frederick the great and his family-第30节
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re give more encouragement to a cavalier than I manifest to your royal highness。〃
〃You are more friendly to all the world than to me； Wilhelmina；〃 said the prince； angrily。 〃You have a kindly word； a magic glance； a gracious reception for all others who approach you。 To me alone are you cold and stern； your countenance darkens as soon as I draw near； the smile vanishes from your lips； your brow is clouded and your eyes are fixed upon me with almost an expression of contempt。 I see； madame； that you hate me！ Well； then； hate me； but I do not deserve your contempt； and I will not endure it！ It is enough that you martyr me to death with your cutting coldness； your crushing indifference。 The world； at least； should not know that you hate me； and I will not be publicly humiliated by you。 What did I do this morning； for example？ Why were you so cold and scornful？ Wherefore did you check your gay laugh as I entered the room？ wherefore did you refuse me the little flower you held in your hand； and then throw it carelessly upon the floor？〃
The princess looked at him with flashing eyes。
〃You ask many questions； sir； and on many points；〃 said she； sharply。 〃I do not think it necessary to reply to them。 Let us join our company。〃 She bowed proudly and advanced； but the prince held her back。
〃Do not go；〃 said he； entreatingly； 〃do not go。 Say first that you pardon me； that you are no longer angry。 Oh； Wilhelmina； you do not know what I suffer； you can never know the anguish which tortures my soul。〃
〃I know it well； on the day of our marriage your highness explained all。 It was not necessary to return to this bitter subject。 I have not forgotten one word spoken on that festive occasion。〃
〃What do you mean； Wilhelmina？ How could I； on our wedding…day； have made known to you the tortures which I now suffer； from which I was then wholly free； and in whose possibility I did not believe？〃
〃It is possible that your sufferings have become more intolerable；〃 said the princess； coldly； 〃but you confided them to me fully and frankly at that time。 It was； indeed； the only time since our marriage we had any thing to confide。 Our only secret is that we do not love and never can love each other； that only in the eyes of the world are we married。 There is no union of hearts。〃
〃Oh； princess； your words are death！〃 And completely overcome； he sank upon a chair。
Wilhelmina looked at him coldly； without one trace of emotion。
〃Death？〃 said she； 〃why should I slay you？ We murder only those whom we love or hate。 I neither love nor hate you。〃
〃You are only； then； entirely indifferent to me；〃 asked the prince。
〃I think； your highness； this is what you asked of me； on our wedding…day。 I have endeavored to meet your wishes； and thereby； at least； to prove to you that I had the virtue of obedience。 Oh； I can never forget that hour；〃 cried the princess。 〃I came a stranger； alone； ill from home…sickness and anguish of heart； to Berlin。 I was betrothed according to the fate of princesses。 I was not consulted！ I did not knowI had never seen the man to whom I must swear eternal love and faith。 This was also your sad fate； my prince。 We had never met。 We saw each other for the first time as we stood before God's altar； and exchanged our vows to the sound of merry wedding…bells； and the roar of cannon。 I am always thinking that the bells ring and the cannon thunders at royal marriages； to drown the timid； trembling yes； forced from pallid； unwilling lips； which rings in the ears of God and men like a discordlike the snap of a harp…string。 The bells chimed melodiously。 No man heard the yes at which our poor hearts rebelled！ We alone heard and understood！ You were noble； prince； you had been forced to swear a falsehood before the altar； but in the evening； when we were alone in our apartment； you told me the frank and honest truth。 State policy united us； we did not and could never love each other！ You were amiable enough to ask me to be your friendyour sister； and to give me an immediate proof of a brother's confidence； you confessed to me that； with all the ardor and ecstasy of your youthful heart； you had loved a woman who betrayed you； and thus extinguished forever all power to love。 I； my prince； could not follow your frank example； and give a like confidence。 I had nothing to relate。 I had not loved！ I loved you not！ I was therefore grateful when you asked no love from me。 You only asked that； with calm indifference； we should remain side by side； and greet each other； before the world； with the empty titles of wife and husband。 I accepted this proposal joyfully； to remain an object of absolute indifference to you； and to regard you in the same light。 I cannot； therefore； comprehend why you now reproach me。〃
