louisa of prussia and her times-第95节

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their　conduct　may　be。　You　have　accepted　the　exalted　position　which
the　French　people　offered　to　you；　and　I　am　grateful　to　you　for　so
doing。　You　know　better　than　anybody　else　how　much　strength　and　power
are　required　to　secure　the　happiness　of　a　great　nation。　Save　France
from　her　own　fury；　and　you　will　have　fulfilled　the　foremost　and
greatest　desire　of　my　heart；　restore　her　king　to　her；　and　future
generations　will　bless　your　memory。　But　you　hesitate　very　long　to
give　my　throne　back　to　me；　and　I　almost　fear　you　will　allow　the
opportunity　to　pass　by　unimproved。　Hasten；　therefore；　and　designate
the　positions　you　desire　for　yourself　and　for　your　friends。　You　will
always　be　too　indispensable　to　the　state　for　me　ever　to　be　able　to
discharge　the　obligations　of　my　ancestors　and　my　own；　even　by　means
of　the　most　influential　positions。　My　character；　as　well　as　motives
of　sound　policy；　will　induce　me　to　pursue　a　liberal　course。　We　are
able　to　secure　the　happiness　of　France。　I　say　we；　for　you　cannot
secure　the　happiness　of　France　without　me；　and　I　cannot　do　any　thing
for　France　without　you。　General；　Europe　has　fixed　her　eyes　on　you；
and　immortal　glory　awaits　you。〃　＇Footnote：　This　letter　is
historical。Vide　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　vii。；　p。　393。＇

〃Always　the　same　strain；〃　muttered　Bonaparte；　〃always　the　story　of
the　column　surmounted　by　the　statue　of　the　First　Consul　crowning　the
Bourbons；　while　his　bleeding　corpse　is　to　be　the　foundation　of　the
column！〃

〃He　is　reflecting；〃　whispered　Josephine　to　the　princess。　〃That
shows；　at　least；　that　he　has　not　yet　made　up　his　mind　to　reject　the
offer　of　the　Count　de　Provence。〃

At　this　moment　Bonaparte　turned　toward　the　two　ladies　and　approached
them　rapidly。

〃Are　you　authorized　to　receive　my　reply？〃　he　asked；　turning　his
gloomy　eyes　toward　the　princess。

〃I　shall　feel　happy　and　honored　by　any　message　you　may　be　pleased　to
intrust　to　me；〃　said　Marianne。

Bonaparte　nodded　to　her。

〃Will　you　permit　me　to　write　a　letter　here；　Josephine？〃　he　asked。
Instead　of　making　a　reply；　Josephine　hastened　to　her　desk；　in　order
to　take　out　some　paper；　to　draw　a　chair　to　the　table；　and　then　to
hand　the　pen　to　Bonaparte；　with　a　fascinating　smile。　When　he
commenced　writing；　she　supported　herself　in　breathless　suspense　on
the　back　of　his　arm…chair　and　looked　over　the　Consul's　shoulder；
while　the　Princess　von　Eibenberg；　standing　not　far　from　them；　looked
at　both　with　sparkling　eyes。

Bonaparte　hastily　wrote　a　few　lines；　threw　the　pen　aside；　and
turning　around　to　Josephine；　he　handed　her　the　letter。

〃There；　read　it；〃　he　said；　〃and　read　it　aloud；　so　that　the　beautiful
emissary　of　your　M。　de　Bourbon　may　learn　my　reply；　and　know　the
contents　of　the　message　she　is　to　deliver　to　him。〃

Josephine　took　the　paper；　and　read；　in　a　tremulous　voice；　frequently
interrupted　by　her　sighs：

〃I　have　received　the　letter　of　your　royal　highness；　I　have
constantly　felt　a　lively　sympathy　for　you　and　for　the　misfortunes　of
your　family。　But　your　royal　highness　must　not　think　of　coming　to
France；　you　would　have　to　pass　over　a　hundred　thousand　corpses
before　reaching　it。　In　other　respects；　I　shall　constantly　take　pains
to　do　whatever　will　be　calculated　to　alleviate　your　condition　and　to
make　you　forget　your　misfortunes。〃

