louisa of prussia and her times-第24部分

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the　door　when　you　leave。　I　must　go　to　his　excellency。〃

He　hurriedly　crossed　the　room　and　hastened　into　the　minister's
study。

Gentz　now　put　on　his　gloves　and　approached　the　door。　He　bent　one
more　glance　full　of　anger　upon　the　anteroom；　and　finally　fixed　his
eyes　upon　the　glittering　books　in　the　cases　on　the　wall。　An
expression　of　malicious　joy　suddenly　overspread　his　features。　He
drew　back　from　the　door；　and　hurriedly　crossing　the　room；　he
approached　the　books。　Without　any　hesitation　whatever；　he　took　down
one　of　the　largest　and　most　richly　ornamented　volumes；　concealed　the
book　under　his　cloak；　hastened　back　to　the　door；　and　left　the　house
of　the　minister　of　finance　with　a　haughty　and　defiant　air。

Without　nodding　or　greeting　any　one；　he　hastened　through　the　streets
back　to　his　own　house。　At　the　door　of　the　latter　there　stood　two
huge　furniture…wagons；　half　filled　with　the　sofas；　arm…chairs；
tables；　and　looking…glasses　which　heretofore　had　adorned　his　rooms；
and　which　he　was　now　going　to　lose　with　his　wife。

The　servants　had　not　finished　removing　the　furniture；　and　he　had　to
pause　in　the　hall　in　order　to　let　them　pass　with　the　large　silken
sofa　which　had　been　the　chief　ornament　of　his　own　parlor。　This
greatly　increased　his　anger；　with　furious　gestures　he　rapidly
ascended　the　staircase　and　went　to　his　rooms。　Every　door　was　open
the　apartments　which　he　crossed　with　ringing　steps；　were　empty　and
deserted；　and　finally　he　reached　the　door　of　his　study；　where　his
footman　had　posted　himself　like　a　faithful　sentinel。　Gentz　silently
beckoned　him　to　open　it；　and　entered。　But　when　the　servant　was　going
to　follow　him；　he　silently　but　imperiously　kept　him　back；　and
slammed　the　door　in　his　face。

Now　at　last　he　was　alone；　now　no　one　could　see　and　watch　him　any
longer；　now　he　could　utter　the　cry　of　rage　that　was　filling　his
breast　and　almost　depriving　him　of　the　power　of　speech；　and　after
uttering　this　cry；　he　could　appease　his　wrath　still　in　some　other
way。

He　threw　his　cloak　and　hat　upon　a　chair；　seized　the　splendidly　bound
and　richly　gilt　volume　from　the　minister's　library　with　both　hands
and　hurled　it　upon　the　floor。

〃Lie　there；　toy　of　a　proud　minister！〃　he　exclaimed　furiously。　〃I
will　treat　you　as　I　would　like　to　treat　him。　I　will　abuse　you　as　I
would　like　to　abuse　him。　There！　take　this！　and　this！　and　that！〃

And　he　stamped　with　his　heels　upon　the　magnificent　work；　clinching
his　fists　and　swearing　fearfully。　＇Footnote：　Vide　〃Gallerie　von
Bildnissen　aus　Rahel's　Umgang；〃　edited　by　Varnhagen　von　Ense；　vol
ii。；　p　168。＇

A　loud　and　merry　laugh　was　heard　behind　him；　and　upon　turning　round
he　beheld　in　the　door　one　of　his　friends；　who　was　looking　at　him
with　a　radiant　face。

〃Herr　von　Gualtieri；　you　laugh；　and　I　am　furious；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；
stamping　again　upon　the　costly　volume。

〃But　why；　for　God's　sake；　are　you　furious？〃　asked　Herr　von
Gualtieri。　〃Why　do　you　perpetrate　such　vandalism　upon　that
magnificent　volume　under　your　feet？〃

〃Why？　Well；　I　will　tell　you。　I　was　to…day　at　the　house　of　Count
Schulenburg…Kehnert；　he　had　sent　me　word　to　call　on　him　at　ten
o'clock；　and　when　I　was　there；　he　made　me　stand　for　an　hour　in　his
anteroom　like　his　gorgeous；　gilt…edged　books；　which　his　footman　told
me　he　never　opens　because　he　is　afraid　of　injuring　their　gilt
edges。〃

