history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第44章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃I　am　now　in　motion；　and　having　once　got　into　that；　you　may　calculate　I　shall　not　think　of　sitting　down　again；　except　under　improved　omens。　If　outrage　irritates　even　cowards；　what　will　it　do　to　hearts　that　have　courage？

〃I　foresee　I　shall　not　be　able　to　write　again　for　perhaps　six　weeks：　which　fails　not　to　be　a　sorrow　to　me：　but　I　entreat　you　to　be　calm　during　these　turbulent　affairs；　and　to　wait　with　patience　the　month　of　December；　paying　no　regard　to　the　Nurnberg　Newspapers　nor　to　those　of　the　Reich；　which　are　totally　Austrian。

〃I　am　tired　as　a　dog　（COMME　UN　CHIEN）。　I　embrace　you　with　my　whole　heart；　being　with　the　most　perfect　affection　（TENDRESSE）；　my　dearest　Sister；　your〃　　　　　　　　　　　FRIEDRICH。

。。。　（AT　SOME　OTHER　HOUR；　SAME　PLACE　AND　DAY。）　〃'No　possibility　of　Peace；'　say　your　accounts　＇Letter　lost＇；　'the　French　won't　hear　my　name　mentioned。'　Well；　from　me　they　shall　not　farther。　The　way　will　be；　to　speak　to　them　by　action；　so　that　they　may　repent　their　impertinences　and　pride。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxvii。　i。　308；　309；　310。＇'

The　Haddick　affair；　after　all　the　rumor　about　it；　proved　to　be　a　very　small　matter。　No　Swede　or　Richelieu　had　dreamt　of　co…operating；　Haddick；　in　the　end；　was　scarce　4；000　with　four　cannon；　General　Rochow；　Commandant　of　Berlin；　with　his　small　garrison；　had　not　Haddick　skilfully　slidden　through　woods；　and　been　so　magnified　by　rumor；　might　have　marched　out；　and　beaten　a　couple　of　Haddicks。　As　it　was；　Haddick　skilfully　emerging；　at　the　Silesian　Gate　of　Berlin；　16th　October；　about　eleven　in　the　morning；　demanded　ransom　of　300；000　thalers　（45；000　pounds）；　was　refused；　began　shooting　on　the　poor　palisades；　on　the　poor　drawbridge　there；　〃at　the　third　shot　brought　down　the　drawbridge；〃　rushed　into　the　suburb；　and　was　not　to　be　pushed　out　again　by　the　weak　party　Rochow　sent　to　try　it。　Rochow；　ignorant　of　Haddick's　force；　marched　off　thereupon　for　Spandau　with　the　Royal　Family　and　effects；　leaving　Haddick　master　of　the　suburb；　and　Berlin　to　make　its　own　bargain　with　him。　Haddick；　his　Croats　not　to　be　quite　kept　from　mischief；　remained　master　of　the　suburb；　minatory　upon　Berlin；　for　twelve　hours　or　more：　and　after　a　good　deal　of　bargaining；ransom　of　45；000　pounds；　of　90；000　pounds；　finally　of　27；000　pounds　and　〃two　dozen　pair　of　gloves　to　the　Empress　Queen；〃made　off　about　five　in　the　morning；　wind　of　Moritz's　advance　adding　wings　to　the　speed　of　Haddick。　＇　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　715…723　（Haddick's　own　Account；　and　the　Berlin　one）。＇

Moritz　did　arrive　next　evening　（18th）；　but　with　his　tired　troops　there　was　no　catching　of　Haddick；　now　three　marches　ahead。　Royal　Family　and　effects　returned　from　Spandau　the　day　following；　but　in　a　day　or　two　more；　removed　to　Magdeburg　till　the　Capital　were　safe　from　such　affronts。　Much　grumbling　against　Rochow。　〃What　could　I　do？　How　could　I　know？〃　answered　Rochow；　whose　eyesight　indeed　had　been　none　of　the　best。　Berlin　smarts　to　the　length　of　27；000　pounds　and　an　alarm；　but　asserts　（not　quite　mythically；　thinks　Retzow）；　that　〃the　two　dozen　pair　of　gloves　were　all　gloves　for　the　left　hand；〃Berlin　having　wit；　and　a　touch　of　ABSINTHE　in　it；　capable　of　such　things！　Friedrich　heard　the　news　at　Annaburg；　a　march　beyond　Torgau；　and　there　paused；　again　uncertain；　for　about　a　week　coming；　after　which；　he　discovered　that　Leipzig　would　be　the　place；　and　returned　thither；　appointing　a　general　rendezvous　and　concentration　there。


SCENE　AT　REGENSBURG　IN　THE　INTERIM。

Just　while　Haddick　was　sliding　swiftly　through　the　woods；　Berlin　now　nigh；　there　occurred　a　thing　at　Regensburg；　tragic　thing；　but　ending　in　farce；Finale　of　REICHS…ACHT；　in　short；about　which　all　Regensburg　was　loud；　wailing　or　haha…ing　according　to　humor；　while　Berlin　was　paying　its　ransom　and　left…hand　gloves。　One　moment's　pause　upon　this；　though　our　haste　is　great。

