第 30 节
作者:上访不如上网      更新:2021-02-18 21:08      字数:9294
  nt Accounts in Seyfarth; ii。 ( Beylagen); 162…163;  Helden…Geschichte;  iv。 615…633; Retzow; i。 216…221。'
  Enough; Winterfeld lay bleeding to death; the Hill was lost; Prussians drawing off slowly and back…foremost; about two in the afternoon; upon which the Austrians also drew off; leaving only a small party on the Hill; who voluntarily quitted it next morning。 Next morning; likewise; Winterfeld had died。 The Hill was; except as bravado; and by way of comfort to Kaunitz; nothing for the Austrians; but the death of Winterfeld; which had come by chance to them in the business; was probably a great thing。 Better than two pitched battles gained: who shall say? He was a shining figure; this Winterfeld; dangerous to the Austrians。 The most shining figure in the Prussian Army; except its Chief; and had great thoughts in his head。 Prussia is not skilful to celebrate her Heroes;the Prussian Muse of History; choked with dry military pipe…clay; or with husky cobwebbery and academic pedantry; how can she?but if Prussia can produce heroes worth celebrating; that is the one important point。 Apart from soldiership; and the outward features which are widely different; there is traceable in Winterfeld some kinship in soul to English Chatham his contemporary; though he has not had the fame of Chatham。
  Winterfeld was by no means universally liked; as what brave man is or can be? Too susceptible to flattery; too this; too that。 He is; one feels always; except Friedrich only; the most shining figure in the Prussian Army: and it was not unnatural he should be Friedrich's one friend;as seems to have been the case。 Friedrich; when this Job's…message reached him (in Erfurt Country; eight days hence); was deeply affected by it。 To tears; or beyond tears; as we can fancy。 〃Against my multitude of enemies I may contrive resources;〃 he was heard to say; 〃but I shall find no Winterfeld again!〃 Adieu; my one friend; real Peer; sole companion to my lonely pilgrimage in these perilous high regions。
  〃The Prince of Prussia; contrariwise;〃 says a miserable little Note; which must not be withheld; 〃brightened up at the news: 'I shall now die much more content; knowing that there is one so bad and dangerous man fewer in the Army!' And; six months after; in his actual death…moments; he exclaimed: 'I end my life; the last period of which has cost me so much sorrow; but Winterfeld is he who shortened my days!'〃 'Preuss; ii。 75; citing Retzow。'Very bitter Opposition humors circulating; in their fashion; there as elsewhere in this world!
  Bevern; the millstone of Winterfeld being off his neck; has become a more responsible; though he feels himself a much…delivered man。 Had not liked Winterfeld; they say; or had even hated him; since those bad Zittau times。 Can now; at any rate; make for Schlesien and the meal…magazines; when he sees good。 He will find meal readier there; may he find other things corresponding! Nobody now to keep him painfully manoeuvring in these parts; with the King's Army nearer to him; but meal not。
  On the third day after (September l0th); Bevern; having finished packing; took the road for Schlesien; Daun and Karl attending him; nothing left of Daun and Karl in those Saxon Countries;except; at Stolpen; out Dresden…wards; some Reserve…Post or Rear…guard of 15;000; should we chance to hear of that again。 And from the end of September onwards; Bevern's star; once somewhat bright at Reichenberg; shot rapidly downwards; under the horizon altogether; and there came; post after post; such news out of Schlesien; to say nothing of that Stolpen Party;as Friedrich had never heard before。
  Chapter VII。
  FRIEDRICH IN THURINGEN; HIS WORLD OF ENEMIES ALL COME。
  The Soubise…Hildburghausen people had got rendezvoused at Erfurt about August 25th; 50;000 by account; and no enemy within 200 miles of them; and in the Versailles circles it had been expected they would proceed to the 〃Deliverance of Saxony〃 straightway。 What is to hinder?Friedrich; haggling with the Austrians at Bernstadt; could muster but a poor 23;000; when he did march towards Erfurt。 In those same neighborhoods; within reach of Soubise; is the Richelieu; late D'Estrees; Army; elated with Hastenbeck; comfortably pushing Royal Highness of Cumberland; who makes no resistance; step by step; into the sea; victoriously plundering; far and wide in those countries; Hanover itself the Head…quarter。 In the Versailles circles; it is farther expected that Richelieu; 〃Conqueror of Minorca;〃 will shortly besiege and conquer  Magdeburg; and so crown his glories。 Why not; were the 〃Deliverance of Saxony〃 complete?
