history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第48节

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ly　three　weeks；　as　it　might　and　would　have　been；　but　of　five　and　a　day）　that　Voltaire　gets　off；　and　then　too　at　full　gallop；　and　in　a　very　unseemly　way。

This　is　authentically　the　world…famous　Frankfurt　Affair；done　by　Fredersdorf；　as　we　say；　Friedrich；　absent　in　Silesia；　or　in　Preussen　even；　having　no　hand　in　it；　except　the　original　Order　left　with　Fredersdorf。　Voltaire　has　used　his　flamingest　colors　on　this　occasion；　being　indeed　dreadfully　provoked　and　chagrined；　painting　the　thing　in　a　very　flagrant　manner；known　to　all　readers。　Voltaire's　flagrant　Narrative　had　the　round　of　the　world　to　itself；　for　a　hundred　years；　and　did　its　share　of　execution　against　Friedrich。　Till　at　length；　recently；　a　precise　impartial　hand；　the　Herr　Varnhagen；　thought　of　looking　into　the　Archives；　and　has；　in　a　distinct；　minute　and　entertaining　way；　explained　the　truth　of　it　to　everybody；leaving　the　Voltaire　Narrative　in　rather　sad　condition。　＇Varnhagen　von　Ense；　　Voltaire　in　Frankfurt　am　Mayn；　　1753　（separate；　as　here；　12mo；　pp。　92；　or　in　　Berliner　Kalender　　for　1846）。＇　We　have　little　room；　but　must　give；　compressed；　from　Varnhagen　and　the　other　evidences；　a　few　of　the　characteristic　points。　The　story　falls　into　two　Parts。

　　　　　PART　I。　FREDERSDORF　SENDS　INSTRUCTIONS；　THE　〃OEUVRE　DE　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　POESIE〃　IS　GOT；　BUT

APRIL　11th；　1753　（few　days　after　that　of　Maupertuis's　Cartel；　Voltaire　having　set　to　firing　through　port…holes　again；　and　the　King　being　swift　in　his　resolution　on　it）；　Factotum　Fredersdorf；　who　has　a　free…flowing　yet　a　steady　and　compact　pen；　directs　Herr　Freytag；　our　Resident　at　Frankfurt…on…Mayn；　To　procure　from　the　Authorities　there；　on　Majesty's　request；　the　necessary　powers；　then　vigilantly　to　look　out　for　Voltaire's　arrival；　to　detain　the　said　Voltaire；　and；　if　necessary；　arrest　him；　till　he　deliver　certain　articles　belonging　to　his　Majesty：　Cross　of　Merit；　Gold　Key；　printed　OEUVRE　DE　POESIES　and　Writings　（SKRIPTUREN）　of　his　Majesty's；　in　short；　various　articles；the　specification　of　which　is　somewhat　indistinct。　In　Fredersdorf's　writing；　all　this；　not　so　mathematically　luminous　and　indisputable　as　in　Eichel's　it　would　have　been。　Freytag　put　questions；　and　there　passed　several　Letters　between　Fredersdorf　and　him；　but　it　was　always　uncomfortably　hazy　to　Freytag；　and　he　never　understood　or　guessed　that　the　OEUVRE　DE　POESIES　was　the　vital　item；　and　the　rest　formal　in　comparison。　Which　is　justly　considered　to　have　been　an　unlucky　circumstance；　as　matters　turned。　For　help　to　himself；　Freytag　is　to　take　counsel　with　one　Hofrath　Schmidt；　a　substantial　experienced　Burgher　of　Frankfurt；　whose　rathship　is　Prussian。

APRIL　21st；　Freytag　answers；　That　Schmidt　and　he　received　his　Majesty's　All…gracious　Orders　the　day　before　yesterday　（Post　takes　eight　days；　it　would　seem）；　that　they　have　procured　the　necessary　powers；　and　are　now；　and　will　be；　diligently　watchful　to　execute　the　same。　Which；　one　must　say；　they　in　right　earnest　are；　patrolling　about；　with　lips　strictly　closed；　eyes　vividly　open；　and　have　a　man　or　two　privately　on　watch　at　the　likely　stations；　on　the　possible　highways；and　so　continue；　Voltaire　doing　his　ANNALS　OF　THE　EMPIRE；　and　enjoying　himself　at　Gotha；　for　weeks　after；　＇〃Left　Gotha　25th　May　〃　（Clog。　in　　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　xxv。　192　n。）。＇much　unconscious　of　their　patrolling。

