“I have not heard so, Excellency.”
“Then this despatch came direct from Berlin, and has been forwarded from Cologne?”
“Yes, Excellency.”
“How did it come from Berlin? By mail, or by special messenger?”
“By special messenger, Excellency.”
Now General Berndorf was the officer in command of the garrison at Cologne, and the Baron von Bulow, as I well knew, was His Majesty's Minister of War at Berlin.
Having received these answers, my father stood silent, as if revolving some difficult matter in his thoughts. Then, his mind being made up, he turned again to the orderly and said:—
“Dine—feed your horse—and come back in an hour for the answer.”
Thankful to be dismissed, the man saluted and vanished. My father had a rapid, stern way of speaking to subordinates, that had in general the effect of making them glad to get out of his presence as quickly as possible.
Then he read the despatch for the third time; turned to his writing-table; dropped into his chair; and prepared to write.