"They do not think," replied the prince, "that General Gebser has energy enough to command in the field, and his name is not popular amongst the soldiers, and General Tschirschnitz is too old to bear the fatigues of war, and too much accustomed to office life----"
With a hasty movement the king passed his hand over the table before him and rang the bell that stood upon it.
"The equerry on duty!" exclaimed the king to the attendant who came at the summons.
Immediately afterwards Count Wedel, the brother of the commander of the castle, entered.
"Your majesty sent for me?"
"My dear Wedel," said the king, "the crown prince has just told me, as was his duty, that the officers and the troops have no confidence in General Gebser, whom I have appointed to the command of the army, and that they also have not the confidence needful in the adjutant-general. The moment is grave. Tell me, as my equerry and my officer, on your oath and your duty, what you know on the subject."
Count Wedel, a handsome powerfully made man, with short black hair and a black beard, fixed his large dark eyes upon the king, and said firmly in a clear voice:
"What his royal highness has told your majesty is, so far as I have had the opportunity of judging of the general opinion, perfectly true!"
The king sat still for a moment in deep thought.
"And you have heard it from good and clever officers?" he asked.