old fritz and the new era-第8部分

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insolent；　questioning　manner。　A　smile；　mild　as　the　evening　sunset；
spread　over　the　king's　face；　he　laid　his　hand　lovingly　upon　the
curly　head　of　the　prince；　saying：　〃They　will　never　take　away　Silesia
from　you。　Here　is　your　shuttlecock。〃　He　drew　it　from　his　pocket；　and
gave　it　to　the　little　prince；　who　seized　his　hand　and　pressed　it　to
his　lips。




CHAPTER　IV。

THE　DRIVE　TO　BERLIN。


Wilhelmine　Enke　passed　the　remainder　of　the　day；　after　her　meeting
with　the　king；　in　anguish　and　tears。　She　recalled　all　that　he　had
said　to　her；　every　word　of　which　pierced　her　to　the　heart。　Her
little　daughter　of　seven　years　tried　in　vain　to　win　a　smile　from　her
mamma　with　her　gentle　caresses。　In　vain　she　begged　her　to　sing　to
her　and　smile　as　she　was　wont　to　do。　The　mother；　usually　so　kind　and
affectionate；　would　today　free　herself　from　her　child；　and　sent　her
away　with　quivering　lip；　and　tears　in　her　eyes；　to　listen　to　her
nurse's　stories。

Once　alone；　Wilhelmine　paced　her　room　with　rapid　strides　and　folded
arms；　giving　vent　to　her　repressed　anguish。　She　reviewed　her　life；
with　all　its　changing　scenes。　It　was　a　sad；　searching　retrospection；
but　in　it　she　found　consolation　and　excuse　for　herself。　She　thought
of　her　childhood；　she　saw　the　gloomy　dwelling　where　she　had　lived
with　her　parents；　brothers；　and　sisters。　She　recalled　the　need　and
the　want　of　those　yearsthe　sickly；　complaining；　but　busy　mother；
the　foolish；　wicked　father；　who　never　ceased　his　constant　exercise
of　the　bugle；　except　to　take　repeated　draughts　of　brandy；　or　scold
the　children。　Then　she　saw　in　this　joyless　dwelling；　in　which　she
crouched　with　her　little　sisters；　a　young　girl　enter；　and　greet　them
smilingly。　She　wore　a　robe　glittering　with　gold；　with　transparent
wings　upon　her　shoulders。　This　young　girl　was　Wilhelmine's　older
sister；　Sophie；　who　had　just　returned　from　the　Italian　opera；　where
she　was　employed。　She　still　had　on　her　fairy　costume　in　which　she
had　danced　in　the　opera　of　〃Armida；〃　and　had　come；　with　a　joyous
face；　to　take　leave　of　her　parents；　and　tell　them　that　a　rich
Russian　count　loved　her；　and　wanted　to　marry　her；　that　in　the
intervening　time　he　had　taken　a　beautiful　apartment　for　her；　where
she　would　remove　that　very　evening。　She　must　bid　them　farewell；　for
her　future　husband　was　waiting　for　her　in　the　carriage　at　the　door。

Sophie　laughed　at　her　grumbling　father；　shook　hands　with　her　weeping
mother；　and　bent　to　kiss　the　children。　Wilhelmine；　in　unspeakable
anguish；　sprang　after　her；　holding　her　fast；　with　both　hands
clinching　the　crackling　wings。　She　implored　her　sister　to　take　her
with　her；　while　the　tears　ran　in　streams　down　her　cheeks。　〃You　know
that　I　love　you；〃　she　cried；　〃and　my　only　pleasure　is　to　see　you
every　day。　Take　me　with　you；　and　I　will　serve　and　obey　you；　and　be
your　waiting…maid。〃　Wilhelmine　held　the　wings　firmly　with　a
convulsive　grasp；　and　continued　to　weep　and　implore；　until　Sophie　at
last　laughingly　yielded。

〃Well；　come；　if　you　will　be　my　waiting…maid；　no　one　combs　hair　as
well　as　you；　and　your　simple　style　of　arranging　it　suits　me　better
than　any　other。　Come；　come；　it　shall　be　arranged；　you　shall　be　my
waiting…maid。〃

