old fritz and the new era-第41部分

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〃My　Polish　subjects　are　the　minimum　portion；　and　are　about　in
proportion　to　the　German　population　as　in　imperial　Austria　the
German　is　to　the　foreign。　But　enough　of　this；　if　I　do　not　recognize
this　as　a　civil　war；　it　is　indeed　a　great　misfortune。　I　would　do
every　thing　to　avoid　itevery　thing　compatible　with　the　honor　and
glory　of　my　house；　as　well　as　that　of　Germany　in　general。　Therefore
let　us　know　the　Views　of　the　empress…queen！〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　Von　Thugut；　as　he　slowly　untied　and　unfolded　the
documents；　〃I　beg　permission　to　read　aloud　to　your　majesty　the　acts
relative　to　these　points。〃

〃No；　baron；〃　answered　the　king　quickly；　〃the　more　minute　details
give　to　my　minister；　I　wish　only　the　contents　in　brief。〃

〃At　your　majesty's　command。　The　empress…queen　declares　herself　ready
to　renounce　the　concluded　treaty　of　inheritance　to　the　succession　of
Bavaria　at　the　death　of　Elector　Charles　Theodore；　also　to　give　up
the　district　seized；　if　Prussia　will　promise　to　resign　the
succession　of　the　Margraves　of　Anspach　and　Baireuth；　and　let　them
remain　independent　principalities；　governed　by　self…dependent
sovereigns。〃

〃That　means；　that　Austria；　who　will　unjustly　aggrandize　herself　by
Bavaria；　will　deprive　Prussia　of　a　lawful　inheritance！〃　cried　the
king；　his　eyes　flashing　anger。　〃I　will　not　heed　the　after…cause；　but
I　wish　to　satisfactorily　understand　the　first　part　of　the
proposition；　that　Austria　will　cede　her　pretensions　to　Bavaria。〃

〃Sire；　upon　conditions　only　which　are　sufficient　for　the　honor；　the
wishes；　and　necessities　of　my　lofty　mistress。〃

〃You　hear；　my　dear　Herzberg；〃　said　the　king；　smiling；　and　turning　to
his　minister；　〃c'est　tout　comme　chez　nous。　It　will　now　be　your　task
to　find　out　these　conditions；　which　too　closely　affect　the　honor　of
one　or　the　other。　For　this　purpose　you　will　find　the　adjacent
Cloister　Braunau　more　convenient　than　my　poor　cabin。　At　the
conferences　of　diplomats　much　time　is　consumed；　while　we　military
people　have　little　time　to　spare。　I　shall　move　on　with　my　army。〃

〃How；　then！　will　your　majesty　break　up　here？〃　cried　Thugut；　with
evident　surprise。

The　king　smiled。　〃Yes；　I　shall　advance；　as　my　remaining　might　be
construed　equal　to　a　retreat。　The　arts　of　diplomacy　may　drag　on
until　the　imperialists　have　assembled　all　their　foreign　subjects　to
the　so…called　civil　war。　Then　hasten　the　negotiations；　Baron　yon
Thugut；　for　every　day　of　diplomatic　peace　is　one　day　more　of
foraging　war；　and　I　know　not　that　you　count　the　Bohemians　in　the
German　brotherhood；　to　whom　the　calamity　of　war　is　ruinous。　You　have
now　to　deal　with　the　Baron　yon　Thugut；　my　dear　Herzberg；　and　I　hope
the　baron　will　accept　some　diplomatic　campaigns　with　you　in　Cloister
Braunau。〃

〃Sire；　I　accept；　and　if　your　majesty　will　dismiss　me；　I　will　go　at
once　to　the　cloister；〃　answered　Baron　yon　Thugut；　whose　manner　had
become　graver　and　more　serious　since　the　king's　announcement　of　the
intended　advance。

〃You　are　at　liberty　to　withdraw。　The　good　and　hospitable　monks　have
already　been　apprised　of　your　arrival　by　an　express　courier；　and
have　doubtless　a　good　supper　and　a　soft　bed　awaiting　you。〃

