louisa of prussia and her times-第87部分

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leisurely　putting　his　hands　into　his　pockets；　sauntering　down　to　the
chaise；　and　casting　a　disdainful　glance　into　its　interior。

There　was　also　a　single　gentleman　in　it；　but　his　appearance　was　less
prepossessing　and　indicative　of　liberality　than　that　of　the　former
stranger。　The　new…comer　was　a　little　gentleman；　with　a　pale　face　and
a　sickly　form。　His　mien　was　grave　and　care…worn；　his　dark　eyes　were
gloomy　and　stern；　his　expansive　forehead　was　thoughtful　and　clouded。

〃May　I　have　a　room　in　your　hotel？〃　he　asked；　in　a　clear；　ringing
voice。

〃Certainly；　sir；　as　nice　and　elegant　as　you　may　desire；〃　said　the
porter；　condescendingly。

〃I　do　not　require　it　to　be　nice　and　elegant；〃　replied　the　stranger。
〃Only　a　small　room　with　a　comfortable　bed；　that　is　all　I　care　for。〃

〃It　is　at　your　disposal；　sir；〃　said　the　porter；　and　beckoning　the
youngest　waiter　to　assist　the　stranger　in　alighting；　he　added：　〃Take
the　gentleman　to　one　of　the　smaller　rooms　on　the　first　floor。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃I　do　not　ask　for　a　room　on　the　first
floor；　I　shall　be　satisfied　with　one　on　the　second　floor。　Be　kind
enough　to　pay　my　fare　to　the　coachman；　he　gets　ten　florins。　You　may
put　it　down　on　my　bill。〃

〃And　will　you　give　me　no　drink…money？〃　asked　the　coachman；　angrily。
〃The　gentleman　will　assuredly　not　refuse　me　drink…money　after　a
three　days'　journey？〃

〃My　friend；　I　did　not　agree　to　pay　you　any　thing　but　those　ten
florins；〃　said　the　stranger。　〃I　will　comply　with　your　demand；
however；　for　you　have　been　an　excellent　driver。〃

He　handed　half　a　florin　to　the　coachman；　and　entered　the　hotel　with
measured　steps。

〃Do　you　want　supper？〃　asked　the　waiter；　conducting　him　upstairs。

〃Yes；　if　you　please；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃but　no　expensive　supper；
merely　a　cup　of　tea　and　some　bread　and　meat。〃

〃A　poor　devil！〃　muttered　the　porter；　shrugging　his　shoulders
disdainfully；　and　following　the　stranger　with　his　eyes。　〃A　very　poor
devil！　only　a　room　on　the　second　floor；　tea　and　bread　and　meat　for
supper！　He　must　be　a　savant；　a　professor；　or　something　of　that
sort。〃

Meantime　the　footman　and　the　waiter　had　carried　the　heavy　trunk；
with　the　gold　and　other　valuables；　up…stairs　to　the　rooms　of　the
stranger　on　the　first　floor。　These　rooms　were　really　furnished　in
the　most　sumptuous　manner；　and　worthy　to　be　inhabited　by　guests　of
princely　rank。　Heavy　silk　and　gold　hangings　covered　the　walls；
blinds　of　costly　velvet；　fringed　with　gold；　veiled　the　high　arched
windows；　precious　Turkish　carpets　adorned　the　floor；　gilt　furniture；
carved　in　the　most　artistic　manner　and　covered　with　velvet　cushions；
added　to　the　splendor　and　beauty　of　the　rooms。

The　stranger　lay　on　one　of　the　magnificent　sofas　when　the　trunk　with
his　valuables　was　brought　in。　He　ordered　the　footman　with　a　wave　of
his　hand　to　place　the　trunk　before　him　on　the　marble　table；　wrought
by　some　Florentine　artisan；　and　then　he　leisurely　stretched　out　his
legs　again　on　the　velvet　sofa。

Scarcely　had　the　door　closed　again　behind　the　footman　and　the
waiter；　however；　when　he　hastily　rose；　and　drawing　the　trunk　toward
him；　opened　it　with　a　small　key　fastened　to　his　watch…chain。

