The Case of the
Resurrection Men in The Natural Philosophy of Crime by Anton
Smelchak
As the
discussion, turned to strategy, I attempted to excuse myself from Prince
Leopold’s presence, offering that there was much to do in preparing the
indictments and writs for all the suspects including his brother, the
Regent. I suggested that the only real
decision was whether to prosecute them in the ecclesiastical courts as
originally planned, or the civil courts, now that they were beyond the Regent’s
influence.
Leopold
cut me off, saying there would be time enough for such details once the
Regent’s army was defeated. “Aftew aww,
Inspektow, we awe aww mawching against him today.”
I had
first thought that Prince Leopold’s implication that I would be among the “all”
that would be marching was a mere rhetorical flourish. However, he became very clear that all able
bodied men in Strelzov would be marching with him this day. As the police had some training and
organization, many in fact being recruited from discharged soldiers (whether the
discharge was of an honorable or dishonorable nature never mattering), they
would be leading this Strelzov Division.
We would be joined by Voynich’s enthusiastic but inept student
revolutionaries and a host of completely untrained civilians. I asked if there
would be any trained soldiers to assist.
General
Strakencz indicated that some of the National Guard and one of the two
battalions of riflemen would be assigned.
He explained that these latter units were some of the elite of the army,
being trained and officered by volunteers who happened to be veterans of the
British army. Commander Fogge’s support
of the revolution was perhaps not quite so insubstantial as I first thought.
“Also
you shall have a certain sort of artillery support,” added the General.
“Certain
sort?” I asked.
“Wockets!”
exclaimed Prince Leopold, “Whoosh Bang! “
Apparently,
the English volunteers had brought a quantity of old Congreve rockets with
them. This did not inspire confidence in me.
“Who
shall command this band of heroes,” I asked.
“Why
you, of couwse, Inspektow! You awe a
hewo to the peopwe of Stwelzov who bettew to wead them!”
Despite
my protests that the only service I had was as a volunteer in the brief
ill-fated resistance to the Allies who overran the Kingdom in 1814, the Prince
would hear nothing of it. Realizing the
stubbornness of the Prince, I finally accepted my fate.
I had
just left this rather disconcerting conference when word reached me that von
Elphberg, who had been transferred along with Dippel to the more secure towers
of the Royal Castle, was requesting an interview. I agreed more as a diversion than anything
else.
When
he was brought before me, Von Elphberg still bore the look of smug satisfaction
that never seemed to leave him.
“Ban
Inspektor,” he began, “I wish to discuss a bargain with you.”
“What
exactly do want?” I asked impatient with
the man’s arrogance.
“Why,
not to be hung. I was only an accomplice
to Herr Doktor Dippel and the Regent but I was present for most of their
discussions as well as those with the Countess Krimskaya.”
“I
have sufficient evidence against them already for convictions.”
“Ah,
yes. But in order to convict them, you
must have hold of them. Aside from
Dippel, the Regent and the Countess are still at large. Not only that, they are both protected by a
strong army defending not only them but their rightful King. I can surmise that Leopold intends to pursue
them but … the gods of war can be fickle.”
“What
are you suggesting?”
“Well,
do you think that the Royal Army, which includes some of the best troops of the
nation, would fight as hard if the King suddenly abandoned them? As you know, the Queen is my cousin and the
King is guided by her. I can convince
her that the safety of the King demands that he leave the field at the earliest
opportunity, taking the Guards with him.”
“What
do you want in return?”
“I
must talk directly to my cousin to convince her. For that I must be free.”
“Once
you are free, how could I possibly believe that you would do as you suggest?”
“Ah
Ban Inspektor, you and your associates have proven remarkably resourceful in
your pursuit of this matter. I have no
doubt that were I to betray your trust, you would be upon me in no time at all
and I would not enjoy the niceties of the courts.”
“That
would be a fair assessment.”
“Then,
in exchange for my freedom, I shall provide you with a sworn affidavit
cataloging all of the Regent’s machinations and I shall also induce my cousin
to remove herself and her august husband from their support of the Regent. After that, I shall voluntarily exile myself
from Ruritania.
“Finally,
by sparing me, you will avoid offending our other, more distant cousins, the
Hapsburgs. Well what you do think?”
Although
I hated the idea of allowing this miscreant to escape justice, his offer was a
satisfactory one and I could assuage my doubts with the thought the greater of
the plotters would face the hangman, a prospect that for von Elphberg, given
his family connections, remote in any event.
I
obtained the assent of Prince Leopold and his advisors. I then placed von Elphberg in the back of
Bogacz’s police wagon which I had had converted into a sort of mobile office
for myself.
I sent
word to all of the police barracks that ten in every twelve gendarmes was to
report to the Royal Castle to be part of the expedition. They duly arrived along with a vast host of
the city population. By late-afternoon,
we set off in pursuit of the Regent.
The
march proved to be far easier than I had anticipated given the size of the
crowd. The weather was thankfully mild
and the road to Apollograd upon which we marched was one of the better ones in
the kingdom. Leopold’s staff, well
experienced in such expeditions, had managed to send water and provision out
ahead of us so that we did not suffer privations on the march. Members of the various city theatres and the
National Opera were brought along in wagons, singing patriotic songs and
providing inspiring harangues.
On one
of these wagons, I noticed Madame Geneses, singing La Marseilles at the top of
her voice, it echoed for miles. Upon an
impulse I rode over and greeted her.
“Ah
Monsieur Inspector! Is it not grand? It
is the days of my youth relived!’ With
this she flung her arms around my neck and kissed me upon both cheeks and then
the lips with surprising passion. “Bon
chance, Monsieur Inspector, Hero of the People!
Vive La Revolution!”
“Quite,”
I said as rode away from her, thinking that being a hero of the people might
not be such a bad thing after all.
Excerpt from A Man of Many Talents, The Memoirs of
Ratko Fisztics
Now my
plans had worked far better than I thought.
Frufroque’s boys were very adept at stripping houses of their goods and
it was amazing to see them at work when there was no chance of a disturbance,
most of the wealthy home owners of the city having fled and most of the police and
National Guard having been caught up in the revolutionary fervor. The best part was that Frufroque was so
please with the take, he promised me, or more precisely, Big Saucy, a good five
percent of all the loot taken.
Feeling
on top of the world, I returned to my offices at the College to begin
calculating my new wealth. The
University grounds were filled with crowds of students all clapping themselves
on the back at how they were changing the world.
My
enjoyment of the day was interrupted.
