The host was somewhat surprised to behold me; but, bustling out my plaid, I swaggered in with an air of unconcern, and ordered supper to be laid for myself before my _comrades_ came in. As this indefinite term might have referred to the whole Danish army, the host bowed to the very rosettes at his knees, and summoned Karoline, the jungfer or waitress, to attend me. Such was the wholesome terror imparted by the announcement of approaching troops, that in their anxiety to please I had host and hostess, jungfer and ostler, all attending me at once. Candles were brought; a joint of cold meat, with a piece of clean white paper twisted about the end, by which it was to be grasped for carving; eggs, cheese, snow-white bread, strong waters, and Danish beer, were all brought with edifying celerity, and I supped sumptuously. Dismissing all my attendants, I retained only the waitress, a pretty girl of Holstein, the bright expression of whose merry blue eyes announced a decided disposition for coquetry. "Come, jungfer," said I, my spirits rising as I began to feel comfortable; "you will take a little glass of wine?" "I would rather be excused--the Herr looks so wickedly," said she, hesitating. "My pretty Karoline--that is your name, I believe--what you call wickedness is mere admiration. It is a way we soldiers have--that is all." I kissed the pretty waitress in a soldierlike way, and she seemed no way displeased; I was giving myself all the airs which I had seen the Baron Karl, Major Fritz, and others, play off with such ease in similar places, when the host put in his round stupid face to say, that he "heard the drums of my comrades approaching!" I had no small trouble in concealing my discomposure at this strange intelligence, the source of which was in the good man's brain alone; for his fear of soldiers had conjured up the distant sound of drums, though drums are seldom beaten at night, and never by marching troops. But I immediately rose to depart. "'Tis my friends," said I, putting on my headpiece. A dollar for supper, four more for an old rapier which I bought from the host, were paid, and I walked anxiously to the door. The night was calm, and no sound broke the stillness of its starry sky or of the landscape, which slept in the pale splendour of the August moon. "I am going to meet my comrades," said I. "What may their force be, Mein Herr?" "About two thousand." "Two thousand!" reiterated the host; "Mein Gott! they will eat us up." "Eat you up, rogue! I think not, if they pay you as I have done, with rix instead of slet dollars." "You have paid like a prince," said he bowing. "Two companies wearing the same garb as Mein Herr passed through the village about noon--but they behaved like honest gentlemen, and paid for every thing." "That is the way to Korslack, is it not?" "That is the way you have just come, Mein Herr," said the host with surprise. "Ah! true--how stupid of me to forget!"