history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17-第14部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　it：　〃Neutrality；〃　therefore；　will　not　do　for　Friedrich；　he　demands　Alliance；　practical　Partnership；　and　to　that　his　Polish　Majesty　is　completely　abhorrent。　Diplomatizing　may　cease；　nothing　but　wrestle　of　fight　will　settle　this　matter。

Friedrich；　able　to　get　nothing　from　the　Sovereign　of　Saxony；　is　reduced　to　grasp　Saxony　itself：　and　we　can　observe　him　doing　it；　always　the　closer；　always　the　more　carefully；　as　the　complicacy　deepens；　and　the　obstinacy　becomes　more　dangerous　and　provoking。　What　alternative　is　there？　On　first　entering　Saxony；　Friedrich　had　made　no　secret　that　he　was　not　a　mere　bird　of　passage　there。　At　Torgau；　there　was　at　once　a　〃Field…Commissariat〃　established；　with　Prussian　Officials　of　eminence　to　administer；　the　Military　Chest　to　be　deposited　there；　and　Torgau　to　be　put　in　a　state　of　defence。　Torgau；　our　Saxon　Metropolis　of　War…Finance；　is　becoming　more　and　more　the　Metropolis　of　Saxon　Finance　in　general。　Saxon　Officials　were　liable；　from　the　first；　to　be　suspended；　on　Friedrich's　order。　Saxon　Finance…Officials；　of　all　kinds；　were　from　the　first　instructed；　that　till　farther　notice　there　must　be　no　disbursements　without　King　Friedrich's　sanction。　And；　in　fact；　King　Friedrich　fully　intends　that　Saxony　is　to　help　him　all　it　can；　and　that　it　either　will　or　else　shall；　in　this　dire　pressure　of　perplexity；　which　is　due　in　such　a　degree　to　the　conduct　of　the　Saxon　Government　for　twelve　years　past。　Would　Saxony　go　with　him　in　any　form　of　consent；　how　much　more　convenient　to　Friedrich！　But　Saxony　will　not；　Polish　Majesty；　not　himself　suffering　hunger；　is　obstinate　as　the　decrees　of　Fate　（or　as　sheep；　when　too　much　put　upon）；　regardless　of　considerations；and；　in　fine；　here　is　Browne　actually　afoot；　coming　to　relieve　Polish　Majesty！The　Austrians　had　uncommonly　bestirred　themselves：

The　activity；　the　zeal　of　all　ranks；　ever　since　this　expedition　into　Saxony；　and　clutching　of　Saxony　by　the　throat；　contemporary　witnesses　declare　to　have　been　extraordinary。　〃Horses　for　Piccolomini's　Cavalry；they　had　scarcely　got　their　horses；　not　to　speak　of　training　them；　not　to　speak　of　cannon　and　the　heavier　requisites；　when　Schwerin　began　marching　out　of　Glatz　on　Piccolomini。　As　to　the　cannon　for　Browne　and　him；　draught…cattle　seem　absolutely　unprocurable。　Whereupon　Maria　Theresa　flings　open　her　own　Imperial　Studs：　'There；　yoke　these　to　our　cannon；　let　them　go　their　swiftest；'which　awoke　such　an　enthusiasm；　that　noblemen　and　peasants　crowded　forward　with　their　coach…horses　and　their　cart…horses；　to　relay　Browne；　all　through　Bohemia；　at　different　stages；　and　the　cannon　and　equipments　move　to　their　places　at　the　gallop；　in　a　manner；〃　＇Archenholtz；　i。　24。＇and　even　Browne；　at　the　base　of　the　Metal　Mountains；　has　got　most　of　his　equipments。　And　is　astir　towards　Pirna　（Army　of　60；000；　rumor　says）；　for　relief　of　the　Saxon　martyrs。　Friedrich's　complexities　are　getting　day　by　day　more　stringent。

