"Bad or good, the queen shares your fate, and the king his soldiers'; is that right or wrong? Answer," cried Count Wedel.
"Right," cried old Conrad in a loud voice, and "Yes! yes!" was faintly echoed by the crowd.
"But," added Count Wedel, in a loud and grave voice, "you have asked me what you are to do."
He advanced a step or two, until, he was quite surrounded by the citizens, and he turned his flashing eyes from one to another.
"What!" he cried, "Hanoverian citizens do not know what they are to do when their country is in danger, and their king and the army take the field? Old Conrad can tell you better than I, what he saw in the old times of which I have only heard the history. The army is on the peace foundation," he continued with animation, "everything is wanting, transport, stores, help of all kinds, the cannon have to be taken from the arsenal to the railway station, and Hanoverian citizens stand still to murmur and complain? Get horses and workers, and if the horses will not hold out, we will draw them ourselves, for I will be amongst you as soon as my duty permits. The army takes the field," he continued, "and the commissariat must be organized; are the soldiers to starve? Form committees to provide abundance of food and drink here at the railway station from whence it can be sent off to the different magazines as necessity may arise. And," he cried, "to-day or to-morrow the troops may encounter the enemy, there will be plenty of sick and wounded, and you must prevent your wives from complaining and lamenting. Let them make bandages and scrape lint, it will be wanted; go to my wife, she will advise you how to arrange everything. And further, how often have you played at soldiers at your rifle clubs; now the troops are going, shall the queen remain unguarded in Herrenhausen? Is there no citizen who will keep guard over the queen when the king trusts her to his capital? Now," he added slowly, "I have told you what you have to do, and there is so much to be done, that really there is no time for anyone to stand here to idle and grumble."
The citizens were silent; the little merchant Sonntag examined them with looks of triumph.
Old Conrad scratched behind his ear.
"Donnerwetter!" he broke out at last; "the count speaks the truth, and a shame it is that we old fellows should have to be told all that by a young gentleman. But now come on," he cried in a loud voice, "let us all set to work, let us separate, and assemble the citizens, here is Sonntag who understands it, he shall make the committees, I am off to the arsenal." He walked up to Count Wedel. "You are true Hanoverian blood, count!" he said bluntly, "and you have spoken your mind plainly; but you were quite right, and you shall see the citizens of Hanover on the move--and you old fellow up there!" he cried, taking off his cap and looking up at the bronze statue of King Ernest Augustus, standing in the midst of the square, "you shall see how old Conrad and all the Hanoverians will stand by your son!"
He offered his hand to the count, who shook it heartily.
All the citizens seemed changed as if by magic. The discontent and restlessness had gone from their faces, and their looks expressed high courage and firm determination. They all crowded round Count Wedel as he got into his carriage and offered him their strong hard hands.