A fortnight after the fortifications of Marienburg were completed,
Colonel Schlippenbach sent off Lieutenant Colonel Brandt, with four
hundred horse, to capture a magazine at Seffwegen, to which the
Saxons had forced the inhabitants of the country round to bring in
their corn, intending later to convey it to the headquarters of
their army. The expedition was completely successful. The Saxon
guard were overpowered, and a thousand tons of corn were brought,
in triumph, into Marienburg. Some of it was sent on to the army,
abundance being retained for the use of the town and garrison, in
case of siege.
It was now resolved to surprise and burn Pitschur, a town on the
frontier from which the enemy constantly made incursions. It was
held by a strong body of Russians.
Baron Spens was in command of the expedition. He had with him both
the regiments of Horse Guards. Much excitement was caused, in
Marienburg, by the issue of an order that the cavalry, and a
portion of the infantry, were to be ready to march at daylight; and
by the arrival of a large number of peasants, brought in by small
parties of the cavalry. Many were the surmises as to the operation
to be undertaken, its object being kept a strict secret.
Captain Jervoise's company was one of those in orders, and paraded
at daybreak, and, after a march of some distance, the force joined
that of Baron Spens. The troops were halted in a wood, and ordered
to light fires to cook food, and to prepare for a halt of some
hours. Great fires were soon blazing and, after eating their meal,
most of the troops wrapped themselves in the blankets that they
carried, in addition to their greatcoats, and lay down by the
fires.
They slept until midnight, and were then called to arms again. They
marched all night, and at daybreak the next morning, the 13th of
February, were near Pitschur, and at once attacked the Russian camp
outside the town. Taken completely by surprise, the Russians fought
feebly, and more than five hundred were killed before they entered
the town, hotly pursued by the Swedes. Shutting themselves up in
the houses, and barricading the doors and windows, they defended
themselves desperately, refusing all offers of surrender.
The Livonian peasants were, however, at work, and set fire to the
town in many places. The flames spread rapidly. Great stores of
hides and leather, and a huge magazine filled with hemp, added to
the fury of the conflagration, and the whole town was burned to the
ground; numbers of the Russians preferring death by fire, in the
houses, to coming out and surrendering themselves.
Many of the fugitives had succeeded in reaching a strong position
on the hill commanding the town. This consisted of a convent,
surrounded by strong walls mounted with cannon, which played upon
the town while the fight there was going on. As Baron Spens had no
guns with him, he was unable to follow up his advantage by taking
this position, and he therefore gave orders to the force to retire,
the peasants being loaded with booty that they had gathered before
the fire spread.
The loss of the Swedes was thirty killed and sixty wounded, this
being a small amount of loss compared with what they had inflicted
upon the enemy.
"I call that a horrible business, Captain Jervoise," Charlie said,
when the troops had returned to Marienburg. "There was no real
fighting in it."
"It was a surprise, Charlie. But they fought desperately after they
gained the town."
"Yes, but we did nothing there beyond firing away at the windows.
Of course, I had my sword in my hand; but it might as well have
been in its sheath, for I never struck a blow, and I think it was
the same with most of our men. One could not cut down those poor
wretches, who were scarce awake enough to use their arms. I was
glad you held our company in rear of the others."
"Yes; I asked the colonel before attacking to put us in reserve, in
case the enemy should rally. I did it on purpose, for I knew that
our men, not having, like the Swedes, any personal animosity
against the Russians, would not like the work. If it had come to
storming the convent, I would have volunteered to lead the assault.
At any rate, I am glad that, although a few of the men are wounded,
no lives are lost in our company."
Harry cordially agreed with his friend. "I like an expedition,
Charlie, if there is fighting to be done; but I don't want to have
anything more to do with surprises. However, the cavalry had a good
deal more to do with it than we had; but, as you say, it was a
ghastly business. The only comfort is they began it, and have been
robbing the peasants and destroying their homes for months."
Many small expeditions were sent out with equally favourable
results; but Captain Jervoise's company took no part in these
excursions.
