louisa of prussia and her times-第33部分

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king　has　not　sent　for　you；　the　king　has　not　thanked　you。　The　king
does　not　want　your　advice；　and　as　if　to　show　to　yourself；　and　to　all
those　who　have　received　your　letter　so　enthusiastically；　that　he
intends　to　pursue　his　own　path　and　not　to　listen　to　such　advice；　the
king；　within　the　last　few　days；　has　addressed　a　decree　to　the
criminal　court；　peremptorily　ordering　the　prosecuting　attorneys　to
proceed　rigorously　against　the　publishers　of　writings　not　submitted
to　or　rejected　by　the　censors。〃　＇Footnote：　F。　Foerster；　〃Modern
History　of　Prussia；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　498。＇

〃That　cannot　be　truethat　is　impossible！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　starting
up。

〃I　pardon　your　impetuosity　in　consideration　of　your　just
indignation；　〃said　Marianne；　smiling。　〃That　I　told　you　the　truth；
however；　you　will　see　in　to…morrow's　Gazette；　which　will　contain　the
royal　decree　I　alluded　to。　Oh；　you　know　very　well　the　Austrian
ambassador　has　good　friends　everywhere；　who　furnish　him　the　latest
news；　and　keep　him　informed　of　all　such　things。　You　need　not　hope；
therefore；　that　the　young　king　will　make　any　use　of　your　talents　or
grant　you　any　favors。　Your　splendid　memorial　has　offended　him
instead　of　winning　him；　he　thought　it　was　altogether　too　bold。
Frederick　William　the　Third　is　not　partial　to　bold；　eccentric　acts；
he　instinctively　shrinks　back　from　all　violent　reforms。　The　present
King　of　Prussia　will　not　meddle　with　the　great　affairs　of　the　world；
the　King　of　Prussia　wishes　to　remain　neutral　amidst　the　struggle　of
contending　parties。　Instead　of　thinking　of　war　and　politics；　he
devotes　his　principal　attention　to　the　church　service　and
examination　of　the　applicants　for　holy　orders；　and　yet　he　is　not
even　courageous　enough　formally　to　abolish　Wollner's　bigoted　edict；
and　thus　to　make　at　least　one　decisive　step　forward。　Believe　me；
lukewarmness　and　timidity　will　characterize　every　act　of　his
administration。　So　you　had　better　go　to　Austria。〃

〃And　what　shall　I　do　in　Austria？〃　asked　Gentz；　thoughtfully。

〃What　shall　you　do　there？〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　passionately。　〃You
shall　serve　the　fatherlandyou　shall　serve　Germany；　for　Germany　is
in　Austria　just　as　well　as　in　Prussia。　Oh；　believe　me；　my　friend；
only　in　Austria　will　you　find　men　strong　and　bold　enough　to　brave
the　intolerable　despotism　of　the　French。　And　the　leading　men　there
will　welcome　you　most　cordially；　an　appropriate　sphere　will　be
allotted　to　your　genius；　and　the　position　to　which　you　will　be
appointed　will　amply　satisfy　the　aspirations　of　your　ambition。　I　am
officially　authorized　to　make　this　offer　to　you；　for　Austria　is　well
aware　that；　in　the　future；　she　stands　in　need　of　men　of　first…class
ability；　and　she　therefore　desires　to　secure　your　services；　which
she　will　reward　in　a　princely　manner。　Come；　my　friend；　I　shall　set
out　to…day　with　the　prince　on　a　journey　to　Austria。　Accompany　us
become　one　of　ours！〃

〃Ours！　Are　you；　then；　no　longer　a　daughter　of　Prussia？〃

〃I　have　become　a　thorough　and　enthusiastic　Austrian；　for　I　worship
energy　and　determination；　and　these　qualities　I　find　only　in
Austria；　in　the　distinguished　man　who　is　holding　the　helm　of　her
ship　of　state；　Baron　Thugut。　Come　with　us；　Thugut　is　anxious　to　have
you　about　his　person；　accompany　us　to　him。〃

〃And　what　are　you　going　to　do　in　Vienna？〃　asked　Gentz；　evasively。
〃Is　it　a　mere　pleasure…trip？〃