First I felt a strong breeze pass by my head. I heard upon the wind a voice like that of
Mercurio saying that he was hiding among the Regent’s army which was on the shores
of Lake Czud. Damn Mercurio, he certainly picked inopportune times to interrupt a man.
Before
I could decide what to do with this information, I was interrupted once more by
Nikolina. I was surprised by her
appearance for she was wearing some sort of opera
buffe hussar’s uniform. I got a bad
feeling immediately.
“What
is this, my dear urchin?” I asked.
“Oh
papa, Jan has been made a colonel of cavalry by Prince Leopold himself! The Prince even promised him and estate for
leading the Revolution. Jan is leaving
for battle this very afternoon and I shall be by his side!”
“Nikolina,
don't be a fool. He’s nearly gotten you
killed. I’ve been in battles, it’s no
place for a girl, least of all one as ditherheaded as you!”
A dark
thought crossed my mind, “Did it ever occur to you that the reason he wants you
to go with him is so that you get yourself killed. That would free him to marry Mercurio’s
daughter. He’s had eyes for only her
since he’s arrived. He doesn’t love you,
he never will!”
There
were tears in her eyes then, but she didn’t blubber, I’ll give her that. She sniffed them back, squared her shoulders
and said, “Papa, he didn't ask me to go, I volunteered to Count Leonardo
himself. And I am not going only for
him. I am going for the Nation, the
People. For Freedom!”
God, I
thought, how many of my friends had I seen go to a useless death for those
noble words. Still, the girl did make me
feel strangely proud.
Then I
realized something else she said. “He’s
getting an estate? What else is the Prince handing out?”
I had
served under the Prince for over 15 years, had even saved his life on one
occasion. If I can’t wheedle something
out of the dotty old man I should have my thief’s license taken away. Especially since I knew exactly where the
enemy army was.
Commission in the Army of the Crown of
Ruritania
Leopold,
by the Grace of God and the Will of the People, Duke of Leutonia, Protector of
the Realm, in the name of Vladislav V Leon, King of the Realm of Ruritania and
Prince of Kravonia, make known that We, reposing especial Trust and Confidence
in the Loyalty, Valor, and Abilities of our servant, Ratko Nikola Fisztic, commission
and appoint him to the rank of March Major of Foot in the Army of the Crown of
Ruritania, from the first day of September in the Year of Our Lord Eighteen
Hundred and Thirty-Two, that he shall have especial authority over the ordering
of the regiments of foot upon the field of battle and shall be second only unto
General Commanding upon matters pertaining to the regiments of foot, and that all
officers and men subordinate to him according to the Order General of the Army
of the Crown of Ruritania shall behave themselves with all due Respect and
Obedience to him, their superior officer.
Sandorius
To see into the
other realms is not so difficult once one has learned the way. It is a matter of concentration and
formula. To send one’s anima, one’s spirit is more difficult
but can be done with practice. To travel
to the other realms, in a more or less physical form is a much greater matter
and may be achieved only by the most experience of practitioners and only after
considerable trial. This is also
complicated the further that one travels within the Spheres. However, it is not so much travel to them but
rather the return that is truly problematic.
Such difficulty he
considered a virtue twenty years ago, when he had sought the passage to Hy
Brasil, part of Briah, the Iconic Realm.
He knew the Countess did not then know enough of the magic needed and
her love of the material world so great that she would never be able to free
herself enough to pursue him.
His mentor, Dee,
had been in the Hy Brasil then, and aided him in the difficult process of
crossing the bounds. Elisabeth had
thrived there, running upon the always green sward and swimming in the Pearl
Bright Sea, fauns and dryads and mermaids her play companions.
The fey, however,
often took as much as they gave. In time,
he realized that if Elizabeth remained she would lose her humanity and become
as one of the fey herself. So he brought
them back and for the past eight years they had lived as normal a life as a
sorcerer and a fairy-raised child could.
He thought he
would never need to turn to them. Now he
knew, he did not have the strength in himself to defeat the Countess and free
Elizabeth. The fey were the only ones to whom he could turn for help.
He sat down
beneath the tree and began the spells that would send his spirit’s eyes and
voice to find the Court of the Seelie.
The Case of the
Resurrection Men in The Natural Philosophy of Crime by Anton
Smelchak
We
marched a good twenty miles that day, arriving at a well-chosen camp a little
after ten o’clock that night. We were
told by the Prince’s staff that the march would resume at five o’clock the
following morning.
The
Regent’s army had halted and was prepared to make a stand on the shores of Lake
Czud which was less than five miles distant.
The battle would likely begin a little after seven o’clock.
Nikolina
What
Papa had said had stung her to the heart.
He always said cruel stupid things but they never hurt because that was
just him trying to be tough, and the things were never true. This time it was different because maybe they
were true. Maybe she wasn’t meant to be
the girl who gets the happy ending in the story. Maybe she was the tragic heroine in one of
the sad stories that dies so that the hero can have a happy ending with his
true love but still have a tinge of sadness to show that he’s sensitive.
She
avoided Milna on the march which was easy since there were some many marching
with them, ten thousand or more. In the
camp it was even easier. The fact that
Jan did not seem to be looking for her only showed her the truth.
Tsura,
the gypsy girl did find her. She told
Nikolina that she and some of her people would sneak among the enemy and get to
the castle on the lake where the Countess was planning on bringing back all the
dead people to life as ghouls. This must
be stopped. Since Nikolina was so good
at sneaking around, Tsura asked her to help.
They would also place some traps, big kegs of gunpowder with some called
alchemic fuses on them that Ban Topicz had made. So Nikolina really would be a heroine. But, Tsura warned her, they might not come
back, it was very dangerous.
Nikolina
knew now this was her fate. She readily
agreed. Then she went to look for Jan.
She
found him with his horse soldiers. He
was wearing the lancer’s uniform and looked very handsome.
He
looked surprised, “I didn’t think you were here. I hadn’t seen you on the march so I thought
you had finally listened to me and not come.”
“No, I
came and now I am going. I will go and
rescue Elizabeth, so that you may be with her.
I know that you love her and not me.
Your happiness is all that I want…Perhaps it would be easier for
everyone if I rescue her but don’t come back.”
She
turned and walked quickly away from him before she lost her courage. So she did not hear what he said next.
Milna
was looking at her in shock, not really believing it. Suddenly he realized how wrong he had been
about her. “Please, Nikolina, come
back. You must come back. To me.”
Sandorius
When
his consciousness returned to the material world, the sun was already up. Sandorius then realized with a start that he was standing nearby. He was dressed in the black uniform he had
been wearing on the road from Moscow.
