louisa of prussia and her times-第68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！


and　I　shall　then　send　my　lawyer；　for　the　purpose　of　treating　further
with　you。〃

He　bowed；　and　hastened　to　the　door。　She　seemed　neither　to　have　heard
his　words；　nor　to　have　noticed　that　he　was　withdrawing。　She　was
still　bending　over　the　remains　of　her　husband；　the　black　cloud
surrounding　her　and　the　corpse。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

THE　EIGHTEENTH　OF　BRUMAIRE。


〃News　from　France！〃　exclaimed　Counsellor　Gentz；　entering　Marianne's
boudoir　in　breathless　haste。　〃Do　you　already　know　what　has　occurred？
Did　you　hear；　Marianne；　how　France　has　closed　the　eighteenth
century？〃

Marianne　looked　up　into　the　face　of　her　friend；　with　a　gentle　and
peculiar　smile。　〃That　must　have　been　exciting　intelligence；〃　she
said。　〃inasmuch　as　it　was　even　able　to　arouse　the　dreamer；　Frederick
Gentz；　from　his　political　sleep；　and　to　cause　him　to　take　interest
again　in　the　affairs　of　the　world。　Well；　let　us　hear　the　news；　what
has　occurred　in　France？〃

〃General　Bonaparte　has　overthrown　the　Directory；　and　dispersed　the
Council　of　Five　Hundred。〃

〃And　you　call　that　news？〃　asked　Marianne；　shrugging　her　shoulders。
〃You　tell　me　there　the　history　of　the　ninth　and　tenth　of　November；
or；　as　the　French　republicans　say；　of　the　eighteenth　and　nineteenth
of　Brumaire。　And　you　believe　that　I　have　not　yet　heard　of　it　to…day；
on　the　twenty…sixth　of　December？　My　friend　Gentz；　Bonaparte's　deeds
need　not　more　than　a　month　in　order　to　penetrate　through　the　world；
they　soar　aloft　with　eagle…wings；　and　the　whole　world　beholds　them；
because　they　darken　the　horizon　of　the　whole　world。〃

〃But　you　have　only　heard　the　preamble　of　my　news；〃　ejaculated　Gentz；
impatiently。　〃I　have　no　doubt　that　you　know　the　history　of　the
eighteenth　of　Brumaire；　and　that　you　are　aware　that　France；　on　that
day；　placed　herself　under　the　rule　of　three　consuls；　one　of　whom　was
General　Bonaparte。〃

〃The　other　two　consuls　are　Sieyes　and　Dacos；〃　interrupted　Marianne。
〃I　know　that；　and　I　know；　too；　that　Lucien；　Bonaparte's　brother；
president　of　the　Legislative　Assembly；　upon　receiving　the　oath　of
office　of　the　three　consuls；　said　to　them。　'The　greatest　nation　on
earth　intrusts　you　with　its　destinies；　the　welfare　of　thirty
millions　of　men；　the　preservation　of　order　at　home；　and　the
reestablishment　of　peace　abroad；　are　your　task。　Three　months　from
to…day　public　opinion　will　expect　to　hear　from　you　how　you　have
accomplished　it。'〃　＇Footnote：　〃Histoire　du　Consulat　et　de　l'Empire；〃
par　A。　Theirs；　vol。　i。；　p。　16。＇

〃Well；　M。　Bonaparte　did　not　make　public　opinion　wait　so　long；〃　said
Gentz；　〃or　rather；　he　asserts　public　opinion　had　not　given　him　time
to　wait　so　long；　and　that　it　was　public　opinion　itself　that　called
upon　him　to　proclaim　himself　sovereign　of　France。〃

〃Sovereign　of　France？〃　asked　Marianne；　in　surprise。　〃Bonaparte　has
made　himself　king？〃

〃Yes；　king；　but　under　another　name；　he　has　caused　himself　to　be
elected　consul　for　ten　years！　Ah；　he　will　know　how　to　shorten　these
ten　years；　just　as　he　knew　how　to　shorten　those　three　months！〃

