andreas hofer-第60节

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shrubbery；　the　humming　bees　and　flitting　butter…flies。　〃Oh；　how
gloriously　beautiful　is　God's　creation；　and　how　radiant〃

〃How　radiant　is　nature；〃　interrupted　Conrad；　〃how　brilliantly　the
sun　shines；　and　how　splendid　the　lawn　looks！〃

〃You　are　a　fool；　old　Conrad；　to　repeat　these　words　from　MY
'Creation；'〃　said　Haydn；　with　a　gentle　smile。　〃I　was　not　thinking　of
MY　'Creation'　at　this　moment；　but　of　God's　creation。　And　He
certainly　knew　more　about　the　music　of　the　creation　than　I　did；　and…
…just　listen　how　the　nightingale　sings　in　the　elder…bush　yonder！　It
is　an　air　such　as　is　to　be　found　only　in　God's　Creation；　and；　as
Joseph　Haydn；　with　all　his　talents　and　enthusiasm；　never　was　able　to
compose。　Oh；　how　sweetly　this　prima　donna　assoluta　of　the　good　God
sings；　and　what　divine　melodies；　modulations；　and　harmonies　she
warbles　forth；　andBut　what　is　that？〃

〃That　is　the　parrot　singing　an　air　from　Joseph　Haydn's　'Creation；'〃
exclaimed　Conrad；　bursting　into　triumphant　laughter。　〃And　just
listen；　doctor；　the　prima　donna　assoluta　of　the　good　God　has　become
entirely　silent；　and　listens　with　delight　to　the　divine　melodies；
modulations；　and　harmonies　of　my　dear　master　Joseph　Haydn。〃

〃You　are　a　fool；　Conrad；　despite　your　seventy　years；〃　said　Haydn；
〃to　call　old　Paperl　my　prima　donna　assoluta；　and　compare　him　with
the　nightingale。　But　tell　me；　for　God's　sake；　where　did　the　bird
hear　that　melody？　Why；　Paperl　whistles　the　great　base…air　from　'The
Creation'　as　though　he　were　the　first　singer。　Where　did　he　learn
it？〃

〃I　taught　him　the　melody；　doctor；〃　said　Conrad；　proudly；　〃I　gave　him
lessons　for　three　months；　and　he　took　pains　to　learn　the　melody；　for
he　knew　full　well　that　we　two　were　preparing　a　little　surprise　and
joy　for　our　dear　master；　the　great　Joseph　Haydn。〃

〃And　that　is　the　reason　why　I　have　not　seen　Paperl　for　so　long；〃
said　Haydn；　nodding　his　head　gently。　〃I　did　not　wish　to　inquire
after　him；　for　I　was　afraid　the　answer　would　be　that　the　bird　was
dead　and　had　gone　home　to　my　dear　old　wife。〃

〃Well；　I　am　sure　Paperl　would　never　go　to　her；〃　said　Conrad；
laughing；　〃the　two　could　never　get　along　with　each　other；　and　were
always　quarrelling。　Whenever　Paperl　could　catch　one　of　your　wife's
fingers；　he　bit　it　with　his　thick　beak；　and　she　hated　the　bird
cordially　for　it；　and　would　have　preferred　sending　him　to　the　grave
than　descending　into　it　herself。　But　Paperl　did　not　die；　and　you
need　not　be　anxious　on　his　account；　doctor。　Such　parrots　live　a
thousand　years。　Therefore；　I　locked　him　up　in　my　chamber　for　three
months；　and　taught　him　the　beautiful　air；　that　the　bird　might
whistle　it　to　mankind　a　thousand　years　hence；　and　remind　all　of　the
great　composer；　Joseph　Haydn。〃

〃Ah；　my　dear　old　Conrad；〃　sighed　Haydn；　sinking　into　the　easy…chair
which　Conrad　had　placed　for　him　under　the　fragrant　elder…bush；　〃a
thousand　years　hence　no　one　will　know　any　thing　about　us；　and　we
shall　be　nothing　but　dust　returned　to　dust。　But　God　will　remain；　and
His　sun　will　shine　a　thousand　years　hence　as　gloriously　as　it　does
to…day；　and　His　nightingales　will　sing　the　same　wonderful　melodies
from　His　creation　long　after　my　‘Creation'　has　been　forgotten。〃

