"Be thankful you have not had your head struck off by sentence of Court-Martial," answered Friedrich.
Schmettau, after some farther troubles from Court quarters, retired to Brandenburg, and there lived silent, poor but honorable, for his remaining fifteen years.

Madam Schmettau came out very beautiful in those bad circumstances: cheery, thrifty, full of loyal patience; a constant sunshine to her poor man, whom she had preceded out of Dresden in the way we saw.

Schmettau was very quiet, still studious of War matters; [See _Leben_ (by his Son, "Captain Schmettau;" a modest intelligent Book), pp.

440-447.] "sent the King" once,--in 1772, while Polish Prussia, and How it could be fortified, were the interesting subject,--"a JOURNAL," which he had elaborated for himself, "OF THE MARCHES OF KARL TWELFTH IN WEST PREUSSEN;" which was well received: "Apparently the King not angry with me farther ?" thought Schmettau.

A completely retired old man; studious, social,--the best men of the Army still his friends and familiars:--nor, in his own mind, any mutiny against his Chief; this also has its beauty in a human life, my friend.
So long as Madam Schmettau lived, it was well; after her death, not well, dark rather, and growing darker: and in about three years Schmettau followed (27th October, 1775), whither that good soul had gone.