louisa of prussia and her times-第71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！


friend；　Kockeritz；　after　all；　be　favorable　to　France？　It　would　have
been　better　for　him　to　inform　me　confidentially；　and　we　might　have
easily　agreed；　for　I　am　by　no　means　hostile　to　France；　and　I　am
quite　ready　to　vote　for　peace；　if　there　be　a　chance　to　maintain　it。
Or　should　the　young　king　really　have　come　to　this　conclusion　without
being　influenced　by　anybody？　Why；　that　would　be　a　dangerous
innovation！　We　should　take　quick　and　decisive　steps　against　it。
Well；　we　will　see！　I　will　go　and　dress。〃




CHAPTER　XXXII。

THE　FRIEND　OF　PEACE。


The　king；　with　his　wonted　punctuality；　had　reached　Berlin　precisely
at　the　specified　time；　and　when　Count　Haugwitz　arrived　at　the　palace
he　was　immediately　conducted　to　the　king；　who　was　waiting　for　him　in
his　cabinet。

Count　Haugwitz　exchanged　a　rapid　glance　with　Baron　Kockeritz；　who
was　standing　in　a　bay　window；　and　then　approached　the　king；　who　was
pacing　the　room　with　slow　steps　and　a　gloomy　air。

He　nodded　to　the　minister；　and　silently　continued　his　promenade
across　the　room　for　some　time　after　his　arrival。　He　then　stepped　to
his　desk；　which　was　covered　with　papers　and　documents；　and　sitting
down　on　a　plain　cane　chair　in　front　of　it；　he　invited　the　gentlemen
to　take　seats　by　his　side。

〃The　courier　reached　you　in　time；　I　suppose？〃　he　said；　turning　to
Count　Haugwitz。

〃Your　majesty；　your　royal　letter　reached　me　while　holding　a
conference　with　the　ambassadors　of　Russia　and　Great　Britain；　and
just　when　I　was　about　to　inform　them　of　your　majesty's　resolution　to
join　the　coalition。〃

〃You　had　not　done　so；　then？〃　asked　the　king；　hastily。　〃It　was　your
first　conference；　then？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　it　was　our　first　conference。　I　invited　the
ambassadors　immediately　after　my　return　to　call　on　me。〃

〃It　took　you；　then；　two　weeks　to　travel　from　Minden　to　Berlin！〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　two　weeks。〃

〃And　yet　these　gentlemen　are　in　favor　of　an　advance　of　the　army！〃
exclaimed　the　king；　vehemently。　〃Yes；　if　all　of　my　soldiers　were
encamped　directly　on　the　frontier　of　Holland　and　had　their　base　of
supplies　there！　But　in　order　to　send　a　sufficient　army　to　Holland；　I
should　have　to　withdraw　a　portion　of　my　soldiers　from　the　provinces
of　Silesia　and　Prussia。　They　would　have　to　march　across　Westphalia；
across　the　same　Westphalia　where　it　took　you　with　your　carriage　two
weeks　to　travel　from　Minden　to　Berlin。　And　my　soldiers　have　no　other
carriages　but　their　feet。　They　would　stick　in　that　dreadful　mire　by
hundreds　and　thousands；　they　would　perish　there　of　hunger；　and　that
march　would　cost　me　more　men　than　a　great；　decisive　battle。　I　had
given　you　my　word　that　I　would　join　the　coalition；　Count　Haugwitz；　I
had　even　authorized　you　to　negotiate　with　the　ambassadors　of　Russia
and　Great　Britain；　but　on　the　road　to　Wesel　I　was　obliged　to　change
my　mind。　Ask　Baron　Kockeritz　what　we　had　to　suffer　on　the　first　day
of　our　journey；　and　how　far　we　had　got　after　twelve　hours'
travelling。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　it　was　a　terrible　trip；〃　said　General　von　Kockeritz；
heaving　a　sigh。　〃In　spite　of　the　precautions　of　the　coachman；　his
majesty's　carriage　was　upset　five　times　in　a　single　day；　and　finally
it　stuck　so　firmly　in　the　mud　that　we　had　to　send　for　assistance　to
the　neighboring　villages　in　order　to　set　it　going　once　more。　We　were
twelve　hours　on　the　road；　and　made　only　three　German　miles　during
that　time。〃

〃And　we　had　to　stop　over　night　in　a　miserable　village；　where　we
scarcely　found　a　bed　to　rest　our　bruised　and　worn…out　limbs；〃　said
the　king；　indignantly。　〃And　I　should　expose　my　army　to　such　fatigues
and　sufferings！　I　should；　heedless　of　all　consideration　of　humanity；
and　solely　in　obedience　to　political　expediency；　suffer　them　to
perish　in　those　endless　marshes；　that　would　destroy　the　artillery
and　the　horses　of　the　cavalry。　And　all　that　for　what　purpose？　In
order　to　drag　Prussia　violently　into　a　war　which　might　be　avoided　by
prudence　and　by　a　sagacious　reserve；　in　order　to　hasten　to　the
assistance　of　other　powers　not　even　threatened　by　France；　and　only
in　return　to　draw　upon　ourselves　her　wrath　and　enmity！〃

