louisa of prussia and her times-第123部分

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to　keep　you　back　from　your　husband's　death…bed；　and　to　persuade　you
to　leave　him　in　his　agony；　because　it　might　have　injured　your
health？　Would　you　have　listened　to　him？〃

〃No；　I　should　have　believed　him；　who　had　made　such　a　proposition　to
me；　to　be　my　enemy；　and　should　have　replied　to　him：　'It　is　my　sacred
right　to　stand　at　my　husband's　death…bed；　to　kiss　the　last　sigh　from
his　lips；　to　close　his　eyes；　and　no　one　in　the　world　shall　prevent
me　from　doing　so！'〃

〃Well；　then；　dear　mother；　I　say　as　you　have　said：　it　is　my　sacred
right　to　stand　at　my　husband's　death…bed　and　to　close　his　eyes。　My
husband's　death…bed　is　in　Braunau；　I　am　not　so　happy　as　you　have
been；　I　cannot　nurse　him；　nor　be　with　him　and　comfort　him　in　his
agony；　but　I　am　able；　at　least；　to　see　him　in　his　last　hour。　My
mother；　will　you　still　ask　your　daughter　to　stay　here　and　take　care
of　her　health；　instead　of　going　to　her　husband's　death…bed　in
Braunau？〃

〃No；　my　daughter；〃　exclaimed　the　landlady；　〃no；　I　say　to　you；　go！
Take　not　a　minute's　rest　until　you　reach　your　husband。　God　will
guide　and　protect　you；　for　He　is　love；　and　has　mercy　on　those　whose
heart　are　filled　with　love！　Go；　then；　with　God；　but；　for　the　sake　of
your　husband；　take　some　nourishing　food；　try　to　eat　and　sleep；　so　as
to　gain　fresh　strength；　for　you　will　need　it。〃

〃Give　me　some　nourishing　food；　mother；　I　will　eat；〃　said　Anna；
placing　her　arms　tenderly　around　the　landlady's　neck；　〃I　will　try
also　to…night　to　sleep；　for　you　are　right：　I　shall　need　my　whole
strength！　But　after　I　have　eaten；　I　may　set　out　at　once；　may　I　not？〃

〃Yes；　my　poor；　dear　child；　then　you　may　set　out。　Now　come　to　my
roomyour　meal　is　already　waiting　for　you。〃

Half　an　hour　later　the　landlady　herself　lifted　Anna　into　the
carriage；　and　said　to　her　in　a　voice　trembling　with　tearful　emotion：
〃Farewell；　my　daughter。　God　bless　you　and　grant　you　strength。　When
alone　one　day；　and　in　need　of　a　mother；　then　come　to　me！　May　the
Lord　have　mercy　on　you！〃

〃Yes；　may　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　me；　and　let　me　die　with　him！〃
whispered　Anna；　as　the　carriage　rolled　away　with　her。

At　noon　on　the　following　day；　August　30th；　1806；　she　arrived　at
Braunau。




CHAPTER　LVIII。

THE　WOMEN　OF　BRAUNAU。


In　the　mean　time　Palm　had　constantly　been　in　the　French　prison　at
Braunau。　During　the　sixteen　days　since　he　had　been　in　jail；　he　had
only　twice　been　taken　out　of　it　to　be　examined　by　the　court…martial；
which　General　St。　Hilaire　had　specially　convoked　for　his　trial。

This　court…martial　consisted　of　French　generals　and　staff…officers；
it　met　at　a　time　of　peace　in　a　German　city；　and　declared　its
competence　to　try　a　German　citizen　who　had　committed　no　other　crime
than　to　circulate　a　pamphlet；　in　which　the　misfortunes　of　Germany；
and　the　oppressions　of　German　states　by　Napoleon　and　his　armies；　had
been　commented　upon。

The　whole　proceedings　had　been　carried　on　so　hastily　and　secretly；
that　the　German　authorities　of　Braunau　had　scarcely　heard　of　them　at
the　time　when　the　French　court…martial　was　already　about　to　sentence
the　prisoner。

The　French；　however；　wanted　to　maintain　some　semblance　of
impartiality；　and　before　Palm　was　called　before　the　court…martial；
it　was　left　to　him　either　to　defend　himself　in　person　against　the
charges；　or　to　provide　himself　with　counsel。

