history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Friedrich；　they　say。　Drills　itself　multifariously　in　that　Camp　between　Furth　and　Farrenbach；　on　the　east　side　of　Regnitz　River。　Fancy　what　a　sight　to　Wilhelmina；　if　she　ever　drove　that　way；　which　I　think　she　hardly　would。　The　Baireuth　contingent　itself　is　there；　the　Margraf　would　have　held　out　stiff　on　that　point；　but　Friedrich　himself　advised　compliance。　Margraf　of　Anspachperverse　tippling　creature；　ill　with　his　Wife；　I　doubthas　joyfully　sent　his　legal　hundreds；　will　vote　for　the　Reichs　Ban　against　this　worst　of　Germans；　whom　he　has　for　Brother…in…law。　Dark　days　in　the　heart　of　Wilhelmina；　those　of　the　Camp　at　Furth。　Days　which　grow　ever　darker；　with　strange　flashings　out　of　empyrean　lightning　from　that　shrill　true　heart；　no　peace　more；　till　the　noble　heroine　die！

This　ELENDE　Reichs…Heer；　miserable　〃Army　of　the　Circles；〃　is　mockingly　called　〃the　Hoopers；　Coopers　（TONNELIERS）；〃　and　gets　quizzing　enough；　under　that　and　other　titles；　from　an　Opposition　Public。　Far　other　from　the　French　and　Austrians；　who　are　bent　that　it　should　do　feats　in　the　world；　and　prove　impressive　on　a　robber　King。　Thus　too；　〃for　Deliverance　of　Saxony；〃　to　co…operate　with　Reichs…Heer　in　that　sacred　object；　thanks　to　the　zeal　of　Pompadour；　Prince　de　Soubise　has　got　together；　in　Elsass；　a　supplementary　30；000　（40；330　said　Theory；　but　Fact　never　quite　so　many）：　and　is　passing　them　across　the　Rhine；　in　Frankfurt　Country；　all　through　July；　while　the　drilling　at　Furth　goes　on。　With　these；　Soubise；　simultaneously　getting　under　way；　will　steer　northeastward；　join　the　Reichs…Heer　about　Erfurt；　before　August　end；　andand　we　shall　see　what　becomes　of　the　combined　Soubise　and　Reichs　Army　after　that！

It　must　be　owned；　the　French；　Pompadour　and　love　of　glory　urging；　are　diligent　since　the　event　of　Kolin。　In　select　Parisian　circles；　the　Soubise　Army；　or　even　that　of　D'Estrees　altogether；produced　by　the　tears　of　a　filial　Dauphiness；is　regarded　as　a　quasi…　sacred；　or　uncommonly　noble　thing；　and　is　called　by　her　name；　〃L'ARMEE　DE　LA　DAUPHINE；〃　or　for　shortness　〃LA　DAUPHINE〃　without　adjunct。　Thus；　like　a　kind　of　chivalrous　Bellona；　vengeance　in　her　right　hand；　tears　and　fire　in　her　eyes；　the　DAUPHINESS　advances；　and　will　join　Reichs…Heer　at　Erfurt　before　August　end。　Such　the　will　of　Pompadour；　Richelieu　encouraging；　for　reasons　of　his　own。　Soubise；　I　understand；　is　privately　in　pique　against　poor　D'Estrees；　＇〃Reappeared　unexpectedly　in　Paris　＇from　D'Estree's　Army＇；　22d　June〃　（four　days　after　Kolin）：　got　up　this　DAUPHINESS　ARMY；　by　aid　of　Pompadour；　with　Richelieu；　&c。：　BARBIER；　iv。　227；　231。　Richelieu　〃busy　at　Strasburg　lately〃　（29th　July：　Collini's　VOLTAIRE；　p。　191）。＇　and　intends　to　eclipse　him　by　a　higher　style　of　diligence；　though　D'Estrees　too　is　doing　his　best。

July　3d；　we　saw　the　D'Estrees　people　taking　Embden；　D'Estrees；　quiet　so　long　in　his　Camp　at　Bielefeld；　had　at　once　bestirred　himself；　Kolin　being　done；shot　out　a　detachment　leftwards；　and　Embden　had　capitulated　that　day。　Adieu　to　the　Shipping　Interests　there；　and　to　other　pleasant　things！　〃July　9th；　after　sunset；〃　D'Estrees　himself　got　on　march　from　Bielefeld；　set　forth；　in　the　cool　of　night；　60；000　strong；　and　10；000　more　to　join　him　by　the　road　（the　rest　are　left　as　garrisons；　reserves；1；000　marauders　of　them　swing　as　monitory　pendulums；　on　their　various　trees；　for　one　item）；direct　towards　Hanover　and　Royal　Highness　of　Cumberland；　who　retreats；　and　has　retreated；　behind　the　Ems；　the　Weser；　back；　ever　back；　and；　to　appearance；　will　make　a　bad　finish　yonder。

