If your person leaves us, your spirit does
also, and with Marshal Forward we lose all prospect of marching
forward. Consider this, your excellency; consider that you endanger
not only the welfare of your army, but the success of the war; for
when you are not present, all will go wrong."
"Well, you will be here, Gneisenau," said Blucher; "you are half
myself; you know my thoughts just as well as I do--nay, you often
know them much better! You will, therefore, carry on all just as
though I were still here."
"But shall I have the power to do so?" asked Gneisenau. "Your
excellency did not take into the account that when you leave the
army, and give up your position as commander-in-chief, another
general must be appointed in your stead. Who will receive this
nomination? The senior general is Langeron, and do you consider him
qualified to replace you?"
"Well, that would be a pretty thing, if HE should become commander-
in-chief!" cried Blucher. "The confusion and wrangling that would
ensue would baffle description; for York and Bulow would be even
more disobedient to him than they are to me."
"But he would have to take command of the army until orders from
headquarters arrived appointing another general-in-chief. We might
have to wait a long time; for we are distant from the allied
monarchs now, and they, moreover, will not hasten to make that
appointment.
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