louisa of prussia and her times-第106节

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forgive　without　punishing。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　will！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　joyfully。　〃Forgiving　without
punishing；　is　not　that　the　most　sacred　and　sublime　power　of　a　queen；
is　it　not　the　most　brilliant　gem　in　our　crown？　How　miserable　and
deplorable　would　monarchs　be　if　God　had　not　conferred　the　right　of
mercy　upon　them！　We　stand　ourselves　so　much　in　need　of　mercy　and
forbearance；　for　we　commit　errors　and　faults　like　other　mortals；　and
yet　we　judge　and　punish　like　gods。　Let　us　be　merciful；　therefore；
that　we　may　be　judged　mercifully。〃

The　door　of　the　anteroom　opened　at　this　moment；　and　the　chamberlain…
in…waiting　entered。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　〃Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　and　Minister　von
Hardenberg　beg　leave　to　wait　on　your　majesty。〃

〃I　expected　these　gentlemen　at　this　hour；〃　said　the　queen；　glancing
at　the　clock；　〃let　them　come　in；　therefore。　And　you；　my　dear
countess；　farewell。〃

〃Your　majesty　orders　me　to　withdraw？〃　asked　the　mistress　of
ceremonies；　hesitatingly；　〃Etiquette　requires　that　the　queen　should
give　her　audiences　only　in　the　presence　of　her　mistress　of
ceremonies；　or　of　one　of　her　ladies　of　honor。〃

〃My　dear　countess；〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　slight　tinge　of
impatience；　〃I　am　not　going　to　give　any　audience；　but　merely　to
receive　a　friendly　visit　from　my　royal　cousin　and　his　friend；　as　I
know　it　is　their　intention　to　communicate　to　me　matters　which　no　one
except　myself　can　hear；　I　shall　receive　them　alone。　Hence　be　so　kind
as　to　withdraw。〃

〃His　royal　highness　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　and　his　excellency
Minister　von　Hardenberg！〃　shouted　the　footman；　opening　the　folding…
doors。

The　queen　nodded　a　parting　greeting　to　the　mistress　of　ceremonies；
and　advanced　a　few　steps　to　meet　the　visitors；　while　the　countess；
heaving　mournful　sighs；　disappeared　through　the　side…door。




CHAPTER　XLV。

THE　CONFERENCE。


Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；　a　nephew　of　Frederick　the　Great；　and
Minister　von　Hardenberg；　were　at　that　time　the　most　popular　men　in
Prussia；　because　they　were　known　to　be　the　leaders　of　the　party
which　at　the　court　of　Berlin　considered　the　accession　of　Prussia　to
the　coalition　of　Russia；　England；　and　Austria；　as　the　only　means　to
save　the　country；　while　Minister　von　Haugwitz；　Lombard；　the　first
secretary　of　foreign　affairs；　and　General　Kockeritz；　constantly
renewed　their　efforts　to　win　the　king　to　an　alliance　with　France。

Prince　Ferdinand；　a　fine　looking　young　man；　scarcely　thirty　years　of
age；　in　his　brilliant　uniform；　in　which　his　tall　and　noble　form
presented　a　very　imposing　appearance；　and　in　which　he　looked　like
the　incarnation　of　an　heroic　warrior；　was　consequently　the　special
favorite　of　the　soldiers；　who　told　the　most　astonishing　and
incredible　stories　about　his　intrepidity　and　hardihood。　He　was；
besides；　the　favorite　of　the　ladies；　who　called　him　the　best…looking
and　most　amiable　man　in　the　whole　monarchy；　and；　with　amiable
indulgence；　attributed　his　many　adventures　and　acts　of　inconstancy；
his　wild　and　dissipated　life；　his　extravagance　and　numerous　debts；
to　the　genius　of　the　prince。　He　was；　indeed；　an　extraordinary　man；
one　of　those　on　whose　brow　Providence　has　imprinted　the　stamp　of
genius；not　to　their　own　good；　but　to　their　misfortune；　and　who
either　miserably　perish　by　their　genius；　or　constantly　inflict　with
it　the　most　painful　wounds　upon　others。

Minister　von　Hardenberg；　who　now；　after　a　long　struggle；　had
succeeded　in　overcoming　the　influence　of　Minister　von　Haugwitz；　and；
with　him；　that　of　the　French　party；　was　one　of　those　rare　and
extraordinary　statesmen　who　have　made　diplomacy　not　a　business；　but
the　task　of　their　whole　life；　and　who　have　devoted　to　it　all　the
strength；　all　the　thoughts　and　feelings　of　their　soul。　A　native　of
Hanover；　and　receiving　rapid　promotion　at　the　hands　of　the
government　of　that　country；　he　had；　nevertheless；　soon　entered　the
service　of　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；　who　had　charged　him；　after　the
death　of　Frederick　the　Great；　to　take　the　king's　will；　which　had
been　deposited　in　the　ducal　archives　at　Brunswick；　to　Berlin。
＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　202。＇　King
Frederick　William　the　Second；　who　was　so　sagacious　as　to　perceive
and　appreciate　the　diplomatic　talents　of　the　young　ambassador；　had
induced　him　to　enter　his　service；　and　intrusted　to　him　the　difficult
mission　of　negotiating　the　annexation　of　Baireuth　to　Prussia；　of
settling　the　claims　of　the　margrave；　of　paying　the　crushing　burden
of　the　debts　of　Baireuth　as　speedily　as　possible；　and　of　restoring
the　country；　which　had　suffered　so　much；　to　its　former　prosperity
and　content。　Afterward　he　had　been　appointed　minister　of　state　and
war　in　Prussia；　and　since　that　time　he　had　always　displayed　the
greatest　activity　and　zeal　in　serving　Prussia　according　to　the
dictates　of　his　honest　conviction；　but　at　the　same　time　also　to
guard　the　interests　of　the　great　fatherland；　the　interests　of
Germany。　The　influence　of　France；　above　all；　seemed　to　him　to
endanger　these　interests；　hence　he　believed　it　to　be　specially
incumbent　upon　him　to　preserve　at　least　Prussia　from　this　noxious
influence　and　to　push　her　over　to　the　other　side；　to　the　side　of　the
coalition；　than　to　allow　her　to　be　devoured；　like　a　poor　little
bird；　by　the　French　basilisk。　These　endeavors；　which　kept　up　a
continual　conflict　between　him　and　the　special　favorites　and
confidants　of　the　king；　Haugwitz　and　Kockeritz；　had　gained　him　the
love　and　esteem　of　all　Prussian　patriots；　and　secured　him　an
extraordinary　popularity。　These　two　favorites　of　the　Prussian　people
now　entered　the　queen's　cabinet。

