louisa of prussia and her times-第58节

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oriental　nightingale；〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　drawing　the　laughing　lady
with　gentle　force　into　the　room　and　pushing　the　arm…chair　again
before　the　closed　door。　〃Now　tell　me；　my　bulbul；　why　do　you　laugh？〃

〃Must　I　not　laugh？〃　she　exclaimed；　in　a　clear　and　sonorous　voice。
〃Is　not　this　a　surprise　as　if　it　were　a　scene　from　the　Arabian
Nights？　You　told　me　six　months　ago　you　were　going　to　have　a　passage
made；　by　which　one　might　go　unseen　from　my　rooms　in　the　Burg　to　your
apartments　in　the　chancery　of　state。　I　had　no　doubt　of　the　truth　of
what　you　told　me；　for　fortunately　the　chancery　of　state　is　close　to
the　Burg；　and　there　are　enough　secret　staircases　and　doors　here　as
well　as　there。　I　was；　therefore；　by　no　means　surprised　when　one　day；
in　the　silence　of　the　night；　I　heard　soft　hammering　at　the　wall　of
my　bedroom；　and　suddenly　beheld　a　hole　in　the　wall；　which；　in　the
course　of　a　few　hours；　had　been　transformed　into　a　door　with　an　arm…
chair　before　it；　just　like　that　one　there；　in　the　next　night；　a
locksmith　made　his　appearance　and　hung　up　a　small　silver　bell　in　my
room；　concealing　it　behind　a　lamp；　and　yesterday　you　whispered　to
me：　'Await　the　signal　to…morrow！　I　have　to　talk　to　you　about
important　affairs。'　I　therefore　waited　with　all　the　impatience　of
curiosity；　at　last　the　bell　resounded　six　times；　I　answered　the
signal　and　hastened　through　the　narrow　halls　and　ascended　the　never
suspected　small　staircase；　perfectly　satisfied　that　I　was　going　to　a
diplomatic　conference。　And　what　do　I　find？　A　little　Turkish
paradise；　and　in　it　a　pacha〃

〃Who　was　yearning　only　for　his　charming　houri　in　order　to　be
entirely　in　paradise；〃　said　Thugut；　interrupting　her。　〃Every　thing
has　its　time；　my　Victoria；　state　affairs　as　well　as　happiness。〃

〃The　question　only　is；　my　cold…hearted　friend；　whether　you　prefer
state　affairs　or　happiness；〃　she　replied；　smilingly　threatening　him
with　her　finger。

〃Happiness；　if　you　bring　it　to　me；　Victoria！〃　he　exclaimed；　pressing
the　beautiful　woman　impetuously　against　his　bosom。

She　leaned　her　head　on　his　shoulder　and　looked　up　to　him　with　an　air
of　arch　enthusiasm。　〃Are　you　happy　now？〃　she　asked；　in　a　low　voice。

He　only　replied　by　means　of　glowing　kisses　and　whispered　words　of
intense　passion　into　her　ear。　She　did　not　resist　him；　she　listened
with　smiling　satisfaction　to　his　whispers；　and　a　deeper　blush
mantled　her　cheeks。

〃Ah；　I　like　to　hear　you　talk　thus；〃　she　said；　when　Thugut　paused；
〃it　delights　me　to　sip　the　honey　of　oriental　poetry　from　the　lips　of
my　wild　bear。　Even　the　Belvederian　Apollo　is　not　as　beautiful　as　you
in　your　genial　and　wondrous　ugliness　when　you　are　talking　about
love。〃

