frederick the great and his family-第141节

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〃Pardon　me；　your　highness；　I　dare　not　sell　you　this　cup；　or　rather　I　implore　your　highness　not　to　desire　it。　If　possible；　I　will　make　it　an　instrument　for　Trenck's　release。〃

〃How　can　this　be　done？〃　said　Amelia；　breathlessly。

〃I　will　take　this　cup　to　General　Riedt；　the　Austrian　ambassador　in　Berlin。　As　all　the　world　is　interesting　itself　for　Trenck；　I　do　not　see　why　I　should　not　do　the　same；　and　endeavor　to　obtain　his　release。　I　shall　therefore　go　to　General　Riedt　with　this　cup。　I　am　told　he　is　a　noble　gentleman　and　a　distant　relation　of　Trenck；　he　cannot　fail　to　sympathize　with　his　unfortunate　cousin。　When　he　hears　of　his　cruel　sufferings　he　will　certainly　strive　to　deliver　him。　General　Riedt　is　exactly　the　man　to　effect　this　great　object；　he　is　thoroughly　acquainted　with　all　the　by…ways　and　intrigues　of　the　court　of　Vienna。　Maria　Theresa　classes　him　among　her　most　trusted　confidants　and　friends。　Whoever　desires　to　free　Trenck　must　consult　with　General　Riedt　and　win　him。〃

Amelia　raised　her　head　and　looked　up　quickly　at　the　stranger；　his　eyes　were　fixed　upon　her　with　a　searching　and　significant　expression；　their　glances　met　and　were　steadily　fixed　for　one　moment；　then　a　scarcely　perceptible　smile　flitted　over　the　face　of　the　jeweller；　and　the　princess　nodded　her　head。　Each　felt　that　they　were　understood。

〃Have　you　nothing　more　to　say？〃　said　Amelia。

〃No；　your　highness；　I　have　only　to　beg　you　will　pardon　me　for　not　selling　you　this　cup。　I　must　take　it　to　General　Riedt。〃

〃Leave　it　with　me；〃　said　Amelia；　after　a　few　moments'　reflection。　〃I　myself　will　show　it　to　him　and　seek　to　interest　him　in　the　fate　of　his　unhappy　relative。　If　I　succeed；　the　cup　is　mine；　and　you　will　not　wish　to　sell　it　to　General　Riedt　Do　you　agree　to　this？　Go；　then；　and　return　to　me　at　th　is　hour　to…morrow；　when　I　will　either　pay　you　the　price　of　the　cup；　or　return　it　to　you；　if　I　am　so　unhappy　as　to　fail。〃

The　jeweller　bowed　profoundly。　〃I　will　punctually　obey　your　highness's　commands。　To…morrow　at　this　hour　I　will　be　here。〃

The　stranger　took　his　casket　and　left　the　room。　The　princess　gazed　after　him　till　the　door　closed。

〃That　man　is　silent　and　discreet；　I　believe　he　can　be　trusted；〃　she　murmured。　〃I　will　write　at　once；　and　desire　an　interview　with　General　Riedt。〃




CHAPTER　VI。

THE　PRINCESS　AND　THE　DIPLOMATIST。


An　hour　later　the　page　of　the　princess　announced　General　von　Riedt；　Austrian　ambassador　at　the　court　of　Berlin。　Amelia　advanced　to　meet　him；　and　gazed　with　a　sharp；　piercing　glance　at　the　general；　who　bowed　respectfully　before　her。

〃I　have　sent　for　you；　general；〃　said　the　princess；　〃to　repair　an　injury。　You　have　been　announced　twice；　and　both　times　I　declined　receiving　you。〃

〃That　was　no　injury；　your　royal　highness；〃　said　the　general；　smiling。　〃I　ventured　to　call　on　you　because　etiquette　demands　that　a　new　ambassador　should　introduce　himself　to　every　member　of　the　royal　house。　Your　royal　highness　declined　to　receive　me；　it　was　not　agreeable；　and　you　were　perfectly　justifiable　in　closing　your　doors　against　me。〃

