old fritz and the new era-第39部分

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fearfully　anxious；　now　that　the　dear　young　Emperor　Joseph　has　left
for　the　army；　and　will　be　exposed　to　the　dangers　of　war。　My　good
friends　in　Vienna　inform　me　that　my　entrance　into　Bohemia　created　a
sensation　at　the　brilliant　capital；　and　had　so　much　alarmed　the
empress…queen；　that　she　was　seriously　thinking　of　negotiating　for
peace。　As　I　learned　this　from　a　reliable　source；　I　halted　and
encamped；　that　the　empress　should　know　where　to　find　me；　and　sent　to
summon　you　immediately。　I　had　not　been　here　three　days；　when　the
empress's　ambassador；　Baron　von　Thugut；　appeared　to　make　offers；　and
consult　about　an　armistice　of　two　weeks。　I　made　known　my　conditions；
and　promised　the　empress；　through　her　negotiator；　that　I　would　so
calculate　my　movements　that　her　majesty　would　have　nothing　to　fear
for　her　blood　and　her　cherished　emperor。　＇Footnote：　The　king's
words。See　〃Prussia；　Frederick　the　Great；〃　vol。　iv。；　p。　102。＇
Voila；　mon　cher　ministre；　you　know　all　now。　If　the　Austrian　diplomat
comes　a　second　time；　you　can　negotiate　with　him。〃

〃Is　your　majesty　also　inclined　to　peace？〃　asked　Herzberg。

The　king　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃When　it　can　be　arranged　with
honor；　yes；〃　said　he。　〃I　will　acknowledge；　Herzberg；　to　you；　the
campaign　is　hard　for　me。　The　old　fellow　of　sixty…eight　feels　the
burden　of　life；　and　would　gladly　rest　quietly；　and　enjoy　the　last
few　years　as　philosopher　and　writer　instead　of　soldier。〃

〃Your　majesty　has　yet　many　years　to　live；　God　willing；〃　cried
Herzberg。　〃It　would　be　a　great　misfortune　to　Prussia　if　she　could
not　yet　owe　to　her　great　king　a　long　and　happy　reign。〃

〃Hem！〃　replied　the　king；　〃there　are　in　Prussia　very　many　who　think
otherwise；　and　wish　me　to　the　devil。　But　I　have　no　intention　of
seeking　monsieur　so　soon；　for　there　are　sufficient　devilish　deeds　to
endure　in　this　earthly　vale　of　sorrow　to　prepare　for　one　a　very
decent　purgatory；　and　give　him　hereafter　well…founded　hopes　of
heaven。　Therefore　I　count　upon　remaining　here　below　a　while；　and　to
knead　with　you　this　leaven　of　life　that　may　yield　to　my　subjects　an
eatable　bread。　You　must　help　me；　Herzberg；　when　I　am　the　baker；　to
provide　the　flour　for　my　people；　you　must　be　the　associate　to　knead
the　bread。　In　order　that　the　flour　should　not　fail；　and　the　bread
give　out；　it　may　be　necessary；　if　possible；　to　make　peace。〃

〃Will　your　majesty　be　so　gracious　as　to　inform　me　what　steps　I　may
take；　and　upon　what　conditions？〃

〃Take　this　paper；〃　said　the　king；　extending　a　written　document　to
Herzberg。　〃I　have　therein　expressed　my　wishes；　and　you　can　act
accordingly。　I　am　prepared　for　peace　upon　any　terms　which　can　be
made　with　honor；　and　which　do　not　frustrate　the　aim　I　have　in　view。
You　well　know　that　this　is　the　security　of　Germany　against　Austria's
ambitious　love　of　territorial　aggrandizement！　I　cannot　and　I　will
not　suffer　that　the　house　of　Habsburg　should　strive　for　unjust
possession　in　Germany；　and　appropriate　Bavaria　to　herself　while　a
lawful　heir　exists。　I　well　know　that　I　play　the　role　of　Don　Quixote；
and　am　about　to　fight　for　the　rights　of　Germany　as　the　Chevalier　de
la　Mancha　fought　for　his　Dulcinea　del　Toboso。　Mais；　que　voulez…vous；
it　is　necessary　for　my　fame　and　repose　that　I　enter　the　arena　once
more　against　Austria　to　prove　to　her　that　I　exist。　I　take　this　step
on　account　of　the　prestige　I　have　gained　in　the　German　empire；　and
which　I　should　lose　if　I　had　not　faced　Austria　in　this　Bavarian
contest。　And　besides；　it　is　agreeable　to　me　to　accustom　my　successor
to　the　thunder　of　cannon；　and　witness　his　bearing　on　the　field　of
battle。〃

