louisa of prussia and her times-第141节

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your　people　that　you　will　declare　war　against　the　usurper；　and　all
Prussia　will　rise　jubilantly　and　hasten　to　the　battlefield；　as　if　it
were　a　festival　of　victory。〃

〃You　refer　to　the　army；　but　not　to　the　people；〃　said　the　king。　〃It
is　true；　the　army　is　ready　for　the　fray；　and　it　is　satisfied　also
that　it　will　conquer。　But　who　can　tell　whether　it　may　not　be
mistaken？　It　is　long　since　we　have　waged　war；　while　the　armies　of
Napoleon　are　experienced　and　skilled；　and　ready　to　take　the　field　at
any　moment。〃

〃The　army　of　Frederick　the　Great；　the　army　of　my　king　has　nothing　to
fear　from　the　hordes　of　the　barbarian！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　with
flaming　eyes。

The　king　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　stand　in　need　of　allies；〃　he
said；　〃alone　I　am　not　able　to　sustain　such　a　struggle。　If　the　courts
of　Northern　Germany　should　comply　with　my　invitation；　if　they　should
ally　themselves　with　me；　finally；　if　Austria　should　accept　my
proposition　and　unite　with　me；　in　that　case　I　should　hope　for
success。　All　this　will　be　decided　to…day；　for　I　am　now　looking　for
the　return　of　two　important　envoysfor　the　return　of　Hardenberg；
who　has　delivered　my　propositions　in　Vienna；　and　for　the　return　of
Lombard；　whom　I　have　sent　to　the　smaller　German　courts　to　offer　them
an　offensive　and　defensive　alliance　in　opposition　to　Napoleon's
Confederation　of　the　Rhine。　I　confess　to　you；　Louisa；　I　await　their
replies　tremblingly；　I　cannot　think　of　any　thing　else；　this　feeling
has　haunted　me　all　day；　and　now　you　know　why　I　even　forgot　to　greet
you　this　morning。　I　intended　not　to　betray　the　uneasiness　filling　my
heart；　but　who　is　able　to　withstand　such　an　enchantress　as　you？　Now
you　know　every　thing！〃

〃And　do　you　know　already　the　new　misdeed　which　the　tyrant　has
committed？〃　asked　the　queen。　〃Do　you　know　that　he　is　ruling　and
commanding　on　German　soil　as　if　Germany　were　nothing　but　a　French
province；　and　all　princes　nothing　but　his　vassals？　In　a　time　of
peace　he　has　caused　a　German　citizen　to　be　dragged　from　his　house；
in　a　German　state　he　has　ordered　a　court…martial　to　meet；　and　this
court…martial　has　dared　to　pass　sentence　of　death　upon　a　German
citizen　merely　because　he；　a　German　bookseller；　had　circulated　a
pamphlet　deploring　Germany's　degradation！〃

〃I　have　already　known　it　for　three　days；〃　said　the　king；　gloomily。
〃I　concealed　it　from　you　in　order　not　to　grieve　you。〃

〃But　public　opinion　now…a…days　conceals　nothing；〃　exclaimed　Louisa；
ardently；　〃and　public　opinion　throughout　Germany　cries　for　vengeance
against　the　tyrant　who　is　murdering　German　honor　and　German　laws　in
this　manner！　In　every　city　subscriptions　have　been　opened　for　Palm's
family；　for　his　young　wife　and　his　little　girls。　The　poor　as　well　as
the　rich　hasten　to　offer；　according　to　their　means；　gifts　of　love　to
the　widow　and　orphans　of　the　martyr；　and　believe　me；　the　money　which
Germany　is　now　collecting　for　Palm's　family　will　be　dragon's　seeds
from　which　armed　warriors　will　spring　one　day；　and　Germany's
vengeance　will　blossom　from　this　blood　so　unjustly　shed。　Permit　me；
my　friend；　to　contribute　my　share　to　these　seeds　of　love　and
vengeance。　They　brought　to　me　this　morning　a　list　on　which　the　most
distinguished　families　had　subscribed　considerable　sums　for　Palm's
family；　and　I　was　asked　whether　my　ladies　of　honor　and　the　members
of　my　household　would　be　allowed　to　subscribe　for　the　same　purpose。
I　should　like　to　allow　it　and　do　even　moreI　should　like　to
contribute　my　mite；　too；　to　the　subscriptions。　Will　you　permit　me　to
do　so？〃