〃And　now　you　must　wonder　why　I　have　sent　for　you？〃

〃I　never　allow　myself　to　wonder。　Your　order　for　me　to　come　has　made　me　happythat　is　sufficient。〃

〃You　have　no　suspicion　why　I　sent　for　you？〃

〃Your　royal　highness　has　just　informed　me　you　kindly　wished　to　indemnify　me　for　my　two　former　visits。〃

〃You　are　a　good　diplomatist；　you　turn　quickly　about；　are　as　smooth　as　an　eel；　cannot　be　taken　hold　of；　but　slip　through　one's　fingers。　I　am　accustomed　to　go　at　once　to　the　pointI　cannot　diplomatize。　See　here；　why　I　wished　to　see　youI　wished　to　show　you　this　cup。〃

She　took　the　cup　hastily　from　the　table；　and　gave　it　to　the　ambassador。　He　gazed　at　it　long　and　earnestly；　he　turned　it　around；　looking　at　every　picture；　reading　every　verse。　Amelia　watched　him　keenly；　but　his　countenance　betrayed　nothing。　He　was　as　smiling；　as　unembarrassed　as　before。　When　he　had　looked　at　it　attentively；　he　placed　it　on　the　table。

〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　the　workmanship？〃　said　Amelia。

〃It　is　wonderful；　worthy　of　an　artist；　your　royal　highness。〃

〃And　do　you　know　by　what　artist　it　was　made？〃

〃I　suspect　it；　your　royal　highness。〃

〃Give　me　his　name？〃

〃I　think　he　is　called　Frederick　von　Trenck。〃

〃It　is　so；　and　if　I　do　not　err；　he　is　your　relative？〃

〃My　distant　relativeyes；　your　royal　highness。〃

〃And　can　you　bear　to　have　your　relative　in　chains？　Does　not　your　heart　bleed　for　his　sufferings？〃

〃He　suffers　justly；　I　presume；　or　he　would　not　have　been　condemned。〃

〃Were　he　the　greatest　criminal　that　lived；　it　would　still　be　a　crime　to　make　him　suffer　perpetually。　A　man's　sleep　is　sacred；　be　he　a　criminal　or　a　murderer。　Let　them　kill　the　criminal；　but　they　should　not　murder　sleep。　Look　at　this　picture；　general；　look　at　this　prisoner　lying　upon　the　hard　floor；　he　has　been　torn　from　his　dreams　of　freedom　and　happiness　by　the　rough　voice　of　the　soldier　standing　at　his　door。　Read　the　verse　beneath　itis　not　every　word　of　it　bathed　in　tears？　Breathes　there　not　a　cry　of　terror　throughout　so　fearful；　so　unheard…of；　that　it　must　resound　in　every　breast？　And　you；　his　relative；　you　will　not　hear　him？　You　will　do　nothing　to　free　this　unfortunate　man　from　his　prison？　You；　the　Austrian　ambassador；　suffer　an　officer　of　your　empress　to　remain　a　prisoner　in　a　strange　land；　without　a　trial；　without　a　hearing。〃

〃When　my　empress　sent　me　here；　she　gave　me　her　instructions；　and　she　informed　me　of　the　extent　and　character　of　my　duties。　She　did　not　request　me　to　exert　myself　for　the　release　of　this　unfortunate　prisoner；　that　is　entirely　beyond　my　sphere　of　action；　and　I　must　be　discreet。〃

〃You　must　be　careful　and　discreet　when　the　life　of　a　man；　a　relative；　is　concerned？　You　have；　then；　no　pity　for　him？〃

〃I　pity　him　deeply；　your　royal　highness；　but　can　do　nothing　more。〃

〃Perhaps　not　you！　Perhaps　another！　Perhaps　I？〃

〃I　do　not　know　if　your　royal　highness　interests　herself　sufficiently　in　the　prisoner　to　work　for　him。〃

