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maltreat　him。　Thus！　and　thus！　To　crush　it　under　my　heels。　It　does　me
good。　It　relieves　me。　At　this　moment　this　is　the　only　revenge　I　can
take　against　the　miserable　fellow。〃　＇Footnote：　Gentz's　own　words。
Vide　〃Rahel's　Umgang；〃　vol　ii。；　p。　168。＇

Herr　von　Gualtieri　laughed　uproariously。　〃Ah！　that　is　an　entirely
novel　jus　gentium；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃an　exceedingly　funny　jus　gentium。
My　friend；　let　me　embrace　you；　you　are　a　glorious　fellow！〃

With　open　arms　he　approached　Gentz　and　pressed　him　tenderly；
laughing　all　the　while；　to　his　heart。

Gentz　was　unable　to　withstand　this　kindness　and　this　laughter；　and
suddenly　forgetting　his　anger；　he　boisterously　joined　his　friend's
mirth。

〃You　like　my　revenge？〃　he　asked。

〃Ah！　it　is　admirable；　it　is　the　revenge　of　a　genuine　Corsican！〃　said
Gualtieri；　gravely。

〃Of　a　Corsican？〃　asked　Gentz；　shrinking　back。　〃That　is　an　ugly
comparison；　sir。　I　do　not　want　to　have　any　thing　in　common　with　that
Corsican；　General　Bonaparte。　I　tell　you　I　am　afraid　that　man　will
some　day　prove　a　terrible　scourge　for　us。〃

〃And　I　adore　him！〃　exclaimed　Gualtieri。　〃He　is　the　resuscitated
Alexander　of　Macedon；　the　conqueror　of　the　world；　the　master　of　the
world。　He　alone　has　stemmed　the　tide　of　revolution　in　France。　To　him
alone　the　French　are　indebted　for　the　restoration　of　order　and
tranquillity　in　their　country。　The　thirteenth　of　Vendemiaire　is　as
heroic　a　deed；　as　great　a　victory；　as　the　battles　of　Lodi　and
Arcole。〃

〃That　may　be；〃　said　Gentz；　morosely。　〃I　am　no　soldier；　and　do　not
like　battles　and　warfare。　And　what　do　we　Germans　care　for　the
Corsican？　Have　we　not　got　enough　to　do　at　home？　Germany；　however；　is
so　happy　and　contented　that；　like　the　Pharisee；　she　may　look　upon
republican　France　and　exclaim：　'I　thank　thee；　my　God；　that　I　am　not
like　this　man。'〃

〃You　are　right；〃　replied　Gualtieri。　〃We　also　stand　in　need　of　a
revolution。　In　Germany；　too；　a　guillotine　must　be　erectedheads
must　fall；　and　death　must　hold　its　bloody　harvest。〃

〃Hush；　my　friend；　hush！〃　said　Gentz；　drawing　back　in　dismay。　〃Did
you　merely　come　to　me　for　the　purpose　of　speaking　of　such　dreadful
matters；　while　you　are　well　aware　that　I　don't　like　to　hear　anybody
allude　to　bloodshed；　murders；　and　similar　horrors？〃

〃I　merely　wanted　to　try　you　a　little　in　order　to　see　whether　you　are
still　the　same　dear　old　childish　coward；〃　exclaimed　Gualtieri；
laughing。　〃The　same　great　child　with　the　strong；　manly　soul；　and　the
gentle；　weak；　and　easily　moved　child's　heart。　Now；　let　me　know
quickly　what　you　wanted　of　the　minister　of　finance；　and　I　shall
reward　you　then　by　telling　you　some　good　news。　Well；　then；　what　did
you　want　of　Schulenburg？〃

〃I　had　asked　him　to　lend　me　five　hundred　dollars；　and　to　appoint　an
hour　when　I　might　call　for　the　money。　He　named　ten　o'clock；　and　I
went　to　his　house；　merely　to　leave　it　an　hour　after　in　a　towering
passion　and　with　empty　hands。　Oh；　it　is　infamous；　it　is　dreadful！　It
is〃

