Page 130 - A Jacobite Exile
P. 130
Chapter 7
made of it."
"Perhaps not, but if all the men had been panic stricken, there were officers
enough to have gathered together and cut their way through the Swedes."
"No doubt there were; but you must remember, Doctor Michaeloff, that an
officer's place is with his company, and that it is his duty to think of his
men, before thinking of himself. Supposing all the officers of the left wing,
as you say, had gathered together and cut their way out, the czar would
have had a right to blame them for the capture of the whole of the men.
How could they tell that, at daybreak, the general would not have given
orders for the left wing to attack the Swedes? They were strong enough still
to have eaten us up, had they made the effort, and had the czar been there in
person, I will warrant he would have tried it."
"That he would," Doctor Michaeloff said warmly. "You are right there,
young sir. The czar may not be a soldier, but at least he is a man, which is
more than can be said for the officer who ordered sixty thousand men to lay
down their arms to eight thousand."
"I am sure of that," Charlie said. "A man who would do as he has done,
leave his kingdom, and work like a common man in dockyards, to learn
how to build ships, and who rules his people as he does, must be a great
man. I don't suppose he would do for us in England, because a king has no
real power with us, and Peter would never put up with being thwarted in all
his plans by parliament, as William is. But for a country like Russia, he is
wonderful. Of course, our company being composed of Scotchmen and
Englishmen, we have no prejudices against him. We think him wrong for
entering upon this war against Sweden, but we all consider him a wonderful
fellow, just the sort of fellow one would be proud to serve under, if we did
not serve under Charles of Sweden.
"Well, Doctor Kelly, when do you think the czar will be here?"
The doctor did not reply, but Michaeloff said quietly:
