old fritz and the new era-第42部分

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loving　and　trusting　each　other。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　the　king；　with　a　searching　glance。

Moritz　quailed　beneath　it；　and　cast　down　his　eyes。　〃No！〃　he　replied。
〃As　I　now　stand　in　the　presence　of　your　majesty；　I　am　sensible　of
the　boldness　of　my　undertaking；　and　words　fail　me　to　express　what　is
burning　in　my　soul。　Oh！　sire；　I　only　know　that　we　love　each　other；
and　that　this　love　is　the　first　sunbeam　which　has　fallen　upon　my
gloomy　and　thorny　path　of　life；　and　awakened　in　my　lonely　heart　all
the　bloom　of　feeling。　You　smile；　and　your　great　spirit　may　well　mock
the　poor　human　being　who　thinks　of　personal　happiness；　when　for　an
idea　merely　thousands　are　killed　upon　the　field　of　battle。　My　life；
sire；　has　been　a　great　combat；　in　which　I　have　striven　with　all　the
demons　escaped　from　Pandora's　box。　I　have　grown　up　amid　privations
and　need。　I　have　lived　and　suffered；　until　God　recompensed　my
joyless；　toiling；　hungered　existence　by　this　reciprocated　love；
which　is　a　beautiful　ornament　to　my　life；　and　is　life　itself；　and　to
renounce　it　would　be　to　renounce　life。　I　am　young；　sire；　and　I　long
for　the　unknown　paradise　of　earthly　happiness；　which　I　have　never
entered　until　now；　and　which　I　can　only　attain　led　by　the　hand　of　my
beloved。　I　yearn　just　once；　as　other　privileged　men；　to　bask　in　the
sunshine　of　happiness　a　long；　beautiful　summer　day；　and　then　at　the
golden　sunset　to　sink　upon　my　knees　and　cry；　'I　thank　Thee；　O　God；
that　in　Thy　goodness　I　have　recognized　Thy　sublimity；　and　that　Thou
hast　revealed　thy　glory　to　me。'　All　this　appears　of　little
importance　to　your　majesty；　for　the　heart　of　a　king　is　not　like　that
of　other　men；　and　the　personal　happiness　of　individuals　appears　a
matter　of　little　account　to　him　who　thinks　and　works　for　the　good　of
an　entire　nation。　But　the　fly；　sire；　which　is　sunning　itself　upon
the　plumes　of　the　helmet　of　a　victorious　king；　has　its　right　to
happiness；　for　God　created　it　with　the　same　care　and　love　that　He
created　the　noblest　of　His　creaturesman！　and　it　would　be　cruel　to
kill　it　without　necessity。　Sire；　I　do　not　extol　myself。　I　know　that
in　your　eyes　I　am　no　more　than　the　fly　upon　your　helmet；　but　I　only
implore　you　to　grant　me　my　life；　for　God　has　given　it　to　me。〃

〃You　mean　by　this　that　I　shall　forbid　General　von　Leuthen　to　marry
his　daughter　to　the　rich　man　who　seeks　her；　and　to　which　marriage；
understand　me　well；　I　have　already　given　my　consent。〃

〃Sire；　I　only　know　that　this　union　drives　not　only　me　to　despair；
but　one　of　the　noblest　and　best　of　God's　creatures。　Fraulein　von
Leuthen　does　not　love　the　bridegroom　forced　upon　her；　she　detests
him；　and　she　has　good　reason　to；　for　the　banker　Ebenstreit　is　a
cold…hearted；　purse…proud　man；　enfeebled　by　a　voluptuous；　vicious
life；　and　seeks　nothing　nobler　and　more　elevated　in　the　young　girl
to　whom　he　has　offered　his　hand；　than　the　title　and　noble　name　which
she　can　procure　for　him。　Your　majesty；　I　implore　not　for　myself；　but
for　the　daughter　of　a　man　who　once　had　the　good　fortune　to　save　your
life　in　battle！　Have　pity　upon　her；　and　do　not　sacrifice　her　to　an
inconsolably　hopeless　life　by　the　side　of　an　unloved　and　detested
husband！〃

The　king　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃You　forget　that　the　general　to　whom
I　am　indebted　for　this　favor　has　begged　my　consent　to　this　marriage；
and　that　I　have　granted　it。〃