〃I　believe　I　will　now　at　length　add　up　my　riches；〃　he　said　to
himself。　〃The　time　of　the　golden　rain；　I　am　afraid　is　over；　at　least
for　the　present；　for；　in　Germany；　an　author　and　savant　is　never
taken　for　a　Danae；　and　no　one　wants　to　be　a　Jove　and　lavish　a　golden
rain　upon　him。　The　practical　English；　who　are　more　sagacious　in
every　respect；　know；　too；　how　to　appreciate　a　writer　of　merit；　and
pay　him　better　for　his　works。　Thank　God　I　was　in　England！　Let　us　see
now　how　much　we　have　got。〃

He　plunged　his　hands　into　the　small　trunk　and　drew　them　forth　filled
with　gold　pieces。

〃How　well　that　sounds！〃　he　said；　throwing　the　gold　pieces　on　the
table；　and　constantly　adding　new　ones　to　them。　〃There　is　no　music　of
the　spheres　to　be　compared　with　this　sound；　and　no　view　is　more
charming　than　the　aspect　of　this　pile　of　gold。　How　many　tender　love…
glances；　how　many　sumptuous　dinners；　how　many　protestations　of
friendship　and　love…pledges；　how　many　festivals　and　pleasures　do　not
flash　forth　from　those　gold　pieces；　as　though　they　were　an　enchanted
mine！　As　a　good　general；　I　will　count　my　troops；　and　thus　enable
myself　to　draw　up　the　plans　of　my　battles。〃

A　long　pause　ensued。　Nothing　was　heard　but　the　music　of　the　gold
pieces；　which　the　traveller　arranged　in　long　rows　on　the　marble
table；　and　the　figures　which　he　muttered；　while　his　countenance　grew
every　moment　more　radiant。

〃Five　hundred　guineas！〃　he　exclaimed　joyfully；　〃that　sum　is
equivalent　to　three　thousand　three　hundred　and　thirty…three　dollars
in　Prussian　money；　there　are；　besides；　two　thousand…pound　notes　in
my　wallet；　amounting　to　over　thirteen　thousand　dollars；　which；
together　with　my　guineas；　will　amount　to　over　sixteen　thousand
dollars　cash。　Oh；　now　I　am　a　rich　man！　I　no　longer　need　deny　to
myself　any　wish；　any　enjoyment。　I　can　enjoy　life；　and　I　WILL　enjoy
it。　As　a　stream　of　enjoyment　and　delight　my　days　shall　roll　along；
and　to　enjoyment　glory　shall　be　added；　and　throughout　all　Germany　my
voice　shall　resound；　in　all　cabinets　it　shall　reecho；　and　to　the
destinies　of　nations　it　shall　point　out　their　channel　and　direction。
For　great　things　I　am　called；　and　great　things　will　I　accomplish。　I
will　not　allow　myself　to　be　used　by　these　lords　of　the　earth　as　a
journeyman；　to　whom　the　masters　assign　work　for　scanty　pay。　Their
equal　and　peer；　I　will　stand　by　their　side；　and　they　shall　recognize
it　as　a　favor　which　they　cannot　weigh　up　with　gold；　if　I　take　the
word　for　them　and　their　interests；　and　win　battles　for　them　with　my
pen。〃

There　was　a　gentle　knock　at　the　door；　and　quickly　he　threw　his
silken　handkerchief　over　the　gold　pieces　and　papers；　and　closed　the
cover　of　his　casket　before　he　gave　permission　to　enter。

It　was　only　a　few　waiters；　who　carried　a　well…spread　table；　in　the
midst　of　which　a　splendid　pheasant　stretched　its　brownish；　shining
limbs；　and　filled　the　whole　room　with　the　odor　of　the　truffles　with
which　it　was　stuffed。　By　its　side　shone；　in　crystal　bottles；　the
most　precious　Rhine　wine；　looking　like　liquid　gold；　and　a　silent；
still　undisclosed　pie　gave　a　presentiment　of　a　piquant　enjoyment。

The　traveller　sipped　the　several　odors　with　smiling　comfort；　and
took　his　place　at　the　table　with　the　full　confidence　that　he　would
be　able　to　fill　the　next　half　hour　of　his　life　with　enjoyment　and　to
advantage。

In　this　confidence　he　was　not　disappointed；　and　when　he　finally　rose
from　the　table；　on　which　nothing　but　bones　had　remained　of　the
pheasant；　and　nothing　but　the　bare　crust　of　the　pie；　his　countenance
beamed　with　satisfaction　and　delight。

