louisa of prussia and her times-第97节

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glances；　how　many　sumptuous　dinners；　how　many　protestations　of
friendship　and　love…pledges；　how　many　festivals　and　pleasures　do　not
flash　forth　from　those　gold　pieces；　as　though　they　were　an　enchanted
mine！　As　a　good　general；　I　will　count　my　troops；　and　thus　enable
myself　to　draw　up　the　plans　of　my　battles。〃

A　long　pause　ensued。　Nothing　was　heard　but　the　music　of　the　gold
pieces；　which　the　traveller　arranged　in　long　rows　on　the　marble
table；　and　the　figures　which　he　muttered；　while　his　countenance　grew
every　moment　more　radiant。

〃Five　hundred　guineas！〃　he　exclaimed　joyfully；　〃that　sum　is
equivalent　to　three　thousand　three　hundred　and　thirty…three　dollars
in　Prussian　money；　there　are；　besides；　two　thousand…pound　notes　in
my　wallet；　amounting　to　over　thirteen　thousand　dollars；　which；
together　with　my　guineas；　will　amount　to　over　sixteen　thousand
dollars　cash。　Oh；　now　I　am　a　rich　man！　I　no　longer　need　deny　to
myself　any　wish；　any　enjoyment。　I　can　enjoy　life；　and　I　WILL　enjoy
it。　As　a　stream　of　enjoyment　and　delight　my　days　shall　roll　along；
and　to　enjoyment　glory　shall　be　added；　and　throughout　all　Germany　my
voice　shall　resound；　in　all　cabinets　it　shall　reecho；　and　to　the
destinies　of　nations　it　shall　point　out　their　channel　and　direction。
For　great　things　I　am　called；　and　great　things　will　I　accomplish。　I
will　not　allow　myself　to　be　used　by　these　lords　of　the　earth　as　a
journeyman；　to　whom　the　masters　assign　work　for　scanty　pay。　Their
equal　and　peer；　I　will　stand　by　their　side；　and　they　shall　recognize
it　as　a　favor　which　they　cannot　weigh　up　with　gold；　if　I　take　the
word　for　them　and　their　interests；　and　win　battles　for　them　with　my
pen。〃

There　was　a　gentle　knock　at　the　door；　and　quickly　he　threw　his
silken　handkerchief　over　the　gold　pieces　and　papers；　and　closed　the
cover　of　his　casket　before　he　gave　permission　to　enter。

It　was　only　a　few　waiters；　who　carried　a　well…spread　table；　in　the
midst　of　which　a　splendid　pheasant　stretched　its　brownish；　shining
limbs；　and　filled　the　whole　room　with　the　odor　of　the　truffles　with
which　it　was　stuffed。　By　its　side　shone；　in　crystal　bottles；　the
most　precious　Rhine　wine；　looking　like　liquid　gold；　and　a　silent；
still　undisclosed　pie　gave　a　presentiment　of　a　piquant　enjoyment。

The　traveller　sipped　the　several　odors　with　smiling　comfort；　and
took　his　place　at　the　table　with　the　full　confidence　that　he　would
be　able　to　fill　the　next　half　hour　of　his　life　with　enjoyment　and　to
advantage。

In　this　confidence　he　was　not　disappointed；　and　when　he　finally　rose
from　the　table；　on　which　nothing　but　bones　had　remained　of　the
pheasant；　and　nothing　but　the　bare　crust　of　the　pie；　his　countenance
beamed　with　satisfaction　and　delight。

The　waiters　made　haste　to　remove　the　table；　and　the　head　waiter　made
his　appearance　with　the　large　hotel　register；　in　which　he　asked　the
traveller　to　enter　his　name。

He　was　ready　for　it；　and　already　took　the　pen　to　write　his　name；
when　suddenly　he　uttered　a　cry　of　surprise；　and　excitedly　pointed
with　his　finger　to　the　last　written　line　of　the　book。

〃Is　this　gentleman　still　in　your　hotel；　or　has　he　already　left？〃　he
asked；　hastily。

〃No；　your　honor；　this　gentleman　arrived　only　an　hour　ago；　and　he
will　stay　here　to…night。〃　said　the　head　waiter。

〃Oh；　what　a　surprise；〃　said　the　traveller；　starting　up。　〃Come；
please　to　conduct　me　at　once　to　this　gentleman。〃

And；　with　impatient　haste；　he　ran　to　the　door；　which　the　head　waiter
opened　to　him。　But　upon　the　threshold　he　suddenly　stopped　and　seemed
to　pause。

〃Pray　wait　for　me　here　in　this　hall；　I　shall　follow　you
immediately；〃　he　said；　as　he　returned　to　his　room；　closed　its　door；
and　hastened　to　the　table　in　order　to　put　his　gold　and　his　papers
into　the　casket　and　to　lock　it。

In　the　mean　while；　the　traveller　in　the　small　room　of　the　second
floor　had　finished　his　frugal　meal；　and　was　now　occupied　with　making
up　his　account　and　entering　the　little　travelling　expenses　of　the
last　few　days　into　his　diary。

〃It　is　after　all　an　expensive　journey；〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃I
shall　hardly　have　a　few　hundred　florins　left　on　my　arrival　at
Berlin。　It　is　true　the　first　quarter　of　my　salary　will　at　once　be
paid　to　me；　but　one…half　of　it　I　have　already　assigned　to　my
creditors；　and　the　other　half　will　scarcely　suffice　to　furnish
decently　a　few　rooms。　Oh；　how　much　are　those　to　be　envied；　the
freedom　and　cheerfulness　of　whose　minds　are　never　disturbed　by
financial　troubles！〃

A　loud　knock　at　the　door　interrupted　him；　he　hastened　to　put　back
his　money　into　his　pocket…book；　when　the　door　was　hastily　opened　and
the　stranger　of　the　first　story　appeared　in　it　with　a　smiling
countenance。

