louisa of prussia and her times-第123节

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repose　any　confidence　in　the　words　of　courtiers　and　flatterers；　but
always　to　translate　them　into　the　opposite　sense。　Therefore；　I
translate　your　words；　too；　into　the　contrary；　and　then　they　signify；
'It　seems；　unfortunately；　as　though　luck　had　deserted　us；　and
particularly　the　third　coalition；　forever；　but　still　sticks　to　the
colors　of　France。'〃

〃Oh；　sire；〃　exclaimed　Count　Haugwitz；　in　a　tone　of　grievous
reproach；　〃can　your　majesty　really　doubt　my　devotion　and　admiration？
Was　I　not　the　first　man　to　congratulate　your　majesty；　the
indomitable　chieftain；　on　the　fresh　laurels　with　which　you　had
wreathed　your　heroic　brow；　even　in　the　cold　days　of　winter？〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Napoleon；　〃you　did　so；　but　your　compliment　was
intended　for　others；　fate；　however；　had　changed　its　address。
＇Footnote：　The　whole　conversation　is　strictly　in　accordance　with
history。Vide　〃Memoires　in　edits　du　Comte　de　Haugwitz；〃　1837。＇　　Of
your　sincerity　I　have　hitherto　had　no　proofs　whatever；　but　a　great
many　of　your　duplicity；　for；　at　all　events；　you　have　affixed　your
name　to　the　treaty　of　Potsdam？〃

〃I　have　done　so；　and　boast　of　it；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；　quickly。

〃A　glance　into　the　heart　of　Napoleon　satisfied　me　that　he　who　stands
at　the　head　of　human　greatness　knew　no　higher　aim　than　to　give　peace
to　mankind；　and　thus　complete　the　great　work　which　Providence　has
intrusted　to　him。〃

〃Words；　words！〃　said　Napoleon。　〃Let　me　see　actions　at　last。　The
instructions　that　were　given　to　you　before　leaving　Berlin　have　been
annulled　by　the　recent　events　in　Moravia；　we　are　agreed　about　this
point。　Now；　you　are　a　member　of　the　Prussian　cabinet。　By　sending　you
to　me；　the　king　has　intrusted　to　you　alone　the　welfare　of　his
monarchy。　We　shall　see；　therefore；　whether　you　will　know　how　to
profit　by　a　rare；　perhaps　never…recurring　opportunity；　and　to　crown
the　work　which　Frederick　II。；　notwithstanding　his　victories；　left
unfinished。　Come　hither　and　see。〃

He　stepped　rapidly　to　the　table　with　the　maps；　and　in　obedience　to　a
wave　of　his　hand；　Count　Haugwitz　glided；　with　his　imperturbable
smile；　to　his　side。

〃See　here；〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；　pointing　at　the　map；　〃this　is
Silesia；　your　native　country。　The　king　does　not　rule　over　the　whole
of　it；　the　Emperor　of　Austria　still　retaining　a　portion　of　it；　but
that　splendid　province　ought　to　belong　exclusively　to　Prussia。　We
will　see　and　consider　how　far　your　southern　frontier　ought　to　be
extended。　Just　follow　my　finger　on　the　map；　it　will　designate　to　you
the　new　boundaries　of　Prussian　Silesia。〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's　own
words。〃Memoires　inedits；〃　p。　17。＇

And　Napoleon's　forefinger　passed；　flashing　like　a　dagger…point；
across　the　map；　and　encircled　the　whole　Austrian　portion　of　Silesia；
from　Teschen　to　the　Saxon　frontier；　and　from　the　mountains　of
Yablunka　to　the　point　where　the　Riesengebirge　disappears　in　Lusatia。
＇Footnote：　Ibid。；　p。　18。＇　　〃Well；〃　he　then　asked；　hastily；　〃would
not　such　an　arrangement　round　off　your　Silesian　province　in　the　most
desirable　manner？〃

