louisa of prussia and her times-第25节

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〃My　dear　sir；　I　have　not　partaken　all　alone　of　your　good　cheer；　my
friends　have　helped　me；　and　now　you　ask　me　alone　to　pay　the　whole
bill。　That　is　contrary　to　natural　law　and　to　political　economy。〃

〃Mr。　Counsellor；　are　you　mocking　me　with　your　political　economy？
What　do　you　know　about　economy？〃

〃Ah；　I　am　quite　familiar　with　it；　and　my　book　on　English　finances
has　brought　me　fame　and　honor。〃

〃It　would　have　been　better　for　you；　Mr。　Counsellor；　if　you　had
attended　to　your　own　finances。　All　Berlin　knows　in　what　condition
they　are。〃　〃Nevertheless；　there　were　always　excellent　men　putting　a
noble　trust　in　me；　and　believing　that　I　would　repay　the　money　I
borrowed　of　them。　You　are　one　of　those　excellent　men；　Mr。　Werner；
and　I　shall　never　forget　it。　Have　a　little　patience；　and　I　will　pay
you　principal　and　interest。〃

〃I　cannot　wait；　Mr。　Counsellor。　I　am　in　the　greatest　embarrassment
myself；　I　have　to　redeem　large　notes　in　the　course　of　a　few　days；
and　unless　I　can　do　so　I　am　lost；　my　whole　family　is　ruined；　and　my
reputation　gone；　then　I　must　declare　myself　insolvent；　and　suffer
people　to　call　me　an　impostor　and　villain；　who　incurs　debts　without
knowing　wherewith　to　pay　them。　Sir；　I　shall　never　suffer　this；　and
therefore　I　must　have　my　money；　and　I　will　not　leave　this　room　until
you　have　paid　my　claim　in　full。〃

〃In　that　case；　my　dear　sir；　I　am　afraid　you　will　have　to　remain　here
and　suffer　the　same　distressing　fate　as　Lot's　unfortunate　wife〃

〃Sir；　pray　be　serious；　for　my　business　here　is　of　a　very　serious
character。　Five　hundred　dollars　is　no　trifle；　a　man　may　squander
them　in　a　few　days；　but　they　may　cause　him　also　to　commit　suicide。
Pay　me；　sir；　pay　me；　I　want　my　money！〃

〃For　God's　sake；　do　not　shout　in　this　manner。　I　told　you　once
already　that　I　cannot　stand　it。　I　know　very　well　that　five　hundred
dollars　is　a　serious　matter；　and　that　you　must　have　your　money。　I
will　make　an　effort；　nay；　I　will　do　my　utmost　to　get　it　for　you；　but
you　must　be　quiet。　I　pledge　you　my　word　that　I　will　exert　myself　to
the　best　of　my　power　in　order　to　obtain　that　amount　for　you；　but　in
return　you　must　promise　me　to　go　home　quietly　and　peaceably；　and　to
wait　there　until　I　bring　you　the　money。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？　How　are　you　going　to　get　the　money？　You
told　me　just　now　you　were　unable　to　borrow　any　thing。〃

〃But　somebody　may　give　me　those　miserable　five　hundred　dollars；　and
it　seems　to　me　that　would　do　just　as　well。〃

〃Oh；　you　are　laughing　at　me。〃

〃By　no　means；　sir。　Just　be　still　and　let　me　write　a　letter。　I　will
afterward　show　you　the　address；　and　thereby　let　you　know　from　whom　I
am　expecting　assistance。〃

He　walked　rapidly　to　his　desk；　penned　a　few　lines；　and　placed　the
paper　in　a　large　envelope；　which　he　sealed　and　directed。

〃Read　the　address；〃　he　said；　showing　the　letter　to　Mr。　Werner。

〃To　his　excellency　the　minister　of　the　treasury；　Count　von
Schulenburg…Kehnert；　general　of　artillery；〃　read　Werner；　with　a
hesitating　tongue；　and　casting　astonished　and　inquisitive　glances
upon　Gentz。　〃And　this　is　the　distinguished　gentleman　to　whom　you
apply　for　the　money。　Mr。　Counsellor？〃

