louisa of prussia and her times-第22节

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your　majesty　has　too　good　an　opinion　of　my　abilities。　When　I　read
your　truly　sublime　letter；　my　heart　shuddered；　and　I　said　to　myself；
'The　king　is　mistaken　about　you。　To　fill　the　position　he　is　offering
to　you；　he　needs　a　man　of　the　highest　ability　and　wisdom。　The　king
has　confounded　your　heart　with　your　head。'　Yes；　your　majesty；　my
heart　is　in　the　right　place；　it　is　brave；　bold；　and　faithful；　but　my
head　lacks　wisdom　and　knowledge。　I　am　not　a　learned　man；　your
majesty。〃

〃　But　you　are　a　man　of　good　common　sense　and　excellent　judgment；　and
that　is　worth　more　to　me　than　profound　learning；〃　exclaimed　the
king。　〃I　have　observed　you　for　years；　and　these　extended
observations　have　confirmed　my　conviction　more　and　more　that　I　was
possessing　in　you　a　man　who　would　be　able　one　day　to　render　me　the
most　important　services　by　his　straightforwardness；　his　unerring
judgment；　his　firm　character；　and　well…tried　honesty。　I　have　a
perfect　right　to　trust　you　implicitly。　I　am　a　young　man；　as　yet　too
ignorant　of　the　world　to　rely　exclusively　upon　myself；　and　not　to
fear　lest　dishonest　men；　in　spite　of　the　most　earnest　precautions；
should　deceive　me。　Hence　every　well…meant　advice　must　be　exceedingly
welcome　to　me；　and　such　advice　I　can　expect　at　your　hands。　I　pray
you；　sir；　remain　my　friend；　do　not　change　your　bearing　toward　me；
become　my　adviser。　＇Footnote：　Vide　〃A　letter　to　Lieutenant…Colonel
von　Kockeritz；　by　Frederick　William　III。〃＇　Kockeritz；　will　you
reject　my　request？〃

〃No；〃　exclaimed　Herr　von　Kockeritz；　〃if　that　is　all　your　majesty
asks　of　me；　I　can　promise　it　and　fulfil　my　promise。　Your　majesty
shall　always　find　me　to　be　a　faithful；　devoted；　and　honest　servant。〃

〃I　ask　more　than　that；〃　said　the　king；　gently。　〃Not　only　a　faithful
servant；　but　a　devoted　FRIENDa　friend　who　will　call　my　attention
to　my　short…comings　and　errors。　Assist　me　with　your　knowledge　of　men
and　human　nature。　For　nobody　is　more　liable　to　make　mistakes　in
judging　of　men　than　a　prince；　and　it　cannot　be　otherwise。　To　a
prince　no　one　shows　himself　in　his　true　character。　Every　one　tries
to　fathom　the　weaknesses　and　inclinations　of　rulersand　then
assumes　such　a　mask　as　seems　best　calculated　to　accomplish　his
purposes。　Hence；　I　expect　you　to　look　around　quietly；　without
betraying　your　intentions；　for　honest　and　sagacious　men；　and　to　find
out　what　positions　they　are　able　to　fill　in　the　most　creditable
manner。〃　＇Footnote：　Ibid。＇

〃I　shall　take　pains；　your　majesty；　to　discover　such　men；〃　said　Herr
von　Kockeritz；　gravely。　〃It　seems　to　me；　however；　sire；　that
fortunately　you　have　got　many　able　and　excellent　men　close　at　hand；
and　for　that　reason　need　not　look　very　far　for　other　assistants。〃

〃To　whom　do　you　allude？〃　exclaimed　the　king；　sharply；　and　with　a
slight　frown。

Herr　von　Kockeritz　cast　a　rapid　glance　upon　the　king's　countenance
and　seemed　to　have　read　his　thoughts　upon　his　clouded　brow。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　gravely　and　slowly；　〃I　do　not　mean　to　say
any　thing　against　Wollner；　the　minister；　and　his　two　counsellors；
Hermes　and　Hiller；　nor　against　Lieutenant…General　von
Bischofswerder。〃

