louisa of prussia and her times-第73节

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〃Your　majesty　alone　has　to　decide　the　whole　question；〃　said
Kockeritz；　solemnly。　〃Your　conviction　is　our　law；　and　we　submit　in
dutiful　obedience　to　your　majesty's　more　profound　sagacity。　It　is
for　you　to　command；　and　for　us　to　obey。〃

A　sudden　gleam　beamed　in　the　eyes　of　the　king；　and　a　deeper　blush
mantled　his　cheeks。　The　general　saw　it；　and　comprehended　it　very
well。

〃Moreover；〃　he　added；　with　downcast　eyes　and　with　an　air　of
confusion；　〃moreover；　I　have　to　make　a　confession　to　your　majesty　in
my　own　name　and　in　that　of　Count　Haugwitz。　While　trying　to　win　your
majesty　by　our　arguments　for　the　war　and　for　the　coalition；　it　has
happened　to　us　that　we　were　converted　by　the　arguments　your　majesty
adduced　against　the　war　and　against　the　coalition；　and　that　your
majesty　convinced　us　of　the　fallacy　of　our　opinion。　It　is；　perhaps；
very　humiliating　to　admit　that　our　conviction　has　veered　around　so
suddenly；　but　your　majesty's　convincing　eloquence〃

〃No；　not　my　poor　eloquence；　but　the　truth　has　convinced　you；〃
exclaimed　the　king；　joyfully；　〃and　I　thank　you　for　having　the　truly
manly　and　noble　courage　to　admit　that　you　were　mistaken　and　have
changed　your　mind。　I　am　grateful　to　Count　Haugwitz；　too；　and　I　shall
never　forget　this　generous　and　highly　honorable　confession　of　yours。
It　is　a　new　proof　for　me　that　you　are　faithful　and　reliable　friends
and　servants　of　mine；　men　who　are　not　ashamed　of　acknowledging　an
error；　and　who　care　more　for　the　welfare　of　the　state　than　for
carrying　their　own　point。　I　therefore　withdraw　my　previous
instructions。　I　shall　not　join　the　coalition。　Hasten　to　Haugwitz；　my
friend。　Tell　him　to　go　forthwith　to　the　Russian　ambassador　and
inform　him　that　my　army　will　not　assist　the　forces　of　the　coalition；
and　that　I　shall　take　no　part　whatever　in　the　war　against　France。
Haugwitz　is　to　say　the　same　to　the　English　ambassador；　and　to　inform
him　that　I　shall　not　claim　the　subsidy　of　six　million　dollars；　which
England　offered　to　pay　me　for　my　auxiliary　army。　Six　million
dollars！　I　believe　General　Tempelhof　was　right　when　he　said　the
siege　of　a　second…rate　fortress　would　cost　a　million　dollars；　and　in
Holland　we　should　have　to　take　more　than　ten　fortresses　from　the
stubborn　and　intrepid　French。　This　would　cost　as　more　than　ten
million　dollars；　and；　moreover；　we　should　have　to　use　up　the　powder
and　ammunition　destined　for　our　own　defence。　Those　six　million
dollars　that　England　would　pay　me　would　not　cover　our　outlay；　I
should　be　obliged　to　add　four　million　dollars　more；　and　to　shed　the
blood　of　my　brave　and　excellent　soldiers　without　obtaining；　perhaps；
even　the　slightest　advantage　for　Prussia。　Hasten；　general；　to
communicate　my　fixed　and　irrevocable　resolution　to　Count　Haugwitz。
Prussia　remains　neutral；　and　takes　no　part　whatever　in　the　war
against　France！〃

〃I　hasten　to　carry　out　your　majesty's　orders；〃　exclaimed　General　von
Kockeritz；　walking　toward　the　door；　〃and　I　know　that　Count　Haugwitz
will　submit　to　the　royal　decision　with　the　same　joyful　humility　and
obedience　as　myself。〃

The　king's　eyes　followed　him　with　an　expression　of　genuine　emotion。

〃He　is　a　faithful　and　honest　friend；〃　he　said；　〃and　that　is；　indeed；
a　rare　boon　for　a　king。　Ah；　I　have　succeeded；　then；　in　averting　this
bloody　thunder…cloud；　once　more　from　Prussia；　and　I　shall　preserve
the　blessings　of　peace　to　my　people。　And　now；　I　believe；　I　may　claim
some　credit　for　the　manner　in　which　I　have　managed　this　delicate
affair；　and　repose　a　little　from　the　cares　of　government。　I　will　go
to　Louisaher　sight　and　the　smiles　of　my　children　will　reward　me
for　having　done　my　duty　as　a　king。〃




CHAPTER　XXXIII。

THE　LEGITIMATE　WIFE。


The　Prince　von　Reuss；　Henry　XIV。；　Austrian　ambassador　at　Berlin；　had
died　an　hour　ago。　A　painful　disease　had　confined　him　to　his　bed　for
weeks；　and　Marianne　Meier　had　nursed　him　during　this　time　with　the
greatest　love　and　devotion。　She　had　never　left　his　bedside；　and　no
one　except　herself；　the　physicians；　and　a　few　servants　had　been
permitted　to　enter　the　sick…room。　The　brothers　and　nephews　of　the
prince；　who　had　come　to　Berlin　in　order　to　see　their　dying　relative
once　more；　had　vainly　solicited　this　favor。　The　physicians　had　told
them　that　the　suffering　prince　was　unable　to　bear　any　excitement；
there　being　great　danger　that　immediate　death　would　be　the
consequence　of　a　scene　between　them。

