by G. A. Henty
Chapter 6: A Prisoner.
A fortnight after the fortifications of Marienburg were completed,Colonel Schlippenbach sent off Lieutenant Colonel Brandt, with fourhundred horse, to capture a magazine at Seffwegen, to which theSaxons had forced the inhabitants of the country round to bring intheir corn, intending later to convey it to the headquarters oftheir army. The expedition was completely successful. The Saxonguard were overpowered, and a thousand tons of corn were brought,in triumph, into Marienburg. Some of it was sent on to the army,abundance being retained for the use of the town and garrison, incase of siege.
It was now resolved to surprise and burn Pitschur, a town on thefrontier from which the enemy constantly made incursions. It washeld by a strong body of Russians.
Baron Spens was in command of the expedition. He had with him boththe regiments of Horse Guards. Much excitement was caused, inMarienburg, by the issue of an order that the cavalry, and aportion of the infantry, were to be ready to march at daylight; andby the arrival of a large number of peasants, brought in by smallparties of the cavalry. Many were the surmises as to the operationto be undertaken, its object being kept a strict secret.
Captain Jervoise's company was one of those in orders, and paradedat daybreak, and, after a march of some distance, the force joinedthat of Baron Spens. The troops were halted in a wood, and orderedto light fires to cook food, and to prepare for a halt of somehours. Great fires were soon blazing and, after eating their meal,most of the troops wrapped themselves in the blankets that theycarried, in addition to their greatcoats, and lay down by thefires.
They slept until midnight, and were then called to arms again. Theymarched all night, and at daybreak the next morning, the 13th ofFebruary, were near Pitschur, and at once attacked the Russian campoutside the town. Taken completely by surprise, the Russians foughtfeebly, and more than five hundred were killed before they enteredthe town, hotly pursued by the Swedes. Shutting themselves up inthe houses, and barricading the doors and windows, they defendedthemselves desperately, refusing all offers of surrender.
The Livonian peasants were, however, at work, and set fire to thetown in many places. The flames spread rapidly. Great stores ofhides and leather, and a huge magazine filled with hemp, added tothe fury of the conflagration, and the whole town was burned to theground; numbers of the Russians preferring death by fire, in thehouses, to coming out and surrendering themselves.
Many of the fugitives had succeeded in reaching a strong positionon the hill commanding the town. This consisted of a convent,surrounded by strong walls mounted with cannon, which played uponthe town while the fight there was going on. As Baron Spens had noguns with him, he was unable to follow up his advantage by takingthis position, and he therefore gave orders to the force to retire,the peasants being loaded with booty that they had gathered beforethe fire spread.
The loss of the Swedes was thirty killed and sixty wounded, thisbeing a small amount of loss compared with what they had inflictedupon the enemy.
"I call that a horrible business, Captain Jervoise," Charlie said,when the troops had returned to Marienburg. "There was no realfighting in it."
"It was a surprise, Charlie. But they fought desperately after theygained the town."
"Yes, but we did nothing there beyond firing away at the windows.Of course, I had my sword in my hand; but it might as well havebeen in its sheath, for I never struck a blow, and I think it wasthe same with most of our men. One could not cut down those poorwretches, who were scarce awake enough to use their arms. I wasglad you held our company in rear of the others."
"Yes; I asked the colonel before attacking to put us in reserve, incase the enemy should rally. I did it on purpose, for I knew thatour men, not having, like the Swedes, any personal animosityagainst the Russians, would not like the work. If it had come tostorming the convent, I would have volunteered to lead the assault.At any rate, I am glad that, although a few of the men are wounded,no lives are lost in our company."
Harry cordially agreed with his friend. "I like an expedition,Charlie, if there is fighting to be done; but I don't want to haveanything more to do with surprises. However, the cavalry had a gooddeal more to do with it than we had; but, as you say, it was aghastly business. The only comfort is they began it, and have beenrobbing the peasants and destroying their homes for months."
