frederick the great and his family-第58部分

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The　queen　was　for　a　moment　speechless；　her　voice　was　lost；　and　her　eyes　were　filled　with　tears。　She　said；　after　a　long　pause：

〃Will　you　rob　me　of　my　faithful　servant？　You　dragged　Baroness　Bruhl　and　Countess　Ogliva　to　Warsaw；　and　now　you　will　deprive　me　of　the　services　of　this　tried　and　constant　friend。〃

〃I　obey　the　commands　of　my　king；〃　said　the　general；　〃and　I　believe　your　majesty　must　see　the　justice　of　this　arrest。　Had　the　baron　been　captured　in　camp；　he　would　have　been　shot　at　once　as　a　spy。　I　arrest　him　here　and　send　him　to　Berlin；　that　he　may　defend　himself　against　the　charge　of　being　a　traitor。〃

The　queen　breathed　heavily；　she　had　regained　her　composure；　turning　to　the　chamberlain　she　said；　in　a　voice　softer　and　kinder　than　had　ever　been　heard　from　her　before：

〃Go；　my　friend；　and　when　your　loyalty　is　called　treason　by　out　enemies；　do　not　forget　that　your　queen　is　thinking　of　you　with　gratitude；　and　praying　for　you　to　our　heavenly　Father。〃

She　offered　the　chamberlain　her　small；　white　hand；　he　sank　upon　his　knees；　and　covered　it　with　his　tears　and　kisses。

〃Go；　my　son；〃　said　Father　Guarini；　laying　his　hand　upon　Schonberg's　head〃go；　the　Lord　has　chosen　you　as　a　blessed　martyr　for　our　just　and　holy　cause。　The　Lord　will　be　with　you；　and　the　holy　mother　Church　will　pray　for　you。〃

〃I　go；　my　fathermay　it　be　granted　me　to　die　for　my　queen！〃

Turning　to　the　general；　he　delivered　up　his　sword　rather　tragically；　and　declared　himself　ready　to　depart。

The　commandant　signed　to　the　officer。

〃Conduct　this　gentleman　to　the　carriage；　and　send　him　with　a　sufficient　guard　to　Berlin。〃




CHAPTER　XI

THE　TE　DEUM。


The　queen　looked　sadly　after　the　chamberlain；　when　he　had　disappeared；　she　turned　to　the　general。

〃I　now　hope；〃　said　she；　〃that　you　have　fulfilled　your　orders；　and　that　I　will　be　permitted　to　have　my　apartments　to　myself。〃

〃I　beg　your　majesty's　pardon；〃　said　the　general；　bowing　respectfully；　〃but　as　yet　I　have　fulfilled　but　the　smallest　portion　of　my　master's　commands。〃

〃How？　is　there　still　some　one　here　whom　you　wish　to　arrest？〃　said　the　queen。

〃No；　noble　lady；　but　some　one　I　wish　to　warn！〃

〃You　are；　without　doubt；　speaking　of　me；　general？〃　said　the　priest；　quietly。

〃Yes；　sir；　of　you。　I　wish　to　warn　you　not　to　occupy　your　pious　thoughts　with　that　very　worldly　thing　called　politics；　and　to　request　you　to　instruct　the　members　of　your　Church　in　religion；　in　Christian　love　and　kindness；　and　not　to　lure　them　to　murder　and　treachery。〃

The　priest　shrugged　his　shoulders；　a　contemptuous　smile　played　about　his　small；　thin　lips。

〃The　words　'religion　and　Christian　love'　sound　strangely　in　the　mouth　of　a　Prussian　warrior。　I　decline　receiving　any　advice　from　you。　I　have　no　fear　of　you　or　of　your　superiors！　I　am　subject　only　to　God　and　the　Pope！〃

〃That　may　be　in　your　own　country；　but　not　in　the　King　of　Prussia's；〃　answered　General　Fink；　quietly。　〃There　every　one　is　subject　to　the　law；　no　title；　no　clerical　gown　protects　the　criminal。　Two　days　ago；　a　spy　was　discovered　in　the　Prussian　camp；　who　was　a　priest；　he　was　hung　like　any　other　spy；　although　at　the　last　moment；　hoping　to　save　his　life；　he　exclaimed　that　he　was　a　friend　of　Father　Guarini；　the　court　confessor。　His　majesty　the　King　of　Prussia　commissioned　me　to　impart　to　you　the　death　of　your　friend。〃

