louisa of prussia and her times-第11节

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and　it　seemed　to　him　as　though　inspiration　failed　him　unless　he　wore
the　ring。　He　stated　this　on　many　occasions。＇　But　now　I　am　ready　and
adorned　like　a　bridegroom　who　is　going　to　his　young　bride。　Yes；　yes；
it　is　just　so　with　me。　I　am　going　to　my　brideto　St。　Cecilia！〃

When　he　now　returned　to　his　desk；　his　features　assumed　a　grave　and
solemn　expression。　He　sat　down　once　more　at　the　piano　and　played　an
anthem；　then　he　resumed　his　seat　at　the　desk；　took　a　sheet　of　music…
paper　and　commenced　writing。　He　wielded　his　pen　with　the　utmost
rapidity；　and　covered　page　after　page　with　the　queer　little　dots　and
dashes　which　we　call　notes。

And　Haydn's　eyes　flashed　and　his　cheeks　glowed；　and　a　heavenly　smile
played　on　his　lips　while　he　was　writing。　But　all　of　a　sudden　his　pen
stopped；　and　a　slight　cloud　settled　on　his　brow。　Some　passage；　may
be　a　modulation；　had　displeased　him；　in　what　he　had　just　composed；
for　he　glanced　over　the　last　few　lines　and　shook　his　head。　He　looked
down　sadly　and　dropped　the　pen。

〃Help　me；　O　Lord　Godhelp　me！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　hastily　seized　the
rosary　which　always　lay　on　his　desk；　〃Help　me！〃　he　muttered　once
more；　and；　while　hurriedly　pacing　the　room；　he　slipped　the　beads　of
the　rosary　through　his　fingers　and　whispered　an　Ave　Maria。

His　prayer　seemed　to　have　the　desired　effect；　for　the　cloud
disappeared　from　his　forehead；　and　his　eyes　beamed　again　with　the
fervor　of　inspiration。　He　resumed　his　seat　and　wrote　on　with　renewed
energy。　A　holy　peace　now　settled　on　his　serene　features；　and　reigned
around　him　in　the　silent　little　cabinet。

But　all　at　once　this　peaceful　stillness　was　interrupted　by　a　loud
noise　resounding　from　below。　Vociferous　lamentations　were　heard；　and
heavy　footsteps　ascended　the　staircase。

Haydn；　however；　did　not　hear　any　thinghis　genius　was　soaring　far
away　in　the　realm　of　inspiration；　and　divine　harmonies　still
enchanted　his　ears。

But　now　the　door　of　the　small　parlor　was　opened　violently；　and　his
wife；　with　a　face　deadly　pale　and　depicting　the　liveliest　anxiety；
rushed　into　the　room。　Catharine　and　Conrad；　the　aged　footman；
appeared　behind　her；　while　the　cat　slipped　in　with　her　mistress；　and
the　parrot　ejaculated　the　most　frantic　and　piercing　screams。

Haydn　started　in　dismay　from　his　seat　and　stared　at　his　wife　without
being　able　to　utter　a　single　word。　It　was　something　unheard　of　for
him　to　be　disturbed　by　his　wife　during　his　working　hours；　hence　he
very　naturally　concluded　that　something　unusual；　something　really
terrible　must　have　occurred；　and　the　frightened　looks　of　his　wife；
the　pale　faces　of　his　servants；　plainly　told　him　that　he　was　not
mistaken。

〃Oh；　husbandpoor；　dear　husband！〃　wailed　his　wife；　〃pack　up　your
papers；　the　time　for　working　and　composing　is　past。　Conrad　has
brought　the　most　dreadful　tidings　from　the　city。　We　are　all　lost！
Vienna　is　lost！　Oh；　dear；　dear！　it　is　awful；　and　I　tell　you　I　am
almost　frightened　out　of　my　senses！〃

And　the　old　lady；　trembling　like　an　aspen…leaf；　threw　herself　into
an　arm…chair。

〃What　in　Heaven's　name　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Haydn〃what　is　it　that
has　frightened　you　thus？　Conrad；　tell　me　what　is　the　news？〃

