old fritz and the new era-第18部分

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friend　and　father；　who　punishes　with　rigorous　words；　and　forgives
with　generous；　benevolent　deeds。〃

〃For　this　I　must　thank　himhe　must　listen　to　me！〃　cried　the　prince。

〃He　will　be　angry　if　your　royal　highness　forces　him　to　receive
thanks　when　he　would　avoid　them。　He　has　expressly　commanded　me　to
entreat　you　never　to　allude　to　the　affair；　and　never　to　speak　of　it
to　others；　as　it　would　not　be　agreeable　to　his　majesty　to　have　the
family　affairs　known　to　the　world。　You　would　best　please　his　majesty
by　following　exactly　his　wishes；　and　when　you　meet　him　never　allude
to　it。　As　I　have　said；　this　is　the　express　wish　and　command　of　the
king。〃

〃Which　I　must　naturally　follow；〃　sighed　the　prince；　〃although　I
acknowledge　that　it　is　unpleasant　to　me　to　receive　so　much　kindness
from　him　without　at　least　returning　my　most　heart…felt　thanks。　Say
to　the　king；　that　I　am　deeply；　sensibly　moved　with　his　tender
sympathy　and　generosity。　And　now　I　will　hasten　to　Wilhelmine　Enke；
but；　it　occurs　to　me　that　it　may　not　be　possible；　the　king　has　made
her　a　prisoner　in　her　own　house。〃

〃Do　not　trouble　yourself　about　that。　If　it　is　your　royal　highness's
pleasure；　drive　at　once　to　Charlottenburg。　You　will　find　the　new
possessor　there　and　she　will　relate　to　you　her　interview　with　the
mayor　of　Berlin。〃

〃Oh！　I　shall　drive　at　once　to　the　villa。　I　am　curious　to　learn　what
Von　Kircheisen　has　told　her。〃

〃I　imagined　that　you　would　be；　and　ordered　your　carriage　here；　as
you　could　not　well　ride　upon　horseback　with　the　heavy　rolls　of　gold；
and　if　it　is　your　pleasure；　I　will　order　the　footman　to　place　the
box；　into　which　I　have　put　them；　in　the　carriage。〃

〃No；　no；　I　beg　you　to　let　me　carry　them；〃　cried　the　prince；　seizing
the　box　with　both　hands。　〃It　is　truly　heavy；　but　an　agreeable
burden；　and　if　it　lames　my　arm　I　shall　bethink　myself　of　the
miraculous　elixir；　which　will　give　me　courage　and　strength。
Farewell；　your　excellency；　I　shall　hurry　on　to　Charlottenburg！〃

The　prince　hastened　to　his　carriage；　and　ordered　the　coachman　to
drive　at　full　speed　to　the　villa。　Thanks　to　this　order；　he　reached
it　in　about　an　hour。　No　one　was　there　to　receive　him　upon　his
arrival。　The　hall　was　empty；　and　the　rooms　were　closed。　The　prince
passed　on　to　the　opposite　end；　where　there　was　a　door　open；　and
stood　upon　a　balcony；　with　steps　descending　into　the　garden；　which；
with　its　flower…beds；　grass…plots；　shrubbery；　and　the　tall　trees；
formed　a　lovely　background。　The　birds　were　singing；　the　trees
rustled；　and　variegated　butterflies　fluttered　over　the　odorous
flowers。　Upon　the　turf；　forming　a　beautiful　group；　was　Wilhelmine
playing　with　her　daughter；　and　the　nurse　with　the　little　boy　upon
her　lap；　who　laughingly　stretched　out　his　arms　toward　his　mother。

〃WilhelmineWilhelmine！〃　cried　the　prince。

With　a　cry　of　joy　she　answered；　and　flew　toward　the　house。　〃You　have
come　at　last；　my　beloved　lord；〃　she　cried；　almost　breathless；
mounting　the　steps。　〃I　beg　you　to　tell　me　what　all　this　means？　I　am
dying　of　curiosity！〃

〃I　also；〃　said　the　prince；　smiling。　〃Have　the　goodness　to　lead　me　to
one　of　the　rooms；　that　I　may　set　down　this　box。〃

〃What　does　that　hobgoblin　contain；　that　it　prevents　your　embracing
me？〃

〃Do　not　ask；　but　hasten　to　assist　me　to　relieve　myself　of　the
burden。〃　They　entered　the　house；　and　Wilhelmine　opened　the　wide
folding…doors；　which　led　into　a　very　tastefully…furnished　room。
Frederick　William　set　the　box　upon　the　marble　table；　and　sank　upon　a
divan　with　Wilhelmine　in　his　arms。　〃First　of　all；　tell　me　what　Von
Kircheisen　said　to　you？〃

