old fritz and the new era-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


thunders　as　he　did　this　morning；　he　usually　strikes。　I　hope　it　will
agree　with　you。〃　He　slowly　left　the　anteroom；　and　descended　the
stairs　to　mount　his　horse；　which　he　had　bound　to　a　tree。

Wilhelmine　hastened　in　the　mean　time　to　the　prince。　〃Here　is　the
letter　addressed　to　me；〃　said　she；　handing　him　the　sealed　envelope。
〃I　beg　you　to　open　it；　courage　fails　me；　everything　trembles　and
swims　before　my　eyes。　Read　it　aloudI　will　receive　my　sentence　from
your　lips。〃

The　prince　exclaimed；　breaking　the　seal：　〃It　is　the　handwriting　of
the　secret　cabinet　secretary；　Menken；　and　the　message　comes
immediately　from　the　king's　cabinet。　Now；　Wilhelmine；　do　not
tremble；　lean　your　head　upon　me；　and　let　us　read。〃

〃'In　the　name　of　his　majesty；　Wilhelmine　Enke　is　commanded；　under
penalty　of　severe　punishment；　not　to　leave　her　room　or　her　dwelling；
until　the　king　shall　permit　her；　and　send　some　one　to　take　her　and
all　that　belongs　to　her　to　her　place　of　destination。　She　shall
receive　this　order　with　patience　and　humility；　and　consider　her
apartment　as　a　prison；　which　she　shall　not　leave　under　severe
penalty；　nor　allow　any　one　to　enter　it。　Whoever　may　be　with　her　at
the　time　of　receiving　the　order；　who　do　not　belong　there；　shall
speedily　absent　themselves；　and　if　the　same　ride　or　drive　to
Potsdam；　they　shall　immediately　take　a　message　to　his　royal　highness
the　Prince　of　Prussia；　and　announce　to　him　that　his　majesty　expects
him　at　Sans…Souci　at　ten　o'clock　tomorrow　morning。　The　Minister　von
Herzberg　will　be　in　waiting　to　confer　with　the　prince。　The　above　is
communicated　to　Wilhelmine　Enke　for　her　strict　observance；　and　she
will　act　accordingly。'〃

A　long　silence　followed　the　reading　of　this　letter。　Both　looked
down；　thoughtfully　recalling　the　contents。

〃A　prisoner；〃　murmured　Wilhelmine；　〃a　prisoner　in　my　own　house。〃

〃And　for　me　the　peremptory　command　to　leave　immediately　for　Potsdam；
in　order　to　be　at　Sans…Souci　early　in　the　morning。　What　can　the　king
mean？〃

〃He　will　announce　to　you　my　imprisonment；　my　exile；〃　sighed
Wilhelmine。

The　crown　prince　shook　his　head。　〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I　do　not　believe
it。　If　the　king　would　send　you　to　prison；　he　would　not　make　such
preparation；　he　would　not　commence　with　the　house　arrest；　as　if　you
were　an　officer；　who　had　been　guilty　of　some　slight　insubordination；
but　he　would　act　with　decision；　as　is　his　wont。　He　would　at　once
have　sent　you　to　Spandau　or　some　other　prison；　and　left　it　to　me　to
have　taken　further　steps。　Nothe　more　I　think　it　over；　the　more
evident　it　is　to　me　that　the　king　is　not　really　angry；　he　will　only
torment　us　a　little；　as　it　pleases　his　teasing　spirit。　The　chief
thing　now　is　to　obey；　and　give　him　no　further　occasion　for　anger。
You　must　be　very　careful　not　to　leave　your　apartment；　or　to　allow
any　one　to　enter　it。　I　shall　start　without　delay　for　Potsdam。　There
are　spies　posted　as　well　for　you　as　myself；　our　steps　are　watched；
and　an　exact　account　of　them　given。　I　must　away　quickly。〃

〃Must　you　leave　me　a　prisoner？　Oh；　how　hard　and　cruel　life　is！〃

〃Yes；　it　is；　indeed；　Wilhelmine。　But　I　must　also　humbly　submit　and
obey。　Is　not　life　hard　for　me；　and　yet　I　am　crown　prince；　the　heir
to　the　throne！　I　shall　be　reprimanded　and　scolded　like　a　footman。　I
must　obey　as　a　slave；　and　am　not　permitted　to　act　according　to　my
will。　I　am　only　a　mere　peg　in　the　great　machine　which　he　directs；
and　the〃