〃Sire；　I　conjure　yon　to　recall　it！　Upon　my　knees　I　implore　you　not
to　grant　it！　Do　not　make　two　people　unhappy；　who　only　beg　of　your
majesty　the　permission　to　love　and　live　with　each　other！〃　Moritz
threw　himself　at　the　king's　feet；　praying　with　clasped　hands；　his
face　flushed　with　deep　emotion；　and　his　eyes　dimmed　with　tears。

〃Rise！〃　commanded　Frederick；　〃rise；　do　not　kneel　to　me　as　to　a　God。
I　am　a　feeble　mortal；　subject　to　the　same　ills　which　threaten　you
and　the　whole　human　race。　Rise；　and　answer　me　one　questionare　you
rich？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Moritz；　proudly　raising　his　head；　〃no；　I　am　poor。〃

〃Do　you　know　that　Fraulein　von　Leuthen　is　poor？　Her　father　is　worse
off　than　Job；　for　he　is　in　debt。〃

〃If　General　von　Leuthen's　daughter　were　rich；　or　even　moderately
well　off；　I　never　would　have　presumed　to　address　your　majesty　on　the
subject；　for　fear　that　you　might　misconstrue　my　intentions；　and
suppose　that　my　love　was　inspired　by　self…interest。　Fortunately；
Marie　possesses　nothing　but　her　noble；　beautiful　self。　She　leads　a
joyless　existence　under　the　severe　discipline　of　her　cold…hearted
parents；　and　therefore　I　can　truthfully　say；　that　with　me　she　will
lose　nothing；　but　gain　what　she　has　never　knowna　tranquil；　happy
life；　protected　by　my　love。〃

〃How　much　salary　do　you　receive　as　teacher？〃

〃Majesty；　as　conrector　of　the　college　attached　to　the　Gray
Monastery；　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。〃

〃Do　you　expect　to　live　upon　that　yourself；　and　support　a　family
besides？〃

〃Sire；　I　shall　earn　money　in　other　ways；　as　I　have　already　done。　I
shall　write　books。　The　publishers　tell　me　that　I　am　a　favorite
author；　and　they　pay　me　well。〃

〃If　on　the　morrow　you　should　fall　ill；　your　income　would　vanish；　and
your　family　and　you　would　starve　together。　No！　no！　you　are　an
idealist；　you　dream　how　life　should　be；　and　not　as　it　is　in　truth！　I
have　listened　to　you；　thinking　that　you　would　present　some　forcible
argument　upon　which　to　found　your　pretensions；　but　I　hear　only　the
ravings　of　a　lover；　who　believes　the　world　turns　upon　the　axis　of
his　happiness。　Let　me　tell　you　that　love　is　an　ephemera；　which
merrily　sports　in　the　sunlight　a　few　short　hours；　and　dies　at
sunset。　Should　a　king　forfeit　his　word　for　such　a　short…lived　bliss？
Should　he　reward　a　man　to　whom　he　is　indebted　by　depriving　him　of　a
rich　son…in…law；　who　is　agreeable　to　him；　and　substituting　a　poor
one；　from　whom　he　can　never　hope　to　receive　a　comfortable
maintenance？　You　young　people　are　all　alike。　You　think　only　of
yourselves；　and　it　is　a　matter　of　little　consequence　to　you　if　the
aged　pine　away　and　die；　provided　you　build　up　happiness　on　their
graves！　I　ask　you；　who　have　talked　so　much　about　your　own　wishes；
and　those　of　your　beloved；　where　is　it　written　that　man　must　be
happy；　that　there　is　a　necessity　to　make　him　so？　Do　you　suppose　that
I　have　ever　been　happywho　have　a　long；　active　life　in
retrospection？　Mankind　have　taken　good　care　that　I　should　not　sip
this　nectar　of　the　gods；　and　have　taught　me　early　to　renounce　it。
Life　is　not　consumed　in　pleasure；　but　in　toil；　and　I　believe　its
only　happiness　consists　in　the　fact　that　at　last；　when　weary　and
worn；　we　will　sink　into　the　graveto　an　eternal　rest！　Every　human
being　must　work　according　to　his　abilities；　and　in　the　position
which　Fate　has　assigned　to　him。　To　maintain　this　position；　his　honor
is　at　stakethe　best　and　most　sacred　gift　confided　to　man。　You　will
not　desert　itnot　despair　in　life　because　your　dream　of　bliss　is
not　realized。〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　Moritz；　with　a　cry　of　anguish；　〃it　is　no　dream；　but
a　reality！〃

