frederick the great and his family-第24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！


t　be　so！　I　will　accept　the　ducats　which　your　royal　highness　think　good　for　me；　and　now　allow　me　to　discharge　my　duty。　I　come　as　the　messenger　of　Prince　Henry：　He　sends　his　heart…felt　greetings　to　his　royal　sister；　and　begs　that　she　will　do　him　the　honor　to　attend　fete　at　Rheinsberg；　which　will　take　place　in　eight　days。〃

〃Has　the　master　of　ceremonies　of　the　king　become　the　fourrier　of　Prince　Henry？〃　said　Amelia。

〃No；　princess；　I　occasionally　and　accidentally　perform　the　function　of　a　fourrier。　This　invitation　was　not　my　principal　object　to…day。〃

〃I　knew　it；〃　said　Amelia；　ironically。　〃My　brother　Henry　does　not　love　me　well　enough　to　invite　me　to　this　fete；　if　he　had　not　some　other　object　to　attain。　Well；　what　does　Prince　Henry　wish？〃

〃A　small　favor；　your　royal　highness；　he　wishes；　on　the　birthday　of　his　wife；　to　have　Voltaire's　'Rome　Sauvee'　given　by　the　French　tragedians。　Some　years　since　your　highness　had　a　great　triumph　in　this　piece。　The　prince　remembers　that　Voltaire　prepared　the　role　of　Aurelia　especially　for　you；　with　changes　and　additions；　and　he　entreats　you；　through　me；　the　temporary　Directeur　des　spectacles　de　Rheinsberg；　to　lend　him　this　role　for　the　use　of　his　performer。〃

〃Why　does　not　my　brother　rather　entreat　me　to　take　this　part　myself？〃　said　Amelia；　in　cruel　mockery　over　herself。　〃It　appears　to　me　I　could　look　the　part　of　Aurelia；　and　my　soft；　flute…like　voice　would　make　a　powerful　impression　upon　the　public。　It　is　cruel　of　Prince　Henry　to　demand　this　role　of　me；　it　might　be　inferred　that　he　thought　I　had　become　old　and　ugly。〃

〃Not　so；　your　highness；　the　tragedy　is　to　be　performed　on　this　occasion　by　public　actors；　and　not　by　amateurs。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Amelia；　suddenly　becoming　grave；　〃at　that　time　we　were　amateurs；　lovers　of　the　drama；　our　dreams　are　overwe　live　in　realities　now。〃

〃Mademoiselle　von　Marwitz；　have　the　goodness　to　bring　the　manuscript　my　brother　wishes；　it　is　partly　written　by　Voltaire's　own　hand。　You　will　find　it　in　the　bureau　in　my　dressing…room。〃

Mademoiselle　Marwitz　withdrew　to　get　the　manuscript；　as　she　left　the　room；　she　looked　back　suspiciously　at　Pollnitz　and；　as　if　by　accident；　left　the　door　open　which　led　to　the　dressing…room。

Mademoiselle　Marwitz　had　scarcely　disappeared；　before　Pollnitz　sprang　forward；　with　youthful　agility；　and　closed　the　door。

〃Princess；　this　commission　of　Prince　Henry's　was　only　a　pretext。　I　took　this　order　from　the　princess's　maitre　d'hotel　in　order　to　approach　your　highness　unnoticed；　and　to　get　rid　of　the　watchful　eyes　of　your　Marwitz。　Now　listen　well；　Weingarten；　the　Austrian　secretary　of　Legation；　was　with　me　to…day。〃

〃Ah；　Weingarten；〃　murmured　the　princess；　tremblingly；　〃he　gave　you　a　letter　for　me；　quick；　quick；　give　it　to　me。〃

〃No；　he　gave　me　no　letter；　it　appears　that　he；　who　formerly　sent　letters；　is　no　longer　in　the　condition　to　do　so。〃

〃He　is　dead！〃　cried　Amelia　with　horror；　and　sank　back　as　if　struck　by　lightning。

〃No；　princess；　he　is　not　dead；　but　in　great　danger。　It　appears　that　Weingarten　is　in　great　need　of　money；　for　a　hundred　louis　d'or；　which　I　promised　him；　he　confided　to　me　that　Trenck's　enemies　had　excited　the　suspicions　of　the　king　against　him；　and　declared　that　Trenck　had　designs　against　the　life　of　Frederick。〃

