frederick the great and his family-第124节
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are all these officers！ How grand； how glorious then must the king be； who is far nobler than they！ He does not come； I will enter and pass the time in looking at all these splendidly…dressed soldiers。〃 He stepped lightly to the door； and peered in。 He started； a low cry of terror escaped him； as he looked at the scene before him。
The generalsthe officers dressed in the gold and silver embroidered uniformsstood around the room with bared heads； in their midst stood the stranger with the dusty boots。 He alone had his hat on。 He alone bore neither epaulets nor stars： he was clad in simple uniform； without a single ornament； and still； wonderful to say； it now seemed to the magistrate that he was more noble； more splendid…looking than all the others。 He was the smallest amongst them； but seemed much taller。 They stood with bowed heads before him； he alone was raised proudly to his full height。 There was something grand and glorious in his countenance； and when his large； luminous eyes fell upon the magistrate； he endeavored in vain to slip awayhe was rooted to the spot as if by magnetism。
〃Will you not stay with us until the king comes？〃 said Frederick； laughing。
The magistrate answered the smile with a broad grin。 〃I see； sir；〃 said he； 〃that you are laughing at me。 You know that you yourself are the king。〃
Frederick nodded an assent； and then turned to Prince Anhalt von Dessau。
〃You see； sir； how precarious a thing is the glory and magnificence of a king。 This man took me for a servant； his dull eyes could not perceive my innate glory。〃
〃Your majesty justly calls this man's eyes dull；〃 said the prince； laughing。
Frederick looked at him kindly； and then began a low； earnest conversation with his generals； who listened attentively to his every word。
The magistrate still stood at the door。 It seemed to him that he had never seen any thing so splendid…looking as this man with the muddy boots； the simple coat； and torn； unwieldy hat； whose countenance beamed with beauty； whose eyes glittered like stars。
〃That； then； is really the king？〃 said he to one of the royal servants〃the King of Prussia； who for five years has been fighting with the empress for us？〃
〃Yes； it is him。〃
〃From to…day on I am a Prussian at heart；〃 continued the magistrate； 〃yes； and a good and true one。 The King of Prussia dresses badly； that is true； but I suppose his object is to lighten the taxes。〃 Passing his coat…sleeve across his misty eyes； he hastened to the kitchen to investigate dinner。
CHAPTER XV。
THE PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE。
Some days had passed since the king entered Voiseilvitz。 He dwelt in the house of the magistrate； and the generals were quartered in the huts of the village。 The regiments were in the neighboring hamlets。 The king lived quietly in his house； wholly given up to anxiety and discontent。 He ate alone in his room； spoke to no one； or if he did； said only a few grave words。 All jesting was vanished from his lips； he was never seen to smile； never heard to play the flute。 The grief which oppressed his heart was too profound to be confided to the soft and melting tones of his flute。 Even that cherished companion could now give him no consolation。 Fearful； horrible intelligence had followed him from the encampment at trehlen。 It had poisoned these days of long…denied and necessary rest； and shrouded the gloomy future with yet darker presentiments of evil。
Schweidnitz； the strong fortress； the key of Silesia； which had been so long and with such mighty effort defended； had fallen！had yielded to the Austriansand Frederick had thus lost the most important acquisition of the last year； and thus his possession of Silesia was again made doubtful。 He looked sadly back upon all the precious blood which had been shed to no purposeupon all the great and hardly…won battles； won in vain。 He looked forward with an aching heart to the years of blood and battle which must follow。 Frederick longed for rest and peacehe was weary of bloodshed and of war。 Like an alluring； radiant picture of paradise； the image of his beloved Sans…Souci passed from time to time before his soul。 He dreamed of his quiet library and his beautiful picture…gallery。 And yet his courage was unconqueredand he preferred the torture of these wretched dayshe preferred death itself to the unfavorable and humiliating peace which his proud enemies； made presumptuous by their last successes； dared to offer him。 They stood opposed to him in monstrous superiority； but Frederick remained unshaken。 With a smaller army and fewer allies Alexander demolished Persia。 〃But happily；〃 he said to himself； 〃there was no Alexander to lead his enemies to victory。〃
