；　I　would　now　be　in　a　safe　haven；　beyond　the　reach　uf　storms。　But　now　I　must　swim　still　farther　into　the　stormy　sea；　until　at　last　I　find　in　the　grave　that　rest　and　peace　which　I　shall　never　attain　in　this　world。　This　is　a　consoling　thought；　it　shall　rouse　me　again　to　life。　I　am　glad　I　did　not　die　to…day。　I　can　still　repair　my　fault。　All　the　responsibility　will　be　thrown　on　me；　it　will　be　said；　the　battle　would　have　been　won；　but　for　Frederick's　obstinacy。　But　let　this　be！　It　is　a　necessary　consequence　that　a　warrior　should　suffer　for　the　faults　of　his　followers。　Through　me　this　battle　was　lost；　and　in　history　it　will　go　down　thus　to　future　generations。　But　many　a　victory　shall　still　be　recorded；　and　as　the　defeat　was　owing　to　me；　so　shall　the　victory　also　come　through　me　alone。　I　alone　will　bear　upon　my　shoulders　Prussia's　honor；　Prussia's　glory。　It　lies　now；　with　me；　bleeding　on　the　ground。　It　shall　be　lifted　and　sustained　by　me　alone！〃　And　raising　his　burning　eyes　heavenward；　he　seemed　to　see　these　future　victories　branded　upon　the　skies。　Gradually　the　inspiration　left　his　countenance；　giving　place　to　deep　thought。　He　had　delivered　his　funeral　oration　to　the　lost　battle；　and　now　gave　his　thought　to　his　future　victories。　He　drew　lines　and　figures　upon　the　sand　with　his　cane。　It　may　have　been　a　drawing　of　the　last　or　a　sketch　of　the　next　battle。
  The　king　was　so　absorbed　in　this　occupation；　that　he　did　not　perceive　his　generals；　who；　having　reached　Nimburg　with　the　wreck　of　the　army；　hastened　to　the　place　of　appointment；　and　were　now　assembled　at　a　respectful　distance　from　him。
  Frederick　continued　to　sketch。　The　generals　gazed　at　him　in　silence；　anxiously　awaiting　the　moment　when　he　would　arouse　himself。　He　suddenly　looked　up；　and　did　not　seem　surprised　to　see　them；　lifting　his　hat　slightly；　he　greeted　them；　and　rose　from　his　lowly　seat。
  〃It　is　well；　sirs；　that　you　are　here；〃　said　he。　〃We　must　now　make　our　preparations　for　the　future；　for　our　enemies；　having　beaten　us　once；　will　think　us　no　longer　capable　of　resisting　them；　and　will　fall　upon　us　with　renewed　courage。　We　will　convince　them；　gentlemen；　that　though　we　are　stricken　to　the　ground　for　a　moment；　we　are　not　crushed；　not　dead。　We　will　convince　them　that　we　still　live　to　tear　from　them　the　laurels　they　have　taken　from　us　this　day。　Prince　von　Dessau；　hasten　immediately　to　our　army　at　Prague。　I　command　the　Prince　of　Prussia　to　raise　the　siege　there　at　once。　He　shall　call　all　his　generals　together；　and　hold　council　with　them　as　to　the　most　suitable　mode　of　retreat。　He　shall　determine　with　them　how　the　siege　can　best　be　raised；　to　avoid；　as　far　as　possible；　the　appearance　of　flying　from　their　enemy。　With　gay　music　they　should　leave　their　posts；　they　should　not　all　leave　together；　but　in　groups；　so　as　to　mislead　the　enemy。　In　small　companies　should　also　the　retreat　through　Bohemia　to　Lausitz　be　made；　for　it　would　be　difficult　for　a　large　army　to　pass　this　mountainous　district；　but　they　should　remain　as　near　together　as　possible；　choosing　the　widest；　most　convenient　roads。　These　are　the　orders　you　are　to　deliver　my　brother；　the　Prince　of　Prussia；　and　his　generals。　I　give　to　the　prince　the　command　of　this　portion　of　my　army；　and　require　of　him　to　hasten　to　Lausitz。　I　will　join　him　in　Bautzen。　And　then；　gentlemen；　we　will　seek　an　occasion　to　repay　our　enemies　for　their　civilities　of　to…　day。〃