Palm；　who　was　ignorant　of　the　French　language；　had　preferred　the
latter；　and　selected　as　his　counsel　a　resident　lawyer　of　Braunau；
with　whom　he　was　well　acquainted；　and　even　on　terms　of　intimacy；　and
whom　he　knew　to　be　familiar　with　the　French　language。

But　this　friend　declined　being　a　〃friend　in　need。〃　He　excused
himself　on　the　pretext　of　a　serious　indisposition　which　confined　him
to　his　bed；　and　rendered　it　impossible　for　him　to　make　a　speech。

Palm　was　informed　of　this　excuse　only　at　the　moment　when　he　entered
the　room　in　which　the　trial　was　to　be　held；　hence　he　had　to　make　up
his　mind　to　conduct　his　own　defence；　and　to　have　his　words
translated　by　an　interpreter　to　the　members　of　the　court。

And　he　felt　convinced　that　his　defence　had　been　successful；　and
satisfied　the　men　who　had　assumed　to　be　his　judges；　of　his　entire
innocence。

He　had；　therefore；　no　doubt　of　his　speedy　release；　he　was　looking
every　day　for　the　announcement　that　his　innocence　had　been　proved；
and　that　he　should　be　restored　to　liberty　and　to　his　family。　This
confident　hope　caused　him　to　bear　his　solitary　confinement　with
joyful　courage；　and　to　look；　in　this　time　of　privations　and　pain；
fondly　for　the　golden　days　to　come；　when　he　would　repose　again；
after　all　his　trouble　and　toil；　in　the　arms　of　love；　gently　guarded
by　the　tender　eyes　of　his　affectionate　young　wife；　and　his　heart
gladdened　by　the　sight　of　his　sweet　children。

From　dreams　so　joyous　and　soul…stirring　he　was　awakened　on　the
morning　of　the　26th　of　August　by　the　appearance　of　the　jailer　and　of
several　soldiers　who　came　to　summon　him　before　the　court…martial
which　would　communicate　his　sentence　to　him。

〃God　be　praised！〃　exclaimed　Palm；　enthusiastically。　〃My　sentence；
that　is　to　say；　my　release。　Come；　let　us　go；　for；　you　see；　it　is　hot
and　oppressive　in　my　cell；　and　I　long　for　God's　fresh　air；　of　which
I　have　been　deprived　so　long。　Let　us　go；　then；　that　I　may　receive
the　sentence　which　I　have　so　ardently　yearned　for。〃

And　with　a　kind　smile　he　offered　his　hand　to　the　jailer　who　stood　at
the　door　with　a　gloomy；　sullen　air。　〃Do　not　look　so　gloomy；
Balthasar；〃　he　said。　〃You　always　used　to　be　so　merry　a　companion　and
have　often　agreeably　enlivened　the　long　and　dreary　hours　of　my
confinement　by　your　entertaining　conversation。　Accept　my　thanks　for
your　kindness　and　clemency；　you　might　have　tormented　me　a　great
deal；　and　you　have　not　done　so；　but　have　always　been　accommodating
and　compassionate。　I　thank　you　for　it；　Balthasar；　and　beg　you　to
accept　this　as　a　souvenir　from　me。〃

He　drew　a　golden　breastpin　richly　set　with　precious　stones　from　his
cravat；　and　offered　it　to　the　jailer。

But　Balthasar　did　not　take　it；　on　the　contrary；　he　averted　his　head
sullenly　and　gloomily。　　〃I　am　not　allowed　to　accept　any　presents
from　the　prisoners；〃　he　muttered。

〃Well；　then；　I　shall　come　and　see　you　as　soon　as　I　am　free；　and　from
the　free　man；　I　suppose；　you　will　accept　a　small　souvenir？〃　asked
Palm；　kindly。

The　jailer　made　no　reply　to　this　question；　but　exclaimed；
impatiently：　〃Make　haste；　it　is　high　time！〃

Palm　laughed；　and；　nodding　a　farewell　to　the　jailer；　left　the　prison
in　the　midst　of　the　soldiers。

