old fritz and the new era-第36部分

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terrible　pains　in　your　head　your　life　long！〃

〃Yes；　yes！　all　that　you　wish。　I　am　capable　of　saying　the　most
flattering　things　of　myself　to　save　this　beautiful　design。　Give　it
to　me；　you　curious　fellow！〃

〃No；〃　said　Chodowiecki；　earnestly；　〃I　will　not　give　it　to　you。　Such
a　portrait　is　not　made　to　be　put　in　a　dusty　portfolio；　or　framed　for
the　boudoir　of　your　lady…love。　All　Germany；　all　the　world　should
enjoy　it；　and　centuries　later　the　German　women　will　still　see
Wolfgang　Goethe　as　he　looked　in　his　twenty…ninth　year；　and　hang　an
engraving　on　the　wall　in　their　parlor；　and　sighing　and　palpitating
acknowledge'There　never　was　but　one　such　godlike　youth；　and　there
never　will　be　another。　I　wish　that　I　had　known　him；　I　wish　he　had
loved　me！'　So　will　they　speak　centuries　later；　for　I　will　perpetuate
this　drawing　in　a　steel　engraving　of　my　most　beautiful　artistic
work。〃　＇Footnote：　This　engraving　from　the　artist　Chodowiecki　still
exists；　and　the　author　of　this　work　possesses　a　beautiful　copy；
which　Ottille　von　Goethe　sent　her。　It　is　a　bust　in　profile；　the　most
beautiful　of　his　youth。＇

〃You　are　a　splendid　fellow；　and　I　must　embrace　you；　and　rejoice　to
be　immortalized　by　you；　for　this　portrait　pleases　me　exceedingly。　I
might　well　be　proud　that　this　head　with　the　rare　profile　is　a
counterpart　of　my　own。　Now　we　are　good　friends。　Before　I　say
farewell；　let　me　see　the　work　at　which　I　just　disturbed　you　upon
entering。〃

Goethe　was　about　to　raise　the　cloth；　when　Chodowiecki　waved　him
back。　〃Do　not　look　at　it；〃　said　he；　quickly；　〃I　dislike　to　appear　as
a　mechanic　before　you；　as　I　wish　that　you　should　honor　only　the
artist。　We　poor　toilers　are　badly　off；　as　the　old　proverb　is　ever
proving　true　with　us；　'Art　goes　for　bread。'　We　must　be　mechanics　the
chief　part　of　our　lives；　in　order　to　have　a　few　hours　free；　in　which
we　are　allowed　to　be　artists。　I　have　to　illustrate　the　most
miserable　works　with　my　engravings；　to　buy　the　time　to　pursue　works
of　art。〃

〃That　is　the　interest；　friend；　which　you　pay　the　world　for　the　great
capital　which　the　gods　confided　to　you。　Believe　me；　the　artist
Chodowiecki　would　have　but　a　morsel　to　eat　if　the　mechanic
Chodowiecki　did　not　serve　him　a　tempting　meal；　paying　the　bill。　Do
not　be　vexed　about　it；　man　must　have　a　trade　to　support　him；　as　art
is　never　remunerated。　＇Footnote：　Goethe's　wordsSee　G。　H。　Lewes's
〃Goethe's　Life　and　Writings；〃　vol。　1。；　p。　459。＇　I　hope　the　mechanic
will　be　well　paid；　that　the　artist　may　create　beautiful　and　rare
works　for　us。　This　is　my　farewell　visit　to…day；　friend。　If　you　will
hear　a　welcome　from　me　very　soon；　come　to　Weimar；　and　see　how　one
honors　the　artists　there；　and　how　well　appreciated　Chodowiecki　is。〃

Goethe　embraced　and　kissed　the　artist；　who　regarded　him；　his　face
radiant　with　joy；　and　would　not　be　prevented　from　accompanying　him
to　the　house　door；　as　if　he　were　a　prince　or　a　king。　〃Now　to　Madame
Karschin；〃　said　Goethe　to　himself；　as　he　hastened　through　the
streets　in　that　direction。　〃The　good　woman　has　welcomed　me　with　so
many　pretty　verses　that　I　must　make　my　acknowledgments；　in　spite　of
my　decision　to　keep　the　Berlin　authors　at　a　distance。〃

