太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17 >

第5节

history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17-第5节

小说: history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17 字数: 每页4000字

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!



est rank there; as Hanbury well knows。 'His Letters (in Raumer); PASSIM。' That of Poniatowski proved; otherwise too; a notable stroke of Hanbury's; and shot the poor Polish Coxcomb aloft into tragic altitudes; on the sudden; as we all know!

Hanbury's immense dexterities; and incessant labors at Petersburg; shall lie hidden in the slop…pails: it is enough to say; his guineas; his dexterities and auxiliary Poniatowskis did prevail; and he triumphantly signed his Treaty (Petersburg; 30th September) 〃Subsidy…Treaty for 55;000 men; 15;000 of them cavalry;〃 not to speak of 〃40 to 50 galleys〃 and the like; 〃to attack whomsoever Britannic Majesty bids: annual cost a mere 500;OOO pounds while on service; 100;000 pounds while waiting。〃 'In  Adelung;  vii。 609。' And; what is more; and what our readers are to mark; the 55;000 begin on the instant to assemble;along the Livonian Frontier or Lithuanian; looking direct into Preussen。 Diligently rendezvousing there; 55;000 of them; nay gradually 70;000; no stinginess in the Czarina to her Ally of England。 A most triumphant thing; thinks Hanbury: Could another of you have done it? Signed; ready for ratifying; 30th September; 1755 (bad Braddock news not hindering);and before it is ratified (this also let readers mark); the actual Troops getting on march。

Hanbury's masterpiece; surely; a glorious triumph in the circumstances; and a difficult; thinks Hanbury。 Had Hanbury seen the inside of the cards; as readers have; he would not have thought it so triumphant。 For years past;especially since that 〃Fundamental maxim; May 14th…15th; 1753;〃 which we heard of;the Czarina's longings had been fixed。 And here nowscattering money from both hands of it; and wooing us with diplomatic finessingsis the Fulfilment come! 〃Opportunity〃 upon Preussen; behold it here。

The Russian Senate again holds deliberation; declares (on the heel of this Hanbury Treaty); 〃in October; 1755;〃 what we read above; That its Anti…Prussian intentions aretruculent indeed。 And it is the common talk in Petersburg society; through Winter; what a dose the ambitious King of Prussia has got brewed for him; 'MEMOIRE RAISONNE (in  Gesammelte Nachrichten ); i。 429; &c。' out of Russian indignation and resources; miraculously set afloat by English guineas。 A triumphant Hanbury; for the time being;though a tragical enough by and by!

THE TRIUMPHANT HANBURY TREATY BECOMES; ITSELF; NOTHING OR LESS;BUT PRODUCES A FRIEDRICH TREATY; FOLLOWED BY RESULTS WHICH SURPRISE EVERYBODY。

King Friedrich's outlooks; on this consummation; may well seem to him critical。 The sore longing of an infuriated Czarina is now let loose; and in a condition to fulfil itself! To Friedrich these Petersburg news are no secret; nor to him are the Petersburg private intentions a thing that can be doubted。 Apart from the Menzel…Weingarten revelations; as we noticed once; it appears the Grand…Duke Peter (a great admirer of Friedrich; poor confused soul) had himself thrice…secretly warned Friedrich; That the mysterious Combination; Russia in the van; would attack him next Spring;〃not Weingarten that betrayed our GRAND MYSTERE; from first hand; that was done!〃 said Excellency Peubla; on quitting Berlin not long after。 'Cogniazzo;  Gestandnisse eines OEsterreichischen Veterans  (as cited above); i。 225。 〃September 16th; 1756;〃 Peubla left Berlin (Rodenbeck; i。 298);three months after Weingarten's disappearance。' The Grand Mystery is not uncertain to Friedrich; and it may well be very formidable;coupled with those Braddock explosions; Seizures of French ships; and English…French War imminent; and likely to become a general European one; which are the closing prospects of 1755。 The French King he reckons not to be well disposed to him; their old Treaty of 〃twelve years〃 (since 1744) is just about running out。 Not friendly; the French King; owing to little rubs that have been; still less the Pompadour;though who could guess how implacable she was at 〃not being known (NE LA CONNAIS PAS)〃! At Vienna; he is well aware; the humor towards him is mere cannibalism in refined forms。 But most perilous of all; most immediately perilous; is the implacable Czarina; set afloat upon English guineas!

