frederick the great and his family-第96节

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r。　The　adjutants　laid　down　silently　at　his　feet；　and　soon　no　sound　was　heard　in　the　room　but　the　loud　breathing　of　the　three　sleepers。




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　RIGHT　COUNSEL。


Hand　in　hand　the　two　grenadiers　advanced　directly　toward　the　battle…　field。　Before　they　could　approach　the　enemy's　camp　they　must　borrow　two　Austrian　uniforms　from　the　dead　upon　the　plain。　It　was　not　difficult；　amongst　so　many　dead　bodies；　to　find　two　Austrian　officers；　and　the　two　Prussian　grenadiers　went　quickly　to　work　to　rob　the　dead　and　appropriate　their　garments。

〃I　don't　know　how　it　is；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　shuddering；　〃a　cold　chill　thrills　through　me　when　I　think　of　putting　on　a　coat　which　I　have　just　taken　from　a　dead　body。　It　seems　to　me　the　marble　chillness　of　the　corpse　will　insinuate　itself　into　my　whole　body；　and　that　I　shall　never　be　warm　again。〃

Fritz　Kober　looked　up　with　wide…open　eyes！　〃You　have　such　curious　thoughts；　Charles　Henry；　such　as　come　to　no　other　man；　but　you　are　right；　it　is　a　frosty　thing。〃　And　now　he　had　removed　the　uniform　and　was　about　to　draw　off　his　own　jacket　and　assume　the　white　coat　of　the　Austrian。　〃It　is　a　great　happiness；〃　said　he；　〃that　we　need　not　change　our　trousers；　a　little　clearer　or　darker　gray　can　make　no　difference　in　the　night。〃

Charles　Henry　was　in　the　act　of　drawing　on　the　coat　of　the　dead　man；　when　Fritz　Kober　suddenly　seized　his　arm　and　held　him　back。　〃Stop；〃　said　he；　〃you　must　do　me　a　favorthis　coat　is　too　narrow；　and　it　pinches　me　fearfully；　you　are　thinner　than　I　am；　and　I　think　it　will　fit　you　exactly；　take　it　and　give　me　yours。〃　He　jerked　off　the　coat　and　handed　it　to　his　friend。

〃No；　no；　Fritz　Kober；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　in　a　voice　so　soft　and　sweet；　that　Fritz　was　confused　and　bewildered　by　it。　〃No；　Fritz；　I　understand　you　fully。　You　have　the　heart　of　an　angel；　you　only　pretend　that　this　coat　is　too　narrow　for　you　that　you　may　induce　me　to　take　the　one　you　have　already　warmed。〃

It　was　well　that　Fritz　had　his　back　turned　to　the　moon；　otherwise　his　friend　would　have　seen　that　his　face　was　crimson；　he　blushed　as　if　detected　in　some　wicked　act。　However；　he　tore　the　uniform　away　from　Charles　Henry　rather　roughly；　and　hastened　to　put　it　on。

〃Folly；〃　said　he；　〃the　coat　squeezes　me；　that　is　all！　Besides；　it　is　not　wise　to　fool　away　our　time　in　silly　talking。　Let　us　go　onward。〃

〃Directly　over　the　battle…field？〃　said　Charles　Henry；　shuddering。

〃Directly　over　the　battle…field；〃　said　Kober；　〃because　that　is　the　nearest　way。〃

〃Come；　then；〃　said　Charles；　giving　him　his　hand。

It　was　indeed　a　fearful　path　through　which　they　must　walk。　They　passed　by　troops　of　corpsesby　thousands　of　groaning；　rattling；　dying　menby　many　severely　wounded；　who　cried　out　to　them　piteously　for　mercy　and　help！　Often　Charles　Henry　hesitated　and　stood　still　to　offer　consolation　to　the　unhappy　wretches；　but　Fritz　Kober　drew　him　on。　〃We　cannot　help　them；　and　we　have　far　to　go！〃　Often　the　swarming　Cossacks；　dashing　around　on　their　agile　little　ponies；　called　to　them　from　afar　off　in　their　barbarous　speech；　but　when　they　drew　near　and　saw　the　Austrian　uniforms；　they　passed　them　quietly；　and　were　not　surprised　they　had　not　given　the　pass…word。

