"Very well, that being so, you will of course be able to relate the incidents of the special mission."
"The volunteers had been charged to get a message delivered to General von Kleist. Some days before a skirmish had taken place on the banks of a river, Therouanne by name, through which the General and his corps were cut off from communication with the main army. A reunion was not to be effected owing to Marmont's and Mortier's troops, to which Napoleon himself was said to be marching, stopping the way. Field-Marshal Blücher suddenly resolved to retreat, in order, I believe, to pick up reinforcements, and therefore it was, under the circumstances, urgent to let General von Kleist know at once, in case he should find himself entirely isolated. It was necessary for the messenger to evade the enemy's outposts at night-time. Among those who volunteered to go on the mission, choice fell on me. Major von Schaek led me to the Field-Marshal, who entrusted me with a letter----"
"One moment, please," interrupted the Landrath, searching diligently among his papers; then he added casually, "And the letter of course contained the necessary command."
"The letter was designed to deceive the enemy in case I should be shot from my horse on the way. The Field-Marshal desired me to give his command by word of mouth. I had to learn it by heart."
"As follows: 'If on the morrow the enemy attacks us on the right flank, General von Kleist is not to join in the engagement, but to seize the opportunity of gaining the command of the Marne from the south, so that he may bring himself in touch with me. _En route_ several bridges are to be destroyed.'"
The Landrath nodded. "And then--Lieutenant?"
"You managed to evade the enemy and reach your goal?"
"I hope you have found proofs of it, _Herr Landrath_, in the history of the war----"
"Because I had undertaken to bring the Field-Marshal an answer."
"You might have spared yourself this second act of daring."
"I might have spared myself the first also."
"I wanted among other things to escape the privilege of this cross-examination."
The Landrath straightened himself and threw back his mane. "Permit me to draw your attention to the fact that you stand before the representative of your king, Herr Baron von Schranden."