第 3 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2022-03-26 18:09      字数:9262
  almost pitiable;were that possible; with twelve tailors sewing for him; and a Saxony getting shoved over the precipices by him。
  A famishing dog in the most singular situation。 What he dare do; he does; and with such a will。 But there is almost only one thing safe to him: that of egging on the Czarina against Friedrich; of coining lies to kindle Czarish Majesty; of wafting on every wind rumors to that end; and continually besieging with them the empty Czarish mind。 Bruhl has many Conduits; 〃the Sieur de Funck;〃 〃the Sieur Gross〃 plenty of Legationary Sieurs and Conduits;which issue from all quarters on Petersburg; and which find there a Reservoir; and due Russian SERVICE…PIPES; prepared for them;and Bruhl is busy。 〃Commerce of Dantzig to be ruined;〃 suggests he; 〃that is plain: look at his Asiatic Companies; his Port of Embden。 Poland is to be stirred up;has not your Czarish Majesty heard of his intrigues there? Courland; which is almost become your Majesty'scunningly snatched by your Majesty's address; like a valuable moribund whale adrift among the shallows;this bad man will have it out to sea again; with the harpoons in it; fairly afloat amid the Polish Anarchies again!〃 These are but specimens of Bruhl。 Or we can give such in Bruhl's own words; if the reader had rather。 Here are Two; which have the advantage of brevity:
  1。 。。。 The Sieur de Funck; Saxon Minister at Petersburg; wrote to Count Bruhl; 9th July; 1755 (says an inexorable Record);   〃That the Sieur Gross 'now Minister of Russia at Dresden; who vanished out of Berlin like an angry sky…rocket some years ago' would do a good service to the Common Cause; if he wrote to his Court; 'That the King of Prussia had found a channel in Courland; by which he learned all the secrets of the Russian Court;'〃 and Sieur Funck added; 〃that it was expected good use could be made of such a story with her Czarish Majesty。〃To which Count Bruhl replies; 23d July; 〃That he has instructed the Sieur Gross; who will not fail to act in consequence。〃
  2。 Sieur Prasse; same Funck's Secretary of Legation; at Petersburg; writes to Count Bruhl; 12th April; 1756:   〃I am bidden signify to your Excellency that it is greatly wished; in order to favor certain views; you would have the goodness to cause arrive in Petersburg; by different channels; the following intelligence: 'That the King of Prussia; on pretext of Commerce; is sending officers and engineers into the Ukraine; to reconnoitre the Country and excite a rebellion there。' And this advice; be pleased to observe; is not to come direct from the Saxon Court; nor by the Envoy Gross; but by some third party;to the end there may be no concert noticed;as they 'L'ON; the 〃service… pipes;〃 and managing Excellencies; Russian and Austrian' have given the same commission to other Ministers; so that the news shall come from more places than one。
  〃They 'the said managing Excellencies' have also required me to write to the Baron de Sack;〃 our Saxon Minister in Sweden; 〃upon it; which I will not fail to do; and they assured me that our Court's advantage was not less concerned in it than that of their own; adding these words 'comfortable to one's soul'; 'The King of Prussia 'in 1745' gave Saxony a blow which it will feel for fifty years; but we will give him one which he will feel for a hundred。'〃
  To which beautiful suggestion Excellency Bruhl answers; 2d June; 1756: 〃As to the Secret Commission of conveying to Petersburg; by concealed channels; Intelligence of Prussian machinations in the Ukraine; we are still busy finding out a right channel; and they 'L'ON; the managing Excellencies' shall very soon; one way or the other; see the effect of my personal inclination to second what is so good an intention; though a little artful (UN PEU ARTIFICIEUSE;〃 UN PEU; nothing to speak of)! 'MEMOIRE RAISONNE (in  Gesammelte Nachrichten ); i。 424…425; and ib。 472。'
  Fancy a poor fat Czarina; of many appetites; of little judgment; continually beaten upon in this manner by these Saxon…Austrian artists and their Russian service…pipes。 Bombarded with cunningly devised fabrications; every wind freighted for her with phantasmal rumors; no ray of direct daylight visiting the poor Sovereign Woman; who is lazy; not malignant if she could avoid it: mainly a mass of esurient oil; with alkali on the back of alkali poured in; at this rate; for ten years past; till; by pouring and by stirring; they get her to the state of SOAP and froth! Is it so wonderful that she does; by degrees; rise into eminent suspicion; anger; fear; violence and vehemence against her bad neighbor? One at last begins to conceive those insane whirls; continual mad suspicions; mad procedures; which have given Friedrich such vexation; surprise and provocation in the years past。
