ds, on
advancing, the Austrian Army totally unaware. It is thought, had
Rothenburg dashed forward, and sent word to the rearward to dash forward
at their swiftest, the Austrian Army might have been cut in pieces here,
and never have got together to try battle at all. But Rothenburg had
no orders; nay, had orders Not to get into fighting;--nor had Friedrich
himself, in this his first Battle, learned that feline or leonine
promptitude of spring which he subsequently manifested. Far from it!
Indeed this punctilious deliberation, and slow exactitude as on the
review-ground, is wonderful and noteworthy at the first start of
Friedrich;--the faithful apprentice-hand still rigorous to the rules of
the old shop. Ten years hence, twenty years hence, had Friedrich found
Neipperg in this condition, Neipperg's account had been soon settled!--
Rothenburg drove back the Hussars, all manner of successive Hussar
parties, and kept steadily ahead of the main battle, as he had been
bidden.

Pampitz Village being now passed, and in rear of them to left, the
Prussian Columns halt for some instants; burst into field-music; take to
deploying themselves into line. There is solemn wheeling, shooting out
to right and left, done with spotless precision: once in line,--in two
lines, "each three men deep," lines many yards apart,--they will advance
on Mollwitz; still solemnly, field-music guiding, and banners spread.
Which will be a work of time. That the King's frugal field-dinner was
shot away, from its camp-table near Pampitz (as Fuchs has heard), is
evidently mythical; and even impossible, the Austrians having yet no
cannon within miles of him; and being intent on dining comfortably
themselves, not on firing at other people's dinners.

Fancy Neipperg's state of mind, busy beginning dinner in the little
Schulze's, or Town-Provost's house, when the Hussars dashed in at full
gallop, shouting "DER FEIND, The Enemy! All in march there; vanguard
this side of Pampitz; killed forty of us!"--Quick, your Plan of Battle,
then? Whitherward; How; What? answer or perish! Neipperg was infinitely
struck; dropt knife and fork: "Send for Romer, General of the Horse!"
Romer did the indispensable: a swift man, not apt to lose head. Romer's
battle-plan, I should hope, is already made; or it will fare ill with
Neipperg and him. But beat, ye drummers; gallop, ye aides-de-camp as
for life! The first thing is to get our Force together; and it lies
scattered about in t