frederick the great and his family-第134节

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　ardent　desire　to　see　you　was　a　talisman　which　kept　death　afar　off。　It　seemed　to　me　impossible　to　die　without　seeing　you　once　more。　I　had　a　firm　conviction　that　I　would　live　through　the　war　and　return　to　you。　Thus　I　defied　the　balls　of　the　enemy；　and　have　returned　to　repose　on　your　heart；　my　beloved　wifeafter　the　storms　and　hardships　of　battle　to　fold　you　fondly　in　my　arms　and　never　again　to　leave　you。〃　He　threw　his　arms　around　her　waist；　and　pressed　his　lips　with　a　tender　kiss　upon　her　mouth。

Louise　suffered　this　display　of　tenderness　for　one　moment；　then　slipped　lightly　under　his　arms　and　retreated　a　few　steps。

〃Do　you　know；〃　said　she；　with　a　low　laugh；　〃that　was　a　true；　respectable　husband's　kiss；　without　energy　and　without　fire；　not　too　cold；　not　too　warmthe　tepid；　lukewarm　tenderness　of　a　husband　who　really　loves　his　wife；　and　might　be　infatuated　about　her；　if　she　had　not　the　misfortune　to　be　his　wife？〃

〃Ah！　you　are　still　the　old　Louise；〃　said　the　major　merrily；　〃still　the　gay；　coquettish；　unsteady　butterfly；　who；　with　its　bright；　variegated　wings；　knows　how　to　escape；　even　when　fairly　caught　in　the　toils。　I　love　you　just　as　you　are；　Louise；　I　rejoice　to　find　you　just　what　I　left　you。　You　will　make　me　young　again；　child；　by　your　side　I　will　learn　again　to　laugh　and　be　happy。　We　have　lost　the　power　to　do　either　amidst　the　fatigues　and　hardships　of　our　rude　campaigns。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Louise；　〃we　dismissed　you；　handsome；　well…formed　cavaliers；　and　you　return　to　us　clumsy；　growling　bears；　good…humored　but　savage　pets；　rather　too　willing　to　learn　again　to　dance　and　sing。　The　only　question　is；　will　the　women　consent　to　become　bear…　leaders；　and　teach　the　uncultivated　pets　their　steps？〃

〃Well；　they　will　be　obliged　to　do　this；〃　said　the　major；　laughing。　〃It　is　their　duty。〃

〃Dear　friend；　if　you　begin　already　to　remind　us　of　our　duty；　I　fear　your　cause　is　wholly　lost。　Come；　let　us　sit　here　awhile　upon　this　grass　plot　and　talk　together。〃

〃Yes；　you　will　be　seated；　but　I　do　not　see　exactly　why　we　should　talk　together。　I　would　much　rather　close　your　laughing；　rosy　lips　with　kisses。〃　He　drew　her　to　his　side；　and　was　about　to　carry　out　this　purpose；　but　Louise　waved　him　off。

〃If　you　do　not　sit　perfectly　quiet　by　my　side；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　unfold　the　gay　wings；　of　which　you　have　just　spoken；　and　fly　far　away！〃

〃Well；　then；　I　will　sit　quietly；　but　may　I　not　be　permitted　to　ask　my　shy　prudish　mistress　why　I　must　do　so？〃

〃Why？　Well；　because　I　wish　to　give　my　savage　pet　his　first　lecture　after　his　return。　The　lecture　begins　thus：　When　a　man　remains　absent　from　his　wife　seven　years；　he　has　no　right　to　return　as　a　calm；　confident；　self…assured　husband；　with　his　portion　of　home…baked　tenderness；　he　should　come　timidly；　as　a　tender；　attentive；　enamoured　cavalier；　who　woos　his　mistress　and　draws　near　to　her　humbly；　tremblingly；　and　submissivelynot　looking　upon　her　as　his　wife；　but　as　the　fair　lady　whose　love　he　may　hope　to　win。〃

