Prussia, Offenburg, railway station. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

Moltke, dressed in civilian clothes, looked at the train that entered the station, and his face became more and more pale.

It was a sunny morning, and the glowing gray light shone on the faces of those who were asleep, exhausted from the long journey. The Prussian soldiers slept in their seats, some with their heads bowed and some leaning back in their chairs. The morning glow rose and sprinkled the whole land with a bright red glow. The air is fresh and vibrant. The soldiers woke up.

The train passes through many small stations. Not a single stop. It's crowded everywhere. As the sun rose from behind the knoll, several of the soldiers began to pray, and the others followed them in their morning prayers, and the first golden rays of the sun shone on the solemn and pious faces of the peasant soldiers.

The train stopped at the platform, and the crowd immediately gathered around it, and the news had already come from the front: victory! Victory! It's been hours since the telecommunications arrived. The people were overjoyed by the good news of this victory, and they were all ecstatic. People jumped out of bed, ran out of the door before they were dressed, and ran straight to the station. National flags were already flying on the rooftops of some houses, and people were waving handkerchiefs. They brought beer, tobacco and cigars to the carriage with an indescribable level of enthusiasm, and everyone was smiling and red. The song resounded like a storm in the sky. Some cried with joy, others hugged each other in congratulations. Driven by noble passions, the people threw out all they had to comfort the soldiers. The soldiers were also in high spirits, singing loudly, and the carriages were shaken by the majestic singing of the men.

The houses on both sides of the railway are displayed with national flags. At some railway stations, the train stays longer. Because there are trains parked everywhere. Soldiers from all over Germany were hurrying to the front to take over from their victorious brethren, and all the trains were covered with green leafy crowns. The infantry, most of whom were young men, could be heard talking and shouting in every carriage with flowers that had been given to them in the breeches of their guns. The soldiers were also in high spirits, singing loudly, and the carriages were shaken by the majestic singing of the men, but the common people were amazed to hear the songs they were not familiar with. "It's the Poles! It's the Poles! People said again and again. People crowded towards their carriages. They admired the heroism of these warriors and heard many stories about the valor of the Polish regiments, which made them especially excited.

If the soldiers were still sad when they set off, now they all seem to be extremely excited and energetic.

However, their excitement was disturbed by the first train carrying the sick and wounded from the front, which stopped at the station to make way for those who urgently needed to go to the front. But by the time the trains had crossed the bridge, it would take hours. So the recruits ran to see the sick and wounded. Some of them were lying in stuffy tankers, some were lying in open-top cars, and only these wounded could see clearly, and many of them saw it at first glance, and their heroism was suddenly shortened by half.

"Come here and have a look! Buddies! Someone shouted in terror: "Look at you! What did the French do to torture our compatriots? ”

It was a terrible sight. The pale and haggard faces were blackened by gunpowder and wounds, others bloodstained. Faced with the laughter of the crowd outside the car, they could only respond with moans. Some of the sick and wounded were cursing the war, the French and the Prussians, their black, scorched lips constantly shouting for water. His eyes were wandering. The stiff faces of the dying could be seen everywhere among the wounded and sick, some of them calm, with a purple-blue circle around the eyes; Others were distorted by spasms, with frightening eyes open and clenched teeth. Many of the recruits saw the bloody fruits of war for the first time in their lives. Their hearts were in chaos again, some of them stood in the crowd with their eyes wide open, their mouths open, and they were squeezed around, and some of them were beaten with a stick from the gendarmes on their backs.

Although many young people are already theoretically fighters, have participated in military training and exercises, and have also fired guns. I also know that war is about killing. But now, when they see the bloody and sick wounded, and when they see the terrible scenes of war, they feel uncomfortable, as if they are about to collapse. Both legs were almost unsupportable. They developed a fear of the French again, and it was not until they saw the captives that this fear was removed. At the central station, they saw the captives for the first time. The captives were surrounded by many soldiers and civilians, who looked at the captives proudly, but not with hostility, and some pushed the crowd away with their arms, squeezed in, and looked into the carriage with great surprise.