At　last　they　passed　the　battle…field；　and　came　on　the　open　plain；　at　the　end　of　which　they　perceived　the　camp…fires　of　the　Russians　and　Austrians。　The　nearer　they　approached；　the　more　lively　was　the　scene。　Shouts；　laughter；　loud　calls；　and　outcriesfrom　time　to　time　a　word　of　command。　And　in　the　midst　of　this　mad　confusion；　here　and　there　soldiers　were　running；　market…women　offering　them　wares　cheap；　and　exulting　soldiers　assembling　around　the　camp…fires。　From　time　to　time　the　regular　step　of　the　patrouille　was　heard；　who　surrounded　the　camp；　and　kept　a　watchful　eye　in　every　direction。

Arm　in　arm　they　passed　steadily　around　the　camp。　〃One　thing　I　know；〃　whispered　Fritz　Kober；　〃they　have　no　thought　of　marching。　They　will　pass　a　quiet；　peaceful　night　by　their　camp…fires。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃but　let　us　go　forward　and　listen　a　little；　perhaps　we　can　learn　where　the　generals　are　quartered。〃

〃Look；　look！　it　must　he　there；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　hastily。

〃There　are　no　camp…fires；　but　there　is　a　brilliant　light　in　the　peasants'　huts；　and　it　appears　to　me　that　I　see　a　guard　before　the　doors。　These；　certainly；　are　the　headquarters。〃

〃Let　us　go　there；　then；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃but　we　must　approach　the　houses　from　behind；　and　thus　avoid　the　guard。〃

They　moved　cautiously　around；　and　drew　near　the　houses。　Profound　quiet　reigned　in　this　neighborhood；　it　was　the　reverence　of　subordinationthe　effect　which　the　presence　of　superior　officers　ever　exercises　upon　their　men。　Here　stood　groups　of　officers；　lightly　whispering　togetherthere　soldiers　were　leading　their　masters'　horses；　not　far　off　orderlies　were　waiting　on　horseback　sentinels　with　shouldered　arms　were　going　slowly　by。　The　attention　of　all　seemed　to　be　fixed　upon　the　two　small　houses；　and　every　glance　and　every　ear　was　turned　eagerly　toward　the　brilliantly　lighted　windows。

〃We　have　hit　the　mark　exactly；〃　whispered　Fritz　Kober；　he　had　succeeded　with　his　friend　in　forcing　his　way　into　the　little　alley　which　separated　the　two　houses。　〃We　have　now　reached　the　head…　quarters　of　the　generals。　Look！　there　is　an　Austrian　sentinel　with　his　bear's　cap。　Both　the　Austrian　and　Russian　generals　are　here。〃

〃　Let　us　watch　the　Russians　a　little　through　the　window；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　slipping　forward。

They　reached　the　corner；　and　were　hidden　by　the　trunk　of　a　tree　which　overshadowed　the　huts。　Suddenly　they　heard　the　word　of　command；　and　there　was　a　general　movement　among　the　files　of　soldiers　assembled　about　the　square。　The　officers　placed　themselves　in　rank；　the　soldiers　presented　arms；　for；　at　this　moment；　the　Austrian　General　Loudon；　surrounded　by　his　staff；　stepped　from　one　of　the　small　houses　into　the　square。　The　Cossacks；　who　were　crouched　down　on　the　earth　before　the　door；　raised　themselves；　and　also　presented　arms。

While　Loudon　stood　waiting；　the　two　Prussian　grenadiers　slipped　slyly　to　the　other　hut。