To　Friedrich；　waiting　at　Leitmeritz；　all　these　things　are　gloomily　known；　but　the　most　pressing　of　them　is　that　of　the　Austrians　and　Jung…Bunzlau　close　by。　Let　us　give　some　utterances　of　his　to　Wilhelmina；　nearly　all　we　have　of　direct　from　him　in　that　time；　and　then　hasten　to　the　Prince　of　Prussia　there：


FRIEDRICH　TO　WILHELMINA　（at　Baireuth）。

LEITMERITZ；　1st　JULY；　1757。　。。。　〃Sensible　as　heart　can　be　to　the　tender　interest　you　deign　to　take　in　what　concerns　me。　Dear　Sister；　fear　nothing　on　my　score：　men　are　always　in　the　hand　of　what　we　call　Fate〃　（〃Predestination；　GNADENWAHL；〃Pardon　us；　Papa！〃CE　QU'ON　NOMME　LE　DESTIN）；　accidents　will　befall　people；　walking　on　the　streets；　sitting　in　their　room；　lying　in　their　bed；　and　there　are　many　who　escape　the　perils　of　war。　。。。　I　think；　through　Hessen　will　be　the　safest　route　for　your　Letters；　till　we　see；　and　not　to　write　just　now　except　on　occasions　of　importance。　Here　is　a　piece　in　cipher；　anonymous；〃intended　for　the　Newspapers；　or　some　such　road。

JULY　5th。　〃By　a　Courier　of　Plotho's；　returning　to　Regensburg　＇who　passes　near　you＇；　I　write　to　apprise　my　dear　Sister　of　the　new　misery　which　overwhelms　us。　We　have　no　longer　a　Mother。　This　loss　puts　the　crown　on　my　sorrows。　I　am　obliged　to　act；　and　have　not　time　to　give　free　course　to　my　tears。　Judge；　I　pray　you；　of　the　situation　of　a　feeling　heart　put　to　so　cruel　a　trial。　All　losses　in　the　world　are　capable　of　being　remedied；　but　those　which　Death　causes　are　beyond　the　reach　of　hope。〃

JULY　7th。　〃You　are　too　good；　I　am　ashamed　to　abuse　your　indulgence。　But　do；　since　you　will；　try　to　sound　the　French；　what　conditions　of　Peace　they　would　demand；　one　might　judge　as　to　their　intentions。　Send　that　Mirabeau　（CE　M。　DE　MIRABEAU）　to　France。　Willingly　will　I　pay　the　expense。　He　may　offer　as　much　as　five　million　thalers　＇750；000　pounds＇　to　the　Favorite　＇yes；　even　to　the　Pompadour＇　for　Peace　alone。　Of　course；　his　utmost　discretion　will　be　needed；〃　should　the　English　get　the　least　wind　of　it！　But　if　they　are　gone　to　St。　Vitus；　and　fail　in　every　point；　what　can　one　do？　CE　M。　DE　MIRABEAU；　readers　will　be　surprised　to　learn；　is　an　Uncle　of　the　great　Mirabeau's；　who　has　fallen　into　roving　courses；　gone　abroad　insolvent；　and　〃directs　the　Opera　at　Baireuth；〃　in　these　years！One　Letter　we　will　give　in　full：


〃LEITMERITZ；　13th　Jnly；　1757。　

〃MY　DEAREST　SISTER；Your　Letter　has　arrived：　I　see　in　it　your　regrets　for　the　irreparable　loss　we　have　had　of　the　best　and　worthiest　Mother　in　this　world。　I　am　so　struck　down　with　all　these　blows　from　within　and　without；　that　I　feel　myself　in　a　sort　of　Stupefaction。

〃The　French　have　just　laid　hold　of　Friesland　＇seized　Embden；　July　3d＇；　are　about　to　pass　the　Weser：　they　have　instigated　the　Swedes　to　declare　War　against　me；　the　Swedes　are　sending　17；000　men　＇rather　more　if　anything；　but　they　proved　beautifully　ineffectual＇　into　Pommern；〃will　be　burdensome　to　Stralsund　and　the　poor　country　people　mainly；　having　no　Captain　over　them　but　a　hydra…　headed　National　Palaver　at　home；　and　a　Long…pole　with　Cocked…hat　on　it　here　at　hand。　〃The　Russians　are　besieging　Memel　＇have　taken　it；　ten　days　ago＇：　Lehwald　has　them　on　his　front　and　in　his　rear。　The　Troops　of　the　Reich；〃　from　your　Plains　of　Furth　yonder；　〃are　also　about　to　march。　All　this　will　force　me　to　evacuate　Bohemia；　so　soon　as　that　crowd　of　Enemies　gets　into　motion。

