Four Kingdoms of yours: what a brood of
poultry, those! Chickens happily yet UNhatched;--eggs addle, I should
venture to hope:--only do go on incubating, M. le Marechal!" That is
Friedrich's notion of the thing. Belleisle stayed with Friedrich "a
few days," say the Books. After which, Friedrich, finding Belleisle too
winged a creature, corresponded, in preference, with Fleury and the Head
Sources;--who are always intensely enough concerned about those "aces"
falling to him, and how the same are to be "shared." [Details in
_Helden-Geschichte,_ i. 912, 962, 916; in _OEuvres de Frederic,_ ii. 79,
80; &c.]

Instead of parade or review in honor of Belleisle, there happened to be
a far grander military show, of the practical kind. The Siege of Brieg,
the Opening of the Trenches before Brieg, chanced to be just ready, on
Belleisle's arrival:--and would have taken effect, we find, that very
night, April 26th, had not a sudden wintry outburst, or "tempest of
extraordinary violence," prevented. Next night, night of the 27th-28th,
under shine of the full Moon, in the open champaign country, on both
sides of the River, it did take effect. An uncommonly fine thing of its
sort; as one can still see by reading Friedrich's strict Program for
it,--a most minute, precise and all-anticipating Program, which still
interests military men, as Friedrich's first Piece in that kind,--and
comparing therewith the Narratives of the performance which ensued.
[_Ordre und Dispositiones (SIC), wornach sich der General-Lieutenant von
Kalckstein bei Eroffnung der Trancheen, &c. (Oeuvres de Frederic,_ xxx.
39-44): the Program. _Helden-Geschichte,_ i. 916-928: the Narrative.]

Kalkstein, Friedrich's old Tutor, is Captain of the Siege; under him
Jeetz, long used to blockading about Brieg. The silvery Oder has its due
bridges for communication; all is in readiness, and waiting manifold as
in the slip,--and there is Engineer Walrave, our Glogau Dutch friend,
who shall, at the right instant, "with his straw-rope (STROHSEIL) mark
out the first parallel," and be swift about it! There are 2,000 diggers,
with the due implements, fascines, equipments; duly divided, into Twelve
equal Parties, and "always two spademen to one pickman" (which indicates
soft sandy ground): these, with the escorting or covering battalions,
Twelve Parties they also, on both sides of the River, are to be in their
several stations at the fixed moments; man, musket, mattock, strictly
exact