"Wife, what is the matter--what has happened?" exclaimed Old
Prohaska, anxiously.
"Why do you weep, my brother?" asked Leonora, hastening to the boy,
and clasping him in her arms. He laid his head on her breast and
wept aloud.
"What has happened?" wailed his mother. "All our hopes are blasted;
we have been rejected!"
"Rejected? Where? And by whom?" asked the invalid, in amazement.
"By the military commission!" cried his wife, drying her tears with
her long apron.
"What did you want of the military commission? Did you desire to
become a vivandiere, old woman?"
"No, but Charles wanted to enlist, father! Yes, you must know all
now. We thought we would prepare a joyous surprise for you, but the
good Lord and the military commission would not let us do so. Look,
old man! I perceived very well how painful it was to you, and how it
was gnawing at your heart, that your wooden leg compels you to
remain here at Potsdam, and prevents your marching out with the
soldiers who are hurrying to the headquarters of their king at
Breslau."
"Yes, it is true, it is very sad! My general, old Blucher, under
whom I fought in 1806, is also at Breslau, and what will he say when
he looks for his old hussars of 1806, and does not find Prohaska! He
will say, 'Prohaska has become a coward--a lazy old good-for-
nothing.'"
"No, father, he will not say so," exclaimed Leonora, ardently; "if
he knows you, he cannot say so.
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