history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第17部分

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　the　profitable　thing；　as　an　impediment　to　Friedrich　in　his　advance　there。　They　have　laid　it　flat　and　permeable；　ashes　all　of　it；except　the　Church　only；　which　is　of　stone；　not　so　combustible；　and　may　have　uses　withal。　Has　perhaps　served　as　temporary　lock…up；　prison　for　the　night；　to　some　of　those　Frankfurt　Deputations　and　their　troublesome　wailings；　and　may　serve　as　temporary　hospital　to…morrow；　who　knows？

Readjustments　in　the　Russian　Camp　were　manifold：　but　these　are　as　nothing；　in　the　tumultuous　business　of　the　day。　Carting　of　their　baggage；　every　article　of　value；　to　that　safe　Wagenburg　in　the　River；　driving　of　cattle；the　very　driving　of　cattle　through　Frankfurt；　endless　herds　of　them；　gathered　by　the　Cossacks　from　far　and　wide；　〃lasted　for　four…and…twenty　hours。〃　Oxen　in　Frankfurt　that　day　were　at　the　rate　of　ten　shillings　per　head。　Often　enough　you　were　offered　a　full…grown　young　steer　for　a　loaf　of　bread；　nay　the　Cossacks；　when　there　was　absolutely　no　bidder；　would　slaughter　down　the　animal；　leave　its　carcass　in　the　streets；　and　sell　the　hide　for　a　TYMPF；fivepence　（very　bad　silver　at　present）。　Never　before　or　since　was　seen　in　Frankfurt　such　a　Saturday；　for　bellowing　and　braying；　and　raging　and　tumulting；　all　through　the　day　and　through　the　night；　ushering　in　such　a　Sunday　too！

Sunday　about　3　in　the　morning；　Friedrich　is　on　march　again；　Russians　still　in　their　place；　and　Disposition　FIRST；　not　SECOND　at　all；　to　be　our　rule　of　action！　Friedrich；　in　Two　Columns；　marches　off；　eastward　through　the　woods；　as　if　for　Reppen　quite　away　from　the　Russians　and　their　Muhlberg；　but　intending　to　circle　round　at　the　due　point；　and　come　down　upon　their　right　flank　there　（left　flank；　as　he　persists　to　call　it）；　out　of　the　woods；　and　clasp　it　in　his　arms　in　an　impressive；　unexpected　way。　In　Two　Columns；　which　are　meant；　as　usual；　to　be　the　Two　Lines　of　Battle：　Seidlitz；　with　chosen　Cavalry；　is　at　the　head　of　Column　First；　and　will　be　Left　Wing；　were　we　on　the　ground；　Eugen　of　Wurtemberg；　closing　the　rear　of　Column　First；　will；　he；　or　Finck　and　he　together；　be　Right　Wing。　That　is　the　order　of　march；order　of　BATTLE；　we　shall　find；　had　to　alter　itself　somewhat；　for　reasons　extremely　valid！

Finck　with　his　12；000　is　to　keep　his　present　ground；　to　have　two　good　batteries　got　ready；　each　on　its　knoll　ahead；　which　shall　wait　silent　in　the　interim：　Finck　to　ride　out　reconnoitring；　with　many　General　Officers；　and　to　make　motions　and　ostentations；　in　a　word；　to　persuade　the　Russians　that　here　is　the　Main　Army　coming　on　from　the　north。　All　which　Finck　does；　avoiding；　as　his　orders　were；　any　firing；　or　serious　commencement　of　business；　till　the　King　reappear　out　of　the　woods。　The　Russians　give　Finck　and　his　General　Officers　a　cannon　salvo；　here　and　there；　without　effect；　and　get　no　answer。　〃The　King　does　not　see　his　way；　then；　after　all？〃　think　the　Russians。　Their　Cossacks　go　scouring　about；　on　the　southern　side；　〃burn　Schwetig　and　Reipzig；〃　without　the　least　advantage　to　themselves：　most　of　the　Cavalry；　and　a　regiment　or　two　of　excellent　Austrian　Grenadiers；　are　with　Loudon；　near　the　Red　Grange；　in　front　of　the　Russian　extreme　left；but　will　have　stept　over　into　Big　Hollow　at　a　moment　of　crisis！