From　Wilhelm　Street；　where　Chodowiecki　lived；　to　the　tilt…yard；　was
not　far；　and　Goethe　soon　reached　the　old；　antiquated　house　where　the
poetess　lived。　After　many　questionings　and　inquiries　at　the　lower
stories　and　more　splendid　apartments　of　the　house；　he　found　the
abode　of　the　poetess；　and　climbed　up　the　steep　stairs　to　the
slanting　attic…room。　The　dim　light　of　a　small　window　permitted
Goethe　to　read　upon　a　gray　piece　of　paper；　pasted　upon　the　door；
'Anna　Louisa　Karsch；　German　poetess。'　He　knocked　modestly　at　the
door　at　first；　then　louder；　and　as　the　voices　within　never　ceased
for　a　moment　their　animated　conversation；　he　opened　it；　and　entered
the　obscure　room。

〃I　will　do　it；　sir；〃　said　the　little　woman　sitting　in　the　window…
niche　near　a　table　to　a　young　man　standing　near　her。　〃I　will　do　it；
though　I　must　tell　you　album　writing　is　very　common。　But　you　must
promise　me　to　return　here；　and　let　me　see　what　Herr　Rammler　writes；
and　tell　me　what　he　says　about　me。　These　are　my　conditions。〃

〃Frau　Karschin；　I　promise　you；　upon　the　word　of　honor　of　a　German
youth；　who　can　never　lower　himself　to　break　his　word。〃

〃Very　well！　then　I　will　write。〃

There　was　perfect　silence。　The　youth　watched　the　little；　dry　hand
which　guided　the　pen；　with　a　devotional　mien；　and　Goethe　with　eager
curiosity；　who；　unobserved；　stood　like　a　suppliant　at　the　door　of
the　obscure　little　room；　the　shabby　furniture　of　which　betrayed　the
narrow　circumstances　of　the　German　poetess。　It　harmonized　with　the
occupant；　a　little；　bony；　meagre　figure；　wearing　a　tight…fitting
blue…flowered　chintz　dress。　Upon　the　gray　hair；　which；　parted　in　the
middle；　encircled　the　low　forehead；　was　a　cap；　which　had　lost　its
whiteness　and　was；　therefore；　more　in　harmony　with　the　ruff　about
her　yellow；　thin　neck。　Her　sharp；　angular　features　were　redeemed　by
large；　dark　eyes；　flashing　with　marvellous　brilliancy　from　under　the
thick；　gray　eyebrows；　and　with　quick；　penetrating　glances　she
sometimes　turned　them　to　the　ceiling　thoughtfully　as　she　wrote。
〃There；　sir；　is　my　poem；〃　said　she；　laying　down　the　pen。　〃Listen：

'Govern　your　will；　If　it　hinders　duty；　It　fetters　virtue；　Then　envy
beguiles　Into　fault…finding。'　〃

〃Oh；　how　beautiful；　cried　the　young　man；　enraptured。　〃I　thank　you　a
thousand　times　for　those　glorious　words；　and　they　shall　henceforth
be　the　guiding　star　of　my　existence。〃

〃Go　to　Professor　Rammler；　and：　then　return　and　show　me　what　he
writes；　for　I　am　convinced。　Oh；　Heavens！　there　is　a　stranger；〃　she
cried；　as　she　discovered　Goethe；　who　had　remained　standing　by　the
door。

〃Yes；　a　stranger；〃　said　Goethe；　smiling；　and　approaching；　as　the
happy　possessor　of　the　album　withdrew〃a　stranger　would　not　leave
Berlin　without　visiting　the　German　poetess。〃

〃And　without　verses　in　your　album；　is　it　not　so？　I　have　become　the
fashion；　and　if　I　could　only　live　by　immortalizing　myself　in　your
albums；　I　should　be　free　from　care。　Now　I　have　divined　ityou　wish
an　autograph？〃

〃No！　only　a　good　word；　and　a　friendly　shake　of　the　hand；　for　I
possess　a　poem　and　a　letter　which　the　good　Frau　Karschin　sent　me　at
Weimar　some　six　months　since；　written　by　herself。〃

〃Is　it　Goethe？〃　she　cried；　clasping　her　hands　in　astonishment。　〃The
poet　Johann　Wolfgang　Goethe；　the　renowned　author　of　the　work
which〃

〃Cost　you　many　tears；〃　broke　in　Goethe；　laughing。　〃I　beg　you　spare
me　these　phrases；　which　follow　me　upon　my　journey　as　the　Furies
Orestes。　I　know　that　'Werther'　has　become　the　favorite　of　the
reading　public；　he　has　opened　all　the　tear…ducts　and　made　all　lovers
of　moonlight　as　soft　as　a　swaddling…cloth。　I　could　punish　myself　for
having　written　'Werther。'〃

