But what mean all these reflections, Arthur? These be matters of history, which the world knows as well, or better than thyself. “Que diable allez-vous faire dans cette galère?” Alas! this comes of supping in the Speise Saal of the “Kaiser,” and chatting with the great round-faced Prussian in uniform, at the head of the table; he was a lieutenant of the guard at Tilsit, and also at Erfurt with despatches in 1808; he had a hundred pleasant stories of the fêtes, and the droll mistakes the body-guard of the Czar used to fall into, by ignorance of the habits and customs of civilized life. They were Bashkirs, and always bivouacked in the open street before the Emperor’s quarters, and spent the whole night through chanting a wild and savage song, which some took up, as others slept, and when day broke, the whole concluded with a dance, which, from the description I had of it, must have been something of the most uncouth and fearful that could be conceived.
Napoleon admired those fellows greatly, and more than one among them left Erfurt with the cross of the Legion at his breast.
Tired and weary, as I was, I sat up long past midnight, listening to the Prussian, who rolled out his reminiscences between huge volumes of smoke, in the most amusing fashion. And when I did retire to rest, it was to fall into a fearful dream about Bashkirs and bastions; half-moons, hot shot, and bomb-proofs, that never left me till morning broke.
“The Rittmeister von Otterstadt presents his compliments,” said the waiter, awakening me from a heavy sleep—“presents his compliments—-”
“Who?” cried I, with a shudder.
“The Rittmeister von Otterstadt, who promised to show you the fortress.”
“I’m ill,—seriously ill,” said I, “I should not be surprised if it were a fever.”
“Probably so,” echoed the immovable German, and went on with his message. “The Herr Rittmeister regrets much that he is ordered away on Court Martial duty to Entenburg, and cannot have the honour of accompanying you, before Saturday, when——”
“With Heaven’s assistance, I shall be out of the visible horizon of Erfurt,” said I, finishing the sentence for him.
Never was there a mind so relieved as mine was by this intelligence; the horrors of that two days’ perambulations through arched passages, up and down flights of stone steps, and into caves and cells, of whose uses and objects I had not the most remote conception, had given me a night of fearful dreams, and now, I was free once more.