Chapter　II。
  BATTLE　OF　PRAG。
  Monday　morning；　2d　May；　1757；　the　Vanguard；　or　advanced　troops　of　Friedrich's　Column；　had　appeared　upon　the　Weissenberg；　northwest　corner　of　Prag　（ground　known　to　them　in　1744；　and　to　the　poor　Winter…King　in　1620）：　Vanguard　in　the　morning；　followed　shortly　by　Friedrich　himself；　and；　hour　after　hour；　by　all　the　others；　marching　in。　So　that；　before　sunset；　the　whole　force　lay　posted　there；　and　had　the　romantic　City　of　Prag　full　in　view　at　their　feet。　A　most　romantic；　high…piled；　many…towered；　most　unlevel　old　City；　its　skylights　and　gilt　steeple…cocks　glittering　in　the　western　sun；Austrian　Camp　very　visible　close　beyond　it；　spread　out　miles　in　extent　on　the　Ziscaberg　Heights；　or　eastern　side；　Prag；　no　doubt；　and　the　Austrian　Garrison　of　Prag；　taking　intense　survey　of　this　Prussian　phenomenon；　with　commentaries；　with　emotions；　hidden　now　in　eternal　silence；　as　is　fit　enough。　One　thing　we　know；　〃Head…quarter　was　in　Welleslawin：〃　there；　in　that　small　Hamlet；　nearly　to　north；　lodged　Friedrich；　the　then　busiest　man　of　Europe；　whom　Posterity　is　still　striving　for　a　view　of；　as　something　memorable。
  Prince　Karl；　our　old　friend；　is　now　in　chief　command　yonder；　Browne　also　is　there；　who　was　in　chief　command；　their　scheme　of　Campaign　gone　all　awry。　And　to　Friedrich；　last　night；　at　his　quarters　〃in　the　Monastery　of　Tuchomirsitz；〃　where　these　two　Gentlemen　had　lodged　the　night　before；　it　was　reported　that　they　had　been　heard　in　violent　altercation；　＇　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　11　（exact　〃Diary　of　the　march〃　given　there）。＇　both　of　them；　naturally；　in　ill…humor　at　the　surprising　turn　things　had　taken；　and　Feldmarschall　Browne　firing　up；　belike；　at　some　platitude　past　or　coming；　at　some　advice　of　his　rejected；　some　imputation　cast　on　him；　or　we　know　not　what。　Prince　Karl　is　now　chief；　and　indignant　Browne；　as　may　well　be　the　case；　dissents　a　good　deal；as　he　has　often　had　to　do。　Patience；　my　friend；　it　is　near　ending　now！　Prince　Karl　means　to　lie　quiet　on　the　Ziscaberg；　and　hold　Prag；　does　not　think　of　molesting　Friedrich　in　his　solitary　state；　and　will　undertake　nothing；　〃till　Konigseck；　from　Jung…Bunzlau；　come　in；〃　victorious　or　not；　or　till　perhaps　even　Daun　arrive　（who　is；　rather　slowly；　gathering　reinforcement　in　Maren）：　〃What　can　the　enemy　attempt　on　us；　in　a　Post　of　this　strength？〃　thinks　Prince　Karl。　And　Browne；　whatever　his　insight　or　convictions　be；　has　to　keep　silence。
  〃Weissenberg；〃　let　readers　be　reminded；　〃is　on　the　hither　or　western　side　of　Prag：　the　Hradschin　＇pronounce　RadSHEEN；　with　accent　on　the　last　syllable；　as　in　〃SchwerIN〃　and　other　such　cases＇；　the　Hradschin；　which　is　the　topmost　summit　of　the　City　and　of　the　Fashionable　Quarter；old　Bohemian　Palace；　still　occasionally　habitable　as　such；　and　in　constant　use　as　a　DOWNING　STREET；lies　on　the　slope　or　shoulder　of　the　Weissenberg；　a　good　way　from　the　top；　and　has　a　web　of　streets　rushing　down　from　it；　steepest　streets　in　the　world；　till　they　reach　the　Bridge；　and　broad…flowing　Moldau　（broad　as　Thames　at　half…flood；　but　nothing　like　so　deep）；　after　which　the　streets　become　level；　and　spread　out　in　intricate　plenty　to　right　and　to　left；　and　ahead　eastward；　across　the　River；　till　the　Ziscaberg；　with　frowning　precipitous　brow；　suddenly　puts　a　stop　to　them　in　that　particular　direction。　