frederick the great and his family-第37部分

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n。　An　old　fable　says　that　these　laurels　grew　spontaneously　upon　Virgil's　grave；　and　that　they　are　indestructible。　May　this　be　a　blessed　omen　for　me！　I　greet　you；　Virgil's　holy　shadow！　I　bow　down　before　you；　and　kiss　in　all　humility　your　ashes；　which　have　been　turned　into　laurels！〃

Thus　speaking；　the　king　bowed　his　head；　and　pressed　a　fervent　kiss　upon　the　laurel。　He　then　handed　it　to　Winterfeldt。　〃Do　likewise；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　〃your　lips　are　worthy　to　touch　this　holy　branch；　to　inhale　the　odor　of　these　leaves　which　grew　upon　Virgil's　grave。　Kiss　this　branchand　now　let　us　swear　to　become　worthy　of　this　kiss；　swear　that　in　this　war；　which　will　soon　begin；　laurels　shall　either　rest　upon　our　brows　or　upon　our　graves！〃

Winterfeldt　having　sworn；　repeated　these　words　after　him；　〃Amen！〃　said　the　king；　〃God　and　Virgil　have　heard　us。〃




CHAPTER　XI。

THE　BALL　AT　COUNT　BRUHL'S。


Count　Bruhl；　first　minister　to　the　King　of　Saxony；　gave　to…day　a　magnificent　fete　in　his　palace；　in　honor　of　his　wife；　whose　birthday　it　was。　The　feast　was　to　be　honored　by　the　presence　of　the　King　of　Poland；　the　Prince　Elector　of　Saxony；　Augustus　III。；　and　Maria　Josephine；　his　wife。　This　was　a　favor　which　the　proud　queen　granted　to　her　favorite　for　the　first　time。　For　she　who　had　instituted　there　the　stern　Spanish　etiquette　to　which　she　had　been　accustomed　at　the　court　of　her　father；　Joseph　I。；　had　never　taken　a　meal　at　the　table　of　one　of　her　subjects；　so　holy　did　she　consider　her　royal　person；　that　the　ambassadors　of　foreign　powers　were　not　permitted　to　sit　at　the　same　table　with　her。　Therefore；　at　every　feast　at　the　court　of　Dresden；　there　was　a　small　table　set　apart　for　the　royal　family；　and　only　the　prime　minister；　Count　Bruhl；　was　deserving　of　the　honor　to　eat　with　the　king　and　queen。　This　was　a　custom　which　pleased　no　one　so　well　as　the　count　himself；　for　it　insured　him　from　the　danger　that　some　one　might　approach　the　royal　pair；　and　inform　them　of　some　occurrence　of　which　the　count　wished　them　to　remain　in　ignorance。

There　were　many　slanderers　in　this　wretched　kingdommany　who　were　envious　of　the　count's　high　positionmany　who　dared　to　believe　that　the　minister　employed　the　king's　favor　for　his　own　good；　and　not　for　that　of　his　country。　They　said　that　he　alone　lived　luxuriously　in　this　miserable　land；　while　the　people　hungered；　that　he　spent　every　year　over　a　million　of　thalers。　They　declared　that　he　had　not　less　than　five　millions　now　lying　in　the　banks　of　Rotterdam；　Venice；　and　Marseilles；　others　said　that　he　had　funds　to　the　amount　of　seven　millions。　One　of　these　calumniators　might　possibly　approach　the　king's　table　and　whisper　into　the　royal　ear　his　wicked　slanders；　one　of　these　evil…doers　might　even　have　the　audacity　to　make　his　unrighteous　complaints　to　the　queen。　This　it　was　that　caused　Count　Bruhl　to　tremble；　this　it　was　that　robbed　him　of　sleep　at　night；　of　peace　by　day；　this　fear　of　a　possible　disgrace。

He　was　well　acquainted　with　the　history　of　Count　Lerma；　minister　to　King　Philip　IV。　of　Spain。　Lerma　was　also　the　ruler　of　a　king；　and　reigned　over　Spain；　as　Bruhl　over　Saxony。　All　had　succumbed　to　his　power　and　influence；　even　the　royal　family　trembled　when　he　frowned；　and　felt　themselves　honored　by　his　smile。　What　was　it　that　caused　the　ruin　of　this　all…powerful；　irreproachable　favorite？　A　little　note　which　King　Philip　found　between　his　napkin　one　day；　upon　which　was　this　address：　〃To　Philip　IV。；　once　King　of　Spain；　and　Master　of　both　the　Indies；　but　now　in　the　service　of　Count　Lerma！〃　This　it　was　that　caused　the　count's　ruin；　Philip　was　enraged　by　this　note；　and　the　powerful　favorite　fell　into　disgrace。

