louisa of prussia and her times-第42节

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announcement　of　your　death；　and　my　eyes　knew　no　sleep；　my　heart　knew
no　rest；　till　the　courier　whom　I　immediately　dispatched　to　you；　had
brought　me　the　news　that　you　were　well；　and　that　no　accident　had
befallen　you。　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　sur　Napoleon；　par　Constant；〃　vol。
i。。　p。　809。＇　See；　woman；　woman；　such　is　my　love！　Will　you　now　tell
me　again　that　you　wish　to　leave　me？〃

〃I　must；　general；〃　she　said；　firmly。　〃Love　cannot　be　lasting　without
esteem；　and　you　do　not　esteem　me。　Your　suspicion　has　dishonored　me；
and　a　dishonored　and　insulted　woman　cannot　be　your　wife　any　longer。
Farewell！〃

She　wanted　to　disengage　herself　from　his　hands；　but　he　held　her　only
the　more　firmly。　〃Josephine；〃　he　said；　in　a　hollow　voice；　〃listen　to
me；　do　not　drive　me　to　despair；　for　it　would　kill　me　to　lose　you。　No
duty；　no　title　would　attach　me　any　longer　to　earth。　Men　are　so
contemptible；　life　is　so　wretchedyou　alone　extinguish　the　ignominy
of　mankind　in　my　eyes。　＇Footnote：　〃Correspondance　inedite　avec
Josephine；〃　p。　875＇　Without　you　there　is　no　hope；　no　happiness。　I
love　you　boundlessly。〃

〃No；　general；　you　despise　me；　you　do　not　love　me！〃

〃No；　no！〃　he　shouted；　wildly　stamping　his　foot。　〃If　you　go　on　in
this　manner；　I　shall　drop　dead　at　your　feet。　Do　not　torment　me　so
dreadfully。　Remember　what　I　have　often　told　you：　Nature　has　given　to
me　a　strong；　decided　soul；　but　it　has　made　you　of　gauze　and　lace。
You　say　I　do　not　love。　Hear　it；　then；　for　the　last　time。　Since　you
have　been　away　from　me；　I　have　not　passed　a　single　day　without
loving　you；　not　a　single　night　without　mentally　pressing　you　to　my
heart。　I　have　not　taken　a　single　cup　of　tea　without　cursing　the
glory　and　ambition　separating　me　from　the　soul　of　my　life。
＇Footnote：　〃Correspondance；〃　etc。；　p。　532。＇　Amidst　my　absorbing
occupationsat　the　head　of　my　troops；　on　the　march　and　in　the
fieldmy　heavenly　Josephine　ever　was　foremost　in　my　heart。　She
occupied　my　mind；　she　absorbed　my　thoughts。　If　I　left　you　with　the
impetuosity　of　the　Rhone；　I　only　did　so　in　order　to　return　the
sooner　to　your　side。　If　I　ran　from　my　bed　at　night　and　continued
working；　I　did　so　for　the　purpose　of　accelerating　the　moment　of　our
reunion。　The　most　beautiful　women　surrounded　me；　smiled　upon　me；
gave　me　hopes　of　their　favor；　and　tried　to　please　me；　but　none　of
them　resembled　you；　none　had　the　gentle　and　melodious　features　so
deeply　imprinted　on　my　heart。　I　only　saw　you；　only　thought　of　you；
and　that　rendered　all　of　them　intolerable　to　me。　I　left　the　most
beautiful　women　in　order　to　throw　myself　on　my　couch　and　sigh；　'When
will　my　adored　wife　be　again　with　me？'　＇Footnote：　Ibid。；　p。　349。＇
And　if　I　just　now　gave　way　to　an　ebullition　of　anger；　I　only　did　so
because　I　love　you　so　boundlessly　as　to　be　jealous　of　every　glance；
of　every　smile。　Forgive　me；　therefore；　Josephine；　forgive　me　for　the
sake　of　my　infinite　love！　Tell　me　that　you　will　think　no　more　of　it；
and　that　you　will　forget　and　forgive　every　thing。〃

