友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
合租小说网 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第70部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!


f it begins。

Rapidly enough Friedrich takes his new measures。 Seizes Drehsa Height; which will now be key of the field; despatches Mollendorf thither (Mollendorf our courageous Leuthen friend); who vigorously bestirs himself; gets hold of Drehsa Height before the enemy can; Ziethen co…operating on the Heights of Kumschutz; Canitz and other points of vantage。 And thus; in effect; Friedrich pulls up his torn right skirt (as he is doing all his other skirts) into new compact front against the Austrians: so that; in that southwestern part especially; the Austrians do not try it farther; but 〃retire at full gallop;〃 on sight of this swift seizure of the Keys by Mollendorf and Ziethen。 Friedrich also despatches instant order to Retzow; to join him at his speediest。 Friedrich everywhere rearranges himself; hither; thither; with skilful rapidity; in new Line of Battle; still hopeful to dispute what is left of the field;longing much that Retzow could come on wings。

By this time (towards eight; if I might guess) Day has got the upper hand; the Daun Austrians stand visible on their Ring of Heights all round; behind Hochkirch and our late Battery; on to westward and northward; as far as Steindorfel and Waditz; extremely busy rearranging themselves into something of line; there being much confusion; much simmering about in clumps and gaps; after such a tussle。 In front of us; to eastward; the appointed Austrian parties are proceeding to attack: but in daylight; and with our eyes open; it is a thing of difficulty; and does not prosper as Hochkirch did。 Duke D'Ahremberg; on their extreme right; had in charge to burst in upon our left; so soon as he saw Hochkirch done: D'Ahremberg does try; as do others in their places; near Daun; but with comparatively little success。 D'Ahremberg; meeting something of check or hindrance where he tried; pauses; for a good while; till he see how others prosper。 Their grand chance is their superiority of number; and the fact that Friedrich can try nothing upon THEM; but must stand painfully on the defensive till Retzow come。 To Friedrich; Retzow seems hugely slow about it。 But the truth is; Baden…Durlach; with his 20;000 of Reserve; has; as per order; made attack on Retzow; 20;000 against 12: one of the feeblest attacks conceivable; but sufficient to detain Retzow till he get it repulsed。 Retzow is diligent as Time; and will be here。

Meanwhile; the Austrians on front do; in a sporadic way; attack and again attack our batteries and posts; especially that big Battery of Thirty Guns; which we have to north of Rodewitz。 The Austrians do take that Battery at last; and are beginning again to be dangerous;the rather as D'Ahremberg seems again to be thinking of business。 It is high time Retzow were here! Few sights could be gladder to Friedrich; than the first glitter of Retzow's vanguard; horse; under Prince Eugen of Wurtemberg;beautifully wending down from Weissenberg yonder; skilfully posting themselves; at Belgern and elsewhere; as thorns in the sides of D'Ahremberg (sharp enough; on trial by D'Ahremberg)。 Followed; before long; by Retzow himself; serenely crossing Lobau Water; and; with great celerity; and the best of skill; likewise posting himself;hopelessly to D'Ahremberg; who tries nothing farther。 The sun is now shining; it is now ten of the day。 Had Retzow come an hour sooner; efore we lost that big Battery and other things! But he could come no sooner; be thankful he is here at last; in such an overawing manner。

Friedrich; judging that nothing now can be made of the affair; orders retreat。 Retreat; which had been getting schemed; I suppose; and planned in the gloom of the royal mind; ever since loss of that big Battery at Rodewitz。 Little to occupy him; in this interim; except indignant waiting; rigorously steady; and some languid interchange of cannon…shot between the parties。 Retreat is to Klein…Bautzen neighborhood (new head…quarter Doberschutz; outposts Kreckwitz and Purschwitz); four miles or so to northwest。 Rather a shifting of your ground; which astonishes the military reader ever since; than a retreating such as the common run of us expected。 Done in the usual masterly manner; part after part mending off; Retzow standing minatory here; Mollendorf minatory there; in the softest quasi…rhythmic sequence; Cavalry all drawn out between Belgern and Kreckwitz; baggage…wagons filing through the Pass of Drehsa;not an Austrian meddling with it; less or more; Daun and his Austrians standing in their ring of five miles; gazing into it like stone statues; their regiments being still in a confused state;and their Daun an extremely slow gentleman。 'Tempelhof; ii。 319…336; Seyfarth;  Beylagen;  i。 432…453;  Helden…Geschichte;  v。 241…257; Archenholtz; &c。 &c。'

And in this manner Friedrich; like a careless swimmer caught in the Mahlstrom; has not got swallowed in it; but has made such a buffeting of it; he is here out of it again; without bone broken; not; we hope; without instruction from the adventure。 He has lost 101 pieces of cannon; most of his tents and camp…furniture; and; what is more irreparable; above 8;000 of his brave people; 5;381 of them and 119 Officers (Keith and Moritz for two) either dead or captive。 In men the Austrian loss; it seems; is not much lower; some say is rather a shade higher; by their own account; 325 Officers; 5;614 rank and file; killed and wounded;not reckoning 1;000 prisoners they lost to us; and 〃at least 2;000〃 who took that chance of deserting in the intricate dark woods。 'Tempelhof; ii。 336; but see Kausler; p。 576。'

