of the day; then we will empty a glass
of your beautiful Rhine wine to the friendship of the Austrians and
Russians. Wine here! The night is long enough for council; let us first
celebrate our victory."

The Cossacks, at a sign from the adjutants, sprang from the floor and
drew from a corner of the room a number of bottles and silver cups,
which they hastened to place upon the table. The secretaries moved the
papers, maps, etc.; and the table, which a moment before had quite a
business-like aspect, was now changed into an enticing buffet.

Soltikow looked on enraptured, but the marquis cast an anxious and
significant look upon the Austrian general, which was answered with
a slight shrug of the shoulders. Both knew that the brave General
Soltikow, next to the thunder of cannon and the mad whirl of battle,
loved nothing so well as the springing of corks and the odor of wine.
Both knew that the general was as valiant and unconquerable a soldier
as he was a valiant and unconquerable drinker--who was most apt while
drinking to forget every thing else but the gladness of the moment. The
marquis tried to make another weak attempt to remind him of more earnest
duties.

"Look you, your excellency, your secretaries appear very melancholy.
Will you not first hold a council of war? and we can then give ourselves
undisturbed to joy and enjoyment."

"Why is a council of war necessary?" said Soltikow, sinking down into a
chair and handing his cup to the Cossack behind him to be filled for the
second time. "Away with business and scribbling! The dispatches to my
empress are completed; seal them, Pietrowitch, and send the courier off
immediately; every thing else can wait till morning. Come, generals, let
us strike our glasses to the healths of our exalted sovereigns."

Loudon took the cup and drank a brave pledge, then when he had emptied
the glass he said: "We should not be satisfied with sending our exalted
sovereigns the news of the day's victory--it lies in our hands to inform
them of the complete and irrevocable defeat of the enemy."

"How so?" said Soltikow, filling up his cup for the third time.

"If now, in place of enjoying this comfortable rest, and giving our
enemy time to recover himself, we should follow up the Prussians and cut
off the king's retreat, preventing him from taking possession of his old
camp at Reutven, we would then be in a condition to crush him completely
and put an end to this war."

"Ah, you mea