history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第35部分

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〃About　ten　days　after　＇not　to　let　this　thing　interrupt　us　again＇；　Friedrich；　on　his　return　to　Leipzig；　had　another　Interview　with　Gottsched；　of　only　one　hour；　this　time；but　with　many　topics：　Reading　of　some　Gottsched　Ode　（ODE；　very　tedious；　frothy；　watery；　of　THANKS　to　Majesty　for　such　goodness　to　the　Saxon　Swan；　reading；　too；　of　'some　of　Madam　Gottsched's　Pieces'）。　Majesty　confessed　afterwards；　Every　hour　from　the　very　first　had　lowered　his　opinion　of　the　Saxon　Swan；　till　at　length　Goosehood　became　too　apparent。　Friedrich　sent　him　a　gold　snuffbox　by　and　by；　but　had　no　farther　dialoguing。

〃A　saying　of　Excellency　Mitchell's　to　Gottschedfor　Gottsched；　on　that　second　Leipzig　opportunity；　went　swashing　about　among　the　King's　Suite　as　wellis　still　remembered。　They　were　talking　of　Shakspeare：　'Genial；　if　you　will；'　said　Gottsched；　'but　the　Laws　of　Aristotle；　Five　Acts；　unities　strict！''Aristotle？　What　is　to　hinder　a　man　from　making　his　Tragedy　in　Ten　acts；　if　it　suit　him　better？'　'Impossible；　your　Excellency！''Pooh；'　said　his　Excellency；　'suppose　Aristotle；　and　general　Fashion　too；　had　ordered　that　the　clothes　of　every　man　were　to　be　cut　from　five　ells　of　cloth：　how　would　the　Herr　Professor　like　＇with　these　huge　limbs　of　his＇　if　he　found　there　were　no　breeches　for　him；　on　Aristotle's　account？'　Adieu　to　Gottsched；　most　voluminous　of　men；who　wrote　a　Grammar　of　the　German　Language；　which；　they　say；　did　good。　I　remember　always　his　poor　Wife　with　some　pathos；　who　was　a　fine；　graceful；　loyal　creature；　of　ten　times　his　intelligence；　and　did　no　end　of　writing　and　translating　and　compiling　（Addison's　CATO；　Addison's　SPECTATOR；　thousands　of　things　from　all　languages）；　on　order　of　her　Gottsched；　till　life　itself　sank　in　such　enterprises；　never　doubting；　tragically　faithful　soul；　but　her　Gottsched　was　an　authentic　Seneschal　of　Phoebus　and　the　Nine。〃　＇Her　LETTERS；　collected　by　a　surviving　Lady…Friend；　〃BRIEFE　DER　FRAU　LUISE　ADELGUNDE　VIKTORIE　GOTTSCHED；　born　KULMUS　（Dresden；　1771…1772；　3　vols。　8vo）；〃　are；　I　should　suppose；　the　only　Gottsched　Piece　which　anybody　would　now　think　of　reading。＇

Monday；　17th；　at　seven；　his　Majesty　pushed　off　accordingly；　cheery　he　in　the　prospect　of　work；　whatever　his　friends　in　the　distance　be。　Here；　from　Eilenburg；　his　first　stage　Torgau…way；　are　a　Pair　of　Letters　in　notable　contrast。

WILHELMINA　TO　THE　KING　（on　rumor　of　Haddick；　swoln　into　a　Triple　Invasion；　Austrian；　Swedish；　French）。

BAIREUTH；　〃15th　October；　1757。

〃MY　DEAREST　BROTHER；Death　and　a　thousand　torments　could　not　equal　the　frightful　state　I　am　in。　There　run　reports　that　make　me　shudder。　Some　say　you　are　wounded；　others；　dangerously　ill。　In　vain　have　I　tormented　myself　to　have　news　of　you；　I　can　get　none。　Oh；　my　dear　Brother；　come　what　may；　I　will　not　survive　you。　If　I　am　to　continue　in　this　frightful　uncertainty；　I　cannot　stand　it；　I　shall　sink　under　it；　and　then　I　shall　be　happy。　I　have　been　on　the　point　of　sending　you　a　courier；　but　＇environed　as　we　are＇　I　durst　not。　In　the　name　of　God；　bid　somebody　write　me　one　word。

〃I　know　not　what　I　have　written；　my　heart　is　torn　in　pieces；　I　feel　that　by　dint　of　disquietude　and　alarms　I　am　losing　my　wits。　Oh；　my　dear；　adorable　Brother；　have　pity　on　me。　Heaven　grant　I　be　mistaken；　and　that　you　may　scold　me；　but　the　least　thing　that　concerns　you　pierces　me　to　the　heart；　and　alarms　my　affection　too　much。　Might　I　die　a　thousand　times；　provided　you　lived　and　were　happy！