The face still could not be clearly seen
"Hello
my friend," the dark figure said.
"Hello…my
friend. Is this another social visit or
are you…"
"Sadly,
I am here for professional purposes, as it were."
"I
must have a little time. I have to save
my daughter."
"I
shall be very busy today. I shall have a
very difficult day. As will you."
"All
I ask is to save her. Can you help, I
would do…"
"I
am sorry my friend. I observe many
things but I do only one thing."
"Very
well. I have help coming from elsewhere."
"Yes,
I know. Hopefully they arrive in
time. You know the Fey, time is an
elastic thing to them. I shall be seeing
you later today."
He was
gone. Several riders approached. He saw the Regent, Prince Narishkin and their
staffs. The Countess was in their midst.
They
rode past him without paying him the least attention. They rode up a small rise that overlooked the
trail to the main road. He followed them
to listen.
The
sound of distant band music reached his ears.
The Regent and Narishkin were looking through telescopes.
"It
is Leopold's army, the whole of it. He's
marching to deploy them for battle." Narishkin said.
"Excewwent! We shaww destwoy them today and be back in
the capitaw tomowwow!"
"We
shall have a good chance of it,” agreed Narishkin, “By my estimate, he has but
a few regiments of veteran infantry and some cavalry. Good but manageable especially as we shall
outnumber him. We also have our surprise for them.”
Here
he indicated the Steam Battery, a large fortified wagon armed with a heavy gun that was propelled by its own steam engine. It had been acquired at great expense to
overawe the local population.
The
Countess had been quiet, looking nervously about her. Sandorius knew she could sense him but she
was too distracted to find him.
"My
god, wok at the muwtitude!" exclaimed the Regent.
Sandorius
looked down the trail. Leopold's army
was already forming a line of battle.
Leopold’s small force of regulars were being followed by a rank after
rank of enthusiastic civilians, equal to
“We
have nothing to fear. Numbers won't matter, they will have to attack us head on
along this narrow front. Most of those
are rabble, they'll run at the first whiff of grapeshot!” Narishkin tried to put on a brave front but
he clearly was disconcerted by the numbers they would have to engage.
The
Countess finally spoke, "Just hold them off for a little while. I am
returning now to the castle to begin my preparations. When they are completed, the enemy shall have
far more to fear than our guns."
An
History of the War of the Three Lions by Field Hetman Kasimir Strakencz
The Battle of Lake Czud
The
Regent's army was drawn up to the north of the Apollograd road and parallel to
it. They sat astride the track leading to the Lake and the Tumulus where the
woods that surround the lake had been cleared enough to allow a few small
farms. On the left, the Austrian Brigade
of three regiments with light artillery and cavalry support occupied some
hedgerows. To the right, the main body
of the Royal Army stood in more open ground.
This consisted of a line of the 3rd, 4th, and 7th
Infantry Regiments with the 10th Infantry in reserve. The Brigade was supported by the heavy
artillery and the incomparable Royal Cuirassiers Regiment. The Russian Brigade of three regiments along
with cavalry and artillery stood as an immediate reserve. The camp which stood between the bridge to
Sandorius' Tower and the Tumulus of Czud, was guarded by the two regiments of
Royal Walloons, the Regent's Guard, and the Royal Uhlans. The Tower and the Tumulus were occupied by
Kozaki irregulars.
Prince
Leopold disposed his regular brigade on the left, opposing the Royal Army. This consisted of the 1st and 2nd
Fusiliers and the Grenadier Regiments along with the Voltigeur Battalion
and the army's only artillery placed on high ground to the rear. In the center, he placed the Volunteer
Brigade consisting of the recently recruited 3rd Regiment of Foot
and the Leutonian Regiment. A host of
peasants led by the monks of the St. Quadratus Monastery rounded out the
Brigade. On the right, Leopold placed
the so called Strelzov Division consisting of two battalions of National Guard,
the Police and Students' Battalions and
a huge multitude that had come out from Strelzov after the uprising. This large
body of largely untrained civilians had only a small rocket battery in support.
The
Cavalry Brigade, three regiments of lancers and the Leutonian Hussars, had
taken a long circuitous route around the forests that lay on the left wing of
the Regent's army. Unbeknownst to the
Regent was that there were numerous tracks through this wood. The peasants who had flocked to Prince
Leopold enthusiastically led the cavalry by these paths…
Letter from Lady Euphemia Dalhousie to Miss
Elspeth Dalhousie, 3rd September 1832
…The
good Inspector, or should I say, Minister, Smelchak desired me tae remain in
safety in the city whilst everyone else trotted off on the hunt. As you well kin, this isnae my pure class and
I insisted tae be taken along. I had nae
desire tae be away from my new-found beloved while he gaed intae the cannon's geggy. Also, the Countess and her bloody script had
brought muckle misery tae my life and I intended tae be a part of her
comeuppance.
I gaed
along with the army, riding in the company of my dear Leonardo. On the day of battle, we had tae rouse afore
dawn. Now this was my first military
expedition but I found it nae unlike the hunting trips upon which I gaed with
Father. Thus I helped him pack his kit for the day, with extra dry socks, a
pack of dainties so he could snatch a bite during the day, and, of course a big
flask of the water of life to keep the chill off. He was most touchingly grateful, so unlike
Jamie. Then we had our farewell for he
and Johnny Milna were off to lead the cavalry tae gang at the rear of the
enemy. I wonder how I could feel so
close to someone I had kent only a few brief hours and that under the most
unlikely circumstances.
Now,
you may ask if I was skulking in the rear as a proper lady should but I must
say that I did not. There are two
battalions of riflemen with the army modeled on the green jackets of our own
army. They were even a few officers and
sergeants from our islands who trained the lads, most whom were wolf-hunters
and poachers from the southern bens and braw spry fellows they were. One of the rifleman, a Sergeant Major named
McNab was originally from over by Killin near Loch Tay. He took me under his wing as it were, telling
me to sbade near him and he would show me the way.
We set
off afore dawn and moved in wee batches towards some hedges that lined the
fields near a wee croft. I again thought
how like tae some of Father’s hunting parties this was. Soon as we crossed o’er the first line of
hedges, we flushed out our quails, a troop of dismounted dragoons we spotted
easy due tae the brass pots they wore on their heads. I popped one of their batch with my Fiona and
was pleased to see that her sighting was true.
McNab and the boys dropped several more and the rest went a running,
their carbines not having the range of our rifles.