〃Frederick　Gentz！〃　exclaimed　the　owner　of　the　room；　in　joyful
surprise。

〃Johannes　Muller！〃　smilingly　exclaimed　the　other；　running　up　to　him
with　outstretched　arms；　and　tenderly　embracing　the　little　man；　the
great　historian。　〃What　good　fortune　for　me；　my　friend；　that　I　put　up
at　this　hotel；　where　I　was　to　have　the　pleasure　of　meeting　you！
Accidentally　I　found　in　the　hotel　register　your　name；　and　at　once　I
rushed　to　welcome　you。〃

〃And　by　coming　you　afford　to　my　heart　a　true　joy；〃　tenderly　said
Johannes　Muller；　〃for　nothing　can　afford　a　greater　joy　than　the
unexpected　meeting　with　a　beloved　and　esteemed　friend；　and　you　know
you　are　both　to　me。〃

〃I　only　know　that　you　are　both　to　me！〃　exclaimed　Gentz。　〃I　only　know
that　during　my　present　journey　I　am　indebted　to　you　for　the　most
precious　hours；　for　the　most　sublime　enjoyments。　I　had　taken　along
for　my　reading　your　work　on　the　'Furstenbund'　（'Alliance　of
Princes'）。　I　wished　to　see　whether　this　book　which；　on　its　first
appearance；　so　powerfully　affected　me；　would　still　have　the　same
effect　upon　me　after　an　interval　of　twenty　years。　The　world　since
then　has　been　transformed　and　changed；　I　myself　not　less；　and　I　was
well　aware　how　far　my　views　on　many　most　important　topics　would
differ　from　yours。　This；　indeed；　I　found　to　be　the　case；　and　yet　the
whole　reading　was　for　me　an　uninterrupted　current　of　delight　and
admiration。　For　four　weeks　I　read　in　my　leisure　hours　nothing　but
this　book；　and　I　felt　my　mind　consecrated；　strengthened；　and　nerved
again　for　every　thing　great　and　good。〃

〃If　you　say　this；〃　exclaimed　Muller；　〃I　have　not　labored　in　vain；
although　a　German　author　feels　sometimes　tempted　to　believe　that　all
his　labors；　all　his　writing　and　thinking　were　useless　efforts；　and
nothing　but　seed　scattered　upon　barren　and　sterile　soil；　and　unable
to　bear　fruit。　Oh；　my　friend；　what　unfortunate　days　of　humiliation
and　disgrace　are　still　in　store　for　Germany！　But　let　us　not　talk　of
this　now；　but　of　you。　Come；　let　us　seat　ourselves　side　by　side　upon
this　divan。　And　now　tell　me　of　your　successes　and　your　glory。　The
report　of　it　has　reached　me；　and　I　have　learned　with　unenvying
delight　with　what　enthusiasm　the　whole　literary　and　political　world
of　England　has　received　you；　and　how　the　court；　the　ministers；　and
the　aristocracy　of　Loudon　have　celebrated　the　great　German　writer
and　politician。〃

〃It　is　true　I　have　met　in　Loudon　with　much　kindness　and　a　flattering
reception；〃　said　Gentz；　smilingly。　〃You　know　a　German　writer　must　go
abroad　if　he　lays　claim　to　recognition　and　reward；　for；　as　the
proverb　says；　'The　prophet　is　not　without　honor；　save　in　his　own
country。'　I　had；　therefore；　to　go　to　England　in　order　to　secure　for
my　voice；　which　until　then　was　little　heeded；　some　authority　even　in
Germany。〃

〃And　now；　when　you　have　so　eminently　succeeded　in　this；　you　return　I
hope　forever　to　Germany？〃

〃It　almost　seems　so。　I　follow　a　call　of　the　Austrian　minister；
Cobenzl；　and　have　been　appointed　in　Vienna　as　Aulic　councillor；　with
a　salary　of　four　thousand　florins。〃

〃And　in　which　ministry　will　you　work？〃

〃Not　in　any　particular　one。　I　have　been　engaged　for　extraordinary
services　exclusively；　with　no　other　obligation　than；　as　Minister　von
Cobenzl　expressly　writes；　to　work　by　my　writings　for　the　maintenance
of　the　government；　of　morals；　and　order。〃

A　smile　stole　over　the　delicate　features　of　Muller。

〃Exactly　the　same　words　which　the　Minister　von　Thugut　said　to　me　two
years　ago。　And　you　have　had　the　courage　to　accept　the　position？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　accepted　it；　because　I　hope　thus　to　render　a　service　to
the　fatherland；　and　to　be　of　advantage　to　it。　I　have　forever　east
off　my　Prussianism；　and　shall　henceforth　become　an　Austrian　with
body　and　soul。〃

〃How　wonderful　are　the　dispensations　of　fate！　for　I　must　reply　to
you　that　I　have　cast　off　forever　my　Austrianism；　and　shall
henceforth　become　a　Prussian　with　body　and　soul。〃

〃Ah；　you　go　to　Prussia！　You　leave　the　Austrian　service？〃

〃Yes；　forever。　I　follow　a　call　to　Berlin。〃

〃Oh；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　〃I　have　not　the　courage　to　complain　that　I
have　to　do　without　you　in　Vienna；　for　fate　in　its　wisdom　has
disposed　of　both　of　us；　and　it　will　make　us　available　for　the　great；
sublime　cause　of　Germany。　Being　both　stationed　at　one　place；　our
efforts　could　not　be　so　far　reaching；　so　powerful；　and　therefore
fate　sets　you　up　in　the　north　of　Germany；　and　me　in　the　south；　in
order　that　our　voices　may　resound　hither　and　thither　throughou