old fritz and the new era-第27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！


will　be　countess；　you　will　become　a　princess；　you　will　possess
millions；　you　will　have　the　whole　world　at　your　feet；　if　you　call　to
your　aid　the　Invisible　Fathers；　and　implore　the　power　and　miraculous
blessing　of　the　Great　Kophta。〃　Wilhelmine；　deeply　moved；　sank
overpowered　upon　her　knees；　and　cried　aloud：　〃I　call　upon　the
Invisible　Fathers　for　aid　and　assistance；　I　implore　the　power　and
miraculous　blessing　of　the　Great　Kophta。〃　Suddenly；　amid　the　rolling
of　thunder　and　intense　darkness；　Wilhelmine　felt　herself　lifted　up
borne　away；　as　loud　prayers　were　uttered　around　her。　Then　she　felt
herself　lowered　again　and　with　the　freedom　of　motion。　〃Fly！　fly　from
the　revenge　of　the　immortals；　if　you　still　doubt；　still　mistrust！〃
cried　a　fearful　voice　above　her。　〃Behold　how　the　immortals　revenge
themselves。〃　Immediately　a　light　began　to　dawn　before　her；　a　form
rose　from　the　darkness　like　her　own。　She　beheld　herself　kneeling；
imploring；　her　face　deluged　with　tears；　and　before　her　a　tall；
erect；　muffled　figure；　with　a　glittering　sword　in　his　uplifted　arm；
which　sank　gradually　lower　and　lower　until　it　pierced　her　bosom　and
the　blood　gushed　forth。　Wilhelmine　shrieked　and　fainted。　She
witnessed　no　more　miracles；　beard　no　more　prophecies　and　revelations
which　the　magi　made　to　the　elect。　She　beheld　not　the　appearance　of
the　blessed　spirits；　which　at　the　importunity　of　the　brothers
flitted　through　the　apartment。　She　heard　not　Cagliostro　take　leave
of　Baron　von　Bischofswerder；　when　all　had　withdrawn；　saying；　〃I　have
now　exalted　you　to　be　chief　director　of　the　holy　order。　You　will　at
once　receive　orders　from　the　Invisible　Fathers；　announced　to　you　in
writing；　and　you　will　follow　them　faithfully。〃

〃I　will　follow　them　faithfully；〃　humbly　answered　Bischofswerder。

〃You　will　be　rewarded　by　the　knowledge　of　life　and　of　money；　you
shall　discover　the　philosopher's　stone；　and　the　secret　of　gold　shall
be　revealed　to　you；　when　you　perform　what　the　Invisible　Fathers
demand。〃

〃I　will　do　every　thing；〃　cried　Bischofswerder；　fervently；　〃only　make
known　to　me　their　commands。〃

〃They　desire；　at　the　present；　that　you　seek　to　be　the　confidant　of
the　Prince　of　Prussia。　Gain　his　affection；　then　govern　him；　making
yourself　indispensable　to　him。　Surround　him　with　servants　and
confidants　that　you　can　rely　upon。　Inspire　him　with　devotion　to　the
holy　order。　Become；　now；　the　friend　of　the　prince；　that　you　may；　one
day；　rule　the　king。　You　are　the　chief　of　the　order　in　Prussia；　the
more　members　you　gain　the　more　secrets　will　be　revealed　to　you。　The
holy　fathers　send　me　afar；　but　I　shall　return：　if　you　have　been
active　and　faithful；　I　will　make　known　to　you　a　great　secret　and
bring　you　the　elixir　of　life。〃

〃When　will　you　return；　master？〃　asked　Bisehofswerder；
enthusiastically。

Cagliostro　smiled。　〃Before　the　crown　prince　of　Prussia　becomes　king。
Ask　no　further。　Be　faithful！〃




CHAPTER　XII。

THE　JESUIT　GENERAL


No　one　remained　in　the　drawing…room　but　Cagliostro　and　the　beautiful
woman　who　still　lay　quietly　on　the　couch；　upon　the　throne。
Cagliostro　approached　her；　and；　raising　the　veil；　regarded　her　a
moment；　with　an　expression　of　the　most　passionate　tenderness：　〃We
are　alone；　Lorenza；〃　said　he。　She　opened　her　great　eyes；　and　looked
around　the　dimly…lighted　room；　then；　fixing　them　upon　Cagliostro；
who　stood　before　her　in　his　brilliant　costume　of　magician；　she　burst
into　a　merry　laugh；　so　loud　and　so　irresistible；　that　Cagliostro　was
seized　involuntarily；　and　joined　her。

