louisa of prussia and her times-第76节

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there；　and　had　only　come　because　the　queen　had　expressly　ordered　it
so。　But　what　did　her　beautiful　majesty　care　that　a　German　writer　was
vainly　waiting　for　a　smile　of　her　affability；　and　a　gracious　nod　of
her　lovely　head？　The　French　envoy　was　by　far　more　important　than　all
of　us。　For　the　sake　of　the　Frenchman；　even　'Madame　Etiquette；'　the
Countess　von　Voss；　mistress　of　ceremonies；　had　been　silenced；　and
the　plain　adjutant　of　the　first　consul　was　received　with　as　much
distinction　as　if　he　were　a　minister　plenipotentiary；　while　he　only
came　as　the　simple　agent　for　a　private　individual。　They　asked　him　to
tell　them　about　the　battle　of　the　Pyramids；　about　the　battles　of
Mount　Tabor　and　Aboukir；　and　the　whole　court　listened　to　him　with　a
suspense　as　though　Bonaparte's　adjutant　were　preaching　a　new　gospel。
Whenever　he　paused　in　his　narrative；　the　queen；　with　her　fascinating
smile；　constantly　addressed　new　questions　to　him；　and　praised　the
achievements　of　General　Bonaparte　as　though　he　were　the　Messiah　sent
into　the　world　to　deliver　it　from　the　evils　of　war！　In　short；　he　had
a　perfect　success；　and　at　last；　by　means　of　an　adroit　trick；　he
managed　to　render　it　as　magnificent　as　possible。　The　queen　told
General　Duroc　of　our　German　customs；　and　informed　him　that　this　was
the　day　on　which　the　Germans　everywhere　made　presents　to　each　other；
and　that　gifts　were　laid　under　Christmas…trees；　adorned　with　burning
tapers。　At　that　moment　Duroc　turned　to　the　king；　and　said；　with　his
intolerable　French　amiability：　'Sire；　if　this　is　the　day　of
universal　presents　in　Germany；　I　believe　I　will　be　courageous　enough
to…day　to　ask　your　majesty　for　a　present　in　the　name　of　the　first
consul；　General　Bonaparte；　if　your　majesty　will　permit　me　to　do　so。'
The　king；　of　course；　gave　him　the　desired　permission；　and　Duroc
continued：　'Sire；　the　present　for　which　I　am　to　ask　your　majesty；　in
the　name　of　the　first　consul；　is　a　bust　of　your　great　ancestor；
Frederick　the　Second。　The　first　consul　recently　examined　the　statues
in　the　Diana　Gallery　at　the　Tuileries；　there　were　the　statues　of
Caesar　and　Brutus；　of　Coriolanus　and　Cicero；　of　Louis　XIV。　and
Charles　V。；　but　the　first　consul　did　not　see　the　statue　of　Frederick
the　Great；　and　he　deems　the　collection　of　the　heroes　of　ancient　and
modern　times　incomplete　as　long　as　it　does　not　embrace　the　name　of
Frederick　the　Great。　Sire；　I　take　the　liberty；　therefore；　to　ask
you；　in　the　name　of　France；　for　a　bust　of　Frederick　the　Great！'〃
＇Footnote：　Historical。＇

〃Very　adroit；　indeed；〃　said　Marianne；　smiling；　〃these　republicans
seem　to　be　excellent　courtiers。〃