〃Had　your　majesty　the　grace　to　be　convinced　of　my　return？〃　asked
Thugut。

〃I　was　convinced　of　the　tender　heart　of　the　empress…queen；　and　that
she　would　graciously　try　once　more；　in　her　Christian　mercy；　to
convert　such　an　old　barbarian　and　heretic　as　I　am。　Go　now　to　the
cloister；　and　when　I　pass　by　in　the　morning；　with　my　army；　I　will
not　fail　to　have　them　play　a　pious　air　for　the　edification　of　the
diplomatssuch　as；　'My　soul；　like　the　young　deer；　cries　unto　Thee；'
or；　'Oh；　master；　I　am　thy　old　dog；'　or　some　such　heavenly　song　to
excite　the　diplomats　to　pious　thoughts；　and　therewith　I　commend　you
to　God's　care；　Baron　yon　Thugut。〃

The　king　charged　Herr　yon　Herzberg　to　play　the　role　of　grand…
chamberlain；　and　accompany　the　ambassador　to　his　carriage；　smiling；
and　slightly　nodding　a　farewell。

The　baron　was　on　the　point　of　leaving；　when　the　king　called　to　him。

〃Had　your　majesty　the　grace　to　call　me？〃　asked　Thugut；　hastily
turning。

〃Yes！〃　answered　Frederick；　smiling；　and　pointing　to　the　string　which
had　served　to　bind　the　baron's　papers。　〃You　have　forgotten
something；　my　lord；　and　I　do　not　like　to　enrich　myself　with　others'
property。〃　＇Footnote：　Historical。　The　king's　words。See　Hormayr。＇

Baron　von　Thugut　took　this　last　well…aimed　stab　of　his　royal
opponent　somewhat　embarrassed；　and　hastened　to　pick　up　the　string；
and　withdraw。




CHAPTER　XX。

THE　KING　AND　THE　LOVER。


The　king　smiled；　glancing　at　the　retreating　figure　of　the　baron；　and
approached　the　window　to　peep　through　the　little　green　glass　panes
to　see　him　as　he　passed　by。

〃A　sly　fox；〃　said　he；　smiling；　〃but　I　will　prove　to　him　that　we
understand　fox…hunting；　and　are　not　deceived　by　cunning　feints。〃

〃Will　your　majesty　really　break　up　to…day？〃　asked　Von　Herzberg；　upon
returning。

〃Yes；　my　dear　minister。　That　is　to　say；　I　do　not　wish　to；　but　I
must；　in　order　to　give　the　negotiations　for　peace　a　war…like
character。　The　enemy　asks　for　delay　to　finish　their　preparations　for
warnot　peace。　The　negotiations　for　the　latter　emanate　from　the
empress；　but　the　conditions　concerning　Anspach　come　from　the
emperor。　It　is　the　Eris…apple；　which　he　casts　upon　the　table；　by
which　his　imperial　mother　and　I　would　gladly　smoke　the　pipe　of
peace。　It　is　incumbent　upon　you；　Herzberg；　to　negotiate　for　peace；
while　I　pick　up　the　apple　and　balance　it　a　little　upon　the　point　of
my　sword。　I　shall　leave　early　to…morrow；　but　I　would　speak　with　you
before　I　set　out。　You　must　be　weary　with　the　journey；　so　rest　awhile
now；　then　dine　with　me；　and　afterward　go　to　the　conference。〃

〃Sire；　will　you　not　receive　my　protege；　Conrector　Moritz？〃

〃Did　you　not　say　that　he　begged　for　a　secret　audience？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　he　has　for　this　purpose　travelled　the　long　distance　from
Berlin；　and　I　assure　your　majesty；　upon　my　word　of　honor；　that　I
have　not　the　least　suspicion　what　his　petition　may　be。〃

〃Eh　bien；　say　to　your　protege　that　I　grant　him　the　sought…for
interview　on　your　account；　Herzberg。　You　are　such　a　curious　fellow
you　are　always　petitioning　for　others　instead　of　yourself；　and　the
benefits　which　you　ought　to　receive　go　to　them。　Let　Moritz　enter；
and　then　try　to　sleep　a　little；　that　you　may　be　wide　awake　to　confer
with　Baron　von　Thugut。〃

Minister　von　Herzberg　withdrew；　and　immediately　the　pale；　earnest
face　of　Conrector　Philip　Moritz　appeared　in　the　royal　presence。

The　king　regarded　him　with　a　prolonged　and　searching　glance；　the
noble；　resolute　face　of　whom　was　pallid　with　deep　grief；　but　from
whose　eyes　there　beamed　courageous　energy。　〃Are　you　the　translator
of　the　chapters　from　Tacitus；　which　my　Minister　Herzberg　handed　me？〃
asked　the　king；　after　a　pause。