At　that　moment　the　door　opened；　and　the　footman　entered。

〃From　his　excellency。　General　von　Schulenburg…Kehnert；〃　he　said；
delivering　to　Gentz　a　small　sealed　package　and　a　letter。　〃The
servant　who　brought　it　has　left；　as　he　said　no　reply　was　required。〃

Gentz　beckoned　his　servant　to　withdraw；　and　he　then　hastily　opened
the　package。

〃Twelve　fifty…dollar　bills！〃　he　exclaimed；　triumphantly。　〃One
hundred　dollars　more　than　I　had　asked　for！　That　is　very　kind；
indeed。〃

〃May　be　he　does　not　give　it　to　you；　but　merely　lends　it　to　you；〃
said　Gualtieri；　smiling。

〃Lend　it　to　me！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　scornfully。　〃People　don't　lend　any
money　to　me；　because　they　know　that　I　am　unable　to　pay　it　back；
people　reward　me；　sir；　they　show　their　gratitude　toward　me　in　a
substantial　manner；　but　they　are　not　so　mean　as　to　lend　me　what　I
ask　for。〃

〃Does　the　minister　tell　you　so　in　his　letter？〃　asked　Gualtieri；
dryly。

〃Ah！　that　is　true。　I　have　not　yet　read　the　letter；〃　said　Gentz；
breaking　the　seal。　While　he　was　reading　it；　a　slight　blush　suffused
his　cheeks；　and　an　expression　of　shame　overspread　his　features。
〃Here；　read　it；〃　he　murmured；　handing　the　letter　to　his　friend。

Gualtieri　took　it　and　read　as　follows：

〃My　Dear　Counsellor；You　wished　to　see　me；　and　I　begged　you　to　call
at　ten　o'clock；　although　I　was　overwhelmed　with　business　and　hardly
had　any　time　to　spare。　Precisely　at　ten　o'clock　I　was　ready　to
receive　you；　for　in　all　matters　of　business　I　am　a　very　punctual
man。　However；　after　vainly　waiting　for　you　for　half　an　hour；　I
resumed　my　work。　I　had　to　examine　some　very　complicated　accounts；
and　could　not　allow　myself　to　be　interrupted　after　once　taking　them
up。　Hence　I　had　to　ask　you　to　wait；　and　when；　after　waiting　for　half
an　hour；　like　myself；　you　grew　impatient　and　would　not　stay　any
longer；　I　sent　you　word　to　call　again　to…morrow。　Now；　that　I　have
concluded　my　pressing　business；　however；　I　hasten　to　comply　with
your　request。　You　asked　me　for　five　hundred　dollars；　here　they　are。
Knowing；　however；　how　precious　your　time　is；　and　that　you　had　to
wait　for　half　an　hour　through　my　fault；　I　take　the　liberty　of　adding
one　hundred　dollars　for　the　time　you　have　lost　to…day。　Farewell；
sir；　and　let　me　conclude　with　expressing　the　hope　that　you　will　soon
again　delight　the　world　and　myself　with　one　of　your　excellent
works。〃




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　MEMORIAL　TO　FREDERICK　WILLIAM　III


〃I　believe；〃　said　Gualtieri；　returning　the　letter　to　Gentz；　〃I
believe　the　minister　wanted　to　teach　you　a　lesson。　He　made　you　wait
in　order　to　teach　you　the　necessity　of　being　punctual。〃

