old fritz and the new era-第40部分

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a　few　ideas。　At　present　it　is　only　an　accumulation　of　different
dialects；　which　every　division　of　the　German　empire　thinks　to　speak
the　best；　and　of　which　twenty　thousand　can　scarcely　understand　what
the　other　twenty　thousand　are　saying！〃　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own
words。See　〃Posthumous　Works；〃　vol。　xv。＇

〃Sire；〃　cried　Herzberg；　with　vehemence；　〃should　a　German　king　thus
speak　of　his　native　tongue；　at　the　same　time　that　he　takes　the　field
to　vindicate　the　honor　of　Germany；　and　submits　to　all　the　miseries
and　hardships　of　war？　Your　majesty　cannot　be　in　earnest；　to　despise
our　beautiful　language。〃

〃I　do　not　despise　it；　I　only　say　that　it　must　be　reformed；　and　shorn
of　its　excrescences。　Until　then　we　must　use　the　French；　which　is　to…
day　the　language　of　the　world；　and　in　which　one　can　render　all　the
master…works　of　the　Greeks　and　the　Latins；　with　the　same
versatility；　delicacy；　and　subtlety；　as　the　original。　You　pretend
that　one　can　well　read　Tacitus　in　a　German　translation；　but　I　do　not
think　the　language　capable　of　rendering　the　Latin　authors　with　the
same　brevity　as　the　French。〃

〃Sire；　to　my　joy；　I　can　give　you　proof　to　the　contrary。　a　Berlin
savant；　Conrector　Moritz；　at　my　request；　has　translated　a　few
chapters　of　the　fourteenth　book　of　the　'Annals　of　Tacitus；'　word　for
word；　most　faithfully　into　German。　He　has　written　it　in　two　columns；
the　translation　at　the　side　of　the　original。　I　have　taken　the
liberty　to　bring　this　work　with　me　and　you　will　see　how　exactly；　and
with　what　brevity；　Latin　authors　can　be　rendered　into　German；　and
that　there　are　young　learned　men　who　have　seized　the　spirit　of　our
language　and　know　how　to　use　it　with　grace　and　skill。〃

〃Indeed；　give　it　to　me；〃　cried　the　king；　zealously。　〃I　am　truly
curious　to　admire　the　German　linguist's　work　who　has　so　boldly
undertaken　to　translate　Tacitus。〃

〃Sire；〃　said　Herzberg；　raising　his　eyes　knowingly；　with　a　mild；
imploring　expression　to　the　king's　face〃　sire；　I　join　a　request
with　this　translation。〃

〃What　is　it？　I　am　very　curious　about　a　petition　from　you；　it　is　so
seldom　that　you　proffer　one。〃

〃Your　majesty；　my　request　concerns　the　translator　of　this　very
chapter　of　Tacitus。　He　is　Conrector　Moritz；　attached　to　the　Gray
Cloister　in　Berlinan　unusually　gifted　young　man；　who　has
undoubtedly　a　brilliant　future　before　him。　He　has　already　written
many　eminent　works。　The　Director　Gedicke　recommended　him　to　me　as　a
most　distinguished；　scholarly　person；　and　I　have　learned　to　know　and
appreciate　the　young　man　by　this　means。〃

〃I　see　it；〃　nodded　the　king。　〃You　speak　of　him　with　great
enthusiasm；　and　as　what　you　so　warmly　recommend　is　generally　able
and　well　qualified；　I　begin　to　be　interested　in　this　Herr　Moritz。
When　I　return　to　Berlinand　Heaven　grant　that　it　may　be　soon！I
will　at　once　empower　you　to　present　this　luminary。　Are　you
satisfied？〃

〃Sire；　dare　I　ask　still　more？　I　would　beg　your　majesty　to　grant　this
young　man　an　audience　at　once。〃

〃How；　at　once！　Is　this　phoenix　here；　who　so　interests　my　Minister
Herzberg？　Where　is　he　from；　and　what　does　he　wish？〃

〃He　is　from　Berlin；　I　met　him　making　the　journey　on　foot。　He　sat
upon　a　stone；　by　the　wayside；　eating　a　piece　of　bread；　with　a
glowing　face；　and　so　absorbed　talking　to　himself　in　Latin　that　he
heard　not　the　creaking　of　my　carriage　through　the　sand。　I　recognized
him　immediately；　and　called　him　by　name。　He　turned；　perfectly
unembarrassed　and　not　at　all　ashamed　to　have　been　discovered　in　such
an　humble　and　poor　position。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　he　is　a　good　comedian；〃　said　the　king。　〃He　knew
that　you　would　drive　past　there；　and　placed　himself　expressly　to
call　your　attention　to　him。〃