〃And　did　he　admit　you　after　you　had　been　in　the　anteroom　for　an
hour？〃

〃No。　When　I　had　been　there　for　an　hour；　he　sent　me　word　through　his
footman　that　he　was　too　busy　to　receive　me；　and　that　I　had　better
call　again　to…morrow。　Bah！　He　wanted　to　treat　me　like　those　books　of
his；　which　he　never　opens；　he　did　not　want　to　open　me　eitherme；　a
man　who　has　got　more　mind；　more　knowledge；　and　information　than　all
his　books　together。　He　made　me　wait　in　his　anteroom　for　a　whole
hour；　and　then　dismissed　me！〃

〃And　you　allowed　yourself　to　be　dismissed？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I　did；　but　I　took　one　of　his　splendid　gilt…edged　volumes
along；　in　order　to　stamp　on　it　and　maltreat　it；　as　I　would　like　to
maltreat　him。　Thus！　and　thus！　To　crush　it　under　my　heels。　It　does　me
good。　It　relieves　me。　At　this　moment　this　is　the　only　revenge　I　can
take　against　the　miserable　fellow。〃　＇Footnote：　Gentz's　own　words。
Vide　〃Rahel's　Umgang；〃　vol　ii。；　p。　168。＇

Herr　von　Gualtieri　laughed　uproariously。　〃Ah！　that　is　an　entirely
novel　jus　gentium；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃an　exceedingly　funny　jus　gentium。
My　friend；　let　me　embrace　you；　you　are　a　glorious　fellow！〃

With　open　arms　he　approached　Gentz　and　pressed　him　tenderly；
laughing　all　the　while；　to　his　heart。

Gentz　was　unable　to　withstand　this　kindness　and　this　laughter；　and
suddenly　forgetting　his　anger；　he　boisterously　joined　his　friend's
mirth。

〃You　like　my　revenge？〃　he　asked。

〃Ah！　it　is　admirable；　it　is　the　revenge　of　a　genuine　Corsican！〃　said
Gualtieri；　gravely。

〃Of　a　Corsican？〃　asked　Gentz；　shrinking　back。　〃That　is　an　ugly
comparison；　sir。　I　do　not　want　to　have　any　thing　in　common　with　that
Corsican；　General　Bonaparte。　I　tell　you　I　am　afraid　that　man　will
some　day　prove　a　terrible　scourge　for　us。〃

〃And　I　adore　him！〃　exclaimed　Gualtieri。　〃He　is　the　resuscitated
Alexander　of　Macedon；　the　conqueror　of　the　world；　the　master　of　the
world。　He　alone　has　stemmed　the　tide　of　revolution　in　France。　To　him
alone　the　French　are　indebted　for　the　restoration　of　order　and
tranquillity　in　their　country。　The　thirteenth　of　Vendemiaire　is　as
heroic　a　deed；　as　great　a　victory；　as　the　battles　of　Lodi　and
Arcole。〃

〃That　may　be；〃　said　Gentz；　morosely。　〃I　am　no　soldier；　and　do　not
like　battles　and　warfare。　And　what　do　we　Germans　care　for　the
Corsican？　Have　we　not　got　enough　to　do　at　home？　Germany；　however；　is
so　happy　and　contented　that；　like　the　Pharisee；　she　may　look　upon
republican　France　and　exclaim：　'I　thank　thee；　my　God；　that　I　am　not
like　this　man。'〃

〃You　are　right；〃　replied　Gualtieri。　〃We　also　stand　in　need　of　a
revolution。　In　Germany；　too；　a　guillotine　must　be　erectedheads
must　fall；　and　death　must　hold　its　bloody　harvest。〃

〃Hush；　my　friend；　hush！〃　said　Gentz；　drawing　back　in　dismay。　〃Did
you　merely　come　to　me　for　the　purpose　of　speaking　of　such　dreadful
matters；　while　you　are　well　aware　that　I　don't　like　to　hear　anybody
allude　to　bloodshed；　murders；　and　similar　horrors？〃

〃I　merely　wanted　to　try　you　a　little　in　order　to　see　whether　you　are
still　the　same　dear　old　childish　coward；〃　exclaimed　Gualtieri；
laughing。　〃The　same　great　child　with　the　strong；　manly　soul；　and　the
gentle；　weak；　and　easily　moved　child's　heart。　Now；　let　me　know
quickly　what　you　wanted　of　the　minister　of　finance；　and　I　shall
reward　you　then　by　telling　you　some　good　news。　Well；　then；　what　did
you　want　of　Schulenburg？〃

