old fritz and the new era-第47部分

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her　amusing　style　all　important　and　unimportant　events　of　the
soiree；　The　duchess　smiled　at　the　mischievous　remarks　with　which　she
ornamented　her　relation；　and　at　her　keen；　individualizing　of
persons。

〃Fraulein　Gochhausen；　you　are　the　most　wicked　and　the　merriest
mocking…bird　God　ever　created；〃　cried　the　duchess；　〃Have　done　with
your　scandals；　go　up　to　your　room；　piously　say　your　evening　prayers；
and　stretch　yourself　upon　your　maiden　bed。〃

〃Soon；　duchess；　only　one　thing　more　have　I　to　call　your　attention
to。　There　is　a　gossip　afloat　about　the　Werthers。　I　perceive　it　in
the　air；　as　the　dove　scents　the　vulture。〃

〃You　alarm　me；　Gochhausen；　what　good　is　it？　You　do　not　mean　that　the
lovely　Countess　Werther〃

〃Is　not　only　very　weary　of　her　husband；　but　looks　about　for　a
substitutea　friend；　as　the　ingenious　ladies　now　call　him。　That　is
what　I　mean；　and　I　know　the　so…called　friend　which　the　sweet
sentimental　countess　has　chosen。〃

〃It　is　the　Baron　von　Einsiedel；　is　it　not？〃　asked　the　duchess。　〃That
is　to　say；　his　younger　brother；　the　gay　lieutenant；　not　our　good
friend　par　excellence。

〃Yes；　I　mean　the　brother；　and　I　have　warned　and　taunted　the　count
this　week　past；　but　it　is　impossible　to　awake　him　from　his　stupidity
and　thoughtlessness。〃

〃Again　you　are　giving　loose　reins　to　your　naughty　tongue；　Thusnelda。
Count　Werther　is　a　thoroughly　scholarly　person；　whom　I　often　envy
his　knowledge　of　the　languages。　He　has　studied　Sanscrit　and　the
cuneated　letters；　among　other　ancient　tongues。〃

〃It　may　be　that　he　understands　the　dead　languages；　but　the　living
ones　not　in　the　least。　The　language　of　the　eyes　and　inspiration　he
is　blind　to；　with　seeing　eyes！　My　dear　duchess；　if　you　are　not
watchful；　and　prevent　the　affair　with　timely　interference；　a　scandal
will　grow　out　of　it；　and　you　know　well　that　it　would　be　a　welcome
opportunity　for　our　Weimar　Philistines　（as　the　Jena　students　call
commonplace　gossips）　to　cry　'Murder；'　and　howl　about　the　immoral
example　of　geniuses；　which　Wolfgang　Goethe　has　introduced　at　court。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　duchess；　musingly；　〃your　apt　tongue　and
keen　eye　are　ever　carefully　watching；　like　a　good　shepherd…dog；　that
none　of　the　sheep　go　astray　and　are　lost。　And　you　do　not　mind
attacking　this　or　that　one　in　the　leg　with　your　sharp　teeth！〃

〃Let　those　scream　who　are　unjustly　bitten；　your　highness！　Believe
me；　the　countess　will　not　cry　out；　she　will　much　more　likely　take
care　not　to　receive　a　well…merited　rebuke。　I　beg　your　grace　to
prevent　the　gossip！　Not　on　account　of　this　silly；　sentimental　young
woman；　or　her　pedantic　husband；　but　that　our　young　duke　and　Goethe
may　not　be　exposed　to　scandal；　as　well　as　your　highness。〃

〃You　are　rightwe　must　take　care　to　prevent　it。　Has　not　the
countess　been　absent　at　her　estate　four　days？〃

〃Yes；　your　highness；　it　is　just　this　that　troubles　me。　She　went　away
as　sound　as　a　fish；　and　has　suddenly　fallen　very　ill。　No　physician
has　been　called；　but；　to…morrow；　the　count　will　commission　his　dear
friend　the　baron　to　drive　to　his　country…seat；　and　bring　him　tidings
of　his　better…half。〃