Louisa　replied　to　the　familiar　and　friendlyrather　than　respectful…
…greeting　of　the　prince　with　a　smile　and　a　nod；　and　received　the
respectful　bow　of　the　minister　with　the　calm　and　proud　dignity　of　a
queen。

〃Well；　my　merry　and　reckless　cousin；〃　she　said；　turning　to　the
prince；　〃are　there　again　some　sins　to　be　confessed；　some　neglects　of
discipline　to　be　hushed　up；　some　tears　to　be　dried；　and　the　mercy　of
the　king　to　be　implored　for　the　extravagant　freaks　of　our　genius？
And　is　it　for　that　reason　that　you　have　brought　along　so　eloquent　an
advocate　and　attorney？〃

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　said　the　prince；　heaving　a　sigh；　〃this　time；
unfortunately；　I　have　to　confess　to　you　no　merry　freaks　and
agreeable　sins；　and　I　am　afraid　I　am　about　to　become　a　steady　man；
and　to　turn　my　back　on　all　extravagant　pranks。　Hence；　the　minister
has　not　accompanied　me　this　time　in　order　to　defend　me　and　to
implore　the　gracious　intercession　of　my　royal　cousin；　but　we　have
come　for　the　purpose　of　repeating　to　your　majesty　Prussia's　cry　of
anguish　and　distress；　and　of　beseeching　you　to　assist　us　in　saving
her　from　the　ruin　on　the　verge　of　which　she　is　tottering　at　the
present　time！〃

The　queen　looked　alternately　at　the　prince　and　at　the　minister　with
grave；　wondering　eyes。　〃It　is　a　political　conference；　then；　you　wish
to　hold　with　me？〃　she　asked；　and　when　the　two　gentlemen　made　no
reply；　she　continued　more　rapidly　and　in　a　slightly　agitated　voice
〃in　that　case；　gentlemen；　I　must　request　you　to　leave　me；　for　I　am
no　politician；　and　I　do　not　aspire　to　the　role　of　a　political
intriguer。　I　am　the　wife　of　the　reigning　king；　but　not　a　reigning
queen；　my　sole　endeavor　is　to　render　the　king　a　happy　husband　at
home；　and　to　cause　him　to　forget　at　my　side　politics　and　the
vexations　of　his　official　position。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　your　majesty；〃　said　Minister　von　Hardenberg；　solemnly…
…〃I　am　afraid　the　time　for　such　an　idol　on　the　throne　is　past；　and
instead　of　causing　the　king　to　forget　the　vexations　of　his　position；
it　will　now　be　the　great　task　of　your　majesty　to　bear　them　with
him。〃

〃And　we　have　come　to　beg　my　noble　and　magnanimous　cousin　to　do　so；〃
exclaimed　the　prince；　enthusiastically。　〃We　have　come　to　implore
your　assistance　and　cooperation　in　the　name　of　Prussia；　in　the　name
of　all　German　patriots；　and　in　the　name　of　your　children！〃

〃In　the　name　of　my　children？〃　ejaculated　the　queen；　turning　pale。
〃Speak！　speak！　what　has　happened？　what　calamity　threatens　my
children？　I　decline　listening　to　you　as　a　queen；　but　I　will　do　so　as
a　mother；　who　anxiously　desires　to　secure　the　happiness　of　her
children。　What　evils；　what　calamities　do　you　refer　to？〃

〃The　independence；　nay；　perhaps　the　whole　existence　of　Prussia；　is
menaced；〃　said　Minister　von　Hardenberg；　solemnly。　〃We　have　to　choose
whether　Prussia　is　to　be　an　isolated　state；　shunned　by　everybody；
and　despised　by　everybodya　state　which　France　will　be　able　to
devour　with　impunity　and　amid　the　jeers　of　the　whole　world；　as　she
has　devoured　Italy；　Holland；　and　the　left　bank　of　the　Rhineor
whether　Prussia　will　preserve　her　power；　her　independence；　and　her
honor；　by　not　staving　off　a　division　any　longer；　but　meeting　her
friends　as　well　as　her　enemies　with　open　visor；　and　by　assuming　at
length　an　active　and　resolute　attitude　instead　of　the　vacillating
and　hesitating　course　she　has　so　long　pursued！〃

〃We　ought　to　oppose　the　Emperor　of　France　in　a　manly　manner；〃
exclaimed　the　prince；　energetically。　〃If　we　do　not　interfere　with
his　proceedings；　he　will　soon　be　our　master　as　he　is　of　all　those
who　call　themselves　his　al