louisa of prussia and her times-第19节

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momentous　hour　was　at　handa　film　covered　my　eyes；　and　I　could　only
see　the　Holy　Virgin　surrounded　by　angels；　on　Guido　Reni's　splendid
painting；　opposite　my　bed。　Suddenly　a　dazzling　flash　seemed　to
penetrate　the　darkness　surrounding　me；　and　through　the　silence　of
the　room　there　resounded　a　voice　that　I　had　never　heard　beforethe
voice　of　my　child。　And　at　the　sound　of　that　voice　I　saw　the　angels
descending　from　the　painting　and　approaching　my　bedside　in　order　to
kiss　me；　and　the　Mother　of　God　bent　over　me　with　a　heavenly　smile；
exclaiming：　'Blessed　is　the　wife　who　is　a　mother！'　My　consciousness
left　meI　believe　my　ineffable　happiness　made　me　faint。〃

〃Yes；　you　fainted；　beloved　wife；〃　said　the　king；　gently　nodding　to
her；　〃but　the　swoon　had　not　dispelled　the　smile　from　your　lips；　nor
the　expression　of　rapturous　joy　from　your　features。　You　lay　there　as
if　overwhelmed　with　joy　and　fascinated　by　your　ecstatic　bliss。
Knowing　that　you　were　inexpressibly　happy；　I　felt　no　fear　whatever
〃

〃Well；　I　awoke　soon　again；〃　added　the　queen；　joyfully。　〃I　had　no
time　to　spare　for　a　long　swoon；　for　a　question　was　burning　in　my
heart。　I　turned　my　eyes　toward　youyou　were　standing　in　the　middle
of　the　room；　holding　the　babe　that；　in　its　new　little　lace　dress；
had　just　been　laid　into　your　arms。　My　heart　now　commenced　beating　in
my　breast　like　a　hammer。　I　looked　at　you；　but　my　lips　were　not
strong　enough　to　utter　the　question。　However；　you　understood　me　well
enough；　and　drawing　close　to　my　bedside；　and　kneeling　down　and
laying　the　babe　into　my　arms；　you　said；　in　a　voice　which　I　shall
never　forget；　'Louisa；　give　your　blessing　to　your　son！'　Ah；　at　that
moment　it　seemed　as　if　my　ecstasy　would　rend　my　breast。　I　had　to
utter　a　loud　scream；　or　I　should　have　died　from　joy。　'A　son！'　I
cried；　'I　have　given　birth　to　a　son！'　And　I　drew　my　arms　around　you
and　the　babe；　and　we　wept　tearsoh；　such　tears〃

She　paused；　overwhelmed　with　emotion；　and　burst　into　tears。

〃Ah！〃　she　whispered；　deprecatingly；　〃I　am　very　foolishyou　will
laugh　at　me。〃

But　the　king　did　not　laugh；　for　his　eyes　also　were　moist；　only　he
was　ashamed　of　his　tears　and　kept　them　back　in　his　eyes。　A　pause
ensued；　and　the　queen　laid　her　head　upon　the　shoulder　of　her
husband；　who　had　drawn　his　arm　around　her　waist。　All　at　once　she
raised　her　head；　and　fixing　her　large　and　radiant　eyes　upon　the
deeply…moved　face　of　the　king；　she　asked：　〃My　Frederick；　can　we
leave　a　house　in　which　I　bore　you　a　son　and　crown　prince？　Will　we
give　up　our　most　sacred　recollections　for　the　sake　of　a　large　and
gorgeous　royal　palace？〃

〃No；　we　will　not；〃　said　the　king；　pressing　his　wife　closer　to　his
heart。　〃No；　we　will　remain　in　this　house　of　ourswe　will　not　leave
it。　Our　happiness　has　grown　and　prospered　here；　and　here　it　shall
bloom　and　bear　fruit。　Your　wish　shall　be　fulfilled；　we　will　continue
living　here　as　man　and　wife；　and　if　the　king　and　queen　have　to　give
festivals　and　to　receive　numerous　guests；　then　they　will　go　over　to
the　palace　to　comply　with　their　royal　duties；　but　in　the　evening
they　will　return　to　their　happy　home。〃

