louisa of prussia and her times-第122部分

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applied　for　an　interview　with　the　marshal；　and　I　had　to　receive　him
in　the　place　of　the　marshal；　as　I　have　now　the　honor　to　receive
you。〃

〃Oh；　you　have　seen　my　husband？〃　asked　Anna；　almost　joyfully。　〃You
have　spoken　to　him？〃

〃I　have　told　him　in　the　name　of　the　marshal　what　I　am　now　telling
you；　madame。　The　marshal　is　unable　to　do　any　thing　whatever　for　your
husband。　The　order　for　his　arrest　came　directly　from　Paris；　from　the
emperor's　cabinet；　and　the　marshal；　therefore；　has　not　the　power　to
revoke　it　and　to　prevent　the　law　from　taking　its　course。　Moreover；
Mr。　Palm　is　no　longer　in　Anspach；　as　he　was　sent　to　another　place
last　night。〃

〃Whither？　Oh；　sir；　you　will　have　mercy　on　me；　and　tell　me　whither　my
unfortunate　husband　has　been　sent。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　adjutant；　timidly　looking　around　as　if　he　were
afraid　of　being　overheard　by　an　eavesdropper；　〃he　has　been　sent　to
Braunau。〃

Anna　uttered　a　cry　of　horror。　〃To　Braunau！〃　she　said；　breathlessly。
〃To　Braunau；　that　is　to　say；　out　of　the　country。　You　do　not　wish　to
try　a　citizen　and　subject　of　Bavaria；　for　a　crime　which　he　is　said
to　have　committed　in　his　own　country；　according　to　the　laws　of
Bavaria；　but　according　to　those　of　a　foreign　and　hostile　state？　My
husband　has　been　sent　to　Austria！〃

〃Pardon　me；　madame；〃　said　the　adjutant；　smiling；　〃the　city　of
Braunau　does　not　yet　again　belong　to　Austria；　up　to　the　present　hour
it　is　still　French　territory；　for　we　took　and　occupied　it　during　the
war　and　have　not　yet　given　it　back　to　Austria；　hence；　Mr。　Palm　will
be　tried　in　Braunau　according　to　the　laws　of　France。〃

〃Oh；　then　he　is　lost；〃　exclaimed　Anna；　in　despair；　〃there　is　no　more
hope　for　him。〃

〃If　he　be　guilty；　madame；　he　has　deserved　punishment；　if　he　be
innocent；　no　harm　can　befall　him；　for　the　laws　of　France　are
impartial　and　just。〃

〃Oh；　sir；〃　said　Anna；　almost　haughtily；　〃there　are　things　which　may
seem　deserving　of　punishment；　nay；　criminal；　according　to　the　laws
of　your　country；　but　which；　according　to　the　laws　of　a　German　state；
would　not　deserve　any　punishment；　but；　on　the　contrary；　praise　and
acknowledgment。〃

〃If　what　Mr。　Palm　has　done　is　an　offence　of　this　description；　I　am
sorry　for　him；〃　said　the　adjutant；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃But；〃
he　added；　in　a　lower　voice；　〃I　will　give　you　some　good　advice。
Hasten　to　the　French　ambassador　at　Munich。　If　he　should　decline
granting　you　an　audience；　send　him　a　petition；　stating　the　case　of
your　husband　truthfully　and　with　full　details；　and　asking　for　his
intercession。〃

〃And　if　he　should　not　reply　to　my　petition；　if　he　should　refuse　to
intercede　for　me？〃

〃Then　a　last　remedy　will　remain　to　you。　In　that　case；　apply　to
Marshal　Berthier；　who　is　now　also　at　Munich。　He　has　great　power　over
the　emperor；　and　will　alone　be　able　to　help　you。　But　lose　no　time。〃

〃I　shall　set　out　this　very　hour；　sir；　and　I　thank　you　for　your
advice　and　sympathy。　I　see　very　well　that　you　cannot　do　any　thing
for　me；　but　you　have　granted　me　your　compassion；　and　I　thank　you　for
it。　Farewell；　sir。〃

An　hour　later；　Anna　was　on　the　road　to　Munich。　After　an　exhausting
journey　of　four　daysfor；　at　that　time　there　were　no　turnpikes；
much　less　railroads；　in　Bavariashe　reached　Munich；　where　she
stopped　at　a　hotel。

