louisa of prussia and her times-第95部分

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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　crime　to　her。　Oh；　my　dear　mistress　of
ceremonies！　my　dear　mistress　of　ceremonies！〃　she　cried。

The　door　of　the　adjoining　room　opened　immediately；　and　the　Countess
von　Voss　made　her　appearance。

〃Your　majesty　has　called　me；〃　she　said；　and；　after　looking　around
the　room；　she　cast　a　glance　of　surprise　on　the　clock。

〃Ah；　my　dear　countess；　you　are　surprised　that　Mr。　Himmel；　my
singing…master；　has　already　left；　although　the　hour　has　only　half
expired？〃　asked　the　queen；　merrily。

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　the　countess；　sighing；　〃I　really　ought　no
longer　to　be　surprised　at　any　thing；　nor　wonder　at　any　violation　of
etiquette；　for　such　things；　unfortunately；　occur　every　day　and　every
hour。　Your　majesty　knows；　moreover；　that　this　Mr。　Himmel　is
altogether　distasteful　to　me。〃

〃And　why？〃　asked　the　queen；　gayly。

〃Your　majesty；　because　it　is　contrary　to　etiquette　for　a　queen　to
take　lessons；　and　to　have　a　teacher。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Louisa。　〃According　to　etiquette；　then；　a　queen　is
not　permitted　to　learn　any　thing　after　ascending　the　throne？〃

〃No；　your　majesty；　for　it　is　entirely　unbecoming　that　one　of　your
subjects　should　become　the　teacher　of　his　queen；　and　that　anybody
should　be　permitted　and　dare　to　censure　her。〃

〃Well；　do　not　you　do　so　very　often；　my　dear　countess？〃　asked　the
queen；　good…naturedly。

〃I　dare　not　censure　the　queen；　but　merely　to　defend　and　maintain
etiquette；　as　my　duty　and　official　position　require　me　to　do。　But　a
queen　who　takes　lessons　must　descend　from　her　throne　so　long　as　her
teacher　is　with　her；　must　renounce　her　exalted　position；　and　obey
instead　of　commanding。　In　such　a　case；　therefore；　etiquette　is
altogether　out　of　the　question。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Louisa；　merrily。　〃Mr。　Himmel；　the　concert…
master；　at　least；　entirely　coincides　with　you；　and　he　takes　no
notice　whatever　of　etiquette。　Shall　I　confess　to　you；　my　dear
countess；　why　Mr。　Himmel　has　run　away　to…day　half　an　hour　before　the
regular　time？〃

〃Run　away？〃　asked　the　mistress　of　ceremonies；　in　dismay。　〃He　has
dared　to　run　away　in　the　presence　of　your　majesty？〃

〃Yes；　he　has　dared　to　do　so；　but　previously　he　has　dared　to　do
something　a　great　deal　worse。　He　hasbut；　dear　countess；　sit　down；
you　might　turn　giddy。〃

〃Oh　no；　your　majesty；　permit　me　to　stand。　Your　majesty　was　going　to
communicate　graciously　to　me　what　Mr。　Himmelthis　teacher　of　a
queen　is　not　even　a　noblemanhas　dared　to　do　in　the　presence　of
your　majesty。〃

〃Well；　listen　to　me；〃　said　the　queen；　smiling；　and　bending　down
closely　to　the　ear　of　the　countess；　she　whispered：　〃He　has　kissed　my
shoulder！〃

The　mistress　of　ceremonies　uttered　a　piercing　cry　and　tottered　back
in　dismay。

〃Kissed！〃　she　faltered。

〃Yes；　kissed；〃　sighed　the　queen；　〃I　really　believe　it　is　still　to　be
seen。〃

She　walked　with　light；　swinging　steps　to　the　large　looking…glass；
and　looked　at　her　shoulder　with　a　charming；　child…like　smile。

〃Yes；　that　small　red　spot　there　is　Mr。　Himmel's　crime！〃　she　said。
〃Tell　me　what　punishment　he　has　deserved；　countess。〃