Count　Haugwitz　did　not　reply　immediately；　but　continued　gazing　at
the　map。　Napoleon's　eagle　glance　rested　on　him　for　a　moment；　and
then　passed　on　to　the　busts　of　Maria　Theresa　and　Frederick　the
Great。

〃Oh；〃　he　exclaimed；　with　a　triumphant　smile；　pointing　to　the　bust　of
Frederick；　〃that　great　man　would　have　accepted　my　proposition
without　any　hesitation　whatever。〃

〃Sire；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；　hesitatingly；　〃but　that　great　woman；
Maria　Theresa；　would　not　have　permitted　it　so　easily。〃

〃But　now；〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；　〃now　there　is　no　Maria　Theresa　to
hinder　the　King　of　Prussia；　now　I　am　here；　and　I　grant　the　whole　of
Silesia　to　your　king　if　he　will　conclude　a　close　alliance　with　me。
Consider　well；　can　you　be　insensible　of　the　glory　which　awaits　you？〃

And　his　eyes　again　pierced　the　embarrassed　face　of　the　count　like
two　dagger…points。

〃Sire；〃　said　Haugwitz；　in　a　low　voice；　〃your　proposition　is
tempting；　it　is　admirable；　but　as　far　as　I　know　his　majesty　the
king；　I　must？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Napoleon；　impatiently；　〃do　not　allude　to　the　king　and　his
person。　We　have　nothing　to　do　with　that。　You　are　minister；　and　it
behooves　you　to　fulfil　the　duties　which　your　position　demands　from
you；　and　to　embrace　the　opportunity　which　will　never　return。　One
must　be　powerful；　one　can　never　be　sufficiently　so；　believe　me；　and
consider　well　before　replying　to　me。〃

〃But；　perhaps；　sire；　it　would　be　better　for　us　to　seek　for
aggrandizement　on　another　side；〃　said　Haugwitz。

〃On　the　side　of　Poland　or　France；　I　suppose？〃　asked　Napoleon；
harshly。　〃You　would　like　to　deprive　me　again　of　Mentz；　Cleves；　and
the　left　bank　of　the　Rhine；　and　you　flirt　with　Russia　and　Austria
because　you　hope　they　might　assist　you　one　day；　after　all；　in
obtaining　those　territories？　But；　on　the　other　hand；　you　would　not
like　to　quarrel　with　me；　because　there　is　a　possibility　that　your
hopes　will　not　be　fulfilled；　and　because；　in　such　an　eventuality；
you　would　fear　my　enmity。　You　Prussians　want　to　be　the　allies　of
every　one；　that　is　impossible；　and　you　must　decide　for　me　or　for　the
others。　I　demand　sincerity；　or　shall　break　loose　from　you；　for　I
prefer　open　enemies　to　false　friends。　Your　king　tolerates　in　Hanover
a　corps　of　thirty　thousand　men；　which；　through　his　states；　keeps　up
a　connection　with　the　great　Russian　army；　that　is　an　act　of　open
hostility。　As　for　me；　I　attack　my　enemies　wherever　I　may　find　them。
If　I　wished　to　do　so；　I　might　take　a　terrible　revenge　for　this
dishonesty。　I　could　invade　Silesia；　cause　an　insurrection　in　Poland；
and　deal　Prussia　blows　from　which　she　would　never　recover。　But　I
prefer　forgetting　the　past；　and　pursuing　a　generous　course。　I　will；
therefore；　forgive　Prussia's　rashness；　but　only　on　condition　that
Prussia　should　unite　with　France　by　indissoluble　ties；　and　as　a
guaranty　of　this　alliance；　I　require　Prussia　to　take　possession　of
Hanover。〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's　own　words。？　〃Memoires　ineidits；〃　p。
20＇

〃Sire；〃　exclaimed　Haugwitz；　joyfully；　〃this　was　the　desirable
aggrandizement　which　I　took　the　liberty　of　hinting　at　before；　and　I
believe　it　is　the　only　one　which　the　king's　conscience　would　allow
him　to　accept。〃