〃But　why；　Louise；　should　we　take　refuge　in　such　dissimulation；　when　we　are　assured　of　your　love？〃

〃You　are　assured　of　nothing！　How　can　you　be　so　artless　as　to　believe　that　these　seven　years　have　passed　by　and　left　no　trace；　and　that　we　feel　exactly　to…day　as　we　did　before　this　fearful　war？　When　you　have　opened　the　door　and　given　liberty　to　the　bird　whose　wings　you　have　cut；　and　whose　wild　heart　you　have　tamed　in　a　cage；　when　the　captive　flies　out　into　the　fresh；　free　air　of　God；　floats　merrily　along　in　the　midst　of　rejoicing；　laughing　Naturewill　he；　after　years　have　passed；　will　lie；　if　you　shall　please　to　wish　once　more　to　imprison　him；　return　willingly　to　his　cage？　I　believe　you　would　have　to　entice　him　a　long　timeto　whisper　soft；　loving；　flattering　words；　and　place　in　the　cage　the　rarest　dainties　before　you　could　induce　him　to　yield　up　his　golden　freedom；　and　to　receive　you　once　more　as　his　lord　and　master。　But　if　you　seek　to　arrest　him　with　railing　and　threatswith　wise　and　grave　essays　on　duty　and　constancyhe　will　swing　himself　on　the　lofty　branch　of　a　tree；　so　high　that　you　cannot　follow；　and　whistle　at　you！〃

〃You　are　right；　I　believe；〃　said　Du　Trouffle；　thoughtfully。　〃I　see　to…day　a　new　talent　in　you；　Louise；　you　have　become　a　philosopher。〃

〃Yes；　and　I　thirst　to　bring　my　wisdom　to　bear　against　a　man；〃　said　Louise；　laughingly。　〃I　hope　you　will　profit　by　it！　Perhaps　it　may　promote　your　happiness；　and　enable　you　to　recapture　your　bird。　You　will　not　at　least　make　shipwreck　on　the　breakers　against　which　the　good　prince　dashed　his　head　to…day：　he　was　wounded　and　bleeding；　and　will　carry　the　mark　upon　his　brow　as　long　as　he　lives。〃

〃What　has　he　done　which　justifies　so　melancholy　a　prognostication？〃

〃What　has　he　done？　He　returned　to　his　wife；　not　as　a　lover　but　as　a　husband；　he　did　not　kiss　her　hand　tremblingly　and　humbly　and　timidlyseek　to　read　in　her　glance　if　she　were　inclined　to　favor　him；　he　advanced　with　the　assurance　of　a　conquering　hero；　and　before　the　whole　world　he　gave　her　a　loud；　ringing　kiss；　which　resounded　like　the　trump　of　victory。　The　good　prince　thought　that　because　the　outside　war　was　at　an　end　and　you　had　made　peace　with　your　enemies；　all　other　strifes　and　difficulties　had　ceased；　and　you　had　all　entered　upon　an　epoch　of　everlasting　happiness；　that；　by　the　sides　of　your　fond　and　faithful　wives；　you　had　nothing　to　do　but　smoke　the　calumet　of　peace。　But　he　made　a　great　and　dangerous　mistake；　and　he　will　suffer　for　it。　I　tell　you；　friend；　the　war　which　you　have　just　closed　was　less　difficult；　less　alarming　than　the　strife　which　will　now　be　carried　on　in　your　families。　The　wicked　foe　has　abandoned　the　battle…field　to　you；　but　he　is　crouched　down　upon　your　hearths　and　awaits　you　at　the　sides　of　your　wives　and　daughters。〃

〃Truly；　Louise；　your　words；　make　me　shudder！　and　my　heart；　which　was　beating　so　joyfully；　seems　now　to　stand　still。〃

