louisa of prussia and her times-第37节

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task　to　be　accomplished　there。　That　congress　at　Rastadt　is　the　last
hope　of　Germany；　if　it　should　fail；　all　prospects　of　a　regeneration
of　the　empire　are　gone。　That　congress　will　at　last　give　to　the
nation　all　it　needs：　an　efficient　organization　of　the　empire；　a
well…regulated　administration　of　justice；　protection　of　German
manufactures　against　British　arrogance；　and　last；　but　not　least；
freedom　of　the　press；　for　which　the　Germans　have　been　yearning　for
so　many　years。〃

Marianne　burst　into　a　loud　fit　of　laughter。　〃Oh；　you　enthusiastic
visionary！〃　she　said；　〃but　let　us　speak　softly；　for　even　the　walls
must　not　hear　what　I　am　now　going　to　tell　you。〃

She　bent　over　the　table；　drawing　nearer　to　Gentz；　and　fixing　her
large；　flaming　eyes　upon　him；　she　asked　in　a　whisper；　〃I　suppose　you
love　Germany？　You　would　not　like　to　see　her　devoured　by　France　as
Italy　was　devoured　by　her？　You　would　not　like　either　to　see　her　go
to　decay　and　crumble　to　pieces　from　inherent　weakness？〃

〃Oh；　I　love　Germany！〃　said　Gentz；　enthusiastically。　〃All　my　wishes；
all　my　hopes　belong　to　her。　Would　to　God　I　could　say　some　day；　all
my　talents；　my　energy；　my　perseverance　are　devoted　to　my　fatherland…
…to　Germany！〃

〃Well；　if　you　really　desire　to　be　useful　to　Germany；〃　whispered
Marianne；　〃hasten　to　Rastadt。　If　Germany　is　to　be　saved　at　all；　it
must　be　done　at　once。　You　know　the　stipulations　of　the　treaty　of
Campo　Formio；　I　suppose？〃

〃I　only　know　what　every　one　knows　about　them。〃

〃But　you　do　not　know　the　secret　article。　I　will　tell　you　all　about
it。　Listen　to　me。　The　secret　article　accepted　by　the　emperor　reads
as　follows：　'The　emperor　pledges　himself　to　withdraw　his　troops　from
Mentz；　Ehrenbreitstein；　Mannheim；　Konigstein；　and　from　the　German
empire　in　general；　twenty　days　after　the　ratification　of　the　peace；
which　has　to　take　place　in　the　course　of　two　months。'〃　＇Footnote：
Schlosser's　〃History　of　the　Eighteenth　Century；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　43。＇

〃But　he　thereby　delivers　the　empire　to　the　tender　mercies　of　the
enemy；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　in　dismay。　〃Oh；　that　cannot　be！　No　German
could　grant　and　sign　such　terms　without　sinking　into　the　earth　from
shame。　That　would　be　contrary　to　every　impulse　of　patriotism〃

〃Nevertheless；　that　article　has　been　signed　and　will　be　carried　out
to　the　letter。　Make　haste；　therefore；　Germany　is　calling　you；　assist
her；　you　have　got　the　strength。　Oh；　give　it　to　her！　Become　an
Austrian　just　as　Brutus　became　a　servant　of　the　kings；　become　an
Austrian　in　order　to　save　Germany！〃

〃Ah；　you　want　to　entice　me；　Delilah！〃　exclaimed　Gentz。　〃You　want　to
show　me　a　beautiful　goal　in　order　to　make　me　walk　the　tortuous　paths
which　may　lead　thither！　No；　Delilah；　it　is　in　vain！　I　shall　stay
here；　I　shall　not　go　to　Austria；　for　Austria　is　the　state　that　is
going　to　betray　Germany。　Prussia　may　be　able　to　save　her；　she　stands
perhaps　in　need　of　my　arm；　my　pen；　and　my　tongue　for　that　purpose。　I
am　a　German；　but　first　of　all　I　am　a　Prussian；　and　every　good
patriot　ought　first　to　serve　his　immediate　country；　and　wait　until
she　calls　him。　I　still　hope　that　the　king　will　prove　the　right　man
for　his　responsible　position；　I　still　expect　that　he　will　succeed　in
rendering　Prussia　great　and　Germany　free。　I　must；　therefore；　remain
a　Prussian　as　yet　and　be　ready　to　serve　my　country。〃

〃Poor　enthusiast！　You　will　regret　some　day　having　lost　your　time　by
indulging　in　visionary　hopes。〃

〃Well；　I　will　promise；　whenever　that　day　comes；　whenever　Prussia
declares　that　she　does　not　want　my　services；　then　I　will　come　to
youthen　you　shall　enlist　me　for　Austria；　and　perhaps　I　may　then
still　be　able　to　do　something　for　Germany。　But　until　then；　leave　me
here。　I　swear　to　you；　not　a　word　of　what　you　have　just　told　me　here
shall　be　betrayed　by　my　lips；　but　I　cannot　serve　him　who　has
betrayed　Germany。〃

〃You　cannot　be　induced；　then；　to　accept　my　offer？　You　want　to　stay
here？　You　refuse　to　accompany　me　to　Vienna；　to　Rastadt；　in　order　to
save　what　may　yet　be　saved　for　Germany？〃

