Two days later, having picked up various bodies of troops on the route, we halted a few hours' distance from Waitzen.
Here the 9th Honveds were assembled, and as soon as the general had finished with me, I rushed off to find Rakoczy.
I really don't know which of us was the more pleased at the meeting, though the genial colonel could not forego his chaff, and pretended it was a great honour to receive a visit from one of the staff. Then he took me into his tent and sent for Dobozy, from whom I had another warm welcome.
"The accounts from the front frightened us a bit," said Dobozy. "We began to think you would have been better off in Pesth."
"Been pretty warm, hasn't it?" asked Rakoczy. "But there, you shall tell us all about it. You must be getting pretty used to playing a losing game by now, eh?"
"Still, I don't know that I like it any better than at first. By the way, have you seen Count Beula lately?"
"Cleared out the same time as Kossuth. Paid you a visit at Raab, didn't he?"
"Yes, with a proclamation from the Diet in his pocket. But I had better begin at the beginning, and tell you the story properly."
"Much better. Make yourself comfortable. You may be sure of an interested audience, though a small one."
He was right in that remark, for both he and Dobozy listened most attentively, only interrupting by an occasional exclamation.