His foe stepped back, and then men were pulling him away.
“What’s going on here?” bellowed the voice of Captain Ecke.
“This man here, Ludwig, assaulted Sergeant Baldric,” accused Quentin.
Ludwig tried to speak out, but between the beating and the drink, he could barely take it all in.
“It’s true,” added Emile. “I saw it myself.”
“What about you, Sergeant?” asked Ecke.
Baldric was wiping blood from his face. “Yes, Captain. Ludwig attacked me as we passed. He was in a blind fury. It must have been the drink.”
The captain leaned in close to Ludwig’s face. “What have you to say for yourself, man?”
Ludwig spat out blood but said nothing. The witnesses had already condemned him.
“This is bad, Ludwig,” continued the captain. “Baldric is a sergeant, and this is a serious breach of discipl
