old fritz and the new era-第34部分

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〃I　am　quite　certain　about　it；〃　cried　the　general；　who　began　to
understand　the　drift　of　Trude。　〃Yes；　Trude　was　to　have　twenty
thalers　a　year；　and　we　are　owing　her　many　years'　wages。　You　know；
wife；　I　have　always　kept　an　account…book　for　the　debts；　and　only　a
few　days　agoOh！　oh！　the　pain！　Trude；　help　me　cover　up　the　foot
warmer！we　reckoned　it　up　a　few　days　ago；　and　we　owe　Trude　one
hundred　and　thirty　thalers。〃

〃One　hundred　and　thirty　thalers；〃　repeated　Trude；　clapping　her
hands；　astonished。　〃Is　it　true？　oh；　that　is　splendid。　I　shall　be
rich；　and　get　a　husband　yet。　I　pray　you　give　it　to　me；　Frau　von
Werrig；　right　away。〃

〃Not　so　quickly；〃　said　she；　proudly。　〃We　will　reckon　together　how
much　you　have　savedbecause〃

〃Oh！〃　interrupted　Trude；　〃how　good　you　are　to　make　me　keep　so　much；
you　are　my　savings　bank；　where　I　can　deposit　my　money。〃

〃Because；〃　she　continued；　with　emphasis；　without　noticing　the
interruption；　〃our　future　son…in…law　will　pay　your　wages；　the　rich
banker；　Herr　Ebenstreit。　Yes；　the　wealthy　lover　of　our　daughter。　At
the　moment　I　have　not　so　much　cash　in　the　house。〃

〃Your　grace　will　allow　me　to　stay　until　Herr　Ebenstreit　is　married；
and；　in　your　name；　pays　me　my　wages？〃

〃Yes；　Trude；　I　will　allow　you　to　stay；〃　she　replied；　very
graciously。　〃You　will　be　cunning；　Trude；　if　you　try　to　persuade
Marie　to　accept　the　rich　suitor；　for　when　she　does　I　will　give　you
two　hundred　thalers。〃

〃I　will　do　all　I　can　to　get　it。　Can　I　remain　here　until　Marie　is
married？〃

〃Yes；　you　have　my　permission　for　that。〃

〃I　thank　you；　Frau　von　Werrig。　Now；　general；　I　will　bring　you　some
warm　coverings　right　away。〃




CHAPTER　XVI。

CHARLES　AUGUSTUS　AND　GOETHE。


〃Now　tell　me；　Wolf；〃　asked　Duke　Charles　Augustus；　stretching　himself
comfortably　on　the　sofa；　puffing　clouds　of　smoke　from　his　pipe〃
are　you　not　weary　of　dawdling　about　in　this　infamously　superb　pile
of　stones；　called　Berlin？　Shall　we　any　longer　elegantly　scrape　to
the　right　and　to　the　left；　with　abominable　sweet　speeches　and　mere
flattering　phraseology；　in　this　monster　of　dust　and　stone；　of　sand
and　sun；　parades　and　gaiters？　Have　you　not　enough　of　blustering
generals；　of　affected　women？　and　of　running　about　the　streets　like
one　possessed　to　see　here　a　miserable　church；　or　there　a　magnificent
palace？　Are　you　not　weary　of　crawling　about　as　one　of　the　many；
while　at　home　you　stride　about　as　the　only　one　of　the　many？　And
weary　also　of　seeing　your　friend　and　pupil　Carl　August　put　off　with
fair　promises　and　hollow　speeches　like　an　insignificant；　miserable
mortal；　without　being　able　to　answer　with　thundering　invectives。　Ah！
breath　fails　me。　I　feel　as　if　I　could　load　a　pistol　with　myself；　and
with　a　loud　report　shoot　over　to　dear　Weimar。　Wolf；　do　talk；　I　beg
you；　I　am　tired　out；　answer　me。〃

〃I　reply；　I　shoot；　my　dear　Carl；〃　cried　Goethe；　laughing。　〃I　was　out
of　breath　myself　from　that　long　speech。　Was　it　original　with　my　dear
prince；　or　did　he　memorize　it　from　Klinger's　great　'Sturm…und…Drang'
tragedy？　It　reminded　me　of　it。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　accuse　me　of　plagiarism；　wicked　fellow？　I　grant　that
you　are　right；　my　cunning　Wolf；　it　was　a　lapsus。　I　did　think　of
Klinger；　and　I　sympathized　with　his　youthful　hero　Wild；　who　declared
that；　among　the　sweetest　pleasures；　he　would　like　to　be　stretched
over　a　drum；　or　exist　in　a　pistol…barrel；　the　hand　ready　to　blow　him
into　the　air。〃

