Hyndford, "Milord, all is divulged, our Klein-Schnellendorf
mystery public as the house-tops;" and vanished with a shrug of the
shoulders,--thinking doubtless to himself, "What is OUR next move to be,
in consequence?" Treaty with Kur-Baiern (November 4th) he had already
signed in consequence, expressly declaring for Kur-Baiern, and the
French intentions towards him. This news from Prag--Prag handsomely
captured, if Vienna had been foolishly neglected--put him upon a new
Adventure, of which in following Chapters we shall hear more.

THE FRENCH SAFE IN PRAG; KAISERWAHL JUST COMING ON.

Grand-Duke Franz, with that respectable amount of Army under him, ought
surely to have advanced on Prag, and done some stroke of war for relief
of it, while time yet was. Grand-Duke Franz, his Brother Karl with him
and his old Tutor Neipperg, both of whom are thought to have some skill
in war, did advance accordingly. But then withal there was risk at Prag;
and he always paused again, and waited to consider. From Frating, on the
16th, [Espagnac, i. 87.] he had got to Neuhaus, quite across Mahren into
Bohemian ground, and there joined with Lobkowitz and what Bohemian
force there was; by this time an Army which you would have called much
stronger than the French. Forward, therefore! Yes; but with pauses, with
considerations. Pause of two days at Neuhaus; thence to Tabor (famed
Zisca's Tabor), a safe post, where again pause three days. From Tabor
is broad highway to Prag, only sixty miles off now:--screwing their
resolution to the sticking-point, Grand-Duke and Consorts advance at
length with fixed determination, all Friday, all Saturday (November
24th, 25th), part of Sunday too, not thinking it shall be only PART;
and their light troops are almost within sight of Prag, when--they learn
that Prag is scaladed the night before, and quite settled; that there
is nothing except destruction to be looked for in Prag! Back again,
therefore, to the Tabor-and-Budweis land. They strike into that boggy
broken country about Budweis, some 120 miles south of Prag; and will
there wait the signs of the times.

Grand-Duke Franz had seen war, under Seckendorf, under Wallis and
otherwise, in the disastrous Turk Countries; but, though willing
enough, was never much of a soldier: as to Neipperg, among his own men
especially, the one cry is, He ought to go about his business out of
Austrian Armies, as an imbecile and even a traitor. "Is it conceivable
that F