old fritz and the new era-第37部分

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native　poet　to　the　great　German　king？　A　phantom　that　he　knows　not；
and　believes　not。　As　great　as　he　is；　the　king　showed　himself　very
small　to　me。　I　sang　him　as　a　poetess　and　he　bestowed　a　pittance　upon
me　as　one　would　to　a　beggar　in　tatters　by　the　wayside。〃

〃Is　it　really　true；　upon　your　supplication〃

〃Sent　me　two　thalers！　Yes；　that　is　indeed　true；　and　I　see　by　your
smile　that　you　know　it；　and　know　also　that　I　returned　it　to　him。　I
had　rather　die　with　hunger　than　take　a　beggar's　penny。　But　let　me
relate　to　you　what　happened　two　weeks　since。　I　had　borne　patiently
the　affair　of　the　two　thalers；　and　forgotten　it。　I　am　more
comfortable　now；　the　booksellers　pay　me　for　my　songs　and　poems　very
well；　and　a　number　of　patrons　and　friends；　at　whose　head　is　the
Prince　of　Prussia；　give　me　a　small　pension；　from　which　I　can　at
least　livethough　poorly。　One　of　my　patrons　sent　me　a　strip　of　land
on　the　Spree　not　far　from　the　Hercules　Bridge；　where　I　would　gladly
build　me　a　little　house；　at　last　to　have　a　sure　abiding…place　where
I　could　retirethat　would　be　a　refuge　against　all　the　troubles　and
sorrows　of　life。　As　I　thought　it　over；　the　old　confidence　and
imperishable　love　for　the　great　king　rose　again　within　me；　and　as　I
esteemed　him　I　always　hoped　for　the　fulfilment　of　his　promise。　I
applied　to　him　again；　and　begged　him　to　do　for　me　what　he　had
granted　to　so　many　cobblers　and　tailors；　as　the　king　gives　building…
money　to　help　those　who　will　build。　All　the　houses　of　the
Gensdarmen…markt　are　built　by　royal　aid；　and　sometimes　the　king
designs　the　facades；　as　he　did　for　the　butcher　Kuhn's　great　house；
and　sent　him　a　design　to　ornament　the　frieze　of　ninety…nine；　sheeps'
heads；　only　ninety…nine；　for　he　said　the　butcher　himself　was　the　one
hundredth。　The　butcher　remonstrated；　but　he　was　obliged　to　keep
them；　if　he　would　have　the　building…money。〃

〃Really；〃　cried　Goethe；　laughing；　〃the　king　is　an　ingenious　and
extraordinary　man　in　every　thing；　and　no　one　is　like　him。〃

〃No　one　is　like　him；　and　no　one　would　have　treated　me　as　he　did。　I
addressed　to　him　a　poem；　begging　him　with　true　inspiration　and
emotion　to　let　a　German　poetess　find　favor　in　his　sightand　that　he
would　be　for　me　a　Maecenas；　if　I　were　not　a　Horace。　My　heart　bled
with　sorrow；　that　I　must　so　beg　and　pray；　and　my　tears　wet　the　paper
upon　which　I　indited　my　begging；　rhyming　petition。　How　much　money　do
you　think　the　great　king　sent　me　for　my　house？　Think　of　the　smallest
sum。〃

〃If　it　was　small；　yet　for　building…money　he　would　send　you　at　least
two　hundred　thalers。〃

The　poetess　burst　into　a　scornful　laugh。　〃He　sent　me　three　thalers！
The　great　Frederick　sent　me　three　thalers　to　build　a　house！〃

〃What　did　you　do？　Did　you　take　them？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　proudly；　〃and　I　will　leave　them　as　a　legacy　to
my　daughter；　as　an　historical　souvenir　for　succeeding　generations；
who　will　relate　the　benevolence　of　the　German　king　for　the　German
poetess。　I　sent　the　king　a　receiptI　will　read　it　to　you。

'His　majesty　commanded；　Instead　of　building…money；　To　send　me　three
thalers。　The　order　was　exactly；　Promptly　fulfilled。　I　am　indebted
for　thanks；　But　for　three　thalers　can　No　joiner　in　Berlin　My　coffin
make。　Otherwise　to…morrow　I　would　order　Such　a　house　without　horror
Where　worms　feast；　And；　feasting；　quarrel　Over　the　lean；　care…worn
Old　woman's　remains　That　the　king　let　sigh　away。'　＇Footnote：　See
〃Life　and　Poems　of　Louisa　Karschin；〃　edited　by　her　daughter。＇