〃Yes！ yes！ I said and did all that；〃 said Prince Henry； pale and trembling with emotion。 〃I was a madman！ More than that； I was a blasphemer！ Love is as Godholy； invisible； and eternal； and he who does not believe in her immortality； her omnipresence； is like the heathen； who has faith only in his gods of wood and stone； and whose dull eyes cannot behold the invisible glory of the Godhead。 My heart had at that time received its first wound； and because it bled and pained me fearfully； I believed it to be dead； and I covered it up with bitter and cruel remembrances； as in an iron coffin； from which all escape was impossible。 An angel drew near； and laid her soft； fine hand upon my coffin； my wounds were healed； my youth revived； and I dared hope in happiness and a future。 At first； I would not confess this to myself。 At first； I thought to smother this new birth of my heart in the mourning veil of my past experience； but my heart was like a giant in his first manhood； and cast off all restraint； like Hercules in his cradle； he strangled the serpents which were hissing around him。 It was indeed a painful happiness to know that I had again a heart； that I was capable of feeling the rapture and the pain； the longing； the hopes and fears； the enthusiasm and exaltation； the doubt and the despair which make the passion of love； and I have to thank you； Wilhelminayou alone； you； my wife； for this new birth。 You turn away your head； Wilhelmina！ You smile derisively！ It is true I have not the right to call you my wife。 You are free to spurn me from you； to banish me forever into that cold； desert region to which I fled in the madness and blindness of my despair。 But think well； princess； if you do this； you cast a shadow over my life。 It is my whole future which I lay at your feet； a future for which fate perhaps intends great duties and greater deeds。 I cannot fulfil these duties； I can perform no heroic deed； unless you； princess； grant me the blessing of happiness。 I shall be a silent； unknown； and useless prince； the sad and pitiful hanger…on of a throne； despised and unloved； a burden only to my people； unless you give freedom and strength to my sick soul； which lies a prisoner at your feet。 Wilhelmina； put an end to the tortures of the last few months； release me from the curse which binds my whole life in chains； speak but one word； and I shall have strength to govern the world； and prove to you that I am worthy of you。 I will force the stars from heaven； and place them as a diadem upon your brow。 Say only that you will try to love me； and I will thank you for happiness and fame。〃
Prince Henry was so filled with his passion and enthusiasm； that he did not remark the deadly pallor of Wilhelmina's facethat he did not see the look of anguish and horror with which her eyes rested for one moment upon him； then shrank blushingly and ashamed upon the floor。 He seized her cold； nerveless hands； and pressed them to his heart； she submitted quietly。 She seemed turned to stone。
〃Be merciful； Wilhelmina； say that you forgive methat you will try to love me。〃
The princess shuddered； and glanced up at him。 〃I must say that；〃 murmured she； 〃and you have not once said that you love me。〃
The prince shouted with rapture； and； falling upon his knees； he exclaimed； 〃I love you！ I adore you！ I want nothing； will accept nothing； but you alone； you are my love； my hope； my future。 Wilhelmina； if you do not intend me to die at your feet； say that you do not spurn meopen your arms and clasp me to your heart。〃
The princess stood immovable for a moment； trembling and swaying from side to side； her lips opened as if to utter a wild； mad cry pain was written on every feature。 The prince saw nothing of this his lips were pressed upon her hand； and he did not look uphe did not see his wife press her pale lips tightly together to force back her cries of despairhe did not see that her eyes were raised in unspeakable agony to heaven。
The battle was over； the princess bowed over her husband； and her hands softly raised him from his knees。 〃Stand up； princeI dare not see you lying at my feet。 You have a right to my loveyou are my husband。〃
Prince Henry clasped her closely； passionately in his arms。
CHAPTER IV。
THE FETE IN THE WOODS。
No fete was ever brighter and gayer than that of Rheinsberg。 It is true； the courtly circle waited a long time before the beginning of their merry sports。 Hours passed before the princely pair joined their guests
