history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第25部分

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stadt；　for　example：　carrying　over　portions　of　his　goods；　but　never　heartily　the　whole；　unable　to　resolve；　now　lifting　visibly　the　Bridge　pavement；　then　again　visibly　restoring　it；and；　I　think；　though　the　contrary　is　asserted；　he　had　at　last　to　leave　in　the　Neustadt　a　great　deal　of　stores；　horse…provender　and　other；　not　needful　to　him　at　present；　or　impossible　to　carry；　when　dubiety　got　ended。　He　has　put　a　mine　under　the　Bridge；　but　knows　it　will　not　go　off。

〃Schmettau　has　been　in　many　wars；　but　this　is　a　case　that　tries　his　soldier　qualities　as　none　other　has　ever　done。　A　case　of　endless　intricacy；if　he　be　quite　equal　to　it；　which　perhaps　he　was　not　altogether。　Nobody　ever　doubted　Schmettau's　high　qualities　as　a　man　and　captain；　but　here　are　requisite　the　very　highest；　and　these　Schmettau　has　not。　The　result　was　very　tragical；　I　suppose；　a　pain　to　Friedrich　all　his　life　after；　and　certainly　to　Schmettau　all　his。　This　is　Saturday　night；　25th　August：　before　Tuesday　week　（September　4th）　there　will　have　sad　things　arrived；　irremediable　to　Schmettau。　Had　Schmettau　decided　to　defend　himself；　Dresden　had　not　been　taken。　What　a　pity　Schmettau　had　not　been　spared　this　Missive；　calculated　to　produce　mere　doubt！　Whether　he　could　not；　and　should　not；　after　a　ten　days　of　inquiry　and　new　discernment；　have　been　able　to　read　the　King's　true　meaning；　as　well　as　the　King's　momentary　humor；　in　this　fatal　Document；　there　is　no　deciding。　Sure　enough；　he　did　not　read　the　King's　true　meaning　in　it；　but　only　the　King's　momentary　humor；　did　not　frankly　set　about　defending　himself　to　the　death；or　'seeing'　in　that　way　'whether　he　could　not　defend　himself；'with　a　good　capitulation　lying　in　the　rear；　after　he　had。

〃SUNDAY；　AUGUST　26th；　Trumpet　at　the　gates。　Messenger　from　Zweibruck　is　introduced　blindfold；　brings　formal　Summons　to　Schmettau。　Summons　duly　truculent：　'Resistance　vain；　the　more　you　resist；　the　worse　it　will　be；and　there　is　a　worst　＇that　of　being　delivered　to　the　Croats；　and　massacred　every　man＇；　of　which　why　should　I　speak？　Especially　if　in　anything　you　fail　of　your　duty　to　the　Kur…Prinz　＇Electoral　Prince　and　Heir…Apparent；　poor　crook…　backed　young　Gentleman；　who　has　an　excellent　sprightly　Wife；　a　friend　of　Friedrich's　and　daughter　of　the　late　Kaiser　Karl　VII。；　whom　we　used　so　beautifully＇；　imagine　what　your　fate　will　be！'To　which　Schmettau　answers：　'Can　Durchlaucht　think　us　ignorant　of　the　common　rules　of　behavior　to　Persons　of　that　Rank？　For　the　rest；　Durchlaucht　knows　what　our　duties　here　are；　and　would　despise　us　if　we　did　NOT　do　them；'and；　in　short；　our　answer　again　is；　in　polite　forms；　'Pooh；　pooh；　you　may　go　your　way！'　Upon　which　the　Messenger　is　blindfolded　again；　and　Schmettau　sets　himself　in　hot　earnest　to　clearing　out　his　goods　from　the　Neustadt；　building　with　huge　intertwisted　cross…beams　and　stone　and　earth…masses　a　Battery　at　his　own　end　of　the　Bridge；　batteries　on　each　side　of　it；　below　and　above；locks　the　Gates；　and　is　passionately　busy　all　Sunday；　though　divine　service　goes　on　as　usual。

〃Hardly　were　the　Prussian　guns　got　away；　when　Croat　people　in　quantity　came　in；　and　began　building　a　Battery　at　their　end　of　the　Bridge；　the　main　defence…work　being　old　Prussian　meal…barrels；　handily　filled　with　earth。　'If　you　fire　one　cannon…ball　across　on　us；'　said　Schmettau；　'I　will　bombard　the　Neustadt　into　flame　in　few　minutes　＇I　have　only　to　aim　at　our　Hay　Magazine　yonder＇：　be　warned！　'Nor　did　they　once　fire　from　that　side；　Electoral　Highness　withal　and　Royal　Palace　being　quite　contiguous　behind　the　Prussian　Bridge…　Battery。　Electoral　Highness　and　Household　are　politely　treated；　make　polite　answer　to　everything；　intend　going　down　into　the　'APOTHEKE'　（Kitchen　suite）；　or　vaulted　part　of　the　Palace；　and　will　lodge　there　when　the　cannonade　begins。