Friedrich; all say; took his punishment in a wonderfully cheerful manner。 De Catt the Reader; entering to him that evening as usual; the King advanced; in a tragic declamatory attitude; and gave him; with proper voice and gesture; an appropriate passage of Racine:

 〃Enfin apres un an; tu me revois; Arbate;           Non plus comme autrefois cet heureux Mithridate;           Qui; de Rome toujours balancant le destin;           Tenait entre elle et moi l'univers incertain。           Je suis vaincu; Pompee a saisi l'avantage           D'une nuit qui laissait peu de place au courage;           Mes soldats presque nus; dans〃 。。。  

Not a little to De Catt's comfort。 'Rodenbeck; i。 354。' During the retreat itself; Retzow Junior had come; as Papa's Aide…de…Camp; with a message to the King; found him on the heights of Klein Bautzen; watching the movements。 Message done with; the King said; in a smiling tone; 〃Daun has played me a slippery trick to…day!〃 〃I have seen it;〃 answered Retzow; 〃but it is only a scratch; which your Majesty will soon manage to heal again。〃〃GLAUBT ER DIES; Do you think so?〃 〃Not only I; but the whole Army firmly believe it of your Majesty。〃〃You are quite right;〃 added the King; in a confidentially candid way: 〃We will manage Daun。 What I lament is; the number of brave men that have died this morning。〃 'Retzow; i。 359 n。' On the morrow; he was heard to say publicly: 〃Daun has let us out of check…mate; the game is not lost yet。 We will rest ourselves here; a few days; then go for Silesia; and deliver Neisse。〃 The Anecdote…Books (perhaps not mythicalIy) add this: 〃Where are all your guns; though?〃 said the King to an Artilleryman; standing vacant on parade; next day。 〃IHRO MAJESTAT; the Devil stole them all; last night!〃〃Hm; well; we must have them back from him。〃 'Archenholtz; i。 299。'

Nothing immoderately depressive in Hochkirch; it appears;though; alas; on the fourth day after; there came a message from Baireuth; which did strike one down: 〃My noble Wilhelmina dead; died in the very hours while we were fighting here!〃 'On a common Business… Letter to Prince Henri; 〃Doberschutz; 18th October; 1758;〃 is this sudden bit of Autograph: 〃GRAND DIEU; MA SOEUR DE BAREITH!〃 (Schoning;  Der siebenjahrige Krieg; nach der Original… Correspondens &c。 aus den Staats…Archiven:  Potsdam; 1851: i。 287。)' Readers must conceive it: coming unexpected more or less; black as sudden universal hurricane; on the heart of the man; a sorrow sacred; yet immeasurable; irremediable to him; as if the sky too were falling on his head; in aid of the mean earth and its ravenings:of all this there can nothing be said at present。 Friedrich's one relief seems to have been the necessity laid on him of perpetual battling with outward business;we may fancy; in the rapid weeks following; how much was lying at all times in the background of his mind suppressed into its caves。

Daun; it appears; was considerably elated; spent a great deal of his time; so precious just at present; in writing despatches; in congratulating and being congratulated;did an elaborate TE…DEUM; or Ambrosian Song; in Artillery and VOX HUMANA;which with the adjuncts; say splenetic people; as at Kolin; sensibly assisted Friedrich's affairs。 Daun was by no means of braggart turn; but the recognition of his matchless achievement by the gazetteer public; whether in exultation or in lamentation; was loud and universal; and the joy; in Vienna and the cognate quarters; knew no bounds for the time being。 Thus; among other tokens; the Holiness of our Lord the Pope; blessing Heaven for such success against the Heretic; was pleased to send him 〃a Consecrated Hat and Sword;〃such as the old Popes were wont; very long ago; to bestow on distinguished Champions against the Heathen;(much jeered at; and crowed over; by a profane Friedrich ' OEuvres de Frederic;  xv。 122; 124; 126; &c。 &c。: in PREUSS; ii。 196; compiete List of these poor Pieces; which are hearty; not hypocritical; in their contemptuons hilarity; but have little other metit。'): 〃the effect of which miraculous furnishings;〃 says Tempelhof; 〃turned out to be that the Feldmarschall never gained any success more;〃 in fact; except that small thing on Finck next Year; never any; as it chanced。 Daun had withdrawn to his old Camp; on the day of Hochkirch; leaving only a detachment on the field there: it was not for six or seven days more that he stept out to the Kreckwitz and Purschwitz neighborhood; more within sight of his vanquished enemy;but nothing like vigilant enough of what might still be in him; after such vanquishing!We must spare this Note; for the sake of 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!