history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第40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！


ing's　calling　'Here！'　a　valet　in　the　ante　chamber　brought　in　to　him；　to　be　read　while　his　hair　was　being　done。　His　uniform　the　King　did　not　at　once　put　on；　but　got　into　a　CASAQUIN　＇loose　article　of　the　dressing…gown　kind；　only　shorter　than　ours＇　of　rich　stuff；　sometimes　of　velvet　with　precious　silver　embroideries。　These　Casaquins　were　commonly　sky…blue　（which　color　he　liked）；　presents　from　his　Sisters　and　Nieces。　Letters　being　glanced　over；　and　hair…club　done；　the　Life…guard　General…Adjutant　hands　in　the　Potsdam　Report　（all　strangers　that　have　entered　Potsdam　or　left　it；　the　principal　item）：　this；　with　a　Berlin　Report；　which　had　come　with　the　Letters；　and　what　of　Army…Reports　had　arrived　（Adjutant…　General　delivering　these）；were　now　glanced　over。　And　so；　by　five　o'clock　in　the　summer　morning；　by　six　in　the　winter；　one　sees；　in　the　gross；　what　one's　day's…work　is　to　be；　the　miscellaneous　STONES　of　it　are　now　mostly　here；　only　mortar　and　walling　of　them　to　be　thought　of。　General…Adjutant　and　his　affairs　are　first　settled：　on　each　thing　a　word　or　two；　which　the　General…Adjutant　（always　a　highly　confidential　Officer；　a　Hacke；　a　Winterfeld；　or　the　like）　pointedly　takes　down。

〃General…Adjutant　gone；　the　King；　in　sky…blue　casaquin　＇often　in　very　faded　condition＇　steps　into　his　writing…room；　walks　about；　reading　his　Letters　more　completely；　drinking；　first；　several　glasses　of　water；　then　coffee；　perhaps　three　cups　with　or　without　milk　＇likes　coffee；　and　very　strong＇。　After　coffee　he　takes　his　flute；　steps　about　practising；　fantasying：　he　has　been　heard　to　say；　speaking　of　music　and　its　effects　on　the　soul；　That　during　this　fantasying　he　would　get　to　considering　all　manner　of　things；　with　no　thought　of　what　he　was　playing；　and　that　sometimes　even　the　luckiest　ideas　about　business…matters　have　occurred　to　him　while　dandling　with　the　flute。　Sauntering　so；　he　is　gradually　breakfasting　withal：　will　eat；　intermittently；　small　chocolate　cakes；　and　after　his　coffee；　cherries；　figs；　grapes；　fruits　in　their　season　＇very　fond　of　fruit；　and　has　elaborate　hot…houses＇。　So　passes　the　early　morning。

〃Between　nine　and　ten；　most　of　one's　plan…work　being　got　through；　the　questions　of　the　day　are　settled；　or　laid　hold　of　for　settling。　Between　nine　and　ten；　King　takes　to　reading　the　'Excerpts'　（I　suppose；　of　the　more　intricate　or　lengthier　things）　of　Yesterday；　which　his　three　Cabinet　Raths　＇Clerk　Eichel　and　the　other　Two＇　have　prepared　for　him。　King　summons　these　Three；　one　after　the　other；　according　to　their　Department；　hands　them　the　Letters　just　read；　the　Excerpts　now　decided　on；　and　signifies；　in　a　minimum　of　words；　what　the　answers　are　to　be；Clerk；　always　in　full　dress；　listening　with　both　his　ears；　and　pencil　in　hand。　May　have；　of　Answers；　CABINET…ORDERS　so　called；　perhaps　a　dozen；　to　be　ready　with　before　evening。　＇〃In　a　certain　Copy　or　Final…Register　Book　＇Herr　Preuss's　Windfall；　of　which　INFRA＇　entitled　KABINETSORDENKOPIALBUCH；　of　One　of　the　three　Clerks；　years　1746…1752；　there　are；　on　the　average；　ten　CABINET…ORDERS　daily；　Sundays　included〃　（Preuss；　i。　352　n。）。＇

