history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第37部分

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uls　or　so）；　lies　leant　against　high　ground　（White　Crags；　or　whatever　it　once　was）　on　the　eastern　or　right　bank　of　the　Saale；　a　Town　in　part　flat；　in　part　very　steep；　the　streets　of　it；　or　main　street　and　secondaries；　running　off　level　enough　from　the　River　and　Bridge；　rising　by　slow　degrees；　but　at　last　rapidly　against　the　high　ground　or　cliffs；　just　mentioned；　a　stiff　acclivity　of　streets；　till　crowned　by　the　so…called　Castle；　the　'Augustus　Burg'　in　those　days；　the　'Friedrich…Wilhelm　Barrack'　in　ours。　It　was　on　this　crown　of　the　cliffs　that　his　Prussian　Majesty　appeared。

〃Saale　is　of　good　breadth　here；　has　done　perhaps　two　hundred　miles；　since　he　started；　in　the　Fichtelgebirge　（PINE　MOUNTAINS）；　on　his　long　course　Elbe…ward；　received；　only　ten　miles　ago；　his　last　big　branch；　the　wide…wandering　Unstrut；　coming　in　with　much　drainage　from　the　northern　parts：in　breadth；　Saale　may　be　compared　to　Thames；　to　Tay　or　Beauley；　his　depth　not　fordable；　though　nothing　like　so　deep　as　Thames's；　main　cargo　visible　is　rafts　of　timber：　banks　green；　definite；　scant　of　wood；　river　of　rather　dark　complexion；　mainly　noiseless；　but　of　useful　pleasant　qualities　otherwise。〃

From　this　Castle　or　landward　side　come　Friedrich　and　his　Prussians；　on　Monday　morning　about　eight。　〃The　garrison；　some　4；000　Reichs　folk　and　a　French　Battalion　or　two；　shut　the　Gates；　and　assembled　in　the　Market…place；〃a　big　square；　close　at　the　foot　of　the　Heights；　〃on　the　other　hand；　from　the　top　of　the　Heights　＇KLAMMERK　the　particular　spot＇；　the　Prussians　cannonaded　Town　and　Gates；　to　speedy　bursting　open　of　the　same；　and　rushed　in　over　the　walls　of　the　Castle…court；　and　by　other　openings　into　the　Town：　so　that　the　garrison　above　said　had　to　quit；　and　roll　with　all　speed　across　the　Saale　Bridge；　and　set　the　same　on　fire　behind　them。〃　This　was　their　remedy　for　all　the　Three　Bridges；　when　attacked；　but　it　succeeded　nowhere　so　well　as　here。

〃The　fire　was　of　extreme　rapidity；　prepared　beforehand：〃　Bridge　all　of　dry　wood　coated　with　pitch；〃fire　reinforced　too；　in　view　of　such　event；　by　all　the　suet；　lard　and　oleaginous　matter　the　Garrison　could　find　in　Weissenfels；　some　hundredweights　of　tallow…　dips；　for　one　item；　going　up　on　this　occasion。〃　Bridge；　〃worth　100；000　thalers；〃　is　instantly　ablaze：　some　400　finding　the　bridge　so　flamy；　and　the　Prussians　at　their　skirts；　were　obliged　to　surrender；Feldmarschall　Hildburghausen；　sleeping　about　two　miles　off；　gets　himself　awakened　in　this　unpleasant　manner。　Flying　garrison　halt　on　the　other　side　of　the　River；　where　the　rest　of　their　Army　is；　plant　cannon　there　against　quenching　of　the　Bridge；　and　so　keep　firing；　answered　by　the　Prussians；　with　much　noise　and　no　great　mischief；　till　3　P。M。；　when　the　Bridge　is　quite　gone　（Toll…keeper's　Lodge　and　all）；　and　the　enterprise　of　crossing　there　had　plainly　become　impossible。

