history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第38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！


strut　yonder；which　I　take　to　be　Soubise's　bread…basket　at　present。　And　farther　off；　and　opposite　the　MOUTH　of　the　Unstrut；　well　across　the　Saale；　lies　another　namable　Town　（visible　in　clear　weather；　as　a　smoke…cloud　at　certain　hours；　about　meal…time；　when　the　kettles　are　on　boil）；　the　Town　of　Naumburg；one　of　several　German　Naumburgs；the　Naumburg　of　Gustaf　Adolf；　where　his　slain　body　lay；　on　the　night　of　Lutzen　Battle；　with　his　poor　Queen　and　others　weeping　over　it。　Naumburg　is　on　the　other　side　of　Saale；　not　of　importance　to　Soubise　in　such　posture。

This　is　the　circular　block　or　lump　of　country；　on　the　north　or　northwest　side　of　which　Friedrich　now　lies；　and　which　will　become；　he　little　thinks　how　memorable　on　the　morrow。　Over　the　heights；　immediately　eastward　of　Friedrich；　there　is　a　kind　of　hollow；　or　scooped…out　place；　shallow　valley　of　some　extent；　which　deserves　notice　against　to…morrow：　but　in　general　the　ground　is　lazily　spherical；　and　without　noticeable　hollows　or　valleys　when　fairly　away　from　the　River。　A　dull　blunt　lump　of　country；　made　of　sand　and　mud；may　have　been　grassy　once；　with　broom　on　it；　in　the　pastoral　times；　is　now　under　poor　plough…husbandry；　arable　or　scratchable　in　all　parts；　and　looks　rather　miserable　in　winter…time。　No　vestige　of　hedge　on　it；　of　shrub　or　bush；　one　tree；　ugly　but　big；　which　may　have　been　alive　in　Friedrich's　time；　stands　not　far　from　Rossbach　Hamlet；　one；　and　no　more；　discoverable　in　these　areas。

Various　Hamlets　lie　sprinkled　about：　very　sleepy；　rusty；　irregular　little　places；　huts　and　cattle…stalls　huddled　down；　as　if　shaken　from　a　bag；　much　straw；　thick　thatch　and　crumbly　mud…brick；　but　looking　warm　and　peaceable；　for　the　Four…footed　and　the　Two…　footed；　which　latter；　if　you　speak　to　them；　are　solid　reasonable　people；　with　energetic　German　eyes　and　hearts；　though　so　ill…　lodged。　These　Hamlets；　needing　shelter　and　spring…water；　stand　generally　in　some　slight　hollow；　if　well　up　the　Height；　as　Rorschach　is；　sometimes；　if　near　the　bottom；　they　are　nestled　in　a　sudden　dell　or　gash；work　of　the　primeval　rains；　accumulating　from　above；　and　ploughing　out　their　way。　The　rains；　we　can　see；　have　been　busy；　but　there　is　seldom　the　least　stream　visible；　bottom　being　too　sandy　and　porous。　On　the　western　slope；　there　is　in　our　time　a　kind　of　coal；　or　coal…dust；　dug　up；　in　the　way　of　quarrying；　not　of　mining；　and　one　or　two　big　chasms　of　this　sort　are　confusedly　busy：　the　natives　mix　this　valuable　coal…dust　with　water；　mould　it　into　bricks；　and　so　use　as　fuel：　one　of　the　features　of　these　hamlets　is　the　strange　black　bricks；　standing　on　edge　about　the　cottage…doors；　to　drip；　and　dry　in　the　sun。　For　this　or　for　other　reasons；　the　westward　slope　appears　to　be　the　best；　and　has　a　major　share　of　hamlets　on　it：　Rossbach　is　high　up；　and　looks　over　upon　Mucheln；　and　its　dim　belfry　and　appurtenances；　which　lie　safe　across　the　hollow；　perhaps　two　miles　off；safe　from　Friedrich；　if　there　were　eatables　and　lodging　to　be　had　in　such　a　place。　Friedrich's　left　wing　is　in　Rossbach。　Bedra　where　Friedrich's　right　wing　is；　Branderode　where　the　Soubise　right　is；　then　Grost；　Schevenroda；　Zeuchfeld；　Pettstadt；　Lunstadt；especially　Reichartswerben；　where　Soubise's　right　will　come　to　be：　these　the　reader　may　take　note　of　in　his　Map。　Several　of　them　lie　in　ashes　just　then；　plundered；　replundered；　and　at　last　set　fire　to；　so　busy　have　Soubise's　hungry　people　been；　of　late；　in　the　Country　they　came　to　〃deliver。〃　The　Freiburg　road；　the　Naumburg　road；　both　towards　Merseburg；　cross　this　Height；　straight　like　the　string；　Saale　by　Weissenfels　being　the　bow。