  The whole of which turned out greatly otherwise; and to the sad disappointment of Versailles。 The Conqueror of Minorca is probably aware that the conquering of Magdeburg; against one whose platforms are not rotten; and who does not 〃lie always in his bed;〃 as poor old Blakeney did; will be a very different matter。 And the private truth is; Marrchal de Richelieu never turned his thoughts upon Magdeburg at all; nor upon any point of war that had difficulties; but solely upon collecting plunder for himself in those Countries。 One of the most magnificent marauders on record; in no danger; he; of becoming monitory and a pendulum; like the 1;000 that already swing in that capacity to rear of him! And he did manage; in this Campaign; which was the last of his military services; so as to pay off at Paris 〃above 50;000 pounds of debts; and to build for himself a beautiful Garden Mansion there; which the mocking populations called 'Hanover Pavilion (PAVILION D'HANOVRE);'〃 a name still sticking to it; I believe。 'Barbier; iii。 256; 271。' Of the Richelieu Campaign we are happily delivered from saying almost anything: and the main interest for us turns now on that Soubise…Hildburghausen wing of it;which also is a sufficiently contemptible affair; not to be spoken of beyond the strictly unavoidable。
  Friedrich; with his 23;000 setting out from Dresden; August 30th; has a march of about 170 miles towards Erfurt。 He may expect to findcounting Richelieu; if Royal Highness of Cumberland persist in acting ZERO as hithertoa confused mass of about 150;000 Enemies; of one sort and other; waiting him ahead; not to think of those he has just left behind;and he cannot well be in a triumphant humor! Behind; before; around; it is one gathering of Enemies: one point only certain; that he must beat them; or else die。 Readers would fain follow him in this forlorn march; him; the one point of interest now in it: and readers shall; if we can manage; though it is extremely difficult。 For; on getting to Erfurt; he finds his Soubise…Hildburghausen Army off on retreat among the inaccessible Hills still farther westward; and has to linger painfully there; and to detach; and even to march personally against other Enemies; and then; these finished; to march back towards his Erfurt ones; who are taking heart in the interim:and; in short; from September 1st to November 5th; there are two months of confused manoeuvring and marching to and fro in that West…Saxon region; which are very intricate to readers。 November 5th is a day unforgettable: but anterior to that; what can we do? Here; dated; are the Three grand Epochs of the thing; which readers had better fix in mind as a preliminary:
  1。 SEPTEMBER 13th; Friedrich has got to Erfurt neighborhood; but Soubise and Company are off westward to the Hills of Eisenach; won't come down; Friedrich obliged to linger thereabouts; painfully waiting almost a month; till   2。 OCTOBER 11th; hearing that 〃15;000 Austrians〃 (that Stolpen Party; left as rear…guard at Stolpen; Croats mainly; under a General Haddick) are on march for Berlin; he rises in haste thitherward; through Leipzig; Torgau; say 100 miles; hears that Haddick HAS been in Berlin (16th…17th October) for one day; and that he is off again full speed with a ransom of 30;000 pounds; which they have had to pay him: upon which Friedrich calls halt in the Torgau country;and would have been uncertain what to do; had not   3。 Soubise and Company; extremely elated with this Haddick Feat; come out from their Hills; intent to deliver Saxony after all。 So that Friedrich has to turn back (October 26th…30th) through Leipzig again; towards;in fact towards ROSSBACH and NOVEMBER 5th; in his old Saale Country; which does not prove so wearisome as formerly!
  These are the cardinal dates; these let the reader recur to; if necessary; and keep steadily in mind: it will then perhaps be possible to intercalate; in a manner intelligible to him; what other lucent phenomena there are; and these dismal wanderings; and miserablest two months of Friedrich's life; will not be wholly a provoking blotch of enigmatic darkness; but in some sort a thing with features in the twilight of the Past。
  I。 FRIEDRICH'S MARCH TO ERFURT FROM DRESDEN (31st August…13th September; 1757)。
  The march to Erfurt was of twelve days; and without adventure to speak of。 Mayer and Free…Battalion had the vanguard; Friedrich there as usual; main body; under Keith with Ferdinand and Moritz; following in several columns: straight towards their goal; with steady despatch; for twelve days;weather often very wet。 'Tempelhof; i。 229; Rodenbeck; i。 317 (not ve