old fritz and the new era-第14部分

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exquisite　picturenever　have　its　bright　tints　faded　from　my　memory。
How　often　have　I　begged　my　friend；　Antonio　Vandyck；　to　make　this
picture　eternal；　with　his　immortal　pencil。　He　promised　to　do　it；　but
at　the　moment　he　was　occupied　with　the　portraits　of　Charles　I。　and
his　familythe　grandson　of　Queen　Mary。　Later；　as　I　was　not　with
him；　unfortunately；　to　save　him；　death　seized　him　before　he　had
fulfilled　his　promise。　But　her　image　is　stamped　upon　my　heart；　and　I
see　her　now；　as　I　saw　her　then；　the　beautiful　queen；　with　the
handsome　singer　at　her　feet。　I　had　entered　unawares；　and　stood　a　few
moments　at　the　door　before　they　remarked　me。　As　I　approached；　Rizzio
suddenly　ceased　in　the　midst　of　a　tender　passage；　and　sprang　to　his
feet。　Mary　signed　to　him；　blushing；　to　withdraw。　He　glided
noiselessly　out；　his　lute　under　his　arm；　and　I　remained　alone　with
the　queen。　I　dared　to　chide　her；　gently；　for　her　love　affair　with
the　handsome　singer；　and；　above　all；　to　exhort　her　to　fidelity　to
her　husband。　Whereupon　Mary　answered　me；　with　her　accustomed　smiling
manner；　'There　is　but　one　fidelity　which　one　must　recognize；　and
that　is　to　the　god　of　godsLove！　Where　he　is　not；　I　will　not　be。
The　god　Hymen　is　a　tedious；　pedantic　fellow；　who　burns　to　ashes　all
the　fresh　young　love　of　the　heart；　and　all　the　enthusiasm　of　the
soul；　with　his　intolerable　tallow　torch；　for　Love　stands　not　at　his
side。　I　am　faithful　to　the　god　Amor；　therefore　I　can　never　be
faithful　to　the　god　Hymen；　as　it　would　be　unfaithful　to　Love！'　That
was　the　response　of　the　beautiful　Queen　Mary。　I　could　not　contest
the　question；　so　I　only　looked　at　her　and　smiled。　Suddenly；　I　felt　a
dagger；　as　it　were；　thrust　at　my　heart；　my　spiritual　eyes　were
opened；　the　lovely　woman　on　the　divan　was　fearfully　changed。　Instead
of　the　gauze　robe；　sparkling　with　silver；　a　black　cloth　dress
covered　her　emaciated　limbs；　instead　of　brilliants；　sparkling　in　her
hair；　a　mourning　veil　covered　her　whitened　locks。　The　beauty　and
roundness　of　her　neck　had　disappeared；　and　I　saw　around　it　a　broad
dark…red　stripe。　Her　head　moved；　and　fell　at　my　feet　dissevered。　I
saw　it　all；　as　distinctly　as　if　it　really　happened；　and　seized　with
unspeakable　pity　I　prostrated　myself　at　her　feet　（who　was　unknowing
of　my　vision）；　and　besought　her　with　all　the　anxiety　and　tenderness
of　friendship　to　leave　Scotland；　to　fly　from　England；　as　there　the
death…tribunal　awaited　her。　But　Mary　Stuart　only　laughed　at　my
warning；　and　called　me　a　melancholy　fool；　whom　jealousy　made
prophetic。　The　more　I　begged　and　implored；　the　more　wanton　and　gay
the　poor　woman　became。　Then；　as　I　saw　all　persuasion　was　vain；　that
no　one　could　save　her　from　her　dreadful　fate；　I　took　a　solemn　oath
that　I　would　be　at　her　side　at　the　hour　of　her　peril；　and　accompany
her　to　the　scaffold。　Mary　laughed　aloud；　and；　with　that　mocking
gayety　so　peculiarly　her　own；　she　accepted　the　oath；　and　reached　me
her　white　hand；　sparkling　with　diamonds；　to　seal　the　vow　with　a
kiss。　I　faithfully　kept　it。　I　had　but　just　arrived　in　Rome　when　I
received　the　account　of　her　imprisonment。　I　presented　myself
immediately　to　the　pope；　the　great　Sixtus　V。；　who　then　occupied　the
chair　of　St。　Peter。　Fortunately；　he　was　my　friend；　and　I　had
formerly　been　useful　to　him；　in　assisting　him　to　carry　out　his　great
and　liberal　ideas　for　the　welfare　of　humanity。　As　a　return；　I　prayed
the　Holy　Father　to　give　me　a　consecrated　hostie　for　the　unhappy
Queen　Mary　Stuart；　and　the　permission　to　carry　it　to　her　in　her
prison。　The　Holy　Father　was　incredulous　of　my　sad　presentiments；　as
Mary　Stuart　herself　had　been；　but　he　granted　me　the　request。　I
quitted　Rome；　and　travelled　with　relays　day　and　night。　Reaching
Boulogne；　a　Dover　packet…boat　had　just　raised　anchor；　I　succeeded　in
boarding　her；　and　arrived　in　London　the　next　evening。　The　day
following；　the　execution　of　the　queen　took　place　at　Fotheringay。　I
was　with　her　in　her　last　hours；　and　from　my　hand　she　received　the
consecrated　water　of　Pope　Sixtus　V。　I　had　kept　my　oath。　I
accompanied　her　to　the　scaffold；　and　her　head　rolled　at　my　feet；　as
I　had　seen　it　in　my　vision　at　Edinburgh。　It　was　the　18th　of　April；
1587；　and　it　seems　to　me　as　but　yesterday。　To　the　intuitive；　seeing
spirit；　time　and　space　disappear；　eternity　and　immortality　are　to　it
omnipresent。〃

