history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17-第5部分

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　aware；　the　humor　towards　him　is　mere　cannibalism　in　refined　forms。　But　most　perilous　of　all；　most　immediately　perilous；　is　the　implacable　Czarina；　set　afloat　upon　English　guineas！

With　a　hope；　as　is　credibly　surmised；　that　the　English　might　soothe　or　muzzle　this　implacable　Czarina；　Friedrich；　directly　after　Hanbury's　feat　in　Petersburg；　applied　at　London；　with　an　Offer　which　was　very　tempting　there：　〃Suppose　your　Britannic　Majesty　would　make；　with　me；　an　express　'NEUTRALITY　CONVENTION；'　mutual　Covenant　to　keep　the　German　Reich　entirely　free　of　this　War　now　threatening　to　break　out？　To　attack　jointly；　and　sweep　home　again　with　vigor；　any　and　every　Armed　Non…German　setting　foot　on　the　German　soil！〃　An　offer　most　welcome　to　the　Heads　of　Opposition；　the　Pitts　and　others　of　that　Country；　who　wish　dear　Hanover　safe　enough　（safe　in　Davy…Jones's　locker；　if　that　would　do）；　but　are　tired　of　subsidizing；　and　fighting　and　tumulting；　all　the　world　over；　for　that　high　end。　So　that　Friedrich's　Proposal　is　grasped　at；　and　after　a　little　manipulation；　the　thing　is　actually　concluded。

By　no　means　much　manipulation；　both　parties　being　willing。　There　was　uncommonly　rapid　surgery　of　any　little　difficulties　and　discrepancies；　rapid　closure；　instant　salutary　stitching　together　of　that　long　unhealable　Privateer　Controversy；　as　the　main　item：　〃20；000　pounds　allowed　to　Prussia　for　Prussian　damages；　and　to　England；　from　the　other　side；　the　remainder　of　Silesiau　Debt；　painfully　outstanding　for　two　or　three　years　back；　is　to　be　paid　off　at　once；〃and　in　this　way　such　〃NEUTRALITY　CONVENTION　OF　PRUSSIA　WITH　ENGLAND〃　comes　forth　as　a　Practical　Fact　upon　mankind。　Done　at　Westminster；　16th　January；　1756。　The　stepping…stone；　as　it　proved；　to　a　closer　Treaty　of　the　same　date　next　Year；　of　which　we　shall　hear　a　great　deal。　The　stepping…stone；　in　fact；　to　many　large　things；and　to　the　ruin　of　our　late　〃Russian…Subsidy　Treaty〃　（Hanbury's　masterpiece）；　for　one　small　thing。　〃That　is　a　Treaty　signed；　sure　enough；〃　answer　they　of　St。　James's；　〃and　we　will　be　handsome　about　it　to　her　Czarish　Majesty；　but　as　to　RATIFYING　it；　in　its　present　form；of　course；　never！〃

What　a　clap　of　thunder　to　Excellency　Hanbury；　his　masterpiece　found　suddenly　a　superfluity；　an　incommodity！　The　Orthodox　English　course　now　is；　〃No　foreign　soldiers　at　all　to　be　allowed　in　Germany；〃　and　there　are　the　55；000　tramping　on　with　such　alacrity。　〃We　cannot　ratify　that　Treaty；　Excellency　Hanbury；〃　writes　the　Majesty's　Ministry；　in　a　tone　not　of　gratitude：　〃you　must　turn　it　some　other　way！〃　A　terrible　blow　to　Hanbury；　who　had　been　expecting　gratitude　without　end。　And　now；　try　how　he　might；　there　was　no　turning　it　another　way；　this；　privately；　and　this　only；　being　the　Czarina's　own　way。　A　Czarina　obstinate　to　a　degree；　would　not　consent；　even　when　they　made　her　the　liberal　offer；　〃Keep　your　55；000　at　home；　don't　attack　the　King　of　Prussia　with　them；　you　shall　have　your　Subsidy　all　the　same！〃　〃No；　I　won't！〃　answered　she；to　Hanbury's　amazement。　Hanbury　had　not　read　the　Weingarten…Menzel　Documents；　what　double　double　of　toil　and　trouble　might　Hanbury　have　saved　himself　and　others；　could　he　have　read　them！

