history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17-第8部分

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It　is　evident；　Friedrich　had　not　given　up　his　hope　（indeed；　for　above　a　year　more；　he　never　did）　that　England　might；　by　profuse　bribery；〃such　the　power　of　bribery　in　that　mad　court！〃assuage；　overnet　with　backstairs　packthreads；　or　in　some　way　compesce　the　Russian　delirium　for　him。　And　England；　his　sole　Ally　in　the　world；　still　tender　of　Austria；　and　unable　to　believe　what　the　full　intentions　of　Austria　are；　England　demands　much　wariness　in　his　procedures　towards　Austria；　reiterating　always；　〃Wait；　your　Majesty！　Oh；　beware！〃

His　own　Army；　we　need　not　say；　is　in　perfect　preparation。　The　Army　let　us　guess；　150；000　regular；　or　near　200；000　of　all　arms　and　kinds　＇Archenholtz　（i；　8）　counts　vaguely　〃160；000〃　at　this　date。＇　never　was　so　perfect　before　or　since。　Old　Captains　in　it；　whom　we　used　to　know；　are　grayer　and　wiser；　young；　whom　we　heard　less　of；　are　grown　veterans　of　trust。　Schwerin；　much　a　Cincinnatus　since　we　last　saw　him；　has　laid　down　his　plough　again；　a　fervid　〃little　Marlborough〃　of　seventy…two；and　will　never　see　that　beautiful　Schwerinsburg；　and　its　thriving　woods　and　farm…fields；　any　more。　Ugly　Walrave　is　not　now　chief　Engineer；　one　Balbi；　a　much　prettier　man；　is。　Ugly　Walrave　（Winterfeld　suspecting　and　watching　him）　was　found　out；　convicted　of　〃falsified　accounts；〃　of　〃sending　plans　to　the　Enemy；〃　of　who　knows　all　what；and　sits　in　Magdeburg　（in　a　thrice…safe　prison…cell　of　his　own　contriving）；　prisoner　for　life。　＇〃Arrested　at　Potsdam　12th　February；　1748；　and　after　trial　put　into　the　STERN　at　Magdeburg；　sat　there　till　he　died；　16th　January；　1773〃　（　Militalr…Lexikon；　　iv。　150…151）。＇　The　Old　Dessauer　is　away；　long　since；　and　not　the　Old　alone。　Dietrich　of　Dessau　is　now　〃Guardian　to　his　Nephew；〃　who　is　a　Child　left　Heir　there。　Death　has　been　busy　with　the　Dessauers：but　here　is　Prince　Moritz；　〃the　youngest；　more　like　his　Father　than　any　of　them。〃　Duke　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick；　Moritz　of　Dessau；　Keith；　Duke　of　Brunswick…Bevern：　no　one　of　these　people　has　been　idle；　in　the　ten　years　past。　Least　of　all；　has　the　Chief　Captain　of　them；whose　diligence　and　vigilance　in　that　sphere；　latterly；　were　not　likely　to　decline！

Friedrich's　Army　is　in　the　perfection　of　order。　Ready　at　the　hour；　for　many　months　back；　but　the　least　motion　he　makes　with　it　is　a　subject　of　jealousy。　Last　year；　on　those　Russian　advancings　and　alacrities；　he　had　marched　some　Regiments　into　Pommern；　within　reach　of　Preussen；　should　the　Russians　actually　try　a　stroke　there：　〃See！〃　cried　all　the　world：　〃See！〃　cried　the　enlightened　Russian　Public。　This　year　1756；　from　June　onwards　and　earlier；　there　are　still　more　fatal　symptoms；　on　the　Austrian　side：　great　and　evident　War…preparations；　Magazines　forming；　Camps　in　Bohemia；　Moravia；　Camp　at　Konigsgratz；　Camp　at　Prag；handy　for　the　Silesian　Border。　Friedrich　knows　they　have　deliberated　on　their　Pretext　for　a　War；　and　have　fixed　on　what　will　do；some　new　small　Prussian…　Mecklenburg　brabble；　which　there　has　lately　been；　paltry　enough　recruiting…quarrel；　such　as　often　are　（and　has　been　settled　mutually　some　time　ago；　this　one；　but　is　capable　of　being　ripped　up　again）；and　that；　on　this　cobweb　of　a　pretext；　they　mean　to　draw　sword　when　they　like。　Russia　too　has　its　Pretext　ready。　And　if　Friedrich　hint　of　stirring；　England　whispers　hoarse；　England　and　other　friends；　〃Wait；　your　Majesty！　Oh；　beware！〃　To　keep　one's　　　sword　at　its　sharpest；　and；　with　an　easy　patient　air；　one's　eyes　vigilantly　open：　this　is　nearly　all　that　Friedrich　can　do；　in　neighborhood　of　such　portentous　imminencies。　He　has　many　critics；　near　and　far；for　instance：

