frederick the great and his family-第138部分

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！



〃I　see　that　you　are　very　unhappy　and　despairing；〃　he　said；　kindly；　〃you　were　right　to　come　to　me。　You　shall　have　the　place　for　which　you　asked。　I　will　arrange　it。　Come　here　to…morrow　to　the　Councillor　Muller。　I　will　give　you　some　money；　that　you　may　not　starve　until　then。〃

He　silenced　the　delighted　man's　expressions　of　gratitude；　and　ringing　his　bell　he　summoned　Deesen；　who　kept　his　purse；　in　order　to　give　the　man　a　gold　piece。　But　Deesen　did　not　appear；　and　the　second　chamberlain　announced　in　an　embarrassed　manner　that　lie　was　not　in　the　palace。　The　king　commanded　him　to　give　the　man　the　promised　gold　piece　and　then　to　return　to　him。

〃Where　is　Deesen？〃　asked　the　king；　as　the　chamberlain　returned。

〃Sire；　I　do　not　know；〃　he　stammered；　his　eyes　sinking　beneath　the　piercing　glance　of　the　king。

〃You　do　know！〃　said　the　king；　gravely。　〃Deesen　has　positive　orders　from　me　to　remain　in　the　anteroom；　because　I　might　need　him。　If　he　dares　to　disobey　my　orders；　he　must　have　a　powerful　reason；　and　you　know　it。　Out　with　it！　I　will　know　it。〃

〃If　your　majesty　commands；　I　must　speak；〃　said　the　chamberlain；　sighing。　〃Your　majesty　will　not　permit　us　to　be　married；　but　we　were　made　with　hearts；　and　we　sometimes　fall　in　love。〃

〃Deesen　is　in　love；　then？〃　said　the　king。

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　he　loves　a　beautiful　girl　in　Potsdam；　whose　name　is　Maria　Siegert。　And　although　he　cannot　marry　her；　she　has　consented　to　be　his　beloved。　And　as　to…day　was　the　great　report　day；　Deesen　thought　that　your　majesty　would　not　need　him；　and　that　he　had　time　to　go　to　Potsdam　to　visit　his　sweetheart。　He　seems　to　have　been　delayed。　That　is　the　reason；　your　majesty；　that　Deesen　is　not　in　the　anteroom。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　the　king；　〃as　soon　as　Deesen　returns　he　must　come　to　my　library。　I　forbid　you；　however；　to　repeat　one　word　of　this　conversation。〃

〃Ah；　your　majesty；　I　am　well　pleased　that　I　need　not　do　it；　for　Deesen　is　very　passionate；　and　if　he　learns　that　I　have　betrayed　his　secret　he　is　capable　of　giving　me　a　box　on　the　ear。〃

〃Which　would；　perhaps；　be　very　wholesome　for　you；〃　said　the　king；　as　he　turned　toward　his　library。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　Deesen　entered　the　library　with　a　heated；　anxious　face。

The　king；　who　was　reading　his　beloved　Lucretius　while　he　paced　the　floor；　turned　his　great；　piercing　eyes　with　a　questioning　expression　on　the　anxious　face　of　his　attendant。　〃I　called　for　you；　and　you　did　not　come；〃　said　the　king。

〃I　beg　your　majesty　to　pardon　me；〃　stammered　Deesen。

〃Where　were　you？〃

〃I　was　in　my　room　writing　a　letter；　sire。〃

〃Ah；　a　letter。　You　were　no　doubt　writing　to　that　beautiful　barmaid　at　the　hotel　of　the　Black　Raven　at　Amsterdam；　who　declined　the　attentions　of　the　servant　of　the　brothers　Zoller。〃

This　reference　to　the　journey　to　Amsterdam　showed　Deesen　that　the　king　was　not　very　angry。　He　dared；　therefore；　to　raise　his　eyes　to　those　of　the　king；　and　to　look　pleadingly　at　him。

〃Sit　down。〃　said　the　king；　pointing　to　the　writing…table。　〃I　called　you　because　I　wished　to　dictate　a　letter　for　you　to　write。　Sit　down　and　take　a　pen。〃

Deesen　seated　himself　at　the　table；　and　the　king　began　walking　up　and　down　as　before；　his　hands　and　book　behind　him。

〃Are　you　ready？〃　asked　the　king。

〃I　am　ready；　sire；〃　returned　Deesen；　dipping　his　pen　into　the　ink。　〃Write　then；〃　commanded　the　king；　as　he　placed　himself　immediately　in　front　of　Deesen〃write；　then；　first　the　heading：　'My　beloved'〃