Charles the Twelfth was passionately fond of hunting and, in spite
of his many occupations, found time occasionally to spend a day or
two in the chase. A few days after the attack upon Pitschur, he
came to Marienburg to learn all particulars of the Russian position
from Colonel Schlippenbach, as he intended, in the spring, to
attack the triangle formed by three fortresses, in order to drive
the Russians farther back from the frontier.
"I hear that there are many wolves and bears in the forest, five
leagues to the north. I want a party of about fifty footmen to
drive the game, and as many horse, in case we come across one of
the parties of Russians. I want some hearty, active men for the
march. I will send the foot on this afternoon, and ride with the
horse so as to get there by daybreak. Which is your best company of
infantry?"
"My best company is one composed chiefly of Scotchmen, though there
are some English among them. It belongs to the Malmoe Regiment, and
is commanded by Captain Jervoise, an Englishman. I do not say that
they are braver than our Swedes; they have not been tested in any
desperate service; but they are healthier and more hardy, for their
officers, since the battle of Narva, have kept them engaged in
sports of all kinds--mimic battles, foot races, and other friendly
contests. I have marked them at it several times, and wondered
sometimes at the rough play. But it has had its effect. While the
rest of Suborn's regiment suffered as much from fever as the other
troops, scarce a man in this company was sick, and they have, all
the winter, been fit for arduous service at any moment."
"That is good indeed, and I will remember it, and will see that,
another winter, similar games are carried on throughout the army.
Let the company be paraded at once. I will, myself, inspect them."
The company's call was sounded, and, surprised at a summons just as
they were cooking their dinners, the troops fell in, in front of
their quarters, and the officers took their places in front of
them, and waited for orders.
"I wonder what is up now," Nigel Forbes said to Harry. "You have
not heard anything, from your father, of our being wanted, have
you?"
"No; he was just as much surprised as I was, when a sergeant ran up
with Schlippenbach's order that the company were to fall in."
Five minutes after they had formed up, three officers were seen
approaching on foot.
"It is the colonel himself," Forbes muttered, as Captain Jervoise
gave the word to the men to stand to attention.
A minute later, Captain Jervoise gave the order for the salute, and
Harry saw that the tall young officer, walking with the colonel,
was the king. Without speaking a word, Charles walked up and down
the line, narrowly inspecting the men, then he returned to the
front.
"A fine set of fellows, Schlippenbach. I wish that, like my
grandfather, I had some fifteen thousand of such troops under my
orders. Present the captain to me."
The officers were called up, and Captain Jervoise was presented.
"Your company does you great credit, Captain Jervoise," the king
said. "I would that all my troops looked in as good health and
condition. Colonel Schlippenbach tells me that you have kept your
men in good health, all through the winter, by means of sports and
games. It is a good plan. I will try to get all my officers to
adopt it another winter. Do the men join in them willingly?"
Captain Jervoise and his officers had all, during the nine months
that had passed since they landed in Sweden, done their best to
acquire the language, and could now speak and understand it
thoroughly.
"They like it, your majesty. Our people are fond of games of this
kind. My four officers take part in them with the men."
The king nodded.
"That is as it should be. It must create a good feeling on both
sides. Present your officers to me, Captain Jervoise."
This was done, and the king spoke a few words to each. Charlie had
often seen the king at a distance, but never before so close as to
be able to notice his face particularly. He was a tall young
fellow, thin and bony. His face was long, and his forehead
singularly high and somewhat projecting. This was the most
noticeable feature of his face. His eyes were quick and keen, his
face clean-shaven, and, had it not been for the forehead and eyes,
would have attracted no attention. His movements were quick and
energetic, and, after speaking to the officers, he strode a step or
two forward and, raising his voice, said:
"I am pleased with you, men. Your appearance does credit to
yourselves and your officers. Scottish troops did grand service
under my grandfather, Gustavus Adolphus, and I would that I had
twenty battalions of such soldiers with me. I am going hunting
tomorrow, and I asked Colonel Schlippenbach for half a company of
men who could stand cold and fatigue. He told me that I could not
do better than take them from among this company, and I see that he
could not have made a better choice. But I will not separate you,
and will therefore take you all. You will march in an hour, and I
will see that there is a good supper ready for you, at the end of
your journey."
