louisa of prussia and her times-第74节

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two　lawyers　to　his　side。　〃What　do　you　think　of　this　whole　matter？〃
he　asked；　in　a　low　voice。

The　two　representatives　of　the　law　shrugged　their　shoulders。

〃Your　highness；　every　thing　seems　to　have　been　done　here　legally。　We
must　wait　for　the　return　of　the　gentlemen　and　for　the　opening　of　the
will。〃

The　valet　de　chambre　now　reentered　the　room；　and　approached　the
prince。　〃Madame　sends　her　respects　to　the　prince；　and　begs　him　to
excuse　her　inability　to　admit　her　brother…in…law　just　now；　as　she　is
dressing　at　the　present　moment。　She　will　have　the　honor　to　salute
her　gracious　brother…in…law　at　the　ceremony。〃

〃Does　that　woman　call　myself　her　gracious　brother…in…law？〃　asked　the
prince；　with　an　air　of　the　most　profound　contempt；　turning　his　back
to　the　valet　de　chambre。　〃We　will　wait　here；　then；　gentlemen；〃　he
added；　turning　to　the　lawyers。　〃It　seems　that　woman　intends　to　take
a　petty　revenge　at　this　moment　for　the　contempt　with　which　I　have
always　treated　her。　I　shall　know；　however；　how　to　chastise　her　for
it；　and〃

〃Hush；　your　highness；〃　whispered　one　of　the　lawyers；　〃they　are
coming！〃

In　fact；　the　large　folding…doors　were　opened　at　that　moment；　and　on
a　catafalque；　hung　with　black　cloth；　the　remains　of　the　prince　were
lying　in　state；　on　both　sides　of　the　catafalque　large　tapers　were
burning　in　heavy　silver　chandeliers。

Prince　Henry；　awed　by　this　solemn　scene；　walked　forward；　and　the
grave　countenance　of　his　brother；　with　whom　he　had　lived　so　long　in
discord；　and　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　many　years；　filled　his　heart
with　uneasiness　and　dismay。

He　approached　the　room；　followed　by　the　legal　gentlemen；　with
hesitating；　noiseless　steps。　On　the　threshold　of　the　door　there　now
appeared　the　first　attache　of　the　legation；　Baron　Werdern；　who；
bowing　deeply；　invited　the　prince　whisperingly　to　come　in。

The　prince　walked　in；　and　on　crossing　the　threshold；　it　seemed　to
him　as　if　his　brother's　corpse　had　moved；　and　as　if　his　half…opened
eyes　were　fixed　upon　him　with　a　threatening　expression。

The　prince　averted　his　eyes　from　the　corpse　in　dismay　and　saluted
the　gentlemen　standing　around　a　table　covered　with　black　cloth。　Two
large　chandeliers；　with　burning　tapers；　a　strong　box；　and　writing…
materials；　had　been　placed　upon　this　table；　on　one　side；　two　arm…
chairs；　likewise　covered　with　black　cloth；　were　to　be　seen。

The　baron　conducted　the　prince　to　one　of　these　arm…chairs；　and
invited　him　to　sit　down。　Prince　Henry　did　so；　and　then　looked
anxiously　at　the　officers　of　the　law；　who　were　standing　at　the　table
in　their　black　robes；　and　behind　whom　were　assembled　all　the　members
of　the　legation；　the　physicians；　and　the　servants　of　the　late
prince。

A　long　pause　ensued。　Then；　all　at　once；　the　folding…doors　opened；
and　the　prince's　steward　appeared　on　the　threshold。

〃Her　highness　the　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss；〃　he　said；　in　a　loud；
solemn　voice；　and　Marianne's　tall；　imposing　form　entered　the　room。
She　was　clad　in　a　black　dress　with　a　long　train；　a　black　veil；
fastened　above　her　head　on　a　diadem；　surrounded　her　noble　figure
like　a　dark　cloud；　and　in　this　cloud　beamed　her　expansive；
thoughtful　forehead；　and　her　large　flaming　eyes　sparkled。　Her
features　were　breathing　the　most　profound　and　majestic　tranquillity；
and　when　she　now　saluted　the　gentlemen　with　a　condescending　nod；　her
whole　bearing　was　so　impressive　and　distinguished　that　even　Prince
Henry　was　unable　to　remain　indifferent；　and　he　rose　respectfully
from　his　arm…chair。

Marianne；　however；　paid　no　attention　to　him；　but　approached　the
remains　of　her　husband。　With　inimitable　grace　she　knelt　down　on　one
side　of　the　catafalque。　The　priest　who　had　entered　with　her　knelt
down　on　the　other。

Both　of　them　muttered　fervent　prayers　for　the　deceased。　Marianne
then　arose；　and；　bending　over　the　corpse；　imprinted　a　long　kiss　upon
the　forehead　of　her　departed　husband。

〃Farewell；　my　husband！〃　she　said；　in　her　full；　melodious　voice；　and
then　turned　around　and　stepped　toward　the　table。　〃Without　deigning
to　glance　at　the　prince；　she　sat　down　in　the　arm…chair。〃

〃I　request　the　officers　of　the　law　now　to　open　the　strong　box；〃　she
said；　in　an　almost　imperious　voice。

One　of　the　officers　handed　the　key　to　Baron　Werdern；　the　latter
opened　the　strong　box；　and　took　from　it　a　sealed　paper；　which　he
gave　to　the　officer。

〃Do　you　recognize　the　paper　as　the　same　yourself　locked　in　this
strong　box？〃　she　asked。　〃Is　it　the　same　which　his　highness　the　late
Prince　von　Reuss；　Henry　XIV。；　handed　to　you？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　the　same；〃　said　the　two　officers；　〃it　is　the　will　of　the
late　prince。〃

