"Yon gave to him private letters for Counsellor von Ledebour, at
Bielefeld, and for Colonel von Sobbe, who were to head the insurrection
in that part of the country?"
"I did, sir; you are right."
"Well, then, major, Romberg was arrested at Magdeburg; all his papers,
letters, and proclamations, were seized, and General Michaud sent him
under guard to Cassel."
"Romberg imprisoned! My dear, faithful Romberg in danger!" exclaimed
Schill, mournfully.
"No," said M. von Bothmar, solemnly, "Romberg is no longer imprisoned;
he is not now in danger."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that Romberg, immediately after his arrival at Cassel, was tried
by a court-martial, and that sentence of death was at once passed upon
him."
"He has been shot?"
"Yes, Schill, Romberg has been shot."
Schill uttered a cry, and covered his face with his hands. "Oh!" he
murmured, "I have lost my most faithful friend, and Germany one of her
noblest sons. He was an humble peasant, but the heart of a great patriot
was throbbing under his blouse. He was the Andrew Hofer of the North,
and his death is a terrible disaster! But I will not complain," added
Schill--"no, I will not complain. Blessed are the dead, and who knows
how soon we ourselves shall have to bid farewell to life? The storm is
threatening us on all sides."
"And it is threatening our noble Schill, the hope of Germany," exclaimed
M. von Bothmar. "I have told you that all Romberg's papers were seized,
and among them the letters which you wrote to your friends Ledebour and
Sobbe. Your proclamations were read by the French authorities, and as
they thereby became aware of your plans, they will at once take steps to
put a stop to your agitation, and, if possible, put you to death. Would
Prussia be powerful and courageous enough to protect you, if the King of
Westphalia should charge you with being a traitor and demagogue, and if
Napoleon should insist on your punishment?"
"It is true," said Schill, "you point out to me an imminent danger, from
which I can only escape by striking immediately. If we give our enemies
time to mature their plans, all will be lost. We must, therefore, act at
once. We must hesitate no longer, but begin even before my comrades here
have learned that Romberg did not succeed in his enterprise. We may be
more successful, for God will perhaps be merciful to me: He has decreed,
perhaps, that Schill shall first of all break the chains imposed on us
by the foreign despot."
"Germany hopes in Schill," exclaimed Bothmar, enthusiastically, "and
hence I was bold enough to violate the oath of allegiance which I had
taken to King Jerome, and disclose to the German hero the danger
menacing him. I am a referendary at the department of state in Cassel,
and accordingly I soon heard of the danger to which you are exposed.
Under the pretext that I intended to enforce tranquillity and obedience
among the peasants on my estate, situated a few miles from Cassel, I
obtained leave of absence for six days, and hastened hither. I set out
from there three days ago, and, thank God! I have found you in time to
give you warning."
"Thanks to you," exclaimed Schill, affectionately embracing M. von
Bothmar; "you have saved my life, perhaps; at all events, you have
rendered an important service to the sacred cause of the fatherland."
"Every one must serve the fatherland in his own way, and according to
his ability," said Bothmar, gently; "you are serving it by your heroic
arm and soul-stirring example; I am doing so by trying at least to
prevent mischief, and to assist my brethren as much as I can. My task
now is accomplished! Farewell! and may Heaven grant victory to your
patriotic zeal!"
"Where are you going?" said Schill, grasping Bothmar's arm and detaining
him. "You must not leave me yet; you must remain here at least to-day,
that--but what is the meaning of this bugle-call?"
"It means that the postilion has arrived with horses, and calls me,"
said M. von Bothmar, smiling.
"What! You have travelled three days and three nights, and are departing
so soon?"
"Have I not told you that I obtained leave of absence only for six days?
Well, then, three days hence I shall be in Cassel again, and, I believe,
I have improved my six days in a highly commendable manner."
"Farewell, noble young man! when we meet again, Germany, if it please
God, will be free and happy!"
"Oh, may it be so!" said M. von Bothmar, sighing. "Be prudent, sir, do
not endanger your life; remember that it does not belong to you, but to
the fatherland, and now farewell! The impatient postilion is sounding
his bugle again. Farewell!"
He quickly left the room, but Schill accompanied to the staircase the
friend he had gained so suddenly. He returned to his room and hastened
to the window, to wave his hand once more to M. von Bothmar. Loud cheers
greeted him as soon as his countenance was recognized behind the
window-panes; the crowd in front of the house constantly increased, and
when he appeared to the longing eyes of the citizens, they could not
suppress their loud huzzas.