BERLIN；　31st　JULY；　1756；　Excellency　Valori　writes　to　Versailles：　。。。　〃to　give　you　account　of　a　Conversation　I　have　had；　a　day　or　two　ago；　with　the　Prince　of　Prussia　＇August　Wilhelm；　Heir…Apparent＇；　who　honors　me　with　a　particular　confidence；〃and　who　appears　to　be；　privately；　like　some　others；　very　strong　in　the　Opposition　view。　〃He　talked　to　me　of　the　present　condition　of　the　King　his　Brother；　of　his　Brother's　apprehensions；　of　his　military　arrangements；　of　the　little　trust　placed　in　him　by　neighbors；　of　their　hostile　humor　towards　him；　and　of　many　other　things　which　this　good　Prince　＇little　understanding　them；　as　would　appear；　or　the　dangerous　secret　that　lay　under　them＇　did　not　approve　of。　The　Prince　then　said；〃listen　to　what　the　Prince　of　Prussia　said　to　Valori；　one　of　the　last　days　of　July；　1756；

〃'There　is　an　Anecdote　which　continually　recurs　to　me；　in　the　passes　we　are　got　to　at　present。　Putting　the　case　we　might　be　attacked　by　Russia；　and　perhaps　by　Austria；　the　late　Rothenburg　was　sent　＇as　readers　know＇；　on　the　King's　part；　to　Milord　Tyrconnel；　to　know　of　him　what；　in　such　case；　were　the　helps　he　might　reckon　on　from　France。　Milord　enumerated　the　various　helps；　and　then　added　＇being　a　blusterous　Irishman；　sent　hither　for　his　ill　tongue＇：　〃Helps　enough；　you　observe；　Monsieur；　but；　MORBLEU；　if　you　deceive　us；　you　will　be　squelched　（VOUS　SEREZ　ECRASES）！〃　The　King　my　'Brother　was　angry　enough　at　hearing　such　a　speech：　but；　my　dear　Marquis；'　and　the　Prince　turned　full　upon　me　with　a　face　of　inquiry；　'Can　the　thing　actually　come　true？　And　do　you　think　it　can　be　the　interest　of　your　Master　＇and　his　Scarlet　Woman＇　to　abandon　us　to　the　fury　of　our　enemies？　Ah；　that　cursed　Convention　＇Neutrality…Convention　with　England＇！　I　would　give　a　finger　from　my　hand　that　it　had　never　been　concluded。　I　never　approved　of　it；　ask　the　Duc　de　Nivernois；　he　knows　what　we　said　of　it　together。　But　how　return　on　our　steps？　Who　would　now　trust　us？'〃　This　Prince　appeared　〃to　be　much　affected　by　the　King　his　Brother's　situation　＇of　which　he　understood　as　good　as　nothing＇；　and　agreed　that　he；〃　the　King　his　Brother；　〃had　well　deserved　it。〃　＇Valori；　ii；　129…131。＇

This　is　not　the　first　example；　nor　the　last；　of　August　Wilhelm's　owning　a　heedless；　good…natured　tongue；　considerably　prone　to　take　the　Opposition　side；　on　light　grounds。　For　which　if　he　found　a　kind　of　solacement　and　fame　in　some　circles；　it　was　surely　at　a　dear　rate！　To　his　Brother；　that　bad　habit　would；　most　likely；　be　known；　and　his　Brother；　I　suppose；　did　not　speak　of　it　at　all；　such　his　Brother's　custom　in　cases　of　the　kind。Judicious　Valori；　by　way　of　answer；　dilated　on　the　peculiar　esteem　of　his　Majesty　Louis　XV。　for　the　Prussian　Majesty；〃so　as　my　Instructions　direct　me　to　do；〃　and　we　hear　no　more　of　the　Prince　of　Prussia's　talk；　at　this　time；　but　shall　in　future；　and　may　conjecture　a　great　deal　about　the　atmosphere　Friedrich　had　now　to　live　in。　A　Friedrich　undergoing；　privately；　a　great　deal　of　criticism：　〃Mad　tendency　to　war；　lust　of　conquest；　contempt　for　his　neighbors；　for　the　opinion　of　the　world；no　end　of　irrational　tendencies：〃　＇Ib。　ii。　124…151　（〃July　27th…August　21st〃）。＇　from　persons　to　whom　the　secret　of　his　Problem　is　deeply　unknown。