〃I　am　firmly　resolved　on　the　extremest　efforts　to　save　my　Country。　We　shall　see　（QUITTE　A　VOIR）　if　Fortune　will　take　a　new　thought；　or　if　she　will　entirely　turn　her　back　upon　me。　Happy　the　moment　when　I　took　to　training　myself　in　philosophy！　There　is　nothing　else　that　can　sustain　the　soul　in　a　situation　like　mine。　I　spread　out　to　you；　dear　Sister；　the　detail　of　my　sorrows：　if　these　things　regarded　only　myself；　I　could　stand　it　with　composure；　but　I　am　bound　Guardian　of　the　safety　and　happiness　of　a　People　which　has　been　put　under　my　charge。　There　lies　the　sting　of　it：　and　I　shall　have　to　reproach　myself　with　every　fault；　if；　by　delay　or　by　over…haste；　I　occasion　the　smallest　accident；　all　the　more　as；　at　present；　any　fault　may　be　capital。

〃What　a　business！　Here　is　the　liberty　of　Germany；　and　that　Protestant　Cause　for　which　so　much　blood　has　been　shed；　here　are　those　Two　great　Interests　again　at　stake；　and　the　pinch　of　this　huge　game　is　such；　that　an　unlucky　quarter　of　an　hour　may　establish　over　Germany　the　tyrannous　domination　of　the　House　of　Austria　forever！　I　am　in　the　case　of　a　traveller　who　sees　himself　surrounded　and　ready　to　be　assassinated　by　a　troop　of　cut…throats；　who　intend　to　share　his　spoils。　Since　the　League　of　Cambrai　＇1508…1510；　with　a　Pope　in　it　and　a　Kaiser　and　Most　Christian　King；　iniquitously　sworn　against　poor　Venice；to　no　purpose；　as　happily　appears＇；　there　is　no　example　of　such　a　Conspiracy　as　that　infamous　Triumvirate　＇Austria；　France；　Russia＇　now　forms　against　me。　Was　it　ever　seen　before；　that　three　great　Princes　laid　plot　in　concert　to　destroy　a　Fourth；　who　had　done　nothing　against　them？　I　have　not　had　the　least　quarrel　either　with　France　or　with　Russia；　still　less　with　Sweden。　If；　in　common　life；　three　citizens　took　it　into　their　heads　to　fall　upon　their　neighbor；　and　burn　his　house　about　him；　they　very　certainly；　by　sentence　of　tribunal；　would　be　broken　on　the　wheel。　What！　and　will　Sovereigns；　who　maintain　these　tribunals　and　these　laws　in　their　States；　give　such　example　to　their　subjects？　。。。　Happy；　my　dear　Sister；　is　the　obscure　man；　whose　good　sense　from　youth　upwards；　has　renounced　all　sorts　of　glory；　who；　in　his　safe　low　place；　has　none　to　envy　him；　and　whose　fortune　does　not　excite　the　cupidity　of　scoundrels！

〃But　these　reflections　are　vain。　We　have　to　be　what　our　birth；　which　decides；　has　made　us　in　entering　upon　this　world。　I　reckoned　that；　being　King；　it　beseemed　me　to　think　as　a　Sovereign；　and　I　took　for　principle；　that　the　reputation　of　a　Prince　ought　to　be　dearer　to　him　than　life。　They　have　plotted　against　me；　the　Court　of　Vienna　has　given　itself　the　liberty　of　trying　to　maltreat　me；　my　honor　commanded　me　not　to　suffer　it。　We　have　come　to　War；　a　gang　of　robbers　falls　on　me；　pistol　in　hand：　that　is　the　adventure　which　has　happened　to　me。　The　remedy　is　difficult：　in　desperate　diseases　there　are　no　methods　but　desperate　ones。

〃I　beg　a　thousand　pardons；　dear　Sister：　in　these　three　long　pages　I　talk　to　you　of　nothing　but　my　troubles　and　affairs。　A　strange　abuse　it　would　be　of　any　other　person's　friendship。　But　yours；　my　dear　Sister；　yours　is　known　to　me；　and　I　am　persuaded　you　are　not　impatient　when　I　open　my　heart　to　you：a　heart　which　is　yours　altogether；　being　filled　with　sentiments　of　the　tenderest　esteem；　with　which　I　am；　my　dearest　Sister；　your　＇in　truth；　affectionate　Brother　at　all