history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第30部分

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　happiness　to　know　you。　But　it　is　incomprehensible　to　me　how　you　can　have　enemies；　and　how　men　representing　Countries　that　by　no　means　wish　to　pass　for　barbarous；　can　have　been　so　basely　（INDIGNEMENT）　wanting　in　the　respect　they　owe　you；　and　in　the　consideration　which　is　due　to　all　sovereigns　＇French　not　famous　for　their　refined　demeanor　in　Saxony　this　time＇。　Why　could　not　I　fly　to　prevent　such　disorders；　such　indecency！　I　can　only　offer　you　a　great　deal　of　good…will；　but　I　feel　well　that；　in　present　circumstances；　the　thing　wanted　is　effective　results　and　reality。　May　I；　Madam；　be　so　happy　as　to　render　you　some　service！　May　your　fortune　be　equal　to　your　virtues！　I　am　with　the　highest　consideration；　Madam；　your　Highness's　faithful　Cousin；　F。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xvii。　166。＇

To　Wilhelmina　he　says　of　it；　next　day；　still　gratified；　though　sad　news　have　come　in　the　interim；death　of　Winterfeld；　for　one　black　item：

。。。　〃The　day　before　yesterday　I　was　in　Gotha。　It　was　a　touching　scene　to　see　the　partners　of　one's　misfortunes；　with　like　griefs　and　like　complaints。　The　Duchess　is　a　woman　of　real　merit；　whose　firmness　puts　many　a　man　to　shame。　Madam　de　Buchwald　appears　to　me　a　very　estimable　person；　and　one　who　would　suit　you　much：　intelligent；　accomplished；　without　pretensions；　and　good…humored。　My　Brother　Henri　is　gone　to　see　them　to…day。　I　am　so　oppressed　with　grief；　that　I　would　rather　keep　my　sadness　to　myself。　I　have　reason　to　congratulate　myself　much　on　account　of　my　Brother　Henri；　he　has　behaved　like　an　angel；　as　a　soldier；　and　well　towards　me　as　a　Brother。　I　cannot；　unfortunately；　say　the　same　of　the　elder。　He　sulks　at　me　（IL　ME　BODE）；　and　has　sulkily　retired　to　Torgau；　from　whence；　I　hear；　he　is　gone　to　Wittenberg。　I　shall　leave　him　to　his　caprices　and　to　his　bad　conduct；　and　I　prophesy　nothing　good　for　the　future；　unless　the　younger　guide　him。〃　＇〃Kirschleben；　near　Erfurt；　17th　September；　1757〃　（　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxvii。　i。　306）。＇　。。。

This　is　part　of　a　long　sad　Letter　to　Wilhelmina；　parts　of　which　we　may　recur　to；　as　otherwise　illustrative。　But　before　going　into　that　tragic　budget　of　bad　news；　let　us　give　the　finale　of　Gotha；　which　occurred　the　next　day；tragi…comic　in　part；and　is　the　last　bit　of　action　in　those　dreary　four　weeks。

GOTHA；　18th　SEPTEMBER。　〃Since　Thursday　15th；　Major…General　Seidlitz；〃　youngest　Major…General　of　the　Army；　but　a　rapidly　rising　man；　〃has　been　Commandant　in　Gotha；　under　flourishing　circumstances；　popular　and　supreme；　though　only　with　a　force　of　1；500；　dragoons　and　hussars。　Monday　morning　early；　Seidlitz's　scouts　bring　word　that　the　Soubise…Hildburghausen　people　are　in　motion　hitherward；　French　hussars　and　Austrian；　Turpin's；　Loudon's；　all　that　are；　grenadiers　in　mass；total；　say；　8；000　horse　and　foot；　with　abundance　of　artillery；have　been　on　march　all　night；　to　retake　Gotha；　with　all　the　Chief　Generals　and　Dignitaries　of　the　Army　following　in　their　carriages；　for　some　hours　past；　to　see　it　done。　Seidlitz；　ascertaining　these　things；　has　but　one　course　left；that　of　clearing　himself　out；　which　he　does　with　orderly　velocity：　and　at　9　A。M。　the　Dignitaries　and　their　8；000　find　open　gates；　Seidlitz　clean　off；　occupy　the　posts；　with　due　emphasis　and　flourish；　and　proceed　to　the　Schloss　in　a　grand　triumphant　way；　where　privately　they　are　not　very　welcome；　though　one　puts　the　best　face　on　it；　and　a　dinner　of　importance　is　the　first　thing　imperative　to　be　set　in　progress。　A　flurried　Court；　that　of　Gotha；　and　much　swashing　of　French　plumes　through　it；　all　this　morning；　since　Seidlitz　had　to　flit。

