history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第29部分

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Ever　since　July　29th；　three　days　after　Hastenbeck；　Pitt　had　been　in　Office　again；　such　the　bombardment　by　Corporation…Boxes　and　Events　impinging　on　Britannic　Majesty：　but　not　till　now；　as　I　fancy；　had　Pitt's　way；　in　regard　to　those　German　matters；　been　clear　to　him。　The　question　of　a　German　Army；　if　you　must；　have　a　No…General　at　the　top　of　it；　might　well　be　problematical　to　Pitt。　To　equip　your　strong　fighting　man；　and　send　him　on　your　errand；　regardless　of　expense；　and；　by　way　of　preliminary；　cut　the　head　off　him；　before　saying　〃Good…speed　to　you；　strong　man！〃　But　with　a　General；　Pitt　sees　that　it　can　be　different；　that　perhaps　〃America　can　be　conquered　in　Germany；〃　and　that；　with　a　Britannic　Majesty　so　disposed；　there　is　no　other　way　of　trying　it。　To　this　course　Pitt　stands　henceforth；　heedless　of　the　gazetteer　cackle；　〃Hah；　our　Pitt　too　become　German；　after　all　his　talking！〃like　a　seventy…four　under　full　sail；　with　sea；　wind；　pilot　all　of　one　mind；　and　only　certain　water…fowl　objecting。　And　is　King　of　England　for　the　next　Four　Years；　the　one　King　poor　England　has　had　this　long　while；his　hand　felt　shortly　at　the　ends　of　the　Earth。　And　proves　such　a　blessing　to　Friedrich；　among　others；　as　nothing　else　in　this　War；　pretty　much　his　one　blessing；　little　as　he　expected　it。　Before　long；　Excellency　Mitchell　begins　consulting　about　a　General；　and　Friedrich　dimly　sees　better　things　in　the　distance；　and　that　Kloster…Zeven　had　not　been　the　misfortune　he　imagined；　but　only　〃The　darkest　hour；〃　which；　it　is　said；　lies　〃nearest　to　the　dawn。〃


II。　THE　SOUBISE　HILDBURGHAUSEN　PEOPLE　TAKE　INTO　THE　HILLS；　FRIEDRICH　IN　ERFURT　NEIGHBORHOOD；　HANGING　ON；　WEEK　AFTER　WEEK；　IN　AN　AGONY　OF　INACTION　（13th　September…10th　October）。

Friedrich's　march　has　gone　by　Dobeln；　Grimma；　to　Pegau　and　Rotha；　Leipzig　way；　but；　with　Leipzig　well　to　right：　it　just　brushes　Weissenfels　to　rightward；　next　day　after　Rotha；　crosses　Saale　River　near　Naumburg；　whence　straight　through　Weimar　Country；　Weimar　City　on　your　left；　to　Erfurt　on　the　northern　side；and；

〃ERFURT；　TUESDAY　13th　SEPTEMBER；　1757；　About　10　in　the　morning　＇listen　to　a　faithful　Witness＇；　there　appeared　Hussars　on　the　heights　to　northward：'Vanguard　of　his　Prussian　Majesty！'　said　Erfurt　with　alarm；　and　our　French　guests　with　alarm。　And　scarcely　were　the　words　uttered；　when　said　Vanguard；　and　gradually　the　whole　Prussian　Army　＇only　some　9；000；　though　we　all　thought　it　the　whole＇；　came　to　sight；　posting　itself　in　half…moon　shape　round　us　there；　French　and　Reichs　folk　hurrying　off　what　they　could　from　the　Cyriaksberg　and　Petersberg；　by　the　opposite　gates；〃towards　Gotha；　and　the　Hills　of　Eisenach。

〃Think　what　a　dilemma　for　Erfurt；　jammed　between　two　horns　in　this　way；　should　one　horn　enter　before　the　other　got　out！　Much　parleying　and　supplicating　on　the　part　of　Erfurt：　Till　at　last；　about　4　P。M。；　French　being　all　off；　Erfurt　flung　its　gates　open；　and　the　new　Power　did　enter；　with　some　due　state：　Prussian　Majesty　in　Person　（who　could　have　hoped　it！）　and　Prince　Henri　beside　him；　Cavalry　with　drawn　swords；　Infantry　with　field…pieces；　and　the　band　playing〃Prussian　grenadier　march；　I　should　hope；　or　something　equally　cheering。　〃The　rest　of　the　Vanguard；　and；　in　succession；　the　Army　altogether；　had　taken　Camp　outside；　looking　down　on　the　Northern　Gate；　over　at　Ilgertshofen；　a　village　in　the　neighborhood；　about　two　miles　off。〃　＇　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　636；　637。＇

