history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第63部分

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ards　Damm…Mill　Bridge　whence　Friedrich　will　emerge；　sure　as　the　sunrise；　one　knows　not　with　what　issue。　Artless　Fermor　is　nothing　daunted；　nor　are　his　people；　but　stand　patiently　under　arms；　regardless　of　future　and　present；　to　a　degree　not　common　in　soldiering。

Friday；　August　25th；　by　half…past　three　in　the　morning；　Friedrich　is　across　the　Mutzel；　self　and　Infantry　by　Damm…Mutzel　Bridge；　cavalry　by　another　Bridge　（KERSTEN…BRUGGE；　means　〃Christian　Bridge；〃　in　the　dialect　of　Charlemagne's　time；　a　very　old　arrangement　of　Successive　Logs　up　there！）　some　furlongs　higher　up。　The　Bridge　at　Damm　is　perhaps　some　three　miles　from　the　nearest　Russians　about　Zicher；　but　Friedrich　has　no　thought　of　attacking　Fermor　there；　he　has　a　quite　other　program　laid；　and　will　attack　Fermor　precisely　on　the　side　opposite　to　there。　Friedrich's　intention　is　to　sweep　quite　round　this　monstrous　Russian　quadrilateral；　to　break　in　upon　it　on　the　western　flank；　and　hurl　it　back　upon　Mutzel　and　its　quagmires。　He　has　broken　his　two　bridges　after　passing；　all　bridges　are　gone　there；　and　the　country　is　bottomless：　surrender　at　discretion　if　once　you　are　driven　thither！　And　Friedrich's　own　retreat；　if　he　fail；　is　short　and　open　to　Custrin。　〃Admirable；〃　say　the　Critics；　〃and　altogether　in　Friedrich's　style！〃Friedrich；　adds　one　Critic；　was　not　aware　that　the　Russian　Heavy…Baggage　Train；　which　is　their　powder…flask　and　bread…basket　and　staff　of　life；　lies　at　Klein　Kamin；　within　few　miles　on　his　left　just　now；　Russians　themselves　on　his　right；　that　the　Russians　could　have　been　abolished　from　those　countries　without　fighting　at　all！　＇Retzow；　i。　305…329。＇　This　is　very　true。　Friedrich's　haste　is　great；　his　humor　hot；　and　he　has　not　heard　of　this　Klein…Kamin　fact；　which　in　common　times　he　would　have　done；　and　of　which　in　a　calmer　mood　he　would；　with　a　fine　scientific　gusto；　have　taken　his　advantage。

Friedrich　pours　incessant　southward；　cavalry　parallel　to　infantry　and　a　certain　distance　beyond　it；　eastward　of　it；　and　they　have　burnt　the　Bridges；　which　is　a　curious　fact！　Continually　southward；　as　if　for　Tamsel：poor　old　Tamsel；　do　readers　recollect　it　at　all；　does　Friedrich　at　all？　No　pleasant　dinner；　or　lily…and…rose　complexions；　there　for　one　to…day！Some　distance　short　of　Tamsel；　Friedrich；　emerging；　turns　westward；intending　what　on　earth？　thinks　Fermor。　Friedrich　has　been　mostly　hidden　by　the　woods　all　this　while；　and　enigmatic　to　Fermor。　Fermor　does　now　at　last　see　the　color　of　the　facts；and　that　one's　chief　front　must　change　itself　to　southward；　one's　best　leg　and　arm　be　foremost；　or　towards　Zorndorf；　not　towards　the　Mutzel　as　hitherto。　Fermor　stirs　up　his　Quadrilateral；　makes　the　required　change；　〃You；　best　or　northern　line；　step　across；　and　front　southward；　across　to　southward；　I　say；　second…best　go　northward　in　their　stead：〃　and　so；　with　some　other　slight　polishings；　suggested　by　the　ground　and　phenomena；　we　anew　await　this　Prussian　Enigma　with　our　best　leg　foremost。　The　march　or　circular　sweep　of　these　Prussian　lines；　from　Damm　Bridge　through　the　woods　and　champaign　to　their　appointed　place　of　action；　is　seven　or　eight　miles；　lines　when　halted　in　battle…order　will　be　two　miles　long　or　more。