Soon
we came upon the main line, white-coated Austrians with a pair of small cannons
amongst them. This might be a wee bit
trickier I thought…
Excerpt from A Man of Many Talents, The Memoirs of
Ratko Fisztics
Now my
readers may wonder why I, who had grown to be the soul of caution, would seek a
position of prominence on the impending field of battle. I thought I had calculated well that it would
be to my advantage with only a marginal attendance of risk.
The
position of March Major is a traditional one in the Ruritania Army. Invariably awarded to a senior
non-commissioned officer, I was well qualified having finished my fifteen years
of service as a sergeant major of foot and having served in over a dozen major
campaigns, including Spain and Russia.
In terms of responsibilities, the March Major sees to the order of the
line of battle only on the field, a job any competent drill sergeant can accomplish
with ease. The holder of the office also
received a very stylish bearskin cap of impressive dimensions.
Upon
learning that the Prince intended to take the mobs of Strelzov with him, I was
sure that there would be only a modest danger.
I assumed that he would use the untrained rabble of cannon fodder to
weaken and exhaust our enemies and when sufficiently reduced, the Regular
Brigade to which I was assigned would sweep up the remainder. Oh, I knew that attacking
the castle on the lake would be difficult but my job as March Major would be
small in this, merely feeding the troops into the assault.
One
can imagine my chagrin when I learned that the Regulars would lead the attack,
hoping to pin the Royal Army and draw out the enemy reserves. The mob and cavalry would then strike the enemy
left flanks that consisted of the markedly unenthusiastic Austrian
regiments. By then, I had little choice
in the matter and so keep my thoughts to myself.
Before
dawn, our voltigeurs and riflemen drove in the enemy skirmishers so we would at
least not have those gnats to irritate us.
As I directed the three regiments into line, I saw that we faced a like
number of the Royal Army. Knowing how
poorly paid they had been these past few years; I hoped they would not put up
too strenuous a fight. However, I saw that they were supported by a battery of
heavy guns and the large regiment of very large cuirassiers.
Just
before the hour of seven, Prince Leopold inspected the Brigade, his two dogs,
Wilkes and Barre, yapping at the horses hoofs.
The men cheered as he rode along the line and early morning sun flashed
upon the battler flags before it was obscured behind the ever increasing
clouds.
“Mawch
Mastew, you may begin.”
A band
struck up the tune of Leopold’s March, a song that now is heard outside of
Ruritania in American circuses as the “Entrance of the Gladiators.” I called
out the order to advance.
As
soon as we stepped off, the heavy guns of the Royalists began to blast into our
line. Within a few moments, the
Grenadier Regiment had been decimated and its survivors were streaming to the
rear. My Brigade had been cut by a third
in the first minutes of the fight.
I sent
a runner to our own artillery, ordering all fire to be concentrated onto the
hill where the enemy heavy guns lay. I
ordered the lines to be dressed and the advance to continue. Our voltigeurs held some rocks in the fields
in front of us and I hoped to gain the small protection they might
provide.
It was
then that I noticed the steam battery rolling forward down the trail toward us,
its large gun seemingly pointed directly at me.
Letter from Lady Euphemia Dalhousie to Miss
Elspeth Dalhousie, 3rd September 1832
I
asked McNab if it would be a good idea tae caw our guns on the men manning the
cannons and he agreed that this would be a capital idea. Soon, the guns were without crews and any
that gaed near them were shot down.
There
were still two bodies of soldiers lining the hedges in front of us and a third
behind them. Though these were firing at
us, they put narry a touch on any with their smoothbore muskets.
Now we
had been told tae keep an eye out for something special. The student tinkerer, Mr. Topicz, had
fashioned something he called a fougasse,
a sort of barrel filled with black powder and other infernals upon which he had
fashioned a target by which the thing could be exploded by a single shot
striking it. During the mirk, Sarah and
her gypsy cousins had sneaked in among the trees lining the trail and placed
them where they could dae the most harm tae the enemy line. We had but to seek the sign of an illuminated
circle, like a ring of fireflies and shoot intae its center tae explode the
thing.
I
spotted one of these twinkling circles just after we had done in the
cannoneers. It was in some brush in a
tree neist tae the large body of Austrian soldiers on my left. I dead careful aimed Fiona at the center and
easily struck it bulls’ yak. A great
explosion occurred with the tree splintering among the enemy. Those on their feet began running to the
rear. As I reloaded Fiona, I spotted another
in the trees towards which the running Austrians. I called tae some of the riflemen tae fire at
it. They hit it just as the running
Austrians reached it and more slaughter was wrought on them.
Behind
me, I heard a great cheer. When I turned
back tae look, I saw that great crowd from the city surging forward intae the
fields round us. When I turned back I
saw beyond the hedges, a wee rise crowded with cannons that the crews were
turning our way.
The Case of the
Resurrection Men in The Natural Philosophy of Crime by Anton
Smelchak
The
sky continued to darken as we stood in the fields waiting to advance. I was in
front line with my gendarmes.
Immediately behind us were Voynich and his most dedicated students. To our right were the National Guardsman who
seemed as nervous as the rest of us.
Behind stood the milling crowd from Strelzov, indifferently armed and
completely unprepared for what was to come. There had been cheers when the
rifleman prevailed over the enemy skirmishers.
This halted when we saw the heavy cannon fire bursting over the regulars
to our left, cutting many of those old soldiers down. My stomach churned with anxiety.
When
faced with such fears, I always turn to technical questions to keep my mind to
rational thoughts. I did so now. The sun
had risen so brilliantly that morning that I was surprised to see the storm
clouds roll in so quickly. I saw that lightening
had begun flashing over the strange tower on the tumulus. There was a device, like a huge astrolabe, on
top of the tower spinning at a high rate.
This seemed to be drawing the lightening out of the clouds.
Just
to the fore of the tumulus I saw a great plume of white steam. This undoubtedly was the big self-moving
steam battery that our scouts had reported.
If only there was some way to bring our cannons or rockets down on this
thing before it could reach us. I feared
its power and novelty would be the undoing of our excitable troops.
I must
have said this last thought out loud for Topicz, who was standing near to me,
offered, “Sufflay is with the rocket battery, I can talk to him with
this.” He held out a sea shell to which
some strange clocks had been attached.
“You
can speak at a distance with this?” I asked.
“Yes,
the basic principle…”
“Explain
later! Now tell him where to shoot his rockets.”
Within
a few moments, a number of rockets were flying over the field. Some went toward the tower on the tumulus but
hit what appeared to be an invisible wall, streaks of electric power emanating
from several large metal poles that surrounded the tower.
