louisa of prussia and her times-第88部分

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admiration。　For　four　weeks　I　read　in　my　leisure　hours　nothing　but
this　book；　and　I　felt　my　mind　consecrated；　strengthened；　and　nerved
again　for　every　thing　great　and　good。〃

〃If　you　say　this；〃　exclaimed　Muller；　〃I　have　not　labored　in　vain；
although　a　German　author　feels　sometimes　tempted　to　believe　that　all
his　labors；　all　his　writing　and　thinking　were　useless　efforts；　and
nothing　but　seed　scattered　upon　barren　and　sterile　soil；　and　unable
to　bear　fruit。　Oh；　my　friend；　what　unfortunate　days　of　humiliation
and　disgrace　are　still　in　store　for　Germany！　But　let　us　not　talk　of
this　now；　but　of　you。　Come；　let　us　seat　ourselves　side　by　side　upon
this　divan。　And　now　tell　me　of　your　successes　and　your　glory。　The
report　of　it　has　reached　me；　and　I　have　learned　with　unenvying
delight　with　what　enthusiasm　the　whole　literary　and　political　world
of　England　has　received　you；　and　how　the　court；　the　ministers；　and
the　aristocracy　of　Loudon　have　celebrated　the　great　German　writer
and　politician。〃

〃It　is　true　I　have　met　in　Loudon　with　much　kindness　and　a　flattering
reception；〃　said　Gentz；　smilingly。　〃You　know　a　German　writer　must　go
abroad　if　he　lays　claim　to　recognition　and　reward；　for；　as　the
proverb　says；　'The　prophet　is　not　without　honor；　save　in　his　own
country。'　I　had；　therefore；　to　go　to　England　in　order　to　secure　for
my　voice；　which　until　then　was　little　heeded；　some　authority　even　in
Germany。〃

〃And　now；　when　you　have　so　eminently　succeeded　in　this；　you　return　I
hope　forever　to　Germany？〃

〃It　almost　seems　so。　I　follow　a　call　of　the　Austrian　minister；
Cobenzl；　and　have　been　appointed　in　Vienna　as　Aulic　councillor；　with
a　salary　of　four　thousand　florins。〃

〃And　in　which　ministry　will　you　work？〃

〃Not　in　any　particular　one。　I　have　been　engaged　for　extraordinary
services　exclusively；　with　no　other　obligation　than；　as　Minister　von
Cobenzl　expressly　writes；　to　work　by　my　writings　for　the　maintenance
of　the　government；　of　morals；　and　order。〃

A　smile　stole　over　the　delicate　features　of　Muller。

〃Exactly　the　same　words　which　the　Minister　von　Thugut　said　to　me　two
years　ago。　And　you　have　had　the　courage　to　accept　the　position？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　accepted　it；　because　I　hope　thus　to　render　a　service　to
the　fatherland；　and　to　be　of　advantage　to　it。　I　have　forever　east
off　my　Prussianism；　and　shall　henceforth　become　an　Austrian　with
body　and　soul。〃

〃How　wonderful　are　the　dispensations　of　fate！　for　I　must　reply　to
you　that　I　have　cast　off　forever　my　Austrianism；　and　shall
henceforth　become　a　Prussian　with　body　and　soul。〃

〃Ah；　you　go　to　Prussia！　You　leave　the　Austrian　service？〃

〃Yes；　forever。　I　follow　a　call　to　Berlin。〃

〃Oh；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　〃I　have　not　the　courage　to　complain　that　I
have　to　do　without　you　in　Vienna；　for　fate　in　its　wisdom　has
disposed　of　both　of　us；　and　it　will　make　us　available　for　the　great；
sublime　cause　of　Germany。　Being　both　stationed　at　one　place；　our
efforts　could　not　be　so　far　reaching；　so　powerful；　and　therefore
fate　sets　you　up　in　the　north　of　Germany；　and　me　in　the　south；　in
order　that　our　voices　may　resound　hither　and　thither　throughout
Germany；　and　awaken　all　minds　and　kindle　all　energies　for　the　one
grand　aim；　the　delivery　and　the　honor　of　Germany。〃

