第 11 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2022-03-26 18:09      字数:9222
  SAME TO SAME (Confidential; this one)。
  〃POTSDAH; 24th August。
  。。。 〃Make as if you were meaning to go into Camp at Halle。 The reason why I stop you is; that the Courier from Vienna has not yet come。 We must therefore reassure the Saxon neighborhood。 。。。 I have been expecting answer from hour to hour; cannot suitably begin a War…Expedition till it come; do therefore apprise Your Dilection; though under the deepest secrecy。
  〃And it is necessary; and my Will is; That; till farther order; you keep all the regiments and corps belonging to your Column in the places where they are when this arrives。 And shall; meanwhile; with your best skill mask all this; both from the Town of Halle; and from the regiments themselves; making; in conformity with what I said yesterday; as if you were a Corps of Observation come to encamp here; and were waiting the last orders to go into camp。
  FRIEDRICH。〃 'Ib。 ii。 7; 8。'
  And in regard to the Vienna Courier; and Friedrich's attitude towards that Phenomenon; read only these Two Notes:
  1。 FRIEDRICH TO THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA AND THE PRINCESS AMELIA (at Berlin)
  POTSDAM; 〃25th August;〃 1756。
  〃MY DEAR BROTHER; MY DEAR SISTER;I write to you both at once; for want of time。 I will follow the advice you are so good as give me; and will take leave of the Queen 'our dear Mamma' by Letter。 And that the reading of my Letter may not frighten her; I will send it by my Sister; to be presented in a favorable moment。
  〃I have yet got no Answer from Vienna; by Klinggraf's account; I shall not receive it till to…morrow 'came this night'; But I count myself surer of War than ever; as the Austrians have named Generals; and their Army is ordered to march; from Kolin to Konigsgratz〃Schlesien way。 〃So that; expecting nothing but a haughty Answer; or a very uncertain one; on which there will be no reliance possible; I have arranged everything for setting out on Saturday next。 To…morrow; so soon as the news comes; I will not fail to let you know。 Assuring you that I am; with a perfect affection; my dear Brother and my dear Sister;Yours;F。〃 ' OEuvres de Frederic;  xxvi。 155。'
  Answer comes from Klinggraf that same night。 Once more; an Answer almost worse than could have been expected。 〃The 'League with Russia against you' is nonextant; a thing of your imagination: Have not we already answered?〃 'In  Gesammelte Urkunden;  i。 217: Klinggraf's second question (done by Letter this time); 〃18th August;〃 Maria Theresa's Answer; 〃21st August;〃' Whereupon;
  2。 FRIEDRICH TO THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA。
  POTSDAM; 〃26th August;〃 1756。
  〃MY DEAR BROTHER;I have already written to the Queen; softening things as much as I could 'Letter lost'。 My Sister; to whom I address the Letter; will deliver it。
  〃You have seen the Paper I sent to Klinggraf。 Their Answer is 'That they have not made an Offensive Alliance with Russia against me。' The Answer is impertinent; high and contemptuous; and of the Assurance that I required 'as to This Year and next'; not one word。 So that the sword alone can cut this Gordian Knot。 I am innocent of this War; I have done what I could to avoid it; but whatever be one's love of peace; one cannot and must not sacrifice to that; one's safety and one's honor。 Such; I believe; will be your opinion too; from the sentiments I know in you。 At present; our one thought must be; To do War in such a way as may cure our Enemies of their wish to break Peace again too soon。 I embrace you with all my heart。 I have had no end of business (TERRIBLEMENT A FAIRE)。〃F。 ' OEuvres;  xxvi。 116。'
  THE MARCH INTO SAXONY; IN THREE COLUMNS。
  Ahead of that last Note; from an earlier hour of the same day; Thursday; 26th August; there is speeding forth; to all Three Generals of Division; this Order (take Duke Ferdinand's copy}:                                        {not in original' ^ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  〃I hereby order that Your Dilection (EW。 LIEBDEN); with all the regiments and corps in the Column standing under your command; Shall now; without more delay; get on march; on the 29th inst。; and proceed; according to the March…Tables and Instructions already given; to execute what Your Dilection has got in charge。〃F。
  The same Thursday; 26th; Excellency Mitchell; informed by Podewils of the King's wish to see him at Potsdam; gets under way from Berlin; arrives 〃just time enough to speak with the King before he sat down to supper。〃 Very many things to be consulted of; and deliberatively touched upon; with Mitchell and England; no end of things and considerations; for England and King Friedrich; in this that is now about to burst forth on an astonished world!Over in London; we observe; just in the hours when Mitchell was harnessing for Potsdam; and so many Orders and Letters were speeding their swiftest in that quarter; there is going forward; on Tower…Hill yonder; the following Operation:
  〃LONDON; THURSDAY; 26th AUGUST; 1756。 About five in the afternoon; a noted Admiral 'only in Effigy as yet; but who has been held in miserable durance; and too actual question of death or life; ever since his return: 〃Oh; yes indeed! Hang HIM at once〃;if that can be a remedy!' was; after having been privately shown to many ladies and gentlemen; broughtin an open sedan; guarded by a number of young gentlemen under arms; with drums beating; colors flyingto Tower…Hill; where a Gallows had been erected for him at six the same morning。 He was richly dressed; in a blue and gold coat; buff waistcoat; trimmed; &c。 in full uniform。 When brought under the Gallows; he stayed a small space; till his clergyman (a chimney… sweeper) had given him some admonitions: that done; he was drawn; by pulleys; to the top of the Gallows; which was twenty feet high; every person expressing as much satisfaction as if it had been the real man。
  〃He remained there; guarded by the above volunteers; without any molestation; two hours; when; upon a supposition of being obstructed by the Governor of the Tower; some sailors appeared; who wanted to pull him down; in order to drag him along the streets。 But a fire being kindled; which consisted of tar…barrels; 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 e