The
other rockets streaked toward the white steam cloud. I heard a large blast and the steam cloud
disappeared. This was followed by the
sound of cannon shot fired from the battery.
The shells exploded harmless over the trail. Evidently, our rockets had
wrecked its motive steam engine but not put the battery’s guns out of action.
Then a
very large explosion occurred in among the trees and hedges immediately in
front of us. It battered one of the big
Austrian regiments in the main line. The
survivors immediately fled to the rear where another explosion greeted them,
inflicting more casualties.
A
great cheer went up from the host around me.
Without orders, they surged forward.
I had to rush to keep at the fore.
I leapt over one of the hedge, no
mean feat in my police dress uniform that Prince Leopold had insisted I wear. Once over, we rushed over the plowed fields.
I could see groups of our riflemen crouched behind the hedges that lined the
other side of the field. No enemy seemed
to be defending them.
I
called for my men to keep moving. I did
not like how crowded we were pressing through the narrow fields.
Then
the artillery shells began to fall among us.
I heard a blast my left and immediately another just in front of
me. I was knocked onto my back and
struggled to keep my senses. Loncar was
leaning over me, saying something but I could not hear it. There was another burst in the sky above us
and a jagged piece of metal struck Loncar in the head and he was gone from my
view.
I
rolled over and pushed myself to my feet.
Most of my gendarmes were lying on the field unmoving. I shouted for them to go forward. I saw Voynich trying to rouse his students to
do the same. There was large numbers of
these lying dead as well.
As we
struggled forward, I could see a fresh regiment of infantry waiting for
us. They were readying to fire as soon
as we crossed the last hedge.
In the
back of my consciousness, there had been a sound ringing in my ears. I thought it had been from the cannon
blast. Now I realized what it was.
I
heard cavalry trumpets sounding.
Diary of Jan Milna, unpublished
Our
peasant guides seemed to know every tree in the woods. The old one, Duro, said that the spirits of
the woods didn't like what was happening near the Lake and so were helping us. Nevertheless, it was full daylight before we
reached the end of the woods. Worse, we
could hear that the battle was fully engaged.
We
emerged from the woods behind a large farmstead that Duro said was his
own. He offered that we could burn it to
the ground if it would help the Freedom-giver, as Leopold had come to be known
following his ending of serfdom in the first Revolution.
Count
Leonardo said he would take the two regular uhlan regiments to the south of the
farmstead and strike at the Austrians there as planned. Sensing an opportunity, he order me to take
the Zendan Lancers and Leutonian Hussars and attack the enemy's camp that lay
to the east of the farmstead. From there
I should cut through to the Russian artillery battery and relieve our infantry
that was under heavy fire.
This
was the first time I experienced the famed Radziwillian battlefield
genius. In most situations, the member
of the House of Radziwill could never be considered of even average
intelligence. However, once engaged in
battle, they seemed to retain a preternatural tactical skill.
It was
only a matter of a few minutes to arrange our lines and the charge was
sounded. Leonardo's lancers struck first
into the flank of an Austrian regiment that had been positioned in reserve of
the main line. Already unsteady from the unexplained explosions wreaking havoc
on their comrades, these men fled as soon as Leonardo's horseman came within
striking distance. Two squadrons of
Austrian hussars rode forward to engage our lancers. After a brief clash, these two were streaming
from the field. As they scrambled back,
another fougasse was exploded in their faces and the entire Austrian Brigade
broke in panicked retreat.
In the
meantime, I drove forward at the head of the Zendan Lancers. These were all gentleman volunteers who had
crossed the border to join Leopold. Many
were former officers cashiered for their opposition to the Regent's tyranny.
We
quickly overran the pickets on the camp perimeter and then charged in among the
tents. One of the Walloon regiments was
just forming up in marching order. They
wheeled to face us but before they could fire at us, we were among them. They put up a brave but brief resistance and
were soon broken.
As
this brief fight was ending, I saw at the other end of the camp, the King and
Queen rushing to their carriage in a hurried escape. The remaining Walloon Regiment formed
protectively around them but they soon began heading eastward off of the
field. Word began to spread that the
King had fled.
The
crash of cannons to my left demonstrated that the battle was not yet won. The Russian battery continued to fire upon
our infantry as it was coming up. I
could also see that the Russian infantry and cavalry that had been the Regent's
reserve was moving to shore up their collapsing left.
I
rallied my men and formed them to charge the battery on the hill…
Excerpt from A Man of Many Talents, The Memoirs of
Ratko Fisztics
Our
artillery was soon blasting away at the Regent's heavy guns. While of lighter weight than the guns of the
enemy, our artillery was manned by very seasoned gunners and the shells flew
very fast. Within a few minutes the
crews of the heavy guns were decimated.
The barrage had the added benefit of striking into the Cuirassier
Regiment that had been drawn up behind the battery, no doubt in hopes of a
sudden charge once our attack had been broken.
I
never much cared for cavalrymen and the cuirassiers were the worst of the lot,
big louts on big horses who thought they were knights of old just because they
wore tin soup dishes over their shirts.
It gave me the greatest pleasure to see that these proud idiots running
for the rear after a few pop-gun shots.
Then I
saw that the Russian regiments who had been in reserve were turning and moving
against our troops that were advancing on our right. I had been ordered to prevent that. I was just about to order the two regiments
into a charge when I heard a booming voice singing out the Theotoka, an ancient hymn that brought to my mind memories of sore
knees and busted knuckles from my days in a parish school run by the Holy
Sisters. The voice belonged to Bobo Drko
as he strode quickly over field followed by a big choir of singing monks, icons
and religious banners waiving, and then a mob of very angry-looking peasants,
brandishing some of the most deadly-looking farm implements I had ever seen.
The
Royal 1st Regiment turned to meet this attack. They leveled their muskets and the order was
given to fire. They hesitated. Bobo Drko advance alone, his arms
outspread. The order to fire was given again
and this time a volley of four hundred shots rang out.
Now I
do not usually give credence to tales of miracles and the marksmanship of the
Royal Army in those days was not the highest.
However, I was there and saw with my own eyes that Bobo Drko stood
within thirty yards of that volley and not one shot hit him. Even more amazing that not one of those four
hundred shots hit any of the big crowd that followed him.
Those
of the 1st Regiment that didn't run immediately fell down on their
knees and wept for forgiveness as Bobo Drko and his followers moved forward,
driving all before them.
