"Yes, my dear During," said Count Wedel, in a melancholy voice, "all is over,--Hanover exists no more,--you are the last man who waved our banner; would to G.o.d," he added with a sigh, "that our generals had been as energetic as you were, it would have been better for us."

"I cannot indeed understand," said Captain von During, "how everything happened; I have only been able to follow the campaign from vague reports; but I can comprehend neither the military nor the political operations!"

"Who can understand them?" cried Count Wedel with bitterness, "least of all, I believe, those who conceived them."

"Do you believe the annexation of Hanover will really take place?"

asked von During.

"I believe it is certain," said Count Wedel; "the expressions used by the Prussian magistrates in Hanover leave us in no doubt about it, it is no use ignoring the sad fact; but," he said, "we are called!"

A bell sounded from the adjoining room.

A moment afterwards the king's groom of the chambers appeared.

"His majesty requests you, gentlemen, to go to him."

He opened the door into the king's cabinet.

Count Wedel and Captain von During entered.

The cabinet that George V. inhabited was hung with silken tartan, beautiful specimens of Scotch weapons, and masterly paintings representing scenes from Sir Walter Scott's novels, adorned the walls.

Before a large table in the midst of the room stood the king; his beautiful, expressive countenance was very sad. He wore the loose grey overcoat belonging to the uniform of his Austrian regiment.

"G.o.d bless you, gentlemen," said King George with a gracious smile, as he held out his hand, which Count Wedel and Captain von During pressed to their lips; "much has happened since we parted, my dear Alfred."

"Your majesty," said Count Wedel in a trembling voice, "whatever has happened, or whatever may happen, my heart remains ever the same."

"You bring me news of the queen?" asked the king.

"Certainly, your majesty," replied the count, producing several letters and handing them to the king; "a letter from her majesty, notes from the princesses, and a report from Herr von Malortie upon your private estates."

The king laid the letters before him on the table.

"How is the queen?" he asked, "how does she bear these sorrowful times?"

"Her majesty is calm and dignified," said the count, "but very unhappy, the queen desires most earnestly to join your majesty as soon as possible."

A deep shadow pa.s.sed over the king's brow.

"Whether G.o.d will bring us together again," he said, "lies in the dark womb of the future; at present the queen must remain where she is, and represent the government; such is my will."

Count Wedel was silent.

"How is the countess?" asked the king.

"I thank your majesty, she is arranging the house, and will soon follow me."

"Follow you?" asked King George.

"Your majesty," said Count Wedel with emotion, "I have not come to bring you intelligence and to return. I have come to remain, if you do not send me away!"

The king looked at him inquiringly.

"Your majesty," said the count, "from all I see and hear, you will not return, at least not for a long time, to Hanover. Your majesty made me your chamberlain, and I have performed my duty about your person with pride. Your majesty is now in exile," he continued, his voice almost failing him: "I beg for the great honour of sharing your exile, and retaining my office!"

The king was silent for a moment. He slightly bit his moustache, a sorrowful expression appeared on his face.

"My dear Alfred," he then said in a gentle voice, "you have just built a house and newly furnished it. The countess is delicate, I am sure of your faithfulness and devotion, but you must think of your family. You would make too great a sacrifice; leave my service and this court,--the court of banishment," he said sadly, "to those who are alone in life, and have only themselves to think of."

"Your majesty," cried Count Wedel hastily, interrupting the king, "you will hurt me much if you do not accept my service, if you forbid me the honour of standing beside you in misfortune; I shall not leave you," he added with blunt frankness, "and if you do not allow me to be your chamberlain, at least I will be the courtier of misfortune."

A joyful smile pa.s.sed over the king's face.

"Misfortune has its charms," he said, "it teaches us to know our true friends. We will speak more of this hereafter. And now, my dear Captain von During," he said, turning towards him, "I have heard of your wonderful march, tell me about it, I wish to hear how you found it possible to wave the banner of Hanover to the very end, after I had been forced to lower it," he added, with a sorrowful sigh.

"Your majesty," said Captain von During, "I was at Emden with my company, an overwhelming force of the enemy desired me to capitulate, I declared that I would rather be buried beneath the ruins of the town than lay down my arms; they then granted me a free retreat. I withdrew," he continued, "with my company towards Holland. A large number of young men from every district joined me. I procured a number of pa.s.sports partly by persuasion, partly from a list of pa.s.s formularies, I filled them in and distributed them amongst my soldiers.

They had to pack up their arms and their uniform and thus they took them with them to the Hague. Here I found your majesty's resident minister, Count George Platen."

"An excellent young man!" cried the king.

"A true servant of your majesty, full of energy and zeal," said Captain During; "I received from him a hearty reception and the warmest support. Here I heard of the battle of Langensalza, and we celebrated the victory with the greatest joy, for we were then convinced that the army had cut its way through to the south."

"It ought to have done so!" said the king gloomily.

"We considered," proceeded Captain von During, "how it was possible for my company to reach the army,--there was but one way, through France--"

"Through France!" cried the king.

"Yes, your majesty," said Captain von During, "it was a risk but I ventured it. We got into the railway train as simple pa.s.sengers, and happily we all succeeded in avoiding the notice of the French authorities, and in detached parties by the roundabout way of Thionville, Metz, and Karlsruhe, we reached Frankfort. The order, prudence, and punctuality of the soldiers was exemplary."

"What a marvellous march!" said the king.

"In Frankfort," continued Captain von During, "I applied to the president of the Confederation, who supplied me with means for purchasing fresh uniforms for my soldiers; the Duke of Na.s.sau gave us arms, a committee of the citizens provided us with linen and other equipments, and in a fortnight I had 350 men armed and ready for the field. I made the best non-commissioned officers into officers, and we were about to join the garrison of Mayence, there to educate my quickly organized troops by active service. In Frankfort I heard of the capitulation of Langensalza,--forgive me, your majesty, I cannot understand it."

"I was surrounded by superior forces," said the king, "I could not uselessly sacrifice my troops to certain destruction."

"I perfectly understand that _your majesty_ was forced thus to act,"

said Captain von During, "but I do not understand the operations that placed the army in such a position."

The king was silent.

"The capitulation did not affect me," continued Captain von During, "it only concerned the army actually at Langensalza, and I had received no intelligence, no commands. I remained under arms until the end."

He then added in a low sad voice:

"When all was at an end I disbanded my corps and sent my soldiers back to their homes, but I came here to announce myself to your majesty, and to report to you my useless attempts."

"Not useless, my dear Captain von During," said the king kindly, "you could no longer obtain victory for my cause, circ.u.mstances made that impossible, but under the greatest difficulties, to the very bounds of possibility, you did your duty, and you set all the officers of my army a fine example, that cannot be lost."