history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第27节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


annot；　or　at　least　cannot　long　enough；　and　set　to　marching　out。　In　firm　order；　I　have　no　doubt；　and　with　some　modicum　of　bread：　but　the　tumbling　of　certain　burnt　walls　parted　Colonel　and　men；　in　a　sad　way。　Colonel　himself；　with　the　colors；　with　the　honors　（none　of　his　people；　it　seems；　though　they　were　scattered　loose）；　was　picked　up　by　an　Austrian　party；　and　made　prisoner。　A　miserable　business；　this　of　Zittau！

Next；　evening；　Sunday；　after　dark；　Prince　of　Prussia　strikes　his　tents　again；　rolls　off　in　a　very　unsuccinct　condition；　happily　unchased；　for　he　admits　that　chase　would　have　been　ruinous。　Off　towards　Lobau　（what　nights　for　Zinzendorf　and　Herrnhuth；　as　such　things　tumble　past　them！）；　thence　towards　Bautzen；　and　arrives　in　the　most　lugubrious　torn　condition　any　Prussian　General　ever　stood　in。　Reaches　Bautzen　on　those　terms；and　is　warned　that　his　Brother　will　be　there　in　a　day　or　two。

One　may　fancy　Friedrich's　indignation；　astonishment　and　grief；　when　he　heard　of　that　march　towards　Zittau　through　the　Hills　by　a　parabolic　course；　the　issue　of　which　is　too　gnessable　by　Friedrich。　He　himself　instantly　rises　from　Leitmeritz；　starts；　in　fit　divisions；　by　the　Pascopol；　by　the　Elbe　passes；　for　Pirna；　and；　leaving　Moritz　of　Dessau　with　a　10；000　to　secure　the　Passes　about　Pirna；　and　Keith　to　come　on　with　the　Magazines；　hastens　across　for　Bautzen；　to　look　into　these　advancing　triumphant　Austrians；　these　strange　Prussian　proceedings。　On　first　hearing　of　that　side…march；　his　auguries　had　been　bad　enough；　＇Letter　to　Wilhelmina　〃Linay；　22d　July〃　（second　day　of　the　march　from　Leitmeritz）；　　OEuvres；　　xxvii。　i。　298。＇　but　the　event　has　far　surpassed　them。　Zittau　gone；　the　Army　hurrying　home；　as　if　in　flight；　in　that　wrecked　condition；　the　door　of　Saxony；　door　of　Silesia　left　wide　open；Daun　has　only　to　choose！　Day　by　day；　as　Friedrich　advanced　to　repair　that　mischief；　the　news　of　it　have　grown　worse　on　him。　Days　rife　otherwise　in　mere　bad　news。　The　Russians　in　Memel；　Preussen　at　their　feet；　Soubise's　French　and　the　Reich's　Army　pushing　on　for　Erfurt；　to　〃deliver　Saxony；〃　on　that　western　side：　and　from　the　French…English　scene　of　operations　In　those　same　bad　days　Royal　Highness　of　Cumberland　has　been　doing　a　feat　worth　notice　in　the　above　connection！　Read　this；　from　an　authentic　source：

〃HASTENBECK；　22d…26th　JULY；　1757。　Royal　Highness；　hitching　back　and　back；　had　got　to　Hameln；　a　strong　place　of　his　on　the　safe　side　of　the　Weser；　and　did　at　last；　Hanover　itself　being　now　nigh；　call　halt；　and　resolve　to　make　a　stand。　July　22d　＇very　day　while　the　Prince　of　Prussia　came　in　sight　of　Zittau；　with　the　Austrians　hanging　over　it＇；　Royal　Highness　took　post　in　that　favorable　vicinity　of　Hameln；　at　perfect　leisure　to　select　his　ground：　and　there　sat　waiting　D'Estrees；swamps　for　our　right　wing；　and　the　Weser　not　far　off；　small　Hamlet　of　Hastenbeck　in　front；　and　a　woody　knoll　for　our　left；totally　inactive　for　four　days　long；　attempting　nothing　upon　D'Estrees　and　his　intricate　shufflings；　but　looking　idly　noonward　to　the　courses　of　the　sun；　till　D'Estrees　should　come　up。　Royal　Highness　is　much　swollen　into　obesity；　into　flabby　torpor；　a　changed　man　since　Fontenoy　times；　shockingly　inactive；　they　say；　in　this　post　at　Hastenbeck。　D'Estrees；　too；　is　ridiculously　cautious；　'has　manoeuvred　fifteen　days　in　advancing　about　as　many　British　miles。'　D'Estrees　did　at　last　come　up　（July　25th）；　nearly　two　to　one　of　Royal　Highness；72；000　some　count　him；　but　considerably　anarchic　in　parts；　overwhelmed　with　Court　Generals　and　Princes　of　the　Blood；　for　one　item；and　decides　on　attacking；　next　morning。　D'Estrees　duly　went　to　reconnoitre；　but　unluckily　'had　mist　suddenly　falling。'　'Well；　we　must　attack；　all　the　same！'