Given　up　to　his　souvenirs　and　visions；　the　Italian　appeared　not　to
know　where　he　wandered；　and　turned　unintentionally　to　the　retired；
lonely　places　in　the　park。　His　companion　heeded　not　the　way　either；
occupied　with　the　strange　account　of　the　Italian。　A　dreadful　feeling
of　awe　and　horror　took　possession　of　his　soul；　and；　with　devoted
respect；　he　hung　upon　the　words　which　fell　from　the　lips　of　his
companion。

〃It　was　in　the　year　1587；〃　said　he；　as　the　Italian　ceased；　〃almost
two　hundred　years　since；　and　you　were　present？〃

The　Italian　replied：　〃I　was　present。　I　have　witnessed　so　many
dreadful　scenes；　and　been　present　at　so　many　executions；　that　this
sad　spectacle　was　not　an　unusual　one　to　me；　and　would　not　have
remained　fixed　in　my　memory　had　I　not　loved；　devotedly　and
fervently；　the　beautiful　Queen　Mary　Stuart。　For　those　who　live　in
eternity；　all　horrors　have　ceased；　time　rushes　past　in　centuries；
which　seem　to　them　but　a　day。〃

〃Teach　me　so　to　live；　master；　I　thirst　for　knowledge；〃　cried　his
companion；　fervently。

〃I　know　it；　my　son；　I　penetrate　thy　soul；　and　I　know　that　thou
thirstest。　Therefore　I　am　here　to　quench　thy　thirst；　and　feed　thy
hungry　heart。〃　He　remained　standing　upon　the　grass…plot；　which　he
had　reached　by　lonely　paths；　and　which　was　encircled　by　trees　and
bushes。　Not　a　sound　interrupted　the　peaceful　morning　stillness　of
the　place；　except　the　distant　music　of　the　departing　regiments　dying
away　on　the　air。　〃I　will　teach　thee　to　live　in　eternity！〃　resumed
the　Italian；　solemnly。　〃My　predecessor　the　apostle；　George
Schrepfer；　has　initiated　thee　in　temporal　life；　and　the　knowledge　of
the　present。　By　the　pistol…shot；　which　disclosed　to　him　the
invisible　world；　and　removed　him　from　our　earthly　eyes；　has　he　to
thee；　his　most　faithful　and　believing　disciple；　given　the　great
doctrine　of　the　decay　of　all　things　earthly；　and　prepared　thee　for
the　doctrine　of　the　imperishableness　of　the　celestial。　The　original
of　humanity　sends　me；　to　make　known　to　thee　this　holy　doctrine。　When
I　met　thee　in　Dresden；　at　the　side　of　the　Countess　Dorothea　von
Medem；　thee；　whom　I　had　never　seen；　I　recognized　by　the　blue　flame
which　trembled　above　thy　head；　and　which　was　nothing　else　than　the
soul　of　thy　teacher；　Schrepfer；　wrestling　in　anguish；　which　has
remained　with　thee；　and　hopes　for　delivery　from　thee。　I　greeted
thee；　therefore；　not　as　a　stranger　but　as　a　friend。　No　one　called
thy　name；　and　yet　it　was　known　to　me。　I　took　thee　by　the　hand；
greeting　thee。　Hans　Rudolph　von　Bischofswerder；　be　welcome。　The　blue
flame　which　glows　upon　thy　brow；　guides　me　to　thee；　and　the　pistol…
shot　under　the　oaks　centuries　old；　at　Rosenthal；　near　Leipsic；　was
the　summons　which　my　spirit　received　among　the　pyramids　of　Egypt；
and　which　recalled　me　to　Europe；　to　my　own；　and　thou　art　one　of
them。〃＇Footnote：　George　Schrepfer；　the　founder　of　the　Secret　Free
Mason　Lodge　（at　the　same　time　proprietor　of　a　restaurant　and　a
conjuror）；　invited　his　intimate　disciples　and　believers　in　the　year
1774；　to　whom　Bischofswerder　belonged；　to　meet　him　at　Rosenthal；
near　Leipsic。　He　assembled　them　around　him；　beneath　some　old　oaks；
to　take　leave　of　them；　as　now　he　would　render　himself　in　the
invisible　realm；　whence；　as　a　spirit；　he　would　distribute　to　some　of
his　disciples　gold；　to　others　wisdom。　He　then　commanded　them　to
conceal　their　faces　and　pray。　The　praying　ones　suddenly　heard　a　loud
report；　and；　as　they　looked　up　Schrepfer　fell　dead。　He　had　shot
himself　with　a　pistol。＇

