louisa of prussia and her times-第142节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


assumed　an　air　of　embarrassment。

〃I　want　you　to　do　me　a　favor；〃　he　said；　hastily。　〃When　you　have
caused　the　mistress　of　ceremonies　to　subscribe　in　your　name；　please
order　your　grand…marshal　to　contribute　the　same　sum。　I　will　return
it　to　him　from　my　privy　purse。〃　＇Footnote：　Palm's　widow　received
large　sums　of　money；　which　were　subscribed　for　her　everywhere　in
Germany；　England；　and　Russia。　In　St。　Petersburg　the　emperor　and
empress　headed　the　list。Vide　〃Biography　of　John　Philip　Palm；〃
Munich；　1842。＇

The　queen　made　no　reply；　she　encircled　the　king's　neck　with　her
beautiful　white　arms；　and　imprinted　a　glowing　kiss　on　his　lips；　she
then　hastily　turned　around　and　left　the　room；　perhaps；　in　order　not
to　let　her　husband　see　the　tears　that　filled　her　eyes。

The　king；　who　had　gazed　after　her　with　a　long　and　tender　look；　said
in　a　low　voice　to　himself：　〃Oh；　she　is　the　sunshine　of　my　life。　How
dreary　and　cold　it　would　be　without　her！　But　now　I　will　see　the
minister。〃

He　hastened　to　the　opposite　door　and　opened　it。　〃Request　Minister
von　Hardenberg　to　come　in；〃　he　said　to　the　valet　de　chambre；　waiting
in　the　anteroom。

After　a　few　minutes　Hardenberg　entered。　The　king　went　forward　to
meet　him；　and　looked　at　him　inquiringly。

〃Good　news？〃　he　asked。

〃Your　majesty；　'good'　has　a　very　relative　meaning；〃　replied
Hardenberg；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃I　believe　an　open　and
categorical　reply　to　be　good。〃

〃Then　you　are　the　bearer　of　such　a　reply；〃　said　the　king；　quietly；
〃first　tell　me　the　result　of　your　mission。　You　may　afterward　add　the
particulars　of　the　negotiations。〃

〃I　shall　comply　with　your　majesty's　order。　The　result　is　that
Austria　wants　to　remain　neutral；　and　will；　for　the　present；　engage
in　no　further　wars。　Her　finances　are　exhausted；　and　her　many　defeats
have　demoralized　and　discouraged　her　armies。　Napoleon　has　vanquished
Austria；　not　only　militarily；　but　also　morally。　The　Austrian
soldiers　look　on　the　Emperor　of　the　French　and　his　victorious　armies
with　an　almost　superstitious　terror；　the　emperor　is　discouraged　and
downcast；　and　his　ministers　long　for　nothing　more　ardently　than　a
lasting　peace　with　France。　His　generals；　on　the　other　hand；　are
filled　with　so　glowing　an　admiration　for　Napoleon's　military　genius；
that　the　Archduke　Charles　himself　has　said：　'he　would　deem　it　a
crime　to　continue　the　war　against　Napoleon；　instead　of　courting　his
friendship。'〃　＇Footnote：　Vide　〃Libensbilder　aus　dem
Befreiungskriege；〃　vol。　iii。＇

〃He　may　be　right；〃　said　the　king；　〃but　he　ought　to　have　called　it　an
imprudence　instead　of　a　crime。　I　know　very　well　that　we　are　unable
to　retrace　our　steps；　and　that　the　logic　of　events　will　compel　us　to
draw　the　sword　and　risk　a　war；　but　I　do　not　close　my　eyes　against
the　serious　dangers　and　misfortunes　in　which　Prussia　might　be
involved　by　taking　up　arms　without　efficient　and　active　allies。　I
have　taken　pains　for　years　to　save　Prussia　from　the　horrors　and
evils　of　war；　but　circumstances　are　more　powerful　than　I；　and　I
shall　have　to　submit　to　them。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　circumstances　will　have　to　submit　to　your　majesty
and　fate。〃

