old fritz and the new era-第59部分

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was　because　I　stupidly　and　foolishly　dared　to　finish　the　broken
sentence。〃

〃Well；　how　did　you　manage　to　conclude　it？〃

〃Sire；　your　majesty　said；　'Tell　the　crown　prince　that　I　order　him'
and　there　you　ceased。　I　added　'order　him　to　love　Wilhelmine　Enke；
and　be　faithful　to　her。'　I　beg　pardon　for　my　mistake。　I　should　have
known　that　your　majesty　could　never　command　the　execution　of　that
which　is　not　to　be　forced；　that　my　great　king　recognizes；　as　well　as
I；　that　love　is　not　compulsory；　or　fidelity　either。　Pardon　me　for　my
impertinence；　and　tell　me　the　order　which　I　shall　take　to　the　crown
prince　from　my　beloved　king　and　master。〃

The　king　stepped　close　up　to　the　minister；　and　gazed　with　a　half…
sad；　half…tender　expression　in　the　noble　and　gentle　face　of
Herzberg；　and　in　the　sensible　brown　eyes；　which　sank　not　beneath　the
fiery　glance　of　Frederick。　Then；　slowly　raising　his　hand　from　the
staff；　he　menaced　him　with　his　long；　bony　forefinger。

〃Herzberg；　you　are　a　rogue；　and　will　teach　me　morals。　Indeed；　you
are　rightlove　is　not　compulsory；　but　one　can　sometimes　aid　it。　Say
nothing　to　the　prince。　The　interior　of　his　house　must；　indeed；　be
left　to　himself；　but　we　will　keep　our　eyes　open　and　be　watchful。　Do
so　also；　Herzberg；　and　if　you　discover　any　thing；　tell　me；　and　if
Wilhelmine　Enke　needs　assistance　against　the　infamous　Rosicrucians；
and　with　her　aid　this　mystic　rabble　can　be　suppressed；　inform　me；
and　I　am　ready　to　send　her　succor。　Ah！　Herzberg；　is　it　not　a
melancholy　fact　that　one　must　fight　his　way　through　so　much
wickedness　to　obtain　so　little　that　is　good？　My　whole　life　has
passed　in　toil　and　trouble；　I　have　grown　old　before　my　time；　and
would　rest　from　my　labors；　and　harvest　in　the　last　few　years；　what　I
have　sown　in　a　lifetime。　Is　it　not　sad　that　I　hope　for　no　fruit；　and
that　the　seed　that　I　have　scattered　will　be　trodden　under　foot　by　my
successor？　I　must　gaze　at　the　future　without　joy；　without
consolation！〃

The　king　turned　to　the　window；　perhaps　to　hide　the　tears　which　stood
in　his　eyes。　Herzberg　did　not　presume　to　interrupt　the　sad　silence；
but　gazed　with　an　expression　of　the　deepest　sympathy　at　the　little
bent　form；　in　the　threadbare　coat。　Grief　filled　his　heart　at　the
thought　that　this　head　was　not　only　bowed　down　by　the　weight　of
years　and　well…deserved　laurels；　but　also　from　its　many　cares　and
griefs；　and　hopeless　peering　into　the　future。

The　king　turned　again；　and　his　eyes　were　bright　and　un…dimmed。　〃We
must　never　lose　courage；〃　said　he；　〃and　we　must　have　a　reserve　corps
in　life　as　well　as　upon　the　field　of　battle。　For　the　world　resembles
the　latter；　and　the　former　is　a　continual　war；　in　which　we　must　not
be　discouraged　nor　cast　down；　if　there　is　not　hope　in　our　souls。　I
will　cling　to　As　you　have　said；　and　I　have　also　found　it　true；　that
crown　prince　is　a　good　and　brave　man；　and　possesses　a　keen
understanding；　we　may　succeed　in　bringing　him　from　the　erroneous
ways　in　which　his　youth；　levity；　and　the　counsels　of　wicked　friends
have　led　him。　We　will　try　with　kindness　and　friendliness；　as　I
believe　these　have　more　effect　upon　him。　Let　us　not　even　scorn　to
aid　Wilhelmine　in　so　far　as　is　compatible　with　honor。　If　a　mistress
is　necessary　to　the　happiness　of　the　prince；　this　one　seems　the　most
worthy　of　all　to　encourage。　Beyond　the　clouds　the　stars　are　still
shining；　and　it　appears　to　me　as　if　I　see　in　perspective　in　the
heaven　of　Prussia's　future；　a　star　which　promises　a　bright　light
with　years。　Do　you　not　think　with　me；　the　little　Prince　Frederick
William　is　a　rising　star？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；〃　answered　Herzberg；　joyfully；　〃He　is　a　splendid
little　boy；　of　simple　and　innocent　heart；　and　bright；　vigorous　mind；
modest　and　unpretending。〃

