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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17-第13章

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fagots; tables; tubs; &c。; he was consumed in about half an hour。〃 'Old Newspapers ( Gentleman's Magazine;  xxvi。 409)。'

That is their employment on Tower…Hill; over yonder; while Mitchell is getting under way to see Friedrich。

Mitchell continued at Potsdam over Friday; and was still in eager consultation that night; when the King said to him; with a certain expressiveness of glance: 〃BON SOIR; then;To…morrow morning about four!〃 And on the morrow; Saturday; 28th; Mitchell reports hurriedly:

〃。。。 Am just returned to Berlin; in time to write to your Lordship。 This morning; between four and five; I took leave of the King of Prussia。 Hr went immediately upon the Parade; mounted on horseback; and; after a very short exercise of his Troops; put himself at their head; and marched directly for Belitz 'half…way to Brietzen; TREUENbrietzen as they call it'; where; To…morrow; he will enter the Saxon Territory;〃as; at their respective points; his two other Columns will;and begin; who shall say what terrible game; incalculable to your Lordship and me; with such Operations afoot on Tower…Hill! 'Mitchell Papers; vi。 804 (〃To Lord Holderness; 28th August; 1756〃)。'

Seven Hussar Regiments of Duke Ferdinand's Column got the length of Leipzig that Sunday Evening; 29th; and took possession of the place。 'In  Helden…Geschichte;  iii。 731; his 〃Proclamation〃 there; 29th August; 1756。' Duke Ferdinand to right of the King; Duke of Brunswick…Bevern to left;the Three Columns cross the Border; at points; say 80 miles from one another; occasionally; on the march; bending to rightwards and leftwards; to take in the principal Towns; and make settlements there; the two might be above a hundred miles from Friedrich on each hand。 The length of march for each Column;Ferdinand 〃from Leipzig; by Chemnitz; Freyberg; Dippoldiswalde; to the Village of Cotta〃 (Pirna neighborhood; south of Elbe); Bevern; 〃through the Lausitz; by Bautzen; to Lohmen〃 (same neighborhood; north of Elbe); King Friedrich; to Dresden; by the course of the Elbe itself; was not far from equal; and may be called about 150 miles。 They marched with diligence; not with hurry; had their pauses; rest…days; when business required。 They got to their ground; with the simultaneousness appointed; on the eleventh or twelfth day。

The middle Column; under the King; where Marshal Keith is second in command; goes by Torgau (detaching Moritz of Dessau to pick up Wittenberg; and ruin the slight works there); crosses the Elbe at Torgau; September 2d; marches; cantoning itself day after day; along the southern bank of the River; leaves Meissen to the left; I perceive; does not pass through Meissen; comes first at Wilsdruf on ground where we have been;and portions of it; I doubt not; were billeted in Kesselsdorf; and would take a glance at the old Field; if they had time。 There is strict discipline in all the Columns; the authorities complying on summons; and arranging what is needful。 Nobody resists; town…guards at once ground arms; and there is no soldier visible; soldiers all ebbing away; whitherward we guess。 ' Helden…Geschichte;  iii。 732; 733;  OEuvres de Frederic;  iv。 81。'

At Wilsdruf; Friedrich first learns for certain; that the Saxon Army; with King; with Bruhl and other chief personages; are withdrawn to Pirna; to the inexpugnable Konigstein and Rock… Country。 The Saxon Army had begun assembling there; September 1st; directly on the news that Friedrich was across the Border; September 9th; on Friedrich's approach; the King and Dignitaries move off thither; from Dresden; out of his way。 Excellency Broglio has put them on that plan。 Which may have its complexities for Friedrich; hopes Broglio;though perhaps its still greater for some other parties concerned! For Bruhl and Polish Majesty; as will appear by and by; nothing could have turned out worse。

