rely managed to get himself advanced in
grade. As long as I was a lieutenant, it was easier to bear; but when I
was made a company commander, I was inwardly rebellious and had to
remain silent. Yes, you political gentlemen complain of tyranny, but we
suffer far more from it than you do. Discipline is necessary, but to
bear with such blockheads who disgrace you, and can do nothing but
curse and swear--and this fellow did not even understand his duties--is
harder than you think.

"The year 1866 came. No one, not even you, could see what was going on
within me. My misery began. What are we? Were we to have a different
commander every day? We were--now I can utter the word--praetorians,
nothing else; and Prussia is quite right in altering our military
system. We must know who our chief is. Up to now, we merely fought as
soldiers, and dared not ask what the end would be. Everything was
discipline; we partook of the Lord's Supper on account of discipline,
and as an example for the troops.

"When Annette's husband fell, I thought him lucky; I had a wife and
child, and yet wished for death. That fratricidal war was fortunately
soon over. I can see now that it was necessary for our preparation. My
feelings always revolted at the recollection of it, but now events are
at hand which will remove those memories. I shuddered when I learned
that monuments were being raised to those who had fallen in 1866. Now I
can see that they have died twice over for their Fatherland; they had
already sacrificed their hearts while living. Our profession is now at
last in entire sympathy with the nation's wishes, and it is revolting
that those who call themselves 'liberals' refuse to acknowledge the
'casus belli.'"

"Is the Prince aware of the patriotic ideas which you have kept to
yourself for so long a time?" I asked as the Colonel paused.

"No! at least I do not think so! He merely knows that I sometimes write
for our Military Journal, and that I am a good soldier. I never dreamt
that I would be appointed Minister of War. And on that night I knew
that we were simply to act as a reserve, and to be a sort of target for
the enemy's bullets. You must surely have been of the same opinion."

I could not boast of having been so wise.

But the time had not come to think of the past. The Colonel gave me a
copy of his will, which I was to deposit with the recorder. He did this
calmly, without showing the slightest emotion. A few hours later we
went