frederick the great and his family-第96部分

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　〃We　must　be　united　in　love；〃　said　Buschman；　〃we　will　help　each　other　to　bear　the　sorrows　that　may　come　upon　us。　To…morrow　is　Sunday；　in　the　morning　we　will　go　to　the　house　of　God；　and　after　we　have　whispered　to　Him　the　prayers　which　He　alone　must　hear；　we　will　assemble　together　under　the　linden…tree　in　the　square　and　talk　of　the　old　times　and　those　who　have　left　us。　Do　you　not　remember　that　it　was　under　the　linden…tree　we　heard　of　the　first　victory　that　our　king　gained　in　this　fearful　war？　It　was　there　that　Anna　Sophia　Detzloff　read　the　news　to　us；　and　we　rejoiced　over　the　battle　of　Losovitz；　And　I　also　rejoiced　and　thanked　God；　although　the　victory　had　cost　me　the　lives　of　two　of　my　sons。　But　they　perished　as　heroes。　I　could　glory　in　such　a　death；　and　Anna　Sophia　read　their　praises　from　the　paper。　Ah；　if　Anna　lived；　I　would　at　least　have　a　daughter。〃

He　could　speak　no　more；　emotion　arrested　the　words　on　his　lips；　he　bowed　to　his　friends　and　passed　on　to　his　lonely　hut。　His　little　table　was　spread；　and　the　young　girl　who　served　him；　and　who　slept　in　his　hut　at　night；　was　just　placing　a　dish　of　steaming　potatoes　before　his　plate。　The　old　man　sat　down　to　his　solitary　meal；　he　ate　only　to　sustain　his　body；　his　thoughts　were　far　away；　he　took　no　pleasure　in　his　food。　In　the　middle　of　his　meal　he　started　up；　a　shadow　had　fallen　across　the　window；　and　two　loving；　well…known　eyes　had　seemed　to　look　in　on　him。　Buschman；　as　if　paralyzed　with　delight；　let　fall　his　spoon　and　looked　toward　the　door。　Yes；　the　bolt　moved；　the　door　opened；　and　there　stood　the　tall　figure　of　a　Prussian　soldier。

The　old　man　uttered　a　cry　and　extended　his　arms。　〃Oh；　my　son；　my　beloved　son；　do　I　indeed　see　you　once　more？〃

〃Yes；　father；　I　am　here；　and　God　willing；　we　will　never　again　be　parted。〃　And　Charles　Henry　hastened　to　the　outstretched　arms　of　his　father；　and　kissing　him　tenderly；　pressed　him　to　his　heart。

〃The　thought　of　you；　dear　father；　has　led　me　here；〃　he　said；　〃but　for　you　I　would　not　have　returned　to　Brunen；　I　should　have　wandered　forth　into　the　worldthe　world　which　is　so　much　greater　and　more　beautiful　than　I　ever　dreamed。　But　your　dear　old　eyes　were　before　me；　I　heard　your　loved　voice；　which　called　to　me；　and　I　returned　to　you。〃

〃God　be　praised！〃　said　his　father；　folding　his　hands；　and　raising　his　eyes　gratefully　toward　heaven。　〃Oh　how　kind　and　merciful　is　God；　to　give　me　back　my　last；　my　only　son；　the　support　of　my　old　age；　the　delight　of　my　eyes！　You　will　not　leave　me　again。　This　is　not　merely　a　leave　of　absence；　you　have　obtained　your　release；　the　war　is　ended；　the　king　has　declared　peace。〃

The　eyes　of　the　old　man　were　dimmed　with　tears；　he　did　not　perceive　how　Charles　Henry　trembled；　and　that　a　deep　flush　mounted　to　his　brow。

〃No；　father；〃　he　said；　with　downcast　eyes；　〃I　will　never　leave　you　again。　We　have　all　returned　home。　It　will　be　bright　and　gay　once　more　in　the　village；　and　the　work　will　go　forward；　for　there　is　a　great　difference　between　a　dozen　old　men　and　as　many　young　ones。　It　was　most　needful　for　us　to　return。　The　corn　is　ripe；　and　should　have　been　already　gathered。　We　must　go　to　work。　To…morrow　shall　be　a　happy　day　for　the　village；　the　whole　neighborhood　shall　perceive　that　the　twelve　young　men　of　Brunen　have　returned。　We　met　a　violinist　on　the　way；　and　we　engaged　him　for　to…morrow。　He　must　play　for　us　under　the　linden　tree；　and　our　fathers　and　mothers；　and　sisters　and　sweethearts　must　join　us；　and　we　will　dance　and　sing　and　make　merry。〃