〃You　still　believe；　then；　in　the　honor　of　Germany　and　the
possibility　of　its　delivery；〃　Muller　inquired；　with　a　sigh。

〃Yes。　I　still　believe　in　it；〃　Gentz　exclaimed；　with　enthusiasm；　〃but
to　that　end　many　things　must　yet　be　done；　many　things　must　be　aimed
at　and　changed。　Above　all；　two　things　are　necessary。　In　the　first
place；　the　old　enmity　between　Austria　and　Prussia　must　disappear；
and　both　must　firmly　unite　with　each　other　and　with　England　against
France。　It　is　this　which　I　in　Vienna　and　you　in　Berlin　must　never
lose　sight　ofwhich　we　must　aim　at　with　all　the　power　of　our　spirit
and　of　our　eloquence；　for　it　is　one　of　the　last　measures　which　are
left　for　maintaining　the　independence　of　Europe　and　for　averting　the
deluge　of　evils　which　break　forth　more　terribly　every　day。　From　the
moment　when　Austria　and　Prussia　shall　stand　upon　one　line　and　move
in　one　direction；　there　will　be　nowhere　in　Germany　particular
interests。　All　the　greater　and　lesser　princes　would　at　once　and
without　hesitation　place　themselves　under　the　wings　of　this　powerful
alliancethe　well…disposed　cheerfully　and　out　of　conviction；　and
the　unpatriotic　ones　through　fear。　So　much　of　the　constitution　as
has　been　rescued　from　this　last　shipwreck；　would　be　safe　for　the
duration　of　this　alliance；　and　so　much　of　it　as　must　be　altered；
would　be　altered　according　to　the　principles　of　justice　and　of　the
common　weal；　and　not　according　to　the　disgraceful　demands　of　French
and　Russian　land　agents。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　exclaimed　Johannes　Muller；　〃a　close　alliance　of
Austria　and　Prussia　is　necessary；　and　only　through　it；　and　through
it　alone；　the　maintenance　of　the　European　equilibrium　is　possible；
but　for　the　present　we　must　lean　on　the　power　of　Russia　and　the
resources　of　England。〃

〃No；　no；〃　Gentz　exclaimed；　vehemently；　〃no　communion　with　Russia！
Russia　is　a　friend　who　can　never　be　trusted；　for　whenever　it　shall
be　her　advantage　she　will　at　any　moment　be　ready　to　become　the　most
bitter　enemy　of　her　friends。　But　really　we　have　had　a　striking　and
terrible　example；　of　this　when　the　Emperor　Paul　suddenly　separated
from　Germany　and　England　in　order　to　ally　himself　with　France。　But
the　union　of　France　and　Russia　is　the　most　threatening　and　terrible
combination　for　the　whole　remainder　of　Europe。　Of　all　the　wounds
which　during　the　last　ten　years　have　been　inflicted　upon　the　old
political　system；　and　in　particular　upon　the　independence　of
Germany；　those　which　were　caused　by　the　temporary　agreement　between
France　and　Russia　were　the　deepest　and　most　incurable。　If　this　comet
should　rise　a　second　time　over　our　heads；　the　world　will　go　up　in
flames。　What　is　to　resist　the　combined　power　of　these　two　colossuses
unless　the　united　weight　and　the　united　bulk　of　Germany　hinders
their　embrace？　The　western　colossus　has　long　since　broken　through
its　old　barriers；　all　the　outposts　are　in　its　power；　all　the
fortresses　which　do　not　belong　to　it　are　dismantled；　all　the　points
of　military　defence　are　outflanked。　From　Switzerland　and　Italy；　from
the　peaks　of　the　conquered　Alps；　it　may　irresistibly　pounce　upon　the
centime　of　the　Austrian　monarchy　and　invade　the　exposed　provinces　of
the　undefended　Prussian　kingdom。　And　now　let　it　please　Providence　to
elevate　upon　the　Russian　throne　a　prince　full　of　ambition　and　thirst
of　conquest；　and　the　subjugation　of　Germany；　the　dissolution　of　all
the　empires　still　existing；　a　double　universal　monarchy　would；　under
the　present　circumstances；　be　the　next　consequence；　and　if　the
present　system；　or　rather　the　present　hopeless　languor　should
continue　for　several　more　years；　this　must　sooner　or　later　be　the
inevitable　destiny　of　Germany。〃