〃Very　well；　take　Hanover；　then；〃　said　Napoleon；　〃I　cede　my　claims　on
it　to　Prussia；　but　in　return　Prussia　cedes　to　France　the
principality　of　Neufchatel　and　the　fortress　of　Wesel；　and　to　Bavaria
the　principality　of　Anspach。〃

〃But；　sire；〃　exclaimed　Haugwitz；　anxiously；　〃Anspach　belongs　to
Prussia　by　virtue　of　family　treaties　which　cannot　be　contested；　and
Neufchatel？〃

〃No　objections；〃　interrupted　Napoleon；　sternly；　〃my　terms　must　be
complied　with。　Either　war　or　peace。　War；　that　is　to　say；　I　crush
Prussia；　and　become　her　inexorable　enemy　forever；　peace；　that　is　to
say；　I　give　you　Hanover　and　receive　for　it　Neufchatel；　Wesel；　and
Anspach。　Now；　make　up　your　mind　quickly；　I　am　tired　of　the　eternal
delays　and　procrastinations。　I　want　you　to　come　at　length　to　a
decision；　and　you　will　not　leave　this　room　until　I　have　received　a
categorical　reply。　You　have　had　time　enough　to　take　every　thing　into
consideration；　hence　you　must　not　equivocate　any　more。　Tell　me；
therefore；　quickly　and　categorically；　what　do　you　want；　war　or
peace？〃

〃Sire；　〃said　Haugwitz；　imploringly；　〃what　else　can　Prussia　want　than
peace　with　France。〃

〃Indeed；　it　is　an　excellent　bargain　you　make　on　this　occasion；〃
exclaimed　Napoleon。　〃Neufchatel　is　for　Prussia　a　doomed　position；　to
which；　moreover；　she　has　got　but　extremely　doubtful　rights。　In
return　for　it；　for　Wesel　and　Anspach；　with　their　four　hundred
thousand　inhabitants；　you　receive　Hanover；　which　is　contiguous　to
Prussia；　and　contains　more　than　a　million　inhabitants！　I　believe
Prussia　ought　to　be　content　with　such　an　aggrandizement。〃

〃Sire；〃　said　Hangwitz；　〃she　would　be　especially　content　if　she
should　obtain　the　faithful　and　influential　friendship　of　France；　and
be　able　to　retain　it　forever。〃

〃You　may　rely　on　my　word；〃　replied　the　emperor；　〃I　am　always
faithful　to　my　enemies　as　well　as　to　my　friends。　I　crush　the　former
and　promote　the　interests　of　the　latter　whenever　an　opportunity
offers。　We　will；　however；　prove　to　each　other　that　we　are　in　earnest
about　this　alliance；　and　draw　up　its　stipulations　even　to　day。
Grandmarshal　Duroc　has　already　received　my　instructions　concerning
this　matter；　and　he　will　lay　before　you　the　particulars　of　the
offensive　and　defensive　alliance　to　be　concluded　between　France　and
Prussia。　Be　kind　enough　to　go　to　him　and　settle　every　thing　with
him；　so　that　we　may　sign　the　document　as　soon　as　possible。　Go；　my
dear　count；　but　first　accept　my　congratulations；　for　at　this　hour
you　have　done　an　important　service　to　Prussia：　you　have　saved　her
from　destruction。　I　should　have　crushed　her　like　a　toy　in　my　hand　if
you　had　rejected　my　offers　of　friendship。　Go；　the　grand…marshal　is
waiting　for　you。〃　＇Footnote：　The　offensive　and　defensive　alliance
between　the　Emperor　of　France　and　the　King　of　Prussia　was　concluded
agreeably　to　the　demands　of　Napoleon。　Count　Haugwitz；　without
obtaining　further　instructions　from　his　sovereign；　signed　it　on　the
15th　of　December。　The　same　day；　in　accordance　with　the　treat