louisa of prussia and her times-第83部分

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your　whole　strength。　As　he　was　an　inexorable　enemy　of　that　new；
blood…stained　France　and　of　her　dictator；　you　shall　forswear　all
connection　with　that　country；　which　soon　will　pour　its　torrents　of
blood　and　fire　over　our　own　unhappy　fatherland。　You　shall　do
whatever　will　serve　and　be　useful　to　the　fatherland；　and　you　shall
abhor；　persecute；　and　combat　every　menace　to　subjugate　Germany。　Your
house　shall　be　open　to　all　German　patriots；　it　shall　be　closed
against　all　enemies　of　Germany；　no　matter　whether　they　are　Germans
or　French；　or　to　whatever　nation　they　may　belong。　Such；　Fanny；　is
the　legacy　which　Prince　Charles　von　Lichtenstein；　the　noble　German
patriot；　has　bequeathed　to　you　with　his　love；　and　which　is　to
comfort　and　strengthen　you　in　your　grief。〃

〃I　accept　this　legacy；〃　exclaimed　Fanny；　radiant　with　enthusiasm。
〃Yes；　I　accept　this　legacy　and　will　fulfil　it　faithfully！　To　Germany
I　will　transfer　the　love　which　I　once　devoted　to　him；　I　will　love
and　honor　him　in　each　of　our　German　brethren。　Like　him；　I　will　hate
the　enemies　of　Germany；　and　never　shall　my　house　be　opened　to　them
never　shall　they　cross　its　threshold　as　welcome　guests！　As　I　cannot
be　a　happy　wife；　I　will　try　to　be　a　faithful　daughter　of　my　country；
to　love　its　friends　faithfully；　and　to　hate　its　enemies　bitterly！〃

〃That　is　right；〃　said　Marianne；　joyfully。　〃Now　you　have　received
your　best　consolation；　and　the　grief　of　your　love　will　be
transformed　into　deeds　of　love。　The　blessing　of　your　departed　friend
will　be　with　you；　and　the　love　of　your　fatherland　will　reward　you
for　what　you　will　do　for　it。　And　you　shall　assist　our　despised　and
down…trodden　Jews；　too；　by　proving　to　those　who　scorn　us　and
contemptuously　treat　us　as　aliens；　that　we　feel　like　natives　and
children　of　the　country　in　which　we　were　born；　and　that　we　do　not
seek　for　our　Jerusalem　in　the　distant　Orient；　but　in　the　fatherland
we　share　with　all　other　Germans。　Let　us　prove　to　these　Christians
that　we　also　are　good　patriots；　and　that　we　love　our　fatherland　like
them；　and　are　ready　to　make　any　sacrifice　which　it　may　require　from
us。〃

〃Yes；　I　will　prove　that　I　am　a　good　patriot　as　he　was　a　good
patriot；〃　said　Fanny；　enthusiastically。　〃I　will　hate　whatever　he
hated；　I　will　love　whatever　he　loved！〃

〃Amen！〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　solemnly。　〃And　now；　farewell；　Fanny。　I
go　to　fulfil　the　legacy　which　Prince　von　Lichtenstein　has　bequeathed
to　me。　He　had　taken　it　upon　himself　to　deliver　this　letter　to
Bonaparte；　and　to　see　what　the　Bourbons　have　to　expect　from　him；　and
whether　Bonaparte　is　a　Monk　or　a　Cromwell。　I　fear　the　latter。　The
Bourbons　and　Lichtenstein　hoped　for　the　former。　They　believed　he
would　be　the　Monk　of　the　restoration；　and　he　had　only　placed　himself
so　near　the　throne　in　order　to　restore　the　latter　to　Louis　XVIII。；
as　Monk　had　done　in　relation　to　Charles　II。　Well；　we　shall　see！　I
will　go　now　and　deliver　the　letter　which　Prince　Lichtenstein　has
intrusted　to　me。　Farewell；　Fanny；　and　remember　your　legacy！〃

