louisa of prussia and her times-第115部分

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perhaps；　that　fate　did　not　permit　you　to　become　a　Judith；　but　they
will　have　to　acknowledge　at　least　that　I　am　no　Holofernes。　For
although　the　most　beautiful　woman　of　my　enemies　came　to　my　couch　to
visit　me；　she　did　not　kill　me；　and　her　dagger　lies　at　my　feet！　I
shall　preserve　it　as　a　remembrancer；　and　Grand…marshal　Duroc；　M。　von
Brandt；　and　Constant；　my　valet　de　chambre；　who　are　waiting　for　you
in　the　anteroom；　will　believe　that　dagger　to　be　a　souvenir　of　your
love　and　of　a　delightful　hour　of　my　life。　We　will　not　undeceive
them！　Farewell；　madame！〃

He　gave　Marianne　no　time　to　answer　him；　but　took　the　silver　bell　and
rang　it　so　loudly　and　violently　that　Constant　appeared　in　evident
terror　in　the　door。

〃Constant；〃　said　the　emperor；　〃conduct　the　lady　to　her　carriage；　she
will　return　to　Vienna；　and　as　for　M。　von　Brandt；　tell　him　the
princess　had　allowed　me　to　be　her　paymaster；　and　to　pay　him　in　her
place　for　the　happy　minutes　of　our　interview。〃

〃Sire；〃　ejaculated　Marianne；　in　dismay；　〃you　will〃

〃Hush；〃　the　emperor　interrupted　her　proudly；　〃I　will　pay　my　tribute
to　Dame　Fortune！　Farewell；　madame；　remember　this　hour　sometimes！〃

He　waved　a　parting　salutation　to　her　with　his　hand；　and　then
disappeared　through　the　door　leading　to　his　bedroom。

Marianne　stared　at　him　until　he　was　gone；　as　though　she　had　just
seen　a　ghost　walking　before　her；　and　as　though　her　whole　soul　were
concentrated　in　this　look　with　which　she　gazed　after　him。

〃Madame；〃　said　Constant；　in　a　low　voice；　〃if　you　please！〃　And　he
approached　the　large　hall…door　which　he　opened。

Marianne　started　when　she　heard　his　words　as　if　she　were　awaking
from　a　dream；　she　left　the　room　silently；　and　without　deigning　to
glance　at　Constant；　and　followed　her　smiling　guide　through　the
halls。　In　the　first　anteroom　she　beheld　Grand…marshal　Duroc　and
several　generals；　who　looked　at　the　princess　with　threatening　and
sorrowful　glances。　Marianne　felt　these　glances　as　if　they　were
daggers　piercing　her　soul；　and　daggers　seemed　to　strike　her　ears
when　she　heard　Constant　say　to　Major　von　Brandt：　〃You　will　stay
here；　sir；　for　the　emperor　has　ordered　me　to　pay　you　here　for　the
hours　his　majesty　has　spent　with　the　princess。〃

By　a　violent　effort；　Marianne　succeeded　in　overcoming　her　emotions；
and　with　a　proudly　erect　head；　with　a　cold　and　immovable　face；　she
walked　on　across　the　anterooms　and　descended　the　staircase　until　she
reached　her　carriage。

Only　when　the　carriage　rolled　along　the　road　toward　Vienna　through
the　silent　night；　the　coachman；　notwithstanding　the　noise　of　the
wheels；　thought　he　heard　loud　lamentations；　which　seemed　to　proceed
from　the　interior　of　the　carriage。　But　he　must　have　certainly　been
mistaken；　for　when　the　carriage　stopped　in　the　courtyard　in　front　of
her　mansion；　and　the　footman　hastened　to　open　the　coach…door；　the
princess　alighted　as　proud　and　calm；　as　beautiful　and　radiant　as
ever；　and　ascended　the　staircase　coolly　and　slowly。　At　the　head　of
the　stairs　stood　Madame　Camilla；　muttering　a　few　words　with
trembling　lips　and　pale　cheeks。　Marianne　apparently　did　not　see　her
at　all；　and　walked　coldly　and　proudly　down　the　corridor　leading　to
her　rooms。