Nikolina
She
had gotten them to the foot of the bridge to the castle before it had gotten
too light to hide that large a group of people, even considering that they were
gypsies. They would not cross the
bridge, it was too heavily guarded by Kozaki savages. She knew they would be distracted by the
battle and so she and the gypsies would be able to cross at the foot of the
bridge. They might have to swim a little
bit but that shouldn't be too difficult.
Then they could climb up and get inside.
She would find Elizabeth and stop the Countess and probably die
trying. That was alright.
The
battle was very loud, she was surprised at how loud it was. She was even more surprised when the kegs
they had hidden among the trees began blowing up. They were very loud and so
many of the enemy were blown up with them, it was very surprising. Then the thunder and lightning came and it
was even louder. It was strange but
there was no rain.
When
the battle was at its height, she led them along the foot of the bridge. The rocks upon which it had been built proved
to be very big and so they could walk almost the whole way across with only
their feet getting wet. Tsura said this
was good because their powder would be dry; they planned on using their knives
but it was always good to have a gun just in case. Nikolina agreed, she had several pistols in
addition to her saber, just in case.
They
were half way across when she heard a loud creaking and screeching coming from
above. At the top of the very high tower
was a big metal dome. That was moving
and opening up like a flower. It soon
slipped into the stone walls of the tower revealing two big metal posts that
lightening was hitting. The lightening
was coming from the spinning top on the other tower, the one on the hill on the
shore of the lake. Then she saw that
there was a person in between to two lightening-attracting posts. The person was screaming in pain.
It was
Elizabeth.
Diary of Jan Milna, unpublished
The Russians manning the battery had not realized that we were approaching
until we reached the crest of the hill.
They were not able to turn their guns but did not abandon them. The entire battery died where they stood. In the meantime, the Leutonian Hussars
swarmed around the wreck of the steam battery that lay at the foot of the hill,
its engine smashed. The hussars cut down
the remaining crew manning the still functional guns.
From
the crest of the hill, I saw that the Russian cavalry had charged into
Leonardo's lancers and these were now heavily engaged. However, his lancers outnumbered the Russians
who were now being completely surrounded by the lighter horseman.
A
Russian infantry regiment was advancing to relieve them when the last of our
fougasse exploded in their faces, killing many in the front ranks.
I saw two
horsemen fleeing the hill. With a shock
I realized that one was Prince Narishkin and the other the Regent himself. Narishkin was riding desperately to get to
his remaining troops. The hussars cut
him off and after a brief struggle, he was forced to surrender.
The
Regent had better luck or a fleeter horse for he managed to elude pursuit. He was panicked however, and as he rode, he
screamed in fear. He rode past the
cuirassiers and they joined his flight.
The Royal infantry were soon following. Our regulars now advanced and turned the
abandoned heavy guns of the remaining Russians troops. Leaderless, they too joined the retreat.
At
that moment, from the tumulus came a sound like the
Crack of Doom.
The
Case of the Resurrection Men in The
Natural Philosophy of Crime by Anton Smelchak
As
soon as the fire from the Russian battery had been halted by our cavalry, I
raised my face from the dirt. The enemy
was being broken and was soon in full retreat.
This was my first chance to look at the tower on the tumulus. More and more lightening was striking the
astrolabe at its top. I saw that the
bolts were striking across at the top of the castle on the lake. With shock I realized that there was a female
figure there, seemingly being struck by the lightening but still alive.
I knew
that the invisible wall of force prevented any shot from striking the tumulus
tower. However, I had the idea that the smaller standard-like posts surround
the tumulus might have been the source of this wall. I observed that one of these was perched on
an outcropping.
I went
to Topicz and told him to speak through his shell and tell Sufflay to turn his
rockets at the outcropping. Within
moments, the rockets were streaking toward the rocks. When they hit, the outcropping was knocked
away, taking one of the posts with it.
The rockets kept firing and several now struck the tower on the hill,
the invisible wall being compromised. It
was then that I realized that the rockets must have been treated alchemically
for they struck the tower and an odd bluish light crackled over its mass. With a mighty crash the entire tower
collapsed.
Sandorius
He had
sat by the tree waiting for the sign from the Fey to know whether they agreed
to help him. He had seen so many battles
that the noise and confusion barely penetrated his reverie. He noticed when the steam battery rumbled
past him but that was due to its novelty.
When the rockets struck it, his curiosity had been piqued as to why the
whole thing had not exploded.
He
felt the power surging around him, being drawn from the air and merging with
fire to form the lightening. He knew
that the Countess was using Elizabeth as the focus of these powers to open a
door to the Abyss. She would unleash the
qillopth and all the living would die.
He
rose up and shouted, "I have no more time!
Will you help me or not!"
Suddenly
voices sounded in his head, I am here, Sandorius. "What shall you give me if I aid
you?" Although it sounded like a
multitude speaking to him, he knew it was the Queen of the Fey, Titiania to
some, but known by many other names and in many other forms.
"I
offer you my life, only hurry."
"You
value your life highly. Do you think it
worth that much?"
"I
will play no games. Take what you want
only help me save my daughter!"
"So
be it. You shall have the strength of
the Nine Worthies and you shall be lifted up on the wings of faerie. Go now and save our loved Elizabeth."
He
rose up and discarded his glamour. He
would face the Countess in his true form.
He felt fire in his muscles and as he moved forward, he seemed to
float over the grass. He charged up the
ramp to the bridge. A portcullis was
being lowered. He grabbed it in his hand
and ripped it from the wall. A troop of
Kozaki stood before him. They fired
their muskets at him. He felt the
bullets pluck at his coat, some struck him but he did not feel them. He raised his sword, the ancient Dacian one
he favored. He barely saw the faces of
the men he cut down.
Soon
he was beyond the gate way and rushing across the bridge. He could hear his
name being shouted by Leopold's soldiers who were now swarming towards the lake
shore, "Sandorius! Sandorius has returned!"
The
vampire dressed as a Kozaki he had seen earlier was blocking the bridge. He crashed into the creature and drove the
sword into the thing's heart. The cold
iron of the blade had the same effect as hawthorn wood. The vampire died.
He was
almost to the gate of the manor house.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl Nikolina clambering up the
side of the bridge, several gypsies following after her. He heard pounding hoof beats behind him.
A
vampire stood before in front of the gate, several more were charging up the
steps from a landing at the foot of the castle.
Then the gate swung open with a crash.
A huge creature, over twelve feet tall stood before him, it's large unnatural muscles quivering. A knife struck it in the eye. Sandorius saw that it had been thrown by
Tsura. Zoltan and several of his people
were behind her and now fired their muskets at the creature and its head
exploded.
