louisa of prussia and her times-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


such　petty；　miserable　sums。　The　ministers　then　will　wait　in　my
anteroom；　and　will　be　only　too　happy　if　I　accept　the　thousands　which
they　will　offer　to　me。　I　have　formed　the　fixed　resolution　to　obtain
a　brilliant　position　and　to　coin　wealth　out　of　my　mind。〃

〃And　I　am　sure　you　will　succeed　in　accomplishing　your　purpose；〃　said
Gualtieri。　〃Yes；　I　am　satisfied　a　brilliant　future　is　in　store　for
you。　You　are　a　genius　such　as　Germany　has　not　seen　heretofore；　for
you　are　a　political　genius；　and　you　may　just　as　well　confess　that
Germany　greatly　lacks　politicians　who　are　able　to　wield　their　pen
like　a　pointed　two…edged　sword；　to　strike　fatal　blows　in　all
directions　and　obtain　victories。　Germany　has　already　fixed　her　eyes
upon　you；　and　even　in　England　your　name　is　held　in　great　esteem
since　you　published　your　excellent　translation　of　Burke's　work　on
the　French　Revolution。　The　political　pamphlets　you　have　issued　since
that　time；　and　the　excellent　political　magazine　you　have
established；　have　met　with　the　warmest　approval；　and　the　public
hopes　and　expects　that　you　will　render　great　and　important　services
to　the　country。　Go　on　in　this　manner；　my　friend；　boldly　pursue　the
path　you　have　entered；　and　it　will　become　for　you　a　path　of　glory；
honor；　and　wealth。〃

Gentz　looked　at　him　almost　angrily。

〃I　hope；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　not　believe　me　to　be　an　avaricious　and
covetous　man。　I　value　money　merely　because　it　is　an　instrument
wherewith　to　procure　enjoyment；　and　because；　without　it；　we　are　the
slaves　of　misery；　privations；　and　distress。　Money　renders　us　free；
and　now　that　people　would　like　to　set　up　freedom　as　the　religion　of
all　nations；　every　one　ought　to　try　to　make　as　much　money　as
possible；　that　alone　rendering　him　really　free。　The　accursed　French
Revolution；　which　has　dragged　all　principles；　all　laws　and　old
established　institutions　under　the　guillotine；　was　under　the
necessity　of　leaving　one　power　unharmedthe　power　of　money。　The
aristocracy；　the　clergy；　nay；　even　royalty　had　to　bleed　under　the
guillotine；　but　money　never　lost　its　power；　its　influence；　and　its
importance。　Money　speaks　a　universal　language；　and　the　Sans…culotte
and　Hottentot　understand　it　as　well　as　the　king；　the　minister；　and
the　most　beautiful　woman。　Money　never　needs　an　interpreter；　it
speaks　for　itself。　See；　my　friend；　that　is　the　reason　why　I　love
money　and　try　to　make　as　much　as　possible；　not　in　order　to　amass　it；
but　because　with　it　I　can　buy　the　world；　love；　honor；　enjoyment；　and
happiness。　But　not　being　one　of　those　who　find　money　in　their
cradles；　I　must　endeavor　to　acquire　it　and　avail　myself　of　the
capital　God　has　given　me　in　my　brains。　And　that　I　shall　and　will　do；
sir；　but　I　pledge　you　my　word；　never　in　a　base　and　unworthy　manner。
I　shall　probably　make　people　PAY　very　large　sums　of　money　for　my
services；　but　never　shall　I　SELL　myself；　all　the　millions　of　the
world　could　not　induce　me　to　write　AGAINST　MY　PRINCIPLES；　but　all
the　millions　of　the　world　I　shall　demand；　when　they　ask　me　to　write
FOR　MY　PRINCIPLES！　See；　my　friend；　that　is　my　programme；　and　you　may
be　sure　that　I　shall　live　up　to　it。　I　am　an　aristocrat　by　nature　and
conviction；　hence　I　hate　the　French　Revolution　which　intended　to
overthrow　every　aristocracy；　not　only　that　of　pedigree；　but　also
that　of　the　mind；　and　therefore　I　have　sworn　to　oppose　it　as　an
indefatigable　and　indomitable　champion；　and　to　strike　it　as　many
blows　with　my　pen　and　tongue　as　I　can。　Hence　I　shall　never　join　the
hymns　of　praise　which　the　Germans；　always　too　complaisant；　are　now
singing　to　the　little　Corsican；　General　Bonaparte。　Whatever　you　may
say　about　his　heroism　and　genius；　I　believe　him　to　be　an　enemy　of
Germany；　and　am；　therefore；　on　my　guard；〃