〃And　this　report　is　reliable？〃　asked　Marianne；　musingly。

〃Perfectly　so。　Bonaparte　was　elected　first　consul　on　the　twenty…
fifth　of　December；　and　on　the　same　day　the　new　constitution　was
promulgated　throughout　France。　That　is　a　very　fine　Christmas　present
which　France　has　made　to　the　world！　A　box　filled　with　dragon's
teeth；　from　which　armed　hosts　will　spring　up。　It　is　true　the　first
consul　now　pretends　to　be　very　anxious　to　restore　peace　to　Europe。
He　has　sent　special　ambassadors　to　all　courts；　with　profuse
assurances　of　his　friendship　and　pacific　intentions；　and　he　sent
them　off　even　previous　to　his　election；　in　order　to　announce　the
news　of　the　latter　to　the　foreign　courts　on　the　same　day　on　which　he
was　proclaimed　first　consul　at　Paris。　Such　a　peace…messenger　of　the
general　has　arrived　at　Berlin；　he　has　brought　us　the　strange　and
startling　news。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　this　peace…messenger　of　the　modern　god　of　war？〃
asked　Marianne。

〃He　sent　his　adjutant；　General　Duroc；　the　latter　reached　Berlin
yesterday；　and　appeared　even　to…day　as　the　petted　guest　of　our
court；　at　the　great　soiree　of　the　queen。　Oh；　my　friend；　my　stupid
German　heart　trembled　with　anger　when　I　saw　the　kind　and　flattering
attentions　that　were　paid　to　this　Frenchman；　while　German　gentlemen
of　genius；　merit；　and　ability　were　kept　in　the　background；　neither
the　king　nor　the　queen　seeming　to　take　any　notice　of　their　presence！
There　were　Count　Hardenberg。　and　the　noble　President　of　Westphalia；
Baron　Stein；　they　stood　neglected　in　a　bay　window；　and　looked　sadly
at　the　royal　couple；　who　treated　the　Frenchman　in　the　midst　of　the
court　in　the　most　distinguished　manner；　there　were　Blucher　and
Gneisenau；　overlooked　by　everybody；　although　their　uniforms　were　no
less　brilliant　than　that　of　the　French　envoy；　and　there　was　finally
Frederick　Gentz；　myself；　who　had　only　appeared　at　this　court
festival　owing　to　the　special　desire　and　order　of　the　queen；　and
whose　presence　she　had　entirely　forgotten；　although　Gualtieri
reminded　her　of　it　at　least　three　times；　and　told　her　that　I　was
there；　and　had　only　come　because　the　queen　had　expressly　ordered　it
so。　But　what　did　her　beautiful　majesty　care　that　a　German　writer　was
vainly　waiting　for　a　smile　of　her　affability；　and　a　gracious　nod　of
her　lovely　head？　The　French　envoy　was　by　far　more　important　than　all
of　us。　For　the　sake　of　the　Frenchman；　even　'Madame　Etiquette；'　the
Countess　von　Voss；　mistress　of　ceremonies；　had　been　silenced；　and
the　plain　adjutant　of　the　first　consul　was　received　with　as　much
distinction　as　if　he　were　a　minister　plenipotentiary；　while　he　only
came　as　the　simple　agent　for　a　private　individual。　They　asked　him　to
tell　them　about　the　battle　of　the　Pyramids；　about　the　battles　of
Mount　Tabor　and　Aboukir；　and　the　whole　court　listened　to　him　with　a
suspense　as　though　Bonaparte's　adjutant　were　preaching　a　new　gospel。
Whenever　he　paused　in　his　narrative；　the　queen；　with　her　fascinating
smile；　constantly　addressed　new　questions　to　him；　and　praised　the
achievements　of　General　Bonaparte　as　though　he　were　the　Messiah　sent
into　the　world　to　deliver　it　from　the　evils　of　war！　In　short；　he　had
a　perfect　success；　and　at　last；　by　means　of　an　adroit　trick；　he
managed　to　render　it　as　magnificent　as　possible。　The　queen　told
General　Duroc　of　our　German　customs；　and　informed　him　that　this　was
the　day　on　which　the　Germans　everywhere　made　presents　to　each　other；
and　that　gifts　were　laid　under　Christmas…trees；　adorned　with　burning
tapers。　At　that　moment　Duroc　turned　to　the　king；　and　said；　with　his
intolerable　French　amiability：　'Sire；　if　this　is　the　day　of
universal　presents　in　Germany；　I　believe　I　will　be　courageous　enough
to…day　to　ask　your　majesty　for　a　present　in　the　name　of　the　first
consul；　General　Bonaparte；　if　your　majesty　will　permit　me　to　do　so。'
The　king；　of　course；　gave　him　the　desired　permission；　and　Duroc
continued：　'Sire；　the　present　for　which　I　am　to　ask　your　majesty；　in
the　name　of　the　first　consul；　is　a　bust　of　your　great　ancestor；
Frederick　the　Second。　The　first　consul　recently　examined　the　statues
in　the　Diana　Gallery　at　the　Tuileries；　there　were　the　statues　of
Caesar　and　Brutus；　of　Coriolanus　and　Cicero；　of　Louis　XIV。　and
Charles　V。；　but　the　first　consul　did　not　see　the　statue　of　Frederick
the　Great；　and　he　deems　the　collection　of　the　heroes　of　ancient　and
modern　times　incomplete　as　long　as　it　does　not　embrace　the　name　of
Frederick　the　Great。　Sire；　I　take　the　liberty；　therefore；　to　ask
you；　in　the　name　of　France；　for　a　bust　of　Frederick　the　Great！'〃
＇Footnote：　Historical。＇

