louisa of prussia and her times-第126节

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asked　half　my　fortune　for　this　interview　with　your　majesty；　I　should
have　joyfully　given　it　to　him；　for　an　hour　in　the　presence　of　your
majesty　is　worth　more　than　all　the　riches　of　the　world。〃

〃And　yet　you　were　going　to　leave　me　just　now！〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；
reproachfully。　〃How　ingenuous　that　would　have　been　toward　your
friend　who　is　standing　in　the　anteroom　with　Constant；　and；　watch　in
hand；　calculating　the　number　of　his　gold…pieces。　We　will　be　generous
and　grant　him　three　hours。　Three　hoursthat　is　a　good　time　for　a
rendezvous；　when　you　leave　me；　then；　you　will　pay　M。　von　Brandt　one
hundred　and　eighty　louis…d'or；　and　I　shall　receive　the
congratulations　of　my　confidants。〃

Marianne's　eyes　flashed　angrily；　and　a　deep　blush　mantled　her
cheeks。　〃Sire；〃　she　exclaimed　almost　menacingly；　〃call　your
officershave　me　arrested　like　a　criminaltake　my　life　if　I　have
deserved　it；　but　let　me　leave　this　room！〃

〃Ah；　you　would　die　rather　than　that　people　should　believe　you　had
granted　me　a　rendezvous　of　three　hours'　duration；〃　asked　Napoleon。
〃It　is　true；　this　rendezvous；　if　it　should　result　peacefully　and
without　the　eclat　which　you　hoped　for　when　you　came　hither　to　play
the　part　of　Judith；　would　discredit　you　with　your　friends！　Your
party　will　distrust　you　as　soon　as　it　learns　that；　after　being　three
hours　with　me；　you　left　Schonbrunn　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　while
I　was　not　found　on　my　couch　with　a　dagger　in　my　heart。　I　cannot
spare　you　this　humiliation；　it　shall　be　the　only　punishment　I　shall
inflict　on　you。　You　remain　here！〃

〃Sire；　let　me　go；〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　〃and　I　swear　to　you　that　I
will　never　dare　again　to　approach　you；　I　swear　to　you　that　I　will
live　in　some　remote　corner　in　the　most　profound　retirement；　far　from
the　noise　and　turmoil　of　the　world。〃

〃Oh；　the　world　would　never　forgive　me　if　I　should　deprive　it　in　this
manner　of　its　most　beautiful　ornament；〃　said　the　emperor；　smiling。
〃You　are　too　lovely　to　live　in　obscurity　and　solitude。　You　will　now
grant　me　three　hours；　and　you　are　free　to　tell　everybody　during　the
whole　remainder　of　your　life　that　you　hate　me；　but　it　is　true；
people　will　hardly　believe　in　the　sincerity　of　your　hatred。〃

〃Then　you　will　not　permit　me　to　withdraw？〃　asked　Marianne；　with
quivering　lips。　〃You　want　me　to　stay　here？〃

〃Only　three　hours；　madame；　then　you　may　go。　Let　us　improve　this　time
and　speak　frankly　and　honestly　to　each　other。　Forget　where　we　are；
imagine　we　were　the　heads　of　two　parties；　meeting　on　neutral　ground
and　telling　each　other　the　truth　with　respectful　frankness　for　the
purpose　of　thereby　bringing　about　peace；　if　possible。　Well；　then；
tell　me　honestly：　do　you　really　hate　me　so　ardently　as　to　have　come
hither　for　the　purpose　of　assassinating　me？〃