〃He　will　certainly　do　honor　to　the　heroic　race　of　Hohenzollern；〃
answered　Herzberg；　bowing。

A　sudden　flash　from　the　king's　fiery　eyes　met　the　calm　pale　face　of
Herzberg。　〃Mere　words　and　flattery；　which　prove　that　you　are　not
satisfied；　Herzberg！　Nay；　nay；　do　not　deny　it；　you　do　not　like　that
I　should　tarry　and　treat；　and　set　the　pen　in　motion　instead　of　the
sword。　You　are　a　man　of　deeds；　and　if　you　had　had　your　way；　I　should
have　already　won　a　decisive　battle；　and　be　on　the　road　to　Vienna　to
besiege　the　empress　in　her　citadel；　and　dictate　an　humiliating　peace
to　her。〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　can　assure　you〃

〃Well；　well；　do　not　quarrel！〃　interrupted　the　king；　〃do　you　suppose
I　cannot　read　your　honest　and　obstinate　face？　Do　you　suppose　I　did
not　mean　what　I　said？　Acknowledge　that　I　am　right！　confess　it；　I
command　you！〃

〃If　your　majesty　commands　it；　then　I　will　acknowledge　it。　Yes；　I　did
wish　that　your　majesty　had　not　empowered　Baron　von　Thugut　to　return
for　further　negotiations。　It　would　have　been　well　if　your　majesty
had　marched　victorious　to　Vienna；　to　let　the　proud　Hapsburgers　see
for　once　that　Frederick　of　Prussia　does　not　stand　behind　them；　but
at　their　side；　that　he　has　created　a　new　order　of　things；　that　the
old；　mouldy；　rotten　statutes　of　the　imperial　sovereignty　have　fallen
in　the　dust　before　Frederick　the　Great；　that　Germany　must　be　newly
mapped　out；　in　order　to　give　room　near　the　old　man　Austria　for　young
Prussia。　Yes；　your　majesty；　I　could　have　wished　that　you　had　even
been　less　generous；　less　noble　toward　the　supercilious；　insolent
enemy；　and　have　accepted　no　conditions　but　those　of　'equality　for
Prussia　with　Austria　in　the　German　empire！'〃

〃My　dear　sir；　I　am　truly　astonished　at　the　vigor　with　which　you
express　yourself；　I　am　very　glad　to　find　you　so　enthusiastic；〃　said
Frederick；　nodding　to　his　minister；　〃but　listenI　will　confide　to
you　that　which　I　do　not　wish　you　to　repeat：　I　am　no　longer；　to　my
regret；　what　you　so　flatteringly　call　me；　'Frederick　the　Great；'　but
only　'Old　Fritz。'　Do　you　understand　me？　the　latter　is　a　deplorable；
worn…out　soldier；　who　no　longer　feels　power　or　vigor。　The　lines　of
Boileau　often　recur　to　me　on　mounting　my　horse：

'Unfortunate　one；　leave　thy　steed　growing　old　in　peace；　For　fear；
that；　panting　and　suddenly　out　of　breath；　In　falling；　he　may　not
leave　his　master　upon　the　arena！'

It　is　the　misery　of　life　that　man　will　grow　old；　and　that　the　body；
when　worn　and　weary；　will　even　subdue　the　spirit；　and　force　her　to
fold　her　wings　and　suffer。　I　did　not　realize　that　it　had　gone　so　far
with　me；　and　I　imagined　that　the　winged　soul　could　raise　the　old；
decayed　body。　Therefore　I　risked；　in　spite　of　my　lazy　old　age；　to
undertake　this　war；　for　I　recognized　it　as　a　holy　duty　to　enter　into
it；　for　the　honor　and　justice　of　our　country；　and　prove　to　the
Emperor　of　Germany　that　he　could　not　manage　and　rule　at　his　will　in
the　German　empire。　I　1ong　not　for　the　honor　of　new　laurels；　but　I
should　be　satisfied；　as　father　of　my　subjects；　to　gain　a　civil
crown。