Count　Bruhl　knew　this　history；　and　was　on　his　guard。　He　knew　that　even　the　air　which　he　breathed　was　poisoned　by　the　malice　of　his　enemies；　that　those　who　paused　in　the　streets　to　greet　him　reverentially　when　he　passed　in　his　gilded　carriage；　cursed　him　in　their　inmost　hearts；　that　those　friends　who　pressed　his　hand　and　sung　songs　in　his　praise；　would　become　his　bitterest　enemies　so　soon　as　he　ceased　paying　for　their　friendship　with　position；　with　pensions；　with　honors；　and　with　orders。　He　spent　hundreds　of　thousands　yearly　to　gain　friends　and　admirers；　but　still　he　was　in　constant　fear　that　some　enemy　would　undermine　him。　This　had　indeed　once　happened。　During　the　time　that　the　king's　favor　was　shared　equally　with　Count　Bruhl；　Count　Sulkovsky；　and　Count　Hennicke；　whilst　playing　cards；　a　piece　of　gold　was　given　to　the　king；　upon　which　was　represented　the　crown　of　Poland；　resting　upon　the　shoulders　of　three　men；　with　the　following　inscription：　〃There　are　three　of　us；　two　pages　and　one　lackey！〃　The　King　of　Poland　was　as　much　enraged　by　this　satirical　piece　of　gold　as　was　the　King　of　Spain　by　his　satirical　note。　But　Count　Bruhl　succeeded　in　turning　the　king's　anger　upon　the　two　other　shoulder…bearers　of　his　crown。　Counts　Sulkovsky　and　Hennicke　fell　into　disgrace；　and　were　banished　from　the　court；　Count　Bruhl　remained；　and　reigned　as　absolute　master　over　Poland　and　Saxony！

But　reigning；　he　still　trembled；　and　therefore　he　favored　the　queen's　fancy　for　the　strictest　etiquette；　therefore；　no　one　but　Count　Bruhl　was　to　eat　at　the　royal　table；　he　himself　took　their　napkins　from　their　plates　and　handed　them　to　the　royal　couple；　no　one　was　to　approach　the　sovereigns　who　was　not　introduced　by　the　prime　minister；　who　was　at　once　master　of　ceremonies；　field…marshal；　and　grand　chamberlain；　and　received　for　each　of　these　different　posts　a　truly　royal　salary。　Etiquette　and　the　fears　of　the　powerful　favorite　kept　the　royal　pair　almost　prisoners。

But　for　to…day　etiquette　was　to　be　done　away　with；　the　crowned　heads　were　to　be　gracious；　so　as　to　lend　a　new　glory　to　their　favorite's　house。　To…day　the　count　was　fearless；　for　there　was　no　danger　of　a　traitor　being　among　his　guests。　His　wife　and　himself　had　drawn　up　the　list　of　invitations。　But　still；　as　there　might　possibly　be　those　among　them　who　hated　the　count；　and　would　very　gladly　injure　him；　he　had　ordered　some　of　the　best　paid　of　his　friends　to　watch　all　suspicious　characters；　not　to　leave　them　alone　for　a　moment；　and　not　to　overlook　a　single　word　of　theirs。　Of　course；　it　was　understood　that　the　count　and　his　wife　must　remain　continually　at　the　side　of　the　king　and　queen；　that　all　who　wished　to　speak　to　them　must　first　be　introduced　by　the　host　or　hostess。

