louisa of prussia and her times-第109节

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had　declared　in　Berlin　with　rare　energy　and　emphasis　against　France；
and　the　people　had　received　the　news　of　the　violation　of　Prussia's
neutrality　with　a　unanimous　cry　of　rage　and　horror。　The　inhabitants
of　Berlin；　usually　so　peaceable　and　addicted　to　pleasure；　seemed　all
at　once　transformed　into　heroes　grave　and　eager　for　war；　who　no
longer　knew　any　other　aim　than　to　avenge　as　speedily　as　possible　the
insult　offered　to　them；　and　to　call　France　to　account　for　the
outrage　she　had　committed　against　Prussia。

〃War！　war！〃　That　was　the　word　of　jubilee　and　supplication　now
resounding　on　every　street；　and　in　every　house；　like　one　exulting
prayer　of　the　whole　nation；　it　rose　to　the　windows　of　the　royal
palace；　and　seemed　to　rap　gently　at　them；　so　that　the　king　might
open　them　and　let　it　penetrate　into　his　heart。

The　people　spoke　everywhere　of　this　one　great　affair；　they　asked
each　other；　in　conversation：　〃Shall　we　take　up　arms？　Shall　we
declare　war　against　France？〃

Those　who　answered　these　questions　in　the　negative　were　treated　in
the　most　contemptuous　manner；　the　people　turned　their　backs　on　them；
with　angry　glances　and　threatening　murmurs：　to　those；　however；　who
replied　in　the　affirmative；　they　offered　their　hands　joyfully　and
greeted　them　as　friends　and　allies。

Minister　von　Haugwitz　was　known　to　be　an　adherent　of　the　French　and
an　opponent　of　the　war；　the　people　rushed　to　his　house　and　broke　his
windows；　shouting　loudly　and　angrily；　〃We　do　not　want　peace！　Let　all
the　French　and　friends　of　the　French　perish！〃

Minister　von　Hardenberg；　on　the　other　hand；　was　hailed　by　the　people
with　the　most　enthusiastic　applause　wherever　he　made　his　appearance；
and　on　their　return　from　the　house　of　Minister　von　Haugwitz；　they
hurried　to　Hardenberg's　humble　residence　in　order　to　cheer　him　and
to　shout；　〃War！　war！　We　want　war　with　France！〃

Not　only　the　people　in　the　streets；　however；　but　also　the　best
classes　of　the　public　participated　in　this　general　enthusiasm；　and
did　not　hesitate　to　give　vent　to　it　in　public。　Even　the　royal
functionaries　found　suddenly　sufficient　energy　to　show　themselves　as
German　patriots；　and　it　was　certainly　not　unintentional　that
〃Wallenstein's　Camp；〃　by　Schiller；　was　to　be　performed　at　the　Royal
Theatre　during　those　days　of　general　excitement。

Everybody　wished　to　attend　this　performance；　all　Berlin　rushed　to
the　Royal　Theatre；　and　the　fortunate　persons　who　had　succeeded　in
obtaining　tickets　were　envied　by　the　thousands　unable　to　gain
admission。　The　theatre　was　crowded；　the　pit　was　a　surging　sea；　the
gallery　was　filled　to　suffocation；　and　in　the　boxes　of　the　first　and
second　tiers　the　aristocratic；　elegant；　educated；　and　learned　world
of　all　Berlin　seemed　to　have　met。　All　faces　were　glowing；　all　lips
were　smiling；　all　eyes　were　sparkling；　every　one　was　aware　that　this
was　to　be　a　political　demonstration；　and　every　one　was　happy　and
proud　to　participate　in　it。

When　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　made　his　appearance　in　the　small　royal
proscenium…box；　all　eyes　turned　immediately　toward　him；　and　when　he
bent　forward　from　his　box；　and　seemed　to　greet　the　audience　with　his
merry　eyes　and　winning　smile；　there　arose　a　storm　of　applause　as
though　a　favorite　singer　had　just　concluded　an　aria　di　bravura　and
received　the　thanks　of　the　enraptured　listeners。　Suddenly；　however；
the　loud　applause　died　away；　perhaps　because　the　prince　had　waved
his　hands　as　if　he　wished　to　calm　this　roaring　seaperhaps　because
the　attention　of　the　audience　was　attracted　by　somebody　else。　The
eyes　of　the　crowd　turned　from　the　prince　toward　an　adjoining　box。
Four　gentlemen；　in　brilliant　uniforms；　had　just　entered　it；　but
these　uniforms　were　not　those　of　the　Prussian　army；　and　the　broad
ribbons　which　these　gentlemen　wore　across　their　breasts；　were　not
the　ribbons　of　Prussian　orders。　The　newcomers；　who　had　entered　the
box；　were　the　members　of　the　French　embassyGeneral　Lefevre；　with
his　attaches；　and　General　Duroc；　whom　Napoleon　had　recently　again
sent　to　Berlin　in　order　to　strengthen　the　friendly　relations　of
France　and　Prussia。　It　was　certainly　a　mere　accident　that　Prince
Louis　Ferdinand；　just　at　the　moment　when　these　gentlemen　intended　to
salute　him；　turned　to　the　opposite　side；　and　did　not　see　and
acknowledge　their　greetings；　it　was　certainly　a　mere　accident　that
the　audience；　which　had　just　now　shouted　and　applauded　jubilantly；
all　at　once　commenced　hissing　loudly。

The　members　of　the　French　embassy　took　good　care　not　to　refer　this
hissing　to　themselves；　they　took　their　seats　quietly　near　the
balustrade　of　the　box；　and　seemed　to　take　no　notice　of　the　loud
murmurs　and　the　threatening　glances　of　the　audience。

