louisa of prussia and her times-第67部分

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fastened　above　her　head　on　a　diadem；　surrounded　her　noble　figure
like　a　dark　cloud；　and　in　this　cloud　beamed　her　expansive；
thoughtful　forehead；　and　her　large　flaming　eyes　sparkled。　Her
features　were　breathing　the　most　profound　and　majestic　tranquillity；
and　when　she　now　saluted　the　gentlemen　with　a　condescending　nod；　her
whole　bearing　was　so　impressive　and　distinguished　that　even　Prince
Henry　was　unable　to　remain　indifferent；　and　he　rose　respectfully
from　his　arm…chair。

Marianne；　however；　paid　no　attention　to　him；　but　approached　the
remains　of　her　husband。　With　inimitable　grace　she　knelt　down　on　one
side　of　the　catafalque。　The　priest　who　had　entered　with　her　knelt
down　on　the　other。

Both　of　them　muttered　fervent　prayers　for　the　deceased。　Marianne
then　arose；　and；　bending　over　the　corpse；　imprinted　a　long　kiss　upon
the　forehead　of　her　departed　husband。

〃Farewell；　my　husband！〃　she　said；　in　her　full；　melodious　voice；　and
then　turned　around　and　stepped　toward　the　table。　〃Without　deigning
to　glance　at　the　prince；　she　sat　down　in　the　arm…chair。〃

〃I　request　the　officers　of　the　law　now　to　open　the　strong　box；〃　she
said；　in　an　almost　imperious　voice。

One　of　the　officers　handed　the　key　to　Baron　Werdern；　the　latter
opened　the　strong　box；　and　took　from　it　a　sealed　paper；　which　he
gave　to　the　officer。

〃Do　you　recognize　the　paper　as　the　same　yourself　locked　in　this
strong　box？〃　she　asked。　〃Is　it　the　same　which　his　highness　the　late
Prince　von　Reuss；　Henry　XIV。；　handed　to　you？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　the　same；〃　said　the　two　officers；　〃it　is　the　will　of　the
late　prince。〃

〃And　you　know　that　his　highness　ordered　us　to　open　it　immediately
after　his　death；　and　to　promulgate　its　contents。　Proceed；　therefore；
according　to　the　instructions　of　the　deceased。〃

One　of　the　officers　broke　the　seal；　and　now　that　he　unfolded　the
paper；　Marianne　turned　her　head　toward　the　prince；　and　fixed　her
burning　eyes　piercingly　upon　his　countenance。

The　officer　commenced　reading　the　will。　First　came　the　preamble；　to
be　found　in　every　will；　and　then　the　officer　read　in　a　louder　voice；
as　follows：

〃In　preparing　to　appear　before　the　throne　of　the　Lord；　I　feel
especially　called　upon　to　return　my　most　heart…felt　thanks；　in　this
public　manner；　to　my　wife；　Princess　Marianne；　nee　Meier；　for　the
constancy；　love；　and　devotion　which　she　has　shown　to　me　during　our
whole　married　life；　and　for　the　surpassing　patience　and　self…
abnegation　with　which　she　nursed　me　during　my　last　sickness。　I　deem
myself　especially　obliged　to　make　this　acknowledgment；　inasmuch　as
my　wife；　in　her　true　love　for　me；　has　suffered　many　undeserved
aspersions　and　insults；　because；　in　accordance　with　my　wishes；　she
kept　our　marriage　secret；　and　in　consequence　had　to　bear　the　sneers
of　evil…disposed　persons；　and　the　insults　of　malicious　enemies。　But
she　is　my　lawful　wife　before　God　and　man；　and　she　is　fully　entitled
to　assume　the　name　of　a　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss。　I　hereby
expressly　authorize　her　to　do　so；　and；　by　removing　the　secret　that
has　been　observed　during　my　life　in　relation　to　our　marriage；　I
authorize　my　wife　to　assume　the　title　and　rank　due　to　her；　and
hereby　command　my　brother；　as　well　as　his　sons　and　the　other　members
of　my　family；　to　pay　to　the　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss；　nee　Meier；
the　respect　and　deference　due　to　her　as　the　widow　of　the　late　head
of　the　family；　and　to　which　she　is　justly　entitled　by　her　virtue；
her　blameless　conduct；　her　respectability；　beauty；　and　amiability。
The　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss　is　further　authorized　to　let　her
servants　wear　the　livery　and　color　of　my　house；　to　display　the　coat…
of…arms　of　the　princes　von　Reuss　on　her　carriages；　and　to　enjoy　the
full　privileges　of　her　rank。　If　my　brother　Henry；　the　heir　of　my
titles；　should　have　any　doubts　as　to　her　rights　in　this　regard；　the
officer　reading　my　will　is　requested　to　ask　him　whether　or　not　he
desires　to　obtain　further　evidence　in　relation　to　the　legitimacy　of
my　marriage。〃

