frederick the great and his family-第61章

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o　be　dragons'　teeth；　which　produced　armed　warriors。

In　the　camps　of　the　allied　Austrians；　Saxons；　and　Russians　hunger　and　sickness　prevailed。　In　Vienna；　Petersburg；　and　Dresden；　the　costs　and　burden　of　the　war　were　felt　to　be　almost　insupportable。　The　Prussian　army　was　healthy；　their　magazines　well　stocked；　and；　thanks　to　the　English　subsidy；　the　treasury　seemed　inexhaustible。　Three　years；　as　we　have　said；　of　never…ceasing　struggle　had　gone　by。　The　heroic　brow　of　the　great　Frederick　had　been　wreathed　with　new　laurels。　The　battles　of　Losovitz；　of　Rossbach；　of　Leuthen；　and　of　Zorndorf　were　such　dazzling　victories　that　they　were　not　even　obscured　by　the　defeats　of　Collin　and　Hochkirch。　The　allies　made　their　shouts　of　victory　resound　throughout　all　Europe；　and　used　every　means　to　produce　the　impression　upon　the　armies　and　the　people　that　these　victories　were　decisive。

Another　fearful　enemy；　armed　with　words　of　Holy　Writ；　was　now　added　to　the　list　of　those　who　had　attacked　him　with　the　sword。　This　new　adversary　was　Pope　Clement　XIII。　He　mounted　the　apostolic　throne　in　May；　1758；　and　immediately　declared　himself　the　irreconcilable　foe　of　the　little　Marquis　of　Brandenburg；　who　had　dared　to　hold　up　throughout　Prussia　all　superstition　and　bigotry　to　mockery　and　derision；　who　had　illuminated　the　holy　gloom　and　obscurity　of　the　church　with　the　clear　light　of　reason　and　truth；　who　misused　the　priests　and　religious　orders；　and　welcomed　and　assisted　in　Prussia　all　those　whom　the　holy　mother　Catholic　Church　banished　for　heresies　and　unbelief。

Benedict；　the　predecessor　of　the　present　pope；　was　also　known　to　have　been　the　enemy　of　Frederick；　but　he　was　wise　enough　to　be　silent　and　not　draw　down　upon　the　cloisters；　and　colleges；　and　Catholics　of　Prussia　the　rage　of　the　king。

But　Clement；　in　his　fanatical　zeal；　was　not　satisfied　to　pursue　this　course。　He　was　resolved　to　do　battle　against　this　heretical　king。　He　fulminated　the　anathemas　of　the　church　and　bitter　imprecations　against　him；　and　showered　down　words　of　blessing　and　salvation　upon　all　those　who　declared　themselves　his　foes。　Because　of　this　fanatical　hatred；　Austria　received　a　new　honor；　a　new　title　from　the　hands　of　the　pope。　As　a　reward　for　her　enmity　to　this　atheistical　marquis；　and　the　great　service　which　she　had　rendered　in　this　war；　the　pope　bestowed　the　title　of　apostolic　majesty　upon　the　empress　and　her　successors。　Not　only　the　royal　house　of　Austria；　but　the　generals　and　the　whole　army　of　pious　and　believing　Christians；　should　know　and　feel　that　the　blessing　of　the　pope　rested　upon　their　arms；　protecting　them　from　adversity　and　defeat。　The　glorious　victory　of　Hochkirch　must　be　solemnly　celebrated；　and　the　armies　of　the　allies　incited　to　more　daring　deeds　of　arms。

For　this　reason；　Pope　Clement　sent　to　Field…Marshal　Daun；　who　had　commanded　at　the　battle　of　Hochkirch；　a　consecrated　hat　and　sword；　thus　changing　this　political　into　a　religious　war。　It　was　no　longer　a　question　of　earthly　possessions；　but　a　holy　contest　against　an　heretical　enemy　of　mother　church。　Up　to　this　time；　these　consecrated　gifts　had　been　only　bestowed　upon　generals　who　had　already　subdued　unbelievers　or　subjugated　barbarians。　＇Footnote：　OEuvres　Posthumes；　vol。　iii。＇

But　King　Frederick　of　Prussia　laughed　at　these　attacks　of　God's　vicegerent。　To　his　enemies；　armed　with　the　sword；　he　opposed　his　own　glittering　blade；　to　his　popish　enemy；　armed　with　the　tongue　and　the　pen；　he　opposed　the　same　weapons。　He　met　the　first　in　the　open　field；　the　last　in　winter　quarters；　through　those　biting；　mocking；　keen　Fliegenden　Blattern；　which　at　that　time　made　all　Europe　roar　with　laughter；　and　crushed　and　brought　to　nothing　the　great　deeds　of　the　pope　by　the　curse　of　ridicule。