〃I　had　asked　him　to　lend　me　five　hundred　dollars；　and　to　appoint　an
hour　when　I　might　call　for　the　money。　He　named　ten　o'clock；　and　I
went　to　his　house；　merely　to　leave　it　an　hour　after　in　a　towering
passion　and　with　empty　hands。　Oh；　it　is　infamous；　it　is　dreadful！　It
is〃

At　that　moment　the　door　opened；　and　the　footman　entered。

〃From　his　excellency。　General　von　Schulenburg…Kehnert；〃　he　said；
delivering　to　Gentz　a　small　sealed　package　and　a　letter。　〃The
servant　who　brought　it　has　left；　as　he　said　no　reply　was　required。〃

Gentz　beckoned　his　servant　to　withdraw；　and　he　then　hastily　opened
the　package。

〃Twelve　fifty…dollar　bills！〃　he　exclaimed；　triumphantly。　〃One
hundred　dollars　more　than　I　had　asked　for！　That　is　very　kind；
indeed。〃

〃May　be　he　does　not　give　it　to　you；　but　merely　lends　it　to　you；〃
said　Gualtieri；　smiling。

〃Lend　it　to　me！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　scornfully。　〃People　don't　lend　any
money　to　me；　because　they　know　that　I　am　unable　to　pay　it　back；
people　reward　me；　sir；　they　show　their　gratitude　toward　me　in　a
substantial　manner；　but　they　are　not　so　mean　as　to　lend　me　what　I
ask　for。〃

〃Does　the　minister　tell　you　so　in　his　letter？〃　asked　Gualtieri；
dryly。

〃Ah！　that　is　true。　I　have　not　yet　read　the　letter；〃　said　Gentz；
breaking　the　seal。　While　he　was　reading　it；　a　slight　blush　suffused
his　cheeks；　and　an　expression　of　shame　overspread　his　features。
〃Here；　read　it；〃　he　murmured；　handing　the　letter　to　his　friend。

Gualtieri　took　it　and　read　as　follows：

〃My　Dear　Counsellor；You　wished　to　see　me；　and　I　begged　you　to　call
at　ten　o'clock；　although　I　was　overwhelmed　with　business　and　hardly
had　any　time　to　spare。　Precisely　at　ten　o'clock　I　was　ready　to
receive　you；　for　in　all　matters　of　business　I　am　a　very　punctual
man。　However；　after　vainly　waiting　for　you　for　half　an　hour；　I
resumed　my　work。　I　had　to　examine　some　very　complicated　accounts；
and　could　not　allow　myself　to　be　interrupted　after　once　taking　them
up。　Hence　I　had　to　ask　you　to　wait；　and　when；　after　waiting　for　half
an　hour；　like　myself；　you　grew　impatient　and　would　not　stay　any
longer；　I　sent　you　word　to　call　again　to…morrow。　Now；　that　I　have
concluded　my　pressing　business；　however；　I　hasten　to　comply　with
your　request。　You　asked　me　for　five　hundred　dollars；　here　they　are。
Knowing；　however；　how　precious　your　time　is；　and　that　you　had　to
wait　for　half　an　hour　through　my　fault；　I　take　the　liberty　of　adding
one　hundred　dollars　for　the　time　you　have　lost　to…day。　Farewell；
sir；　and　let　me　conclude　with　expressing　the　hope　that　you　will　soon
again　delight　the　world　and　myself　with　one　of　your　excellent
works。〃




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　MEMORIAL　TO　FREDERICK　WILLIAM　III


〃I　believe；〃　said　Gualtieri；　returning　the　letter　to　Gentz；　〃I
believe　the　minister　wanted　to　teach　you　a　lesson。　He　made　you　wait
in　order　to　teach　you　the　necessity　of　being　punctual。〃

〃And　I　shall　not　forget　the　lesson。〃

〃You　will　be　punctual　hereafter？〃

〃On　the　contrary。　This　time　I　was　half　an　hour　behind　time；　and　he
paid　me　one　hundred　dollars　for　it。　Hereafter　I　shall　be　an　hour　too
late；　he　will　make　me　wait　an　hour　and　pay　me　two　hundred　dollars
for　it。　I　believe　that　is　sound　arithmetic。　Don't　look　at　me　so
scornfully；　Gualtieri；　this　state　of　affairs　will　not　last　for　any
length　of　time；　there　will　be　a　time　at　no　distant　period　when　no
minister　will　dare　to　make　me　wait　in　his　anteroom；　nor　to　pay　me
such　petty；　miserable　sums。　The　ministers　then　will　wait　in　my
anteroom