louisa of prussia and her times-第78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！


victories　into　defeats；　while　they　render　our　checks　in　the　same　way
only　more　disastrous　and　decisive。　I　am　entirely　opposed　to　placing
any　more　archdukes　at　the　head　of　our　armies。　Fortunately；　I　have
succeeded　in　getting　rid　of　Archduke　Charles；　and　I　hope　that
Archduke　John；　too；　will　be　badly　beaten　at　no　distant　period；　so
that　we　may　remove　him；　like　his　brother；　from　his　position　at　the
head　of　his　troops。　It　will　never　do。　Well〃　he　interrupted　himself
in　his　soliloquy；　casting　an　angry　glance　on　his　private　secretary；
Hudlitz；　who　was　just　entering　the　room〃well；　why　do　you　disturb
me　without　being　called　for？〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　excellency；〃　said　Hudlitz；　humbly；　〃but　your
excellency　had　instructed　me　to　inform　you　immediately　of　the
arrival　of　the　custodian　of　the　imperial　library；　whom　your
excellency　had　sent　for。〃

〃And　he　is　there　now？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃Yes；　your　excellency；　Mr。　Muller；　the　aulic　councillor　and
custodian　of　the　imperial　library　is　waiting　in　the　anteroom。〃

〃Admit　him；　then；　〃said　Thugut；　waving　his　hand　toward　the　door。

Hudlitz　limped　out；　and　a　few　minutes　later　the　announced　visitor
appeared　on　the　threshold　of　the　door。　He　was　a　little；　slender　man；
with　a　stooping　form；　which　had　not　been　bent；　however；　by　the
burden　of　years；　but　by　the　burden　of　learning；　of　night…watches　and
untiring　studies。　His　head；　covered　with　a　pig…tail　wig；　according
to　the　fashion　of　that　period；　was　slightly　bent　forward。　His
expansive　forehead　was　indicative　of　the　philosophical　turn　of　his
mind；　his　large　eyes　were　beaming　with　deep　feeling；　his　pleasing；
yet　not　handsome　features；　were　expressive　to　an　almost　touching
degree；　of　infinite　gentleness　and　benevolence；　and　a　winning　smile
was　playing　constantly　on　his　thin　lips。

This　smile；　however；　disappeared　now　that　he　felt　the　small；
piercing　eyes　of　the　minister　resting　upon　his　countenance。　Hat　in
hand；　and　without　uttering　a　word；　he　remained　standing　at　the　door；
he　only　raised　his　head　a　little；　and　his　eyes　were　fixed　on　the
minister　with　a　calm　and　proud　expression。

〃You　are　the　aulic　councillor；　Johannes　Muller？〃　asked　Thugut；　after
a　short　pause；　in　a　somewhat　harsh　voice。

〃Yes；　I　am　Johannes　Muller；〃　said　the　latter；　and　the　smile　had
already　returned　to　his　lips。　〃I　thank　your　excellency　for　this
salutary　question。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that；　sir？〃　asked　Thugut；　wonderingly。　〃Why　do
you　call　my　question　salutary？〃

〃Because　it　involves　a　good　lesson；　your　excellency；　and　because　it
informs　me　that　they　are　wrong　who；　from　motives　of　mistaken
benevolence；　would　persuade　me　that　I　was　a　well…known　person；　and
that　everybody　in　Vienna　was　familiar　with　my　name。　It　is　always
wholesome　for　an　author　to　be　reminded　from　time　to　time　of　his
insignificance　and　littleness；　for　it　preserves　him　from　giving　way
to　pride；　and　pride　is　always　the　first　symptom　of　mental
retrogradation。〃

Thugut　fixed　his　eyes　with　a　sullen　air　on　the　countenance　of　the
savant。　　〃Do　you　want　to　give　me　a　lesson？〃　he　asked；　angrily。

〃By　no　means；　your　excellency；〃　said　Johannes　Muller；　calmly；　〃I
only　wished　to　mention　the　reason　why　I　was　grateful　to　you　for　your
question。　And　now　I　trust　your　excellency　will　permit　me　the
questionto　what　am　I　indebted　for　the　honor　of　being　called　to
your　excellency？〃

〃Well；　I　wished　to　make　your　acquaintance；　Mr。　Aulic　Councillor；〃
said　Thugut。　〃I　wished　no　longer　to　remain　the　only　inhabitant　of
Vienna　who　had　not　seen　the　illustrious　historian　of　Switzerland　and
the　author　of　the　'Furstenbund。'　＇Footnote：　〃The　League　of　the
Princes；〃　one　of　the　celebrated　works　of　Johannes　von　Muller。＇　You
see；　sir；　I　know　your　works　at　least；　even　though　I　did　not　know
your　person。〃

〃And　your　excellency　did　not　lose　any　thing　by　not　knowing　the
latter；　for　it　is　a　person　that　is　not　worth　the　trouble　to　become
acquainted　with。　We　men　of　learning　are　less　able　to　speak　with　our
tongues　than　with　our　pens；　and　our　desk　alone　is　our　rostrum。〃

〃And　there　you　are　a　powerful　and　most　impressive　orator；　Mr。　Aulic
Councillor！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　in　a　tone　of　unaffected　and　cordial
praise。

An　air　of　joyful　surprise　overspread　the　gentle　face　of　Johannes
Muller；　and　he　cast　a　glance　of　heart…felt　gratitude　on　the
minister。

Thugut　noticed　this　glance。　〃You　are　surprised　that　I　am　able　to
appreciate　your　merits　so　correctly　and　yet　suffered　years　to　elapse
without　inviting　you　to　call　on　me？　I　am　a　poor　man；　overburdened
with　business　and　harassed　with　the　dry　details　of　my
administration；　and　the　direction　of　political　affairs　leaves　me　no
leisure　to　be　devoted　to　literature。〃

