louisa of prussia and her times-第103节

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retribution　will　be　at　hand。〃　＇Footnote：　Hausser's　〃History　of
Germany；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　611。＇

Thanks　to　the　hatred　of　the　Germans　against　their　German　brethren；
thanks　to　the　hatred　of　the　Bavarians　against　the　Austrians；　this
proclamation　had　been　received　with　joyful　acclamations　throughout
the　whole　state；　and　Bavaria　felt　proud　and　happy　that　she　should
fight　under　the　Emperor　of　the　French；　her　〃natural　ally；〃　against
the　Emperor　of　Germany。

The　French　army　was　drawn　up　in　line　in　the　plain　near　Nordlingen；
in　order　to　solemnly　receive　its　German　auxiliaries。　They　were　the
first　German　troops　that　Napoleon　had　gained　over　to　his　side；　and
therefore　he　wished　to　welcome　them　pompously　and　with　all　honors。
Amidst　the　jubilant　notes　of　all　the　bands　of　the　French　army；
amidst　the　enthusiastic　shouts　of　the　French　soldiers；　the　Bavarians
marched　into　the　French　camp。　The　emperor；　in　full　uniform；
surrounded　by　all　his　generals；　welcomed　General　Deroy　and　the
Bavarian　officers；　accompanied　by　a　wave　of　his　sword；　he　said　to
them：

〃I　have　placed　myself　at　the　head　of　my　army　in　order　to　deliver
your　country；　for　the　house　of　Austria　intends　to　annihilate　your
independence。　You　will　follow　the　example　of　your　ancestors；　who
constantly　preserved　that　independence　and　political　existence　which
are　the　first　blessings　of　a　nation。　I　know　your　valor；　and　am　sure
that　I　shall　be　able　after　the　first　battle　to　say　to　your　sovereign
and　to　my　people；　that　you　are　worthy　to　fight　in　the　ranks　of　the
grand　army。〃

The　Bavarian　soldiers　hailed　this　proud　address　with　the　same
exultation　with　which　the　Bavarian　people　had　received　the
proclamation　of　the　elector；　and　never　had　the　French　soldiers
manifested　greater　enthusiasm　for　their　chieftain　and　emperor　than
did　these　German　soldiers；　the　first　German　auxiliaries　of　the
emperor。

Napoleon　received　their　jubilant　shouts　with　a　gracious　smile。

〃Duroc；〃　he　said；　turning　to　his　friend　and　comrade；　who　was　riding
at　his　side〃Duroc；　listen　to　what　I　am　going　to　say　to　you。　The
Germans　are　not　good　patriots；　they　are　capable　of　loving　the
conqueror　of　their　country　just　as　well　as　their　legitimate
sovereign。　Even　at　the　time　of　Julius　Caesar　there　was　no　harmony
among　the　Germans；　and　while　Arminius　opposed　the　Romans　heroically；
Segestes　declared　in　favor　of　them。　If；　as　a　modern　Julius　Caesar；　I
should　wish　to　conquer　Germany；　I　believe　I　should　find　there　no
Arminius；　but　certainly　many　Segesteses。〃

〃But；　perhaps；　a　few　Thusneldas；　sire；〃　said　Duroc；　laughing；　〃and
your　majesty　knows　full　well　that　it　was　Thusnelda；　after　all；　who
filled　her　husband　with　so　undying　a　hatred　against　the　Romans。〃

〃And　the　son　of　Thusnelda　became　a　prisoner　of　the　Romans！〃
exclaimed　Napoleon；　〃he　became　a　miserable　slave　of　the　Romans；　and
preferred　a　life　of　humiliation　and　disgrace　to　an　honorable　death。
The　Germans　are　great　talkers；　they　are　always　ready　to　fight　with
their　tongues　for　the　honor　of　their　country；　but　they　do　not　like
to　die　for　it。　But　who　are　the　Thusneldas　with　whom　you　threatened
me？　Did　you　allude　to　Queen　Caroline　of　Naples；　the　daughter　of
Maria　Theresa？〃