〃Reichs　Diet　had　got　its　Ban　of　the　Reich　ready　for　Friedrich；　CITATIO　（solemn　Summons）　and　all　else　complete；　nothing　now　wanted　but　to　serve　Citatio　on　him；　or　'insinuate'　it　into　him；　as　their　phrase　is；which　latter　essential　point　occasions　some　shaking　of　wigs。　Dangerous；　serving　Citatio　in　that　quarter：　and　by　what　art　try　to　smuggle　it　into　the　hands　of　such　a　one？　'Insinuate　it　here　into　his；　Plotho's；　hand；　that　is　the　method；　and　that　will　suffice！'　say　the　wigs；　and　choose　an　unfortunate　Reichs　Notary；　Dr。　Aprill；　to　do　it；　who；　in　ponderous　Chancery…style；　gives　the　following　affecting　report；wonderful；　but　intelligible　（when　abridged）：

〃Citatio〃　to　come　and　receive　your　Ban；a　very　solemn…sounding　Document；　commencing　（or　perhaps　it　is　Aprill　himself　that　so　commences；　no　matter　which）；　〃'In　the　Name　of　the　Most　High　God；　the　Father；　Son　and　Holy　Ghost；　Amen；'was　given；　Wednesday；　12th　October；　in　the　Year　after　Christ　our　dear　Lord　and　Saviour's　Birth；　1757　Years；　To　me　Georgius　Mathias　Josephus　Aprill；　sworn　Kaiserlich　Notarius　Publicus；　In　my　Lodging；　first…floor　fronting　south；　in　Jacob　Virnrohr　the　Innkeeper's　House　here　at　Regensburg；　called　the　Red…Star；〃　for　insinuation　into　Plotho：

With　which　solemn　Piece；　Aprill　proceeded　next　day；　Thursday；　half…past　2　P。M。；　to　Plotho's　dwelling…place；　described　with　equal　irrefragability；　and；　continues　Aprill；　〃did　there；　by　a　servant　of　the　Herr　Ambassador　von　Plotho's；　announce　myself；　adding　that　I　had　something　to　say　to　his　Excellency；　if　he　would　please　to　admit　me。　To　which　the　Herr　Ambassador　by　the　same　servant　sent　answer；　that　he　was　ill　with　a　cold；　and　that　I　might　speak　to　his　Secretarius　what　I　had　to　say。　But；　as　I　replied　that　my　message　was　to　his　Excellenz　in　person；　the　same　servant　came　back　with　intimation　that　I　might　call　again　to…morrow　at　noon。〃

To…morrow；　at　the　stroke　of　noon；　Friday；　14th　October；　Aprill　punctually　appears　again；　with　recapitulation　of　the　pledge　given　him　yesterday；　and　is　informed　that　he　can　walk　up…stairs。　〃I　proceeded　thereupon；　the　servant　going　before；　up　one　pair　of　stairs；　or　with　the　appurtenances　（GEZEUGEN）　rather　more　than　one　pair；　into　the　Herr　Ambassador　Freiherr　von　Plotho's　Anteroom；　who；　just　as　we　were　entering；　stept　in　himself；　through　a　side…　door；　in　his　dressing…gown；　and　with　the　words；　'Speak　now　what　you　have　to　say。'

〃I　thereupon　slipt　into　his　hand　CITATIO　FISCALIS；　and　said〃said　at　first　nothing；　Plotho　avers；　merely　mumbled；　looked　like　some　poor　caitiff；　come　with　Law…papers　on　a　trifling　Suit　we　happen　to　have　in　the　Courts　here；and　only　by　degrees　said　（let　us　abridge；　SCENE；　Aprill　and　Plotho；　Anteroom　in　Regensburg；　first…floor　and　rather　higher）：

APTILL。　〃'I　have　to　give　your　Excellenz　this　Writing；＇which　privately；　could　your　Excellenz　guess　it；　is＇　CITATIO　FISCALIS　from　the　Reichstag；　summoning　his　Majesty　to　show　cause　why　Ban　of　the　Reich　should　not　pass　upon　him！'　His　Excellenz　at　first　took　the　CITATIO　and　adjuncts　from　me；　and　looking　into　them　to　see　what　they　were；　his　Excellenz's　face　began　to　color；　and　soon　after　to　color　a　little　more；　and　on　his　looking　attentively　at　CITATIO　FISCALIS；　he　broke　into　violent　anger　and　rage；　so　that　he　could　not　stand　still　any　longer；　but　with　burning　face；　and　both　arms　held　aloft；　rushed　close　to　me；　CITATIO　and　adjuncts　in　his　right　hand；　and　broke　out　in　this　form：

PLOTHO。　〃'What；　insinuate　（INSINUIEREN）；　you　scoundrel！'

APRILL。　〃'It　is　my　Notarial　Office；　I　must　do　it。'　In　spite　of　which　the　Freiherr　von　Plotho　fell　on　me　with　all　rage；　grasped　me　by　the　front　of　the　cloak；　and　said：

PLOTHO。　〃'Take　it　back；　wilt　thou！'　And　as　I　resisted　doing　so；　he　stuck　it　in　upon　me；　and　shoved　it　down　with　all　violence　between　my　coat　and　waistcoat；　and；　still　holding　me　by　the　cloak；　called　to　the　two　servants　who　had　been　there；　'Fling　him　down　stairs！'　which　they；　being　discreet　fellows；　and　in　no　flurry；　did　not　quite；　nor　needed　quite　to　do　（'Must；　sir；　you　see；　unless！'）；　and　so　forced　me　out　of　the　house；　Excellenz　Plotho　retiring　through　his　Anteroom；　and　his　Body…servant；　who　at　first　had　been　on　the　stairs；　likewise　disappearing　as　I　got　under　way；〃and　have　to　report；　in　such　manner；　to　the　Universe　and　Reichs　Diet；　with　tears　in　my　eyes。　＇Preuss；　ii。　397…401；　in　　Helden…Geschichte；