louisa of prussia and her times-第129部分

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〃She　is　on　our　side；　your　father　is　faithful　to　us。〃

〃But；　ah；　he　is　able　only　to　give　us　his　great；　true　heart　and
brave；　friendly　advice！〃　sighed　the　queen。　〃His　state　is　too　small
to　furnish　us　any　other　aid。　Oh；　my　husband；　I　could　now　give　my
heart's　blood　if　I　only　were　the　daughter　of　a　mighty　king；　and　if
my　father　could　hasten　to　your　assistance　with　an　army。〃

〃A　single　drop　of　your　heart's　blood　would　be　too　high　a　price　for
the　armies　of　the　whole　world；〃　said　the　king。　〃Your　father　has
given　to　me　the　most　precious　and　priceless　treasure　earth　contains：
a　noble；　beautiful　wife；　a　high…minded　queen！　Your　father　was　the
richest　prince　when　he　still　had　his　daughter；　and　I　am　the　richest
man　since　you　are　mine。〃

He　clasped　the　queen　in　his　arms；　and　she　clung　to　him　with　a
blissful　smile。

〃For　the　rest；〃　said　the　king；　after　a　pause；　〃there　is　at　least　one
German　prince　who　stands　faithfully　by　us；　and　that　is　the　Duke　of
Saxe…Weimar。〃

〃The　friend　of　Goethe　and　Schiller！〃　exclaimed　the　queen。

〃The　duke　places　his　battalion　of　riflemen　at　our　disposal；　and　will
accept　a　command　in　the　war。〃

〃There　will　be　war；　then？〃　asked　the　queen；　joyfully。

〃Yes；　there　will　be　war；〃　said　the　king；　sadly。

〃You　say　so　and　sigh；〃　exclaimed　Louisa。

〃Yes；　I　sigh；〃　replied　the　king。　〃I　am　not　as　happy　as　you　and　those
who　are　in　favor　of　war。　I　do　not　believe　in　the　invincibility　of　my
army。　I　feel　that　we　cannot　be　successful。　There　is　an　indescribable
confusion　in　the　affairs　of　the　war　department；　the　gentlemen　at　the
head　of　it；　it　is　true；　will　not　believe　it；　and　pretend　that　I　am
still　too　young　and　do　not　understand　enough　about　it。　Ah；　I　wish
from　the　bottom　of　my　heart　I　were　mistaken。　The　future　will　soon
show　it。〃　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。Vide　Henchel　von
Donnersmark。＇




CHAPTER　LXI。

A　BAD　OMEN。


The　decisive　word　had　been　uttered！　Prussia　was　at　length　going　to
draw　the　sword；　and　take　revenge　for　years　of　humiliation。

The　army　received　this　intelligence　with　unbounded　exultation　and
the　people　embraced　every　opportunity　to　manifest　their　martial
enthusiasm。　They　demanded　that　Schiller's　〃Maid　of　Orleans〃　should
be　performed　at　the　theatre；　and　replied　to　every　warlike　and　soul…
stirring　word　of　the　tragedy　by　the　most　rapturous　applause。　They
again　broke　all　the　windows　in　Count　Haugwitz's　house；　and　serenaded
Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；　Minister　von　Hardenberg；　and　such　generals
as　were　known　to　be　in　favor　of　war。

All　the　newspapers　predicted　the　most　brilliant　victories；　and
gloated　already　in　advance　over　the　triumphant　battles　in　which　the
Prussian　army　would　defeat　the　enemy。

But　the　proudest　and　happiest　of　all　were　the　officers　who；　in　the
intoxication　of　their　joy；　saw　their　heads　already　wreathed　with
laurels　which　they　would　gain　in　the　impending　war；　and　whose　pride
would　not　admit　the　possibility　of　a　defeat。　The　army　of　Frederick
the　Great；　they　said；　could　not　be　vanquished；　and　there　was　but　one
apprehension　which　made　them　tremble：　the　fear　lest　war　should　be
avoided　after　all；　and　lest　the　inevitable　and　crushing　defeat　of
Bonaparte　should　be　averted　once　more　by　the　conclusion　of　a
miserable　peace。　＇Footnote：　Vide　Varnhagen's　〃Denkwurdigkeiten；〃
vol。　i。；　pp。　389；　390。＇