Deesen　started；　and　glanced　inquiringly　at　the　king。　Frederick　looked　earnestly　at　him；　and　repeated；　〃'My　beloved'〃

Deesen　uttered　a　sigh；　and　wrote。

〃Have　you　written　that？〃　asked　the　king。

〃Yes；　sire；　I　have　it'My　beloved。'〃

〃Well；　then；　proceed。　'My　beloved；　that　old　bear；　the　king'　Write；〃　said　the　king；　interrupting　himself　as　he　saw　that　Deesen　grew　pale　and　trembled；　and　could　scarcely　hold　the　pen〃write　without　hesitation；　or　expect　a　severe　punishment。〃

〃Will　your　majesty　have　the　kindness　to　dictate？　I　am　ready　to　write　every　thing；〃　said　Deesen；　as　he　wiped　his　brow。

〃Now　then；　quickly；〃　ordered　the　king；　and　he　dictated？'That　old　bear；　the　king；　counts　every　hour　against　me　that　I　spend　so　charmingly　with　you。　That　my　absence　may　be　shorter　in　the　future；　and　less　observed　by　the　old　scold；　I　wish　you　to　rent　a　room　near　here　in　the　suburbs　of　Brandenburg；　where　we　can　meet　more　conveniently　than　in　the　city。　I　remain　yours　until　death。〃

〃'DEESEN。'〃

〃Have　you　finished？〃　asked　the　king。

〃Yes；　sire；　I　have　finished；〃　groaned　Deesen。

〃Then　fold　the　letter　and　seal　it；　and　write　the　address　'To　the　unmarried　Maria　Siegert；　Yunker　Street；　Potsdam。'〃

〃Mercy；　sire；　mercy！〃　cried　Deseen；　springing　up　and　throwing　himself　at　the　feet　of　the　king。　〃I　see　that　your　majesty　knows　all…　…that　I　have　been　betrayed。〃

〃You　have　betrayed　yourself；　for　to…day　is　the　tenth　time　that　I　have　called　for　you　when　you　were　absent。　Now　send　your　letter　off；　and　see　that　your　Siegert　gets　a　room　here。　If；　however；　you　are　again　absent　when　I　call；　I　will　send　your　beautiful　Maria　to　Spandau；　and　dismiss　you。　Go；　now；　and　dispatch　your　letter。〃

Deesen　hurried　off；　and　the　king　looked　smilingly　after　him　for　a　moment；　and　was　on　the　point　of　returning　to　his　reading；　when　his　attention　was　attracted　by　the　approach　of　a　carriage。

〃Ah；〃　he　murmured　anxiously；　〃I　fear　that　I　shall　be　disturbed　again　by　some　cousin；　who　has　come　to　rob　me　of　my　time　by　hypocritical　professions　of　love。〃

He　looked　anxiously　toward　the　door。　It　was　soon　opened；　and　a　servant　announced　Prince　Henry。

The　king's　countenance　cleared；　and　he　advanced　to　meet　his　brother　with　a　bright　smile。　But　his　greeting　was　not　returned；　and　the　prince　did　not　appear　to　see　the　extended　hand　of　the　king。　A　heavy　cloud　lay　upon　his　browhis　cheeks　were　colorless　and　his　lips　compressed；　as　if　he　wished　to　suppress　the　angry　and　indignant　words　which　his　flashing　eyes　expressed。

〃Ah；　my　brother；〃　said　the　king；　sadly；　〃it　seems　that　you　have　come　to　announce　a　misfortune。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　prince；　〃I　only　came；　your　majesty；　to　recall　a　conversation　which　I　held　with　you　ten　years　ago　in　this　same　room；　on　this　very　spot。〃

〃Ten　years　ago？〃　said　the　king。　〃That　was　at　the　time　of　your　marriage；　Henry。〃

〃Yes；　the　conversation　I　refer　to　concerned　my　marriage；　sire。　You　had　pursued　me　so　long　with　that　subject；　that　I　had　at　length　concluded　to　submit　to　the　yoke　which　was　to　free　me　from　those　unworthy　and　humiliating　persecutions。〃

〃I　think　that　you　could　select　more　fitting　expressions；　my　brother；〃　said　the　king；　with　flashing　eyes。　〃You　forget　that　you　are　speaking　to　your　king。〃