She　was　utterly　unacquainted　in　that　capital；　she　had　no　friends；　no
protectors；　no　recommendations；　and；　as　a　matter　of　course；　all
doors　were　closed　against　her；　and　nobody　would　listen　to　her。
Nobody　felt　pity　for　the　poor；　despairing　lady；　nobody　would　listen
to　her　complaints；　for　her　complaints　were　at　the　same　time　charged
against　the　all…powerful　man　who　now　held　his　hand　stretched　out
over　Bavaria；　and　was　able　to　crush　her　whenever　he　chose　to　do　so。

Anna；　therefore；　met　with　no　encouragement　at　the　hands　of　the
German　authorities；　who　even　refused　to　hear　a　statement　of　her
application。　She　went　to　all　the　ministers；　to　all　those　on　whom；
according　to　their　official　position；　it　would　have　been　incumbent
to　intercede　for　her。　She　even　ventured　to　enter　the　royal　palace；
and　stood　for　hours　in　the　anteroom；　always　hoping　that　her
supplications　would　be　heeded；　and　that　some　door　would　be　opened　to
her。

But　all　doors　were　closed　against　her；　even　that　of　the　French
ambassador。　She　had　vainly　applied　to　him　for　an　audience；　when　her
request　had　been　refused；　she　had　delivered　to　his　attache　a
petition　which　an　attorney　had　drawn　up　for　her；　and　in　which　all
the　points　for　and　against　Palm　were　lucidly　stated。　For　a　week　she
waited　for　a　reply；　for　a　week　she　went　every　morning　to　the
residence　of　the　French　ambassador　and　asked　in　the　same　gentle　and
imploring　voice；　whether　there　was　any　reply　for　her；　and　whether　no
answer　had　been　returned　to　her　application？

On　the　eighth　day　she　was　informed　that　no　reply　would　be　made　to
her　petition；　and　that　the　French　ambassador　was　unable　to　do　any
thing　for　her。

Anna　did　not　weep　and　complain；　she　received　this　information　with
the　gentle　calmness　of　a　martyr；　and　prayed　instead　of　bursting　into
lamentations。　She　prayed　to　God　that　He　might　grant　her　strength　not
to　despair；　not　to　succumb　to　the　stunning　blow；　she　prayed　to　God
that　He　might　impart　vigor　to　her　body；　so　that　it　might　not　prevent
her　from　doing　her　duty；　and　from　seeking　for　further　assistance　for
her　beloved　husband。

Strengthened　and　inwardly　relieved　by　this　prayer；　Anna　now　repaired
to　the　residence　of　Marshal　Berthier；　her　step；　however；　was　slower；
a　deep　blush　mantled　her　cheeks；　which　had　hitherto　been　so　pale；
and　her　hands　were　no　longer　icy　cold；　but　hot　and　red。

She　did　not　apply　for　an　audience　on　reaching　the　marshal's
residence；　for　she　already　knew　that　such　an　application　would　meet
with　a　refusal；　she　only　took　thither　another　copy　of　the　petition
which　she　had　delivered　to　the　French　ambassador；　and　begged
urgently　for　an　early　reply。

Her　supplications　were　this　time　not　destined　to　be　unsuccessful；
and　she　received　a　reply　on　the　third　day。

But　this　reply　was　even　more　terrible　than　if　none　whatever　had　been
made。　Marshal　Berthier　sent　word　to　her　by　his　adjutant　that　Palm
had　been　placed　before　a　court…martial　at　Braunau；　and　that　no
intercession　and　prayers　would　be　of　any　avail；　the　decision　being
exclusively　left　with　the　court…martial。

A　single；　piercing　cry　escaped　from　Anna's　breast　when　she　received
this　information。　Then　she　became　again　calm　and　composed。　Without
uttering　another　complaint；　another　prayer；　she　left　the　marshal's
residence　and　returned　to　her　hotel。

With　perfect　equanimity　and　coolness；　she　requested　the　waiter　to
bring　her　the　bill　and　get　her　a　carriage；　so　that　she　might　set　out
at　once。