〃Yes；　sire；〃　gently　answered　Moritz。

〃I　am　told　that　it　is　ably　done；〃　continued　his　majesty；　still
attentively　observing　him。　〃You　will　acknowledge　that　it　is
exceedingly　difficult　to　render　the　concise　style　of　Tacitus　into
the　prolix；　long…winded　German？〃

〃Pardon　me；　sire；〃　replied　Moritz；　whose　youthful　impetuosity　could
with　difficulty　be　diverted　from　the　real　object　of　his　pilgrimage。
〃Our　language　is　by　no　means　long…winded；　and　there　is　no　difficulty
in　translating　Latin　authors　into　German；　which　equals　any　living
tongue　in　beauty　and　sonorousness；　and　surpasses　them　all　in　depth
of　thought；　power；　and　poesy。〃

〃Diable！〃　cried　the　king；　smiling；　〃you　speak　like　an　incarnate
German　philologist；　who　confounds　the　sound　of　words　with　profound
thought。　You　will　acknowledge　that　until　now　our　language　has　not
been　much　known。〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　Moritz；　〃Martin　Luther；　in　his　translation　of　the
Bible　three　hundred　years　since；　employed　hundreds　of　beautiful；
expressive　formations。〃

〃He　is　not　only　a　learned　man；〃　said　the　king　to　himself；　〃but　he
seems　an　honorable　one；　and　now；　as　I　have　proved　his　scholarly
attainments；　I　must　indulge　his　impatience。〃　The　king's　penetrating
glance　softened；　and　his　features　changed　their　severe　expression。
〃The　Minister　von　Herzberg　informed　me　that　he　found　you　by　the
roadside；　and　that　you　would　journey　hither　on　foot。〃

〃It　is　true；　sire。〃

〃Why　did　you　travel　in　that　manner？〃

〃Sire；　I　desired；　as　the　poor；　heavily…laden　pilgrims　of　the　middle
ages；　to　make　the　pilgrimage　to　the　Holy　Father　at　Rome；　who　was　the
king　of　kings。　Every　step　in　advance　seemed　to　them　to　lighten　their
burden　and　enhance　their　happiness。　Your　majesty　is　in　our　day　what
the　pope　was　held　to　be　in　the　middle　ages；　therefore　I　have
wandered　as　a　pilgrim　to　my　king；　who　has　the　power　to　bind　and　to
loose；　and　from　whom　I　must　not　only　implore　personal　happiness；　but
that　also　of　a　good　and　amiable　young　girl。〃

〃Ah！　it　concerns　a　love…affair。　As　I　now　look　at　you；　I　can
understand　that。　You　are　young　and　passionate；　and　the　maidens　have
eyes。　How　can　I　help　you　in　such　an　adventure？〃

〃Sire；　by　not　granting　a　title　to　a　certain　person；　or　if　it　must　be
granted；　annul　the　conditions　attendant　upon　it。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；〃　answered　the　king；　harshly。　〃Speak　not　in
riddles。　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃General　Werrig　von　Leuthen　has　addressed　himself　to　you；　sire；
praying　for　the　consent　of　your　majesty　to　the　marriage　of　his
daughter　with　the　banker　Ebenstreit。　Your　majesty　has　consented；　and
added　that　Herr　Ebenstreit　shall　take　the　name　of　his　future　father…
in…law；　and　the　marriage　shall　take　place　as　soon　as　the　title　of
nobility　has　been　made　out。〃

The　king　nodded。　〃For　which　the　new…made　nobleman　has　to　pay　a
hundred　louis　d'ors　to　the　Invalids　at　Berlin。　But　what　is　that　to
you？　And　what　connection　has　Herr　Ebenstreit's　title　to　do　with
Conrector　Moritz？〃

Moritz's　face　brightened；　and；　deeply　moved；　he　answered：　〃Sire；　I
love　the　daughter　of　General　von　Leuthen；　and　she　returns　my　love。
By　not　ennobling　Ebenstreit；　it　lies　in　your　power；　most　gracious
majesty；　to　make　two　persons　the　most　blessed　of　God's　creatures；
who　desire　nothing　more　than　to　wander　hand　in　hand　through　life；
loving　and　trusting　each　other。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　the　king；　with　a　searchi