The　pictures　of　memory　changed；　and　Wilhelmine　saw　herself　in　the
midst　of　splendor；　as　the　poor　little　maid；　unnoticed　by　her
brilliant　sister；　the　beloved　of　the　Russian　Count　Matuschko。　Joy
and　pleasure　reigned　in　the　beautifully　gilded　apartment　where
Sophie　lived。　She　was　the　queen　of　the　feasts　and　the　balls。　Many
rich　and　fine　gentlemen　came　there；　and　the　beautiful　Sophie；　the
dancer；　the　affianced　of　Count　Matuschko；　received　their　homage。　No
one　observed　the　sad　little　waiting…maid；　in　her　dark　stuff　dress；
with　her　face　bound　up　in　black　silk；　as　if　she　had　the　toothache。
She　wore　the　cast…off　morning　dresses　of　her　sister；　and；　at　her
command；　bound　her　face　with　the　black　silk；　so　that　the　admirers　of
her　sister　should　not　see；　by　a　fugitive　glance；　or　chance　meeting；
the　budding　beauty　of　the　little　maid。

Wilhelmine　dared　not　enter　the　saloon　when　visitors　were　there；　only
when　Sophie　was　alone；　or　her　artistic　hand　was　needed　to　arrange
her　sister's　beautiful　hair；　was　she　permitted　to　stay　with　the
future　countess。　Every　rough　touch　was　resented　with　harsh　words；
blows；　and　ill…treatment。　The　smiling　fairy　of　the　drawing…room；　was
the　harsh；　grim　mistress　for　her　sister；　whose　every　mistake　was
punished　with　unrelenting　severity。　In　fact；　she　was　made　a　very
slave；　and　now；　after　long　years；　the　remembrance　of　it　even　cast　a
gloomy　shadow　over　Wilhelmine's　face；　and　her　eyes　flashed　fire。

Another　picture　now　rose　up　before　her　soul；　which　caused　her　face
to　brighten；　as　a　beautiful　beaming　image　presented　itself；　the
image　of　her　first　and　only　love！　She　lived　over　again　the　day　when
it　rose　up　like　a　sun　before　her　wondering；　admiring　gaze；　and　yet
it　was　a　stormy　day　for　her。　Sophie　was　very　angry　with　her；　because
in　crimping　her　hair　she　had　burnt　her　cheek；　which　turned　the　fairy
into　a　fury。　She　threw　the　weak　child　upon　the　floor；　and　beat　and
stamped　upon　her。

Suddenly　a　loud；　angry　voice　commanded　her　to　cease；　and　a　strong；
manly　arm　raised　the　trembling；　weeping　girl；　and　with　threatening
tone　bade　Sophie　be　quiet。　Prince　Frederick　William　of　Prussia　took
compassion　on　the　poor　child。　The　sister　had　not　remarked　him　in　her
paroxysm　of　rage；　had　never　heard　him　enter。　He　had　been　a　witness
to　Wilhelmine's　ill…treatment。　He　now　defended　her；　blaming　her
sister　for　her　cruelty　to　her；　and　declared　his　intention　to　be　her
future　protector。　How　handsome　he　looked；　how　noble　in　his　anger；
how　his　eyes　flashed　as　he　gazed　upon　her；　who　knelt　at　his　feet；
and　kissed　them；　looking　up　to　him　as　her　rescuer！

〃Wilhelmine；　come　with　me；　I　do　not　wish　you　to　remain　here；〃　said
he；　〃your　sister　will　never　forgive　you　that　I　have　taken　your　part。
Come；　I　will　take　you　to　your　parents；　and　provide　for　you。　You
shall　be　as　beautiful　and　accomplished　a　lady　as　your　sister；　but；
Heaven　grant；　a　more　generous　and　noble…hearted　one！　Come！〃

These　words；　spoken　with　a　gentle；　winning　voice；　had　never　died
away　in　her　heart。　Twelve　years　had　passed　since　then；　and　they
still　rang　in　her　ear；　in　the　tumult　of　the　world　as　well　as　in　the
quiet　of　her　lonely　room。　They　had　comforted　her　when　the　shame　of
her　existence　oppressed　her；　rejoiced　her　when；　with　the　delight　of
youth　and　happiness；　she　had　given　herself　up　to　pleasure。　She　had
followed　him　quietly；　devotedly；　as　a　little　dog　follows　his　master。
He　had　kept　his　word；　he　had　had　her　instructed　during　three　years；
and　then　sent　her　to　Paris；　in　order　to　give　her　the　last　polish；
the　tournure　of　the　world；　however　much　it　had　cost　him　to　separate
from　her；　or　might　embarrass　him；　with　his　scanty　means；　to　afford
the　increase　of　expense。　A　year　elapsed　and　Wilhelmine　returned　a
pleasing　lady；　familiar　with　the　tone　of　the　great　world；　and　at
home　in　its　manners　and　customs。