"They do me too much honor," said Schill to himself, smiling, and
stepping back from the window. "But their love and its boisterous
demonstrations are not exactly intended for myself individually. These
kind people greet in me the first hope dawning to them after a long
period of darkness; and, therefore, I will joyfully indulge them, and I
will thank them by brave deeds. Yes, by deeds! The time of
procrastination is over. I must hesitate no longer: I must act!"
His servant entered and handed him some letters just brought for him. He
opened and read them rapidly. The perfume of the first, written on
rose-colored note-paper, made him smile. "It is the sixth declaration of
love that I have received to-day," he said, in a low voice, "and the
sixth request for a rendezvous to-night. Oh, women! how innocent in your
enthusiasm for poor Schill! You imagine you love me, and do not know
that it is the fatherland that you love in me! I will reconquer your
country, and bring back that sweet liberty which the tyrant has taken
from us. Until then, no Cupid's love! My heart must belong wholly to
Germany!"
He read the second letter. "Another painter asks me to sit to him! Why,
have not the people already portraits enough of poor Schill? Has not
every old citizen my head on his pipe or his snuff-box? Does not every
pretty girl wear my scarred face in her locket? I have no time to spare
for painters; I must take the field!"
He opened the third; but while he read it, his eyes were sad. "Again the
same admonition which I have so often received. Do they doubt my
patriotism? Do they believe that I am a traitor, and will suffer the
opportunity to pass by without improving it?"
He looked at the letter again, which contained only the following words:
"Brutus, thou sleepest, awake!"[45]
[Footnote 45: Schill received almost daily, from various parts of
Germany, letters containing nothing but those words. A secret society,
extending throughout Germany, seemed to have made it a special duty to
instigate Schill to strike the blow, lest the homage he received in
Berlin should render him forgetful of his mission.]
"No," he exclaimed, in a powerful voice, "I do not sleep. I am awake,
and behold the golden dawn of freedom! O Germany, my arm and my honor
belong to thee! To thee--and to her!" he whispered, almost inaudibly.
"Yes, to her--the genius of Prussia! For her I will sacrifice my life!"
The door opened again, and the footman entered. "Major, there is another
gentleman who desires to see you on pressing business. I wanted to turn
him off, but he said it was indispensable for him to see you. He told me
he wished to deliver to the major something that would gladden his
heart. His name is High-Chamberlain von Schladen, and he said he had
just arrived from Konigsberg."
"Show him in at once," exclaimed Schill, but, in his impetuosity, he
himself led the way and opened the door.
"Come in, Mr. High-Chamberlain, and forgive me for making you wait even
a moment," he said, offering his hand to M. von Schladen, and conducting
him into his sitting-room. "You come from Konigsberg?"
"Yes, major, and I bring you greetings from your friends, from the
brethren of the great league, and also from the king and the queen."
"She really told you to greet me in her name?" asked Schill. "Oh, do not
deceive me; tell me the truth! Did the queen really tell you that?"
"She did more than that, major," said M. von Schladen, smiling; "she
intrusted to me a present for you, which I am to deliver to yourself,
and which she made for you with her own hands."
At this moment Schill was a truly handsome man. If the ladies and the
painters of Berlin had seen him just then, they would have been
transported at his noble countenance, as his black eyes sparkled with
joy. "The queen sends me a present!" he exclaimed--"a present which she
herself has made!"
"Yes, and on which she inscribed your name with her own hand, that it
might be to you a plain and undeniable proof of her favor."
"Oh, give it to me, sir!" exclaimed Schill, stretching out his hands.
M. von Schladen drew a small package, wrapped in paper, from his bosom,
and handed it to Schill.
"On my knees will I receive this present from my queen!" exclaimed
Schill. "Oh, it seems to me as though she were standing before me,
looking at me with that sad smile which brings tears into the eyes of
all who behold her! When I was at Konigsberg the other day, it was
permitted me to speak to her, and press my lips on her hand. With that
kiss I devoted myself to her for my whole life, and she is ever before
my eyes, clothed in a sort of divine beauty--as a Madonna holding the
Messiah of Freedom in her arms! And the noble queen, to whom I pray
every night as to a saint, sends me a present which she has made for me
with her own hands? Oh, am I worthy of such kindness; have I done any
thing entitling me to such a proof of condescension on her part, and am
I thus honored by her who is the guardian angel of Prussia!--whom
Napoleon hates, because he fears her zeal and fidelity. As a vestal, she
has kept alive the fire of patriotism on the altar of her country. When
all despair, she still hopes for the redemption of her people from a
victorious but merciless enemy. I will consecrate my life anew to her,
though unworthy of the distinguished regard she bestows on me by this
present, the work of her own royal hands."
