louisa of prussia and her times-第94部分

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her　servants　and　vassals。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　elector；　vehemently；　〃Austria　constantly
endeavors　to　meddle　with　my　prerogatives　in　an　unbecoming　and
arrogant　manner。　She　would　like　to　degrade　us　to　the　position　of
vassals　who　must　always　be　ready　to　obey　their　emperor；　but　who；
when　they　are　themselves　in　danger；　never　can　count　on　the
assistance　and　support　of　their　emperor。〃

〃Let　us；　then；　dispel　Austria's　illusion　as　though　she　were　your
master；〃　said　Napoleon；　smiling。　〃Become　my　ally；　and　believe　me；　we
shall　have　the　power　to　teach　the　Emperor　of　Austria　to　respect　the
KING　of　Wurtemberg；　my　ally。　Will　you　be　my　ally　for　that　purpose？
Will　you　assist　me；　as　a　German　prince；　in　delivering　Germany　from
the　yoke　Austria　has　laid　around　her　neck？〃

〃Sire；　I　am　ready　to　save　Germany　with　my　life…blood！〃　exclaimed　the
elector；　〃and　as　your　majesty　has　come　to　deliver　Germany　from
Austria；　it　would　be　a　crime　for　any　German　prince　to　withhold　his
assistance　from　you。　Hence；　I　accept　your　alliance。　Here　is　my　hand！
I　shall　stand　by　you　with　my　troops　and　with　my　honor！〃　＇Footnote：
The　whole　account　of　this　interview　is　strictly　historical。　Vide
〃Memoirs　of　General　de　Wolzogen；〃　and　Hausser's　〃History　of
Germany；〃　vol。　ii。　p。　613。　The　Elector　of　Wurtemberg　became　the
third　German　ally　of　the　French　emperor；　the　Electors　of　Bavaria　and
Baden　having　preceded　him。　He　furnished　ten　thousand　German　troops
to　Napoleon。＇




CHAPTER　XLIV。

QUEEN　LOUISA'S　PIANO　LESSON。


The　queen　sat　at　the　piano；　practising　one　of　Reichardt's　new　songs
which　her　singing…teacher；　the　royal　concert…master　and　composer；
Himmel；　had　just　brought　to　her。　The　queen　wore　a　most　brilliant
costume；　which；　however；　seemed　calculated　less　for　her　silent
cabinet　and　for　the　music…teacher　than　for　a　great　gala…day　and　an
aristocratic　assembly　at　court。　A　white　satin　dress；　inter…woven
with　golden　flowers；　and　closely　fitting；　according　to　the　fashion
of　that　period；　surrounded　her　noble　figure。　Her　splendid　white　arms
were　bare；　and　her　wrists　were　adorned　with　two　bracelets　of　gold
and　precious　stones。　Her　neck　and　shoulders；　showing　the　noble　lines
and　forms　of　a　Venus　of　Melos；　were　uncovered　like　her　arms；　and
adorned　only　with　jewelry。　Her　hair；　surrounding　a　forehead　of
classical　beauty　in　waving　masses；　was　fastened　behind　in　a　Grecian
knot　holding　the　golden　diadem；　set　with　diamonds；　which　arose　on
the　queen's　head。　＇Footnote：　A　portrait；　representing　the　queen
precisely　in　this　costume；　may　be　seen　at　the　royal　palace　in
Berlin。＇　A　gentle　blush　mantled　her　cheeks；　and　a　smile　of
melancholy　and　tenderness　trembled　on　her　purple　lips。　She　had　her
hands　on　the　keys；　and　her　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　music…book　before
her；　but　she　had　suddenly　ceased　singing　in　the　middle　of　the　piece；
and　her　voice　had　died　away　in　a　long　sigh。

Mr。　Himmel；　the　concert…master；　stood　behind　her；　he　was　a　man　more
than　forty　years　of　age；　with　a　broad；　full　face；　beaming　with
health；　and　a　tall　and　slender　form　which　would　have　been　more
fitting　for　the　head　of　an　Apollo　than　for　this　head；　which　reminded
the　beholder　of　a　buffalo　rather　than　of　a　god。

When　the　queen　paused；　a　joyful　smile　overspread　his　features；　which
had　hitherto　been　gloomy　and　ill　at　ease。　〃Your　majesty　pauses？〃　he
asked；　hastily。　〃Well；　I　wish　your　majesty　joy　of　it。　That　Mr。
Reichardt；　of　Halle；　is　too　sentimental　and　arrogant　a　composer；　and
never　should　I　have　dared　to　lay　these　new　pieces　of　his　before　your
majesty　if　you　had　not　asked　me　to　bring　you　every　thing　written　by
Reichardt。　Well；　you　have　seen　it　now；　it　displeases　your　majesty；
and　I　am　glad　of　it；　for〃

