louisa of prussia and her times-第104节

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The　stern　features　of　the　electress　gradually　began　to　relax；　the
smile　gradually　returned　to　her　lips；　and　she　bent　her　proud　head
more　graciously　to　the　〃upstart〃　Napoleon。

〃Oh；　sire！〃　she　exclaimed；　joyfully；　and　for　the　first　time　she　did
not　avoid　addressing　him　with　the　title　due　to　his　rank〃oh；　sire；
he　who　admires　the　English　poets　so　enthusiastically　cannot　possibly
be　an　enemy　of　England！〃

〃I　am　not　by　any　means；〃　said　Napoleon；　smiling；　〃I　know　no　enmity
whatever；　peace　is　the　sole　aim　of　my　efforts；　and　I　believe　Fate
has　sent　me　to　mankind　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　eternal
peace。　It　is　true；　I　have　to　conquer　peace　by　wars　and　commotions；
but　I　shall　conquer　it；　and　you；　princess；　you　and　your　husband　must
help　me　to　do　so。　I　intrust　to　your　hands　a　noble　task；　which　the
high…minded　and　proud　daughter　of　England　is　worthy　of；　and　the
German　elector　will　not　hinder　the　noble　endeavors　of　his　wife；
especially　as　the　honor　and　welfare　of　Germany　are　at　stake。〃

〃I　am　ready　and　willing　to　do　for　Germany　what　I　can；　and　whatever
your　majesty　may　command　me　to　do；〃　exclaimed　the　elector。　〃Will
your　majesty　now　tell　me　what　I　must　do？〃

〃You　must　conclude　an　alliance　with　France；　in　order　to　save
Germany；〃　said　the　emperor；　almost　sternly。

〃Sire；　I　have　not　the　power　to　conclude　such　an　allianceI　am
unable　to　do　so；〃　said　the　elector；　sighing。

〃Your　state　can　if　you　cannot；〃　said　Napoleon；　quickly。

〃But　the　representatives　of　my　people　will　not　consent。〃

〃I　shall　protect　you　against　these　representatives　of　your　people。
You　will　tell　them；　besides；　that　you　have　saved　Wurtemberg　by
becoming　my　ally。　For　he　who　is　not　for　me　is　against　me；　and　I
shall　annihilate　those　who　are　against　me；　and　their　states　shall
fall　to　ruin。　Those；　however；　who　are　for　me　I　shall　elevate；　and　it
seems　to　me　I　see　already　a　royal　crown　on　the　noble　brow　of　the
electress。　I　suppose；〃　asked　Napoleon；　turning　again　with　a　smile
toward　the　electress；　〃your　royal　highness　would　not　be　dissatisfied
if　you　should　become　the　queen　of　your　people；　it　would　be　agreeable
to　you　to　be　called　'your　majesty；'　and　if　it　were　only　because　it
would　remind　you　in　so　pleasant　a　manner　of　your　royal　parents　who
are　addressed　with　the　same　title？〃

〃Oh；　sire；〃　exclaimed　the　electress；　with　radiant　eyes；　and　unable
to　conceal　her　joy〃oh；　sire；　you　are　right；　it　would　remind　me
most　pleasantly　of　my　paternal　home　and　of　England。〃

〃But　would　not　a　royal　crown　crush　my　state　which　is　too　small　for
it？〃　asked　the　elector。

〃Well；　we　shall　enlarge　it　so　as　to　render　it　able　and　worthy　to
support　a　royal　crown；〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；　hastily。　〃I　believe　I
shall　have　the　power　and　opportunity　to　bestow　on　my　ally；　the
elector　of　Wurtemberg；　some　aggrandizements　in　Germany　to　compensate
and　reward　him　for　the　auxiliaries　which　he　is　to　furnish　to　me。
Besides；　your　task　is　a　truly　grand　one。　You　shall　assist　me　in
subduing　Austria；　that　arrogant　Austria　which　would　like　to　treat
all　Germany　as　her　property；　and　who　considers　all　German　princes　as
her　servants　and　vassals。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　elector；　vehemently；　〃Austria　constantly
endeavors　to　meddle　with　my　prerogatives　in　an　unbecoming　and
arrogant　manner。　She　would　like　to　degrade　us　to　the　position　of
vassals　who　must　always　be　ready　to　obey　their　emperor；　but　who；
when　they　are　themselves　in　danger；　never　can　count　on　the
assistance　and　support　of　their　emperor。〃