〃I　can　say　no　more。　Grief　chokes　me；　and　I　can　only　repeat　that　your　fate　shall　be　mine；　being；　my　dear　Brother；　your

〃WILHELMINA。〃

What　a　shrill　penetrating　tone；　like　the　wildly　weeping　voice　of　Rachel；　tragical；　painful；　gone　quite　to　falsetto　and　above　pitch；　but　with　a　melody　in　its　dissonance　like　the　singing　of　the　stars。　My　poor　shrill　Wilhelmina！


KING　TO　WILHELMINA　（has　not　yet　received　the　Above）。

〃EILENBURG；　17th　October；　1757。

〃MY　DEAREST　SISTER；What　is　the　good　of　philosophy　unless　one　employ　it　in　the　disagreeable　moments　of　life？　It　is　then；　my　dear　Sister；　that　courage　and　firmness　avail　us。

〃I　am　now　in　motion；　and　having　once　got　into　that；　you　may　calculate　I　shall　not　think　of　sitting　down　again；　except　under　improved　omens。　If　outrage　irritates　even　cowards；　what　will　it　do　to　hearts　that　have　courage？

〃I　foresee　I　shall　not　be　able　to　write　again　for　perhaps　six　weeks：　which　fails　not　to　be　a　sorrow　to　me：　but　I　entreat　you　to　be　calm　during　these　turbulent　affairs；　and　to　wait　with　patience　the　month　of　December；　paying　no　regard　to　the　Nurnberg　Newspapers　nor　to　those　of　the　Reich；　which　are　totally　Austrian。

〃I　am　tired　as　a　dog　（COMME　UN　CHIEN）。　I　embrace　you　with　my　whole　heart；　being　with　the　most　perfect　affection　（TENDRESSE）；　my　dearest　Sister；　your〃　　　　　　　　　　　FRIEDRICH。

。。。　（AT　SOME　OTHER　HOUR；　SAME　PLACE　AND　DAY。）　〃'No　possibility　of　Peace；'　say　your　accounts　＇Letter　lost＇；　'the　French　won't　hear　my　name　mentioned。'　Well；　from　me　they　shall　not　farther。　The　way　will　be；　to　speak　to　them　by　action；　so　that　they　may　repent　their　impertinences　and　pride。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxvii。　i。　308；　309；　310。＇'

The　Haddick　affair；　after　all　the　rumor　about　it；　proved　to　be　a　very　small　matter。　No　Swede　or　Richelieu　had　dreamt　of　co…operating；　Haddick；　in　the　end；　was　scarce　4；000　with　four　cannon；　General　Rochow；　Commandant　of　Berlin；　with　his　small　garrison；　had　not　Haddick　skilfully　slidden　through　woods；　and　been　so　magnified　by　rumor；　might　have　marched　out；　and　beaten　a　couple　of　Haddicks。　As　it　was；　Haddick　skilfully　emerging；　at　the　Silesian　Gate　of　Berlin；　16th　October；　about　eleven　in　the　morning；　demanded　ransom　of　300；000　thalers　（45；000　pounds）；　was　refused；　began　shooting　on　the　poor　palisades；　on　the　poor　drawbridge　there；　〃at　the　third　shot　brought　down　the　drawbridge；〃　rushed　into　the　suburb；　and　was　not　to　be　pushed　out　again　by　the　weak　party　Rochow　sent　to　try　it。　Rochow；　ignorant　of　Haddick's　force；　marched　off　thereupon　for　Spandau　with　the　Royal　Family　and　effects；　leaving　Haddick　master　of　the　suburb；　and　Berlin　to　make　its　own　bargain　with　him。　Haddick；　his　Croats　not　to　be　quite　kept　from　mischief；　remained　master　of　the　suburb；　minatory　upon　Berlin；　for　twelve　hours　or　more：　and　after　a　good　deal　of　bargaining；ransom　of　45；000　pounds；　of　90；000　pounds；　finally　of　27；000　pounds　and　〃two　dozen　pair　of　gloves　to　the　Empress　Queen；〃made　off　about　five　in　the　morning；　wind　of　Moritz's　advance　adding　wings　to　the　speed　of　Haddick。　＇　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　715…723　（Haddick's　own　Account；　and　the　Berlin　one）。＇