〃Does　your　highness　require　any　further　evidence？〃　asked　the
officer；　interrupting　the　reading　of　the　will。

〃I　do；〃　said　the　prince；　who　had　listened　to　the　reading　of　the　will
with　a　pale　and　gloomy　mien。

〃Here　is　that　evidence；〃　said　the　priest；　beckoning　the　sexton；　who
stood　on　the　threshold　of　the　door。　The　latter　approached　the
priest；　and　handed　him　a　large　volume　bound　in　black　morocco。

〃It　is　the　church　register；　in　which　I　have　entered　all　the
marriages；　christenings；　and　funeral　masses　performed　in　the　chapel
of　the　Austrian　embassy；〃　said　the　priest。　〃On　this　page　you　find
the　minutes　of　the　marriage　of　the　Prince　von　Reuss；　Henry　XIV。；　and
Miss　Marianne　Meier。　The　ceremony　took　place　two　years　ago。　I　have
baptized　the　princess　myself；　and　thereby　received　her　into　the　pale
of　the　holy　Catholic　Church；　and　I　have　likewise　performed　the　rite
of　marriage　on　the　occasion　referred　to。　I　hereby　certify　that　the
princess　is　the　lawful　wife　of　the　late　prince；　as　is　testified　by
the　minutes　entered　on　the　church　register。　The　marriage　was
performed　in　the　chapel；　and　in　the　presence　of　witnesses；　who　have
signed　the　minutes；　like　myself。〃

〃I　witnessed　the　marriage；〃　said　Baron　Werdern；　〃and　so　did　the
military　counsellor　Gentz；　who；　if　your　highness　should　desire
further　testimony；　will　be　ready　to　corroborate　our　statements。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　prince；　gloomily；　〃I　require　no　further　testimony。　I
am　fully　satisfied　of　the　truth　of　your　statements；　and　will　now　pay
my　respects　to　my　sister…in…law；　the　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss；　nee
Meier。〃

He　bowed；　with　a　sarcastic　smile；　which；　for　a　moment；　caused　the
blood　to　rush　to　Marianne's　pale　cheeks；　and　then　carelessly　leaned
back　into　his　arm…chair。

〃Be　kind　enough　to　proceed；〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　officer。　The
latter　took　up　the　will　again　and　read　its　several　sections　and
clauses。　The　prince　bequeathed　his　palace；　with　every　thing　in　it；
to　his　wife　Marianne；　and　likewise　his　carriages；　his　horses；　and
the　family　diamonds　he　had　inherited　from　his　mother。　The　remainder
of　his　considerable　property　he　left　to　his　brother；　asking　him　to
agree　with　the　Princess　Marianne　on　a　pension　corresponding　with　her
rank　and　position　in　society。　Then　followed　some　legacies　and
pensions　for　the　old　servants　of　his　household；　a　few　gifts　to　the
poor；　and　last　the　appropriation　of　a　sum　for　which　a　mass　was　to　be
read　on　every　anniversary　of　his　death；　for　the　peace　of　his　soul。
The　ceremony　was　over。　The　officers　of　the　law　and　the　members　of
the　embassy　had　left　the　death…room；　and　on　a　sign　from　Marianne　the
servants　had　also　withdrawn。

The　prince　had　exchanged　a　few　words　in　a　low　voice　with　his　two
lawyers；　whereupon　they　likewise　had　left　the　room。　No　one　except
the　brother　and　the　wife　of　the　deceased　remained　now　in　this　gloomy
room；　illuminated　by　the　flickering　tapers。　Marianne；　however；
seemed　to　take　no　notice　of　the　presence　of　her　brother…in…law；　she
had　approached　the　corpse　again；　and　gazed　at　it　with　the　most
profound　emotion。