Fifteen　minutes　later；　the　landlady　herself　appeared　to　present　to
Madame　Palm　the　bill　she　had　called　for。　She　found　Anna　sitting
quietly　at　the　window；　her　hands　folded　on　her　lap；　her　head　leaning
on　the　high　back　of　the　chair；　and　her　dilated　eyes　staring　vacantly
at　the　sky。　Her　small　travelling…trunk　stood　ready　and　locked　in　the
middle　of　the　room。

The　landlady　handed　her　the　paper　silently；　and　then　turned　aside　in
order　not　to　show　the　tears　which；　at　the　sight　of　the　pale；　gentle
young　wife；　had　filled　her　eyes。

Anna　rose　and　quietly　placed　the　money　on　the　table。　〃I　thank　you；
madame；　for　all　the　attention　and　kindness　I　have　met　with　at　your
house；〃　she　said。　〃It　only　seems　to　me　that　my　bill　is　much　too
moderate。　You　must　have　omitted　many　items；　for　it　is　impossible
that　I　should　not　have　used　up　any　more　than　that　during　my
prolonged　sojourn　in　Munich。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　landlady；　deeply　moved；　〃I　should　be　happy　if　you
permitted　me　to　take　no　money　at　all　from　you；　but　I　know　that　that
would　offend　you；　and　for　that　reason　I　brought　you　my　bill。　If　you
allow　me　to　follow　the　promptings　of　my　heart；　I　should　say；　grant
me　the　honor　of　having　afforded　hospitality　to　so　noble；　brave；　and
faithful　a　lady；　and；　if　you　should　consent；　I　should　be　courageous
enough　to　utter　a　request　which　I　dare　not　make　now；　because　you
would　deem　it　egotistic。〃

〃Oh；　tell　me　what　it　is；〃　said　Anna；　mildly；　〃for　the　last　two　weeks
I　have　begged　so　much；　and　my　requests　were　so　often　refused；　that
it　would　truly　gratify　me　to　hear　from　others　a　request　which　I
might　be　able　to　fulfil。〃

〃Well；　then；　madame；〃　said　the　landlady；　taking　Anna's　hand　and
kissing　it　respectfully；　〃I　request　you　to　stay　here　and　not　to
depart。　Afford　me　the　pleasure　of　keeping　you　here　in　my　house；　of
taking　care　and　nursing　you　as　a　mother　would　nurse　her　daughter。　I
am　old　enough　to　be　your　mother；　and　you；　my　poor；　beloved　child；
you　need　nursing；　for　you　are　sick。〃

〃I　feel　no　painI　am　not　sick；〃　said　Anna；　with　a　smile　which　was
more　heart…rending　than　loud　lamentations。

〃You　are　sick；〃　replied　the　landlady；　〃your　hands　are　burning　with
fever；　and　the　roses　blooming　on　your　cheeks　are　not　natural；　but
symptoms　of　your　inward　sufferings。　During　your　whole　sojourn　in　my
house　you　have　scarcely　touched　the　food　that　was　placed　before　you；
frequently　you　have　not　gone　to　bed　at　night；　and；　instead　of
sleeping；　restlessly　paced　your　room。　A　fever　is　now　raging　in　your
delicate　body；　and　if　you　do　not　take　care　of　yourself；　and　use
medicine；　your　body　will　succumb。〃

〃No；　it　will　not　succumb；〃　said　Anna；　〃my　heart　will　sustain　it。〃

〃But　your　heart；　too；　will　break；　if　you　do　not　take　care　of
yourself；〃　exclaimed　the　landlady；　compassionately。　〃Stay　here；　I
beseech　you；　do　not　depart。　Stay　as　a　guest　at　my　house！〃

Anna　placed　her　burning　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　the　landlady；　and
looked　at　her　long　and　tenderly。

〃You　were　married？〃　she　asked。　〃You　loved　your　husband？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　landlady；　bursting　into　tears；　〃I　was　married；　and
God　knows　that　I　loved　my　husband。　For　twenty　years　we　lived　happy
and　peacefully　together；　and　when　he　died　last　year；　my　whole
happiness　died　with　him。〃

〃He　was　sick；　I　suppose；　and　you　nursed　him？〃

〃He　was　sick　for　a　month；　and　I　did　not　leave　his　bedside　either　by
day　or　by　night。〃

〃Well；　then；　what　would　you　have　replied　to　him　who　would　have　tried
to　keep　you　back　from　your　husband's　d