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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第49部分

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mills; riddled to pieces; have to be abandoned; the Prussian left wing rushing on with bayonets; will not all of you have to go? Lucchesi; with his abundant Cavalry; seeing this latter movement and the Prussian flank bare in that part; will do a stroke upon them;and this proved properly the finale of the matter; finale to both Lucchesi and it。

The Prussian flank was to appearance bare in that leftward quarter; but only to appearance: Driesen with the left wing of Horse is in a Hollow hard by; strictly charged by Friedrich to protect said flank; and take nothing else in hand。 Driesen lets Lucchesi gallop by; in this career of his; then emerges; ranked; and comes storming in upon Lucchesi's back;entirely confounding his astonished Cavalry and their career。 Astonished Cavalry; bullet…storm on this side of them; edge of sword on that; take wing in all directions (or all except to west and south) quite over the horizon; Lucchesi himself gets killed;crosses a still wider horizon; poor man。 He began the ruin; and he ends it。 For now Driesen takes the bared Austrians in flank; in rear; and all goes tumbling here too; and in few minutes is a general deluge rearward towards Saara and Lissa side。

At Saara the Austrians; sun just sinking; made a third attempt to stand; but it was hopelessly faint this time; went all asunder at the first push; and flowed then; torrent…wise; towards all its Bridges over the Schweidnitz Water; towards Breslau by every method。 There are four Bridges; Stabelwitz below Lissa; Goldschmieden; Hermannsdorf; above; and the main one at Lissa itself; a standing Bridge on the Highroad (also of wood); and by this the chief torrent flows; Prussian horse pursuing vigorously; Prussian Infantry drawn up at Saara; resting some minutes; after such a day's work。 'Archenholtz; i。 209; Seyfarth;  Beylagen;  ii。 243…252 (by an eye…witness; intelligent succinct Account of the Battle and previous March; ib。 252…272; of the Sieges &c。 following); Preuss; ii。 112; &c。; Tempelhof; i。 276。'

Truly a memorable bit of work; no finer done for a hundred years; or for hundreds of years; and the results of it manifold; immediate and remote。 About 10;000 Austrians are left on the field; 3;000 of them slain; prisoners already 12;000; in a short time 21;000; flags 51; cannon 116;〃Conquest of Silesia〃 gone to water; Prince Karl and Austria fallen from their high hopes in one day。 The Prussians lost in killed 1;141; in wounded 5;118; 85 had been taken prisoners about Sagschutz and Gohlau; in the first struggle there。 'Kutzen; pp。 118; 125。' There and at Leuthen Village had been the two tough passages; about an hour each; in three hours the Battle was done。 〃MEINE HERREN;〃 said Friedrich that night at parole; 〃after such a spell of work; you deserve rest。 This day will bring the renown of your name; and of the Nation's; to the latest posterity。〃

High and low had shone this day; especially these four: Ziethen; Driesen; Retzow;and above all Moritz of Dessau。 Riding up the line; as night fell; Friedrich; in passing Moritz and the right wing; drew bridle for an instant: 〃I congratulate you on the Victory; Herr Feldmarschall!〃 cried he cheerily; and with emphasis on the last word。 Moritz; still very busy; answered slightly; and Friedrich repeated louder; 〃Don't you hear that I congratulate you; Herr FELDMARSCHALL!〃a glad sound to Moritz; who ever since Kolin had stood rather in the shadow。 〃You have helped me; and performed every order; as none ever did before in any battle;〃 added the grateful King。

Riding up the line; all now grown dusky; Friedrich asks; 〃Any battalion a mind to follow me to Lissa?〃 Three battalions volunteering; follow him; three are plenty。 At Saara; on the Great Road; things are fallen utterly dark。 〃Landlord; bring a lantern; and escort。〃 Landlord of the poor Tavern at Saara escorts obediently; lantern in his right hand; left hand holding by the King's stirrup…leather;King (Excellency or General; as the Landlord thinks him) wishing to speak with the man。 Will the reader consent to their Dialogue; which is dullish; but singular to have in an authentic form; with Nicolai as voucher? ' Anekdoten; iii。 231…235。' Like some poor old horse…shoe; ploughed up on the field。 Two farthings worth of rusty old iron; now little other than a curve of brown rust: but it galloped at the Battle of Leuthen; that is something!