〃Yes；　very　adroit！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　〃the　whole　court　was　in　ecstasy
at　this　tremendous　flattery；　at　this　compliment　paid　by　the　great
republic　to　little　Prussia；　but　I　could　not　stand　it　any　longer　in
those　halls；　and　in　the　presence　of　these　fawning　Germans；　and　I
hastened　away　in　order　to　unbosom　to　you　my　rage；　my　indignation；
and　my　grief。　Oh；　my　fair　friend；　what　is　to　become　of　Germany；　and
what　will　be　the　end　of　all　these　troubles？　Ruin　is　staring　us　in
the　face；　and　we　do　not　see　it；　we　are　rushing　toward　the　precipice；
and　must　fall　a　prey　to　France；　to　this　wolf　in　sheep's　clothing；
which　will　caress　and　pet　us　until　it　will　be　able　to　devour　us！〃　〃I
like　to　hear　you　talk　in　this　strain；〃　said　Marianne；　joyfully。
〃That　is　again　the　friend　of　my　heart；　who　is　now　talking　to　me。
Listen　to　me。　I　have　to　communicate　news　to　you；　too；　and　you　must
not　be　surprised　if　I　reply　to　your　important　political　intelligence
by　a　reference　to　my　petty　personal　interests。　But　there　is　a
connection　between　them；　and　you　will　see　it　by　and　by。　Listen；
then；　to　the　news　concerning　myself。〃

〃Yes；　Marianne；〃　said　Gentz；　kneeling　down　before　her；　and　leaning
his　head　upon　her　knees；　〃yes；　tell　me　about　yourself；　my　beautiful
fairy　queen；　lull　my　political　pains　a　little　by　the　magic　song
which　is　flowing　from　your　red　lips　like　a　fresh　source　of　love。　Oh；
my　charming　princess；　now　that　I　am　looking　up　into　your　radiant
face；　I　feel　a　burning　shame　that　I　should　have　desecrated　the
delightful　moments　I　passed　by　your　side　by　such　trivial　complaints
about　the　misery　of　German　politics。　What　have　we　to　do　with
politics？　What　do　we　care　if　Germany　is　going　to　be　ruined？　Apres
nous　le　deluge！　Let　us　enjoy　the　bliss　of　the　fleeting　hour！〃

Marianne　played　smilingly　with　her　slender　fingers；　covered　with
sparkling　diamond　rings；　in　his　hair；　and　looked　upon　him　with　a
wondrous　air。

〃Enthusiast！〃　she　said；　〃now　an　ardent　politician；　then　an
impassioned　lover；　and　ready　at　all　hours　to　exchange　one　role　for
the　other！　Will　you　not　listen　to　my　news？　My　quarrel　with　my　dear
brother…in…law；　Henry　XV。；　is　ended；　we　have　come　to　an　agreement。〃

〃And　I　hope　my　sagacious　and　prudent　Marianne　has　subdued　her　proud
and　bold　heart　this　time；　and　had　a　little　regard　for　her
advantage；〃　replied　Gentz。　〃A　woman　as　beautiful　and　radiant　as
Marianne　Meier　needs　no　empty　aristocratic　title；　for　your　beauty
makes　you　the　queen　of　the　world；　but　you　need　wealth　in　order　to
add　power　to　your　beauty；　and　to　adorn　it　with　a　cloak　glittering
with　gold　and　purple。　Well；　my　queen；　are　you　again　Marianne　Meier
and　a　millionaire　besides？〃

〃What　a　fool！〃　she　exclaimed；　proudly；　〃what　a　fool　you　are　to
believe　I　would　crawl　back　into　the　Jews'　quarter　and　expose　myself
to　the　sneers　of　my　enviable　friends！　No；　my　friend；　money　and
beauty　are　insufficient　for　those　who　desire　to　play　a　role　in　the
world；　they　stand　in　need　of　rank　and　titles；　too；　for　these　are　the
magic　words　opening　to　us　the　doors　of　royal　palaces；　and　placing　us
on　a　par　with　the　privileged　and　inacessible。　I；　for　one；　want　to
play　my　role　in　the　world；　hence　I　must　have　a　distinguished　title。
It　is　true　I　also　stand　in　need　of　wealth；　and　by　means　of　a　skilful
arrangement　I　have　secured　both。　The　mote　in　my　Jewish　eye　appearing
to　my　aristocratic　relatives　like　a　very　large　beam；　I　have　yielded
and　renounced　the　title　of　a　Princess　von　Reuss；　but；　in　spite　of
that；　I　remain　a　princess　and　retain　the　title　of　highness。　The
prince；　my　brother…in…law；　has　given　me　a　splendid　estate　in　fee…
simple；　the　annual　revenues　of　which　amount　to　no　less　than　twenty
thousand　dollars；　in　return；　however；　I　surrender　to　him　the　family
diamonds；　this　palace；　the　carriages　with　the　coat…of…arms　of　the
Reuss　family；　the　horses　and　liveries；　and　last；　the　name　and　title
of　a　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss。〃