"Yes, but you are worthy of the favor of our noble queen," said M. von
Schiaden, solemnly, "for you are the representative hero of Germany, and
Heaven has decreed, perhaps, that you should break the first link of the
chain with which the usurper has fettered our country. As soon as that
link is broken, it will be easy to break the rest. You, Major von
Schill, are the hope of Germany--the hope of Queen Louisa. Take, then,
the present which she sends you, worthy champion of the cause of her
country!"
He handed the package to the major. Schill, kneeling, took it and
unfolded the wrapper. It contained a magnificent memorandum-book,
embroidered in gold, and closed with a gold pencil. Schill admired the
rich art displayed in the book, and, opening it, looked for the
autograph of the queen. He uttered a joyful cry. The queen had written
these words, in small, neat characters: "For brave Major von Schill.
Louisa."
Schill pressed his lips on the words, and then, closing the book, put it
into his bosom, and rose from his knees. "It will rest on my heart as
long as I live," he said; "its every pulsation belongs to her! And now,
M. von Schladen, what is the state of affairs at Konigsberg? What hopes
are entertained there?"
"Hopes!" exclaimed M. von Schladen, with a mournful smile; "none--only
apprehensions."
"And they do not yet think of bidding defiance to the tyrant, and of
recalling noble Baron von Stein?"
"No, they dare not do so. Stein, proscribed by Napoleon, forsaken by his
king, who sacrificed him at the emperor's behest, is living in exile,
deprived of his whole property, which Napoleon confiscated; he is
without employment, without influence, far from his country, far from
his friends. The Emperor of Austria did what the King of Prussia dare
not do: he gave an asylum to the proscribed patriot; Baron von Stein is
now with his family at Brunn."
"And the king?" asked Schill. "Does he not feel it as a wound to bow to
the tyrant's behest, and dismiss his noblest and ablest servant?"
"He does, perhaps," replied M. von Schladen, hesitatingly; "but he does
not say so. The afflictions of the past years have broken his courage,
and rendered him irresolute and timid. As soon as he received Napoleon's
orders, he dismissed Baron von Stein, without bestowing any token of
kindness or gratitude. Every true Prussian deeply felt this treatment;
one of the most faithful and upright servants of the king,
District-Councillor Scheffner, who has every day interviews with the
queen, dared even to write a letter to the king, informing him of the
indignation prevailing everywhere. He asked the king to gladden the
hearts of all good Prussians, and to give a courageous proof of his
royal gratitude toward the eminent minister, by conferring the order of
the Black Eagle upon Baron von Stein."
"And what did the king say to him?"
"He replied that he was very sorry that he was unable to comply with
this request. Although he entertained the highest respect for Baron von
Stein, and would be glad to confer this exalted distinction on him, it
would be highly improper at the present time to make so dangerous a
demonstration."
"Such is the gratitude of kings toward their faithful servants!"
exclaimed Schill, in a tone of bitter reproach; "such is the manner in
which they reward those who have sacrificed for them their property and
life! But we do not struggle for kings and princes; we are serving the
adored fatherland; we are fighting for liberty, and the death which we
find on the field of honor is an order of the Black Eagle which the
great fatherland confers on us! O Germany, one day I shall also receive
this honor at thy hands; free Germany will adorn my corpse with it!"
"Oh, what desponding words you are now uttering!" said M. von Schladen,
anxiously. "Who can be courageous and hopeful when Schill talks of
death?"
"I am not desponding," exclaimed Schill, smiling, "but I have a
foreboding that I am to seal my love for Germany with my heart's blood.
I am almost glad of it, for friendships so sealed are said to be
eternal, and Germany will, perhaps, revere my memory when I die for
her.--And Louisa! What says the queen? How does she bear these days of
humiliation?"
"Like a heroine! Like a queen whose kingdom is not of this world. Her
cheeks are pale, but a spirit of resignation pervades her countenance,
and when she turns her blue eyes upward, there is an expression in them
that plainly reveals her yearning for a home in heaven!"
"But her health is good?" inquired Schill, anxiously. "She is not ill?"
"That is to say, she is not positively ill, but her whole life is that
of a martyr. Her heart is broken; she suffers mentally, while she is not
altogether free from physical pain. But she never complains, and, alas!
the physicians know of no remedy. There is but one for our smiling,
suffering queen, and that is the deliverance of her country!"
"Germany must and shall be delivered," exclaimed Schill,
enthusiastically. "Something must be done! We must arouse the sleepers;
we must compel them to act!"
"You are right! The nation must wake and rise. That is the opinion of
all patriots, as well as of the queen. And we are looking with trusting
hearts toward you; we hope that you will give this impetus to our
countrymen. It is out of the question to hesitate longer; we must act.
Austria is in the field; her people are exultingly marching to vanquish
the tyrant, who, with his proud armies, has again penetrated into
Germany. The report that the Archduke Charles has gained a victory is as
though it were the first herald announcing to us safety and restoration.
