitating."

"Three, then, stand on the list," said Blucher. "I have two
competitors. Who are they, general?"

"One is Field-Marshal Kalkreuth."

Blucher started, and his eyes flashed with anger. "What!" he cried.
"That childish old man to command an army! He who is constantly
singing hymns of praise to Napoleon and his French--he who, only the
other day, showed again that he deemed a frown of Bonaparte more
terrible than the peril of a German patriot! He command an army to
vanquish Napoleon! I suppose you know what he has done? He betrayed
to the French ambassador, Count St. Marsan, who followed our king to
Breslau in order to watch him, that Minister von Stein, our noblest
friend, had secretly come for the purpose of negotiating with the
king in the name of the Emperor of Russia; that he was living in a
garret, and that conferences of the enemies of Napoleon were held
there every night." [Footnote: Pertz's "Life of Stein," vol. iii.,
p. 210.]

"Yes, that is true," said Scharuhorst, "Field-Marshal Kalkreuth did
so, and it is no fault of his that Baron von Stein, with his
friends, one of whom I happen to be, was not secretly seized and
carried off by the French. Fortunately, dear Count St. Marsan did
not believe the field-marshal who betrayed his German countryman.
The French ambassador allowed himself to be deceived by the
stillness that reigned in the garret, which, according to the
statement Kalkreuth made to him, was inhabited by dangerous Minister
von Stein." [Footnote: Beitzke, vol. i., p. 170.]

"Well, and this man, the head of the French party, they wish to
appoint general-in-chief of the Silesian army," said Blucher,
mournfully. "Amelia, pack up our traps; let us return to
Kunzendorf."

"But Field-Marshal Kalkreuth has not yet been appointed," Said
Scharnhorst, smiling; "I believe his two competitors have as good--
nay, better prospects than he has."

"It is true, I forgot the second competitor," grumbled Blucher. "Who
is it?"

"It is Lieutenant-General Count Tauentzien, in whom the Emperor
Alexander takes a great deal of interest."

"Of course," said Blucher, sarcastically, "he is a count, and he has
such a polish, and courtly manners; he knows how to flatter the
sovereigns, and tell them only what is agreeable. But now, you
yourself must admit, Scharnhorst, that it is best for me to set out
immediately for Kunzendorf, and that I have no prospects--none
whatever! The two sovereigns, the king and emperor, alone will make
the appointment, will they not?"

"Of course, they alone!"

"Well, each of them has a candidate of his own. The emperor is in
favor of Count Tauentzien, and the king is for Field-Marshal
Kalkreuth. Who, then, is to think of and speak for me?"

"Your glory will speak for you, general," said Scharnhorst,
feelingly; "the love which every soldier feels for you will speak,
and you will speak for yourself by your noble appearance--your self-
reliant bearing, your energy and strength, which do not shrink from
truth. Come, let us get ready for the ball, and, my friend, do not
impose any restraint upon yourself there; give the reins to your
discontent; tell every one frankly and bluntly that you are
dissatisfied--that you ardently desire to be appointed general-in-
chief, and that you would consider it a great misfortune if another
man should be preferred to you."

"But, dear general," exclaimed Madame von Blucher, in dismay, "how
can you give Blucher such advice? You know how hot-headed and rash
he is! He will rave about so, that the king and the emperor
themselves will hear him."

"Well," said Scharnhorst, smiling, "it is sometimes very well that
there should be a man courageous enough to tell the kings and
emperors the truth, and prove to them that mankind do not always
fawn upon them with polite submissiveness."

"Scharnhorst is right," exclaimed Blucher, suddenly straightening
himself; "yes, I will go to the ball, and tell them there at least
what sort of men those are whom they wish to appoint, and what we
may expect from them. They shall not afterward excuse themselves by
saying that they were not forewarned, and that no one had called
their attention to Blucher. I will do it myself--yes, thunder and
lightning! I will remind them of Blucher, and they shall hear and
understand me."

"Well," cried Madame von Blucher, "I beg permission to stay at home,
for Blucher will have a scene, at which I do not wish to be
present."

