The three officers bowed and reverentially retreated a few steps; but their eyes rested with intense interest upon the count, who now broke the seal and unfolded the paper.  A deep silence followed.  The piercing glances of the three warriors rested on the count’s countenance, which maintained steadfastly its grave, serious expression.  But now a scornful laugh burst from him, ’and for a moment an expression of wild joy illuminated his features.  He rose, and with the paper in his hand approached the soldiers.  “Gentlemen,” he said quietly, “I have a piece of news to communicate to you, which I fear will incommode you and your men a little, and is not calculated to heighten the love of the military for their chief.  The Elector commands me, until further notice, to put the troops upon summer allowance, and the payment now in arrears is regarded as coming under the same regulation.  I beg you will inform your troops of this.”

“That is shameful!  That is contemptible!  That will put the soldiers in a perfect fury!” screamed the three officers together.

“I do not mean to tell my men!” exclaimed Herr von Rochow—­“no, I shall not tell them, for the fellows would be frantic, and in their desperation might commit shameful acts!”

“I shall tell my men on the spot!” grumbled Herr von Kracht.  “I shall tell them on purpose to make them desperate, to make them rave!  As far as I am concerned, they are welcome to vent their spleen upon all Berlin, upon the whole region round about.  Let them go around, plundering and laying the country under contribution; they are justified in doing so, for the fellows can not subsist in winter on summer allowance, and therefore must rob and plunder.”

“I shall tell my soldiers directly, too,” shouted Herr von Goldacker.  “Not but that it will give rise to a pretty tale of murder, a devilish scandal.  There will result a military out-break, and the burghers of Berlin and Cologne may look to themselves; but the Elector has so willed it—­the Elector excites us as well as our subordinates to open insurrection.  Let him work his will now; it will only convince him that we are not to be ruled by scraps of paper and decrees scribbled by feather-headed clerks, and that he is not the irresistible lord, to whose piping we dance.  The little Elector shall be made to know that the Emperor alone is our supreme officer, to him we have sworn fealty, and to him we cling despite the Elector and all his deputies.  I am going on the spot to give my commissioner his dismissal—­to tell him that I shall not swear, and then to carry to my soldiers the news of their having been put upon summer allowance!”

“I will go with you,” cried Herr von Kracht.  “I will also put my commissioner out of the door, and convey the glad tidings to the garrison of Berlin.”

“And I,” said Herr von Rochow, “will forthwith dispatch a courier to Spandow, to tell my lieutenant that he must send the commissioner out of the fort, and tell the garrison that they are put on summer allowance.  It will stir up a fine hub-bub, I am sure of that.”