history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第8部分

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ustrian　Battle；　both　its　Commanders　gone；　has　heeled　fairly　downwards；　and　is　in　an　ominous　way。

The　whole　of　this　Austrian　Right　Wing；　horse　and　foot；　batteries　and　redoubts；　which　was　put　EN　POTENCE；　or　square…wise；　to　the　main　battle；　is　become　a　ruin；　gone　to　confusion；　hovers　in　distracted　clouds；　seeking　roads　to　run　away　by；　which　it　ultimately　found。　Done　all　this　surely　was；　and　poor　Browne；　mortally　wounded；　is　being　carried　off　the　ground；　but　in　what　sequence　done；　under　what　exact　vicissitudes　of　aspect；　special　steps　of　cause　and　effect；　no　man　can　say；　and　only　imagination；　guided　by　these　few　data；　can　paint　to　itself。　Such　a　chaotic　whirlwind　of　blood；　dust；　mud；　artillery…thunder；　sulphurous　rage；　and　human　death　and　victory；　who　shall　pretend　to　describe　it；　or　draw；　except　in　the　gross；　the　scientific　plan　of　it？

For；　in　the　mean　time；I　think　while　the　dispute　at　Sterbohol；　on　the　extreme　of　the　Austrian　right　wing　〃in　joiner's…square　form；〃　was　past　the　hottest　（but　nobody　will　give　the　hour）；there　has　occurred　another　thing；　much　calculated　to　settle　that。　And；　indeed；　to　settle　everything；as　it　did。　This　was　a　volunteer　exploit；　upon　the　very　elbow　or　angle　of　said　〃joiner's…square；〃　in　the　wet　grounds　between　Hlaupetin　and　Kyge；　a　good　way　north　of　Sterbohol。　Volunteer　exploit；　on　the　part　of　General　Mannstein；　our　old　Russian　friend；　which　Friedrich；　a　long　way　off　from　it；　blames　as　a　rash　fault　of　Mannstein's；　made　good　by　Prince　Henri　and　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick　running　up　to　mend　it；　but　which　Winterfeld；　and　subsequent　good　judges；　admit　to　have　been　highly　salutary；　and　to　have　finished　everything。　It　went；　if　I　read　right；　somewhat　as　follows。

In　the　Kyge…Hlaupetin　quarter；　at　the　corner　of　that　Austrian　right　wing　EN　POTENCE；　there　had；　much　contrary　to　Browne's　intention；　a　perceptible　gap　occurred；　the　corner　is　open　there；　nothing　in　it　but　batteries　and　swamps。　The　Austrian　right　wing；　wheeling　southward；　there　to　form　POTENCE；　and　scrambling　and　marching；　then　and　subsequently；　through　such　ground　at　double…quick；　had　gone　too　far　（had　thinned　and　lengthened　itself；　as　is　common；　in　such　scrambling；　and　double…quick　movement；　thinks　Tempelhof）；　and　left　a　little　gap　at　elbow；　which　always　rather　widened　as　the　stress　at　Sterbohol　went　on。　Certain　enough；　a　gap　there　is；　covered　only　by　some　half…moon　battery　in　advance：　into　this；　General　Mannstein　has　been　looking　wistfully　a　long　time：　〃Austrian　Line　fallen　out　at　elbow　yonder；　clouted　by　some　battery　in　advance？〃and　at　length　cannot　help　dashing　loose　on　it　with　his　Division。　A　man　liable　to　be　rash；　and　always　too　impetuous　in　battle…time。　

He　would　have　fared　ill；　thinks　Friedrich；　had　not　Henri　and　Ferdinand；　in　pain　for　Mannstein　（some　think；　privately　in　preconcert　with　him）；　hastened　in　to　help；　and　done　it　altogether　in　a　shining　way；　surmounting　perilous　difficulties　not　a　few。　Hard　fighting　in　that　corner；　partly　on　the　Sterbohol　terms；　batteries；　mud…tanks；　chargings；　rechargings：　〃Comrades；　you　have　got　honor　enough；　KAMERADEN；　IHR　HABT　EHRE　GENUG　＇the　second　man　of　you　lying　dead＇；　let　us　now　try！〃　said　a　certain　Regiment　to　a　certain　other；　in　this　business。　＇Archenholtz；　i。　75；　Tempelhof；　&c。＇　Prince　Henri　shone　especially；　the　gallant　little　gentleman：　coming　upon　one　of　those　mud…tanks　with　battery　beyond；　his　men　were　spreading　file…wise；　to　cross　it　on　the　dams；　〃BURSCHE；　this　way！〃　cried　the　Prince；　and　plunged　in　middle…deep；　right　upon　the　battery；　and　over　it；　and　victoriously　took　possession　of　it。　In　a　word；　they　all　plunge　forward；　in　a　shining　manner；　rush　on　those　half…moon　batteries；　regardless　of　results；　rush　over　them；　seize　and　secure　them。　Rush；　in　a　word；　fairly　into　that　Austrian　hole…　at…elbow；　torrents　more　following　them；and　irretrievably　ruin　both　fore…arm　and　shoulder…arm　of　the　Austrians　thereby。

