Von Bergman picks up the young woman's fan, smiles at her, hands it over to her and says that he awaits a vital meeting and bids her good night. As she leaves the French delegation come into sight , bid him welcome and ask him to join them in private to discuss urgent matters.........
3 comments:
Narrator: The delegation consists of l'Comte de Rapprochement and his Secretaire Claude.
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von Bergmann: "Thank you for coming to see me."
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Rapprochement: "I beg your forgiveness. The entire Foreign Ministry and more were overtaken by events in Germania. There was a great battle at Preisserstadt. Casualties are dreadful if not horrific. Totally our fault for not arriving here sooner.
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von Bergmann: "Oh dear. I forgive you of course but none is needed, also of course."
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Rapprochement: "Merci mon ami. Fortunately Der Erbprinz has retired to the eastwards or was it southeastwards and our Marshall de Broglie miantains his position near Minden though much reduced."
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von Bergmann: "Still, the opponent withdrew which is a good thing."
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Rapprochement: "Oui, but in this case barely. Well let us turn to our business. Let me give you the letter from the Ministre de Guerre, if I may. Secretaire Claude, sil vous plait?"
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Claude: Your Excellency Monsieur von Bergmann, here is his sealed envelope. [The secretay hands the letter to von Bergmann who opens it and commences reading...]
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Lettre:
Your Excellency,
His Majesty's Government wishes to convey its unbreakable friendship with Tradgardland. In proof of this we offer the following military cooperations to commence as soon as is possible given the practicabilities of resources, weather and circumstance, hopefully no later than May 1758.
1. We welcome your convoys to the New World at Brest to there combine with ours so that our combined naval ships of war will be more numerous as we sail to the colonies.
2. We also welcome the opportunity to participate with naval escorts and ships en-flute to carry soldiers for your governments proposed descent north of Scotland no later than the autumn of 1758. For reasons of secrecy but moreover of planning, I am unable to give a specific number as I write, but these important details can be arranged more closely in the winter.
3. In exchange we desire your military forces to cross the Baltic and land on its northern shore at a place of your choosing to discombobulate our joint continental foe. This may be as light as a feint or heavier as a major invasion.
We should be pleased to learn your government's remarks and decisons about the above no later than February as
I remain
Votre Obeissant Serviteur,
l'Duc de Formidable
Ministre de Guerre
Gallia
Rapprochement Continues: "My dear von Bergmann, as I listened to your reading of Formidable's lettre, I note he transposed a word. Where he desires Tradgardland to cross the Baltic to its northern shore, he actually meant the southern shore in the region of Pomerania."
von Bergmann: "Oui, yes I thought that too. I will ink in a clarification, if you would be so kind as to note it as well."
Rapprochement: "Certainly."
Narrator: Of course Rapprochement will need a new letter from l'Duc de Formidable correcting the error. A few hours later he returned to von Bergmann with a new lettre correcting the error.
Rapprochement: "All is now in order as you have just seen mon très cher ami."
von Bergmann: "Oui. Thank you. Prodigious! And now, if I may beg to take leave of you I may be able to boad the galley to return home."
Narrator: The two shake hands. Within hours von Bergmann will be aboard the galley bound for Le Havre to board the frigate l'Vengeance to return to Tragardland. Will the ever-present and vexing Britannian frigate Invinceable appear to bar his way? Time will tell. Only time and circumstance will tell.
As von Bergmann approaches his suite, he is intercepted by mischievous, young maid who slips something wrapped in lace into his hands and quickly retires down the corridor.
Unwrapping the lace, he finds the fancy fan the mysterious lady had dropped earlier ... and a note:
My Cheri v. Bergmann,
Please excuse the subterfuge.
You must come to me, there are matters affecting Tragardland's goals. Remember how Gallia treated the Hanse.
Y'r devoted
Margravin Rhabbidiers
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