CHAPTER XXVIII
THE FOE CONQUERED
On the eleventh day of June, in the year 1815, Prince William received his first communion, all the Royal family being present. The next day, he and his father, the King, departed to join the army.
At Merseburg they were stopped by a courier. A great battle had been fought near Brussels, the English under the Duke of Wellington, the Prussians under General Blücher, the brave commander who had wept when he had given up the keys of Lübeck.
"Napoleon is conquered!" announced the courier as he handed the despatches to the King.
The English call the battle "Waterloo," the Prussians, "La Belle Alliance."
Old Blücher had proved his words by fighting. The English had fought steadily, Blücher having promised to come if he heard the firing. The French, who had defeated him a few days before, were in a position to render this well-nigh impossible. But when the cannon sounded, the brave old Prussian thought only of his promise.
"Forward, children, forward!" he cried to his soldiers.
"We cannot, Father Blücher," they answered. "It is impossible."
"Forward, children, forward!" the old man repeated. "We must. I have promised my brother, Wellington. I have promised, do you hear? It shall not be said that I broke my word. Forward, children, forward!"