Fore…arm　（Austrian　right　wing；　if　still　struggling　and　wriggling　about　Sterbohol）　is　taken　in　flank；　shoulder…arm；　or　main　line；　the　like；　we　have　them　both　in　flank；　with　their　own　batteries　to　scour　them　to　destruction　here：the　Austrian　Line；　throughout；　is　become　a　ruin。　Has　to　hurl　itself　rapidly　to　rightwards；　to　rearwards；　says　Tempelhof；　behind　what　redoubts　and　strong　points　it　may　have　in　those　parts；　and　then；　by　sure　stages　（Tempelhof　guesses　three；　or　perhaps　four）；　as　one　redoubt　after　another　is　torn　from　the　loose　grasp　of　it；　and　the　stand　made　becomes　ever　weaker；　and　the　confusion　worse；to　roll　pell…mell　into　Prag；　and　hastily　close　the　door　behind　it。　The　Prussians；　Sterbohol　people；　Mannstein…　Henri　people；　left　wing　and　right；　are　quite　across　the　Zisca　Back；　on　by　Nussel　（Prince　Earl's　head…quarter　that　was）；　and　at　the　Moldau　Brink　again；　when　the　thing　ends。　Ziethen's　Hussars　have　been　at　Nussel；　very　busy　plundering　there；　ever　since　that　final　charge　and　chase　from　Sterbohol。　Plundering；　and；　I　am　ashamed　to　say；　mostly　drunk：　〃Your　Majesty；　I　cannot　rank　a　hundred　sober；〃　answered　Ziethen　（doubtless　with　a　kind　of　blush）；　when　the　King　applied　for　them。　The　King　himself　has　got　to　Branik；　farther　up　stream。　Part　of　the　Austrian　foot　fled；　leftwards；　southwards；　as　their　right　wing　of　horse　had　all　done；　up　the　Moldau。　About　16；000　Austrians　are　distractedly　on　flight　that　way。　Towards；　the　Sazawa　Country；　to　unite　with　Daun；　as　the　now　advisable　thing。　Near　40；000　of　them　are　getting　crammed　into　Prag；　in　spite　of　Prince　Karl；　now　recovered　of　his　cramp；　and　risen　to　the　frantic　pitch；　who　vainly　struggles　at　the　Gate　against　such　inrush；　and　had　even　got　through　the　Gate；　conjuring　and　commauding；　but　was　himself　swum　in　again　by　those　panic　torrents　of　ebb…tide。

Rallying　within；　he　again　attempted；　twice　over；　at　two　different　points；　to　get　out；　and　up　the　Moldau；　with　his　broken　people；　but　the　Prussians；　Nussel…Branik　way；　were　awake　to　him：　〃No　retreat　up　the　Moldau　for　you；　Austrian　gentlemen！〃　They　tried　by　another　Gate；　on　the　other　side　of　the　River；　but　Keith　was　awake　too：　〃In　again；　ye　Austrian　gentlemen！　Closed　gates　here　too。　What　else？〃　Browne；　from　his　bed　of　pain　（death…bed；　as　it　proved）；　was　for　a　much　more　determined　outrush：　〃In　the　dead　of　night；　rank；　deliberately　adjust　yourselves；　storm　out；　one　and　all；　and　cut　your　way；　night　favoring！〃　That　was　Browne's　last　counsel；　but　that　also　was　not　taken。　A　really　noble　Browne；　say　all　judges；　died　here　in　about　six　weeks；and　got　away　from　Kriegs…Hofraths　and　Prince　Karls；　and　the　stupidity　of　neighbors；　and　the　other　ills　that　flesh　is　heir　to；　altogether。