The　King's　march；　through　the　Forest　of　Reppen；　was　nothing　like　so　expeditious　as　had　been　expected。　There　are　thickets；　intricacies；　runlets；　boggy　oozes；　indifferent　to　one　man　well　mounted；　but　vitally　important　to　30；000　with　heavy　cannon　to　bring　on。　Boggy　oozings　especially；there　is　one　dirty　stream　or　floss　（HUNERFLIESS；　Hen…Floss）　which　wanders　dismally　through　those　recesses；　issuing　from　the　far　south；　with　dirty　daughters　dismally　wandering　into　it；　and　others　that　cannot　get　into　it　（being　of　the　lake　kind）：　these；　in　their　weary；　circling；　recircling　course　towards　Oder；FAULE　LAACKE　（Foul　Lake；　LITHER…MERE；　as　it　were）；　Foul　Bridge；　Swine's　Nook　（SCHWEINEBUCKT）；　and　many　others；　occasion　endless　difficulty。　Whether　Major　Linden　was　shot　that　day；　or　what　became　of　him　after；　I　do　not　know：　but　it　was　pity　he　had　not　studied　the　ground　with　a　soldier's　eye　instead　of　a　hunter's！　Plumping　suddenly；　at　last；　upon　Hen…Floss　itself；　Friedrich　has　to　turn　angularly；　angularly；　which　occasions　great　delay：　the　heavy　cannon　（wall…guns　brought　from　Custrin）　have　twelve　horses　each；　and　cannot　turn　among　the　trees；　but　have　to　be　unyoked；　reyoked；　turned　round　by　hand：in　short；　it　was　eight　in　the　morning　before　Friedrich　arrived　at　the　edge　of　the　wood；　on　the　Klosterberg；　Walckberg；　and　other　woody　BERGS　or　knolls；　within　reach　of　Muhlberg；　and　behind　the　preliminary　abatis　there　（abatis　which　was　rather　of　service　to　him　than　otherwise）；and　began　privately　building　his　batteries。

At　eight　o'clock　he；　with　Column　First；　which　is　now　becoming　Line　First　（CENTRE　of　Line　First；　if　we　reckon　Finck　as　RIGHT…WING）；　is　there；　busy　in　that　manner：　Column　Second；　which　was　to　have　been　Rear　Line；　is　still　a　pretty　way　behind；　and　has　many　difficulties　before　it　gets　into　Kunersdorf　neighborhood；　or　can　（having　wriggled　itself　into　a　kind　of　LEFT…WING）　co…operate　on　the　Russian　Position　from　the　south　side。　On　the　north　side；　Finck　has　been　ready　these　five　hours。Friedrich　speeds　the　building　of　his　batteries：　〃Silent；　too；　the　Russians　have　not　yet　noticed　us！〃　By　degrees　the　Russians　do　notice　something；　shoot　out　Cossacks　to　reconnoitre。　Cossacks　in　quantity；　who　are　so　insolent；　and　venture　so　very　near；　our　gunners　on　the　north　battery　give　them　a　blast　of　satisfactory　grape…shot；　one　aud　then　another；　four　blasts　in　all；　satisfactory　to　the　gunner　mind；till　the　King's　self；　with　a　look；　with　a　voice；　came　galloping：　〃Silence；　will　you！〃　The　Russians　took　no　offence；　still　considering　Finck　to　be　the　main　thing　and　Friedrich　some　scout　party；till　at　last；

Half…past　eleven；　everything　being　ready　on　the　Walck　Hill；　Friedrich's　batteries　opened　there；　in　a　sudden　and　volcanic　way。　Volcanically　answered　by　the　Russians；　as　soon　as　possible；　who　have　72　guns　on　this　Muhlberg；　and　are　nothing　loath。　Upon　whom　Finck's　battery　is　opening　from　the　north；　withal：　Friedrich　has　60　cannon　hereabouts；　on　the　Walckberg；　on　the　LITTLE　Spitzberg　（called　SEIDLITZ　HILL　ever　since）；　all　playing　diligently　on　the　head　and　south　shoulder　of　this　Muhlberg：　while　Finck's　battery　opens　on　the　north　shoulder　（could　he　but　get　near　enough）。　Volcanic　to　a　degree　all　these；　nor　are　the　Russians　wanting；　though　they　get　more　and　more　astonished：　Tempelhof；　who　was　in　it；　says　he　never；　except　at　Torgau　next　Year；　heard　a　louder　cannonade。　Loud　exceedingly；　and　more　or　less　appalling　to　the　Russian　imagination：　but　not　destructive　in　proportion；　the　distance　being　too　considerable；〃1；950　paces　at　the　nearest；〃　as　Tempelhof　has　since　ascertained　by　measuring。　Friedrich's　two　batteries；　however；　as　they　took　the　Russians　in　the　flank　or　by　enfilade；　did　good　execution。　〃The　Russian　guns　were　ill…pointed；　the　Russian　batteries　wrong…built；　batteries　so　built　as　did　not　allow　them　sight　of　the　Hollow　they　were　meant　to　defend。〃　＇Tempelhof；　iii。　186；　187。＇