〃That　is　a　question　for　the　courts　alone　to　decide；〃　said　the
mistress　of　ceremonies；　solemnly；　〃for　we　shall　bring　the
occurrence；　of　course；　at　once　to　their　notice。　Orders　should　be
issued　immediately　to　arrest　him；　and　his　punishment　should　be　as
unparalleled　as　was　his　offence。　Your　majesty　will　permit　me　to
repair　at　once　to　the　king　in　order〃。

〃No；　my　dear　mistress　of　ceremonies；〃　said　the　queen；　who　was　still
standing　in　front　of　the　looking　glass　and　contemplating　her　own
form；　not　with　the　contented　looks　of　a　conceited　woman；　but　with
the　calm；　stern　eyes　of　a　critic　examining　a　work　of　art〃no；　my
dear　mistress　of　ceremonies；　we　shall　take　good　care　not　to　raise　a
hue　and　cry　about　it。　And　Mr。　Himmel　is　not　so　culpable；　after　all；
as　he　seems　to　be。〃

〃What！　Your　majesty　intends　to　defend　him？〃

〃Not　to　defend；　but　to　excuse　him；　my　dear　countess。　He　was　at　my
side　as　my　dear　old　teacher；　and　I　was　to　him　not　a　queen；　but　a
pupil；　and；　moreover；　a　pupil　with　very　beautiful　shoulders。　My　dear
countess；　I　am　really　more　culpable　than　poor　Himmel；　for；　if　the
queen　becomes　a　pupil；　she　must　remember　that　her　teacher　is　a　man；
and　she　must　not　treat　him　merely　as　an　automaton　instructing　her。
The　only　judge　who　is　able　to　decide　this　matter　is　my　husband；　the
king。　He　shall　pronounce　judgment　on　it；　and　if　he　permits　Mr。
Himmel　to　come　back；　I　shall　go　on　with　my　singing…lessons。
However；〃　added　the　queen；　smiling；　and　blushing　delicately；　〃in
future　I　shall　wrap　a　shawl　around　my　shoulders。　And　now；　my　dear
countess；　pray　let　us　not　mention　this　little　affair　to　anybody。　I
shall　submit　it　to　the　king　and　ask　him　to　decide　it。〃

〃I　shall　be　silent　because　your　majesty　orders　me　to　keep　the
occurrence　secret；〃　sighed　the　countess。　〃But　it　is　unheard…of；　it
is　dreadful。　It　is　rank　treason；　and　the　offended　royal　majesty　will
forgive　without　punishing。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　will！〃　exclaimed　the　queen；　joyfully。　〃Forgiving　without
punishing；　is　not　that　the　most　sacred　and　sublime　power　of　a　queen；
is　it　not　the　most　brilliant　gem　in　our　crown？　How　miserable　and
deplorable　would　monarchs　be　if　God　had　not　conferred　the　right　of
mercy　upon　them！　We　stand　ourselves　so　much　in　need　of　mercy　and
forbearance；　for　we　commit　errors　and　faults　like　other　mortals；　and
yet　we　judge　and　punish　like　gods。　Let　us　be　merciful；　therefore；
that　we　may　be　judged　mercifully。〃

The　door　of　the　anteroom　opened　at　this　moment；　and　the　chamberlain…
in…waiting　entered。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　〃Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　and　Minister　von
Hardenberg　beg　leave　to　wait　on　your　majesty。〃

〃I　expected　these　gentlemen　at　this　hour；〃　said　the　queen；　glancing
at　the　clock；　〃let　them　come　in；　therefore。　And　you；　my　dear
countess；　farewell。〃

〃Your　majesty　orders　me　to　withdraw？〃　asked　the　mistress　of
ceremonies；　hesitatingly；　〃Etiquette　requires　that　the　queen　should
give　her　audiences　only　in　the　presence　of　her　mistress　of
ceremonies；　or　of　one　of　her　ladies　of　honor。〃

〃My　dear　countess；〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　slight　tinge　of
impatience；　〃I　am　not　going　to　give　any　audience；　but　merely　to
receive　a　friendly　visit　from　my　royal　cousin　and　his　friend；　as　I
know　it　is　their　intention　to　communicate　to　me　matters　which　no　one
except　myself　can　hear；　I　shall　receive　them　alone。　Hence　be　so　kind
as　to　withdraw。〃

〃His　royal　highness　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand　and　his　excellency
Minister　von　Hardenberg！〃　shouted　the　footman；　opening　the　folding…
doors。