〃Oh；　my　dear　master；〃　wailed　Conrad；　approaching　the　doctor　with
folded　hands　and　shaking　knees；　〃it　is　all　up　with　us！　Austria　is
lostVienna　is　lostand　consequently　we　are　lost；　too！　Late
dispatches　have　arrived　from　the　army。　Ah！　what　do　I　say？army？　We
have　no　longer　an　armyour　forces　are　entirely　dispersedArchduke
Charles　has　lost　another　battleold　Wurmser　has　been　driven　back
and　General　Bonaparte　is　advancing　upon　Vienna。〃

〃These　are　sad　tidings；　indeed；〃　said　Haydn；　shrugging　his
shoulders；　〃still　they　are　no　reason　why　we　should　despair。　If　the
archduke　has　lost　a　battlewhy；　all　generals　have　lost　battles〃

〃Bonaparte　never　lost　one；〃　replied　Conrad；　with　a　profound　sigh；
〃he　wins　every　battle；　and　devours　all　countries　he　wants　to
conquer。〃

〃We　must　pack　up　our　things；　Joseph；〃　said　Mrs。　Haydn〃　we　must
bury　our　money；　our　plate；　and　especially　your　jewels　and　trinkets；
so　that　those　French　robbers　and　cannibals　will　not　find　them。　Come；
husband；　let　us　go　to　work　quickly；　before　they　come　and　take　every
thing　from　us。〃

〃Hush；　wife；　hush！〃　said　Haydn；　mildly；　and　a　gentle　smile
overspread　his　features。　〃Never　fear　about　our　few　trifles；　and　do
not　think　that　the　French　just　want　to　come　to　Vienna　for　what　few
gold　snuff…boxes　and　rings　I　have　got。　If　they　were　anxious　for　gold
and　jewels；　coming　as　they　do　as　enemies；　they　might　simply　open　the
imperial　treasury　and　take　there　all　they　want。〃

〃Yes；　but　they　would　not　find　any　thing；〃　said　Conrad。　〃The　treasury
is　empty；　doctor；　entirely　empty。　Every　thing　is　gone；　there　is　not
a　single　crown；　not　a　single　precious　stone　left　in　the　treasury。〃

〃Well；　and　where　is　the　whole　treasure　then；　you　fool？〃　asked　Haydn；
with　a　smile。

〃They　have　taken　it　to　Presburg；　master。　I　saw　the　wagons　myself
soldiers　rode　in　front　of　them；　soldiers　behind　them。　All　streets；
all　places　were　crowded　with　people；　and　a　riot　broke　out；　and　oh！
such　lamentations；　such　wails！and　finally　the　people　became
desperate；　and　roared　and　yelled　that　the　government　should　make
peace；　and　prevent　the　French　from　corning　to　Vienna　and　bombarding
the　city；　and　in　their　desperation　they　grew　quite　bold　and　brave；
and　thousands　of　them　marched　to　the　house　of　Minister　Thugut；　whom
they　call　the　real　emperor　of　Vienna；　and　tried　to　compel　him　to
make　peace。〃

〃Sad；　sad　tidings；　indeed！〃　sighed　Haydn；　shaking　his　head。　〃Worse
than　I　thought。　The　people　riotous　and　rebelliousthe　army
defeatedand　the　enemy　marching　upon　Vienna。　But　don't　despair
courage；　courage；　children；　let　us　put　our　trust　in　God　and　our
excellent　emperor。　Those　two　will　never　forsake　usthey　will　guard
and　protect　Vienna；　and　never　suffer　a　single　stone　to　be　taken　from
its　walls。〃

〃Ah；　husband；　don't　count　any　longer　upon　the　emperor；〃　said　his
wife。　〃For　that　is　the　worst　part　of　the　news；　and　shows　that　every
thing　is　lost：　the　emperor　has　left　Vienna。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Haydn；　and　his　face　grew　flushed　with　anger。
〃What；　they　dare　to　slander　the　emperor　so　infamously　as　that！　They
dare　to　assert　that　the　emperor　has　forsaken　his　Viennese　when　they
are　in　danger？　No；　no；　the　emperor　is　an　honest　man　and　a　faithful
prince；　he　will　share　good　and　evil　days　alike　with　his　people。　A
good　shepherd　does　not　leave　his　flock；　a　good　prince　does　not　leave
his　people。〃