〃They　will　take　that　again　for　a　demonstration；〃　said　the　king；
uneasily；　〃they　will　say　we　were　stirring　up　strife　and　discontent
among　the　Germans。　I　believe　it　would　be　prudent　not　to　make　a
public　demonstration　prematurely；　but　to　wait　and　keep　quiet　till
the　right　time　has　come。〃

〃And　when　will　the　right　time　come；　if　it　has　not　come　now？〃
exclaimed　the　queen；　mournfully。　〃Remember；　my　beloved　husband；　all
the　mortifications　and　humiliations　which　you　have　received　of　late
at　the　hands　of　this　despot；　and　which；　in　your　noble　and　generous
resignation；　did　not　resent　in　order　to　preserve　peace　to　your
people。　Remember　that　he　alone　prevailed　on　you　to　occupy　Hanover；
that　he　warranted　its　possession　to　you；　and　then　when　your　troops
had　occupied　it；　applied　secretly；　and　without　saying　a　word　to　you；
to　England；　offering　to　make　peace　with　her　by　proposing　to　restore
Hanover　to　her。〃

〃It　was　a　grievous　insult；〃　exclaimed　the　king；　with　unusual
vivacity；　〃I　replied　to　it　by　placing　my　army　on　the　war　footing。〃

〃But　our　armies　remain　inactive；〃　said　the　queen；　sadly；　〃while
General　Knobelsdorf　is　negotiating　for　peace　with　Bonaparte　in
Paris。〃

〃He　is　to　negotiate　until　I　am　fully　prepared；〃　said　Frederick
William〃until　I　know　what　German　princes　will　be　for　and　against
me。　Above　all；　it　is　necessary　to　know　our　forces　in　order　to　mature
our　plans。　Hence；　I　must　know　who　is　on　my　side。〃

〃God　is　on　your　side；　and　so　is　Germany's　honor；〃　exclaimed　the
queen；　〃moreover；　you　may　safely　rely　at　least　on　one　faithful
friend。〃

〃You　refer　to　the　Emperor　of　Russia？〃　asked　the　king。　〃True；　I
received　yesterday　a　letter　from　the　emperor；　in　which　he　announced
'that　he　would　come　to　my　assistance　with　an　army　of　seventy
thousand　men　under　his　personal　command；　as　a　faithful　friend　and
neighbor；　and　appear　in　time　on　the　battle…field；　no　matter　whether
it　be　on　the　Rhine　or　beyond　it。'〃

〃Oh；　the　noble　and　faithful　friend！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　joyfully。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　king；　thoughtfully；　〃he　promises　a　great　deal；　but
Russian　promises　march　more　rapidly　than　Russian　armies。　I　am　afraid
events　will　carry　us　along　so　resistlessly　that　we　cannot　wait　until
the　Emperor　of　Russia　has　arrived　with　his　army。　As　soon　as　Napoleon
suspects　that　my　preparations　are　meant　for　him；　he　will　himself
declare　war　against　me。　He　is　always　prepared；　his　army　is　always
ready　for　war。　Whatever　he　may　be；　we　cannot　deny　that　he　is　a　brave
and　great　general；　and　I　do　not　know；〃　added　the　king；　in　a　low
voice；　〃I　do　not　know　whether　we　have　got　a　general　able　to　cope
with　him。　Oh；　Louisa；　I　envy　your　courage；　your　reliance　on　our
cause。　Do　you　feel　then；　no　uneasiness　whatever？〃