〃And　now；　like　all　the　fairies　in　the　children's　books；　you　are　a
wondrous　child　without　name　and　rank；　but　showering　with　your　snowy
hands　golden　suns　and　glittering　stars　upon　mankind？〃

〃No；　I　am　no　nameless　woman　now；　but　I　adopt　the　name　of　my　estate
of　Eibenberg；　and　from　this　day　forward　I　shall　be　the　Princess
Marianne　of　Eibenberg；　the　Emperor　of　Germany　himself　having
recognized　my　new　title。　The　documents；　signed　by　the　emperor
himself；　are　on　the　table　there。　The　prince　brought　them　to　me　to…
day　as　a　Christmas…present。　Now；　my　friend；　my　real　life　is　to
commence；　I　have　acquired　wealth　and　a　distinguished　name。　The　poor
Jewess；　the　daughter　of　the　Ghetto；　has　moved　into　the　palace　of　the
aristocracy　and　become　a　princess。〃

〃And　I　will　be　the　first　to　do　you　homage　as　though　you　were　my
princess　and　queen！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　〃the　first　who　will　call
himself　your　vassal。　Come；　my　princess；　let　me　place　the　sweet　yoke
upon　my　neck；　let　my　forehead　touch　the　ground　on　which　you　are
walking；　place　your　foot　upon　my　neck；　so　that　I　may　feel　the　sweet
burden　of　your　rule。〃

And　bending　down　his　head　until　his　brow　touched　the　floor；　he
placed　her　tiny　foot；　encased　in　a　beautiful　silken　shoe；　upon　his
neck。　Marianne　did　not　interfere　with　him；　but　looked　down　on　him
with　a　proud；　triumphant　smile。

〃You　lie　at　my　feet；　Frederick　Gentz；〃　she　said；　〃nevertheless　I
will　lift　you　up　to　me；　you　shall　stand　by　my　side；　my　equal；　famous
and　great　as　you　ought　to　be；　owing　to　your　genius！　But　a　truce　to
tender　trifling；　my　friend；　both　of　us　have　to　accomplish　great
purposes；　and　our　thoughts　and　actions　should　be　grave　and　stern。
Come；　rise　from　your　knees；　my　vassal；　you　shall　be　a　prince　by　my
side；　and　we　will　rule　the　world　together。〃

She　withdrew　her　foot　from　his　neck；　but　Gentz　seized　it　with　both
hands　and　kissed　it。　He　then　quickly　rose　from　his　knees；　and　drew
himself　up　to　his　full　height；　looking　at　her　sternly　and　almost
angrily。

〃You　have　often　told　me　that　you　loved　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　was　a
lie；　you　do　not　understand　love；　your　heart　is　cold　and　your　senses
are　silent；　only　your　pride　speaks。〃

〃It　is　possible　that　you　are　right；〃　she　replied；　〃but；　in　that
case；　I　love　you　with　my　pride　and　with　my　mind；　and　that　is　worth
something；　at　all　events。　I　want　to　see　you　honored；　famous；　and
influential；　is　not　that　also　love？〃

〃No；　it　is　a　mockery！〃　ejaculated　Gentz；　mournfully。　〃It　is　malice；
for　you　see　I　am　a　poor；　despised　man；　without　money；　without　fame；
without　rank；　a　miserable　military　counsellor；　outranked　by　every
private　counsellor；　and　persecuted　day　by　day　by　my　creditors；　as　if
they　were　v