  The　generals　had　listened　to　him　with　breathless　attention；　and　as　he　now　dismissed　them；　with　a　glorious　smile　upon　his　lips；　they　repeated　unanimously　his　last　words；　〃We　will　repay　our　enemies　for　their　civilities。〃
  As　if　inspired　by　this　shout；　the　soldiers；　lying　about　the　market　place；　at　a　slight　distance　from　the　king；　broke　into　a　loud　hurrah；　and　shouted；　〃Long　live　our　king！〃
  The　king　turned　slowly　toward　them；　hut　when　he　saw　all　that　remained　of　his　noble　army；　he　became　pale；　and　pressed　his　lips　tightly　together；　as　if　to　suppress　a　cry　of　horror。　Then　advancing；　followed　by　his　generals；　to　where　his　weary；　wounded　soldiers　were　lying；　he　said：
  〃Children；　is　this　all　that　is　left　of　you？〃
  〃Yes；　father；　we　are　the　last；〃　said　an　old　gray…headed　officer；　standing　before　the　king。　〃There　were　many　thousands　of　us；　now　there　are　two　hundred　and　fifty。〃
  〃Two　hundred　and　fifty！〃　repeated　the　king；　with　a　bitter　smile。
  〃And　it　was　not　our　fault；〃　continued　the　old　officer；　〃that　we　did　not　fall　with　the　rest。　We　fought　as　bravely　as　they；　but　Death　did　not　want　us。　Perhaps　he　thought　it　best　to　leave　a　few　of　us；　to　guard　our　king。　We　all　think　so！　Some　were　left　to　repay　those　abominable　Saxons　for　their　to…day's　work。〃
  〃And　why　alone　the　Saxons？〃　asked　the　king。
  〃Because　it　was　those　infamous　Saxon　troops　that　hewed　down　our　regiment。　They　fell　upon　us　like　devils；　and　striking　their　cursed　swords　into　us；　cried　out；　'This　is　for　Striegau！'〃
  〃Ah！　you　see；〃　cried　the　king；　〃that　while　beating　you；　they　could　but　think　of　the　many　times　you　had　conquered　them。〃
  〃They　shall　think　of　this　again；　father；〃　said　another　soldier；　raising　himself　with　great　pain　from　the　ground。　〃Wait　until　our　wounds　have　healed；　and　we　will　repay　them　with　interest。〃
  〃You　are　wounded；　Henry？〃　said　the　king。
  〃Yes；　your　majesty；　in　the　arm。〃
  〃And　old　Klaus？〃
  〃Is　dead！〃
  〃And　Fritz　Verder？〃
  〃Dead！　He　lies　with　the　others　upon　the　battle…field。　There　are　seven　hundred　and　fifty　of　us　in　heaven；　and　only　two　hundred　and　fifty　on　earth。　But　those　above；　as　well　as　below；　still　cry'Long　live　our　king！'〃
  〃Long　live　our　king；〃　cried　they　all；　rising。
  The　king　made　no　reply；　his　eye　passed　from　one　to　the　other　pale；　exhausted　countenance；　and　an　inexpressible　sorrow　overcame　him。
  〃Dead！〃　murmured　he；　〃my　faithful　guards　dead！　seven　hundred　and　fifty　of　my　choice　men　have　fallen。〃　And　overpowered　by　his　emotion；　the　king　did　not　force　back　the　tears　welling　to　his　eyes。　They　stole　softly　down　his　cheek；　and　Frederick　was　not　ashamed。　He　did　not　blush；　because　his　warriors　had　seen　him　weep。
  〃Children；〃　cried　the　old　officer；　after　a　pause；　and　wiping　the　tears　from　his　weary　eyes；　〃from　now　on　it　will　be　glorious　to　die；　for　when　we　are　dead；　our　king　weeps　for　us。〃