KING。 〃Come near; catch me by the stirrup…leather 'Landlord with lantern does so'。 We are on the Breslau Great Road; that goes through Lissa; are n't we?〃 LANDLORD。 〃Yea; Excellenz。〃 KING。 〃Who are you?〃 LANDLORD。 〃Your Excellenz; I am the KRATSCHMER 'Silesian for Landlord' at Saara。〃 KING。 〃You have had a great deal to suffer; I suppose。〃 LANDLORD。 〃ACH; your Excellenz; had not I! For the last eight…and… forty hours; since the Austrians came across Schweidnitz Water; my poor house has been crammed to the door with them; so many servants they have; and such a bullying and tumbling:they have driven me half mad; and I am clean plundered out。〃 KING。 〃I am sorry indeed to hear that!Were there Generals too in your house? What said they? Tell me; then。〃 LANDLORD。 〃With pleasure; your Excellenz。 Well; yesterday noon; I had Prince Karl in my parlor; aud his Adjutants and people all crowding about。 Such a questioning aud bothering! Hundreds came dashing in; and other hundreds were sent out: in and out they went all night; no sooner was one gone; than ten came。 I had to keep a roaring fire in the kitchen all night; so many Officers crowding to it to warm themselves。 And they talked and babbled this and that。 One would say; That our King was coming on; then; 'with his Potsdam Guard…Parade。' Another answers; 'OACH; he dare n't come! He will run for it; we will let him run。' But now my delight is; our King has paid them their fooleries so prettily this afternoon!〃 KING。 〃When got you rid of your high guests?〃 LANDLORD。 〃About nine this morning the Prince got to horse; and not long after three; he came past again; with a swarm of Officers; all going full speed for Lissa。 So full of bragging when they came; and now they were off; wrong side foremost! I saw how it was。 And ever after him; the flood of them ran; Highroad not broad enough;an hour and more before it ended。 Such a pell…mell; such a welter; cavalry and musketeers all jumbled: our King must have given them a dreadful lathering。 That is what they have got by their bragging and their lying;for; your Excellenz; these people said too; 'Our King was forsaken by his own Generals; all his first people had gone and left him:' what I never in this world will believe。〃 KING (not liking even rumor of that kind)。 〃There you are right; never can such a thing be believed of my Army。〃 LANDLORD (whom this 〃MY〃 has transfixed)。 〃MEIN GOTT; you are our GNADIGSTER KONIG (most gracious King) yourself! Pardon; pardon; if; in my stupidity; I have〃 KING。 〃No; you are an honest man:probably a Protestant?〃 LANDLORD。 〃JOA; JOA; IHR MAJESTAT; I am of your Majesty's creed!〃

Crack…crack! At this point the Dialogue is cut short by sudden musket…shots from the woody fields to right; crackle of about twelve shots in all; which hurt nothing but some horse's feet;had been aimed at the light; and too low。 Instantly the light is blown out; and there is a hunting out of Croats; Lissa or environs not evacuated yet; it seems; and the King's Entrance takes place under volleyings and cannonadings。

King rides directly to the Schloss; which is still a fine handsome house; off the one street of that poor Village;north side of street; well railed off; and its old ditches aud defences now trimmed into flower…plots。 The Schloss is full of Austrian Officers; bustling about; intending to quarter; when the King enters。 They; and the force they still had in Lissa; could easily have taken him: but how could they know? Friedrich was surprised; but had to put the best face on it。 'In Kutzen (pp。 121; 209 et seq。) explanation of the true circumstances; and source of the mistake。' 〃BON SOIR; MESSIEURS!〃 said he; with a gay tone; stepping in: 〃Is there still room left; think you?〃 The Austrians; bowing to the dust; make way reverently to the divinity that hedges a King of this sort; mutely escort him to the best room (such the popular account); and for certain make off; they and theirs; towards the Bridge; which lies a little farther east; at the end of the Village。

Weistritz or Schweidnitz Water is a biggish muddy stream in that part; gushing and eddying; not voiceless; vexed by mills and their weirs。 Some firing there was from Croats in the lower houses of the Village; and they had a cannon at the farther bridge…end; but they were glad to get away; and vanish in the night; muddy Weistritz singing hoarse adieu to their cannon and them。 Prussian grenadiers plunged indignant into the houses; made short work of the musketries there。 In few minutes every Croat and Austrian was across; or silenced otherwise too well; Prussian cannon now going in the rear of them; and continuing to go;such had been the order; 〃till the powder you have is done。〃 Fire of musketry and occasional cannon lasts all night; from the Lissa or Prussian side of the River;〃lest they burn this Bridge; or attempt some mischief。〃 A thing far from their thoughts; in present circumstances。

The Prussian host at Saara; hearing these noises; took to its arms again; and marched after the King。 Thick darkness; silence; tramp; tramp:a Prussian grenadier broke out; with solemn tenor voice again; into Church…Music; a known Church…Hymn; of the homely TE…DEUM kind; in which five…and…twenty thousand other voices; and all the regimental bands; soon join:

 〃Nun dunket alle Gott           Mit Herzen; Mund und Handen;           Der grosse Dinge thut           An uns und allen Enden。〃  'Muller; p。 48。'

         〃Now thank God; one and all;           With heart; with voice; with hands…a;           Who wonders great hath done           To us and to all lands…a。〃

And thus they advance; melodious; far…sounding; through the hollow Night; once more in a highly remarkable manner。 A pious people; of right Teutsch stuff; tender though stout; and; except perhaps Oliver Cromwell's handful of Ironsides; probably the most perfect soldi
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