Colonel Schlippenbach gave Captain Jervoise directions as to the
road they were to follow, and the village, at the edge of the
forest, where they were to halt for the night. He then walked away
with the king. Highly pleased with the praise Charles had given
them, the company fell out.
"Get your dinners as soon as you can, men," Captain Jervoise said.
"The king gave us an hour. We must be in readiness to march by that
time."
On arriving at the village, which consisted of a few small houses
only, they found two waggons awaiting them, one with tents and the
other with a plentiful supply of provisions, and a barrel of wine.
The tents were erected, and then the men went into the forest, and
soon returned with large quantities of wood, and great fires were
speedily lighted. Meat was cut up and roasted over them, and,
regarding the expedition as a holiday, the men sat down to their
supper in high spirits.
After it was eaten there were songs round the fires, and, at nine
o'clock, all turned into their tents, as it was known that the king
would arrive at daylight. Sentries were posted, for there was never
any saying when marauding parties of Russians, who were constantly
on the move, might come along.
Half an hour before daybreak, the men were aroused. Tents were
struck and packed in the waggon, and the men then fell in, and
remained until the king, with three or four of his officers and
fifty cavalry, rode up. Fresh wood had been thrown on the fires,
and some of the men told off as cooks.
"That looks cheerful for hungry men," the king said, as he leaped
from his horse.
"I did not know whether your majesty would wish to breakfast at
once," Captain Jervoise said; "but I thought it well to be
prepared."
"We will breakfast by all means. We are all sharp set already. Have
your own men had food yet?"
"No, sir. I thought perhaps they would carry it with them."
"No, no. Let them all have a hearty meal before they move, then
they can hold on as long as may be necessary."
The company fell out again, and, in a quarter of an hour, they and
the troopers breakfasted. A joint of meat was placed, for the use
of the king and the officers who had come with him, and Captain
Jervoise and those with him prepared to take their meal a short
distance away, but Charles said:
"Bring that joint here, Captain Jervoise, and we will all take
breakfast together. We are all hunters and comrades."
In a short time, they were all seated round a fire, with their meat
on wooden platters on their knees, and with mugs of wine beside
them; Captain Jervoise, by the king's orders, taking his seat
beside him. During the meal, he asked him many questions as to his
reasons for leaving England, and taking service with him.
"So you have meddled in politics, eh?" the king laughed, when he
heard a brief account of Captain Jervoise's reason for leaving
home. "Your quarrels, in England and Scotland, have added many a
thousand good soldiers to the armies of France and Sweden, and, I
may say, of every country in Europe. I believe there are some of
your compatriots, or at any rate Scotchmen, in the czar's camp. I
suppose that, at William's death, these troubles will cease."
"I do not know, sir. Anne was James' favourite daughter, and it may
be she will resign in favour of her brother, the lawful king. If
she does so, there is an end of trouble; but, should she mount the
throne, she would be a usurper, as Mary was up to her death in '94.
As Anne has been on good terms with William, since her sister's
death, I fear she will act as unnatural a part as Mary did, and, in
that case, assuredly we shall not recognize her as our queen."
"You have heard the news, I suppose, of the action of the
parliament last month?"
"No, sir, we have heard nothing for some weeks of what is doing in
England."
"They have been making an Act of Settlement of the succession. Anne
is to succeed William, and, as she has no children by George of
Denmark, the succession is to pass from her to the Elector of
Hanover, in right of his wife Sophia, as the rest of the children
of the Elector of the Palatinate have abjured Protestantism, and
are therefore excluded. How will that meet the views of the English
and Scotch Jacobites?"