〃Seidlitz　has　not　flitted　very　far。　Seidlitz　has　ranked　his　small　dragoon…hussar　force　in　a　hollow；　two　miles　off；　has　got　warning　sent　to　a　third　regiment　within　reach　of　him；　'Come　towards　me；　and　in　a　certain　defile；　visible　from　Gotha　eastward；　spread　yourselves　so　and　so！'and　judges　by　the　swashing　he　hears　of　up　yonder；　that　perhaps　something　may　still　be　done。　Dinner；　up　in　the　Schloss；　is　just　being　taken　from　the　spit；　and　the　swashing　at　its　height；　when'Hah　what　is　that；　though？'　and　all　plumes　pause。　For　it　is　Seidlitz；　artistically　spread　into　single　files；　on　the　prominent　points　of　vision；　advancing　again；　more　like　15；000　than　1；500：　'And　in　the　Defile　yonder；　that　regiment；　do　you　mark　it；　the　King's　vanguard；　I　should　say？To　horse！'

〃That　is　Seidlitz's　fine　Bit　of　Painting；　hung　out　yonder；　hooked　on　the　sky　itself；　as　temporary　background　to　Gotha；　to　be　judged　of　by　the　connoisseurs。　For　pictorial　effect；　breadth　of　touch；　truth　to　Nature　and　real　power　on　the　connoisseur；　I　have　heard　of　nothing　equal　by　any　artist。　The　high　Generalcy；　Soubise；　Hildburghausen；　Darmstadt；　mount　in　the　highest　haste；　everybody　mounts；　happy　he　who　has　anything　to　mount；　the　grenadiers　tumble　out　of　the　Schloss；　dragoons；　artillery　tumble　out；　Dauphiness　takes　wholly　to　her　heels；　at　an　extraordinary　pace：　so　that　Seidlitz's　hussars　could　hardly　get　a　stroke　at　her；　caught　sixty　and　odd；　nine　of　them　Officers　not　of　mark；　did　kill　thirty；　and　had　such　a　haul　of　equipages　and　valuable　effects；　cosmetic　a　good　few　of　them；　habilatory；　artistic；　as　caused　the　hussar　heart　to　sing　for　joy。　Among　other　plunder；　was　Loudon's　Commission　of　Major…General；　just　on　its　road　from　Vienna　＇poor　Mannstein's　death　the　suggesting　cause；　say　some＇；undoubtedly　a　shining　Loudon；　to　whom　Friedrich；　next　day；　forwarded　the　Document　with　a　polite　Note。〃　＇　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　640；　Westphalen；　ii。　37；　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　iv；　147。＇'

The　day　after　this　bright　feat　of　Seidlitz's；　which　was　a　slight　consolation　to　Friedrich；　there　came　a　Letter　from　the　Duchess；　not　of　compliment　only；　the　Letter　itself　had　to　be　burnt　on　the　spot；　being；　as　would　seem；　dangerous　for　the　High　Lady；　who　was　much　a　friend　of　Friedrich's。　Their　Correspondence；　very　polite　and　graceful；　but　for　most　part　gone　to　the　unintelligible　state；　and　become　vacant　and　spectral；　figures　considerably　in　the　Books；　and　was；　no　doubt；　a　considerable　fact　to　Friedrich。　His　Answer　on　this　occasion　may　be　given；　since　we　have　it；lest　there　should　not　elsewhere　be　opportunity　for　a　second　specimen。

FRIEDRICH　TO　THE　GRAND…DUCHESS　OF　SACHSEN…GOTHA。

〃KIRSCHLEBEN；　NEAB　ERFURT；　20th　September；　1757。

〃MADAM；Nothing　could　happen　more　glorious　to　my　troops　than　that　of　fighting；　Madam；　under　your　eyes　and　for　your　defence。　I　wish　their　help　could　be　useful　to　you；　but　I　foresee　the　reverse。　If　I　were　obstinately　to　insist　on　maintaining　the　post　of　Gotha　with　Infantry；　I　should　ruin　your　City　for　you；　Madam；　by　attracting　thither　and　fixing　there　the　theatre　of　the　War；　whereas；　by　the　present　course；　you　will　only　have　to　suffer　little　rubs　（PASSADES）；　which　will　not　last　long。

