louisa of prussia and her times-第31部分

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your　agitation；　of　your　coldness　toward　me？　What　has　happened　to
you？〃

〃What　has　happened　to　me？　The　most　infamous　insults　have　been　heaped
upon　my　head！〃　she　exclaimed　with　quivering　lips；　an　angry　blush
suffusing　her　cheeks；　〃For　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　nay；　for　an
eternity；　I　was　the　target　of　the　jeers；　the　contempt；　and　the　scorn
of　the　rabble　that　publicly　abused　me　in　the　most　disgraceful
manner！〃

〃Tell　me；〃　exclaimed　the　old　gentleman；　〃what　has　occurred；　and
whose　fault　it　was！〃

〃Whose　fault　it　was？〃　she　asked；　bending　a　piercing　glance　upon　him。
〃YOURS；　my　prince；　you　alone　are　to　blame　for　my　terrible　disgrace
and　humiliation。　For　your　sake　the　rabble　has　reviled　me；　called　me
your　mistress；　and　laughed　at　my　diamonds；　calling　them　the　reward
of　my　shame！　Oh；　how　many　insults；　how　many　mortifications　have　I
not　already　suffered　for　your　sakewith　how　many　bloody　tears　have
I　not　cursed　this　love　which　attaches　me　to　you；　and　which　I　was
nevertheless　unable　to　tear　from　my　heart；　for　it　is　stronger　than
myself。　But　now　the　cup　of　bitterness　is　full　to　overflowing。　My
pride　cannot　hear　so　much　contumely　and　scorn。　Farewell；　my　prince；
my　beloved！　I　must　leave　you。　I　cannot　stay　with　you　any　longer。
Shame　would　kill　me。　Farewell！　Hereafter；　no　one　shall　dare　to　call
me　a　mistress。〃

With　a　last　glowing　farewell；　she　turned　to　the　door；　but　the　prince
kept　her　back。　〃Marianne；〃　he　asked；　tenderly；　〃do　you　not　know　that
I　love　you；　and　that　I　cannot　live　without　you？〃

She　looked　at　him　with　a　fascinating　smile。　〃And　I？〃　she　asked；　〃far
from　you；　shall　die　of　a　broken　heart；　with　you；　I　shall　die　of
shame。　I　prefer　the　former。　Farewell！　No　one　shall　ever　dare　again
to　call　me　by　that　name。〃　And　her　hand　touched　already　the　door…
knob。

The　prince　encircled　her　waist　with　his　arms　and　drew　her　back。　〃I
shall　not　let　you　go；〃　he　said；　ardently。　〃You　are　mine；　and　shall
remain　so！　Oh；　why　are　you　so　proud　and　so　cold？　Why　will　you　not
sacrifice　your　faith　to　our　love？　Why　do　you　insist　upon　remaining　a
Jewess？〃

〃Your　highness；〃　she　said；　leaning　her　head　on　his　shoulder；　〃why　do
you　want　me　to　become　a　Christian？〃

〃Why？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Because　my　religion　and　the　laws　of　my　country
prevent　me　from　marrying　a　Jewess。〃

〃And　if　I　should　sacrifice　to　you　the　last　that　has　remained　to　me？〃
she　whispered〃my　conscience　and　my　religion。〃

〃Marianne；〃　he　exclaimed；　solemnly；　〃I　repeat　to　you　what　I　have
told　you　so　often　already：　'Become　a　Christian　in　order　to　become　my
wife。'〃

She　encircled　his　neck　impetuously　with　her　arms　and　clung　to　him
with　a　passionate　outburst　of　tenderness。　〃I　will　become　a
Christian！〃　she　whispered。




CHAPTER　XVII。

LOVE　AND　POLITICS。


〃At　last！　at　last！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　in　a　tone　of　fervid　tenderness；
approaching　Marianne；　who　went　to　meet　him　with　a　winning　smile。　〃Do
you　know；　dearest；　that　you　have　driven　me　to　despair　for　a　whole
week？　Not　a　word；　not　a　message　from　you！　Whenever　I　came　to　see
you；　I　was　turned　away。　Always　the　same　terrible　reply；　'Madame　is
not　at　home；'　while　I　felt　your　nearness　in　every　nerve　and　vein　of
mine；　and　while　my　throbbing　heart　was　under　the　magic　influence　of
your　presence。　And　then　to　be　turned　away！　No　reply　whatever　to　my
letters；　to　my　ardent　prayers　to　see　you　only　for　a　quarter　of　an
hour。〃

