louisa of prussia and her times-第137节

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And　he　felt　convinced　that　his　defence　had　been　successful；　and
satisfied　the　men　who　had　assumed　to　be　his　judges；　of　his　entire
innocence。

He　had；　therefore；　no　doubt　of　his　speedy　release；　he　was　looking
every　day　for　the　announcement　that　his　innocence　had　been　proved；
and　that　he　should　be　restored　to　liberty　and　to　his　family。　This
confident　hope　caused　him　to　bear　his　solitary　confinement　with
joyful　courage；　and　to　look；　in　this　time　of　privations　and　pain；
fondly　for　the　golden　days　to　come；　when　he　would　repose　again；
after　all　his　trouble　and　toil；　in　the　arms　of　love；　gently　guarded
by　the　tender　eyes　of　his　affectionate　young　wife；　and　his　heart
gladdened　by　the　sight　of　his　sweet　children。

From　dreams　so　joyous　and　soul…stirring　he　was　awakened　on　the
morning　of　the　26th　of　August　by　the　appearance　of　the　jailer　and　of
several　soldiers　who　came　to　summon　him　before　the　court…martial
which　would　communicate　his　sentence　to　him。

〃God　be　praised！〃　exclaimed　Palm；　enthusiastically。　〃My　sentence；
that　is　to　say；　my　release。　Come；　let　us　go；　for；　you　see；　it　is　hot
and　oppressive　in　my　cell；　and　I　long　for　God's　fresh　air；　of　which
I　have　been　deprived　so　long。　Let　us　go；　then；　that　I　may　receive
the　sentence　which　I　have　so　ardently　yearned　for。〃

And　with　a　kind　smile　he　offered　his　hand　to　the　jailer　who　stood　at
the　door　with　a　gloomy；　sullen　air。　〃Do　not　look　so　gloomy；
Balthasar；〃　he　said。　〃You　always　used　to　be　so　merry　a　companion　and
have　often　agreeably　enlivened　the　long　and　dreary　hours　of　my
confinement　by　your　entertaining　conversation。　Accept　my　thanks　for
your　kindness　and　clemency；　you　might　have　tormented　me　a　great
deal；　and　you　have　not　done　so；　but　have　always　been　accommodating
and　compassionate。　I　thank　you　for　it；　Balthasar；　and　beg　you　to
accept　this　as　a　souvenir　from　me。〃

He　drew　a　golden　breastpin　richly　set　with　precious　stones　from　his
cravat；　and　offered　it　to　the　jailer。

But　Balthasar　did　not　take　it；　on　the　contrary；　he　averted　his　head
sullenly　and　gloomily。　　〃I　am　not　allowed　to　accept　any　presents
from　the　prisoners；〃　he　muttered。

〃Well；　then；　I　shall　come　and　see　you　as　soon　as　I　am　free；　and　from
the　free　man；　I　suppose；　you　will　accept　a　small　souvenir？〃　asked
Palm；　kindly。

The　jailer　made　no　reply　to　this　question；　but　exclaimed；
impatiently：　〃Make　haste；　it　is　high　time！〃

Palm　laughed；　and；　nodding　a　farewell　to　the　jailer；　left　the　prison
in　the　midst　of　the　soldiers。

〃Poor　man；　he　suspects　nothing；〃　murmured　the　jailer　to　himself；　and
his　features　now　became　mild　and　gentle；　and　his　eyes　were　filled
with　tears。　〃Poor　man；　he　believes　they　will　set　him　at　liberty！
Yes；　they　will　do　so；　but　it　is　not　the　sort　of　liberty　he　is
looking　and　hoping　for！〃

Palm　followed　the　soldiers　gayly　and　courageously　to　the　room　where
the　members　of　the　court…martial　were　assembled　seated　on　high…
backed　arm…chairs　which　had　been　placed　in　a　semicircle　on　one　side
of　the　room；　awaiting　the　arrival　of　the　prisoner。

He　greeted　them　with　an　unclouded　brow　and　frank　and　open　bearing；
not　a　tinge　of　fear　and　nervousness　was　to　be　seen　in　his　features；
he　fixed　his　large　and　lustrous　eyes　on　the　lips　of　General　St。
Hilaire　who　presided　over　the　court…martial　and　now　rose　from　his
seat。　The　secretary　of　the　court　immediately　approached　the　general
and　handed　him　a　paper。

The　general　took　it；　and；　bending　a　stern　glance　on　Palm；　said：　〃The
court…martial　has　agreed　to…day　unanimously　on　your　sentence。　I　will
now　communicate　it　to　you。〃

The　other　officers　rose　from　their　seats　to　listen　standing　to　the
reading　of　the　sentence。　It　is　true；　their　faces　were　grave；　and　for
the　first　time　Palm　was　seized　with　a　sinister　foreboding；　and　asked
himself　whether　his　judges　would　assume　so　grave　and　solemn　an　air
if　they　were　merely　to　announce　to　him　that　he　was　innocent　and
consequently　free。

A　small　pause　ensued。　The　general　then　raised　his　voice；　and　read　in
a　loud　and　ringing　tone：　〃Whereas　at　all　places　where　there　is　an
army　it　is　the　first　and　most　imperious　duty　of　its　chief　to　watch
over　its　safety　and　preservation；〃

〃Whereas　the　circulation　of　writings　instigating　sedition　and　murder
does　not　only　threaten　the　safety　of　the　army；　but　also　that　of　the
nation　generally；〃

〃Whereas　nothing　is　more　urgent　and　necessary　than　the　prevention　of
the　propagation　of　such　doctrines　which　are　a　crime　against　the
rights　of　man　and　against　the　respect　due　to　crowned　headsan
insult　to　the　people　submissive　to　their　governmentand；　in　short；
subversive　of　law；　order；　and　subordination：〃