〃Oh；　no；　sire；　she　is　no　longer　a　German；　but　an　Italian　intriguer
a〃

〃She　is；　as　I　told　her　own　ambassador　in　Milan；　a　modern　Athalia；　a
daughter　of　Jezebel；〃　said　Napoleon；　interrupting　him　vehemently。
〃But　patience；　patience；　I　shall　punish　her　for　her　bitter　hatred
and　intrigues。〃

〃Sire；　it　was　in　your　power　to　receive　ardent　love　at　the　hands　of
Queen　Caroline；　instead　of　her　hatred；　which　is；　perhaps；　nothing
but　concealed　love。　I　suppose　your　majesty　knows　what　the　queen　said
only　a　few　years　ago　to　the　French　minister？〃

〃No；　I　do　not；　or　perhaps　I　have　only　forgotten　it；〃　replied
Napoleon；　carelessly。　〃Did　she　want　to　make　a　postillon　d'amour　of
him？〃

〃Nearly　so；　sire。　She　told　him　she　would　willingly　travel　four
hundred　leagues　in　order　to　see　General　Bonaparte。　She　added　that
you　were　the　only　great　man　in　the　world；　and　none　but　idiots　were
seated　at　the　present　time　on　all　the　thrones　of　Europe。〃　＇Footnote：
Queen　Caroline　actually　said　this　to　the　French　minister。＇

〃A　very　flattering　remark　for　her　husband　and　for　her　nephew；　the
Emperor　of　Austria；〃　said　Napoleon。　〃She　referred；　however；　only　to
those　who　are　seated　on　thrones；　but　the　tender　queen　has　been　able
to　discover　a　few　real　men　by　the　side　of　her　husband's　throne。　I
have　never　hankered　after　becoming　the　rival　of　Acton　and　Nelson。　I
do　not　like　passionate　and　ambitious　women。　They　must　be　gentle　and
charming　like　Josephine　if　they　are　to　please　me。〃

〃I　wish　the　empress　were　here　and　able　to　hear　your　words；〃
exclaimed　Duroc。

〃Does　she　again　doubt　my　constancy？〃　asked　Napoleon；　quickly。　〃Have
my　brothers　again　frightened　her　by　threats　of　a　divorce？　Let　her　be
reassured；　I　do　not　think　of　a　separation　from　her；　and　all　the
Thusneldas　of　Germany　cannot　become　dangerous　to　me。　But　you　have
not　yet　told　me　the　names　of　those　Thusneldas。　Let　me　hear　them。〃

〃Sire；　first　there　is　the　beautiful　Queen　of　Prussia。　She　is　said　to
be　a　bitter　enemy　of　France。〃

〃Yes；　a　bitter　enemy　of　MINE！〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；　with　a　gloomy　and
threatening　glance；　〃a　short…sighted　woman；　who　does　not　see　that
she　will　ruin　her　good…natured；　weak；　and　irresolute　husband　if　she
carries　him　along　with　her　on　this　path　of　hostility　and　hatred。　She
will　repent　one　day　having　scorned　my　friendship；　for；　if　she
succeeds　in　gaining　her　husband　over　to　an　alliance　with　Russia；　I
shall　be　inexorable；　and　mercilessly　trample　the　whole　vacillating
and　fickle　Prussia　in　the　dust。　And　do　you　still　know　of　another
Thusnelda？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　it　is　the　wife　of　the　Elector　Frederick　of　Wurtemberg；
who　is　also　said　to　have　filled　her　husband　with　ardent　hatred
against　France；　and　with　fervent　patriotism　for　Germany。　The　elector
and　electress　are　reported　to　have　taken　a　solemn　oath　in　the
presence　of　their　whole　court　never　to　bow　or　submit　to　France；　and
never　to　prove　recreant　to　the　interests　of　Germany。〃