A large group of French soldiers, dressed in tattered uniforms, thin and dirty, and haggard-looking, packed the carriages like a bucket of pickled herring. Many people stretched out their hands to accept what the crowd had given them, as long as the guards did not hinder them. The recruits now had a very different impression of the French, and their courage and self-confidence had regained in their hearts.

The last carriages were filled with soldiers from Algeria, and since they were all sitting in covered carriages, it was impossible to see if they were so big: one man could fit two or three ordinary people. However, looking in from the car window, you can see these soldiers with long beards, their complexion is dark, their eyes show a fierce light, all of them are battle-hardened soldiers, their faces are full of murder, their expressions are awe-inspiring, and when they see them, the recruits are scared again.

The signal sounded to get on the train, and after a while, the train pulled the recruits forward.

Moltke withdrew his gaze from the departing train, and his heart tightened at the thought of the terrible fate that these recruits might face.

Now he is no longer the chief of the General Staff of Prussia, but a bystander to the war.

The thought of these nightmarish days made Moltke's heart go through hell.

At this time, in front of his eyes, the unbearable scene was played back again.

"Your Excellency, Chief of the General Staff, tell me why the detailed battle plans of the General Staff appear in the British and French newspapers?!"

For the first time, the Minister of War, Ron, blushed and snarled loudly at him waving his arms as if he were mad.

"I can't explain how this happened, but I can guarantee that neither I nor anyone in the General Staff had anything to do with it." Moltke replied loudly.

Listening to Moltke's answer, King Wilhelm, whose face was pale, looked at Bismarck, who met the king's gaze and shook his head slightly. King Wilhelm understood the meaning of Bismarck's gaze and could not help but let out a heavy sigh.

Both he and Bismarck understood that Moltke was telling the truth, and it was impossible for him and the General Staff to leak secrets.

According to the process, the battle plan drawn up by the General Staff needs to be summarized to the Chief of the General Staff, Moltke. After Moltke's own review, it was sent to Bismarck and King Wilhelm for approval. In other words, only the three of them could see the entire battle plan.

Both King Wilhelm and Bismarck knew that Moltke, as the maker and executor of the war plan, had waited too long for it to leak his plan to the enemy. And it is impossible for anyone in the General Staff to know the entire plan except Moltke, and naturally there is no way to leak secrets.

"Your Excellency, could you tell me now, how did the French escape from Metz and retreat to Chalon?" Long continued to wave the Times and Le Figaro in his hand at Moltke, "If it wasn't for the French knowing about our plan of attack, how could they have fled so quickly?" ”

"The flight of the French has nothing to do with the battle plan of the General Staff!" In the face of Long's series of angry questions, Moltke, who was not good at words, also roared this time, "I repeat, no one in the General Staff has leaked secrets!" No! ”

"But now the whole battle plan is openly in the British newspapers! And it was reprinted word by word by French newspapers! Now that the French know our whole plan, how do you explain that it happened? Long's forehead was bruised, and he was clearly furious.

"We have been preparing for this war for four years, and you tell me that everything will be as precise as a clock, but now? We have already paid the price of 80,000 casualties since entering France, but we have not made the slightest progress! Long waved the army casualty statistics table in his hand and glared at Moltke, his eyes seemed to fall out of his sockets, "We have always unreservedly believed in the loyalty of the General Staff, but is this how the General Staff reciprocates?" ”

"I will not allow you to slander the loyalty of the General Staff to the country!" Moltke trembled with anger.

"I will not allow anyone to betray our country!" Long jerked out his sword, "Your Excellency! If you don't give a reasonable explanation, I ask for a duel with you! ”

"I don't need to give you any explanation!" Moltke's brain was full of blood, and in a rage, he also drew his sword, "The reputation of myself and the General Staff will never be slandered by anyone!" If you don't change your opinion, apologize to me, and I will accept your request for a duel! ”

"That's good! I ask Your Majesty and Your Excellency the Prime Minister to be witnesses to our duel! Long's voice was hoarse because of the excessive roar.

"Stop!"

Seeing that the two drew their swords in front of the king and prepared for a duel, Bismarck was shocked and hurriedly shouted to stop.

King William took a deep breath and stepped off the throne.

――――Dividing Line――――

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