  Friedrich is always specially eager to avoid ill…will from Russia; but it has come; in spite of all he could do and try。 And these procedures of the Czarish Majesty have been so capricious; unintelligible; perverse; and his feeling is often enough irritation; temporary indignation;which we know makes Verses withal! I can nowhere learn from those Prussian imbroglios of Books; what the Friedrich Sayings or Satirical Verses properly were: Retzow speaks of a PRODUKT; one at least; known in interior Circles。 'Retzow; i。 34。' PRODUKT which decidedly requires publication; beyond anything Friedrich ever wrote;though one can do without it too; and invoke Fancy in defect of Print。 The sharpness of Friedrich's tongue we know; and the diligence of birds of the air。 To all her other griefs against the bad man; this has given the finish in the tender Czarish bosom;and like an envenomed drop has set the saponaceous oils (already dosed with alkali; and well in solution) foaming deliriously over the brim; in never…imagined deluges of a hatred that is unappeasable;very costly to Friedrich and mankind。 Rising ever higher; year by year; and now risen; to what height judge by the following:
  AT PETERSBURG; 14th…15th MAY; 1753; 〃There was Meeting of the Russian Senate; with deliberation held for these two days; and for issue this conclusion come to:
  〃That it should be; and hereby is; settled as a fundamental maxim of the Russia Empire; Not only to oppose any farther aggrandizement of the King of Prussia; but to seize the first convenient opportunity for overwhelming (ECRASER); by superior force; the House of Brandenburg 'Hear; hear!'; and reducing it to its former state of mediocrity。〃 'MEMOIRE RAISONNE (in  Gesammelte Nachrichten ); i。 421。' Leg of mutton to be actually gone into。 With what an enthusiasm of 〃Hear; hear!〃 from Bruhl and kindred parties; especially from Bruhl;who; however; dare not yet bite; except hypothetically; such his terrors and tremors。 Or; look again (same Senate;
  AT PETERSBURG; OCTOBER; 1755): 〃To which Fundamental Maxim; articulately fixed ever since those Maydays of 1753; the august Russian Sanhedrim; deliberating farther in October; 1755; adds this remarkable extension;
  〃That it is our resolution to attack the King of Prussia without farther discussion; whensoever the said King shall attack any Ally of Russia's; or shall himself be attacked by any of them。〃 Hailed by Bruhl; as natural; with his liveliest approval。 〃A glorious Deliberation; that; indeed!〃 writes he: 〃It clears the way of action for Russia's Allies in this matter; and for us too; though nobody can blame us; if we proceed with the extremest caution;〃and rather wait till the Bear is nearly killed。 'MEMOIRE RAISONNE (in  Gesammelte Nachrichten ); i。 422。'
  Many marvels Friedrich had deciphered out of this Weingarten…Menzel Apocalypse of Satan's Invisible World; and one often fancies Friedrich's tone of mind; in his intense inspecting of that fateful continent of darkness; and his labyrinthic stepping by degrees to the oracular points; which have a light in them when flung open。 But in respect of practical interest; this of October; 1755 (which would get to Potsdam probably in few weeks after) must have surpassed all the others。 Marvels many; one after the other: 'For example; or in recapitulation: a Treaty of Warsaw or Leipzig; to partition him (18th May; 1745); Treaty of Petersburg (22d May; 1746; new form of Warsaw Treaty; with Czarina superadded); tremulous Quasi…Accession thereto of his Polish Majesty (most tremulous; hypothetic Quasi…Accession; 〃Yes…AND…No;〃 15th August; 1747; and often afterwards); first Deliberation of the Russian Senate; 15th May; 1753; &c。 &c。 For example; or in recapitulation: a Treaty of Warsaw or Leipzig; to partition him (18th May; 1745); Treaty of Petersburg (22d May; 1746; new form of Warsaw Treaty; with Czarina superadded); tremulous Quasi…Accession thereto of his Polish Majesty (most tremulous; hypothetic Quasi…Accession; 〃Yes…AND…No;〃 15th August; 1747; and often afterwards); first Deliberation of the Russian Senate; 15th May; 1753; &c。 &c。' no doubt left; long since; of the constant disposition; preparation and fixed intention to partition him。 But here; in this last indication by the Russian Senate;which kindles into dismal evidence so many other enigmatic tokens;there has an ulterior oracular point disclosed itself to Friedrich; in vaguer condition; but not