"Oh, no, there will be no scene whatever," said Blucher. "I shall
make my obeisance to their majesties and then step aside, but of
course I am not to keep altogether still, and--well, you know my
motto, 'At them!' [Footnote: "Immer drauf:"] Well, then, 'at them!'
Let us go to the bail. You must accompany me, Amelia, there is no
help for it; for it may be necessary for you to bring me back to
reason. You know well that no one but you can do that."

"I am sure, madame, you will not abandon us at this critical hour?"
begged Scharnhorst. "You do not desire his guardian angel to leave
him?"

"Yes, I will go with you," she said, smiling, "if for no other
purpose than to restrain my fiery thunderer in proper time."

"Well, it may not be of any avail," said Blucher, dryly. "By Heaven!
I must unbosom myself a little to-day--I must tell them the truth,
which no one here at Breslau likes to hear.--Well, Amelia, do me the
favor to turn toward the window. I wish to take off my dressing-gown
and pat on my uniform coat--then I am dressed; only my coat is
wanting; it lies on the chair yonder; wait until I have put it on,
and then we shall ride to the ball. I will call John to assist me."

"Do not call any one," said Scharnhorst, "but permit me to assist
you. Here is the coat."

"And here I am," cried Blucher, throwing off the dressing-gown and
quickly plunging into the coat which Scharnhorst handed him.

"But now listen, general," said Scharnhorst, handing Blucher the
sword and belt. "As you arc so very amiable and kind, I will tell
you good news. Gneisenau will be here to-morrow."

"What? Is he no longer in England?" asked Blucher, joyously.

"No, he is in Germany, and, as he wrote to me, will arrive to-morrow
at the latest. He landed nearly a week ago from a Swedish ship at
Colberg, where he was received with enthusiasm. The whole city was
illuminated on the evening of his arrival, and the citizens marched
in procession to his lodgings. [Footnote: Beitzke, vol. i., p. 196.]
You see the old hatred and the old love are still alive in the
people; they have not forgotten their oppressors, nor their heroes
either."

"Then Gneisenau has come, too," exclaimed Blucher; "he is the petrel
that heralds the storm. There will be war now, certainly; and if I
am not permitted to share in it, my heart will burst like an
overcharged gun. Gneisenau come! all men are coming, and Blucher is
to stay at home! Well, if they do not appoint me commanding general,
I will enlist as a private. For I must participate in the war that
is to put an end to Bonaparte's tyranny; and, if I cannot be first
dancer, I shall be one of the musicians.--Christian, have the
carriage brought to the door!"

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE BALL AT THE CITY HALL OF BRESLAU.

The large saloon of the city hall of Breslau presented an
exceedingly festive and brilliant spectacle. The walls were
tastefully decorated with festoons and flags, exhibiting alternately
the Russian and Prussian colors; between them were the Prussian
eagle and the double-headed Russian eagle in richly-gilt medallions,
surrounded by resplendent tapers. On the ceiling were suspended
three enormous chandeliers, each adorned with fifty large wax
candles, which shed a flood of light through the whole hall, and
reflected themselves a hundred times in their balls and pendants of
rock crystal. In the gallery, fixed on the upper half of one of the
walls of the hall, and splendidly decorated with garlands and
Prussian and Russian flags, sat a band of fifty musicians, who
caused soul-stirring greetings to roll down into the hall, where the
brilliant and numerous crowd of guests, whom the municipal
authorities had invited, were moving up and down; the ladies in the
most magnificent toilets, in the gorgeous splendor of diamonds and
other precious stones, of flowers and laces; the gentlemen in their
gold-embroidered uniforms, their breasts ornamented with orders; but
among them were seen also the dark figures of Lutzow's riflemen, the
plain coats of the citizens, and even some of the peasantry in their
becoming rural costumes. All classes were represented at this great
ball, which the municipal authorities of Breslau gave in honor of
the Emperor of Russia, for these representatives of all classes were
to offer to Alexander the homage of the Prussian people, and to
return thanks to the noble ally of the king for the assistance that
he intended to lend to Prussia.

