frederick the great and his family-第97节

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　now　nothing　more　to　lose；〃　said　the　marquis；　laughing；　〃it　rests　with　you　to　give　the　last　coup　de　grace　to　this　conquered　and　flying　king；　and　forever　prevent〃

The　entrance　of　an　officer　interrupted　him。　The　officer　announced　General　von　Loudon。

Soltikow　arose；　and　advanced　to　the　door　to　welcome　the　Austrian　general。　A　proud　smile　was　on　his　face　as　he　gave　his　hand　to　Loudon；　he　did　this　with　the　air　of　a　gracious　superior　who　wished　to　be　benevolent　to　his　subordinate。

The　quick；　firm　glance　of　Loudon　seemed　to　read　the　haughty　heart　of　his　ally；　and；　no　doubt　for　this　reason；　he　scarcely　touched　Soltikow's　hand。　With　erect　head　and　proud　step　he　advanced　into　the　middle　of　the　room。

〃I　resolved　to　come　to　your　excellency；〃　said　Loudon；　in　a　sharp；　excited　tone；　〃you　have　a　large　room；　while　in　my　hut　I　could　scarcely　find　accommodation　for　you　and　your　adjutants。〃

〃You　come　exactly　at　the　right　hour；〃　said　Soltikow；　with　a　haughty　smile；　〃you　see；　we　were　about　to　hold　a　council　of　war；　and　consider　what　remains　to　be　done。〃

A　dark　and　scornful　expression　was　seen　in　Loudon's　countenance；　and　his　eyes　rested　fiercely　upon　the　smiling　face　of　Soltikow。

〃Impossible；　general！　you　could　not　have　held　a　council　of　war　without　me；〃　said　he；　angrily。

〃Oh；　be　composed；　general；〃　said　Soltikow；　smiling；　〃I　would；　without　doubt；　have　informed　you　immediately　of　our　conclusions。〃

〃I　suppose　you　could　not　possibly　have　come　to　any　conclusion　in　my　absence；〃　said　Loudon；　the　veins　in　whose　forehead　began　to　swell。

Soltikow　bowed　low；　with　the　same　unchanged　and　insolent　smile。

〃Let　us　not　dispute　about　things　which　have　not　yet　taken　place；　your　excellency。　The　council　of　war　had　not　commenced；　but　now　that　you　are　here；　we　may　begin。　Allow　me；　however；　first　to　sign　these　dispatches　which　I　have　written　to　my　gracious　sovereign；　announcing　the　victory　which　the　Russian　troops　have　this　day　achieved　over　the　army　of　the　King　of　Prussia。〃

〃Ah；　general；　this　time　I　am　in　advance　of　you；〃　cried　Loudon；　〃the　dispatches　are　already　sent　off　in　which　I　announced　to　my　empress　the　victory　which　the　Austrian　troops　gained　over　the　Prussians。〃

Soltikow　threw　his　head　back　scornfully；　and　his　little　gray　eyes　flashed　at　the　Austrian。

Loudon　went　on；　calmly：　〃I　assure　your　excellency　that　enthusiasm　at　our　glorious　victory　has　made　me　eloquent。　I　pictured　to　my　empress　the　picturesque　moment　in　which　the　conquering　Prussians　were　rushing　forward　to　take　possession　of　the　batteries　deserted　by　the　flying　Russians；　at　which　time　the　Austrian　horsemen　sprang；　as　it　were；　from　the　ground；　checked　the　conquerors；　and　forced　them　back；　and　by　deeds　of　lionlike　courage　changed　the　fate　of　the　day。〃

While　Loudon；　seeming　entirely　cool　and　careless；　thus　spoke；　the　face　of　the　Russian　general　was　lurid　with　rage。　Panting　for　breath；　he　pressed　his　doubled　fist　upon　the　table。

Every　one　looked　at　him　in　breathless　excitement　and　horrorall　knew　his　passionate　and　unrestrained　rage。　But　the　Marquis　Montalembert　hastened　to　prevent　this　outburst　of　passion；　and　before　Soltikow　found　breath　to　speak；　he　turned　with　a　gay　and　conciliating　expression　to　Loudon。