Friedrich　pours　steadily　along；　horse　and　foot；　by　the　rear　cf　Wilkersdorf；　of　Zorndorf；Russian　Minotaur　scrutinizing　him　in　that　manner　with　dull　bloodshot　eyes；　uncertain　what　he　will　do。　It　is　eight　in　the　morning；　hot　August；　wind　a　mere　lull；　but　southernly　if　any。　Small　Hussar　pickets　ride　to　right　of　the　main　Army　March；　to　keep　the　Cossacks　in　check：　who　are　roving　about；　all　on　wing；　and　pert　enough；　in　spite　of　the　Hussar　pickets；　Desperado　individuals　of　them　gallop　up　to　the　Infantry　ranks；　and　fire　off　their　pistols　there；without　reply；　reply　or　firing；　till　the　word　come；　is　strictly　forbidden。　Infantry　pours　along；　like　a　ploughman　drawing　his　furrow；　heedless　of　the　circling　crows。　Crows　or　Cossacks；　finding　they　are　not　regarded；　set　fire　to　Zorndorf；　and　gallop　off。　Zorndorf　goes　up　readily；　mainly　wood　and　straw；　rolls　in　big　clouds　of　smoke　far　northward　in　upon　the　　Russian　Minotaur；　making　him　still　blinder　in　the　important　moments　now　coming。

Friedrich　rides　up　to　view　the　Zabern　Hollow：　〃Beyond　expectation　deep；　very　boggy　too；　with　its　foul　leakage　or　brook：　no　attacking　of　their　western　flank　through　this　Zaberngrund；attack　the　corner　of　them；　then；　here　on　the　southwest！〃　That　is　Friedrich's　rapid　resource。　The　lines　halt；　accordingly；　make　ready。　Behind　flaming　Zorndorf　stands　his　extreme　left；　which　is　to　make　the　attack；　infantry　in　front；　horse　to　rear　and　farther　leftwards；and　under　the　command　of　Seidlitz　in　this　quarter；　which　is　an　important　circumstance。　Right　wing；　reaching　to　behind　Wilkersdorf；　is　to　refuse　itself；　whole　force　of　centre　is　to　push　upon　that　Russian　corner；　to　support　the　left　in　doing　it；according　to　the　Leuthen　or　LEUCTRA　principle；　once　more。　May　no　mistakes　occur　in　executing　it　this　day！

The　first　division　of　the　Prussian　Infantry；　or　extreme　Left；　marches　forward　by　the　west　end　of　flaming　Zorndorf；　next　division；　which　should　stand　close　to　right　of　it；　or　even　behind　it　in　action；　and　follow　it　close　into　the　Russian　fire；　has　to　march　by　the　east　end　of　Zorndorf；　this　is　a　farther　road；　owing　to　the　flames；　and　not　a　lucky　one。　Second　division　could　never　get　into　fair　contact　with　that　first　division　again：　that　was　the　mistake：　and　it　might　have　been　fatal；　but　was　not；　as　we　shall　see。　First　division　has　got　clear　of　Zorndorf；　in　advancing　towards　its　Russian　business；is　striding　forward；　its　left　flank　safe　against　the　Zaberngrund；　steadily　by　fixed　stages；　against　the　fated　Russian　Corner；　which　is　its　point　of　attack。　First　division；　second　division；　are　clear　of　Zorndorf；　though　with　a　wide　gap　between　them；　are　steadily　striding　forward　towards　the　Russian　Corner。　Two　strong　batteries；　wide　apart；　have　planted　themselves　ahead；　and　are　playing　upon　the　Russian　Quadrilateral；　their　fires　crossing　at　the　due　Corner　yonder；　with　terrible　effect；　Russian　artillery；　which　are　multitudinous　and　all　gathered　down　to　this　southwestern　corner；　are　responding；　though　with　their　fire　spread；　and　far　less　effectual。　The　Prussian　line　steps　on；　extreme　left　perhaps　in　too　animated　a　manner；　their　cannon　batteries　enfilade　the　thick　mass　of　Russians　at　a　frightful　rate　（〃forty…　two　men　of　a　certain　regiment　blown　away　by　a　single　ball；〃　in　one　instance　＇Tielcke。＇）；　drive　the　interior　baggage…horses　to　despair：　a　very　agitated　Quadrilateral；　under　its　grim　canopy　of　cannon　smoke；　and　of　straw　smoke；　heaped　on　it　from　the　Zorndorf　side　here。　Manteuffel；　leader　of　that　first　or　leftmost　division；　sees　the　internal　simmering；　steps　forward　still　more　briskly；　to　firing　distance；　begins　his　platoon　thunder；　with　the　due　steady　fury；　had　the　second　division　but　got　up　to　support　Manteuffel！　The　second　division　is　in　fire　too；　but　not　close　to　Manteuffel；　where　it　should　be。