Many small expeditions were sent out with equally favourableresults; but Captain Jervoise's company took no part in theseexcursions.
Charles the Twelfth was passionately fond of hunting and, in spiteof his many occupations, found time occasionally to spend a day ortwo in the chase. A few days after the attack upon Pitschur, hecame to Marienburg to learn all particulars of the Russian positionfrom Colonel Schlippenbach, as he intended, in the spring, toattack the triangle formed by three fortresses, in order to drivethe Russians farther back from the frontier.
"I hear that there are many wolves and bears in the forest, fiveleagues to the north. I want a party of about fifty footmen todrive the game, and as many horse, in case we come across one ofthe parties of Russians. I want some hearty, active men for themarch. I will send the foot on this afternoon, and ride with thehorse so as to get there by daybreak. Which is your best company ofinfantry?"
"My best company is one composed chiefly of Scotchmen, though thereare some English among them. It belongs to the Malmoe Regiment, andis commanded by Captain Jervoise, an Englishman. I do not say thatthey are braver than our Swedes; they have not been tested in anydesperate service; but they are healthier and more hardy, for theirofficers, since the battle of Narva, have kept them engaged insports of all kinds--mimic battles, foot races, and other friendlycontests. I have marked them at it several times, and wonderedsometimes at the rough play. But it has had its effect. While therest of Suborn's regiment suffered as much from fever as the othertroops, scarce a man in this company was sick, and they have, allthe winter, been fit for arduous service at any moment."
"That is good indeed, and I will remember it, and will see that,another winter, similar games are carried on throughout the army.Let the company be paraded at once. I will, myself, inspect them."
The company's call was sounded, and, surprised at a summons just asthey were cooking their dinners, the troops fell in, in front oftheir quarters, and the officers took their places in front ofthem, and waited for orders.
"I wonder what is up now," Nigel Forbes said to Harry. "You havenot heard anything, from your father, of our being wanted, haveyou?"
"No; he was just as much surprised as I was, when a sergeant ran upwith Schlippenbach's order that the company were to fall in."
Five minutes after they had formed up, three officers were seenapproaching on foot.
"It is the colonel himself," Forbes muttered, as Captain Jervoisegave the word to the men to stand to attention.
A minute later, Captain Jervoise gave the order for the salute, andHarry saw that the tall young officer, walking with the colonel,was the king. Without speaking a word, Charles walked up and downthe line, narrowly inspecting the men, then he returned to thefront.
"A fine set of fellows, Schlippenbach. I wish that, like mygrandfather, I had some fifteen thousand of such troops under myorders. Present the captain to me."
The officers were called up, and Captain Jervoise was presented.
"Your company does you great credit, Captain Jervoise," the kingsaid. "I would that all my troops looked in as good health andcondition. Colonel Schlippenbach tells me that you have kept yourmen in good health, all through the winter, by means of sports andgames. It is a good plan. I will try to get all my officers toadopt it another winter. Do the men join in them willingly?"
Captain Jervoise and his officers had all, during the nine monthsthat had passed since they landed in Sweden, done their best toacquire the language, and could now speak and understand itthoroughly.
"They like it, your majesty. Our people are fond of games of thiskind. My four officers take part in them with the men."
The kin
g nodded.
"That is as it should be. It must create a good feeling on bothsides. Present your officers to me, Captain Jervoise."
This was done, and the king spoke a few words to each. Charlie hadoften seen the king at a distance, but never before so close as tobe able to notice his face particularly. He was a tall youngfellow, thin and bony. His face was long, and his foreheadsingularly high and somewhat projecting. This was the mostnoticeable feature of his face. His eyes were quick and keen, hisface clean-shaven, and, had it not been for the forehead and eyes,would have attracted no attention. His movements were quick andenergetic, and, after speaking to the officers, he strode a step ortwo forward and, raising his voice, said:
"I am pleased with you, men. Your appearance does credit toyourselves and your officers. Scottish troops did grand serviceunder my grandfather, Gustavus Adolphus, and I would that I hadtwenty battalions of such soldiers with me. I am going huntingtomorrow, and I asked Colonel Schlippenbach for half a company ofmen who could stand cold and fatigue. He told me that I could notdo better than take them from among this company, and I see that hecould not have made a better choice. But I will not separate you,and will therefore take you all. You will march in an hour, and Iwill see that there is a good supper ready for you, at the end ofyour journey."