The　frown　had　already　disappeared　from　the　king's　brow。　Stepping　up
to　his　desk；　he　seized　a　piece　of　paper　there；　which　he　handed　to
his　friend。

〃Just　read　that　paper；　and　tell　me　what　to　do　about　it。〃

〃Ah；　Lieutenant…General　von　Bischofswerder　has　sent　in　his
resignation！〃　exclaimed　Herr　von　Kockeritz；　when　he　had　read　the
paper。　〃Well；　I　must　confess　that　the　general　has　a　very　fine　nose；
and　that　he　acted　most　prudently。〃

〃You　believe；　then；　I　would　have　dismissed　him　anyhow？〃

〃Yes；　I　believe　so；　your　majesty。〃

〃And　you　are　right；　Kockeritz。　This　gloomy　and　bigoted　man　has　done
a　great　deal　of　mischief　in　Prussia；　and　the　genius　of　our　country
had　veiled　his　head　and　fled　before　the　spirits　which　Bischofswerder
had　called　up。　Oh；　my　friend；　we　have　passed　through　a　gloomy；
disastrous　period；　and　seen　many　evil　spirits　here；　and　been
tormented　by　them。　But　not　another　word　about　it：　It　does　not
behoove　me　to　judge　the　past；　for　it　does　not　belong　to　me。　Only　the
future　is　mine；　and　God　grant　when　it　has；　in　turn；　become　the　past；
that　it　may　not　judge　ME！　Lieutenant…General　von　Bischofswerder　was
the　friend　and　confidant　of　my　lamented　father；　the　king；　and　in
that　capacity　I　must　and　will　honor　him。　I　shall　accept　his
resignation；　but　grant　him　an　ample　pension。〃

〃That　resolution　is　highly　honorable　to　your　majesty's　heart；〃
exclaimed　Herr　von　Kockeritz；　feelingly。

〃As　to　Minister　Wollner；〃　said　the　king；　frowning；　〃in　respectful
remembrance　of　my　lamented　father's　partiality　for　him；　I　shall　not
at　once　dismiss　him；　but　leave　it　to　himself　to　send　in　his
resignation。　Let　him　see　if　he　will　be　able　to　reconcile　himself　to
the　new　era；　for　a　new　era；　I　hope；　is　to　dawn　for　Prussiaan　era
of　toleration；　enlightenment　and　true　piety；　that　does　not　seek
faction　in　mere　lip…service　and　church…going；　but　in　good　and　pious
deeds。　Religion　is　not　an　offspring　of　the　church；　but　the　reverse
is　true；　the　church　is　an　offspring　of　religion；　and　the　church
therefore；　ought　to　be　subordinate　to　religion；　and　never　try　to
place　itself　above　it。　Henceforth　there　shall　be　no　more　compulsion
in　matters　of　faith；　and　all　fanatical　persecutions　shall　cease。　I
honor　religion　myself；　I　devoutly　follow　its　blessed　precepts；　and
under　no　circumstances　would　I　be　the　ruler　of　a　people　devoid　of
religion。　But　I　know　that　religion　always　must　remain　a　matter　of
the　heart　and　of　personal　conviction；　and　if　it　is　to　promote　virtue
and　righteousness；　it　must　not；　by　a　mere　methodical　constraint；　be
degraded　to　an　empty　and　thoughtless　ritualism。　Hereafter　Lutheran
principles　shall　be　strictly　adhered　to　in　religious　affairs；　for
they　are　entirely　in　harmony　with　the　spirit　and　Founder　of　our
religion。　No　compulsory　laws　are　necessary　to　maintain　true　religion
in　the　country　and　to　increase　its　salutary　influence　upon　the
happiness　and　morality　of　all　classes　of　the　people。　＇Footnote：　Vide
〃Menael's　Twenty　Years　of　Prussian　History；〃　p。　534。＇　These；　I　am
afraid；　are　principles　which　Minister　Wollner　cannot　adopt；　and　if
he　is　an　honest　man；　he　will　consequently　send　in　his　resignation。
If　he　should　not　do　so　in　the　course　of　a　few　weeks；　of　course　I
shall　dismiss　him。　You　see；　Kockeritz；　I　am　speaking　to　you　frankly
and　unreservedly；　as　if　you　were　a　true　friend　of　mine；　and　I　am
treating　you　already　as　my　adviser。　Now　tell　me　who　are　the　men　of
whom　you　wished　to　speak；　and　whom　you　believe　to　be　able　and
reliable。〃

