louisa of prussia and her times-第129节

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maintained　a　grave　and　gloomy　aspect；　and　apparently　took　no　part
whatever　in　the　universal　joy；　but　lived　in　its　sullen；　dull　quiet
as　it　had　done　for　centuries。

This　city　was　Ratisbon；　the　seat　of　the　German　Diet；　and　now　the
property　and　capital　of　the　archchancellor　of　the　German　empire；
Baron　Dalberg。

For　centuries　Ratisbon　had　enjoyed　the　proud　honor　of　having　the
ambassadors　of　all　the　German　states　meet　in　its　old　city…hall；　for
the　purpose　of　deliberating　on　the　welfare　of　Germany。　From　the
arched　windows　of　the　large　session　hall　the　new　laws　flitted　all
over　Germany；　and　what　the　gentlemen　at　Ratisbon　had　decided　on；　had
to　be　submitted　to　by　the　princes　and　people　of　Germany。

And；　just　as　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　years　ago；　they　were　still　in
session　at　Ratisbonthe　ambassadors　of　the　emperor；　of　the　kings；
electors；　dukes；　free　cities；　counts；　and　barons　of　the　German
empire。　There　met　every　day　in　their　old　hall　the　states　of　Austria；
Prussia；　Bavaria；　Hanover；　Wurtemberg；　Baden；　Hesse…Darmstadt；
Mecklenberg；　Brunswick；　and　whatever　might　be　the　names　of　the
different　members　of　the　great　German　empire。

They　met；　but　they　did　not　deliberate　any　longer；　they　merely
guessed　what　might　be　the　fate　of　Germany；　how　long　they　would　sit
there　in　gloomy　idleness；　and　when　it　might　please　the　new　protector
of　Germany；　the　Emperor　of　France；　to　remember　them　and　say　to　them：
〃Go　home；　gentlemen；　for　your　time　has　expired。　The　German　Diet　has
ceased　to　exist；　and　I　will　deliver　Germany　from　this　burden。〃

But　neither　the　Emperor　of　France　nor　the　sovereigns　of　Germany
seemed　to　remember　that　there　was　a　Diet　still　in　session　at　the
ancient　city…hall　of　Ratisbon；　which　formerly　had　to　sanction　all
treaties　of　peace；　all　cessions　of　territory；　and　all　political
changes　whatever；　so　that　they　might　be　recognized　and　become　valid
in　the　German　empire。

Now；　the　Emperor　of　Germany　had　not　even　deemed　it　necessary　to
submit　to　the　Diet　at　Ratisbon　the　treaty　of　peace　concluded　with
Napoleon　at　Presberg　for　ratification；　but　had　contented　himself
with　merely　notifying　the　Diet　of　its　conclusion。　In　the　same
manner；　and　on　the　same　day；　the　ambassadors　of　Bavaria　and
Wurtemberg　had　risen　from　their　seats　to　announce　to　the　Diet　that
they　were　now　no　longer　representatives　of　electors；　but　of　kings
Bavaria　and　Wurtemberg；　with　the　consent　of　the　Emperor　of　France；
having　assumed　the　royal　title；　and　when　these　two　gentlemen　had
resumed　their　seats；　the　ambassador　of　the　Elector　of　Baden　rose　for
the　purpose　of　declaring　that　he　was　representing　no　longer　an
electorate；　but　a　grand…duchythe　Elector　of　Baden；　with　the
consent　of　the　Emperor　of　France；　having　assumed　the　grand…ducal
title。

The　Diet　had　received　these　announcements　silently　and　without
objection；　it　had　been　silent；　also；　when；　a　few　days　later；　the
French　ambassador；　M。　Bacher；　appeared　in　the　session…hall　and
announced　that　Murat；　as　Duke　of　Cleves；　had　become　a　member　of　the
German　empire。　Every　ambassador；　however；　had　asked　himself　silently
how　it　happened　that　the　new　member　of　the　empire　did　not　hasten　to
avail　himself　of　his　rights；　and　to　send　an　ambassador　to　take　his
seat　at　the　Diet　of　Ratisbon。

The　Diet；　as　we　have　stated　already；　received　all　these
announcements　in　silence；　and　what　good　would　it　have　done　to　it　to
speak？　Who　still　respected　its　voice？　Who　still　bowed　to　its　name？

Only　for　appearance　sake；　only　for　the　purpose　of　conversing　with
each　other　in　a　low　tone　about　their　own　misfortunes；　their　weakness
and　impotence；　did　the　ambassadors　of　the　German　princes　and　cities
meet　still；　and　instead　of　giving　laws　to　Germany；　as　formerly；　they
only　communicated　to　each　other　their　suppositions　concerning　the
fate　that　might　be　in　store　for　Germany　and　the　German　Diet　at
Ratisbon。

The　gentlemen　were　assembled　again　to…day　in　the　large　session…hall；
and　all　the　German　states；　which　elsewhere　were　bitterly　quarrelling
with　each　other；　were　sitting　peaceably　around　the　large　green　table
and　chatting　about　the　events　that　had　taken　place　in　the　German
empire；　and　might　occur　in　the　near　future。

〃Have　you　read　the　new　pamphlets　which　are　creating　so　great　a
sensation　at　the　present　time？〃　said　Prussia　to　Saxony；　who　was
seated　by　her　side。

〃No；　I　never　read　any　pamphlets；〃　replied　Saxony。

〃It　is　worth　while；　however；　to　read　these　pamphlets；〃　said　Prussia；
smiling：　〃for　they　treat　of　an　absurd　idea　in　a　most　eloquent　and
enthusiastic　manner。　Just　think　of　it；　they　advocate　in　dead　earnest
the　idea　of　placing　the　German　empire；　now　that　the　power　of　Austria
has　been　paralyzed；　under　the　protection　of　Bavaria；　and　of
appointing　the　new　King　of　Bavaria　chief　of　Germany。〃