〃I　shall　compel　them　to　believe　that　the　interests　of　Germany
require　them　to　bow　to　France　and　to　become　our　allies！〃　exclaimed
Napoleon；　proudly。　〃The　electress　of　Wurtemberg　is　a　daughter　of
George　the　Third　of　England；　a　daughter　of　my　mortal　enemy；　hence；
she　shall　bow　to　me　or　feel　my　power　and　my　wrath。　The　time　for
hesitation　and　procrastination　is　over。　I　want　to　have　my　friends　at
my　side　and　my　enemies　opposite　me。　Let　the　German　princes　choose
whether　they　will　go　with　France　against　Austria；　their　common
despot；　or　whether；　like　Austria；　they　wished　to　be　conquered　by
France！　We　shall　see　which　side　Wurtemberg　will　espouse；　for　Ney　is
already　with　his　corps　on　the　road　to　Stuttgart；　and　in　the　course
of　a　few　days　I　shall　pay　a　visit　to　the　elector　and　electress　at
their　own　palace。〃

And　a　few　days　later　Napoleon　really　kept　his　word：　he　paid　a　visit
to　the　elector　and　electress　at　Louisburg；　after　Ney　had　compelled
the　government　of　Wurtemberg　to　open　the　gates　of　Stuttgart　to　his
troops。

The　elector　received　the　emperor　at　the　foot　of　the　palace
staircase；　where　only　an　hour　ago　he　had　assured　his　courtiers　he
would　not　receive　the　upstart　Napoleon　as　an　equal　and　shake　hands
with　him；　but　as　Napoleon　now　saluted　him　with　a　kind　nod；　and　gave
him　his　hand；　the　elector　bowed　so　deeply　and　respectfully　that　it
almost　looked　as　if　he　wished　to　kiss　the　small；　white；　imperial
hand　which　he　had　seized　so　joyfully　and　reverentially。　＇Footnote：
〃Memoirs　of　General　de　Wolzogen；〃　p。　24。＇

The　electress；　who　entered　at　the　side　of　her　husband；　received　the
emperor　in　the　large　and　brilliant　throne…room　of　the　palace。　Her
face　was　pale　and　gloomy　when　she　bowed　ceremoniously　to　the
hereditary　foe　of　her　house；　and　not　the　faintest　tinge　of　a　smile
was　to　be　seen　on　her　lips　when　she　replied　to　the　emperor's
address。

Napoleon's　face；　however；　was　strangely　mild　and　winning　to…day；　and
yet　radiant　with　dignity　and　grandeur。　It　was　the　face　of　a
conqueror　who　does　not　intend　to　treat　those　whom　he　has　subjugated
with　arrogance　and　rigor；　but　desires　to　win　their　affection　by
gentleness　and　love。　Hence；　his　eyes　had　only　mild　and　kind　glances；
and　on　his　finely…formed　lips　there　was　playing　that　smile　which　the
Empress　Josephine　said　was　the　sunbeam　of　his　face；　and　irresistible
to　any　woman。

Nor　was　the　electress　able　to　withstand　this　smile　and　this　kind
bearing　of　Napoleon。　She　had　expected　to　find　in　the　emperor　an
ardent　enemy　of　her　native　England；　and　he　now　paid　a　glowing　and
eloquent　tribute　to　the　English；　to　their　country；　to　their
institutions　and　character。　Napoleon　had　been　described　to　her　as　a
barbarian；　taking　interest　only　in　warfare　and　every　thing　connected
with　it；　and　now　she　found　him　to　be　an　admirer　of　the　English
poets；　and　heard　him　expatiate　enthusiastically　on　Ossian；　some　of
whose　most　magnificent　verses　he　recited　to　her　in　a　French
translation。

The　stern　features　of　the　electress　gradually　began　to　relax；　the
smile　gradually　returned　to　her　lips；　and　she　bent　her　proud　head
more　graciousl