‘Yours are noble scars, my warrior! But you there, youngster, how does the soldier’s life appeal to you?’
‘Quite well, my good Sir! I stand in the ranks as if I were poured of bronze; I shoot from a rifle as if I were wielding a pen, and few they are who can match my mark on the shooting range, driving my ball deeper into the target!’
‘And you have become so enamoured of it, then, young man?’
‘Oh, that I have! And when it shall come to war, we shall all stand as firm as a wall on behalf of King and country, and our enemy will never set a foot within the borders of our motherland, unless it be over our dead bodies.’
‘Praiseworthy are your words, youngster! Are there many from your region in the army?’
‘A whole army of them alone are to be found in our regiment, and in the grenadiers, a
