The king with his suite stood near the open graves, whilst the clergyman of the little town, in a few simple words, commended to eternal rest the warriors united in death, Prussians and Hanoverians; and the king, who could not see the brave men who lay at his feet, true soldiers of duty and of their rightful lord, stooped down in silence, seized a handful of earth, and with his own royal hand strewed the first dust upon the loyal dead.
"May the earth lay lightly on you!" whispered the king, and in a still lower voice he added, "Happy are they who rest in peace!"
Then he folded his hands, repeated the Lord's Prayer, and taking the arm of the crown prince, returned to the Schützhaus.
On his way back, groups of soldiers who stood about greeted him with loud "Hurrahs!" and cries of "Forwards! forwards!"
The king bent down his head, a sorrowful expression appeared in his face.
As soon as he reached his room, he sent for the general in command. He was with the troops, and an hour passed before he entered the king's apartment.
"Are the troops ready to march?" asked the king.
"No, your majesty! The army is done for, quite done for!" cried the general, striking his hand on his breast. "There are no provisions forthcoming, and the ammunition is scarcely sufficient for the first round."
"Then in your opinion, what is to be done?" asked the king, calmly and coldly.
"Your majesty!" cried Arentschildt, "the general staff is unanimous in declaring a capitulation to be unavoidable."