louisa of prussia and her times-第69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！


makes　you　the　queen　of　the　world；　but　you　need　wealth　in　order　to
add　power　to　your　beauty；　and　to　adorn　it　with　a　cloak　glittering
with　gold　and　purple。　Well；　my　queen；　are　you　again　Marianne　Meier
and　a　millionaire　besides？〃

〃What　a　fool！〃　she　exclaimed；　proudly；　〃what　a　fool　you　are　to
believe　I　would　crawl　back　into　the　Jews'　quarter　and　expose　myself
to　the　sneers　of　my　enviable　friends！　No；　my　friend；　money　and
beauty　are　insufficient　for　those　who　desire　to　play　a　role　in　the
world；　they　stand　in　need　of　rank　and　titles；　too；　for　these　are　the
magic　words　opening　to　us　the　doors　of　royal　palaces；　and　placing　us
on　a　par　with　the　privileged　and　inacessible。　I；　for　one；　want　to
play　my　role　in　the　world；　hence　I　must　have　a　distinguished　title。
It　is　true　I　also　stand　in　need　of　wealth；　and　by　means　of　a　skilful
arrangement　I　have　secured　both。　The　mote　in　my　Jewish　eye　appearing
to　my　aristocratic　relatives　like　a　very　large　beam；　I　have　yielded
and　renounced　the　title　of　a　Princess　von　Reuss；　but；　in　spite　of
that；　I　remain　a　princess　and　retain　the　title　of　highness。　The
prince；　my　brother…in…law；　has　given　me　a　splendid　estate　in　fee…
simple；　the　annual　revenues　of　which　amount　to　no　less　than　twenty
thousand　dollars；　in　return；　however；　I　surrender　to　him　the　family
diamonds；　this　palace；　the　carriages　with　the　coat…of…arms　of　the
Reuss　family；　the　horses　and　liveries；　and　last；　the　name　and　title
of　a　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss。〃

〃And　now；　like　all　the　fairies　in　the　children's　books；　you　are　a
wondrous　child　without　name　and　rank；　but　showering　with　your　snowy
hands　golden　suns　and　glittering　stars　upon　mankind？〃

〃No；　I　am　no　nameless　woman　now；　but　I　adopt　the　name　of　my　estate
of　Eibenberg；　and　from　this　day　forward　I　shall　be　the　Princess
Marianne　of　Eibenberg；　the　Emperor　of　Germany　himself　having
recognized　my　new　title。　The　documents；　signed　by　the　emperor
himself；　are　on　the　table　there。　The　prince　brought　them　to　me　to…
day　as　a　Christmas…present。　Now；　my　friend；　my　real　life　is　to
commence；　I　have　acquired　wealth　and　a　distinguished　name。　The　poor
Jewess；　the　daughter　of　the　Ghetto；　has　moved　into　the　palace　of　the
aristocracy　and　become　a　princess。〃

〃And　I　will　be　the　first　to　do　you　homage　as　though　you　were　my
princess　and　queen！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　〃the　first　who　will　call
himself　your　vassal。　Come；　my　princess；　let　me　place　the　sweet　yoke
upon　my　neck；　let　my　forehead　touch　the　ground　on　which　you　are
walking；　place　your　foot　upon　my　neck；　so　that　I　may　feel　the　sweet
burden　of　your　rule。〃

And　bending　down　his　head　until　his　brow　touched　the　floor；　he
placed　her　tiny　foot；　encased　in　a　beautiful　silken　shoe；　upon　his
neck。　Marianne　did　not　interfere　with　him；　but　looked　down　on　him
with　a　proud；　triumphant　smile。

〃You　lie　at　my　feet；　Frederick　Gentz；〃　she　said；　〃nevertheless　I
will　lift　you　up　to　me；　you　shall　stand　by　my　side；　my　equal；　famous
and　great　as　you　ought　to　be；　owing　to　your　genius！　But　a　truce　to
tender　trifling；　my　friend；　both　of　us　have　to　accomplish　great
purposes；　and　our　thoughts　and　actions　should　be　grave　and　stern。
Come；　rise　from　your　knees；　my　vassal；　you　shall　be　a　prince　by　my
side；　and　we　will　rule　the　world　together。〃

She　withdrew　her　foot　from　his　neck；　but　Gentz　seized　it　with　both
hands　and　kissed　it。　He　then　quickly　rose　from　his　knees；　and　drew
himself　up　to　his　full　height；　looking　at　her　sternly　and　almost
angrily。