〃Why　do　you　not　laugh？〃　said　Frau　Karschin；　raising　her　flashing
eyes　to　Goethe；　who　sat　looking　down　earnestly　and　quietly　before
her。

〃I　cannot；〃　he　gently　answered。　〃Your　poem　makes　me　sad；　it　recalls
the　keen　sorrow　of　a　poet's　existence；　the　oft…repeated　struggle
between　Ideality　and　Reality。　The　blessed　of　the　gods　must　humble
themselves；　though　they　may　raise　their　heads　to　heaven；　their　feet
must　still　rest　upon　earth；　and　to　find　their　way　upon　it；　and　walk
humbly　therein；　they　must　again　lower　their　inspired　heads。〃

〃Oh；　that　makes　me　feel　better；〃　cried　Karschin；　with　tears　in　her
eyes；　〃that　is　balsam　for　my　wounds。　You　are　a　great　poet；　Goethe；　I
feel　it　to　be　so。　You　are　a　great　man；　for　your　heart　is　good　and
filled　with　pity。　How　unjustly　they　call　you　cold　and　proud！　Only　be
a　little　more　yielding；　and　call　upon　the　Berlin　poets　and　writers。
You　can　imagine　that　the　news　of　your　arrival　ran　like　wild…fire
through　the　town。　Nicolai；　Rammler；　Engel；　Mendelssohn；　and　all　the
other　distinguished　gentlemen　have　stayed　at　home　like　badgers　in
their　kennels；　watching　for　you；　so　as　not　to　miss　your　visit。　At
last　they　became　desperate；　and　scolded　furiously　over　your
arrogance　and　pride　in　thinking　yourself　better　than　they。　Why　have
you　not　called　upon　them？〃

There　was　a　loud　knocking　at　the　door；　and　the　young　man　with　his
album　entered；　almost　breathless。　〃Here　I　am；〃　said　he；　〃I　came
directly　from　Professor　Rammler　here；　as　I　promised　you。〃

〃You　saw　him；　then？　Has　he　written　something　for　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　saw　him；　and　he　granted　my　request。〃

〃And　abused　me；　did　he　not；　with　his　nose　turned　up？　You　must　know；
Goethe；　that　Professor　Rammler　despises　my　poems；　because　I　am　not
so　learned　in　Greek　and　Roman　mythology　as　he　is。　Now　tell　me；　my
young　friend；　what　did　he　say　about　me？〃

〃I　promised　you；　upon　my　word　of　honor；　to　tell　you　every　thing；　but
I　hope　you　will　release　me　from　the　promise。〃　sighed　the　young　man。

〃No；　that　I　will　not。　Much　more；　upon　the　strength　of　your　word　of
honor；　I　desire　it。　You　promised；　word　for　word；　to　relate　it　to
me。〃

〃If　it　must　be；　then；　let　it　be。　I　went　at　once　to　Professor
Rammler's。　He　asked　me　immediately　if　I　had　not　been　here。〃

〃Just　as　I　asked　you；〃　laughed　Karschin。

〃I　affirmed　it；　saying　that　you　showed　me　his　house。　Upon　which　he
asked；　'Did　she　say　any　thing　against　me？　She　is　accustomed　to　do　it
before　strangers；　like　all　old　women。'　He　then　turned　over　my　album；
and　as　he　saw　the　lines　you　wrote　he　reddened；　and　striking　the
book'I　see　it；　she　knew　she　had　said　something　about　me。　She　tells
every　stranger　that　I　think　she　is　censorious。　What　she　has　written
is　aimed　at　me。'　Upon　that　he　wrote　some　lines　opposite　yours；　shut
the　book；　and　handed　it　to　me。　I　have　not　even　had　the　time　to　read
them。〃

〃Read　them　now；　quickly。〃

〃'He　who　slanders　and　listens　to　slander；　let　him　be　punished。　She
may　be　hung　by　the　tongue；　and　he　by　the　ears。'〃　＇Footnote：　This
scene　took　place　literally；　and　may　be　found　in　〃Celebrated　German
Authors；〃　vol。　II。；　p。　340。＇