〃I　beg　pardon；　sire；　Conrector　Moritz　could　not　have　known　that　I
would　take　this　journey。　You　will　recollect　that　the　courier　arrived
at　midnight　with　your　majesty's　commands；　and　two　hours　later　I　was
on　the　road；　and　have　since　travelled　day　and　night。　As　I　met　the
young　man　only　five　miles　from　this　place；　he　must　have　set　out　many
days　before　I　thought　of　leaving　Berlin。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　the　king；　〃it　was　a　false　suspicion。　You　invited
him　into　your　carriage；　did　you　not？〃

〃I　did　very　naturally；　sire；　as　he　told　me　he　was　going　to　beg　an
audience　of　your　majesty。　At　first　he　refused　decidedly；　as　he
wished　to　travel　on　foot；　like　the　pilgrims　to　the　pope　at　Rome。〃

〃An　original；　a　truly　original　genius；〃　cried　the　king。

〃He　is　so　indeed；　and　is　so　called　by　all　his　friends。〃

〃Has　he　any　friends？〃　asked　the　king；　with　an　incredulous　smile。

〃Yes；　sire；　many　warm　and　sympathizing　friends；　who　are　much
attached　to　him；　and；　on　account　of　his　distinguished　and　brilliant
qualities；　are　willing　to　indulge　his　peculiarities。〃

〃Herzberg；　you　are　charmed；　and　speak　of　this　man　as　a　young　girl　in
love！〃

〃Sire；　if　I　were　a　young　girl；　I　should　certainly　fall　in　love　with
this　Moritz；　for　he　is　handsome。〃

〃Diable！　I　begin　to　fear　this　subject。　You　say　he　is　handsome；
learned；　wise；　and　good；　although　he　belongs　to　the　airy；　puffed…up
Berliners。　Did　you　let　Herr　Moritz　wander　on　in　his　pilgrimage？〃

〃No；　sire；　I　persuaded　him　at　last　to　accept　a　seat　in　my　carriage；
by　explaining　to　him　that　your　majesty　might　soon　leave　Welsdorf；
and　he　would　run　the　risk　of　not　arriving　in　season。　Upon　no
condition　would　he　get　inside；　but　climbed　up　behind；　for；　said　he；
with　a　firm；　decided　manner；　'I　go　to　the　king　as　a　beggar；　not　as　a
distinguished　gentleman。'〃

〃Indeed　it　is　an　original；〃　the　king　murmured　to　himself。　〃Do　you
know　what　the　man　wants？〃　he　asked　aloud。

〃No；　your　majesty；　he　said　that　his　business　concerned　the　happiness
of　two　human　beings；　and　that　he　could　only　open　his　heart　to　his
God　and　his　king。〃

〃Where　is　your　protege？〃

〃He　stands　outside；　and　it　is　my　humble　request　that　your　majesty
will　grant　him　an　audience；　and　permit　me　to　call　him。〃

〃It　is　granted；　and〃

Just　at　that　moment　the　door　opened；　and　the　footman　announced　that
the　private　secretary　of　his　highness　Prince　von　Galitzin　had
arrived；　and　most　respectfully　begged　an　audience。

〃It　is　heit　is　the　baron；〃　said　the　king。　〃Tell　your　protege　he
must　wait；　and　come　again。　Bid　the　Prince　von　Galitzin　enter。〃

As　the　Minister　von　Herzberg　withdrew；　the　Baron　von　Thugut
appeared；　the　extraordinary　and　secret　ambassador　of　the　Empress
Maria　Theresa。

〃Well；　Herr　Baron；　you　are　already　returned；〃　said　the　king；　as　he
scarcely　nodded　to　the　profoundly　respectful　bows　of　the　ambassador。
〃I　infer；　therefore；　that　your　instructions　are　not　from　the
empress；　but　from　the　co…regent；　the　Emperor　Joseph；　who　has　betaken
himself　to　the　Austrian　camp。〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　Thugut；　laconically；　〃I　have　driven　day　and　night；
and　have　received　my　instructions　directly　from　the　empress。〃