〃He　commanded　me；　in　the　name　of　the　king；　to　give　up　my　dwelling　at
Berlin　and　at　Potsdam；　and　to　avoid　showing　myself　in　public　at　both
places；　that　those　who　had　the　right　to　the　love　and　fidelity　of　the
Prince　of　Prussia　should　not　be　annoyed　at　the　sight　of　me；　that　I
should　live　retired；　and　leave　the　appointed　residence　as　little　as
possible；　for　then　the　king　would　be　inclined　to　ignore　my
existence；　and　take　no　further　notice　of　me。　But；　if　I　attempted　to
play　a　role；　his　majesty　would　take　good　care　that　it　should　be
forever　played　out。〃

〃Those　were　harsh；　cruel　words；〃　sighed　Frederick　William。

〃Harsh；　cruel　words；〃　repeated　Wilhelmine；　sorrowfully。　〃They
pierced　my　soul；　and　I　shrieked　at　last　from　agony。　Herr　von
Kircheisen　was　quite　frightened；　and　begged　me　to　excuse　him；　that
he　must　thus　speak　to　me；　but　the　king　had　commanded　him　to　repeat
his　very　words。　The　carriage　was　at　the　door；　he　said；　ready　to
convey　me　to　my　future　dwelling；　for　I　must　immediately　leave
Berlin；　and　the　king　be　informed　of　my　setting　out。　The　coachman
received　the　order；　and　here　I　am；　without　knowing　what　I　am　to　do；
or　whether　I　shall　remain　here。〃

〃Yes；　Wilhelmine；　you　are　to　remain　here；　at　last　we　have　a　home；
and　a　resting…place　for　our　love　and　our　children。　This　house　is
yoursyou　are　mistress　here；　and　you　must　welcome　me　as　your
guest。〃

〃This　house　is　mine！〃　she　cried；　joyfully。　〃Did　you　give　it　to　me？
How　generous；　and　how　extravagant　you　are！　Protect　me　with　the　gift
of　your　love；　as　if　you　were　Jupiter　and　I　Danae！〃

〃A　beautiful　picture；　and；　that　it　may　be　a　reality；　I　will　play　the
role　of　Jupiter　and　open　the　box。〃

He　took　a　roll　of　gold；　and　let　it　fall　upon　Wilhelmine's　head；　her
beautiful　shoulders；　and　her　arms；　like　a　shower　of　gold。　She
shrieked　and　laughed；　and　sought　to　gather　up　the　pieces　which
rolled　ringing　around　her　upon　the　floor。　The　prince　seized　another
roll；　and　another　still；　till　she　was　flooded　with　the　glistening
pieces。　Then　another　and　another；　until　Wilhelmine；　laughing；
screamed　for　grace；　and　sprang　up；　the　gold　rolling　around　her　like
teasing　goblins。




CHAPTER　IX。

GERMAN　LITERATURE　AND　THE　KING。


The　Minister　Herzberg　had；　in　the　mean　time；　an　interview　with　the
king；　informing　him　of　the　concluded　purchase　of　the　Schmettau
villa；　and　of　the　emotion　and　gratitude　of　the　crown　prince　at　his
royal　munificence。

〃That　affair　is　arranged；　then；〃　said　Frederick。　〃If　Fate　wills　that
the　prince　should　not　return　from　this　campaign；　then　this　certain
person　and　the　two　poor　worms　are　provided　for；　who　are　destined　to
wander　through　the　world　nameless　and　fatherless。〃

〃Let　us　hope　that　fate　will　not　deal　so　harshly　with　the　prince；　or
bring　such　sorrow　upon　your　majesty。〃

