louisa of prussia and her times-第144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！



The　artillery　was　well　mounted；　but　its　generals　were　too　old　and
disabled　for　field　service；　the　youngest　of　them　were　more　than
seventy　years　of　age。

The　clothing　of　the　army　was　of　the　most　wretched　description；　it
was　made　of　the　coarsest　and　worst　cloth；　and；　moreover；　entirely
insufficient。　The　rations　were　just　as　scanty；　and　fixed　in
accordance　with　the　economical　standard　of　the　Seven　Years'　War。

Besides；　there　was　no　enthusiasm；　no　military　ardor　in　the　ranks　of
the　army。　The　long　period　of　peace　and　parade…service　had　diminished
the　zeal　of　the　soldiers；　and　made　them　consider　their　duties　as
mere　play　and　unnecessary　vexations；　requiring　no　other　labor　than
the　cleaning　of　their　muskets　and　belts；　the　buttoning　of　their
gaiters；　and　the　artistic　arrangement　of　their　pigtails。　Every
neglect　of　these　important　duties　was　punished　in　the　most　merciless
manner。　The　stick　still　reigned　in　the　Prussian　army；　and　while
cudgelling　discipline　into　the　soldier；　they　cudgelled　ambition　and
self…reliance　out　of　him。　Not　military　ardor　and　manly　courage；　but
discipline　and　the　everlasting　stick　accompanied　the　Prussian
soldiers　of　1806　into　the　war。　＇Ibid。；　vol。　i。；　p。　86。＇

The　commander…in…chief　of　this　dispirited　and　disorganized　army　in
the　present　war　was　intrusted　to　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；　a　man　more
than　seventy　years　of　age；　talented　and　well　versed　in　war；　but
hesitating　and　timid　in　action；　relying　too　little　on　himself；　and
consequently　without　energy　and　determination。　His　assistant　and
second　in　command　was　Field　Marshal　Mollendorf。　One　of　the　bravest
officers　of　the　Seven　Years'　War；　but　now　no　less　than　eighty　years
of　age。

Such　was　the　army　which　was　to　take　the　field　and　defeat　Napoleon's
enthusiastic；　well…tried；　and　experienced　legions！

The　apprehensions　of　the　prudent　were　but　too　well　founded；　and　the
anxiety　visible　in　the　king's　gloomy　mien　was　perfectly　justified。

But　all　these　doubts　were　now　in　vain；　they　were　unable　to　stem　the
tide　of　events　and　to　prevent　the　outbreak　of　hostilities。

The　force　of　circumstances　was　more　irresistible　than　the
apprehensions　of　the　sagacious；　and　if　the　latter　said　in　a　low
voice　this　war　was　a　misfortune　for　Prussia；　public　opinion　only
shouted　the　louder：　〃This　war　saves　the　honor　of　Prussia；　and
delivers　us　from　the　yoke　of　the　hateful　tyrant！〃

Public　opinion　had　conquered；　war　was　inevitable。　General　von
Knobelsdorf　was　commissioned　to　present　to　the　Emperor　of　the　French
in　the　name　of　the　King　of　Prussia　an　ultimatum；　in　which　the　king
demanded　that　the　French　armies　should　evacuate　Germany　in　the
course　of　two　weeks；　that　the　emperor　should　raise　no　obstacles
against　the　formation　of　the　confederation　of　the　northern　princes；
and　give　back　to　Prussia　the　city　of　Wesel；　as　well　as　other
Prussian　territories　annexed　to　France。

This　ultimatum　was　equivalent　to　a　declaration　of　the　war；　and　the
Prussian　army；　therefore；　marched　into　the　field。

The　regiments　of　the　life…guards　were　to　leave　Berlin　on　the　21st　of
September；　and　join　the　army；　and　the　king　intended　to　accompany
them。