〃From　my　heart　I　thank　you　for　so　doing；〃　said　the　priest。　〃I　shall　have　masses　read　for　my　friend；　of　whom　you　have　made　a　martyr。〃

The　queen　gazed　at　him　with　sparkling　eyes。　〃Oh；　my　father；〃　said　she；　〃I　thank　you　for　your　noble　example；　it　shall　enable　me；　in　spite　of　threats　and　insults；　not　to　deny　the　holy　cause　and　the　friends　who　have　suffered　for　it。　And　now；　general；　I　hope　your　commissions　are　fulfilled；　and　that　you　will　take　your　leave。〃

〃I　hope　your　majesty　will　believe　that　I　would　not　venture　to　remain；　were　I　not　compelled　by　the　commands　of　my　king。　I　have　to　request　your　majesty　to　listen　while　I　read　aloud　some　letters；　some　historical　documents；　which　may　possibly　interest　your　highness。〃

〃You　can　read；〃　said　the　queen。　〃As　my　ears　do　not　belong　to　the　King　of　Prussia；　it　lies　with　me　to　listen　or　not；　as　I　please。〃　She　sank　gently　upon　the　divan；　signing　to　the　priest　to　remain　beside　her。

〃I　flatter　myself　that　I　will　have　your　majesty's　attention；〃　said　the　general；　withdrawing　to　the　nearest　window　and　opening　a　package　of　letters。　〃The　first　relates　to　an　extremely　amusing　occurrence；　which　my　master；　knowing　that　France　was　your　ally；　imagined　would　interest　you。　Your　highness　is　aware　that　Prince　Soubise　is　a　brave　soldier。　This　is　Madame　Pompadour's　opinion；　it　must；　therefore；　be　true。　About　a　week　ago　this　brave　prince　determined　to　rest　for　a　while　from　his　heroic　deeds；　and　gave　the　same　privilege　to　a　large　portion　of　his　army。　The　general；　accompanied　by　his　staff　and　eight　thousand　soldiers；　then　entered　that　lovely　little　spot；　called　Gotha；　to　visit　the　talented　and　princely　duke　and　duchess。　He　and　his　staff　were　received　by　them　with　great　honor；　magnificent　preparations　were　forthwith　made　for　a　splendid　dinner　to　welcome　the　prince　who；　happily；　was　not　only　fond　of　laurels；　but　also　of　good　eating。　Dinner　was　served；　the　French　generals　had　finished　their　toilets；　Prince　Soubise　had　given　the　duchess　his　arm　to　lead　her　to　her　seat；　when　a　loud　cry　of　terror　was　heard　from　without；　'The　Prussians　are　at　the　gates！'　Prince　Soubise　dropped　the　arm　of　the　duchess；　through　the　Paris　rouge；　so　artistically　put　on；　the　paleness；　which　now　covered　his　face；　could　rot　be　seen。　The　doors　leading　to　the　dining…saloon　were　thrown　open；　making　visible　the　sparkling　glass；　the　smoking　dishes；　the　rare　service　of　gold　and　silver；　the　generals　of　the　prince　now　hastened　forward　and　confirmed　the　wild　rumor。　Yes；　and　rumor；　for　once；　was　true。　General　Seidlitz　was　there　with　fifteen　hundred　brave　cavalrymen。　The　French　are　noted　for　their　politeness；　and　it　did　not　fail　them　upon　this　occasion。　Without　a　word；　Prince　Soubise　and　his　eight　thousand　men　made　room　for　General　Seidlitz　and　his　fifteen　hundred；　and　hastened　from　the　ducal　palace。　Before　the　rich　dishes　had　time　to　cool；　General　Seidlitz　and　his　staff　were　seated　at　the　table；　enjoying　the　magnificent　dinner　prepared　for　the　French　generals。　Many　prisoners；　many　spoils　were　taken　afterward。　Not　that　Prince　Soubise　had　not　taken　all　his　soldiers　with　him；　but　there　was　another　small　army　by　which　the　French　troops　are　always　accompanied。　These；　the　lackeys；　valets；　cooks；　hair…dressers；　ballet…dancers；　actresses；　priests；　etc。；　etc。；　were　not　able　to　run　as　fast　as　the　French　soldiers。　The　spoils　consisted　in　the　equipages　of　the　prince　and　his　staff；　in　which　were　boxes　and　chests　containing　precious　things；　their　large　chests　full　of　delightful　perfumes　and　hair…oils；　trunks　full　of　wigs；　dressing…　gowns；　and　parasols。　There　were　several　learned　parrots　who　had　a　leaning　to　politics；　and　who　exclaimed　continually：　'Vive　les　Franqais！　A　bas　les　Prussiens！'　But　the　kind…hearted　General　Seidlitz　did　not　wish　to　deprive　the　French　army　of　the　necessities　of　life；　he　therefore　sent　them　their　valets；　cooks；　hair…dressers；　actresses；　priests；　etc。　The　perfumes　and　hair…oils　he　gave　to　his　own　soldiers。〃