〃I　shall　remember　it　as　long　as　I　live；〃　said　Fanny；　fervently。　〃And
as　I　never　shall　forget　my　love；　I　shall　never　forget　my　fatherland
either。　Both　shall　live　indissolubly　united　in　my　heart！〃　＇Footnote：
The　history　of　Baroness　Arnstein　and　the　tragic　end　of　Prince
Charles　von　Lichtenstein　do　not　belong　to　romance；　but　to　reality；
and　created　a　great　sensation　at　that　time。　Every　one　in　Vienna　knew
that　love　for　Baroness　Arnstein　had　been　the　cause　of　the　duel　and
of　the　death　of　the　Prince　von　Lichtenstein；　but　every　one　knew　also
that　Fanny　von　Arnstein　was　not　to　blame　for　this　event；　hence　the
sympathy　and　compassion　felt　for　the　unhappy　lady　were　universal。
The　imperial　court　and　the　city　took　pains　to　do　homage　to　her　and
to　manifest　their　respect　for　her。　But　Baroness　Arnstein　was　not　to
be　consoled　by　such　proofs　of　public　sympathy；　the　affliction　which
had　befallen　her　was　too　terrible；　and　she　did　not　endeavor　to
conceal　her　grief。　She　caused　the　cabinet　in　which　he　had　seen　her
on　the　day　preceding　his　death　to　be　hung　in　black　like　a　death…
room；　all　the　souvenirs　and　every　thing　reminding　her　of　him　were
preserved　in　this　room。　She　spent　there　every　anniversary　of　his
death　in　deep　mourning；　and　at　other　times　she　frequently　retired
thither　to　pray　for　him。　Except　herself　no　one　was　ever　permitted　to
enter　this　cabinet；　consecrated　as　an　altar　for　the　religion　of　her
reminiscences。Vide　Varnhagen　von　Ense's　Miscellanies；　vol。　i。；　p。
112。＇




CHAPTER　XL。

THE　FIRST　CONSUL。


〃Then　you　have　seen　and　conversed　with　our　poor；　unhappy　king？〃　said
Madame　Bonaparte　to　the　beautiful　and　richly…dressed　lady　who　was
sitting　on　the　sofa　at　her　side；　and　who　was　none　other　than　the
Princess　Marianne　von　Eibenberg。

〃Yes；　madame；　I　have　often　had　the　good　fortune　to　converse　long
with　him；〃　said　the　princess；　heaving　a　sigh。　〃I　passed　a　few　weeks
in　his　neighborhood；　and　touched　by　his　resignation；　his　unfaltering
patience；　and　calm　greatness；　I　offered　him　my　mediation；　I　wished
to　be　the　messenger　whom　the　poor　unfortunate　would　send　out　in
order　to　see　whether　the　shores　of　his　country　will　never　again　be
visible　to　him；　and　whether　the　great　and　intrepid　pilot　who　is　now
steering　the　ship　of　France　with　so　firm　a　hand　has　no　room　left　for
the　poor　shipwrecked　man。　The　Count　de　Provence　accepted　my
services；　he　gave　me　a　letter　which　I　was　to　deliver　to　the　First
Consul　himself；　and　I　set　out　for　Paris　provided　with　numerous　and
most　satisfactory　recommendations。　All　these　recommendations；
however；　were　useless；　even　the　intercession　of　Minister　Talleyrand
was　in　vain；　the　First　Consul　refused　to　grant　me　an　audience。〃

〃He　had　been　told；　perhaps；　how　beautiful　and　charming　a　messenger
had　been　this　time　sent　to　him　by　the　Count　de　Provence；〃　said
Josephine；　smiling；　〃and　he　was；　therefore；　afraid　of　you；　madame。
For　Bonaparte；　the　most　intrepid　hero　in　battle；　is　quite　timid　and
bashful　in　the　presence　of　beautiful　ladies；　and　not　having　the
strength　to　withstand　your　smiles　and　prayers；　he　evades　you　and
refuses　to　see　you。〃

〃Oh；　madame；〃　exclaimed　the　princess；　quickly；　〃if　the　First　Consul
is　unable　to　resist　the　smiles　of　the　most　beautiful　lady；　I　predict
to　you　an　even　more　brilliant　future；　for　in　that　case　he　will　lay
the　whole　world　at　your　feet　to　do　you　homage。　He　who　has　remained
at　the　side　of　Josephine　a　hero　and　a　man　of　iron　will；　need　not
fear　the　beauty　of　any　other　woman。〃

〃You　know　how　to　flatter；〃　said　Josephine；　smiling。　〃You　forget；
however；　that　we　are　in　a　republic　here；　and　that　there　is　no　court
with　courtiers　in　the　Tuileries；　but　merely　the　humble　household　of
a　citizen　and　general；　which；　I　trust；　will　soon　give　way　to　the
splendor　of　royalty。〃

