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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第39部分

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while the other was freezing。 'Archenholtz (UT SUPRA); ii。 11…15。' But Daun's people; on the opposite side of Plauen Dell; did the like; their tents also were left standing in the frozen state; guarded by alternating battalions; no better off than their Prussian neighbors。 This of the Tents; and Six frost… bitten Battalions guarding them; lasted till April。 An extraordinary obstinacy on the part both of Daun and of Friedrich; alike jealous of even seeming to yield one inch more of ground。

The Hereditary Prince; with his 12;000; marched home again in February; indeed; ever after the going into cantonments; all use of the Prince and his Force here visibly ceased; and; on the whole; no result whatever followed those strenuous antagonisms; and frozen tents left standing for three months; and things remained practically what they were。 So that; as the grand 〃Peace Negotiations〃 also came to nothing; we might omit this of Winter… quarters altogether; and go forward to the opening of Campaign Fifth;were it not that characteristic features do otherwise occur in it; curious little unveilings of the secret hopes and industries of Friedrich:besides which; there have minor private events fallen out; not without interest to human readers。 For whose behoof mainly a loose intercalary Chapter may be thrown together here。


SERENE HIGHNESS OF WURTEMBERG; AT FULDA (November 30th; 1759); IS JUST ABOUT 〃FIRING VICTORIA;〃 AND GIVING A BALL TO BEAUTY AND FASHION; IN HONOR OF A CERTAIN EVENT;BUT IS UNPLEASANTLY INTERRUPTED。

November 21st; the very day while Finck was capitulating in the Hills of Maxen; Duke Ferdinand; busy ever since his Victory at Minden; did; after a difficult Siege of Munster; Siege by Imhof; with Ferdinand protecting him; get Munster into hand again; which was reckoned a fine success to him。 Very busy has the Duke been: industriously reaping the fruits of his Victory at Minden; and this; the conclusive rooting out of the French from that Westphalian region; is a very joyful thing; and puts Ferdinand in hopes of driving them over the Mayn altogether。 Which some think he would have done; had not he; with magnanimous oblivion of self and wishes; agreed to send the Hereditary Prince and those 12;000 to assist in Friedrich's affairs; looking upon that as the vital point in these Allied Interests。 Friedrich's attempts; we have said; turned out impossible; nor would the Hereditary Prince and his 12;000; though a good deal talked about in England and elsewhere; 'Walpole;  George Second;  iii。 248 (in a sour Opposition tone); &c。 &c。' require more than mention; were it not that on the road thither; at Fulda (〃Fulda is half…way house to Saxony;〃 thinks Ferdinand; 〃should Pitt and Britannic Majesty be pleased to consent; as I dare presume they will〃); the Hereditary Prince had; in his swift way; done a thing useful for Ferdinand himself; and which caused a great emotion; chiefly of laughter; over the world; in those weeks。

〃No Enemy of Friedrich's;〃 says my Note; 〃is of feller humor than the Serenity of Wurtemberg; Karl Eugen; Reigning Duke of that unfortunate Country; for whom; in past days; Friedrich had been so fatherly; and really took such pains。 'Fatherly? STEP…fatherly; you mean; and for his own vile uses!' growled the Serenity of Wurtemberg:always an ominous streak of gloom in that poor man; streak which is spread now to whole skies of boiling darkness; owing to deliriums there have been! Enough; Karl Eugen; after divorcing his poor Wife; had distinguished himself by a zeal without knowledge; beyond almost all the enemies of Friedrich;and still continues in that bad line of industry。 His poor Wife he has made miserable in some measure; also himself; and; in a degree; his poor soldiers and subjects; who are with him by compulsion in this Enterprise。 The Wurtembergers are Protestants of old type; and want no fighting against 'the Protestant Hero;' but much the reverse! Serene Karl had to shoot a good few of these poor people; before they would march at all; and his procedures were indeed; and continued to be; of a very crying nature; though his poor Populations took them silently。 Always something of perverse in this Serene Highness; has it; I think; by kind。

〃Besides his quota to the Reich; Karl Eugen has 12;000 more on foot;and it is of them we are treating at present。 In 1757 he had lent these troops to the Empress Queen; for a consideration; it was they that stood on the Austrian left; at Leuthen; and were the first that got beaten; and had to cease standing;as the Austrians were abundantly loud in proclaiming。 To the disgust of Serene Highness: 'Which of you did stand; then? Was it their blame; led as they were?' argued he。 And next year; 1758; after Crefeld; he took his 12;000 to the French ('subsidy;' or consideration; 'to be paid in SALT;' it appears ' OEuvres de Frederic;  v。 10。'); with whom they marched about; and did nothing considerable。 The Serenity had pleaded; 'I must command them myself!' 'You?' said Belleisle; and would not hear of it。 Next year again; however; that is 1759; the Duke was positive; 'I must;' Belleisle not less so; 'You cannot;'till Minden fell out; and then; in the wreck of Contades; Belleisle had to consent。 Serenity of Wurtemberg; at that late season; took the field accordingly; and Broglio now has him at Fulda; 'To cut off Ferdinand from Cassel;' to threaten Ferdinand's left flank and his provision…carts in that quarter。 May really become unpleasant there to Ferdinand;and ought to be cut out by the Hereditary Prince。 'To Fulda; then; and cut him out!'