〃You　ask　me　to　tell　you　the　truth；〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　her　eyes
sparkling　with　anger；　〃well；　you　shall　hear　it！　Yes；　I　hate　you；　I
swore　to　you　in　Paris；　at　the　time　when　you　sent　me　like　a　criminal
to　the　frontier；　the　most　ardent　and　implacable　hatred；　and　in
accordance　with　my　oath　I　came　hither　to　accomplish　a　work　which
would　be　a　boon　for　Germany；　nay；　for　the　whole　world。　Yes；　I　wanted
to　assassinate　you；　I　wanted　to　deliver　the　world　from　the　tyrant
who　intends　to　enslave　it。　Yes；　I　had　concealed　a　dagger　in　my　bosom
to　kill　you　as　Judith　killed　Holofernes。　Had　I　accomplished　my
purpose；　the　world　would　have　blessed　me　and　paid　the　highest　honors
to　my　name；　but　now　that　I　have　failed　in　carrying　out　my　plan；　I
shall　be　laughed　and　sneered　at。　Now　I　have　told　you　the　truth；　and
in　order　that　you　may　not　doubt　it；　I　will　show　you　the　dagger　which
was　intended　for　your　breast；　and　which　I　shall　now　hurl　down　at
your　feet　as　the　dragon's　feet；　from　which　one　day　full…grown
warriors　will　spring　for　our　cause　in　order　to　combat　you。〃

She　drew　the　dagger　from　her　bosom；　and；　with　a　violent　gesture；
threw　it　at　Napoleon's　feet。　〃Sire；〃　she　then　asked；　in　an　imploring
voice；　〃will　you　not　yet　order　me　to　be　arrested？〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Napoleon；　〃Words　falling　from　the　lips　of　beautiful
women　are　never　insulting；　and　I　do　not　punish　thoughts　which　have
not　yet　become　actions。　Your　hands　are　free　from　guilt；　and　the　only
criminal　here　in　this　room　is　that　dagger　on　the　floor。　I　trample　it
under　foot；　and　it　is　unable　to　rise　any　more　against　me。〃

He　placed　his　foot　on　the　flashing　blade；　and　fixed　his　piercing
eyes　on　the　princess。　〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃when　you　came　to　me　in
Paris；　it　was　the　Count　de　Provence　who　had　sent　you。　He　sent　me　a
letter　through　you　at　that　time。　Tell　me；　did　he　send　me　this　dagger
to…day？〃

〃No；　I　will　take　the　most　solemn　oath　that　he　knows　nothing　about
it；〃　replied　Marianne。　〃Nobody　knew　of　my　undertaking；　I　had　no
confidants　and　no　accomplices。〃

〃You　had　only　your　own　hatred；　madame；〃　said　Napoleon；　musingly。
〃Why　do　you　hate　me　so　bitterly？　What　have　I　done　to　all　of　you　that
you　should　turn　away　from　me？〃

〃Why　I　hate　you？〃　asked　Marianne；　impetuously。　〃Because　you　have
come　to　trample　Germany　in　the　dust；　to　transform　her　into　a　French
province；　and　to　defraud　us　of　our　honor；　our　good　rights；　and
independence。　What　have　you　done；　that　all　honest　men　should　turn
away　from　you？　You　have　broken　your　most　sacred　oathsyou　are　a
perjurer！〃

〃Oh；　that　goes　too　far；〃　cried　Napoleon；　passionately。　〃What　hinders
me；　then〃

〃To　have　me　arrested？〃　Marianne　interrupted　him；　defiantly〃please
do　so。〃

〃No；　I　shall　not　do　you　that　favor。　Proceed；　proceed！　You　stand
before　me　as　though　you　were　Germania　herself　rising　before　me　to
accuse　me。　Well；　then；　accuse　me。　When　have　I　broken　my　oaths？〃

〃From　the　moment　when　you　raised　the　banner　in　the　name　of　the
republic　which　you　intended　to　upset；　from　the　moment　when　you
called　the　nations　to　you　in　the　name　of　liberty；　in　order　to　rule
over　them　as　their　tyrant　and　oppressor！〃

