to the surprise of
Versailles.

"The Court of Versailles was much astonished at the message it got from
Broglio; Court of Versailles had always calculated that Broglio could
keep Bavaria; and had gone into extensive measures for maintaining
him there. Experienced old Marechal de Noailles has a new French Army,
70,000 or more, assembled in the Upper Rhine for that and the cognate
objects [of whom, more specially, anon]: Noailles, by order from Court,
has detached 12,000, who are now marching their best, to reinforce
Broglio;--and indeed the Court 'had already appointed the Generals and
Staff-Officers for Broglio's Bavarian Army,' and gratified many men by
promotions, which now went to smoke! [Espagnac, i. 190.]

"Versailles, however, has to expedite the order: 'Come home, then.'
Order or no order, Broglio's posts are all crackling off again, bursting
aloft like a chain of powder-mines; Broglio is plunging head foremost,
towards Donauworth, towards Ingolstadt, his place of arms; Seckendorf
now welcome to join him, but unable to do anything when joined.
Blustering Broglio has no steadfastness of mind; explodes like an
inflammable body, in this crackling off of the posts, and becomes a
mere whirlwind of flaming gases. Old snuffling Seckendorf, born to ill
success in his old days, strong only in caution, how is he to quench or
stay this crackling of the posts? Broglio blusters, reproaches, bullies;
Seckendorf quarrels with him outright, as he may well do: 'JARNI-BLEU,
such a delirious whirlwind of a Marechal; mere bickering flames and
soot!'--and looks out chiefly to keep his own skin and that of his poor
Bavarians whole.

"The unhappy Kaiser has run from Munchen again, to Augsburg for some
brief shelter; cannot stay there either, in the circumstances. Will
he have to hurry back to Frankfurt, to bankruptcy and furnished
lodgings,--nay to the Britannic Majesty's tender mercies, whose Army
is now actually there? Those indignant prophesyings to Broglio, at the
Schloss of Wolnzach, have so soon come true! And Broglio and the French
are--what a staff to lean upon! Enough, the poor Kaiser, after doleful
'Council of War held at Augsburg, June 25th,' does on the morrow make
off for Frankfurt again:--whither else? Britannic Majesty's intentions,
friends tell him, friend Wilhelm of Hessen tells him, are magnanimous;
eager for Peace to Teutschland; hostile only to the French. Poor Karl
took the road, June 26th;--and will find news