〃I　trust　you　have　finished；〃　said　the　queen；　playing　listlessly　with　her　fan。

〃Ah；　your　majesty　has　then　honored　me　by　listening？〃　said　General　Fink；　smiling。

The　queen　preserved　a　dignified　silence。

The　general　continued　reading：　〃After　long　deliberation；　Prince　Soubise　concluded　he　had　carried　his　politeness　too　far　in　vacating　the　ducal　palace　to　the　Prussians；　he　determined；　therefore；　to　go　after　his　perfumes；　hair…oils；　dressing…gowns；　wigs；　etc。；　etc。；　and　drive　the　Prussians　from　Gotha。　Prince　von　Hildburghausen　joined　him　with　his　troops。　Thus　the　French　advanced　to　Gotha；　secure　and　confident　of　success。　But　to　their　terror　they　found　before　the　city　not　two　Prussian　regiments；　as　they　had　expected；　but　what　seemed　to　them　the　entire　Prussian　army　arranged　in　line　of　battle；　and　in　such　large　numbers　that　for　miles　around　the　bills　were　covered；　with　them。　This　was　so　unexpected　to　the　French　generals　that　they　determined　to　retreat　for　a　while；　until　they　had　recovered　from　their　surprise。　They　withdrew；　leaving　the　field　to　the　Prussians。　Had　they　not　withdrawn　so　hastily；　they　would　soon　have　seen　that　the　Prussian　army　consisted　only　of　fifteen　hundred；　which；　thanks　to　General　Seidlitz's　strategy；　presented　a　very　imposing　view。　Thus　Seidlitz　gained　the　day　without　firing　a　shotnot　by　the　troops　who　were　present；　but　by　those　who　were　supposed　to　be　present。〃

〃I　have　had　enough　of　this；〃　said　the　queen；　rising。　〃I　am　weary　of　listening　to　your　witty　stories。　The　King　of　Prussia　may　triumph　for　a　whilehe　may　jest　over　his　lost　battlesbut　the　hour　of　his　misfortune　is　at　hand。　God；　who　is　justwho　thrusts　the　arrogant　and　haughty　to　the　groundwill　also　punish　him；　and　give　victory　to　the　just　cause。　The　battle　of　Collin　was　for　Frederick　the　Second　the　first　proof　of　God's　anger；　and　now　with　increasing　strength　His　mighty　arm　will　be　raised　against　him。〃

〃I　am　aware　that　these　are　your　majesty's　sentiments；〃　said　the　general；　smiling；　〃and　my　master　is　as　well　informed。　I　think　they　were　stated　in　almost　the　same　words　in　letters　which　your　majesty　wrote　to　the　Austrian　general；　Nadasky。〃

The　queen　fell　back　upon　her　seat　trembling；　and　a　deep　red　suffused　her　countenance。　Even　Father　Guarini　showed　by　the　quivering　of　his　lip　and　his　sudden　paleness；　that　the　conversation　was　now　taking　an　agitating　turn。

〃What　do　you　know　of　my　letters　to　Nadasky？〃　said　the　queen；　breathlessly。　〃Who　says　I　have　written　to　him？〃

〃Your　own　hand；　gracious　queen；〃　answered　the　general。　〃While　the　king；　my　noble　sovereign；　was　in　Bernstadt；　he　was　told　that　General　Nadasky　was　at　Ostriz；　and　sent　General　von　Werner　after　him。　Nadasky　fled；　but　his　baggage　was　captured；　and　amongst　his　letters　this　one　from　your　majesty　was　discovered。〃

And　he　held　up　the　letter　in　question　before　the　queen；　to　convince　her　of　its　authenticity。

Maria　Josephine　endeavored　to　tear　it　from　him；　but　the　general　was　too　quick　for　her。

〃By　c