Hanbury　could　not；　still　less　could　the　Majesty's　Ministry；　surmise　the　Czarina's　secret　at　all；　now　or　for　a　good　while　coming。　And　in　fact；　poor　Hanbury；　busy　as　a　Diplomatic　bee；　never　did　more　good　in　Russia；　or　out　of　it。　By　direction　of　the　Majesty's　Ministry；　Hanbury　still　tried　industriously；　cash　in　both　hands；　tried　various　things：　〃Assuage　the　Czarina's　mind；　reconcile　her　to　King　Friedrich；〃all　in　vain。　〃Unite　Austria；　Russia　and　England；　can't　you；　then？in　a　Treaty　against　the　Designs　of　France：〃　how　very　vain！　Then；　at　a　later　stage；　〃Get　us　the　Czarina　to　mediate　between　Prussia　and　Austria〃　（so　very　possible　to　sleek　them　down　into　peace；　thought　Majesty's　Ministry）：and　unwearied　Hanbury；　cunning　eloquence　on　his　lips；　and　money　in　both　hands；　tries　again；　and　ever　again；　for　many　months。　And　in　the　way　of　making　ropes　from　sand；　it　must　be　owned　there　never　was　such　twisting　and　untwisting；　as　that　appointed　Hanbury。　Who　in　fact　broke　his　heart　by　it；and　died　mad；　by　his　own　hand；　before　long。　＇Hanbury's　〃Life〃　（in　　Works；　　vol。　iii。）　gives　sad　account。＇　Poor　soul；　after　all！Here　are　some　Russian　Notices　from　him　（and　he　has　many　curious；　not　pertinent　here）；　which　are　still　worth　gleaning。

PETERSBURG；　2d　OCTOBER；　1755。　。。。　〃The　health　of　the　Empress　＇Czarina　Elizabeth；　CATIN　DU　NORD；　age　now　forty…five＇　is　bad。　She　is　affected　with　spitting　of　blood；　shortness　of　breath；　constant　coughing；　swelled　legs　and　water　on　the　chest；　yet　she　danced　a　minuet　with　me；〃　lucky　Hanbury。　〃There　is　great　fermentation　at　Court。　Peter　＇Grand…Duke　Peter＇　does　not　conceal　his　enmity　to　the　Schuwalofs　＇paramours　of　CATIN；　old　and　new＇；　Catherine　＇Grand…Duchess；　who　at　length　has　an　Heir；　unbeautiful　Czar　Paul　that　will　be；　and　〃miscarriages〃　not　a　few＇　is　on　good　terms　with　Bestuchef〃　（corruptiblest　brute　of　a　Chancellor　ever　known；　friend　to　England　by　England's　giving　him　10；000　pounds；　and　the　like　trifles；　pretty　frequently；　Friedrich's　enemy；　chiefly　from　defect　of　that　operation）she　is　〃on　good　terms　with　Bestuchef。　I　think　it　my　duty　to　inform　the　King　＇great　George；　who　will　draw　his　prognostics　from　it＇　of　my　observations　upon　her；　which　I　can　the　better　do；　as　I　often　have　conversations　with　her　for　hours　together；　as　at　supper　my　rank　places　me　always　next　to　her；〃　twice…lucky　Hanbury。

〃Since　her　coming　to　this　Country；　she　has；　by　every　method　in　her　power；　endeavored　to　gain　the　affections　of　the　Nation：　she　applied　herself　with　diligence　to　study　their　language；　and　speaks　it　at　present；　as　the　Russians　tell　me；　in　the　greatest　perfection。　She　has　also　succeeded　in　her　other　aim；　for　she　is　esteemed　and　beloved　here　in　a　high　degree。　Her　person　is　very　advantageous；　and　her　manners　very　captivating。　She　has　great　knowledge　of　this　Empire；　and　makes　it　her　only　study。　She　has　parts；　and　Great…　Chancellor　＇brute　Bestuchef＇　tells　me　that　nobody　has　more　steadiness　and　resolution。　She　has；　of　late；　openly　declared　herself　to　me　in　respect　of　the　King　of　Prussia；〃hates　him　a　good　deal；　〃natural　and　formidable　enemy　of　Russia；〃　〃heart　certainly　the　worst　in　the　world　＇and　so　on；　but　will　see　better　by　and　by；　having　eyes　of　her　own＇：she　never　mentions　the　King　of　England　but　with　the　utmost　respect　and　highest　regard；　is　thoroughly　sensible　of　the　utility　of　the　union　between　England　and　Russia；　always　calls　his　Majesty　the　Empress's　best　and　greatest　Ally　＇so　much　of　nourishment　in　him　withal；　as　in　a　certain　web…footed　Chief　of　Birds；　reckoned　chief　by　some＇；　and　hopes　he　will　also　give　his　friendship　and　protection　to　the　Grand…Duke　and　herself。　As　for　the　Grand…Duke；　he　is　weak　and　violent；　but　his　confidence　in　the　Grand…Duchess　is　so　great；　that　sometimes　he　tells　people；　that　though　he　does　not　understand　things　himself；　his　Wife　understands　everything。　Should　the　Empress；　as　I　fear；　soon　die；　the　Government　will　quietly　devolve　on　them。〃　＇Hanbury's　Despatch；　〃October　2d；　1755〃　（Raumer；　pp。　223…225）；　Subsidy　Treaty　still　at　its　floweriest。＇