〃And　you　know　that　his　highness　ordered　us　to　open　it　immediately
after　his　death；　and　to　promulgate　its　contents。　Proceed；　therefore；
according　to　the　instructions　of　the　deceased。〃

One　of　the　officers　broke　the　seal；　and　now　that　he　unfolded　the
paper；　Marianne　turned　her　head　toward　the　prince；　and　fixed　her
burning　eyes　piercingly　upon　his　countenance。

The　officer　commenced　reading　the　will。　First　came　the　preamble；　to
be　found　in　every　will；　and　then　the　officer　read　in　a　louder　voice；
as　follows：

〃In　preparing　to　appear　before　the　throne　of　the　Lord；　I　feel
especially　called　upon　to　return　my　most　heart…felt　thanks；　in　this
public　manner；　to　my　wife；　Princess　Marianne；　nee　Meier；　for　the
constancy；　love；　and　devotion　which　she　has　shown　to　me　during　our
whole　married　life；　and　for　the　surpassing　patience　and　self…
abnegation　with　which　she　nursed　me　during　my　last　sickness。　I　deem
myself　especially　obliged　to　make　this　acknowledgment；　inasmuch　as
my　wife；　in　her　true　love　for　me；　has　suffered　many　undeserved
aspersions　and　insults；　because；　in　accordance　with　my　wishes；　she
kept　our　marriage　secret；　and　in　consequence　had　to　bear　the　sneers
of　evil…disposed　persons；　and　the　insults　of　malicious　enemies。　But
she　is　my　lawful　wife　before　God　and　man；　and　she　is　fully　entitled
to　assume　the　name　of　a　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss。　I　hereby
expressly　authorize　her　to　do　so；　and；　by　removing　the　secret　that
has　been　observed　during　my　life　in　relation　to　our　marriage；　I
authorize　my　wife　to　assume　the　title　and　rank　due　to　her；　and
hereby　command　my　brother；　as　well　as　his　sons　and　the　other　members
of　my　family；　to　pay　to　the　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss；　nee　Meier；
the　respect　and　deference　due　to　her　as　the　widow　of　the　late　head
of　the　family；　and　to　which　she　is　justly　entitled　by　her　virtue；
her　blameless　conduct；　her　respectability；　beauty；　and　amiability。
The　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss　is　further　authorized　to　let　her
servants　wear　the　livery　and　color　of　my　house；　to　display　the　coat…
of…arms　of　the　princes　von　Reuss　on　her　carriages；　and　to　enjoy　the
full　privileges　of　her　rank。　If　my　brother　Henry；　the　heir　of　my
titles；　should　have　any　doubts　as　to　her　rights　in　this　regard；　the
officer　reading　my　will　is　requested　to　ask　him　whether　or　not　he
desires　to　obtain　further　evidence　in　relation　to　the　legitimacy　of
my　marriage。〃

〃Does　your　highness　require　any　further　evidence？〃　asked　the
officer；　interrupting　the　reading　of　the　will。

〃I　do；〃　said　the　prince；　who　had　listened　to　the　reading　of　the　will
with　a　pale　and　gloomy　mien。

〃Here　is　that　evidence；〃　said　the　priest；　beckoning　the　sexton；　who
stood　on　the　threshold　of　the　door。　The　latter　approached　the
priest；　and　handed　him　a　large　volume　bound　in　black　morocco。

〃It　is　the　church　register；　in　which　I　have　entered　all　the
marriages；　christenings；　and　funeral　masses　performed　in　the　chapel
of　the　Austrian　embassy；〃　said　the　priest。　〃On　this　page　you　find
the　minutes　of　the　marriage　of　the　Prince　von　Reuss；　Henry　XIV。；　and
Miss　Marianne　Meier。　The　ceremony　took　place　two　years　ago。　I　have
baptized　the　princess　myself；　and　thereby　received　her　into　the　pale
of　the　holy　Catholic　Church；　and　I　have　likewise　performed　the　rite
of　marriage　on　the　occasion　referred　to。　I　hereby　certify　that　the
princess　is　the　lawful　wife　of　the　late　prince；　as　is　testified　by
the　minutes　entered　on　the　church　register。　The　marriage　was
performed　in　the　chapel；　and　in　the　presence　of　witnesses；　who　have
signed　the　minutes；　like　myself。〃

〃I　witnessed　the　marriage；〃　said　Baron　Werdern；　〃and　so　did　the
military　counsellor　Gentz；　who；　if　your　highness　should　desire
further　testimony；　will　be　ready　to　corroborate　our　statements。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　prince；　gloomily；　〃I　require　no　further　testimony。　I
am　fully　satisfied　of　the　truth　of　your　statements；　and　will　now　pay
my　respects　to　my　sister…in…law；　the　Princess　Dowager　von　Reuss；　nee
Meier。〃

He　bowed；　with　a　sarcastic　smile；　which；　for　a　moment；　caused　the
blood　to　rush　to　Marianne's　pale　cheeks；　and　then　carelessly　leaned
back　into　his　arm…chair。

〃Be　kind　enough　to　proceed；〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　officer。　The
latter　took　up　the　will　again　and　read　its　several　sections　and
clauses。　The　prince　bequeathed　his　palace；　with　every　thing　in　it；
to　his　wife　Marianne；　and　likewise　his　carriages；　his　horses；　and
the　family　diamonds　he　had　inherited　from　his　mother。　The　remainder
of　his　considerable　property　he　left　to　his　brother；　asking　him　to
agree　with　the　Princess　Marianne　on　a　pension　cor