The　band　now　struck　up　the　overture。　It　was　a　skilfully　arranged
medley　of　well…known　popular　war…songs；　interlarded　with　the
Dessauer　and　Hohenfriedberger　march；　as　if　the　enthusiasm　of　the
audience　were　to　be　carried　to　the　highest　pitch　by　brilliant
reminiscences　of　the　heroic　deeds　and　imperishable　glory　of　Prussia。

All　at　once　a　joyful　murmur　spread　through　the　pit；　the　boxes；　and
the　gallery。　〃The　king；　the　queen！〃　whispered　everybody；　and　all
those　hundreds　of　faces　turned　toward　the　small　proscenium…box　which
the　royal　couple　had　just　entered。

The　queen；　radiantly　beautiful；　with　rosy　cheeks　and　sparkling　eyes；
greeted　the　audience　with　an　enchanting　smile；　the　king；　whose　brow
seemed　unusually　gloomy　and　clouded；　cast　only　a　hesitating　and
anxious　glance　over　the　house；　and　then　withdrew　behind　the　crimson
curtain　of　the　box。

The　stage…curtain　rose；　the　performance　commenced。　The　audience
followed　it　with　the　most　ardent　sympathy；　every　word　referring　to
the　liberty　and　independence　of　Germany；　was　hailed　with　thunders　of
applause；　and　jubilant　shouts　resounded　at　every　allusion　to　foreign
tyranny　and　despotism。　The　actors　had　now　reached　the　last　part　of
the　piece；　the　merry；　soul…stirring　horseman's　song　concluding　the
whole。　〃WOHLAUF；　KAMERADEN　AUF'S　PFER；　AUF'S　PFERD！〃　sang　the　chorus
on　the　stage；　and　the　audience　followed　every　verse；　every　line；
with　breathless　attention。　All　at　once　people　looked　in　great
surprise　at　each　other；　and　then　listened　with　the　utmost　suspense
to　the　singers；　who　had　added　to　the　merry　horseman's　song　a　verse
which　had　not　been　heard　heretofore。　And　when　the　last　words　of　this
verse　had　died　away；　the　whole　audience　shouted　and　roared；　〃DA
CAPO！　DA　CAPO！〃　In　the　pit；　in　the　boxes；　in　the　gallery；　in　short；
every　one　rose　to　their　feet；　and　all　eyes　again　turned　to　the　box
in　which　the　members　of　the　French　embassy　were　seated；　and　thus；
standing；　in　a　jubilant　tone　and　with　threatening　glances；　the　whole
audience　joined　the　chorus　of　the　actors　on　the　stage；　for　they　knew
already　the　words　of　the　additional　verse　by　heart；　and　sang　in　a
thundering　voice：

　　　　〃Wohlauf；　Kameraden；　zur　Schlacht；　zum　Krieg；
　　　　　In's　Feld；　in　die　Freibeit　gezogen。
　　　　　Zur　blutigeu　Schlacht；　zum　rachenden　Sieg
　　　　　Uber　den；　der　uns　Freundsehaft　gelogen！
　　　　　Und　Tod　und　Verderhen　dem　falschen　Mann；
　　　　　Der　treulos　den　Frieden　brechen　kann！〃

＇Footnote：　〃On；　comrades；　to　battle；　to　warlet　us　march　into　the
field　and　flght　for　liberty！　To　bloody　battle；　to　avenging　victory
over　him　who　has　lied　friendship　to　us！　And　death　and　destruction　to
the　false　man　who　has　perfidiously　broken　the　peace！〃

This　whole　scene　is　strictly　in　accordance　with　history；　and　the
additional　verse；　if　not　literally　the　same；　renders　at　least　the
sentiment　of　the　lines　which　were　sung　on　that　memorable　evening。
Vide　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　viii。；　p。　496；　and
〃Napoleon；　a　Memoir；〃　by；　vol。　ii。；　p。　73。＇

And　the　audience　repeated　once　more　the　last　two　lines

〃Und　Tod　und　Verderben　dem　falschen　Mann；　Der　treulos　den　Frieden
brechen　kann！〃

All　eyes　then　turned　to　the　royal　box。　The　king　was　still　hidden
behind　the　small　curtain。　The　queen　had　risen。　Folding　her　hands；　as
if　praying；　she　had　raised　her　eyes　to　heaven；　and　two　tears　ran
slowly　down　her　cheeks。

Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　bent　toward　Minister　von　Hardenberg；　who　had
just　entered　his　box。　〃Do　you　see　the　queen？〃　he　said；　in　a　low
voice。　〃Does　she　not　look　really　like　a　genius　praying　for　Prussia？〃

〃Ah；　and；　perhaps；　weeping　for　Prussia！〃　whispered　Hardenberg〃But
let　us　not　give　way　now　to　gloomy　anticipations。　I　am　the　bearer　of
good　and　unexpected　news。　Listen　to　me。　The　king　and　the　queen　will
rise　in　a　few　minutes　in　order　to　leave　the　box；　and　who　knows
whether　the　audience　will　be　patient　and　calm　enough　to　witness　the
whole　ballet；　which　is　just　commencing？　I　see　some　of　my　agents
already　below　in　the　pit；　where　they　have　made　their　appearance　in
order　to　circulate　my　news。〃

〃I　beseech　your　excellency；　be　here　your　own　agent；　and　communicate
the　news　to　me。〃

Minister　Hardenberg　bent　closer　to　the　prince's　ear。　〃I　suppose　you
know　that；　thanks　to　the　influence　of　the　queen；　I　have　induced　the
king　to　sign　a　tolerably　warlike　and　threatening　note　to　the　Emperor
of　the　French？〃

〃But　will　this　note　really　be　forwarded　to　Napoleon？〃

〃It　has　already　been　forwarded。　But　I　had　sent　also　a　messenger　to
the　Emperor　of　Russia