〃Yes；　my　friend；　and　you　must　confess　that　a　minister　of　finance　is
the　best　man　to　apply　to　for　money。　I　have　written　to　his　excellency
that　I　stand　in　urgent　need　of　five　hundred　dollars　today；　and　I
request　him　to　extricate　me　from　my　embarrassment。　I　ask　him　to
appoint　an　hour　during　the　forenoon　when　I　may　call　upon　him　and　get
the　money。〃

〃And　you　really　believe　that　he　will　give　you　the　money？〃

〃My　dear　sir；　I　am　perfectly　sure　of　it；　and　in　order　to　satisfy　you
likewise；　I　will　make　a　proposition。　Accompany　my　footman　to　the
minister's　house；　carry　the　letter　to　him　yourself；　and　hear　his
reply。　You　may　then　repeat　this　reply　to　my　footman；　go　home　in　good
spirits；　and　wait　there　until　I　bring　you　the　money。〃

〃And　if　you　should　fail　to　come？〃　asked　Werner。

〃Then　that　last　remedy　you　alluded　to；　suicide；　always　remains　to
you。　Now　go；　my　dear　sir。　John！　John！〃

The　footman　opened　the　door　with　a　rapidity　indicating　that　his　ears
probably　had　not　been　very　far　from　the　keyhole。

〃John；〃　said　Gentz；　〃accompany　this　gentleman　to　the　house　of
Minister　Schulenburg…Kehnert；　and　wait　at　the　door　for　the　reply　he
will　repeat　to　you。　And　now；　Mr。　Werner；　good…by；　you　see　I　have
done　all　I　can；　and　I　hope　you　will　remember　that　in　future；　and　not
make　so　much　noise　for　the　sake　of　a　few　miserable　dollars。　Good
gracious；　if　I　did　not　owe　any　one　more　than　you；　my　creditors　might
thank　their　stars〃

〃Poor　creditors！〃　sighed　Mr。　Werner；　saluting　Gentz；　and　left　the
room　with　the　footman；　holding　the　letter　like　a　trophy　in　his　hand。




CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　INTERVIEW　WITH　THE　MINISTER　OF　FINANCE。


〃Well；　I　am　really　anxious　to　know　whether　the　minister　will　give　me
the　money；〃　murmured　Gentz；　〃his　reply　will　indicate　to　me；　if　the
letter　to　the　king　I　intrusted　yesterday　to　Menken；　has　made　a
favorable　impression；　and　if　I　may　hope　at　length　for　promotion　and
other　favors。　My　God；　I　am　pining　away　in　my　present　miserable　and
subordinate　position！　I　am　able　to　accomplish　greater　things。　I　am
worth　more　than　all　these　generals；　ministers；　and　ambassadors；　who
are　so　proud　and　overbearing；　and　dare　to　look　down　upon　me　as
though　I　were　their　inferior。　Ah！　I　shall　not　stoop　so　low　as　to
knuckle　to　them　and　flatter　them。　I　don't　want　to　be　lifted　up　by
them；　but　I　will　be　their　equal。　I　feel　that　I　am　the　peer　of　the
foremost　and　highest　of　all　these　so…called　statesmen。　I　do　not　need
them；　but　they　need　me。　Ah；　my　God！　somebody　knocks　at　the　door
again；　and　John　is　not　at　home。　Good　Heaven；　if　it　should　be　another
of　those　noisy；　impertinent　creditors！　I　am　indebted　to　Julia　for
all　these　vexations。　Because　her　things　are　being　sent　away；　every
door　in　the　house　is　open；　and　every　one　can　easily　penetrate　into
my　room。　Yes；　yes；　I　am　coming。　I　am　already　opening　the　door。〃