〃What　a　coincidence！〃　said　the　old　shepherd；　with　a　bright　smile。　〃We　had　already　decided　that　we　would　meet　together　tomorrow　under　the　linden。　We　wished　to　sit　there　and　mourn　together　over　our　lost　sons。　To　sing　and　dance　is　much　better；　and　perhaps　the　old　grayheads　will　join　you。〃

〃You　must　dance　with　me；　father；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　laughing。　〃I　will　take　no　refusal。〃

〃I　will；　my　son；　I　will；　joy　has　made　me　young　again；　and　if　Phylax；　the　old　graybeard；　does　not　mind；　and　will　allow　me；　I　will　dance　with　you；　but　you　know　he　is　always　jealous　of　you。　I　am　sure　the　whole　village　will　envy　you　your　gay　young　partner。　But　now；　my　son；〃　he　continued　gravely；　〃tell　me　of　our　king；　and　how　is　it　that　he　has　declared　peace　so　suddenly；　and　whether　he　has　been　victorious　or　the　reverse。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　the　king〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃I　was　not　near　him；　but　in　the　division　of　the　Duke　of　Brunswick。〃

〃I　know　that；　my　son；　but　the　duke　would　not　proclaim　peace　without　the　knowledge　and　consent　of　the　king。〃

〃Oh；　father；　they　will　compel　the　king　to　make　peace；〃　cried　Charles　Henry。　〃And　as　for　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；　he　has　given　up　the　attack　against　Wesel　and　has　withdrawn　to　Westphalia；　and　the　French　are　in　possession　of　the　entire　lowlands；　which；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　they　will　retain。〃

〃You　hope　that？〃　asked　his　father；　with　astonishment。

〃Well；　yes；　father。　The　French　king　is　now；　and　perhaps　will　always　be；　the　lord　of　Cleve；　and；　as　his　subjects；　we　must　wish　him　success；　and　hope　that　he　will　always　conquer　the　King　of　Prussia。〃

〃What　do　you　say；　my　son？〃　asked　the　old　man；　with　a　bewildered　expression。　〃I　fear　you　are　right。　The　French　are　our　masters　now；　and；　as　our　king　has　declared　peace　with　France；　we　have　the　unhappiness　of　being　French　subjects。　May　God　protect　us　from　such　a　fate！　It　would　be　fearful　if　we　dared　not　call　the　great　heroking　our　king；　and；　if　we　should　live　to　see　the　day　when　our　sons　should　be　compelled；　as　French　soldiers；　to　go　to　battle　against　their　king。　Only　think；　Charles　Henry；　you　would　not　be　allowed　to　wear　your　fine　Prussian　uniform　on　Sundays；　and　it　is　so　becoming　to　you；　and　is　as　good　as　new。　But　how　is　it；　my　son；　that　they　have　left　you　the　uniform？　They　are　usually　taken　from　the　released　soldiers　and　put　amongst　the　army　stores。〃

〃We　all　came　home　in　our　Prussian　uniforms；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃but　of　course　we　will　lay　them　aside　to…day。〃

〃Why　to…day？〃

〃Because　we　are　French　subjects；　and　therefore　it　is　not　proper　for　us　to　wear　the　uniform　of　the　enemy；　the　King　of　Prussia。　That　is　also　the　reason　why　we　have　returned　home。　When　we　learned　that　Cleve　had　fallen　into　the　possession　of　the　French；　we　knew　that　we　were　no　longer　the　subjects　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　we　dared　not　fight　under　his　flag　against　the　French；　whose　subjects　we　had　become。　We　considered　that；　and　we　thought　how　much　it　would　injure　you　all　here　in　Brunen　if　it　were　known　that　your　sons　were　in　the　army　of　the　Prussian　king。　Principally　on　that　account　we　determined　to　return　home；　and　we　left　our　regiment　yesterday　morning；　which　was　on　the　point　of　marching　off　to　Minden；　and　we　walked　the　entire　day　and　half　the　night。　We　slept　a　few　hours　in　a　forest；　and　at　the　break　of　day　we　recommenced　our　journey。　And　now；　father；　that　I　have　seen　you；　and　you　know　every　thing；　I　will　go　to　my　room　and　take　off　this　uniform；　and　become　a　peasant　once　more。〃　He　sought　to　leave　the　room　hastily；　for　the　amazed；　horror…struck　expression　of　his　father　was　most　disagreeable　to　him。

