only a powdering of snow.

He met Schwerin at Neustadt, half-way to Jagerndorf; whither they
proceeded next day. "What news have you of the Enemy?" was Friedrich's
first question. Schwerin has no news whatever; only that the Enemy is
far off, hanging in long thin straggle from Olmutz westward. "I have a
spy out," said Schwerin; "but he has not returned yet,"--nor ever will,
he might have added. If diligent readers will now take to their Map,
and attend day by day, an invincible Predecessor has compelled what next
follows into human intelligibility, and into the Diary Form, for
their behoof;--readers of an idler turn can skip: but this confused
hurry-scurry of marches issues in something which all will have to
attend to.

"JAGERNDORF, 2d APRIL, 1741. This is the day when the Old Dessauer makes
appearance with the first brigades of his Camp at Gottin. Friedrich
is satisfied with what he has seen of Jagerndorf matters; and intends
returning towards Neisse, there to commence on the 4th. He is giving
his final orders, and on the point of setting off, when--Seven Austrian
Deserters, 'Dragoons of Lichtenstein,' come in; and report, That
Neipperg's Army is within a few miles! And scarcely had they done
answering and explaining, when sounds rise of musketry and cannon,
from our outposts on that side; intimating that here is Neipperg's Army
itself. Seldom in his life was Friedrich in an uglier situation. In
Jagerndorf, an open Town, are only some three or four thousand men,
'with three field-pieces, and as much powder as will charge them forty
times.' Happily these proved only the Pandour outskirts of Neipperg's
Army, scouring about to reconnoitre, and not difficult to beat; the
real body of it is ascertained to be at Freudenthal, fifteen miles to
westward, southwestward; making towards Neisse, it is guessed, by the
other or western road, which is the nearer to Glatz and to the Austrian
force there.

"Had Neipperg known what was in Jagerndorf--! But he does not know.
He marches on, next morning, at his usual slow rate; wide clouds of
Pandours accompanying and preceding him; skirmishing in upon all places
[upon Jagerndorf, for instance, though fifteen miles wide of their
road], to ascertain if Prussians are there. One can judge whether
Friedrich and Schwerin were thankful when the huge alarm produced
nothing! 'The mountain,' as Friedrich says, 'gave birth to a
mouse;'--nay it was a 'mouse' of essential vital use to Friedrich an