From　the　middle　of　September；　Marshal　Keith；　as　was　observed；　with　Half　of　the　Prussians；　Duke　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick　under　him；　has　been　on　the　Bohemian　slope　of　the　Metal　Mountains；　securing　the　roads；　towns　and　passes　thereabouts；　and　looking　out　for　the　advance　of　Marshal　Browne　from　the　interior　parts。　Town　of　Aussig；　and　the　River…road　（castle　of　Tetschen；　on　its　high　rock　known　to　Tourists；　which　always　needs　to　be　taken　on　such　occasions）；　these　Keith　has　secured。　Lies　encamped　from　Peterswalde　to　Aussig；　the　middle　or　main　strength　of　him　being　in　the　Hamlet　of　Johnsdorf　（discoverable；　if　readers　like）：　there　lies　Keith；　fifteen　miles　in　length；　like　a　strap；　or　bar；　thrown　across　the　back　of　that　Metal…　Mountain　Range；or　part　of　its　back；　for　the　range　is　very　broad；　and　there　is　much　inequality；　and　many　troughs；　big　and　little；　partial　and　general；　in　the　crossing　of　it。　A　tract　which　my　readers　and　I　have　crossed　before　now；　by　the　〃Pascopol〃　or　Post…　road　and　otherwise；　and　shall　often　have　to　cross！

Browne；　vigorously　astir　in　the　interior　（cannon　and　equipments　coming　by　relays　at　such　a　pace）；　is　daily　advancing；　with　his　best　speed：　in　the　last　days　of　September；　Browne　is　encamped　at　Budin；　may　cross　the　Eger　River　any　day；　and　will　then　be　within　two　marches　of　Keith。　His　intentions　towards　Pirna　Country　are　fixed　and　sure；　but　the　plan　or　route　he　will　take　is　unknown　to　everybody；　and　indeed　to　Browne　himself；　till　he　see　near　at　hand　and　consider。　Browne's　problem；　he　himself　knows；　is　abundantly　abstruse；bordering　on　the　impossible；　but　he　will　try　his　best。　To　get　within　reach　of　the　Saxons　is　almost　impossible　to　Browne；　even　were　there　no　Keith　there。　As　good　as　impossible　altogether；　by　any　line　of　march；　while　Keith　is　afoot　in　those　parts。　By　Aussig；　down　the　River；　straight　for　the　interior　of　their　Camp；　it　is　flatly　impossible：　by　the　south　or　southeast　corner　of　their　Camp　（Gottleube　way）；　or　by　the　northeast　（by　Schandau　way；　right　bank　of　Elbe）；　it　is　virtually　so；at　least　without　beating　Keith。　Could　one　beat　Keith　indeed；but　that　will　not　be　easy！　And　that；　unluckily；　is　the　preliminary　to　everything。

〃By　the　Hellendorf…Hennersdorf　side；　in　the　wastes　where　Gottleube　Brook　gathers　itself；　Browne　might　have　a　chance。　There；　on　that　southeast　corner　of　their　Camp；　were　he　once　there　to　attack　the　Prussians　from　without；　while　the　Saxons　burst　up　from　within；　there；〃　thinks　a　good　judge；　〃is　much　the　favorablest　place。　But　unless　Browne's　Army　had　wings；　how　is　it　ever　to　get　there？　Across　those　Metal…Mountain　ranges；　barred　by　Keith：by　Aussig；　with　the　rocks　overhanging　Elbe　River　and　him；　he　cannot　go　in　auy　case。　Were　there　no　Keith；　indeed　（but　there　always　is；　standing　ready　on　the　spring）；　one　might　hold　to　leftward；　and　by　stolen　marches；　swift；　far　round　about！

〃By　Schandau　region；　north　side　of　the　Elbe；　is　Browne's　easiest；　and　indeed　one　feasible；　point　of　approach；no　Prussians　at　present　between　him　and　that；　the　road　open；　though　a　far　circuit　northward　for　Browne；were　he　to　cross　the　Elbe　in　Leitmeritz　circle；　and　march　with　velocity？　That　too　will　be　difficult；　nearly　impossible　in　sight　of　Keith。　And　were　that　even　done；　the　egress　for　the　Saxons；　by　Schandau　side；　is　through　strait　mountain　gorges；　intricate　steep　passes；　crossings　of　the　Elbe：　what　force　of　Saxons　or　of　Austrians　will　drive　the　Prussians　from　their　redoubts　and　batteries　there？〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　iv。　86；　93；　96。＇

Browne's　problem　is　none　of　the　feasiblest：　but　his　orders　are　strict；　〃Relieve　the　Saxons；　at　all　risks。〃　And　Browne；　one　of　the　ablest　soldiers　liviug　（〃Your　Imperial　Majesty's　best　general；〃　said　the　dying　Khevenhuller　long　since）；　will　do　his　utmost　upon　it。　Friedrich　does　not　think　the　enterprise　very　dangerous；　beating　of　Keith　the　indispensable　preliminary　to　it；　but　will　naturally　himself　go　and　look　into　it。