"It is some distance to look forward to, sire. If Anne comes to the
throne at William's death, it will, I think, postpone our hopes,
for Anne is a Stuart, and is a favourite with the nation, in spite
of her undutiful conduct to her father. Still, it will be felt that
for Stuart to fight against Stuart, brother against sister, would
be contrary to nature. Foreigners are always unpopular, and, as
against William, every Jacobite is ready to take up arms. But I
think that nothing will be done during Anne's reign. The Elector of
Hanover would be as unpopular, among Englishmen in general, as is
William of Orange, and, should he come to the throne, there will
assuredly ere long be a rising to bring back the Stuarts."
Charles shook his head.
"I don't want to ruffle your spirit of loyalty to the Stuarts,
Captain Jervoise, but they have showed themselves weak monarchs for
a great country. They want fibre. William of Orange may be, as you
call him, a foreigner and a usurper, but England has greater weight
in the councils of Europe, in his hands, than it has had since the
death of Elizabeth."
This was rather a sore point with Captain Jervoise, who, thorough
Jacobite as he was, had smarted under the subservience of England
to France during the reigns of the two previous monarchs.
"You Englishmen and Scotchmen are fighting people," the king went
on, "and should have a military monarch. I do not mean a king like
myself, who likes to fight in the front ranks of his soldiers; but
one like William, who has certainly lofty aims, and is a statesman,
and can join in European combinations."
"William thinks and plans more for Holland than for England, sire.
He would join a league against France and Spain, not so much for
the benefit of England, which has not much to fear from these
powers, but of Holland, whose existence now, as of old is
threatened by them."
"England's interest is similar to that of Holland," the king said.
"I began this war, nominally, in the interest of the Duke of
Holstein, but really because it was Sweden's interest that Denmark
should not become too powerful.
"But we must not waste time in talking politics. I see the men have
finished their breakfast, and we are here to hunt. I shall keep
twenty horse with me; the rest will enter the forest with you. I
have arranged for the peasants here to guide you. You will march
two miles along by the edge of the forest, and then enter it and
make a wide semicircle, leaving men as you go, until you come down
to the edge of the forest again, a mile to our left.
"As soon as you do so, you will sound a trumpet, and the men will
then move forward, shouting so as to drive the game before them. As
the peasants tell me there are many wolves and bears in the forest,
I hope that you will inclose some of them in your cordon, which
will be about five miles from end to end. With the horse you will
have a hundred and thirty men, so that there will be a man every
sixty or seventy yards. That is too wide a space at first, but, as
you close in, the distances will rapidly lessen, and they must make
up, by noise, for the scantiness of their numbers. If they find the
animals are trying to break through, they can discharge their
pieces; but do not let them do so otherwise, as it would frighten
the animals too soon, and send them flying out all along the open
side of the semicircle."
It was more than two hours before the whole of the beaters were in
position. Just before they had started, the king had requested
Captain Jervoise to remain with him and the officers who had
accompanied him, five in number. They had been posted, a hundred
yards apart, at the edge of the forest. Charlie was the first
officer left behind as the troop moved through the forest, and it
seemed to him an endless time before he heard a faint shout,
followed by another and another, until, at last, the man stationed
next to him repeated the signal. Then they moved forward, each
trying to obey the orders to march straight ahead.
For some time, nothing was heard save the shouts of the men, and
then Charlie made out some distant shots, far in the wood, and
guessed that some animals were trying to break through the lines.
Then he heard the sound of firing directly in front of him. This
continued for some time, occasionally single shots being heard, but
more often shots in close succession. Louder and louder grew the
shouting, as the men closed in towards a common point, and, in half
an hour after the signal had been given, all met.
"What sport have you had, father?" Harry asked, as he came up to
Captain Jervoise.
"We killed seventeen wolves and four bears, with, what is more
important, six stags. I do not know whether we are going to have
another beat."
It soon turned out that this was the king's intention, and the
troops marched along the edge of the forest. Charlie was in the
front of his company, the king with the cavalry a few hundred yards
ahead, when, from a dip of ground on the right, a large body of
horsemen suddenly appeared.
