history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第84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！
all this is undeniable； and worth our recognition in estimating Friedrich。 One considerably extenuating circumstance does at last turn up；in the shape of a new piece of blame to the erring Friedrich； his sudden anger； namely； against the meritorious General Retzow； his putting Retzow under arrest that Tuesday Evening： 〃How； General Retzow？ You have not taken hold of the Stromberg for me！〃 That is the secret of Retzow： and on studying the ground you will find that the Stromberg； a blunt tabular Hill； of good height； detached； and towering well up over all that region； might have rendered Friedrich's position perfectly safe。 〃Seize me the Stromberg to…morrow morning； the first thing！〃 ordered Friedrich。 And a Detachment went accordingly； but found Daun's people already there；indisposed to go； nay determined not to go； and getting reinforced to unlimited amounts。 So that the Stromberg was left standing； and remained Daun's； furnished with plenty of cannon by Daun。 Retzow's arrest； Retzow being a steady favorite of Friedrich's； was only of a few hours： 〃pardonable that oversight；〃 thinks Friedrich； though it came to cost him dear。 For the rest； I find； Friedrich's keeping of this Camp； without the Stromberg； was intended to end； the third day hence： 〃Saturday； 14th； then； since Friday proves impossible！〃 Friedrich had settled。 And it did end Saturday； 14th； though at an earlier HOUR； and with other results than had been expected。 Keith said； 〃The Austrians deserve to be hanged if they don't attack us here。〃 〃We must hope they are more afraid of us than even of the gallows；〃 answered Friedrich。 A very dangerous Camp； untenable without the Stromberg。 Let us try to understand it； and Daun's position to it； in some slight degree。
〃Hochkirch （HIGHkirk） is an old Wendish…Saxon Village； standing pleasantly on its Hill…top； conspicuous for miles round on all sides； or on all but the south side； where it abuts upon other Heights； which gradually rise into Hills a good deal higher than it。 The Village hangs confusedly； a jumble of cottages and colegarths； on the crown and north slope of the Height； thatched； in part tiled； and built mostly of rough stone blocks； in our time；not of wood； as probably in Friedrich's。 A solid； sluttishly comfortable…looking Village； with pleasant hay…fields； or long narrow hay…stripes （each villager has his stripe）； reaching down to the northern levels。 The Church is near the top； Churchyard； and some little space farther； are nearly horizontal ground； till the next Height begins sloping up again towards the woody Hills southward。 The view from this little esplanade atop； still better from the Church belfry； is wide and pretty。 Free on all sides except the south： pleasant Heights and Hollows； of arable； of wood； or pasture； well watered by rushing Brooks； all making northward； direct for Spree （the Berlin Spree）； or else into the Lobau Water； which is the first big branch of Spree。
〃The place is still partly of Wendish speech； the Parson has to preach one half of the Sunday in Wend； the other in German。 Among the Hills to south；〃 well worth noting at present； 〃is one called CZARNABOG； or 'Devil's Hill；' where the Wendish Devil and his Witches （equal to any German on his Blocksberg； or preternatural Bracken of the Harz） hold their annual WITCHES'… SABBATH；a thing not to be contemplated without a shudder by the Wendish mind。 Thereabouts； and close from Hochkirch southward； all is shadowy intricacy of thicket and wild wood。 Northward too from Hochkirch； and all about； I perceive the scene was woodier then than now；and must have looked picturesque enough （had anybody been in quest of that）； with the multifarious uniforms； and tented people sprinkled far and wide among the leafy red…and…yellow of October； 1758。〃 ＇Tourist's Note； September； 1858。＇
In the Village of Wuischke； precisely at the northern base of that shaggy Czarnabog or Devil's Hill； stand Loudon and 3；000 Croats and grenadiers； as the extreme left of Daun's position。 Wuischke is nearly straight south of Hochkirch； so far westward has Loudon pushed forward with his Croats； hidden among the Hills； though Daun's general position lies a good mile to east of Friedrich's：irregularly north and south； both Friedrich and Daun； the former ignorant what Croats and Loudonries； there may be among those Devil's Hills to his right； the latter not ignorant。 Friedrich's right wing； Keith in command of it； stretches to Hochkirch and a little farther： beyond Hochkirch； it has Four flank Battalions in potence form； with proper vedettes and pickets； and above all； with a strong Battery of Twenty Guns； which it maintains on the next Height immediately adjoining Hochkirch； and perceptibly higher than Hochkirch。 This is the finis of Keith on his right； andexcept those vedettes； and pickets of Free…corps people； thrown out a little way ahead into the bushes； on that sideFriedrich's right wing knows nothing of the shaggy elevations horrent with wood； which lie to southward； and merely intends to play its Twenty Cannon upon them； should they give birth to anything。 This is Friedrich's posture on his right or south wing。
From Hochkirch northward or nearly so； but sprinkled about in all the villages and points of strength； as far up as Drehsa and beyond Drehsa； to near Kotitz； a less important village； Friedrich extends about four miles； centre at Rodewitz； where his own head…quarter is； above two miles north of Hochkirch。 Not far from Rodewitz； but a little to left and ahead； stands his second and best Battery； of Thirty Guns； ready to play upon Lauska； a poor village； and its roadway； should the Austrians try anything there； or from their Stromberg post； which is a good mile behind Lauska。 His strength； in these lines； some count to be only 28；000； or less。 Four or five miles to northeast； in and behind Weissenberg （which we used to know last summer）； lies Retzow； with perhaps 10 or 12；000； which will bring him up to 40；000； were they properly joined with him as a left wing。 Daun's force counts 90；000； with Friedrich lying under his nose in this insolent manner。
Daun's head…quarter； as we said； is Kittlitz； a Village some two miles short of Lobau； in the direction southeast of Friedrich； perhaps five miles to southeast of Rodewitz； Friedrich's lodging。 It is close upon the Bautzen…Zittau Highway； Zittau some twenty miles to south of it； Herrnhuth and the pacific Brethren about half…way thither。 Kittlitz lies more to south than Hochkirch itself； and Daun's outposts； as we saw； circle quite round among those Devil's Hills； and envelop Friedrich's right flank。 But Daun's main force lies chiefly northward； and well to west； of Kittlitz； parallel to Friedrich； and eastward of him； with elaborate intrenchments； every village； brook； bridge； height and bit of good ground； Stromberg to end with； punctually secured。 Obliquely over the Stromberg； holding the Stromberg and certain Villages to southeast and to northwest of it； lies D'Ahremberg； as right wing： about 20；000 he； put into oblique potence； looking into Kotitz； which is Friedrich's extreme left； and in a good measure dividing Friedrich from the Retzow 10；000。 And lastly； as reserve； in front of Reichenbach； eight or nine miles to east of all that； lies the Prince of Baden…Durlach； 25；000 or so； barring Retzow on that side； and all attempts on the Silesian Road there。 Daun's lines； not counting in the southern outposts or Devil's…Hill parties； are considerably longer than Friedrich's； and also considerably deeper。 The two head…quarters are about five miles apart： but the two frontsdivided by a brook and good hollow running here （one of many such； making all for Lobau Water）are not half a mile apart。 Towards Hochkirch and the top of this brook； the opposing posts are quite crammed close on one another； divided only by their hollow。 Many brooks； each with a definite hollow； run tinkling about here； swift but straitened to get out； especially Lobau Water； which receives them all； has to take a quite meandering circling course （through Daun's quarters and beyond them） before it can disembogue in Spree； and decidedly set out for Berlin under that new name。 The Landscapeseen from Hochkirch Village； still better from the Church…st
