登陆注册
14812200000262

第262章

Modern Diplomacy is nothing; mind well your own affairs, leave those of your neighbors well alone. The Pragmatic Sanction, breaking Fritz's, Friedrich Wilhelm's, Sophie's, Wilhelmina's, English Amelia's and I know not how many private hearts, and distracting with vain terrors and hopes the general soul of Europe for five-and-twenty years, fell at once into dust and vapor, and went wholly towards limbo on the storm-winds, doing nothing for or against any mortal. Friedrich Wilhelm's 80,000 well-drilled troops remained very actual with their firelocks and iron ramrods, and did a thing or two, there being a Captain over them.

Friedrich Wilhelm's Directorium, well-drilled Prussian Downing Street, every man steady at his duty, and no wind to be wasted where silence was better, did likewise very authentically remain, --and still remains. Nothing of genuine and human that Friedrich Wilhelm did but remained and remains an inheritance, not the smallest item of IT lost or losable;--and the rude foolish Boor-King (singular enough!) is found to be the only one that has gained by the game."--Chapter IV.

EXCELLENCY HOTHAM QUITS BERLIN IN HASTE.

While the Camp at Radewitz is dissolving itself in this manner, in the last days of June, Captain Guy Dickens, the oracles at Windsor having given him their response as to Prince Friedrich's wild project, is getting under way for Berlin again,--whither also Hotham has returned, to wait for Dickens's arrival, and directly thereupon come home. Dickens is henceforth to do the British Diplomacy here, any Diplomacy there can well be; Dickens once installed, Hotham will, right gladly, wash his hands of this Negotiation, which he considers to be as good as dead for a longish while past. First, however, he has one unexpected adventure to go through in Berlin; of most unexpected celebrity in the world: this once succinctly set forth, History will dismiss him to the shades of private life.

Guy Dickens, arriving we can guess about the 8th or 9th of July, brings two important Documents with him to Berlin, FIRST, the English Response (in the shape of "Instructions" to himself, which may be ostensible in the proper quarter) in regard to the Crown-Prince's project of flight into England. Response which is no other than might have been expected in the circumstances:

"Britannic Majesty sorry extremely for the Crown-Prince's situation; ready to do anything in reason to alleviate it.

Better wait, however: Prussian Majesty will surely perhaps relent a little: then also the affairs of Europe are in a ticklish state.

Better wait. As to that of taking temporary refuge in France, Britannic Majesty thinks that will require a mature deliberation (MURE DELIBERATION). Not even time now for inquiry of the French Court how they would take it; which his Britannic Majesty thinks an indispensable preliminary,"--and so terminates. The meaning, we perceive, is in sum: "Hm, you won't, surely? Don't; at least Don't yet!" But Dryasdust, and any readers who have patience, can here take the Original Paper; which is written in French (or French of Stratford at the Bow), probably that the Crown-Prince, if needful, might himself read it, one of these days:--"Monsieur Guy Dickens pourrait donner au Prince les assurances les plus fortes de la compassion que le Roi a du triste etat ou il se trouve, et du desir sincere de Sa Majeste de concourir par tout ce qui dependra d'elle a l'en tirer. M. Guy Dickens pourrait lui communiquer en meme terns les Instructions donnees a Monsieur Hotham [<italic> our Answer to the Outrageous propositions, which amounts to nothing, and may be spared the reader <end italic>], et lui marquer qu'on avait lieu d抏sperer que Sa Majeste Prussienne ne refuserait pas au moins de s'expliquer un peu plus en detail qu'elle n'a fait jusqu'ici. Qu'en attendant les suites que cette negociation pourrait avoir, Sa Majeste etait d'avis que le Prince ferait bien de differer un peu l'execution de son dessein connu:

Que la situation ou les affaires de l'Europe se trouvaient dans ce moment critique ne paraissait pas propre a l'execution d'un dessein de cette nature: Que pour ce qui est de l'intention ou le Prince a temoigne etre, de se retirer en France, Sa Majeste croit qu'elle demande une mure deliberation, et que le peu de tems qui reste ne promet pas meme qu'on puisse s'informer de ce que la Cour de France pourrait penser la-dessus; dont Sa Majeste trouvait cependant absolument necessaire de l'assurer, avant de pouvoir conseiller a un Prince qui lui est si cher de se retirer en ce pays la." [Prussian Despatches, vol. xii.: No date or signature;bound up along with Harrington's Despatch, "Windsor, 20th June [1st July] 1730,"--on the morrow of which day we may fancy Captain Dickens took the road for Berlin again,--where we auspiciously see him on Monday, 10th July, probably a night or two after his arrival.] This is Document FIRST; of no concernment to Hotham at this stage; but only to us and our Crown-Prince. Document SECONDwould at one time have much interested Hotham: it is no other than a Grumkow Original seized at St. Mary Axe, such as Hotham once solicited, "strong enough to break Grumkow's back." Hotham now scarcely hopes it will be "strong enough." No matter; he presents it as bidden. On introducing Dickens as successor, Monday, 10th July, he puts the Document into his Prussian Majesty's hand: and--the result was most unexpected! Here is Hotham's Despatch to Lord Harrington; which it will be our briefest method to give, with some minimum of needful explanation intercalated here and there:--"TO THE LORD HARRINGTON (from Sir Charles Hotham).

"BERLIN, 30th June (11th July), 1730.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 超级佣兵在都市

    超级佣兵在都市

    他是佣兵世界的王者,他是令各国元首头疼的侠盗!为朋友,他甘愿两肋插刀;为亲人,不惜血溅五步!他想要大隐隐于市,然而,是龙终要翱翔于九天之上。佣兵王者重返都市,甜美护士,冷艳教师,风骚调酒师,刁蛮小女警、清纯校花……各色美女纷至沓来……
  • 庶女种田:粉嫩娇妻好诱人

    庶女种田:粉嫩娇妻好诱人

    一场空难让她穿越成了村里勾人不成撞墙自尽,身败名裂的肥妞,被恶毒亲戚骗光财产赶出家门。看宋雅静如何带着懦弱姨娘惩治奇葩亲戚,减肥变美发家致富。奈何刚奔上小康生活,不想便宜老爹竟将她接进京城替嫡姐嫁给传闻中杀人如麻,冷血无情的残酷王爷。大婚当天掀起盖头,已经做好鱼死网破的宋雅静却傻眼了,这残酷王爷不就是她在山里救的那个汉子吗?抓住某人乱动的手脚,宋雅静急急道:“等等,我有话要说!”“春宵一刻值千金,娘子有什么话,咱们日后再说!”日……后,宋雅静泪流满面,拜某人所赐从此以后只要听到这两字她就双腿发软,尼玛,说好的不近女色?说好的寡淡薄情呢?
  • 匿境

    匿境

    送给我们逝去的青春岁月与那些相信别后重逢的痴情男女
  • 轮回之七星之恋

    轮回之七星之恋

    《七星之恋》一度轮回,天界大神尽损落唯有悟空,七星逃脱升天!上古大神为报私仇,迫害人间,愿归洪荒。七星苦尽甘来,力保人间,续写了人仙大战
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 月亮的后羿

    月亮的后羿

    作为一名医生,我本能地从专业角度指出问题,并不是故意猥亵宋老公的伟岸形象。果然在友谊的小船上,一个人迷老公另一个人不知所云,友谊的小船说翻就翻。
  • 混沌双神

    混沌双神

    一个当代高材生为救女友坠崖转世,后被封印强大灵魂,为报杀父之仇踏上了修炼之路。寻宝藏、遇高人、逢女友。一个个荡气回肠的爱情故事、一段段惊天奇遇在此揭开。以前总是看天蚕土豆、我吃西红柿、辰东、唐家三少这些大神级别人物的书,其中《斗破苍穹》《星辰变》《神墓》《斗罗大陆》《盘龙》都是我喜欢的作品,这是我的第一本书希望大家喜欢。
  • 丹方鉴源

    丹方鉴源

    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。
  • 第柒道

    第柒道

    使用说明书(版本:3.1)1.本故事纯属虚构,阅读时,请不要太过当真!2.本书是参照传统武侠来写的仙侠,非升级流,非装13打脸流,非武侠爱好者请绕道。3.本书适合25岁以上,书龄大于5年的读者,小朋友们慎入。4.本书将不定期更新。最后提醒大家:阅读有风险,追书需谨慎!
  • 蒹草结

    蒹草结

    蒹草开花是缘分,蒹草的花只有在涨水后开花,并且花期枳囿一天,能够用蒹草的花作结戴在手上的两个人生生世世都会连在一起,这是蒹草结的誓言。