The evening with the duke passed off pleasantly. The general's
questions turned, not so much upon the actual fighting, as upon the
organization of the Swedes, their methods of campaigning, of
victualling the army, of hutting themselves in winter, the
maintenance of discipline in camp, and other military points that
would be of service to him in his next campaign.
"Your king is very wise, in so strictly repressing all plundering
and violence," he said. "Only so can a general maintain an army in
an enemy's country. If the peasantry have confidence in him, and
know that they will get a fair price for their produce, they will
bring it into the market gladly, in spite of any orders their own
government may issue to the contrary. I am determined that, if I
again lead an English army in the field, I will follow King
Charles' example; though I shall find it more difficult to enforce
my orders than he does, for he is king as well as general, and his
Swedes are quiet, honest fellows, while my army will be composed of
ne'er-do-wells--of men who prefer to wear the queen's uniform to a
prison garment, of debtors who wish to escape their creditors, and
of men who find village life too quiet for them, and prefer to see
the world, even at the risk of being shot, to honest labour on the
farms.
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