Colonel Schlippenbach gave Captain Jervoise directions as to theroad they were to follow, and the village, at the edge of theforest, where they were to halt for the night. He then walked awaywith the king. Highly pleased with the praise Charles had giventhem, the company fell out.
"Get your dinners as soon as you can, men," Captain Jervoise said."The king gave us an hour. We must be in readiness to march by thattime."
On arriving at the village, which consisted of a few small housesonly, they found two waggons awaiting them, one with tents and theother with a plentiful supply of provisions, and a barrel of wine.The tents were erected, and then the men went into the forest, andsoon returned with large quantities of wood, and great fires werespeedily lighted. Meat was cut up and roasted over them, and,regarding the expedition as a holiday, the men sat down to theirsupper in high spirits.
After it was eaten there were songs round the fires, and, at nineo'clock, all turned into their tents, as it was known that the kingwould arrive at daylight. Sentries were posted, for there was neverany saying when marauding parties of Russians, who were constantlyon the move, might come along.
Half an hour before daybreak, the men were aroused. Tents werestruck and packed in the waggon, and the men then fell in, andremained until the king, with three or four of his officers andfifty cavalry, rode up. Fresh wood had been thrown on the fires,and some of the men told off as cooks.
"That looks cheerful for hungry men," the king said, as he leapedfrom his horse.
"I did not know whether your majesty would wish to breakfast atonce," Captain Jervoise said; "but I thought it well to beprepared."
"We will breakfast by all means. We are all sharp set already. Haveyour own men had food yet?"
"No, sir. I thought perhaps they would carry it with them."
"No, no. Let them all have a hearty meal before they move, thenthey can hold on as long as may be necessary."
The company fell out again, and, in a quarter of an hour, they andthe troopers breakfasted. A joint of meat was placed, for the useof the king and the officers who had come with him, and CaptainJervoise and those with him prepared to take their meal a shortdistance away, but Charles said:
"Bring that joint here, Captain Jervoise, and we will all takebreakfast together. We are all hunters and comrades."
In a short time, they were all seated round a fire, with their meaton wooden platters on their knees, and with mugs of wine besidethem; Captain Jervoise, by the king's orders, taking his seatbeside him. During the meal, he asked him many questions as to hisreasons for leaving England, and taking service with him.
"So you have meddled in politics, eh?" the king laughed, when heheard a brief account of Captain Jervoise's reason for leavinghome. "Your quarrels, in England and Scotland, have added many athousand good soldiers to the armies of France and Sweden, and, Imay say, of every country in Europe. I believe there are some ofyour compatriots, or at any rate Scotchmen, in the czar's camp. Isuppose that, at William's death, these troubles will cease."
"I do not know, sir. Anne was James' favourite daughter, and it maybe she will resign in favour of her brother, the lawful king. Ifshe does so, there is an end of trouble; but, should she mount thethrone, she would be a usurper, as Mary was up to her death in '94.As Anne has been on good terms with William, since her sister'sdeath, I fear she will act as unnatural a part as Mary did, and, inthat case, assuredly we shall not recognize her as our queen."
"You have heard the news, I suppose, of the action of theparliament last month?"
"No, sir, we have heard nothing for some weeks of what is doing inEngland."
"They have been making an Act of Settlement of the succession. Anneis to succeed William, and, as she has no children by George ofDenmark, the succession is to pass from her to the Elector ofHanover, in right of his wife Sophia, as the rest of the childrenof the Elector of the Palatinate have abjured Protestantism, andare therefore excluded. How will that meet the views of the Englishand Scotch Jacobites?"
