I made but few new friends in the army, and
these few I was fated to encounter on the first day of my entrance into
my new work of soldiering. Our sergeant at the first morning halt after
our march out from Dresden, introduced me to a comrade from Erfurt as a
Thueringer, and therefore a fellow-countryman. This was Langethal; and
casually as our acquaintance thus began, it proved to be a lasting
friendship. Our first day's march was to Meissen, where we halted. We
had enjoyed lovely spring weather during our march, and our repose was
gladdened by a still lovelier evening. I found all the university
students of the corps, driven by a like impulse, collected together in
an open place by the shores of Elbe and near a public restaurant; and
some old Meissen wine soon served us as a bond of union. We sat about
twenty strong in a jolly group at a long table, and began by welcoming
and pledging one another to friendship. It was here that Langethal
introduced me to a university friend of his at Berlin, the young
Middendorff, a divinity student from the Mark.[80] Keeping together in a
merry little society till the middle of the lovely spring night, we
united again next morning in a visit to the splendid cathedral of
Meissen.
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