"Upon you, gentlemen, upon you it will henceforth devolve to create an
army," said Schwarzenberg solemnly. "Colonel von Kracht, in virtue of my
office as Stadtholder in the Mark, I this day pronounce you commandant of
the fortresses of Berlin and Cologne; with the same fullness of power, I
appoint you, Colonel von Rochow, commandant of Spandow; and lastly you,
Colonel von Burgsdorf, I constitute commandant of the Fortress Küstrin."

"I should have been better pleased if you had made me commandant of
Berlin," growled Conrad von Burgsdorf. "They lead such a dull, wearisome
life at Fortress Küstrin, and I wish that Kracht and I could change places
with one another. He knows the people of Küstrin well, and understands how
to get along with them, for the late commandant of Küstrin was his father.
Let us exchange with one another, von Kracht--here is my hand, give me
yours! You are commandant of Küstrin and I of Berlin!"

"Slowly, colonel," replied Baron von Kracht; "we must yield to order and
authority, and submit ourselves to whatever the Stadtholder in the Mark
has found good to arrange for us."

"Well said, Sir Commandant of Berlin!" cried Schwarzenberg. "I was silent,
because I wished to hear your answer. It follows, therefore, Colonel von
Burgsdorf, that you go as commandant to Fortress Küstrin."

"I know very well that you send me away to remove me as far as possible
from your residence Berlin," growled Burgsdorf. "You can not bear to see
that the Elector is attached to me, and calls me his friend. You can not
bear that another should execute and perform what you yourself can not
execute and perform. I saw plainly yesterday the look of hatred and ill
will which you darted at me, across the Elector's table, while the great
drinking match that I had proposed was going on. It was right plain to be