ps to fall on the flank of the Imperialist
centre when one of Duke Bernhard's aides-de-camp dashed up with the news
that the left wing had fallen back broken and in disorder.

Leaving to Count Stalhaus to continue to press the enemy, Gustavus,
accompanied by his staff, rode at full gallop to the left at the head of
Steinboch's regiment of dragoons. Arrived on the spot he dashed to the
front at a point where his men had not yet been forced back across the
road, and riding among them roused them to fresh exertions. By his side
were Franz Albert of Lauenberg and a few other followers. But his pace
had been so furious that Steinboch's dragoons had not yet arrived. As
he urged on his broken men Gustavus was struck in the shoulder by a
musketball. He reeled in his saddle, but exclaimed, "It is nothing," and
ordered them to charge the enemy with the dragoons. Malcolm Graheme and
others on his staff hesitated, but the king exclaimed, "Ride all,
the duke will see to me." The cavalry dashed forward, and the king,
accompanied only by Franz Albert, Duke of Lauenberg, turned to leave the
field, but he had scarcely moved a few paces when he received another
shot in the back. Calling out to Franz Albert that it was all over with
him, the mortally wounded king fell to the ground.

Franz Albert, believing the battle lost, galloped away; the king's
page alone remained with the dying man. A minute later three Austrian
cuirassiers rode up, and demanded the name of the dying man. The page
Leubelfing refused to give it, and firing their pistols at him they
stretched him mortally wounded beside the dying king. Gustavus then, but
with difficulty, said who he was. The troopers leapt from their horses
and stripped his rich armour from him, and then, as they saw Steinboch's
dragoons returning from their charge, they placed their pistols close to
the king's head and fired, and then leaping on their horses fled.

Great was the grief when Malcolm, happening to ride near the body,
recognized it as that of the king. An instant later a regiment of
Imperialist cavalry charged down, and a furious fight took place for
some minutes over the king's body. It was, however, at last carried
off by the Swedes, so disfigured by wounds and by the trampling of the
horses in the fray as to be unrecognizable.

The news of the fall of their king, which spread rapidly through
the ranks, so far from discouraging the Swedes, inspired them with a
desperate determinatio