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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第7章

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ce called Seltz; Friedrich finds his side of the Strath to be 〃a little higher than the other;〃proper; therefore; for cannonading the other; if need be;and orders his pontoons to be built together there。 He knows accurately of the Schwerin Column; of the comfortable Bevern Victory at Reichenberg; and how they have got the Jung…Bunzlau Magazine; and are across the Elbe; their bridges all secured; though with delay of one day; and do now wait only for the word;for the three cannon…shot; in fact; which are to signify that Friedrich is actually crossing to their side of Lower Moldau。

Friedrich's Bridge is speedily built (trained human hands can be no speedier); his batteries planted; his precautions taken: the three cannon…shot go off; audible to Schwerin; and Friedrich's troops stream speedily across; hardly a Pandour to meddle with them。 Nay; before the passage was completewhat light…horse squadrons are these? Hussars; seen to be Seidlitz's (missioned by Schwerin); appear on the outskirts: a meeting worthy of three cheers; surely; after such a march on both sides! Friedrich lies on the eastern Hill…tops that night (Hamlet of Czimitz his Head…quarter; discoverable if you wish it; scarcely three miles north of Prag); and accurate appointment is made with Schwerin as to the meeting…place to…morrow morning。 Meeting…place is to be the environs of Prossik Village; southeastward over yonder; short way north of the Prag…Konigsgratz Highway; and rather nearer Prag than we now are; in Czimitz here: time at Prossik to be 6 A。M。 by the clock; and Winterfeld and Schwerin to come in person and speak with his Majesty。 This is the program for Friday; May 6th; which proves to be so memorable a day。

Schwerin is on foot by the stroke of midnight; comes along; 〃over the heights of Chaber;〃 by half a dozen; or I know not how many roads; visible in due time to Friedrich's people; who are likewise punctually on the advance: in a word; the junction is accomplished with all correctness。 And; while the Columns are marching up; Schwerin and Winterfeld ride about in personal conference with his Majesty; taking survey; through spy…glasses; of those Austrians encamped yonder on the broad back of their Zisca Hill; a couple of miles to southward。 〃What a set of Austrians;〃 exclaim military critics; 〃to permit such junction; without effort to devour the one half or the other; in good time!〃 Friedrich himself; it is probable; might partly be of the same opinion; but he knew his Austrians; and had made bold to venture。 Friedrich; we can observe; always got to know his man; after fighting him a month or two; and took liberties with him; or did not take; accordingly。 And; for most part;not quite always; as one signal exception will Show; he does it with perfect accuracy; and often with vital profit to his measures。 〃If the Austrian cooking…tents are a…smoke before eight in the morning;〃 notes he; 〃you may calculate; in such case; the Austrians will march that day。〃 'MILITARY INSTRUCTIONS。' With a surprising vividness of eye and mind (beautiful to rival; if one could); he watches the signs of the times; of the hours and the days and the places; and prophesies from them; reads men and their procedures; as if they were mere handwriting; not too cramp for him。The Austrians have; by this time; got their Konigseck home; very unvictorious; but still on foot; all but a thousand or two: they are already stronger than the Prussians by count of heads; and till even Daun come up; what hurry in a Post like this? The Austrians are viewing Friedrich; too; this morning; but in the blankest manner: their outposts fire a cannon…shot or two on his group of adjutants and him; without effect; and the Head people send their cavalry out to forage; so little prophecy have they from signs seen。

Zisca Hill; where the Austrians now are; rises sheer up; of well… nigh precipitous steepness; though there are trees and grass on it; from the eastern side of Prag; say five or six hundred feet。 A steep; picturesque; massive green Hill; Moldau River; turning suddenly to right; strikes the northwest corner of it (has flowed well to west of it; till then); and winds eastward round its northern base。 As will be noticed presently。 The ascent of Ziscaberg; by roads; is steep and tedious: but once at the top; you find that it is precipitous on two sides only; the City or westward side; and the Moldau or northward。 Atop it spreads out; far and wide; into a waving upland level; bare of hedges; ploughable all of it; studded with littery hamlets and farmsteadings; far and wide; a kind of Plain; sloping with extreme gentleness; five or six miles to eastward; and as far to southward; before the level perceptibly rise again。

Another feature of the Ziscaberg; already hinted at; is very notable: that of the Moldau skirting its northern base; and scarping the Hill; on that side too; into a precipitous; or very steep condition。 Moldau having arrived from southward; fairly past the end of Ziscaberg; had; so to speak; made up his mind to go right eastward; quarrying his way through the lower uplands there; And he proceeds accordingly; hugging the northern base of Ziscaberg; and making it steep enough; but finds; in the course of a mile or so; that he can no more; upland being still rock…built; not underminable farther; and so is obliged to wind round again; to northward; and finally straight westward; the way he came; or parallel to the way he came; and has effected that great Horse…shoe Hollow we heard of lately。 An extremely pretty Hollow; and curious to look upon; pretty villas; gardens; and a 〃Belvedere Park;〃 laid out in the bottom part; with green mountain…walls rising all round it; and a silver ring of river at the base of them: length of Horse…shoe; from heel to toe; or from west to east; is perhaps a mile; breadth; from heel to heel; perhaps half as much。 Having arrived at his old distance to west; Moldau; like a repentant prodigal; and as if ashamed of his frolic; just over against the old point he swerved from; takes straight to northward again。 Straight northward; and quarries out that fine narrow valley; or Quasi…Highland Strath; with its pleasant busy villages; where he turns the overshot machinery; and where Friedrich and his men had their pontoons swimming yesterday。

It is here; on this broad back of the Ziscaberg; that the Austrians now lie; looking northward over to the King; and trying cannon… shots upon him。 There they have been encamping; and diligently intrenching themselves for four days past; diligent especially since yesterday; when they heard of Friedrich's crossing the River。 Their groups of tents; and batteries at all the good points; stretch from near the crown of Ziscaberg; eastward to the Villages of Hlaupetin; Kyge; and their Lakes; near four miles; and rearward into the interior one knows not how far;Prince Karl; hardly awake yet; lies at Nussel; near the Moldau; near the Wischerad or southeastmost point of Prag; six good miles west…by…south of Kyge; at the other end of the diagonal line。 About the same distance; right east from Nussel; and a mile or more to south of Kyge; over yonder; is a littery Farmstead named Sterbohol; which is not yet occupied by the Austrians; but wi
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