〃Oh！　was　it　not　heavenly；　was　it　not　a　glorious　comedy；　and　did　I
not　play　divinely；　Joseph？　Was　I　not　bewitching　as　the　goddess　of
Nature？〃

〃You　looked　truly　like　a　goddess；　Lorenza；　and　there　is　nothing　more
beautiful　than　you；　in　heaven　or　upon　earth。　But　come；　my
enchantress；　it　is　time　to　break　up；　as　we　are　to　set　off　early　to…
morrow　morning。〃

〃Have　we　now　much　money？　Was　the　tribute　richly　paid？〃

〃Yes；　we　have　a　hundred　louis　d'ors　and　a　diamond　ring　from　the
mistress　of　this　house。〃

〃Give　it　to　me；〃　cried　Lorenza。

〃Not　the　ring；　Lorenza；　but　the　diamond；　so　soon　as　I　have　a　false
stone　set　in　the　ringwhich　I　must　keep　as　a　ring　in　the　chain
which　will　bind　this　woman　to　our　cause。〃

〃Was　I　not　astonishingly　like　her？　Was　it　not　almost　unmistakable？〃

〃Yes；　wonderfully　deceptive。　I　shuddered　myself　as　I　saw　the　dagger
pointed　at　your　bosom。〃

〃And　the　blood；　how　it　gushed　forth；　Joseph！〃　Lorenza　burst　into　a
merry　laugh　again；　and　Cagliostro　joined　her；　but　suddenly　stopped；
and；　listening；　turned　toward　the　door；　which　he　had　closed　after
Bischofswerder　departed。　It　seemed　as　if　he　heard　a　noisea
peculiar　knocking。　Four　times　it　was　repeated；　and　Cagliostro　waved
his　hand　to　Lorenza　not　to　speak。　Again　were　heard　the　four　peculiar
rhythmical　sounds。　〃Be　quiet；　for　Heaven's　sake　be　quiet；　Lorenza！
Let　me　cover　you　with　the　veil；　it　is　a　messenger　from　the
Invisibles。〃　Cagliostro　flew　to　the　door；　unbolted　it；　and　stood
humbly　near　the　entrance。　A　masked　figure；　enveloped　in　a　cloak；
opened　it；　and　entered；　rebolting　it。

Slowly　turning　toward　Cagliostro；　he　harshly　demanded；　〃Whose
servant　are　you？〃

〃The　servant　of　the　Invisible　Rulers　and　Fathers；〃　he　humbly
answered。

〃Who　are　the　Invisible　Fathers？〃

〃The　four　ambassadors　of　the　great　general　of　the　exiles。〃

〃Call　him　by　that　name　which　he　bore　before　a　heretic　pope　in　Rome；
a　weak　empress；　a　free…thinking　emperor　in　Germany；　a　lost…in…sin
French　emperor；　and　a　heretic　Spanish　minister；　condemned　him　to
banishment　and　destruction。〃

〃General　of　the　Jesuits；〃　he　answered　respectfully；　bowing　lower。

〃Do　you　know　the　sign　by　which　he　may　be　recognized？〃

〃Yes；　by　a　ring　with　the　likeness　of　the　founder　of　the　order；　the
holy　Ignatius　Loyola。〃

〃Then　look；　and　recognize　me；〃　cried　the　mask；　extending　his　hand　to
Cagliostro。

〃The　General；〃　he　murmured；　frightened；　gazing　at　the　ring　upon　the
small；　white　hand　of　the　other。　〃The　holy　founder　of　the　order
himself！〃　He　seized　his　hand　and　pressed　it　to　his　lips；　sinking
upon　his　knees。　The　mask　remained　standing　before　the　magician；　as
lowly　as　he　might　bow　himself；　who　was　still　arrayed　in　his
brilliant　costume　with　the　band　upon　his　brow　sparkling　like
diamonds。

With　a　cold；　reserved　manner　he　answered；　〃I　am　he；　and　am　come　here
to　give　you　my　commands　by　word　of　mouth。〃

〃Command　me；　I　am　thy　humble　servant；　and　but　a　weak　tool　in　thy
hands。〃

〃It　is　my　will　that　you　should　become　a　powerful　tool　in　my　hands。
Rise；　for　I　will　speak　to　the　man　who　must　stand　erect　in　the　storm。
Rise！〃　The　proud　commander　was　now　an　humble；　obedient　servant。　He
rose　slowly；　standing　with　bowed　head。