〃But　I　remember　that　I　am　speaking　to　my　brother；　whose　duty　is　to　hear　the　complaints　which　I　have　to　utter　against　the　king。〃

〃Speak；〃　said　the　king；　after　a　slight　pause。　〃Your　brother　will　hear　you。〃

〃I　come　to　remind　you　of　that　hour；〃　said　the　prince；　solemnly；　〃in　which　I　gave　my　consent　to　be　married。　As　I　did　so；　sire；　I　said　to　you　that　I　should　hold　you　responsible　for　this　marriage　which　was　made　for　political　purposes　and　not　from　lovethat　I　would　call　you　to　account　before　the　throne　of　God；　and　there　ask　you　by　what　right　you　robbed　me　of　my　liberty；　by　what　right　you　laid　a　chain　upon　my　hand　and　heart　which　love　could　not　help　me　to　bear。　I　said　further；　sireif　the　weight　of　this　chain　should　become　too　heavy；　and　this　unnatural　connection　of　a　marriage　without　love　should　drive　me　to　despair；　that　upon　your　head　would　rest　the　curse　of　my　misery；　and　that　you　would　be　answerable　for　my　destroyed　existence；　for　my　perished　hopes。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　took　this　responsibility　upon　me。　As　your　king　and　your　elder　brother；　I　reminded　you　of　your　duty　to　give　the　state　a　familysons　who　would　be　an　example　of　courage　and　honor　to　the　men；　and　daughters　who　would　be　a　pattern　of　virtue　and　propriety　to　the　women。　In　view　of　these　duties；　I　demanded　of　you　to　be　married。〃

〃I　come　now　to　call　you　to　account　for　this　marriage；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　solemnly。　〃I　have　come　to　tell　you　that　my　heart　is　torn　with　pain　and　misery；　that　I　am　the　most　wretched　of　men；　and　that　you　have　made　me　soyou；　who　forced　me　into　this　marriage；　although　you　knew　the　shame　and　despair　of　a　marriage　without　love。　You　had　already　taken　a　heavy　responsibility　upon　yourself　by　your　own　marriage；　and　if　you　were　compelled　to　endure　it　so　long　as　my　father　lived；　you　should　have　relieved　yourself　from　it　so　soon　as　you　were　free；　that　is；　so　soon　as　you　were　king。　But　you　preferred　to　continue　in　this　unnatural　connection；　or　rather　you　put　the　chains　from　your　hands；　and　let　them　drag　at　your　feet。　Not　to　outrage　the　world　by　your　divorce；　you　gave　it　the　bad　example　of　a　wretched　marriage。　You　made　yourself　free；　and　you　made　a　slave　of　your　poor　wife；　who　has　been　a　martyr　to　your　humors　and　cruelty。　You　profaned　the　institution　of　marriage。　You　gave　a　bad　and　dangerous　example　to　your　subjects；　and　it　has　done　its　work。　Look　around　in　your　land；　sire。　Everywhere　you　will　see　unhappy　women　who　have　been　deserted　by　their　husbands；　and　miserable　men　who　have　been　dishonored　by　their　faithless　wives。　Look　at　your　own　family。　Our　sister　of　Baireuth　died　of　grief；　and　of　the　humiliation　she　endured　from　the　mistress　of　her　husband。　Our　brother；　Augustus　William；　died　solitary　and　alone。　He　withdrew　in　his　grief　to　Oranienburg；　and　his　wife　remained　in　Berlin。　She　was　not　with　him　when　he　died；　strangers　received　his　last　breathstrangers　closed　his　eyes。　Our　sister　of　Anspach　quarrelled　with　her　husband；　until　finally　she　submitted；　and　made　a　friend　of　his　mistress。　And　I；　sire；　I　also　stand　before　you　with　the　brand　of　shame　upon　my　brow。　I　also　have　been　betrayed　and　deceived；　and　all　this　is　your　work。　If　the　king　mocks　at　the　sacred　duties　of　marriage；　how　can　he　expect　that　his　family　and　subjects　should　respect　them？　It　is　the　fashion　in　your　land　for　husbands　and　wives　to　deceive　one　another；　and　it　is　you　who　have　set　this　fashion。〃

〃I　have　allowed　you　to　finish；　Henry；〃　said　the　king；　when　the　prince　was　at　length　silent。　〃I　have　allowed　you　to　finish；　but　I　have　not　heard　your　angry　and　unjust　reproaches；　I　have　only　heard　that　my　br