"We should certainly have done so," said the general drily. "Your majesty will do me the justice to remember I always spoke strongly against these negotiations," he continued. "According to my opinion your majesty might negotiate or march; but to attempt both together would never succeed. I cannot understand what these negotiations were to lead to. I do not see their aim. To march to the south under the obligation not to fight against Prussia for a certain time----" "For two months," interrupted the king. "But what good could it do?" pursued the general; "what reception could we expect in South Germany if we arrived saying, 'Here we are, we want maintenance and quarters, but we can't fight'? I really don't know," said he with some bitterness, "what I should say to such a surprise were I the general commanding the South German troops. I believe that it would have been better to have stayed in Hanover." A slight look of impatience passed over the king's face, but it vanished immediately, and he said, kindly but gravely,-- "But, my dear Brandis, the commanding general and the general staff assured me the army was unprepared to undertake any serious military operation, and that after we reached South Germany eight weeks at least would be required before it was in a condition to fight! It was for this reason that I entered upon negotiations,--how could I do otherwise?" "I do not venture," said the general, "to question your majesty's decision or mode of action, but I must again repeat I do not understand the theories which govern the general staff. The results of all their labour are only negative, and their movements continual retreats. Yet, your majesty," he cried, "we want to go forwards! and to go forwards we must march. To march straight on invigorates an army, to halt long in one place wearies it, but aimless marching hither and thither will in the end demoralize it." The king was silent and sighed deeply. "Your majesty," said the general with warmth and energy, "there is but one way now which can save us, and that is a hasty march upon Gotha. The Prussians expect from our previous operations that we shall work across the railway near Eisenach, and they have drawn together their greatest strength in that direction. Let your majesty at once direct your course by forced marches upon Gotha, we shall find but little resistance, and we shall break through it. We have nineteen thousand men; even if we lose four thousand, we shall still reach--and of this I am certain--South Germany with fifteen thousand men; we shall bring immediate assistance, and above all things we shall maintain the honour of your majesty's banner in the field. If we stay here," he added sorrowfully, "we must end badly." "But the negotiations with Alvensleben," said the king hesitating,--"Count Platen still hopes for a favourable result." "What result?" exclaimed General von Brandis; "the results of the negotiations on either side have not been brilliant."