"It is some distance to look forward to, sire. If Anne comes to thethrone at William's death, it will, I think, postpone our hopes,for Anne is a Stuart, and is a favourite with the nation, in spiteof her undutiful conduct to her father. Still, it will be felt thatfor Stuart to fight against Stuart, brother against sister, wouldbe contrary to nature. Foreigners are always unpopular, and, asagainst William, every Jacobite is ready to take up arms. But Ithink that nothing will be done during Anne's reign. The Elector ofHanover would be as unpopular, among Englishmen in general, as isWilliam of Orange, and, should he come to the throne, there willassuredly ere long be a rising to bring back the Stuarts."
Charles shook his head.
"I don't want to ruffle your spirit of loyalty to the Stuarts,Captain Jervoise, but they have showed themselves weak monarchs fora great country. They want fibre. William of Orange may be, as youcall him, a foreigner and a usurper, but England has greater weightin the councils of Europe, in his hands, than it has had since thedeath of Elizabeth."
This was rather a sore point with Captain Jervoise, who, thoroughJacobite as he was, had smarted under the subservience of Englandto France during the reigns of the two previous monarchs.
"You Englishmen and Scotchmen are fighting people," the king wenton, "and should have a military monarch. I do not mean a king likemyself, who likes to fight in the front ranks of his soldiers; butone like William, who has certainly lofty aims, and is a statesman,and can join in European combinations."
"William thinks and plans more for Holland than for England, sire.He would join a league against France and Spain, not so much forthe benefit of England, which has not much to fear from thesepowers, but of Holland, whose existence now, as of old isthreatened by them."
"England's interest is similar to that of Holland," the king said."I began this war, nominally, in the interest of the Duke ofHolstein, but really because it was Sweden's interest that Denmarkshould not become too powerful.
"But we must not waste time in talking politics. I see the men havefinished their breakfast, and we are here to hunt. I shall keeptwenty horse with me; the rest will enter the forest with you. Ihave arranged for the peasants here to guide you. You will marchtwo miles along by the edge of the forest, and then enter it andmake a wide semicircle, leaving men as you go, until you come downto the edge of the forest again, a mile to our left.
"As soon as you do so, you will sound a trumpet, and the men willthen move forward, shouting so as to drive the game before them. Asthe peasants tell me there are many wolves and bears in the forest,I hope that you will inclose some of them in your cordon, whichwill be about five miles from end to end. With the horse you willhave a hundred and thirty men, so that there wi
ll be a man everysixty or seventy yards. That is too wide a space at first, but, asyou close in, the distances will rapidly lessen, and they must makeup, by noise, for the scantiness of their numbers. If they find theanimals are trying to break through, they can discharge theirpieces; but do not let them do so otherwise, as it would frightenthe animals too soon, and send them flying out all along the openside of the semicircle."
It was more than two hours before the whole of the beaters were inposition. Just before they had started, the king had requestedCaptain Jervoise to remain with him and the officers who hadaccompanied him, five in number. They had been posted, a hundredyards apart, at the edge of the forest. Charlie was the firstofficer left behind as the troop moved through the forest, and itseemed to him an endless time before he heard a faint shout,followed by another and another, until, at last, the man stationednext to him repeated the signal. Then they moved forward, eachtrying to obey the orders to march straight ahead.
For some time, nothing was heard save the shouts of the men, andthen Charlie made out some distant shots, far in the wood, andguessed that some animals were trying to break through the lines.Then he heard the sound of firing directly in front of him. Thiscontinued for some time, occasionally single shots being heard, butmore often shots in close succession. Louder and louder grew theshouting, as the men closed in towards a common point, and, in halfan hour after the signal had been given, all met.
"What sport have you had, father?" Harry asked, as he came up toCaptain Jervoise.
"We killed seventeen wolves and four bears, with, what is moreimportant, six stags. I do not know whether we are going to haveanother beat."
It soon turned out that this was the king's intention, and thetroops marched along the edge of the forest. Charlie was in thefront of his company, the king with the cavalry a few hundred yardsahead, when, from a dip of ground on the right, a large body ofhorsemen suddenly appeared.