The　consecrated　hat　and　sword　of　Field…Marshal　Daun　lost　its　value　through　the　letter　of　thanks　from　Daun　to　the　pope；　which　the　king　intercepted；　and　which；　even　in　Austria；　was　laughed　at　and　made　sport　of。

The　congratulatory　letter　of　the　Princess　Soubise　to　Daun　was　also　made　public；　and　produced　general　merriment。

When　the　pope　called　Frederick　the　〃heretical　Marchese　di　Brandenburgo；〃　the　king　returned　the　compliment　by　calling　him　the　〃Grand　Lama；〃　and　delighted　himself　over　the　assumed　infallibility　of　the　vicegerent　of　the　Most　High。

But　the　king　not　only　scourged　the　pope　with　his　satirical　penthe　modest　and　prudish　Empress　Maria　Theresa　was　also　the　victim　of　his　wit。　He　wrote　a　letter；　supposed　to　be　from　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour　to　the　Queen　of　Hungary；　in　which　the　inexplicable　friendship　between　the　virtuous　empress　and　the　luxurious　mistress　of　Louis　was　mischievously　portrayed。　This　letter　of　Frederick's　was　spread　abroad　in　every　direction；　and　people　were　not　only　naive　enough　to　read　it；　but　to　believe　it　genuine。　The　Austrian　court　saw　itself　forced　to　the　public　declaration　that　all　these　letters　were　false；　that　Field…Marshal　Daun　had　not　received　a　consecrated　wig；　but　a　hat；　and　that　the　empress　had　never　received　a　letter　of　this　character　from　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour。　＇Footnote：　In　this　letter　the　marquise　complained　bitterly　that　the　empress　had　made　it　impossible　for　her　to　hasten　to　Vienna　and　offer　her　the　homage；　the　lore；　the　friendship　she　cherished　for　her　in　her　heart。　The　empress　had　established　a　court　of　virtue　and　modesty　in　Vienna；　and　this　tribunal　could　hardly　receive　the　Pompadour　graciously。　The　marquise；　therefore；　entreated　the　empress　to　execute　judgment　against　this　fearful　tribunal　of　virtue；　and　to　bow　to　the　yoke　of　the　omnipotent　goddess　Venus。　All　these　letters　can　be　seen　in　the　〃Supplement　aux　OEuvres　Posthumes。〃＇　These　Fliegende　Blattern；　as　we　have　said；　were　the　weapons　with　which　King　Frederick　fought　against　his　enemies　when　the　rough；　inclement　winter　made　it　impossible　for　him　to　meet　them　in　the　open　field。　In　the　winter　quarters　in　1758　most　of　those　letters　appeared；　and　no　one　but　the　Marquis　d'Argens；　the　most　faithful　friend　of　Frederick；　guessed　who　was　the　author　of　these　hated　and　feared　satires。

The　enemies　of　the　king　also　made　use　of　this　winter　rest　to　make　every　possible　aggression；　they　had　their　acquaintances　and　spies　throughout　Germany；　under　various　pretences　and　disguises；　they　were　scattered　abroadeven　in　the　highest　court　circles　of　Berlin　they　were　zealously　at　work。　By　flattery；　and　bribery；　and　glittering　promises；　they　made　friends　and　adherents；　and　in　the　capital　of　Prussia　they　found　ready　supporters　and　informers。　They　were　not　satisfied　with　thisthey　were　haughty　and　bold　enough　to　seek　for　allies　among　the　Prussians；　and　hoped　to　obtain　entrance　into　the　walls　of　the　cities；　and　possession　of　the　fortresses　by　treachery。

The　Austrian　and　Russian　prisoners　confined　in　the　fortress　of　Kustrin　conspired　to　give　it　up　to　the　enemy。　The　number　of　Russian　prisoners　sent　to　the　fortress　of　Kustrin　after　the　battle　of　Zorndorf；　was　twice　as　numerous　as　the　garrison；　and　if　they　could　succeed　in　getting　possession　of　the　hundred　cannon　captured　at　Zorndorf；　and　placed　as　victorious　trophies　in　the　market…place；　it　would　be　an　easy　thing　to　fall　upon　and　overcome　the　garrison。

