Then his thoughts took their usual form of a
muttered aside.
"It is a case of compromise. Always like that. The good God had to
compromise with the first woman he created almost at once. And men
have done it ever since--and have never had the best of it. See
here," he said aloud, turning to Desiree, "I will make a bargain
with you. I will eat my last night's supper here at this table,
now, if you will eat yours."
"Agreed."
"Are you hungry?" asked Barlasch, when the scanty meal was set out
before him.
"Yes."
"So am I."
He laughed quite gaily now, and the meal was not without a certain
air of festivity, though it consisted of nothing better than two
ounces of horse and half an ounce of ham eaten in company of that
rye-bread made with one-third part of straw which Rapp allowed the
citizens to buy.
For Rapp had first tamed his army, and was now taming the
Dantzigers. He had effected discipline in his own camp by getting
his regiments into shape, by establishing hospitals (which were
immediately filled), and by protecting the citizens from the
depredations of the starving fugitives who had been poured pell-mell
into the town.
Then he turned his attention to the Dantzigers, who were openly or
secretly opposed to him. He seized their churches and turned them
into stores; their schools he used for hospitals, their monasteries
for barracks. He broke into their cellars, and took the wine for
the sick.
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