〃If　another　man　should　put　that　question　to　me；　I　should　reply　in
the　affirmative；　but　to　you　I　am　going　to　prove　by　my　entire
sincerity　that　I　really　believe　you　to　be　a　devoted　friend　of　mine。
No；　it　is　no　pleasure…trip。　I　accompany　the　prince　to　Vienna　because
he　wants　to　get　there　instructions　from　Baron　Thugut　and　learn　what
is　to　be　done　at　Rastadt。〃

〃Ah；　at　Rastadtat　the　peace　congress；〃　exclaimed　Gentz。　〃The
emperor　has　requested　the　states　of　the　empire　to　send
plenipotentiaries　to　Rastadt　to　negotiate　there　with　France　a　just
and　equitable　peace。　Prussia　has　already　sent　there　her
plenipotentiaries；　Count　Goertz　and　Baron　Dohm。　Oh；　I　should　have
liked　to　accompany　them　and　participate　in　performing　the　glorious
task　to　be　accomplished　there。　That　congress　at　Rastadt　is　the　last
hope　of　Germany；　if　it　should　fail；　all　prospects　of　a　regeneration
of　the　empire　are　gone。　That　congress　will　at　last　give　to　the
nation　all　it　needs：　an　efficient　organization　of　the　empire；　a
well…regulated　administration　of　justice；　protection　of　German
manufactures　against　British　arrogance；　and　last；　but　not　least；
freedom　of　the　press；　for　which　the　Germans　have　been　yearning　for
so　many　years。〃

Marianne　burst　into　a　loud　fit　of　laughter。　〃Oh；　you　enthusiastic
visionary！〃　she　said；　〃but　let　us　speak　softly；　for　even　the　walls
must　not　hear　what　I　am　now　going　to　tell　you。〃

She　bent　over　the　table；　drawing　nearer　to　Gentz；　and　fixing　her
large；　flaming　eyes　upon　him；　she　asked　in　a　whisper；　〃I　suppose　you
love　Germany？　You　would　not　like　to　see　her　devoured　by　France　as
Italy　was　devoured　by　her？　You　would　not　like　either　to　see　her　go
to　decay　and　crumble　to　pieces　from　inherent　weakness？〃

〃Oh；　I　love　Germany！〃　said　Gentz；　enthusiastically。　〃All　my　wishes；
all　my　hopes　belong　to　her。　Would　to　God　I　could　say　some　day；　all
my　talents；　my　energy；　my　perseverance　are　devoted　to　my　fatherland…
…to　Germany！〃

〃Well；　if　you　really　desire　to　be　useful　to　Germany；〃　whispered
Marianne；　〃hasten　to　Rastadt。　If　Germany　is　to　be　saved　at　all；　it
must　be　done　at　once。　You　know　the　stipulations　of　the　treaty　of
Campo　Formio；　I　suppose？〃

〃I　only　know　what　every　one　knows　about　them。〃

〃But　you　do　not　know　the　secret　article。　I　will　tell　you　all　about
it。　Listen　to　me。　The　secret　article　accepted　by　the　emperor　reads
as　follows：　'The　emperor　pledges　himself　to　withdraw　his　troops　from
Mentz；　Ehrenbreitstein；　Mannheim；　Konigstein；　and　from　the　German
empire　in　general；　twenty　days　after　the　ratification　of　the　peace；
which　has　to　take　place　in　the　course　of　two　months。'〃　＇Footnote：
Schlosser's　〃History　of　the　Eighteenth　Century；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　43。＇

〃But　he　thereby　delivers　the　empire　to　the　tender　mercies　of　the
enemy；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　in　dismay。　〃Oh；　that　cannot　be！　No　German
could　grant　and　sign　such　terms　without　sinking　into　the　earth　from
shame。　That　would　be　contrary　to　every　impulse　of　patriotism〃

〃Nevertheless；　that　article　has　been　signed　and　will　be　carried　out
to　the　letter。　Make　haste；　therefore；　Germany　is　calling　you；　assist
her；　you　have　got　the　strength。　Oh；　give　it　to　her！　Become　an
Austrian　just　as　Brutus　became　a　servant　of　the　kings；　become　an
Austrian　in　order　to　save　Germany！〃