Meanwhile Friedrich pushes on: 〃Forward; all the same。〃 Polish Majesty; dating from Struppen; in the Pirna Country; has begun a Correspondence with Friedrich; very polite on both hands; and his Adjutant…General; the Chevalier Meagher (〃Chevalier de MARRE;〃 as Valori calls him;MA'AR; as he calls himself in Irish); has just had; at Wilsdruf; an interview with Friedrich; but is far from having got settlement on the terms he wished。 Polish Majesty magnanimously assenting to 〃a Road through his Country for military purposes;〃 offers 〃the strictest Neutrality; strictest friendship even; has done; and will do; no injury whatever to his Prussian Majesty'〃Did we ever SIGN anything?〃 whisper comfortably Bruhl and he to one another';expects; therefore; that his Prussian Majesty will march on; whither he is bound; and leave him unmolested here。〃 ' Helden…Geschichte;  iii。 774。'

That was Meagher's message; that is the purport of all his Polish Majesty's Eleven Letters to Friedrich; which precede or follow; reiterating with a certain ovine obstinacy; insensible to time or change; That such is Polish Majesty's fixed notion: 〃Strict neutrality; friendship even; and leave me unmolested here。〃 'In  OEuvres de Frederic;  iv。 235…260 (〃29th August…10th September…18th September;〃 1756); are collected now; the Eleven Letters; with their Answers。' 〃Strict neutrality; yes: but disperse your Army; then;〃 answers Friedrich; send your Army back to its cantonments: I must myself have the keeping of my Highway; lest I lose it; as in 1744。〃 This is Friedrich's answer; this at first; and for some time coming; though; as the aspects change; and the dangerous elements heap themselves higher; Friedrich's answer will rise with them; and his terms; like the Sibyl's; become worse and worse。 This is the utmost that Meagher; at Wilsdruf; can make of it; and this; in conceivable circumstances; will grow less and less。

Next day; September 9th; Friedrich; with some Battalions; entered Dresden; most of his Column taking Camp near by; General Wylich had entered yesterday; and is already Commandant there。 Friedrich sends; by Feldmarschall Keith; highest Officer of his Column; his homages to her Polish Majesty:nothing given us of Keith's Interview; except by a side…wind; 〃That Majesty complained of those Prussian Sentries walking about in certain of her corridors〃 (with an eye to Something; it may be feared!)of which; doubtless; Keith undertook to make report。 Friedrich himself waits upon the Junior Princes; who are left here: is polite and gracious as ever; though strict; and with business enough; lodges; for his own part; 〃in the Garden…House of Princess Moczinska;〃and next morning leads off his Column; a short march eastward; to the Pirna Country; where; on the right and on the left; Ferdinand at Cotta; Bevern at Lohmen (if readers will look on their Map); he finds the other Two in their due positions。 Head…quarter is Gross…Sedlitz (westernmost skirt of the Rock…region); and will have to continue so; much longer than had been expected。

The Diplomatic world in Dresden is in great emotion; more especially just at present。 This morning; before leaving; Friedrich had to do an exceedingly strict thing: secure the Originals of those Menzel Documents。 Originals indispensable to him; for justifying his new procedures upon Saxony。 So that there has been; at the Palace; a Scene this morning of a very high and dissonant nature;〃Marshal Keith〃 in it; 〃Marshal Keith making a second visit〃 (say some loose and false Accounts);the facts being strictly as follows。

Far from removing those Prussian sentries complained of last night; here seems to be a double strength of them this morning。 And her Polish Majesty; a severe; hard…featured old Lady; has been filled with indignant amazement by a Prussian OfficerMajor von Wangenheim; I believe it isrequiring; in the King of Prussia's name; the Keys of that Archive…room; Prussian Majesty absolutely needing sight; for a little while; of certain Papers there。 〃Enter that room? Archives of a crowned Head? Let me see the living mortal that will dare to do it!〃one fancies the indignant Polish Majesty's answer; and how; calling for materials; she 〃openly sealed the door in question;〃 in Wangenheim's presence。 As this is a celebrated Passage

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