That　is　the　first　sight　Friedrich　has　of　〃LA　DAUPHINE；〃　as　the　Versailles　people　call　this　Bellona；　come　to　〃deliver　Saxony；〃　and　she　is　considerably　coyer　than　had　been　expected。　Many　sad　days；　and　ardent　vain　vows　of　Friedrich；　before　he　could　see　the　skirt　of　her　again！　From　Ilgertshofen；　northwestward　to　Dittelstadt；　Gamstadt；　and　other　poor　specks　of　villages　in　Gotha　Territory；　is　ten　or　fifteen　miles；　from　Dittelstadt　eastward　to　Buttstadt　and　Buttelstadt；　in　Weimar　Country；　may　be　twenty…five：　in　this　area；　Friedrich；　shifting　about；　chiefly　for　convenience　of　quarters；head…quarter　Kirschleben　for　a　while；　Buttelstadt　finally　and　longest；had　to　wander　impatiently　to　and　fro　for　four　weeks　and　more；　no　work　procurable；　or　none　worth　mentioning：in　the　humor　of　a　man　whose　House　is　on　fire；　flaming　out　of　every　window；　front　and　rear；　who　has　run　up　with　quenching　apparatus；　and　cannot；　being　spell…bound；　get　the　least　bucket　of　it　applied。　And　is　by　nature　the　rapidest　soul　now　alive。　Figure　his　situation　there；　as　it　gradually　becomes　manifest　to　him！

For　the　present；　DAUPHINESS　Bellona；　hurrying　to　the　Hills；　has　left　some　tagrag　of　remnant　in　Gotha。　Whereupon；　the　second　day；　here　is　an　〃Own　Correspondent〃　again；not　coming　by　electric　telegraph；　but　（what　is　a　sensible　advantage）　credible　in　every　point；　when　he　does　come：

〃GOTHA；　THURSDAY；　15th　SEPTEMBER。　Grand…Duke　and　Duchess；　like　everybody　else；　have　been　much　occupied　all　morning　with　the　fact；　that　the　Prussian　Army　＇Seidlitz　and　a　regiment　or　two；　nothing　more＇　is　actually　here；　took　possession　of　the　Town…Gates　and　Main　Guard　this　morning；certain　Hungarian…French　hussar　rabble；　hateful　to　every　one　in　Gotha；　having　made　off　in　time；　rapidly　towards　Eisenach　and　the　Hills。

〃Towards　noon；　his　Royal　Majesty　in　highest　person；　with　his　Lord　Brother　the　Prince　Henri's　Royal　Highness；　arrived　in　Gotha；　sent　straightway；　by　one　of　his　Officers；　a　compliment　to　the　Grand…Duke；　and　'would　have　the　pleasure　to　come　and　dine；　if　his　Serene　Highness　permitted。'　Serene　Highness；　self　and　Household　always　cordially　Friedrich's；　was　just　about　sitting　down　to　dinner；　and　answered　with　exuberantly　glad　surprise；or　was　answering；　when　Royal　Majesty　himself　stept　in　with　smiling　face；　and　embracing　the　Duke；　said：　'I　timed　myself　to　arrive　at　this　moment；　thinking　your　Durchlaucht　would　be　at　dinner；　that　I　might　be　received　without　ceremony；　and　dine　like　a　neighbor　among　you。'　Unexpected　as　this　visit　was；　the　joy　of　Duke　and　Duchess；〃　always　fast　friends　to　Friedrich；　and　the　latter　ever　afterwards　his　correspondent；　〃may　be　conceived；　but　not　adequately　expressed；　as　both　the　Serenities　were　touched；　in　the　most　affecting　manner；　by　the　honor　of　so　great　a　King's　sudden　presence　among　them。

〃His　Majesty　requested　that　the　Frau　von　Buchwald；　our　Most　Gracious　Duchess's　Hof…Dame；　whose　qualities　he　much　valued；　might　dine　with　them；〃being　always　fond　of　sensible　people；　especially　sensible　women。　〃The　whole　Highest　and　High　company　＇Royal；　that　is；　and　Ducal＇　was；　during　table；　uncommonly　merry。　The　King　showed　himself　altogether　content；　and　his　bright　clever　talk　and　sprightly　sallies；　awakening　everybody　to　the　like；　left　not　the　least　trace　visible　of　the　weighty　toils　he　was　then　engaged　in；　as　if　the　weightier　these　were；　the　less　should　they　fetter　the　noble　openness　（FREYMUTHIGKEIT）　of　this　high　soul；　which　is　not　to　be　cast　down　by　the　heaviest　burden。