Louise　paid　no　attention　to　his　words；　but　went　on：

〃You　say　the　war　is　at　an　end。　I　believe　it　has　just　begun。　It　will　be　carried　on　fiercely　in　every　house；　in　every　family；　many　hearts　will　break；　many　wounds　be　given；　and　many　tears　be　shed　before　we　snail　have　household　peace。　All　those　fond　ties　which　united　men　and　women；　parents　and　children；　have　been　shaken；　or　torn　apart；　all　contracts　are　destroyed　or　undermined。　In　order　to　endure；　to　live　through　these　fearful　seven　years；　every　one　gave　himself　up　to　frivolitythe　terrible　consequence　is；　that　the　whole　world　has　become　light…minded　and　frivolous。　We　do　not　look　upon　life　with　the　same　eyes　as　formerly。　To　enjoy　the　present　momentto　snatch　that　chance　of　happiness　from　the　fleeting　hour；　which　the　next　hour　is　chasing　and　may　utterly　destroyseems　the　only　aim。　Love　is　an　amusement；　constancy　a　phantom；　in　which　no　one　believeswhich　is　only　spoken　of　in　nursery　fairy　tales。　The　women　have　learned；　by　experience；　that　their　husbands　and　lovers　did　not　die　of　longing　to　see　them；　that　they　themselves；　after　the　tears　of　separation；　which　perhaps　flowed　freely　a　long　time；　were　once　quenched；　could　live　on　alone；　that　independence　had　its　bright　side　and　was　both　agreeable　and　comfortable。　The　history　of　the　widow　of　Ephesus　is　repeated　every　day；　my　friend。　The　women　wept　and　were　melancholy　a　long　time　after　the　separation　from　their　husbands；　but　at　last　they　could　not　close　their　ears　to　the　sweet；　soft　words　of　consolation　which　were　whispered　to　them；　at　last　they　realized　that　incessant　weeping　and　mourning　had　its　wearisome　and　monotonous　side；　that　the　dreary　time　flew　more　swiftly　if　they　sought　to　amuse　themselves　and　be　happy。　They　allowed　themselves　to　be　comforted；　in　the　absence　of　their　husbands；　by　their　lovers；　and　they　felt　no　reproach　of　conscience；　for　they　were　convinced　that　their　truant　husbands　were　doing　the　same　thing　in　their　long　separationwere　making　love　to　'the　lips　that　were　near。'〃

〃Did　you　think　and　act　thus；　Louisa？〃　said　Major　du　Trouffle；　in　a　sad　and　anxious　tone；　looking　his　wife　firmly　in　the　eye。

Louisa　laughed　with　calm　and　unconcern。

〃My　friend；〃　said　she；　〃would　I　have　told　all　this　to　you；　if　I　had　committed　the　faults　I　charge　upon　others？　I　have　been　inactive　but　observant；　that　has　been　my　amusement；　my　only　distraction；　and　my　observations　have　filled　me　with　amazement　and　abhorrence。　I　have　drawn　from　these　sources　profound　and　philosophic　lessons。　I　have　studied　mankind；　and　with　full　conviction　I　can　assure　you　the　war　is　not　at　an　end；　and；　instead　of　the　palm　of　peace；　the　apple　of　discord　will　flourish。　Men　no　longer　believe　in　constancy　or　honesty；　every　man　suspects　his　neighbor　and　holds　him　guilty；　even　as　he　knows　himself　to　be　guilty。　Every　woman　watches　the　conduct　of　other　women　with　malicious　curiosity；　she　seems　to　herself　less　guilty　when　she　finds　that　others　are　no　better　than　herself；　and　when；　unhappily；　she　does　not　find　that　her　friend　is　false　or　faithless；　she　will　try　to　make　her　appear　so；　if　the　truth　will　not　serve　her　purpose；　she　will；　by　slander　and　scandal；　draw　a　veil　over　her　own　sins。　Never　was　there　as　much　treachery　and　crime　as　now。　Calumny　stands　before　every　door；　and　will　whisper　such　evil　and　fearful　things　in　the　ears　of　every　returned　soldier；　that　he　will　become　wild　w