He　looked　at　her　anxiously　and　inquiringly；　but　Josephine　did　not
reply　to　his　glances。　She　averted　her　eyes　and　remained　silent。

〃Josephine。〃　he　exclaimed；　perfectly　beside　himself；　〃make　an　end　of
it。　Just　touch　my　forehead；　it　is　covered　with　cold　perspiration；
and　my　heart　is　trembling　as　it　never　trembled　in　battle。　Make　an
end　of　it；　I　am　utterly　exhausted。　Oh；　Josephine；　my　dear　Josephine；
open　your　arms　to　me。〃

〃Well；　come　then；　you　dear；　cruel　husband；〃　she　said；　bursting　into
tears　and　extending　her　arms　to　him。

Bonaparte　uttered　a　joyful　cry；　pressed　her　to　his　heart；　and
covered　her　with　kisses。

〃Now　I　am　sure　you　have　forgiven　every　thing；〃　he　said；　encircling
her　all　the　time　with　his　arms。　〃You　forgive　my　madness；　my
abominable　jealousy？〃

〃I　forgive　every　thing；　Bonaparte；　if　you　will　promise　not　to　be
jealous　again；〃　she　said；　with　a　charming　smile。

〃I　promise　never　to　be　jealous　again；　but　to　think；　whenever　you
give　a　rendezvous　to　another　man；　that　you　only　do　so　for　my　sake；
and　for　the　purpose　of　conspiring　for　me。　Ah；　my　excellent　wife；　you
have　worked　bravely　for　me；　and　henceforth　I　know　that　I　can　intrust
to　your　keeping　my　glory　and　my　honor　with　implicit　confidence。　Yea；
even　the　helm　of　the　state　I　would　fearlessly　intrust　to　your　hands。
Pray；　therefore；　Josephine；　pray　that　your　husband　may　reach　the
pinnacle　of　distinction；　for　in　that　case　I　should　give　you　a　seat
in　my　council　of　state　and　make　you　mistress　of　every　thing　except
one　point〃　＇Footnote：　Le　Normand；　vol。　i。　p。　341。＇

〃And　what　is　that？〃　asked　Josephine；　eagerly。

〃The　only　thing　I　should　not　intrust　to　you；　Josephine；〃　he　said；
laughing；　〃would　be　the　keys　of　my　treasury；　you　never　would　get
them；　my　beautiful　prodigal　little　wife　of　gauze；　lace；　diamonds；
and　pearls！〃　＇Footnote：　Ibid。；　vol。　i。；　p。　342。＇

〃Ah；　then　you　would　deprive　me　of　the　right　to　distribute　charities
in　your　name？〃　she　asked；　sadly。　〃Is　not　that　the　most　precious　and
sublime　duty　of　the　wife　of　a　great　man；　to　conquer　Heaven　for　him
by　charities　while　he　is　conquering　earth　by　his　deeds？　And　you
would　take　from　me　the　means　for　doing　so？　Yours　is　a　wild　and
passionate　nature；　and　I　shall　often　have　to　heal　the　wounds　that
you　have　inflicted　in　your　outbursts　of　anger。　Happy　for　me　if　I
should　always　be　able　to　heal　them；　and　if　your　anger　should　be　less
fatal　to　men　than　to　my　poor　little　dog；　who　merely　wanted　to　defend
me　against　your　violence。〃