〃At　least　not　to　German　literature；〃　said　Muller；　quickly；　〃but
every　one　knows　your　excellency　to　be　a　profound　connoisseur　of
oriental　languages；　and　it　is　well　known；　too；　that　you　devote　a
great　deal　of　attention　to　them；　notwithstanding　the　immense　burden
of　business　constantly　weighing　you　down。〃

Thugut　smiled；　and　his　harsh　features　assumed　a　milder　expression。
Johannes　Muller；　without　intending　it　perhaps；　had　touched　the　chord
that　sounded　most　sweetly　to　Thugut's　ears；　he　had　flattered　him　by
referring　to　his　profound　oriental　studies。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃you　see　I　am　taking　likewise　a　lively　interest　in
German　literature；　for　I　invited　you　to　come　and　see　me；　and　you　are
a　German　author；　and　one　of　the　most　illustrious　at　that。　Now；　sir；
let　us　speak　frankly　and　without　circumlocution；　as　two　men　of
science　ought　to　do。　Let　us　mutually　forget　our　titles　and　official
positions；　and　chat　confidentially　with　each　other。　Come；　my　dear
sir；　let　us　sit　down　in　these　two　arm…chairs　and　talk　like　two
German　gentlemen；　that　is；　frankly　and　sincerely。　Nobody　is　here　to
hear　us；　and　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor　nobody　shall　learn　a　word
of　what　we　are　going　to　say　to　each　other。　Perfect　irresponsibility
and　impunity　for　every　thing　that　will　be　spoken　during　this
interview。　Are　you　content　with　this；　and　will　you　promise　me　to
open　your　mind　freely　to　me？〃

〃I　promise　it；　your　excellency；　and　shall　reply　truthfully　and
fearlessly　to　whatever　questions　you　may　address　to　me；　provided　I
am　able　to　tell　you　the　truth。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Thugut；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Every　thing
has　two　sides；　and　both　are　true　according　to　the　stand…point　from
which　one　is　looking　at　them。　You　have　two　sides　yourself；　sir；　and
they　are　contrasting　very　strangely　with　each　other。　You　are　a
native　of　Switzerland；　and　yet　you　depict　the　Hapsburg　princes　in
your　works　with　more　genuine　enthusiasm　than　any　of　our　Austrian
historians。　You　are　a　republican；　and　yet　you　are　serving　a
monarchy；　the　forms　of　which　seem　to　agree　with　you　exceedingly
well。　You　belong　to　the　orthodox　reformed　church；　and　yet　you　have
written　'The　Voyages　of　the　Popes；'　and　'The　Letters　of　Two　Catholic
Prelates。'　You　are　a　friend　of　justice；　and　yet　you　have　even
discovered　good　and　praiseworthy　qualities　in　that　tyrannous　King　of
France；　Louis　XI。　Now　tell　me；　sir；　which　is　your　true　side；　and
what　you　really　are？〃

〃I　am　a　man；〃　said　Johannes　Muller；　gently；　〃I　commit　errors　and
have　my　failings　like　all　men；　my　heart　is　vacillating；　but　not　my
head。　With　my　head　I　am　standing　above　all　parties；　and　above　all
individual　feelings；　hence　I　am　able　to　write　'The　Voyages　of　the
Popes；'　and　'The　Letters　of　Two　Catholic　Prelates；'　although；　as
your　excellency　stated；　I　am　a　member　of　the　orthodox　reformed
church；　and　hence　I　am　able　to　praise　the　Hapsburgs　and　serve　a
monarchy；　although　I　am　a　republican。　But　my　heart　does　not　stand
above　the　contending　parties；　my　heart　loves　mankind；　and　takes　pity
on　their　failings；　hence　it　is　able　to　discover　praiseworthy
qualities　even　in　Louis　XI。　of　France；　for　in　the　BAD　king；　it
constantly　follows　the　vestiges　of　the　man　whom　nature　created　good
and　humane。〃

〃Those　are　the　views　of　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；
contemptuously；　〃but　these　views　are　inapplicable　to　the　world　and
to　practical　life；　he　who　desires　to　derive　advantages　from　men；
first；　of　all　things；　must　avail　himself　of　their　bad　qualities　and
flatter　them。　To　hold　intercourse　with　perfectly　virtuous　men　is
tedious　and　unprofitable；　fortunately；　however；　there　are　very　few
of　them。　I　should　have　no　use　whatever　for　such　patterns　of　virtue；
and；　instead　of　admiring　them；　I　should　try　to　annihilate　them。　He
who　is　to　be　a　welcome　tool　for　me；　must　either　have　a　stain　by
which　I　may　catch　him　at　the　slightest　symptom　of　disobedience；　like
an　insect　tied　to　a　string；　and　draw　him　back　to　me；　or　he　must　be
so　narrow…minded　and　ignorant　as　not　to　understand　me　fully；　and　to
be　unable　to　divine　and　penetrate　my　hidden　thoughts　and
intentions。〃　＇Footnote：　Thugut's　own　words。Vide　Hormayer；
〃Lebensbilder　aus　dein　Befreiungskrieg；〃　voi。　i。；　p。　322。＇

〃In　that　case　I　must　hope　never　to　be　a　welcome　tool　of　your
excellency；〃　said　Muller；　gravely。

〃Are　you　so　sure　of　your　virtue？　Are　you　unconscious　of　any　stain　on
your　character？〃

〃If　principles　be　virtue；　yes；　in　that　case　I　am　sure　of　my　virtue；〃
said　Muller；　calmly。　〃I　shall　never　be　unfaithful　to　my　principl