_8th May 1788._ “Ah! my friend, let me weep awhile; and read the following! “‘THE EMPEROR JOSEPH TO THE PRINCE DE LIGNE. “‘KILENACK, _25th April 1788_. “‘We have just taken Sabacz:[62] our loss was small. The feldzeugmeister, Rouvroy,[63] a brave man, as you know, received a slight wound in the chest, which does not prevent him from dressing himself or going out. Prince Poniatowski was shot in the thigh, and though the bone is not injured the wound is somewhat serious. But I must, my dear Prince, inform you of something else, which will please you all the more that in it you will recognise the spirit of your race; it is that your son Charles contributed for the most part to the success of this enterprise, by the infinite pains that he took in marking out the trenches for the batteries, and he was _the first_ to scale the parapet and help up the rest. So I have named him Lieutenant-Colonel, and have conferred on him the order of Marie-Thérèse. It is a real pleasure to me to send you this intelligence, as I am aware of the satisfaction it will give you, knowing, as I do, your patriotism and your affection for your son. “‘I leave to-morrow for Semlin. “‘JOSEPH.’ “What modesty! The Emperor does not mention himself, though he was in the midst of the firing. And how graciously and kindly expressed is the account he sends me. On reading it over again I burst into tears.” _8th May (continued from the above)._ “The messenger saw the Emperor himself firing musket shots with hearty goodwill into the suburbs of Sabacz; and Marshal de Lascy tear up some palings to point a cannon, which should protect my Charles by attacking a turret from which a continual fire was being directed against him. The Marshal would, I believe, have done it for any other, but it had the appearance of personal and almost paternal kindness. “The Marshal being rather exhausted, the Emperor fetched a barrel and made him sit down, while he himself stood surrounded by his generals, thus paying him a kind of homage. “Here is a letter from Charles himself:-- “‘We have taken Sabacz. I have the cross. You may be sure, papa, that I thought of you on going up the first to the assault.--Your submissive and respectful son, “‘CHARLES.’ “Could there be anything more touching! Would I had been there to give him a hand! I can see that I have his esteem by the words, _I thought of you_, but I should have deserved it still better. I feel too much affected to write more. I embrace you, my dear Count.” But it is with his son that the Prince gives himself up to all the intensity of his feelings. FROM POTEMKIN’S HEADQUARTERS AT ELISABETHGOROD.