〃Eichel　and　Company　dismissed；　King　flings　off　his　casaquin；　takes　his　regimental　coat；　has　his　hair　touched　off　with　pomade；　with　powder；　and　is　buttoned　and　ready　in　about　five　minutes；ready　for　Parade；　which　is　at　the　stroke　of　eleven；　instead　of　later；　as　it　used　to　be　in　Papa's　time。　If　eleven　is　not　yet　come；　he　will　get　on　horseback；　go　sweeping　about；　oftenest　with　errands　still；　at　all　events　in　the　free　solitude　of　air；　till　Parade…time　do　come。　The　Parole　＇Sentry's…WORD　of　the　Day＇　he　has　already　given　his　Adjutant…General。　Parole；　which　only　the　Adjutant　and　Commandant　had　known　till　now；　is　formally　given　out；　and　the　troops　go　through　their　exercises；　manoeuvres；　under　a　strictness　of　criticism　which　never　abates。〃　〃Parade　he　by　no　chance　ever　misses；〃　says　our　Demon　friend。

〃At　the　stroke　of　twelve；〃　continues　Preuss；　〃dinner　is　served。　Dinner　threefold；　that　is；　a　second　table　and　a　third。　Only　two　courses；　dishes　only　eight；　even　at　the　King's　Table；　（eight　also　at　the　Marshal's　or　second　Table）；　guests　from　seven　to　ten。　Dinner　plentiful　and　savory　（for　the　King　had　his　favorites　among　edibles）；　by　no　means　caring　to　be　splendid；yearly　expense　of　threefold　Dinner　（done　accurately　by　contract）　was　1；800　pounds。〃　Linsenbarth　we　saw　at　the　Third　Table；　and　how　he　fared。　〃The　dinner…service　was　of　beautiful　porcelain；　not　silver；　still　less　gold；　except　on　the　grandest　occasions。　Every　guest　eats　at　discretion；of　course！and　drinks　at　discretion；　Moselle　or　Pontac　＇kind　of　claret＇；　Champagne　and　Hungary　are　handed　round　on　the　King's　signal。　King　himself　drinks　Bergerac；　or　other　clarets；　with　water。　Dinner　lasts　till　two；if　the　conversation　be　seductive；　it　has　been　known　to　stretch　to　four。　The　King's　great　passion　is　for　talk　of　the　right　kind；　he　himself　talks　a　great　deal；　tippling　wine…and…water　to　the　end；　and　keeps　on　a　level　with　the　rising　tide。

〃With　a　bow　from　Majesty；　dinner　ends；　guests　gently；　with　a　little　saunter　of　talk　to　some　of　them；　all　vanish；　and　the　King　is　in　his　own　Apartment　again。　Generally　flute…playing　for　about　half　an　hour；　till　Eichel　and　the　others　come　with　their　day's　work：　tray…loads　of　Cabinet…Orders；　I　can　fancy；　which　are　to　be　'executed；'　that　is；　to　be　glanced　through；　and　signed。　Signature　for　most　part　is　all；　but　there　are　Marginalia　and　Postscripts；　too；　in　great　number；　often　of　a　spicy　biting　character；　which；　in　our　time；　are　in　request　among　the　curious。〃　Herr　Preuss；　who　has　right　to　speak；　declares　that　the　spice　of　mockery　has　been　exaggerated；　and　that　serious　sense　is　always　the　aim　both　of　Document　and　of　Signer。　Preuss　had　a　windfall；　12；000　of　these　Pieces；　or　more；　in　a　lump；　in　the　way　of　gift；　which　fell　on　him　like　manna；and　led；　it　is　said；　to　those　Friedrich　studies；　extensive　faithful　quarryings　in　that　vast　wilderness　of　sliding　shingle　and　chaotic　boulders。

