3D OFFICER.  Afire, as I live!

1ST OFFICER.  Afire!  Afire! 
  The flames are darting up the steeple now!

GOLZ.  Hey!  How the Swedish aides fly right and left!

2D OFFICER.  They’re in retreat!

KOTTWITZ.  Where?

1ST OFFICER.  There, at their right flank!

3D OFFICER.  In masses!  Sure enough!  Three regiments! 
  The intention seems to be to brace the left.

2D OFFICER.  My faith!  And now the horse are ordered out
  To screen the right living’s march!

HOHENZOLLERN (with a laugh).  Hi!  How they’ll scamper
  When they get ware of us here in the vale!

[Musketry fire.]

KOTTWITZ.  Look, brothers, look!

2D OFFICER.  Hark!

1ST OFFICER.  Fire of musketry!

3D OFFICER.  They’re at each other now in the redoubts!

GOLZ.  My God, in my born days I never heard
  Such thunder of artillery!

HOHENZOLLERN.  Shoot!  Shoot! 
  Burst open wide the bowels of the earth! 
  The cleft shall be your corpses’ sepulchre!

[Pause.  Shouts of victory in the distance.]

1ST OFFICER.  Lord in the heavens, who grants men victories! 
  Wrangel is in retreat already!

HOHENZOLLERN.  No!

GOLZ.  By heaven, friends!  Look!  There on his left
  flank! 
  He’s drawing back his guns from the redoubts!

ALL.  Oh, triumph!  Triumph!  Victory is ours!

THE PRINCE (descending from the hillock). 
  On, Kottwitz, follow me!

KOTTWITZ.  Come, cool now—­cool!

THE PRINCE.  On!  Let the trumpets sound the charge! 
  And on!

KOTTWITZ.  Cool, now, I say.

THE PRINCE (wildly). 
  By heaven and earth and hell!

KOTTWITZ.  Our liege’s Highness in the ordinance
  Commanded we should wait his orders here. 
  Golz, read the gentlemen the ordinance.

THE PRINCE.  Orders?  Eh, Kottwitz, do you ride so slow? 
  Have you not heard the orders of your heart?

KOTTWITZ.  Orders?

HOHENZOLLERN.  Absurd!

KOTTWITZ.  The orders of my heart?

HOHENZOLL.  Listen to reason, Arthur!

GOLZ.  Here, my chief!

KOTTWITZ (offended). 
  Oh, ho! you give me that, young gentleman?—­The
  nag you dance about on, at a pinch
  I’ll tow him home yet at my horse’s tail! 
  March, march, my gentlemen!  Trumpets, the
  charge! 
  On to the battle, on!  Kottwitz is game!

GOLZ (to KOTTWITZ). 
  Never, my colonel, never!  No, I swear!

2D OFFICER.  Remember, Hennings’ not yet at the Rhyn!

1ST OFFICER.  Relieve him of his sword!

THE PRINCE.  My sword, you say?