〃But　the　emperor　has　forsaken　us；〃　said　Conrad；　〃it　is　but　too　true；
master。　All　Vienna　knows　it；　and　all　Vienna　mourns　over　it。　The
emperor　is　gone；　and　so　are　the　empress　and　the　imperial　children。
All　are　gone　and　off　for　Presburg。〃

〃Gone！　the　emperor　gone！〃　muttered　Haydn；　mournfully；　and　a　deadly
paleness　suddenly　covered　his　cheeks。　〃Oh；　poor　Austria！　poor
people！　Thy　emperor　has　forsaken　theehe　has　fled　from　thee！〃

He　sadly　inclined　his　head；　and　profound　sighs　escaped　from　his
breast。

〃Do　you　see　now；　husband；　that　I　was　right？〃　asked　his　wife。　〃Is　it
not　true　that　it　is　high　time　for　us　to　think　of　our　property；　and
to　pack　up　and　bury　our　valuables？〃

〃No！〃　exclaimed　Haydn；　raising　his　head　again；　〃this　is　no　time　to
think　of　ourselves；　and　of　taking　care　of　our　miserable　property。
The　emperor　has　leftthat　means；　the　emperor　is　in　danger；　and
therefore；　as　his　faithful　subjects；　we　should　pray　for　him；　and　all
our　thoughts　and　wishes　should　only　be　devoted　to　his　welfare。　In
the　hour　of　danger　we　should　not　be　faint…hearted；　and　bow　our
heads；　but　lift　them　up　to　God；　and　hope　and　trust　in　Him！　Why　do
the　people　of　Vienna　lament　and　despair？　They　should　sing　and　pray；
so　that　the　Lord　God　above　may　hear　their　voicesthey　should　sing
and　pray；　and　I　will　teach　them　how！〃

And　with　proud　steps　Haydn　went　to　the　piano；　and　his　hands　began　to
play　gently；　at　first；　a　simple　and　choral…like　air；　but　soon　the
melody　grew　stronger　and　more　impressive。　Haydn's　face　became
radiant；　instinctively　opening　his　lips；　he　sang　in　an　enthusiastic
and　ringing　voice　words　which　he　had　never　known　beforewords
which；　with　the　melody；　had　spontaneously　gushed　from　his　soul。　What
his　lips　sang　was　a　prayer；　and；　at　the　same　time；　a　hymn　of
victoryfull　of　innocent　and　child…like　piety：

　　　　　〃Gott　erhalte　Franz　den　Kaiser；
　　　　　Unsern　guten　Kaiser　Franz；
　　　　　Lange　lebe　Franz　den　Kaiser
　　　　　In　des　Gluckes　hellem　Glanz！
　　　　　Ihm　erbluhen　Lorbeerreiser；
　　　　　Wo　er　geht；　zum　Ehrenkranz！
　　　　　Gott　erhalte　Franz　den　Kaiser；
　　　　　Unsern　guten　Kaiser　Franz！〃
＇Footnote：　The　celebrated　Austrian　hymn；　〃God　save　the　Emperor
Francis。〃＇

Profound　silence　prevailed　while　Haydn　was　singing；　and　when　he
concluded　with　a　firm　and　ringing　accord　and　turned　around；　he　saw
that　his　wife；　overcome　with　emotion；　with　folded　hands　and　eyes
lifted　up　to　heaven；　had　sunk　down　on　her　knees；　and　that　old
Catharine　and　Conrad　were　kneeling　behind　her；　while　the　cat　stood
between　them　listening　to　the　music　as　it　were；　and　even　the　parrot
below　seemed　to　listen　to　the　new　hymn；　for　its　screams　had　ceased。

A　smile　of　delight　played　on　Haydn's　lips　and　rendered　hi