Moritz　did　arrive　next　evening　（18th）；　but　with　his　tired　troops　there　was　no　catching　of　Haddick；　now　three　marches　ahead。　Royal　Family　and　effects　returned　from　Spandau　the　day　following；　but　in　a　day　or　two　more；　removed　to　Magdeburg　till　the　Capital　were　safe　from　such　affronts。　Much　grumbling　against　Rochow。　〃What　could　I　do？　How　could　I　know？〃　answered　Rochow；　whose　eyesight　indeed　had　been　none　of　the　best。　Berlin　smarts　to　the　length　of　27；000　pounds　and　an　alarm；　but　asserts　（not　quite　mythically；　thinks　Retzow）；　that　〃the　two　dozen　pair　of　gloves　were　all　gloves　for　the　left　hand；〃Berlin　having　wit；　and　a　touch　of　ABSINTHE　in　it；　capable　of　such　things！　Friedrich　heard　the　news　at　Annaburg；　a　march　beyond　Torgau；　and　there　paused；　again　uncertain；　for　about　a　week　coming；　after　which；　he　discovered　that　Leipzig　would　be　the　place；　and　returned　thither；　appointing　a　general　rendezvous　and　concentration　there。


SCENE　AT　REGENSBURG　IN　THE　INTERIM。

Just　while　Haddick　was　sliding　swiftly　through　the　woods；　Berlin　now　nigh；　there　occurred　a　thing　at　Regensburg；　tragic　thing；　but　ending　in　farce；Finale　of　REICHS…ACHT；　in　short；about　which　all　Regensburg　was　loud；　wailing　or　haha…ing　according　to　humor；　while　Berlin　was　paying　its　ransom　and　left…hand　gloves。　One　moment's　pause　upon　this；　though　our　haste　is　great。

〃Reichs　Diet　had　got　its　Ban　of　the　Reich　ready　for　Friedrich；　CITATIO　（solemn　Summons）　and　all　else　complete；　nothing　now　wanted　but　to　serve　Citatio　on　him；　or　'insinuate'　it　into　him；　as　their　phrase　is；which　latter　essential　point　occasions　some　shaking　of　wigs。　Dangerous；　serving　Citatio　in　that　quarter：　and　by　what　art　try　to　smuggle　it　into　the　hands　of　such　a　one？　'Insinuate　it　here　into　his；　Plotho's；　hand；　that　is　the　method；　and　that　will　suffice！'　say　the　wigs；　and　choose　an　unfortunate　Reichs　Notary；　Dr。　Aprill；　to　do　it；　who；　in　ponderous　Chancery…style；　gives　the　following　affecting　report；wonderful；　but　intelligible　（when　abridged）：

〃Citatio〃　to　come　and　receive　your　Ban；a　very　solemn…sounding　Document；　commencing　（or　perhaps　it　is　Aprill　himself　that　so　commences；　no　matter　which）；　〃'In　the　Name　of　the　Most　High　God；　the　Father；　Son　and　Holy　Ghost；　Amen；'was　given；　Wednesday；　12th　October；　in　the　Year　after　Christ　our　dear　Lord　and　Saviour's　Birth；　1757　Years；　To　me　Georgius　Mathias　Josephus　Aprill；　sworn　Kaiserlich　Notarius　Publicus；　In　my　Lodging；　first…floor　fronting　south；　in　Jacob　Virnrohr　the　Innkeeper's　House　here　at　Regensburg；　called　the　Red…Star；〃　for　insinuation　into　Plotho：

With　which　solemn　Piece；　Aprill　proceeded　next　day；　Thursday；　half…past　2　P。M。；　to　Plotho's　dwelling…place；　described　with　equal　irrefragability；　and；　continues　Aprill；　〃did　there；　by　a　servant　of　the　Herr　Ambassador　von　Plotho's；　announce　myself；　adding　that　I　had　something　to　say　to　his　Excellency；　if　he　would　please　to　admit　me。　To　which　the　Herr　Ambassador　by　the　same　servant　sent　answer；　that　he　was　ill　with　a　cold；　and　that　I　might　speak　to　his　Secretarius　what　I　had　to　say。　But；　as　I　replied　that　my　message　was　to　his　Excellenz　in　person；　the　same　servant　came　back　with　intimation　that　I　might　call　again　to…morrow　at　noon。〃

To…morrow；　at　the　stroke　of　noon；　Friday；　14th　October；　Aprill　punctually　appears　again；　with　recapitulation　of　the　pledge　given　him　yesterday；　and　is　informed　that　he　can　walk　up…stairs。　〃I　proceeded　thereupon；　the　servant　going　before；　up　one　pair　of　stairs；　or　with　the　appurtenances　（GEZEUGEN）　rather　more　than　one　pair；　into　the　Herr　Ambassador　Freiherr　von　Plotho's　Anteroom；　who；　just　as　we　were　entering；　stept　in　himself；　through　a　side…　door；　in　his　dressing…gown；