〃Let　us　go　behind；〃　whispered　Charles　Henry。　〃There　are　no　sentinels　there；　and　perhaps　we　may　find　a　door；　and　get　into　the　house。〃

Behind　the　hut　was　a　little　garden　whose　thick　shrubs　and　bushes　gave　complete　concealment　to　the　two　grenadiers。　Noiselessly　they　sprang　over　the　little　fence；　and　made　a　reconnoissance　of　the　terrainunseen；　unnoticed；　they　drew　near　the　house。　As　they　stepped　from　behind　the　bushes；　Fritz　Kober　seized　his　friend's　arm；　and　with　difficulty　suppressed　a　cry　of　joy。

The　scene　which　was　presented　to　them　was　well　calculated　to　rejoice　the　hearts　of　brave　soldiers。　They　had　reached　the　goal；　and　might　now　hope　to　fulfil　the　wishes　of　their　king。　The　quarters　of　the　Russian　general　were　plainly　exposed　to　them。　In　this　great　room；　which　was　evidently　the　ball…room　of　the　village；　at　a　long　oak…　table；　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　sat　General　Soltikow；　and　around　him　sat　and　stood　the　generals　and　officers。　At　the　door；　half　a　dozen　Cossacks　were　crouching；　staring　sleepily　on　the　ground。　The　room　was　brilliantly　illuminated　with　wax…lights；　and　gave　the　two　grenadiers　an　opportunity　of　seeing　it　in　every　part。　Fate　appeared　to　favor　them　in　every　way；　and　gave　them　an　opportunity　to　hear　as　well　as　see。　The　window　on　the　garden　was　opened　to　give　entrance　to　the　cool　night　air；　and　near　it　there　was　a　thick　branch　of　a　tree　in　which　a　man　could　conceal　himself。

〃Look　there；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃I　will　hide　in　that　tree。　We　will　make　our　observations　from　different　stand…points。　Perhaps　one　of　us　may　see　what　escapes　the　other。　Let　us　attend　closely；　that　we　may　tell　all　to　our　king。〃

No　man　in　this　room　guessed　that　in　the　silent　little　garden　four　flashing　eyes　were　observing　all　that　passed。

At　the　table　sat　the　Russian　commander…in…chief；　surrounded　by　his　generals　and　officers。　Before　him　lay　letters；　maps；　and　plans；　at　which　he　gazed　from　time　to　time；　while　he　dictated　an　account　of　the　battle　to　the　officer　sitting　near　him；　Soltikow　was　preparing　a　dispatch　for　the　Empress　Elizabeth。　A　few　steps　farther　off；　in　stiff　military　bearing；　stood　the　officers　who　were　giving　in　their　reports；　and　whose　statements　brought　a　dark　cloud　to　the　brow　of　the　victorious　commander。　Turning　with　a　hasty　movement　of　the　head　to　the　small　man　with　the　gold…embroidered　uniform　and　the　stiffly…　frizzed　wig；　he　said

〃Did　you　hear　that；　sir　marquis？　Ten　thousand　of　my　brave　soldiers　lie　dead　upon　the　battle…field；　and　as　many　more　are　severely　wounded。〃

〃It　follows　then；〃　said　the　Marquis　Montalembert；　the　French　commissioner　between　the　courts　of　Vienna；　Petersburg；　and　Paris；　〃it　follows　then；　that　the　king　of　Prussia　has　forty　thousand　dead　and　wounded；　and；　consequently；　his　little　army　is　utterly　destroyed。〃

〃Who　knows？〃　said　Soltikow；　〃the　king　of　Prussia　is　accustomed　to　sell　his　defeats　dearly。　I　should　not　be　at　all　surprised　if　he　had　lost　fewer　soldiers　than　we　have。〃　＇Footnote：　Soltikow's　own　words　See　Archenholtz；　p　206。＇　〃Well；　I　think　he　has　now　nothing　more　to　lose；〃　said　the　marquis；　laughing；　〃it　rests　with　you　to　give　the　last　coup　de