〃So　you　do　not　admire　his　victories；　the　incomparable　plans　of　his
battles；　which　he　conceives　with　the　coolness　of　a　wise　and
experienced　chieftain；　and　carries　out　with　the　bravery　and
intrepidity　of　a　hero　of　antiquity？〃

〃I　admire　all　that；　but　at　the　same　time　it　makes　me　shudder　when　I
think　that　it　might　some　day　come　into　the　head　of　this　man　who
conquers　every　thing；　to　invade　and　conquer　Germany　also。　I　believe；
indeed；　he　would　succeed　in　subjugating　her；　for　I　am　afraid　we　have
no　man　of　equal　ability　on　our　side　who　could　take　the　field　against
him。　Ah；　my　friend；　why　does　not　one　of　our　German　princes　resemble
this　French　general；　this　hero　of　twenty…seven　years？　Just　think　of
it；　he　is　no　older　than　our　young　king；　both　were　born　in　the　same
year。〃

〃You　must　not　count　his　years；〃　exclaimed　Gualtieri；　〃count　his
great　days；　his　great　battles。　The　enthusiasm　of　all　Europe　hails
his　coming；　for　he　fights　at　the　head　of　his　legions　for　the　noblest
boons　of　manhoodfor　freedom；　honor；　and　justice。　No　wonder；
therefore；　that　he　is　victorious　everywhere；　the　enslaved　nations
everywhere　are　in　hopes　that　he　will　break　their　fetters　and　give
them　liberty。〃

〃He　is　a　scourge　God　has　sent　to　the　German　princes　so　that　they　may
grow　wiser　and　better。　He　wishes　to　compel　them　to　respect　the
claims　of　their　subjects　to　freedom　and　independence；　that　being　the
only　way　for　them　to　erect　a　bulwark　against　this　usurper　who　fights
his　battles　not　only　with　the　sword；　but　also　with　ideas。　Oh；　I　wish
our　German　sovereigns　would　comprehend　all　this；　and　that　all　those
who　have　a　tongue　to　speak；　would　shout　it　into　their　ears　and
arouse　them　from　their　proud　security　and　infatuation。〃

〃Well；　have　not　you　a　tongue　to　speak；　and　yet　you　are　silent？〃
asked　Gualtieri；　smiling。

〃No；　I　have　not　been　silent；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　enthusiastically。　〃I
have　done　my　duty　as　a　man　and　citizen；　and　told　the　whole　truth　to
the　king。〃

〃That　means〃

〃That　means　that　I　have　written　to　the　king；　not　with　the　fawning
slavishness　of　a　subject；　but　as　a　man　who　has　seen　much；　reflected
much；　and　experienced　much；　and　who　speaks　to　a　younger　man；　called
upon　to　act　an　important　part；　and　holding　the　happiness　of　millions
of　men　in　his　hands。　It　would　be　a　crime　against　God　and　humanity；
if　we　knew　the　truth　and　should　not　tell　it　to　such　a　man。　Because　I
believe　I　know　the　truth；　I　have　spoken　to　the　king；　not　in　a　letter
which　he　may　read　to…day　and　throw　to…morrow　into　his　paper…basket；
but　in　a　printed　memorial；　which　I　shall　circulate　in　thousands　of
copies　as　soon　as　I　have　heard　that　it　is　in　the　hands　of　the　king。〃

〃And　you　believe　the　king　will　accept　this　printed　memorial　of
yours？〃

〃My　friend；　Counsellor　Menken；　has　undertaken　to　deliver　it　to　the
king。〃

〃In　that　case　he　will　accept　it；　for　he　thinks　very　highly　of
Menken。　But　what　did　you　tell　the　king　in　this　memorial？〃