  CHAPTER　VIII。
  THE　INIMICAL　BROTHERS。
  〃The　king　comes！　The　king　is　entering　Bautzen！〃
  This　announcement　brought　pale　terror　to　the　hearts　of　the　Prince　of　Prussia　and　his　generals。　They　who　had　heretofore　sprang　joyfully　to　meet　the　call　of　their　king；　now　trembled　at　his　glance。　They　must　now　present　to　him　the　sad　and　despoiled　remnant　of　that　great　army　which；　under　the　command　of　the　Prince　Augustus　William　of　Prussia；　had　made　the　retreat　from　Lausitz。
  It　had；　indeed；　been　the　most　fearful　retreat　ever　attempted　by　the　Prussian　troops。　It　had　cost　them　more　than　the　bloodiest　battle；　and　they　had　suffered　more　from　hardships　during　the　last　few　days　than　ever　before　during　a　whole　campaign。　They　had　marched　over　narrow；　stony；　rugged　mountain…paths；　between　hills　and　horrible　abysses；　sometimes　climbing　upward；　sometimes　descending。　Thousands　died　from　exhaustion；　thousands　pressed　backward；　crushed　by　those　in　the　front；　thousands；　forced　onward　by　those　in　the　rear；　had　stumbled　and　fallen　into　fathomless　caverns；　which　lay　at　the　foot　of　these　mountain　passes；　yawning　like　open　graves。　If　a　wheel　broke；　the　wagon　was　burned；　there　was　no　time　for　repairs；　and　if　left　in　the　path；　it　interrupted　the　passage　of　the　flying　army。　At　last；　in　order　to　facilitate　the　flight；　the　provision…wagons　were　burned；　and　the　bread　divided　amongst　the　soldiers；　the　equipages　and　pontoon…wagons　were　also　burned。　Exhausted　by　their　unusual　exertions；　beside　themselves　from　pain　and　unheard…of　suffering　the　whole　army　was　seized　with　a　death…panic。
  The　soldiers　had　lost　not　only　all　faith　in　their　good　fortune；　but　all　faith　in　their　leaders。　Thousands　deserted；　thousands　fled　to　escape　death；　which　seemed　to　mock　at　and　beckon　to　them　from　every　pointed　rock　and　every　dark　cavern。　＇Footnote：　Warner's　〃Campaigns　of　Frederick　the　Great〃＇
  While　one　part　of　the　army　deserted　or　died　of　hunger　or　exhaustion；　another　part　fought　with　an　intrenched　enemy；　for　three　long　days；　in　the　narrow　pass　of　Gabel；　under　the　command　of　General　von　Puttkammer。　They　fought　like　heroes；　but　were　at　last　obliged　to　surrender；　with　two　thousand　men　and　seven　cannon。　Utterly　broken　by　these　losses；　dead　and　dying　from　starvation　and　weariness；　the　army　drew　off　toward　Zittau。
  There　was　but　one　thought　which　sustained　the　wearied；　and　lent　strength　to　the　starving。　In　Zittau　were　immense　magazines　of　grain。　In　Zittau；　the　rich　Saxon　city；　which　throughout　all　Saxony　was　called　the　gold…mine；　they　dared　hope　for　rest　and　opportunity　to　recover。
  Before　this　unhappy　army　reached　Zittau；　Duke　Charles　of　Lothringen　was　in　advance　of　them。　With　wanton　cruelty　he　reduced　the　industrious；　open　city　to　ashes；　destroyed　the　Prussian　magazines；　and；　with　his　army；　trampled　upon　the　ruins　and　the　corpses　of　this　unfortified　town。　The　Prussians　had　now　lost　their　last　hope。　They　encamped　by　Lodau；　and　after　a　short　rest；　advanced　to　Bautzen；　which　city　the　king　had　appointed　for　the　reunion　of　the　two　army