〃And　so；　26th　JULY；　Tuesday；　there　ensued　a　BATTLE　OF　HASTENBECK：　the　absurdest　Battle　in　the　world；　and　which　ought；　in　fairness；　to　have　been　lost　by　BOTH；　though　Royal　Highness　alone　had　the　ill　luck。　Both　Captains　behaved　very　poorly；　and　each　of　them　had　a　subaltern　who　behaved　well。　D'Estrees；　with　his　70；000　VERSUS　40；000　posted　there；　knows　nothing　of　Royal　Highness's　position；　sees　only　Royal　Highness's　left　wing　on　that　woody　Height；　and　after　hours　of　preliminary　cannonading；　sends　out　General　Chevert　upon　that。　Chevert；　his　subaltern　＇a　bit　of　right　soldier…　stuff；　the　Chevert　whom　we　knew　at　Prag；　in　old　Belleisle　times＇；　goes　upon　it　like　fury；　whom　the　Brunswick　Grenadiers　resist　in　like　humor；　hotter　and　hotter。　Some　hard　fighting　there；　on　Royal　Highness's　left；　Chevert　very　fiery；　Grenadiers　very　obstinate；　till；　on　the　centre；　westward；　in　Royal　Highness's　chief　battery　there；　some　spark　went　the　wrong　way；　and　a　powder…wagon　shot　itself　aloft　with　hideous　blaze　and　roar；　and　in　the　confusion；　the　French　rushed　in；　and　the　battery　was　lost。　Which　discouraged　the　Grenadiers；　so　that　Chevert　made　some　progress　upon　them；　on　their　woody　Height；　and　began　to　have　confident　hope。

〃Had　Chevert　known；　or　had　D'Estrees　known；　there　was；　close　behind　said　Height；　a　Hollow；　through　which　these　Grenadiers　might　have　been　taken　in　rear。　Dangerous　Hollow；　much　neglected　by　Royal　Highness；　who　has　only　General　Breitenbach　with　a　weak　party　there。　This　Breitenbach；　happening　to　have　a　head　of　his　own；　and　finding　nothing　to　do　in　that　Hollow　or　to　rightward；　bursts　out；　of　his　own　accord；　on　Chevert's　left　flank；　cannonading；　volleying；　horse…　charging；the　sound　of　which　（'Hah；　French　there　too！'）　struck　a　damp　through　Royal　Highness；　who　instantly　ordered　retreat；　and　took　the　road。　What　singular　ill…luck　that　sound　of　Breitenbach　to　Royal　Highness！　For　observe；　the　EFFECT　of　Breitenbach；which　was；　to　recover　the　lost　battery　（gallant　young　Prince　of　Brunswick；　'Hereditary　Prince；'　or　Duke　that　is　to　be；　striking　in　upon　it　with　bayonet…charge　at　the　right　moment）；　made　D'Estrees　to　order　retreat！　'Battle　lost；'　thinks　D'Estrees；and　with　good　cause；　had　Breitenbach　been　supported　at　all。　But　no　subaltern　durst；　and　Royal　Highness　himself　was　not　overtakable；　so　far　on　the　road。　Royal　Highness　wept　on　hearing；　the　Brunswick　Grenadiers　too　are　said　to　have　wept　（for　rage）；　and　probably　Breitenbach　and　the　Hereditary　Prince。〃　＇Mauvillon；　i。　228；　Anonymous　of　Hamburg；　i。　206　（who　gives　a　Plan　and　all　manner　of　details；　if　needed　by　anybody）；　Kausler；　&c。　&c。＇