〃FULDA; FRIDAY; 30th NOVEMBER; 1759。 Serene Highness is lying here for a week past; abundantly strong for the task on hand;has his own 12;000; supplemented by 1;000 French Light Horse;but is widely scattered withal; posted in a kind of triangular form; his main posts being Fulda itself; and a couple of others; each thirty miles from Fulda; and five miles from one another;with 'patrols to connect them;' better or worse。 Abundantly strong for the task; and in perfect security; and indeed intends this day to 'fire VICTORIA' for the Catastrophe at Maxen; and in the evening will give a Ball in farther honor of so salutary an event:when; about 9 A。M。; news arrives at the gallop; 'Brunswickers in full march; are within an hour of the Town…Bridge!' Figure to what flurry of Serene Highness; of the victoria…shooting apparatus; of busy man…milliner people; and the Beauty and Fashion of Fulda in general!

〃The night before; a rumor of the French Post being driven in by somebody had reached Serene Highness; who gave some vague order; not thinking it of consequence。 Here; however; is the Fact come to hand in a most urgent and undeniable manner! Serene Highness gets on horseback; but what can that help? One cannon (has nothing but light cannon) he does plant on the Bridge; but see; here come premonitory bomb…shells one and another; terrifying to the mind; and a single Hessian dragoon; plunging forward on the one unready cannon; and in the air making horrid circles;the gunners leave said cannon to him; take to their heels; and the Bridge is open。 The rest of the affair can be imagined。 Retreat at our swiftest; 'running fight;' we would fain call it; by various roads; lost two flags; two cannon; prisoners were above 1;200; many of them Officers。 'A merciful Providence saved the Duke's Serene Person from hurt;' say the Stuttgard Gazetteers: which was true;Serene Highness having been inspired to gallop instantly to rearward and landward; leaving an order to somebody; 'Do the best you can!'

〃So that the Ball is up; dress…pumps and millineries getting all locked into their drawers again;with abundance of te…hee…ing (I hope; mostly in a light vein) from the fair creatures disappointed of their dance for this time。 Next day Serene Highness drew farther back; and next day again farther;towards Frankenland and home; as the surest place;and was no more heard of in those localities。〃 'Buchholz; ii。 332; Mauvillon; ii。 80;  Helden…Geschichte;  v。 1184…1193; Old Newspapers; in  Gentleman's Magazine;  xxix。 603。'

Making his first exit; not yet quite his final; from the War… Theatre; amid such tempests of haha…ing and te…hee…ing。 With what thoughts in his own lofty opaque mind;like a crowned mule; of such pace and carriage; who had unexpectedly stepped upon galvanic wires!

As to those poor Wurtembergers; and their notion of the 〃Protestant Hero;〃 I remark farther; that there is a something of real truth in it。 Friedrich's Creed; or Theory of the Universe; differed extremely; in many important points; from that of Dr。 Martin Luther: but in the vital all…essential point; what we may call the heart's core of all Creeds which are human; human and not simious or diabolic; the King and the Doctor were with their whole heart at one: That it is not allowable; that it is dangerous and abominable; to attempt believing what is not true。 In that sense; Friedrich; by nature and position; was a Protestant; and even the chief Protestant in the world。 What kind of 〃Hero;〃 in this big War of his; we are gradually learning;in which too; if you investigate; there is not wanting something of 〃PROTESTANT Heroism;〃 even in the narrow sense。 For it does appear;Maria Theresa having a real fear of God; and poor Louis a real fear of the Devil; whom he may well feel to be getting dangerous purchase over him;some hope…gleams of acting upon Schism; and so meriting Heaven; did mingle with their high terrestrial combinations; on this unique opportunity; more than are now supposed in careless History…Books。


WHAT IS PERPETUAL PRESIDENT MAUPERTUIS DOING; ALL THIS WHILE? IS HE STILL IN BERLIN; OR WHERE IN THE UNIVERSE IS HE? ALAS; POOR MAUPERTUIS!

In the heat of this Campaign; 〃July 27th;〃… some four days after the Battle of Zullichau; just while Friedrich was hurrying off for that Intersection at Sagan; and breathless Hunt of Loudon and Haddick;poor Maupertuis had quitted this world。 July 27th; 1759; at Basel; on the Swiss Borders; in his friend Bernouilli's house; after long months of sickness painfully spent there。 And our poor Perpetual President; at rest now from all his Akakia burns; and pains and labors in fl

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