All the troops were marched to church, to join in solemn prayer for the success of their arms against the foe, who was now almost at Hamburg.
"We pray earnestly to Heaven for success," said the Baron Karl to me in a low voice, as he leant with a lounging air against one of the shafted pillars of the great church; "Tilly, and his Jesuits, are probably saying solemn mass for the success of their arms also."
"How is Heaven to judge between us?" asked Major Fritz, whose mother was one of the principal ladies at the Imperial court.
"Come now, Fritz," said the baron; "do not be staring at that lady in a way so peculiar."
"Excuse me, gentlemen," said Fritz, slipping from among us; "'tis a little beauty I met at Hamburg."
On seeing the major approach, the lady, who was elegantly dressed, but, according to a dangerous custom then fashionable, wore a black velvet mask, retired from the church, and Fritz, who in such affairs was undaunted, followed her. After having been in camp for some time, he had a great desire to make some important conquest among the fair sex. His inamorata, who looked round at him slyly from time to time with two bright eyes, seemed to be the little wife of a citizen, and, to a half worn-out rake like the major, there was something excessively attractive in the pretty white stocking, drawn smoothly over the handsome leg and ankle, which she shewed from time to time, when holding up her silk dress. The major followed, stroking his short mustache, and saying a hundred fine things, to which she responded briefly, and by bursts of laughter—for so he afterwards told us; but she led him a devil of a dance through all Glückstadt, and to the barrier of the Hamburg road.
"I did not think Glückstadt contained a neck and ankles half so pretty," lisped the major; "but upon my soul, little one, I don't think I am very wise in following you so far."
"It is better to be happy than wise," replied the lady, in her soft low voice.
The musketeer was enchanted.
"Ah—if I could only see its pretty face!" said he.