The　count　was　perfectly　secure　to…day；　and　therefore　gay　and　happy。　He　had　been　looking　at　the　different　arrangements　for　this　feast；　and　he　saw　with　delight　that　they　were　such　as　to　do　honor　to　his　house。　It　was；　to　be　a　summer　festival：　the　entire　palace　had　been　turned　into　a　greenhouse；　that　served　only　for　an　entrance　to　the　actual　scene　of　festivities。　This　was　the　immense　garden。　In　the　midst　of　the　rarest　and　most　beautiful　groups　of　flowers；　immense　tents　were　raised；　they　were　of　rich；　heavy　silk；　and　were　festooned　at　the　sides　with　golden　cords　and　tassels。　Apart　from　these　was　a　smaller　one；　which　outshone　them　all　in　magnificence。　The　roof　of　this　tent　rested　upon　eight　pillars　of　gold；　it　was　composed　of　a　dark…red　velvet；　over　which　a　slight　gauze；　worked　with　gold　and　silver　stars；　was　gracefully　arranged。　Upon　the　table　below　this　canopy；　which　rested　upon　a　rich　Turkish　carpet；　there　was　a　heavy　service　of　gold；　and　the　most　exquisite　Venetian　glass；　the　immense　pyramid　in　the　middle　of　the　table　was　a　master…work　of　Benevenuto　Cellini；　for　which　the　count　had　paid　in　Rome　one　hundred　thousand　thalers。　There　were　but　seven　seats；　for　no　one　was　to　eat　at　this　table　but　the　royal　pair；　the　prince…elector　and　his　wife；　the　Prince　Xavier；　and　the　Count　and　Countess　Bruhl。　This　was　a　new　triumph　that　the　count　had　prepared　for　himself；　he　wished　his　guests　to　see　the　exclusive　royal　position　he　occupied。　And　no　one　could　remain　in　ignorance　of　this　triumph；　for　from　every　part　of　the　garden　the　royal　tent　could　be　seen；　being　erected　upon　a　slight　eminence。　It　was　like　a　scene　from　fairyland。　There　were　rushing　cascades；　beautiful　marble　statues；　arbors　and　bowers；　in　which　were　birds　of　every　color　from　every　clime。　Behind　a　group　of　trees　was　a　lofty　structure　of　the　purest　marble；　a　shell；　borne　aloft　by　gigantic　Tritons　and　mermaids；　in　which　there　was　room　for　fifty　musicians；　who　were　to　fill　the　air　with　sweet　sounds；　and　never　to　become　so　loud　as　to　weary　the　ear　or　disturb　conversation。　If　the　tents；　the　rushing　cascades；　the　rare　flowers；　the　many　colored　birds；　were　a　beautiful　sight　by　daylight；　how　much　more　entrancing　it　would　be　at　night；　when　illuminated　by　thousands　of　brilliant　lamps！

The　count；　having　taken　a　last　look　at　the　arrangements　and　seen　that　they　were　perfect；　now　retired　to　his　rooms；　and　there；　with　the　aid　of　his　twelve　valets；　he　commenced　his　toilet。　The　countess　had　already　been　in　the　hands　of　her　Parisian　coiffeur　for　some　hours。

The　count　wore　a　suit　of　blue　velvet。　The　price　of　embroidery　in　silver　and　pearls　on　his　coat　would　have　furnished　hundreds　of　wretched；　starving　families　with　bread。　His　diamond　shoe…buckles　would　almost　have　sufficed　to　pay　the　army；　which　had　gone　unpaid　for　months。　When　his　toilet　was　finished；　he　entered　his　study　to　devote　a　few　moments；　at　least；　to　his　public　duties；　and　to　read　those　letters　which　to…day's　post　had　brought　him　from　all　parts　of　the　world；　and　which　his　secretary　was　accustomed　to　place　in　his　study　at　this　hour。　He　took　a　letter；　broke　the　seal　hastily；　and　skimming　over　it　quickly；　threw　it　aside　and　opened　another；　to　read　anew　the　complaints；　the　prayers；　the　flatteries；　the　assurances　of　love；　of　his　correspondents。　But　none　of　them　were　calculated　to　compel　the　minister's　attention。　He　had　long　ago　hardened　his　heart　against　prayers　and　complaints；　as　for　flattery；　he　well　knew　that　he　had　to　pay　for　it　with　pensions；　with　position；　with　titles；　with　orders；　etc。；　etc。　But　it　seemed　as　if　the　letters　were　not　all　of　the　usual　sort；　for　the　expression　of　indifference　which　had　rested　upon　his　countenance　while　reading　the　others；　had　vanished　and　given　place　to　one　of　a　very　different　character。　This　letter　was　from　Flemming；　the　Saxon　ambassador　in　Berlin；　and　contained　strange；　wild　rumors。　The　King　of　Prussia；　it　seeme