He　paused；　and　clasping　his　hands　devoutly；　lifted　his　eyes　to
heaven。　By　his　side；　on　the　high　pole；　its　right　leg　fastened　to　it
with　a　small　silver　chain；　the　parrot　sat；　and　fixed　its　piercing；
sagacious　eyes　upon　him；　the　cat　lay　at　Haydn's　feet；　and　gazed　with
philosophical　equanimity　at　the　flies　which　were　buzzing　from　flower
to　flower；　and　pricked　up　its　ears　attentively　whenever　a　small　bird
rustled　in　the　shrubbery；　or　skipped　merrily　from　branch　to　branch
in　the　fragrant　walnut　tree。　Beside　the　easy…chair　stood　Conrad；　the
old　servant；　his　faithful；　honest　face　turned　toward　his　master　with
an　expression　of　infinite　tenderness；　and　quite　absorbed　in
contemplating　this　mild；　smiling；　and　calm　octogenarian；　whose　eyes
were　looking　around　slowly；　and　seemingly　greeting　God　and　Nature。
In　the　distance　bells　were　ringing　and　calling　devout　worshipers　to
divine　service；　their　notes　resounded　tremulously　through　the　air
like　a　solemn　accompaniment　to　the　voices　of　Nature。

〃Oh；　how　beautiful；　how　beautiful！〃　murmured　Haydn。　〃Why　can　I　not
exhale　with　this　sigh　of　joy　my　old　life；　which　is　no　longer　good
for　any　thing？　Why　can　I　not　die　with　this　prayer　of　gratitude
toward　God　on　my　lips；　and　waft　my　soul　up　to　heaven；　as　that　bird
yonder　is　at　this　moment　soaring　toward　the　sun！〃

〃Oh；　sir；　why　do　you　talk　already　of　dying？〃　cried　Conrad；
anxiously；　〃you　must　live　yet　a　long　while；　a　joy　to　mankind；　and
honored　and　esteemed　by　the　whole　world。〃

〃And　a　burden　to　myself；〃　sighed　Haydn。　〃I　am　exhausted；　Conrad；　I
have　no　longer　strength　enough　to　live。　This　unfortunate　war　crushed
to　the　ground　and　broke　my　poor　heart。　＇Footnote：　Haydn's　own
words。〃Zeitgenossen；〃　vol。　iv。；　p。　36。＇　When　Napoleon　made　his
second　entrance　into　Vienna；　and　our　good　Emperor　Francis　had　to
escape　again　from　the　capital；　I　felt　as　though　my　heart　were　rent
asunder；　and　this　rent　will　never　heal　again。　The　misfortunes　of　my
fatherland　will　cause　me　to　bleed　to　death！　Ah；　how　dreadful　it　is
that　Austria　and　my　emperor　were　humiliated　so　profoundly；　and　that
they　had　to　bow　to　the　Emperor　of　the　French！　I　cannot　comprehend
why　the　Lord　permits　it；　and　why　He　does　not　hurl　down　His
thunderbolts　upon　the　head　of　this　hypocritical　French　emperor；　who
throws　the　firebrand　of　war　into　all　parts　of　Europe；　who　always　has
pharisaical　words　of　peace　in　his　mouth；　and　gives　himself　the
appearance　of　wishing　to　reconcile　all；　when　he　is　intent　only　on
setting　all　at　variance。　Oh；　Conrad；　when　I　think　of　this　Emperor
Napoleon；　of　the　innocent　blood　which　he　has　already　shed；　and　of
the　many　thousand　victims　which　have　already　fallen　to　his　ambition；
my　heart　swells　up　in　boundless　exasperation；　and　I　begin　to　doubt
even　the　goodness　and　justice　of　God！But　hush；　hush；　my　wild
heart；〃　he　interrupted　himself；　lifting　his　eyes　with　a　beseeching
glance　to　heaven。　〃God　will　manage　everything　for　the　best。　He　will
one　day；　with　a　beck　of　His　hand；　hurl　the　French　usurper　from　his
throne；　and　cause　Austria　to　rise　great　and　powerful　from　her
humiliating　position。　He　will　protect　Germany　from　the　wrongs
inflicted　upon　her　by　France；　and　avenge　the　disgrace　which　every
German　has　to　suffer　at　the　bands　of　the　French。　That　is　the　hope
which　I　shall　take　with　me　into　my　grave；　that　is　the　confidence　I
have　in　Thee；　O　my　God！〃

