Yes; and rumor, for once, was true.
General Seidlitz was there with fifteen hundred brave cavalrymen.
The French are noted for their politeness, and it did not fail them
upon this occasion. Without a word, Prince Soubise and his eight
thousand men made room for General Seidlitz and his fifteen hundred,
and hastened from the ducal palace. Before the rich dishes had time
to cool, General Seidlitz and his staff were seated at the table,
enjoying the magnificent dinner prepared for the French generals.
Many prisoners, many spoils were taken afterward. Not that Prince
Soubise had not taken all his soldiers with him, but there was
another small army by which the French troops are always
accompanied. These, the lackeys, valets, cooks, hair-dressers,
ballet-dancers, actresses, priests, etc., etc., were not able to run
as fast as the French soldiers. The spoils consisted in the
equipages of the prince and his staff, in which were boxes and
chests containing precious things, their large chests full of
delightful perfumes and hair-oils, trunks full of wigs, dressing-
gowns, and parasols. There were several learned parrots who had a
leaning to politics, and who exclaimed continually: 'Vive les
Franqais! A bas les Prussiens!' But the kind-hearted General
Seidlitz did not wish to deprive the French army of the necessities
of life; he therefore sent them their valets, cooks, hair-dressers,
actresses, priests, etc.
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