Thugut　laughed。　〃Then　you　think　I　am　very　ugly；　Victoria？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　so　ugly　that　your　ugliness　in　my　eyes　is　transformed　into　the
most　inconceivable　beauty；〃　she　said；　passing　her　rosy　fingers
across　his　dark　and　bronzed　face。　〃Sometimes；　my　friend；　when　I　see
you　in　the　imperial　halls；　with　your　strange　smile　and　your　grave
bearing；　I　believe　it　is　the　god　of　darkness　himself　whom　I　behold
there；　and　who　has　descended　upon　earth　in　order　to　catch　in　person
a　few　human　souls　that　he　is　very　anxious　to　have　in　his　power。　Ah；
I　would　not　have　you　an　iota　more　handsome；　nor　a　single　year
younger。　I　like　your　demoniacal　ugliness；　and　the　infernal　ardor；
hidden　under　the　snow　of　your　hair；　truly　delights　me。　To　be　beloved
by　young　men　with　the　fickle　straw…fire　of　passion　is　a　very　common
thing；　but　when　an　old　man　loves　as　intensely　as　a　youth；　when　he
always　illuminates　the　beloved　with　the　glory　of　a　fire　that　he　has
snatched　from　hell；　ah！　that　is　something　enchanting　and　divine！
Love　me；　therefore；　in　your　own　way；　my　beautiful；　ugly　prince　of
darkness！〃

〃I　love　you　in　my　own　way；　my　charming　angel；　whom　nobody　believes
to　be　a　demon；〃　said　Thugut；　laughing。　〃I　feel　precisely　like　you；
my　beautiful　Victoria；　I　love　you　twice　as　ardently；　because　I
penetrated　your　true　nature；　because；　when　you　are　smiling　upon
others；　I　alone　perceive　the　serpent；　while　others　only　behold　the
roses；　and　because　I　alone　know　this　angelic　figure　to　conceal　the
soul　of　a　demon。　Thus　we　love　each　other　because　we　belong　to　each
other；　Victoria；　you　call　me　the　prince　of　darkness；　and　you　are
assuredly　the　crown…princess　of　hell。　After　my　death　you　will　occupy
my　throne。〃

〃Then　it　is　in　hell　just　as　in　Austria？〃　asked　Victoria。　〃The　women
are　not　excluded　from　the　throne。〃

〃Well；　sometimes　it　really　seems　to　me　as　though　it　were　in　Austria
as　it　ought　to　be　in　hell；　and　as　though　the　small　devils　of
stupidity；　folly；　and　ignorance；　had　chosen　Austria　for　their
particular　play…ground。〃

〃Let　us　expel　them；　then；　my　friend；〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　〃I　should
think　that　we　were　powerful　enough　to　accomplish　that。〃

〃Will　you　assist　me　in　expelling　them？〃　asked　Thugut；　quickly。

〃How　can　you　ask　me？〃　she　said；　reproachfully。　〃So　you　have
forgotten　every　thing？　Our　whole　past　is　buried　under　the　dust　of
your　ministerial　documents？〃

〃No；　I　have　forgotten　nothing！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　almost
enthusiastically。　〃I　remember　everything。　Oh；　how　often；　Victoria；
do　I　see　you　in　my　dreams；　just　as　I　saw　you　for　the　first　time！　Do
you　yet　remember　when　it　was？〃