Goethe　shoved　aside　the　breakfast…table；　straightened　his　delicate
form；　with　his　noble　head　proudly　erect；　and　one　foot　in　advance；
extended　his　right　arm；　giving　one　loud　hurrah！　〃Now；　for　once；　a
tumult　and　noise；　that　thought　may　turn　about　like　a　weathercock。
This　savage　noise　has　already　wrought　its　own　benefit。　I　begin　to
feel　a　little　better。　Rage　and　expand；　mad　heart；　quicken　yourself
in　hurly…burly…burly…burly！〃　＇Footnote：　From　Klinger's　tragedy
〃Sturm　und　Drang。〃＇

〃Bravo！　bravo！〃　laughed　the　duke。　〃Is　that　Klinger；　or　who　is　it
that　refreshes　himself　in　hurly…burly？〃

〃It　is　I　who　am　every　thing；〃　replied　Goethe；　striding　and
swaggering　up　and　down。　〃I　was　an　assistant；　in　order　to　be
somethinglived　upon　the　Alps；　tended　the　goats；　lay　under　the
vault　of　heaven　day　and　night；　refreshed　by　the　cool　pastures；　and
burned　with　the　inward　fire。　No　peace；　no　rest　anywhere。　See；　I
swell　with　power　and　health！　I　cannot　waste　myself　away。　I　would
take　part　in　the　campaign　here；　then　can　my　soul　expand；　and　if　they
do　me　the　service　to　shoot　me　down；　well　and　good！〃　＇Footnote：　From
Klinger's　tragedy　〃Sturm　und　Drang。〃＇

〃Bravo！　Wild；　bravo！〃　cried　the　duke。　〃Hei！　that　thundered　and
rolled；　and　struck　fire！　It　does　me　good　to　hear　such　vigorous　words
from　an　able　rare　genius　in　the　midst　of　this　miserable；　starched
elegance。　The　powerful　Germans　are　healthy　fellows。　Something　of　the
Promethean　fire　blazes　forth　in　them。　They　were　forced　to　come；
those　jolly；　uproarious　boys；　after　the　affected　cue　period；　they
were　the　full；　luxurious　plants；　and　my　Wolfgang；　the　favorite　of　my
heart；　my　poet　and　teacher；　is　the　divine　blossom　of　this　plant。　Let
them　prevail；　these　'Sturmer　und　Dranger；'　for　they　are　the　fathers
and　brothers　of　my　Wolfgang。　Do　me　the　sole　pleasure　not　to　refine
yourself　too　much；　but　let　this　divine　fire　burst　forth　in　volcanic
flames；　and　leave　the　thundering　crater　uncovered。　Sometimes　when　I
see　you　so　simpering；　so　modest　and　ceremonious；　I　ask　myself；　with
anxiety；　if　it　is　the　same　Wolfgang　Goethe；　who　used　to　drink
'Smollis'　with　me　at　merry　bacchanals　out　of　death…skulls？the　same
with　whom　I　used　to　practise　whip…cracking　upon　the　market…place
hours　long；　to　the　terror　of　the　good　citizens？the　same　who　used
to　dance　so　nimbly　the　two…steps；　and　was　inexhaustible　in　mad
pranks。　Now　tell　me；　Herr　Wolfgang；　are　you　yourself；　or　are　you
another？〃

〃I　am　myself；　and　not　myself；〃　answered　Goethe；　smiling。　〃There
still　remains　a　good　portion　of　folly　in　me；　and　it　must　sometimes
thunder　and　flash；　but　I　hope　the　atmosphere　of　my　soul　will　become
clearer；　and　over　the　crater　a　more　lovely　garden　will　spread　out；
in　which　beautiful；　fragrant　flowers　will　bloom；　useful　and
profitable　for　my　friends　and　myself。　Sometimes　I　long　for　this　as
for　the　promised　land；　then　again　it　foams　and　thunders　in　me　like
fermenting　must；　which；　defying　all　covers　and　hoops；　would　froth　up
to　heaven　in　an　immense　source　of　mad　excitement！〃

