frederick the great and his family-第60节

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is　a　strife　of　intellect；　of　spirit；　and　although　I　know　I　am　too　weak　to　conquer；　I　will　at　least　fall　with　honorwith　my　sword　in　my　hand！　I　shall　fall；　but　you　shall　not　consider　me　a　cowardly　mute　who　does　not　dare　to　defend　himself。　I　know　that　I　have　been　slandered　to　you；　I　know　that　those　whom　you　honor　with　your　friendship　are　spies　upon　my　every　word　and　look；　and　report　to　your　majesty　what　they　hear　and　what　they　do　not　hearwhat　is　true　and　what　is　not　true。　I　know　I　have　been　robbed　of　my　brother's　love；　but　I　will　not　consent　to　the　loss　of　his　respect　and　consideration。　Sire；　Winterfeldt　wrote　to　you；　I　know　that　he　did　so。　If　he　wrote　that　I　was　obstinate　and　self…willed；　and　alone　answerable　for　the　disasters　of　the　army；　＇Footnote：　Warner's　〃Campaigns　of　Frederick　the　Great。〃＇　I　call　God　to　witness　that　he　slandered　me。　Your　majesty　speaks　of　instructions。　I　received　none。　I　would　remind　you　that　I　entreated　you　in　vain　to　give　me　partial　instructionsthat　I　wrote　down　your　majesty's　verbally　expressed　opinions；　and　implored　you　to　add　to　them　your　approval；　or　written　remarks　and　explanations。　＇Footnote：　〃Recueil　des　Lettres　du　Roi　de　Prusse　et　du　Prince　de　Prusse。〃＇　Your　majesty　returned　the　paper　without　signature　or　remark。　I　alone　should　bear　the　responsibility；　and　if　this　sad　retreat　should　end　disastrously；　the　whole　world　might　say；　'This　was　the　work　of　the　Prince　of　Prussia！'　Look　you；　my　brother；　I　know；　I　feel　this。　The　lost　battle　of　Collin　demanded　an　offering；　and　I　was　predestined　for　the　sacrifice。〃

The　king　uttered　a　cry　of　rage；　and　advanced　against　the　prince　without　outstretched　arm；　but　suddenly　recovered　his　self…control；　folded　his　arms；　and　stared　coldly　at　the　prince。

〃I　have　listened　quietly　to　you；　hoping　always　I　might　possibly　find　in　your　words　a　glimmer　of　excuse　for　your　blasphemous　deeds。　I　find　none。　Have　you　finished；　or　have　you　still　something　to　say？〃

〃I　have　this　to　say；　sire：　I　demand　that　my　conduct　be　investigated。〃

〃Woe　to　you　if　I　do　thiswoe　to　you　if　I　listen　to　your　bold；　insane　demand！〃　Stepping　before　the　prince；　and　fixing　his　eye　upon　him；　he　said：　〃You　have　acted　not　like　a　Prussian；　not　like　a　general　of　Prussian　troops；　but　like　an　enemylike　an　ally　of　Austria　and　of　France；　who　sought　only　for　means　to　destroy　the　Prussian　army　and　put　an　end　to　this　war。　I　know　that　it　never　had　your　approval；　because　directed　against　your　beloved　France。〃

