him that he had reviewed troops over the same ground, and knew
all the bogs and morasses that guarded the Austrian front. For a
long time he sat there on horseback, studying the possibilities of
the situation.

The Austrian right he regarded as absolutely impregnable. Leuthen
might be attacked with some chance of success, but Sagschuetz
offered by far the most favourable opening for attack. The
formation of the ground offered special facilities for the movement
being effected without the Austrians being aware of what was taking
place, for there was a depression behind the swells and broken
ground in front of the Austrian centre, by which the Prussians
could march from Borne, unseen by the enemy, until they approached
Sagschuetz.

It was three hours after Frederick had taken up his place before
the four columns had all reached Borne. As soon as they were in
readiness there, they were ordered to march with all speed as far
as Radaxford, thence to march in oblique order against the Austrian
left.

The Austrians, all this time, could observe a group of horsemen on
the hill, moving sometimes this way sometimes that, but more than
this they could not see. The conjectures were various, as hour
passed after hour. Daun believed that the Prussians must have
marched away south, with the intention of falling upon the
magazines in Bohemia, and that the cavalry seen moving along the
hills were placed there to defend the Prussians from being taken in
flank, or in rear, while thus marching. General Lucchesi, who
commanded the Austrian right wing, was convinced that the cavalry
formed the Prussian right wing, and that the whole army, concealed
behind the slopes, was marching to fall upon him.

In the belfry of the church at Leuthen, on the tops of windmills,
and on other points of vantage, Austrian generals with their staffs
were endeavouring to obtain a glimpse beyond those tiresome swells,
and to discover what was going on behind them, but in vain. There
were the cavalry, moving occasionally from crest to crest, but
nothing beyond that.

Lucchesi got more and more uneasy, and sent message after message
to headquarters that he was about to be attacked, and must have a
large reinforcement of horse. The prince and Daun at first scoffed
at the idea, knowing that the bogs in front of Nypern were
impassable; but at last he sent a message to the effect that, if
the cavalry did not come, he would not be responsible for the
issue.