850 Ten Years of my Life. 



but in the ' Petit Lyce'e ' hospital, was a young officer from 

 Coblentz, a friend of ours, Count Luttichau, and also a Captain 

 Voelkel. Both ol them had young wives, and their only 

 thought was with them, and ever and again they wished to 

 have them near their bed. I therefore promised to telegraph 

 for them ; but found it very difficult to keep my promise, for I 

 had to go to many persons and at last to apply for permission 

 to the commander of the army himself 



The wounded were happy when I told them that I had tele- 

 graphed, and they counted the hours. Whenever poor 

 Luttichau heard me he opened his large black eyes and asked 

 with such a longing voice whether his dear wife had not ar- 

 rived yet. Travelling in that time, was, however, a difficult 

 thing, depending on chance and taxing patience to the utmost. 

 Both Countess Luttichau and Mrs. Voelkel bved in Coblentz. 

 The latter being retained by some circumstance or other, the 

 countess started alone, and arrived on the morning when poor 

 Captain Voelkel died. About twelve hours later in the middle 

 of the night, when I was already in bed, somebody knocked 

 at my door ; it was Mrs.- Captain Voelkel ; I felt so very sorry 

 for the poor young wife, who was quite stiff with cold, for the 

 weather was very severe, and I gave up my bed to hei. 



The young widow wanted to take the body oi her husband 

 home ; and I had to run about to the prefecture, the head- 

 quarters, to order a coffin, etc., and all the people employed 

 m that sad affair came to me. Countess Luttichau was more 

 fortunate, she had the happiness to nurse her husband and see 

 him recover. 



In the commencement of January we received notice to 

 provide proper accommodation for General von Blankensee, 

 who had typhoid fever. The general, who had been suffering 

 already some time from fever, would not admit that he was ill, 

 but at last when he became delirious, he had t^ go'to Amiens. 

 On his arrival, and descending from the carriage, two soldiers 

 offered to assist him, but he shook them off impatiently, saying 

 that he was not so ill and weak that he could not walk alone, 

 and collecting all his strength he really did ; but he was so 

 wasted and pale that it was pitiful to look at him. 



As he felt uncomfortable in the narrow hospital bed and 

 wished for a wider one, I tried to satisfy him, ari could not 

 manage it in any other manner than by enterini^ with some 