This　plan　was　all　arranged；　and　about　to　be　carried　out；　but　it　was　discovered　the　day　before　its　completion。　The　Prussian　commander　doubled　the　guard　before　the　casemates　in　which　three　thousand　Russian　prisoners　were　confined；　and　arrested　the　Russian　officers。　Their　leader；　Lieutenant　von　Yaden　of　Courland；　was　accused；　condemned　by　the　court…martial；　and；　by　the　express　command　of　the　king；　broken　upon　the　wheel。　Even　this　terrible　example　bore　little　fruit。　Ever　new　attempts　were　being　madeever　new　conspiracies　discovered　amongst　the　prisoners；　and　whilst　the　armies　of　the　allies　were　attacking　Prussia　outwardly；　the　prisoners　were　carrying　on　a　not　less　dangerous　guerilla　warthe　more　to　be　feared　because　it　was　secretnot　in　the　open　field　and　by　day；　but　under　the　shadow　of　night　and　the　veil　of　conspiracy。

Nowhere　was　this　warfare　carried　on　more　vigorously　than　in　Berlin。　All　the　French　taken　at　Rossbach；　all　the　Austrians　captured　at　Leuthen；　and　the　Russian　officers　of　high　rank　taken　at　Zorndorf；　had　been　sent　by　the　king　to　Berlin。　They　had　the　most　enlarged　liberty；　the　whole　city　was　their　prison；　and　only　their　word　of　honor　bound　them　not　to　leave　the　walls　of　Berlin。　Besides　this；　all　were　zealous　to　alleviate　the　sorrows　of　the　〃poor　captives；〃　and　by　fetes　and　genial　amusements　to　make　them　forget　their　captivity。　The　doors　of　all　the　first　houses　were　opened　to　the　distinguished　strangerseverywhere　they　were　welcome　guests；　and　there　was　no　assembly　at　the　palace　to　which　they　were　not　invited。

Even　in　these　fearful　times；　balls　and　fetes　were　given　at　the　court。　Anxious　and　sad　faces　were　hidden　under　gay　masks；　and　the　loud　sound　of　music　and　dancing　drowned　the　heavy　sighs　of　the　desponding。　While　the　Austrians；　Russians；　and　Prussians　strove　with　each　other　on　the　bloody　battle…field；　the　Berlin　ladies　danced　the　graceful　Parisienne　dances　with　the　noble　prisoners。　This　was　now　the　mode。

Truly　there　were　many　aching　hearts　in　this　gay　and　merry　city；　but　they　hid　their　grief　and　tears　in　their　quiet；　lonely　chambers；　and　their　clouded　brows　cast　no　shadow　upon　the　laughing；　rosy　faces　of　the　beautiful　women　whose　brothers；　husbands；　and　lovers；　were　far　away　on　the　bloody　battle…field　If　not　exactly　willing　to　accept　these　strangers　as　substitutes；　they　were　at　least　glad　to　seek　distraction　in　their　society。　After　all；　it　is　impossible　to　be　always　mourning；　always　complaining；　always　leading　a　cloistered　life。　In　the　beginning；　the　oath　of　constancy　and　remembrance；　which　all　had　sworn　at　parting；　had　been　religiously　preserved；　and　Berlin　had　the　physiognomy　of　a　lovely；　interesting；　but　dejected　widow；　who　knew　and　wished　to　know　nothing　of　the　joys　of　life。　But　suddenly　Nature　had　asserted　her　own　inexorable　laws；　which　teach　forgetfulness　and　inspire　hope。　The　bitterest　ears　were　driedthe　heaviest　sighs　suppressed；　people　had　learned　to　reconcile　themselves　to　life；　and　to　snatch　eagerly　at　every　ray　of　sunshine　which　could　illumine　the　cold；　hopeless　desert；　which　surrounded　them。

They　had　seen　that　it　was　quite　possible　to　live　comfortably；　even　while　wild　war　was　blustering　and　raging　withoutthat　weak；　frail　human　nature；　refused　to　be　ever　strained；　ever　excited；　in　the　expectation　of　great　events。　In　the　course　of　these　three　fearful　years；　even　the　saddest　had　learned　again　to　laugh；　jest；　and　be　gay；　in　spite　of　death　and　defeat。　They　loved　their　fatherlandthey　shouted　loudly　and　joyfully　over　the　great　victories　of　their　king　they　grieved　sincerely　over　his　defeats；　but　they　could　not　carry　their　animosities　so　far　as　to　be　cold　and　strange　to　the　captive　officers　who　were　compelled　by　the　chances　of　war　to　remain　in　Berlin。

They　had　so　long　striven　not　to　seek　to　revenge　themselves　upon　these　powerless　captives；　that　they　had　at　last　truly　forgotten　they　were　enemies；　and　these　handsome；　entertaining；　captivating；　gallant　gentlemen　were　no　longer　looked　upon　even　as　prisoners；　but　as　strangers　and　travellers；　and　therefore　they　should　receive　the　honors　of　the　city。　＇Footnote：　Sulzer　writes：　〃The　prisoners　of　war　are　treated