"Russians!" Captain Jervoise exclaimed, and shouted to the men, whowere marching at ease, to close up.
The king did not hesitate a moment, but, at the head of his fiftycavalry, charged right down upon the Russians, who were at leastfive hundred strong. The little body disappeared in the melee, andthen seemed to be swallowed up.
"Keep together, shoulder to shoulder, men. Double!" and the companyset off at a run.
When they came close to the mass of horsemen, they poured in avolley, and then rushed forward, hastily fitting the short pikesthey carried into their musket barrels; for, as yet, the modernform of bayonets was not used. The Russians fought obstinately, butthe infantry pressed their way step by step through them, untilthey reached the spot where the king, with his little troop ofcavalry, were defending themselves desperately from the attacks ofthe Russians.
The arrival of the infantry decided the contest, and the Russiansbegan to draw off, the king hastening the movement by plunging intothe midst of them with his horsemen.
Charlie was on the flank of the company as it advanced, and, afterrunning through a Russian horseman with the short pike that wascarried by officers, he received a tremendous blow on his steelcap, that stretched him insensible on the ground. When herecovered, he felt that he was being carried, and soon awoke to thefact that he was a prisoner.
After a long ride, the Russians arrived at Plescow. They had lostsome sixty men in the fight. Charlie was the only prisoner taken.He was, on dismounting, too weak to stand, but he was half carriedand half dragged to the quarters of the Russian officer in command.The latter addressed him, but, finding that he was not understood,sent for an officer who spoke Swedish.
"What were the party you were with doing in the wood?"
"We were hunting wolves and bears."
"Where did you come from?"
"From Marienburg."
"How strong were you?"
"Fifty horse and a hundred and forty foot," Charlie replied,knowing there could be no harm in stating the truth.
"But it was a long way to march, merely to hunt, and your officersmust have been mad to come out, with so small a party, to a pointwhere they were likely to meet with us."
"It was not too small a party, sir, as they managed to beat off theattack made upon them."
The Russian was silent for a moment, then he asked:
"Who was the officer in command?"
"The officer in command was the King of Sweden," Charlie replied.
An exclamation of surprise and anger broke from the Russiangeneral, when the answer was translated to him.
"You missed a good chance of distinguishing yourself," he said tothe officer in command of the troops. "Here has this mad King ofSweden been actually putting himself in your hands, and you havelet him slip through your fingers. It would have got you two stepsin rank, and the favour of the czar, had you captured him, and nowhe will be in a rage, indeed, when he hears that five hundredcavalry could do nothing against a force only a third of theirnumber."
"I had no idea that the King of Sweden was there himself," theofficer said humbly.
"Bah, that is no excuse. There were officers, and you ought to havecaptured them, instead of allowing yourself to be put to flight bya hundred and fifty men."
"We must have killed half the horsemen before the infantry cameup."
"All the worse, colonel, that you did not complete the business.The infantry would not have been formidable, after they dischargedtheir pieces. However, it is your own affair, and I wash my handsof it. What the czar will say when he hears of it, I know not, butI would not be in your shoes for all my estates."
As Charlie learned afterwards, the colonel was degraded from hisrank by the angry czar, and ordered to serve as a private in theregiment he commanded. The officer who acted as translator saidsomething in his own tongue to the general, who then, through him,said:
"This officer tells me that by your language you are not a Swede."
"I am not. I am English, and I am an ensign in the MalmoeRegiment."
"All the worse for you," the general said. "The czar has declaredthat he will exchange no foreign officers who may be takenprisoners."
"Very well, sir," Charlie said, fearlessly. "He will be onlypunishing his own officers. There are plenty of them in the King ofSweden's hands."
The general, when this reply was translated to him, angrily orderedCharlie to be taken away, and he was soon lodged in a cell in thecastle. His head was still swimming from the effects of the blowthat had stricken him down, and, without even trying to think overhis position, he threw himself down on the straw pallet, and wassoon asleep.