She　ordered　the　maids；　who　received　her　in　her　dressing…room；　with
an　imperious　wave　of　her　hand；　to　withdraw；　and　when　they　had　left
the　room　she　locked　the　door　behind　them。　She　then　went　with　rapid
steps　to　the　boudoir　contiguous　to　the　dressing…room；　and　here；
where　she　was　sure　that　no　one　could　see　or　overhear　her；　she
allowed　the　proud　mask　to　glide　from　her　face；　and　showed　its
boundless　despair。　With　a　loud　shriek　of　anguish　she　sank　on　her
knees　and　raising　her　folded　hands　to　heaven；　cried；　in　the　wailing
notes　of　terrible　grief：

〃Oh；　my　God；　my　God！　let　me　succumb　to　this　disgrace。　Have　mercy　on
me；　and　let　me　die！〃

But　after　long　hours　of　struggling　and　despair；　of　lamentations　and
curses；　Marianne　rose　again　from　her　knees　with　defiant　pride　and
calm　energy。

〃No；〃　she　muttered；　〃I　must　not；　will　not　die！　Life　has　still　claims
on　me；　and　the　secret　league；　of　which　I　have　become　the　first
member；　imposes　on　me　the　duty　of　living　and　working　in　its　service。
I　was　unable　to　strike　the　tyrant　with　my　dagger；　well；　then；　we
must　try　to　kill　him　gradually　by　means　of　pin…pricks。　Such　a　pin…
prick　is　the　manuscript　which　Gentz　has　intrusted　to　me　in　order　to
have　it　published　and　circulated　throughout　Germany。　Somewhere　a
printing…office　will　be　found　to　set　up　this　manuscript　with　its
types；　I　will　seek　for　it；　and　pay　the　weight　of　its　types　in　gold。〃

Early　next　morning　the　travelling…coach　of　the　princess　stood　at　the
door；　and　Marianne；　dressed　in　a　full　travelling…costume；　prepared
for　immediate　departure。　She　had　spent　the　whole　night　in　arranging
her　household　affairs。　Now　every　thing　was　done；　every　thing　was
arranged　and　ready；　and　when　about　to　descend　the　staircase；　the
princess　turned　around　to　Madame　Camilla；　who　followed　her　humbly。

〃Madame；〃　she　said；　coldly　and　calmly；　〃you　will　be　kind　enough　to
leave　my　house　this　very　hour；　in　order　to　write　your　diary
somewhere　else。　The　French　governor　of　Vienna　will　assign　to　you；
perhaps；　a　place　with　his　MOUCHARDS；　go；　therefore；　to　him；　and
never　dare　again　to　enter　my　house。　My　steward　has　received
instructions　from　me；　he　will　pay　you　your　wages；　and　see　to　it　that
you　will　leave　the　house　within　an　hour。　Adieu！〃

Without　vouchsafing　to　glance　at　Madame　Camilla；　she　descended　the
staircase　calmly　and　haughtily；　and　entered　her　carriage；　which
rolled　through　the　lofty　portal　of　the　court…yard　with　thundering
noise。




CHAPTER　LIV。

THE　FALL　OF　THE　GERMAN　EMPIRE。


The　peace　of　Presburg　had　been　concluded；　it　had　deprived　Austria　of
her　best　provinces。

The　offensive　and　defensive　alliance　between　Prussia　and　France　had
been　signed；　it　had　deprived　Prussia　of　the　principalities　of
Cleves；　Berg；　and　Neufchatel。

Germany；　therefore；　had　reason　enough　in　the　beginning　of　1806　to
mourn　and　complain；　for　her　princes　had　been　humiliated　and
disgraced；　her　people　had　to　bear　with　their　princes　the　ignominy　of
degradation　and　dependence。

Germany；　however；　seemed　to　be　joyful　and　happy；　festivals　were
being　celebrated　everywherefestivals　in　honor　of　the　Emperor
Napoleon　and　his　family；　festivals　of　love　and　happiness。

After　the　victory　Napoleon　had　obtained　at　Austerlitz　over　the　two
emperors；　after　the　conclusion　of　the　treaty　of　Presburg　and　the
alliance　with　Prussia；　all　causes　of　war　with　Germany　seemed
removed；　and　Napoleon　laid　his　sword　aside　in　order　to　repose　on　his
laurels　in　the　bosom　of　his　family；　and；　instead　of　founding　new
states；　to　bring　about　marriages　between　his　relations　and　the
scions　of　German　sovereignsmarriages　which　were　to　draw　closer　the
links　of　love　and　friendship　uniting　France　with　Germany；　and　to
make　all　Germany　the　obedient　son…in…law　and　vassal　of　the　Emperor
of　France。

