Perhaps there was some
association of ideas between the military profession, and the equestrian
position he occasionally found it convenient to assume; however that may
be, Meinherr Tettenborn suddenly bethought him, that he would bestride a
high-trotting horse instead of his tall black stool. He threw away the pen
for the sword. At this time all Europe was up in arms against Napoleon; so
that, although he entered the Service of the Emperor of Russia, he was
still but enlisting in the common cause, in which his own Germany was more
interested than may other country. He entered, as may be supposed, in the
lowest rank of officers; and, as cornet, or with some such title, you may
picture him at the head of a small troop of horse, despatched for forage
or some ordinary service of the like kind. As he was thus conducting his
little troop, he spied "something black" lying in a field by the side of
the road. He cantered up to it. The something black was nothing less than
a small park of artillery, sixteen guns, which the enemy had left behind
them, perhaps in some false alarm, or for want of horses to draw them, but
apparently for the very purpose of being captured by Meinherr Tettenborn.
He ordered up his little troop, harnessed their horses to the guns, and
rode back triumphant to the camp. The Emperor himself was present. News
was speedily brought him of the capture of a park of artillery, and the
illustrious victor was introduced. Many questions were not asked of the
how, or the when, or the where; the guns happened to be particularly
welcome; the Emperor took from his own neck the order of the Iron Cross,
and suspended it round the neck of the fortunate young soldier, greeting
him, at the same time, with the title of General Tettenborn! The general
was a brave man, was equal to his new position, captured other guns in
another manner, and rose, we will not venture to say how high in the
Imperial service.

Now this very anecdote we have heard cited as an example, illustrating the
proverb, _ce n'est que le premier pas_, &c. Yet this finding something
black lying quietly in the green fields, which proved to be a park of
artillery waiting to be captured, cannot certainly be set down amongst the
early steps of a military career, is not known amongst the means or stages
of promotion, but is manifestly one of those joyous caprices which Fortune
occasionally indulges in, for the express purpose, we presume, that
castle-building in