〃You　have　often　told　me　that　you　loved　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　was　a
lie；　you　do　not　understand　love；　your　heart　is　cold　and　your　senses
are　silent；　only　your　pride　speaks。〃

〃It　is　possible　that　you　are　right；〃　she　replied；　〃but；　in　that
case；　I　love　you　with　my　pride　and　with　my　mind；　and　that　is　worth
something；　at　all　events。　I　want　to　see　you　honored；　famous；　and
influential；　is　not　that　also　love？〃

〃No；　it　is　a　mockery！〃　ejaculated　Gentz；　mournfully。　〃It　is　malice；
for　you　see　I　am　a　poor；　despised　man；　without　money；　without　fame；
without　rank；　a　miserable　military　counsellor；　outranked　by　every
private　counsellor；　and　persecuted　day　by　day　by　my　creditors；　as　if
they　were　vultures　following　a　poor　dove　whose　wings　have　been
clipped。〃

〃But　your　wings　shall　grow　again；　so　that　you　may　escape　from　the
vultures！〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　〃and　that　you　may　soar；　eagle…like；
above　the　miseries　of　the　world；　and　exercise　a　commanding　influence
over　it。　The　time　of　dreams　and　expectations　is　over；　the　time　for
action　has　come　for　all　energetic　and　able　minds。　Two　years　ago　I
asked　you；　as　I　do　to…day；　if　you　would　not　devote　your　services　to
Austria；　and　if　you　would　not　seek　for　fame　and　happiness　in　that
country；　in　which　your　genius　would　be　appreciated　and　rewarded。　Do
you　remember　what　you　replied　to　me　at　that　time？〃

〃Yes；　I　remember；〃　said　Gentz；　with　a　sarcastic　smile；　〃I　was
foolish　enough　to　reject　your　offers；　and　to　declare　that　I　would
stay　here　at　Berlin；　and　see　if　my　native　country　would　not　need　my
abilities　and　my　services；　and　if　our　rulers　here　would　not　avail
themselves　of　my　talents　and　of　my　pen。　And　thus　I　have　lost；　again；
two　years　of　my　life；　and　only　my　debts　have　increased；　but　not　my
fame。〃

〃Because　you　were　an　enthusiast；　and　expected　to　be　appreciated　in
Prussia；　believing　this　good　king　（who　would　like　to　make　his　people
happy　and　prosperous；　but　who　timidly　shrinks　back　from　all
energetic　resolutions）　would　be　very　grateful　to　you　for　exhorting
him　to　grant　freedom　of　the　press　to　his　subjects；　and；　in　general；
to　introduce　liberty　and　equality　in　his　states。　Do　you　still
believe　that　Frederick　William　the　Third　will　do　so？〃

〃No；　he　will　not；〃　replied　Gentz；　mournfully；　〃no；　this　king　does
not　understand　the　present　age；　and　instead　of　being　a　step　in
advance　of　it；　he　will　always　remain　a　step　behind　it；　and　thus
involve　Prussia　in　untold　misery　and　suffering。　I　have　hoped　and
waited　long　enough；　the　time　of　patience　and　idleness　is　now　over；
and　I　therefore　renounce；　to…day；　at　the　end　of　the　eighteenth
century；　my　native　state；　in　order　to　become　a　citizen　and　son　of　a
larger　fatherland。　I　cease　to　be　a　Prussian；　in　order　to　become　a
German；　and　Prussia　having　no　desire　to　avail　herself　of　my
abiliies；　I　am　going　to　see　whether　or　not　Germany　has　any　use　for
them。　My　beautiful　Marianne；　you　shall　be　the　priestess　who　receives
the　oath　which　I　make　on　the　altar　of　the　fatherland：　'I　swear　to
devote　all　my　powers　and　talents　to　Germany；　I　swear　to　be　a
faithful　and　untiring　son　to　my　great　fatherland！'〃

〃I　have　heard　your　oath；　Frederick　Gentz；　and　I　accept　it　in　the
name　of　Germany；〃　said　Marianne；　solemnly。　〃You　shall　be　the
champion　of　the　honor　and　rights　of　Germany；　your　weapon；　however；
shall　not　be　the　sword；　but　the　pen。〃