"See,
just in case," Zoltan shouted.
Sandorius
turned to face the vampire. Suddenly, a
horse and rider flew over his head and that of his adversary, through the gateway,
and onto the landing inside.
Diary of Jan Milna, unpublished
When the dome
receded and I saw Elizabeth being tortured so, I screamed to my men to follow
me and charged over the bridge to the castle.
The bridge was empty save for the bodies of the dead. A dark-haired man was confronting a vampire
at the end of the bridge. Several
gypsies were clinging to the bridge with spent muskets in their hands.
Then I noticed
Nikolina. She was just behind the dark-haired man a pistol in her hand. There were several more vampires coming up a
set of stairs next to the bridge. If I
left her there, she would surely be killed.
I called to her
and reached out my hand. I plucked her
up and pulled her onto the horse behind me.
"Hold
on!" I shouted. Then I kicked the horse into a leap, clearing the two men
fighting at the gate of the castle. We
landed at the foot of the stairs leading up to the high tower of the
castle. I called for Nikolina to keep
her head down and urged the horse up the circular stairs.
There was barely
enough room for the horse. A surprised
Kozaki was on the stairs and I rode right over him before he could bring his
musket to his shoulder. Up and up we
rode until we reached door. I had the horse kick it open, there was a scream as
the person, or thing guarding it plunged off the tower when the door was flung
open.
We were now out in the light, a narrow walkway leading up to the pillars where
Elizabeth was tied. Nikolina slipped from the horse to guard the doorway. I
urged the horse forward along the walkway.
I saw that the dark-haired man was there, fighting with the Countess for
Elizabeth. I drew my father's sword and
leapt from my horse.
The
Case of the Resurrection Men in The
Natural Philosophy of Crime by Anton Smelchak
Our
army was streaming towards the lake, the riflemen and cavalry already crossing
the bridge. I had just reached the hill
upon which the Russian battery had stood when I saw Milna's
lancers charging the figures formed at the far end of the bridge. Through my telescope I could see
that these figures were Third Section agents, vampires! Since many of the cavalrymen had broken lances in
their hands, they easily dispatched the creatures. The remaining vampires were struck by full
volleys from the regiments that now lined the shores of the lake. Then I saw Fisztic
leap into a small boat with a few of the men and hastily row the short distance
to the castle. On arrival, Fisztic bolted up
the stairs.
I
scanned the horizon to determine if any other enemy remained on the field. I noticed at the foot of the tumulus a large
pile of very familiar looking crates. They seemed to be vibrating with internal
force.
I
ordered any in range of my voice to man the guns and turn them upon the
crates. Leonardo was soon at my side and
called more troops to fire as I directed.
It was
none too soon. The crates broke open and
fifty of the reanimated came forth. They
shambled towards the line. With a single
order from Leonardo, everyone fired at the creatures. Although the creatures suffered grevious
wounds, they still came forward. Volley
after volley were fired at them. At last
the things were too mangled to continue any further and collapsed. We then set about burning them.
I
shuddered to think what might have been the result if they had succeeded in
creating their army of the reanimated.
Sandorius
The wings of
faerie, he thought, and leapt up. He
went far higher than he thought possible and was able to grasp one of the
supports below the tower. Sandorius
easily pulled himself up onto the platform atop the tower. He was face-to-face with the Countess.
The
Countess had a great sword in her hand and struck at him. He caught the blow on his own sword. The cold iron absorbed the energy of the blow
but he could feel that there was magic behind her stroke.
He
riposted and he knocked the Countess onto her back. He summoned up all his power and sought to
cast a elemental of fire within her.
Nothing
happened. Sandorius fell to his knees,
every bit of strength within him exhausted.
The
Countess laughed as she rose, “Is that really the best you can do? You shall die now!”
As she
raised the sword, Sandorius heard a shout.
Milna was leaping across the platform.
He thrust the sword into the Countess side. She screamed but did not lose her footing and
brushed Milna aside. He tumbled over the
edge of platform but managed to grasp the edge with a single hand. He dangled perilously over the lake far
below.
Elizabeth
screamed. The Countess turned toward her. A shot rang out and one the cords binding
Elizabeth to the pillars was severed.
Sandorius saw that it had been fired by Nikolina who was running up the
walkway towards the Countess.
Immediately
louder shot was fired and the other cord was severed. Far below on the bridge Lady Effie had fired
her rifle with expert skill. Elizabeth
collapsed onto the platform, narrowly avoiding a glancing blow from the
Countess.
A
third shot sounded and the ball struck the Countess directly in the chest,
knocking her back. Sandorius saw it had
been fired by Fisztic who stood panting at doorway to the roof.
Inside
his head, Sandorius heard the voice of the Faerie Queen, “You asked for my
help, do not rely on you own mortal strength.”
He felt strength returning to his limbs.
The
Countess stood in front of him. The
wound from Fisztic’s bullet rapidly closing but Milna’s sword still protruded
from her side. Sandorius drew the one
remaining amber device from his pocket.
He leapt up and trust the device into the wound and activated it. At the same moment, he pushed on the hilt of
Milna’s sword. The Countess pitched off
the tower and fell toward the lake below.
As she fell, she was engulfed in a great mass of amber, freezing her
instantly into immobility. The block of
amber plunged into the water below.
Nikolina
rushed over to help Milna back onto the platform. Fisztic was moving toward Elizabeth with
bright mist began to swirl around her.
Sandorius
heard the voice of the Queen once more, “Now I shall collect my fee. We love her as our own and will not allow you
to endanger her anymore. She will return
to our realm forever.”
The
Faerie Queen’s servants swirled around Elizabth, cloaking her in the bright
mist. She looked and Sandorius, knowing
what was happening. She said simply,
“Goodbye, Father.” And she was gone.
Sandorius
looked at the spot where she had been and tears began to run down his
cheeks. He had the power to look upon
her on occasion and with some struggle might send his anima to her but she would never be his child again. But she was alive and now safe and,
hopefully, happy …forever.
“What
happened to her?” asked Milna. “Is she
dead?”
“No,”
replied Sandorius, “She has merely gone home.
Some thought her frivolous and shallow,” he looked at Fisztic, “but it
was merely that she was not really of this world. When I found her as an infant in Russia, I
called up the Faerie Queen to help me keep her alive. The Queen provide me with the nectar of Briah
to sustain her and soon gave us refuge in Hy Brasil. Elizabeth was as much a daughter to the Queen
as she was to me. Now Elizabeth will remain with her.”
