The other regiment charged four Austrian
battalions, broke them, and brought the greater portion off,
prisoners.

Night fell upon a scene of general confusion. The two armies were
completely mixed up. In some places Austrians were in the rear of
the Prussians, in others Prussians in the rear of Austrians.

Nothing more could to be done. So far Frederick had gained a
success and, thanks to the extraordinary bravery and determination
of his soldiers, had broken up Daun's line and planted himself on
the plateau; but he had suffered terribly in doing so, and could
hardly hope, in the morning, to make head against the vastly
superior forces of the Austrians.

Daun himself had been wounded in the foot, and had gone down to the
town to have it dressed. Had he been able to remain on the field,
late as it was, he might have been able to restore order and to
continue the battle; as it was, gradually the firing ceased.
Exhausted by the long march and the desperate efforts they had
made, the Prussians wrapped themselves in their cloaks, and lay
down to sleep where they stood--if sleep they could, on so bitterly
cold a night.

On the hilltop there was no wood to be had, but in the forest great
fires were lighted. Round these Prussian and Austrian stragglers
alike gathered. In the morning they would be foes again, but for
tonight they were content to lay their quarrel aside, none knowing
who was victor and who vanquished; and which, in the morning, would
be prisoners to the others.

The king, now that the excitement was over, felt the pain of his wound.
He descended the hill, and took up his quarters in the church at the
little village of Elsnig, where every house was full of wounded. He had
left Hulsen the charge of endeavouring to reform the scattered troops,
but he could do but little that way. In vain did the generals and
officers move about with orders, expostulations, and threats. For once
the Prussian soldier was deaf to the word of command. He had done all
that he could do, and nature triumphed over long habits of obedience;
even the sound of cannon and musketry, on the other side of the hill,
fell dead upon his ears. Ziethen had been cannonading all day. Nothing
had come of it, and nothing could come of it.

Still, Hulsen did a good deal, and by six o'clock had got some of
the cavalry and infantry battalions in fair order, on the extreme
right; where, in the morning, Daun's left flank stood.

Ziethen, ordinarily a