登陆注册
5272000000009

第9章 CHAPTER III.(2)

I went the same day to pay my respects to the King, who, receiving me with great coldness, said, "Since your cousin has returned your own horses, you have no more need of mine."There were too many who envied me to suppose these words would escape repetition. The return of the horses seems infinitely to have increased that suspicion Frederic entertained against me, and therefore became one of the principal causes of my misfortunes: it is for this reason that I dwell upon this and suchlike small incidents, they being necessary for my own justification, and, were it possible, for that of the King. My innocence is, indeed, at present universally acknowledged by the court, the army, and the whole nation; who all mention the injustice I suffered with pity, and the fortitude with which it was endured with surprise.

We marched for Silesia, to enter on our second campaign: which, to the Prussians, was as bloody and murderous as it was glorious.

The King's head-quarters were fixed at the convent of Kamentz, where we rested fourteen days, and the army remained in cantonments.

Prince Charles, instead of following us into Bohemia, had the imprudence to occupy the plain of Strigau, and we already concluded his army was beaten. Whoever is well acquainted with tactics, and the Prussian manoeuvres, will easily judge, without the aid of calculation or witchcraft, whether a well or ill-disciplined army, in an open plain, ought to be victorious.

The army hastily left its cantonments, and in twenty-four hours was in order of battle; and on the 14th of June, eighteen thousand bodies lay stretched on the plain of Strigau. The allied armies of Austria and Saxony were totally defeated.

The body guard was on the right; and previous to the attack, the King said to our squadron, "Prove today, my children, that you are my body guard, and give no Saxon quarter."We made three attacks on the cavalry, and two on the infantry.

Nothing could withstand a squadron like this, which for men, horses, courage, and experience, was assuredly the first in the world. Our corps alone took seven standards and five pairs of colours, and in less than an hour the affair was over.

I received a pistol shot in my right hand, my horse was desperately wounded, and I was obliged to change him on the third charge. The day after the battle all the officers were rewarded with the Order of Merit. For my own part, I remained four weeks among the wounded, at Schweidnitz, where there were sixteen thousand men under the torture of the army surgeons, many of whom had not their wounds dressed till the third day.

I was near three months before I recovered the use of my hand: Inevertheless rejoined my corps, continued to perform my duty, and as usual accompanied the King when he went to reconnoitre. For some time past he had placed confidence in me, and his kindness towards me continually increased, which raised my gratitude even to enthusiasm.

I also performed the service of adjutant during this campaign, a circumstantial account of which no person is better enabled to write than myself, I having been present at all that passed. I was the scholar of the greatest master the art of war ever knew, and who believed me worthy to receive his instructions; but the volume I am writing would be insufficient to contain all that personally relates to myself.

I must here mention an adventure that happened at this time, and which will show the art of the great Frederic in forming youth for his service, and devotedly attaching them to his person.

I was exceedingly fond of hunting, in which, notwithstanding it was severely forbidden, I indulged myself. I one day returned, laden with pheasants; but judge my astonishment and fears when I saw the army had decamped, and that it was with difficulty that I could overtake the rear-guard.

In this my distress, I applied to an officer of hussars, who instantly lent me his horse, by the aid of which I rejoined my corps, which always marched as the vanguard. Mounting my own horse, I tremblingly rode to the head of my division, which it was my duty to precede. The King, however, had remarked my absence, or rather had been reminded of it by my superior officer, who, for some time past, had become my enemy.

Just as the army halted to encamp, the King rode towards me, and made a signal for me to approach, and, seeing my fears in my countenance, said, "What, are you just returned from hunting?""Yes, your Majesty. I hope--" Here interrupting me, he added, "Well, well, for this time, I shall take no further notice, remembering Potzdam; but, however, let me find you more attentive to your duty."So ended this affair, for which I deserved to have been broken. Imust remind my readers that the King meant by the words remembering Potzdam, he remembered I had been punished too severely the winter before, and that my present pardon was intended as a compensation.

This was indeed to think and act greatly; this was indeed the true art of forming great men: an art much more effectual than that of ferocious generals, who threaten subalterns with imprisonment and chains on every slight occasion; and, while indulging all the rigours of military law, make no distinction of minds or of men.

Frederic, on the contrary, sometimes pardoned the failings of genius, while mechanic souls he mechanically punished, according to the very letter of the laws of war.

