louisa of prussia and her times-第120节

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but　with　a　grave　face　and　careworn　air。

〃There　is　something　going　on；〃　she　whispered；　slowly　gliding　down
the　corridor。　〃Yes；　there　is　something　going　on；　and　at　length　I
shall　have　an　opportunity　for　spying　and　reporting　what　I　have
discovered。　Well；　I　get　my　pay　from　two　men；　from　the　French
governor　of　Vienna　and　from　Lord　Paget。　Would　to　God　I　could　serve
both　of　them　to…day！　As　for　Lord　Paget；　I　have　already　some　news　for
him；　for　Mr。　von　Gentz　was　with　her　last　night；　and　remained　for　two
hours；　my　mistress　then　wrote　a　letter　to　Major　von　Brandt；　which　I
had　to　dispatch　early　in　the　morning。　And　this　is　exactly　the　point；
concerning　which　I　do　not　know　whether　it　ought　to　be　reported　to　my
French　customer　or　to　the　English　lord。　Well；　I　will　consider　the
matter。　I　will　watch　every　step　of　hers；　for　it　is　certain　that
something　extraordinary　is　going　on　here；　and　I　want　to　know　what　it
is。〃

And；　after　taking　this　resolution；　Madame　Camilla　accelerated　her
steps　to　deliver　the　orders　of　the　princess　to　the　cook。　An　hour
later；　the　lady's　maid　had　finished　the　toilet　of　the　princess；　who
approached　the　large　looking…glass　in　order　to　cast　a　last　critical
look　on　her　appearance。

A　charming　smile　of　satisfaction　overspread　her　fair　face　when　she
beheld　her　enchanting　image　in　the　glass；　and　she　said；　with　a
triumphant　air；　〃Yes；　it　is　true；　this　woman　is　beautiful　enough
even　to　court　the　favor　of　an　emperor。　Do　you　not　think　so；　too；
Madame　Camilla？〃

Madame　Camilla　had　watched；　with　a　very　attentive　and　grave　face；
every　word　her　mistress　tittered；　but　now　she　hastened　to　smile。

〃Your　highness；〃　she　said；　〃if　we　lived　still　in　the　days　of　the
ancient　gods；　I　would　not　trust　any　butterfly　nor　any　bird；　nay；　not
even　a　gold…piece；　for；　behind　every　thing；　I　should　suspect　Jove
disguised；　for　the　purpose　of　surprising　my　beautiful　mistress。〃

Marianne　laughed。　〃Ah；　how　learned　you　are；〃　she　said。　〃You　refer
even　to　the　disguised　bull　of　poor　Europa　and　to　the　golden　rain　of
Danae。　But　fear　not；　no　disguised　god　will　penetrate　into　my　rooms；
for　unhappily　the　time　of　gods　and　demi…gods　is　past。〃

〃Nevertheless；　those　arrogant　French　would　like　to　make　the　world
believe　that　M。　Bonaparte　had　restored　that　time；〃　said　Madame
Camilla；　with　a　contemptuous　air；　〃they　would　like　to　persuade　us
that　the　son　of　that　Corsican　lawyer　was　a　last　and　belated　son　of
Jove。〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　triumphantly；　〃the　world　shall　discover
soon　enough　that　he　is　nothing　but　a　miserable　son　of　earth；　and
that　his　immortality；　too；　will　find　sufficient　room　between　six
blackboards。　I　know；　Camilla；　you　hate　the　usurper　as　ardently；　as
bitterly　and　vindictively　as　I　do；　and　this　hatred　is　the
sympathetic　link　uniting　me　with　you。　Well；　let　me　tell　you　that
your　hatred　will　speedily　be　gratified；　and　that　your　vindictiveness
will　be　satiated。　Pray　to　God；　Camilla；　that　He　may　bless　the　hand
about　to　be　raised　against　the　tyrant；　pray　to　God　that　He　may
sharpen　the　dagger　which　may　soon　be　aimed　at　his　heart！　The　world
has　suffered　enough；　it　is　time　that　it　should　find　an　avenger　of
its　wrongs！〃

