louisa of prussia and her times-第130部分

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September；　and　join　the　army；　and　the　king　intended　to　accompany
them。

In　Berlin　there　reigned　everywhere　the　greatest　enthusiasm。

All　the　houses　had　been　decorated　with　festoons　and　flowers；　and　the
inhabitants　crowded　the　streets　in　their　holiday…dresses　to　greet
the　departing　life…guards　with　jubilant　cheers　and　congratulations。

The　king　had　just　reviewed　the　regiments；　and　now　repaired　to　his
wife　to　bid　her　farewell　and　then　leave　Berlin　at　the　head　of　his
life…guards。

The　queen　went　to　meet　him　with　a　radiant　smile；　and　a　wondrous　air
of　joy　and　happiness　was　beaming　from　her　eyes。　The　king　gazed
mournfully　at　her　beautiful；　flushed　face；　and　her　cheerfulness　only
increased　his　melancholy。

〃You　receive　me　with　a　smile；〃　he　said；　〃and　my　heart　is　full　of
anxiety　and　sadness。　Do　you　not　know；　then；　why　I　have　come　to　you？
I　have　come　to　bid　you　farewell！〃

She　placed　her　hands　on　his　shoulders；　and　her　whole　face　was
radiant　with　sunshine。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃you　have　come　to　call　for　me！〃

The　king　looked　at　her　in　confusion　and　terror。　〃How　so；　to　call　for
you！〃　he　asked。　〃Whither　do　you　want　to　go；　then？〃

Louisa　encircled　her　husband's　neck　with　her　arms；　and　clinging　to
him　she　exclaimed；　in　a　loud　and　joyous　voice：

〃I　want　to　go　with　you；　dear　husband！〃

〃With　me？〃　ejaculated　the　king。

〃Yes；　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　believe；　then；　my　friend；　I
should　have　been　so　merry　and　joyful　if　this　had　not　been　my　hope
and　consolation？　I　have　secretly　made　all　the　necessary
preparations；　and　am　ready　now　to　set　out　with　you。　I　have　arranged
every　thing；　I　have　even；〃　she　added；　in　a　low　and　tremulous　voice
〃I　have　even　taken　leave　of　the　children；　and　I　confess　to　you　I
have　shed　bitter　tears　in　doing　so。　Part　of　my　heart　remains　with
them；　but　the　other；　the　larger　part；　goes　with　you；　and　remains
with　you；　my　friend；　my　beloved；　my　king。　Will　you　reject　it？　Will
you　not　permit　me　to　accompany　you？〃

〃It　is　impossible；〃　said　the　king；　shaking　his　head。

〃Impossible？〃　she　exclaimed；　quickly。　〃If　you；　if　the　king　should
order　it　so？〃

〃The　king　must　not　do　so；　Louisa。　I　shall　cease　for　a　while　to　be
king；　and　shall　be　nothing　but　a　soldier　in　the　camp。　Where　should
there　be　room　and　the　necessary　comforts　for　a　queen？〃

〃If　you　cease　to　be　king；〃　said　Louisa；　smiling；　〃it　follows；　as　a
matter　of　course；　that　I　cease　to　be　a　queen。　If　you　are　nothing　but
a　soldier；　I　am　merely　a　soldier's　wife；　and　it　behooves　a　soldier's
wife　to　accompany　her　husband　into　the　camp。　Oh；　Frederick；　do　not
say　no！do　not　deprive　me　of　my　greatest　happiness；　of　my　most
sacred　right！　Did　we　not　swear　an　oath　at　the　altar　to　go　hand　in
hand　through　life；　and　to　stand　faithfully　by　each　other　in　days　of
weal　and　woe？　And　now　you　will　forget　your　oath？　You　will　sever　our
paths？〃

〃The　path　of　war　is　hard　and　rough；〃　said　the　king；　gloomily。

〃Therefore　I　must　be　with　you；　to　strew　sometimes　a　few　flowers　on
this　path　of　yours；〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　joyfully。　〃I　must　be　with
you；　so　that　you　may　enjoy　at　least　sometimes　a　calm；　peaceful　hour
in　the　evening；　after　the　toils　and　troubles　of　the　day！　I　must　be
with　you　to　rejoice　with　you　when　your　affairs　are　prosperous；　and
to　comfort　you　when　misfortunes　befall　you。　Do　you　not　feel；　then；
dearest；　that　we　belong　indissolubly　to　each　other；　and　that　we　must
walk　inseparably　through　life；　be　it　for　weal　or　for　woe？〃