〃Oh；　my　friend；　my　beloved　friend；　how　shall　I　thank　you？〃　exclaimed
the　queen；　encircling　his　neck　with　her　arms；　and　imprinting　a
glowing　kiss　upon　his　lips。

〃But　now；　dear　wife；　let　me　know　your　fourth　wish；〃　said　the　king；
holding　her　in　his　arms。　〃I　hope　your　last　wish　is　a　real　one；　and
not　merely　calculated　to　render　ME　happy；　but　one　that　also　concerns
yourself？〃

〃Oh；　my　fourth　wish　only　concerns　myself；〃　said　the　queen；　with　an
arch　smile。　〃I　can　confide　it　to　you；　to　you　alone；　and　you　must
promise　to　keep　it　secret；　and　not　to　say　a　word　about　it　to　the
mistress　of　ceremonies。〃

〃I　promise　it　most　readily；　dear　Louisa。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　queen；　placing　her　husband's　hand　upon　her　heart；
and　gently　stroking　it　with　her　fingers。　〃I　believe　during　the
coming　winter　we　shall　often　have　to　be　king　and　queen。　Festivals
will　be　given　to　us；　and　we　shall　have　to　give　others　in　return；　the
country　will　do　homage　to　the　new　sovereign；　and　the　nobility　will
solemnly　take　the　oath　of　allegiance　to　him。　Hence　there　will　be　a
great　deal　of　royal　pomp；　but　very　little　enjoyment　for　us　during
the　winter。　Well；　I　will　not　complain；　but　endeavor；　to　the　best　of
my　ability；　to　do　honor　to　my　exalted　position　by　your　side。　In
return；　however；　my　beloved　lord　and　friendin　return；　next　summer；
when　the　roses　are　blooming；　you　must　give　me　a　daya　day　that　is
to　belong　exclusively　to　myself；　and　on　that　day　we　will　forget　the
cares　of　royalty；　and　only　remember　that　we　are　a　pair　of　happy
young　lovers。　Of　course；　we　shall　not　spend　that　day　in　Berlin；　nor
in　Parez　either；　but　like　two　merry　birds；　we　will　fly　far；　far　away
to　my　home　in　Mecklenburg；　to　the　paradise　of　my　early　yearsto　the
castle　of　Hohenzieritz；　and　no　one　shall　know　any　thing　about　it。
Without　being　previously　announced；　we　will　arrive　there；　and　in　the
solitude　of　the　old　house　and　garden　we　will　perform　a　charming
little　idyl。　On　that　day　you　only　belong　to　me；　and　to　nobody　else。
On　that　day　I　am　your　wife　and　sweetheart　and　nothing　else；　and　I
shall　provide　amusement　and　food　for　you。　Yes；　dearest　Frederick；　I
shall　prepare　your　meals　all　alone；　and　set　the　table　and　carve　for
you。　Oh；　dear；　dear　friend；　give　me　such　a　day；　such　an　idyl　of
happiness！〃

〃I　give　it　to　you　and　to　myself；　most　joyfully；　and　let　me　confess；
Louisa；　I　wish　the　winter　were　over　already；　and　the　morning　of　that
beautiful　day　were　dawning。〃

〃Thanksthousand　thanks！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　enthusiastically。
〃Let　the　stiff　and　ceremonious　days　come　now；　and　the　sneaking；
fawning　courtiers　and　the　incense　of　flattery。　Through　all　the　mist
I　shall　constantly　inhale　the　sweet　fragrance　of　the　roses　of　the
future；　and　on　the　stiff　gala…days　I　shall　think　of　the　idyl　of　that
day　that　will　dawn　next　summer　and　compensate　me　for　all　the
annoyances　and　fatigues　of　court　life。〃