It was morning when he woke and, for a short time, he was unable toimagine where he was, but soon recalled what had happened. He hadbeen visited by someone after he had lain down, for a platter ofbread and meat stood on the table, and a jug of water. He was alsocovered with two thick blankets. These had not been there when helay down, for he had wondered vaguely as to how he should pass thenight without some covering.
He took a long draught of water, then ate some food. His headthrobbed with the pain of the wound. It had been roughly bandagedby his captors, but needed surgical dressing.
"I wonder how long I am likely to be, before I am exchanged," hesaid to himself. "A long time, I am afraid; for there are scores ofRussian officers prisoners with us, and I don't think there arehalf a dozen of ours captured by the Russians. Of course, noexchange can take place until there are a good batch to send over,and, it may be, months may pass before they happen to lay hands onenough Swedish officers to make it worth while to trouble aboutexchanging them."
An hour later the door opened, and an officer entered, followed bya soldier with a large bowl of broth and some bread.
"I am a doctor," he said in Swedish. "I came in to see youyesterday evening, but you were sound asleep, and that was a bettermedicine than any I can give; so I told the man to throw those twobarrack rugs over you, and leave your food in case you should wake,which did not seem to me likely. I see, however, that you didwake," and he pointed to the plate.
"That was not till this morning, doctor. It is not an hour since Iate it."
"This broth will be better for you, and I daresay you can manageanother breakfast. Sit down and take it, at once, while it is hot.I am in no hurry."
He gave an order in Russian to the soldier, who went out, andreturned in a few minutes with a small wooden tub, filled with hotwater. By this time Charlie had finished the broth. The doctor thenbathed his head for some time in hot water, but was obliged to cutoff some of his hair, in order to remove the bandage. As heexamined the wound, Charlie was astounded to hear him mutter tohimself:
"It is a mighty nate clip you have got, my boy; and, if your skullhad not been a thick one, it is lying out there on the turf youwould be."
Charlie burst into a fit of laughter.
"So you are English, too," he exclaimed, as he looked up into thesurgeon's face.
"At laste Irish, my boy," the doctor said, as surprised as Charliehad been. "To think we should have been talking Swedish to eachother, instead of our native tongue. And what is your name? Andwhat is it you are doing here, as a Swede, at all?"
"My name is Charles Carstairs. I come from Lancashire, just on theborders of Westmoreland. My father is a Jacobite, and so had toleave the country. He went over to Sweden, and I, with some friendsof his, got commissions."
"Then our cases are pretty much alike," the doctor said. "I hadgone through Dublin University, and had just passed as a surgeon,when King James landed. It didn't much matter to me who was king,but I thought it was a fine opportunity to study gunshot wounds, soI joined the royal army, and was at the battle of the Boyne. I hadplenty of work with wounds, early in the day, but when, after theIrish had fairly beat the Dutchman back all day, they made up theirminds to march away at night, I had to lave my patients and be offtoo. Then I was shut up in Limerick; and I was not idle there, asyou may guess. When at last the surrender came, I managed to slipaway, having no fancy for going over with the regiments that wereto enter the service of France. I thought I could have gone back toDublin, and that no one would trouble about me; but someone putthem up to it, and I had to go without stopping to ask leave. Ilanded at Bristol, and there, for a time, was nearly starving.
"I was well nigh my wits' end as to what to do for a living, andhad just spent my last shilling, when I met an English captain, whotold me that across at Gottenburg there were a good many Irish andScotchmen who had, like myself, been in trouble at home. He gave mea passage across, and took me to the house of a man he knew. Ofcourse, it was no use my trying to doctor people, when they couldnot tell me what was the matter with them, and I worked at onething and another, doing anything I could turn my hands to, forfour or five months. That is how I got to pick up Swedish. Thensome people told me that Russia was a place where a doctor mightget on, for that they had got no doctors for their army who knewanything of surgery, and the czar was always ready to take onforeigners who could teach them anything. I had got my diploma withme, and some of my friends came forward and subscribed enough torig me out in clothes and pay my passage. What was better, one ofthem happened to have made the acquaintance of Le Ford, who was, asyou may have heard, the czar's most intimate friend.