〃The　military　commission　here　assembled　declares　unanimously　that
all　authors　and　printers　of　libellous　books　of　the　above…named
description；　as　well　as　booksellers　and　other　persons　engaged　in
circulating　them；　shall　be　deemed　guilty　of　high…treason。〃

〃In　consideration　whereof　the　defendant；　John　Frederick　Palm；
convicted　of　having　circulated　the　pamphlet；　'Germany　in　her　Deepest
Degradation；'　has　been　charged　with　the　crime　of　high…treason；　and
the　commission　has　unanimously　found　him　guilty　of　the　charge。〃

〃The　penalty　incurred　by　the　traitor　is　death。〃

〃Consequently　the　traitor；　John　Frederick　Palm；　will　suffer　death；
which　sentence　will　be　carried　out　this　afternoon　at　two　o'clock；
when　he　will　be　shot。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。
ix。；　p。　247。＇

〃John　Frederick　Palm；〃　added　the　general；　〃you　have　heard　your
sentence；　prepare　for　death！〃

The　interpreter　repeated　to　the　unhappy　prisoner　the　sentence　of　the
court…martial　slowly；　impressively；　and　emphasizing　every　word；　and
every　syllable　fell　like　a　cold　tear　on　Palm's　heart　and　froze　it。
It　was；　however；　not　only　cold　with　terror　and　dismay；　but　also　with
determination　and　calmness。

Before　these　strangers；　with　their　cold；　indifferent　faces；　he
resolved　at　once　not　to　betray　any　weakness。　He　did　not　want　to
afford　his　assassins　the　pleasure　of　seeing　him　tremble。

His　bearing；　therefore；　only　manifested　firm　determination　and　grave
calmness。　He　cast　a　single　flaming　glance；　full　of　proud　disdain；　on
his　judges。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　loudly　and　firmly；　〃I　shall　die；　I　shall　go　to
God　and　accuse　YOU　before　his　throne；you　who　trample　on　all　state
and　international　laws；　and　have　not　judged；　but　murdered　me。　My
blood　be　on　your　heads！〃

〃Prisoner；〃　said　General　St。　Hilaire；　quietly；　〃if　you　desire　any
thing　before　your　death；　mention　it　now；　and　if　able　to　comply　with
it；　we　shall　grant　it。〃

〃I　have　but　one　desire；〃　said　Palm；　and　now　his　voice　trembled　a
little；　and　a　shadow　passed　across　his　forehead。　〃I　only　wish　that
my　wife　may　be　permitted　to　spend　these　last　hours　with　me；　and　to
take　leave　of　me！〃

〃Your　wife？〃　asked　the　general。　〃Is　your　wife　here；　then？　And　if　she
be　here；　who　has　dared　to　advise　you　of　it？〃

〃Nobody　has　advised　me　of　it；〃　replied　Palm；　〃nor　do　I　know　whether
she　is　here　or　not；　but　I　believe　it。　Moreover；　it　would　be　but
natural　that　she　should　have　followed　me　hither。　Permit　me；　then；　to
see　her　when　she　comes。〃

〃Your　request　is　granted。　Return　to　your　prison。　A　preacher　will　be
sent　to　you　to　prepare　you　for　death。　Soldiers；　remand　the
prisoner。〃

Palm　saluted　the　gentlemen　with　a　haughty　nod；　and　slowly　and
solemnly　raised　his　hand　toward　heaven。　〃I　summon　you　to　appear
before　the　awful　tribunal　of　God　Almighty！〃　he　said；　in　a　loud　and
ringing　voice。　〃Here　you　have　assumed　to　judge　me；　there　God　will
judge　you！〃

He　turned　around　and　left　the　room　at　the　head　of　the　soldiers。

〃It　only　remains　for　us　now　to　inform　the　municipal　authorities　of
this　city　of　what　has　to　be　done；〃　said　the　general；　after　a　short
pause。　〃They　must　be　present　at　the　execution；　for　this　act　of
justice　shall　not　take　place　under　the　veil　of　secrecy；　but　openly
under　the　eyes　of　God　and　men。　Let　the　authorities；　let　the　whole
city　witness　how　France　punishes　and　judges　those　who；　in　their
traitorous　impudence；　have　offended　against　her　honor　and　glory！〃

He　adjourned　the　court；　and　returned　to　his　rooms　to　repose　from　so
exhausting　a　session；　and　to　prepare；　by　partaking　of　an　epicurean
repast；　for　the　unpleasant　duty　that　awaited　him；　viz。；　to　be
present　at　an　execution。

The　general　was　just　sipping　a　glass　of　malmsey　with　infinite
relish；　and　eating　a　piece　of　the　excellent　pate　de　foie　gras　which
had　been　ordered　from　Strasburg；　when　a　strange　and　long…continued
noise　on　the　street　suddenly　disturbed　him　in　his　epicurean
enjoyment。

He　placed　his　glass　angrily　on　the　table；　and　turned　his　eyes　and
ears　toward　the　windows　opening　on　the　market…place。　The　noise
continued　all　the　time；　it　sounded　singular　and　extraordinary；　as
though　immense　swarms　of　bees　were　filling　the　air　with　their
humming。

The　general　rose　and　hastened　to　the　window。

A　strange　spectacle；　indeed；　presented　itself　to　his　eyes。　The　whole
market…place　was　crowded　with　people；　not　with　threatening；　violent
men；　rushing　forward　with　clinched　fists　and　flashing　eyes；　but　with
persons　whose　eyes　were　filled　with　tears；　and　who　raised　their　arms
in　an　imploring　manner。

They　were　women　and　c