〃This　same　SUNDAY；　AUGUST　26th；　Maguire　arrived；　and　set　instantly　to　building　his　bridge　at　Pillnitz；　a　little　way　above　Dresden：　at　Uebigau；　a　little　below　Dresden；　the　Reichsfolk　have　another。　Reichsfolk；　Zweibruck　in　person；　come　all　in　on　Wednesday；　post　themselves　there；　to　north　and　west　of　the　City。　What　is　more　important；　the　siege…guns；　a　superb　stock；　are　steadily　floating；　through　the　Pirna　regions；　hitherward；　get　to　hand　on　Friday　next；　the　fifth　day　hence。　＇Tempelhof；　p。　210。＇　Korbitz　（half…way　out　to　Kesselsdorf）　is　Durchlaucht's　head…quarter：Chief　General　is　Durchlaucht；　conspicuously　he；　at　least　in　theory；　and　shall　have　all　the　glory；　though　Maguire；　glancing　on　these　cannon；　were　it　nothing　more；　has　probably　a　good　deal　to　say。　Maguire　too；　I　observe；　takes　post　on　that　north　or　Kesselsdorf　side；　contiguous　for　the　Head　General。　Wehla　and　Brentano　post　themselves　on　the　south　or　up…stream　side；　it　is　they　that　hand　in　the　siege…　guns：　batteries　are　already　everywhere　marked　out；　13　cannon…　batteries　and　5　howitzer。　In　short；　from　the　morrow　of　that　truculent　Summons；　Monday　morning　to　Thursday；　there　is　hot　stir　of　multifarious　preparation　on　Schmettau's　part；　and　continual　pouring　in　of　the　hostile　force；　who　are　also　preparing　at　the　utmost。　Thursday；　the　Siege；　if　it　can　be　called　a　Siege；　begins。　Gradually；　and　as　follows：

〃THURSDAY　MORNING　（August　30th）；　Schmettau；　who　is；　night　and　day；　'palisading　the　River；'　and　much　else；discloses　（that　is；　Break　of　Day　discloses　on　his　part）　to　the　Dresden　public　a　huge　Gallows；　black；　huge；　of　impressive　aspect；　labelled　'For　Plunderers；　Mutineers　and　their　Helpers。'　＇ANONYMOUS　OF　HAMBURG；　iii。　373。＇　The　Austrian　heavy　guns　are　not　yet　in　battery；　but　multitudes　of　loose　Croat　people　go　swarming　about　everywhere；　and　there　is　plentiful　firing　from　such　artilleries　as　they　have。　This　same　Thursday　morning；　two　or　three　battalions　of　them　rush　into　the　Pirna　Suburb；　attack　the　Prussian　Guard…parties　there。　Schmettau　instantly　despatches　Captain　Kollas　and　a　Trumpet：　'Durchlaucht；　have　the　goodness　to　recall　these　Croat　Parties；　otherwise　the　Suburb　goes　into　flame！　And　directly　on　arrival　of　this　Messenger；　may　it　please　Durchlaucht。　For　we　have　computed　the　time；　and　will　not　wait　beyond　what　is　reasonable　for　his　return！'　Zweibruck　is　mere　indignation　and　astonishment；　'will　burn　Halle；'　burn　Quedlinburg；　Berlin　itself；　and　utterly　ruin　the　King　of　Prussia's　Dominion　in　general：the　rejoinder　to　which　is；　burning　of　Pirna　Suburb；　as　predicted；　seventy　houses　of　it；　this　evening；　at　six　o'clock。

〃Onward　from　which　time　there　is　on　both　sides；　especially　on　Schmettau's；　diligent　artillery　practice；　cannonade　kept　up　wherever　Schmettau　can　see　the　enemy　busy；　enemy　responding　with　what　artillery　he　has：not　much　damage　done；　I　should　think；　though　a　great　deal　of　noise；　and　for　one　day　（Saturday；　September　1st）；　our　Diarist　notes；　'Not　safe　to　walk　the　streets　this　day。'　But；　in　effect；　the　Siege；　as　they　call　it；which　fell　dead　on　the　fifth　day；　and　was　never　well　aliveconsists　mainly　of　menace　and　counter…menace；　in　the　way　of　bargain…making　and　negotiation；and；　so　far　as　I　can　gather；　that　superb　Park　of　Austrian　Artillery；　though　built　into　batteries；　and　talked　about　in　a　bullying　manner；　was　not　fired　from　at　all。