I shall further remark, the King took no more notice of my late fault, except that sometimes, when I had the honour to dine with him, he would ridicule people who were too often at the chase, or who were so choleric that they took occasion to quarrel for the least trifle.

同类推荐
  • 国朝诗话

    国朝诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说炽盛光大威德消灾吉祥陀罗尼经

    佛说炽盛光大威德消灾吉祥陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 俗说

    俗说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 衣钵名义章

    衣钵名义章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 地藏菩萨经

    地藏菩萨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生之成为现代女神

    重生之成为现代女神

    前世她是修真界的修士,重生到了一个同名的女孩身上,开始了现代之旅。(松鼠新建了群:462485498,现在里面还没有人,欢迎大家进驻!)
  • 艾暖尔(中国好小说)

    艾暖尔(中国好小说)

    十七年前,一个是无奈的抛弃,一个是求子心切的收养,女孩的人生是阴差阳错,还是命中注定?本以为平静的生活却因一个孩子的降临“区别”出亲生与所养,而少女天生的敏感,无意间更是埋下了诸多的误会与间隙。一次不幸的车祸让这两位站在女孩生命两端的女人终于相遇,女孩的身世也渐渐浮出水面……人生中有太多的不得已,无怪乎生活,也无怪乎命运,原谅每一颗做母亲的心,你得到的,将是双倍的亲情和幸福。
  • 与仙君不得不说的二三事

    与仙君不得不说的二三事

    既是相逢不相识,从此天涯陌路人。“温润似玉如你,在见识了这么不堪的我后,也终究不过是转身离去了吧”“见你所见,听你所听;你依然不信我,我中意的从来都是你不曾变过;所谓陌路之人,我若不愿,那便只能是纸张上的几字罢了。”情之一字所引二三事。
  • 皇妃也疯狂

    皇妃也疯狂

    楚筱筱,当朝最尊贵的皇妃,出身太师府上又独占皇恩,后宫一副副獠牙终于在她失势之后撕人,一不小心遭人暗算,被推下了御花园的池塘。一梦醒来,她发誓要报这一推之仇的!可是!她竟然穿越到了现代!车水马龙灯红酒绿……这都不是事!最重要的是自己代替的居然是一个在现代微如草芥的小女仆!恶霸主子又找上门来说她偷了珠宝……是屈服还是改命,对于楚筱筱来说很容易选择的!
  • Ulysses

    Ulysses

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 文殊师利问经

    文殊师利问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 亲亲我的妈妈

    亲亲我的妈妈

    在十岁之前,男孩赵安迪从来没见过他的妈妈。在爸爸葬礼那天,他的妈妈从天而降,而赵 安迪也从被爸爸、姑姑宠爱的“安宝儿”,变成了妈妈口中的“弟弟”,并跟随她离开家乡的小城,来到繁华的南京城,开始全新的生活。渐渐地,弟弟发现妈妈有很多秘密……
  • 宠物情深

    宠物情深

    宠物狗小白与主人相依相伴,与他们一起走过的点点滴滴让他们建立了深厚的感情……
  • 史上最强崇祯

    史上最强崇祯

    穿越成崇祯,南有李闯逼着上吊,北有鞑清虎视眈眈,且看朕如何以毒攻毒,让东林党统统去死,做一个乱世昏君!东林诸臣:最怕皇帝不要脸!新书《我真不是木匠皇帝》已发。(普群:1057092116,进V群找管理拉人)
  • 断命师

    断命师

    生辰八字,断人一生。上海滩皇帝:杜月笙。八字:戊子,庚申,乙丑,壬午。1924年,甲子流年,兄弟到位,执掌青帮。1930年,官印相生,盛极一时,终了之时,寅申,卯酉相冲,金气旺盛,故死于呼吸道疾病!乱世枭雄东北王:张作霖。八字:乙亥,己卯,庚辰,癸未。格局:六阴朝阳。命带魁罡加将星,主带兵打仗,杀伐果断。1928年,大运甲戌,太岁戊戌,天克地冲,土旺破格,命陨皇姑屯!特务头子:戴笠。八字:丁酉,乙巳,丙辰,丁酉。格局:双凤朝阳。八字火旺,克父,38岁辛丑大运,事业腾飞,如日中天。庚子大运,火星受至,止步于此!