Nor will you tarnish your glory on account of
your eyes. You will not become a faithless father and friend to your
soldiers, whom you have so often greeted as your children, and who
have always confided in you; nor will you break our courage and
paralyze our souls by deserting us in this manner."
"It is true, I did not think sufficiently on this matter," murmured
Blucher to himself--"Voelzke," he then cried aloud, "you pledge me
your word of honor that you can cure me?"
"I swear it to your excellency by all that is sacred that, if you
take care of yourself, and comply with my prescriptions, you will be
cured in the course of two weeks."
"Well," said Blucher, after a short reflection, "in that case I will
yield, and stay."
"Heaven be praised, your excellency!" cried Gneisenau, tenderly
embracing Blucher, "you are still my noble field-marshal, who will
not desert his army, his fatherland, and his friends, for the sake
of his individual comfort."
"Yes, I will stay," said Blucher; "but as I have to obey the grim
doctor there, and submit to his treatment thoroughly, as a matter of
course I cannot work and make the necessary dispositions, but leave
this to my head--to Gneisenau alone. I lend you my name for two
weeks, and know that you will make good use of it. But if at the end
of that time, doctor, I am not yet well, then, beware! May the Lord
have mercy on your soul! for you will certainly get yourself into
trouble.
Pages:
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775