〃For；〃　said　the　queen；　gently　interrupting　him；　〃for　the　great
composer　Himmel　is　again　jealous　of　the　great　composer　Reichardt。　Is
it　not　so？〃

She　raised　her　dark…blue　eyes　at　this　question　to　Himmel's　face；　and
he　saw　to　his　dismay　that　there　were　tears　in　those　eyes。

〃What！〃　he　asked　in　terror；　〃your　majesty　has　wept？〃

She　nodded　in　the　affirmative；　smiling　gently。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；
after　a　pause；　〃I　have　wept；　and　hence　I　could　not　continue　singing。
Do　not　scold　me；　do　not　be　angry　with　me；　my　dear　and　stern　teacher。
This　song　has　moved　me　profoundly；　it　is　so　simple　and　yet　so
touching；　that　it　must　have　come　out　of　the　depths　of　a　truly　noble
heart。〃

Mr。　Himmel　replied　only　with　a　low　sigh　and　an　almost　inaudible
murmur；　which　the　queen；　however；　understood　very　well。

〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　trying　gently　to　heal　the　jealous　pangs　of　the
composer；　〃perhaps　I　was　so　deeply　moved　by　the　words　rather　than　by
the　music；　these　words　are　so　beautiful　that　it　seems　to　me　Goethe
never　wrote　any　thing　more　beautiful。〃

And　bending　over　the　music…book；　she　read　in　an　undertone：

　　　　〃Wer　nie　sein　Brod　mit　Thranen　ass；
　　　　　Wer　nie　die　kummervollen　Nachte
　　　　　Auf　seinem　Bette　einsam　sass；
　　　　　Der　kennt　euch　nicht；　Ihr　himmlischen　Machte！〃

＇Footnote：
　　　　　　〃He　who　never　ate　his　bread　with　tears；
　　　　　　　He　who　never；　through　nights　of　affliction；
　　　　　　　Sat　on　his　lonely　bed；
　　　　　　　He　does　not　know　you；　powers　of　heaven！〃＇

〃Say　yourself；　Mr。　Himmel；　is　not　that　beautiful　and　touching？〃　she
asked；　looking　up　again　to　her　teacher。

〃Beautiful　and　touching　for　those　who　have　wept　much　and　suffered
much；〃　said　Himmel；　harshly；　〃but　I　cannot　conceive　why　these　words
should　touch　your　majesty；　whose　whole　life　has　hitherto　illuminated
the　world　like　an　uninterrupted　sunny　spring　morning。〃

〃Hitherto；〃　repeated　the　queen；　musingly；　〃yes；　hitherto；　indeed；　my
life　was　a　sunny　spring　morning；　but　who　is　able　to　fathom　what
clouds　may　soon　appear　on　the　horizon；　and　how　cloudy　and　gloomy　the
evening　may　be？　This　song　reechoes　in　my　soul　like　a　melancholy
foreboding；　and　clings　to　its　wings　as　if　it　wanted　to　paralyze
their　flight。　'He　who　never　ate　his　bread　with　tears；'　ah；　how
mournful　it　sounds；　and　what　a　long　story　of　suffering　is　contained
in　these　few　words！〃

The　queen　paused；　and　two　tears；　glistening　more　beautifully　than
the　diamonds　of　her　golden　diadem；　slowly　ran　down　her　cheeks。

Concert…master　Himmel　was　not　courageous　enough　to　interrupt　the
silence　of　the　queen；　or；　may　be；　he　had　not　listened　very
attentively　to　her　words；　and　his　thoughts　perhaps　were　fixed　on
matters　of　an　entirely　different　character；　for　his　air　was　absent
and　gloomy；　his　eyes　glanced　around　the　room；　but　returned
continually　to　the　lovely　form　of　the　queen。

Suddenly　Louisa　seemed　to　arouse　herself　violently　from　her　gloomy
meditation；　and　after　hastily　wiping　the　tears　from　her　eyes　she
forced　herself　to　smile。