〃His　Majesty　having　taken　leave　of　Duke　and　Duchess；　and　graciously　permitted　the　chiefest　persons　of　the　Gotha　Court　to　pay　their　respects；　withdrew　to　his　Army。〃　＇Letter　in　　Helden…　Geschichte；　　iv。　638；　639。＇　Slept；　I　find　elsewhere；　〃at　Gamstadt；　on　the　floor　of　a　little　Inn；〃　meaning　to　examine　Posts　in　that　part；　next　morning。

Here　has　been　a　cheerful　little　scene　for　Friedrich；　the　last　he　has　in　these　black　weeks。　A　laborious　Predecessor；　striving　to　elucidate；　leaves　me　this　Note：

〃What　a　pity　one　knows　nothing；　nor　can　know；　about　this　Duke　and　Duchess；　though　their　names；　especially　the　latter's　name；　are　much　tossed　to　and　fro　in　the　Books！　We　heard　of　them；　favorably；　in　Voltaire's　time；　and　may　again；　at　least　of　the　Lady；　who　is　henceforth　a　Correspondent　of　Friedrich's。　The　above　is　a　dim　direct　view　of　them；　probably　our　last　as　well　as　first。　Duke's　name　is　Friedrich　III。；　I　do　believe；　a　man　of　solidity；　honor　and　polite　dignified　sense；　a　highly　respectable　Duke　of　Sachsen…Gotha；　contented　to　be　obscure；　and　quietly　do　what　was　still　do…able　in　that　enigmatic　situation。　He　is　Uncle　to　our　George　III。；his　Sister　is　the　now　Princess…Dowager　of　Wales；　with　a　Lord　Bute；　and　I　know　not　what　questionable　figures　and　intrigues；　or　suspicions　of　intrigue；　much　about　her。　His　Duchess；　Louisa　Dorothee；　is　a　Princess　of　distinguished　qualities；　literary　tastes；Voltaire's　Hostess；　Friedrich's　Correspondent：　a　bright　and　quietly　shining　illumination　to　the　circle　she　inhabits。　Duke　is　now　fifty…eight；　Duchess　forty…seven；　and　they　lost　their　eldest　Son　last　year。　There　has　been　lately　a　considerable　private　brabble　as　to　Tutorage　of　the　Duke　of　Weimar　（Wilhelmina's　maddish　Duke；　who　is　dead　lately；　and　a　Prince　left；　who　soon　died　also；　but　left　a　Son；　who　grew　to　be　Goethe's　friend）；　Tutorage　claimed　by　various　Cousins；　has　been　adjudged　to　this　one；　King　Friedrich　co…operating　in　such　result。

〃As　to　the　famed　Grand…Duchess；　she　is　a　Sachsen…Meiningen　Princess；　come　of　Ernst　the　Pious；　of　Johann　the　Magnanimous；　as　her　Husband　and　all　these　Sachsens　are：　when　Voltaire　went　precipitant；　with　such　velocity；　from　the　Potsdam　Heaven；　she　received　him　at　Gotha；　set　him　on　writing　his　HISTORY　OF　THE　EMPIRE；　and　endeavored　to　break　his　fall。　She　was　noble　to　Voltaire；　and　well　honored　by　that　uncertain　Spirit。　There　is　a　fine　Library　at　Gotha；　and　the　Lady　bright　loves　Books；　and　those　that　can　write　them；a　friend　of　the　Light；　a　Daughter　of　the　Sun　and　the　Empyrean；　not　of　Darkness　and　the　Stygian　Fens。〃　＇Michaelis；　i。　517；　&c。　&c。＇

Friedrich's　first　Letter　to　her　Highness　was　one　of　thanks；　above　a　year　ago；　for　an　act　of　kindness；　act　of　justice　withal；　which　she　did　to　one　of　his　Official　people。　Here；　on　the　morrow　of　that　dinner；　is　the　second　Letter；　much　more　aerial　and　cordial；　in　which　style　they　all　continue；　now　that　he　has　seen　the　admired　Princess。


TO　THE　MOST　SERENE　GRAND…DUCHESS　OF　SACHSEN…GOTHA。

DITTELSTADT；　〃16th　September；　1757。

〃MADAM；Yesterday　was　a　Day　I　shall　never　forget；　which　satisfied　a　just　desire　I　have　had；　this　long　while；　to　see　and　hear　a　Princess　whom　all　Europe　admires。　I　am　not　surprised；　Madam；　that　you　subdue　people's　hearts；　you　are　made　to　attract　the　esteem　and　the　homage　of　all　who　have　the　happiness　to　know　you。　But　it　is　incomprehens