louisa of prussia and her times-第70节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Let　me　finish　my　statement；　gentlemen；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；
courteously。　〃The　king；　undecided　as　to　the　course　he　ought　to
pursue；　assembled　at　Paterhagen　a　council　of　war；　our　great
commander；　Ferdinand；　duke　of　Brunswick；　of　course；　having　been
invited　to　be　present。　His　majesty　requested　us　to　state　honestly
and　sincerely　whether　we　were　in　favor　of　war　or　peace　with　France。
The　duke　of　Brunswick　was；　of　course；　the　first　speaker　who　replied
to　the　king；　he　voted　for　war。　He　gave　his　reasons　in　a　fiery　and
energetic　speech；　and　demonstrated　to　the　king　that　at　a　time　when
England　was　about　to　send　an　army　to　Holland；　an　advance　into
Holland　by　our　own　army　would　be　highly　successful。　For　my　part；　I
unconditionally　assented　to　the　duke's　opinion；　and　Baron　Kockeritz
declaring　for　it　likewise；　the　king　did　not　hesitate　any　longer；　but
took　a　great　and　bold　resolution。　He　ordered　the　Duke　of　Brunswick
to　draw　up　a　memorial；　stating　in　extenso　why　Prussia　ought　to
participate　in　the　war　against　France；　and　to　send　in　at　the　same
time　a　detailed　plan　of　the　campaign。　He　instructed　me　to　return
forthwith　to　Berlin；　and　while　he　would　continue　his　journey　to
Wesel；　to　hasten　to　the　capital　for　the　purpose　of　informing　you；
gentlemen；　that　the　king　will　join　the　coalition；　and　of　settling
with　you　the　particulars〃

At　this　moment　the　door　of　the　reception…room　was　hastily　opened；
and　the　first　secretary　of　the　minister　made　his　appearance。

〃Pardon　me；　your　excellency；　for　disturbing　you；〃　he　said；　handing　a
sealed　letter　to　the　count；　〃but　a　courier　has　just　arrived　from　the
king's　headquarters　with　an　autograph　letter　from　his　majesty。　He
had　orders　to　deliver　this　letter　immediately　to　your　excellency；
because　it　contained　intelligence　of　the　highest　importance。〃

〃Tell　the　courier　that　the　orders　of　his　majesty　have　been　carried
out；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；　〃and　you；　gentlemen；　I　am　sure　you　will
permit　me　to　open　this　letter　from　my　king　in　your　presence。　It　may
contain　some　important　particulars　in　relation　to　our　new　alliance。〃

The　two　gentlemen　assured　him　of　their　consent；　and　Count　Haugwitz
opened　the　letter。　When　he　commenced　reading　it；　his　face　was　as
unruffled　as　ever；　but　his　features　gradually　assumed　a　graver
expression；　and　the　smile　disappeared　from　his　lips。

The　two　ambassadors；　who　were　closely　watching　the　count's
countenance；　could　not　fail　to　notice　this　rapid　change　in　his
features；　and　their　faces　now　assumed　likewise　a　gloomier　air。

Count　Haugwitz；　however；　seemed　unable　to　master　the　contents　of　the
royal　letter；　he　constantly　read　it　anew；　as　though　he　were　seeking
in　its　words　for　a　hidden　and　mysterious　meaning。　He　was　so　absorbed
in　the　perusal　of　the　letter　that　he　had　apparently　become　entirely
oblivious　of　the　presence　of　the　two　gentlemen；　until　a　slight
coughing　of　the　English　ambassador　aroused　him　from　his　musing。

〃Pardon　me；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　hastily；　and　in　evident
embarrassment；　〃this　letter　contains　some　intelligence　which　greatly
astonishes　me。〃

〃I　hope　it　will　not　interfere　with　the　accession　of　Prussia　to　the
coalition？〃　said　Panin；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　the　countenance　of　the
minister。

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；　quickly　and　smilingly。　〃The
extraordinary　news　is　this：　his　majesty　the　king　will　reach　Berlin
within　this　hour；　and　orders　me　to　repair　to　him　at　once。〃

〃The　king　returns　to　Berlin！〃　exclaimed　Count　Panin。

〃And　did　not　your　excellency　tell　us　just　now　that　the　king　had　set
out　for　Wesel？〃　asked　Lord　Grenville；　with　his　usual　stoical
equanimity。

〃I　informed　you；　gentlemen；　of　what　occurred　two　weeks　ago；〃　said
Count　Haugwitz；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

〃What！　Two　weeks　ago？　Nevertheless；　your　excellency　has　just　arrived
at　Berlin；　and　are　wearing　yet　your　travelling…habit？〃

〃That　is　very　true。　I　left　Minden　two　weeks　ago；　but　the　impassable
condition　of　the　roads　compelled　me　to　travel　with　snail…like
slowness。　My　carriage　every　day　stuck　in　an　ocean　of　mire；　so　that　I
had　to　send　for　men　from　the　adjoining　villages　in　order　to　set　it
going　again。　The　axle…tree　broke　twice；　and　I　was　obliged　to　remain
several　day　in　the　most　forsaken　little　country　towns　until　I
succeeded　in　getting　my　carriage　repaired。〃

〃The　king　seems　to　have　found　better　roads；〃　said　Count　Panin；　with
a　lurking　glance。　〃The　journey　to　Wesel　has　been　a　very　rapid　one；
at　all　events。〃

〃The　king；　it　seems；　has　given　up　that　journey　and　concluded　on　the
road　to　return　to　the　capital；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；　in　an
embarrassed　manner。

〃It　would　be　very　deplorable　if　the　king　should　as　rapidly　change
his　mind　in　relation　to　his　other　resolutions！〃　exclaimed　Lord
Grenville。