〃Ah；　you　want　to　entice　me；　Delilah！〃　exclaimed　Gentz。　〃You　want　to
show　me　a　beautiful　goal　in　order　to　make　me　walk　the　tortuous　paths
which　may　lead　thither！　No；　Delilah；　it　is　in　vain！　I　shall　stay
here；　I　shall　not　go　to　Austria；　for　Austria　is　the　state　that　is
going　to　betray　Germany。　Prussia　may　be　able　to　save　her；　she　stands
perhaps　in　need　of　my　arm；　my　pen；　and　my　tongue　for　that　purpose。　I
am　a　German；　but　first　of　all　I　am　a　Prussian；　and　every　good
patriot　ought　first　to　serve　his　immediate　country；　and　wait　until
she　calls　him。　I　still　hope　that　the　king　will　prove　the　right　man
for　his　responsible　position；　I　still　expect　that　he　will　succeed　in
rendering　Prussia　great　and　Germany　free。　I　must；　therefore；　remain
a　Prussian　as　yet　and　be　ready　to　serve　my　country。〃

〃Poor　enthusiast！　You　will　regret　some　day　having　lost　your　time　by
indulging　in　visionary　hopes。〃

〃Well；　I　will　promise；　whenever　that　day　comes；　whenever　Prussia
declares　that　she　does　not　want　my　services；　then　I　will　come　to
youthen　you　shall　enlist　me　for　Austria；　and　perhaps　I　may　then
still　be　able　to　do　something　for　Germany。　But　until　then；　leave　me
here。　I　swear　to　you；　not　a　word　of　what　you　have　just　told　me　here
shall　be　betrayed　by　my　lips；　but　I　cannot　serve　him　who　has
betrayed　Germany。〃

〃You　cannot　be　induced；　then；　to　accept　my　offer？　You　want　to　stay
here？　You　refuse　to　accompany　me　to　Vienna；　to　Rastadt；　in　order　to
save　what　may　yet　be　saved　for　Germany？〃

〃If　I　had　an　army　under　my　command；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　with　flaming
eyes；　〃if　I　were　the　King　of　Prussia；　then　I　should　assuredly　go　to
Rastadt；　but　I　should　go　thither　for　the　purpose　of　dispersing　all
those　hypocrites；　cowards；　and　scribblers　who　call　themselves
statesmen；　and　of　driving　those　French　republicans　who　put　on　such
disgusting　airs；　and　try　to　make　us　believe　they　had　a　perfect　right
to　meddle　with　the　domestic　affairs　of　Germanybeyond　the　Rhine！　I
should　go　thither　for　the　purpose　of　garrisoning　the　fortresses　of
the　Rhinewhich　the　Emperor　of　Germany　is　going　to　surrender　to　the
tender　mercies　of　the　enemywith　my　troops；　and　of　defending　them
against　all　foes　from　without　or　from　within。　That　would　be　my
policy　if　I　were　King　of　Prussia。　But　being　merely　the　poor　military
counsellor；　Frederick　Gentz；　and　having　nothing　but　some　ability　and
a　sharp　pen；　I　shall　stay　here　and　wait　to　see　whether　or　not
Prussia　will　make　use　of　my　ability　and　of　my　pen。　God　save　Germany
and　protect　her　from　her　physicians　who　are　concocting　a　fatal
draught　for　her　at　Rastadt：　God　save　Germany！〃




FRANCE　AND　GERMANY。


CHAPTER　XVIII。

CITOYENNE　JOSEPHINE　BONAPARTE。


A　joyful　commotion　reigned　on　the　eighth　of　November；　1797；　in　the
streets　and　public　places　of　the　German　fortress　of　Rastadt。　The
whole　population　of　the　lower　classes　had　gathered　in　the　streets；
while　the　more　aristocratic　inhabitants　appeared　at　the　open　windows
of　their　houses　in　eager　expectation　of　the　remarkable　event　for
which　not　only　the　people　of　the　whole　city；　but　also　the　foreign
ambassadors；　a　large　number　of　whom　had　arrived　at　Rastadt；　were
looking　with　the　liveliest　symptoms　of　impatience。

And；　indeed；　a　rare　spectacle　was　in　store　for　them。　It　was　the
arrival　of　General　Bonaparte　and　his　wife　Josephine　that　all　were
waiting　for　this　morning。　They　were　not　to　arrive　together；　however；
but　both　were　to　reach　the　city　by　a　different　route。　Josephine；　who
was　expected　to　arrive　first；　was　coming　from　Milan　by　the　shortest
and　most　direct　route；　while　Bonaparte　had　undertaken　a　mor