frederick the great and his family-第152节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　man；　but　a　free　and　great　spirit。　He　now　refuses　my　presidency；　with　a　salary　of　six　thousand　thalers；　as　he　last　year　refused　the　position　of　tutor　to　the　heir　of　the　throne　of　Russia；　with　a　salary　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　He　prefers　to　be　poor　and　needy；　and　to　live　up　five　flights　of　stairs；　and　be　his　own　master；　than　to　live　in　a　palace　as　the　servant　of　a　prince。　I　cannot　be　angry　with　him；　for　he　has　thought　and　acted　as　a　wise　man；　and　were　I　not　Frederick；　I　would　gladly　be　D'Alembert。　I　will　not　love　him　less　because　he　has　refused　my　offer。　Ah；　it　is　a　real　pleasure　to　know　that　there　are　still　men　who　are　independent　enough　to　exercise　their　will　and　judgment　in　opposition　to　the　king。　Princes　would　be　more　noble；　if　those　with　whom　they　associated　were　not　so　miserable　and　shallow…hearted。　D'Alembert　shall　be　a　lesson　and　a　consolation　to　me；　there　are　still　men　who　are　not　deceivers　and　flatterers；　fools　and　betrayers；　but　really　men。〃

He　carefully　refolded　the　letter；　and；　before　placing　it　in　his　portfolio；　nodded　to　it　as　pleasantly　as　if　it　had　been　D'Alembert　himself。　He　then　took　another　letter。

〃I　do　not　recognize　this　writing；〃　he　said；　as　he　examined　the　address。　〃It　is　from　Switzerland；　and　is　directed　to　me　personally。　From　whom　is　it？〃

He　opened　the　letter；　and　glanced　first　at　the　signature。

〃Ah；〃　he　said；　〃from　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau！　I　promised　him　an　asylum。　The　free　Switzers　persecuted　the　unhappy　philosopher；　and　my　good　Lord　Marshal　prayed　my　assistance　for　him。　Lord　Marshal　is　now　in　Scotland；　and　it　will　not　benefit　him　to　have　his　friend　here。　Well；　perhaps　it　may　lead　to　his　return；　if　he　hopes　to　find　Rousseau　here。　I　must　see　what　the　philosopher　says。〃

The　letter　contained　only　a　few　lines；　which　the　king　read　with　utter　astonishment。　〃Vraiment！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃philosophers　all　belong　to　the　devil。　This　Jean　Jacques　does　not　content　himself　with　declining　my　offer；　but　he　does　it　in　an　unheard…of　manner。　This　is　a　work　of　art；　I　must　read　it　again。〃

The　king　read　aloud　in　a　most　pathetic　voice：　〃Votre　majeste　m'offre　un　asyle；　et　m'y　prome　la　liberte；　mais　vous　avez　une　epee；　et　vous　etes　roi。　Vous　m'offrez　une　pension；　a　moi；　qui　n'a　rien　fait　pour　vous。　Mais　en　avez…vous　donne　a　tous　les　braves　gens　qui　ont　perdu　bras　et　jambes　en　vos　services？〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　king；　laughing；　〃if　being　a　ruffian　makes　one　a　philosopher；　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau　deserves　to　be　called　the　greatest　philosopher　in　the　world。　Truly；　Fortune　is　playing　curious　pranks　with　me　to…day；　and　seems　determined　to　lower　my　royal　pride。　Two　refusals　at　one　time；　two　philosophers　who　decline　my　invitation。　No；　not　two　philosophersD'Alembert　is　a　philosopher；　but　Rousseau　is　in　truth　a　fool。〃

He　tore　this　letter；　and　threw　the　pieces　in　the　fire。　He　then　seized　another　letter；　but　laid　it　down　again　before　opening　it。　He　had　heard　the　great　clock　in　the　hall　strike　eight。　That　was　the　sign　that　the　business　of　the　day；　which　he　shared　with　his　attendants；　should　begin；　and　that　the　king　had　no　more　time　to　devote　to　his　private　correspondence。　The　last　stroke　of　the　clock　had　scarcely　sounded；　as　a　light　knock　was　heard　at　the　door；　which　was　instantly　opened　by　the　command　of　the　king。

Baron　von　Kircheisen；　the　prefect　of　Berlin；　entered　the　room。　He　came　to　make　his　weekly　report　to　the　king。　His　respectful　greeting　was　returned　merely　by　a　dark　side…glance；　and　the　king　listened　to　his　report　with　evident　displeasure。

〃And　that　is　your　entire　report？〃　asked　his　majesty；　when　the　prefect　had　finished。　〃You　are　the　head　of　police　for　the　city　of　Berlin；　and　you　have　nothing　more　to　tell　me　than　any　policemen　might　know。　You　inform　me　of　the　number　of　arrivals　and　departures；　of　the　births　and　deaths；　and　of　the　thefts　which　have　been　committed；　and　that　is　the　extent　of　your　report。〃

〃But　I　cannot　inform　your　majesty　of　things　that　have　not　occurred；〃　returned　Baron　von　Kircheisen。

〃So　nothing　else　has　occurred　in　Berlin。　Berlin　is　then　a　most　quiet；　innocent　city；　where　at　the　worst　a　few　greatly…to…be…pitied　individuals　occasionally　disturb　the　repose　of　the　righteous　by　mistaking　the　property　of　others　for　their　own。　You　know　nothing。　You　do　not　know　that　Berlin　is　the　most　vicious　and　immoral　of　cities。　You　can　tell　me　nothing　of　the　crimes　which　are　certainly　not　of　a　kind　to　be　punished　by　the　law；　but　which　are　creeping　from　house　to　house；　poisoning　the　happiness　of　entire　families；　and　spreading　shame　and　misery　on　every　hand。　You　know　nothing　of　the　many　broken　marriage…vows；　of　the　dissension　in　families；　of　the　frivolity　of　the　young　people　who　have　given　themselves　up　to　gambling　and　dissipation　of　all　kinds。　Much　misery　might　be　avoided　if　you　knew　more　of　these　matters；　and　were　ready　with　a　warning　at　the　right　moment。〃