〃My　dear　sir；　Fate　is　a　hard…hearted　creature；　the　tears　of　mankind
are　of　no　more　importance　to　her　than　the　raindrops　falling　from　the
roof。　She　strides　with　gigantic　power　over　men；　crushing　them　all　in
dustthe　great　as　well　as　the　littlethe　king　as　well　as　the
beggar。　For　my　part　I　yield　to　Fate　without　a　murmur。　Politicians
and　warriors　are　mere　puppets　in　the　hands　of　Providence。　We　act
without　knowing　why；　for　we　are　unknowingly　the　tools　of　an
invisible　hand。　Often　the　result　of　our　actions　is　the　reverse　of
our　hopes！　Let　all　things　take　their　course；　as　it　best　pleases　God；
and　let　us　not　think　to　master　Fate。　＇Footnote：　The　king's　words。
〃Posthumous　Works；〃　vol。　x。；　p。　256。＇　That　is　my　creed；　Herzberg；
and　if　I　do　not　return　from　this　infamous　campaign；　you　will　know
that　I　have　yielded　to　Fate　without　murmuring。　You　understand　my
wishes　in　all　things；　the　current　affairs　of　government　should　go　on
regularly。　If　any　thing　extraordinary　occurs；　let　me　be　informed　at
once。　Is　there　any　news；　Herzberg？〃

〃Nothing　worth　recounting；　sire；　except　that　the　young　Duke　of
Weimar　is　in　town。〃

〃I　know　it；　he　has　announced　himself。　I　cannot　speak　with　him。　I
have　asked　my　brother　Henry　to　arrange　the　conditions　under　which　he
will　allow　us　to　enlist　men　for　my　army　in　his　duchy。　I　hope　he　will
be　reasonable；　and　not　prevent　it。　That　is　no　news　that　the　Duke　of
Weimar　has　arrived！〃

〃Not　only　the　duke　has　arrived；　but　he　has　brought　his　dear　friend
with　him　whom　the　people　in　Saxe…Weimar　say　makes　the　good　and　bad
weather。〃

〃Who　is　the　weather…maker？〃

〃Your　majesty；　this　weather…maker　is　the　author　of　'The　Sorrows　of
Young　Werther；'　Johann　Wolfgang　Goethe；　who　for　four　years　has
aroused　the　hearts　and　excited　the　imaginations　of　all　Germany。　If　I
am　not　deceived；　a　great　future　opens　for　this　poet；　and　he　will　be
a　star　of　the　first　magnitude　in　the　sky　of　German　literature。　I
believe　it　would　be　well　worth　the　trouble　for　your　majesty　to　see
him。〃

〃Do　not　trouble　me　with　your　German　literature；　and　your　stars　of
the　first　magnitude！　We　must　acknowledge　our　poverty　with　humility；
belles…lettres　have　never　achieved　success　upon　our　soil。　Moreover；
this　star　of　the　first　magnitudethis　Herr　GoetheI　remember　him
well；　I　wish　to　know　nothing　of　him。　He　has　quite　turned　the　heads
of　all　the　love…sick　fools　with　his　'Sorrows　of　Young　Werther。'　You
cannot　count　that　a　merit。　The　youth　of　Germany　were　sufficiently
enamoured；　without　the　love…whining　romances　of　Herr　Goethe　to　pour
oil　on　the　fire。〃

〃Pardon　me；　sire；　that　I　should　presume　to　differ　from　you；　but　this
book　which　your　majesty　condemns　has　not　only　produced　a　furor　in
Germany；　but　throughout　Europethroughout　the　world　even。　That
which　public　opinion　sustains　in　such　a　marked　manner　cannot　be
wholly　unworthy。　'Vox　populi；　vox　dei；'　is　a　true　maxim　in　all
ages。〃

〃It　is　not　true！〃　cried　the　king。　〃The　old　Roman　maxim　is　not
applicable　to　our　effeminate；　degraded　people。　Nowadays；　whoever
flatters　the　people　and　glorifies　their　weaknesses；　is　a　good
fellow；　and　he　is　extolled　to　the　skies。　Public　opinion　calls　him　a
genius　and　a　Messiah。　Away　with　your　nonsense！　The　'Werther'　of　Herr
Goethe　has　wrought　no　good；　it　has　made　the　healthy　sick；　and　has
not　restored　invalids　to　health。　Since　its　appearance　a　mad　love…
fever　has　seized　all　the　young　people；　and　silly　sentimentalities
and　flirtations　have　become　the　fashion。　These　modern　Werthers
behave　as　if　love　were　a　tarantula；　with　the　bite　of　which　they　must
become　mad；　to　be　considered　model　young　men。　They　groan　and　sigh；
take　moonlight　walks；　but　they　have　no　courage　in　their　souls；　and
will　never　make　good　soldiers。　This　is　the　fault　of　Herr　Werther；
and　his　abominable　lamentations。

It　is　a　miserable　work；　and　not　worth　the　trouble　of　ta