Hope fills every heart. As soon as Schill unfurls his banner and calls
upon his brethren to commence the holy struggle for the liberation of
the fatherland, patriotic men from all the states of Prussia and North
Germany will rally around him; the enthusiasm of the people will rush
like a torrent carrying away the king and his ministers in spite of
themselves; their hesitations, fears, and cowardice, will be overwhelmed
by the public determination. The hope of the queen is in Schill's heroic
example; it is the hope of Gneisenau, Blucher, and Scharnhorst; it is
the hope of all!"
"And it shall be fulfilled," exclaimed Schill. "Brutus does not sleep.
He is awake, and ready for action. I swear it by this precious gift of
my queen!" He drew the memorandum-book from his bosom. Solemnly laying
his hand on it, and raising his eyes toward heaven, he said: "I swear
that I will draw my sword now for the fight of liberty--that I will not
sheath it until this sacred cause has been carried to a glorious
conclusion, unless forbidden by death longer to serve my queen and
country!" He pressed the book against his lips, and then opening it read
again Louisa's words. As he turned over the leaves, a scrap of paper
fell upon the floor. Picking it up, he saw that it contained a single
line written in the same small handwriting: "Der Konig schwankt; Schill,
ziehen sie mit Gott!"[46] "Yes, Heaven is on our side, to fight for
Germany and her noble queen!" exclaimed Schill. "I will depart
to-morrow!"
[Footnote 46: "The king hesitates; Schill, march with God!"]
CHAPTER XLVII.
SCHILL TAKES THE FIELD.
The following afternoon (March 28, 1809) Major Ferdinand von Schill
proceeded with his regiment through the streets of Berlin to the Halle
gate. The people saluted him everywhere with loud cheers and waving of
hats.
Schill thanked them more gravely than he had hitherto done, and marched
his soldiers out of the gate. No one was surprised at this; all supposed
that he only intended to-day, as he had often done, to drill his troops
and to encamp near the city. His adjutants, Barsch and Lutzow, were,
however, aware of his plans, and had secretly made preparations to carry
them into effect.
The regiment took the road to Potsdam. Major von Schill and his two
adjutants rode at its head, and patriotic songs from the soldiers
resounded along their march. About half-way between Berlin and Potsdam,
near the village of Steglitz, the major stopped his horse, and, with a
wave of his sword, ordered the regiment to halt; then to move from the
road into the adjoining field, and form in square. The command was
obeyed in a few minutes; and Major von Schill, resting in the centre on
his chestnut charger, surveyed his men with evident pleasure.
All eyes were turned toward him--all hearts were beating with affection
for that man of indomitable courage towering above them. Addressing
them, his sonorous voice rang over the welkin as the first notes of a
trumpet summoning to the field of blood.
"Soldiers," he said, "comrades! the moment has come to fight the enemy,
against whom all our souls are filled with hatred--the despoiler of
thrones, who has plunged our fatherland into such distress; who has
trampled under foot all the rights of man; to whom no treaty, no peace
is sacred, and who is only waiting for an opportunity utterly to destroy
the constitution of our country. The perfidious oppressor thus treated
Spain, after she had made numerous sacrifices to him in order to
preserve peace. He intends to degrade Prussia in the same manner, and
not to rest until he has dethroned our beloved king and prostrated the
illustrious dynasty of the Hohenzollerns. But never shall he succeed in
carrying out so nefarious a plan! Austria, Germany, every patriotic
heart is rising against him, and we Prussians cannot remain behind. It
is a sacred obligation to fight for the fatherland, for our beloved
king, for the queen whom we all worship, a precious token from whom I am
now holding in my hand, and for whom we are ready at any hour to die!"
While uttering these words, Schill waved the embroidered
memorandum-book, which flashed in the sunbeams as a trophy and pledge of
victory.
Shouts burst from the soldiers. "Hurrah!" they cried, "long live the
king and the queen! long live Major von Schill!"
"Boys," exclaimed Schill, "will you follow me, and fight for Germany and
our king?"
"Yes, we will, we will!" shouted the hussars, drawing their sabres and
waving them over their heads.
"Will you swear to stand by your commander to the last extremity?"
"We swear to stand by you to the last!" was the enthusiastic answer,
while the soldiers looked exultantly at each other, and exchanged
congratulations at the opening of the campaign. But no one had thought
of future dangers or the necessities of a soldier's life. They had
nothing but their uniforms; leaving in Berlin all their money and
clothing, and, unaware of this sudden movement, they had not even taken
leave of their parents, wives, and children. Every thing was forgotten
in their partiotism, so soon and unexpectedly tested--in their glowing
desire to save their country, and gain a name on the field of honor.