〃To　those　who　wanted　to　keep　up　the　despotism　of　liberty　under　which
France　had　bled　and　groaned　so　long；　I　was　a　tyrant；〃　said　Napoleon；
calmly；　〃to　those　who　entertained　the　senseless　idea　of　restoring
the　Bourbons；　under　whom　France　had　bled　and　groaned　as　long　and
longer；　I　was　an　oppressor。　The　family　of　the　Bourbons　has　become
decrepit；　it　resembles　a　squeezed　lemon；　the　peel　of　which　is　thrown
contemptuously　aside；　because　there　is　no　longer　any　juice　in　it。
Did　you　really　believe　I　should　have　been　such　a　fool　as　to　pick　up
this　empty　peel；　which　France　had　thrown　aside；　and　to　clothe　it　in
a　purple　cloak　and　crown？　Did　you　believe　I　had；　like　those　Bourbons
and　all　legitimate　princes；　learned　nothing　from　history；　and　not
been　taught　by　the　examples　it　holds　up　to　all　those　who　have　eyes
to　see　with？　I　have　learned　from　history　that　dynasties　dry　up　like
trees；　and　that　it　is　better　to　uproot　the　hollow；　withered…up　trunk
rather　than　permit　it；　in　its　long　decay；　to　suck　up　the　last
nourishing　strength　from　the　soil　on　which　it　stands。〃

〃Sire；　you　do　not　only　uproot　the　decaying　trunk；　but　with　the　axe
of　the　tyrant　you　deprived　this　trunk　of　its　fresh；　green　branches
also；〃　exclaimed　Marianne。

〃Ah；　you　refer　to　the　Duke　d'Enghien；〃　said　Napoleon；　quietly。　〃It
was　an　act　of　policy；　which　I　do　not　regret。　The　Bourbons　had　to
understand　at　length　that　France　wanted　to　give　them　up　and　create　a
new　era　for　herself。　I　stood　at　the　head　of　this　new　era；　and　I　had
to　fill　in　a　becoming　manner　the　position　Providence　had　conferred
on　me。　Providence　destined　me　to　become　the　founder　of　a　new
dynasty；　and　there　will　be　a　day　when　my　family　will　occupy　the
first　thrones　of　the　world。〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's　own　words。Vide
〃Le　Normand；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　29。＇

〃That　is　to　say；　you　declare　war　against　all　princes；〃　exclaimed
Marianne。

〃Against　the　princes；　yes；〃　said　Napoleon；　〃for　they　are　nothing　but
over…ripe　fruits　only　waiting　for　the　hand　that　is　to　shake　them
off。　I　shall　be　this　hand；　and　before　me　they　will　fall　to　the
ground；　and　I　shall　rise　higher　and　higher　above　them。　You　call　me　a
conqueror；　but　how　could　I　stop　now　in　my　work？　If　I　should　pause
now　in　my　conquests　and　sheathe　my　sword；　what　should　I　have　gained
by　so　many　efforts　but　a　little　glory；　without　having　approached　the
goal　to　which　I　was　aspiring？　What　should　I　have　gained　by　setting
all　Europe　in　a　blaze　if　I　should　be　contented　with　having
overthrown　empires　and　not　hasten　to　build　up　MY　OWN　empire　on　solid
foundations？　It　is　not　birth　that　entitles　me　to　immortality。　The
man　who　is　possessed　of　courage；　who　does　good　service　to　his
country；　and　renders　himself　illustrious　by　great　exploits；　that　man
needs　no　pedigree；　for　he　is　everything　by　himself。〃＇Footnote：
Napoleon's　own　words。Vide　〃Le　Normand。〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　49。＇

〃But　in　the　eyes　of　the　legitimists　he　is　always　nothing　but　an
upstart；〃　said　Marianne；　shrugging　her　shoulders。

〃In　that　case　he　must　overthrow　and　annihilate　all　legitimists；〃
said　Napoleon；　quickly；　〃so　that　a　new　dynasty　may　arise；　of　which
he　will　be　the　founder。　I　am　the　man　of　Destiny；　and　shall　found　a
new　dynasty；　and　one　day　the　whole　of　Europe　will　be　but　one　empire；
MY　empire！　All　of　you；　instead　of　cursing　me；　should　joyfully　hail
my　comin