〃Sire；　will　you　permit　me　to　say　that　is　not　the　task　of　the　ordinary　police；　for　such　matters　a　secret　police　is　required。〃

〃Well；　why　do　you　not　have　a　secret　police？　Why　do　you　not　follow　the　example　of　the　new　minister　of　police　at　Paris；　De　Sartines？　That　man　knows　every　thing　that　happens　in　Paris。　He　knows　the　history　of　every　house；　every　family；　and　every　individual。　He　occasionally　warns　the　men　when　their　wives　are　on　the　point　of　flying　from　them。　He　whispers　to　the　wives　the　names　of　those　who　turn　their　husbands　from　them。　He　shows　the　parents　the　faro…bank　at　which　their　sons　are　losing　their　property；　and　sometimes　extends　a　hand　to　save　them　from　destruction。　That　is　a　good　police；　and　it　must　be　acknowledged　that　yours　does　not　resemble　it。〃

〃If　your　majesty　desires　it；　I　can　establish　such　a　police　in　Berlin　as　De　Sartines　has　in　Paris。　But　your　majesty　must　do　two　things：　First；　you　must　give　me　a　million　of　thalers　annually。〃

〃Ah！　a　million！　Your　secret　police　is　rather　expensive。　Continue。　What　do　you　desire　besides　the　million？〃

〃Secondly；　the　permission　to　destroy　the　peace　of　families；　the　happiness　of　your　subjectsto　make　the　son　a　spy　upon　his　father　the　mother　an　informer　against　her　daughterthe　students　and　servants　the　betrayers　of　their　teachers　and　employers。　If　your　majesty　will　permit　me　to　undermine　the　confidence　of　man　to　his　fellow…manof　the　brother　to　his　sisterof　the　parents　to　their　childrenof　the　husbands　to　their　wives　by　buying　their　secrets　from　themif　I　may　reward　such　treachery；　then；　your　majesty；　we　can　have　such　a　police　as　De　Sartines　has　in　Paris。　But　I　do　not　think　that　it　will　promote　propriety　or　prevent　crime。〃

The　king　had　listened　to　him　with　increasing　interest；　his　brow　growing　clearer　and　clearer　as　the　bold　speaker　continued。　When　he　finished；　the　king　ceased　his　walk；　and　stood　motionless　before　him；　looking　fully　into　his　excited　countenance。

〃It　is；　then；　your　positive　conviction　that　a　secret　police　brings　with　it　those　evils　you　have　depicted？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　it　is　my　positive　conviction。〃

〃He　may　be　right；〃　said　the　king；　thoughtfully。　〃Nothing　demoralizes　men　so　much　as　spies　and　denunciations；　and　a　good　government　should　punish　and　not　reward　the　miserable　spies　who　betray　their　fellow…　creatures　for　gold　with　the　wicked　intention　of　bringing　them　into　misfortune。　A　good　government　should　not　follow　the　Jesuits'　rule　'That　the　end　consecrates　the　means。'〃

〃Will　your　majesty；　then；　graciously　allow　me　to　dispense　with　a　secret　police？〃

〃Well；　yes。　We　will　remain　as　we　are；　and　De　Sartines　may　keep　his　secret　police。　It　would　not　suit　us；　and　Berlin　shall　not　be　still　further　demoralized　by　spies　and　betrayers。　Therefore；　no　more　of　the　secret　police。　When　crime　shows　itself　by　day　we　will　punish　it。　We　will　leave　it　to　Providence　to　bring　it　to　light。　Continue　to　report　to　me；　therefore；　who　has　died　and　who　has　been　born；　who　have　arrived　and　who　have　departed；　who　has　stolen　and　who　has　done　a　good　business。　I　am　well　pleased　with　youyou　have　spoken　freely　and　bravely；　and　said　openly　what　you　thought。　That　pleases　me；　I　am　pleased　when　my　agents　have　the　courage　to　speak　the　truth；　and　dare　occasionally　to　oppose　me。　I　hope　you　will　retain　this　virtue。〃

He　bowed　pleasantly　to　the　prefect；　and　offered　him　his　hand。　He　then　dismissed　him；　and　ordered　the　ministers　to　enter　with　their　reports　and　proposals。　After　these　came　the　council；　and　only　after　the　king　had　worked　with　them　uninterruptedly　for　three　hours；　did　he　think　of　taking　some　repose　from　all　this　work；　which　had　occupied　him　from　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　until　nearly　twelve。　He　was　on　the　point　of　entering　his　library　as　loud　voices　in　the　anteroom　arrested　his　attention。

〃But　I　tell　you　that　the　king　gives　no　audiences　to…day；〃　he　heard　one　of　the　servants　say。

〃The　king　has　said　that　every　man　who　wishes　to　speak　to　him　shall　be　admitted！〃　exclaimed　another　voice。　〃I　must　speak　to　the　king；　and　he　must　hear　me。〃

〃If　you　must　speak　to　him；　you　must　arrange　it　by　writing。　The　king　grants　an　audience　to　all　who　demand　it；　but　he　fixes　the　hour　himself。〃

〃Misery　and　despair　cannot　await　a　fixed　hour！〃　cried　the　other。　〃If　the　king　will　not　listen　to　unhappiness　when　it　calls　to　him　for　redress；　but　waits　until　it　pleases　him　to　hear；　he　is　not　a　good　king。〃

〃The　man　is