The march was continued to Potsdam. There they rested over night, and
the servants of the officers joined them in the morning, bringing from
the governor of Berlin passports for Schill. The brave little regiment
soon after left for an assault on the fortress of Wittenberg. It was not
taken, but the commander of Wittenberg concluded an armistice with
Schill, and permitted him and his soldiers, with their drums beating, to
march under the cannon of the fortress, and to pass the bridge built at
that place over the Elbe.
On the 2nd of May the regiment reached Dessau. The duke had fled, but the
inhabitants received the Prussian hussars in the most ardent manner, and
hailed Schill as the hero who would free the people from the yoke under
which they were groaning.
The expedition was no longer a secret. The joyful news spread: "Schill
has taken the field against Napoleon; he has called the Germans to arms,
and they will rally around his banner!" He himself believed in success,
firmly convinced that it was only necessary for him to issue a
proclamation, and the people would rise _en masse_. He resolved to do so
from his headquarters at Dessau. No sooner had he reached that city than
he hurriedly prepared his call "To the Germans!" The ink was not yet
dry, when he took the paper, and, accompanied by his adjutants, went to
the house of M. Hormuth, printer to the court, and asked to see him. The
printer soon made his appearance, and anxiously asked Schill his
business.
"You will please print this proclamation, sir," said Schill, handing him
the paper; "it must be ready in an hour."
"Major," said Hormuth, glancing despairingly at the scarcely legible
handwriting, "I cannot print it, for I am unable to read it."
"Oh, I will read it to you," exclaimed Schill, and he commenced:
"To THE GERMANS!--Brethren, groaning under the yoke of a foreign nation!
the moment has arrived when you are able to break your chains, and to
regain the constitution under which you have lived in happiness and
prosperity for centuries, until the boundless ambition of a conqueror
brought incalculable calamities upon our country. Rise! Be men! Follow
me, and we shall again be what we were! Ring the tocsin! Let this signal
fan the flame of patriotism in your hearts, and be the death-knell of
your oppressors! Take up arms! Scythes and pikes may take the place of
muskets. They will soon be replaced by English weapons already arrived.
Wielded by strong arms, even the peaceful scythe becomes fatal. Let
every one arm himself, and share the glory of the liberators of the
fatherland, fighting not only for himself but for the safety and
happiness of future generations! He who is cowardly enough to disobey
this call, will be consigned to contempt and infamy. No noble German
girl will ever bestow her hand upon such a traitor. Courage! God is with
us and our just cause. Let the old men pray for us! The armies of
Austria are advancing victoriously, notwithstanding the boasts of the
French; the brave Tyrolese have already broken their chains; the
courageous Hessians have risen, and I am hastening to you at the head of
well-tried and skilful soldiers. The just cause will soon conquer, and
the ancient glory of our country will be restored. To arms! to arms!
SCHILL."
"Now, sir," said Schill, "I suppose you will be able to read my
handwriting and to print it?"
"Now that I know the contents," said M. Hormuth, shaking his head, "I
know also that he who prints this proclamation endangers his life, and
that he may lose it just as soon as Palm. Sir, I have a wife and
children; I am happy with my family; hence life is dear to me, and I
should not like to lose it like poor Palm. He did much less than you ask
me to do. He only circulated a pamphlet hostile to the French, but I am
to print a proclamation calling upon all Germans to rise in arms against
the Emperor of the French. Major, I risk my life by complying with your
order."
"What!" exclaimed Schill, angrily; "you are a German, and refuse to
serve the holy cause of your country? You refuse to print this
proclamation?"
"No, I will print it," said M. Hormuth, slowly; "I will print it, but
only on one condition."
"Well, and that condition is--"
"That you, major, be kind enough to hold a pistol to my breast and
threaten to shoot me, in case I refuse. You must do so in the presence
of my compositors, and give me a written certificate that I yielded only
to violence."
"M. Hormuth, you are a very prudent man, and it will afford me great
pleasure to fulfil your wishes," said Schill, smilingly, drawing his
pistol and aiming at the printer.
"Pray, major, do not cock it, for the pistol might go off," said
Hormuth, anxiously. "Now be kind enough to hold it to my breast, and
shout in a loud and menacing voice that you will shoot me like a dog if
I refuse to print this paper. Distribute also some insulting
epithets--call me a coward, a renegade, any thing you can think of, and
as loud and threatening as you can."
"Very well, I will do all that," said Schill, laughing, and his
adjutants, as well as M. Hormuth himself, joined in the sport.
"Now, let us go to work," said Schill.
"Will you print this proclamation, you miserable coward? Why, you have
not pluck enough to be a German! I ask you, for the last time, will you
print the proclamation?"