"Russians!" Captain Jervoise exclaimed, and shouted to the men, who
were marching at ease, to close up.
The king did not hesitate a moment, but, at the head of his fifty
cavalry, charged right down upon the Russians, who were at least
five hundred strong. The little body disappeared in the melee, and
then seemed to be swallowed up.
"Keep together, shoulder to shoulder, men. Double!" and the company
set off at a run.
When they came close to the mass of horsemen, they poured in a
volley, and then rushed forward, hastily fitting the short pikes
they carried into their musket barrels; for, as yet, the modern
form of bayonets was not used. The Russians fought obstinately, but
the infantry pressed their way step by step through them, until
they reached the spot where the king, with his little troop of
cavalry, were defending themselves desperately from the attacks of
the Russians.
The arrival of the infantry decided the contest, and the Russians
began to draw off, the king hastening the movement by plunging into
the midst of them with his horsemen.
Charlie was on the flank of the company as it advanced, and, after
running through a Russian horseman with the short pike that was
carried by officers, he received a tremendous blow on his steel
cap, that stretched him insensible on the ground. When he
recovered, he felt that he was being carried, and soon awoke to the
fact that he was a prisoner.
After a long ride, the Russians arrived at Plescow. They had lost
some sixty men in the fight. Charlie was the only prisoner taken.
He was, on dismounting, too weak to stand, but he was half carried
and half dragged to the quarters of the Russian officer in command.
The latter addressed him, but, finding that he was not understood,
sent for an officer who spoke Swedish.
"What were the party you were with doing in the wood?"
"We were hunting wolves and bears."
"Where did you come from?"
"From Marienburg."
"How strong were you?"
"Fifty horse and a hundred and forty foot," Charlie replied,
knowing there could be no harm in stating the truth.
"But it was a long way to march, merely to hunt, and your officers
must have been mad to come out, with so small a party, to a point
where they were likely to meet with us."
"It was not too small a party, sir, as they managed to beat off the
attack made upon them."
The Russian was silent for a moment, then he asked:
"Who was the officer in command?"
"The officer in command was the King of Sweden," Charlie replied.
An exclamation of surprise and anger broke from the Russian
general, when the answer was translated to him.
"You missed a good chance of distinguishing yourself," he said to
the officer in command of the troops. "Here has this mad King of
Sweden been actually putting himself in your hands, and you have
let him slip through your fingers. It would have got you two steps
in rank, and the favour of the czar, had you captured him, and now
he will be in a rage, indeed, when he hears that five hundred
cavalry could do nothing against a force only a third of their
number."
"I had no idea that the King of Sweden was there himself," the
officer said humbly.
"Bah, that is no excuse. There were officers, and you ought to have
captured them, instead of allowing yourself to be put to flight by
a hundred and fifty men."
"We must have killed half the horsemen before the infantry came
up."
"All the worse, colonel, that you did not complete the business.
The infantry would not have been formidable, after they discharged
their pieces. However, it is your own affair, and I wash my hands
of it. What the czar will say when he hears of it, I know not, but
I would not be in your shoes for all my estates."
As Charlie learned afterwards, the colonel was degraded from his
rank by the angry czar, and ordered to serve as a private in the
regiment he commanded. The officer who acted as translator said
something in his own tongue to the general, who then, through him,
said:
"This officer tells me that by your language you are not a Swede."
"I am not. I am English, and I am an ensign in the Malmoe
Regiment."
"All the worse for you," the general said. "The czar has declared
that he will exchange no foreign officers who may be taken
prisoners."
"Very well, sir," Charlie said, fearlessly. "He will be only
punishing his own officers. There are plenty of them in the King of
Sweden's hands."
The general, when this reply was translated to him, angrily ordered
Charlie to be taken away, and he was soon lodged in a cell in the
castle. His head was still swimming from the effects of the blow
that had stricken him down, and, without even trying to think over
his position, he threw himself down on the straw pallet, and was
soon asleep.
