Shall we dance?

"Herr Feldmeister! Herr Feldmeister!"

"Yes, what is it?!"

"Herr Feldmeister, the advance guard reports a force of foot across our path!"

"What! Where? Who? How many? Sound the halt! Order deployment into column of divisions! The Dragoner forward to screen the deployment - and get the guns forward!""

"Herr Feldmeister, the ground..."

"What of it?"

"It is very wet, Herr Feldmeister, if we move off the road, we will bog down!"

"The devil you say! - Locholz!"

"Herr Feldmeister?"

"You are supposed to be my engineer - what of the state of the ground?"

"Bad, Herr Feldmeister, very bad. It appears to have been flooded recently."

"Yes, yes, never mind that... can we move on it?"

"I think not, Herr Feldmeister, however, there is a certain method of ascertaining whether we can or no."

"Well then, get on with it!"

"Yes, Herr Feldmeister. Oberst Kleinschmidt! Have the goodness to deploy your first bataillon to the right, in column of division, if you please. Take them as far as that ditch and then into line facing the enem... er, facing South!"

"Jawohl, Herr General!"

"Now, Herr Feldmeister, let us observe..."

- - - - - - - - - - -

"No, Herr Feldmeister, look at them, the leading ranks are up to their knees, and as they poach the ground, it become worse for the rear ranks!"

"Damn it! Stuck on the road! If they - whoever they are - attack we will be caught like fish in a barrel! - Do we know who they are yet?"

"Herr Feldmeister, they have blue coats and I can see yellow on some of their colours."

"Blue? Yellow? Pommersche? Hess-Damall? Braunsland? Hollanders?"

"I think not, Herr Feldmeister, the blue is too light in hue. I think... I think they may be of Ober Nord Westfalen."

"Ober Nord Westfalen? Impossible, Gruber! We are not at war with them, and besides, d'ye really think that playboy general of a Margraf could have caught us like this? Anyway, according to reports they are at least twenty leagues away!"

"The Margraf? Perhaps not, Herr Feldmeister, but he has some able Commanders, Von Willich, for example, is not to be totally despised, and Muller has a certain reputation for craftiness - and with respect Herr Feldmeister, reports can be in error!"

"Herr Feldmeister, look... a parley!"

"Very well, Gruber, meet this envoy and find out what the devil they want!"

"Jawohl, Herr Feldmeister."

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Halt! That's far enough!"

"Agreed, we can hear each other well enough."

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

"My name is Von Smallhausen, Hauptmann in the service of His Highness, Albrecht, Margraf of Of Ober Nord Westfalen. And you, sir?"

"I am Oberstleutnant Gruber, of the army of the Elector of Hannunter. What does your master mean by blocking our road?"

"I believe he has achieved his aim. Your forces are halted are they not?"

"Temporarily, Hauptmann, temporarily, I assure you."

"Herr Oberstleutnant, I am no great strategian, but it seems to me that while your force is halted on the road, you are unable to deploy in our face. Yes, we saw the attempt to move a bataillon to your right."

"Yes, a pretty piece of deception, was it not?"

"Yes, indeed. Who would have thought that Hannunter had so many accomplished thespians in the ranks of it regiments of foot. You see me all admiration."

"Pah! All very well, but what, Hauptmann is the purpose of this parley?"

"My Margraf wishes a meeting with your commander, who is...?"

"Feldmeister Karl Weiden Von Wenigkirche."

"Von Wenigkirche? Good. I have here a letter for your commander from Margraf Albrecht. You must ask the Herr Feldmeister to forgive the impersonal address, but without a name for the cover, how could it be otherwise? I am instructed to return here in an hour to receive the Herr Feldmesiter's response."

"Very well, Hauptmann, I shall see that the letter is safely delivered."

"Thank you. Now, we meet an again in an hour's time, yes?"

"Yes. I bid you a good day, Hauptmann."