“I am
so sorry, Jan,” Nikolina said to Milna.
“No,
Nikolina. I realized that I didn’t really love Elizabeth; it was just an
infatuation. I love the woman who has
stood by my side thought so many trials and who saved me so many times. You, Nikolina. I love you.”
As
the young couple embraced, Sandorius and Fisztic moved down the stairs. “Damn it,” Fisztic said, “I haven’t lost a
daughter, I’ve gained that smug bastard of a cavalryman!”
A
short time later, the entire army lined the shores of the lake, while a Bobo
Drko and his monks intoned the High Rite of Exorcism for the Countess. At its conclusion, a great waterspout shot
from the lake and a horrifying scream echoed over the woods.
Sandorius
had been standing back from the crowd.
He realized that the Dark Visitor was next to him.
“So is
your business done… for now?”
“Here,
for now,” the Visitor agreed, “but, as you know, there shall be work for me
aplenty. I am always busy.”
“So
you were not here for me?”
“No, I
was here for the Countess.”
“Why
could I see you then?”
“As
before, paying a social call on an old friend.”
“Why
did you not tell me that?”
“Why
now, that would have spoiled the game!”
The
Visitor turned to leave, “I must go now. I mustn't keep the Countess waiting. She has a very interesting time ahead of her. Goodbye… for now…”
Epilogue
Excerpt from A Man of Many
Talents, The Memoirs of Ratko Fisztics
The
Battle of Lake Czud was only the beginning of the War of the Three Lions, a
three-sided civil war that raged for the next two years. King Leon and Queen Carlotta retreated to Tarlinsk
in the northwest of the country where their Monarchist faction would be supported by the Austrians. Prince Leobald fell back into the
Trans-Ister steppes where, supported by the Russians, he attempted to recoup his losses by allying with the Kozaki and Kalmuki tribes. Prince Leopold's Constitutionalists would hold onto central part of the nations supported by the English and the French. The fighting would not
end until Leobald's final defeat and death in October 1834. An agreement was then struck by which the
childless King Leon would recognize one of Leopold’s sons as his heir. Leopold would voluntarily exile himself once more. Queen Carlotta's agreement was gained by
granting her the principality of Gruastark as an autonomous vassal state of the
Austrian Empire.
Lord
James Dalhousie remains alive, to the extent that such a word can be applied to
his condition. It was determined that
removal of his brain would have enabled the creatures to leave the sewers to
everyone’s harm. Also religious authorities felt that removal of the brain from the device would have amounted to murder. Therefore his brain was kept in place and
functions in the intended capacity.
Lord
Dalhousie’s debts were paid in full by the Royal Treasury of Ruritania. A large annual stipend was also established
to pay for his supply of whiskey. Title
in the estate at Cranliarch was transfer to Miss Elspeth Dalhousie, spinster.
Shortly
after the Battle of Lake Czud, the Diet formed a special joint Commission to
determine a more permanent solution to the problem. The Commission has yet to
issue a recommendation thirty one years later.
Due to
Lord Dalhousie’s continuing existence and the Church’s inability to find
suitable grounds for an annulment acceptable under Ruritanian church law, Count
Leonardo was unable to marry Lady Effie.
On King
Leon’s death on Christmas Day, 1834, Count Leonardo should have been crowned
King. However, upon learning he would
have been forced to put aside Lady Effie, he refused the crown,
saying he could not carry out the duties of King “without the hewp and suppowt
of the woman I wove.” His younger half-brother, Radomir, became King Vladislav VI Radomir.
Count Leonardo and
Lady Effie followed Prince Leopold on his peripatetic fight for liberty. Leopold died in 1848 serving with Garibaldi. The Count and his lady continued in the Prince's tradition. As I write this, Leonardo and Lady Effie are in America, engaged in the fight
to end slavery there.
Franz
Dippel went to the gallows for his crimes on January 10, 1833. Geli von Elphberg left Ruritania shortly after the end of the war. He was the cause of a number of troubles for a large number of people for many of the following years.
Anton
Smelchak reformed the National Police and made them the model for the rest of
Europe in dedication and incorruptibility.
He went on to become the Prosecutor General where he achieved history in
1851 by convicting several members of the Post Office and living to tell about
it. His efforts at reform were so successful that
I (and Big Saucy) retired from criminal life in 1839… for the most part.
Tsura
along with Zoltan and his gypsies left Ruritania, having been given a 48 hour
head start for their services. Their
whereabouts are currently unknown.
Even
after the events of 1832, the College of Thaumaturgy has never revived. It still operates with a few faculty members and students, more as a curiosity
than anything else. Currently fulfilling
the thankless role of Dean is Gedrias Topicz.
The
Amazing Sufflay may be seen at Theatr Komediko every Tuesday and Thursday nights and
twice on Saturdays. There are usually
plenty of seats available.
The
Holy Greco-Roman Catholic Church of Ruritania celebrates September 2 as the
Feast of Saint Drko the Rugged.
Jan
Milna became the youngest (and poorest) General in Ruritanian history. Refusing
material rewards for his service, he has been satisfied with the symbolic
honors the nation has given him. His
beloved wife Nikolina has become known as the Angel of the Svenkta Methodi for
her innumerable charitable works, accomplished with her husbands meager army
pay. All of their several sons have
entered service of the nation.
Sandorius
resigned as Dean of the School of Thaumaturgy immediately after the Battle of
Lake Czud. He served Leopold for the
remainder of the war but then left Ruritania at its end. He never spoke of Elizabeth … or the Countess
again. His travels are the stuff of legends.
As for
me, I decided I wasn't interested in army life again; I had grown too used to
my independence. At the end of the
campaign of 1832, I returned to the College.
However without Sandorius there, I was thoroughly bored.
One
day about a week after my return, I was in my office when I received a visitor.
It was
Bogacz, Smelchak's crazy old driver. I
was surprised because I don't think we had ever exchanged more than half a
dozen words to each other. He came in an
offered me a sugar biscuit out of a large sack he carried.
"I
came to offer my congratulations," he said, as he pulled flask out of his
pocket and offered me a sip of brfnish.
"Yes, you did very well. Far
better than anyone had a right to expect."
"Thank
you, Bogacz but is that all you stopped by to say?"
"Actually,
no. You did so well, we were wondering
if you wanted to come work for us?"
"No
thank you, I am done working with the police.
"Oh,
I don't work for the police."
"Really?"
"I
was wondering how you would feel about being a mail inspector?"