It was morning when he woke and, for a short time, he was unable to
imagine where he was, but soon recalled what had happened. He had
been visited by someone after he had lain down, for a platter of
bread and meat stood on the table, and a jug of water. He was also
covered with two thick blankets. These had not been there when he
lay down, for he had wondered vaguely as to how he should pass the
night without some covering.
He took a long draught of water, then ate some food. His head
throbbed with the pain of the wound. It had been roughly bandaged
by his captors, but needed surgical dressing.
"I wonder how long I am likely to be, before I am exchanged," he
said to himself. "A long time, I am afraid; for there are scores of
Russian officers prisoners with us, and I don't think there are
half a dozen of ours captured by the Russians. Of course, no
exchange can take place until there are a good batch to send over,
and, it may be, months may pass before they happen to lay hands on
enough Swedish officers to make it worth while to trouble about
exchanging them."
An hour later the door opened, and an officer entered, followed by
a soldier with a large bowl of broth and some bread.
"I am a doctor," he said in Swedish. "I came in to see you
yesterday evening, but you were sound asleep, and that was a better
medicine than any I can give; so I told the man to throw those two
barrack rugs over you, and leave your food in case you should wake,
which did not seem to me likely. I see, however, that you did
wake," and he pointed to the plate.
"That was not till this morning, doctor. It is not an hour since I
ate it."
"This broth will be better for you, and I daresay you can manage
another breakfast. Sit down and take it, at once, while it is hot.
I am in no hurry."
He gave an order in Russian to the soldier, who went out, and
returned in a few minutes with a small wooden tub, filled with hot
water. By this time Charlie had finished the broth. The doctor then
bathed his head for some time in hot water, but was obliged to cut
off some of his hair, in order to remove the bandage. As he
examined the wound, Charlie was astounded to hear him mutter to
himself:
"It is a mighty nate clip you have got, my boy; and, if your skull
had not been a thick one, it is lying out there on the turf you
would be."
Charlie burst into a fit of laughter.
"So you are English, too," he exclaimed, as he looked up into the
surgeon's face.
"At laste Irish, my boy," the doctor said, as surprised as Charlie
had been. "To think we should have been talking Swedish to each
other, instead of our native tongue. And what is your name? And
what is it you are doing here, as a Swede, at all?"
"My name is Charles Carstairs. I come from Lancashire, just on the
borders of Westmoreland. My father is a Jacobite, and so had to
leave the country. He went over to Sweden, and I, with some friends
of his, got commissions."
"Then our cases are pretty much alike," the doctor said. "I had
gone through Dublin University, and had just passed as a surgeon,
when King James landed. It didn't much matter to me who was king,
but I thought it was a fine opportunity to study gunshot wounds, so
I joined the royal army, and was at the battle of the Boyne. I had
plenty of work with wounds, early in the day, but when, after the
Irish had fairly beat the Dutchman back all day, they made up their
minds to march away at night, I had to lave my patients and be off
too. Then I was shut up in Limerick; and I was not idle there, as
you may guess. When at last the surrender came, I managed to slip
away, having no fancy for going over with the regiments that were
to enter the service of France. I thought I could have gone back to
Dublin, and that no one would trouble about me; but someone put
them up to it, and I had to go without stopping to ask leave. I
landed at Bristol, and there, for a time, was nearly starving.
"I was well nigh my wits' end as to what to do for a living, and
had just spent my last shilling, when I met an English captain, who
told me that across at Gottenburg there were a good many Irish and
Scotchmen who had, like myself, been in trouble at home. He gave me
a passage across, and took me to the house of a man he knew. Of
course, it was no use my trying to doctor people, when they could
not tell me what was the matter with them, and I worked at one
thing and another, doing anything I could turn my hands to, for
four or five months. That is how I got to pick up Swedish. Then
some people told me that Russia was a place where a doctor might
get on, for that they had got no doctors for their army who knew
anything of surgery, and the czar was always ready to take on
foreigners who could teach them anything. I had got my diploma with
me, and some of my friends came forward and subscribed enough to
rig me out in clothes and pay my passage. What was better, one of
them happened to have made the acquaintance of Le Ford, who was, as
you may have heard, the czar's most intimate friend.