〃Ah；　my　brother；　you　distrust　me！〃　cried　the　prince；　fiercely。

〃Yes；　I　distrust　you；〃　said　the　king；　eagerly〃I　distrust　you；　and　you　merit　it！　You　have　just　said　that　this　was　an　important　hour　between　us。　Well；　then；　it　shall　be　so。　I　accept　this　strife　of　words　which　you　have　the　audacity　to　offer　me。　This　was　not　cautiously；　not　wisely　done；　on　your　part。　You　yourself　have　armed　memy　weapons　are　sharp。　I　have　suffered　much　during　my　whole　life　because　of　you；　my　brother。　This　began　even　in　the　days　of　our　childhood；　and　will；　as　it　appears；　follow　me　to　the　grave。　You　were　the　favorite　of　my　father；　and　I　remember　well　that　he　one　day　proposed　to　me　to　relinquish　the　throne　in　your　favor。　I　withstood　him。　I　did　not　pay　for　this　opposition　with　my　life；　but　with　my　life's　happiness。　I　will　not　account　this　against　you；　perhaps　you　were　innocent；　but　it　appears　to　me　you　have　not　forgotten　our　father's　wishthat　you　look　upon　me　as　a　usurper；　who　has　robbed　you　of　your　throne。　You　act　as　if　you　had　the　right　to　measure　and　criticise　all　my　undertakings；　and　to　make　yourself　a　judge　over　me。　I　undertook　this　war　with　the　conviction　of　my　right　and　my　royal　duty。　You　dared　to　protest　against　it。　You　dared；　in　the　presence　of　my　generals；　to　speak　of　your　claims　and　the　claims　of　your　children！　Oh；　sir；　you　were　already　thinking　of　the　time　when　you　would　lay　my　head　in　the　vault　and　walk　over　my　dead　body　to　a　throne！　In　that　hour　you　stood　no　longer　by　my　side　as　my　subject；　as　my　brother；　as　my　friend；　but　as　an　ambitious　prince　royal；　who　hates　his　king　who　keeps　him　from　his　crown；　and　who　is　hated　of　the　king　because　he　reminds　him　of　his　death！　And　during　no　moment　since　then　could　you　have　denied　this　hatred。〃

〃Oh；　my　brother！〃　said　the　prince；　painfully；　〃your　own　hatred　has　blinded　you　and　made　you　unjust。　I　have　always　loved　and　admired　you；　even　when　I　did　not　approve　of　your　undertakings。〃

〃And　yet　it　was　you；　you　alone；〃　said　the　king；　hastily；　〃who　dared；　after　the　fatal　disaster　of　Collin；　to　utter　loud　cries　of　grief　and　despair。　When　my　courier　brought　to　you　and　the　generals　and　the　army　the　mournful　news　of　the　lost　battle　of　Collin；　in　place　of　strengthening　and　encouraging　my　warriorsconsoling　and　inspiring　them　with　confidence　in　their　royal　leaderyou　dared；　in　the　presence　of　all　my　generals；　to　cry　and　whimper；　not　over　destiny；　not　over　the　inconstancy　of　fortune；　but　over　the　conduct　of　your　brother　and　your　king。　In　place　of　justifying　me　to　my　silent　and　cast…down　generals；　you　accused　me　boldly；　and　made　my　misfortune　my　crime。〃　＇Footnote：　Betzow's　〃Characteristics　of　Frederick。〃＇

〃It　is　true；〃　murmured　the　prince；　〃distress　and　grief　overcame　me　and　robbed　me　of　my　reason。〃

〃Even　because　you　were　so　wise　and　bold　a　warrior；〃　said　the　king；　with　a　cold　smile；　〃I　wished　to　give　you　an　opportunity　to　prove　your　genius　to　my　whole　people；　whose　sovereign　you　will　one　day　be。　Because　you　wept　and　clamored　before　say　generals　over　my　faults　as　a　leader；　I　wished　you　to　prove　to　them　that　you　were　capable　of　commanding　and　bringing　good　out　of　evil。　I　trusted　you　with　my　third　army　corpsI　expected　it　to　retreat　safely　and　surely　under　your　command；　after　I　had　almost　led　it　to　destruction　in　a　bloody；　disastrous　battle。　I　gave　you　the　opportunity　to　make　yourself　a　god　in　the　eyes　of　my　soldiers；　a　glorious　model　to　my　generals。　What　use　have　you　made　of　these　advantages？　You　bring　me　crippled；　hungry；　desperate　soldiers！　You　bring　me　generals　covered　with　shame；　and　blushing　over　their　guilt。　If　I　should　deal　with　them　as　they　deserved；　I　would　give　them　over　to　a　courtmartial　and　they　would　be　condemned。〃