〃The　idea　is　not　so　bad；　after　all；〃　said　Saxony；　smiling；　〃the
Bavarian　dynasty　is　one　of　the　most　ancient　in　Germany；　and　its
power　is　greater　than　ever；　inasmuch　as　it　may　boast　of　the
friendship　and　favor　of　the　Emperor　of　France。　The　Emperor　Napoleon
would；　perhaps；　raise　no　objections　in　case　the　King　of　Bavaria
should　be　elected　Emperor　of　Germany。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　whispered　Brunswick；　Saxony's　neighbor　on　the　left；　〃I
received　late　and　authentic　news　yesterday。　The　Emperor　Napoleon
intends　completely　to　restore　the　German　empire　of　the　middle　ages；
and　will　himself　assume　the　imperial　crown　of　Germany。〃　＇Footnote：
Hausser's　〃History　of　Germany；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　721。＇　〃What；〃　exclaimed
Hesse；　who　had　overheard　the　words；　〃the　Emperor　Napoleon　wants　to
make　himself　Emperor　of　Germany？〃

And　Hesse　had　spoken　so　loudly　in　her　surprise　that　the　whole　Diet
had　heard　her　words；　and　every　one　repeated　them　in　great
astonishment；　while　every　face　assumed　a　grave　and　solemn　air。

〃Yes；　you　may　believe　that　such　is　the　case；〃　said　Bavaria；　in　an
audible　tone；　〃important　changes　are　in　store　for　us；　and　I　know
from　the　best　source　that　Minister　Talleyrand　said　the　other　day；
quite　loudly　and　positively；　'That　the　fate　of　the　German　empire
would　be　decided　on　toward　the　end　of　this　month。'〃　＇Footnote：
Ibid。；　p。　723。＇

〃And　to…day　is　already　the　23d　of　May；〃　said　Oldenburg；　musingly；
〃we　may　look；　therefore；　every　hour　for　a　decision。〃

〃Yes；　we　may　do　so；〃　exclaimed　Wurzburg；　〃I　know　for　certain　that
they　are　already　engaged　in　Paris　in　drawing　up　a　new　constitution
for　Germany。〃

〃It　might　be　good；　perhaps；〃　said　her　neighbor；　〃if　we　should　also
commence　to　draw　up　a　new　constitution　for　Germany；　and　then　send　it
to　Minister　Talleyrand；　because　we　are　certainly　more　familiar　with
the　customs　and　requirements　of　the　German　empire　than　the　statesmen
of　France。　We　ought　to　consult　with　the　archchancellor；　Baron
Dalberg；　about　this　matter。　But　where　is　the　archchancellor；　where
is　Dalberg？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　true；　the　archchancellor　has　not　yet　made　his
appearance；〃　exclaimed　Oldenburg；　wonderingly。　〃Where　can　he　be？
Where　is　Dalberg？〃

And　the　question　was　whispered　from　mouth　to　mouth；　〃Where　is
Dalberg？〃

Formerly；　in　the　glorious　old　times　of　the　German　empire；　it　had
been　the　German　emperor　who；　at　the　commencement　of　the　sessions　of
the　Diet；　had　always　asked　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Is　there　no　Dalberg？〃
And　at　his　question；　the　Dalbergs　had　come　forward　and　placed
themselves　around　the　emperor's　throne；　always　ready　to　undertake
great　things　and　to　carry　out　bold　adventures。

Now；　it　was　not　the　emperor　who　called　for　his　Dalberg；　but　the　Diet
that　whispered　his　name。

And　it　seemed　as　if　the　man　who　had　been　called　for；　had　heard　these
whispers；　for　the　large　doors　of　the　old　session…hall　opened；　and
the　archchancellor　of　the　empire；　Baron　Dalberg；　entered。　Clad　in
his　full　official　costume；　he　stepped　into　the　hall　and　approached
his　seat　at　the　green　table。　But　instead　of　sitting　down　on　the
high…backed；　carved　arm…chair；　he　remained　standing；　and　his　eyes
glided　greetingly　past　all　those　grave　and　gloomy　faces　which　were
fixed　on　him。

〃I　beg　the　august　Diet　to　permit　me　to　lay　a　communication　before
it；〃　said　the　archchancellor　of　the　empire；　with　a　bow　to　the
assembly。

The　grave　faces　of　the　ambassadors　nodded　assent；　and　Dalberg
continued；　in　a　loud　and　solemn　voice：　〃I　have　to　inform　the　Diet
that；　as　I　am　growing　old　and　feel　a　sensible　decline　of　my
strength；　I　have　deemed　it　indispensable　for　the　welfare　of　Germany
and　myself　to　choose　already　a　successor　and　coadjutor。　Having　long
looked　around　among　the　noble　and　worthy　men　who　surround　me　in　so
great　numbers；　I　have　at　length　made　my　selection　and　come　to　such　a
decision　as　is　justified　by　the　present　state　of　affairs。　The
successor　whom　I　have　selected　is　a　worthy　and　high…minded　man；
whose　ancestors　have　greatly　distinguished　themselves　in　the
fifteenth　and　sixteenth　centuries　in　the　service　of　the　German
empire。　It　is　the　Archbishop　and　Cardinal　Fesch；　uncle　of　the
Emperor　of　France。〃

A　long　and　painful　pause　ensued；　the　members　of　the　Diet　looked；　as
if　stupefied　with　terror　and　astonishment；　at　this　man　who；　himself
a　German　prince；　dared　to　inform　the　German　Diet　that　he　had　invited
a　foreigner　to　share　with　him　the　high　dignity　of　a　first　German
elector　and　of　inhe