Freytag　is　in　no　respect　a　shining　Diplomatist；probably　some　EMERITUS　Lieutenant；　doing　his　function　for　30　pounds　a　year：　but　does　it　in　a　practical　solid　manner。　Writes　with　stiff　brevity；　stiff　but　distinct；　with　perfect　observance　of　grammar　both　in　French　and　German；　with　good　practical　sense；　and　faithful　effort　to　do　aright　what　his　order　is：　no　trace　of　〃MonSIR；〃　of　〃OEuvre　de　PoesHie；〃　to　be　found　in　Freytag；　and　most；　or　all；　of　the　ridiculous　burs　stuck　on　him　by　Voltaire；　are　to　be　pulled　off　again　asas　fibs；　or　fictions；　solacing　to　the　afflicted　Wit。　Freytag　is　not　of　quick　or　bright　intellect：　and　unluckily；　just　at　the　crisis　of　Voltaire's　actual　arrival；　both　Schmidt　and　Fredersdorf　are　off　to　Embden；　where　there　is　〃Grand　Meeting　of　the　Embden　Shipping　Company〃　（with　comfortable　dividends；　let　us　hope）；and　have　left　Freytag　to　his　own　resources；　in　case　of　emergency。

THURSDAY；　MAY　31st；　〃about　eight　in　the　evening；〃　Voltaire　does　arrive；most　prosperous　journey　hitherto；　by　Cassel；　Marburg；　Warburg；　and　other　places　famous　then　or　since；　Landgraf　of　Hessen　（wise　Wilhelm；　whom　we　knew）　honorably　lodging　him；　innkeepers　calling　him　〃Your　Excellency；〃　or　〃M。　le　Comte；〃and　puts　up　at　the　Golden　Lion　at　Frankfurt；　where　rooms　have　been　ordered；　Freytag　well　aware；　though　he　says　nothing。

FRIDAY　MORNING；　JUNE　1st）　〃his　Excellency　and　Suite〃　（Voltaire　and　Collini）　have　their　horses　harnessed；　carriage　out；　and　are　about　taking　the　road　again；when　Freytag；　escorted　by　a　Dr。　Rucker；　〃Frankfurt　Magistrate　DE　MAUVAISE　MINE；〃　＇Collini；　p。　77。＇　and　a　Prussian　recruiting　Lieutenant；　presents　himself　in　Voltaire's　apartment！　Readers　know　Voltaire's　account　and　MonSIR　Collini's；　and　may　now　hear　Freytag's　own；　which　is　painted　from　fact：

〃Introductory　civilities　done　（NACH　GEMACHTEN　POLITESSEN）；　I　made　him　acquainted　with　the　will　of　your　most　All…gracious　Majesty。　He　was　much　astonished　（BESTURZT；〃　no　wonder）；　〃he　shut　his　eyes；　and　flung　himself　back　in　his　chair。〃　＇Varnhagen；　p。　16。＇　Calls　in　his　friend　Collini；　whom；　at　first；　I　had　requested　to　withdraw。　Two　coffers　are　produced；　and　opened；　by　Collini；　visitation；　punctual；　long　and　painful；　lasted　from　nine　A。M。　till　five　P。M。　Packets　are　made；a　great　many　Papers；　〃and　one　Poem　which　he　was　unwilling　to　quit〃　（perilous　LA　PUCELLE）；inventories　are　drawn；　duly　signed。　Packets　are　signeted；　mutually　sealed；　Rucker　claps　on　the　Town…seal　first；　Freytag　and　Voltaire　following　with　theirs。　〃He　made　thousand　protestations　of　his　fidelity　to　your　Majesty；　became　pretty　weak　＇like　fainting；　think　you；　Herr　Resident？＇；　and　indeed　he　looks　like　a　skeleton。We　then　made　demand　of　the　Book；　OEUVRE　DE　POESIES：　That；　he　said；　was　in　the　Big　Case；　and　he　knew　not　whether　at　Leipzig　or　Hamburg〃　（knew　very　well　where　it　was）；　and　finding　nothing　else　would　do；　wrote　for　it；　showing　Freytag　the　Letter；　and　engaged；　on　his　word　of　honor；　not　to　stir　hence　till　it　arrived。