The　king　placed　his　right　hand　on　her　head；　as　if　to　bless　her；　and
with　his　left；　lifted　up　her　face　that　was　reposing　on　his　breast。
〃And　you　really　think；　you　charming；　happy　angel；　that　I　do　not
understand　you？〃　he　asked；　in　a　low　voice。　〃Do　you　think　I　do　not
feel　and　know　that　you　want　to　offer　me　this　consolation　and　to
comfort　me　by　the　hope　of　such　a　blissful　day　for　the　intervening
time　of　care；　fatigue；　and　restlessness？　Oh；　my　dear　Louisa；　you
need　no　such　consolation；　for　God　has　intended　you　for　a　queen；　and
even　the　burdens　and　cares　of　your　position　will　only　surround　you
like　enchanting　genii。　You　know　at　all　times　how　to　find　the　right
word　and　the　right　deed；　and　the　Graces　have　showered　upon　you　the
most　winning　charms　to　fascinate　all　hearts；　in　whatever　you　may　be
doing。　On　the　other　hand；　I　am　awkward　and　ill　at　ease。　I　know　it
only　too　well；　my　unhappy　childhood；　grief　and　cares　of　all　kinds；
have　rendered　my　heart　reserved　and　bashful。　Perhaps　I　am　not　always
lacking　right　ideas；　but　I　fail　only　too　often　to　find　the　right
word　for　what　I　think　and　feel。　Hereafter；　my　dear　Louisa；　frequent
occasions　will　arise　when　you　will　have　to　speak　for　both　of　us。　By
means　of　your　irresistible　smile　and　genial　conversation　you　will
have　to　win　the　hearts　of　people；　while　I　shall　be　content　if　I　can
only　win　their　heads。〃

〃Shall　I　be　able　to　win　their　hearts？〃　asked　the　queen；　musingly。
〃Oh；　assist　me；　my　dearest　friend。　Tell　me　what　I　have　to　do　in
order　to　be　beloved　by　my　people。〃

〃Remain　what　you　are；　Louisa；〃　said　the　king；　gravely〃always
remain　as　charming；　graceful；　and　pure　as　I　beheld　you　on　the　most
glorious　two　days　of　my　life；　and　as　my　inward　eye　always　will
behold　you。　Oh；　I　also　have　some　charming　recollections；　and
although　I　cannot　narrate　them　in　words　as　fascinating　and　glowing
as　yours；　yet　they　are　engraved　no　less　vividly　on　my　mind；　and；
like　beautiful　genii；　accompany　me　everywhere。　Only　before　others
they　are　bashful　and　reticent　like　myself。〃

〃Let　me　hear　them；　Frederick；〃　begged　the　queen；　tenderly　leaning
her　beautiful　head　on　her　husband's　shoulder。　〃Let　us　devote　another
hour　to　the　recollections　of　the　past。〃

〃Yes；　let　another　hour　be　devoted　to　the　memories　of　past　times；〃
exclaimed　the　king；　〃for　can　there　be　any　thing　more　attractive　for
me　than　to　think　of　you　and　of　that　glorious　hour　when　I　saw　you
first？　Shall　I　tell　you　all　about　it；　Louisa？〃

〃Oh；　do　so；　my　beloved　friend。　Your　words　will　sound　to　me　like　some
beautiful　piece　of　music　that　one　likes　better　and　understands
better　the　more　it　is　heard。　Speak；　then；　Frederick；　speak。〃




CHAPTER　X。

THE　KING'S　RECOLLECTIONS。


〃Well；〃　said　the　king；　〃whenever　I　look　back　into　the　past；　every
thing　seems　to　me　covered　with　a　gray　mist；　through　which　only　two
stars　and　two　lights　are　twinkling。　The　stars　are　your　eyes；　and　the
lights　are　the　two　days　I　alluded　to　beforethe　day　on　which　I　saw
you　for　the　first　time；　and　the　day　on　which　you　arrived　in　Berlin。
Oh；　Louisa；　never　shall　I　forget　that　first　day！　I　call　it　the　first
day；　because　it　was　the　first　day　of　my　real　life。　It　was　at
Frankfort…on…the…Main；　during　the　campaign　on　the　Rhine。　M