The emperor and the king, therefore, were received with boundless
enthusiasm when they entered the hall arm in arm, each decorated not
with his own orders, but with those of his ally. Alexander had
acknowledged this flattering reception with the affability and the
smiling grace peculiar to him; Frederick William, with the gravity
and calmness that never left him. After the first presentations and
official addresses were over, Alexander requested the presiding
burgomaster to set aside the embarrassing ceremonial, and to allow
every one to yield without restraint to the enjoyment of the
festival. In order to give an example to the assembled guests, the
emperor suggested to the managers that dancing might begin, and,
offering his arm to the wife of the presiding burgomaster, he opened
the ball with the Polonaise. After the dance he moved about the hall
with the most amiable affability, always endeavoring by his kindness
and politeness to cause all to forget the gulf separating them from
the emperor. The king had, like him, participated in the opening of
the ball; but he retired, grave, silent, and cold as ever, into the
adjoining apartment which was destined for the private audience-room
of the two sovereigns, and which none wore permitted to enter but
those whom the footmen of the king and the emperor expressly
invited. As long as Alexander and Frederick William were in the
large hall, they only desired to be the guests of their kind hosts,
and affable and unassuming members of the party; no sooner, however,
had they crossed the threshold of their audience-room than they were
again the king and the emperor, whom no one was allowed to approach
without being requested. From this audience-room a door, veiled by
heavy velvet curtains, led into another apartment, where a small
table, covered with the choicest cold viands, and the most exquisite
and rare wines, had been set for the two sovereigns, and this small
apartment led to the large supper-room that was again connected by a
small room with the vast saloon. One of the long walls of this
supper-room was occupied with an enormous buffet, loaded with the
most select delicacies in colossal dishes of silver and porcelain,
and beside which were large crystal bowls, filled with smoking punch
or fragrant cardinal. In the remaining space was a number of small
round tables ready for supper, at which those might take seats who
desired to refresh themselves after the exhausting pleasures of the
festival.

Alexander and Frederick William had retired into the audience-room,
and sent for those persons whom they desired to distinguish
particularly tonight. There were Majors von Lutzow and Petersdorf,
who had been invited to the honor of an audience which had been
conferred even upon some of the volunteers, among them upon Baron la
Motte Fouque and Theodore Korner; and Alexander told them with
charming enthusiasm of his sympathy for the heroic Prussian nation,
and of his admiration of its glorious self-denial. He stated to
Major von Lutzow that, if he did not happen to be emperor, he would
not allow any one to prevent him from volunteering in his Legion of
Vengeance; and to Theodore Korner, in proof of the admiration he
felt for his poems, he recited the first verses of his patriotic
song, "Frisch auf, mein Volk, die Flammenzeichen rauchen."

Frederick William contented himself with addressing a kind word, a
brief salutation, to each of them, and then again moving toward the
portiere, looked at the motley crowd in the ball-room. Suddenly,
while the two sovereigns were standing side by side, engaged in a
familiar chat, and looking into the hall, an unusual commotion was
noticed. All rushed toward the entrance of the hall, through which
the two burgomasters had just stepped into the outer reception-room.
Undoubtedly some one was expected, and moreover one whom all the
guests were anxious to see and to welcome in the most enthusiastic
manner.

The large folding-doors opened, and between the two burgomasters
appeared the slender, firmly-knit form of General Blucher. Behind
him was General Scharnhorst, escorting Madame von Blucher. Blucher
advanced, with a winning smile on his fine, good-natured
countenance, greeting the assembled guests by pleasantly nodding to
the right and left. At first his polite salutations were returned in
silence, but gradually there arose murmurs and whispers--the eyes
which were fixed upon the hero's form grew more radiant, and soon
cheers resounded through the whole hall--deafening shouts of "Long
live Blucher!--Long live our hero, brave General Blucher!"

"A flourish!" shouted other voices to the musicians. The presiding
burgomaster nodded smilingly, and waved his white handkerchief. The
musicians made a loud flourish resound, and more deafening and
jubilant became the shouts of "Long live Blucher!--Long live our
hero!" Blucher bowed, confused and almost ashamed, and with so
charming an expression of surprise and joy that this called forth a
new outburst of tumultuous applause and enthusiasm.