〃I　am　not　allowed　to　think　of　myself；　Louisa；〃　said　the　king；
greatly　affected；　〃nor　of　the　joy　it　would　afford　me　in　these
turbulent　and　stormy　days　to　see　you　by　my　sideyou；　my　angel　of
peace　and　happiness；　I　must　only　think　of　you；　of　the　queen；　of　the
mother　of　my　children；　whom　I　must　not　expose　to　any　danger；　and
whom　I　would　gladly　keep　aloof　from　any　tempest　and　anxiety。〃

〃When　I　am　no　longer　with　you；　anxiety　will　consume　me；　and　grief
will　rage　around　me　like　a　tempest；〃　exclaimed　the　queen；
passionately。　〃I　should　find　rest　neither　by　day　nor　by　night；　for
my　heart　would　always　long　for　you；　and　my　soul　would　always　tremble
for　you。　I　should　always　see　you　before　me　wounded　and　bleeding；　for
I　know　you　will　not　regard　your　safety；　your　life；　when　there　is　a
victory　to　be　gained　or　a　disgrace　to　be　averted。　Bullets　do　not
spare　the　heads　of　kings；　and　swords　do　not　glance　off　powerlessly
from　their　sacred　persons。　In　time　of　war　a　king　is　but　a　man！
Permit　the　queen；　therefore；　at　this　time；　to　be　but　a　womanyour
wife；　who　ought　to　nurse　you　if　you　should　be　wounded；　and　to　share
your　pain　and　anxiety！　Oh；　my　beloved　husband；　can　you　refuse　your
wife's　supplication？〃

She　looked　at　him　with　her　large；　tearful；　imploring　eyes；　her　whole
beautiful　and　great　soul　was　beaming　from　her　face　in　an　expression
of　boundless　love。

The　king；　overwhelmed；　carried　away　by　her　aspect；　was　no　longer
strong　enough　to　resist　her。　He　clasped　her　in　his　arms；　and　pressed
a　long　and　glowing　kiss　on　her　forehead。

〃No；〃　he　said；　deeply　moved；　〃I　cannot　refuse　your　supplication。　We
will；　hand　in　hand；　courageously　and　resolutely　bear　the　fate　God
has　in　store　for　us。　Nothing　but　death　shall　separate　us。　Come；　my
Louisa；　my　beloved　wife；　accompany　me　wherever　I　may　go！〃

The　queen　uttered　a　joyful　cry；　seizing　the　king's　hand；　she　bent
over　it　and　kissed　it　reverentially；　before　the　king　could　prevent
her　from　doing　so。

〃Louisa；　what　are　you　doing？〃　exclaimed　the　king；　almost　ashamed；
〃you〃

Loud　shouts　resounding　on　the　street　interrupted　him。　The　royal
couple　hastened　hand　in　hand　to　the　window。

On　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　in　front　of　the　large　portal　of
the　arsenal；　thousands　of　men　had　assembled；　all　seemed　to　be　highly
excited；　and；　with　shouts　and　manifestations　of　wild　curiosity；　to
throng　around　an　object　in　the　middle　of　the　densest　part　of　the
crowd。

Some　accident　must　have　happened　over　yonder。　Perhaps；　a　stroke　of
apoplexy　had　felled　a　poor　man　to　the　ground；　perhaps；　a　murder　had
been　committed；　for　the　faces　of　the　bystanders　looked　pale　and
dismayed；　they　clasped　their　hands　wonderingly；　and　shook　their
heads　anxiously。

The　king　rang　the　bell　hastily；　and　ordered　the　footman；　who　entered
immediately；　to　go　over　to　the　arsenal　and　see　what　was　the　matter。

In　a　few　minutes　he　returned；　panting　and　breathless。

〃Well；〃　said　the　king　to　him；　〃has　an　accident　occurred？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　not　to　anybody　in　the　crowd；　however。　The　statue
of　Bellona；　which　stood　on　the　portal　of　the　arsenal；　has　suddenly
fallen　from　the　roof。〃

〃Was　it　shattered？〃　asked　the　queen；　whose　cheeks　had　turned　pale。

〃No；　your　majesty；　but　its　right　arm　is　broken。〃

The　king　beckoned　him　to　withdraw；　and　commenced　pacing　the　room。
The　queen　had　returned　to　the　window；　and　her　eyes；　which　she　had
turned　toward　heaven；　were　filled　with　tears。