〃There　is　now　for　Germany　only　one　enemy；〃　Johannes　Muller　said；
vehemently；　〃and　this　enemy　is　Franceis　Bonaparte！　A　new　crisis
approaches；　of　this　I　am　convinced。　Bonaparte　will　not　be　satisfied
with　the　title　and　the　office　of　a　First　Consul　for　life；　he　will
place　a　crown　upon　his　head；　and　threateningly　oppose　himself　with
his　sceptre　to　all　monarchies；　and　they　will　either　have　to　humble
themselves　before　him　or　to　unite　against　him。　Therefore；　no　other；
no　possible　future　enemy；　should　be　thought　of　at　this　time；　but
only　the　universal　foe　and　his　government；　so　incompatible　with
general　tranquillity。　Let　all　the　hatred　of　the　nation　be　poured
down　on　him；　and　on　him　alone；　by　everywhere　spreading　the
conviction　that　nothing　interferes　with　the　preservation　of　peace
throughout　the　world　but　his　existence。〃　＇Footnote：　Muller's　own
words。Vide　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　vii。；　p。　58。＇
〃There　is　something　else　I　would　wish　for　Germany；〃　said　Gentz；
musingly。　〃I　will　now　reveal　to　you　my　innermost　thoughts；　my
friend；　for　I　am　satisfied　that　our　meeting　here　was　a　dispensation
of　fate。　Providence　has　decreed　that　we；　the　intellectual　champions
of　Germany；　should　agree　here　on　the　plans　of　our　campaign　and
concert　measures　for　our　joint　action。　Therefore；　you　shall　descend
with　me　into　the　depths　of　my　heart　and　see　the　result　to　which　I
have　been　led　by　many　years'　reflection　concerning　the　causes　and
progress　of　the　great　convulsions　of　our　day；　and　by　my　own　grief　at
the　political　decay　of　Germany。　The　result　is　the　firm　belief　that
it　would　be　by　far　better　for　Germany　to　be　united　into　one　state。
Oh；　do　not　look　at　me　in　so　surprised　and　angry　a　manner！　I　know
very　well；　and　I　have　reflected　a　great　deal　about　it；　how　salutary
an　influence　has　been　exerted　by　the　dismemberment　of　Germany　on　the
free　development　of　the　individual　faculties；　I　acknowledge　that；
considered　individually；　we　might　very　probably　not　have　reached；　in
a　great　and　centralized　monarchy；　the　proud　and　glorious　eminence　we
are　occupying　at　the　present　time；　and　so　far；　as　a　nation；　after
all；　only　consists　of　individuals；　I　am　unable　to　perceive　exactly
how　ours；　without　anarchy；　could　have　acquired　the　distinction　which
it　might　boast　of　if　it　were　a　nation！　But　whenever　I　think　that　it
is　no　nationwhenever　I　think　that　France　and　England；　with　greatly
inferior　faculties　and　means；　have　grown　up　to　that　true　totality　of
human　lifeto　that　true　nationality　which　nothing　is　able　to
destroywhenever　I　think　and　feel　that　foreigners；　on　whom　we　may
look　down　from　our　exalted　stand…point；　in　matters　of　politics；
trample　on　our　necks；　and　are　allowed　to　treat　us　as　though　we　were
their　servants；　all　consolations　derived　from　our　grand　and
magnificent　individuality　vanish　and　leave　me　alone　with　my　grief。
＇Footnote：　Gentz's　own　words。Vide　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃
vol。　vii。；　p。　20。＇　I　am　free　to　confess　to　you　that　I　have　already
gone　so　far　on　the　road　of　those　mournful　reflections　as　to　consider
it　very　doubtful　whether　the　whole　history　of　Germany　was　ever
treated　from　a　correct　point　of　view。　I　know　but　too　well　that　the
princes　of　the　house　of　Austria　seldom；　if　ever；　deserved　to　be　the
rulers　of　Germany；　but　I　do　not　believe　that　there