"I wished myself back a hundred times before I reached Moscow, but
when I did, everything was easy for me. Le Ford introduced me to
the czar, and I was appointed surgeon of a newly-raised regiment,
of which Le Ford was colonel. That was eight years ago, and I am
now a sort of surgeon general of a division, and am at the head of
the hospitals about here. Till the war began I had not, for five
years, done any military work, but had been at the head of a
college the czar has established for training surgeons for the
army. I was only sent down here after that business at Narva.
"So, you see, I have fallen on my feet. The czar's is a good
service, and we employ a score or two of Scotchmen, most of them in
good posts. He took to them because a Scotchman, General Gordon,
and other foreign officers, rescued him from his sister Sophia, who
intended to assassinate him, and established him firmly on the
throne of his father.
"It is a pity you are not on this side. Perhaps it isn't too late
to change, eh?"
Charlie laughed.
"My father is in Sweden, and my company is commanded by a man who
is as good as a father to me, and his son is like my brother. If
there were no other reason, I could not change. Why, it was only
yesterday I was sitting round a bivouac fire with King Charles, and
nothing would induce me to fight against him."
"I am not going to try to persuade you. The czar has treated me
well, and I love him. By the way, I have not given you my name
after all. It's Terence Kelly."
"Is not the czar very fierce and cruel?"
"Bedad, I would be much more cruel and fierce if I were in his
place. Just think of one man, with all Russia on his shoulders.
There is he trying to improve the country, working like a horse
himself, knowing that, like every other Russian, he is as ignorant
as a pig, and setting to improve himself--working in the dockyards
of Holland and England, attending lectures, and all kinds of
subjects. Why, man, he learnt anatomy, and can take off a leg as
quickly as I can. He is building a fleet and getting together an
army. It is not much good yet, you will say, but it will be some
day. You can turn a peasant into a soldier in six months, but it
takes a long time to turn out generals and officers who are fit for
their work.
"Then, while he is trying everywhere to improve his country, every
man jack of them objects to being improved, and wants to go along
in his old ways. Didn't they get up an insurrection, only because
he wanted them to cut off their beards? Any other man would have
lost heart, and given it up years ago. It looks as hopeless a task
as for a mouse to drag a mountain, but he is doing it.
"I don't say that he is perfect. He gets into passions, and it is
mighty hard for anyone he gets into a passion with. But who would
not get into passions, when there is so much work to be done, and
everyone tries to hinder instead of to help? It would break the
heart of Saint Patrick! Why, that affair at Narva would have broken
down most men. Here, for years, has he been working to make an
army, and the first time they meet an enemy worthy of the name,
what do they do? Why, they are beaten by a tenth of their number of
half-starved men, led by a mad-brained young fellow who had never
heard a shot fired before, and lose all their cannon, guns,
ammunition, and stores. Why, I was heartbroken, myself, when I
heard of it; but Peter, instead of blowing out his brains, or
drowning himself, set to work, an hour after the news reached him,
to bring up fresh troops, to re-arm the men, and to prepare to meet
the Swedes again, as soon as the snow is off the ground.
"If James of England had been Peter of Russia, he would be ruling
over Ireland now, and England and Scotland, too.
"But now, I must be off. Don't you worry about your head. I have
seen as bad a clip given by a blackthorn. I have got to go round
now and see the wounded, and watch some operations being done, but
I will come in again this evening. Don't eat any more of their
messes, if they bring them in. You and I will have a snug little
dinner together. I might get you put into a more dacent chamber,
but the general is one of the old pig-headed sort. We don't pull
together, so I would rather not ask any favours from him.
"The czar may come any day--he is always flying about. I will speak
to him when he comes, and see that you have better entertainment."