〃Very　adroit；　indeed；〃　said　Marianne；　smiling；　〃these　republicans
seem　to　be　excellent　courtiers。〃

〃Yes；　very　adroit！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　〃the　whole　court　was　in　ecstasy
at　this　tremendous　flattery；　at　this　compliment　paid　by　the　great
republic　to　little　Prussia；　but　I　could　not　stand　it　any　longer　in
those　halls；　and　in　the　presence　of　these　fawning　Germans；　and　I
hastened　away　in　order　to　unbosom　to　you　my　rage；　my　indignation；
and　my　grief。　Oh；　my　fair　friend；　what　is　to　become　of　Germany；　and
what　will　be　the　end　of　all　these　troubles？　Ruin　is　staring　us　in
the　face；　and　we　do　not　see　it；　we　are　rushing　toward　the　precipice；
and　must　fall　a　prey　to　France；　to　this　wolf　in　sheep's　clothing；
which　will　caress　and　pet　us　until　it　will　be　able　to　devour　us！〃　〃I
like　to　hear　you　talk　in　this　strain；〃　said　Marianne；　joyfully。
〃That　is　again　the　friend　of　my　heart；　who　is　now　talking　to　me。
Listen　to　me。　I　have　to　communicate　news　to　you；　too；　and　you　must
not　be　surprised　if　I　reply　to　your　important　political　intelligence
by　a　reference　to　my　petty　personal　interests。　But　there　is　a
connection　between　them；　and　you　will　see　it　by　and　by。　Listen；
then；　to　the　news　concerning　myself。〃

〃Yes；　Marianne；〃　said　Gentz；　kneeling　down　before　her；　and　leaning
his　head　upon　her　knees；　〃yes；　tell　me　about　yourself；　my　beautiful
fairy　queen；　lull　my　political　pains　a　little　by　the　magic　song
which　is　flowing　from　your　red　lips　like　a　fresh　source　of　love。　Oh；
my　charming　princess；　now　that　I　am　looking　up　into　your　radiant
face；　I　feel　a　burning　shame　that　I　should　have　desecrated　the
delightful　moments　I　passed　by　your　side　by　such　trivial　complaints
about　the　misery　of　German　politics。　What　have　we　to　do　with
politics？　What　do　we　care　if　Germany　is　going　to　be　ruined？　Apres
nous　le　deluge！　Let　us　enjoy　the　bliss　of　the　fleeting　hour！〃

Marianne　played　smilingly　with　her　slender　fingers；　covered　with
sparkling　diamond　rings；　in　his　hair；　and　looked　upon　him　with　a
wondrous　air。

〃Enthusiast！〃　she　said；　〃now　an　ardent　politician；　then　an
impassioned　lover；　and　ready　at　all　hours　to　exchange　one　role　for
the　other！　Will　you　not　listen　to　my　news？　My　quarrel　with　my　dear
brother…in…law；　Henry　XV。；　is　ended；　we　have　come　to　an　agreement。〃

〃And　I　hope　my　sagacious　and　prudent　Marianne　has　subdued　her　proud
and　bold　heart　this　time；　and　had　a　little　regard　for　her
advantage；〃　replied　Gentz。　〃A　woman　as　beautiful　and　radiant　as
Marianne　Meier　needs　no　empty　aristocratic　title；　for　your　beauty
makes　you　the　queen　of　the　world；　but　you　need　wealth　in　orde