〃That　is　shamefulthat　is　mean！〃　said　Frau　Karschin；　while　Goethe
re…read　the　cutting　epigram。　〃That　is　just　like　Rammler；　his　tongue
is　like　a　two…edged　sword　for　every　one　but　himself；　and　he　fans　his
own　glories；　and　does　not　know　that　he　is　a　fool。　Frederick　the
Great　himself　called　him　so。　One　of　his　generals　called　his
attention　to　him；　upon　which　Frederick　turned　his　horse；　riding
directly　up　to　him；　asking；　'Is　this　the　distinguished　Rammler？'
'Yes；　your　majesty；　I　am　he；'　the　little　professor　proudly　bowed。
'You　are　a　fool！'　called　out　Frederick；　very　loud；　and　rode　away；　as
all　around　the　'Great　Rammler'　laughed　and　sneered。　There　are　many
such　stories。　Shall　I　tell　you　how　Lessing　teased　him？〃

〃No；　dear　woman；　tell　me　nothing　more。　I　perceive　your　Berlin
writers　and　poets　are　a　malicious；　contentious　set　of　people。　I　may
well　fear　you；　and　shall　be　glad　to　escape　unharmed。　Think　kindly　of
me；　and　have　pity　upon　me；　if　the　others　are　too　severe；　raise　your
dear　hand　and　hold　back　the　scourge　that　it　may　not　fall　upon　poor
Wolfgang　Goethe。　Adieu；　dear　Frau　Karschin。〃

Goethe　bowed；　and　hastened　down　into　the　street。　〃With　the　authors
and　poets　of　Berlin　I　wish　nothing　more　to　do；　but　with　the
philosophers　I　may　be　more　fortunate；　and　with　them　find　the　wisdom
and　forbearance　which　fail　the　poets。〃

Goethe　bent　his　steps　to　Spandauer　Street；　in　which　the　merchant　and
philosopher　Moses　Mendelssohn　lived；　hastened　up　the　stairs；　and
knocked；　which　was　answered　by　an　old　servant；　to　whom　Goethe
announced　himself。　The　servant　disappeared；　and　the　poet　stood　in
the　little；　narrow　corridor；　smilingly　looking　to　the　study…door；
and　waiting　for　the　〃gates　of　wisdom〃　to　open　and　let　the　worldling
enter　the　temple　of　philosophy。

The　crooked　little　man；　the　great　philosopher；　Moses；　son　of
Mendelssohn；　stood　behind　the　door；　turning　over　in　his　mind　whether
he　would　receive　Goethe　or　not。　〃Why　should　I？　The　proud　secretary
of　legation　has　already　been　in　Berlin　eight　days；　and　wishes　to
prove　to　me　that　he　cares　little　for　Berlin　philosophers。　My　noble
friend；　the　great　Lessing；　cannot　abide　'Gotz　von　Berlichingen；'　and
Nicolai；　Rammler；　and　Engel　are　the　bitter　opponents；　the　very
antipodes　of　the　rare　genius　and　secretary　of　legation　from　Weimar。
If　he　wishes　to　see　me；　why　did　he　come　so　late；　so〃

〃Herr　Goethe　is　waitingshall　he　enter？〃　asked　the　servant。

The　philosopher　raised　his　head。　〃No；〃　cried　he；　loudly。　〃No！　tell
him　you　were　mistaken。　I　am　not　at　home。〃

The　old　servant　looked　quite　frightened　at　his　masterthe　first
time　he　had　heard　an　untruth　from　him。　〃What　shall　I　say；　sir？〃

〃Say　no；〃　cried　Moses；　very　excited　and　ill…humored。　〃Say　that　I　am
not　at　homethat　I　am　out。〃

With　a　determined；　defiant　manner　the　philosopher　seated　himself　to
work　upon　his　new　book；　〃Jerusalem；〃　saying　to　himself；　〃I　am　right
to　send　him　away；　he　waited　too　long；　is　too　late。〃　＇Footnote：　From
Ludwig　Tieck　I　learned　this　anecdote；　and　he　assured　me　that　Moses
Mendelssohn　told　it　to　him。See　〃Goethe　in　Berlin；　Leaves　of
Memory；〃　p。　6。The　Authoress。＇




CHAPTER　XVIII。

FAREWELL　TO　BERLIN。


〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear　Wolf？〃　cried　the　duke；　as　Goethe
returned　from　his　visits。　〃What　mean　those　shadows　upon　your　brow？
Have　the　cursed　beaux…esprits　in　Berlin　annoyed　and　tortured　you？〃

〃No；　duke；　I〃　and　suddenly　stopping；　he　burst　into　a　loud　ringing
laugh；　and　sprang　about　the　room；　bounding　up　and　down；　shouting；
〃Hurrah！　hurrah！　Long　live　the　philosophers；　vivat　the
philosophers！〃

〃They　shall　livelivelive；''　shouted　the　duke！

〃Vivat　the　philosophers！　hurrah！