Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia | Page 3

most horrible part of this dreadful field was
passed, and he escaped from the chaos of the dead and wounded. That
part, across which he was walking now, was less saturated with gore,
and the number of corpses scattered over it was much smaller. Here and
there was the wreck of a cannon besmeared with blood and mire, and
empty knapsacks, fragments of broken wagons and muskets, in the
utmost disorder and confusion.
"Spoils for the marauders," whispered the wounded officer, pressing on.
"It seems they have not been here yet. God have mercy on me, if they
should come now and look on me, too, as their spoil!"
He glanced around anxiously, and in doing so his eye beheld an
unsheathed, blood-stained sabre lying near his feet. He made an effort
to take it up regardless of the blood which, in consequence of the effort,
trickled again in larger drops from his wounds.
"Well," he said, in a loud and menacing voice, "I shall defend my life at
least to the best of my ability; the hateful enemies shall not capture me

as long as I am alive. Forward, then; forward with God! He will not
desert a faithful soldier!"
And supporting himself on his sabre, as if it were a staff, the officer
walked on. Everywhere he met with the same signs of war and
destruction; everywhere he beheld corpses, blood-stained cannon-balls,
or muskets, which the fugitives had thrown away.
"Oh, for a drop of water!" groaned the officer, while slowly crossing
the field; "my lips are parched!"
Tottering and reeling, with the aid of his sabre, and by his firm,
energetic will, and the resolution of his spirit, he succeeded once more
in overcoming the weakness of his body.
He hastened on with quicker steps, and hope now lent wings to his feet,
for yonder, in the rear of the shrubbery, he beheld a house; men were
there, assistance also.
At length, after untold efforts, and a terrible struggle with his pain and
exhaustion, he reached the peasant's house. Looking up with longing
eyes to the windows, he shouted: "Oh, give me a drink of water! Have
mercy on a wounded soldier!"
But no voice responded; no human face appeared behind the small
green windows. Every thing remained silent and deserted.
With a deep sigh, and an air of bitter disappointment depicted on his
features, he murmured:
"My feet cannot carry me any farther. Perhaps my voice was too weak,
and they did not hear me. I will advance closer to the house."
Gathering his strength, with staggering steps he approached and found
the door only ajar; whereupon he opened it and entered.
Within the house every thing was as silent as without; not a human
being was to be seen; not a voice replied to his shouts. The inside of the

dwelling presented a sorry spectacle. All the doors were open; the clay
floor was saturated here and there with blood; the small, low rooms
were almost empty; only some half-destroyed furniture, a few broken
jars and other utensils, were lying about. The inmates either had fled
from the enemy, or he had expelled them from their house.
"There is no help for me," sighed the officer, casting a despairing
glance on this scene of desolation. "Oh, why was it not vouchsafed to
me to die on the battle-field? Why did not a compassionate cannon-ball
have mercy on me, and give me death on the field of honor? Then, at
least, I should have died as a brave soldier, and my name would have
been honorably mentioned; now I am doomed to be named only among
the missing! Oh, it is sad and bitter to die alone, unlamented by my
friends, and with no tear of compassion from the eyes of my queen! Oh,
Louisa, Louisa, you will weep much for your crown, for your country,
and for your people, but you will not have a tear for the poor lieutenant
of your dragoons who is dying here alone uttering a prayer for a
blessing on you! Farewell queen, may God grant you strength, and--"
His words died away; a deadly pallor overspread his features, his head
turned dizzy, and a ringing noise filled his ears.
"Death! death!" he murmured faintly, and, with a sigh, he fell senseless
to the ground.
Every thing had become silent again in the humble house; not a human
sound interrupted the stillness reigning in the desolate room. Only the
hum of a few flies, rushing with their heads against the window-panes,
was heard. Once a rustling noise was heard in a corner, and a mouse
glided across the floor, its piercing, glittering eyes looked searchingly
around, and the sight of the bloody, motionless form, lying prostrate on
the floor, seemed to affright