〃And　as　thou　spakest；　oh　master；　I　recognized　thee；　and　I　called'
Thou　art　here；　who　hast　been　announced　to　me。　Thou　art　the　master；
and　my　master　Schrepfer　was　the　prophet；　who　preceded　thee　and
prophesied　thee。　Thou　art　the　great　Kophtathou　art　Count　Alexander
Cagliostro！'　As　I　uttered　the　name；　the　lights　were　extinguished；
deep　darkness　and　profound　stillness　reigned。　The　two　countesses
Dorothea　von　Medem　and　her　sister；　Eliza　von　der　Necke；　clung
trembling　to　me；　neither　of　them　daring　to　break　the　silence　even
with　a　sigh。　Suddenly　the　darkness　disappeared；　and；　with　trembling
flashes　of　light；　there　stood　written　on　the　wall：　'Memento　Domini
Oagliostro　et　omnis　mansuetudinis　ejus。'　We　sank　upon　our　knees；　and
implored　thee　to　aid　us。　By　degrees　the　strange；　secret　characters
disappeared；　and　darkness　and　silence　reigned。　The　stillness
disquieted　me　at　last；　and　I　called　for　lights。　As　the　servant
entered；　the　two　countesses　lay　fainting　upon　the　floor；　and　thou
hadst　disappeared。〃

〃Only　to　appear　to　thee　at　another　time；〃　said　Cagliostro；　〃to
receive　thee　with　solemn　ceremonies　into　the　magic　circleto
initiate　thee　in　the　secret　wisdom　of　spirits；　and　prepare　thee　for
the　invisible　lodge。　Recall　what　I　said　to　thee；　three　days　since；
in　Dresden。　Do　you　still　remember　it？〃

〃I　recall　it。　Thou　saidst：　'The　secret　service　calls　me　to　Mittau；
with　the　Countess　Medem；　to　raise　hidden　treasure；　of　which　the
spirit　has　given　me　knowledge；　and　decipher　important　magical
characters　on　the　walls　of　a　cloister。　Before　I　leave；　I　will　lead
thee　upon　the　way　which　thou　hast　to　follow　in　order　to　find　the
light；　and　let　it　illuminate　the　soul　which　is　worthy。　Follow　me；
and　I　will　lead　thee　to　the　path　of　glory；　power；　and　immortality。'
These　were　thy　words；　master。〃

〃I　have　now　led　thee　hither；〃　Cagliostro　said　to　him；　gently；　〃thy
soul　doubts　and　trembles；　for　thou　art　blind　seeing　eyes；　and　deaf
with　hearing　ears。〃

〃My　soul　doubts　not；　oh　masterit　comprehends　not。　I　have　followed
thee；　devotedly　and　believingly。　Thou　knowest　it；　master；　for　thou
readest　the　souls　of　thy　children；　and　seest　their　hidden　thoughts。
Thou　hast　said　to　me　in　Dresden；　'Renounce　your　service　to　the　Duke
of　Courland。'　I　did　it；　and　from　equerry　and　lord　chamberlain　to　the
duke；　became　a　simple；　private　gentleman。　I　have　renounced　my　titles
and　dignities　for　thee；　in