I am as hungry as a bear, for I have been at
work since daylight, and have eaten nothing since I broke my fast."
He rang a handbell placed on the table. Two Cossacks entered
bearing dishes, and the doctor and his guest at once fell to on the
supper, which was excellent.
"Hard work deserves good food," the Russian said, in reply to a
remark of Charlie's as to the excellence both of the food and wine.
"Your Charles does not think so, I hear, and lives on the roughest
of food. What will be the consequence? He will wear himself out.
His restless activity will exhaust his powers, and weaken his
judgment. I can eat rough food if I can get no better, but I take
the best, when opportunity offers.
"What have you been doing ever since you left Plescow? I inquired
after you the other day, when our troops broke up Schlippenbach's
force on the Embach. I found you were not among the prisoners, and
I wondered if you were among the killed."
"I was not in Livonia at the time. I was with the king's army at
Warsaw. Three regiments were sent off, the day after the battle of
Clissow, by boats down the Vistula, and then by ship to Revel. Mine
was one of them, but we arrived a fortnight too late."
"Then you were present at Charles' third victory? How that young
fellow handles his troops, and what wonderful troops they are! Now
we will get into our easy chairs again, and you shall tell me
something about what you have been doing, since we last met.
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