"Good Evening, Your Highness, Herr Hauptman."
"Good Evening, von Rabensthal - what's this, more despatches?"
"Ah, not exactly, Your Highness... it should seem that this a pouch of letters from the Schloss. There are several for Your Highness, and two for the Herr Hauptmann..."
"Good! Well, don't just stand there man, hand them over! Ah, Herr Flick, Herr Flick, General von Postler - more complaints about Flick, I should suppose. Another from Herr Flick - I wonder if he writes to complain of the Herr General? Ah... one..., two..., three from Her Highness! That should keep me quiet for an hour or so" - have you seen my lady's hand writing, von Smallhausen? Quite indecipherable - even when she doesn't write in Bohemian!"
"If Your Highness, will allow...?"
"Yes, von Rabensthal?"
Your Highness, Herr General von Willich presents his respects, and requests an interview."
"Very well, when is a convenient time?"
"Your Highness misunderstands me; the Herr General is in the ante-chamber and respectfully requests that you see him now."
"Oh, he does, does he. H'mm... I had meant to read my correspondence before dinner, but if the Herr General wishes to speak about that which I suspect, then I shall save the letters, so that they may restore my contentment. Very well, ask the Herr General to come in - no von Smallhausen, there is no need for you to leave."
"Your Highness, General von Willich begs the indulgence of some few moments of your time!"
"Yes, Herr General, I am aware. What is it that is so urgent?"
"Your Highness, I am come to intercede on behalf of Major Kramer."
"Yes, go on."
"Your Highness's actions this afternoon have shaken - badly shaken - the officer corps' trust in Your Highness's governance of the army. It is generally felt that although Major Kramer is, perhaps at fault, that Your Highness's actions were peremptory, over-drastic and arbitrary. Good officers have been heard to wonder if they too shall be summarily dismissed as a result of occurrences outwith their control"
"But that is just the point, Herr General; the occurrences which led to my dismissal of Major Kramer were not outside his control! There is no 'perhaps' in the question of his culpability. He is - was - the bataillon commander and is responsible for everything that occurs with his command. That dictum, Herr General, holds true for every officer in the army. You command the foot, therefore I hold you equally to blame for the shameful state of affairs currently pertaining. I should not have been compelled to intervene; action to rectify the situation should have been taken by Kramer's regimental commander, and you, Herr General, should have seen that it was so! As I said this afternoon, your soldiers are my subjects. I have the right, the duty and responsibility to ensure that while they serve in my army, they receive as much care and attention as it is possible to afford them. I have no wish to be remembered by history as the Margraf who lost his army before they had fired a shot."
"Your Highness. I am deeply ashamed of my own failings in this matter, and I assure you that I do not absolve myself from blame - I have made much the same sort of speech to my Obersts this afternoon, but at the same time, I beg of you to reconsider your decision. The punishment, Your Highness, does not fit the crime."
"Do you dare to stand there and criticise me, Herr General?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I thought so! Herr General, I find myself, unwillingly perhaps, in some degree of sympathy with your position. It had always been my intention that after a period of reflection, in which he might consider his failings, to have Major Kramer restored to duty. However, Major Kramer has made it impossible for me to rescind my orders."
"May I ask how, Your Highness?"
"As you will recall, I instructed Major Kramer to hand over his bataillon and report here. He has not done so. I despatched member of my staff, and a file of musketiers to remind Kramer of his orders. On reaching his quarters they found that he had vanished. His rooms were empty, he his servants, his horses, his carriage and his groom are all disappeared. I am on the point of sending a despatch to the Schloss, requiring that when Kramer returns to Ober Nord Westfalen, that he is placed under arrest for desertion, and held in custody until I shall see fit to adjudicate his case. So you see, Herr General, it is now impossible, under any circumstances for Kramer to be reinstated. It is his family for whom I feel sorry; the shame will be almost unsupportable."
"I may put your mind at rest, Your Highness. Major Kramer has no family. He is not married, and is an only child. His parents are both deceased."
"A blessing in disguise, indeed, Herr General."
"If Your Highness says so!"
"Indeed I do. Was there anything else, Herr General? No..., then thank you. It is gratifying to know that, apart from the impact of this salutary lesson, at least one of my Officers is willing to tell me that he thinks I have made an error of judgement."
"Your Highness!"
"Well, von Smallhausen... just as you predicted! It really is odd, that a dedicated officer like Kramer should choose to indulge in disobedience at such a time!"
"Indeed, Your Highness; yet I am sure that Major Kramer is even now diligently carrying out his orders!"
"Oh, I hope so, I really do hope so, von Smallhausen!"