In　Berlin　there　reigned　everywhere　the　greatest　enthusiasm。

All　the　houses　had　been　decorated　with　festoons　and　flowers；　and　the
inhabitants　crowded　the　streets　in　their　holiday…dresses　to　greet
the　departing　life…guards　with　jubilant　cheers　and　congratulations。

The　king　had　just　reviewed　the　regiments；　and　now　repaired　to　his
wife　to　bid　her　farewell　and　then　leave　Berlin　at　the　head　of　his
life…guards。

The　queen　went　to　meet　him　with　a　radiant　smile；　and　a　wondrous　air
of　joy　and　happiness　was　beaming　from　her　eyes。　The　king　gazed
mournfully　at　her　beautiful；　flushed　face；　and　her　cheerfulness　only
increased　his　melancholy。

〃You　receive　me　with　a　smile；〃　he　said；　〃and　my　heart　is　full　of
anxiety　and　sadness。　Do　you　not　know；　then；　why　I　have　come　to　you？
I　have　come　to　bid　you　farewell！〃

She　placed　her　hands　on　his　shoulders；　and　her　whole　face　was
radiant　with　sunshine。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃you　have　come　to　call　for　me！〃

The　king　looked　at　her　in　confusion　and　terror。　〃How　so；　to　call　for
you！〃　he　asked。　〃Whither　do　you　want　to　go；　then？〃

Louisa　encircled　her　husband's　neck　with　her　arms；　and　clinging　to
him　she　exclaimed；　in　a　loud　and　joyous　voice：

〃I　want　to　go　with　you；　dear　husband！〃

〃With　me？〃　ejaculated　the　king。

〃Yes；　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　believe；　then；　my　friend；　I
should　have　been　so　merry　and　joyful　if　this　had　not　been　my　hope
and　consolation？　I　have　secretly　made　all　the　necessary
preparations；　and　am　ready　now　to　set　out　with　you。　I　have　arranged
every　thing；　I　have　even；〃　she　added；　in　a　low　and　tremulous　voice
〃I　have　even　taken　leave　of　the　children；　and　I　confess　to　you　I
have　shed　bitter　tears　in　doing　so。　Part　of　my　heart　remains　with
them；　but　the　other；　the　larger　part；　goes　with　you；　and　remains
with　you；　my　friend；　my　beloved；　my　king。　Will　you　reject　it？　Will
you　not　permit　me　to　accompany　you？〃

〃It　is　impossible；〃　said　the　king；　shaking　his　head。

〃Impossible？〃　she　exclaimed；　quickly。　〃If　you；　if　the　king　should
order　it　so？〃

〃The　king　must　not　do　so；　Louisa。　I　shall　cease　for　a　while　to　be
king；　and　shall　be　nothing　but　a　soldier　in　the　camp。　Where　should
there　be　room　and　the　necessary　comforts　for　a　queen？〃

〃If　you　cease　to　be　king；〃　said　Louisa；　smiling；　〃it　follows；　as　a
matter　of　course；　that　I　cease　to　be　a　queen。　If　you　are　nothing　but
a　soldier；　I　am　merely　a　soldier's　wife；　and　it　behooves　a　soldier's
wife　to　accompany　her　husband　into　the　camp。　Oh；　Frederick；　do　not
say　no！do　not　deprive　me　of　my　greatest　happiness；　of　my　most
sacred　right！　Did　we　not　swear　an　oath　at　the　altar　to　go　hand　in
hand　through　life；　and　to　stand　faithfully　by　each　other　in　days　of
weal　and　woe？　And　now　you　will　forget　your　oath？　You　will　sever　our
paths？〃