〃And　still　I　am　not　conscious　of　any　fault；〃　said　the　prince。　〃I　dare　to　say　fate　was　against　me；　and　that　I　am　wholly　innocent。〃

〃And　I　repeat　to　you　your　conduct　has　been　that　of　an　ally　of　France；　who　wished　destruction　to　the　Prussians；　and　to　close　this　hated　war！〃

〃If　that　were　so；　I　would　be　a　traitor！〃　said　the　prince。

〃And　who　will　dare　say　that　you　are　not？〃　cried　the　king。　〃Who　will　say　that　he　who；　while　I　was　engaged　in　war　with　France；　exchanged　the　most　tender　letters　with　the　former　French　ambassador　Valori；　and　complained　to　this　Frenchman　of　the　obstinacy　of　his　brother；　who　is　also　his　king？　Who　will　say　that　this　man　is　not　a　traitor？　Was　it　not　known　to　you；　my　brother；　when　you　wrote　to　Valori；　that　the　French　had　already　invaded　my　Westphalian　provinces？　It　was　known　to　youand　yet　you　dared　to　write　to　a　Frenchman　that　you　were　convinced　of　the　decline　of　my　kingdom。　And　yet　you　dared　to　bring　charges　against　me；　and　to　say：　'Ce　seront　mes　enfants　qui　seront　les　victimes　des　fautes　passees。'　Did　you　not　know　that　it　was　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour　who　gave　occasion　for　this　war？　You　knew　it；　and　yet　you　commissioned　Valori　to　entreat　the　marquise　to　have　her　portrait　painted　for　you！　Now；　sir；　I　ask　you；　in　all　candor；　if　these　are　not　the　acts　of　a　traitor？〃

The　prince　made　a　passionate　exclamation；　and　laid　his　hand　upon　his　sword。

〃You　dare　to　dishonor　me；　sire！〃

〃I　dare　it！　I　dare　to　tell　you　the　truth；〃　said　the　king；　solemnly。

〃Take　your　hand　from　your　swordthe　truth　is　an　enemy　that　you　cannot　contend　against　with　weapons；　but　with　deeds；　and　your　conduct　testifies　against　you。〃

The　prince　breathed　heavily；　and　turned　deadly　pale。

〃The　contest　is　over。　Your　majesty　fights　against　me　with　weapons　which　I　do　not　possess；　and　would　not　dare　use；　and　against　which　I　cannot　defend　myself。　You　open　my　private　letters；　and　from　the　harmless　confidences　of　friendship　you　make　a　traitor　of　me。　To　call　me　a　traitor；　is　to　degrade　me。　I　am　dishonored；　and　with　a　dishonored　culprit　your　majesty　cannot　contend。　I　will　therefore　withdraw。　No　one　will　see　the　wounds　you　have　inflictedwhich　have　pierced　my　heart；　but；　I　tell　you；　my　brother；　I　will　die　of　these　wounds。〃

〃And　in　heaven；　I　suppose；　you　will　accuse　me　as　your　murderer？〃　said　the　king；　ironically。

〃No！　in　heaven　I　will　pray　for　my　fatherland；〃　said　Prince　Augustus　William；　mildly。　He　bowed　respectfully；　turned；　and　left　the　room。

Without　stood　the　generals；　maintaining　a　solemn　silence。　When　they　saw　the　prince　appear　at　the　door　of　the　king's　tent；　so　pale；　so　suffering；　a　prophetic　warning　filled　every　breast。　It　seemed　to　them　that　a　dying　man　approached　them；　and　with　inexpressible　sorrow　held　out　his　hand　for　a　last　farewell。

〃It　is　passed！　The　battle　is　ended！〃

At　this　moment　the　adjutant　of　the　king　left　the　tent；　and　approached　the　generals；　who　stood　near　the　prince。

〃His　majesty　commands　you　to　see　that　the　soldiers　of　the　third　army　corps　are　kept；　as　far　as　it　is　possible；　entirely　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　army。　You　will　immediately　convey