louisa of prussia and her times-第23节

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lieutenant…colonel　by　the　hand。　〃You　love　me　and　are　an　honest　man；
I　shall；　therefore；　always　hear　the　truth　from　you。　But　you　shall
inform　yourself　also　of　the　state　of　public　opinion　concerning
myself　and　my　government；　weigh　the　judgment　passed　on　me　and　my
counsellors；　and　if　you　believe　it　to　be　correct；　then　discuss　it
with　men　whom　you　know　to　be　impartial　and　able　to　speak
understandingly　of　the　matter。　Having　thus　ascertained　public
opinion　and　familiarized　yourself　with　every　thing；　I　expect　you　to
lay　the　matter　before　me　and　tell　me　your　opinion　firmly　and
unreservedly。　I　shall　never　question　your　good　intentions；　but
always　endeavor　to　profit　by　your　advice。　And　I　shall　now　directly
give　you　a　trial。　What　do　you　think　of　the　congress　which　met　a　few
weeks　ago　at　Eastadt；　and　at　which　the　German　empire　is　to　negotiate
a　treaty　of　peace　with　France？〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　believe　it　will　be　good　for　all　of　us　to　live　at
peace　with　France；〃　exclaimed　Herr　von　Kockeritz；　earnestly。　〃If
Prussia　should　quarrel　with　France；　it　would　only　afford　Austria　an
opportunity　to　carry　out　its　long…standing　designs　upon　Bavaria；
while　Prussia　would　be　occupied　elsewhere；　and　in　order　not　to　be
hindered　by　Prussia　in　doing　so；　Austria；　who　now　has　just　concluded
so　favorable　a　treaty　of　peace　with　France　at　Campo　Formio；　would
become　the　ally　of　France　and　thus　strengthen　her　old　hostility
toward　Prussia。　A　war　between　Austria　and　Prussia　would　be　the
unavoidable　consequence；　the　whole　of　Germany　would　dissolve　itself
into　parties　favorable　or　hostile　to　us；　and　this　state　of　affairs
would　give　France　an　opportunity　and　a　pretext　to　carry　out　her　own
predatory　designs　against　Germany；　and；　while　we　would　be　fighting
battles　perhaps　in　Silesia　and　Bavaria；　to　seize　the　left　bank　of
the　Rhine。〃

〃I　am　entirely　of　your　opinion；〃　exclaimed　the　king。　〃I　am　very　glad
to　find　my　views　in　complete　harmony　with　yours。〃

It　is　true　Lieutenant…Colonel　von　Kockeritz　was　well　aware　of　this；
for　all　he　had　said　just　now　was　nothing　but　a　repetition　of　what
the　king；　while　yet　a　crown　prince；　had　often　told　him　in　their
confidential　conversations。　But　of　this　he　took　good　care　not　to
remind　the　king；　and　merely　bowed　with　a　grateful　smile。

〃Yes；〃　added　the　king；　〃like　you；　I　believe　prudence　and　sound
policy　command　us　to　remain　at　peace　with　France；　and　to　form　a
closer　alliance　with　this　power。　That　is　the　only　way　for　us　to
prevent　Austria　from　realizing　her　schemes　of　aggrandizement
Austria；　not　France；　is　dangerous　to　us；　the　latter　is　our　natural
ally；　and　the　former　our　natural　adversary。　Every　step　forward　made
by　Austria　in　Germany；　forces　Prussia　a　step　backward。　Let　Austria
enlarge　her　territory　in　the　south；　toward　Italy；　but　never　shall　I
permit　her　to　extend　her　northern　and　western　frontiers　farther　into
Germany。　The　peace　of　Campo　Formio　has　given　Venice　to　the　Austrians
but　they　never　shall　acquire　Bavaria。　It　is　Prussia's　special　task
to　induce　France　not　to　permit　it；　and；　precisely　for　that　reason；
we　must　force　a　closer　alliance　with　France。　That；　my　dear
Kockeritz；　is　my　view　of　the　political　course　that　we　should　pursue
in　future。　Peace　abroad　and　peace　at　home！　No　violent　commotions　and
convulsions；　no　rash　innovations　and　changes。　New　institutions
should　gradually　and　by　their　own　inherent　force　grow　from　the
existing　ones；　for　only　in　that　case　we　may　be　sure　that　they　really
have　taken　root。　I　shall　not　head　the　world　in　the　capacity　of　a
creative　and　original　reformer；　but　I　shall　always　take　pains　to
adopt　such　reforms　as　have　proven　valuable；　and　gradually　to
transform　and　improve　such　institutions　as　at　present　may　be
defective　and　objectionable。　And　in　all　these　endeavors；　my　dear
Kockeritz；　you　shall　be　my　adviser　and　assistant。　Will　you　promise
me　your　aid？〃

He　looked　earnestly　and　anxiously　at　the　lieutenant…colonel　and　gave
him　his　hand。

〃I　promise　it　to　your　majesty；〃　exclaimed　Herr　von　Kockeritz；
gravely；　and　grasping　the　king's　hand。

〃Well；〃　said　the　king；　〃with　this　solemn　pledge　you　may　enter　upon
your　official　position；　and　I　am　satisfied　that　my　choice　has　been　a
judicious　one。　Remain　what　you　are；　sir；　an　upright；　honest　man！　As
far　as　I　am　concerned；　you　may　always　be　sure　of　my　heart…felt
gratitude；　on　the　other　hand；　however；　you　should　remember　that　you
not　only　oblige　me　personally；　but　that　I　request　you；　as　it　were；
in　the　name　of　the　state；　to　labor　for　the　latter。　At　some　future
time　you　will　gain　the　sweet　conviction　and　satisfaction　that　you
have　done　not　a　little　for　the　welfare　of　the　commonwealth　and
thereby　earned　the　thankfulness　of　every　well…meaning　patriot。　I　am
sure　there　cannot　be　a　sweeter　reward　for　a　man　of　true　honor　and
ambition　like　yourself。〃＇Footnote：　Vide　the　king's　letter　to
Lieutenant…Colonel　von　Kockeritz＇




