History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 19Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 19
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
"The Prussians have been divided into small sections, with a mass of
baggage-wagons and cavalry between every two. And no sooner is the mass
got in movement, than there rises from the Austrian part, and continues
all the way, loud invitation, 'Whosoever is a brave Saxon, a brave
Austrian, Reichsman, come to us! Gaps in the espalier, don't you
see!' And Schmettau, in the rear, with baggage and cavalry
intervening,--nobody can reach Schmettau. Here is a way of keeping your
bargain! The Prussian Officers struggle stoutly: but are bellowed at,
struck at, menaced by bayonet and bullet,--none of them shot, I think,
but a good several of them cut and wounded;--the Austrian Officers
themselves in passionate points behaving shamefully, 'Yes, shoot them
down, the (were it nothing else) heretic dogs;' and being throughout
evidently in a hot shivery frame of mind, forgetful of the laws. Seldom
was such a Procession; spite, rage and lawless revenge blazing out
more and more. On the whole, there deserted, through those gaps of
the espalier, about half of the whole Garrison. On Madam Schmettau's
hammercloth there sat, in the Schmettau livery, a hard-featured man,
recognizable by keen eyes as lately a Nailer, of the Nailer Guild here;
who had been a spy for Schmettau, and brought many persons into trouble:
him they tear down, and trample hither and thither,--at last, into some
Guard-house near by." [The Schmettau DIARIUM in ANONYMOUS OF HAMBURG,
iii. 364-376 (corrected chiefly from TEMPELHOF): Protest, and
Correspondence in consequence, is in Seyfarth, _Beylagen,_ ii. 611-621;
in _ Helden-Geschichte,_ &c. &c.]
Schmettau's protest against all this is vehement, solemnly
circumstantial: but, except in regard to the trampled Nailer (Zweibruck
on that point "heartily sorry for the insult to your Excellency's
livery; and here the man is, with a thousand apologies"), Schmettau got
no redress. Nor had Friedrich any, now or henceforth. Friedrich did at
once, more to testify his disgust than for any benefit, order Schmettau:
"Halt at Wittenberg, not at Magdeburg as was pretended to be bargained.
Dismiss your Escort of Austrians there; bid them home at once, and out
of your sight." Schmettau himself he ordered to Berlin, to idle waiting.
Never again employed Schmettau: for sixteen years that they lived
together, never saw his face more.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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