frederick the great and his family-第36节

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〃I　must　now　send　a　courier　at　once　to　my　court；〃　said　the　duke；　〃and　I　will　not　fail　to　state　that　your　majesty　advises　us　to　unite　with　Austria。〃

〃You　will　do　well；　that　is；〃　said　the　king；　with　a　meaning　smile　〃that　is；　if　you　think　your　court　is　in　need　of　such　advice；　and　has　not　already　acted　without　it。　When　do　you　leave；　duke？〃

〃To…morrow　morning；　sire。〃

〃Farewell；　duke；　and　do　not　forget　that　in　my　heart　I　am　the　friend　of　France；　though　we　meet　as　enemies　on　the　battle…field。〃

The　duke　bowed　reverentially；　and；　sighing　deeply；　left　the　royal　library；　〃the　republic　of　letters；〃　to　hasten　to　Berlin。

The　king　looked　after　him　thoughtfully。

〃The　die　is　cast；〃　said　he；　softly。　〃There　will　be　war。　Our　days　of　peace　and　quietude　are　over；　and　the　days　of　danger　are　approaching！〃




CHAPTER　VII。

THE　TRAITOR。


The　sun　had　just　risen；　and　was　shedding　its　golden　rays　over　the　garden　of　Sans…Souci；　decking　the　awaking　flowers　with　glittering　dew…drops。　All　was　quietNature　alone　was　up　and　doing；　no　one　was　to　be　seen；　no　sound　was　to　be　heard；　but　the　rustling　of　trees　and　the　chirping　of　birds。　All　was　still　and　peaceful；　it　seemed　as　if　the　sound　of　human　misery　and　passion　could　not　reach　this　spot。　There　was　something　so　holy　in　this　garden；　that　you　could　but　believe　it　to　be　a　part　of　paradise　in　which　the　serpent　had　not　yet　exercised　his　arts　of　seduction。　But　no；　this　is　but　a　beautiful　dream。　Man　is　here；　but　he　is　sleeping；　he　is　still　resting　from　the　toils　and　sorrows　of　the　past　day。　Man　is　herehe　is　coming　to　destroy　the　peacefulness　of　Nature　with　his　sorrows　and　complaints。

The　little　gate　at　the　farthest　end　of　that　shady　walk　is　opened；　and　a　man　enters。　The　dream　is　at　an　end；　and　Sans…Souci　is　now　but　a　beautiful　garden；　not　a　paradise；　for　it　has　been　desecrated　by　the　foot　of　man。　He　hastens　up　the　path　leading　to　the　palace；　he　hurries　forward；　panting　and　gasping。　His　face　is　colorless；　his　long　hair　is　fluttering　in　the　morning　wind；　his　eyes　are　fixed　and　glaring；　his　clothes　are　covered　with　dust；　and　his　head　is　bare。

There　is　something　terrifying　in　the　sudden　appearance　of　this　man。　Nature　seems　to　smile　no　more　since　he　came；　the　trees　have　stopped　their　whispering；　the　birds　cannot　continue　their　melodious　songs　since　they　have　seen　his　wild；　anxious　look。　The　peacefulness　of　Nature　is　broken。　For　manthat　is　to　say；　misery；　misfortune；　for　manthat　is　to　say；　sin；　guilt；　and　meannessis　there；　pouring　destroying　drops　of　poison　in　the　golden　chalice　of　creation。

Breathlessly　he　hurries　on；　looking　neither　to　right　nor　left。　He　has　now　reached　the　terrace；　and　now　he　stops　for　a　moment　to　recover　breath。　He　sees　not　the　glorious　panorama　lying　at　his　feet；　he　is　blind　to　all　but　himself。　He　is　alone　in　the　worldalone　with　his　misery；　his　pain。　Now　he　hastens　on　to　the　back　of　the　palace。　The　sentinels　walking　before　the　back　and　the　front　of　the　castle　know　him；　know　where　he　is　going；　and　they　barely　glance　at　him　as　he　knocks　long　and　loudly　at　that　little　side　window。

