Part 49 (2/2)
Thirza ran to her father and threw her arms round his neck, and burst into a pa.s.sion of tears. He did not attempt to cheek them for some little time.
”Now, my dear,” he said at last, ”you must be brave, or you won't be worthy of this lover of yours. There is one bad point about it.”
She looked up in his face anxiously, but his smile rea.s.sured her.
”You must prepare yourself for his being somewhat disfigured.”
”Oh, that is nothing, father; nothing whatever to me! But how is he disfigured?”
”Well, my dear, he has lost his left arm, at the elbow.”
Thirza gave a little cry of grief and pity.
”That is sad, father; but surely it is no disfigurement, any more than that sabre scar on his face. 'Tis an honour, to a brave soldier, to have lost a limb in battle. Still, I am glad that it is his left arm; though, had it been his right and both his legs, it would have made no difference in my love for him.”
”Well, I am very glad, Thirza, that your love has not been tested so severely; as I confess that, for my part, I would much prefer having a son-in-law who was able to walk about, and who would not have to be carried to the altar. Here is a letter to you from him--that is to say, which has been written at his dictation, for of course the surgeons insist on his lying perfectly quiet, at present.”
Thirza tore it open, and ran through its contents.
”It is just as you say, father. He makes very light of it, and writes as if it were a mere nothing.”
She handed the letter to her mother, and then turned to the count.
”Is there anything we can do, father?”
”Nothing whatever. With such a wound as that, he will have to lie perfectly still for some time. You may be sure that, as one of Frederick's personal staff, he will have every attention possible; and were we all in the town, we could do nothing. As soon as he is fit to be moved, it will be different; but we shall have plenty of time to talk over matters before that.
”For some few months travelling will be dangerous. Frederick's army is in the neighbourhood again and, as Daun and Lacy are both in their intrenchments behind the Plauen, there is no chance of his again besieging Dresden; but his flying columns will be all over the country, as doubtless will the Croats, and the roads will be altogether unsafe for travelling. No doubt, as soon as he is able to be moved, he will be taken to Frederick's headquarters, wherever they may be established. The king will a.s.suredly have the hospitals at Torgau cleared, as soon as he can; lest, when he has retired, the Austrians might make another dash at the town.”
The next morning Karl set out again, bearing a letter from the count; and one from Thirza which was of a much less formal character than that which he had dictated to her, and which, as he told her afterwards, greatly a.s.sisted his cure. A month after the battle he was p.r.o.nounced fit to travel, and with a large train of wagons filled with convalescents, and under a strong escort, he was taken to Leipzig; where the king had just established his headquarters, and to which all the wounded were to be sent, as soon as they could safely be moved. Here he was established in comfortable quarters, and Karl again carried a letter to Thirza.
Ten days later Count Eulenfurst entered his room.
”You here, count!” he exclaimed. ”How kind of you! What a journey to make through the snow!”
”I have been dragged hither,” the count said, with a smile.
”Dragged hither, count?”
”Yes. Thirza insisted on coming to see you. Her mother declared that she should accompany her, and of course there was nothing for me to do but to set out, also.”
”Are they here, then, count?” Fergus exclaimed incredulously.
”Certainly they are, and established at the Black Eagle Hotel. I could not bring them here, to a house full of officers. You are well enough to walk to the hotel?”
”Yes, indeed. I walked a mile yesterday.”
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