In　Munich；　the　wedding…bells　which　made　Napoleon　the　father…in…law
of　a　German　dynasty；　were　first　rung。　In　Munich；　in　the　beginning　of
1806；　Eugene　Beauharnais；　Napoleon's　adopted　son；　was　married　to　the
beautiful　and　noble　Princess　Amelia　of　Bavaria；　daughter　of
Maximilian；　Elector　of　Bavaria；　who；　by　the　grace　of　Napoleon；　had
become　King　of　Bavaria；　as　Eugene；　by　the　same　grace；　had　become
Viceroy　of　Italy。

All　Bavaria　was　jubilant　with　delight　at　the　new　and　most　fortunate
ties　uniting　the　German　state　with　France；　all　Bavaria　felt　honored
and　happy　when　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　with　his　wife　Josephine；　came
to　Munich　to　take　part　in　the　wedding…ceremonies。　Festivals　followed
each　other　in　quick　succession　in　Munich；　only　happy　faces　were　to
be　seen　there；　only　jubilant　shouts；　laughter；　and　merry　jests　were
to　be　heard；　and　whenever　Napoleon　appeared　in　the　streets　or　showed
himself　on　the　balcony　of　the　palace；　the　people　received　him　with
tremendous　cheers；　and　waved　their　hats　at　the　emperor；　regardless
of　the　blood　and　tears　he　had　wrung　but　a　few　days　before　from
another　German　state。

No　sooner　had　the　wedding…bells　ceased　ringing　in　Munich　than　they
commenced　resounding　in　Carlsruhe；　for　Napoleon　wanted　there；　too；
to　become　the　father…in…law　of　another　German　dynasty；　and　the　niece
of　Josephine；　Mademoiselle　Stephanie　de　Beauharnais；　married　the
heir　of　the　Elector　of　Baden；　who　now；　by　the　grace　of　Napoleon；
became　Grand…duke　of　Baden。

And　to　the　merry　notes　of　the　wedding…bells　of　Munich　and　Carlsruhe；
were　soon　added　the　joyful　sound　of　the　bells　which　announced　to
Germany　the　rise　of　a　new　sovereign　house　within　her　borders；　and
inaugurated　the　elevation　of　the　brother…in…law　of　the　Emperor　of
France　to　the　dignity　of　a　sovereign　German　prince。　Those　solemn
bells　resounded　in　Cleves　and　Berg；　and　did　homage　to　Joachim　Murat；
who；　by　the　grace　of　Napoleon；　had　become　Grand…duke　of　Berg。
Prussia　and　Bavaria　had　to　furnish　the　material　for　this　new
princely　cloak；　Prussia　had　given　the　larger　portion　of　it；　the
Duchy　of　Cleves；　and　Bavaria；　grateful　for　so　many　favors；　had　added
to　it　the　principality　of　Berg；　so　that　these　two　German　states
together　formed　a　nice　grand…duchy　for　the　son　of　the　French
innkeeperfor　Joachim　Murat；　for　the　brother…in…law　of　the　French
emperor。

And　when　the　joyful　sounds　had　died　away　in　Munich；　Carlsruhe；　and
the　new　grand…duchy　of　Berg；　they　resounded　again　in　Stuttgart；　for
in　that　capital　the　betrothal　of　Jerome；　youngest　brother　of
Napoleon；　and　of　a　daughter　of　the　Elector　of　Wurtemberg；　who　now；
by　the　grace　of　Napoleon；　had　become　King　of　Wurtemberg；　was
celebrated。　It　is　true　Jerome；　the　emperor's　brother；　wore　no　crown
as　yet；　it　is　true　this　youngest　son　of　the　Corsican　lawyer　had
hitherto　been　nothing　but　an　〃imperial　prince　of　France；〃　but　his
royal　father…in…law　of　Wurtemberg　felt　convinced　that　his　august
brother；　Napoleon；　would　endow　the　husband　of　his　daughter　in　a
becoming　manner；　and　place　some　vacant　or　newly…to…be…created　crown
on　his　head。　Napoleon；　moreover；　had　just　then　endowed　his　elder
brother　Joseph　in　such　a　manner；　and　made　him　King　of　Naples；　after
solemnly　declaring　to　Europe　in　a　manifesto；　that　〃the