After　above　half　an　hour　of　this；　Friedrich　orders　storm　of　the　Muhlberg：　Forward　on　it；　with　what　of　enfilading　it　has　had！　Eight　grenadier　Battalions；　a　chosen　vanguard　appointed　for　the　work　（names　of　Battalions　all　given；　and　deathless　in　the　Prussian　War…　Annals）；　tramp　forth　on　this　service：　cross　the　abatis；　which　the　Russian　grenadoes　have　mostly　burnt；　down　into　the　Hollow。　Steady　as　planets；　〃with　a　precision　and　coherency；〃　says　Tempelhof；　〃which　even　on　the　parade…ground　would　have　deserved　praises。　Once　well　in　the　Hollow；　they　suffer　nothing；　though　the　blind　Russian　fire；　going　all　over　their　heads；　rages　threefold：〃　suffered　nothing　in　the　Hollow；　nor　till　they　reached　almost　the　brow　of　the　Muhlberg；　and　were　within　a　hundred　steps　of　the　Russian　guns。　These　were　the　critical　steps；　these　final　ones；　such　torrents　of　grape…shot　and　musket…shot　and　sheer　death　bursting　out；　here　at　last；　upon　the　Eight　Battalions；　as　they　come　above　ground。　Who　advanced；　unwavering；　all　the　faster；speed　one's　only　safety。　They　poured　into　the　Russian　gunners　and　musketry　battalions　one　volley　of　choicest　quality；　which　had　a　shaking　effect；　then；　with　level　bayonets；　plunge　on　the　batteries：　which　are　all　empty　before　we　can　leap　into　them；　artillery…men；　musketeer　battalions；　all　on　wing；　general　whirlpool　spreading。　And　so；　in　ten　minutes；　the　Muhlberg　and　its　guns　are　ours。　Ever　since　Zorndorf；　an　idea　had　got　abroad；　says　Tempelhof；　that　the　Russians　would　die　instead　of　yielding；　but　it　proved　far　otherwise　here。　Down　as　far　as　Kunersdorf；　which　may　be　about　a　mile　westward；　the　Russians　are　all　in　a　whirl；　at　best　hanging　in　tatters　and　clumps；　their　Officers　struggling　against　the　flight；　〃mixed　groups　you　would　see　huddled　together　a　hundred　men　deep。〃　The　Russian　Left　Wing　is　beaten：　had　we　our　cannon　up　here；　our　cavalry　up　here；　the　Russian　Army　were　in　a　bad　way！

This　is　a　glorious　beginning；　completed；　I　think；　as　far　almost　as　Kunersdorf　by　one　o'clock：　and　could　the　iron　continue　to　be　struck　while　it　is　at　white…heat　as　now；　the　result　were　as　good　as　certain。　That　was　Friedrich's　calculation：　but　circumstances　which　he　had　not　counted　on；　some　which　he　could　not　count　on；　sadly　retarded　the　matter。　His　Left　Wing　（Rear　Line；　which　should　now　have　been　Left　Wing）　from　southward；　his　Right　Wing　from　northward；　and　Finck　farther　west；　were　now　on　the　instant　to　have　simultaneously　closed　upon　the　beaten　Russians；　and　crushed　them　altogether。　The　Right　Wing；　conquerors　of　the　Muhlberg；　are　here：　but　neither　Finck　nor　the　Left　can　be　simultaneous　with　them。　Finck　and　his　artillery　are　much　retarded　with　the　Flosses　and　poor　single　Bridges；　and　of　the　Left　Wing　there　are　only　some　Vanguard　Regiments　capable　of　helping　（〃who　drove　out　the　Russians　from　Kunersdorf　Churchyard；〃　as　their　first　feat）；no　Main　Body　yet　for　a　long　while。　Such　impediments；　such　intricacies　of　bog　and　bush！　The　entire　Wing　does　at　last　get　to　the　southeast　of　Kunersdorf；　free　of　the　wood；　but　finds　（contrary　to　Linden　with　his　hunter　eye）　an　intricate　meshwork　of　meres　and　straggling　lakes；　two　of　them　in　the　burnt　Village　itself；　no　passing　of　these