louisa of prussia and her times-第136节

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lamentations。　She　prayed　to　God　that　He　might　grant　her　strength　not
to　despair；　not　to　succumb　to　the　stunning　blow；　she　prayed　to　God
that　He　might　impart　vigor　to　her　body；　so　that　it　might　not　prevent
her　from　doing　her　duty；　and　from　seeking　for　further　assistance　for
her　beloved　husband。

Strengthened　and　inwardly　relieved　by　this　prayer；　Anna　now　repaired
to　the　residence　of　Marshal　Berthier；　her　step；　however；　was　slower；
a　deep　blush　mantled　her　cheeks；　which　had　hitherto　been　so　pale；
and　her　hands　were　no　longer　icy　cold；　but　hot　and　red。

She　did　not　apply　for　an　audience　on　reaching　the　marshal's
residence；　for　she　already　knew　that　such　an　application　would　meet
with　a　refusal；　she　only　took　thither　another　copy　of　the　petition
which　she　had　delivered　to　the　French　ambassador；　and　begged
urgently　for　an　early　reply。

Her　supplications　were　this　time　not　destined　to　be　unsuccessful；
and　she　received　a　reply　on　the　third　day。

But　this　reply　was　even　more　terrible　than　if　none　whatever　had　been
made。　Marshal　Berthier　sent　word　to　her　by　his　adjutant　that　Palm
had　been　placed　before　a　court…martial　at　Braunau；　and　that　no
intercession　and　prayers　would　be　of　any　avail；　the　decision　being
exclusively　left　with　the　court…martial。

A　single；　piercing　cry　escaped　from　Anna's　breast　when　she　received
this　information。　Then　she　became　again　calm　and　composed。　Without
uttering　another　complaint；　another　prayer；　she　left　the　marshal's
residence　and　returned　to　her　hotel。

With　perfect　equanimity　and　coolness；　she　requested　the　waiter　to
bring　her　the　bill　and　get　her　a　carriage；　so　that　she　might　set　out
at　once。

Fifteen　minutes　later；　the　landlady　herself　appeared　to　present　to
Madame　Palm　the　bill　she　had　called　for。　She　found　Anna　sitting
quietly　at　the　window；　her　hands　folded　on　her　lap；　her　head　leaning
on　the　high　back　of　the　chair；　and　her　dilated　eyes　staring　vacantly
at　the　sky。　Her　small　travelling…trunk　stood　ready　and　locked　in　the
middle　of　the　room。

The　landlady　handed　her　the　paper　silently；　and　then　turned　aside　in
order　not　to　show　the　tears　which；　at　the　sight　of　the　pale；　gentle
young　wife；　had　filled　her　eyes。

Anna　rose　and　quietly　placed　the　money　on　the　table。　〃I　thank　you；
madame；　for　all　the　attention　and　kindness　I　have　met　with　at　your
house；〃　she　said。　〃It　only　seems　to　me　that　my　bill　is　much　too
moderate。　You　must　have　omitted　many　items；　for　it　is　impossible
that　I　should　not　have　used　up　any　more　than　that　during　my
prolonged　sojourn　in　Munich。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　landlady；　deeply　moved；　〃I　should　be　happy　if　you
permitted　me　to　take　no　money　at　all　from　you；　but　I　know　that　that
would　offend　you；　and　for　that　reason　I　brought　you　my　bill。　If　you
allow　me　to　follow　the　promptings　of　my　heart；　I　should　say；　grant
me　the　honor　of　having　afforded　hospitality　to　so　noble；　brave；　and
faithful　a　lady；　and；　if　you　should　consent；　I　should　be　courageous
enough　to　utter　a　request　which　I　dare　not　make　now；　because　you
would　deem　it　egotistic。〃

〃Oh；　tell　me　what　it　is；〃　said　Anna；　mildly；　〃for　the　last　two　weeks
I　have　begged　so　much；　and　my　requests　were　so　often　refused；　that
it　would　truly　gratify　me　to　hear　from　others　a　request　which　I
might　be　able　to　fulfil。〃

〃Well；　then；　madame；〃　said　the　landlady；　taking　Anna's　hand　and
kissing　it　respectfully；　〃I　request　you　to　stay　here　and　not　to
depart。　Afford　me　the　pleasure　of　keeping　you　here　in　my　house；　of
taking　care　and　nursing　you　as　a　mother　would　nurse　her　daughter。　I
am　old　enough　to　be　your　mother；　and　you；　my　poor；　beloved　child；
you　need　nursing；　for　you　are　sick。〃

〃I　feel　no　painI　am　not　sick；〃　said　Anna；　with　a　smile　which　was
more　heart…rending　than　loud　lamentations。

〃You　are　sick；〃　replied　the　landlady；　〃your　hands　are　burning　with
fever；　and　the　roses　blooming　on　your　cheeks　are　not　natural；　but
symptoms　of　your　inward　sufferings。　During　your　whole　sojourn　in　my
house　you　have　scarcely　touched　the　food　that　was　placed　before　you；
frequently　you　have　not　gone　to　bed　at　night；　and；　instead　of
sleeping；　restlessly　paced　your　room。　A　fever　is　now　raging　in　your
delicate　body；　and　if　you　do　not　take　care　of　yourself；　and　use
medicine；　your　body　will　succumb。〃

〃No；　it　will　not　succumb；〃　said　Anna；　〃my　heart　will　sustain　it。〃

〃But　your　heart；　too；　will　break；　if　you　do　not　take　care　of
yourself；〃　exclaimed　the　landlady；　compassionately。　〃Stay　here；　I
beseech　you；　do　not　depart。　Stay　as　a　guest　at　my　house！〃

Anna　placed　her　burning　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　the　landlady；　and
looked　at　her　long　and　tenderly。

