louisa of prussia and her times-第147节

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meet　his　assailants。

〃The　work　is　furnished；〃　he　exclaimed；　loudly　and　joyfully；　〃it
shall　now　go　out　into　the　world！〃

He　hastily　folded　up　his　manuscript；　wrapped　a　sheet　of　paper　around
it；　sealed　it　and　directed　it。

Then　he　looked　at　his　watch。

〃Eight　o'clock；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃if　I　make　haste；　the
postmaster　will　forward　my　manuscript　to…day。〃

He　divested　himself　of　his　gown；　and　dressed。　Then　he　took　his　hat
and　the　manuscript　and　hastened　down　into　the　street　toward　the
post…office。　Absorbed　as　he　was　in　his　reflections；　he　saw　neither
the　extraordinary　commotion　reigning　in　the　small　university　town；
nor　the　sad　faces　of　the　passers…by；　he　only　thought　of　his　work；
and　not　of　reality。

He　now　entered　the　post…office；　all　the　doors　were　open；　all　the
employes　were　chatting　with　each　other；　and　no　one　was　at　the　desk
to　attend　to　the　office　business　and　to　receive　the　various　letters。

Hegel；　therefore；　had　to　go　to　the　postmaster；　who　had　not　noticed
him　at　all；　but　was　conversing　loudly　and　angrily　with　several
gentlemen　who　were　present。

〃Here　is　a　package　which　I　want　you　to　send　to　Hamburg；〃　said　the
philosopher；　handing　his　package　to　the　postmaster。　〃The　stage…coach
has　not　set　out　yet；　I　suppose？〃

The　postmaster　stared　at　him　wonderingly。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃it　has　not
set　out　yet；　and　will　not　set　out　at　all！〃

It　was　now　the　philosopher's　turn　to　look　wonderingly　at　the
postmaster。

〃It　will　not　set　out？〃　he　asked。　〃Why　not？〃

〃It　is　impossible；　in　the　general　confusion　and　excitement。　There
are　neither　horses　nor　men　to　be　had　to…day。　Everybody　is　anxious
and　terrified。〃

〃But　what　has　happened？〃　asked　the　philosopher；　in　a　low　voice。

〃What？　Then　you　do　not　know　yet　the　terrible　events　of　the　day；　Mr。
Professor？〃　exclaimed　the　postmaster；　in　dismay。

〃I　do　not　know　any　thing　about　them；〃　said　the　philosopher；　timidly；
and　almost　ashamed　of　himself。　　〃Perhaps　you　did　not　hear；　in　your
study；　the　thunders　of　the　artillery？〃

〃I　heard　occasionally　a　dull；　long…continued　noise；　but　I　confess　I
did　not　pay　any　attention　to　it。　What　has　occurred？〃

〃A　battle　has　occurred；〃　exclaimed　the　postmaster；　〃and　when　I　say　a
battle；　I　mean　two　battles；　one　was　fought　here　at　Jena；　and　the
other　at　Auerstadt；　but　here　they　did　not　know　that　a　battle　was
going　on　at　Auerstadt；　and　at　Auerstadt；　like　you；　Mr。　Professor；
they　did　not　hear　the　artillery　of　Jena。〃