Upon　which；what　is　farther　to　be　noted；　though　all　seems　now　settled；Freytag；　at　Voltaire's　earnest　entreaty；　〃for　behoof　of　Madame　Denis；　a　beloved　Niece；　Monsieur；　who　is　waiting　for　me　hourly　at　Strasburg；　whom　such　fright　might　be　the　death　of！〃puts　on　paper　a　few　words　（the　few　which　Voltaire　has　twisted　into　〃MonSIR；〃　〃PoesHies〃　and　so　forth）；　to　the　effect；　〃That　whenever　the　OEUVRE　comes；　Voltaire　shall　actually　have　leave　to　go。〃　And　so；　after　eight　hours；　labor　（nine　A。M。　to　five　P。M。）；　everything　is　hushed　again。　Voltaire；　much　shocked　and　astonished；　poor　soul；　〃sits　quietly　down　to　his　ANNALES〃　（says　Collini）；to　working；　more　or　less；　a　resource　he　often　flies　to；　in　such　cases。　Madame　Denis；　on　receiving　his　bad　news　at　Strasburg；　sets　off　towards　him：　arrives　some　days　before　the　OEUVRE　and　its　Big　Case。　King　Friedrich　had　gone；　May　1st）　for　some　weeks；　to　his　Silesian　Reviews；　June　1st　（very　day　of　this　great　sorting　in　the　Lion　d'Or）；　he　is　off　again；　to　utmost　Prussia　this　time；and　knows；　hitherto　and　till　quite　the　end；　nothing；　except　that　Voltaire　has　not　turned　up　anywhere。

。。。　Voltaire　cannot　have　done　much　at　his　ANNALS；　in　this　interim　at　the　Golden　Lion；　〃where　he　has　liberty　to　walk　in　the　Garden。〃　He　has　been；　and　is；　secretly　corresponding；　complaining　and　applying；　all　round；　at　a　great　rate：　to　Count　Stadion　the　Imperial　Excellency　at　Mainz；　to　French　friends；　to　Princess　Wilhelmina；　ultimately　to　Friedrich　himself。　＇In　　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxv。　207…214；　&c。；　Letters　to　Stadion　（of　strange　enough　tenor：　see　Varnhagen；　pp。　30；　&c。）。　In　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxii。　303；　and　in　　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxv。　185；　is　the　Letter　to　Friedrich　（dateless；　totally　misplaced；　and　rendered　unintelligible；　in　both　Works）：　Letter　SENT　through　Wilhelmina　（see　her　fine　remarks　in　forwarding　it；　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxvii。　iii。　234）。＇　He　has　been　receiving　visits；　from　Serene　Highnesses；　〃Duke　of　Meiningen〃　and　the　like；　who　happen　to　be　in　Town。　Visit　from　iniquitous　Dutch　Bookseller；　Van　Duren　（Printer　of　the　ANTI…MACHIAVEL）；　with　whom　we　had　such　controversy　once。　Iniquitous；　now　opulent　and　prosperous；　Van　Duren；　happening　to　be　here；　will　have　the　pleasure　of　calling　on　an　old　distinguished　friend：　distinguished　friend；　at　sight　of　him　entering　the　Garden；　steps　hastily　up；　gives　him　a　box　on　the　ear；　without　words　but　an　interjection　or　two；　and　vanishes　within　doors。　That　is　something！　〃Monsieur；〃　said　Collini；　striving　to　weep；　but　unable；　〃you　have　had　a　blow　from　the　greatest　man　in　the　world。〃　＇Collini；　p。　182。＇　In　short；　Voltaire　has　been　exciting　great　sensation　in　Frankfurt；　and　keeping　Freytag　in　perpetual　fear　and　trouble。

MONDAY；　18th　JUNE；　the　Big　Case；　lumbering　along；　does　arrive。　It　is　carried　straight　to　Freytag's；　and　at　eleven　in　the　mor