〃Uneasiness？〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　with　a　proud　smile。　〃I　believe
and　feel　convinced　that　now　only　one　thing　remains　to　be　done。　We
must　struggle　with　the　monster；　we　must　crush　it；　and　then　only　will
we　be　allowed　to　speak　of　uneasiness！　＇Footnote：　The　queen's　own
wordsVide　Gentz's　〃Writings；〃　vol。　iv。；　p。　169。＇　I　believe；
besides；　in　divine　ProvidenceI　believe　in　you；　my　noble；　high…
minded；　and　brave　king　and　husband；　and　I　believe　in　your　splendid
army；　which　is　eager　for　war！　I　believe　in　the　lucky　star　of
Prussia！〃

〃Oh；　it　seems　to　me　that　many　clouds　are　veiling　that　star；〃　said
the　king；　mournfully。

〃The　thunder　of　battle　will　dispel　them！〃　exclaimed　Louisa；
enthusiastically。　〃The　smoke　of　powder　purifies　the　air　and　destroys
its　noxious　vapors。〃

Just　then　the　door　opened；　and　the　king's　valet　de　chambre　entered。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　〃his　excellency；　Minister　Baron　von
Hardenberg；　requests　you　to　grant　him　an　audience。〃

〃You　see　the　decision　is　drawing　near；〃　said　the　king；　turning　to
his　wife。　〃I　shall　request　the　minister　to　come　in　directly。〃

The　valet　de　chambre　withdrew。　The　king　paced　the　room　several
times；　his　hands　folded　on　his　back；　and　without　uttering　a　word。
Louisa　dared　not　disturb　him；　but　her　radiant　eyes　followed　him　with
an　expression　of　tender　anxiety　and　affectionate　sympathy。

All　at　once；　the　king　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　drew　a
deep　breath。　〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　said；　〃I　feel　almost　joyful　and
happy　now　that　the　decisive　moment　is　at　hand。　Francis　von　Sickingen
was　right　in　saying；　'Better　an　end　with　terror；　than　a　terror
without　end！'〃　＇Footnote：　The　motto　of　the　celebrated　knight；
Francis　von　Sickingen：　〃Besser　ein　Ende　mit　Schrecken；　als　ein
Schrecken　ohne　Ende！〃＇

〃Oh；〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　joyfully；　〃now　I　recognize　my　noble　and
brave　husband。　When　no　longer　able　to　avert　terrors　by　mild　words
and　gentle　prudence；　he　raises　his　chivalrous　arm　and　crushes　them。
But　as　we　must　not　keep　your　minister　waiting；　I　will　withdraw。　One
word　more。　Will　you　permit　me　to　add　my　subscription　to　the　list　of
contributions　for　Palm's　widow？　I　do　not　wish　to　do　so　as　Queen　of
Prussia；　but　as　a　woman　sympathizing　with　the　misfortunes　of　one　of
her　German　sisters；　and　anxious　to　comfort　her　in　her　distress。　I
shall　not　mention　my　name；　but　cause　our　dear　mistress　of　ceremonies
to　subscribe　for　me。　Will　you　permit　it；　my　friend？〃

〃Follow　your　noble　and　generous　heart；　Louisa；〃　said　the　king；
〃contribute　for　the　relief　of　the　poor　woman！〃

〃Thanks；　my　friend；　a　thousand　thanks；〃　exclaimed　Louisa；　offering
her　hand　to　her　husband。　He　kissed　it　tenderly；　and　then　accompanied
the　queen　to　the　door。

Louisa　wanted　here　to　withdraw　her　hand　from　him　and　open　the　door；
in　order　to　go　out；　but　her　husband　kept　her　back；　and　his　features
assumed　an　air　of　embarrassment。

〃I　want　you　to　do　me　a　favor；〃　he　said；　hastily。　〃When　you　have
caused