The　prince；　moreover；　had　sent　his　trusted　valet　de　chambre　to　his
brother；　and　informed　him；　even　if　he　were　entirely　well；　he　would
not　accept　the　visits　of　a　brother　who　had　shown　him　so　little
fraternal　love；　and　caused　him　so　much　grief　by　opposing　his
faithful　and　beloved　friend　Marianne　Meier　in　the　most　offensive　and
insulting　manner。

The　distinguished　relatives　of　the　prince；　therefore；　had　to　content
themselves　with　watching　his　palace　from　afar；　and　with　bribing　a
few　of　his　servants　to　transmit　to　them　hourly　reports　about　the
condition　of　the　patient。

And　now　Prince　Henry　XIV。　was　dead；　and　his　brother　was　his
successor　and　heir；　the　prince　having　left　no　legitimate　offspring。
It　was　universally　believed　that　he　had　never　been　married；　and　that
his　immense　fortune；　his　estates　and　titles；　would　devolve　on　his
brother。　It　is　true　there　was　still　that　mistress　of　his；　fair
Marianne　Meier；　to　whom　the　prince；　in　his　sentimental　infatuation；
had　paid　the　honors　of　a　legitimate　wife。　But；　of　course；　she　had　no
claims　whatever　to　the　inheritance；　it　would　be　an　act　of　generosity
to　leave　her　in　possession　of　the　costly　presents　the　prince　had
made　to　her；　and　to　pay　her　a　small　pension。

The　prince　had　hardly　closed　his　eyes；　therefore；　and　the　doctors
had　just　pronounced　him　dead；　when　his　brother；　now　Prince　Henry
XV。；　accompanied　by　a　few　lawyers；　entered　the　palace　of　the
deceased　in　order　to　take　possession　of　his　property；　and　to　have
the　necessary　seals　applied　to　the　doors。　However；　to　give　himself
at　least　a　semblance　of　brotherly　love；　the　prince　desired　first　to
repair　to　the　death…room；　and　to　take　a　last　leave　of　the　deceased。
But　in　the　anteroom　he　met　the　two　footmen　of　his　brother；　who　dared
to　stop　his　passage；　telling　him　that　no　one　was　allowed　to　enter。

〃And　who　dares　to　issue　such　orders？〃　asked　the　prince；　without
stopping　a　moment。

〃Madame　has　done　so；〃　said　the　first　valet　de　chambre。　〃Madame　wants
to　be　alone　with　the　remains　of　her　husband。〃

The　prince　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and；　followed　by　the　legal
gentlemen；　he　walked　to　the　door；　which　he　vainly　tried　to　open。

〃I　believe　that　woman　has　locked　the　door；〃　said　the　prince；
angrily。

〃Yes；　sir；　madame　has　locked　the　door；〃　said　the　valet　de　chambre；
〃she　does　not　want　to　be　disturbed　in　her　grief　by　mere　visits　of
condolence。〃

〃Well；　let　us　leave　her；　then；　to　her　grief；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；
with　a　sarcastic　smile。　〃Come；　gentlemen；　let　us　attend　to　our
business。　Let　us　take　an　inventory　of　the　furniture　in　the　several
rooms　and　then　seal　them。　You　may　be　our　guide；　valet。〃

But　the　valet　de　chambre　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　shook　his　head。
〃Pardon　me；　sir；　that　is　impossible。　His　highness；　our　late　prince
and　master；　several　days　ago；　when　he　felt　that　his　end　was　drawing
near；　caused　every　room　to　be　locked　and　sealed　by　the　first　attache
of　the　legation　in　the　presence　of　all　the　members　of　the　embassy。
The　keys　to　all　the　rooms；　however；　were　handed　by　order　of　the
prince　to　madame；　his　wife。〃

The　new　prince；　Henry　XV。；　turned　somewhat　uneasily　to　the　legal
gentlemen。

〃Have　we　a　right　to　open　the　doors　forcibly？〃

〃No；　that　would　be　contrary　to　law；〃　said　one　of　the　lawyers；　in　a
low　voice。　〃The　late　prince　has　doubtless　left　some　directions　in
relation　to　this　matter　and　intrusted　them　to　the　officers　of　the
legation。　Your　highness　ought　to　apply　to　those　gentlemen。〃

〃Is　the　first　attache　of　the　legation；　Baron　Werdern；　in　the
palace？〃　said　the　prince　to　the　valet　de　chambre。

〃No；　your　highness；　he　has　just　gone　out　with　a　few　other　gentlemen
of　the　legation　to　request　the　attendance　of　two　officers　of　the
law；　that　the　will　may　be　opened　and　read　in　their　presence。〃

〃My　brother　has　made　a　will；　then？〃　asked　the　prince；　in　a　somewhat
frightened　tone。

〃Yes；　your　highness；　and　he　laid　it；　in　the　presence　of　every　member
of　the　legation；　of　two　officers　of　the　law；　and　of　every　servant；
three　days　ago；　in　a　strong　box；　the　key　of　which　he　handed　to　the
officers　of　the　law；　when　the　box　was　deposited　in　the　archives　of
the　legation。〃

〃And　why　did　Baron　Werdern　go　now　for　the　officers　of　the　law？〃

〃In　order　to　request　their　attendance　in　the　palace；　the　late　prince
having　left　the　verbal　order　that　his　will　should　be　opened　two
hours　after　his　death。　The　baron　was　going　to　invite　your　highness
likewise　to　be　present。〃

〃Well；　let　us　wait　here　for　the　arrival　of　the　gentlemen；〃　said
Prince　Henry　XV。；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃It　seems　a　little
strange　to　me；　however；　that　I　must　wait　here　in　the　anteroom　like　a
supplicant。　Go　and　announce　my　visit　to　madame！〃

The　valet　de　chambre　bowed　and　left　the　room。　The　prince　called　the
two　lawyers　to　his　side。　〃What　do　you　think　of　th