frederick the great and his family-第101节

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〃He　is　a　Prussian！〃　cried　the　waiters。　〃Evviva　il　Re　di　Prussia！〃　cried　the　gondoliers；　as　they　raised　the　trunk　and　carried　it　nimbly　up　the　steps。

The　saloon　into　which　the　host　conducted　his　guest　was　certainly　different　from　the　small；　unclean　rooms　he　had　shown　him　before。　All　was　elegance；　and　with　a　feeling　of　pride　he　led　the　stranger　to　the　balcony　which　offered　a　splendid　view　of　the　imposing　and　glorious　Canale　Grande；　with　its　proud　churches　and　palaces。

〃And　now；　signor；〃　said　the　host；　humbly；　〃command　me。　If　I　can　serve　you　in　any　manner；　I　shall　do　so　with　pleasure。　Any　information　you　desire；　I　am　ready　to　give。　Perhaps　your　excellency　has？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　stranger；　quickly；　〃I　have　no　political　mission；　and　my　letter　to　the　prior　is　of　a　very　innocent　nature。　I　am　a　merchant；　and　by　chance　have　become　possessed　of　several　costly　relics；　and　hope　that　the　prior　of　the　cloister　may　purchase　them。〃

〃Ah；　relics；　〃said　the　host；　with　a　contemptuous　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　〃do　you　know；　sir；　that　no　one　now　is　enthusiastic　about　such　things？　Politics　leave　us　no　time　for　piety；　the　Pope　has　lost　his　influence；　and　even　the　Romans　are　good　Prussiani；　and　care　not　for　Frederick　the　Great　being　a　heretic。　The　Pope　blesses　his　enemies　and　celebrates　their　victories　with　brilliant　masses　and　costly　presents。　The　Romans　are　indifferent　to　all　this；　and　pray　for　their　hero…king；　the　Great　Frederick；　and　in　spite　of　the　Pope　desire　him　to　triumph。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　traveller；　with　apparent　sadness；　〃then　I　shall　certainly　not　succeed　with　my　relics；　but　I　hope　I　shall　do　better　in　the　city　with　my　fans；　for　them　I　desire　your　advice。　Will　you　please　tell　me　the　names　of　a　few　large　commercial　houses　where　they　might　buy　some　of　my　beautiful　fans？　But　they　must　be　good　Prussiani；　as　you　will　soon　see。〃　He　stepped　to　his　trunk；　unlocked　it；　and　took　from　it　an　etui　containing　a　number　of　fans。

〃Look　here；　sir。　I　saw　these　fans　in　Geneva；　and　thinking　I　might　perhaps　do　a　good　business　with　them　in　Italy；　I　bought　several　dozen。　Examine　the　charming　and　tasteful　paintings。〃　He　opened　one　of　the　fans；　it　was　of　white　satin；　with　quite　an　artistic　painting　of　a　large　Prussian　eagle　about　to　devour　a　white　lily。

The　host　clapped　his　hands　with　delight。　〃Delicious！〃　he　cried；　laughing。　〃The　Prussian　eagle　devouring　the　French　lily；　this　is　charming　prophecy；　a　wonderful　satire。　You　bought　these　fans　in　Geneva；　there　are　Prussians　in　Geneva　also；　then。〃

〃Every　lady　in　Geneva　has　such　a　fan；　and　there　are　no　better　Prussians　in　Berlin　than　in　Geneva。〃

〃I　am　delighted；　truly　delighted；〃　cried　the　Italian；　enthusiastically。〃　The　time　will　come　when　all　the　people　of　Europe　will　be　Prussians　and　only　princes　Teresiani。〃

〃Nevertheless；　the　people　will　have　to　obey　their　princes；〃　said　the　stranger；　with　a　watchful　glance；　〃and　if　they　command　it；　will　war　against　the　great　king。〃

