louisa of prussia and her times-第36节

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〃You　are　now　my　legitimate　wife；〃　said　the　Prince　von　Reuss；
gravely；　〃I　wish　to　give　you　this　proof　of　my　love　and　esteem；　and　I
return　my　thanks　to　these　gentlemen　for　having　witnessed　the
ceremony；　you　might　some　day　stand　in　need　of　their　testimony。　For
the　time　being；　however；　I　have　cogent　reasons　for　keeping　our
marriage　secret；　and　you　have　promised　not　to　divulge　it。〃

〃And　I　renew　my　promise　at　this　sacred　place　and　in　the　presence　of
the　priest　and　our　witnesses；　my　dear　husband；〃　said　Marianne。　〃No
one　shall　hear　from　me　a　word　or　even　an　intimation　of　what　has
occurred　here。　Before　the　world　I　shall　be　obediently　and　patiently
nothing　but　your　mistress　until　you　deem　it　prudent　to　acknowledge
that　I　am　your　wife。〃

〃I　shall　do　so　at　no　distant　day；〃　said　the　prince。　〃And　you；
gentlemen；　will　you　promise　also；　will　you　pledge　me　your　word　of
honor　that　you　will　faithfully　keep　our　secret？〃

〃We　promise　it　upon　our　honor！〃　exclaimed　the　two　gentlemen。

The　prince　bowed　his　thanks。　〃Let　us　now　leave　the　chapel
separately；　just　as　we　have　come；〃　he　said；　〃if　we　should　withdraw
together；　it　would　excite　the　attention　and　curiosity　of　the
servants；　some　of　whom　might　meet　us　in　the　hall。　Come；　baron；　you
will　accompany　me。〃　He　took　the　attache's　arm；　and　left　the　small
sacristry　with　him。　〃And　you　will　accompany　me；〃　said　Marianne；
kindly　nodding　to　Gentz。

〃And　I　shall　stay　here　for　the　purpose　of　praying　for　the　bride　and
bridegroom；〃　muttered　the　priest；　returning　to　the　altar。

Marianne　now　hastily　took　the　coronet　and　myrtle…wreath　from　her
hair　and　concealed　both　under　the　black　mantilla　which　Gentz
gallantly　laid　around　her　shoulders。

They　silently　reascended　the　narrow　staircase　and　returned　through
the　corridor　to　Marianne's　rooms。　Upon　reaching　her　boudoir；
Marianne　doffed　her　mantilla　with　an　indescribable　air　of　triumphant
joy；　and　laid　the　coronet　and　myrtle…wreath　on　the　table。

〃Well；〃　she　asked　in　her　sonorous；　impressive　voice；　〃what　do　you
say　now；　my　tender　Gentz？〃

He　had　taken　his　hat；　and　replied　with　a　deep　bow：　〃I　have　to　say
that　I　bow　to　your　sagacity　and　talents。　That　was　a　master…stroke　of
yours；　dearest。〃

〃Was　it　not？〃　she　asked；　triumphantly。　〃The　Jewess；　hitherto
despised　and　ostracized　by　society；　has　suddenly　become　a　legitimate
princess；　she　has　now　the　power　to　avenge　all　sneers；　all　derision；
all　contempt　she　has　had　to　undergo。　Oh；　how　sweet　this　revenge　will
behow　I　shall　humble　all　those　haughty　ladies　who　dared　to　despise
me；　and　who　will　be　obliged　henceforth　to　yield　the　place　of　honor
to　me！〃

〃And　will　you　revenge　yourself　upon　me　too；　Marianne？〃　asked　Gentz；
humbly〃upon　me　who　dared　reject　your　hand？　But　no；　you　must　always
be　grateful　to　me　for　that　refusal　of　mine。　Just　imagine　I　had
compelled　you　to　stick　to　your　offer：　instead　of　being　a　princess；
you　would　now　be　the　unhappy　wife　of　the　poor　military　counsellor；
Frederick　Gentz。〃