One　wise　thing　the　English　have　done：　sent　an　Excellency　Mitchell；　a　man　of　loyalty；　of　sense　and　honesty；　to　be　their　Resident　at　Berlin。　This　is　the　noteworthy；　not　yet　much　noted；　Sir　Andrew　Mitchell；　by　far　the　best　Excellency　England　ever　had　in　that　Court。　An　Aberdeen　Scotchman；　creditable　to　his　Country：　hard…headed；　sagacious；　sceptical　of　shows；　but　capable　of　recognizing　substances　withal；　and　of　standing　loyal　to　them；　stubbornly　if　needful；　who　grew　to　a　great　mutual　regard　with　Friedrich；　and　well　deserved　to　do　so；　constantly　about　him；　during　the　next　seven　years；　and　whose　Letters　are　among　the　perennially　valuable　Documents　on　Friedrich's　History。　＇Happily　secured　in　the　British　Museum；　and　now　in　the　most　perfect　order　for　consulting　（thanks　to　Sir　F。　Madden　〃and　three　years'　labor〃　well　invested）；　should　certainly；　and　will　one　day；　be　read　to　the　bottom；　and　cleared　of　their　darknesses；　extrinsic　and　intrinsic　（which　are　considerable）　by　somebody　competent。＇

Mitchell　is　in　Berlin　since　June　10th。　Mitchell；　who　is　on　the　scene　itself；　and　looking　into　Friedrich　with　his　own　eyes；　finds　the　reiterating　of　that　〃Beware；　your　Majesty！〃　which　had　been　his　chief　task　hitherto；　a　more　and　more　questionable　thing；　and　suggests　to　him　at　last：　〃Plainly　ask　her　Hungarian　Majesty；　What　is　your　meaning　by　those　Bohemian　Campings？〃　〃Pshaw；〃　answers　Friedrich：　〃Nothing　but　some　ambiguous　answer；　perhaps　with　insult　in　it！〃nevertheless　thinks　better；　and　determines　to　do　so。　＇Mitchell　Papers。＇



Chapter　IV。

FRIEDRICH　PUTS　A　QUESTION　AT　VIENNA；　TWICE　OVER。

July　18th；　1756；　Friedrich　despatches　an　Express　to　Graf　von　Klinggraf；　his　Resident　at　Vienna　（an　experienced　man；　whom　we　have　seen　before　in　old　Carteret；　〃Conference…of…Hanau〃　times）；　To　demand　audience　of　the　Empress；　and；　in　the　fittest　terms；　friendly　and　courteous；　brief　and　clear；　to　put　that　question　of　Mitchell's　suggesting。　〃Those　unwonted　Armaments；　Camps　in　Bohmen；　Camps　in　Mahren；　and　military　movements　and　preparations；〃　Klinggraf　is　to　say；　〃have　caused　anxiety　in　her　Majesty's　peaceable　Neighbor　of　Prussia；　who　desires　always　to　continue　in　peace；　and　who　requests　hereby　a　word　of　assurance　from　her　Majesty；　that　these　his　anxieties　are　groundless。〃　Friedrich　himself　hopes　little　or　nothing　from　this；　but　he　has　done　it　to　satisfy　people　about　him；　and　put　an　end　to　all　scruples　in　himself　and　others。　The　Answer　may　be　expected　in　ten　or　twelve　days。

And；　about　the　same　time；likely　enough；　directly　after；　though　there　is　no　date　given；　to　a　fact　which　is　curious　and　authentic；　Friedrich　sent　for　two　of　his　chief　Generals；　to　Potsdam；　for　a　secret　Conference　with　Winterfeld　and　him。　The　Generals　are；　old　Schwerin　and　General　Retzow　Senior；Major…General　Retzow；　whom　we　used　to　hear　of　in　the　Silesian　Wars；and　whose　Son　reports　on　this　occasion。　Conference　is　on　this　Imminency　of　War；　and　as　to　what　shall　be　done　in　it。　Friedrich　explains　in　general　terms　his　dangers　from　Austria　and　Russia；　his　certainty　that　Austria　will　attack　him；　and　asks；　Were　it；　or　were　it　not；　better　to　attack　Austria；　as　is　our　Prussian　principle　in　such　case？　Schwerin　and　RetzowSchwerin　first；　as　the　eldest；　and　after　him　Retzow；　〃who　privately　has　charge　from　the　Prussian　Princes　to　do　it〃opine　strongly：　That　indications　are　uncertain；　that　much　seems　inevitable　which　does　not　come；　that　in　a　time　of　such　tumultuous　whirlings　and　unex