At　Branik　the　victorious　King　had　one　great　disappointment：　Prince　Moritz　of　Dessau；　who　should　have　been　here　long　hours　ago；　with　Keith's　right　wing；　a　fresh　15；000；　to　fall　upon　the　enemy's　rear；no　Moritz　visible；　not　even　now；　when　the　business　is　to　chase！　〃How　is　this？〃　〃Ill　luck；　your　Majesty！〃　Moritz's　Pontoon　Bridge　would　not　reach　across；　when　he　tried　it。　That　is　certain：　〃just　three　poor　pontoons　wanting；〃　Rumor　says：three　or　more；　spoiled；　I　am　told；　in　some　narrow　road；　some　short…cut　which　Moritz　had　commanded　for　them：　and　now　they　are　not；　and　it　is　as　if　three　hundred　had　been　spoiled。　Moritz；　would　he　die　for　it；　cannot　get　his　Bridge　to　reach：　his　fresh　15；000　stand　futile　there；　not　even　Seidlitz　with　his　light　horse　could　really　swim　across；　though　he　tried　hard；　and　is　fabled　to　have　done　so。　Beware　of　short…cuts；　my　Prince：　your　Father　that　is　gone；　what　would　he　say　of　you　here！　It　was　the　worst　mistake　Prince　Moritz　ever　made。　The　Austrian　Army　might　have　been　annihilated；　say　judges　（of　a　sanguine　temper）；　had　Moritz　been　ready；　at　his　hour；　to　fall　on　from　rearward；and　where　had　their　retreat　been？　As　it　is；　the　Austrian　Army　is　not　annihilated；　only　bottled　into　Prag；　and　will　need　sieging。　The　brightest　triumph　has　a　bar　of　black　in　it；　and　might　always　have　been　brighter。　Here　is　a　flying　Note；　which　I　will　subjoin：

Friedrich's　dispositions　for　the　Battle；　this　day；　are　allowed　to　have　been　masterly；　but　there　was　one　signal　fault；　thinks　Retzow：　That　he　did　not；　as　Schwerin　counselled；　wait　till　the　morrow。　Fault　which　brought　many　in　the　train　of　it；　that　of　his　〃tired　soldiers；〃　says　Retzow；　being　only　a　first　item；　and　small　in　comparison。　〃Had　he　waited　till　the　morrow；　those　fish…ponds　of　Sterbohol；　examined　in　the　interim；　need　not　have　been　mistaken　for　green　meadows；　Prince　Moritz；　with　his　15；000；　would　have　been　a　fact；　instead　of　a　false　hope；　the　King　might　have　done　his　marching　down　upon　Sterbohol　in　the　night…time；　and　been　ready　for　the　Austrians；　flank；　or　even　rear；　at　daybreak：　the　King　might〃　In　reality；　this　fault　seems　to　have　been　considerable；　to　have　made　the　victory　far　more　costly　to　him；　and　far　less　complete。　No　doubt　he　had　his　reasons　for　making　haste：　Daun；　advancing　Prag…　ward　with　30；000；　was　within　three　marches　of　him；　General　Beck；　Daun's　vanguard；　with　a　10；000　of　irregulars；　did　a　kind　of　feat　at　Brandeis；　on　the　Prussian　post　there　（our　Saxons　deserting　to　him；　in　the　heat　of　action）；　this　very　day；　May　6th；　and　might；　if　lucky；　have　taken　part　at　Ziscaberg　next　day。　And　besides　these　solid　reasons；　there　was　perhaps　another。　Retzow；　who　is　secretly　of　the　Opposition…party；　and　well　worth　hearing；　knows　personally　a　curious　thing。　He　says：

〃Being　then　＇in　March　or　April；　weeks　before　we　left　Saxony＇　employed　to　translate　the　PLAN　OF　OPERATIONS　into　French；　for　Marshal　Keith's　use；　who　did　not　understand　German；　I　well　know　that　it　contained　the　following　three　main　objects：　1。　'All　Regiments　cantoning　in　Silesia　as　well　as　Saxony　march　for　Bohemia　on　one　and　the　same　day。　2。　Whole　Army　arrives　at　Prag　May　4th　＇Schwerin　was　a　day　later；　and　got　scolded　in　consequence＇；　if　the　Enemy　stand；　he　is　attacked　May　6th；　and　beaten。　3。　So　soon　as　Prag　is　got；　Schwerin；　with　the　gross　of　the　Army；　pushes　into　Mahren；'　and　the　heart　of　Austria　itself；　'King　hastens　with　40；000　to　help　of　the　Allied　Army；'〃Royal　Highness　of　Cumberland's；　who　will　much　need　it　by　that　time！　＇Retzow；　i。　84　n。＇

Here　is　a　very　curious　fact　and　consideration。　That　the　King　had　so　prophesied　and　preordained：　〃May　4th；　Four　Columns　arrive　at　Prag；　May　6th；　attack　the　Austrians；　beat　them；〃and　now　wished　to　ke