The　queen　nodded　a　parting　greeting　to　the　mistress　of　ceremonies；
and　advanced　a　few　steps　to　meet　the　visitors；　while　the　countess；
heaving　mournful　sighs；　disappeared　through　the　side…door。




CHAPTER　XLV。

THE　CONFERENCE。


Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；　a　nephew　of　Frederick　the　Great；　and
Minister　von　Hardenberg；　were　at　that　time　the　most　popular　men　in
Prussia；　because　they　were　known　to　be　the　leaders　of　the　party
which　at　the　court　of　Berlin　considered　the　accession　of　Prussia　to
the　coalition　of　Russia；　England；　and　Austria；　as　the　only　means　to
save　the　country；　while　Minister　von　Haugwitz；　Lombard；　the　first
secretary　of　foreign　affairs；　and　General　Kockeritz；　constantly
renewed　their　efforts　to　win　the　king　to　an　alliance　with　France。

Prince　Ferdinand；　a　fine　looking　young　man；　scarcely　thirty　years　of
age；　in　his　brilliant　uniform；　in　which　his　tall　and　noble　form
presented　a　very　imposing　appearance；　and　in　which　he　looked　like
the　incarnation　of　an　heroic　warrior；　was　consequently　the　special
favorite　of　the　soldiers；　who　told　the　most　astonishing　and
incredible　stories　about　his　intrepidity　and　hardihood。　He　was；
besides；　the　favorite　of　the　ladies；　who　called　him　the　best…looking
and　most　amiable　man　in　the　whole　monarchy；　and；　with　amiable
indulgence；　attributed　his　many　adventures　and　acts　of　inconstancy；
his　wild　and　dissipated　life；　his　extravagance　and　numerous　debts；
to　the　genius　of　the　prince。　He　was；　indeed；　an　extraordinary　man；
one　of　those　on　whose　brow　Providence　has　imprinted　the　stamp　of
genius；not　to　their　own　good；　but　to　their　misfortune；　and　who
either　miserably　perish　by　their　genius；　or　constantly　inflict　with
it　the　most　painful　wounds　upon　others。

Minister　von　Hardenberg；　who　now；　after　a　long　struggle；　had
succeeded　in　overcoming　the　influence　of　Minister　von　Haugwitz；　and；
with　him；　that　of　the　French　party；　was　one　of　those　rare　and
extraordinary　statesmen　who　have　made　diplomacy　not　a　business；　but
the　task　of　their　whole　life；　and　who　have　devoted　to　it　all　the
strength；　all　the　thoughts　and　feelings　of　their　soul。　A　native　of
Hanover；　and　receiving　rapid　promotion　at　the　hands　of　the
government　of　that　country；　he　had；　nevertheless；　soon　entered　the
service　of　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；　who　had　charged　him；　after　the
death　of　Frederick　the　Great；　to　take　the　king's　will；　which　had
been　deposited　in　the　ducal　archives　at　Brunswick；　to　Berlin。
＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　202。＇　King
Frederick　William　the　Second；　who　was　so　sagacious　as　to　perceive
and　appreciate　the　diplomatic　talents　of　the　young　ambassador；　had
induced　him　to　enter　his　service；　and　intrusted　to　him　the　difficult
mission　of　negotiating　the　annexation　of　Baireuth　to　Prussia；　of
settling　the　claims　of　the　margrave；　of　paying　the　crushing　burden
of　the　debts　of　Baireuth　as　speedily　as　possible；　and　of　restoring
the　country；　which　had　suffered　so　much；　to　its　former　prosperity
and　content。　Afterward　he　had　been　appointed　minister　of　state　and
war　in　Prussia；　and　since　that　time　he　had　always　displayed　the
greatest　activity　and　zeal　in　serving　Prussia　according　to　the
dictates　of　his　honest　conviction；　but　at　the　same　time　also　to
guard　the　interests　of　the　great　fatherland；　the　interests　of
Germany。　The　influence　of　France；　above　all；　seemed　to　him　to
endanger　these　interests；　hence　he　believed　it　to　be　specially
incumbent　upon　him　to　preserve　at　least　Prussia　from　this　noxious
influence　and　to　push　h