〃Major　von　Brandt；〃　announced　a　footman；　entering　the　room。

〃Conduct　the　major　to　the　drawing…room；〃　said　Marianne；　hastily；　〃I
will　join　him　directly。〃

She　cast　a　last　triumphant　look　on　the　mirror；　and　then　left　the
room。

Madame　Camilla　watched　her；　with　a　scowl；　until　the　door　had　closed
behind　her。　〃Now　I　know　whom　I　have　to　inform　of　her　doings；〃　she
muttered。　〃They　concern　the　French　governor；　I　have　to　take　pains；
however；　to　find　out　more　about　her　schemes；　so　that　my　report　may
embrace　as　much　important　information　as　possible。　The　better　the
news；　the　better　the　pay。〃

Marianne　had　meanwhile　gone　to　the　drawing…room。　A　tall；　elderly
officer；　in　Austrian　uniform；　with　the　epaulets　of　a　major；　came　to
meet　her；　and　bent　down　to　kiss　reverentially　the　hand　which　she
offered　to　him。

Marianne　saluted　him　with　a　fascinating　smile。　〃You　have　entirely
forgotten　me；　then；　major？〃　she　asked。　〃It　was　necessary　for　me　to
invite　you　in　order　to　induce　you　to　pay　me　a　visit？〃

〃I　did　not　know　whether　I　might　dare　to　appear　before　you；　most
gracious　princess；〃　said　the　major；　respectfully。　〃The　last　time　I
had　the　honor　of　waiting　on　you；　I　met　your　highness　in　the　circle
of　your　distinguished　friends　who　used　to　be　mine；　too。　But　nobody
had　a　word　of　welcome；　a　pleasant　smile　for　me；　and　your　highness；
it　seemed　to　me；　did　not　notice　me　during　the　whole　evening。
Whenever　I　intended　to　approach　you；　you　averted　your　face　and
entered　into　so　animated　a　conversation　with　one　of　the　bystanders；
that　I　could　not　venture　to　interrupt　it。　Hence　I　withdrew；　my　heart
filled　with　grief　and　despair；　for　I　certainly　believed　that　your
highness　wished　to　banish　me　from　your　reception…room　forever。〃

〃And　you　consoled　yourself　for　this　banishment　in　the　reception…room
of　the　French　governor　whom　the　great　Emperor　Napoleon　had　given　to
the　good　city　of　Vienna；　I　suppose？〃　asked　the　princess；　with　an
arch　smile。　〃And　you　would　have　never　come　back　to　me　unless　I　had
taken　the　bold　resolution　to　invite　you　to　my　house？〃

〃By　this　invitation　you　have　rendered　me　the　happiest　of　mortals；
most　gracious　princess；〃　exclaimed　the　major；　emphatically。　〃You
have　reopened　to　me　the　gates　of　Paradise；　while；　in　my　despair；　I
believed　them　to　be　closed　against　me　forever。〃

〃Confess；　major；〃　said　Marianne；　laughing；　〃that　you　did　not　make
the　slightest　attempt　to　see　whether　these　gates　were　merely　ajar　or
really　closed。　Under　the　present　circumstances　we　may　speak　honestly
and　frankly　to　each　other。　You　believed　me　to　be　an　ardent　patriot；
one　of　those　furious　adversaries　of　the　French　and　their　rule；　who
do　not　look　upon　Napoleon　as　a　hero　and　genius；　but　only　as　a　tyrant
and　usurper。　Because　I　was　the　intimate　friend　of　Lord　Paget　and　M。
von　Gentz；　of　the　Princesses　von　Carolath　and　Clary；　of　the　Countess
von　Colloredo；　and　Count　Cobenzl；　you　believed　that　my　political
sentiments　coincided　with　theirs？〃