〃And　I　shall　not　forget　the　lesson。〃

〃You　will　be　punctual　hereafter？〃

〃On　the　contrary。　This　time　I　was　half　an　hour　behind　time；　and　he
paid　me　one　hundred　dollars　for　it。　Hereafter　I　shall　be　an　hour　too
late；　he　will　make　me　wait　an　hour　and　pay　me　two　hundred　dollars
for　it。　I　believe　that　is　sound　arithmetic。　Don't　look　at　me　so
scornfully；　Gualtieri；　this　state　of　affairs　will　not　last　for　any
length　of　time；　there　will　be　a　time　at　no　distant　period　when　no
minister　will　dare　to　make　me　wait　in　his　anteroom；　nor　to　pay　me
such　petty；　miserable　sums。　The　ministers　then　will　wait　in　my
anteroom；　and　will　be　only　too　happy　if　I　accept　the　thousands　which
they　will　offer　to　me。　I　have　formed　the　fixed　resolution　to　obtain
a　brilliant　position　and　to　coin　wealth　out　of　my　mind。〃

〃And　I　am　sure　you　will　succeed　in　accomplishing　your　purpose；〃　said
Gualtieri。　〃Yes；　I　am　satisfied　a　brilliant　future　is　in　store　for
you。　You　are　a　genius　such　as　Germany　has　not　seen　heretofore；　for
you　are　a　political　genius；　and　you　may　just　as　well　confess　that
Germany　greatly　lacks　politicians　who　are　able　to　wield　their　pen
like　a　pointed　two…edged　sword；　to　strike　fatal　blows　in　all
directions　and　obtain　victories。　Germany　has　already　fixed　her　eyes
upon　you；　and　even　in　England　your　name　is　held　in　great　esteem
since　you　published　your　excellent　translation　of　Burke's　work　on
the　French　Revolution。　The　political　pamphlets　you　have　issued　since
that　time；　and　the　excellent　political　magazine　you　have
established；　have　met　with　the　warmest　approval；　and　the　public
hopes　and　expects　that　you　will　render　great　and　important　services
to　the　country。　Go　on　in　this　manner；　my　friend；　boldly　pursue　the
path　you　have　entered；　and　it　will　become　for　you　a　path　of　glory；
honor；　and　wealth。〃

Gentz　looked　at　him　almost　angrily。

〃I　hope；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　not　believe　me　to　be　an　avaricious　and
covetous　man。　I　value　money　merely　because　it　is　an　instrument
wherewith　to　procure　enjoyment；　and　because；　without　it；　we　are　the
slaves　of　misery；　privations；　and　distress。　Money　renders　us　free；
and　now　that　people　would　like　to　set　up　freedom　as　the　religion　of
all　nations；　every　one　ought　to　try　to　make　as　much　money　as
possible；　that　alone　rendering　him　really　free。　The　accursed　French
Revolution；　which　has　dragged　all　principles；　all　laws　and　old
established　institutions　under　the　guillotine；　was　under　the
necessity　of　leaving　one　power　unharmedthe　power　of　money。　The
aristocracy；　the　clergy；　nay；　even　royalty　had　to　bleed　under　the
guillotine；　but　money　never　lost　its　power；　its　influence；　and　its
importance。　Money　speaks　a　universal　language；　and　the　Sans…culotte
and　Hottentot　understand　it　as　well　as　the　king；　the　minister；　and
the　most　beautiful　woman。　Money　never　needs　an　interpreter；　it
speaks　for　itself。　See；　my　friend；　that　is　the　reason　why　I　love
money　and　try　to　make　as　much　as　possible；　not　in　order　to　amass　it；
but　because　with　it　I　can　buy　the　world；　love；　honor；　enjoyment；　and
happiness。　But　not　being　one　of　those　who　find　money　in　their
cradles；　I　must　endeavor　to　acquire　it　and　avail　myself　of　the
capital　God　has　given　me　in　my　brains。　And　that　I　shall　and　will　do；
sir；　but　I　pledge　you　my　word；　never　in　a　base　and　unworthy　manner。
I　shall　probably　make　people　PAY　very　large　sums　of　money　for　my
services；　but　never　shall　I　SELL　myself；　all　the　millions　of　the
world　could　not　induce　me　to　write　AGAINST　MY　PRINCIPLES；　but　all
the　millions　of　the　world　I　shall　demand；　when　they　ask　me　to　write
FOR　MY　PRINCIPLES！　See；　my　friend；　that　is　my　programme；　and　you