〃If　you　have　painted　the　battle　of　to…day　so　much　in　detail；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　certainly　not　forgotten　to　depict　the　gallant　conduct　of　the　Russian　troops　to　describe　that　truly　exalted　movement；　when　the　Russians　threw　themselves　to　the　earth；　as　if　dead；　before　advancing　columns　of　the　Prussian　army；　and　allowed　them　to　pass　over　them；　then；　springing　up；　shot　them　in　the　back。〃　＇Footnote：　Archenholtz；　Seven　Years'　War；　p。　257。＇

〃Certainly　I　did　not　forget　that；〃　said　Loudon；　whose　noble；　generous　heart　already　repented　his　momentary　passion　and　jealousy；　〃certainly；　I　am　not　so　cowardly　and　so　unconscionable　as　to　deny　the　weighty　share　which　the　Russian　army　merit　in　the　honor　of　this　day；　but　you　can　well　understand　that　I　will　not　allow　the　gallant　deeds　of　the　Austrians　to　be　swept　away。　We　have　fought　together　and　conquered　together；　and　now　let　us　rejoice　together　over　the　glorious　result。〃

Loudon　gave　his　hand　to　Soltikow　with　so　friendly　an　expression　that　he　could　not　withstand　it。　〃You　are　right；　Loudon；　we　will　rejoice　together　over　this　great　victory；〃　cried　he。　〃Wine；　here！　We　will　first　drink　a　glass　in　honor　of　the　triumph　of　the　day；　then　we　will　empty　a　glass　of　your　beautiful　Rhine　wine　to　the　friendship　of　the　Austrians　and　Russians。　Wine　here！　The　night　is　long　enough　for　council；　let　us　first　celebrate　our　victory。〃

The　Cossacks；　at　a　sign　from　the　adjutants；　sprang　from　the　floor　and　drew　from　a　corner　of　the　room　a　number　of　bottles　and　silver　cups；　which　they　hastened　to　place　upon　the　table。　The　secretaries　moved　the　papers；　maps；　etc。；　and　the　table；　which　a　moment　before　had　quite　a　business…like　aspect；　was　now　changed　into　an　enticing　buffet。

Soltikow　looked　on　enraptured；　but　the　marquis　cast　an　anxious　and　significant　look　upon　the　Austrian　general；　which　was　answered　with　a　slight　shrug　of　the　shoulders。　Both　knew　that　the　brave　General　Soltikow；　next　to　the　thunder　of　cannon　and　the　mad　whirl　of　battle；　loved　nothing　so　well　as　the　springing　of　corks　and　the　odor　of　wine。　Both　knew　that　the　general　was　as　valiant　and　unconquerable　a　soldier　as　he　was　a　valiant　and　unconquerable　drinkerwho　was　most　apt　while　drinking　to　forget　every　thing　else　but　the　gladness　of　the　moment。　The　marquis　tried　to　make　another　weak　attempt　to　remind　him　of　more　earnest　duties。

〃Look　you；　your　excellency；　your　secretaries　appear　very　melancholy。　Will　you　not　first　hold　a　council　of　war？　and　we　can　then　give　ourselves　undisturbed　to　joy　and　enjoyment。〃

〃Why　is　a　council　of　war　necessary？〃　said　Soltikow；　sinking　down　into　a　chair　and　handing　his　cup　to　the　Cossack　behind　him　to　be　filled　for　the　second　time。　〃Away　with　business　and　scribbling！　The　dispatches　to　my　empress　are　completed；　seal　them；　Pietrowitch；　and　send　the　courier　off　immediately；　every　thing　else　can　wait　till　morning。　Come；　generals；　let　us　strike　our　glasses　to　the　healths　of　our　exalted　sovereigns。〃