Friedrich　quickly；　about　a　mile　farther　down　the　River；　has　picked　out　another　crossing…place；　in　the　interim；　and　founded　some　new　adequate　plank　or　raft　bridge　there；　which；　by　diligence　all　night；　will　be　crossable　to…morrow。　So　that；　except　for　amusing　the　enemy；　the　cannonading　may　cease　at　Weissenfels。　A　certain　Duc　de　Crillon；　in　command　at　this　Weissenfels　Bridge…burning　and　cannonade；　has　a　chivalrous　Anecdote　（amounting　nearly　to　zero　when　well　examined）　about　saving　or　sparing　Friedrich's　life　on　this　interesting　occasion：　How；　being　now　on　the　safe　side　of　the　River；　he　Crillon　with　his　staff　taking　some　refection　of　breakfast　after　the　furious　flurry　there　had　been；　there　came　to　him　one　of　his　Artillery　Captains；　stationed　in　an　Island　in　the　River；　asking；　〃Shall　I　shoot　the　King　of　Prussia；　Monseigneur？　He　is　down　reconnoitring　his　end　of　the　Bridge：　sha'n't　I；　then？〃　To　whom　Crillon　gives　a　glass　of　wine　and　smilingly　magnanimous　answer　to　a　negative　effect。　＇　〃Memoires　militaires　de　Louis　&c。　Duc　de　Crillon　　（Paris；　1791）；　p。　166；〃as　cited　by　Preuss；　ii。　88。＇　Concerning　which；　one　has　to　remark；　Not　only；　FIRST；　that　the　Artillery　Captain's　power　of　seeing　Friedrich　（which　is　itself　uncertain）　would　indeed　mean　the　power　of　aiming　at　him；　but　differs　immensely　from　that　of　hitting　him　with　shot；　so　that　this　〃Shall　I　kill　the　King？〃　was　mainly　thrasonic　wind　from　Captain　Bertin。　But　SECONDLY；　that　there　is　no　〃Island〃　in　the　River　thereabouts；　for　Captain　Bertin　to　fire　from！　So　that　probably　the　whole　story　is　wind　or　little　more：　dreamlike；　or　at　best　some　idle　thrasonic…theoretic　question；　on　the　part　of　Bertin；　proper　answer　thereto　（consisting　mainly　in　a　glass　of　wine）　from　Monseigneur：　all　which；　on　retrospection；　Monseigneur　feels；　or　would　fain　feel；　to　have　been　not　theoretic…thrasonic　but　practical；　and　of　a　rather　godlike　nature。　Zero　mainly；　as　we　said；　Friedrich　thanks　you　for　zero；　Monseigneur。

〃The　Prussians　were　billeted　in　the　Town　that　night；〃　says　our　Syndic；　〃and　in　many　a　house　there　came　to　be　twenty　men；　and　even　thirty　and　above　it；　lodged。　All　was　quiet　through　the　night；　the　French　and　the　Reichs　folk　were　drawn　back　upon　the　higher　grounds；　about　Burgwerben　and　on　to　Tagwerben；　and　we　saw　their　watch…fires　burning。〃　Friedrich's　Bridge　meanwhile；　unmolested　by　the　enemy；　is　getting　ready。

Keith；　looking　across　to　Merseburg　on　the　morrow　morning　（Tuesday；　Nov。　1st）；　whither　he　had　marched　direct　with　the　other　Half　of　the　Army；　finds　Merseburg　Bridge　destroyed；　or　broken；　and　Soubise　with　batteries　on　the　farther　side；　intending　to　dispute　the　passage。　Keith　despatches　Duke　Ferdinand　to　Halle；　another　twelve　miles　down；　who　finds　Halle　Bridge　destroyed　in　like　manner；　and　Broglio　intending　to　dispute；　which；　however；　on　second　thoughts；　neither　of　them　I　did。　Friedrich's　new　Bridge　at　Herren…Muhle　（LORDSHIPS'　MILL）　is　of　course　an　important　point　to　them；　Friedrich's　passage　now　past　dispute！　〃Let　us　fall　back；〃　say　they；　〃and　rank　ourselves　a　little；　we　are　50　or　60；000　strong；　ill　off　for　provisions；　but　well　able　to　retreat；　and　have　permission　to　fight　on　this　side　of　the　River。〃

The　combined　Army；　〃Dauphiness；〃　or　whatever　we　are　to　call　it；　does　on　Wednesday　morning　（November　2d）　gather　in　its　cannon　and　outskirts；　and　give　up　the　Saale　question；　retire　landwards　to　the　higher　grounds　some　miles；　and　diligently　get　itself　united；　and　into　order　of　battle　better　or　worse；　near　the　Village　of　Mucheln　（which　means　Kirk　MICHAEL；　and　is　still　written　〃SANCT　MICHEL〃　by　some　on　this　occasion）。　There　Dauphiness　takes　post；　leaning　on　the　heights；　not　in　a　very　scientific　way；　leaving　Keith　and　Ferdinand　to　rebuild　their　Bridges　unmolested；　and　all　Prussians　to　come　across　at　discretion。　Which　they　have　diligently　done　（2d…3d　November）；　by　their　respective　Bridges；　and　on　Thursday　afternoon　are　all　across；　encamped　at　Bedra；　in　close　neighborhood　to　Mucheln；　which　Friedrich　has　been　out　reconnoitring　and　finds　that　he　can　attack　next　morning　very　early。

