"I hear this voice in earnest for the first time," he said; "but, my dear general, my heart, too, beats higher at the sound. Now negotiations are impossible. God be with us!" He folded his hands and raised his head silently to heaven. All those around him involuntarily followed his example. The sound of horse's hoofs was heard. An officer of the garde du corps, springing from the saddle, informed the king, from the general in command, that the enemy were drawing up in strong columns upon the road from Gotha, and that the general begged his majesty to leave Thamsbrück immediately, and to go to the hills behind Merxleben. Count Wedel hurried away; the horses were saddled and the carriages prepared. "General von Arentschildt further begs your majesty's commands and instructions as to the capitulation which may be needful during the action," said the aide-de-camp. General Brandis bit his moustache. Count Ingelheim stamped upon the ground. "What does he mean?" asked the king quietly. "The general staff," continued the officer, "has represented to the general that the troops are so worn out and badly fed that they may be unable to endure the fatigue of battle; he therefore begs permission to capitulate should he deem it needful. He has drawn up an instruction on this point, and he begs your majesty to send it back to him signed." He handed the king a paper. The king had closed his teeth firmly, and he drew his breath with a sharp, almost hissing sound. Without the slightest movement of haste or anger he took the paper and tore it through. "Ride back to General Arentschildt," he said in a calm ringing voice, "and tell him my commands, to resist to the last man!" The officer's face brightened. With a military salute he turned sharply round, sprang into the saddle, and galloped off. "And now forwards! gentlemen," cried the king. "Father, have a new-laid egg!" And the crown prince, hurrying up, offered the king a plate, on which was a specimen of his cooking. "Eat it, your majesty," said General Brandis; "there is no saying when or where you may get anything else." And he handed the king an egg, after breaking the shell with the hilt of his sword. The king ate it and turned to the horses. They mounted and set out; dragoons preceded them and acted as a guard; the carriages and the led horses followed. As the king rode out of the village of Thamsbrück, the artillery duel had already fully commenced. From the hill above they saw the lines of the enemy's skirmishers before the town of Langensalza. The enemy's batteries were on the farther side of the Unstrut, and kept up an energetic fire, to which the Hanoverian artillery replied from the opposite bank. The infantry were engaged before the town, and the Hanoverian cavalry were seen on one side slowly withdrawing. "Where shall we ride?" asked the king. "To a hill behind Merxleben, from whence we can overlook the whole battle-field, your majesty," replied the adjutant-general.