〃And　who　has　won　the　battle？〃　asked　Hegel；　feelingly。

〃Who　but　the　conqueror　of　the　world；　the　Emperor　Napoleon！〃
exclaimed　the　postmaster。　〃The　Prussians　are　defeated；　routed；
dispersed；　they　are　escaping　in　all　directions；　and　when　two　French
horsemen　are　approaching；　hundreds　of　Prussians　throw　their　arms
away　and　beg　for　mercy！　The　whole　Prussian　army　has　exploded　like　a
soap…bubble。　The　king　was　constantly　in　the　thickest　of　the　fray；　he
wished　to　die　when　he　saw　that　all　was　lost；　but　death　seemed　to
avoid　him。　Two　horses　were　killed　under　him；　but　neither　sword　nor
bullet　struck　him。　He　is　retreating　now；　but　the　French　are　at　his
heels。　God　grant　that　he　may　escape！　The　commander…in…chief；　the
Duke　of　Brunswick；　was　mortally　wounded；　a　bullet　struck　him　in　the
face　and　destroyed　his　eyes。　Oh；　it　is　a　terrible　disaster！　Prussia
is　lost；　and　so　is　Saxe…Weimar；　for　the　Emperor　Napoleon　will　never
forgive　our　duke　that；　instead　of　joining　the　Confederation　of　the
Rhine；　he　stood　by　Prussia　and　fought　against　France。　Our　poor　state
will　have　to　atone　for　it！〃

Hegel　had　listened　sadly　to　the　loquacious　man；　and　his　features　had
become　gloomier　and　gloomier。　He　felt　dizzy；　and　a　terrible　burden
weighed　down　his　breast。　He　nodded　to　the　postmaster　and　went　out
again　into　the　street。

But　his　knees　were　trembling　under　him。　He　slowly　tottered　toward
his　residence。

All　at　once　a　brilliant　procession　entered　the　lower　part　of　the
street。　Drums　and　cheers　resounded。　A　large　cavalcade　was　now
approaching。

At　its　head；　mounted　on　a　white　horse　with　a　waving　mane　and
quivering　nostrils；　rode　the　man　of　the　century；　the　man　with　the
marble　face　of　a　Roman　IMPERATOR；　the　Julius　Caesar　of　modern
history。

His　eyes　were　beaming　with　courage　and　pride；　a　triumphant　smile　was
playing　on　his　lips。　It　was　the　TRIUMPHATOR　making　his　entry　into
the　conquered　city。

The　philosopher　thought　of　the　history　of　ancient　Rome；　and　it
seemed　to　him　as　though　the　face　of　the　modern　Caesar　were　that　of　a
resuscitated　statue　of　antiquity。

Napoleon　now　fixed　his　flashing　eyes　on　the　philosopher；　who　felt
that　this　glance　penetrated　into　the　innermost　depths　of　his　heart。
＇The　writer　heard　the　account　of　this　meeting　with　the　Emperor
Napoleon　from　the　celebrated　philosopher　himself　in　1829。　He
described　in　plain；　yet　soul…stirring　words；　the　profound；
overwhelming　impression　which　the　appearance　of　the　great　emperor
had　made　upon　him；　and　called　this　meeting　with　Napoleon　one　of　the
most　momentous　events　of　his　life。　The　writer；　then　a　young　girl；
listened　at　the　side　of　her　father　with　breathless　suspense　to　the
narrative　which；　precisely　by　its　simplicity　made　so　profound　an
impression　upon　her；　that；　carried　away　by　her　feelings；　she　burst
into　tears。　The　philosopher　smiled；　and　placed　his　hand　on　her　head。
〃Young　folks　weep　with　their　hearts；〃　he　said；　〃but　we　men　wept　at
that　time　with　our　heads。〃　The　authoress。＇

Seized　with　awe；　Hegel　took　off　his　hat　and　bowed　deeply。

The　emperor　touched　his　hat　smilingly；　and　thanked　him；　then　he
galloped　on；　followed　by　the　whole　brilliant　suite　of　his　marshals
and　generals。

The　German　philosopher　stood　still；　as　if　fixed　to　the　ground；　and
gazed　after　him　musingly　and　absorbed　in　solemn　reflections。

He　himself；　the　Napoleon　of　ideas；　had　yet　to　win　his　literary
battles　in　the　learned　world　of　Germany。

The　emperor；　the　Napoleon　of　action；　had　already　won　his　battles；
and　Germany　lay　at　his　feet。　Vanquished；　crushed　Germany　seemed　to
have　undergone　her　last　death…struggle　in　the　battles　of　Jena　and
Auerstadt。







End