From　Ziscaberg　top　to　Weissenberg　top　may　be　about　five　English　miles；　from　the　Hradschin　to　the　foot　of　Ziscaberg；　northwest　to　southeast；　will　be　half　that　distance；　the　greatest　length　of　Prag　City。　Which　is　rather　rhomboidal　in　shape；　its　longer　diagonal　this　that　we　mention。　The　shorter　diagonal；　from　northmost　base　of　Ziscaberg　to　southmost　of　Hradschin；　is　perhaps　a　couple　of　miles。　Prag　stands　nestled　in　the　lap　of　mountains；　and　is　not　in　itself　a　strong　place　in　war：　but　the　country　round　it；　Moldau　ploughing　his　rugged　chasm　of　a　passage　through　the　piled　table…land；　is　difficult　to　manoeuvre　in。
  〃Moldau　Valley　comes　straight　from　the　south；　crosses　Prag；　andmaking；　on　its　outgate　at　the　northern　end　of　Prag　（end　of　'shortest　diagonal'　just　spoken　of）；　one　big　loop；　or　bend　and　counter…bend；　of　horse…shoe　shape；〃　which　will　be　notable　to　us　anon〃again　proceeds　straight　northward　and　Elbe…ward。　It　is　narrow　everywhere；　especially　when　once　got　fairly　north　of　Prag；　and　runs　along　like　a　Quasi…Highland　Strath；　amid　rocks　and　hills。　Big　Hill…ranges；　not　to　be　called　barren；　yet　with　rock　enough　on　each　hand；　and　fine　side　valleys　opening　here　and　there：　the　bottom　of　your　Strath；　which　is　green　and　fertile；　with　pleasant　busy　Villages　（much　intent　on　water…power　and　cotton…spinning　in　our　time）；　is　generally　of　few　furlongs　in　breadth。　And　so　it　lasts；　this　pleasant　Moldau　Valley；　mile　after　mile；　on　the　northern　or　Lower　Moldau；　generally　straight　north；　though　with　one　big　bend　eastward　just　before　ending；　and　not　till　near　Melnick；　or　the　mouth　of　Moldau；　do　we　emerge　on　that　grand　Elbe　Valley；glanced　at　once　already；　from　Pascopol　or　other　Height；　in　the　Lobositz　times。〃
  Friedrich's　first　problem　is　the　junction　with　Schwerin：　junction　not　to　be　accomplished　south　of　Ziscaberg　in　the　present　circumstances；　and　which　Friedrich　knows　to　be　a　ticklish　operation；　with　those　Austrians　looking　on　from　the　high　grounds　there。　Tuesday；　3d　May；　in　the　way　of　reconnoitring；　and　decisively　on　Wednesday；　4th；　Friedrich　is　off　northward；　along　the　western　heights　of　Lower　Moldau；　proper　force　following　him；　to　seek　a　fit　place　for　the　pontoons；　and　get　across　in　that　northern　quarter。　〃How　dangerous　that　Schwerin　is　a　day　too　late！〃　murmurs　he；　but　hopes　the　Austrians　will　undertake　nothing。　Keith；　with　30；000；　he　has　left　on　the　Weissenberg；　to　straiten　Prag　and　the　Austrian　Garrison　on　that　side：　our　wagon…trains　arrive　from　Leitmeritz　on　that　side；　Elbe…boats　bring　them　up　to　Leitmeritz；　very　indispensable　to　guard　that　side　of　Prag。　Friedrich's　fixed　purpose　also　is　to　beat　the　Austrians；　on　the　other　side　of　it；　and　send　them　packing；　but　for　that；　there　are　steps　needful！