〃You　see；〃　cried　the　king；　evidently　cheered；　〃there　is　one　star　and
we　will　watch　over　it；　that　it　is　not　obscured。　I　must　see　the
prince　oftener。　He　shall　visit　me　every　month　and　his　governors　and
teachers　shall　report　to　me　every　quarter。　We　will　watch　over　his
education；　and　train　him　to　be　a　good　king　for　the　future；　and　guard
ourselves　against　being　pusillanimous；　foolish；　and　fretful；　and　not
be　discouraged　in　life。　I　have　entered　my　last　lustrum；　or　five
years。　Hush！　do　not　dispute　it；　but　believe　me！　My　physique　is　worn
out；　and　the　mental　grows　dull；　and　although　I　live　and　move　about；
I　am　half　in　the　grave。　There　are　two　coffins　in　this　room；　which
contain　the　greater　part　of　my　past。　Look　around；　do　you　not　see
them？〃

〃No；〃　said　Herzberg；　as　he　glanced　at　the　different　articles　of
furniture；　〃I　see　none。〃

〃Look　upon　the　table　by　the　windowwhat　do　you　there　see？〃

〃Your　majesty；　there　is　an　instrument…case　and　a　sword…sheath。〃

〃They　are　the　ones　I　refer　to。　In　the　case　lies　my　flute；　that　is　to
say；　my　youth；　love；　poesy；　and　art；　are　encoffined　there。　In　the
sheath　is　my　sword；　which　is　my　manhood；　energy；　laurels；　and　fame。
I　will　never　play　the　flute　or　draw　the　sword　again。　All　that　is
past！〃

〃But　there　still　remains　for　the　great　king　a　noble　work　to
perfect；〃　cried　Herzberg。　〃Youth　has　flown；　and　the　war…songs　are
hushed。　The　poet　and　hero　will　change　to　the　lawgiver。　Sire；　you
have　made　Prussia　great　and　powerful　externally；　there　remains　a
greater　work；　to　make　her　the　same　within。　You　have　added　new
provinces；　give　them　now　a　new　code　of　laws。　You　will　no　longer
unsheath　the　sword　of　the　hero；　then　raise　that　of　justice　high
above　your　subjects！〃

〃I　will；〃　cried　the　king；　with　beaming　eyes。　〃You　have　rightly
seized　and　comprehended　what　alone　seems　to　me　worthy　of　will　and
execution。　There　shall　be　but　one　law　for　the　high　and　the　low；　the
poor　and　the　rich。　The　distinguished　Chancellor　Carmer　shall
immediately　go　to　work　upon　it；　and　you　shall　aid　him。　The　necessity
of　such　a　reform　we　have　lately　felt　in　the　Arnold　process；　where
the　judge　decided　in　favor　of　the　rich；　and　wronged　the　poor　man。
How　could　the　judge　sustain　Count　Schmettau　against　the　miller
Arnold；　who　had　been　deprived　of　the　water　for　his　mill；　when　it　was
so　evident　that　it　was　unjust？〃

〃I　beg　pardon；　majesty；　but　I　believe　the　judge　obeyed　the　very
letter　of　the　law；　and〃