〃Well；　Josephine；　you　are　silent？〃　asked　Bonaparte；　when　she　ceased
reading。　〃You　are　dissatisfied　with　my　letter？　And　you；　too；　madame；
have　a　dark　shadow　on　your　beautiful　face！　How　could　you　expect
another　answer　from　me？〃

〃General；　I　believe　the　royal　princes　really　hoped　for　another
answer；〃　said　Marianne；　heaving　a　sigh。

〃And　what　justified　such　a　hope？〃　asked　Bonaparte；　sternly　〃What
have　I　done　to　give　rise　to　such　chimeras？〃

〃General；　the　favorable　answer　you　gave　to　Prussia〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Bonaparte；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃the　wind　is　blowing
in　that　direction；　then？　Prussia　asked　me　if　she　would　cause　us　any
trouble　by　tolerating　the　French　princes　within　her　boundaries。　I
replied　in　the　negative；　and　when　Prussia　went　further　and　asked
whether　we　should　feel　offended　or　not；　if　she　paid　an　annual
pension　to　the　Bourbons；　I　permitted　even　that　on　condition　that　the
princes　remained　quiet　and　did　not　carry　on　any　intrigues。　They
believed；　then；　that　because　I　suffered　distressed　persons　to　be
relieved　and　an　asylum　to　be　granted　to　the　homeless；　I　should　be
ready；　also；　to　make　the　beggars　masters　again；　and　to　lay　France　at
the　feet　of　the　exiles！〃

〃Bonaparte；　your　words　are　very　harsh　and　very　unjust；〃　exclaimed
Josephine；　sadly。

〃They　may　be　harsh；　but　they　are　true；〃　he　said；　sternly。　〃I　will
not　permit　them　to　entertain　any　illusions　concerning　myself；　hence
I　have　spoken　so　long　and　plainly。　It　would　be　harsh　and　cruel　to
hold　out　hopes　to　the　Bourbons　which　I　shall　never　fulfil。　France　is
lost　to　them；　and　they　will　never　recover　her。　State　that　to　the
princes　who　have　sent　you　to　me；　madame。　Let　the　Bourbons　be　on
their　guard；　for　France　is　wide　awake　and　keeps　her　eyes　and　ears
open。　I　am　willing　to　forgive　that　little　Duke　d'Enghien　for　not
considering　me　a　great　general；　and　for　criticising　my　exploits；　but
I　should　neither　forgive　him　nor　either　of　his　uncles　in　case　they
should　try　to　trouble　France　with　their　senseless　schemes。　I　know
that　the　Bourbons　have　long　been　trying　to　find　means　and　ways　to
reconquer　the　sceptre　of　St。　Louis。　So　long　as　their　schemes　are
floating　in　the　air　like　cobwebs；　I　forgive　them；　but　if　they　intend
to　act；　let　them　weigh　the　consequences！　He　who　menaces　France　is　a
traitor；　whatever　may　be　his　name；　and　traitors　will　be　punished　to
the　full　extent　of　the　law。　State　that　to　the　Bourbons；　madame；
state　it　especially　to　the　Duke　d'Enghien。　And　now　be　kind　enough　to
deliver　my　reply　to　the　Count　de　Provence。　When　do　you　intend　to
start？〃

〃In　a　few　days；　general。〃

〃Oh；　that　will　not　do。　That　poor　Count　de　Provence　will　be　eager　to
get　a　reply；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃and　it　would　be　very　cruel　not　to
transmit　it　to　him　as　soon　as　possible。　You　especially　will　not　wish
to　make　him　wait；　and　I　therefore　advise　you　to　set　out　to…day；
within　the　next　hour！　I　shall　issue　orders　that　horses　be　kept　in
readiness　for　you；　and　in　order　that　you　may　not　be　detained
anywhere；　I　shall　instruct　two　officers　to　escort　you　to　the
frontier。　Hasten；　therefore；　madame；　in　half　an　hour　everything　will
be　ready　for　your　departure。〃