〃But　at　the　same　time　the　sympathies　of　all　Europe；〃　said　General
von　Kockeritz；　eagerly。　〃Your　majesty　has　permitted　me　to　speak　my
mind　at　all　times　openly　and　honestly；　and　I　must　therefore　persist
in　what　I　previously　said　to　you。　Now　or　never　is　the　time　for
Prussia　to　give　up　her　neutrality；　and　to　assume　a　decided　attitude。
France　has　placed　herself　in　antagonism　with　all　law　and　order；　and
with　all　treaties　consecrated　by　centuries　of　faithful　observance；
she　is　threatening　all　monarchies　and　dynasties；　and　is　trying　to
win　over　the　nations　to　her　republican　ideas。　And　at　the　head　of
this　French　Republic　there　is　a　young　general；　whose　glory　is
filling　the　whole　world；　who　has　attached　victory　to　his　colors；　and
who　intoxicates　the　nations　by　his　republican　phrases　of　liberty　and
fraternity；　so　that；　in　their　mad　joy；　they　overturn　thrones；　expel
their　sovereigns；　and　awake　them　from　their　ecstasy　under　the
republican　yoke　of　France。　Your　majesty；　I　believe　it　to　be　the　duty
of　every　prince　to　preserve　his　people　from　such　errors；　and；
jointly　with　his　people；　to　raise　a　bulwark　against　the　evil　designs
of　France。　Austria　and　Russia　have　already　begun　this　holy　task；
their　heroic　armies　have　driven　back　on　all　sides　the　hosts　of　the
overbearing　French；　who　have　been　compelled　to　abandon　their
conquests　in　Italy　and　Switzerland。　If　your　majesty　should　join
England；　occupy　Holland；　restore　that　country　to　its　legitimate
sovereign；　and　menace　the　northern　frontier　of　France；　while　Austria
is　menacing　her　southern　frontier；　the　arrogance　of　the　republic
would　be　tamed；　the　overflowing　torrent　would　be　forced　back　into
its　natural　bed；　and　Europe　would　have　at　last　peace　and
tranquillity。〃

〃First　of　all；　every　one　ought　to　think　of　himself；〃　said　the　king；
sharply。　〃Prussia　has　hitherto　enjoyed　peace　and　tranquillity；　and　I
believe　it　to　be　my　principal　task　to　preserve　these　blessings　to　my
country。　I　am　no　ruler　hankering　after　glory　and　honors；　I　do　not
want　to　make　any　conquests；　nor　to　acquire　any　new　territory；　but　I
will　content　myself　with　the　humble　renown　of　having　fulfilled　my
duties　as　a　ruler　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　and　according　to　the
dictates　of　my　conviction；　as　the　father　and　friend　of　my　people。
Hence　I　have　not　dared　to　identify　my　name　with　that　of　my　great
ancestor；　Frederick　the　Second；　and　call　myself　Frederick　the　Third；
for　a　name　imposes　obligations；　and　I　know　very　well　that　I　am　no
hero　and　genius；　like　Frederick　the　Great。　I　assumed；　therefore；　the
name　of　Frederick　William；　as　the　successor　of　my　peaceable　father；
Frederick　William　the　Second。　It　is　true；　Frederick　William　the
Second　has　waged　a　war　against　France；　but　precisely　that　war　has
satisfied　me　that　a　war　with　France　may　involve　Prussia　in　the
greatest　dangers　and　calamities。　I　participated　in　the　campaign　of
1792；　gentlemen；　and　I　must　honestly　confess　that　I　feel　little
inclination　to　resume　a　war　which；　at　best；　will　only　produce
sacrifices　for　us；　and　no　reward　whatever。〃

〃There　is　a　reward；　however；　your　majesty；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；
solemnly。　〃It　is　the　preservation　of　the　thrones；　and　of　monarchical
principles。　We　cannot　fail　to　perceive　that　the　thrones　are　being
menaced；　and　those　republics　of　America；　France；　and　Italy　are
teaching　the　nations　very　dangerous　lessonsthe　lessons　of　self…
government　and　popular　sovereignty。　That　insatiable　General
Bonaparte　has　attached　these　two　words　to　his　colors；　and　if　the
princes　do　not　combat　him　with　united　strength；　and　try　to　take
those　colors　from　him；　he　will　soon　carry　them　into　the　midst　of　all
nations；　who　will　rapturously　hail　him；　and　desire　to　follow　the
example　of　France。〃

〃I　have　no　fears　for　myself；〃　said　the　king；　calmly；　〃but　even　if　I
should　be　so　unfortunate　as　to　be　obliged　to　doubt　the　love　and
fidelity　of　my　people；　the　thought　of　my　personal　safety　and　of　the
fate　of　my　dynasty　ought　not　to　exert　a　decisive　influence　upon　my
resolutions　concerning　the　welfare　of　my　country。　I　told　you　before；
I　want　to　be　the　father　of　my　country；　a　good　father　always　thinks
first　of　the　welfare　of　his　children；　and　tries　to　promote　it；　only
when　he　has　succeeded　in　doing　so　he　thinks　of　himself。〃

〃A　good　father　ought　to　strive；　first　of　all；　to　preserve　himself　to
his　children；〃　exclaimed　Count　Haugwitz。　〃An　orphan　people　is　as
unfortunate　as　are　orphan　children。　Your　people　need　you；　sire；　they
need　a　wise　and　gentle　hand　to　direct　them。〃

〃And　yet　you　want　to　put　the　sword　in　my　hand；　and　that　I　should
lead　my　people　to　war　and　carnage；〃　said　the　king。

〃In　order　to　make　peace　bloom　forth　from　war　and　carnage；〃　said
Count　Haugwitz；　gravely。　〃The　bloody　monster　of　war　is　stalking　now
through　the　whole　world；　and；　as　it　cannot　be　avoided；　it　is　better
to　attack　it；　and　to　confront　it　in　a　bold　manner。　Russia；　Austria；
and　England　are　ready　to　do　so；　and　they　stretch　out　their　hands
toward　you。　Refuse　to　grasp　them；　and；　for　the　doubtful　and
dangerous　friendship　of　France；　you　will　have　gained　three　powerful
enemies