〃You　know　not　whether　I　interest　myself　sufficiently　in　Trenck　to　serve　him；〃　cried　Amelia；　with　a　harsh　laugh。　〃You　well　know　it；　the　whole　world　knows　it；　no　one　dares　speak　of　it　aloud；　for　fear　of　the　king's　anger；　but　it　is　whispered　throughout　the　whole　land　why　Trenck　languishes　in　prison。　You；　you　alone；　should　be　ignorant　of　it！　Know；　then；　that　Trenck　is　imprisoned　because　I　love　him！　Yes；　general；　I　love　him！　Why　do　you　not　laugh；　sir？　Is　it　not　laughable　to　hear　an　old；　wrinkled；　broken…down　creature　speak　of　loveto　see　a　wan；　trembling　form；　tottering　to　her　grave　on　a　prop　of　love？　Look　at　this　horribly　disfigured　countenance。　Listen　to　the　rough；　discordant　voice　that　dares　to　speak　of　love；　and　then　laugh；　general；　for　I　tell　you　I　love　Trenck。　I　love　him　with　all　the　strength　and　passion　of　a　young　girl。　Grief　and　age　have　laid　a　fearful　mask　upon　my　countenance；　but　my　heart　is　still　young；　there　burns　within　it　an　undying；　a　sacred　flame。　My　thoughts；　my　desires　are　passionate　and　youthful；　and　my　every　thought；　my　every　desire　is　for　Trenck。　I　could　tell　you　of　all　the　agony；　all　the　despair　I　have　endured　for　his　sake；　but　it　would　be　useless。　There　is　no　question　of　my　sufferings；　but　of　his　who　through　me　has　lost　his　youth　and　his　freedomhis　all！　Nine　years　he　has　lain　in　prison；　for　nine　years　my　one　aim　has　been　to　release　him。　My　existence；　my　soul；　my　heart；　are　bound　up　in　his　prison　walls。　I　only　live　to　release　him。　Though　I　have　ceased　to　look　for　human　assistance；　my　heart　still　prays　earnestly　to　God　for　some　way　of　escape。　If　you　know　any　such；　general；　show　it　to　me；　and　were　it　strewed　with　thorns　and　burning　irons；　I　would　wander　upon　it　in　my　bare　feet。〃

She　raised　her　hands　and　fixed　an　imploring　glance　upon　the　general；　who　had　listened　to　her　in　silence。　When　she　had　ceased　speaking；　he　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　her。　Amelia　could　have　cried　aloud　for　joy；　for　two　bright；　precious　tears　gleamed　in　his　eye。

〃You　weep；〃　cried　she；　〃you　have　some　pity。〃

The　general　took　her　hand；　and　kneeling　reverentially　before　her　he　said：　〃Yes；　I　weep；　but　not　over　you。　I　weep　over　your　great；　self…　sacrificing　soul。　I　do　not　pity　youyour　grief　is　too　great；　too　sacredit　is　above　pity。　But　I　bow　profoundly　before　you；　for　your　suffering　is　worthy　of　all　reverence。　To　me　you　appear　much　more　beautiful　than　all　the　women　of　this　court　who　dance　giddily　through　life。　It　is　not　the　diplomatist　but　the　man　who　kneels　before　you　and　offers　you　his　homage。〃

Gently　Amelia　bade　him　rise。　〃With　a　sweet；　happy　smile　upon　her　lip　she　thanked　him　for　his　sympathy；　and　hoped　they　would　be　good　friends　and　counsel　with　each　other。〃

The　general　was　silent　for　a　few　moments。　〃The　feelings　of　the　empress　must　be　worked　uponshe　must　intercede　with　King　Frederick　for　Trenck。　He　cannot　refuse　her　first　request。〃

〃Will　you　undertake　to　effect　this？〃　said　Amelia；　hastily。　〃Will　you　intercede　for　your　unfortunate　relative？〃

〃I　had　done　so　long　ago　had　it　been　possible。　Alas；　I　dared　not。　Trenck　is　my　relativemy　request　would；　therefore；　have　been　considered　as　that　of　a　prejudiced　person。　My　exalted　empress　possesses　so　strong　a　sense　of　right　that　it　has　become　a　rul