It　is　opened；　and　a　young　girl　appears；　who；　when　perceiving　this　pale；　anxious　countenance；　which　is　striving　in　vain　to　smile　at　her；　cries　out　loudly；　and　folds　her　hands　as　if　in　prayer。

〃Hush！〃　said　he；　roughly；　〃hush！　let　me　in。〃

〃Some　misfortune　has　happened！〃　said　she；　terrified。

〃Yes；　Rosa；　a　great　misfortune；　but　let　me　in；　if　you　do　not　wish　to　ruin　me。〃

The　young　girl　disappears；　and　the　man　hastens　to　the　side　door　of　the　castle。　It　is　opened；　and　he　slips　in。

Perfect　peace　reigns　once　more　in　the　garden　of　Sans…Souci。　Nature　is　now　smiling；　for　she　is　alone　with　her　innocence。　Man　is　not　there！　But　now；　in　the　castle；　in　the　dwelling　of　the　castle　warder；　and　in　the　room　of　his　lovely　daughter　Rosa；　all　is　alive。　There　is　whispering；　and　weeping；　and　sighing；　and　praying；　there　is　Rosa；　fearful　and　trembling；　her　face　covered　with　tears；　and　opposite　her；　her　pale；　woe…begone　lover。

〃I　have　been　walking　all　night；〃　said　he；　with　a　faint　and　hollow　voice。　〃I　did　not　know　that　Berlin　was　so　far　from　Potsdam；　and　had　I　known　it；　I　would　not　have　dared　to　take　a　wagon　or　a　horse；　I　had　to　slip　away　very　quietly。　While　by　Count　Puebla's　order　my　room　was　guarded；　and　I　thought　to　be　in　it；　I　descended　into　the　garden　by　the　grape…vine；　which　reached　up　to　my　window。　The　gardener　had　no　suspicion　of　how　I　came　there；　when　I　required　him　to　unlock　the　door；　but　laughed　cunningly；　thinking　I　was　bound　to　some　rendezvous。　And　so　I　wandered　on　in　fear　and　pain；　in　despair　and　anger；　and　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　the　road　would　never　come　to　an　end。　At　times　I　stopped；　thinking　I　heard　behind　me　wild　cries　and　curses；　the　stamping　of　horses；　and　the　rolling　of　wheels；　but　it　was　imagination。　Ah！　it　was　a　frightful　road；　but　it　is　past。　But　now　I　will　be　strong；　for　this　concerns　my　name；　my　life；　my　honor。　Why　do　you　laugh；　Rosa？〃　said　he；　angrily；　〃do　you　dare　to　laugh；　because　I　speak　of　my　namemy　honor？〃

〃I　did　not　laugh；〃　said　Rosa；　looking　with　terror　at　the　disturbed　countenance　of　her　lover。

〃Yes；　you　laughed；　and　you　were　right　to　laugh；　when　I　spoke　of　my　honor；　I　who　have　no　honor；　I　who　have　shamed　my　name；　I　upon　whose　brow　is　the　sign　of　murder：　for　I　am　guilty　of　the　ruin　of　a　man；　and　the　chains　on　his　hands　are　cursing　my　name。〃

〃My　God！　He　is　mad；〃　murmured　Rosa。

〃No；　I　am　not　mad；〃　said　he；　with　a　heart…breaking　smile。　〃I　know　all；　all！　Were　I　mad；　I　would　not　be　so　unhappy。　Were　I　unconscious；　I　would　suffer　less。　But；　no；　I　remember　all。　I　know　how　this　evil　commenced；　how　it　grew　and　poisoned　my　heart。　The　evil　was　my　poverty；　my　covetousness；　and　perhaps　also　my　ambition。　I　was　not　content　to　bear　forever　the　chains　of　bondage；　I　wished　to　be　free　from　want。　I　determined　it　should　no　more　be　said　that　the　sisters　of　Count　Weingarten　had　to　earn　their　bread　by　their　needlework；　while　he　feasted　sumptuously　at　the　royal　table。　This　it　was　that　caused　my　ruin。　These　frightful　words　buzzed　in　my　ears　so　long；　that　in　my　despair　I　determined　to　stop　them　at　any　price；　and　so　I　committed　my　first　crime；　and　received　a　golden　reward　for　my　treason。　My　sisters　did　not　work　now；　I　bought　a　small　house　for　them；　and　gave　them　all　that　I　received。　I　shuddered　at　the　sight　of　this　money；　I　would　keep　none　of　it。　I　was　again　the　poor　secretary　Weingarten；　but　my　family　was　not　helpless；　they　had　nothing　to　fear。〃