"I wished myself back a hundred times before I reached Moscow, butwhen I did, everything was easy for me. Le Ford introduced me tothe czar, and I was appointed surgeon of a newly-raised regiment,of which Le Ford was colonel. That was eight years ago, and I amnow a sort of surgeon general of a division, and am at the head ofthe hospitals about here. Till the war began I had not, for fiveyears, done any military work, but had been at the head of acollege the czar has established for training surgeons for thearmy. I was only sent down here after that business at Narva.
"So, you see, I have fallen on my feet. The czar's is a goodservice, and we employ a score or two of Scotchmen, most of them ingood posts. He took to them because a Scotchman, General Gordon,and other foreign officers, rescued him from his sister Sophia, whointended to assassinate him, and established him firmly on thethrone of his father.
"It is a pity you are not on this side. Perhaps it isn't too lateto change, eh?"
Charlie laughed.
"My father is in Sweden, and my company is commanded by a man whois as good as a father to me, and his son is like my brother. Ifthere were no other reason, I could not change. Why, it was onlyyesterday I was sitting round a bivouac fire with King Charles, andnothing would induce me to fight against him."
"I am not going to try to persuade you. The czar has treated mewell, and I love him. By the way, I have not given you my nameafter all. It's Terence Kelly."
"Is not the czar very fierce and cruel?"
"Bedad, I would be much more cruel and fierce if I were in hisplace. Just think of one man, with all Russia on his shoulders.There is he trying to improve the country, working like a horsehimself, knowing that, like every other Russian, he is as ignorantas a pig, and setting to improve himself--working in the dockyardsof Holland and England, attending lectures, and all kinds ofsubjects. Why, man, he learnt anatomy, and can take off a leg asquickly as I can. He is building a fleet and getting together anarmy. It is not much good yet, you will say, but it will be someday. You can turn a peasant into a soldier in six months, but ittakes a long time to turn out generals and officers who are fit fortheir work.
"Then, while he is trying everywhere to improve his country, everyman jack of them objects to being improved, and wants to go alongin his old ways. Didn't they get up an insurrection, only becausehe wanted them to cut off their beards? Any other man would havelost heart, and given it up years ago. It looks as hopeless a taskas for a mouse to drag a mountain, but he is doing it.
"I don't say that he is perfect. He gets into passions, and it ismighty hard for anyone he gets into a passion with. But who wouldnot get into passions, when there is so much work to be done, andeveryone tries to hinder instead of to help? It would break theheart of Saint Patrick! Why, that affair at Narva would have brokendown most men. Here, for years, has he been working to make anarmy, and the first time they meet an enemy worthy of the name,what do they do? Why, they are beaten by a tenth of their number ofhalf-starved men, led by a mad-brained young fellow who had neverheard a shot fired before, and lose all their cannon, guns,ammunition, and stores. Why, I was heartbroken, myself, when Iheard of it; but Peter, instead of blowing out his brains, ordrowning himself, set to work, an hour after the news reached him,to bring up fresh troops, to re-arm the men, and to prepare to meetthe Swedes again, as soon as the snow is off the ground.
"If James of England had been Peter of Russia, he would be rulingover Ireland now, and England and Scotland, too.
"But now, I must be off. Don't you worry about your head. I haveseen as bad a clip given by a blackthorn. I have got to go roundnow and see the wounded, and watch some operations being done, butI will come in again this evening. Don't eat any more of theirmesses, if they bring them in. You and I will have a snug littledinner together. I might get you put into a more dacent chamber,but the general is one of the old pig-headed sort. We don't pulltogether, so I would rather not ask any favours from him.
"The czar may come any day--he is always flying about. I will speakto him when he comes, and see that you have better entertainment."
