"Victory, gentlemen!" cried he. "The enemy is marching against us in force. If it is not merely a diversion, and he really means business, the day is ours."
Some of the gentlemen at once rose from their seats and began buckling on their swords. The Prince, however, remained sitting.
"Are they still a good way off?" he indolently inquired of Wenzinger.
"Scarcely half-an-hour's march!" exclaimed the latter with sparkling eyes.
"Then let them come a little nearer still, and in the meantime sit down by our side."
"I'll be damned if I do!" cried the general angrily. "As it is, I have scarcely time enough to marshal my forces."
"But why marshal them at all? Let them advance upon the enemy en masse, that he may be terrified out of his life at the bare sight of them."
"Yes, but I don't want to scare them away, I want rather to surround them. I shall confront them with one-half the host, the rest I shall distribute as follows: one division shall creep through the maize-fields and cut off the enemy's retreat to the town; another shall attack him in flank from above the mill-dam; a third shall remain behind in reserve. Your Highness will join the reserve with your Court."
"What!" cried Kemeny, deeply offended, "I in the reserve! The proper place for an Hungarian Prince is always the fore-front of the battle!"
"That was all very well formerly; but in a general engagement, such precious personages require constant looking after, lest any accident befall them, and are only in the commander's way, and seriously interfere with his tactics. If, however, your Highness expressly desires it, I will surrender my bâton to you at once, and take my place in the ranks. Here there is only room for one generalissimo!"