Push on, I say! The whole war will be ended
in one blow. Bring Pirsch up, and we can throw sixty thousand
men into the scale while Thielmann holds Grouchy beyond Wavre."
Gneisenau shrugged his shoulders, but at that instant an orderly
appeared at the door.
"An aide-de-camp from the Duke of Wellington," said he.
"Ha, ha!" cried the old man; "let us hear what he has to say!"
An English officer, with mud and blood all over his scarlet
jacket, staggered into the room. A crimson- stained handkerchief
was knotted round his arm, and he held the table to keep himself
from falling.
"My message is to Marshal Blucher," said he;
"I am Marshal Blucher. Go on! go on!" cried the impatient old
man.
"The Duke bade me to tell you, sir, that the British Army can
hold its own and that he has no fears for the result. The French
cavalry has been destroyed, two of their divisions of infantry
have ceased to exist, and only the Guard is in reserve. If you
give us a vigorous support the defeat will be changed to absolute
rout and--" His knees gave way under him and he fell in a heap
upon the floor.
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