Next　morning；　accordingly；　〃by　2　o'clock；　with　a　bright　moon　shining；〃　Friedrich　is　on　horseback；　his　Army　following。　But　on　examining　by　moonlight；　the　enemy　have　shifted　their　position；　turned　on　their　axis；　more　or　less；　into　new　wood…patches；　new　batteries　and　bogs；　which　has　greatly　mended　their　affair。　No　good　attacking　them　so；　thinks　Friedrich；　and　returns　to　his　Camp；　slightly　cannonaded；　one　wing　of　him；　from　some　battery　of　the　enemy；　and　immoderately　crowed　over　by　them：　〃Dare　not；　you　see！　Tried；　and　was　defeated！〃　cry　their　newspapers　and　they；for　one　day。　Friedrich　lodges　again　in　Bedra　this　night；　others　say　in　Rossbach；　shifts　his　own　Camp　a　little；　left　wing　of　it　now　at　Rossbach　（HOME…BROOK；　or　BECK；　soon　to　be　a　world…famous　Hamlet）：　the　effects　of　hunger　on　the　Dauphiness；　so　far　from　her　supplies；　will；　he　calculates；　be　stronger　than　on　him；　and　will　bring　her　to　better　terms　shortly。　Dauphiness　needs　bread；　one　may　have　fine　clipping　at　the　skirts　of　her；　if　she　try　retreat。　That　Dauphiness　would　play　the　prank　she　did　next　morning；　Friedrich　had　not　ventured　to　calculate。


　　　　CATASTROPHE　OF　DAUPHINESS　（Saturday；　5th　November；　1757）。

Meandering　Saale　is　on　one　of　his　big　turns；　as　he　passes　Weissenfels；　turning；　pretty　rapidly　here；　from　southeastward；　which　he　was　a　dozen　miles　ago；　round　to　northeastward　again　or　northward　altogether；　which　he　gets　to　be　at　Merseburg；　a　dozen　farther　down。　Right　across　from　Weissenfels；　lapped　in　this　crook　of　the　Saale；　or　washed　by　it　on　south　side　and　on　east；　rises；　with　extreme　laziness；　a　dull　circular　lump　of　country；　six　or　eight　miles　in　diameter；　with　Rossbach　and　half　a　dozen　other　scraggy　sleepy　Hamlets　scattered　on　it；which；　till　the　morning　of　Saturday；　5th　November；　1757；　had　not　been　notable　to　any　visitor。　The　topmost　point　or　points；　for　there　are　two　（not　discoverable　except　by　tradition　and　guess）；　the　country　people　do　call　Hills；　JANUS…HUGEL；　POLZEN…HUGELHill　sensible　to　wagon…horses　in　those　bad　loose　tracks　of　sandy　mud；　but　unimpressive　on　the　Tourist；　who　has　to　admit　that　there　seldom　was　so　flat　a　Hill。　Rising；　let　us　guess；　forty　yards　in　the　three　or　four　miles　it　has　had。　Might　be　called　a　perceptibly　pot…bellied　plain；　with　more　propriety；　flat　country；　slightly　puffed　up；in　shape　not　steeper　than　the　mould　of　an　immense　tea…saucer　would　be。　Tea…saucer　6　miles　in　diameter；　100　feet　in　depth；　and　of　irregular　contour；　which　indeed　will　sufficiently　represent　it　to　the　reader's　mind。

Saale；　at　four　or　five　miles　distance；　bounds　this　scraggy　lump　on　the　east　and　on　the　south。　Westward　and　northward；　springing　about　Mucheln　on　each　hand；　and　setting　off　to　right　and　to　left　Saale…　ward；　are　what　we　take　to　be　two　brooks；　at　least　are　two　hollows：　and　behind　these；　the　country　rises　higher；　undulating　still　on　lazy　terms；　but　now　painted　azure　by　the　distance；　not　unpleasant　to　behold；　with　its　litter　all　lapped　out　of　sight；　and　its　poor　brooks　tinkling　forward　（as　we　judge）　into　the　Saale；　Merseburg　way；　or　reverse…wise　into　the　Unstrut；　the　last　big　branch　of　Saale。　Southward　from　our　Janus　Height；　eight　or　nine　miles　off；　may　be　seen　some　vestige　of　Freiburg；　steeple　or　gilt　weathercock　faintly　visible；　on　the　Unstrut　yonder；which　I　take　to　be　Soubise's　bread…basket　at　present。　And　farther　off；　and　opposite　the