He　nodded　to　her；　and　left　the　room。

The　two　ladies　were　alone　again　and　looked　at　each　other　with
mournful　eyes。　Marianne's　face　was　pale；　a　gloomy　fire　was　burning
in　her　eyes；　and　a　contemptuous　smile　was　visible　on　her　lips。
Josephine　seemed　greatly　embarrassed；　and　her　gentle　eyes　were
filled　with　tears。

〃I　am　to　be　transported　beyond　the　frontier　like　a　criminal！〃
ejaculated　Marianne　at　last；　in　a　voice　trembling　with　anger。　〃I　am
to　be　treated　like　a　dangerous　intriguer；　and　yet　I　have　only
delivered　a　letter　which　had　been　intrusted　to　me　by　the　king。〃

〃Forgive　him；〃　said　Josephine；　imploringly。　〃He　has　been　prejudiced
against　you；　and　the　numerous　plots　and　conspiracies；　which　have
already　been　discovered；　cause　him　to　deem　rigorous　precautions
altogether　indispensable。　But　I　beg　you　especially　not　to　be　angry
with　me；　and　pray　beseech　the　Count　de　Provence　not　to　hold　me
responsible　for　the　deplorable　message　you　are　to　deliver　to　him。　I
have　opened　my　heart　to　you；　and　you　know　it　to　be　filled　with　the
most　faithful　devotion　and　with　the　most　reverential　affection　for
the　unfortunate　prince；　but　I　am　not　strong　enough　to　change　his
fate；　I〃

Just　then　the　door　opened；　M。　de　Bourrienne；　chief　of　the　cabinet　of
the　First　Consul；　made　his　appearance　and　approached　the　princess
with　a　respectful　bow。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃the　First　Consul　sends　you　word　that　every　thing
is　ready　for　your　departure；　and　he　has　instructed　me　to　conduct　you
to　your　carriage。〃

Josephine　uttered　a　groan；　and；　sinking　down　on　a　chair；　she　covered
her　face　with　her　handkerchief　in　order　to　conceal　her　tears。

Marianne　had　now　recovered　her　proud　and　calm　bearing；　and　a　bold
and　defiant　smile　played　again　on　her　lips。　She　approached　Josephine
with　soft　and　quiet　steps。

〃Farewell；　madame；〃　she　said。　〃I　shall　faithfully　report　to　the
Count　de　Provence　every　thing　I　have　seen　and　heard　here；　and　he
will　venerate　and　pity　you　as　I　shall　always　do。　May　the　First
Consul　never　regret　what　he　is　doing　now；　and　may　he　not　be　obliged
one　day　to　leave　France　in　the　same　manner　as　he　compels　me　to
depart　from　Paris！　Come；　sir；　accompany　me；　as　it　cannot　be　helped！〃

And　drawing　herself　up　to　her　full　height　and　as　proud　as　a　queen；
Marianne；　princess　of　Eibenberg；　walked　toward　the　door。

Josephine　followed　her　with　her　tearful　eyes；　which　she　then　raised
to　heaven。　〃Oh；　my　God；　my　God；〃　she　whispered；　〃ordain　it　in　Thy
mercy　that　my　worst　forebodings　may　not　be　fulfilled！　Guide
Bonaparte's　heart　and　prevent　him　from　going　on　in　his　ambition；
from　stretching　out　his　hand　for　the　crown　of　the　Bourbons；　and　from
staining　his　glory　with　the　blood　ofOh；　Thou　knowest　my　fears；
Thou　knowest　what　I　mean；　and　what　my　lips　dar