〃But　where　will　the　lists　be　opened　to　my　tournament？〃　asked　Gentz；
musingly。

〃In　Austria；〃　replied　Marianne；　quickly；　〃the　Emperor　of　Germany　is
expecting　you；　the　son　of　Germany；　the　Emperor　of　Germany　is　calling
you　to　serve　and　promote　the　interests　of　your　fatherland。　I　am
authorized　to　tell　you　that。　The　new　Austrian　envoy；　Count　Stadion；
has　requested　me　to　do　so；　he　has　asked　me　to　win　you　for　Austria；
that　is；　for　Germany。　For；　believe　me；　the　welfare　of　Germany　is
nowadays　consulted　in　Austria；　and　not　in　Prussia！〃

〃No；　not　in　Prussia！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　mournfully。　〃Our　government
shuts　its　eyes　in　order　not　to　behold　the　terrors　which　are　rushing
toward　us　with　irresistible　force；　and　will　soon；　like　an　avalanche；
roll　over　Germany　and　annihilate　us　all；　unless　we　skilfully
calculate　the　danger；　and　raise　sufficient　bulwarks　against　it。　They
admire　Bonaparte　here；　and　only　behold　a　hero；　while　I　scent　a
tyranta　tyrant　who　wants　to　subjugate　us　by　his　revolutionary
liberty　and　his　Jacobin's　cap；　which　is　but　a　crown　in　another
shape。　I　hate　Bonaparte；　for　I　hate　the　revolution　which；
notwithstanding　its　phrases　of　liberty　and　equality；　is　but　a　bloody
despotism　that　does　not　even　grant　freedom　of　opinion　to　the
citizen；　and　drags　such　ideas　as　are　distasteful　to　it　upon　the
scaffold。　I　hate　the　revolution；　I　hate　Bonaparte；　and　I　hate　every
form　of　tyranny；　and　shall　oppose　it　as　long　as　I　live！〃

〃And　I　shall　be　a　faithful　squire　by　your　side；　and　sharpen　the
bolts　which　you　are　going　to　hurl　at　the　enemy；〃　said　Marianne；　with
fervent　enthusiasm。　〃We　are　both　going　to　Vienna；　in　order　to　serve
Germany。　In　Vienna　a　new　century　and　a　new　country　will　open　their
arms　to　us。　Thanks　to　my　title；　to　my　rank；　and　to　my　connections；
every　door　will　be　open　to　us　there；　and　the　Jewess；　Marianne　Meier；
princess　of　Eibenberg；　will　not　even　find　the　apartments　of　the
emperor　and　empress　closed；　on　the　contrary；　their　imperial
majesties　will　receive　me　as　an　honored　and　welcome　guest。　for　I　am
a　princess　by　the　act　of　the　emperor；　and　the　friend　of　the　empress；
Victoria　de　Poutet　Colloredo　is　also　my　friend。　And　whithersoever　I
go；　you　shall　go；　too；　my　friend；　and　the　doors　that　will　open　to　me
shall　not　be　closed　to　you。　My　rank　opens　them　to　me；　and　your
genius　opens　them　to　you。　Come；　let　us　be　faithful　allies；　let　us
swear　to　support　each　other　firmly　and　immovably；　and　to　walk
together　step　by　step。〃

〃Oh；　my　noble　and　generous　friend；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　sadly；　〃how
delicately　you　try　to　veil　your　protection！　In　such　an　alliance；　I
am　unable　to　offer　you　any　compensation；　for　I　should　find　all　doors
closed　if　you　should　not　open　them　to　me。　I　have　neither　rank；
money；　nor　friends　at　court！〃

〃Well；　let　me　protect　you　now；　and　at　some　later　period　you　will
protect　me；〃　said　Marianne。　〃Let　us　swear　to　pursue　our　path
together。〃

〃I　swear　it　by　all　that　is　sacred　to　me！〃　exclaimed　Gentz。　〃I　swear
that　I　will　remain　faithful　to　you　and　to　Germany　for　my　whole　life。
I　swear　that　I　will　follow　you　everywhere；　that　I　will　serve　you
wherever　and　whenever　I　can；　and　to　love　you　to　my　last　breath。〃

〃The　alliance　is　closed；〃　said　Marianne；　solemnly；　〃Henceforth；　we
will　fight　jointly；　and　pursue　our　goal　together。　It　is　our　own
greatness；　and　the　greatness　of　Germany。　The　country　is　in　danger
let　us　see　if　we　cannot　contribute