〃The　path　of　war　is　hard　and　rough；〃　said　the　king；　gloomily。

〃Therefore　I　must　be　with　you；　to　strew　sometimes　a　few　flowers　on
this　path　of　yours；〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　joyfully。　〃I　must　be　with
you；　so　that　you　may　enjoy　at　least　sometimes　a　calm；　peaceful　hour
in　the　evening；　after　the　toils　and　troubles　of　the　day！　I　must　be
with　you　to　rejoice　with　you　when　your　affairs　are　prosperous；　and
to　comfort　you　when　misfortunes　befall　you。　Do　you　not　feel；　then；
dearest；　that　we　belong　indissolubly　to　each　other；　and　that　we　must
walk　inseparably　through　life；　be　it　for　weal　or　for　woe？〃

〃I　am　not　allowed　to　think　of　myself；　Louisa；〃　said　the　king；
greatly　affected；　〃nor　of　the　joy　it　would　afford　me　in　these
turbulent　and　stormy　days　to　see　you　by　my　sideyou；　my　angel　of
peace　and　happiness；　I　must　only　think　of　you；　of　the　queen；　of　the
mother　of　my　children；　whom　I　must　not　expose　to　any　danger；　and
whom　I　would　gladly　keep　aloof　from　any　tempest　and　anxiety。〃

〃When　I　am　no　longer　with　you；　anxiety　will　consume　me；　and　grief
will　rage　around　me　like　a　tempest；〃　exclaimed　the　queen；
passionately。　〃I　should　find　rest　neither　by　day　nor　by　night；　for
my　heart　would　always　long　for　you；　and　my　soul　would　always　tremble
for　you。　I　should　always　see　you　before　me　wounded　and　bleeding；　for
I　know　you　will　not　regard　your　safety；　your　life；　when　there　is　a
victory　to　be　gained　or　a　disgrace　to　be　averted。　Bullets　do　not
spare　the　heads　of　kings；　and　swords　do　not　glance　off　powerlessly
from　their　sacred　persons。　In　time　of　war　a　king　is　but　a　man！
Permit　the　queen；　therefore；　at　this　time；　to　be　but　a　womanyour
wife；　who　ought　to　nurse　you　if　you　should　be　wounded；　and　to　share
your　pain　and　anxiety！　Oh；　my　beloved　husband；　can　you　refuse　your
wife's　supplication？〃

She　looked　at　him　with　her　large；　tearful；　imploring　eyes；　her　whole
beautiful　and　great　soul　was　beaming　from　her　face　in　an　expression
of　boundless　love。

The　king；　overwhelmed；　carried　away　by　her　aspect；　was　no　longer
strong　enough　to　resist　her。　He　clasped　her　in　his　arms；　and　pressed
a　long　and　glowing　kiss　on　her　forehead。

〃No；〃　he　said；　deeply　moved；　〃I　cannot　refuse　your　supplication。　We
will；　hand　in　hand；　courageously　and　resolutely　bear　the　fate　God
has　in　store　for　us。　Nothing　but　death　shall　separate　us。　Come；　my
Louisa；　my　beloved　wife；　accompany　me　wherever　I　may　go！〃

The　queen　uttered　a　joyful　cry；　seizing　the　king's　hand；　she　bent
over　it　and　kissed　it　reverentially；　before　the　king　could　prevent
her　from　doing　so。

〃Louisa；　what　are　you　doing？〃　exclaimed　the　king；　almost　ashamed；
〃you〃

Loud　shouts　resounding　on　the　street　interrupted　him。　The　royal
couple　hastened　hand　in　hand　to　the　window。

On　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　in　front　of　the　large　portal　of
the　arsenal；　thousands　of　men　had　assembled；　all　seemed　to　be　highly
excited；　and；　with　shouts　and　manifestations　of　wild　curiosity；　to
throng　around　an　object　in　the　middle　of　the　densest　part　of　the
crowd。

Some　accident　must　have　happened　over　yonder。　Perhaps；　a　stroke　of
apoplexy　had　felled　a　poor　man　to　the　ground；　perhaps；　a　murder　had
been　committed；　for　the　faces　of　the　bystanders　looked　pale　and
dismayed；　they　clasped　their　hands　wonderingly；　and　shook　their
heads　anxiousl