y had marched and presented arms at the word
of command; had kept line and distance in countless parades; afterwards
they had kept a sharp look-out, that others might keep line and
distance, that the buttons were cleaned, and that the pig-tail was the
right length. In order to gain promotion, they had taken pains to learn
at Berlin whether Ruechel or Hohenlohe was in favour. This had been
their life. They knew little more than the spiritless routine of the
army, and that they were a wheel in the great machine. Now their army
was beaten, and the shattered remains in rapid retreat to the east.
What remained now, what was left of any value to them?

But it was not cowardice that made them such pitiful creatures. They
had formerly been brave soldiers, and most of them were not old enough
to be in their dotage. It was something else: they had lost all
confidence in their State; it appeared to them useless, hopeless to
defend themselves any longer--a fruitless slaughter of men. Thus did
these unfortunate ones feel. They had been all their life mediocre
men--not better nor worse than others; this mediocrity now prevailed,
as far as their narrow point of view reached, everywhere in the State.
Where was there anything great or strong? where any fresh life to give
enthusiasm and warmth? They themselves had been the delight, the
society of the Hohenzollerns--the first in the State, the salt of the
country; they were accustomed to look down upon citizens and officials.
Besides their Prince and the army itself, what had they in Prussia to
honour? Now the King was away--they knew not where--they were alone
within the walls of their fortress; and they found little in themselves
either to shun or to honour; they felt at best that they were weak.
Thus, in the hour of trial they became bad and mean, because they had
all their lives been placed higher than their merits. A fearful lesson
may be learnt from this; may Prussians always think of it. The
officers, as a privileged class, socially exclusive, with the feeling
of a privileged position in the State, were in constant danger of
fluctuating between arrogance and weakness. Only the officer who,
besides his honour as a soldier and his fidelity to his sovereign, had
a full participation in all that ennobled and elevated a citizen of his
time, could in a moment of difficulty find certain strength in his own
breast.

A period of intellectual poverty and mediocrity brought Prussia to the
v