The　face　of　Herr　von　Kockeritz　assumed　an　embarrassed　and　anxious
air；　but　the　king　was　waiting　for　an　answer；　and　therefore　he　could
not　withhold　it　any　longer。

〃Well；　your　majesty；〃　he　said；　somewhat　hesitatingly；　〃I　alluded　to
the　minister　of　foreign　affairs；　Herr　von　Haugwitz；　whom　I　believe
to　be　an　honest　man；　while　I　am　equally　satisfied　that　his　first
assistant；　Lombard；　is　a　man　of　excellent　business　qualifications
and　great　ability。〃

The　king　nodded　his　assent。　〃I　am　entirely　of　your　opinion；〃　he
said；　〃Minister　von　Haugwitz　is　not　only　an　honest　man；　but　an　able…
minded　and　skilful　diplomatist；　and　an　experienced　statesman。　I
stand　in　need　of　his　experience　and　knowledge；　and　as　I　moreover
believe　him　to　be　a　good　patriot；　he　may　remain　at　the　head　of　his
department。〃

A　gleam　of　joy　burst　from　the　eyes　of　Herr　von　Kockeritz；　but　he
quickly　lowered　them；　in　order　not　to　betray　his　feelings。

〃As　to　Lombard；〃　said　the　king；　〃you　are　likewise　right；　he　is　an
excellent　and　most　able　man；　though　a　little　tinctured　with
Jacobinism。　His　French　blood　infects　him　with　all　sorts　of
democratic　notions。　I　wish　he　would　get　rid　of　them；　and　I　shall
assist　him　in　doing　so；　in　case　he　should　prove　to　be　the　man　I　take
him　for。　His　position　is　too　exalted　and　important　that　I　should　not
deem　it　desirable　to　see　him　occupy　a　place　in　society　in　accordance
with　the　old　established　rules。　I　want　him　to　apply　for　letters　of
nobility。　I　shall　grant　the　application　at　once。　Please；　tell　him
so。〃

Herr　von　Kockeritz　bowed　silently。

〃Is　there　anybody　else　whom　you　wish　to　recommend　to　me？〃　asked　the
king　with　an　inquiring　glance。

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　Kockeritz；　〃I　do　not　know　of　anybody　else。　But
I　am　sure　your　majesty　will　always　find　the　right　man　for　the　right
place。　Even　in　my　case；　I　trust；　your　majesty　has　done　so；　for　if　it
is　of　importance　for　you　to　have　a　faithful　and　devoted　servant
close　to　your　person；　who　values　nothing　in　the　world　so　greatly；
who　loves　nothing　so　fervently；　and　adores　nothing　so　much　as　his
young　king；　then　I　am　the　right　man；　and　in　this　regard　I　do　not
acknowledge　any　superior。　And　further；　if　it　be　of　importance　that
your　majesty　should　at　all　times　hear　the　truth；　then　I　am　the　right
man　again；　for　I　hate　falsehood；　and　how　should　I；　therefore；　ever
be　false　toward　your　majesty；　inasmuch　as　I　love　your　majesty？〃

〃I　believe　you；　I　believe　you；〃　exclaimed　the　king；　taking　the
lieutenant…colonel　by　the　hand。　〃You　love　me　and　are　an　honest　man；
I　shall；　therefore；　always　hear　the　truth　from　you。　But　you　shal