〃We　must　circumvent　this。　In　the　morning　we　will　arrange　a　pleasure…
drive；　of　the　whole　court；　to　the　country…seat　of　Count　Werther。　It
shall　be　a　surprise。　Let　Fourier　give　out　the　invitations　early　to…
morrow；　for　a　country　party；　destination　unknown。　The　distribution
of　the　couples　in　the　carriages　shall　be　decided　by　lot。　Take　care
that　Lieutenant　Einsiedel　is　your　cavalier；　so　that　when　we　arrive
at　the　little　Werther；　he　will　already　be　appropriated；　and　then　we
will　induce　her　to　return　with　us　and　spend　some　time　at　Belvedere。
Now；　good…night；　Thusnelda；　I　am　very　tired　and　need　repose。　Sleep
already　weighs　upon　my　eyelids；　and　will　close　them　as　soon　as　you
are　gone。　Good…night；　my　childsleep　well！〃

The　little　deformed　court　lady　kissed　the　extended　hand；　the
candlestick；　with　only　a　stump　of　a　taper　in　it；　and　withdrew　from
the　princely　sleeping…room；　courtesying；　and　wishing　her　mistress
good…night；　with　pleasant　dreams。

The　anteroom　was　dark　and　deserted。　The　lights　were　all
extinguished；　and　Fraulein　Goechhausen　was；　in　truth；　the　only
person　who　had　not　long　since　retired　in　the　ducal　palace。　She　was
accustomed　to　be　the　last；　accustomed　to　traverse　the　long；　lonely
corridors；　and　mount　two　flights　of　stairs　to　her　bedroom　upon　the
third　story。　The　gay　duchess；　being　very　fond　of　society；　had　had
the　second　story　arranged　guest…chambers　and　drawing…rooms。

Why　should　the　little　court　lady　be　afraid　to…night？　She　had　not
thought　of　it；　but　stepped　forward　briskly　to　mount　the　stairs。　It
was　surely　very　disagreeable　for　the　wind　to　extinguish　her　lamp　at
that　instant；　just　at　the　turning　of　stairs；　and　she　could　not
account　for　it；　as　none　of　the　windows　were　open；　and　there　was　no
trace　of　a　draft。　However；　it　was　an　undeniable　fact；　the　light　was
out　and　she　was　in　total　darknessnot　even　a　star　was　to　be　seen　in
the　clouded　sky。　It　was；　indeed；　true　that　Thusnelda　was　so
accustomed　to　the　way　that　it　mattered　little　whether　she　had　a
light　or　not。　Now　she　had　reached　the　corridor　and　she　could　not
fail　to　find　the　door；　as　there　was　but　one；　that　of　her　own　room。
She　stretched　out　her　hand　to　open　it；　but；　strange　to　say；　she
missed　the　knob！　Then　she　was　sure　that　it　was　farther　on；　she　felt
along　the　wall；　but　still　it　eluded　her　grasp。　It　was　unheard　ofno
handle　and　not　a　door　even　to　be　found！　The　wall　was　bare　and
smooth；　and　papered　the　entire　length。　A　slight　shudder　crept　over
the　courageous　little　woman's　heart；　and　she　could　not　explain　to
herself　what　it　all　meant。　She　called　her　maid；　but　no　answernot　a
sound　interrupted　the　stillness！　〃I　will　go　down　to　the　duchess；〃
murmured　Thusnelda；　〃perhaps　she　is　awake；　and　then　I　can　re…light
my　taper！〃

The　door　was　fastened；　the　duchess　had　locked　the　ante…room　to…night
for　the　first　time。

Thusnelda　tapped　lightly；　and　begged　an　entrance　humbly　and
imploringly。　No　answer；　every　thing　was　quiet。　She　recalled　that　the
duchess　had　told　her　that　she　was　very　weary；　and　would　sleep　as
soon　as　she　was　alone；　which　she　undoubtedly　had　done。

Thusnelda　did　not　presume　to　awake　her　by　knocking　louder。　She　would
be　patient；　and　mount　again　to　her　room。　Surely　she　must　have　made　a
mistake；　and　turned　to　the　left　of　the　corridor；　where　there　was　no
door；　instead　of　the　right；　as　she　ought　to　have　done。　It　must　be
that　it　was　her　fault。　She　groped　along　the　dark　flights　of　stairs
to　the　upper　gallery；　carefully　seeking　the　right　this　time；　but　in
vain。　Again　she　felt　only　the　smooth　wall。　Terrified；　she　knew　not
whether　she　was　awake　or　dreaming；　or　whether　she　might　not　be　in　an
enchanted　castle；　or　walking　in　her　sleep　in　a　strange　house。　Just
here　she　ought　to　find　her　room　and　the　maid　awaiting　her；　but　it
was　lonely；　deserted；　and　strangeno　door；　no　maid。　Thusnelda；　with
trembling　hands　smoothed　her　face；　pulled　first　her　nose；　and　then
her　hair；　to　identify　herself。　〃Is　it　I？〃　she　said。　〃Am　I；　indeed；
myself？　Am　I　awake？　I　know　that　I　am　lady　of　honor　to　the　Duchess
Amelia；　and　that　upon　the　upper　story　is　my　room。　Do　not　be　foolish；
and　imagine　that　witchcraft　comes　to　pass；　the　door　is　there；　and　it
can　be　found。〃　Thusnelda　renewed　her　search　with　out…spread　arms　and
wide…spread　fingers；　feeling　first　this　side　of　the　wall　and　then
the　other。

