"Not so," said the king, "the moon will watch over us all. Come in."

"But it is impossible that your majesty should sleep thus, entirely
unguarded. The first Cossack that dashes by could take aim at your
majesty through the window."

Frederick shook his head gravely. "The ball which will strike me will
come from above, [Footnote: The king's own words.--See Nicolai, p. 118.]
and that you cannot intercept. No, it is better to have no watch before
the door; we will not draw the attention of troops passing by to this
house. I think no one will suppose that this miserable and ruinous
barrack, through which the wind howls, is the residence of a king.
Come, then, messieurs." He stepped into the hut, followed by the two
adjutants, who dared no longer oppose him. "Put out that light," said
the king, "the moon will be our torch, and will glorify our bed of
straw." He drew his sword, and grasping it firmly in his right hand, he
stretched himself upon the straw. "There is room for both of you--lie
down. Good-night, sirs."

Frederick slightly raised his three-cornered hat in greeting, and then
laid it over his face as a protection from the moonlight and the cold
night air. The adjutants laid down silently at his feet, and soon
no sound was heard in the room but the loud breathing of the three
sleepers.

CHAPTER XIV. THE RIGHT COUNSEL.

Hand in hand the two grenadiers advanced directly toward the
battle-field. Before they could approach the enemy's camp they must
borrow two Austrian uniforms from the dead upon the plain. It was not
difficult, amongst so many dead bodies, to find two Austrian officers,
and the two Prussian grenadiers went quickly to work to rob the dead and
appropriate their garments.

"I don't know how it is," said Charles Henry, shuddering, "a cold chill
thrills through me when I think of putting on a coat which I have just
taken from a dead body. It seems to me the marble chillness of the
corpse will insinuate itself into my whole body, and that I shall never
be warm again."

Fritz Kober looked up with wide-open eyes! "You have such curious
thoughts, Charles Henry, such as come to no other man; but you are
right, it is a frosty thing." And now he had removed the uniform and
was about to draw off his own jacket and assume the white coat of the
Austrian. "It is a great happiness," said he, "that we need not change
our trousers, a little clearer or darker gray can make no difference in
the night.