The　old　generals　who　had　served　under　Frederick　the　Great　were　the
heroes　in　whom　the　officers　believed。　〃We　have　got　generals　who　know
something　about　war；〃　said　the　haughty　Prussian　officers；　〃generals
who　have　served　in　the　army　from　their　early　youth。　Those　French
tailors　and　shoemakers　who　have　gained　some　distinction　only　in
consequence　of　the　revolution；　had　better　take　to　their　heels　as
soon　as　such　generals　take　the　field　against　them。〃　＇Footnote：
Hausser's　〃History　of　Germany；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　358。＇

And　in　the　enthusiasm　inspired　by　their　future　victories；　the
officers　gave　each　other　brilliant　farewell　festivals；　and　indulged
in　liberal　potations　of　champagne　and　hock　in　honor　of　the　impending
battles；　singing　in　stentorian　voices　the　new　war…songs　which　E。　M。
Arndt　＇E。　M。　Arndt；　the　celebrated　author　of　the　German　hymn；　〃Was
ist　des　Deutschen　Vaterland？〃＇　had　just　dedicated　to　the　German
people。　When　their　passions　had　been　excited　to　the　highest　pitch　by
dreams　of　victory；　by　wine　and　soul…stirring　songs；　they　went　in　the
evening　to　the　residence　of　the　French　minister　to　whet　their　sword…
blades　on　the　pavement　in　front　of　his　door。

〃But　what　should　we　need　swords　and　muskets　for？〃　shouted　the
officers　up　to　the　windows　of　the　French　minister；　〃for　when　the
brave　Prussians　are　approaching；　the　French　will　run　away
spontaneously；　cudgels　would　be　sufficient　to　drive　the　fellows　back
to　their　own　country。〃　＇Bishop　Eylert；　〃Frederick　William　III。；〃
vol。　iii。；　p。　8。＇

But　there　were　among　the　officers；　and　particularly　among　the
generals；　some　prudent　and　sagacious　men　who　shared　the　king's
apprehensions；　and　who　looked；　like　him；　anxiously　into　the　future。

These　prudent　men　were　aware　of　the　condition　of　the　Prussian　army；
and　knew　that　it　was　no　longer　what　it　had　been　in　the　Seven　Years'
War；　and　that　there　was　no　Frederick　the　Great　to　lead　it　into
battle。

It　is　true；　there　were　still　in　the　army　many　generals　and　officers
who　had　served　under　Frederick　the　Great；　and　these；　of　course；　were
experienced　and　skilled　in　warlike　operations。　But　they　were　weighed
down　by　the　long　number　of　their　years；　old　age　is　opposed　to　an
adventurous　spirit；　and　in　favor　of　the　comforts　of　life。
Nevertheless；　these　men　believed　in　themselves　and　felt　convinced
that　victory　would　adhere　to　them；　the　warriors　of　Frederick　the
Great；　and　that　no　army　was　able　to　defeat　soldiers　commanded　by
them。

The　more　prudent　men　looked　with　feelings　of　reverence　on　these
ruins　of　the　magnificent　structure　which　the　great　king　had　erected；
but　they　perceived　at　the　same　time　that　they　were　decayed　and
crumbling。　They　well　knew　that　the　Prussian　army　was　behind　the
times　in　many　respects；　and　not　equal　to　the　occasion。　Not　only　were
the　leaders　too　old；　but　the　soldiers　also　had　grown　hoarynot；
however；　in　wars　and　military　camps；　but　in　parading　and　garrison
life。　They　knew　nothing　of　active　warfare；　and　were　only　familiar
with　the　duties　of　parade…soldiers。　They　were　married；　and　entered
sullenly　into　a　war　which　deprived　their　wives　and　children　of　their
daily　bread。

The　Prussian　army；　moreover；　was　still　organized　in　the　old…
fashioned　style；　and　none　of　the　improvements　rendered　indispensable
by　the　rapid　progress　of　the　art　of　war　had　been　adopted　by　the
Prussian　ministers　of　war。