〃Then　this　law　must　be　annulled；〃　interrupted　the　king。　〃This　is　why
I　revoked　the　judge's　sentence；　and　sent　the　obstinate　fellows　to
the　fortress；　sustaining　the　miller　in　his　right　deposing　the
arrogant　Chancellor　Furst。　I　had　long　resolved　upon　it；　for　I　knew
that　he　was　a　haughty　fellow；　who　let　the　poor　crowd　his　anteroom；
and　listened　to　the　flattery　of　the　high…born　rabble　who　courted
him。　I　only　waited　an　occasion　to　bow　his　haughty　head。　This
offered；　and　I　availed　myself　of　it；　voila　tout。　It　is　to　be　hoped
that　it　will　be　good　example　for　all　courts　of　justice。　They　will
remember　that　the　least　peasant　and　beggar　is　a　human　being　as　much
as　the　king；　and　that　justice　should　be　accorded　to　if　they　do　not；
they　will　have　to　deal　with　me。　If　a　college　of　justice　practises
injustice；　it　is　more　dangerous　than　a　band　of　robbers；　for　one　can
protect　himself　from　the　latter　but　the　former　are　rascals　wearing
the　mantle　of　justice；　to　exercise　their　own　evil　passions；　from
whom　no　man　can　protect　himself；　and　they　are　the　greatest
scoundrels　in　the　world　and　deserve　a　double　punishment。　I　therefore
deposed　the　unjust　judge；　and　sent　him　to　the　fortress　at　Spandau；
that　all　might　take　warning　by　his　fate。〃　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own
words。Seo　〃Prussia；　Frederick　the　Great；〃　vol。　iv。＇

〃This　Arnold　trial　belongs　to　history；〃　said　Herzberg。　〃The　lawyers
will　refer　to　it　after　the　lapse　of　centuries；　and　the　poor　and　the
oppressed　will　recall　and　bless　the　thoughtfulness　of　the　great
king；　who　would　open　just　as　wide　a　gate　for　them　to　enter　the
heaven　of　justice　as　to　the　rich　and　noble。　This　new　code　of　laws
will　beam　above　the　crown　of　gold　and　of　laurels；　with　the　splendor
of　the　civil　crown；　whose　brilliants　are　the　tears　of　gratitude　of
your　people。〃

〃May　it　be　so；〃　said　Frederick；　with　earnestness。　〃Now　tell　me；　do
you　know　what　day　of　the　month　it　is？〃

〃Sire；　it　is　the　30th　of　May。'〃

〃Yes；　you　will　remember　it　is　the　anniversary　of　Voltaire's　death；
and　after　I　have　quarrelled　for　two　years　with　the　priests　and　so…
called　holy　fathers　at　Rome；　I　have　gained　my　point；　and　the　honor
shall　be　shown　him　here　in　Berlin　which　the　priests　and　friars　have
refused　to　the　immortal　poet　in　his　own　country。　To…day；　exactly　at
the　hour　which　Voltaire　died；　the　mass　for　the　dead　will　be　read　in
the　Catholic　church；　to　free　his　immortal　soul　from　purgatory。　I
have；　indeed；　no　idea　of　an　immortal　soul。　If　there　are　any；　and　if
it　has　to　endure　the　threefold　heat　of　which　Father　Tobias；　of
Silesia；　related　to　me；　I　do　not　believe　that　the　priests；　for　a　few
thalers；　can　loose　the　unhappy　spirit　from　the　bake…oven。　But　as
they　refuse　burial　to　the　spirit　of　Voltaire；　in　order　to　insult　him
after　death；　so　must　I　avail　myself　of　this　occasion　to　offer　a　last
homage　to　the　great　poet；　which　will　take　place　at　four　o'clock。　Go
to　the　mass；　Herzberg；　and　tell　me　to…morrow　how　it　went　off
whether　the　priests　make　right　pious　faces　and　burn　much　incense。
Adieu。　Au　revoir；　demain。〃

As　the　king　dismissed；　with　a　friendly　wave　of　the　hand；　his
confidential　minister；　he　passed　into　his　cabinet；　remaining　an　hour
with　his　counsellors。　At　dinner　appeared　some　of　the　generals；
weather…worn　and　bent；　with　wrinkled　faces　and　dull　eyes。　Souvenirs
of　the　glorious　years　of　fame　and　victory。　The　king　nodded　kindly　to
them；　but　during　the　entire　meal；　he　only　let　some　indifferent
questions　fall　from　his　lips；　which　were　devotedly　and　tediously
answered　by　some　one　of　the　old　generals。　As　their　dry；　peevish
voices　resounded　through　the　high；　vaulted　room；　it　seemed　to
reawaken　in　Frederick's　heart　the　souvenirs　of　memory　and　become　the
echo　of　vanished　days。　He　gazed　up　at　the　little　Cupids；　in　the
varied　play　of　bright　colors；　looking　down　from　the　clouds；　and　the
goddesses　trumpeting　through　their　long　tubes　the　fame　of　the
immortal；　the　same　as　formerly；　when　they　smiled　from　the　clouds
upon　the　beaming　face　of　the　young　king；　dining　in　the　distinguished
circle　of　his　friends　Vo