The　king　slowly　shook　his　head；　and　an　imperceptible　smile　played
around　his　lips。

〃Does　the　young　emperor　approve　of　these　instructions？〃

〃Sire；　his　majesty；　the　emperor；　is　only　the　co…regent；〃　answered
Thugut；　hastily。　〃It　is　not　therefore　necessary；　that　my　sovereign
should　make　her　decisions　dependent　upon　her　son's　concordance。〃

〃The　empress　will　negotiate　for　peace；〃　said　the　king　to　himself；
〃but　the　emperor　desires　to　win　laurels　in　the　war；　and　will　try　to
cut　off　the　negotiations　of　his　mother　by　a　coup　de　main。　One　must
be　on　his　guard！〃

Just　then　the　door　opened　and　Herzberg　returned。

〃You　perceive　I　expected　you；　Baron　von　Thugut；〃　said　the　king；　〃and
I　ordered　here　my　minister　of　state；　Herr　von　Herzberg。　This　is　the
Baron　von　Thugut；　my　dear　minister；　the　ambassador　of　the　empress…
queen；　who　carries　in　his　pocket　peace　or　war；　as　it　may　be。〃

〃Sire；　I　must　protest　against　being　so　important　a　personage；　as
peace　and　war　alone　depend　upon　your　majesty。　It　alone　depends　upon
the　lofty　King　of　Prussia　whether　he　will　give　peace　and
tranquillity　to　Germany；　or　suffer　the　guilt　of　permitting　the
bloody　scourge　of　civil　war　again　to　tear　in　pieces　the　unhappy
German　nation。〃

〃That　sounds　very　sentimental；〃　cried　the　king；　smiling。　〃The　Baron
von　Thugut　will　appeal　to　my　heart；　when　we　have　only　to　do　with　the
head。　Austria　wishes　to　be　the　head　of　Germany；　and　as　such　would
devour　one　German　state　after　another；　as　a　very　palatable　morsel。
But　if　you　will　be　the　head；　Monsieur　le　Baron；　you　cannot　represent
the　stomach　also；　for；　as　I　have　been　told；　it　only　exists　in　those
soft　animals　of　the　sea　whose　head　is　in　their　stomach；　and　which
think　and　digest　at　the　same　time。　Austria　does　not　belong　to　this
class；　but　has　rather　a　very　hard　and　impenetrable　shell。　We　cannot
let　her　devour　as　stomach　what　as　the　head　she　has　chosen　as　booty。
That　the　electorate　of　Bavaria　is　not　to　be　devoured；　is　the
necessary　and　fundamental　preliminary　upon　which　the　temple　of　peace
may　be　erected。　If　you；　or　rather　the　empress…queen；　agree　to　it；
the　negotiations　can　be　concluded　by　you　two　gentlemen。　But　if　you
think　to　erect　a　temple　of　peace　upon　any　other　basis；　your
propositions　will　be　in　vain。　I　have　not　taken　the　field　to　make
conquests；　but　to　protect　the　rights　of　a　German　prince；　and　not
suffer　others　to　appropriate　a　German　state。　I　know；　as　you　have
said；　that　war　is　a　bloody　scourge　for　the　nation；　but；　sir；　we　will
not　look　at　it　in　a　sentimental　light；　and　talk　of　civil　war；　when
Austria　herself　compels　us　to　take　the　field。　Or；　perhaps；　you
imagine　to　prove　to　my　good　Pomeranians；　Markers；　and　my　other
German　states；　that　the　Croatians；　Pandurians；　Hungarians；
Wallachians；　Italians；　and　Polanders；　are　our　German　brothers；　which
imperial　Austria　opposes　to　us。　I　think　this　brotherhood　may　be
traced　to　our　common　ancestor；　Adam；　and　in　this　sense　all　wars　are
indeed　civil　wars。　In　any　case　war　is　a　scourge　for　man；　and　I　am
convinced　that　the　empress…queen　would　just　as　willingly　spare　her
Croatians；　Pandurians；　Wallachians；　and　Galicians；　as　I　all　my
German　subjects　collectively。〃

〃Also　your　majesty's　Polish　subjects；　as　may　be　expected；〃　added
Baron　yon　Thugut。

〃My　Polish　subjects　are　the　minimum　portion；　and　are　about　in
proportion　to　the　German　population　as　in　imperial　Austria　the
German　i