The two sovereigns stood in the open door of the audience-room, and
witnessed this strange and unexpected scene, Alexander smiling and
apparently well pleased, Frederick William grave and with a slight
shadow on his brow.

"Ah, sir," said Alexander, in a low and quick voice, "it seems to me
the guests intend to make a little demonstration in honor of your
general, and to give us a gentle hint whom they would like to have
appointed general-in-chief of the Silesian army."

"Indeed, it seems so," said Frederick William, morosely, "but I do
not like such demonstrations, and they have no effect upon myself."

"But let us now greet the hero," exclaimed Alexander, smiling;
"people ought to see that we share the general sympathy." He quickly
stepped into the ballroom; the king followed him slowly and
hesitatingly.

"Welcome, my dear General Blucher," said Alexander, offering his
hand to the general, while the king saluted him merely with a nod.
The hum and noise which hitherto filled the hall like the roar of
the sea, immediately died away. Silence ensued; everyone stood still
as if riveted to his place; all eyes were turned in eager suspense
and with breathless curiosity toward the group that stood in the
middle of the hall; all tried to catch a word, a glance, in order to
draw therefrom their own conclusions. And, amid this general
silence, was heard the melodious voice of Alexander, who said again,
"Welcome, my dear General Blucher! I am really glad to greet you,
and to meet you again after so long an interval. I did not know,
indeed, that you were here in Breslau; otherwise I would have called
upon you."

"That would have been very gracious, and in accordance with the
character of your majesty," said Blucher, loudly and firmly. "For
your majesty is known never to forget those who are worthy of being
remembered. All patriots have learned, with feelings of gratitude
and enthusiasm, that your majesty, directly after your arrival,
called upon that noble and intrepid German, Minister von Stein, who
was living solitary, sick, and deserted, in his garret, and who, up
to that time only a few faithful friends and a few cowardly enemies
had remembered." [Footnote: Minister von Stein had arrived sick at
Breslau, and lived, as stated above, in a small garret, which Major
von Lutzow had surrendered to him. Only his intimate friends visited
him there, and this was the reason why Count St. Marsan, whom Field-
Marshal Kalkreuth had informed of Stein's arrival at Breslau, did
not believe in the truth of this information. Baron von Stein,
however, received secretly many proofs of love and sympathy. The
king alone took no notice of him, and the members of the court, too,
were prohibited from entering into any relations with Stein. There
was a change for the better, however, as soon as the Emperor of
Russia arrived, and at once called upon Stein. Now all hastened to
visit him, and overwhelmed him with protestations of devotion, which
he rejected frequently with great asperity.]

These words, uttered in a loud and powerful voice, produced various
effects. The Emperor Alexander smiled and bowed his head quickly and
repeatedly; King Frederick William frowned slightly, and this
authorized the gentlemen of his suite, who stood behind him, Field-
Marshal Kalkreuth and General Knesebeck, to frown too, and cast
angry glances at Blucher. Madame von Blucher, who had modestly kept
somewhat in the background, turned very pale, and leaned tremblingly
upon the arm of General Scharnhorst, who smiled and whispered,
"Blucher is grand! He is a true fire-king among the will-o'-the-
wisps!" The two burgomasters and the host of courtiers smiled when
they glanced at the emperor, and looked grave and gloomy when they
turned their eyes to the clouded brow of the king. Blucher, however,
did not seem to notice the impression produced by his words, and
looked around as composedly as if he had made a mere courtier's
reply to the emperor's gracious salutation.

"I am happy to be one of Stein's friends," said Alexander, "but I do
not think it requires particular courage to profess friendship for a
magnanimous man whom all Germany reveres and admires."

"No, your majesty," said Blucher, calmly, "only a short time ago it
required a great deal of courage for a German to profess friendship
for Minister von Stein, for the Emperor Napoleon hates and fears
him, and for this reason three-fourths of the Germans hate and fear
him from humble respect for the Emperor of the French.--Is it not
so?" added Blucher, suddenly turning to Field-Marshal Kalkreuth, who
stood close behind the king. "is it not as I say? Do you not admit
that I am right, Field-Marshal Kalkreuth?"