Fermor　notices　the　gap；　the　wavering　of　Manteuffel　unsupported；　plunges　out　in　immense　torrent；　horse　and　foot；　into　the　gap；　into　Manteuffel's　flank　and　front；　hurls　Manteuffel　back；　who　has　no　support　at　hand：　〃ARAH；　ARAH　（Hurrah；　Hurrah）！　Victory；　Victory！〃　shout　the　Russians；　plunging　wildly　forward；　sweeping　all　before　them；　capturing　twenty…six　pieces　of　cannon；　for　one　item。　What　a　moment　for　Friedrich；　looking　on　it　from　some　knoll　somewhere　near　Zorndorf；　I　suppose；　hastily　bidding　Seidlitz　strike　in：　〃Seidlitz；　now！〃　The　hurrahing　Russians　cannot　keep　rank　at　that　rate　of　going。　like　a　buffalo　stampede；　but　fall　into　heaps　and　gaps：　Seidlitz；　with　a　swiftness；　with　a　dexterity　beyond　praise；　has　picked　his　way　across　that　quaggy　Zabern　Hollow；　falls；　with　say　5；000　horse；　on　the　flank　of　this　big　buffalo　stampede；　tumbles　it　into　instant　ruin；which　proves　irretrievable；　as　the　Prussian　Infantry　come　on　again；　and　back　Seidlitz。

In　fifteen　minutes　more　（I　guess　it　now　to　be　ten　o'clock）；　the　Russian　Minotaur；　this　end　of　it；　on　to　the　Gallows　Ground；　is　one　wild　mass。　Seldom　was　there　seen　such　a　charge；　issuiug　in　such　deluges　of　wreck；　of　chaotic　flight；　or　chaotic　refusal　to　fly。　The　Seidlitz　cavalry　went　sabring　till；　for　very　fatigue；　they　gave　it　up；　and　could　no　more。　The　Russian　horse　fled　to　Kutzdorf；　Fermor　with　them；　who　saw　no　more　of　this　Fight；　and　did　not　get　back　till　dark；had　not　the　Bridges　been　burnt；　and　no　crossing　of　the　Mutzel　possible；　Fermor　never　would　have　come　back；　and　here　had　been　the　end　of　Zorndorf。　Luckier　if　it　had！　But　there　is　no　crossing　of　the　Mutzel；　there　is　only　drowning　in　the　quagmires　there：death　any　way；　what　can　be　done　but　die？

The　Russian　infantry　stand　to　be　sabred；　in　the　above　manner；　as　if　they　had　been　dead　oxen。　More　remote　from　Seidlitz；　they　break　open　the　sutlers'　brandy…casks；　and　in　few　minutes　get　roaring　drunk。　Their　officers；　desperate；　split　the　brandy…casks；　soldiers　flap　down　to　drink　it　from　the　puddles；　furiously　remonstrate　with　their　officers；　and　〃kill　a　good　many　of　them〃　（VIELE；　says　Tielcke）；　especially　the　foreign　sort。　〃A　frightful　blood…bath；〃　by　all　the　Accounts：　blood…bath；　brandy…bath；　and　chief　Nucleus　of　Chaos　then　extant　aboveground。　Fermor　is　swept　away：　this　chaos；　the　very　Prussians　drawing　back　from　it；　wearied　with　massacring；　lasts　till　about　one　o'clock。　Up　to　the　Gallows…ground　the　Minotaur　is　mere　wreck　and　delirium：　but　beyond　the　Gallows…ground；　the　other　half　forms　a　new　front　to　itself；　becomes　a　new　Minotaur；　though　in　reduced　shape。　This　is　Part　First　of　the　Battle　of　Zorndorf；　Friedrichon　the　edge　of　great　disaster　at　one　moment；　but　miraculously　savedhas　still　the　other　half　to　do　（unlucky　that　he　left　no　Bridges　on　the　Mutzel）；　and　must　again　change　his　program。

Half　of　the　Minotaur　is　gone　to　shreds　in　this　manner；　but　the　attack　upon　it；　too；　is　spent：　what　is　to　be　done　with　the　other　half　of　the　monster；　which　is　again　alive；　which　still　stands；　and　polypus…like　has　arranged　a　new　life　for　itself；　a　new　front　against　the　Galgengrund　yonder？　Friedrich　brings　his　right　wing　into　action。　Rapidly　arranges　right　wing；　centre；　all　of　the　left　that　is　disposable；　with　batteries；　with　cavalry；　for　an　attack　on　the　opposite　or　southeastern　en