〃Let　us；　then；　dispel　Austria's　illusion　as　though　she　were　your
master；〃　said　Napoleon；　smiling。　〃Become　my　ally；　and　believe　me；　we
shall　have　the　power　to　teach　the　Emperor　of　Austria　to　respect　the
KING　of　Wurtemberg；　my　ally。　Will　you　be　my　ally　for　that　purpose？
Will　you　assist　me；　as　a　German　prince；　in　delivering　Germany　from
the　yoke　Austria　has　laid　around　her　neck？〃

〃Sire；　I　am　ready　to　save　Germany　with　my　life…blood！〃　exclaimed　the
elector；　〃and　as　your　majesty　has　come　to　deliver　Germany　from
Austria；　it　would　be　a　crime　for　any　German　prince　to　withhold　his
assistance　from　you。　Hence；　I　accept　your　alliance。　Here　is　my　hand！
I　shall　stand　by　you　with　my　troops　and　with　my　honor！〃　＇Footnote：
The　whole　account　of　this　interview　is　strictly　historical。　Vide
〃Memoirs　of　General　de　Wolzogen；〃　and　Hausser's　〃History　of
Germany；〃　vol。　ii。　p。　613。　The　Elector　of　Wurtemberg　became　the
third　German　ally　of　the　French　emperor；　the　Electors　of　Bavaria　and
Baden　having　preceded　him。　He　furnished　ten　thousand　German　troops
to　Napoleon。＇




CHAPTER　XLIV。

QUEEN　LOUISA'S　PIANO　LESSON。


The　queen　sat　at　the　piano；　practising　one　of　Reichardt's　new　songs
which　her　singing…teacher；　the　royal　concert…master　and　composer；
Himmel；　had　just　brought　to　her。　The　queen　wore　a　most　brilliant
costume；　which；　however；　seemed　calculated　less　for　her　silent
cabinet　and　for　the　music…teacher　than　for　a　great　gala…day　and　an
aristocratic　assembly　at　court。　A　white　satin　dress；　inter…woven
with　golden　flowers；　and　closely　fitting；　according　to　the　fashion
of　that　period；　surrounded　her　noble　figure。　Her　splendid　white　arms
were　bare；　and　her　wrists　were　adorned　with　two　bracelets　of　gold
and　precious　stones。　Her　neck　and　shoulders；　showing　the　noble　lines
and　forms　of　a　Venus　of　Melos；　were　uncovered　like　her　arms；　and
adorned　only　with　jewelry。　Her　hair；　surrounding　a　forehead　of
classical　beauty　in　waving　masses；　was　fastened　behind　in　a　Grecian
knot　holding　the　golden　diadem；　set　with　diamonds；　which　arose　on
the　queen's　head。　＇Footnote：　A　portrait；　representing　the　queen
precisely　in　this　costume；　may　be　seen　at　the　royal　palace　in
Berlin。＇　A　gentle　blush　mantled　her　cheeks；　and　a　smile　of
melancholy　and　tenderness　trembled　on　her　purple　lips。　She　had　her
hands　on　the　keys；　and　her　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　music…book　before
her；　but　she　had　suddenly　ceased　singing　in　the　middle　of　the　piece；
and　her　voice　had　died　away　in　a　long　sigh。

Mr。　Himmel；　the　concert…master；　stood　behind　her；　he　was　a　man　more
than　forty　years　of　age；　with　a　broad；　full　face；　beaming　with
health；　and　a　tall　and　slender　form　which　would　have　been　more
fitting　for　the　head　of　an　Apollo　than　for　this　head；　which　reminded
the　beholder　of　a　buffalo　rather　than　of　a　god。