〃Poor　little　dog！〃　said　Bonaparte；　casting　a　glance　of　confusion
upon　Zephyr。　〃I　greatly　regret　the　occurrence；　particularly　as　the
dog　was　a　gift　from　Hoche。　But　no　lamentations　of　mine　being　able　to
recall　Zephyr　to　life；　Josephine；　I　will　immortalize　him　at　all
events。　He　shall　not　find　an　unknown　grave；　like　many　a　hero；　no；　we
will　erect　to　this　valiant　and　intrepid　defender　of　the　charming
fortress　Josephine；　a　monument　which　shall　relate　his　exploits　to
the　most　remote　posterity。　Have　Zephyr　packed　up　in　a　box；　couriers
and　convoys　of　troops　will　set　out　to…day　for　Milan。　They　shall　take
the　corpse　along；　and　I　will　issue　orders　that　a　monument　be　erected
to　your　Zephyr　in　the　garden　of　our　villa。　＇Footnote：　Bonaparte　kept
his　word。　The　little　victim　of　his　Jealousy；　Zephyr；　the　dog；　was
buried　in　the　gardens　of　Mondeza；　near　Milan；　and　a　marble　monument
was　erected　on　his　grave。Le　Normand；　vol。　i。；　p。　498。＇　But　now；
Josephine；　I　must　leave　you；　life；　with　its　stern　realities；　is
calling　me。　I　must　go　and　receive　the　Austrian　ambassadors。〃




CHAPTER　XX。

THE　RECEPTION　OF　THE　AMBASSADORS。


A　motley　crowd　of　gentlemen　in　uniforms　and　glittering　gala…dresses
had　filled　the　anterooms　of　the　French　embassy　ever　since　the
arrival　of　General　Bonaparte　and　Josephine。　All　these　high…born
representatives　of　German　sovereigns　and　states　hastened　to　do
homage　to　the　French　lady　and　to　commend　themselves　to　the
benevolence　and　favor　of　the　victorious　general　of　the　republic。　But
the　doors　of　the　general　and　of　his　wife　were　as　difficult　to　open
as　those　of　the　French　ambassadors；　Bonnier；　Jean　Debry；　and
Roberjot。　General　Bonaparte　had　received　the　Austrian　ambassadors；
and　returned　their　visit。　But　nobody　else　had　been　admitted　to　him
during　the　first　day。　The　ambassadors；　therefore；　flocked　the　more
eagerly　on　this　second　day　after　his　arrival　to　the　anterooms　of　the
French　ambassadors；　for　every　one　wanted　to　be　the　first　to　win　for
his　sovereign　and　for　his　state　the　good…will　of　the　French
conqueror。　Every　one　wished　to　obtain　advantages；　to　avert　mischief；
and　to　beg　for　favors。

Happy　were　they　already　who　had　only　succeeded　in　penetrating　into
the　anterooms　of　the　French　embassy；　for　a　good　deal　of　money　had　to
be　spent　in　order　to　open　those　doors。　In　front　of　them　stood　the
footmen　of　the　ambassadors　with　grave；　stern　countenances；　refusing
to　admit　any　but　those　who　had　been　previously　recommended　to　them；
or　who　knew　now　how　to　gain　their　favor　by　substantial　rewards。
＇Footnote：　The　employes　of　the　French　embassy；　from　the　first
secretary　down　to　the　lowest　footman　and　cook；　received　handsome
gifts　at　the　hands　of　the　German　delegates；　for　every　one　was
anxious　to　secure　the　goodwill　of　the　French　representatives；　and　in
obedience　to　the　old　trick　of　diplomatists；　they　tried　to　gain　the
favor　of　the　masters　by　means　of　that　of　their　servants。　The　latter
made　a　very　handsome　thing　out　of　it。Vide　Hausser；　vol。　ii。；　p。
163。＇　And　when　they　finally；　by　means　of　such　persuasive　gifts；　had
succeeded　in　crossing　the　threshold　of　the　anteroom；　they　found
there　the　clerks　and　secretaries　of　the　French　gentlemen；　and　these
men　again　barred　the　door　of　the　cabinet　occupied　by　the　ambassadors
themselves。　These　clerks　and　secretaries　had　to　be　bribed　likewise
by　solicitations；　flatteries；　and　money；　only；　instead　of　satisfying
them　with　silver；　as　in　the　case　of　the　doorkeepers；　they　had　to
give　them　heavy　gold　pieces。

Having　finally　overcome　all　these　obstacleshaving　now　penetrated
into　the　presence　of　the　French　diplomatiststhe　ambassadors　of　the
German　powers　met　with　a　haughty　reserve　instead　of　the　kindness
they　had　hoped　for；　and　with　sarcastic　sneers