  Up　so　far　as　Lissoley；　the　first　day；　Friedrich　has　found　no　fit　place；　but　on　the　morrow；　Thursday；　5th；　farther　up；　at　a　place　called　Seltz；　Friedrich　finds　his　side　of　the　Strath　to　be　〃a　little　higher　than　the　other；〃proper；　therefore；　for　cannonading　the　other；　if　need　be；and　orders　his　pontoons　to　be　built　together　there。　He　knows　accurately　of　the　Schwerin　Column；　of　the　comfortable　Bevern　Victory　at　Reichenberg；　and　how　they　have　got　the　Jung…Bunzlau　Magazine；　and　are　across　the　Elbe；　their　bridges　all　secured；　though　with　delay　of　one　day；　and　do　now　wait　only　for　the　word；for　the　three　cannon…shot；　in　fact；　which　are　to　signify　that　Friedrich　is　actually　crossing　to　their　side　of　Lower　Moldau。
  Friedrich's　Bridge　is　speedily　built　（trained　human　hands　can　be　no　speedier）；　his　batteries　planted；　his　precautions　taken：　the　three　cannon…shot　go　off；　audible　to　Schwerin；　and　Friedrich's　troops　stream　speedily　across；　hardly　a　Pandour　to　meddle　with　them。　Nay；　before　the　passage　was　completewhat　light…horse　squadrons　are　these？　Hussars；　seen　to　be　Seidlitz's　（missioned　by　Schwerin）；　appear　on　the　outskirts：　a　meeting　worthy　of　three　cheers；　surely；　after　such　a　march　on　both　sides！　Friedrich　lies　on　the　eastern　Hill…tops　that　night　（Hamlet　of　Czimitz　his　Head…quarter；　discoverable　if　you　wish　it；　scarcely　three　miles　north　of　Prag）；　and　accurate　appointment　is　made　with　Schwerin　as　to　the　meeting…place　to…morrow　morning。　Meeting…place　is　to　be　the　environs　of　Prossik　Village；　southeastward　over　yonder；　short　way　north　of　the　Prag…Konigsgratz　Highway；　and　rather　nearer　Prag　than　we　now　are；　in　Czimitz　here：　time　at　Prossik　to　be　6　A。M。　by　the　clock；　and　Winterfeld　and　Schwerin　to　come　in　person　and　speak　with　his　Majesty。　This　is　the　program　for　Friday；　May　6th；　which　proves　to　be　so　memorable　a　day。
  Schwerin　is　on　foot　by　the　stroke　of　midnight；　comes　along；　〃over　the　heights　of　Chaber；〃　by　half　a　dozen；　or　I　know　not　how　many　roads；　visible　in　due　time　to　Friedrich's　people；　who　are　likewise　punctually　on　the　advance：　in　a　word；　the　junction　is　accomplished　with　all　correctness。　And；　while　the　Columns　are　marching　up；　Schwerin　and　Winterfeld　ride　about　in　personal　conference　with　his　Majesty；　taking　survey；　through　spy…glasses；　of　those　Austrians　encamped　yonder　on　the　broad　back　of　their　Zisca　Hill；　a　couple　of　miles　to　southward。　〃What　a　set　of　Austrians；〃　exclaim　military　critics；　〃to　permit　such　junction；　without　effort　to　devour　the　one　half　or　the　other；　in　good　time！〃　Friedrich　himself；　it　is　probable；　might　partly　be　of　the　same　opinion；　but　he　knew　his　Austrians；　and　had　made　bold　to　venture。　Friedrich；　we　can　observe；　always　got　to　know　his　man；　after　fighting　him　a　month　or　two；　and　took　liberties　with　him；　or　did　not　take；　accordingly。　And；　for　most　part；not　quite　always；　as　one　signal　exception　will　Show；　he　does　it　with　perfect　accuracy；　and　often　with　vital　profit　to　his　measures。　〃If　the　Austrian　cooking…tents　are　a…smoke　before　eight　in　the　morning；〃　notes　he；　〃you　may　calculate；　in　such　case；　the　Austrians　will　march　that　day。〃　＇MILITARY　INSTRUCTIONS。＇　With　a　surprising　vividness　of　eye　and　mind　（beautiful　to　rival；　if　one　could）；　he　watches