〃Hush！　for　mercy's　sake　be　quiet！　What　if　some　one　should　hear　you？
You　know　not　if　the　spies　may　not　be　at　the　door。〃

〃True；〃　said　the　prince；　bitterly。　〃I　do　not　know！　The　nurse　even；
who　suckles　our　child；　may　be　a　paid　spy。　The　owner　of　this　house
may　be　in　the　king's　service；　and　creep　to　the　door　to　listen。
Therefore　it　is　necessary；　above　all　things；　that　we　act　according
to　the　king's　commands。　Farewell；　Wilhelmine；　I　must　set　off　at
once。　Kretzschmar　is　no　doubt　at　the　corner　of　the　street　to　see
whether　I；　as　an　obedient　servant　of　his　master；　leave　here。　If　I　do
it；　he　will　take　the　news　to　Sans…Souci；　and　perhaps　the　king　will
be　contented。　Farewell；　I　go　at　once　to　the　palace；　to　start　from
there　for　Potsdam。〃

〃Farewell；　my　beloved　one！　May　God　in　heaven　and　the　king　upon　earth
be　merciful　to　us！　I　will　force　myself　to　composure　and　humility。
What　I　suffer　is　for　you！　This　shall　be　my　consolation。　If　we　never
meet　again；　Frederick　William；　I　know　you　will　not　forget　how　much　I
have　loved　you！〃




CHAPTER　VI。

THE　PARADE。


Since　early　morning　a　gay；　warlike　life　had　reigned　at　Potsdam　and
the　neighborhood　of　Sans…Souci。　From　every　side　splendid　regiments
approached；　with　proud　and　stately　bearing；　in　glittering　uniforms；
to　take　in　perfect　order　the　places　assigned　to　them。　With　flying
banners；　drums　beating；　and　shrill　blasts　of　trumpets；　they　came
marching　on　to　the　great　paradethe　last；　for　the　king　was　about　to
leave　for　the　field。　Thousands　of　spectators　poured　forth；
notwithstanding　the　early　hour；　from　Potsdam；　and　from　Berlin　even
they　came　in　crowds；　to　take　a　last　look　of　the　soldiersof　their
king；　who　was　still　the　hero　at　sixty…ninethe　〃Alto　Fritz；〃　whom
they　adoredthough　they　felt　the　rigor　of　his　government。　It　was　a
magnificent　spectacle；　indeedthis　immense　square；　filled　with
regiments；　their　helmets；　swords；　and　gold　embroideries　glittering
in　the　May　sun。　Officers；　mounted　on　richly　caparisoned　steeds；　drew
up　in　the　centre；　or　galloped　along　the　front　of　the　lines；
censuring　with　a　thundering　invective　any　deviation　or　irregularity。
In　the　rear　of　the　troops　stood　the　equipages　of　the　distinguished
spectators　on　the　one　side；　while　on　the　other　the　people　in　compact
masses　swayed　to　and　fro；　gayly　passing　judgment　upon　the　different
regiments　and　their　generals。　The　peoplethat　means　all　those　who
were　not　rich　enough　to　have　a　carriage；　or　sufficiently
distinguished　to　claim　a　place　upon　the　tribune　reserved　for　noble
ladies　and　gentlemenhere　they　stood；　the　educated　and　uneducated；
shoemaker　and　tailor；　savant　and　artista　motley　mixture！　Two
gentlemen　of　the　high　citizen　class　apparently　were　among　the　crowd。
They　were　dressed　in　the　favorite　style；　which；　since　the　〃Sorrows
of　Werther〃　had　appeared；　was　the　fashiontight…fitting　boots；
reaching　to　the　knee；　with　yellow　tops；　white　breeches；　over　which
fell　the　long…bodied　green　vest；　a　gray　frock　with　long　pointed
tails　and　large　metal　buttons；　well…powdered　cue；　tied　with　little
ribbons；　surmounted　with　a　low；　wide…brimmed　hat。　Only　one　of　the
gentlemen　wore　the　gray　frock；　according　to　the　faultless　Werther
costume；　a　young　man　of　scarcely　thirty　years；　of　fine　figure；　and
proud　bearing；　a　face　expressive　and　sympathetic；　reminding　one　of
the　glorious　portraits　of　men　which　antiquity　has　bequeathed　to　us。
It　seemed　like　the　head　of　a　god　descended　to　earth；　noble　in　every
feature；　full　of　grace　and　beauty；　the　slightly　Roman　nose　well
marked　yet　delicate；　the　broad；　thoughtful　brow；　the　cheeks　flushed
with　the　hue　of　youth　and　power；　the　well…defined　chin　and　red　lips；
expressive　of　goodness；　benevolence；　roguery；　and　haughtiness；
large；　expressive　eyes；　flashing　with　the　fire　which　the　gods　had
enkindled。　His　companion　was　perhaps　eight　years　younger；　less　well…
proportioned；　still　of　graceful　appearance；　in　his　youthful
freshness；　with　frank；　cheerful　mien；　clever；　good…natured；
sparkling　eyes；　and　red；　pouting　lips；　which　never　liked　to　cease
chatting。