〃A　thousand　thanks　that　you　could；　in　a　day　like　yesterday；　find　the　moment　to　think　of　your　Friends；　and　to　employ　yourself　for　them。　＇Seidlitz's　attack　was　brisk；　quite　sudden；　with　an　effect　like　Harlequin's　sword　in　Pantomimes；　and　Gotha　in　every　corner；　especially　in　the　Schloss　below　and　ahove　stairs；dinner　cooked　for　A；　and　eaten　by　B；　in　that　manner；must　have　been　the　most　agitated　of　little　Cities。＇　I　will　neglect　nothing　of　what　you　have　the　goodness　to　tell　me；　I　shall　profit　by　these　notices。　Heaven　grant　it　might　be　for　the　deliverance　and　the　security　of　Germany！

〃The　most　signal　mark　of　obedience　I　can　give　you　consists　unquestionably　in　doing　your　bidding　with　this　Letter。　＇Burn　it；　so　soon　as　read。＇　I　should　have　kept　it　as　a　monument　of　your　generosity　and　courage：　but；　Madam；　since　you　dispose　of　it　otherwise；　your　orders　shall　be　executed；　persuaded　that　if　one　cannot　serve　one's　friends；　one　must　at　least　avoid　hurting　them；　that　one　may　be　less　circumspect　for　one's　own　interest；　but　that　one　must　be　prudent　and　even　timid　for　theirs。　I　am；　with　the　highest　esteem　and　the　most　perfect　consideration；　Madam；　your　Highness's　most　faithful　and　affectionate　Cousin；F。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xvii。　167。＇

From　Erfurt；　on　the　night　of　his　arrival；　finding　the　Dauphiness　in　such　humor；　Friedrich　had　ordered　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick　with　his　Division　and　Prince　Moritz　with　his；　both　of　whom　were　still　at　Naumburg；　to　go　on　different　errands；Ferdinand　out　Halberstadt…　Magdeburg　way；　whither　Richelieu；　vulture…like；　if　not　eagle…like；　is　on　wing；　Moritz　to　Torgau；　to　secure　our　magazine　and　be　on　the　outlook　there。　Both　of　them　marched　on　the　morrow　（November　14th）：　and　are　sending　him　news；seldom　comfortable　news；　mainly　that；　in　spite　of　all　one　can　do　（and　it　is　not　little　on　Ferdinand's　part；　the　Richelieu　vultures；　80；000　of　them；　floating　onward；　leagues　broad；　are　not　to　be　kept　out　of　Halberstadt；　well　if　out　of　Magdeburg　itself；and　that；　in　short；　the　general　conflagration；　in　those　parts　too；　is　progressive。　＇In　Orlich's　　First　Moritz；　　pp。　71…89；　and　in　　Westphalen；　　ii。　23…143　（about　Ferdinand）：　interesting　Documentary　details；　Autographs　of　Friedrich；　&c。；　in　regard　to　both　these　Expeditions。＇　Moritz；　peaceable　for　some　weeks　in　Torgau　Country；　was　to　have　an　eye　on　Brandenburg　withal；　on　Berlin　itself；　and　before　long　Moritz　will　see　something　noticeable　there！

From　Preussen；　Friedrich　hears　of　mere　ravagings　and　horrid　cruelties；　Cossack…Calmuck　atrocities；　which　make　human　nature　shudder：　＇In　　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　427…437；　the　hideous　details。＇　〃Fight　those　monsters；　go　into　them　at　all　hazards！〃　he　writes　to　Lehwald　peremptorily。　Lehwald；　25；000　against　80；000；　does　so；　draws　up；　in　front　of　Wehlau；　not　far　east　of　Konigsberg；　among　woody　swamps；　AUGUST　30th；　at　a　Hamlet　called　GROSS…JAGERSDORF；　with　his　best　skill；　fights　well；　though　not　without　mistakes；　and　is　beaten　by　cannon　and　numbers。　＇Tempelhof；　i。　299；　Retzow；　i。　212；　&c。　&c。　（〃Russians　lost　about　9；000；〃　by　their　own　tale　5；000；　〃the　Prussians　3；000〃　and　the　Field）。＇　Preussen　now　lies　at　Apraxin's　discretion。　This　bit　of　news　too　is　on　the　road　for　Erfurt　Country。　Such　a　six　weeks　for　the　swift　man；　obliged　to　stand　spell…bound；idle　posterity　never　will　conceive　it；　and　description　is　useless。

Let　us　add　here；　that　Apraxin　did　no