Colonel von Krosick, like the remainder of the officers, had drunk his fair share of wine.  He never liked his royal subaltern, and took no pains to conceal his sentiments.  The arrogance of the prince’s utterances, as well as his assumption of superiority, exasperated him beyond measure, and, breaking into the conversation, he exclaimed in tones that were heard throughout the apartment: 

“Aber das ist ja der bloedste Unsinn [But that is the most ridiculous nonsense];” and then proceeded to contemptuously ridicule William’s arguments.

Much nettled, and quite as short-tempered as his colonel, William called out, half jokingly, half bitterly: 

“That is all very well, colonel.  You are my superior officer at present, and I am bound to defer to your opinion.  But our positions may change one of these days, and then you will see.”

Perfectly frantic and purple in the face, Colonel von Krosick thundered forth: 

“When that day comes to pass, prince, I will rather break my sabre across my knee than serve under your command.”

Immediately the whole place was in an uproar.  The Austrian crown prince being the first to jump from his seat, and a minute later both princes had left the mess-room and the barracks.  Contrary to general expectation, Prince William made no report about the matter, either to his father or grandfather, and Colonel von Krosick heard nothing more about the affair.

Of course he expected to receive his discharge when William ascended the throne.  But to his amazement, he has ever since been made the object of the most signal favor, kindliness and respect:  the respect that is frequently entertained by a man after he has grown up toward the head master who caned him when he was at school.  Indeed, William seems never to be able to forget that he was for several years under the old martinet’s direct command.

In spite of Emperor William being at the present moment over forty years of age, he still retains a great store of boyishness, and in particular, a liking for practical jokes, though never when they are at his own expense!  It is not so very long ago that he had notified a number of generals and military dignitaries to meet him at the railroad station at Potsdam, at half-past eleven in the evening, in order to accompany him to manoeuvres that were to be held at a place several hours’ distance on the following day.  Leaving the palace on foot shortly after eleven, he entered the railroad station by a back door, and managed to slip in without being recognized.

Shielded by the darkness, he made his way unobserved to the special train, which was in waiting, got into his carriage by the door on the opposite side from the platform.  For at least half an hour he amused himself by peeping at the officers on the platform, whose faces expressed surprise and vexation that his majesty, ordinarily so punctual, should be so long in coming.  Suddenly he raised the blind, opened the window, and intimated by loud and prolonged laughter his presence in the carriage, and the success of his little trick.  The astonishment and the dismay depicted on the visages of those on the platform can be more easily imagined than described.