The　arms　of　the　infantry　were　defective　and　bad；　the　muskets　looked
glittering　and　were　splendidly　burnished；　but　their　construction　was
imperfect。　They　were　calculated　only　for　parades；　but　not　for　active
warfare。　Besides；　the　infantry　was　drilled　in　the　old　tactics；　which
looked　very　fine　on　parade；　but　were　worse　than　useless　in　battle。
＇〃The　War　of　1806　and　1807。〃　By　Edward　von　Hopfner；　vol。　1。；　p。　46。＇

The　artillery　was　well　mounted；　but　its　generals　were　too　old　and
disabled　for　field　service；　the　youngest　of　them　were　more　than
seventy　years　of　age。

The　clothing　of　the　army　was　of　the　most　wretched　description；　it
was　made　of　the　coarsest　and　worst　cloth；　and；　moreover；　entirely
insufficient。　The　rations　were　just　as　scanty；　and　fixed　in
accordance　with　the　economical　standard　of　the　Seven　Years'　War。

Besides；　there　was　no　enthusiasm；　no　military　ardor　in　the　ranks　of
the　army。　The　long　period　of　peace　and　parade…service　had　diminished
the　zeal　of　the　soldiers；　and　made　them　consider　their　duties　as
mere　play　and　unnecessary　vexations；　requiring　no　other　labor　than
the　cleaning　of　their　muskets　and　belts；　the　buttoning　of　their
gaiters；　and　the　artistic　arrangement　of　their　pigtails。　Every
neglect　of　these　important　duties　was　punished　in　the　most　merciless
manner。　The　stick　still　reigned　in　the　Prussian　army；　and　while
cudgelling　discipline　into　the　soldier；　they　cudgelled　ambition　and
self…reliance　out　of　him。　Not　military　ardor　and　manly　courage；　but
discipline　and　the　everlasting　stick　accompanied　the　Prussian
soldiers　of　1806　into　the　war。　＇Ibid。；　vol。　i。；　p。　86。＇

The　commander…in…chief　of　this　dispirited　and　disorganized　army　in
the　present　war　was　intrusted　to　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；　a　man　more
than　seventy　years　of　age；　talented　and　well　versed　in　war；　but
hesitating　and　timid　in　action；　relying　too　little　on　himself；　and
consequently　without　energy　and　determination。　His　assistant　and
second　in　command　was　Field　Marshal　Mollendorf。　One　of　the　bravest
officers　of　the　Seven　Years'　War；　but　now　no　less　than　eighty　years
of　age。

Such　was　the　army　which　was　to　take　the　field　and　defeat　Napoleon's
enthusiastic；　well…tried；　and　experienced　legions！

The　apprehensions　of　the　prudent　were　but　too　well　founded；　and　the
anxiety　visible　in　the　king's　gloomy　mien　was　perfectly　justified。

But　all　these　doubts　were　now　in　vain；　they　were　unable　to　stem　the
tide　of　events　and　to　prevent　the　outbreak　of　hostilities。

The　force　of　circumstances　was　more　irresistible　than　the
apprehensions　of　the　sagacious；　and　if　the　latter　said　in　a　low
voice　this　war　was　a　misfortune　for　Prussia；　public　opinion　only
shouted　the　louder：　〃This　war　saves　the　honor　of　Prussia；　and
delivers　us　from　the　yoke　of　the　hateful　tyrant！〃

Public　opinion　had　conquered；　war　was　inevitable。　General　von
Knobelsdorf　was　commissioned　to　present　to　the　Emperor　of　the　French
in　the　name　of　the　King　of　Prussia　an　ultimatum；　in　which　the　king
demanded　that　the　French　armies　should　evacuate　Germany　in　the
course　of　two　weeks；　that　the　emperor　should　raise　no　obstacles
against　the　formation　of　the　confederation　of　the　northern　princes；
and　give　back　to　Prussia　the　city　of　Wesel；　as　well　as　other
Prussian　territories　annexed　to　France。

This　ultimatum　was　equivalent　to　a　declaration　of　the　war；　and　the
Prussian　army；　therefore；　marched　into　the　field。

The　regiments　of　the　life…guards　were　to　leave　Berlin　on　the　21st　of
September；　and　join　the　army；　and　the　king　intended　to　accompany
them。

In　Berl