〃See；　Wolff！　I　beg；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃see　that　old　waddling
duck；　Mollendorf。　I　know　the　old　fellow；　he　is　from　Gotha；　he
imagines　himself　of　the　greatest　importance；　and　thinks　Prussia
begets　fame　and　honor　from　his　grace。　He　trumpets　forth　his　own
glories　at　a　dinner；　and　abuses　his　king。　He　makes　Frederick　the
Great　an　insignificant　little　being；　that　he　may　look　over　him。〃

〃Unimportant　men　always　do　that；〃　answered　the　other。　〃They　would
make　great　men　small；　and　think　by　placing　themselves　on　high
pedestals　they　become　great。　The　clown　striding　through　the　crowd　on
his　stilts　may　even　look　over　an　emperor。　But　fortunately　there
comes　a　time　when　the　dear　clown　must　come　down　from　his　stilts；　and
then　it　is　clear　to　others；　if　not　to　himself；　what　little；　earth…
born　snips　the　men　of　yesterday　are。〃

〃Only　look；　Wolff；　there　is　just　such　a　moment　coming　to　that
stiltsman　Mollendorf。　How　the　great　man　stoops；　and　how　small　he
looks　on　his　gray　horse；　for　a　greater　springs　past！　Look　at　him
well；　Wolffwe　shall　dine　with　him；　and　he　does　not　like　to　be
stared　at　in　the　face。〃

〃Is　that；　then；　Prince　Henry　passing？〃　asked　Wolff；　with　animation；
〃That　little　general；　who　just　galloped　into　the　circle　with　his
suite；　is　that　the　king's　brother？〃

〃Yes；　that　is　just　his　misfortune　that　he　is　the　king's　brother；〃
answered　a　deep；　sonorous　voice　behind　them。

Turning；　they　beheld　a　young；　elegantly　dressed　man；　in　the　light
gray　frock　and　gold…bordered；　three…cornered　hat；　and　a　Spanish
cane；　with　an　ivory　handle。

〃What　did　you　remark；　sir？〃　asked　Herr　Wolff；　his　great；　brown　eyes
flashing　over　the　pale；　intellectual　face　of　the　other；　so　that　he
was　quite　confused；　yet；　as　if　enchanted；　could　not　turn　away。　〃What
did　you　remark；　sir？〃　asked　again　Herr　Wolff。

〃I　believe；〃　stammered　the　other；　〃that　I　said　it　was　the　misfortune
of　the　prince　that　he　was　the　brother　only；　as　he　was　worthy　of
being　mentioned　for　himself；　but　I　beg；　sir；　be　a　little　indulgent；
and　do　not　pry　into　my　very　soul　with　your　godlike　eyes。　It　will
craze　me；　and　I　shall　run　through　the　streets　of　Berlin；　crying　that
the　Apollo…Belvedere　has　arrived　at　Potsdam；　and　invite　all　the
poets　and　authors　to　come　and　worship　him。〃

〃I　believe　you　are　right；〃　cried　the　youngest　of　the　two　gentlemen；
laughing。　〃I　believe　myself　it　is　the　Apollo…Belvedere。〃

〃Be　still；　my　dear　sir；　hush；　and　preserve　our　incognito；〃
interrupted　his　companion。

〃But　I　cannot　help　it；　Wolff。　Am　I　to　blame　that　this　clever　fellow
sees　through　your　mask；　and　discovers　the　divine　spark　which　hides
itself　under　a　gray　Werther　costume？〃

〃I　pray；　sir；　grant　my　request；　and　respect　our　incognito；〃　begged
the　other；　gently　but　firmly。

〃Well；　well；　you　sha