〃Oh；　you　ungrateful　man！〃　she　said；　smiling；　〃did　I　not　send　for　you
to…day？　Did　I　not　give　you　this　rendezvous　quite　voluntarily？〃

〃You　knew　very　well　that　I　should　have　died　if　your　heart　had　not
softened　at　last。　Oh；　heavenly　Marianne；　what　follies　despair　made
me　commit　already！　In　order　to　forget　you；　I　plunged　into　all　sorts
of　pleasures；　I　commenced　new　works；　I　entered　upon　fresh　love…
affairs。　But　it　was　all　in　vain。　Amidst　those　pleasures　I　was　sad；
during　my　working　hours　my　mind　was　wandering；　and　in　order　to
impart　a　semblance　of　truth　and　tenderness　to　my　protestations　of
love；　I　had　to　close　my　eyes　and　imagine　YOU　were　the　lady　whom　I
was　addressing…。〃

〃And　then　you　were　successful？〃　asked　Marianne；　smiling。

〃Yes；　then　I　was　successful；〃　he　said；　gravely；　〃but　my　new　lady…
love；　the　beloved　of　my　distraction　and　despair；　did　not　suspect
that　I　only　embraced　her　so　tenderly　because　I　kissed　in　her　the
beloved　of　my　heart　and　of　my　enthusiasm。〃

〃And　who　was　the　lady　whom　you　call　the　beloved　of　your　distraction
and　despair？〃　asked　Marianne。

〃Ah；　Marianne；　you　ask　me　to　betray　a　woman？〃

〃No；　no；　I　am　glad　to　perceive　that　you　are　a　discreet　cavalier。　You
shall　betray　no　woman。　I　will　tell　you　her　name。　The　beloved　of　your
distraction　and　despair　was　the　most　beautiful　and　charming　lady　in
Berlinit　was　the　actress　Christel　Eughaus。　Let　me　compliment　you；
my　friend；　on　having　triumphed　with　that　belle　over　all　those
sentimental；　lovesick　princes；　counts；　and　barons。　Indeed；　you　have
improved　your　week　of　'distraction　and　despair'　in　the　most
admirable　manner。〃

〃Still；　Marianne；　I　repeat　to　you；　she　was　merely　my　sweetheart　for
the　time　being；　and　I　merely　plunged　into　this　adventure　in　order　to
forget　you。〃

〃Then　you　love　me　really？〃　asked　Marianne。

〃Marianne；　I　adore　you！　You　know　it。　Oh；　now　I　may　tell　you　so。
Heretofore　you　repelled　me　and　would　not　listen　to　my　protestations
of　love　because　I　was　a　MARRIED　man。　Now；　however；　I　have　got　rid　of
my　ignominious　fetters；　Marianne；　now　I　am　no　longer　a　married　man。
I　am　free；　and　all　the　women　in　the　world　are　at　liberty　to　love　me。
I　am　as　free　as　a　bird　in　the　air！〃

〃And　like　a　bird　you　want　to　flit　from　one　heart　to　another？〃

〃No；　most　beautiful；　most　glorious　Marianne；　your　heart　shall　be　the
cage　in　which　I　shall　imprison　myself。〃

〃Beware；　my　friend。　What　would　you　say　if　there　was　no　door　in　this
cage　through　which　you　might　escape？〃

〃Oh；　if　it　had　a　door；　I　should　curse　it。〃

〃Then　you　love　me　so　boundlessly　as　to　be　ready　to　sacrifice　to　me
the　liberty　you　have　scarcely　regained？〃

〃Can　you　doubt　it；　Marianne？〃　asked　Gentz；　tenderly　pressing　her
beautiful　hands　to　his　lips。

〃Are　you　in　earnest；　my　friend？〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃So　you　offer
your　hand　to　me？　You　want　to　marry　me？〃

Gentz　started　back；　and　looked　at　her　with　a　surprised　and
frightened　air。　Marianne　laughed　merrily。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃your　face　is　the　most　wonderful　illustration　of
Goethe's　poem。　You　know　it；　don't　you？〃　And　she　recited　with
ludicrous　pathos　the　following　two　lines：

　　　　　〃'Heirathen；　Kind；　ist　wunderlich　Wort；
　　　　　Hor　ich's；　mocht　ich　gleich　wieder　fort。'〃

〃Good　Heaven；　what　a　profound　knowledge　of　human　nature　our　great
Goethe　has　got；　and　how　proud　I　am　to　be　allowed　to　call　him　a
friend　of　mineHeirathen；　Kind；　ist　wunderlich　Wort。〃