The　HERRENHAUS　（Squire's　Mansion）　still　stands　in　Rossbach；　with　the　littery　Hamlet　at　its　flank：　a　high；　pavilion…roofed；　and　though　dilapidated；　pretentious　kind　of　House；　some　kind　of　court　round　it；　some　kind　of　hedge　or　screen　of　brushwood　and　brick…wall：　terribly　in　need　of　the　besom；　it　and　its　environment　throughout。　King；　I　suppose；　did　lodge　there　overnight：　certain　it　is　the　Squire　was　absent；　and　the　Squire's　Man；　three　days　afterwards；　reported　to　him　as　follows：　。。。　〃Saturday；　the　5th；　about　8　A。M。；　his　Majesty　mounted　to　the　roof　of　the　Herrenhaus　here；　some　tiles　having　been　removed　＇for　that　end；　or　by　accident；　is　not　said＇；　and　saw　how　the　French　and　Reichs　Army　were　getting　in　movement〃　wriggling　out　of　their　Camp　leftwards；　evidently　aiming　towards　Grost。　〃In　about　an　hour；　near　half　their　Army　was　through　Grost；　and　had　turned　southward；　rather　southeastward；　from　Grost；　out　in　the　Rossbach　and　Almsdorf　region；　and　proceeding　still　towards　Pettstadt；〃towards　Schevenroda　more　precisely；　not　towards　Pettstadt　yet。　〃His　Majesty　looked　always　through　the　perspective：　and　to　me　was　the　grace　done　to　be　ever　at　his　side；　and　to　name　for　him　the　roads　the　French　and　Reichs　Army　was　marching。〃　＇Muller；　p。　50；　Rodenbeck；　p。　326。＇

The　King　had　heard　of　this　phenomenon　hours　before；　and　had　sent　out　Hussars　and　scouts　upon　it；　but　now　sees　it　with　his　eyes：　〃Going　for　Freiburg；　and　their　bread…cupboard；〃　thinks　the　King；　who　does　not　as　yet　make　much　of　the　movement；　but　will　watch　it　well；　and　calculates　to　have　a　stroke　at　the　rear　end　of　it；　in　due　season。　With　which　view；　the　cavalry；　Seidlitz　and　Mayer；　are　ordered　to　saddle；　foot　regiments；　and　all　else；　to　be　in　readiness。　This　French…Reichs　Dauphiness　is　not　rapid　in　her　field…　exercise；　and　has　a　great　deal　of　wriggling　and　unwinding　before　she　can　fairly　pick　herself　out；　and　get　forward　towards　Schevenroda　on　the　Freiburg　road。　In　three　or　in　two　parallel　columns；　artillery　between　them；　horse　ahead；　horse　arear；　haggling　along　there；making　for　their　bread…baskets；　thinks　the　King。　A　body　of　French；　horse　chiefly；　under　St。　Germain；　come　out；　in　the　Schortau…Almsdorf　part；　with　some　salvoing　and　prancing；　as　if　intending　to　attack　about　Rossbach；　where　our　left　wing　is：　but　his　Majesty　sees　it　to　be　a　pretence　merely；　and　St。　Germain；　motionless；　and　doing　nothing　but　cannonade　a　little；　seems　to　agree　that　it　is　so。　Dauphiness　continues　her　slow　movements；　King；　in　this　Squire's　Mansion　of　Rossbach；　sits　down　to　dinner；　dinner　with　Officers　at　the　usual　hour　of　noon；little　dreaming　what　the　Dauphiness　has　in　her　head。

Truth　is；　the　Dauphiness　is　in　exultant　spirits；　this　morning；　intending　great　things　against　a　certain　〃little　Marquis　of　Brandenburg；〃　to　whom　one　does　so　much　honor。　Generals　looking　down　yesterday　on　the　King　of　Prussia's　Camp；　able　to　count　every　man　in　it　（and　half　the　men　being　invisible；　owing　to　bends　of　the　ground）；　counted　him　to　10；000　or　so；　and　had　said；　〃Pshaw；　are　not　we　above　50；000；　let　us　end　it！　Take　him　on　his　left。　Round　yonder；　till　we　get　upon　his　left；　and　even　upon　his　rear　withal；　St。　Germain　co…operating　on　the　other　side　of　him：　on　left；　on　rear；　on　front；　at　the　same　moment；　is　not　that　a　sure　game？〃　A　very　ticklish　game；　answers　surly　sagacious　Lloyd：　〃No　general　will　permit　himself　to　be　taken　in　flank　with　his　eyes　open；　and　the　King　of　Prussia　is　the　unlikeliest　you　could　try　it　with！〃