By　daylight　the　deformed　little　lady　of　honor　must　have　been　a　very
droll　figure；　in　full　toilet；　dancing　along　the　wall　as　if　suspended
by　her　outstretched　hands。　Oh；　it　was　quite　vain　to　seek　any　longer。
It　must　be　enchantment；　and　the　door　had　disappeared。　An　indefinable
dream　crept　over　Thusnelda；　and　she　was　cast　down。　For　the　first
time　a　jest　failed　her　trembling　lips；　and　she　wept　with　anguish。
Yes；　she；　the　keen；　mordant；　jesting　little　woman；　prayed　and
implored　her　Maker　to　unloose　her　from　the　enchantment；　and　permit
her　to　find　the　long…sought…for　entrance。　But　praying　was　in　vain；
the　door　was　not　to　be　found；　it　was　witch　craft；　and　she　must
submit　to　it。　The　rustling　and　moving　her　arms　frightened　her　now；
and　when　she　walked　the　darkness　prevented　her　seeing　if　any　one
followed　her；　so　she　crouched　upon　the　floor；　yielding　to　the
unavoidable　necessity　passing　the　night　therethe　night　of
enchantment　and　witchery。＇Footnote：　See　Lewes'　〃Life　and　Writings　of
Goethe；〃　vol。　1。；　p。　408。＇

Not　alone　for　Fraulein　Goechhausen　was　this　beautiful　May…night　of
sad　experience　with　witches。　There　were　other　places　at　Weimar。　In
the　neighborhood　of　the　ducal　park；　in　the　midst　of　green…meadows；
stood　a　simple　little　cottage。　Near　it　flowed　the　Ilm；　spanned　by
three　bridges；　all　closed　by　gates；　so　that　no　one　could　reach　the
cottage　without　the　occupant's　consent。　It　was　as　secure　as　a
fortress　or　an　island　of　the　sea；　and　distinctly　visible　even　in　the
night；　its　white　walls　rising　against　the　dark　perspective　of　the
park。　This　is　the　poet's　Eldorado；　his　paradise；　presented　to
Wolfgang　Goethe　by　his　friend　the　Duke　Charles　Augustus。　It　was　late
as　the　possessor　wound　his　way　toward　his　Tusculum；　as　he　familiarly
called　it；　and；　more　attracted　by　the　aspect　of　the　heavens　than　by
sleep；　sought　the　balcony；　to　gaze　at　the　dark　mass　of　clouds
chasing　each　other　like　armies　in　retreat　and　pursuit；　one　moment
veiling　the　moon；　at　another　revealing　her　full　disk；　and　soon　again
covering　the　earth　with　dark　shadows；　until　the　lightning　flashed
down　in　snaky　windings；　making　the　darkness　momentarily　visible　with
her　lurid　glare。　It　was　a　glorious　spectacle　for　the　intuitive；
sympathetic　soul　of　the　poet；　and　he　yielded　to　its　influence　with
delight。　He　heard　the　voice　of　God　in　the　rolling　of　the　thunder；
and　sought　to　comprehend　the　unutterable；　and　understand　it　in　this
poetical　sense。　Voices　spake　to　him　in　the　rushing　of　the　storm；　the
sighing　of　the　trees；　and　the　rustling　of　the　foliage。　The　storm
passed　quickly；　a　profound　quiet　and　solemnity　spread　out　over　the
nightly　world；　and　it　lay　as　if　in　repose；　smiling　in　blissful
dreams。　The　air　was　filled　with　perfumes；　wafted　to　the　balcony　upon
which　dreamed　the　poet　with　unclosed