louisa of prussia and her times-第107节

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his　proceedings；　he　will　soon　be　our　master　as　he　is　of　all　those
who　call　themselves　his　allies；　and　who　are　really　nothing　but　his
slaves。　My　heart　kindles　with　rage　when　I　now　see　all　Germany
trembling　with　fear　before　this　son　of　a　Corsican　lawyer；　this
tyrant　who　assassinated　the　noble　and　innocent　Duke　d'Enghien；　and
who；　not　contenting　himself　with　chaining　France；　would　like　to
catch　the　whole　world　in　his　imperial　mantle　so　as　to　fatten　its
golden　bees　on　it。　And　he　will　succeed　in　doing　so；　unless　we　resist
him；　for　his　word　is　now　already　the　law　of　half　the　world；　and　this
emperor　carries　out　whatever　he　wants　to　do。　Truly；　if　he　should
feel　some　day　a　hankering　for　a　dish　of　princes'　ears；　I　should　no
longer　deem　my　own　ears　safe；　nor　those　of　your　young　princes
either！〃　＇Footnote：　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　said　this　to　the　queen。
Vide　〃Rahel　and　her　Friends；〃　vol。　i。＇

The　queen　did　not　smile　at　this　jest　which　the　prince　had　uttered　in
an　angry　voice；　but　she　turned　once　more　with　a　grave　and　anxious
air　to　the　minister。

〃Tell　me；　has　any　thing　occurred？〃　she　asked。　〃Has　there　been　a
change　in　the　political　situation？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；〃　replied　the　minister；　〃there　has　been　a　change
in　the　political　situation；　the　Emperor　Napoleon　has　dared　to
violate　our　neutrality；　and　if　Prussia　should　not　now　demand
satisfaction　she　either　loses　her　honor；　or　she　places　herself
before　the　whole　world　as　the　ally　of　France；　and　defies　thereby　the
open　hostility　of　Austria；　Russia；　and　England。〃

〃You　dare　to　say　that　Prussia's　honor　has　been　attacked；　and　to
doubt　that　the　king　will　hold　the　offender　responsible　for　such　an
outrage？〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　with　flashing　eyes。　〃The　king；　who　is
the　incarnation　of　honor；　will　not　permit　even　the　shadow　of　a　stain
to　fall　on　Prussia's　honor；　in　generous　anger　he　will　hurl　back　the
insolent　hand　that　will　dare　to　shake　the　palladium　of　our　honor。〃

〃Oh；　if　you　think　and　speak　thus；〃　said　the　prince；
enthusiastically；　〃I　have　no　longer　any　fears；　but　consider　Prussia
as　saved　already　from　the　dangers　now　menacing　her。　As　I　see　your
majesty　now；　in　your　wondrous　beauty；　with　those　eyes　reflecting
your　inward　heaven；　with　this　face　so　radiant　with　enthusiasm；　you
seem　to　be　the　genius　whom　Providence　has　sent　to　Prussia　to　guard
and　protect　her；　and　to　guide　her　on　the　right　path　and　to　the　right
goal。　O；　queen！　fulfil　the　mission　which　Providence　has　intrusted　to
you；　follow　your　noble　and　sacred　vocation；　be　the　genius　of
Prussia；　and　impart　to　the　vacillating　and　timid；　firm；　manly
courage　and　energetic　resolution！　Queen；　I　implore　you；　on　my　knees；
have　pity　on　Prussia；　have　pity　on　your　children：　be　the　genius　of
Prussia！〃

And　quite　beside　himself；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears；　his　lips
quivering　with　emotion；　the　prince　knelt　down　before　the　queen　and
raised　his　folded　hands　imploringly　to　her。

〃Your　majesty；　permit　me　also　to　bend　my　knees　before　you；〃　said
Minister　von　Hardenberg；　solemnly；　〃to　adore　and　worship　you　as　the
genius　of　Prussia；　from　whom　we　expect　our　salvation；　our　peace；　and
our　honor！　Oh；　queen；　you　alone　have　the　power　to　touch　the　heart　of
the　king　and　to　remove　the　doubts　of　his　noble　and　honorable　mind；
you　alone　will　be　able　to　accomplish　what　neither　our　arguments　nor
our　supplications　could　bring　about；　you　alone　will　be　able　to
elevate　the　vacillation　of　your　husband　to　the　strength　of　high…
spirited　and　courageous　resolution！〃

〃No；　not　a　word　against　the　king！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　almost
sternly。　〃Let　no　one　dare　to　assert　that　the　king　lacks　manly
determination　and　vigorous　courage。　If　he　is　hesitating　when　you
would　wish　to　act；　it　is　because　he　looks　into　the　future　more
prudently　and　sagaciously　than　you；　while　you　only　think　of　the
present　time；　it　is　because　he　weighs　and　calculates　the
consequences；　while　you　only　care　for　the　action　of　the　moment。　But
arise；　gentlemen：　let　us　not　perform　a　sentimental　scene　at　a　time
when　it　is　of　the　highest　importance　to　be　prudent　and　to　reflect。
Let　us　converse；　therefore；　gravely　and　soberly；　explain　to　me　what
has　happened；　and　what　danger　is　menacing　Prussia　and　my　children。　I
comply　now　with　your　wish；　let　us　hold　a　political　conference。　Let
us　sit　down；　then；　and　commence。〃

She　took　a　seat　on　the　sofa；　and　invited　the　gentlemen　to　sit　down
on　the　two　chairs　opposite　her。

