CHAPTER IV .-- FRIEDRICH REDUCED TO STRAITS; CANNOT MAINTAIN HIS MOLDAU.
CONQUESTS AGAINST PRICE KARL.
One may fancy what were Friedrich's reflections when he heard that Prince Karl had, prosperously and unmolested, got across, by those Passes from the Ober-Pfalz, into Bohmen and the Circle of Pilsen, into junction with Bathyani and his magazines; ["At Mirotitz, October 2d" (Ranke, iii.

194); Orlich, ii.

49.] heard, moreover, that the Saxons, 20,000 strong, under Weissenfels, crossing the Metal Mountains, coming on by Eger and Karlsbad regions, were about uniting with him (bound by Treaty to assist the Hungarian Majesty when invaded);--and had finally, what confirms everything, that the said Prince Karl in person (making for Budweis, "just seen his advanced guard," said rumor under mistake) was but few miles off.

Few miles off, on the other side of the Moldau;--of unknown strength, hidden in the circumambient clouds of Pandours.
Suppressing all the rages and natural reflections but those needful for the moment, Friedrich (October 4th, by Moldau-Tein) dashes across the Moldau, to seek Prince Karl, at the place indicated, and at once smite him down if possible;--that will be a remedy for all things.

Prince Karl is not there, nor was; the indication had been false; Friedrich searches about, for four days, to no purpose.