There　you　have　my　creed。　I　have　as　sincerely　confessed　to　you　as　my
respectable　cousin；　the　empress…queen；　to　her　confessor；　only　I　did
not　fall　upon　my　knees　to　you；　and　you　do　not　as　the　said　confessor；
betray　me　to　the　Holy　Father　at　Rome。〃

〃Your　majesty　well　knows　that　every　word　which　you　have　the　grace　to
confide　to　me；　is　engraved　upon　my　inmost　soul；　and　that　no　power
upon　earth　could　force　me　to　reveal　it。〃

〃I　know　that　you　are　a　true　and　zealous　servant　of　your　king　and
country；〃　said　Frederick。　〃Once　more　I　say　to　you；　other　than　an
honorable　peace　I　will　not　make；　and　if　empress…queen　does　not
accept　the　abandonment　of　Bavaria　as　the　basis　of　peace；　then　I　must
conquer　my　aversion　to　war；　and　the　sword　must　arrange　what　the　pen
has　failed　to　do。　And　now；　passons　ladessus！　Until　Thugut　arrives；
let　us　speak　of　other　things。　I　have　been　tolerably　industrious；　and
have　improved　the　leisure　of　camp…life　as　much　as　possible。　I　have
written　a　panegyric　upon　Voltaire；　and　when　it　is　revised　and
corrected　you　shall　arrange　an　anniversary　in　memoriam；　at　the
Berlin　Academy；　and　read　my　eulogy。〃

〃All　Germany　and　all　Europe　will　be　surprised　at　the　magnanimity　of
the　royal　mind　which　could　occupy　itself　in　the　camp　with　the　muse；
and　erect　an　imperishable　monument　to　the　man　who　witnessed　such
ingratitude　and　baseness　to　his　benefactor　and　protector。〃

〃Vous　allez　trop　vite；　mon　cher；　vraiment；　trop　vite；〃　cried
Frederick；　ardently。　〃It　is　true　Voltaire　was　a　miserable　fellow；
but　he　was　a　great　poet。　He　returned　meanness　and　ingratitude　to　me
for　the　many　kindnesses　I　showed　to　him；　for　I　treated　him　more　like
a　friend　than　a　king。　Voltaire　was　my　benefactor；　in　so　far　that　I
owed　to　him　the　most　agreeable　and　elevating　hours　of　my　youth；　In
memory　of　these　hours　I　have　written　this　eulogy。　It　is　not　worthy
of　particular　mention；　and　the　Academie　Francaise　will　doubtless
severely　criticise　my　knowledge　of　their　language。　But　it　is
impossible　to　write　well；　one　moment　in　camp　and　another　on　the
march。　If　it　is　unworthy　of　him　whom　it　was　intended　to　celebrate；　I
have　at　least　availed　myself　of　the　freedom　of　the　pen；　and　will
cause　to　be　publicly　read　in　Berlin　what　one　dares　not　whisper　in
Paris。〃　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。〃Posthumous　Works；〃　vol。
xv。；　p。　109。　This　eulogy　upon　Voltaire；　which　the　king　wrote　in
camp；　Herzberg　read；　in　the　November　following；　before　the　Academy。＇

〃I　shall　be　most　happy　to　be　the　instrument　to　make　known　this
generous　expression　of　your　majesty's　good…will；〃　remarked　Herzberg；
bowing。

Frederick　smiled；　adding：　〃But　with　the　other　work　which　I　have
commenced；　you　are　not　quite　satisfied。　You　are　such　an　enthusiastic
German；　that　you　presume　to　assert　that　the　intolerable　German
jargon　is　a　beautiful　and　expressive　language！〃

〃And　I　abide　by　this　decision；　your　majesty；〃　zealously　cried
Herzberg。　〃The　German　language　is　euphonious；　and　prolific　in　ideas；
and　it　is　well　capable　of　rivalling　in　brevity　and　clearness　those
of　the　ancients。〃

〃That　you　have　already　asserted；　and　I　have　contested　it；　and　again
I　contest　it　to…day。　Do　not　trouble　me　with　your　German　language。　It
will　only　deserve　notice　when　great　poets；　distinguished　orators；
and　admirable　historians；　have　given　it　their　attention　and
corrected　it；　freeing　it　from　such　disgusting　and　effeminate　phrases
as　now　disfigure　it；　and　cause　one　to　use　a　mass　of　words　to　express
a　few　ideas。　At　present　it　is　only　an　accumulation　of　different
dialects；　which　every　division　of　the　German　empire