He　lifted　both　his　hands　toward　heaven；　and　prayed　in　a　low　voice。
Then　he　rose　slowly　from　his　chair；　and　turned　his　head　with　smiling
greetings　on　all　sides。

〃Conrad；〃　he　said；　gently；　〃I　take　leave　of　Nature　to…day；　for　it
seems　to　me　as　if　I　never　should　see　again　my　dear　little　garden；
the　flowers　and　birds；　the　sun　and　the　sky。　Oh；　farewell；　then；
great　and　holy　Nature！　I　have　loved　thee　passionately　all　my　life；
and　glorified　thee　in　my　works　to　the　best　of　the　power　which　God
imparted　to　me。　Farewell；　Nature！　farewell；　sunshine　and　fragrant
flowers！　Joseph　Haydn　takes　leave　of　you；　for　his　task　is　fulfilled；
and　his　soul　is　weary。　Come；　my　old　Conrad；　conduct　me　back　to　the
house。　I　will　return　to　my　room。　I　am　tired；　ah；　so　exceedingly
tired！〃

He　passed　his　arm　around　Conrad's　neck；　and；　leaning　his　other　hand
on　his　cane；　walked　slowly　and　pantingly　up　the　narrow　path。　At　this
moment　the　nightingale　in　the　elder…bush　recommenced　its　jubilant
song；　and　at　the　same　time　the　parrot　raised　its　shrill　voice；　and
began　to　whistle　the　sweet　notes　of　the　air　from　Haydn's　〃Creation。〃

Haydn　stood　still　and　listened。　〃Conrad；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice；
〃we　will　now　consult　an　oracle　as　to　my　life　and　death。　If　the
parrot　pauses　first；　I　shall　die　soon；　if　the　nightingale　pauses；
God　will　permit　me　to　live　a　while　longer。〃

He　lifted　his　eyes　devoutly　to　the　sky；　over　whose　azure　plain　white
cloudlets　were　scudding　like　silver　swans；　and　his　lips　muttered　a
low　prayer。

The　nightingale　still　sang　its　wonderful　love…songs；　and　the　parrot
tried　to　drown　its　notes　with　Haydn's　beautiful　melody。

Conrad　smiled　blissfully。　〃My　Paperl　has　a　long　breath；〃　he　said；
〃and　the　nightingale　will　be　unable　to　cope　with　him；　Rupert　will
out…sing　it。〃

But　the　nightingale；　as　if　irritated　by　this　rivalry；　now　seemed　to
put　forth　its　whole　art　and　strength。　The　ringing　trills　were
followed　by　long；　sweet；　flute…notes；　which　filled　the　air　like　a
joyous　hymn　of　tenderness；　drowning　the　voices　of　all　other　birds；
and　the　sighing　breeze；　and　seemed　to　arouse　the　flowers　from　their
sweet　slumber；　till　they　trembled　with　blissful　transports；　and
softly　raised　their　flowery　crowns　toward　the　blooming　elder；　in
whose　dark　foliage　was　concealed　the　nightingale；　Nature's　great　and
yet　modest　artiste。

Yes；　all　Nature　seemed　to　listen　with　blissful　attention　to　this
wonderful　song　of　the　nightingale；　and　even　the　parrot　could　no
longer　resist　the　charm。　Paperl　hesitated；　then　commenced　again；
hesitated　a　second　time；　and　was　silent。

Haydn　dropped　his　clasped　hands　slowly；　and　turned　his　eyes　from
heaven　to　eart