history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第47章
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l figure； Excellency Mitchell； deep in very important business just now； is another。 Reader de Catt （he who once； in a Dutch River…Boat； got into conversation with the snuffy gentleman in black wig） made his new appearance； this Winter；needed now； since De Prades is off。 〃Should you have known me again？〃 asked Friedrich。 〃Hardly； in that dress； besides； your Majesty looks thinner。〃 〃That I can believe； with the cursed life I have been leading！〃 ＇Rodenbeck； i。 285。＇ There came also； day not given； a Captain Guichard （〃Major Quintus Icilius〃 that is to be） with his new Book on the Art Military of the Ancients； MEMOIRES MILITAIRES SUR LES GRECS ET LES ROMAINS； ＇a La Haye； 2 tomes； 4to； 1757 （Nicolai； Anekdoten； vi。 134）＇ which cannot but be welcome to Friedrich。 A solid account of that matter； by the first man who ever understood both War and Greek。 Far preferable to Folard's； a man without Greek at all； and with military ideas not a little fantastic here and there。 Of Captain Guichard； were his Book once read； and himself a little known； there will be more to say。 For the present； fancy him retained as supernumerary：and in regard to Friedrich's Winter generally； accept the following small hints； small but direct：
FRIEDRICH TO D'ARGENS （three different times）。
1。 ON THE ROAD TO LEUTHEN 〃（Torgau； 15th November 1757）。 。。。 I have been obliged to have the Abbe arrested ＇De Prades； of whom enough； long since＇； he has been playing the spy； and I have many evident proofs of it。 That is very infamous and very ungrateful。I have made a prodigious quantity of verses （PRODIGIEUSEMENT DE VERS）。 If I live； I will show them you in Winter…quarters： if I perish； they are bequeathed to you； and I have ordered that they be put into your hand。 。。。
〃Adieu； my dear Marquis。 I fancy you to be in bed： don't rot there；and remember you have promised to join me in Winter…quarters；〃on this latter point Friedrich is very urgent； amiably eager； prepared to wrap the poor Marquis in cotton； and carry him and lodge him； like glass with care。 ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； ＇ xix； 43。＇ For example：
2。 WHILE SETTLING THE WINTER…QUARTERS （〃Striegau； 26th December； 1757：〃 Siege of Breslau done ten days ago）。 。。。 〃What a pleasure to hear you are coming！ Your travelling you can do in your own way。 I have chosen a party of Light Horse （JAGER）； who will appear at Berlin to conduct you。 You can make short journeys： the first to Frankfurt； the second to Crossen； the third to Grunberg； fourth to Glogau； fifth to Parchwitz； sixth to Breslau。 I have directed that horses be ordered for you； that your rooms be warmed everywhere； and good fowls ready on all roads。 Your apartment in this House ＇Royal House in Breslau； which the King has built for himself years ago＇ is carpeted； hermetically shut。 You shall suffer nothing from draughts or from noise。〃 ＇Ib。 xix。 48。＇Lucky Marquis； what a Landlord！ Came accordingly； stayed till deep in April；waiting latterly for weather； I perceive； long after the King himself was off。 Thus：
3。 FRIEDRICH ON THE FIELD AGAIN FOR FIVE WEEKS PAST （〃Munsterberg； 23d April； 1758〃）。 〃Adieu； dear Marquis； I fancy you are now in Berlin again。 Go to Charlottenburg whenever and how you like； take care of yourself； and be ready for the beginning of October next！ As to me； MON CHER； I am off to fight windmills and ostriches （AUTRUCHES）； that is； Russians and Austrians （AUTRICHIENS）。 Adieu； MON CHER。〃 ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； xix。 49。＇
There circulated in the Newspapers； this Winter； something of what was called a LETTER from Friedrich to Maria Theresa； formally proposing Peace； after these magnificent successes。 And certainly； of all things in the Earth； Friedrich would have best liked Peace； this year； last year； and for the next five years： 〃Go home； then； good neighbors； don't break into my house； don't cut my poor throat； and we will be friends again！〃 Friedrich； it appears； had actually； finding or making opportunity； sent some polite Letter； of pacific tenor； in his light clever way； to that address；not without momentary hopes of perhaps getting good from it。 ＇In PREUSS； ii。 130 （Friedrich's Letter mostly given；bearer a Prince van Lobkowitz； prisoner at Leuthen； now going home on handsome terms） Stenzel； v。 124 （for the PER…CONTRA feeling）。＇ And the Kaiserinn herself； Austria's high Mother； did； they say； after such a Leuthen coming on the back of such a Rossbach； feel discouraged； but the Pompadour （not France's Mother； whatever she might be to France） was of far other mind： 〃Do not speak of it； MA REINE！ Double or quits； that is our game： can we yield for a little ill…luck？ Never！〃
France dismisses its D'Argenson； 〃What Armies are these of his； flying home on us； like draggled poultry； across the Rhine！〃 summons the famed Belleisle to be War…Minister； and give things an eagle…quality： ＇〃26th February； 1758〃 （BARBIER； iv。 258）。＇ France engages to pay its subsidies better （France now the general paying party； Austria； Sweden； Russia itself； all looking to France；would she were as punctual as England used to be！）；in a word； engages to be magnanimous extremely； and will hear of nothing but persistence。 〃Shall not we reap； then； where there is such a harvest standing white to us？〃 Kaunitz admits that there never will again be such a chance。Peace； it is clear enough； will not be got of these people by any Letter； or human device whatever； except simply by uttermost； more or less miraculous fighting for it。 Friedrich is profoundly aware of this fact；is busy completing his Army： 145；000 for the field； this Year； 53；000 the Silesian part； 〃a good many of them Austrian deserters；〃 ＇Stenzel； v。 155。＇ and is closing an important Subsidy Treaty with England；of which more anon。