〃Poor　man；　he　suspects　nothing；〃　murmured　the　jailer　to　himself；　and
his　features　now　became　mild　and　gentle；　and　his　eyes　were　filled
with　tears。　〃Poor　man；　he　believes　they　will　set　him　at　liberty！
Yes；　they　will　do　so；　but　it　is　not　the　sort　of　liberty　he　is
looking　and　hoping　for！〃

Palm　followed　the　soldiers　gayly　and　courageously　to　the　room　where
the　members　of　the　court…martial　were　assembled　seated　on　high…
backed　arm…chairs　which　had　been　placed　in　a　semicircle　on　one　side
of　the　room；　awaiting　the　arrival　of　the　prisoner。

He　greeted　them　with　an　unclouded　brow　and　frank　and　open　bearing；
not　a　tinge　of　fear　and　nervousness　was　to　be　seen　in　his　features；
he　fixed　his　large　and　lustrous　eyes　on　the　lips　of　General　St。
Hilaire　who　presided　over　the　court…martial　and　now　rose　from　his
seat。　The　secretary　of　the　court　immediately　approached　the　general
and　handed　him　a　paper。

The　general　took　it；　and；　bending　a　stern　glance　on　Palm；　said：　〃The
court…martial　has　agreed　to…day　unanimously　on　your　sentence。　I　will
now　communicate　it　to　you。〃

The　other　officers　rose　from　their　seats　to　listen　standing　to　the
reading　of　the　sentence。　It　is　true；　their　faces　were　grave；　and　for
the　first　time　Palm　was　seized　with　a　sinister　foreboding；　and　asked
himself　whether　his　judges　would　assume　so　grave　and　solemn　an　air
if　they　were　merely　to　announce　to　him　that　he　was　innocent　and
consequently　free。

A　small　pause　ensued。　The　general　then　raised　his　voice；　and　read　in
a　loud　and　ringing　tone：　〃Whereas　at　all　places　where　there　is　an
army　it　is　the　first　and　most　imperious　duty　of　its　chief　to　watch
over　its　safety　and　preservation；〃

〃Whereas　the　circulation　of　writings　instigating　sedition　and　murder
does　not　only　threaten　the　safety　of　the　army；　but　also　that　of　the
nation　generally；〃

〃Whereas　nothing　is　more　urgent　and　necessary　than　the　prevention　of
the　propagation　of　such　doctrines　which　are　a　crime　against　the
rights　of　man　and　against　the　respect　due　to　crowned　headsan
insult　to　the　people　submissive　to　their　governmentand；　in　short；
subversive　of　law；　order；　and　subordination：〃

〃The　military　commission　here　assembled　declares　unanimously　that
all　authors　and　printers　of　libellous　books　of　the　above…named
description；　as　well　as　booksellers　and　other　persons　engaged　in
circulating　them；　shall　be　deemed　guilty　of　high…treason。〃

〃In　consideration　whereof　the　defendant；　John　Frederick　Palm；
convicted　of　having　circulated　the　pamphlet；　'Germany　in　her　Deepest
Degradation；'　has　been　charged　with　the　crime　of　high…treason；　and
the　commission　has　unanimously　found　him　guilty　of　the　charge。〃

〃The　penalty　incurred　by　the　traitor　is　death。〃

〃Consequently　the　traitor；　John　Frederick　Palm；　will　suffer　death；
which　sentence　will　be　carried　out　this　afternoon　at　two　o'clock；
when　he　will　be　shot。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。
ix。；　p。　247。＇

〃John　Frederick　Palm；〃　added　the　general；　〃you　have　heard　your
sentence；　prepare　for　death！〃

The　interpreter　repeated　to　the　unhappy　prisoner　the　sentence　of　the
court…martial　slowly；　impressively；　and　emphasizing　every　word；　and
every　syllable　fell　like　a　cold　tear　on　Palm's　heart　and　froze　it。
It　was；　however；　not　only　cold　with　terror　and　dismay；　but　also　with
determination　and　calmness。

Before　these　strangers；　with　their　cold；　indifferent　faces；　he
resolved　at　once　not　to　betray　any　weakness。　He　did　not　want　to
afford　his　assassins　the　pleasure　of　seeing　him　tremble。

His　bearing；　therefore；　only　manifested　firm　determination　and　grave
calmness。　He　cast　a　single　flaming　glance；　full　of　proud　disdain；　on
his　judges。

〃Very　well；〃　h