The Breaking of the Storm by Friedrich Spielhagen

The Count had made his arrangements very comfortably. A groom with a lantern rode in front; next came the close carriage, in which the General, Elsa, and the President took their seats; then a dogcart with himself and Reinhold; finally a small luggage-cart for the servants, who were joined by his own man.

In the luggage-cart they were very cheerful.

"Do you always carry so much baggage with you? " asked the Count's servant, giving the carpetbag a contemptuous kick.

"The rest is on board ship still," answered Johann; "but the President never takes much with him; little and good is what he says."

"Just like my General," said August; "it is always the case with us military men. In France we had only one trunk from first to last."

"We had six," said the Count's servant.

"Were you there too, then?"

"Of course, as knights of St. John."

"That is a fine thing!"

"It was very fine for me! " cried the man. "I would go again tomorrow: wine and women to one's heart's content. My master knows what is what, I can tell you. I should not stay six weeks with a man like your General."

"It is not so bad, after all," said August; "if one only does one's confounded duty one can get on with him; it is not so easy, I allow, with the Fräulein."

"Oh! but she looked a very good sort."

"Yes, she! but the old lady, the General's sister; we have no wife, you know."

"I never serve in a house where there is a wife," said the Count's servant, "and above all children."

"Then you would not do with us," said Johann; "we have got a wife and a houseful of young gentlemen and ladies; one of them is married already even. How is it with you?"

"Oh! we are a widower," said August, "not long since, after I came into his service, that may be about five years ago. Since then Fräulein Sidonie is by way of managing the household -- I should think so! That is to say, she would like to manage it; but as far as our young lady can, she won't let it be taken out of her hands. Thank goodness! The old lady was a maid of honour once, at a court where the very mice don't get enough to eat. That is always the worst sort. We have got a young gentleman, too, the lieutenant. Ah! he's a thoughtless one. Good Lord! whatever comes into his hands doesn't stay long! But I have no harm to say of him; live and let live is a good motto. He throws a hard word at your head, and a thaler after it. If he only had more of them!"

"With my old gentleman there are no hard words, but no thalers either," said Johann.

"And with my Count hard words enough, but no thalers," grumbled the other.

"Well, but you said -- "

"Oh, one must understand how to manage it, you know. In perquisites one can make it up."