After　a　long　pause；　the　king　approached　her　again。　〃Louisa；〃　he
said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃will　you　still　go　with　me？　The　day　is　clear
and　sunny；　not　a　breath　is　stirring；　and　the　statue　of　Bellona　falls
from　the　roof　of　our　arsenal　and　breaks　its　arm。　That　is　a　bad　omen！
Will　you　not　be　warned　thereby？〃

The　queen　gave　him　her　hand；　and　her　eyes　were　radiant　again　with
love　and　joyfulness。　〃Where　you　go；　I　shall　go；〃　she　said；
enthusiastically！　〃Your　life　is　my　life；　and　your　misfortunes　are　my
misfortunes。　I　am　not　afraid　of　bad　omens！〃　＇Another　bad　omen
occurred　on　that　day。　Field…Marshal　von　Mullendorf；　who　was　to
accompany　the　troops；　after　being　lifted　on　the　left　side　of　his
charger；　fell　down　on　the　other。＇




CHAPTER　LXII。

BEFORE　THE　BATTLE。


It　was　long　after　nightfall。　A　cold　and　dismal　night。　The　mountains
of　the　forests　of　Thuringia　bordered　the　horizon　with　their　snow…
clad　summits；　and　a　piercing　wind　was　howling　over　the　heights　and
through　the　valleys。

The　Prussian　army　seemed　at　length　to　have　reached　its　destination；
and　here；　on　the　hills　and　in　the　valleys　of　Jena　and　Auerstadt；　the
great　conflict　was　to　be　decided；　for　the　Prussian　army　was　now
confronting　the　legions　of　Napoleon。

The　principal　army；　with　the　commander…in…chief；　the　Duke　of
Brunswick；　the　king；　and　the　staff；　was　encamped　at　Auerstadt。

The　second　army；　commanded　by　the　Prince　von　Hohenlohe；　was　in　the
immediate　neighborhood　of　Jena。

It　was　still　firmly　believed　that　Prussia　would　accomplish　her　great
purpose；　and　defeat　Napoleon。　The　disastrous　skirmish　of　Saalfeld；
and　the　death　of　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；　had　made　a　bad　impression；
but　not　shaken　the　general　confidence。

It　is　true；　the　Prussians　were　cold；　for　they　had　no　cloaks；　it　is
true；　they　were　hungry；　for；　owing　to　the　sudden　lack　of　bread；　they
had　received　only　half　rations　for　the　last　few　days；　but　their
hearts　were　still　undismayed；　and　they　longed　only　for　one　thing
for　the　decisive　struggle。　The　decision；　at　all　events；　could　not
but　put　an　end　to　their　hunger；　either　by　death　or　by　a　victory；
which　would　open　to　them　large　army　magazines　and　supplies。

The　Prussian　troops　encamped　at　Jena　stood　quietly　before　their
tents　and　chatted　about　the　hopes　of　the　next　day；　they　told　each
other　that　Bonaparte　with　his　French；　as　soon　as　he　had　heard　that
the　Prussians　were　already　at　Jena；　had　hastily　left　Weimar　again
and　retreated　toward　Gera。

〃Then　it　will　be　still　longer　before　we　get　hold　of　the　French；〃
exclaimed　several　soldiers。　〃We　thought　we　had　got　him　sure　at　last；
and　that　he　could　not　escape　any　more；　and　when　he　scented　us；　he
again　found　a　mouse…hole　through　which　he　might　get　away。〃

〃But　we　will　close　this　mouse…hole　for　him；　so　that　he　cannot　get
out　of　it；〃　said　a　powerful　voice　behind　them；　and　when　the　soldiers
turned　anxiously　around；　they　beheld　their　general；　the　Prince　von
Hohenlohe；　who；　walking　with　his　adjutants　through　the　camp；　just
reached　their　tents。

The　soldiers　faced　about　and　respectfully　saluted　the　general；　who
kindly　nodded　to　them。

〃You　would　be　glad　then　to　meet　the　French　soon？〃　he　asked　the
soldiers；　whose　conversation　he　had　overheard。

〃Yes；　we　should　be　glad；〃　they　exclaimed；　〃it　would　be　a　holiday　for
us。〃

〃Well；　it　may　happen　very　soon；〃　said　the