old fritz and the new era-第73部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


unambitious　and　unpretentious。　These　Rosicrucians　would　banish　her
by　increasing　the　number　of　favorites；　that　they　may　rule　him；　and
make　the　future　King　of　Prussia　a　complete　tool　in　their　hands。　They
excite　his　mind；　which　is　not　too　well　balanced；　and　rob　him　by
their　witchcraft　of　the　intellect　that　he　has。　They　promise　him　to
find　the　philosopher's　stone；　and　make　a　fool　of　him。　Am　I　not
right？〃

〃I　must　acknowledge　that　you　are；〃　sighed　Herzberg。

〃And　admit　also　that　it　would　be　just　to　send　these　in；　famous
fellows　as　criminals　to　Spandau。〃

〃Sire；　unfortunately；　there　are　crimes　and　offences　which　the　law
does　not　reach；　and　which　cannot　be　judged。〃

〃When　I　was　young；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　tore　up　and　stamped　upon　every
weed　that　I　found　in　my　garden。　Shall　I　now　let　these　two　grow　and
infect　the　air；　because　the　law　gives　me　no　right　to　crush　them？
Formerly　I　would　have　torn　them　leaf　from　leaf；　but　now　I　am　old　and
useless；　my　hand　is　weak；　and　lacks　the　strength　to　uproot　them；
therefore　I　suffer　them　to　stand；　and　all　the　other　abominable
things　which　these　rogues　bring　to　pass。　A　cloud　is　rising；　from
which　a　storm　will　one　day　burst　over　Prussia；　but　I　cannot
dissipate　it；　for　the　little　strength　and　breath　that　remains　I　have
need　of　for　the　government；　and；　moreover；　I　have　no　superfluous
time　for　the　future；　but　must　live　and　work　only　for　the　present。〃

〃But　the　blessing　of　your　exertions　will　be　felt　in　the　future。　The
deeds　of　a　great　man　are　not　extinguished　with　his　death；　but　shine
like　a　star；　disseminating　light　beyond　his　grave！〃

〃This　light　is　just　what　the　Rosicrucians　will　take　care　to
extinguish　like　a　tallow　candle　with　too　long　a　wick；　and　it　is　good
fortune　that　the　astronomers　have　awarded　me　a　little　glorification
in　the　heavens；　and　accorded　me　a　star；　for　the　Rosicrucians　would
not　let　it　shine　here　below。　I　must　console　myself　with　this；　and
recall　that　when　it　is　dark　and　lowering　here；　I　have　a　star　above
in　the　sky！〃

〃This　star　is　Frederick's　honor；〃　cried　Herzberg。　〃It　will　beam　upon
future　generations；　and　become　the　guiding　light　of　the　sons　and
nephews　of　your　house；　and　they　will　learn　to　be　as　sagacious　and
wise　as　the　Great　Frederick。〃

〃There　you　have　made　a　great　error；　Herzberg；〃　replied　the　king；
quickly。　〃Future　generations　are　newer　taught　by　the　past
grandchildren　think　themselves　wiser　than　their　grandparents。　The
greatest　of　heroes　is　forgotten；　and　his　deeds　buried　in　the　dust　of
ages。　You　have　given　me　a　glorious　title　of　honor；　and　I　know　how
little　I　deserve　it。〃

〃A　title　which　will　be　confirmed　in　centuries　to　come；　for　every
history　will　speak　of　Frederick　the　Second　as　Frederick　Great。〃

〃In　history　it　may　be；　but　the　people　will　speak　of　me　as　'Old
Fritz'that　will　be　on　the　lips　of　those　who　love　me；　and
expression　of　endearment；　on　the　lips　of　those　who　hate　me；　one　of
disaffection。　I　am；　indeed；　'Old　Fritz；'　which　the　Bischofswerders
and　Woellners　also　call　me；　and　try　to　make　the　crown　prince　believe
that　I　have　outlived　my　period；　and　do　not　understand　or　esteem　the
modern　time。　In　their　eyes　I　am　a　dismantled　ship　of　state；　which
the　storms　of　life　have　rendered　unseaworthy。　They　would　refit　the
vessel；　and　give　it　a　new　flag；　sending　Old　Fritz；　the　helmsman；　to
the　devil！　The　day　of　my　death　they　will　hoist　this　flag；　with
'Modern　Time'　inscribed　upon　it　in　large　letters。　I　shall　then　be
united　in　Elysium　with　Voltaire；　Jordan；　Suhm；　and　all　my　other
friends；　as　we　were　wont　to　be　at　Sans…Souci；　and　look　down　with　a
pitying　smile　upon　the　Modern　Time　and　Old　Folly！Vale！〃