〃Your　excellency　does　not　fear；　then；　lest　this　sudden　return　of　the
king　should　have　any　connection　with　our　plans？〃　asked　Panin。　〃The
king　has　authorized　you　to　negotiate　with　the　English　ambassador；
Sir　Thomas　Grenville；　and　with　myself；　the　representative　of　the
Emperor　Paul；　of　Russia；　about　forming　an　alliance　for　the　purpose
of　driving　the　rapacious；　revolutionary；　and　bloodthirsty　French
Republic　beyond　the　Rhine；　and　restoring　tranquillity　to　menaced
Europe？〃

〃It　is　true　the　king　gave　me　such　authority　two　weeks　ago；〃　said
Count　Haugwitz；　uneasily；　〃and　I　doubt　not　for　a　single　moment　that
his　majesty　is　now　adhering　to　this　opinion。　But　you　comprehend；
gentlemen；　that　I　must　now　hasten　to　wait　on　the　returning　king；　in
order　to　receive　further　instructions　from　him。〃

〃That　means；　Count　Haugwitz；　that　you　have　invited　us　to　call　on　you
in　order　to　tell　us　that　we　may　go　again？〃　asked　Panin；　frowning。

〃I　am　in　despair；　gentlemen；　at　this　unfortunate　coincidence；〃　said
Count　Haugwitz；　anxiously。　〃It　is；　however；　impossible　for　me　now　to
enter　into　further　explanations。　I　must　repair　immediately　to　the
palace；　and　I　humbly　beg　your　pardon　for　this　unexpected
interruption　of　our　conference。〃

〃I　accept　your　apology　as　sincerely　as　it　was　offered；　and　have　the
honor　to　bid　you　farewell；〃　said　Panin；　bowing　and　turning　toward
the　door。

Count　Haugwitz　hastened　to　accompany　him。　When　he　arrived　at　the
door；　and　was　about　to　leave　the　room；　Count　Panin　turned　around
once　more。

〃Count　Haugwitz；〃　he　said；　in　a　blunt　voice；　〃be　kind　enough　to　call
the　attention　of　the　king　to　the　fact　that　my　imperial　master；　who
is　very　fond　of　resolute　men　and　measures；　prefers　an　open　and
resolute　enemy　to　a　neutral　and　irresolute　friend。　He　who　wants　to
be　no　one's　enemy　and　everybody's　friend；　will　soon　find　out　that　he
has　no　friends　whatever；　and　that　no　one　thanks　him　for　not
committing　himself　in　any　direction。　It　is　better　after　all　to　have
a　neighbor　with　whom　we　are　living　in　open　enmity；　than　one　on　whose
assistance　we　are　never　able　to　depend；　and　who；　whenever　we　are　at
war　with　a　third　power；　contents　himself　with　doing　nothing　at　all
and　assisting　no　one。　Be　kind　enough　to　say　that　to　his　majesty。〃

He　bowed　haughtily；　and　entered　the　anteroom　with　a　sullen　face。

Count　Haugwitz　turned　around　and　met　the　stern；　cold　glance　of　the
English　ambassador；　who　was　also　approaching　the　door　with　slow　and
measured　steps。

〃Count　Haugwitz；〃　said　Lord　Grenville。　quietly；　〃I　have　the　honor　to
tell　you　that；　in　case　the　King　of　Prussia　will　not　now；　distinctly
and　unmistakably；　declare　his　intention　of　joining　the　coalition
between　Russia；　Austria；　and　England；　we　shall　use　the　subsidies　we
had　promised　to　pay　to　Prussia　for　an　army　of　twenty…five　thousand
men；　in　some　other　way。　Besides；　I　beg　you　to　remind　his　majesty　of
the　words　of　his　great　ancestor；　the　Elector　Frederick　William。　That
brave　and　great　sovereign　said：　'I　have　learned　already　what　it
means　to　be　neutral。　One　may　have　obtained　the　best　terms；　and；　in
spite　of　them；　will　be　badly　treated。　Hence　I　have　sworn　never　to　be
neutral　again；　and　it　would　hurt　my　conscience　to　act　in　a　different
manner。'　＇Footnote：　Hausser's　〃History　of　Germany；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。
281。＇　I　have　the　honor；　count；　to　bid　you　farewell。〃

And　Lord　Grenville　passed　the　count　with　a　stiff　bow；　and
disappeared　in　the　door　of　the　anteroom。

Count　Haugwitz　heaved　a　profound　sigh；　and　wiped　off　the
perspiration　pearling　in　large　drops　on　his　brow。　He　then　took　the
king's　letter　from　his　side…pocket　and　perused　it　once　more。　〃It　is
the　king's　handwriting；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head；　〃and　it　is　also
his　peculiar　laconic　style。〃　And；　as　if　to　satisfy　himself　by
hearing　the　contents　of　the　letter；　he　read　aloud：

〃Do　not　enter　into　any　negotiations　with　the　ambassadors　of　Russia
and　Great　Britain。　We　will　hold　another　council　of　war。　I　am　on　my
way　to　Berlin。　Within　an　hour　after　receipt　of　these　lines；　I　shall
expect　to　see　you　in　my　cabinet。　Yours；　affectionately；〃

〃Frederick　William。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　the　king　has　written　that；〃　said　Haugwitz；　folding　the
letter；　〃I　must　hastily　dress；　therefore；　and　repair　to　the　palace。
I　am　anxious　to　know　whence　this　new　wind　is　blowing；　and　who　has
succeeded　in　persuading　the　king　to　change　his　mind。　Should　my　old
friend；　Kockeritz；　after　all；　be　favorable　to　France？　It　would　have
been　better　for　him　to　inf