〃Let　it　froth　and　foam；　and　spring　the　covers；　and　burst　the　old
casks；〃　cried　the　duke；　〃I　delight　in　it；　and　every　infernal　noise
you　make；　the　prouder　I　am　to　recognize　that　from　this　foaming　must
will　clear　itself　a　marvellous　wine；　a　delicious　beverage　for　gods
and　men；　with　which　the　world　will　yet　refresh　itself；　when　we　are
long　gone　to　the　kingdom　of　shadesto　the　something　or　nothing。　You
know；　Wolf；　I　love　you；　and　I　am　proud　that　I　have　you！　It　is　true
that　I　possess　only　a　little　duchy；　but　it　is　large　enough　to　lead
an　agreeable　and　comfortable　existencelarge　enough　for　a　little
earthly　duke；　and　the　great　king　of　intellects；　Johann　Wolfgang
Goethe。　Let　us　return　to　our　dear　home；　for　I　acknowledge　to　you　I
sigh　for　Weimar。　I　long　for　the　dear　little　place；　where　every　one
knows　me　and　greets　me；　and　even　for　my　dogs　and　horses。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Goethe；　〃I　really　mourn　for　my　Tusculum；　which　I　owe
to　the　generous；　kind　duke；　for　the　balcony　of　my　little　cottage；
where；　canopied　by　the　blue；　starry　vault　of　heaven；　I　dream　away
the　lonely　May　nights。〃

〃Is　there　nothing　else　you　sigh　for　but　the　summer…house　at　Weimar？〃

〃No！〃　cried　Goethe；　and　an　indescribable　expression　of　rapture　and
delight　was　manifest　in　his　whole　manner。

〃No；　why　should　I　deny　it；　how　could　I？　It　would　be　treason　to　the
Highest　and　most　Glorious。　No；　I　long　for　my　muse；　my　mistress；
my〃

〃Beloved！〃　interrupted　the　duke。　〃I　pray　you　not　to　be　so　prudish；
so　reserved。　Have　the　courage　to　snap　your　fingers　at　this
infamously　deceitful　moral　code；　and　proud　and　distinguished　as　you
are；　elevate　yourself　above　what　these　miserable　earthworms　call
morality。　For　the　eagle　there　is　a　different　law　than　for　the
pigeon。　If　the　eagle　soars　aloft　through　the　ether　to　his　eyry；
bearing　a　lamb　in　his　powerful　claws；　has　he　not　a　right　to　itthe
right　of　superiority　and　power　by　God's　grace？　Has　he　not　as　much
right　to　the　lamb　as　the　pigeon　to　the　pea　which　she　finds　in　the
dust？　If　the　pigeon　by　chance　sees　the　eagle　with　his　lamb；　she
cries；　'Zeter！　mordio！'　with　the　pea　in　her　own　bill；　as　if　she　were
in　a　position　to　judge　the　eagle。〃

〃A　beautiful　picture；〃　cried　Goethe；　joyfully〃a　picture　that　would
inspire　me　to　indite　a　poem。〃

〃Write　one；　and　call　it　for　a　souvenir　'The　Eagle　and　the　Dove。'
Make　it　a　reality；　my　eagle　youth；　bear　off　the　white　lamb　to　your
eyry；　and　let　the　world；　with　its　affected　morality；　say　what　it
likes。　How　can　you　bear　to　see　the　one　you　love　at　the　side　of
another　man？　Tell　me；　confess　to　me；　is　not　the　beautiful　Charlotte
von　Stein　your　beloved？〃

〃Not　in　the　sense　you　mean；　duke；　not　in　the　vulgar　sense　of　the
word。　I　love　her；　I　adore　her；　with　a　pure　and　holy　sentiment。　I
would　not　that　Charlotte　should　have　cause　to　blush　before　her
children　on　my　account。　She　would　be　desecrated　to　me　if　I；　in　my
inmost　soul；　could　imagine　the　blush　of　shame　upon　her　cheek；　or
that　her　eye　could　brighten　at　other　than　great；　beautiful；　and
noble　acts。　I　adore　her；　and　to　me　she　is　the　ideal　of　the　purest
and　sweetest　womanhood。　I　rejoice　that　she　is　as　she　is；　like　clear
mountain　crystaltransparent　and　so　brightly　pure；　that　one　could
mirror　himself　therein。　She　stands　above　all　other　women；　and　to　her
belong　all　my　thoughts；　and　would；　even　if　I　were　wedded　to　another。
To　me　she　is　the　most　beautiful　of　the　beautiful；　the　purest　of　the
pure；　the　most　graceful　of　the　graceful；　and　all　my　thoughts　are　in
perfect　harmony　with　hers。　Now；　duke；　if　it　is　agreeable　to　you；
knowing　my　feelings；　to　call　Charlotte　von　Stein　my　beloved；　she　is
so　in　the　most　elevated　sense　of　the　word。〃

〃Ah！　you　poets；　you　poets；〃　sighed　the　duke；　smiling。

〃A　streak　of　madness　in　you　all；　though　I　will　grant　that　it　is
divine。〃

〃S