Arriving at Stössel's house, they found the place locked up; even the orderly supposed to be on duty was asleep. Only after much knocking was he aroused sufficiently to open the door.
'Tell General Stössel that the Commandant has come to see him on urgent business.'
'The General is asleep, sir, and has given the strictest orders that he is not to be disturbed on any pretext whatever. I cannot go to him, sir—I dare not.'
This, if you please, was the man in command of a besieged fortress!
'Let us go to Fock. I will talk to him and tell him what I intend to do,' said Smirnoff.
Stumbling along in the dark, they at last reached Fock's quarters. An orderly appeared, but here again the Commandant was to meet with failure, as after a few moments the man returned to say: 'The General has ordered me to say that he is very ill and in bed with a temperature of 102. He is in a high fever and cannot possibly see you.'
'Let us try Reuss, then,' said Smirnoff quietly.
On the way they met Dmitrevsky (Chief Staff Officer of the 4th Division).
'Colonel, General Fock is on the sick list; meanwhile I propose to appoint Nadein to the western front, and you are to go there as his Chief Staff Officer.'