ot the thing we shall
want! Daun instantly calls halt, at this news; waits, intrenches; and,
in a day or two, finding the news true, hurries to rearward all he can.
From the Russian side too, Daun has heard of Zorndorf, and the grand
"Victory" of Fermor there; but knows well, by this sudden re-emergence
of the Anti-Fermor, what kind of Victory it is.

Was it here while waiting about Meissen, or where was it, that Daun got
his Letter to Fermor answered in that singular way? The Letter of two
weeks ago,--carried by Loudon's Hussars, or by whomsoever,--for certain,
it was retorted or returned upon Daun; not as if from the Dead-Letter
Office, but with an Answer he little expected! Here is what record I
have; very vague for a well-known little fact of sparkling nature:--

"A curious Letter fell into Friedrich's hands [Bearer, I always guess,
the Loudon Hussar-Captain with his 500, pretending to form junction
with Fermor], Prussian Hussars picking it up somewhere,--date, place,
circumstances, blurred into oblivion in those poor Books; Letter itself
indisputable enough, and Answer following on it; Letter and Answer
substantially to this effect:--

"DAUN TO FERMOR [Probably from Zittau, by Loudon's Hussars].

"Your Excellenz does not know that wily Enemy as I do. By no means get
into battle with such a one. Cautiously manoeuvre about; detain him
there, till I have got my stroke in Saxony done: don't try fighting him.

DAUN."

"ANSWER AS FROM FERMOR (Zorndorf once done, Daun by the first
opportunity got his Answer, duly signed 'Fermor,' but evidently in a
certain King's handwriting):--

"Your Excellenz was in the right to warn me against a cunning Enemy,
whom you knew better than I. Here have I tried fighting him, and got
beaten. Your unfortunate "FERMOR." [Muller, _Kurzgefasste Beschreibung
der drei Schlesischen Kriege_ (Berlin, 1755); in whom, alone of all the
reporters, is the story given in an intelligible form. This Muller's
Book is a meritoriously brief Summary, incorrect in no essential
particular, and with all the Battle-Plans on one copperplate: LIEUTENANT
Muller, this one; not PROFESSOR Muller, ALIAS Schottmuller by any
means!]

September 9th, Friedrich and Margraf Karl, correct to their appointment,
meet at Grossenhayn, some miles north of Meissen and its Bridge; by
which time Daun is clean gone again, back well above Dresden again,
strongly posted at Stolpen (a place we once heard of, in General
Haddick's t