And if this is the mood in France and Austria； think what Russia's will be！ The Czarina is not dead of dropsy； as some had expected； but； on the contrary； alive； and fiercer than ever； furious against Apraxin； and determined that Fermor； his successor； shall defy Winter； and begin work at once。 She has indignantly dismissed Apraxin （to be tried by Court…Martial； he）； dismisses Bestuchef the Chancellor； appoints a new General； Fermor by name； orders Fermor to go and lose not a moment； now in the depth of Winter since it was not done in the crown of Summer； and take possession of East Preussen in her name。
Which Fermor does； 16th January； crosses the border again； 31；000 in all； without opposition except from the frost； plants himself up and down；only two poor Prussian battalions there； who retire； with their effects； especially 〃with seven wagons of money。〃 January 22d； Fermor enters Konigsberg； publishes no end of proclamations； manifestoes； rescripts； to inform the poor people； trembling at the Cossack atrocities of last Year； 〃That his august Sovereign Elizabeth of All the Russias has now become Proprietress of East Preussen； which shall be perfectly protected and exquisitely well…governed henceforth； and that all men of official or social position have； accordingly； to come and take the oath to her； with the due alacrity and punctuality； at their peril。〃
No man is willing for the operation； most men shudder at it； but who can help them？ Surely it was an unblessed operation。 Poor souls； one pities them； for at heart they were； and continued； loyal to their own King； thoroughly abhorrent of becoming Russian； as Czarish Majesty has thoroughly resolved they shall。 Some few absconded； leaving their property as spoil； the rest swore； with mental reservation； with shifts； such as they could devise：for example； some were observed to swear with gloves on； the right hand； which they held up； was a mere right FIST with a stuffed glove at the end of it；SO help me Beelzebub （or whoever is the recording Angel here）！ ＇ Helden…Geschichte； v。 141…149： Preuss； ii。 145； iii。 578； iv。 477； &c。＇ And thus does Preussen； with astonishment； as by the spell of a Czarina Circe； find itself changed suddenly to Russian： and does not recover the old human form till four years hence；when； again suddenly； as we shall see； the Circe and her wand chance to get broken。
Friedrich could not mend or prevent this bad Business； but was so disgusted with it； he never set foot in East Preussen again；never could bear to behold it； after such a transformation into temporary Russian shape。 I cannot say he abhorred this constrained Oath as I should have done： on the contrary； in the first spurt of indignation； he not only protested aloud； but made reprisals； 〃Swear ME those Saxons； then！〃 said he； and some poor magistrates of towns； and official people； had to make a figure of swearing （if not allegiance altogether； allegiance for the time being）； in the same sad fashion； till one's humor cooled again。 ＇Preuss； ii。 163： Oath given in Helden…Geschichte； v。 631。＇ East Preussen； lost in this way； held by its King as before； or more passionately now than ever； still loved Friedrich； say the Books； but it is Russia's for the present； and the mischief is done。 East Preussen itself； Circe Czarina cherishing it as her own； had a much peaceabler time： in secret it even sent moneys； recruits； numerous young volunteers to Friedrich； much more； hopes and prayers。 But his disgust with the late transformation by enchantment was inexpiable。
It was May or June； as had been anticipated； before the Russian main Army made its practical appearance in those parts。 Fermor had； in the interim； seized Thorn； seized Elbing （〃No offence； magnanimous Polacks； it is only for a time！〃）；and would fain have had Dantzig too； but Dantzig would n't。 Not till June 16th did the unwieldy mass （on paper 104；000； and in effect； and exclusive of Cossack rabble； about 75；000） get on way； and begin slowly staggering westward。 Very slowly； and amid incendiary fire and horrid cruelty； as heretofore；and in August coming we shall be sure to hear of it。
Lehwald was just finishing with the Swedes；had got them all bottled up in Stralsund again； about New…Year's time； when these Russians crossed into Preussen。 We said nothing of the Swedish so…called Campaign of last Year；and indeed are bound to be nearly silent of that and of all the others。 Five Campaigns of them； or at least Four and a half； such Campaigns as were never made before or since。 Of Campaign 1757； the memorable feature is； that of the whole 〃Swedish Division；〃 as the laughing Newspapers called it； which was 〃put to flight by five Berlin Postilions；〃substantially a truth； as follows：
〃Night of September 12th…13th； 1757； the Swedes； 22；000 strong； did at last begin business； crossed Peene River； the boundary between their Pommern and ours； and； having nothing but some fractions of Militia to oppose them； soon captured the Redoubts there； spread over Prussian Pommern； and on into the Uckermark； diligently raising contributions； to a heavy amount。 No less than 90；000 pounds in all for this poor Province； though； by a strange accident； 60；000 pounds proved to be the actual sum。
〃Towards the end of October they had got as much as 60；000 pounds from the northern parts of Uckermark； Prentzlow being their head… quarter during that operation； and they now sent out a Detachment of 200 grenadiers and 100 drago