〃You　were　married？〃　she　asked。　〃You　loved　your　husband？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　landlady；　bursting　into　tears；　〃I　was　married；　and
God　knows　that　I　loved　my　husband。　For　twenty　years　we　lived　happy
and　peacefully　together；　and　when　he　died　last　year；　my　whole
happiness　died　with　him。〃

〃He　was　sick；　I　suppose；　and　you　nursed　him？〃

〃He　was　sick　for　a　month；　and　I　did　not　leave　his　bedside　either　by
day　or　by　night。〃

〃Well；　then；　what　would　you　have　replied　to　him　who　would　have　tried
to　keep　you　back　from　your　husband's　death…bed；　and　to　persuade　you
to　leave　him　in　his　agony；　because　it　might　have　injured　your
health？　Would　you　have　listened　to　him？〃

〃No；　I　should　have　believed　him；　who　had　made　such　a　proposition　to
me；　to　be　my　enemy；　and　should　have　replied　to　him：　'It　is　my　sacred
right　to　stand　at　my　husband's　death…bed；　to　kiss　the　last　sigh　from
his　lips；　to　close　his　eyes；　and　no　one　in　the　world　shall　prevent
me　from　doing　so！'〃

〃Well；　then；　dear　mother；　I　say　as　you　have　said：　it　is　my　sacred
right　to　stand　at　my　husband's　death…bed　and　to　close　his　eyes。　My
husband's　death…bed　is　in　Braunau；　I　am　not　so　happy　as　you　have
been；　I　cannot　nurse　him；　nor　be　with　him　and　comfort　him　in　his
agony；　but　I　am　able；　at　least；　to　see　him　in　his　last　hour。　My
mother；　will　you　still　ask　your　daughter　to　stay　here　and　take　care
of　her　health；　instead　of　going　to　her　husband's　death…bed　in
Braunau？〃

〃No；　my　daughter；〃　exclaimed　the　landlady；　〃no；　I　say　to　you；　go！
Take　not　a　minute's　rest　until　you　reach　your　husband。　God　will
guide　and　protect　you；　for　He　is　love；　and　has　mercy　on　those　whose
heart　are　filled　with　love！　Go；　then；　with　God；　but；　for　the　sake　of
your　husband；　take　some　nourishing　food；　try　to　eat　and　sleep；　so　as
to　gain　fresh　strength；　for　you　will　need　it。〃

〃Give　me　some　nourishing　food；　mother；　I　will　eat；〃　said　Anna；
placing　her　arms　tenderly　around　the　landlady's　neck；　〃I　will　try
also　to…night　to　sleep；　for　you　are　right：　I　shall　need　my　whole
strength！　But　after　I　have　eaten；　I　may　set　out　at　once；　may　I　not？〃

〃Yes；　my　poor；　dear　child；　then　you　may　set　out。　Now　come　to　my
roomyour　meal　is　already　waiting　for　you。〃

Half　an　hour　later　the　landlady　herself　lifted　Anna　into　the
carriage；　and　said　to　her　in　a　voice　trembling　with　tearful　emotion：
〃Farewell；　my　daughter。　God　bless　you　and　grant　you　strength。　When
alone　one　day；　and　in　need　of　a　mother；　then　come　to　me！　May　the
Lord　have　mercy　on　you！〃

〃Yes；　may　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　me；　and　let　me　die　with　him！〃
whispered　Anna；　as　the　carriage　rolled　away　with　her。

At　noon　on　the　following　day；　August　30th；　1806；　she　arrived　at
Braunau。




CHAPTER　LVIII。

THE　WOMEN　OF　BRAUNAU。


In　the　mean　time　Palm　had　constantly　been　in　the　French　prison　at
Braunau。　During　the　sixteen　days　since　he　had　been　in　jail；　he　had
only　twice　been　taken　out　of　it　to　be　examined　by　the　court…martial；
which　General　St。　Hilaire　had　specially　convoked　for　his　trial。

This　court…martial　consisted　of　French　generals　and　staff…officers；
it　met　at　a　time　of　peace　in　a　German　city；　and　declared　its
competence　to　try　a　German　citizen　who　had　committed　no　other　crime
than　to　circulate　a　pamphlet；　in　which　the　misfortunes　of　Germany；
and　the　oppressions　of　German　states　by　Napoleon　and　his　armies；　had
been　commented　upon。

The　whole　proceedings　had　been　carried　on　so　hastily　and　secretly；
that　the　German　authorities　of　Braunau　had　scarcely　heard　of　them　at
the　time　when　the　French　court…martial　was　already　about　to　sentence
the　prisoner。

The　French；　however；　wanted　to　maintain　some　semblance　of
impartiality；　and　before　Palm　was　called　before　the　court…martial；
it　was　left　to　him　either　to　defend　himself　in　person　against　the
charges；　or　to　provide　himself　with　counsel。

Palm；　who　was　ignorant　of　the　French　language；　had　preferred　the
latter；　and　selected　as　his　counsel　a　resident　lawyer　of　Braunau；
with　whom　he　was　well　acquainted；　and　even　on　terms　of　intimacy；　and
whom　he　knew　to　be　familiar　with　the　French　language。

But　this　friend　declined　being　a　〃friend　in　need。〃　He　excused
himself　on　the　pretext　of　a　serious　indisposition　which　confined　him
to　his　bed；　and　rendered　it　impossible　for　him　to　make　a　speech。

Palm　was　informed　of　this　excuse　only　at　the　moment　when　he　entered
the　room　in　which　the　trial　was　to　be　held；　hence　he　had　to　make　up
his　mind　to　conduct　his　own　defence；　and　to　have　his　words
translated　by　an　interpreter　to　the　members　of　the　court。

And　he　felt　convinced　that　his　defence　had　been　suc