frederick the great and his family-第65节

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is　fifteen　hundred；　and　hastened　from　the　ducal　palace。　Before　the　rich　dishes　had　time　to　cool；　General　Seidlitz　and　his　staff　were　seated　at　the　table；　enjoying　the　magnificent　dinner　prepared　for　the　French　generals。　Many　prisoners；　many　spoils　were　taken　afterward。　Not　that　Prince　Soubise　had　not　taken　all　his　soldiers　with　him；　but　there　was　another　small　army　by　which　the　French　troops　are　always　accompanied。　These；　the　lackeys；　valets；　cooks；　hair…dressers；　ballet…dancers；　actresses；　priests；　etc。；　etc。；　were　not　able　to　run　as　fast　as　the　French　soldiers。　The　spoils　consisted　in　the　equipages　of　the　prince　and　his　staff；　in　which　were　boxes　and　chests　containing　precious　things；　their　large　chests　full　of　delightful　perfumes　and　hair…oils；　trunks　full　of　wigs；　dressing…　gowns；　and　parasols。　There　were　several　learned　parrots　who　had　a　leaning　to　politics；　and　who　exclaimed　continually：　'Vive　les　Franqais！　A　bas　les　Prussiens！'　But　the　kind…hearted　General　Seidlitz　did　not　wish　to　deprive　the　French　army　of　the　necessities　of　life；　he　therefore　sent　them　their　valets；　cooks；　hair…dressers；　actresses；　priests；　etc。　The　perfumes　and　hair…oils　he　gave　to　his　own　soldiers。〃

〃I　trust　you　have　finished；〃　said　the　queen；　playing　listlessly　with　her　fan。

〃Ah；　your　majesty　has　then　honored　me　by　listening？〃　said　General　Fink；　smiling。

The　queen　preserved　a　dignified　silence。

The　general　continued　reading：　〃After　long　deliberation；　Prince　Soubise　concluded　he　had　carried　his　politeness　too　far　in　vacating　the　ducal　palace　to　the　Prussians；　he　determined；　therefore；　to　go　after　his　perfumes；　hair…oils；　dressing…gowns；　wigs；　etc。；　etc。；　and　drive　the　Prussians　from　Gotha。　Prince　von　Hildburghausen　joined　him　with　his　troops。　Thus　the　French　advanced　to　Gotha；　secure　and　confident　of　success。　But　to　their　terror　they　found　before　the　city　not　two　Prussian　regiments；　as　they　had　expected；　but　what　seemed　to　them　the　entire　Prussian　army　arranged　in　line　of　battle；　and　in　such　large　numbers　that　for　miles　around　the　bills　were　covered；　with　them。　This　was　so　unexpected　to　the　French　generals　that　they　determined　to　retreat　for　a　while；　until　they　had　recovered　from　their　surprise。　They　withdrew；　leaving　the　field　to　the　Prussians。　Had　they　not　withdrawn　so　hastily；　they　would　soon　have　seen　that　the　Prussian　army　consisted　only　of　fifteen　hundred；　which；　thanks　to　General　Seidlitz's　strategy；　presented　a　very　imposing　view。　Thus　Seidlitz　gained　the　day　without　firing　a　shotnot　by　the　troops　who　were　present；　but　by　those　who　were　supposed　to　be　present。〃

〃I　have　had　enough　of　this；〃　said　the　queen；　rising。　〃I　am　weary　of　listening　to　your　witty　stories。　The　King　of　Prussia　may　triumph　for　a　whilehe　may　jest　over　his　lost　battlesbut　the　hour　of　his　misfortune　is　at　hand。　God；　who　is　justwho　thrusts　the　arrogant　and　haughty　to　the　groundwill　also　punish　him；　and　give　victory　to　the　just　cause。　The　battle　of　Collin　was　for　Frederick　the　Second　the　first　proof　of　God's　anger；　and　now　with　increasing　strength　His　mighty　arm　will　be　raised　against　him。〃