Tuesday；　September　28th；　Friedrich　quits　Pirna　Country　by　the　Prag　Highway；　making　due　inspection　of　his　Posts　as　he　goes　along；　and；　the　outmost　of　these　once　past；　drives　rapidly　up　the　Mountains；　gets；　with　small　escort；　through　Peterswalde　on　to　Johnsdorf　that　night。　Does　not　think　this　Keith　position　good；　breaks　up　this　〃Camp　of　Johnsdorf〃　bodily　next　morning；　and　marches　down　the　Mountains；　direct　towards　Browne；　who；　we　hear；　is　about　crossing　the　Eger　（his　Pontoons　now　come　at　last）；　and　will　himself　be　on　the　advance。　From　Turmitz；　a　poor　mountain　hamlet　in　the　hollow　of　the　Hills；　which　is　head…quarters　that　night；　the　march　proceeds　again；　Friedrich　with　the　vanguard；　Army；　I　think；　on　various　country…roads；　on　both　hands；　till　all　get　upon　the　Great　Road　again；Prag…Toplitz…Dresden　Post…road；　which　is　called；　specially　in　this　part　of　it；　and　loosely　in　whole；　〃The　Pascopol；〃　and　leads　down　direct　to　Budin　and　Browne。

〃A　'Pascopol'　famed　in　military　annals；〃　says　our　Tourist。　〃It　is　a　road　with　many　windings；　many　precipitous　sweeps　of　up　and　down；　road　precipitous　in　structure；offers　views　to　the　lover　of　wild　Nature：　huge　lonesome　Hills　scattered　in　the　distance；　waste　expanses　nearer　hand；　and　futile　attempts　at　moorish　agriculture；　but　little　else　that　is　comfortable。　In　times　of　Peace；　you　will　meet；　at　long　intervals；　some　post…vehicle　struggling　forward　under　melancholy　circumstances；　some　cart；　or　dilapidated　mongrel　between　cart　and　basket；　with　a　lean　ox　harnessed　to　it；　and　scarecrow　driver；　laden　with　pit…coal；which　you　wish　safe　home；　and　that　the　scarecrow　were　getting　warmed　by　it。　But　in　War…time　the　steep　road　is　livelier；　the　common　Invasion　road　between　Saxony　and　Bohemia；　whole　Armies　sweeping　over　it；　and　their　thousand…fold　wagons　and　noises　making　clangor　enough。　。。。　One　of　those　Hollows；　on　the　Pascopol；　is　Joachimsthal；　with　its　old　Silver　Mines；　yielding　coins　which　were　in　request　with　traders；　the　silver　being　fine。　'Let　my　ducat　be　a　Joachimsthal　one；　then！'　the　old　trader　would　say：　'a　JOACHIMSTHAL…ER；'　or；　for　brevity；　a　'THAL…ER；'　whence　THALER；　and　at　last　DOLLAR　（almighty　and　otherwise）；now　going　round　the　world！　＇Busching；　　Erdbeschreibung；　　v。　178。＇　Pascopol　finishes　in　Welmina　Township。　From　the　last　hamlet　in　Welmina；　at　the　neck　of　the　last　Hill；　step　downward　one　mile；　holding　rather　to　the　left；　you　will　come　on　the　innocent　Village　of　Lobositz；　its　poor　corn…mills　and　huckster…shops　all　peaceably　unknown　as　yet；　which　is　soon　to　become　very　famous。〃

The　Country…roads　where　Friedrich's　Army　is　on　march；　I　should　think；　are　mostly　on　the　mounting　hand。　For　here；　from　Turmitz；　is　a　trough　again；　though　the　last　considerable　one；　and　on　the　crest　of　that；　we　shall　look　down　upon　the　Bohemian　Plains　and　the　grand　Basin　of　the　Elbe；through　various　scrubby　villages　which　are　not　nameworthy；　through　one　called　Kletschen；　which　for　a　certain　reason　is。　Crossing　the　shoulder　of　Kletschenberg　（HILL　of　this　Kletschen）；　which　abuts　upon　the　Pascopol；yonder　in　bright　sunshine　is　your　beautiful　expansive　Basin　of　the　Elbe；　and　the　green　Bohemian　Plains；　revealed　for　a　moment。　Friedrich　snatches　his　glass；　not　with　picturesque　object：　〃See；　yonder　is　Feldmarschall　Browne；　then！　In　camp　yonder；　down　by　Lobositz；　not　ten　miles　from　us；＇it　is　most　true；　Browne　marched　this　morning；　long　before　the　Sun；　crossed　Eger；　a