〃It　was　in　the　camp　in　front　of　Giurgewo。〃

〃Yes；　in　the　camp　in　front　of　Giurgewo；　at　the　time　that　the　Turks
surprised　our　trenches。　＇Footnote：　In　1790。＇　All　of　our　officers
completely　lost　their　senses；　the　general…in…chief；　Prince　Coburg；
rode　off　in　the　most　cowardly　manner；　and　Count　Thun　had　been
killed；　while　General　Anfsess　was　dangerously　wounded。　Oh；　it　was　a
terrible　day；　terror　and　dismay　spread　through　the　whole　camp。　A
wild　panic　seized　the　soldiers；　they　fled　in　all　directions；　every
one　was　shouting；　howling；　and　trembling　for　his　own　miserable
existence。　I　had　just　gone　to　headquarters；　and　I　may　say　that　I　was
the　only　one　who　did　not　tremble；　for　nature　has　not　imparted　fear
to　me。　I　witnessed　the　growing　confusion　with　dismay；　when　I
suddenly　beheld　a　woman；　an　angel；　who　appeared　with　dishevelled
hair；　and　eyes　flashing　with　anger；　addressing　the　soldiers　and
admonishing　them　in　glowing　words　to　do　their　duty。　No；　what　she
said　were　no　words；　it　was　a　torrent　of　enthusiasm；　bursting　from
her　lips　like　heavenly　flames。　And　the　soldiers　listened　in
amazement；　the　stragglers　rallied　round　their　colors；　the　cowards
were　ashamed；　and　the　trembling　and　downcast　took　heart　again　when
they　heard　the　ringing；　bold　words　of　the　beautiful　woman。　Reason
obtained　its　sway；　they　were　able　once　more　to　hear　and　consider
what　we　said　to　them；　and　thanks　to　you　and　to　myself；　the
ignominious　rout　was　transformed　into　an　orderly　and　quiet　retreat。
Both　of　us　saved　every　thing　that　was　yet　to　be　saved。　Ah；　it　is　a
funny　thing　that　all　the　soldiers　in　the　large　camp　had　lost　their
wits；　and　that　only　a　civilian　and　a　woman　kept　theirs。　＇Footnote：
Vide　〃Kaiser　Franz　und　Metternich：　Ein　Fragment；〃　p。　83。＇　On　that
day；　in　my　enthusiasm；　I　vowed　eternal　friendship　to　you。〃

〃We　vowed　it　to　each　other！〃　exclaimed　Victoria。

〃And　we　have　kept　our　vows。　I　sent　you　to　Vienna　with　a
recommendation　to　my　friend；　Count　Colloredo；　and　he　honored　my
recommendation。　He　introduced　you　to　the　court；　he　related　your
heroic　deed　to　the　emperor；　and　the　whole　court　did　homage　to　the
intrepid　heroine　of　Giurgewo。　Your　bold　husband；　the　handsome
captain　of　hussars；　Charles　de　Poutet；　having　been　killed　in　Belgium
at　the　assault　upon　Aldenhoven；　I　came　to　you　and　renewed　my　vow　of
eternal　fidelity　and　friendship。　Did　I　keep　my　word？〃

〃You　did。　Thanks　to　you　and　to　Colloredo；　I　have　become　the　friend
of　the　empress；　and　the　AJA　of　her　first…born　daughter；　the
Archduchess　Maria　Louisa。　But；　on　obtaining　this　position；　I　renewed
to　you；　too；　my　vow　of　eternal　friendship　and　eternal　fidelity。　Did
I　not　also　keep　my　word？〃

〃You　did。　Thanks　to　you　and　to　Colloredo；　I　have　become　prime
minister　and　ruler　of　Austria！〃

〃And　now；　my　friend；　a　question。　Did　you　invent　this　Turkish
cabinet；　the　secret　staircases　and　halls；　and　the　mysterious
language　of　the　bells；　for　the　sole　purpose　of　relating　to　me　here
the　history　of　our　past　feelings　toward　each　other？〃

〃No；　Victoria；　in　order　to　build　here　the　edifice　of　our　future。
Here；　in　this　secret　cabinet；　we　will　lay　the　foundation　of　it；　and
draw　up　the　plans。　Victoria；　I　stand　in　need　of　your　assistance
will　you　refuse　it　to　me？〃

〃Stretch　out　your　hand　with　the　sceptre；　my　god　of　darkness；
command；　and　I　shall　obey！〃　said　Victoria；　gliding　down　on　the　sofa；
crossing　her　arms　on　her　breast；　and　looking　up　to　Thugut　with
languishing　eyes。

He　sat　down　by　her　side；　and　laid　his　hand　over　her　eyes。

〃Do　not　look　at　me　so　charmingly　as　to　make　my　blood　rush　like　fire
through　my　veins；〃　he　said。　〃Let　us　first　speak　of　business　affairs；
and　then　we　will　forget　every　thing　in　draughts　of　fiery　sherbet。　So
listen　to　me；　Victoria；　be　a　little　less　of　the　enchanting　angel
now；　and　a　little　more　of　the　malicious　demon。〃

〃Is　there　a　minister　to　overthrow；　a　powerful　man　to　be　trampled
under　foot？〃　asked　Victoria；　her　black　ey