The　prince　had　kept　his　wordthat　which　he　had　promised　her　as　he
took　her　from　her　sister's　house；　to　make　her　a　fine；　accomplished
lady。　And　when　he　repeated　to　her　now　〃Come；〃　could　she　refuse　him
him　to　whom　she　owed　every　thing；　whom　she　loved　as　her　benefactor；
her　teacher；　her　friend；　and　lover？　She　followed　him；　and　concealed
herself　for　him　in　the　modest　little　dwelling　at　Potsdam。　For　him
she　lived　in　solitude；　anxiously　avoiding　to　show　herself　publicly；
that　the　king　should　never　know　of　her　existence；　and　in　his　just
anger　sever　the　unlawful　tie　which　bound　her　to　the　Prince　of
Prussia。　＇Footnote：　〃Memoirs　of　the　Countess　Lichtenau；〃　p。　80。＇
Wilhelmine　recalled　the　past　seven　years　of　her　life；　her　two
children；　whom　she　had　borne　to　the　prince；　and　the　joy　that　filled
his　heart　as　he　became　a　father；　although　his　lawful　wife　had　also
borne　him　children。　She　looked　around　her　small；　quiet　dwelling；
arranged　in　a　modest　manner；　not　as　the　favorite　of　the　Prince　of
Prussia；　but　as　an　unpretending　citizen's　wife；　she　thought　how　oft
with　privations；　with　want　even；　she　had　had　to　combat；　how　oft　the
ornaments　which　the　prince　had　sent　her　in　the　rare　days　of
abundance　had　been　taken　to　the　pawnbrokers　to　provide　the　necessary
wants　of　herself　and　children。　Her　eyes　flashed　with　pride　and　joy
at　the　thought　which　she　dared　to　breathe　to　herself；　that　not　for
gold　or　riches；　power　or　position；　had　she　sold　her　love；　her　honor；
and　her　good　name。

〃It　was　from　pure　affinity；　from　gratitude　and　affection；　that　I
followed　the　husband　of　my　heart；　although　he　was　a　prince；〃　she
said。

Still　the　shame　of　her　existence　weighed　upon　her。　The　king　had
commanded　her　to　hide　her　head　so　securely　that　no　one　might　know
her　shame；　or　the　levity　of　the　prince。

〃Go！　and　let　me　never　see　you　again！〃

Did　not　this　mean　that　the　king　would　remove　her　so　far　that　there
would　not　be　a　possible　chance　to　appear　again　before　him？　Was　there
not　hidden　in　these　words　a　menace；　a　warning？　Would　not　the　king
revenge　on　her　the　sad　experiences　of　his　youth？　Perhaps　he　would
punish　her　for　what　Doris　Ritter　had　suffered！　Doris　Ritter！　She；
too；　had　loved　a　crown　princeshe；　too；　had　dared　to　raise　her　eyes
to　the　future　King　of　Prussia；　for　which　she　was　cruelly　punished；
though　chaste　and　pure；　and　hurled　down　to　the　abyss　of　shame　for
the　crime　of　loving　an　heir　to　the　throne。　Beaten；　insulted；　and
whipped　through　the　streets；　and　then　sent　to　the　house　of
correction　at　Spandau！　Oh；　poor；　unhappy　Doris　Ritter！　Will　the　king
atone　to　youwill　he　revenge　the　friend　of　his　youth　on　the
mistress　of　his　successor？　The　old　King　Frederick；　weary　of　life；
thinks　differently　from　the　young　crown　prince。　He　can　be　as　severe
as　his　father；　cruel　and　inexorable　as　he。

〃Doris　Ritter！　Thy　fate　haunts　me。　On　the　morrow　I　also　may　be
whipped　through　the　streets；　scorned；　reviled　by　the　rabble；　and
then　sent　to　Spandau　as　a　criminal。　Did　not　the　king　threaten　me
with　the　house　of　correction；　with　the　spinning…wheel；　which　he
would　have　ready　for　me？〃

At　the　thought　of　it　a　terrible　anguish；　a　nameless　despair；　seized
her。　She　felt　that　the　spinning…wheel　hung