"Good Evening, von Rabensthal - what's this, more despatches?"
"Ah, not exactly, Your Highness... it should seem that this a pouch of letters from the Schloss. There are several for Your Highness, and two for the Herr Hauptmann..."
"Good! Well, don't just stand there man, hand them over! Ah, Herr Flick, Herr Flick, General von Postler - more complaints about Flick, I should suppose. Another from Herr Flick - I wonder if he writes to complain of the Herr General? Ah... one..., two..., three from Her Highness! That should keep me quiet for an hour or so" - have you seen my lady's hand writing, von Smallhausen? Quite indecipherable - even when she doesn't write in Bohemian!"
"If Your Highness, will allow...?"
"Yes, von Rabensthal?"
Your Highness, Herr General von Willich presents his respects, and requests an interview."
"Very well, when is a convenient time?"
"Your Highness misunderstands me; the Herr General is in the ante-chamber and respectfully requests that you see him now."
"Oh, he does, does he. H'mm... I had meant to read my correspondence before dinner, but if the Herr General wishes to speak about that which I suspect, then I shall save the letters, so that they may restore my contentment. Very well, ask the Herr General to come in - no von Smallhausen, there is no need for you to leave."
"Your Highness, General von Willich begs the indulgence of some few moments of your time!"
"Yes, Herr General, I am aware. What is it that is so urgent?"
"Your Highness, I am come to intercede on behalf of Major Kramer."
"Yes, go on."
"Your Highness's actions this afternoon have shaken - badly shaken - the officer corps' trust in Your Highness's governance of the army. It is generally felt that although Major Kramer is, perhaps at fault, that Your Highness's actions were peremptory, over-drastic and arbitrary. Good officers have been heard to wonder if they too shall be summarily dismissed as a result of occurrences outwith their control"
"But that is just the point, Herr General; the occurrences which led to my dismissal of Major Kramer were not outside his control! There is no 'perhaps' in the question of his culpability. He is - was - the bataillon commander and is responsible for everything that occurs with his command. That dictum, Herr General, holds true for every officer in the army. You command the foot, therefore I hold you equally to blame for the shameful state of affairs currently pertaining. I should not have been compelled to intervene; action to rectify the situation should have been taken by Kramer's regimental commander, and you, Herr General, should have seen that it was so! As I said this afternoon, your soldiers are my subjects. I have the right, the duty and responsibility to ensure that while they serve in my army, they receive as much care and attention as it is possible to afford them. I have no wish to be remembered by history as the Margraf who lost his army before they had fired a shot."
"Your Highness. I am deeply ashamed of my own failings in this matter, and I assure you that I do not absolve myself from blame - I have made much the same sort of speech to my Obersts this afternoon, but at the same time, I beg of you to reconsider your decision. The punishment, Your Highness, does not fit the crime."
"Do you dare to stand there and criticise me, Herr General?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I thought so! Herr General, I find myself, unwillingly perhaps, in some degree of sympathy with your position. It had always been my intention that after a period of reflection, in which he might consider his failings, to have Major Kramer restored to duty. However, Major Kramer has made it impossible for me to rescind my orders."
"May I ask how, Your Highness?"
"As you will recall, I instructed Major Kramer to hand over his bataillon and report here. He has not done so. I despatched member of my staff, and a file of musketiers to remind Kramer of his orders. On reaching his quarters they found that he had vanished. His rooms were empty, he his servants, his horses, his carriage and his groom are all disappeared. I am on the point of sending a despatch to the Schloss, requiring that when Kramer returns to Ober Nord Westfalen, that he is placed under arrest for desertion, and held in custody until I shall see fit to adjudicate his case. So you see, Herr General, it is now impossible, under any circumstances for Kramer to be reinstated. It is his family for whom I feel sorry; the shame will be almost unsupportable."
"I may put your mind at rest, Your Highness. Major Kramer has no family. He is not married, and is an only child. His parents are both deceased."
"A blessing in disguise, indeed, Herr General."
"If Your Highness says so!"
"Indeed I do. Was there anything else, Herr General? No..., then thank you. It is gratifying to know that, apart from the impact of this salutary lesson, at least one of my Officers is willing to tell me that he thinks I have made an error of judgement."
"Your Highness!"
"Well, von Smallhausen... just as you predicted! It really is odd, that a dedicated officer like Kramer should choose to indulge in disobedience at such a time!"
"Indeed, Your Highness; yet I am sure that Major Kramer is even now diligently carrying out his orders!"
"Oh, I hope so, I really do hope so, von Smallhausen!"
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Oh my! It seems that there are plots afoot about which we know little . . . at least as yet.
-- Jeff
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