Marianne　laughed。　〃You　are　right；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　grateful　to　you
for　it。　But；　my　friend；　you　must　not　and　shall　not　remain　the　poor
military　counsellor　Gentz。〃

〃God　knows　that　that　is　not　my　intention　either；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；
laughing。　〃God　has　placed　a　capital　in　my　head；　and　you　may　be　sure
that　I　shall　know　how　to　invest　it　at　a　good　rate　of　interest。〃

〃But　here　you　will　obtain　no　such　interest；〃　said　Marianne；　eagerly；
〃let　us　speak　sensibly　about　that　matter。　We　have　paid　our　tribute
to　love　and　friendship；　let　us　now　talk　about　politics　I　am
authorizedand　she　who　addresess　you　now　is　no　longer　Marianne
Meier；　but　the　wife　of　the　Austrian　ambassadorI　am　authorized　to
make　an　important　offer　to　you。　Come；　my　friend；　sit　down　in　the
arm…chair　here；　and　let　us　hold　a　diplomatic　conference。〃

〃Yes；　let　us　do　so；〃　said　Gentz；　smiling；　and　taking　the　seat　she
had　indicated　to　him。

〃Friend　Gentz；　what　are　your　hopes　for　the　future？〃

〃A　ponderous　question；　but　I　shall　try　to　answer　it　as　briefly　as
possible。　I　am　in　hopes　of　earning　fame；　honor；　rank；　influence；　and
a　brilliant　position　by　my　talents。〃

〃And　you　believe　you　can　obtain　all　that　here　in　Prussia？〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　said　Gentz；　hesitatingly。

〃You　have　addressed　a　memorial　to　the　young　king；　you　have　urged　him
to　give　to　his　subjects　prosperity；　happiness；　honor；　and　freedom　of
the　press。　How　long　is　it　since　you　sent　that　memorial　to　him？〃

〃Four　weeks　to…day。〃

〃Four　weeks；　and　they　have　not　yet　rewarded　you　for　your　glorious
memorial；　although　the　whole　Prussian　nation　hailed　it　with　the　most
rapturous　applause？　They　have　not　yet　thought　of　appointing　you　to　a
position　worthy　of　your　talents？　You　have　not　yet　been　invited　to
court？〃

〃Yes；　I　was　invited　to　court。　The　queen　wished　to　become　acquainted
with　me。　Gualtieri　presented　me　to　her；　and　her　majesty　said　very
many　kind　and　flattering　things　to　me。〃　＇Footnote：　Varnhagen；
〃Gallerie　von　Bildnissen；〃　etc。；　vol。　ii。＇

〃Words；　empty　words；　my　friend！　Their　actions　are　more　eloquent。　The
king　has　not　sent　for　you；　the　king　has　not　thanked　you。　The　king
does　not　want　your　advice；　and　as　if　to　show　to　yourself；　and　to　all
those　who　have　received　your　letter　so　enthusiastically；　that　he
intends　to　pursue　his　own　path　and　not　to　listen　to　such　advice；　the
king；　within　the　last　few　days；　has　addressed　a　decree　to　the
criminal　court；　peremptorily　ordering　the　prosecuting　attorneys　to
proceed　rigorously　against　the　publishers　of　writings　not　submitted
to　or　rejected　by　the　censors。〃　＇Footnote：　F。　Foerster；　〃Modern
History　of　Prussia；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　498。＇

〃That　cannot　be　truethat　is　impossible！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　starting
up。