But　Buschman　placed　his　hand　so　heavily　upon　his　son's　arm　that　he　was　compelled　to　remain。　〃Say　it　is　a　jest；　Charles；〃　he　cried；　in　an　excited　voice。　〃It　is　not　possible　for　my　son；　the　brother　of　my　six　hero…boys；　to　speak　thus！　It　is　merely　a　jest；　Charles。　You　wished　to　joke　with　your　old　father。　It　is　not　true　that　you　have　deserted　the　flag　of　our　king；　put　an　end　to　this　cruel　jest；　Charles　Henry；　and　show　me　your　leave　of　absence　which　every　honest　soldier　obtains　before　leaving　his　regiment。　Do　you　hear；　Charles　Henry？　Show　it　to　me　quickly。〃　He　extended　his　trembling　hand　toward　his　son；　while　with　the　other　he　still　held　his　arm　in　a　powerful　grasp。

〃Father；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　fiercely；　〃I　have　no　such　paper。　It　is　as　I　told　you；　we　have　left　the　Prussian　army　because　we　are　no　longer　the　subjects　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　it　is　not　necessary　for　us　to　remain　in　the　service。　We　wish　to　become　peasants　once　more。〃

〃You　lie！　you　lie！〃　cried　his　father。　〃You　are　no　deserterit　is　impossible　that　my　son　should　be　a　deserter。〃

〃No；　father；　I　am　no　deserter；〃　returned　his　son；　defiantly；　as　he　freed　his　arm　from　the　old　man's　grasp。　〃I　am　no　deserterI　have　only　done　my　duty　as　a　subject　of　the　French　king。　I　have　left　the　flag　of　the　enemy；　and　I　am　here　ready　and　willing　to　obey　my　new　master　as　a　true　subject。　That　is　all　I　have　to　say；　father；　and　I　believe　when　you　consider；　you　will　see　that　I　was　right；　and　that　you　will　be　pleased　for　me　to　take　off　the　Prussian　uniform　and　remain　with　you。〃　He　did　not　wait　for　his　father's　answer；　but　left　the　room　hastily；　as　if　he　feared　to　be　again　detained。

The　old　man　arose　to　follow　him；　but　his　feet　refused　their　accustomed　office；　with　a　deep　groan；　he　sank　upon　his　chair；　and　as　the　scalding　tears　streamed　from　his　eyes；　he　murmured：　〃Oh；　my　God！　my　son　is　a　deserter！　Why　did　you　permit　me　to　live　to　see　this　shame？　Why　did　you　not　close　my　eyes　that　they　might　not　meet　this　disgrace？〃




CHAPTER　V。

THE　BRAVE　FATHERS　AND　THE　COWARDLY　SONS。


The　clear　bell　of　the　village　church　was　sounding　for　mass；　calling　the　pious　inhabitants　of　Brunen　to　worship　in　the　temple　of　God。　All　the　hut…doors　were　opening；　and　men　and　women　in　Sunday　attire　wending　their　way　in　solemn　stillness　to　church。　They　were　followed　by　their　childrenthe　maidens　with　downcast；　modest　eyes；　the　boys　with　bright　and　joyous　faces；　proud　of　the　thought　that　they　were　old　enough　to　go　to　church。

From　the　distant　farm　came　the　servants；　two　and　two；　up　the　broad　chestnut　alley；　greeting　here　and　there　the　church…goers；　and　walking　on　with　them；　chatting　softly。　They　all　remained　standing　a　short　time　under　the　great　linden；　waiting　until　the　bell　ceased；　until　the　church…door　was　opened　and　the　minister　appeared　with　the　sacristan　and　the　four　choir…boys。　Not　until　then　were　they　allowed　to　enter　the　church。

A　bright…looking　crowd　was　assembled　under　the　linden；　it　seemed　as　if　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　village　were　there。　All　felt　the　necessity　of　visiting　God's　house　to…day　to　thank　Him　for　the　safe　return　of　their　sons；　brothers；　and　lovers。　The　twelve　boys　who　had　returned　were　under　the　linden　in　th