〃Now　tell　me　what　has　occurred；　and　what　has　changed　the　political
situation。　Minister　von　Hardenberg；　pray　give　me　a　full　and　plain
account　of　the　state　of　our　political　affairs；　for　I　have　already
told　you　that　I　never　meddle　with　politics；　and　do　not　know　much
about　them；　indeed　I　have　been　too　happy；　and　my　life　too　much
absorbed　by　my　happiness；　to　have　made　it　necessary　for　me　to　think
of　politics。　But　I　see　very　well　that　the　time　of　quiet　happiness　is
over　now！　Let　us；　then；　speak　of　politics。　You　said；　a　few　minutes
ago；　Prussia　had　been　insulted　by　France？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　Prussia　has　been　insulted。　Her　most　sacred
right；　her　neutrality；　has　been　violated；〃　replied　Hardenberg。　〃The
king；　in　his　generous　endeavor　to　preserve　the　blessings　of　peace　to
his　people；　intended　to　maintain　a　strict　neutrality　amid　all　these
wars　and　storms　agitating　the　world；　and　the　friend　and　ally　of　no
party　and　no　power；　to　rely　exclusively　on　his　own　strength。　He
wanted　to　wait；　to　mediate；　and　conciliate；　but　not　to　attack；　act；
and　decide。　There　may　be　times　when　such　a　role　is　a　weighty　and
dignified　onemay　secure　the　peace　of　the　world；　but　it　always
depends　on　those　between　whom　one　wishes　to　act　as　a　neutral
mediator。　One　may　remain　neutral　between　men　of　honor；　between
princes；　to　whom　their　word　is　sacred；　and　who　do　not　dare　to
violate　treaties；　but　not　between　those　to　whom　their　word　is　sacred
only　so　long　as　their　own　advantage　requires　it；　and　who　do　not
violate　treaties　only　so　long　as　they　do　not　interfere　with　their
selfish　plans。　It　is　a　principle　of　neutrality　not　to　open　one's
territory　to　either　of　the　contending　powers；　and　this　principle　has
always　been　strictly　observed。　When　Russia；　now　that　she　is　going　to
send　her　troops　for　the　second　time　to　Germany　for　the　purpose　of
assisting　the　Austrians；　informed　the　king　that　she　would　march
these　troops　through　Southern　Prussia　and　Silesia；　the　king　deemed
this　information　equivalent　to　a　declaration　of　war；　and　his　majesty
immediately　ordered　the　whole　army　to　be　placed　on　the　war　footing。
We　should　now　be　at　war　with　Russia；　if　the　Emperor　Alexander　had
not　sent　on　the　day　after　the　first　dispatch　had　arrived　here；
another　dispatch　to　the　king；　in　which　he　apologized；　and　declared
that　he　had　been　too　rash　in　making　the　above…named　demand。
＇Footnote：　Vide　Hausser's　〃History　of　Germany；〃　vol。　11。；　p。　635。
〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　viii。；　p。　474。＇　But　this　step　of
Russia；　this　mere　threat　of　violation　of　our　neutrality；　had
sufficed　to　induce　Prussia　to　place　her　army　on　the　war　footing；　and
to　do　so　AGAINST　the　coalition　of　Austria；　Russia；　and　England。　A
cry　of　horror　resounded　throughout　Germany　when　the　people　heard　of
this　first　step　by　which　Prussia　seemed　to　declare　publicly　FOR
France　and　AGAINST　the　coalition；　and　this　cry　was　reechoed　abroad；
of　which　the　conduct　of　the　King　of　Sweden　gave　us　a　striking　proof。
Your　majesty　is　aware　that　this　king；　through　his　ambassador；　M。　de
Bernstorf；　returned　to　his　majesty　the　King　of　Prussia　the　order　of
the　Black　Eagle　which　he　had　received　from　the　late　lamented　king；
accompanying　it　by　an　insulting　letter　in　which　he　stated；　that　'he
could　not　wear　an　order　which　the　king　had　recently　also　sent　to
Monsieur　Bonaparte。'〃

〃And　on　the　same　day　that　this　offensive　return　of　the　highest
Prussian　order　took　place；〃　exclaimed　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；　with　a
harsh；　angry　laugh；　〃on　the　same　day　the　King　of　Prussia　received
from　the　Emperor　of　France　the　grand　cordon　and　seven　other　grand
crosses　of　the　Legion　of　Honor　to　be　distributed　among　the　princes
and　ministers。　And　not　only　did　we　receive　these　seven　orders；　but
in　return　for　them　we　sent　seven　orders　of　the　Black　Eagle　to
Paris。〃　＇Footnote：　Hausser's　〃History　of　Germany；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　76。＇

〃But　you　forget　to　add　that　the　king　returned　on　the　same　day　the
Scraphine　order　to　the　King　of　Sweden；　and　recalled　his　ambassador；
so　that　we　are　now　in　a　state　of　war　with　Sweden；〃　said　the　queen；
eagerly。

〃Oh；　my　royal　cousin；　you　betray　your　secrets；〃　exclaimed　the
prince；　joyfully；　〃you　wanted　us　to　believe　that　your　majesty　did
not　care　at　all　for　politics；　and　now　you　know　the　most　minute
details　so　accurately。〃

〃I　take　a　lively　interest　in　every　occurrence　which　grieves　the
heart　of　my　husband；〃　said　the　queen；　〃and　that　event　made　a　very
painful　impression　upon　him。〃

〃Oh；　your　majesty；　it　was　only　a　prelude　to　other　mortifications　and
insults　which　we　shall　have　to　suffer　if　the　king　will　not　avenge
them；〃　said　Hardenberg；　energetically。　〃It　has　been　said　that
Prussia　was　siding　with　France　merely　because　she　would　not　grant
Russia　a　passage　through　her　neutral　territory；　and　because　she
placed　her　army　in　a