This　is　the　last　of　Royal　Highness's　exploits　in　War。　The　retreat　had　been　ordered　〃To　Hanover；〃　but　the　baggage　by　mistake　took　the　road　for　Minden；　and　Royal　Highness　followed　thither；much　the　same　what　road　he　or　it　takes。　Friedrich　might　still　hope　he　would　retreat　on　Magdeburg；　40；000　good　soldiers　might　find　a　Captain　there；　and　be　valuable　against　a　D'Estrees　and　Soubise　in　those　parts。　But　no；　it　was　through　Bremen　Country；　to　Stade；　into　the　Sea；　that　Royal　Highness；　by　ill　luck；　retreated！　He　has　still　one　great　vexation　to　give　Friedrich；to　us　almost　a　comfort；　knowing　what　followed　out　of　it；and　will　have　to　be　mentioned　one　other　time　in　this　History；　and　then　go　over　our　horizon　altogether。

Whether　Friedrich　had　heard　of　Hastenbeck　the　day　his　Brother　and　he　met　（July　29th；　at　Bautzen）；　I　do　not　know：　but　it　is　likely　enough　he　may　have　got　the　news　that　very　morning；　which　was　not　calculated　to　increase　one's　good　humor！　His　meeting　with　the　Prince　is　royal；　not　fraternal；　as　all　men　have　heard。　Let　us　give　with　brevity；　from　Schmettau　Junior；　the　exact　features　of　it；　and　leave　the　candid　reader；　who　has　formed　to　himself　some　notion　of　kingship　and　its　sorrows　and　stern　conditions　（having　perhaps　himself　some　thing　of　kingly；　in　a　small　potential　way）；　to　interpret　the　matter；　and　make　what　he　can　of　it：

〃BAUTZEN；　29th　JULY；　1757。　The　King　with　reinforcement　is　coming　hither；　from　the　Dresden　side；　to　take　up　the　reins　of　this　dishevelled　Zittau　Army；　to　speed　with　it　against　the　Austrians；　and；　if　humanly　possible；　lock　the　doors　of　Silesia　and　Saxony　again；　and　chase　the　intruders　away。　Prince　of　Prussia　and　the　other　Generals　have　notice；　the　night　before：　'At　4　A。M。　to…morrow　（29th）；　wait　his　Majesty。'　Prince　and　Generals　wait　accordingly；　all　there　but　Goltz　and　Winterfeld；　they　not；　which　is　noted。

〃For　above　an　hour；　no　King；　Prince　and　Generals　ride　forward：　there　is　the　King　coming；　Prince　Henri；　Duke　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick　and　others　in　his　train。　King；　noticing　them；　at　about　300　paces　distance；　drew　bridle；　Prince　of　Prussia　did　the　like；　train　and　he　saluting　with　their　hats；　as　did　the　King's　train　in　return。　King　did　not　salute；on　the　contrary；　he　turned　his　horse　round　and　dismounted；　as　did　everybody　else　on　such　signal。　King　lay　down　on　the　ground；　as　if　waiting　the　arrival　of　his　Vanguard；　and　bade　Winterfeld　and　Goltz　sit　by　him。〃　Poor　Prince　of　Prussia；　and　battered　heavy…laden　Generals！　〃After　a　minute　or　two；　Goltz　came　over　and　whispered　to　the　Prince。　'Hither；　MEINE　HERREN；　all　of　you；　a　message　from　his　Majesty！'　cried　the　Prince。　Whereupon；　to　Generals　and　Prince；　Goltz　delivered；　in　equable　official　tone；　these　affecting　words：　'His　Majesty　commands　me　to　inform　your　Royal　Highness；　That　he　has　cause　to　be　greatly　discontented　with　you；　that　you　deserve　to　have　a　Court…martial　held　over　you；　which　would　sentence　you　and　all　you