〃Marianne；　you　are　cruel　and　unjust；　you〃

〃And　you　know　the　next　two　lines　of　the　poem？〃　she　interrupted　him。
〃The　maiden　replied　to　him：〃

　　　　　〃'Heirathen　wir　eben；
　　　　　Das　Ubrige　wird　sich　geben。'〃

〃You　mock　me；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　smiling；　〃and　yet　you　know　the
maiden's　assurance　would　not　prove　true　in　our　case；　and　that　there
is　something　rendering　such　a　happiness；　the　prospect　of　calling　you
my　wife；　an　utter　impossibility。　Unfortunately；　you　are　no
Christian；　Marianne。　Hence　I　cannot　marry　you。〃　＇Footnote：　Marriages
between　Christians　and　Jews　were　prohibited　in　the　German　states　at
that　period。＇

〃And　if　I　were　a　Christian？〃　she　asked　in　a　sweet；　enchanting　voice。

He　fixed　his　eyes　with　a　searching　glance　upon　her　smiling；　charming
face。

〃What！〃　he　asked；　in　evident　embarrassment。　〃If　you　were　a
Christian？　What　do　you　mean；　Marianne？〃

〃I　mean；　Frederick；　that；　I　have　given　the　highest　proof　of　my　love
to　the　man　who　loves　me　so　ardently；　constantly；　and　faithfully。　For
his　sake　I　have　become　a　Christian；　Yesterday　I　was　baptized。　Now；
my　friend；　I　ask　you　once　more；　I　ask　you　as　a　Christian　woman：
Gentz；　will　you　marry　me？　Answer　me　honestly　and　frankly；　my　friend！
Remember　that　it　is　'the　beloved　of　your　heart　and　of　your
enthusiasm；'　as　you　called　me　yourself　a　few　moments　ago；　who　now
stands　before　you　and　asks　for　a　reply。　Remember　that　this　moment
will　be　decisive　for　our　futurespeedily；　nay；　immediately
decisive。　For　you　see　I　have　removed　all　obstacles。　I　have　become　a
Christian；　and　I　tell　you　I　am　ready　to　become　your　wife　in　the
course　of　the　present　hour。　Once　more；　then；　Gentz；　will　you　marry
me？〃

He　had　risen　and　paced　the　room　in　great　excitement。　Marianne
followed　him　with　a　lurking　glance　and　a　scornful　smile；　but　when　he
now　stepped　back　to　her；　she　quickly　assumed　her　serious　air。

〃Marianne；〃　he　said；　firmly；　〃you　want　to　know　the　truth；　and　I　love
you　too　tenderly　to　conceal　it　from　you。　I　will　not；　must　not；
cannot　marry　you。　I　WILL　not；　because　I　am　unable　to　bear　once　more
the　fetters　of　wedded　life。　I　MUST　not；　because　I　should　make　you
unhappy　and　wretched。　I　CANNOT；　while；　doing　so；　I　should　act
perfidiously　toward　a　friend　of　mine；　for　you　know　very　well　that
the　Prince　von　Reuss　is　my　intimate　friend。〃

〃And　_I_　am　his　mistress。　You　wished　to　intimate　that　to　me　by　your
last　words；　I　suppose？〃

〃I　wished　to　intimate　that　he　loves　you　boundlessly；　and　he　is　a
generous；　magnanimous　man；　whose　heart　would　break　if　any　one　should
take　you　from　him。〃

〃For　the　last　time；　then：　you　will　not　marry　me？〃

〃Marianne；　I　love　you　too　tenderlyI　cannot　marry　you！〃

Marianne　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughter。　〃A　strange　reason　for
rejecting　my　hand；　indeed！〃　she　said。　〃It　is　so　original　that　in
itself　it　might　almost　induce　me　to　forgive　your　refusal。　And　yet　I
had　counted　so　firmly　and　surely　upon　your　love　and　consent　that　I
had　made　already　the　necessary　arrangements　in　order　that　our
wedding　might　take　place　to…day。　Just　look　at　me；　Gentz。　Do　you　not
see　that　I　wear　a　bridal…dress？〃

〃Your　beauty　is　always　a　splendid　bridal…dress　for　you；　Marianne。〃

〃Well　said！　But　do　you　not　see　a　myrtle…wreath；　my　bridal…wreath；　on
the　table　there？　Honi　soit　qui　mal　y　pense！　The　priest　is　already
waiting　for　the　bride　and　bridegroom　in　the　small　chapel；　the
candles　on　the　altar　are　lighted；　every　thing　is　ready　for　the
ceremony。　Well；　we　must　not