〃Schmettau　affects　towards　the　enemy　（and　towards　himself；　I　dare　say）　an　air　of　iron　firmness；　but　internally　has　no　such　feeling；　'Calls　a　Council　of　War；'　and　the　like。　Council　of　War；　on　sight　of　that　King's　Missive；　confirms　him　with　one　voice：　'Surely；　surely；　Excellenz；　no　defence　possible！'　Which　is　a　prophecy　and　a　fulfilment；　both　in　one。　Why　Schmettau　did　not　shoot　forth　a　spy　or　two；　to　ascertain　for　him　What；　or　whether　Nothing　whatever；　was　passing　outside　Dresden？　I　never　understand！　Beyond　his　own　Walls；　the　world　is　a　vacancy　and　blank　to　Schmettau；　and　he　seems　content　it　should　be　so。

〃SUNDAY；　SEPTEMBER　2d。　Though　Schmettau's　cannonade　was　very　loud；　and　had　been　so　all　night；　divine　service　was　held　as　usual；　streets　safe　again；Austrians；　I　suppose；　not　firing　with　cannon。　About　4　P。M。；　after　a　great　deal　of　powder　spent；　General　Maguire；　stepping　out　on　Elbe　Bridge；　blows　or　beats　Appeal；　three　times；　'wishes　a　moment's　conversation　with　his　Excellency。'　Granted　at　once；　witnesses　attending　on　both　sides。　'Defence　is　impossible；　in　the　name　of　humanity；　consider！'　urges　Maguire。　'Defence　to　the　last　man　of　us　is　certain；'　answers　Schmettau；　from　the　teeth　outwards；but；　in　the　end；　engages　to　put　on　paper；　in　case　he；　by　extremity　of　ill…luck；　have　at　any　time　to　acoept　terms；　what　his　terms　will　inflexibly　be。　Upon　which　there　is　'Armistice　till　To…morrow：'　and　Maguire；　I　doubt　not；　reports　joyfully　on　this　feeling　of　the　enemy's　pulse。　Zweibruck　and　Maguire　are　very　well　aware　of　what　is　passing　in　these　neighborhoods　（General　Wunsch　back　at　Wittenberg　by　forced　marches；　blew　it　open　in　an　hour）；　and　are　growing　highly　anxious　that　Dresden　on　any　terms　were　theirs。

〃MONDAY；　SEPTEMBER　3d；　The　death…day　of　the　Siege；　an　uncommonly　busy　day；though　Armistice　lasted　perfect　till　3　P。M。；　and　soon　came　back　more　perfect　than　ever。　A　Siege　not　killed　by　cannon；　but　by　medical　industry。　Let　us　note　with　brevity　the　successive　symptoms　and　appliances。　About　seven　in　the　morning　Maguire　had　his　Messenger　in　Dresden；　'Your　Excellency's　Paper　ready？'　'Nearly　ready；'　answers　Schmettau；　'we　will　send　it　by　a　Messenger　of　our　own。'　And　about　eleven　of　the　day　Maguire　does　get　it；the　same　Captain　Kollas　（whose　name　we　recollect）　handing　it　in；　and　statue…like　waiting　Answer。　'Pshaw；　this　will　never　do；'　ejaculates　Maguire；　'terms　irrationally　high！'　Captain　Kollas　'knows　nothing　of　what　is　IN　the　Paper；　and　is　charged　only　to　bring　a　Written　Answer　from　Excellenz。'　Excellenz；　before　writing；　'will　have　to　consult　with　Durchlaucht；'　can；　however；　as　if　confidentially　and　from　feelings　of　friendship；　can　assure　you；　Sir；　on　my　honor；　That　the　Garrison　will　be　delivered　to　the　Croats；　and　every　man　of　it　put　to　the　sword。　'The　Garrison　will　expect　that　（WIRD　DAS　ERWARTEN）；'　said　Kollas；　statue…like；　and　withdrew；　with　the　proper　bow。　＇Tempelhof；　iii。　211。＇　Something　interesting　to　us　in　these　Military　diplomatic　passages；　with　their　square…elbowed　fashions；　and　politeness　stiff　as　iron！　　　〃Not　till　three　of　the　afternoon　does　the　Written　Answer　reach　Schmettau：　'Such　Terms　never　could　be　accepted。''Good；'　an