The　waiters　made　haste　to　remove　the　table；　and　the　head　waiter　made
his　appearance　with　the　large　hotel　register；　in　which　he　asked　the
traveller　to　enter　his　name。

He　was　ready　for　it；　and　already　took　the　pen　to　write　his　name；
when　suddenly　he　uttered　a　cry　of　surprise；　and　excitedly　pointed
with　his　finger　to　the　last　written　line　of　the　book。

〃Is　this　gentleman　still　in　your　hotel；　or　has　he　already　left？〃　he
asked；　hastily。

〃No；　your　honor；　this　gentleman　arrived　only　an　hour　ago；　and　he
will　stay　here　to…night。〃　said　the　head　waiter。

〃Oh；　what　a　surprise；〃　said　the　traveller；　starting　up。　〃Come；
please　to　conduct　me　at　once　to　this　gentleman。〃

And；　with　impatient　haste；　he　ran　to　the　door；　which　the　head　waiter
opened　to　him。　But　upon　the　threshold　he　suddenly　stopped　and　seemed
to　pause。

〃Pray　wait　for　me　here　in　this　hall；　I　shall　follow　you
immediately；〃　he　said；　as　he　returned　to　his　room；　closed　its　door；
and　hastened　to　the　table　in　order　to　put　his　gold　and　his　papers
into　the　casket　and　to　lock　it。

In　the　mean　while；　the　traveller　in　the　small　room　of　the　second
floor　had　finished　his　frugal　meal；　and　was　now　occupied　with　making
up　his　account　and　entering　the　little　travelling　expenses　of　the
last　few　days　into　his　diary。

〃It　is　after　all　an　expensive　journey；〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃I
shall　hardly　have　a　few　hundred　florins　left　on　my　arrival　at
Berlin。　It　is　true　the　first　quarter　of　my　salary　will　at　once　be
paid　to　me；　but　one…half　of　it　I　have　already　assigned　to　my
creditors；　and　the　other　half　will　scarcely　suffice　to　furnish
decently　a　few　rooms。　Oh；　how　much　are　those　to　be　envied；　the
freedom　and　cheerfulness　of　whose　minds　are　never　disturbed　by
financial　troubles！〃

A　loud　knock　at　the　door　interrupted　him；　he　hastened　to　put　back
his　money　into　his　pocket…book；　when　the　door　was　hastily　opened　and
the　stranger　of　the　first　story　appeared　in　it　with　a　smiling
countenance。

〃Frederick　Gentz！〃　exclaimed　the　owner　of　the　room；　in　joyful
surprise。

〃Johannes　Muller！〃　smilingly　exclaimed　the　other；　running　up　to　him
with　outstretched　arms；　and　tenderly　embracing　the　little　man；　the
great　historian。　〃What　good　fortune　for　me；　my　friend；　that　I　put　up
at　this　hotel；　where　I　was　to　have　the　pleasure　of　meeting　you！
Accidentally　I　found　in　the　hotel　register　your　name；　and　at　once　I
rushed　to　welcome　you。〃

〃And　by　coming　you　afford　to　my　heart　a　true　joy；〃　tenderly　said
Johannes　Muller；　〃for　nothing　can　afford　a　greater　joy　than　the
unexpected　meeting　with　a　beloved　and　esteemed　friend；　and　you　know
you　are　both　to　me。〃

〃I　only　know　that　you　are　both　to　me！〃　exclaimed　Gentz。　〃I　only　know
that　during　my　present　journey　I　am　indebted　to　you　for　the　most
precious　hours；　for　the　most　sublime　enjoyments。　I　had　taken　along
for　my　reading　your　work　on　the　'Furstenbund'　（'Alliance　of
Princes'）。　I　wished　to　see　whether　this　book　which；　on　its　first
appearance；　so　powerfully　affected　me；　would　still　have　the　same
effect　upon　me　after　an　interval　of　twenty　years。　The　world　since
then　has　been　transformed　and　changed；　I　myself　not　less；　and　I　was
well　aware　how　far　my　views　on　many　most　important　topics　would
differ　from　yours。　This；　indeed；　I　found　to　be　the　case；　and　yet　the
whole　reading　was　for　me　an　uninterrupted　current　of　delight　and
admiration。　For　four　weeks　I　read　in　my　leisure　hours　nothing　but
this　book；　and　I　felt　my　mind　consecrated；　stren