〃I　am　aware　that　these　are　your　majesty's　sentiments；〃　said　the　general；　smiling；　〃and　my　master　is　as　well　informed。　I　think　they　were　stated　in　almost　the　same　words　in　letters　which　your　majesty　wrote　to　the　Austrian　general；　Nadasky。〃

The　queen　fell　back　upon　her　seat　trembling；　and　a　deep　red　suffused　her　countenance。　Even　Father　Guarini　showed　by　the　quivering　of　his　lip　and　his　sudden　paleness；　that　the　conversation　was　now　taking　an　agitating　turn。

〃What　do　you　know　of　my　letters　to　Nadasky？〃　said　the　queen；　breathlessly。　〃Who　says　I　have　written　to　him？〃

〃Your　own　hand；　gracious　queen；〃　answered　the　general。　〃While　the　king；　my　noble　sovereign；　was　in　Bernstadt；　he　was　told　that　General　Nadasky　was　at　Ostriz；　and　sent　General　von　Werner　after　him。　Nadasky　fled；　but　his　baggage　was　captured；　and　amongst　his　letters　this　one　from　your　majesty　was　discovered。〃

And　he　held　up　the　letter　in　question　before　the　queen；　to　convince　her　of　its　authenticity。

Maria　Josephine　endeavored　to　tear　it　from　him；　but　the　general　was　too　quick　for　her。

〃By　command　of　my　master；　this　letter　is　to　be　returned　to　you；　but　upon　one　condition。〃

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　said　the　queen；　faintly。

〃I　am　to　read　to　your　majesty　a　few　sentences　from　it；　selected　by　the　King　of　Prussia　himself。〃

〃And　all　my　letters　shall　then　be　returned　to　me？〃

〃All；　your　majesty。〃

〃You　can　read；〃　said　the　queen；　seating　herself。

General　Fink　approached　the　window　by　which　he　had　been　standing　before；　and　looked　out　for　a　few　moments。　Some　one；　perhaps；　had　passed　with　whom　he　was　acquainted；　for　he　bowed　several　times　and　raised　his　hand　as　if　he　were　beckoning。　After　this　intermission；　at　which　the　queen　and　her　confessor　had　looked　in　amazement；　he　opened　the　letter　and　commenced　to　read。

It　was　a　demand　from　Queen　Maria　Josephine　to　the　Austrian　general　to　do　all　in　his　power　to　ruin　their　common　enemy。　〃If　we　are　energetic；〃　continued　the　general；　reading　in　a　loud　voice；　〃it　will　soon　be　done。　At　the　battle　of　Collin；　God　laid　his　mark　upon　Frederick；　Prussia　will　have　no　more　victories；　her　arrogant　ruler　has　sung　his　last　Te　Deum。〃

At　this　moment　the　bells　of　the　nearest　church　commenced　their　solemn　chimes；　and　from　the　fort　behind　the　castle　the　thunder　of　cannon　was　heard。　The　queen　rose　from　her　seat　and　rushed　to　the　window。

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　said　she；　breathlessly。　〃Why　these　bells？　Why　this　cannon？　What〃

The　renewed　thunder　of　cannon　drowned　her　words。　She　threw　open　the　window；　and　now　all　the　church　bells　were　joined　in　one　harmonious　chant。　From　beneath　the　queen's　windows　there　arose　a　slow；　solemn　hymn；　and　as　if　borne　aloft　by　invisible　spirits；　the　words　〃Te　Deum　laudamus〃　were　heard　by　the　queen。　Her　eyes　sparkled。　〃For　whom　is　this　Te　Deum？〃　said　she；　breathlessly。

〃It　is　for　my　master；〃　said　General　Fink；　solemnly〃for　the　King　of　Prussia；　who　at　Rossbach；　with　twenty　thousand　men；　has　gained　a　victory　over　sixty　thousand　French　soldiers。〃

A　cry　of　rage；　and　Maria　Josephine　fell　fainting　to　the　floor。




CHAPTER　XII。

CAMP　SCENE


It　was　a　cold　winter　day；　and　in　the　Prussian　camp　at　Newmark　every　one　was　occupied　making　fires。