〃I　pardon　your　impetuosity　in　consideration　of　your　just
indignation；　〃said　Marianne；　smiling。　〃That　I　told　you　the　truth；
however；　you　will　see　in　to…morrow's　Gazette；　which　will　contain　the
royal　decree　I　alluded　to。　Oh；　you　know　very　well　the　Austrian
ambassador　has　good　friends　everywhere；　who　furnish　him　the　latest
news；　and　keep　him　informed　of　all　such　things。　You　need　not　hope；
therefore；　that　the　young　king　will　make　any　use　of　your　talents　or
grant　you　any　favors。　Your　splendid　memorial　has　offended　him
instead　of　winning　him；　he　thought　it　was　altogether　too　bold。
Frederick　William　the　Third　is　not　partial　to　bold；　eccentric　acts；
he　instinctively　shrinks　back　from　all　violent　reforms。　The　present
King　of　Prussia　will　not　meddle　with　the　great　affairs　of　the　world；
the　King　of　Prussia　wishes　to　remain　neutral　amidst　the　struggle　of
contending　parties。　Instead　of　thinking　of　war　and　politics；　he
devotes　his　principal　attention　to　the　church　service　and
examination　of　the　applicants　for　holy　orders；　and　yet　he　is　not
even　courageous　enough　formally　to　abolish　Wollner's　bigoted　edict；
and　thus　to　make　at　least　one　decisive　step　forward。　Believe　me；
lukewarmness　and　timidity　will　characterize　every　act　of　his
administration。　So　you　had　better　go　to　Austria。〃

〃And　what　shall　I　do　in　Austria？〃　asked　Gentz；　thoughtfully。

〃What　shall　you　do　there？〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　passionately。　〃You
shall　serve　the　fatherlandyou　shall　serve　Germany；　for　Germany　is
in　Austria　just　as　well　as　in　Prussia。　Oh；　believe　me；　my　friend；
only　in　Austria　will　you　find　men　strong　and　bold　enough　to　brave
the　intolerable　despotism　of　the　French。　And　the　leading　men　there
will　welcome　you　most　cordially；　an　appropriate　sphere　will　be
allotted　to　your　genius；　and　the　position　to　which　you　will　be
appointed　will　amply　satisfy　the　aspirations　of　your　ambition。　I　am
officially　authorized　to　make　this　offer　to　you；　for　Austria　is　well
aware　that；　in　the　future；　she　stands　in　need　of　men　of　first…class
ability；　and　she　therefore　desires　to　secure　your　services；　which
she　will　reward　in　a　princely　manner。　Come；　my　friend；　I　shall　set
out　to…day　with　the　prince　on　a　journey　to　Austria。　Accompany　us
become　one　of　ours！〃

〃Ours！　Are　you；　then；　no　longer　a　daughter　of　Prussia？〃

〃I　have　become　a　thorough　and　enthusiastic　Austrian；　for　I　worship
energy　and　determination；　and　these　qualities　I　find　only　in
Austria；　in　the　distinguished　man　who　is　holding　the　helm　of　her
ship　of　state；　Baron　Thugut。　Come　with　us；　Thugut　is　anxious　to　have
you　about　his　person；　accompany　us　to　him。〃

〃And　what　are　you　going　to　do　in　Vienna？〃　asked　Gentz；　evasively。
〃Is　it　a　mere　pleasure…trip？〃

〃If　another　man　should　put　that　question　to　me；　I　should　reply　in
the　affirmative；　but　to　you　I　am　going　to　prove　by　my　entire
sincerity　that　I　really　believe　you　to　be　a　devoted　friend　of　mine。
No；　it　is　no　pleasure…trip。　I　accompany　the　prince　to　Vienna　because
he　wants　to　get　there　instructions　from　Baron　Thugut　and　learn　what
is　to　be　done　at　Rastadt。〃

〃Ah；　at　Rastadtat　the　peace　congress；〃　exclaimed　Gentz。　〃The
emperor　has　requested　the　states　of　the　empire　to　send
plenipotentiaries　to　Rastadt　to　negotiate　there　with　France　a　just
and　equitable　peace。　Prussia　has　already　sent　there　her
plenipotentiaries；　Count　Goertz　and　Baron　Dohm。　Oh；　I　should　have
liked　to　accompany　them　and　participate　in　performing　the　glorious
task　to　be　accomplished　there。　That　congress　at　Rastadt　is　the　last
hope　of　Germany