Page:The Hessians and the other German auxiliaries of Great Britain in the revolutionary war.djvu/214

 194 “It is true. The idea passed through my mind, so that one day when the king offered to have his fleet shown to me, I answered that I hoped to see it some day, and then went away secretly, to avoid the embarrassment of having to refuse again.” Frau von Riedesel was able, while travelling, to observe something of the feeling of the inhabitants towards the mercenaries. At one house where they stopped for the night she noticed a great deal of meat, and asked the hostess to let her have some. “I have many kinds,” was the answer, “beef, veal, and mutton.” The baroness's mouth watered. “Give me some,” said she, “I will pay you well.” The woman snapped her fingers. “You shall have none,” cried she. “Why did you come out of your own country to kill us and devour our property? Now you are our prisoners, and it is our turn to plague you.” “See these poor children," answered the baroness, “they are almost dying of hunger.” The woman would not be persuaded until Frau von Riedesel's little daughter, only eighteen months old, seized her hand and said to her: “Good woman, I am very hungry.” Thereupon the woman took the child into the next room and gave her an egg. “No,” said the child, “I have two sisters.” The woman was moved, gave the child three eggs, and bread and milk to the mother. Frau von Riedesel saw her opportunity, brought out her stock of tea, then a great rarity, and offered some to the countrywoman. The baroness presently went into the kitchen, where the woman's husband was eating a pig's tail. This he