To　whom　was　he　telling　all　this？　Certainly　not　to　that　young　girl　standing　before　him；　pale　and　trembling。　He　had　forgotten　himself；　he　had　forgotten　her　whom　in　other　days　he　had　called　his　heart's　darling。

As　she　sank　at　his　feet　and　covered　his　hands　with　her　tears；　he　rose　hastily　from　his　seat；　he　now　remembered　that　he　was　not　alone。

〃What　have　I　said？〃　cried　he；　wildly。　〃Why　do　you　weep？〃

〃I　weep　because　you　have　forgotten　me；〃　said　she；　softly；　〃I　weep　because；　in　accusing　yourself；　you　make　no　excuse　for　your　crime；　not　even　your　love　for　your　poor　Rosa。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　he；　sadly；　〃I　had　forgotten　our　love。　And　still　it　is　the　only　excuse　that　I　have　for　my　second　crime。　I　had　determined　to　be　a　good　man；　and　to　expiate　my　one　crime　throughout　my　whole　life。　But　when　I　saw　you；　your　beauty　fascinated　me；　and　you　drew　me　on。　I　went　with　open　eyes　into　the　net　which　you　prepared　for　me；　Rosa。　I　allowed　myself　to　be　allured　by　your　beauty；　knowing　well　that　it　would　draw　me　into　a　frightful　abyss。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Rosa；　groaning；　〃how　cruelly　you　speak　of　our　love！〃

〃Of　our　love！〃　repeated　he；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Child；　in　this　hour　we　will　be　true　to　each　other。　Ours　was　no　true　love。　You　were　in　love　with　my　noble　name　and　positionI　with　your　youth；　your　beauty；　your　coquettish　ways。　Our　souls　were　not　in　unison。　You　gave　yourself　to　me；　not　because　you　loved　me；　but　because　you　wished　to　deceive　me。　I　allowed　myself　to　be　deceived　because　of　your　loveliness　and　because　I　saw　the　golden　reward　which　your　deceitful　love　would　bring　me。〃

〃You　are　cruel　and　unjust；〃　said　Rosa；　sadly。　〃It　may　be　true　that　you　never　loved　me；　but　I　loved　you　truly。　I　gave　you　my　whole　heart。〃

〃Yes；　and　in　giving　it；〃　said　he；　harshly〃in　giving　it　you　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　keep　the　aim　of　your　tenderness　always　in　view。　While　your　arms　were　around　me；　your　little　hand　which　seemed　to　rest　upon　my　heart；　sought　for　the　key　which　I　always　kept　in　my　vest…pocket；　and　which　I　had　lately　told　you　belonged　to　the　desk　in　which　the　important　papers　of　the　embassy　were　placed。　You　found　this　key；　Rosa；　and　I　knew　it；　but　I　only　laughed；　and　pressed　you　closer　to　my　heart。〃

〃Terrible！　terrible！〃　said　Rosa；　trembling。　〃He　knew　all；　and　still　he　let　me　do　it！〃

〃Yes　I　allowed　you　to　do　itI　did　not　wish　to　be　better　than　the　girl　I　loved：　and；　as　she　desired　to　deceive　me；　I　let　myself　be　deceived。　I　allowed　it；　because　the　demon　of　gold　had　taken　possession　of　me。　I　took　the　important　papers　out　of　my　desk；　to　which　you　had　stolen　the　key；　and　hid　them。　Then　the　tempters　came　and　whispered　of　golden　rewards；　of　eternal　gratitude；　of　fortune；　honor；　and　these　fiendish　whispers　misled　my　soul。　I　sold　my　honor　and　became　a　traitor；　and　all