〃Happiness　is　only　ideal；〃　said　the　king；　slowly　shaking　his　head。
〃What　we　sigh　for　to…day；　we　curse　on　the　morrow　as　a　misfortune。
Let　this　serve　as　a　lesson　to　you。　Toil　onyou　are　a　scholar；　woo
Science　for　your　bride。　Her　charms　will　never　fade。　In　youth　as　in
old　age　she　will　attract　you　by　her　beauty　and　constancythat　which
you　cannot　hope　for　from　women。〃

〃Sire；〃　asked　Moritz；　in　deep　dejection；　〃will　you　not　grant　the
petition　of　my　heart？　Will　you　condemn　this　poor；　innocent　young
girl　who　prays　your　majesty　through　me；　to　a　long；　joyless
existence；　to　a　daily…renewing　sorrow？〃

The　king　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　have　already　said　that　happiness
is　imaginary；　I　might　have　added　unhappiness　also。　General　von
Leuthen's　daughter　will　accustom　herself　to　the　misfortune　of　being
a　rich　man's　wife；　and　finally　will　drive　with　a　smiling　face　in　her
four…in…hand　gilded　carriage！〃

〃Sire；　I　swear　to　you　that　you　mistake　this　dear；　noble…hearted
young　girl；　you〃

〃Enough！〃　interrupted　the　king。　〃I　have　given　my　consent　to　General
von　Leuthen；　and　I　cannot　recall　it。　Moreover；　the　marriage　of　the
daughter　of　my　general　with　you　would　be　a　misallianceridiculous。
In　the　republic　of　intellect　and　science；　you　may　have　a　very　high
position；　but　in　my　earthly　kingdom　you　hold　too　modest　a　one　to
presume　to　raise　your　eyes　to　a　noble　young　lady。　I　regret　that　I
can　offer　you　no　other　consolation　than　to　listen　to　reason；　and　be
resigned。　As　we　cannot　bring　down　the　moon　to　earth；　we　must　content
ourselves　with　a　lamp　to　light　up　our　small　earthly　abode。　If　this
ever　should　fail　you；　then　come　to　me　and　I　will　assist　you。　I
cannot；　to　be　sure；　give　you　the　moon；　for　that　belongs　as　little　to
me　as　the　bride　of　the　rich　Herr　Ebenstreit　von　Leuthen。　One　cannot
give　away　that　which　one　does　not　possess。　Farewell！　return　to
Berlin；　and　resign　yourself　bravely　to　your　fate。　Accustom　yourself
to　the　thought　that　in　fourteen　days　Fraulein　von　Leuthen　will
become　the　wife　of　your　wealthy　rival。　The　wedding　ceremony　awaits
only　the　papers　of　nobility；　for　which　my　order　has　already　been
forwarded　to　Berlin。　I　moreover　propose　to　you　not　to　return　to　the
college　at　once；　but　travel　for　two　weeks。　I　will　be　responsible　for
your　absence；　and　provide　you　with　the　necessary　means。　Now　tell　me
whether　you　accept　my　proposal？〃

〃Thanks　to　your　majesty；　I　cannot；〃　answered　Moritz；　with　calm
dignity。　〃There　is　but　one　balm　which　my　king　could　grant　me。　Money
is　not　a　plaster　to　soothe　and　heal　a　wounded　heart。　Sire；　I　beg　you
to　dismiss　me；　for　I　will　return　at　once　to　Berlin。〃

〃I　hope　that　you　have　not　the　foolish　idea　to　return　on　foot；〃　said
the　king。　〃My　courier　will　leave　in　an　hour；　and　there　are　two
places　in　the　coupe；　accept　one　of　them。〃

〃Sire；〃　said　Moritz；　gloomily；　〃I〃　suddenly　the　words　died　on　his
lips；　and　his　eyes　beamed　with　an　unnatural　fire；　which　paled　under
the　observing　glance　of　the　king。　〃I　thank　you；〃　said　Moritz；
gasping；　〃I　will　accept　it。〃

The　king　nodded。　〃Au　revoir；　in　Berlin！　When　I　return　after　the
campaign　I　will　send　for　you。　You　will　then　have　learned　to　forget
your　so…called　misfortune；　and　smile　at　your　pilgrimage！〃

〃I　cannot　think　so；　sire。〃

〃I　am　convinced　of　it。