〃I　thank　you；　Henry；〃　she　said；　loudly　and　solemnly。　〃I　thank　you
from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　you　have　given　back　to　me　my　honor；　you
have　revenged　me　upon　your　haughty　relatives；　and　upon　the　sneering
world。〃

〃Do　not　thank　him；　respected　sister…in…law；　for　he　has　left　you
poor；〃　said　the　prince；　approaching　her；　and　contemplating　her　with
a　freezing　smile。　〃My　brother　has　made　you　a　princess；　it　is　true；
but　he　has　not　given　you　the　means　to　live　as　a　princess。　He　has
bequeathed　to　you　this　palace；　with　its　costly　furniture；　he　has
bequeathed　to　you　his　carriages　and　diamonds；　but　a　palace　and
furniture　are　no　estates；　and　in　order　to　keep　carriages　one　has　to
feed　men　and　horses。　It　is　true；　you　can　sell　the　palace　and　the
diamonds；　and　obtain　for　them　several　hundred　thousand　florins。　That
sum　would　be　amply　sufficient　for　a　person　leading　a　retired　life；
but　it　is　very　little　for　one　who　desires　to　keep　up　a　princely
household；　and　to　live　in　the　style　becoming　a　lady　of　your　beauty
and　social　position。　My　brother　has　foreseen　all　this；　and　he
indirectly　gave　us　a　chance　to　come　to　an　understanding；　by　asking
me　to　agree　with　you　on　a　pension　to　be　paid　you。　Hence　I　ask　you；
how　much　do　you　demand？　How　high　will　be　the　sum　for　which　you　will
sell　me　your　mourning　veil；　your　name；　and　your　title　of　princess
dowager？　For　you　doubtless　anticipate；　madame；　that　I　do　not　propose
to　acknowledge　you　publicly　as　my　sister…in…law；　and　to　receive　a
Marianne　Meier　among　the　members　of　my　family。　Tell　me　your　price；
therefore；　madame。〃

Marianne　looked　at　him　with　flaming　eyes；　a　deep　blush　of　anger
mantling　her　cheeks。　〃Prince　von　Reuss；〃　she　said；　proudly；　〃you
will　have　to　permit　the　world　to　call　me　your　sister…in…law。　I　am
your　sister…in…law；　and　I　shall　prove　to　the　world　and　to　you　that
it　is　unnecessary　to　have　been　born　under　a　princely　canopy　in　order
to　live；　think；　and　act　like　a　princess。　My　husband　has　rewarded　me
in　this　hour　for　years　of　suffering　and　humiliation。　Do　you　believe
that　my　reward　is　for　sale　for　vile　money？　And　if　you　should　offer
me　millions；　I　should　reject　them　if；　in　return；　I　were　to　lead　a
nameless；　disreputable；　and　obscure　existence。　I　will　sooner　die　of
starvation　as　a　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss　than　live　in　opulence　as
Marianne　Meier。　This　is　my　last　word；　and　now；　sir；　begone！　Do　not
desecrate　this　room　by　your　cold　and　egotistic　thoughts；　and　by　your
heartless　calculations！　Honor　the　repose　of　the　dead　and　the　grief
of　the　living。　Begone！〃

She　proudly　turned　away　from　him；　and　bent　once　more　over　the
corpse。　While　she　was　doing　so　her　black　veil；　with　a　gentle　rustle；
fell　down　over　her　face　and　wrapped　her；　as　well　as　the　corpse；　as
in　a　dark　mist；　so　that　the　two　forms　seemed　to　melt　into　one。

The　prince　felt　a　shudder　pervading　his　frame；　and　the　presence　of
the　corpse　embarrassed　him。

〃I　will　not　disturb　you　now　in　your　grief；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　hope
your　tears　will　flow　less　copiously　as　soon　as　the　funeral　is　over；
and　I　shall　then　send　my　lawyer；　for　the　purpose　of　treating　further
with　you。〃

He　bowed；　and　hastened　to　the　door。　She　seemed　n