〃Not　we；　not　the　Italians；〃　cried　the　host；　violently；　〃our　Doge　would　not　dare　to　side　with　the　Teresiani；　for　he　knows　very　well　that　would　occasion　a　revolution　in　Venice　and；　perhaps；　endanger　his　own　throne。　No；　no；　signor；　our　exalted　government　is　too　wise　not　to　adopt　a　neutral　position；　while　secretly　they　are　as　good　Prussians　as　we　are。〃

〃But　the　Lombardians　and　the　Sardinians？〃　asked　the　stranger；　expectantly。

〃They　also　are　Prussians；　even　if　their　king　is　a　Teresiano；　as　they　say；　his　people　are　Prussians　like　ourselves。〃

〃And　the　Neapolitans？〃

〃Well；　the　Neapolitans；〃　said　the　host；　laughing；　〃the　Neapolitans　are；　as　you　know；　not　renowned　for　their　bravery；　and　if　they　do　not　love　the　great　Frederick；　they　fear　him。　The　Neapolitans　are　the　children　of　Italy；　knowing　only　that　Naples　is　a　beautiful　city；　and　fearing　a　barbarian　might　come　and　devour　it。　In　their　terror　they　forget　that　no　one　is　thinking　of　them；　and　that　they　are　separated　by　Italy　and　the　Alps　from　all　warlike　people。　The　king　of　Naples　thinks　it　possible　that　Frederick　may　one　day　ascend　Vesuvius　with　his　conquering　army　and　take　possession　of　Naples。　Since　the　king's　last　victories；　Ferdinand　has　increased　the　number　of　his　troops　and　doubled　the　guard　in　his　capital。〃

The　host　laughed　so　heartily　at　this　account；　that　the　stranger　was　irresistibly　compelled　to　join　him。

〃The　King　of　Naples　is　but　a　boy　nine　years　old。　His　ministers　are　older　than　himself；　and　should　know　a　little　more　geography；　signor。　But　corpo　di　Bacco；　here　I　am　talking　and　talking　of　politics　forgetting　entirely　that　your　excellency　is　doubtless　hungry；　and　desires　a　strengthening　meal。〃

〃'Tis　true；　I　am　a　little　hungry；〃　said　the　stranger；　smiling。

〃In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　most　splendid　dinner；　that　the　celebrated　White　Lion　can　prepare；　shall　be　ready　for　you；　signor；〃　cried　the　host；　as　he　rushed　hastily　from　the　room。

The　stranger　gazed　thoughtfully　after　him。　〃It　appears　to　me　that　I　have　been　very　fortunate　in　coming　here；　the　good　host　seems　to　be　a　good　Prussian；　and　I　have　learned　more　from　him　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　than　I　would　have　done　in　a　long　journey　through　Italy。　I　shall　now　be　able　to　act　with　zeal　and　energy。　But　I　must　not　forget　the　role　I　have　to　play。　I　am　a　merchant　trading　with　fans；　curiosities；　and　relics；　and　very　anxious　to　bring　my　wares　to　market。〃

The　entrance　of　the　waiter　interrupted　him；　and　soon　the　savory　dishes　invited　the　traveller　to　refresh　himself。




CHAPTER　II。

FREDERICK　THE　GREAT　AS　A　SAINT。


〃And　now　to　business；〃　said　the　Traveller；　when　he　had　finished　dining。　〃It　is　high　time　I　were　on　my　way；　if　I　am　to　leave　this　place　to…day。〃　He　hastened　to　his　trunk　and　took　from　it　several　bundles　and　packages；　some　of　which　he　put　in　his　pockets　and　some；　like　a　true　merchant；　he　carried　under　his　arm。　Then　putting　on　his　large；　black　felt　hat；　he　turned　to　leave　the　room。　In　passing　the　mirror　he　looked　at　himself；　and　broke　out　into　a　merry　laugh　at　his　appearance。

〃Truly；〃　said　he；　〃I　look　like　a　veritable　shop…keeper；　and　he　who　takes　me　for　any　thing　else；　must　be　of　a　more　political　turn　of　mind　than　my　host；　Signor　Montardo；　the　Prussiano。〃