He　hastened　to　the　door　and　unlocked　it。　This　time；　however；　no
creditor　was　waiting　outside；　but　a　royal　footman；　who　respectfully
bowed　to　the　military　counsellor。

〃His　royal　highness　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；〃　he　said；　〃requests　Mr。
Counsellor　Gentz　to　dine　with　him　to…morrow。〃

Gentz　nodded　haughtily。　〃I　shall　come；〃　he　said　briefly；　and　then
looked　inquiringly　at　his　own　footman　who　had　just　entered　the　other
room。

〃Well；　John；　what　did　the　minister　reply？〃

〃His　excellency　requests　Mr。　Counsellor　Gentz　to　call　on　him　in　the
course　of　an　hour。〃

〃All　right！〃　said　Gentz；　and　an　expression　of　heart…felt
satisfaction　overspread　his　features。　He　closed　the　door；　and
stepped　back　into　his　study；　and；　folding　his　hands　on　his　back；
commenced　pacing　the　room。

〃He　is　going　to　receive　me　in　the　course　of　an　hour；〃　he　murmured。
〃I　may　conclude；　therefore　that　the　king　was　pleased　with　my　letter；
and　that　I　am　at　last　to　enter　upon　a　new　career。　Ah；　now　my　head　is
light；　and　my　heart　is　free；　now　I　will　go　to　work。〃

He　sat　down　at　his　desk　and　commenced　writing　rapidly。　His　features
assumed　a　grave　expression；　and　proud　and　sublime　thoughts　beamed　on
his　expansive　forehead。

He　was　so　absorbed　in　his　task　that　he　entirely　forgot　the　audience
the　minister　had　granted　to　him；　and　his　footman　had　to　come　in　and
remind　him　that　the　hour　for　calling　upon　his　excellency　was　at
hand。

〃Ah！　to　be　interrupted　in　my　work　for　such　a　miserable　trifle；〃　said
Gentz；　indignantly　laying　down　his　pen　and　rising。　〃Well；　then；　if
it　must　be；　give　me　my　dress…coat。　John；　and　I　will　go　to　his
excellency。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　Counsellor　Frederick　Gentz　entered　the
anteroom　of　Count　Schulenburg…Kehnert；　minister　of　finance。
〃Announce　my　arrival　to　his　excellency；〃　he　said　to　the　footman　in
waiting；　with　a　condescending　nod；　and　then　quickly　followed　him　to
the　door　of　the　minister's　study。

〃Permit　me　to　announce　you　to　his　excellency；〃　said　the　footman；　and
slipped　behind　the　portiere。　He　returned　in　a　few　minutes。

〃His　excellency　requests　Mr。　Gentz　to　wait　a　little　while。　His
excellency　has　to　attend　to　a　few　dispatches　yet；　but　will　very　soon
be　ready　to　admit　Mr。　Gentz。〃

〃Very　well；　I　shall　wait；〃　said　Gentz；　with　a　slight　frown；　and　he
approached　the　splendidly　bound　books　which　were　piled　up　in　gilt
cases　on　the　walls　of　the　room。　The　most　magnificent　and　precious
works　of　ancient　and　modern　literature；　the　rarest　editions；　the
most　superb　illustrated　books　were　united　in　this　library；　and　Gentz
noticed　it　with　ill…concealed　wrath。

〃These　men　can　have　all　these　treasures；　nay；　they　have　got　them；
and　value　them　so　little　as　to　keep　them　in　their　anterooms；〃　he
murmured；　in　a　surly　tone；　forgetting　altogether　that　the　footman
was　present　and　could　overhear　every　word　he　said。　He　had　really
heard　his　remark；　and　replied　to　it；　approaching　Gentz：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Counsellor；　his　excellency　does　not
undervalue　these　treasures；　but　appreciates　them　highly；　and　is
always　glad　enough　when　the　bookbinder　delivers　new　volumes　in
gorgeous　bindings。　For　this　very　reason　his　excellency　has　ordered
the　library　to　be　placed　in　this　anter