"Sir, have mercy upon me!" wailed M. Hormuth, in a terrified tone. "I
cannot print it. It is impossible, sir; impossible!"
"You villain, I will kill you on the spot if you dare resist me," cried
Schill. "I--"
"My compositors will be here presently," said M. Hormuth. "Please go on
in the same strain."
"I will shoot you like a dog if you do not obey!"
"Help! help! oh, major, have mercy!"
The doors opened, and there appeared at one door the compositors and
pressmen; at the other, Madame Hormuth with her children.
"Will you print my proclamation, you infamous scoundrel?" shouted
Schill. "Say no, and I will put a bullet through your cowardly heart!"
"Sir, I cannot; I--"
"Husband, I beseech you!" cried Madame Hormuth, rushing toward him.
"Husband, consider what you are doing; think of your children, think of
me, and comply with the wishes of the major."
"No! I will die rather than print so seditious a paper!"
"Very well, then, you shall die," said Schill. "You refuse to print, and
I will assuredly shoot you."
"M. Hormuth, you may as well yield," said the compositors.
"It is prudent to submit to necessity. Besides, we are somewhat
interested, for your death would throw us out of work."
"I will yield," said M. Hormuth, sighing. "Take away your pistol, major.
I will print your proclamation; but be so good as to certify that I
consent only on account of your threats and violence. My workmen will
sign the certificate as witnesses, will you not?"
"Yes, certainly, we will cheerfully witness what is true."
"Very well," said M. Hormuth. "Now quick, boys; go to work! Here is the
manuscript. Let four compositors take it. Divide the copy into four
parts; the composition must be done in fifteen minutes, and the printing
in two hours. How many copies do you want, major?"
"Ten thousand."
"Very well, ten thousand copies to be done in two hours. We must
remember my life is at stake; for I suppose you will shoot me, major, if
we should disappoint you?"
"You may be sure of that. Now give me the pen and ink that I may draw up
that certificate for you."
The ten thousand printed copies arrived exactly two hours afterward at
the headquarters of Major von Schill, and M. Hormuth, who refused to
take any payment for them, received in return a certificate that he had
been forcibly compelled to print them.
The brave regiment left Dessau on the following day, still in the joyful
hope that the German people would rise, and that a host of warriors
would respond to the call for the deliverance of the fatherland. But
alas! this hope was not to be fulfilled. The population of the cities
and villages received Schill's hussars and their heroic chieftain in
the most gratifying manner. His proclamation was read everywhere with
unbounded pleasure, but no one dared to follow him; no scythes or pikes
were to be seen in the array of this little band of patriots. There was
but one glad day for Schill; that was on the 12th of May, when
Lieutenant von Quistorp, from Berlin, joined him with a hundred and
sixty men, who had left their colors and came with him to reenforce
"brave Schill, the liberator of Germany."
But Quistorp brought at the same time bad news. The report of a victory
of the Austrians had proved unfounded. The Archduke Charles had obtained
no advantages; on the contrary, after a succession of desperate
engagements, he was beaten on the 23rd of April at Ratisbon, and escaped
with the remnant of his army into the Bohmerwald. The Emperor Napoleon
had advanced with his victorious forces in the direct road to Vienna.
"If Napoleon takes Vienna," said Schill to himself, "then we shall all
perish! But we will still hope and trust; the fortune of war may turn
yet. The Emperor of Austria is still in Vienna, and the citizens have
sworn to be buried under the ruins of their city rather than open its
gates again to the enemy. Let us hope, therefore, and fight." Turning to
Quistorp, he continued: "Every thing may yet turn out well. My
proclamation may find an echo in the hearts of my Prussian comrades, and
they may unite with us. To-day, you, Lieutenant von Quistorp, have
arrived with one hundred and sixty men; to-morrow another friend may
join us with several thousand. Before long we shall have a considerable
army, and this will inspire those still hesitating, and make the timid
bold. The larger our force, the firmer will be the confidence of the
king, and finally he will freely and openly order all the regiments to
join us and commence the struggle."
"Do not hope in the king, major," said Lieutenant von Quistorp, sadly.
"The failure of Dornberg's rising, the defeat of the Archduke Charles,
and the new victories of Napoleon, have made him more resolute than
ever; he is afraid of Napoleon's anger and vengeance, and, more
indisposed than ever to incur them, he has publicly and solemnly
repudiated your bold movement."
"What has the king done?" exclaimed Schill, turning pale; "what do you
know?"
"I know that the king has also issued a proclamation, in which he says
that he cannot find words sufficiently forcible to express his
disapproval of your illegal and criminal conduct; he calls upon the
army not to be seduced by your example, and orders you, and all with
you, to be tried by a court-martial."
