The Daltons; Or, Three Roads In Life. Volume II. Lever Charles James

the man to drive to the ‘Koertnor Thor,’ to the Field-Marshal von Auersberg*s quarters. I ‘m not sure if I did n*t say to my uncle’s. Away we went gayly, and soon drew up in an old-fashioned courtyard, from which a great stair led up four stories high, at the top of which the ‘Feld’ – so they called him – resided. This was somewhat of a come-down to my high-flown expectations, but nothing to what I felt as the door was opened by an old Jager with one leg, instead of, as I looked for, a lackey in a grand livery. “‘What is ‘t cadet?’ said he, in a tone of the coolest familiarity. “‘The Field-Marshal von Auersberg lives here?’ said I. “He nodded. “‘I wish to see him.’ “He shook his head gravely, and scanning me from head to foot, said, ‘Not at this hour, cadet, – not at this hour.’ “‘Let him see this card,’ said I, giving one with my name. ‘I ‘m certain he ‘ll receive me.’ “I believe if I had presented a pistol at him, the old fellow would have been less startled, as he exclaimed, ‘A cadet with a visiting-card! This would serve you little with the Feld, younker,’ cried he, handing it back to me; ‘he likes to see a soldier a soldier.’ “‘Tell him my name, then,’ said I, angrily; ‘say that his grand-nephew, Frank Dalton, has been standing at his door in full parley with a servant for ten minutes.’ “The announcement created little of the astonishment I calculated on, and the old soldier merely replied, ‘All under field-officer’s rank come before eight of a morning. you cannot expect to have the privilege of an archduke.’ He was about to close the door in my face as he spoke, but I placed my shoulder against it and forced it back, thus securing an entrance within the forbidden precincts. “‘Right about, quick march!’ cried he, pointing to the door, while his whole frame trembled with passion. “‘Not till you have delivered my message,’ said I, calmly. “‘Then Bey’m Blitzen I will deliver it, and see how you ‘ll like it,’ cried he, as he stumped away down a passage and entered a room at the end of it. I could soon hear the sound of voices, and for the moment I was almost determined to beat a retreat, when suddenly the old Jager came out and beckoned me forward. There was a grin of most diabolical delight on the old fellow’s features as I passed into the room and closed the door behind me. “As well as I could see in the imperfect light, for it was after sunset, the apartment was large and low-ceilinged, with bookshelves round the walls, and stands for weapons and military equipments here and there through it. At the stove, and busily engaged in watching a coffee-pot, sat the Feld himself, a loose gray overcoat covering his figure, and concealing all of him but two immense jackboots that peeped out beneath. He wore a Mütze, a kind of Hungarian cap, and a long pipe depended from his mouth, the bowl resting on the carpet. The most conspicuous feature of all was, however, his enormous moustache, which, white as snow, touched his collar-bone at either side. “He never spoke a word as I entered, but stared at me steadfastly and sternly for full three or four minutes. Half abashed by this scrutiny, and indignant besides at the reception, I was about to —

      “‘Franz Carl Infantry, third battalion,’ said I, instantly saluting with my hand. “‘Your name?’ “‘Frank Dalton.’ “‘Your business?’ “‘To visit my grand-uncle, the Field-Marshal von Auersberg.’ “‘And is it thus, younker,’ cried he, rising, and drawing himself up to his full height, ‘that you dare to present yourself before a Feldzeugmeister of the Imperial Army? Have they not taught you even the commonest rules of discipline? Have they left you in the native barbarism of your own savage country, that you dare, against my orders, present yourself before me?’ “‘I thought the claim of kindred – ’ began I. “‘What know I of kindred, sirrah? What have kith and kin availed me? I have stood alone in the world. It was not to kindred I owed my life on the field of Rosbach; nor was it a relative stanched my bleeding wounds at Wagram!’ “‘The name of Dalton – ’ “‘I have won a prouder one, sir, and would not be reminded by you from what I ‘ve started. Where ‘s your character- certificate?’ “‘I have not brought it with me, Herr General. I scarcely thought it would be the first question my father’s uncle would put to me.’ ‘“There was prudence in the omission, too, sir,’ said he, not heeding my remark. ‘But I have it here.’ And he drew from a portfolio on the table a small slip of paper, and read: ‘“Cadet Dalton, second company of the third battalion, Franz Carl Regiment. – Smart on service, and quick in discipline, but forward and petulant with those above him in rank. Disposed to pride himself on birth and fortune, and not sufficiently submissive to orders. Twice in arrest, once, Kurzgeschlossen.” A creditable character, sir! Twice in arrest and once in irons! And with this you claim kindred with a count of the empire, and an imperial field- marshal! On the fifth of last month you entertained a party at dinner at the Wilde Man, – most of them men of high rank and large fortune. On the eighteenth you drove through Maria Tell with a team of four horses, and passed the drawbridge and the moat in full gallop. So late as Wednesday last you hoisted a green flag on the steeple of the village church, on pretence of honoring your father’s birthday. I know each incident of your career, sir, and have watched you with shame and regret. Tell your father, when you write to him, that all the favor of my august master would not endure the test of two such protégés. And now, back to your quarters.’ “He motioned me to retire with a gesture, and I fell back, almost glad at any cost to escape. I had just reached the stair, when the Jager called me back to his presence. “‘Art an only son?’ asked the Count, for the first time addressing me in the second person. “I bowed. “‘And hast three sisters?’ “‘Two, Herr General.’ “‘Older or younger than thyself?’ ‘“Both older, sir.’ ‘“How have they been brought up? Have they learned thrift and housecraft, or are they wasteful and reckless, as their native country and their name would bespeak them?’ “‘Our humble fortune is the best answer to that question, sir.’ ‘“It is not, sirrah!’ cried he, angrily. ‘The spendthrift habit survives every remnant of the state that gave it birth, and the beggar can be as improvident as the prince. Go; thou hast as much to learn of the world as of thy duty. Head erect, sir; shoulders back; the right thumb more forwards. If the rest of the battalion be like thee, I’ll give them some work on the Prater ere long.’ “A haughty wave of his hand now finished our interview, and, once outside the door, I descended the stairs, a whole flight at every bound, in terror lest anything should induce him to recall me. “And this is Uncle Stephen, Nelly, – this the great protector we used to build our hopes upon, and flatter ourselves would be a second father to us! “When I came out into the street, I knew not which way to turn. I dreaded the very sight of a comrade, lest he should ask me about our meeting, what pocket-money he had given me, and how soon I should be an officer. It was only when I saw Adolf coming towards me that I remembered all about my debt to him, of which I had not spoken one word to my uncle. I ought to have told him so, frankly. Yes, Nelly, I can hear the murmured displeasure with which you read my confession, ‘that I could n’t do it.’ I was unequal to the effort, and could not bring myself to destroy that whole fabric of fictitious interest in which I had wrapped myself. What would Adolf have thought of me when I said, I have neither wealth nor station nor prospect, – as humble a soldier as the sentry you see yonder? What would become of that romance of life in which we have so often spent hours revelling in a brilliant future, every incident of which grew up in our united fancies, and seemed to assume reality as we discussed it? Where – oh, Nelly! to you I must reveal all – every weakness, every littleness of my nature – where would be the homage of respect the poor Bursche was wont to show the nephew of a field-marshal? No, it was above my strength; and so I took his arm, and talked away heedlessly about our meeting, avoiding, where I could, all mention of my uncle, and but jocularly affecting to think him an original, whose strange, old-fashioned manners almost concealed the strong traits of family affection. “‘What of thy promotion, Frank?’ asked Adolf. “‘It will come in its own good time/ said I, carelessly. ‘Nothing causes more dissatisfaction than the rapid advancement of cadets of noble family.’ “‘But they could make thee a corporal, at least?’ “I laughed scornfully at the remark, and merely said, ‘They may skip over the whole sous-officier grade, and only remember me when I’m to be made a lieutenant/ “‘Thou hast grown haughtier, Frank,’ said he, half reproachfully, ‘since thy meeting with the “Feld.” Mayhap in a day or two thou wilt not like to be seen in company with a “Wander-Bursche”?’ “I was bursting to throw my arms round his neck, and say, ‘Never, whatever fortune have in store for me; thy friendship is like a brother’s, and can never be forgotten; ‘but