Ilse was shown into Colonel Kraut’s office. he was the Governor of Welle and the commander of the Welle Infantry Regiment. After a formal greeting he waited until his aide had shut the door. He started with some pleasantries “Now if I remember correctly we have met before at your father’s residence?”
“That’s correct; I was eleven at the time”
“And, you had fallen out of a tree and broken your arm, or was that your sister”
“No the mayor had pulled the ladder away from under me when I was stealing his apples”
“Indeed, and why were you doing that?”
“Because the boys had dared me too, and then they ran and didn’t warn me when the mayor was coming”
“So was your trip across the border another dare or acting as a courier for your father?”
After a moment’s hesitation, while she realised that the colonel was aware of her father’s role and what the best answer was, she replied “a courier”
“So can you tell me anything about the Prussians and their plans? We’ve been put on a war footing because of their forces in Sedrot and that’s why our patrols are so careful”
“Sorry, I was just collecting information about what was happening in Pommaine, and it’s rather urgent”
Right, it’s too late now. So my adjutant will arrange accommodation for you and then first thing tomorrow once the telegraph is open I’ll send a message to General Wurst about where to send you, as he’ll know where your father is. I trust you will join me for breakfast at eight?"
Of course, thank you for you assistance"
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4 comments:
"telegraph"? Like a semaphore?
So Chappe was a plagiarist?
Nothing against it, personally! A very small pinch of Lacepunk to spice even more an enthralling story.
Maybe, I'm thinking of the system devised by Johann Andreas Benignus Bergsträsser
You're right, the Synthematographe predates the Chappe system: thanks for the information!
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