Frederick did not despair； and yet he did not believe in the possibility of triumph。 He preferred an honorable death to a dishonorable peace。 He would rather fail amidst the proud ruins of Prussia； made great by his hand； than return with her to their former petty insignificance。 They offered him peace； but a peace which compelled him to return the lands he had conquered； and to pay to his victorious enemies the costs of the war。
The king did not regard these mortifying propositions as worthy of consideration； and he commanded his ambassador； whom he had sent to Augsburg to treat with the enemy； to return immediately。 〃It is true；〃 he said to his confidant； Le Catt； 〃all Europe is combined against meall the great powers have resolved upon my destruction。 And England； the only friend I did possess in Europe； has now abandoned me。〃
〃But one has remained faithful。〃
〃'Among the faithless； faithful only he' Among the innumerable false； unmoved； unshaken； unseduced； unterrified； that is my sword。 If the exalted empresses are not my friends； the greater honor to my good sword which has never failed me； and which shall go down with me into the dark grave。 If in Europe I have neither friends nor allies； I may find both in other parts of the world。 Asia may send me the troops which Europe denies。 If Russia is my enemy； who knows but for this reason Turkey may become my ally？ And who knows but an alliance with the so…called unbelievers would be of more value to Prussia than a league with the so…called believing Russians？ They call themselves Christians； but their weapons are lies； intrigues； deceit； and treachery。 The Moslem； however； is an honorable man and a brave soldier。 If he calls his God Allah； and his Christ Mohammed； God may call him to account。 I have nothing to do with it。 What has faith to do with the kings of this world？ Besides； I believe the Turks and Tartars are better Christians than the Russians。〃
〃Your majesty is really； then； thinking of an alliance with the Turks and Tartars？〃 said Le Catt。
〃I am thinking of it so earnestly；〃 said the king； eagerly； 〃that day and night I think of nothing else。 I have spared no cost； no gold； no labor； to bring it about。 Once I had almost succeeded； and the Sublime Porte was inclined to this league； and my ambassador； Rexin； was； with the consent of the Grand Vizier Mustapha； and indeed by his advice； disguised and sent secretly to Constantinople。 The negotiations were almost completed； when the Russian and French ambassadors discovered my plans； and by bribery； lies； and intrigues of every base sort； succeeded in interfering。 Mustapha broke his promise； and his only answer to me was'that the Sublime Porte must wait for happier and more propitious days to confirm her friendship and good understanding with the King of Prussia。' This was the will of God the Almighty。 This propitious year has been a long time coming； but I hope it is now at hand； and this longed…for alliance will at length be concluded。 The last dispatches from my ambassador in Constantinople seem favorable。 The wise and energetic Grand Vizier Raghile； the first self…reliant and enterprising Turkish statesman； has promised Rexin to bring this matter before the sultan； and I am daily expecting a courier who will bring me a decisive and perhaps favorable answer from Tartary。〃
＇Footnote： Kammer； 〃History of the Porte；〃 vol。 viii。； p。 190。＇
Le Catt gazed with admiration upon the noble； excited countenance of the king。 〃Oh； sire；〃 said he； deeply moved； 〃pardon； that in the fulness of my heart； overcome with joy and rapture。 I dare for once to give expression in words to my love and my admiration。 It is a glorious spectacle to see the proud oak in the midst of the wild tempest firm and unmoved； not even bowing its proud head to the raging elements； offering a bold but calm defiance。 But it is a still more exalted spectacle to see a man with a brave heart and flashing eye defy disaster and death； alone； in the consciousness of his own strength； meeting Fate as an adversary and gazing upon it eye to eye unterrified。 Misfortune is like the lion of the desert。 If a man with steady eye and firm step advances to meet him； he ceases to roar and lies down humbly at his feet； he recognizes and quails before man made in the likeness of God。 You； my king； now offer this spectacle to the astonished world。 Can you wonder that I； who am ever near you； are filled with devotion and adoration； and must at last give utterance to my emotion？ I have seen your majesty on the bloody battle…field； and in th