Frau　Karschin　laughed　aloud。　〃That　is　glorious！　You　please　me！　You
are　a　famous　poet　and　a　genius；　for　only　geniuses　can　revise　and
ridicule　themselves。　Welcome；　Germany's　greatest　poet；　welcome　to
the　attic　of　the　poetess！　There　is　the　good　word　which　you　would
have；　and　here　is　the　hand。　Did　you　think　it　worth　while　to　visit
poor　Karschin？　I　am　rejoiced　at　it；　for　I　see　that　they　accused　you
unjustly　of　arrogance　and　pride！〃

〃Do　they　accuse　me　of　it？〃　asked　Goethe；　smiling。　〃Can　the　Berlin
poets　and　authors　never　forgive　me　that　I　live　at　a　court；　and　am
honored　with　the　favor　of　a　prince？〃

〃They　would　willingly　forgive　you　if　they　had　the　power　to　push　you
one　side；　and　take　your　place。　They　are　angry　with　you；　because　they
envy　you　and　are　not　accustomed　to　be　esteemed。　Our　prince　and
ruler；　as　great　a　hero　and　king　as　he　otherwise　is；　cares　little　for
German　poetry；　and　for　all　he　would　care；　the　Berlin　authors　might
starve；　one　and　all；　he　would　trouble　himself　no　more　about　them
than　the　flies　dancing　in　the　sunlight。〃

〃The　great　king　is　still　the　same；　then？　He　will　never　know　anything
of　German　literature？〃

〃No！　he　declares　that　it　is　the　language　of　barbarians　and　bear…
catchers；　scolds　about　us；　and　despises　us；　and　yet　knows　as　little
of　us　as　the　man　in　the　moon。　He　adores　his　Voltaire。　Old　Fritz
knows　the　French　poet　by　heart；　but　Lessing　he　knows　nothing　of。　He
abuses　'Goetz　von　Berlichingen；'　and　'Werther's　Sorrows。'〃

〃Oh！　I　know　it　allI　know　the　king's　adjutant…general；　von
Siedlitz。　I　often　dine　with　him；　and　read　aloud　my　poems　to　him；
when　he　relates　to　me　what　the　king　says　to　enrage　me。　You　must　know
when　I　am　angry　I　speak　in　verse。　I　accustomed　myself　to　it　during
my　unhappy　marriage　with　the　tailor　Karsch。　When　he　scolded；　I
answered　in　verse；　and　tried　to　turn　my　thoughts　to　other　things；
and　to　make　the　most　difficult　rhymes。　As　he　was　always　scolding　and
quarrelling；　I　always　spoke　in　rhyme。〃

〃And　in　this　way　you　led　a　very　poetical　marriage？〃　smiled　Goethe。

〃Yes；　indeed；　poetical；〃　she　said；　and　her　large　brilliant　eyes　were
dimmed。　〃If　it　is　true　that　tears　are　the　baptism　of　poets；　then　I
was　baptized　daily　for　twelve　years；　and　ought　to　be　an
extraordinary　poetess。〃

〃That　you　are；　indeed；〃　said　Goethe；　〃who　would　dispute　it？　You　have
given　evidence　of　great　poetical　talent；　and　I　read　your　heroic　poem
upon　the　Great　Frederick　with　real　delight。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　he　did？〃　she　asked；　bitterly。　〃I　turned　to　him；
begging　for　assistance；　for　who　should　a　poet　turn　to；　but　his　God
and　his　king？　Moreover；　he　had　promised　it　to　me　personally。〃

〃You　have　spoken　with　him；　then；　yourself？〃　asked　Goethe。

〃Yes；　eight　years　ago；　General　von　Siedlitz　procured　me　an　audience。
The　king　was　very　gracious；　and　among　other　things；　asked　me　about
my　life；　and　as　I　explained　to　him　my　poverty　and　want；　he　most
kindly　promised　to　help　me。〃　＇Footnote：　This　interview　which　Frau
Karschin　had　with　the　king　is　found　in　〃Anecdotes　and　Traits　of
Character　of　Frederick　the　Great。〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　72。＇

〃And　did　he　not　fulfil　his　promise？〃

〃No；　had　it　been　given　to　the　least　of　the　French　writers　he　would
have　kept　it；　but　to　a　German　poet　it　was　not　worth　while。　What　is　a
native　poet　to　the　great　German　king？　A　phantom　that　he　knows　not；
and　believes　not。　As　great　as　he　is；　the　king