〃When　and　where　did　we　last　meet？〃　demanded　the　mask。

〃In　1773；　at　Rome。〃

〃In　the　year　of　curse　and　blasphemy；〃　said　the　mask；　in　a　harsh
voice。　〃The　year　in　which　the　infamous　Pope　Clement　XVI。　condemned
the　holy　order；　and　hurled　his　famous　bull；　Dominus　redemptor
noster。　The　holy　order；　condemned　and　disbanded　by　his　infamous
mouth；　were　changed　into　holy　martyrs；　without　country；　without
possessions　or　rights；　as　persecuted　fugitives；　wandering　around　the
world；　to　the　wicked　a　scorn；　to　the　pious　a　lamentable　example　of
virtue　and　constancy。　Exiled　and　persecuted；　you　fled　to　a　house　of
one　of　our　order；　and　there　we　for　the　first　time　met。　The　daughter
of　this　man　was　your　beloved。　Tell　me　why　did　you　conceal　yourself
after　flying　from　Palermo？　I　will　see　if　the　elevated　one
ungratefully　forgets　the　days　of　his　degradation。〃

〃They　accused　me　in　Palermo　of　falsifying　documents　by　which
rightful　owners　were　deprived　of　their　lawful　possessions。　They
threw　me　into　subterranean　dungeons；　and　I　was　near　dying；　when　the
Invisible　Protectors　rescued　me。〃

〃Was　the　accusation　well　founded？　Had　you　committed　the　crime　you
were　accused　of？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Cagliostro；　in　a　low　voice；　〃I　was　guilty。〃

〃For　whom；　by　whose　authority？〃

〃For　the　pious　fathers；　who　commanded　me；　and　whose　pretensions　to
the　possessions　of　the　Duc　Costa　Rica　were　clearly　proved　by　those
documents。〃

〃You　then　learned　the　power　and　the　gratitude　of　our　order。　From
underground　prisons　they　freed　you；　and　procured　a　way　of　escape　to
Rome；　to　find　a　safe　asylum　in　the　house　of　a　believer。　But　just　at
that　time　condemnation　burst　upon　us；　and　from　a　powerful　order　we
were　changed　into　a　persecuted　one。　The　forger　Joseph　Balsamo　sought
the　brazier　Feliciano；　who　gave　him　money；　letters　of
recommendation；　and　instructed　him　how　to　serve　the　order；　and
procure　an　agreeable　life　for　himself。　Is　it　not　so？〃

〃It　is　so；〃　answered　Cagliostro；　softly。　〃It　was　the　order　of　the
General　which　united　you　in　marriage　to　your　beloved　Lorenza
Feliciana；　who　initiated　you　in　the　secret　sciences　and　the　secrets
of　Nature；　that　you　might　employ　them　for　the　well…being　of
humanity。〃

〃It　is　so；　master。〃

〃You　implored　also；　as　you　were　about　to　separate；　to　see　the　face
of　your　benefactor；　to　engrave　it　upon　your　heart。　Would　you　now　be
able　to　recognize　it？〃

〃I　could　in　an　instant；　among　thousands。〃

The　General　slowly　raised　the　mask；　a　pale；　emaciated　face　was
visible；　with　great　black　eyes　in　sunken　sockets；　thin　bloodless
lips；　and　a　high；　bony　brow。　〃Do　you　recognize　me？〃

〃No！〃　sadly　answered　Cagliostro；　〃it　is　not　the　same　face。〃

〃You　see；　my　son；　man　changes；　but　knowledge　not。　I　am　another；　and
yet　the　same；　for　the　outward　human　form　is　only　the　vessel　of　the
eternal　band　into　which　everlasting　truth　and　the　holy　doctrines　are
poured。　If　the　vessel　breaks；　it　is　replaced　by　another；　and　an
inexhaustible　spring。　Thought　and　holy　knowledge　flow　into　the
renewed　vessel。　I　am　a　new　vessel；　but　the　same　spirit　which
formerly　spoke　to　you。　I　know　your　past　life；　and　for　what　purpose
you　are　in　the　world。　As　the　General　then　spoke　to　you；　so　speak　I
now。　The　unholy　have　put　the　holy　under　a　banthey　have　persecuted
and　condemned　us。　The　Holy　Order　of　the　Fathers　of　Jesus　is　lifeless
before　the　world；　but　not　before　God。　Jesuits　do　not　die；　for　they
bear　eternal　life　in　them；　and　there　will　a　day　come　when　they　will
burst　forth　from　darkness　into