〃Do　you　believe　so；　madame？〃　asked　the　princess；　eagerly。　〃Do　you
believe　that　the　hopes　which　the　Count　de　Provence　has　built　on　the
noble　and　grand　spirit　of　General　Bonaparte　are　not　illusory？　Oh；
let　us　be　frank　and　sincere　toward　each　other；　for　I　know　you
sympathize　with　the　sufferings　of　the　royal　family；　and　the　terrible
misfortunes　of　the　august　exiles　find　an　echo　in　your　heart。　Hence；
when　I　did　not　succeed　in　obtaining　an　interview　with　the　First
Consul；　and　in　delivering　my　letter　to　him　in　person；　I　applied　to
you；　and　the　Count　de　Provence　himself　authorized　me　to　do　so。　'If
Bonaparte　refuses　to　hear　you；'　he　said；　'go　to　Josephine。　Bring　her
the　greetings　of　the　Count　de　Provence；　remind　her　of　the　happy　days
of　Versailles；　where；　as　Viscountess　de　Beauharnais；　she　was　always
welcome　at　the　court　of　my　lamented　brother。　Ask　her　if　she　still
remembers　how　often　we　joked　and　laughed　together　at　that　time。　Ask
her　whether　my　present　misfortunes　shall　last　forever；　or　whether
she；　who　holds　my　destiny　in　her　hand；　will　restore　me　to　mirth　and
joy。'〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Josephine；　bursting　into　tears；　〃if　I　held　his
destiny　in　my　hand；　he　would　not　have　to　wait　long　for　his　throne
and　for　happiness。　I　should　be　the　first　to　jubilantly　welcome　him
to　France；　the　first　to　joyously　leave　these　Tuileries；　this　royal
palace；　the　grandeur　of　which　frightens　me；　and　in　the　walls　of
which　it　always　seems　to　me　as　though　I　were　a　criminal　adorning
herself　with　stolen　property；　and　stretching　out　her　hands　toward
the　holy　of　holies。　And　yet　I　am　innocent　of　this　outrage；　my
conscience　is　clear；　and　I　am　able　to　say　that　King　Louis　XVIII。　has
no　more　devoted；　faithful；　and　obedient　subject　than　the　wife　of　the
First　Consul　of　France。〃

〃The　king　knows　it；　and　depends　on　you；〃　said　the　princess。
〃Bonaparte's　heart　is　in　your　hands；　you　alone　are　able　to　move　it。〃

〃But　do　I　know；　then；　whether　he　has　yet　a　heart　or　not？〃　exclaimed
Josephine；　passionately。　〃Do　I　know；　then；　if　he　loves　any　thing　but
his　glory？　Man　cannot　serve　two　gods；　and　his　god　is　glory。　He　soars
aloft　with　the　glance　of　an　eagle；　and　the　radiance　of　the　sun　does
not　dazzle　him。　Where　will　he　finally　rest　and　build　his　aerie？　I　do
not　know。　As　yet　no　rock　has　been　too　lofty　for　him；　no　summit　too
steep　and　sufficiently　near　the　sun。　I　follow　his　flight　with
anxious　eyes；　but　I　am　unable　to　restrain　him。　I　can　only　pray　for
him；　for　myself；　and　for　the　unhappy　king；　I　can　only　pray　that　the
bold　eagle　may　not　finally　conclude　that　the　vacant　throne　will　be
an　aerie　worthy　of　himself；　and　occupy　it。〃

〃But　you　believe　that　he　will　do　so？〃　asked　the　princess；　quickly。

〃Oh；　my　dear；〃　replied　Josephine；　with　a　melancholy　smile；　〃no　one
is　able　to　know　at　the　present　time；　nay；　even　to　conjecture；　what
Bonaparte　will　do；　no　one；　not　even　myself。　His　mind　is
impenetrable；　and　he　only　speaks　of　what　he　has　done；　not　of　what　he
is　going　to　do。　His　plans　lie　inscrutable　and　silent　in　his　breast；
and　nobody　can　boast　that　he　is　aware　of　them。　He　knows　that　I　am　a
royalist　at　heart；　and　he　often　mocks　me　for　it；　but　more　frequently
he　is　angry　with　me　on　this　account。　Since　the　French　people　have
elected　him　First　Consul　for　life；　I　see　him　tremble　and　frown
whenever　I　dare　to　mention　our　exiled　king；　and　to　call　him　our
master。　He　has　strictly　ordered　me　to　receive　no　stranger　unless　he
has　given