〃The　miserable　liars　and　slanderers！〃　cried　Amelia；　contemptuously。

〃The　king；　as　it　appears；　believes　in　these　charges；　he　has　written　to　his　resident　minister　to　demand　of　the　senate　of　Dantzic　the　delivery　of　Trenck。〃

〃Trenck　is　not　in　Dantzic；　but　in　Vienna。〃

〃He　is　in　Dantzicor；　rather；　he　was　there。〃

〃And　now？〃

〃Now；〃　said　Pollnitz；　solemnly；　〃he　is　on　the　way　to　Konigsberg；　from　that　point　he　will　be　transported　to　some　other　fortress；　first；　however；　he　will　be　brought　to　Berlin。〃

The　unhappy　princess　uttered　a　shriek；　which　sounded　like　a　wild　death…cry。　〃He　is；　then；　a　prisoner？〃

〃Yes；　but；　on　his　way　to　prison；　so　long　as　he　does　not　cross　the　threshold　of　the　fortress；　it　is　possible　to　deliver　him。　Weingarten；　who；　it　appears　to　me；　is　much　devoted　to　your　highness；　has　drawn　for　me　the　plan　of　the　route；　Trenck　is　to　take。　Here　it　is。〃　He　handed　the　princess　a　small　piece　of　paper；　which　she　seized　with　trembling　hands；　and　read　hastily。

〃He　comes　through　Coslin；〃　said　she；　joyfully；　〃that　gives　a　chance　of　safety　in　Coslin！　The　Duke　of　Wurtemberg；　the　friend　of　my　youthful　days；　is　in　Coslin；　he　will　assist　me。　Pollnitz；　quick；　quick；　find　me　a　courier　who　will　carry　a　letter　to　the　duke　for　me　without　delay。〃

〃That　will　be　difficult；　if　not　impossible；〃　said　Pollnitz；　thoughtfully。

Amelia　sprang　from　her　seat；　her　eyes　had　the　old　fire；　her　features　their　youthful　expression　and　elasticity。

The　power　and　ardor　of　her　soul　overcame　the　weakness　of　her　body；　it　found　energy　and　strength。

〃Well；　then；〃　said　she；　decisively；　and　even　her　voice　was　firm　and　soft；　〃I　will　go　myself；　and　woe　to　him　who　dares　withhold　me！　I　have　been　ordered　to　take　sea…baths。　I　will　go　this　hour　to　Coslin　for　that　purpose！　but　no；　no；　I　cannot　travel　so　rashly。　Pollnitz；　you　must　find　me　a　courier。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　said　Pollnitz。　〃One　can　buy　all　the　glories　of　this　world　for　gold；　and；　I　think；　your　highness　will　not　regard　a　few　louis　d'or；　more　or　less。〃

〃Find　me　a　messenger；　and　I　will　pay　every　hour　of　his　journey　with　a　gold　piece。〃

〃I　will　send　my　own　servant；　in　half　an　hour　he　shall　be　ready。〃

〃God　be　thanked！　it　will　then；　be　possible　to　save　him。　Let　me　write　this　letter　at　once；　and　hasten　your　messenger。　Let　him　fly　as　if　he　had　wingsas　if　the　wild　winds　of　heaven　bore　him　onward。　The　sooner　he　brings　me　the　answer　of　the　duke；　the　greater　shall　be　his　reward。　Oh；　I　will　reward　him　as　if　I　were　a　rich　queen；　and　not　a　poor；　forsaken；　sorrowful　princess。〃

〃Write；　princess；　write；〃　cried　Pollnitz；　eagerly：　〃but　not　have　the　goodness　to　give　me　the　hundred　louis　d'or　before　Mademoiselle　Marwitz　returns。　I　promised　them　to　Weingarten　for　his　news；　you　can　add　to　them　the　ducats　you　were　graciously　pleased　to　bestow　upon　me。〃