〃Fate！〃　the　king　interrupted　him；　hastily。　〃Fate　is　no　courtier；　and
never　flattered　me　much。〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　was　going　to　imitate　fate；I　did　not　want　to
flatter　you；　either；〃　said　Hardenberg。　〃I　was　merely　going　to　say
that　fate　seems　to　favor　us　suddenly。　I　have　received　letters　from
Mr。　Fox；　the　English　minister。　King　George　the　Third；　now　that　he
sees　that　Prussia　is　in　earnest；　and　is　preparing　for　war；　is　more
inclined　to　form　an　alliance　with　Prussia。　The　first　favorable
symptom　of　this　change　of　views　is　the　fact　that　England　has　raised
the　blockade　of　the　rivers　of　northern　Germany；　a　British　envoy　will
soon　be　here　to　make　peace　with　Prussia；　and　to　conclude　an
alliance；　by　virtue　of　which　England　will　furnish　us　troops　and
money。〃

〃Would　to　God　the　envoy　would　arrive　speedily；〃　sighed　the　king；
〃for　we　need　both；　auxiliaries　as　well　as　money。〃　＇Footnote：　The
British　envoy；　Lord　Morpeth；　unfortunately　arrived　too　late；　it　was
only　on　the　19th　of　October　that　he　reached　the　king's　headquarters
at　Weimar。　But　the　French　party；　Minister　Haugwitz；　Lombard；　and
Lucchesini；　managed　to　prevent　him　from　obtaining　an　interview　with
the　king；　and　dismissed　him　with　the　reply；　that　the　results　of　the
negotiations　would　depend　on　the　issue　of　the　battle　which　was　about
to　be　fought。Vide　Hausser's　〃History　of　Germany；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。
766。＇

When　Minister　von　Hardenberg　left　the　king's　cabinet；　his　face　was
radiant　with　inward　satisfaction；　and　he　hastened　with　rapid　steps
to　his　carriage。

〃To　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；〃　he　said　to　the　coachman。　〃As　fast　as
the　horses　will　run！〃

Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　was　in　the　midst　of　his　friends　in　his　music…
room　when　Minister　Hardenberg　entered。　He　was　sitting　at　the　piano
and　playing　a　voluntary。　His　fancy　must　have　taken　a　bold　flight　to…
day；　for　in　the　music　he　evoked　from　the　keys　there　was　more　ardor；
vigor；　and　enthusiasm　than　generally；　and　the　noble　features　of　the
prince　were　radiant　with　delight。　Close　to　him；　her　head　leaning
gently　on　his　shoulder；　sat　Pauline　Wiesel；　the　prince's　beautiful
and　accomplished　friend；　and　listened　with　a　smile　on　her　crimson
lips；　and　tears　in　her　eyes；　to　the　charming　and　soul…stirring
melodies。　In　the　middle　of　the　room　there　stood　a　table　loaded　down
with　fiery　wines　and　tropical　fruits；　and　twelve　gentlemen；　most　of
them　army　officers；　were　seated　around　it。　They　were　the　military
and　learned　friends　of　the　prince；　his　daily　companions；　who；　like
Hardenberg；　were　always　allowed　to　enter　his　rooms　without　being
announced。

The　minister　hastily　beckoned　the　gentlemen　who　were　going　to　rise
and　salute　him；　to　keep　their　seats；　and　hurried　quickly　and　softly
across　the　room　toward　the　prince；　whose　back　was　turned　to　the
door；　and　who　consequently　had　not　noticed　his　arrival。

〃Prince；〃　he　said；　gently　placing　his　hand　on　his　shoulder；　〃it　is
settled　now：　we　shall　have　war！〃

〃War！〃　shouted　the　prince；　jubilantly；　and　rose　impetuously　to
embrace　the　minister　and　imprint　a　kiss　on　the　lips　which　had
uttered　the　precious　word。

