ever the bullets rained down most murderously,
thither he spurred his horse. He had two horses killed, but remained
uninjured. It seems Fate was too unmerciful toward him: it had decreed
that the King of Prussia should not die, but learn in the stern school
of suffering and experience what Prussia needs."

"And the Duke of Brunswick--the commander-in-chief?"

"Ah, you do not yet know the terrible fate that befell him? A bullet
passed through his head; it entered on the right side, and came out on
the left. This happened in the early part of the battle; the duke was
brought back to Auerstadt in a fainting condition; his wound was dressed
there, and then he was carried by some soldiers to Blankenburg."

"The duke is not yet dead, then, notwithstanding this terrible wound?"

"No," said Schill, solemnly, "God would not let him die without reaping
the fruit of what he had sown. For his mental blindness God punished him
with physical blindness. The ball destroyed both his eyes."

"Dreadful!" muttered Count Pueckler.

"You pity him?" asked Schill, harshly. "You had better pity the
thousands who are lying on the bloody battle-fields of Jena and
Auerstadt, and accusing the duke of having murdered them! You had better
pity Prussia's misfortunes and disgrace, which have been brought about
by the duke! For, I tell you, the indecision, vacillation, and timidity
of the duke were the sole causes of our terrible disaster. All of us
felt and knew it. None of the younger officers and generals had any
doubt about it; every one knew that those old gentlemen, who had
outlived their own glory, and still believed that they lived in the days
of Frederick the Great, were unequal to the occasion, to the present
time, and to the present war. Because we were aware of this, we made the
utmost efforts to bring about a change of commanders. We elected a
deputation of officers, and sent them to General Kalkreuth, for the
purpose of laying our complaints and prayers before him, and of
imploring him to induce the king to deprive the duke of his command,
and to intrust it to younger and more resolute hands. The deputation
consisted of none but skilful, prominent, and highly-esteemed officers,
who boldly declared it to be their firm conviction that the king was in
danger of losing his crown and his states, if the Duke of Brunswick
should remain at the head of the army."[1]

[Footnote 1: Vide Frederick von Gentz's writings, edited by G.
Schlesier, v