第 42 节
作者:上访不如上网      更新:2021-02-18 21:08      字数:9321
  plain; with more propriety; flat country; slightly puffed up;in shape not steeper than the mould of an immense tea…saucer would be。 Tea…saucer 6 miles in diameter; 100 feet in depth; and of irregular contour; which indeed will sufficiently represent it to the reader's mind。
  Saale; at four or five miles distance; bounds this scraggy lump on the east and on the south。 Westward and northward; springing about Mucheln on each hand; and setting off to right and to left Saale… ward; are what we take to be two brooks; at least are two hollows: and behind these; the country rises higher; undulating still on lazy terms; but now painted azure by the distance; not unpleasant to behold; with its litter all lapped out of sight; and its poor brooks tinkling forward (as we judge) into the Saale; Merseburg way; or reverse…wise into the Unstrut; the last big branch of Saale。 Southward from our Janus Height; eight or nine miles off; may be seen some vestige of Freiburg; steeple or gilt weathercock faintly visible; on the Unstrut yonder;which I take to be Soubise's bread…basket at present。 And farther off; and opposite the MOUTH of the Unstrut; well across the Saale; lies another namable Town (visible in clear weather; as a smoke…cloud at certain hours; about meal…time; when the kettles are on boil); the Town of Naumburg;one of several German Naumburgs;the Naumburg of Gustaf Adolf; where his slain body lay; on the night of Lutzen Battle; with his poor Queen and others weeping over it。 Naumburg is on the other side of Saale; not of importance to Soubise in such posture。
  This is the circular block or lump of country; on the north or northwest side of which Friedrich now lies; and which will become; he little thinks how memorable on the morrow。 Over the heights; immediately eastward of Friedrich; there is a kind of hollow; or scooped…out place; shallow valley of some extent; which deserves notice against to…morrow: but in general the ground is lazily spherical; and without noticeable hollows or valleys when fairly away from the River。 A dull blunt lump of country; made of sand and mud;may have been grassy once; with broom on it; in the pastoral times; is now under poor plough…husbandry; arable or scratchable in all parts; and looks rather miserable in winter…time。 No vestige of hedge on it; of shrub or bush; one tree; ugly but big; which may have been alive in Friedrich's time; stands not far from Rossbach Hamlet; one; and no more; discoverable in these areas。
  Various Hamlets lie sprinkled about: very sleepy; rusty; irregular little places; huts and cattle…stalls huddled down; as if shaken from a bag; much straw; thick thatch and crumbly mud…brick; but looking warm and peaceable; for the Four…footed and the Two… footed; which latter; if you speak to them; are solid reasonable people; with energetic German eyes and hearts; though so ill… lodged。 These Hamlets; needing shelter and spring…water; stand generally in some slight hollow; if well up the Height; as Rorschach is; sometimes; if near the bottom; they are nestled in a sudden dell or gash;work of the primeval rains; accumulating from above; and ploughing out their way。 The rains; we can see; have been busy; but there is seldom the least stream visible; bottom being too sandy and porous。 On the western slope; there is in our time a kind of coal; or coal…dust; dug up; in the way of quarrying; not of mining; and one or two big chasms of this sort are confusedly busy: the natives mix this valuable coal…dust with water; mould it into bricks; and so use as fuel: one of the features of these hamlets is the strange black bricks; standing on edge about the cottage…doors; to drip; and dry in the sun。 For this or for other reasons; the westward slope appears to be the best; and has a major share of hamlets on it: Rossbach is high up; and looks over upon Mucheln; and its dim belfry and appurtenances; which lie safe across the hollow; perhaps two miles off;safe from Friedrich; if there were eatables and lodging to be had in such a place。 Friedrich's left wing is in Rossbach。 Bedra where Friedrich's right wing is; Branderode where the Soubise right is; then Grost; Schevenroda; Zeuchfeld; Pettstadt; Lunstadt;especially Reichartswerben; where Soubise's right will come to be: these the reader may take note of in his Map。 Several of them lie in ashes just then; plundered; replundered; and at last set fire to; so busy have Soubise's hungry people been; of late; in the Country they came to 〃deliver。〃 The Freiburg road; the Naumburg road; both towards Merseburg; cross this Height; straight like the string; Saale by Weissenfels being the bow。