When　the　queen　paused；　a　joyful　smile　overspread　his　features；　which
had　hitherto　been　gloomy　and　ill　at　ease。　〃Your　majesty　pauses？〃　he
asked；　hastily。　〃Well；　I　wish　your　majesty　joy　of　it。　That　Mr。
Reichardt；　of　Halle；　is　too　sentimental　and　arrogant　a　composer；　and
never　should　I　have　dared　to　lay　these　new　pieces　of　his　before　your
majesty　if　you　had　not　asked　me　to　bring　you　every　thing　written　by
Reichardt。　Well；　you　have　seen　it　now；　it　displeases　your　majesty；
and　I　am　glad　of　it；　for〃

〃For；〃　said　the　queen；　gently　interrupting　him；　〃for　the　great
composer　Himmel　is　again　jealous　of　the　great　composer　Reichardt。　Is
it　not　so？〃

She　raised　her　dark…blue　eyes　at　this　question　to　Himmel's　face；　and
he　saw　to　his　dismay　that　there　were　tears　in　those　eyes。

〃What！〃　he　asked　in　terror；　〃your　majesty　has　wept？〃

She　nodded　in　the　affirmative；　smiling　gently。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；
after　a　pause；　〃I　have　wept；　and　hence　I　could　not　continue　singing。
Do　not　scold　me；　do　not　be　angry　with　me；　my　dear　and　stern　teacher。
This　song　has　moved　me　profoundly；　it　is　so　simple　and　yet　so
touching；　that　it　must　have　come　out　of　the　depths　of　a　truly　noble
heart。〃

Mr。　Himmel　replied　only　with　a　low　sigh　and　an　almost　inaudible
murmur；　which　the　queen；　however；　understood　very　well。

〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　trying　gently　to　heal　the　jealous　pangs　of　the
composer；　〃perhaps　I　was　so　deeply　moved　by　the　words　rather　than　by
the　music；　these　words　are　so　beautiful　that　it　seems　to　me　Goethe
never　wrote　any　thing　more　beautiful。〃

And　bending　over　the　music…book；　she　read　in　an　undertone：

　　　　〃Wer　nie　sein　Brod　mit　Thranen　ass；
　　　　　Wer　nie　die　kummervollen　Nachte
　　　　　Auf　seinem　Bette　einsam　sass；
　　　　　Der　kennt　euch　nicht；　Ihr　himmlischen　Machte！〃

＇Footnote：
　　　　　　〃He　who　never　ate　his　bread　with　tears；
　　　　　　　He　who　never；　through　nights　of　affliction；
　　　　　　　Sat　on　his　lonely　bed；
　　　　　　　He　does　not　know　you；　powers　of　heaven！〃＇

〃Say　yourself；　Mr。　Himmel；　is　not　that　beautiful　and　touching？〃　she
asked；　looking　up　again　to　her　teacher。

〃Beautiful　and　touching　for　those　who　have　wept　much　and　suffered
much；〃　said　Himmel；　harshly；　〃but　I　cannot　conceive　why　these　words
should　touch　your　majesty；　whose　whole　life　has　hitherto　illuminated
the　world　like　an　uninterrupted　sunny　spring　morning。〃

〃Hitherto；〃　repeated　the　queen；　musingly；　〃yes；　hitherto；　indeed；　my
life　was　a　sunny　spring　morning；　but　who　is　able　to　fathom　what
clouds　may　soon　appear　on　the　horizon；　and　how　cloudy　and　gloomy　the
evening　may　be？　This　song　reechoes　in　my　soul　like　a　melancholy
foreboding；　and　clings　to　its　wings　as　if　it　wanted　to　paralyze
their　flight。　'He　who　never　ate　his　bread　with　tears；'　ah；　how
mournful　it　sounds；　and　what　a　long　story　of　suffering　is　contained
in　these　few　words！〃

The　queen　paused；　and　two　tears；　glistening　more　beautifully　than
the　diamonds　of　her　golden