CHAPTER　XXXVII。

THE　ESPOUSALS。


Both　Bischofswerder　and　Woellner　hastened　to　avail　themselves　of　the
commanding　〃adieu；〃　and　quit　the　royal　presence。　Without；　the
carriage　was　ready　to　reconvey　them　to　the　new　palace。　They　were　so
exhausted　that　neither　of　them　uttered　a　word；　the　last　injunctions
of　the　king　ringing　in　their　ears。

Silently　they　alighted　upon　arriving；　but　as　the　footman　came　out　to
meet　them　they　asked；　simultaneously；　if　his　royal　highness　had
dined。

〃His　highness　is　not　here；　having　departed　immediately　after　the　two
gentlemen；　and　is　not　yet　returned；〃　he　answered。

〃You　may　serve　us　something　to　eat　as　quickly　as　possible　in　the
little　dining…room。　Let　it　be　ready　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour；〃
commanded　Bischofswerder。

〃Now　that　we　are　alone；　what　do　you　think　of　this　affair？〃　asked
Woellner。

〃I　cannot　vouchsafe　a　reply　until　I　have　eaten　a　pheasant's　wing；
and　drunken　my　champagne；〃　replied　Bischofswerder。

He　kept　his　word；　preserving　a　solemn　silence　until　a　good　half　of
the　bird　had　disappeared；　and　many　glasses　of　iced　champagne。

Then　Bischofswerder　leaned　back　in　his　comfortable　armchair　with
infinite　ease；　whilst　his　friend　occupied　himself　with　the　most
pious　zeal　with　the　pheasant；　rejoicing　at　this　revelation　of　the
Invisibles。　Bischofswerder　let　him　enjoy　it；　and　ordered　the　footman
to　serve　the　dessert　and　withdraw。

〃Now　I　am　prepared　to　reply　to　you；　my　dear　friend；　that　we　are
alone。　I　believe　the　king　would　have　sent　us　to　Spandau　at　once　if
we　had　opposed　his　free…thinking　opinions。〃

〃I　am　convinced　of　it；〃　sighed　Woellner；　eyeing　the　remains　of　the
bird　with　a　melancholy　glance。　〃We　shall　have　much　to　endure　for　the
holy　cause　which　we　serve。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　we　will　have　much　to　suffer　if　we；　in　fanatical
indiscretion；　do　not　submit　to　circumstances；〃　said　Bischofswerder。

〃You　cannot　traduce　the　sublime　Fathers！〃　cried　Woellner；〃for　the
body's　security；　we　cannot　endanger　the　salvation　of　our　souls；　and；
like　Peter；　deny　our　master。〃

〃No；　my　much…loved　and　noble　friend。　But　we　must　be　wise　as
serpents；　and　our　duty　to　the　holy　order　is　to　preserve　its　useful
tools　that　they　may　not　be　lost。　You　will　agree　with　me　in　this？〃

〃Indeed；　I　do　admit　it；〃　replied　Wollner；　pathetically。

〃Further；　you　will　acknowledge　that　we　are　very　useful；　and　I　might
say　indispensable　tools　of　the　Sublime　Order　of　the　Rosicrucians　and
the　Invisible　Fathers　of　the　Order　of　Jesus？　It　is　our　task　to
secure　an　abiding…place　to　the　proscribed　and；　cursed；　to　plough　and
sow　the　field；　which　will　yield　good　fruit　for　humanity　entire；　and
particularly　our　order；　when　the　crown　prince　ascends　the　throne。　We
will　here　erect　a　kingdom　of　the　future；　and　it　is　all…important　to
lay　so　secure　a　corner…stone　in　the　heart　of　his　highness　that
nothing　can　shake　or　dislodge　it。　Who　could　perfect　this　work　if　we
were　not　here？　Who　would　dare　to　undertake　the　difficult　task　if　we
should　fail？　Who　would　carry　on　a　secret　and　continued　warfare　with
this　artful　and　powerful　seductress　if　we　were　conquered？〃

〃No　one　would　do　it；〃　sighed　Woellner；　〃no　one　would　sacrifice
themselves　like　Samson　for　this　Delilah。〃