  The HERRENHAUS (Squire's Mansion) still stands in Rossbach; with the littery Hamlet at its flank: a high; pavilion…roofed; and though dilapidated; pretentious kind of House; some kind of court round it; some kind of hedge or screen of brushwood and brick…wall: terribly in need of the besom; it and its environment throughout。 King; I suppose; did lodge there overnight: certain it is the Squire was absent; and the Squire's Man; three days afterwards; reported to him as follows: 。。。 〃Saturday; the 5th; about 8 A。M。; his Majesty mounted to the roof of the Herrenhaus here; some tiles having been removed 'for that end; or by accident; is not said'; and saw how the French and Reichs Army were getting in movement〃 wriggling out of their Camp leftwards; evidently aiming towards Grost。 〃In about an hour; near half their Army was through Grost; and had turned southward; rather southeastward; from Grost; out in the Rossbach and Almsdorf region; and proceeding still towards Pettstadt;〃towards Schevenroda more precisely; not towards Pettstadt yet。 〃His Majesty looked always through the perspective: and to me was the grace done to be ever at his side; and to name for him the roads the French and Reichs Army was marching。〃 'Muller; p。 50; Rodenbeck; p。 326。'
  The King had heard of this phenomenon hours before; and had sent out Hussars and scouts upon it; but now sees it with his eyes: 〃Going for Freiburg; and their bread…cupboard;〃 thinks the King; who does not as yet make much of the movement; but will watch it well; and calculates to have a stroke at the rear end of it; in due season。 With which view; the cavalry; Seidlitz and Mayer; are ordered to saddle; foot regiments; and all else; to be in readiness。 This French…Reichs Dauphiness is not rapid in her field… exercise; and has a great deal of wriggling and unwinding before she can fairly pick herself out; and get forward towards Schevenroda on the Freiburg road。 In three or in two parallel columns; artillery between them; horse ahead; horse arear; haggling along there;making for their bread…baskets; thinks the King。 A body of French; horse chiefly; under St。 Germain; come out; in the Schortau…Almsdorf part; with some salvoing and prancing; as if intending to attack about Rossbach; where our left wing is: but his Majesty sees it to be a pretence merely; and St。 Germain; motionless; and doing nothing but cannonade a little; seems to agree that it is so。 Dauphiness continues her slow movements; King; in this Squire's Mansion of Rossbach; sits down to dinner; dinner with Officers at the usual hour of noon;little dreaming what the Dauphiness has in her head。
  Truth is; the Dauphiness is in exultant spirits; this morning; intending great things against a certain 〃little Marquis of Brandenburg;〃 to whom one does so much honor。 Generals looking down yesterday on the King of Prussia's Camp; able to count every man in it (and half the men being invisible; owing to bends of the ground); counted him to 10;000 or so; and had said; 〃Pshaw; are not we above 50;000; let us end it! Take him on his left。 Round yonder; till we get upon his left; and even upon his rear withal; St。 Germain co…operating on the other side of him: on left; on rear; on front; at the same moment; is not that a sure game?〃 A very ticklish game; answers surly sagacious Lloyd: 〃No general will permit himself to be taken in flank with his eyes open; and the King of Prussia is the unlikeliest you could try it with!〃
  Trying it meanwhile they are; marching along by the low grounds here; intending to sweep gradually leftwards towards Janus…Hill quarter; there to sweep home upon him; coil him up; left and rear and front; in their boa…constrictor folds; and end his trifle of an Army and him。 〃Why not; if we do our duty at all; annihilate his trifle of an Army; take himself prisoner; and so end it?〃 Report says; Soubise had really; in some moment of enthusiasm lately; warned the Versailles populations to expect such a thing; and that the Duchess of Orleans; forgetful of poor King Louis's presence; had in HER enthusiasm; exclaimed: 〃TANT MIEUX; I shall at last see a King; then!〃 But perhaps it is a mere French epigram; such as the winds often generate there; and put down for fact。 Friedrich's retreat to Weissenfels is cut off for Friedrich: an Austrian party has been at the Herren…Muhle Bridge this morning; has torn it up and pitched it into the river; planks far on to Merseburg by this time。 And; in fact; unless Friedrich be nimble But that he usually is。
  Friedrich's dinner had gone on with deliberation for about two hours; Friedrich's intentions not yet known to any; but everybody;