Trying　it　meanwhile　they　are；　marching　along　by　the　low　grounds　here；　intending　to　sweep　gradually　leftwards　towards　Janus…Hill　quarter；　there　to　sweep　home　upon　him；　coil　him　up；　left　and　rear　and　front；　in　their　boa…constrictor　folds；　and　end　his　trifle　of　an　Army　and　him。　〃Why　not；　if　we　do　our　duty　at　all；　annihilate　his　trifle　of　an　Army；　take　himself　prisoner；　and　so　end　it？〃　Report　says；　Soubise　had　really；　in　some　moment　of　enthusiasm　lately；　warned　the　Versailles　populations　to　expect　such　a　thing；　and　that　the　Duchess　of　Orleans；　forgetful　of　poor　King　Louis's　presence；　had　in　HER　enthusiasm；　exclaimed：　〃TANT　MIEUX；　I　shall　at　last　see　a　King；　then！〃　But　perhaps　it　is　a　mere　French　epigram；　such　as　the　winds　often　generate　there；　and　put　down　for　fact。　Friedrich's　retreat　to　Weissenfels　is　cut　off　for　Friedrich：　an　Austrian　party　has　been　at　the　Herren…Muhle　Bridge　this　morning；　has　torn　it　up　and　pitched　it　into　the　river；　planks　far　on　to　Merseburg　by　this　time。　And；　in　fact；　unless　Friedrich　be　nimble　But　that　he　usually　is。

Friedrich's　dinner　had　gone　on　with　deliberation　for　about　two　hours；　Friedrich's　intentions　not　yet　known　to　any；　but　everybody；　great　and　small；　waiting　eagerly　for　them；　like　greyhounds　on　the　slip；when　Adjutant　Gaudi；　who　had　been　on　the　House…top　the　while；　rushes　into　the　Dining…room　faster　than　he　ought；　and；　with　some　tremor　in　his　voice　and　eyes；　reports　hastily：　〃At　Schevenroda；　at　Pettstadt　yonder！　Enemy　has　turned　to　left。　Clearly　for　the　left。〃〃Well；　and　if　he　do？　No　flurry　needed；　Captain！〃　answered　Friedrich；（NOT　in　these　precise　words；　but　rebuking　Gaudi；　with　a　look　not　of　laughter　wholly；　and　with　a　certain　question；　as　to　the　state　of　Gaudi's　stomachic　part；　which　is　still　known　in　traditionary　circles；　but　is　not　mentionable　here）；and　went；　with　due　gravity；　himself　to　the　roof；　with　his　Officers。　〃To　the　left；　sure　enough；　meaning　to　attack　us　there：〃　the　thing　Friedrich　had　despaired　of　is　voluntarily　coming；　then；　and　it　is　a　thing　of　stern　qualities　withal；　a　wager　of　life；　with　glorious　possibilities　behind。

Friedrich　earnestly　surveys　the　phenomenon　for　some　minutes；　in　some　minutes；　Friedrich　sees　his　way　through　it；　at　least　into　it；　and　how　he　will　do　it。　Off；　eastward；　march！　Swift　are　his　orders；　almost　still　swifter　the　fulfillment　of　them。　Prussian　Army　is　a　nimble　article　in　comparison　with　Dauphiness！　In　half　an　hour's　time；　all　is　packed　and　to　the　road；　and；　except　Mayer　and　certain　Free…Corps　or　Light…Horse；　to　amuse　St。　Germain　and　his　Almsdorf　people；　there　is　not　a　Prussian　visible　in　these　localities　to　French　eyes。　〃At　half…past　two；〃　says　the　Squire's　Man；or　let　us　take　him　a　sentence　earlier；　to　lose　nothing　of　such　a　Document：　〃At　noon　his　Majesty　took　dinner；　sat　till　about　two　o'clock；　then　again　went　to　the　roof；　and　perceived　that　the　Enemy's　Army　at　Pettstadt　were　turning　about　the　little　Wood　there　northeastward；　as　if　for　Lunstadt　＇into　the　Lunstadt　road＇；such　cannonading　too；〃　from　those　Almsdorf　people；　〃that　the　balls　flew　over　our　heads；〃or　I　tremulously　thought　so。　〃At　half…past　two；　the　word　was　given；　March！　And　good　speed　they　made　about　it；　in　this　Herrenhaus；　and　out　of　doors