"That is impossible!" cried Schill, in great excitement; "the king
cannot forsake me in so shameful a manner! You have been misinformed,
Quistorp; certain persons have tried to deter you from joining me by
false reports."
"No," said Quistorp, "you are mistaken. I was already on the march to
Arneburg, when, a few miles from here, a courier, under instructions
from General Chassot, overtook me. In order to warn me, the general sent
me the proclamation of the king, and ordered me to face about
immediately and return to my regiment. He added that this was the last
order he would issue, for he, as well as General Lestocq, governor of
Berlin, had been called, by order of the king, to Konigsberg, where both
of them were to be tried by a military commission. Here are the papers,
major."
Schill glanced over them, and, while reading, his hands trembled. "This
is a terrible blow," he said, sighing. "The king proscribes me, and
brands me as a traitor and deserter. It is all in vain! Germany is
asleep, and our voice will not awaken her; Germany lies in the dust
before the French tyrant, and the King of Prussia will punish as
traitors those who act courageously! Oh, my country, thou art lost, for
thy own princes betray thee!"
He sank despairingly on a chair, and hid his face with his hands. In
this attitude he remained, groaning piteously, a prey to his anguish.
The adjutants entered the room, but Schill did not notice them. Absorbed
in his reflections and forebodings, his mind, as it were, had passed
from the contemplation of the present, and beheld nothing but the awful
future.
The three young officers, Lutzow, Quistorp, and Barsch, well known for
their intrepidity, stood sad and dejected before their brave major.
Suddenly rising from his chair, he said: "I thank you, Lieutenant von
Quistorp, for having joined me with your faithful men. Germany will see
at least that there are still brave men who do not forsake their
country, and if we sacrifice our lives for her, she will at least
engrave our names on the tablets of her martyrs. We cannot retrace our
steps, my friends; we must advance, though death stare us in the face.
This very night we leave Arneburg, and continue our march. We may still
succeed in what Dornberg and Charles have been unable to accomplish. We
shall appeal again to the patriotism of the Germans. Perhaps their
hearts will practically respond--they may hear our voice and follow us.
But if fortune have decided against us, if we succumb without delivering
our country, very well! 'An end with terror is better than terror
without end!' Before us is honor, and at the worst, a glorious death;
behind us, contumely and disgrace. Therefore, forward!"
CHAPTER XLVIII.
SCHILL'S DEATH.
Schill was sitting, sad and deserted, at his lonely quarters in Rostock,
where, after many adventures, he arrived on the 20th of May. He had
succeeded in nothing; fortune had not once been favorable to him. He had
intended to turn toward Magdeburg, in hope that its garrison of
Westphalian troops would joyously open the gates of the fortress, and
declare against King Jerome, who had been forced upon them. But, at a
distance of a German mile from the city the columns of the enemy had met
him, and an engagement had taken place at Dodendorf. It was in vain that
Schill had sent a flag of truce to his German brethren to request them
to join him, imploring them not to betray the fatherland for the sake of
a French king.
The Westphalians shot the bearer of the flag of truce, and a murderous
fire was their only reply. Now began the desperate struggle of brethren
against brethren--of Germans against Germans!
Schill was victorious in this battle. He mortally wounded the French
commander of the Westphalians, Colonel Vautier; his hussars fought like
lions and dispersed the enemy; a hundred and sixty prisoners, several
stands of colors, and a large number of small-arms, were the trophies of
this brilliant affair. But he was unable to derive any benefit from the
Dodendorf victory; fearing lest a larger corps should leave Magdeburg
and attack him, he retreated, overwhelmed with grief, for he at last
understood that the German soldiers were deaf to his appeals, and that
the Westphalians, faithful to their French king, refused to desert him.
Nor had Schill's second victory, the occupation of Donritz, been
advantageous to him. Moreover, dissensions had arisen among the
officers themselves; the regiment, so enthusiastic at first, commenced
gradually to lose faith in his ability to succeed in his bold
enterprise; the officers insisted on being consulted as to future
operations. They refused to yield obedience, and demanded that he should
listen to their advice and remonstrances. But resistance rendered him
only more determined, and in his obstinacy he frequently rejected
prudent counsel, that he might accomplish his own plans. His mind was
confused by disappointment, and at length by despair. He was, in fact,
unequal to the dangers surrounding him.
Schill was sitting, sad and deserted, at his lonely quarters in Rostock,
absorbed in discouraging thoughts, and sighing at the frustration of his
hopes. In his hand he held the memorandum-book the queen had presented
to him, and read again and again the words she had written: "To brave
Major von Schill." Suddenly the door behind him opened, and Lieutenant
von Lutzow, with his uniform covered with dust, entered the room.