〃It　is　not　good　to　give　way　to　melancholy　forebodings；〃　she　said；
〃particularly　in　the　presence　of　a　stern　teacher。　We　must　improve
our　time　in　a　more　useful　manner；　for　time　is　a　very　precious　thing；
and　if　I　had　not　judiciously　profited　by　my　short　leisure　to…day；　I
should　not　have　had　a　single　hour　to　spare　for　my　teacher；　for　there
will　be　a　reception　in　the　palace　to…night；　and　I　must　previously
give　audience　to　several　visitors。　I　have；　therefore；　made　my
evening　toilet　in　the　afternoon；　and　thereby　gained　time　to　take　my
dear　singing…lesson。　But　now　let　us　study；　so　that　your　pupil　may
redound　to　your　honor。〃

〃Oh；　your　majesty；〃　ejaculated　Himmel；　〃my　honor　and　my　happiness！〃

〃Hush；　hush；〃　said　Louisa；　interrupting　him；　with　an　enchanting
smile；　〃no　flattery！　no　court…phrases！　Here　I　am　not　the　queen；　nor
are　you　my　devoted　subject；　I　am　nothing　but　an　obedient　pupil；　and
you　are　my　rigorous　master；　who　has　a　right　to　scold　and　grumble
whenever　I　sing　incorrectly；　and　who　very　frequently　avails　himself
of　this　privilege。　Do　not　apologize　for　it；　but　go　on　in　the　same
manner；　for　I　will　then　only　learn　the　more。〃

〃Your　majesty　sings　like　an　angel；〃　murmured　Himmel；　whose　eyes　were
fixed　steadfastly　on　the　queen。

〃Well；　as　far　as　that　is　concerned；　you　are　a　competent　judge；〃
exclaimed　Lousia；　laughing；　〃for　being　Himmel　（heaven）；　you　must
know　how　the　angels　sing；　and　your　opinion　cannot　be　disputed。　The
angels；　then；　sing　incorrectly；　like　your　obedient　pupil？　Let　the
angels　do　so；　but　not　your　pupil。　Come；　Mr。　Himmel；　sit　down。　It
does　not　behoove　the　maestro　to　stand　at　the　side　of　his　pupil。　Sit
down。〃

She　pointed　with　a　graceful　wave　of　her　hand　at　the　chair　standing
at　her　side；　and　Mr。　Himmel；　complying　with　her　order；　sat　down。　His
glances　returned　involuntarily　to　the　queen；　whose　beauty　only　now
burst　on　his　short…sighted　eyes；　and　whom　he　believed　he　had　never
seen　so　lovely；　so　fascinating　and　graceful。　Her　beautiful　face
seemed　to　him　like　that　of　a　fairy　queen；　and　her　wonderful
shoulders；　her　superb；　dazzling　neck；　which　he　had　never　seen
unveiled　and　so　very　near；　appeared　to　him　like　the　bust　of　a
goddess；　moulded　by　Phidias　from　living　marble。

〃Well；　let　us　commence；〃　said　the　queen；　calmly。　〃Pray　play　the
melody　in　the　treble　and　let　me　play　the　accompaniment　a　few　times；
I　shall　then　be　better　able　to　sing　the　song。〃

She　commenced　eagerly　playing　the　prelude；　while　a　deeper　blush
mantled　her　cheeks。　It　was　Himmel's　turn　now　to　begin　with　the
melody；　his　eyes；　however；　were　not　fixed　on　the　music；　but　on　the
queen；　and　hence　he　blundered　sadly。

〃Well？〃　asked　the　queen；　looking　at　him　in　charming　confusion。　〃You
do　not　play　correctly。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　blundered；　your　majesty；〃　said　Himmel；　gloomily；　〃I
have　blundered；　for　I　am　only　a　man　after　all；　and　cannot　look　into
the　sun　without　having　a　coup　de　soleil。　Your　majesty；　I　have　had
such　a　coup　de　soleil；　and　you　see　I　have　lost　my　reason　in
consequence。〃

With　these　words　he　bent　over　the　queen　and　imprinted　a　glowing　kiss
on　her　shoulders；　then　he　hastily　rose；　took　his　hat；　and　rushed　out
of　the　room。　＇Footnote：　historical＇

The　queen's　eyes　followed　him　with　an　air　of　surprise　and
embarrassment；　then　she　burst　into　ringing；　charming　laughter。

〃Ah；〃　she　said；　〃if　that　austere　'Madame　Etiquette；'　the　mistress　of
ceremonies；　should　have　seen　that；　she　would　have　either　died　with
horror；　or　her　wrath　would　have　crushed　the　criminal。　I　believe　I
will　confess　the　terrible