Amelia　did　not　reply；　she　stepped　to　the　table　and　wrote　a　few　lines；　which　she　handed　to　Pollnitz。

〃Take　this；〃　said　she；　almost　contemptuously；　〃it　is　a　draft　upon　my　banker；　Orguelin。　I　thank　you　for　allowing　your　services　to　be　paid　for；　it　relieves　me　from　all　call　to　gratitude。　Serve　me　faithfully　in　future；　and　you　shall　ever　find　my　hand　open　and　my　purse　full。　And　now　give　me　time　to　write　to　the　duke；　and〃

〃Princess；　I　hear　Mademoiselle　Marwitz　returning！〃

Amelia　left　the　writing…table　hastily；　and　advanced　to　the　door　through　which　Mademoiselle　Marwitz　must　enter。

〃Ah；　you　are　come　at　last；〃　said　she；　as　the　door　opened。　〃I　was　about　to　seek　you。　I　feared　you　could　not　find　the　paper。〃

〃It　was　very　difficult　to　find　amongst　such　a　mass　of　letters　and　papers；〃　said　Mademoiselle　Marwitz；　whose　suspicious　glance　was　now　wandering　round　the　room。　〃I　succeeded；　however；　at　last；　here　is　the　manuscript；　your　highness。〃

The　princess　took　it　and　examined　it　carefully。　〃Ah；　I　thought　so；〃　she　said。　〃A　monologue　which　Voltaire　wrote　for　me；　is　missing。　I　gave　it　to　the　king；　and　I　sec　he　has　not　returned　it。　I　think　my　memory　is　the　only　faculty　which　retains　its　power。　It　is　my　misfortune　that　I　cannot　forget！　I　will　test　it　to…day　and　try　to　write　this　monologue　from　memory。　I　must　be　alone；　however。　I　pray　you；　mademoiselle；　to　go　into　the　saloon　with　Pollnitz；　he　can　entertain　you　with　the　Chronique　Scandaleuse　of　our　most　virtuous　court；　while　I　am　writing。And　now；〃　said　she；　when　she　found　herself　alone；　〃may　God　give　me　power　to　reach　the　heart　of　the　duke；　and　win　him　to　my　purpose！〃

With　a　firm　hand　she　wrote：

〃Because　you　are　happy；　duke；　you　will　have　pity　for　the　wretched。　For　a　few　days　past；　you　have　had　your　young　and　lovely　wife　at　your　side；　and　experienced　the　pure　bliss　of　a　happy　union；　you　will　therefore　comprehend　the　despair　of　those　who　love　as　fondly；　and　can　never　be　united。　And　now；　I　would　remind　you　of　a　day　on　which　it　was　in　my　power　to　obtain　for　you　a　great　favor　from　my　brother　the　king。　At　that　time　you　promised　me　to　return　this　service　tenfold；　should　it　ever　be　in　your　power；　and　you　made　me　promise；　if　I　should　ever　need　assistance；　to　turn　to　you　alone！　My　hour　has　come！　I　need　your　help；　not　for　myself！　God　and　death　alone　can　help　me。　I　demand　your　aid　for　a　man　who　is　chained　with　me　to　the　galleys。　You　know　himhave　mercy　upon　him！　Perhaps　he　will　arrive　at　your　court　in　the　same　hour　with　my　letter。　Duke；　will　you　be　the　jailer　of　the　wretched　and　the　powerless；　who　is　imprisoned　only　because　I　am　the　daughter　of　a　king？　Are　your　officers　constables？　will　you　allow　them　to　cast　into　an　eternal　prison　him　for　whom　I　have　wept　night　and　day　for　many　long　years？〃

〃Oh；　my　God！　My　God！　you　have　given　wings　to　the　birds　of　the　air；　you　have　given　to　the　horse　his　fiery　speed；　you　have　declared　that　man　is　the　king　of　creation；　you　have　marked　upon　his　brow　the　seal　of　freedom；　and　this　is　his　holiest　possession。　Oh；　friend；　will　you　consent　that　a　noble　gentleman；　who　has　nothing　left　but　his　freedom；　shall　be　unjustly　deprived　of　it！　Duke；　I　call　upon　you