〃Let　us　get　a　great　deal　of　wood；〃　said　a　sprightly…looking；　slender　young　soldier；　to　his　comrades；　〃our　limbs　must　not　be　stiff　to…day。　I　think　to…morrow　all　will　go　off　bravely；　and　we　will　prepare　a　strong　soup　for　the　Austrians。〃

〃And　instead　of　the　noodles；　we　will　send　them　cannon…balls；〃　said　a　comrade；　standing　near　him。　〃But　see　here；　brother；　as　we　are　not　going　to　fight　this　evening；　I　think　we　should　make　use　of　the　time　and　cook　a　soup　for　ourselves。　When　we　have　wood　enough　for　a　good　fire；　we　will　set　the　kettle　over　it；　and　the　best　of　pastimes　will　be　ready。　Shall　we　do　it；　comrades？　Every　man　a　groschen；　and　Charles　Henry　Buschman　to　cook　the　noodles。〃

〃Yet；　Buschman　must　cook　the　noodles；　no　one　understands　it　so　well　as　he。　Charles　Henry　Buschman！　Where　hides　the　fellow？　He　is　generally　sticking　to　Fritz　Kober；　and　they　are　chatting　together　as　if　they　were　lovers。　Buschman！　Charles　Henry　Buschman！　Where　are　you？〃

〃Here　I　am！〃　cried　a　bright；　fresh　voice；　and　a　slender　youth；　belonging　to　Prince　Henry's　regiment；　stepped　forward　and　joined　them。　〃Who　calls　me？what　do　you　want？〃

〃We　want　you　to　cook　noodles　for　us；　Buschman；　every　man　pays　a　groschen；　and　eats　to　his　heart's　content。　You　shall　have　them　for　nothing；　because　you　prepare　them。〃

〃I　will　have　nothing　that　I　don't　pay　for；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　proudly；　〃I　can　pay　as　well　as　the　rest　of　you；　and　perhaps　I　have　more　money　than　all　of　you；　for　while　you　are　drinking；　smoking；　and　playing；　I　put　my　groschens　aside　for　a　rainy　day。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　true；　Buschman　is　the　most　orderly；　the　most　industrious　of　us　all；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　as　he　nodded　lovingly　to　his　young　friend。　〃He　does　not　drink；　or　smoke；　or　play；　and；　I　can　tell　you；　he　sews　like　a　woman。　He　mended　a　shirt　for　me　to…day。　A　ball　had　passed　through　it　at　Rossbach；　making　a　hole　in　the　left　sleeve。　I　tell　you；　the　shirt　looks　as　if　a　clever　woman　had　mended　it。〃

〃Well；　it　is　a　pity　he　isn't　one；〃　said　one　of　the　soldiers；　with　a　merry　laugh；　〃perhaps　you　have　a　sister　at　home；　Henry；　whom　you　could　give　to　Kober。〃

〃No；　comrade；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　sadly；　〃I　have　neither　father；　mother；　sister；　nor　brother。　I　am　alone　in　the　world；　and　have　no　other　friend　but　my　comrade；　Fritz　Kober。　Will　you　not　give　him　to　me；　comrades？　Will　you　tease　him　because　he　is　the　friend　of　a　poor；　young　fellow；　against　whom　you　have　nothing　to　say　except　that　he　is　just　seventeen　years　old　and　has　no　heard　and　his　voice　a　little　thin；　not　able　to　make　as　much　noise　as　yourself？　Promise　me　that　you　will　not　laugh　at　Fritz　again　because　he　is　kind　to；　and　loves　a　poor；　forsaken　boy。　If　you　tease　him；　he　will　become　desperate　and　run　off　from　me；　and　then；　when　I　fall　in　battle；　he　will　not　close　my　eyes　as　he　has　promised　to　do。〃

〃I　will　never　run　away　from　you；　darling　brother；〃　said　Fritz　Kober。　〃We　two　shall　stay　together　in　camp　and　in　battle。　You　have　w