Loudon　took　the　cup　and　drank　a　brave　pledge；　then　when　he　had　emptied　the　glass　he　said：　〃We　should　not　be　satisfied　with　sending　our　exalted　sovereigns　the　news　of　the　day's　victoryit　lies　in　our　hands　to　inform　them　of　the　complete　and　irrevocable　defeat　of　the　enemy。〃

〃How　so？〃　said　Soltikow；　filling　up　his　cup　for　the　third　time。

〃If　now；　in　place　of　enjoying　this　comfortable　rest；　and　giving　our　enemy　time　to　recover　himself；　we　should　follow　up　the　Prussians　and　cut　off　the　king's　retreat；　preventing　him　from　taking　possession　of　his　old　camp　at　Reutven；　we　would　then　be　in　a　condition　to　crush　him　completely　and　put　an　end　to　this　war。〃

〃Ah；　you　mean　that　we　should　break　up　the　camp　at　once；〃　said　Soltikow；　〃that　we　should　not　grant　to　our　poor；　exhausted　soldiers　a　single　hour　of　sleep；　but　lead　them　out　again　to　battle　and　to　death？　No；　no；　sir　general；　the　blood　of　my　brave　Russians　is　worth　as　much　as　the　blood　of　other　men；　and　I　will　not　make　of　them　a　wall　behind　which　the　noble　Dutchmen　place　themselves　in　comfortable　security；　while　we　offer　up　for　them　our　blood　and　our　life。　I　think　we　Russians　have　done　enough；　we　do　not　need　another　victory　to　prove　that　we　are　brave。　When　I　fight　another　such　battle　as　I　have　fought　to…day；　with　my　staff　in　my　hand　and　alone　I　must　carry　the　news　to　Petersburg；　for　I　shall　have　no　soldiers　left。＇　Footnote：　〃Frederick　the　Great。〃Geschow；　p。　200。＇　I　have　nothing　to　say　against　you；　General　Loudon。　You　have　been　a　faithful　ally；　we　have　fought；　bled；　and　conquered　together；　although　not　protected　by　a　consecrated　hat　and　sword　like　Field…Marshal　Daun；　who　ever　demands　new　victories　from　us　while　he　himself　is　undecided　and　completely　inactive。〃

〃Your　excellency　seems　to　be　somewhat　embittered　against　Daun；〃　said　Loudon；　with　a　smile　he　could　not　wholly　suppress。

〃Yes；〃　said　Soltikow；　〃I　am　embittered　against　this　modern　Fabius　Cunctator；　who　finds　it　so　easy　to　become　renownedwho　remains　in　Vienna　and　reaps　the　harvest　which　belongs　rightly　to　you；　General　Loudon。　You　act；　while　he　hesitatesyou　are　full　of　energy　and　ever　ready　for　the　strife；　Daun　is　dilatory；　and　while　he　is　resolving　whether　to　strike　or　not；　the　opportunity　is　lost。〃

〃The　empress；　my　exalted　sovereign；　has　honored　him　with　her　especial　confidence；〃　said　Loudon；　〃he　must　therefore　merit　it。〃

〃Yes；　and　in　Vienna　they　have　honored　you　and　myself　with　their　especial　distrust；〃　said　Soltikow；　stormily；　and　swallowing　a　full　cup　of　wine。　〃You；　I　know；　receive　rare　and　scanty　praise；　eulogies　must　be　reserved　for　Daun。　We　are　regarded　with　inimical　and　jealous　eyes；　and　our　zeal　and　our　good…will　are　forever　suspected。〃

〃This　is　true；〃　said　Loudon；　smiling；　〃it　is　difficult　for　us　to　believe　in　the　sincere　friendship　of　the　Russians；　perhaps；　because　we　so　earnestly　desire　it。〃

〃Words；　words！〃　said　Soltikow；　angrily。　〃The　German　has　ever　a　secret　aversion　to　the　Russianyou　look　upon　us　as　disguised　tigers；　ever　ready　to　rob　and　devour　your　glorious　culture　and　accomplishments。　For　this　reason　you　gladly　place　a　glass　shad