He　turned　and　left　the　room　to　obtain　the　address　of　some　merchants　and　a　guide　from　his　host。　In　spite　of　remonstrances　Signer　Montardo　insisted　on　accompanying　him。

〃Otherwise；〃　said　he；　〃some　one　might　address　you　who　is　not　on　our　side；　and　if　you　were　then　to　show　him　your　fans；　there　would　be　a　fearful　scandal；　the　other　party　is　quite　as　hot…headed　as　we　are；　and　many　a　pitched　battle　has　taken　place　between　the　Teresiani　and　the　Prussiani。　Come；　sir；　I　must　accompany　you。　We　will　not　go　by　the　canal；　but　through　the　small　by…streets；　they　will　lead　us　quickest　to　the　Riva　di　Schiavoni；　and　then　to　the　Rialto；　which　is　our　destination。〃

〃Is　that　far　from　the　convent　of　San　Giovanni　e　Paolo？〃　asked　the　stranger。

〃Ah；　you　are　still　determined　to　offer　your　relics　to　the　abbot？〃　said　the　host；　laughing。

〃Yes；　and　hope　to　sell　them。〃

〃Well；　I　wish　you　luck。　The　Rialto　is　not　far　from　there。　I　will　go　with　you　until　within　the　vicinity　of　the　convent；　but　not　farther。〃

〃And　why　not？〃

〃Because　the　door…keeper　is　a　raging　Teresiano；　and　would　undoubtedly　close　the　door　in　your　face；　were　I　at　your　side。〃

〃But　did　you　not　tell　me　the　abbot　was　a　Prussia；　no？〃

〃Yes；　the　abbot；　but　the　porter　is　not；　nor　are　many　of　the　monks；　I　am　sorry　to　say。〃

〃Ah；　even　the　monks　are　occupied　with　politics？〃

〃Signor；〃　cried　the　host；　pathetically；　〃every　one　here　interests　himself　in　politics；　and　when　you　hear　that　our　little　children　are　divided　into　Teresiani　and　Prussiani；　you　will　credit　me。　There　was　a　slight　revolution　yesterday　in　the　Riva　Peschiera。　It　was　occasioned　by　a　fishwoman's　refusing　to　sell　my　cook　some　beautiful　trout；　she　declared　God　had　not　created　fish　for　the　Prussiani；　which；　in　her　opinion；　was　another　name　for　heathen　and　unbeliever。　My　cook　insisted　on　having　the　fish；　and；　as　unfortunately　there　were　many　Prussiani　among　the　fishwomen；　it　soon　came　to　hard　words　and　still　harder　blows；　and　was　terminated　by　the　arrest　of　the　principal　disturbers。〃

They　were　now　entering　the　Riva　di　Schiavoni；　and　the　talkative　Signor　Montardo　was　continuing　his　merry　tales　when　he　was　interrupted　by　cries　and　shouts　of　laughter　and　derision；　and　they　were　almost　surrounded　by　a　large　crowd　of　excited　men。

〃We　are　fortunately　at　the　end　of　our　walk；〃　said　Signor　Montardo；　〃for　there　is　the　house　of　my　worthy　friend　Cicernachi；　dealer　in　fancy　goods；　and　it　is　to　him　we　are　going。　Let　us　press　forward　to　see　what　this　crowd　means。　I　presume　my　friend　Cicernachi　has　prepared　another　surprise　for　the　good　people　of　Venice。〃

He　made　a　way　for　himself　and　friend　with　his　broad　shoulders；　and　soon　stood　in　front　of　the　shop　around　which　the　crowd　was　collected。　A　cry　of　astonishment　escaped　the　stranger；　and　he　pointed　to　the　entrance　of　the　shop。　〃You　see　there；〃　said　he；　〃a　speaking　likeness　of　Frederick　the　Great。〃

There　hung　at　the　front　of　the　store　a　large　engraving　in　a　rich　golden　frame。　It　was　the　portrait　of　Prussia's　hero　kingof　Frederick　the　Greatand　beneath　burnt　a　bright　lamp；　its　light　shedding　a　r