CHAPTER　XII。

FREDERICK　GENTZ。


It　was　yet　early　in　the　morning；　the　blinds　of　all　the　windows　in
the　Taubenstrasse　were　as　yet　firmly　closed；　and　only　in　a　single
house　an　active；　bustling　life　prevailed。　At　its　door　there　stood　a
heavy　travelling…coach　which　a　footman　was　busily　engaged　in　loading
with　a　large　number　of　trunks；　boxes；　and　packages。　In　the　rooms　of
the　first　story　people　were　very　active；　industrious　hands　were
assiduously　occupied　with　packing　up　things　generally；　straw　was
wrapped　around　the　furniture；　and　then　covered　with　linen　bags。　The
looking…glasses　and　paintings　were　taken　from　the　walls　and　laid
into　wooden　boxes；　the　curtains　were　removed　from　the　windows；　and
every　thing　indicated　that　the　inmates　of　the　house　were　not　only
about　to　set　out　on　a　journey；　but　entirely　to　give　up　their　former
mode　of　living。

Such　was　really　the　case；　and　while　the　servants　filled　the
anterooms　and　the　halls　with　the　noise　of　their　preparations；　those
for　whom　all　this　bustle　and　activity　took　place　were　in　their
parlor；　in　a　grave　and　gloomy　mood。

There　were　two　of　thema　lady；　scarcely　twenty…four　years　of　age；
and　a　gentleman；　about　twelve　years　older。　She　was　a　delicate　and
lovely　woman；　with　a　pale；　sad　face；　while　he　was　a　vigorous；　stout
man　with　full；　round　features；　and　large　vivacious　eyes　which　at
present　tried　to　look　grave　and　afflicted　without　being　able　to　do
so；　she　wore　a　travelling…dress；　while　his　was　an　elegant　morning
costume。

Both　of　them　had　been　silent　for　awhile；　standing　at　the　window；　or
rather　at　different　windows；　and　witnessing　the　removal　of　the
trunks　and　packages　to　the　travelling…coach。　Finally；　the　lady；　with
a　deep　sigh；　turned　from　the　window　and　approached　the　gentleman　who
had　likewise　stepped　back　into　the　room。

〃I　believe　the　trunks　are　all　in　the　carriage；　and　I　can　set　out
now；　Frederick；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　and　tremulous　voice。

He　nodded；　and　extended　his　hand　toward　her。　〃And　you　are　not　angry
with　me；　Julia？〃　he　asked。

She　did　not　take　his　hand；　but　only　looked　up　to　him　with　eyes　full
of　eloquent　grief。　〃I　am　not　angry；〃　she　said。　〃I　pray　to　God　that
He　may　forgive　you。〃

〃And　will　YOU　forgive　me；　too；　Julia？　For　I　know　I　have　sinned
grievously　against　you。　I　have　made　you　shed　many　tearsI　have
rendered　you　wretched　and　miserable　for　two　years；　and　these　two
years　will　cast　a　gray　shadow　over　your　whole　future。　When　you　first
entered　this　room；　you　were　an　innocent　young　girl　with　rosy　cheeks
and　radiant　eyes；　and　now；　as　you　leave　it　forever；　you　are　a　poor；
pale　woman　with　a　broken　heart　and　dimmed　eyes。〃　〃A　DIVORCED　wife；
that　is　all；〃　she　whispered；　almost　inaudibly。　〃I　came　here　with　a
heart　overflowing　with　happinessI　leave　you　now　with　a　heart　full
of　wretchedness。　I　came　here　with　the　joyous　resolution　and　fixed
purpose　to　render　you　a　happy　husband；　and　I　leave　you　now　with　the
painful　consciousness　that　I　have　not　bestowed　upon　you　that
happiness　which　I　sought　so　earnestly　to　obtain　for　myself。　Ah；　it
is　very　sad　and　bitter　to　be　under　the　necessity　of　accepting　this
as　the　only　result　of　two　long　years！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　very　sad；〃　he　said；　sighing。　〃But　after　all；　it　is　no
fault　of　ours。　There　was　a　dissonance　in　our　married　life　from　the
start；　and　for　that　reason　there　never　could　be　any　genuine　harmony
between　us。　This　dissonancewell；　at　the　present　hour　I　may　confess
it　to　you；　toothis　dissonance　simply　was　the　fact　that　I　never
loved　you！〃

A　convulsive　twitching　contracted　the　pale　lips　of　the　poor　lady。
〃You　were　a　great　hypocrite；　then；〃　she　whispered；　〃for　your　words；
your　solemn　vows　never　made　me　suspect　it。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　a　hypocrite；　a　wretch；　a　coward！〃　he　exclaimed；
impetuously。　〃They　overwhelmed　me　with　exhortations；　supplications；
and　representations。　They　knew　so　well　to　flatter　me　with　the　idea
that　the　beautiful；　wealthy；　and　much…courted　heiress；　Julia　Gilly；
had　fallen　in　love　with　me；　the　poor；　unknown　Frederick　Gentz；　the
humble　military　counsellor。　They　knew　so　well　to　depict　to　me　the
triumph　I　would　obtain　by　marrying　you；　to　the　great　chagrin　of　all
your　other　suitors。　Flattery　intoxicates　me；　and　a　success；　a
triumph　over　others；　fills　me　with　the　wildest　delight。　My　father
spoke　of　my　debts；　my　creditors　th