A dish of fried eggs and bacon is ordered from a hideous old wench that comes to serve them, in place of the lovely creature which had been expected; and the captain, laughing, says:
CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN
Well, our meal is a frugal one, but a soldier has many a time a worse.
Taking off his hat, sword-belt, and gloves, with great ceremony, Galgenstein sits down to eat. Roderick puts his weapons securely on the old chest of drawers where the captain's is laid.
The hideous old woman brings in a pot of very sour wine, at which, and at her ugliness, Roderick feels a considerable ill-humor.
RODERICK
(when she leaves)
Where's the beauty you promised me?
CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN
(laughing and looking hard at Roderick)
It was my joke. I was tired, and did not care to go farther. There's not prettier woman here than that. If she won't suit your fancy, my friend, then you must wait awhile.
This increases Roderick's ill-humor.
RODERICK
(sternly)
Upon my word, sir, I think you have acted very coolly.
CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN
I have acted as I think fit. Sir, I'm a British officer.
CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN
It's a lie! You're a deserter! You're an impostor, sir; Your lies and folly have confirmed this to me. You pretend to carry dispatches to a general who has been dead these ten months; you have an uncle who is an ambassador and whose name you don't know. Will you join and take the bounty, sir, or will you be given up?
RODERICK
Neither! Springing at him like a tiger.
But, agile as he is, Galgenstein is equally on his guard. He takes two pistols out of his pockets, fires one off, and says, from the other end of the table where he stands dodging Roderick, as it were.
CAPTAIN GALGENSTEIN
Advance a step, and I send this bullet into your brains!
The door is flung open, and the two sergeants enter, armed with musket and bayonet to aid their captain.
The game is up. Roderick flings down a knife with which he had armed himself, for the old hag, on bringing in the wine, had removed his sword.
RODERICK
I volunteer.
Prussian troops on the march. Roderick is now one of them.
Captain Galgenstein rides by.
RODERICK (V.O.)
At the close of the Seven Years' War, the Prussian army, so renowned for its disciplined valor, was officered and under-officered by native Prussians, it is true, but was composed for the most part of men hired or stolen, like myself, from almost every nation in Europe. The deserting to and fro was prodigious.
Prussian punishment gauntlet.
RODERICK (V.O.)
The life the private soldier led was a frightful one to any but the men of iron courage and endurance. The punishment was incessant.
RODERICK (V.O.)
I was not near so unhappy, in spite of all, as I had been on my first enlisting in Ireland. At least, there will be no one of my acquaintance who will witness my shame, and that is the point which I have always cared for most.
Rape, pillage and burn.
Brief thematic repeat of British army version.
RODERICK (V.O.)
I reasoned with myself thus: "Now you are caught, there is no use in repining -- make the best of your situation, and get all the pleasure you can out of it. There are a thousand opportunities of plunder, offered to the soldier in war time, out of which he can get both pleasure and profit; make use of these, and be happy."
Prussians against Austrians, or French, or Saxons. Roderick fighting.
RODERICK (V.O.)
I do not intend to make a history of battles in the Prussian any more than in the English service. I did my duty in them as well as another, and there was not a braver, cleverer, handsomer, and, I must own, wickeder soldier in the Prussian army.
RODERICK
I had formed myself to the condition of the proper fighting beast; on a day of action, I was savage and happy.
Roderick saves Captain Galgenstein's life.
Roderick is decorated by Colonel Bulow for his heroism in saving Captain Galgenstein.
Colonel Bulow gives Roderick two Frederic d'or in front of the regiment.