With a hope; as is credibly surmised; that the English might soothe or muzzle this implacable Czarina; Friedrich; directly after Hanbury's feat in Petersburg; applied at London; with an Offer which was very tempting there: 〃Suppose your Britannic Majesty would make; with me; an express 'NEUTRALITY CONVENTION;' mutual Covenant to keep the German Reich entirely free of this War now threatening to break out? To attack jointly; and sweep home again with vigor; any and every Armed Non…German setting foot on the German soil!〃 An offer most welcome to the Heads of Opposition; the Pitts and others of that Country; who wish dear Hanover safe enough (safe in Davy…Jones's locker; if that would do); but are tired of subsidizing; and fighting and tumulting; all the world over; for that high end。 So that Friedrich's Proposal is grasped at; and after a little manipulation; the thing is actually concluded。

By no means much manipulation; both parties being willing。 There was uncommonly rapid surgery of any little difficulties and discrepancies; rapid closure; instant salutary stitching together of that long unhealable Privateer Controversy; as the main item: 〃20;000 pounds allowed to Prussia for Prussian damages; and to England; from the other side; the remainder of Silesiau Debt; painfully outstanding for two or three years back; is to be paid off at once;〃and in this way such 〃NEUTRALITY CONVENTION OF PRUSSIA WITH ENGLAND〃 comes forth as a Practical Fact upon mankind。 Done at Westminster; 16th January; 1756。 The stepping…stone; as it proved; to a closer Treaty of the same date next Year; of which we shall hear a great deal。 The stepping…stone; in fact; to many large things;and to the ruin of our late 〃Russian…Subsidy Treaty〃 (Hanbury's masterpiece); for one small thing。 〃That is a Treaty signed; sure enough;〃 answer they of St。 James's; 〃and we will be handsome about it to her Czarish Majesty; but as to RATIFYING it; in its present form;of course; never!〃

What a clap of thunder to Excellency Hanbury; his masterpiece found suddenly a superfluity; an incommodity! The Orthodox English course now is; 〃No foreign soldiers at all to be allowed in Germany;〃 and there are the 55;000 tramping on with such alacrity。 〃We cannot ratify that Treaty; Excellency Hanbury;〃 writes the Majesty's Ministry; in a tone not of gratitude: 〃you must turn it some other way!〃 A terrible blow to Hanbury; who had been expecting gratitude without end。 And now; try how he might; there was no turning it another way; this; privately; and this only; being the Czarina's own way。 A Czarina obstinate to a degree; would not consent; even when they made her the liberal offer; 〃Keep your 55;000 at home; don't attack the King of Prussia with them; you shall have your Subsidy all the same!〃 〃No; I won't!〃 answered she;to Hanbury's amazement。 Hanbury had not read the Weingarten…Menzel Documents; what double double of toil and trouble might Hanbury have saved himself and others; could he have read them!

Hanbury could not; still less could the Majesty's Ministry; surmise the Czarina's secret at all; now or for a good while coming。 And in fact; poor Hanbury; busy as a Diplomatic bee; never did more good in Russia; or out of it。 By direction of the Majesty's Ministry; Hanbury still tried industriously; cash in both hands; tried various things: 〃Assuage the Czarina's mind; reconcile her to King Friedrich;〃all in vain。 〃Unite Austria; Russia and England; can't you; then?in a Treaty against the Designs of France:〃 how very vain! Then; at a later stage; 〃Get us the Czarina to mediate between Prussia and Austria〃 (so very possible to sleek them down into peace; thought Majesty's Ministry):and unwearied Hanbury; cunning eloquence on his lips; and money in both hands; tries again; and ever again; for many months。 And in the way of making ropes from sand; it must be owned there never was such twisting and untwisting; as that appointed Hanbury。 Who in fact broke his heart by it;and died mad; by his own hand; before long。 'Hanbury's 〃Life〃 (in  Works;  vol。 iii。) gives sad account。' Poor soul; after all!Here are some Russian Notices from him (and he has many curious; not pertinent here); which are still worth gleaning。

PETERSBURG; 2d OCTOBER; 1755。 。。。 〃The health of the Empress 'Czarina Elizabeth; CATIN DU NORD; age now forty…five' is bad。 She is affected with spitting of blood; shortness of breath; constant coughing; swelled legs and water on the chest; yet she danced a minuet with me;〃 lucky Hanbury。 〃There is great fermentation at Court。 Peter 'Grand…Duke Peter' does not conceal his enmity to the Schuwalofs 'paramours of CATIN; old and new'; Catherine 'Grand…Duchess; who at length has an Heir; unbeautiful Czar Paul that will be; and 〃miscarriages〃 not a few' is on good terms with Bestuchef〃 (corruptiblest brute of a Chancellor ever known; friend to England by England's giving him 10;000 pounds; and the like trifles; pretty frequently; Friedrich's enemy; chiefly from defect of t

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 1

你可能喜欢的