Catherine's　age　is　twenty…six　gone；　her　Peter's　twenty…seven：　one　of　the　cleverest　young　Ladies　in　the　world；　and　of　the　stoutest…hearted；　clearest…eyed；yoked　to　a　young　Gentleman　much　the　reverse。　Thank　Hanbury　for　this　glimpse　of　them；　most　intricately　situated　Pair；　who　may　concern　us　a　little　in　the　sequel。And；　in　justice　to　poor　Hanover；　the　sad　subject…matter　of　Excellency　Hanbury's　Problems　and　Futilities　in　Russia　and　elsewhere；　let　us　save　this　other　Fraction　by　a　very　different　hand；　and　close　that　Hanbury　scene：

〃Friedrich　himself　was　so　dangerous；〃　says　the　Constitutional　Historian　once：　〃Friedrich；　in　alliance　with　France；　how　easy　for　him　to　catch　Hanover　by　the　throat　at　a　week's　notice；　throw　a　death…noose　round　the　throat　of　poor　Hanover；　and　hand　the　same　to　France　for　tightening　at　discretion！　Poor　Hanover　indeed；　she　reaps　little　profit　from　her　English　honors：　what　has　she　had　to　do　with　these　Transatlantic　Colonies　of　England？　An　unfortunate　Country；　if　the　English　would　but　think；　liable　to　be　strangled　at　any　time；　for　England's　quarrels：　the　Achilles'…heel　to　invulnerable　England；　a　sad　function　for　Hanover；　if　it　be　a　proud　one；　and　amazingly　lucrative　to　some　Hanoverians。　The　Country　is　very　dear　to　his　Britannic　Majesty　in　one　sense；　very　dear　to　Britain　in　another！　Nay　Germany　itself；　through　Hanover；　is　to　be　torn　up　by　War　for　Transatlantic　interests；out　of　which　she　does　not　even　get　good　Virginia　tobacco；　but　grows　bad　of　her　own。　No　more　concern　than　the　Ring　of　Saturn　with　these　over…sea　quarrels；　and　can；　through　Hanover；　be　torn　to　pieces　by　War　about　them。　Such　honor　to　give　a　King　to　the　British　Nation；　in　a　strait　for　one；　and　such　profit　coming　of　it：we　hope　all　sides　are　grateful　for　the　blessings　received！〃

THERE　HAS　BEEN　A　COUNTER…TREATY　GOING　ON　AT　VERSAILLES　IN　THE　INTERIM；　WHICH　HEREUPON　STARTS　OUT；　AND　TUMBLES　THE　WHOLLY　ASTONISHED　EUROPEAN　DIPLOMACIES　HEELS…OVER…HEAD。

To　expectant　mankind；　especially　to　Vienna　and　Versailles；　this　Britannic…Prussian　Treaty　was　a　great　surprise。　And　indeed　it　proved　the　signal　of　a　general　System　of　New　Treaties　all　round。　The　first　signal；　in　fact；though　by　no　means　the　first　cause；of　a　total　circumgyration；　summerset；　or　tumble　heels…over…head　in　the　Political　relations　of　Europe　altogether；　which　ensued　thereupon；　miraculous；　almost　as　the　Earthquake　at　Lisbon；　to　the　Gazetteer；　and　Diplomatic　mind；　and　incomprehensible　for　long　years　after。　First　signal　we　say；　by　no　means　that　it　was　the　first　cause；　or　indeed　that　it　was　a　cause　at　all；the　thing　being　determined　elsewhere　long　before；　ever　since　1753；　when　Kaunitz　left　it　ready；　waiting　only　its　time。

Kaiser　Franz；　they　say；　when　（probably　during　those　Keith　urgencies）　the　joining　with　France　and　turning　against　poor　Britannic　Majesty　was　proposed　in　Council　at　Vienna；　opened　his　usually　silent　lips；　and　opined　with　emphasis　against　such　a　course；　no　Kaunitz　or　creature　able　to　persuade　Kaiser　Franz　that　good　would　come　of　it；though；　finding　Sovereign　Lady　and　everybody　against　him；　he