"He raised no obstacles, then, but allowed you to pass over without hinderance to the Russian camp?"
"Yes, your majesty. While Macdonald continued his march, I rode to
the Russian pickets, and was conducted by an officer, detailed by
General Choplitz for this purpose, to the commander-in-chief, Prince
Wittgenstein, who had established his headquarters at Heilsberg."
"What business had you at Wittgenstein's headquarters?"
"I wanted, in accordance with your orders, to ask his permission to pass through to General York; and, besides, I wished to ascertain where the Emperor Alexander had established his headquarters, that I might repair to them."
"Prince Wittgenstein, of course, gave you immediate permission to pass through his camp, did he not?"
"No, your majesty; he refused my request."
"How so? What reasons could he adduce? Did you tell him what you intended to do at York's headquarters?"
"Your majesty ordered me to tell every one what I was to do at
General York's headquarters, and what punishment you intended to
inflict upon him. I was therefore authorized and obliged to inform
General Wittgenstein of the object of my mission."
"And he dared to resist you?"
"He did, your majesty. He declared that he would not permit me by any means to go to York, and that so long as he lived no one should bring to the general a dispatch by which the most generous, magnanimous, and valiant general of the Prussian army was to be deprived of his command."