〃I　gave　him　sound　advice　about　government　affairs。〃

〃Advice！　my　friend；　kings　do　not　like　to　listen　to　advice；
especially　when　it　is　given　to　them　spontaneously。　Did　you　confine
yourself　to　general　suggestions？　You　see　I　am　very　anxious　to　learn
more　about　your　bold　enterprise。　Just　read　the　memorial　to　me；
friend　Gentz！〃

〃Ah；　that　would　be　a　gigantic　task　for　you　to　hear　it；　and　for
myself　to　read　it；　the　memorial　being　quite　lengthy。　I　ask　the　king
therein　in　impressive　and　fervent　wordsoh；　I　wept　myself　when　I
penned　themto　make　his　people　happy　and　prosperous。　I　directed　his
attention　to　the　various　branches　of　our　administration；　first；　to
military　affairs〃

〃And　you　advise　him　to　make　war？〃　asked　Gualtieri；　hastily。

〃No；　I　advise　him　always　to　be　armed　and　prepared；　but　to　maintain
peace　as　long　as　it　is　compatible　with　his　honor。　Next　I　allude　to
the　condition　of　our　judicial　and　financial　affairs。　I　beseech　him
to　abstain　from　interference　with　the　administration　of　justice；　to
insist　upon　a　constant　equilibrium　being　maintained　between　the
expenses　and　revenues　of　the　state；　so　as　not　to　overburden　his
subjects　with　taxes；　and　not　to　curtail　the　development　of　commerce
and　industry　by　vexatious　monopolies。　Finally；　I　ask　him　to　devote
some　attention　to　intellectual　affairs　and　to　the　press。〃

〃Oh；　I　expected　that；〃　said　Gualtieri；　smiling；　〃and　I　should　not　be
surprised　at　all　if　you　had　been　bold　enough　to　ask　the　timid　and
diffident　young　king　to　grant　freedom　of　the　press　to　his　people。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　what　I　ask　him　to　do；〃　said　Gentz；　enthusiastically。
〃You　want　me　to　read　the　whole　memorial　to　you。　Let　me　read　at　least
what　I　have　said　about　the　freedom　of　the　press。　Will　you　listen　to
it？〃

〃Oh；　I　am　most　anxious　to　hear　it；〃　said　Gualtieri；　sitting　down　on
the　sofa。

Gentz　took　several　sheets　of　paper　from　his　desk；　sat　down　opposite
his　friend　and　commenced　reading　in　a　loud　and　enthusiastic　voice：

〃Of　all　things　repugnant　to　fetters；　none　can　bear　them　as　little　as
human　thought。　The　oppression　weighing　down　the　latter　is　not　merely
injurious　because　it　impedes　what　is　good；　but　also　because　it
promotes　what　is　bad。　Compulsion　in　matters　of　faith　may　be　passed
over　in　silence。　It　belongs　to　those　antiquated　evils　on　which　now
that　there　is　greater　danger　of　an　utter　prostration　of　religious
ideas　than　of　their　fanatical　abuse；　only　narrow…minded　babblers　are
declaiming。　Not　so；　however；　with　regard　to　freedom　of　the　press。
Misled　by　unfounded　apprehensions；　arising　from　the　events　of　the
times；　even　sagacious　men　might　favor　a　system　which；　viewed　in　its
true　light；　is　more　injurious　to　the　interests　of　the　government
than　it　ever　can　be　to　the　rights　of　the　citizens；　even　in　its　most
deplorable　abuses。〃

〃What；　even　aside　from　all　other　considerations；　peremptorily　and
absolutely　condemns　any　law　muzzling　the　press；　is　the　important
fact　that　it　is　impossible　to　enforce　it。　Unless　there　be　a　regular
inquisition　watching　over　the　execution　of　such　a　law；　it　is　now…a…
days　utterly　impossible　to　carry　it　out。　The　facilities　for　bringing
ideas　before　the　public　are　so　great；　as　to　render　any　measure
destined　to　curtail　this　publicity　a　mere　matter　of　derision。　But　if
these　laws　prove　ineffectual　they　may　yet　exasperate　the　people；　and
that　is　precisely　their　most　dangerous　feature；　they　exasperate
without　deterring。　They　instigate　those　against　whom　they　are
directed　to　offer　a　resistance　which　frequently　not　only　remains
successful；