〃If　I　had　an　army　under　my　command；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　with　flaming
eyes；　〃if　I　were　the　King　of　Prussia；　then　I　should　assuredly　go　to
Rastadt；　but　I　should　go　thither　for　the　purpose　of　dispersing　all
those　hypocrites；　cowards；　and　scribblers　who　call　themselves
statesmen；　and　of　driving　those　French　republicans　who　put　on　such
disgusting　airs；　and　try　to　make　us　believe　they　had　a　perfect　right
to　meddle　with　the　domestic　affairs　of　Germanybeyond　the　Rhine！　I
should　go　thither　for　the　purpose　of　garrisoning　the　fortresses　of
the　Rhinewhich　the　Emperor　of　Germany　is　going　to　surrender　to　the
tender　mercies　of　the　enemywith　my　troops；　and　of　defending　them
against　all　foes　from　without　or　from　within。　That　would　be　my
policy　if　I　were　King　of　Prussia。　But　being　merely　the　poor　military
counsellor；　Frederick　Gentz；　and　having　nothing　but　some　ability　and
a　sharp　pen；　I　shall　stay　here　and　wait　to　see　whether　or　not
Prussia　will　make　use　of　my　ability　and　of　my　pen。　God　save　Germany
and　protect　her　from　her　physicians　who　are　concocting　a　fatal
draught　for　her　at　Rastadt：　God　save　Germany！〃




FRANCE　AND　GERMANY。


CHAPTER　XVIII。

CITOYENNE　JOSEPHINE　BONAPARTE。


A　joyful　commotion　reigned　on　the　eighth　of　November；　1797；　in　the
streets　and　public　places　of　the　German　fortress　of　Rastadt。　The
whole　population　of　the　lower　classes　had　gathered　in　the　streets；
while　the　more　aristocratic　inhabitants　appeared　at　the　open　windows
of　their　houses　in　eager　expectation　of　the　remarkable　event　for
which　not　only　the　people　of　the　whole　city；　but　also　the　foreign
ambassadors；　a　large　number　of　whom　had　arrived　at　Rastadt；　were
looking　with　the　liveliest　symptoms　of　impatience。

And；　indeed；　a　rare　spectacle　was　in　store　for　them。　It　was　the
arrival　of　General　Bonaparte　and　his　wife　Josephine　that　all　were
waiting　for　this　morning。　They　were　not　to　arrive　together；　however；
but　both　were　to　reach　the　city　by　a　different　route。　Josephine；　who
was　expected　to　arrive　first；　was　coming　from　Milan　by　the　shortest
and　most　direct　route；　while　Bonaparte　had　undertaken　a　more
extended　journey　from　Campo　Formio　through　Italy　and　Switzerland。　It
was　well　known　already　that　he　had　been　received　everywhere　with　the
most　unbounded　enthusiasm；　and　that　all　nations　had　hailed　him　as
the　Messiah　of　liberty。　There　had　not　been　a　single　city　that　had
not　received　him　with　splendid　festivities；　and　honors　had　been　paid
to　him　as　though　he　were　not　only　a　triumphant　victor；　but　an
exalted　ruler；　to　whom　every　one　was　willing　to　submit。　Even　free
Switzerland　had　formed　no　exception。　At　Geneva　the　daughters　of　the
first　and　most　distinguished　families；　clad　in　the　French　colors；
had　presented　to　him　in　the　name　of　the　city　a　laurel…wreath。　At
Berne；　his　carriage　had　passed　through　two　lines　of　handsomely
decorated　coaches；　filled　with　beautiful　und　richly　adorned　ladies；
who　had　hailed　him　with　the　jubilant　shout　of　〃Long　live　the
pacificator！〃

In　the　same　manner　the　highest　honors　had　been　paid　to　his　wife
Josephine；　who　had　been　treated　everywhere　with　the　deference　due　to
a　sovereign　princess。　The　news　of　these　splendid　receptions　had
reached　Rastadt　already；　and　it　was　but　natural　that　the　authorities
and　citizens　of　the　fortress　did　not　wish　to　be　outdone；　and　that
they　had　made　extensive　arrangements　for　welcoming　the　conqueror　of
Italy　in　a　becoming　manner。

A　magnificent　triumphal　arch　had　been　erected　in　front　of　the　gate
through　which　General　Bonaparte　was　to　enter　the　city；　and　under　it
the　city　fathers；　clad　in　their　official　robes；　were　waiting　for　the
victorious　hero；　in　order　to　conduct　him　to　the　house　that　had　been
selected　for　him。　In　front　of　this　house；　situated　on　the　large
market…place；　a　number　of　young　and　pretty　girls；　dressed　in　white；
and　carrying　baskets　with　flowers　and　fruits　which　they　were　to　lay
at　the　feet　of　the　general's　beautiful　wife；　had　assembled。

At　the　gate　through　which　Josephine　was　to　arrive；　a　brilliant
cavalcade　of　horsemen　had　gathered　for　the　purpose　of　welcoming　the
lady　of　the　great　French　chieftain；　and　of　escorting　her　as　a　guard
of　honor。

Among　these　cavaliers　there　were　most　of　the　ambassadors　from　the
different　parts　of　Germany；　who　had　met　here　at　Rastadt　in　order　to
accomplish　the　great　work　of　peace。　Every　sovereign　German　prince；
every　elector　and　independent　count　had　sent　his　delegates　to　the
southwestern　fortress　for　the　purpose　of　negotiating　with　the　French
plenipotentiaries　concerning　the　future　destinies　of　Germany。　Even
Sweden　had　sent　a　representative；　who　had　not　appeared　so　much；
however；　in　order　to　take　care　of　the　interests　of　Swedish
Pomerania；　as　to　play　the　part　of　a　mediator　and　reconciler。

All　these　ambassadors　had　been　allowed　to　enter　Rastadt　quietly　and
entirely　unnoticed。　The　GERMAN　city　had　failed　to　pay　any　public
honors　to　these　distinguished　GERMAN　noblemen；　but　every　one
hastened　to　exhibit　the　greatest　deference　to　the　French　general
and　even　the　ambassadors　deemed　it　prudent　to　participate　in　these
demonstrations：　only　they　tried　to　display；　even　on　this　occasion；
their　accustomed　diplomacy；　and　ins