〃Yes；　your　highness；　indeed　that　is　what　I　believed；〃　said　Major　von
Brandt；　〃and　as　you　want　me　to　tell　the　truth；　I　will　confess　that
it　was　the　reason　why　I　did　not　venture　to　appear　again　in　your
drawing…room。　I　have　never　denied　that　I　am　an　enthusiastic　admirer
of　that　great　man　who　is　conquering　and　subjugating　the　whole　world；
because　God　has　destined　him　to　be　its　master。　Hence；　I　never　was
able　to　comprehend　the　audacity　of　those　who　instigated　our　gracious
and　noble　Emperor　Francis　to　wage　war　against　the　victorious　hero；
and　as　a　true　and　sincere　patriot　I　now　bless　the　dispensations　of
fate　which　compels　us　to　make　peace　with　Napoleon　the　Great；　for
Austria　can　regain　her　former　prosperity　only　by　maintaining　peace
and　harmony　with　France。　The　war　against　France　has　brought　the
barbarian　hordes　of　Russia　to　Germany；　after　the　conclusion　of
peace；　France　will　assist　us　in　expelling　these　unclean　and
unwelcome　guests　from　the　soil　of　our　fatherland。〃

Marianne　had　listened　to　him　smilingly　and　with　an　air　of　un…
qualified　assent。　Only　once　a　slight　blush；　as　if　produced　by　an
ebullition　of　suppressed　anger；　had　mantled　her　cheeksonly　for　a
brief　moment　she　had　frowned；　but　she　quickly　overcame　her
indignation　and　appeared　as　smiling　and　serene　as　before。

〃I　am　precisely　of　your　opinion；　my　dear　major；〃　she　said；　with　a
fascinating　nod。

〃Your　highness　assents　to　the　views　I　have　just　uttered？〃　exclaimed
the　major；　in　joyful　surprise。

〃Do　you　doubt　it　still？〃　she　asked。　〃Have　I　followed；　then；　the
example　of　all　my　friends；　even　that　of　Lord　Paget　and　Gentz？　Have　I
fled　from　the　capital　because　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　with　his　army；
has　turned　his　victorious　steps　toward　Vienna？　No；　I　have　remained；
to　the　dismay　of　all　of　them；　I　have　remained；　although　my　prolonged
sojourn　in　Vienna　has　deprived　me　of　two　of　my　dearest　friends；　and
brought　about　an　everlasting　rupture　between　myself　and　Lord　Paget；
as　well　as　Herr　von　Gentz。　I　have　remained　because　I　was　unable　to
withstand　any　longer　the　ardent　yearning　of　my　heartbecause　I
wished　to　get　at　length　a　sight　of　the　hero　to　whom　the　whole　world
is　bowing。　But　look；　my　footman　comes　to　tell　me　that　my　breakfast
has　been　served。　You　must　consent　to　be　my　guest　to…day　and
breakfast　with　me。〃

She　took　the　major's　arm　and　went　with　him　to　the　dining…room。　In
the　middle　of　it　a　table　had　been　set；　on　which　splendid　pates；
luscious　tropical　fruits；　and　well…spiced　salamis　agreeably
surprised　the　major　by　their　appetizing　odor；　while　golden　Rhenish
wine　and　dark　Tokay　in　the　white　decanters　seemed　to　beckon　him。

They　took　seats　at　the　table　in　elastic；　soft　arm…chairs；　and　for　a
while　the　conversation　was　interrupted；　for　the　pastry　and　the　other
dainty　dishes　absorbed　their　whole　attention。　The　major；　who　was
noted　for　his　epicurism；　enjoyed　the　delicacies　served　up　to　him
with　the　profound　seriousness　and　immovable　tranquillity　of　a
philosopher。　Besides；　the　princess　shared　his　enjoyment　after　a
while　by　her　conversation；　sparkling　with　wit　and　humor；　she　was