Schill slowly turned his head. "Well, Lutzow, have you returned?" he
asked. "Were you at Doberan? Did you see the duke?"
"Yes, I was at Doberan."
"And what news do you bring? Bad news, of course! Did you see the Duke
of Mecklenburg?"
"No, the duke had given orders to admit neither you nor any of your
delegates. He says he will have nothing to do with insurgents and
rebels."
"Of course," exclaimed Schill, laughing scornfully, "he is a German
prince, and, therefore, cannot adhere to the cause of Germany, but must
side with France! Oh, I ought to have known it before. Well, it is all
right. What other news do you bring, Lutzow?"
"Here, major, is a paper issued by King Jerome of Westphalia. His
majesty does you the honor to call you in this proclamation a chief of
robbers, a pirate, and a deserter, and commands the military and civil
authorities to hunt you down. He also offers a reward of ten thousand
francs to him who will bring you dead or alive to Cassel."
"Is that so?" exclaimed Schill, laughing. "Well, M. Jerome attaches a
tolerably high value to my head. I am sorry that I am unable to return
the compliment. I shall reply this very day to Jerome's proclamation by
issuing one to the Germans, and by promising a reward of five dollars
for his delivery, living or dead.--What else, lieutenant?"
"The Emperor Napoleon has also issued an edict against Schill and his
men. He says in this document: 'A certain Schill, a sort of highway
robber, who committed crime upon crime during the last campaign in
Prussia, and was rewarded with a captaincy, has deserted with his whole
regiment from Berlin, marched to Wittenberg, and surrounded that place.
General Lestocq, governor of Berlin, has declared Schill a deserter, and
the King of Prussia has given orders to arrest him wherever he can be
found, and to put the insurgent on trial before a court-martial.'"
"Yes," murmured Schill, musingly, "the German patriot has become an
insurgent, and is to be punished for what he attempted in the salvation
of his country. It was quite unnecessary for the emperor to abuse and
revile him who boldly opposed his tyranny; the King of Prussia and the
governor of Berlin had already done so. And what else does Napoleon
say?"
"He orders a corps of observation to be formed on the Elbe, to be
commanded by the marshal, Duke of Valmy, and to be sixty thousand
strong."
"Sixty thousand men!" exclaimed Schill. "Ah! it seems M. Napoleon has a
pretty good opinion of 'that deserter Schill,' inasmuch as he considers
him dangerous enough to oppose to him an army of sixty thousand men.
Thank you, M. Bonaparte, thank you for this acknowledgment. It is a
delightful balm to the tortured heart of the poor Prussian deserter; it
restores his courage. Let us advance undauntedly--we may conquer yet.
The Germans may awake and rally round the standard of liberty!"
"Alas, Schill, I am afraid your hopes are in vain," said Lutzow, sadly.
"I am not yet done with my bad news."
"Not yet?" asked Schill, mournfully. "Proceed!"
"Vienna has fallen!"
"Vienna fallen!" cried Schill, in dismay. "Is that really true?"
"It is. The Emperor Francis and his family have fled to Hungary, and the
Emperor of the French has again made his triumphant entry."
"And the Viennese did not even try to defend their city?"
"They did try, but soon laid down their arms and submitted quietly to
the conqueror. Napoleon has established his headquarters at Schonbrunn,
and issued a proclamation to the Austrians. He calls upon them to be
faithful and obedient to him, and disbands the militia of Vienna. A
general amnesty is granted to those who surrender their arms."
"A general amnesty," exclaimed Schill, "for the crime they committed in
complying with the request of their sovereign to take up arms and defend
their country! And what is to be done with those who do not surrender?"
"The houses of both officers and privates of the militia who do not
return home within a specified time, are to be burned down, their
property confiscated, and themselves tried and punished as rebels."
"Oh," exclaimed Schill, raising his hands, "is there still justice in
heaven, or is it also asleep! Is there no ear for our wails, no
compassion for our disgrace? What is natural, grows unnatural; honor
becomes dishonor; patriotism, rebellion--and Heaven seems to permit it!"
"Yes," said Lutzow, with a melancholy smile. "What Ovid said of Cato now
becomes true of you: 'The victorious cause pleases the gods, but the
vanquished one pleases you!'"
"Yes," murmured Schill, "the vanquished cause pleased Cato! and it shall
also please Schill as long as he breathes. It shall please him though
his king call him a deserter, and a court-martial pass sentence of death
upon him. 'The people of Nuremberg hang none but those they have in
custody,' is a proverb often repeated, and I think the people of
Konigsberg will not shoot a man they cannot catch! I would rather be
trampled to death by the horses of the enemy, than pierced by the
bullets of my German brethren. The matter is settled, Lutzow; let us continue the struggle." |
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