〃War！〃　exclaimed　the　gentlemen　at　the　table；　and　emptied　their
glasses　in　honor　of　the　news。

〃War！〃　sighed　fair　Pauline　Wiesel；　and　clinging　closely　to　the
prince's　shoulder；　she　whispered：　〃War；　that　is　to　say；　I　shall　lose
you！〃

〃No；　it　is　to　say　that　I　shall　gain　every　thing；〃　exclaimed　the
prince；　with　flashing　eyes。〃　I　beseech　you；　Pauline；　no　weakness
now；　no　sentimentality；　no　tears。　The　great　moment　is　come。　Let　us
appreciate　it。　At　length；　at　length　we　shall　avenge　our　disgrace；　at
length　we　shall　be　able　to　raise　our　humiliated　heads　again；　and
need　not　feel　ashamed　any　longer　of　saying；　'I　am　a　German！'〃

〃Your　royal　highness　will　now　be　able　to　say；　'I　am　a　German　hero！'〃
said　Hardenberg。

〃Would　to　God　you　were　right！〃　exclaimed　the　prince。　〃May　He　grant
me　an　opportunity　to　earn　a　small　laurel…wreath；　even　had　I　to　atone
for　it　with　my　blood；　nay；　with　my　life！　To　die　for　the　fatherland
is　a　sublime　death；　and　should　I　fall　thus；　Pauline；　you　ought　not
to　weep；　but　sing　jubilant　hymns　and　envy　my　happy　fate。　Tell　me；
friend　Hardenberg；　when　is　the　war　to　commence？〃

〃As　soon　as　the　various　army　corps　can　be　concentrated；〃　replied
Hardenberg。　〃We　know　positively　that　Napoleon　is　arming　for　the
purpose　of　attacking　us；　and　that　he　intends　to　declare　war　against
us。　We　shall　hasten　and　try　to　outstrip　him。　Prussia　has　been
insulted　too　often　and　too　grievously；　hence；　the　challenge　ought　to
come　from　her。〃

〃And　we　will　take　revenge　on　M。　Bonaparte；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；
with　flaming　eyes。　〃It　shall　be　an　American　duel；　and　only　the　death
of　either　of　the　duellists　shall　put　an　end　to　it！　Friends；　take
your　glasses　and　fill　them　to　overflowing。　Hardenberg；　take　this
glass；　Pauline　shall　present　it　to　you。　Now；　let　us　drink　to　the
honor　of　Prussia　and　shout　with　me；　three　cheers　for　the　war；　for　an
heroic　victory；　for　an　heroic　death！〃

〃Three　cheers　for　the　war；　for　an　heroic　victory；　for　an　heroic
death！〃　shouted　the　friends。　They　emptied　their　glasses；　the　eyes　of
the　men　were　radiant；　but　Pauline's　eyes　were　filled　with　tears。
＇Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　was　killed　in　the　first　battle　of　the　war；
at　Saalfeld；　on　the　10th　of　October；　1806。＇

On　the　evening　of　that　day　the　king　went；　as　usual；　to　the　queen　to
take　a　cup　of　tea　which　she　herself　served　up　to　him。
Notwithstanding　the　objections　of　the　mistress　of　ceremonies；　they
paid　at　this　hour　no　attention　to　the　rules　of　etiquette；　and　their
intercourse　was　as　cordial　and　unceremonious　as　that　of　a　common
citizen's　family。

The　queen；　therefore；　was　alone　when　her　husband　entered　the　room。
None　of　her　ladies　of　honor　were　allowed　to　disturb　the　enjoyment　of
this　pleasant　tea…hour；　only　when　the　king　wished　it；　the　royal
children　were　sent　for　to　chat　with　their　parents　and　to　receive
their　supper　at　the　hands　of　their　beautiful　mother。

The　queen　went　to　meet　her　husband　with　a　pleasant　salutation；　and
offered　him　her　hands。　〃Well；〃　she　asked；　tenderly；