〃Coffee　follows　this　despatch　of　Eichel　and　Consorts；　the　day　now　one's　own。〃　Scandalous　rumors；　prose　and　verse；　connect　themselves　with　this　particular　epoch　of　the　day；　which　appear　to　be　wholly　LIES。　Of　which　presently。　〃In　this　after…dinner　period　fall　the　literary　labors；〃　says　Preuss：a　facile　pen；　this　King's；　only　two　hours　of　an　afternoon　allowed　it；　instead　of　all　day　and　the　top　of　the　morning。　〃About　six；　or　earlier　even；　came　the　Reader　＇La　Mettrie　or　another＇；　came　artists；　came　learned　talk。　At　seven　is　Concert；　which　lasts　for　an　hour；　half…past　eight　is　Supper。〃　＇Preuss；　i。　344…347　（and；　with　intermittencies；　pp。　356；　361；　363　&c。　to　376）；　abridged。＇

Demon　Newswriter　says；　of　the　Concert：　〃It　is　mostly　of　wind…　instruments；〃　King　himself　often　taking　part　with　his　flute；　〃performers　the　best　in　Europe。　He　has　three〃what　shall　we　call　them？　of　male　gender；〃a　counter…alt；　and　Mamsell　Astrua；　an　Italian；　they　are　unique　voices。　He　cannot　bear　mediocrity。　It　is　but　seldom　he　has　any　singing　here。　To　be　admitted；　needs　the　most　intimate　favor；　now　and　then　some　young　Lord；　of　distinction；　if　he　meet　with　such。〃　Concert；　very　well；but　let　us　now；　suppressing　any　little　abhorrences；　hear　him　on　another　subject：

〃Dinner　lasts　one　hour　＇says　our　Demon；　no　better　informed＇：　upon　which　the　King　returns　to　his　Apartment　with　bows。　It　pretty　often　happens　that　he　takes　with　him　one　of　his　young　fellows。　These　are　all　handsome；　like　a　picture　（FAITS　A　PEINDRE）；　and　of　the　beautifulest　face；〃adds　he；　still　worse　informed；　poisonous　malice　mixing　itself；　this　time；　with　the　human　darkness；　and　reducing　it　to　diabolic。　This　Demon's　Paper　abounds　with　similar　allusions；　as　do　the　more　desperate　sort　of　Voltaire　utterances；VIE　PRIVEE　treating　it　as　known　fact；　Letters　to　Denis　in　occasional　paroxysms；　as　rumor　of　detestable　nature；　probably　true　of　one　who　is　so　detestable；　at　least　so　formidable；　to　a　guilty　sinner　his　Guest。　Others；　not　to　be　called　diabolical；　as　Herr　Dr。　Busching；　for　example；　speak　of　it　as　a　thing　credible；　as　good　as　known　to　the　well…informed。　And；　beyond　the　least　question；　there　did　a　thrice…abominable　rumor　of　that　kind　run；　whispering　audibly；　over　all　the　world；　and　gain　belief　from　those　who　had　appetite。　A　most　melancholy　business。　Solacing　to　human　envy；explaining　also；　to　the　dark　human　intellect；　why　this　King　had　commonly　no　Women　at　his　Court。　A　most　melancholy　portion　of　my　raw…material；　this；　concerning　which；　since　one　must　speak　of　it；　here　is　what　little　I　have　to　say：　　　1。　That　proof　of　the　NEGATIVE；　in　this　or　in　any　such　case；　is　by　the　nature　of　it　impossible。　That　it　is　indisputable　Friedrich　did　not　now　live　with　his　Wife；　nor　seem　to　concern　himself　with　the　empire　of　women　at　all；　having；　except　now　and　then　his　Sisters　and　some　Foreign　Princess　on　short　visit；　no　women　in　his　Court；　and　though　a　great　judge　of　Female　merits；　graces　and　accomplishments；　seems　to　worship　women　in　that　remote　way　alone；　and　not　in　any　nearer。　Which　occasioned　great　astonishment　in　a　world　used　so　much　to　the　contrary。　And　gave　rise　to　many　conjectures　among　the　idle　of　mankind；　〃What；　on　Earth；　or　under　Earth；　can　be　the　meaning　of　it？〃and　among　others；　to　the　above　scandalous　rumor；　as　some　solacement　to　human　mal