〃We　will　together　be　the　Samson；〃　replied　Bischofswerder；　drawing　a
glass　of　sparkling　champagne。　〃We　will　be　the　Samson　which　the
Philistines　drove　out；　but　this　woman　shall　not　practise　the　arts　of
Delilah　upon　us　in　putting　our　eyes　out　or　cutting　off　our　hair。
Against　two　Samsons　the　most　artful　and　beautiful　Delilah　is　not
wary　enough；　and　if　we　cannot　conquer　her；　we　must　resort　to　other
means。〃

〃What　may　they　be；　dear　brother？〃

〃We　must　compromise　the　matter。〃

Woellner　sprang　up；　and　a　flush　of　anger　or　from　champagne
overspread　his　face　〃Compromise　with　the　sinful　creature！〃　he　cried；
impetuously。　〃Make　peace　with　the　seductress；　who　leads　the　prince
from　the　path　of　virtue！〃

〃Yes；　we　must　be　on　friendly　terms　with　this　woman；　who　could
greatly　injure　us　as　an　enemy；　and　aid　us　infinitely　as　a　friend。
This　is　my　intention；　and　I　am　the　more　convinced　that　we　must
accept　this　middle　course；　as　she　is　protected　by　the　king。〃

〃Because　he　knows　from　his　spies　that　she　mingles　with　the
Illuminati　and　the　Freemasons；　and　that　she　is　our　opponent；〃　said
Woellner。

〃The　more　the　reason；　my　noble　zealot；　to　win　her　friendship；　who
will　have　validity　and　power　until　the　crown　prince　reigns；　and　this
old　godless　freethinker　of　a　king　is　in　his　gravel　Then　Prussia　will
commence　a　new　era；　and　we　shall　be　lords；　and　guide　the　machine　of
state。　For　such　lofty　aims　one　ought　to　be　ready　to　compromise　with
his　Satanic　majesty　even。　Then　why　not　with　this　little　she…devil；
whose　power　is　fading　every　year　with　her　youth　and　beauty？〃

〃It　is　quite　true；　we　should　be　mindful　of　the　device　of　our
Invisible　Fathers。　The　end　sanctifies　the　means；〃　sighed　Woellner。

〃I　believe　it　to　be　indispensable；　and　you　will　grant　that　I　am
right。　Do　you　not　see　that　the　prince　has　availed　himself　of　our
absence　to　go　there；　and　has　not　yet　returned？〃

〃What！〃　shrieked　Woellner；　clasping　his　hands〃　you　do　not　mean
that〃

〃That　Rinaldo　has　returned　to　the　enchanted　garden　of　Armida。〃

〃Oh；　let　us　hasten　to　release　him　at　once；　and　revue　his　soul　from
perdition！〃　cried　Woellner；　springing　up。

〃On　the　contrary；　let　us　await　him　here　without　a　word　of　reproach
upon　his　return。　This　will　touch　his　tender　heart　which　we　must　work
upon；　if　we　would　get　him　into　our　power；　for　to　us　he　must　belong。
Fill　our　glasses　with　the　sparkling　wine；　and　drink　to　the　contract
with　Wilhelmine　Enke。〃

Just　as　merrily　they　quaffed　the　champagne　in　the　little　cosy
dining…room　at　Charlottenburg；　where　the　prince　and　Wilhelmine　were
rejoicing　over　a　reconciliation；　no　one　being　present　but　the　two
children。　Their　joyous　laugh　and　innocent　jests　delighted　the
father；　and　the　beaming　eyes；　sweet　smile；　and　witty　conversation　of
his　favorite；　filled　his　heart　with　pleasure。

Not　a　word　of　reproach　escaped　her；　but　exultant　and　joyous　she
hastened　with　outstretched　arms　to　meet　him；　kissing　away　all　his
attempts　to　implore　pardon；　and　thanking　him　that　he　had　returned　to
her。

At　first　the　prince　gave　himself　up　to　the　joy　of　the　reunion　with
his　beloved　Wilhelmine　sad　children；　but　now；　as　the　first　outburst
had　passed；　the　quiet；　happy　dinner　being　finished；　and　they　had
returned　to　the　sitting…room；　a　tinge　of　melancholy　earnestness
overshadowed　his　amiable　face。

Wilhelmine　threw　her　arms　gently　around　his　neck　as　s