louisa of prussia and her times-第77节

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without　rank；　a　miserable　military　counsellor；　outranked　by　every
private　counsellor；　and　persecuted　day　by　day　by　my　creditors；　as　if
they　were　vultures　following　a　poor　dove　whose　wings　have　been
clipped。〃

〃But　your　wings　shall　grow　again；　so　that　you　may　escape　from　the
vultures！〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　〃and　that　you　may　soar；　eagle…like；
above　the　miseries　of　the　world；　and　exercise　a　commanding　influence
over　it。　The　time　of　dreams　and　expectations　is　over；　the　time　for
action　has　come　for　all　energetic　and　able　minds。　Two　years　ago　I
asked　you；　as　I　do　to…day；　if　you　would　not　devote　your　services　to
Austria；　and　if　you　would　not　seek　for　fame　and　happiness　in　that
country；　in　which　your　genius　would　be　appreciated　and　rewarded。　Do
you　remember　what　you　replied　to　me　at　that　time？〃

〃Yes；　I　remember；〃　said　Gentz；　with　a　sarcastic　smile；　〃I　was
foolish　enough　to　reject　your　offers；　and　to　declare　that　I　would
stay　here　at　Berlin；　and　see　if　my　native　country　would　not　need　my
abilities　and　my　services；　and　if　our　rulers　here　would　not　avail
themselves　of　my　talents　and　of　my　pen。　And　thus　I　have　lost；　again；
two　years　of　my　life；　and　only　my　debts　have　increased；　but　not　my
fame。〃

〃Because　you　were　an　enthusiast；　and　expected　to　be　appreciated　in
Prussia；　believing　this　good　king　（who　would　like　to　make　his　people
happy　and　prosperous；　but　who　timidly　shrinks　back　from　all
energetic　resolutions）　would　be　very　grateful　to　you　for　exhorting
him　to　grant　freedom　of　the　press　to　his　subjects；　and；　in　general；
to　introduce　liberty　and　equality　in　his　states。　Do　you　still
believe　that　Frederick　William　the　Third　will　do　so？〃

〃No；　he　will　not；〃　replied　Gentz；　mournfully；　〃no；　this　king　does
not　understand　the　present　age；　and　instead　of　being　a　step　in
advance　of　it；　he　will　always　remain　a　step　behind　it；　and　thus
involve　Prussia　in　untold　misery　and　suffering。　I　have　hoped　and
waited　long　enough；　the　time　of　patience　and　idleness　is　now　over；
and　I　therefore　renounce；　to…day；　at　the　end　of　the　eighteenth
century；　my　native　state；　in　order　to　become　a　citizen　and　son　of　a
larger　fatherland。　I　cease　to　be　a　Prussian；　in　order　to　become　a
German；　and　Prussia　having　no　desire　to　avail　herself　of　my
abiliies；　I　am　going　to　see　whether　or　not　Germany　has　any　use　for
them。　My　beautiful　Marianne；　you　shall　be　the　priestess　who　receives
the　oath　which　I　make　on　the　altar　of　the　fatherland：　'I　swear　to
devote　all　my　powers　and　talents　to　Germany；　I　swear　to　be　a
faithful　and　untiring　son　to　my　great　fatherland！'〃

〃I　have　heard　your　oath；　Frederick　Gentz；　and　I　accept　it　in　the
name　of　Germany；〃　said　Marianne；　solemnly。　〃You　shall　be　the
champion　of　the　honor　and　rights　of　Germany；　your　weapon；　however；
shall　not　be　the　sword；　but　the　pen。〃

〃But　where　will　the　lists　be　opened　to　my　tournament？〃　asked　Gentz；
musingly。

〃In　Austria；〃　replied　Marianne；　quickly；　〃the　Emperor　of　Germany　is
expecting　you；　the　son　of　Germany；　the　Emperor　of　Germany　is　calling
you　to　serve　and　promote　the　interests　of　your　fatherland。　I　am
authorized　to　tell　you　that。　The　new　Austrian　envoy；　Count　Stadion；
has　requested　me　to　do　so；　he　has　asked　me　to　win　you　for　Austria；
that　is；　for　Germany。　For；　believe　me；　the　welfare　of　Germany　is
nowadays　consulted　in　Austria；　and　not　in　Prussia！〃

〃No；　not　in　Prussia！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　mournfully。　〃Our　government
shuts　its　eyes　in　order　not　to　behold　the　terrors　which　are　rushing
toward　us　with　irresistible　force；　and　will　soon；　like　an　avalanche；
roll　over　Germany　and　annihilate　us　all；　unless　we　skilfully
calculate　the　danger；　and　raise　sufficient　bulwarks　against　it。　They
admire　Bonaparte　here；　and　only　behold　a　hero；　while　I　scent　a
tyranta　tyrant　who　wants　to　subjugate　us　by　his　revolutionary
liberty　and　his　Jacobin's　cap；　which　is　but　a　crown　in　another
shape。　I　hate　Bonaparte；　for　I　hate　the　revolution　which；
notwithstanding　its　phrases　of　liberty　and　equality；　is　but　a　bloody
despotism　that　does　not　even　grant　freedom　of　opinion　to　the
citizen；　and　drags　such　ideas　as　are　distasteful　to　it　upon　the
scaffold。　I　hate　the　revolution；　I　hate　Bonaparte；　and　I　hate　every
form　of　tyranny；　and　shall　oppose　it　as　long　as　I　live！〃

〃And　I　shall　be　a　faithful　squire　by　your　side；　and　sharpen　the
bolts　which　you　are　going　to　hurl　at　the　enemy；〃　said　Marianne；　with
fervent　enthusiasm。　〃We　are　both　going　to　Vienna；　in　order　to　serve
Germany。　In　Vienna　a　new　century　and　a　new　country　will　open　their
arms　to　us。　Thanks　to　my　title；　to　my　rank；　and　to　my　connections；
every　door　will　be　open　to　us　there；　and　the　Jewess；　Marianne　Meier；
princess　of　Eibenberg；　will　not　even　find　the　apartments　of　the
emperor　and　empress　closed；　on　the　contrary；　their　imperial
majesties　will　receive　me　as　an　honored　and　welcome　guest。　for　I　am
a　princess　by　the　act　of　the　emperor；　and　the　friend　of　the　empress；
Victoria　de　Poutet　Colloredo　is　also　my　friend。　And　whithersoever　I
go；　you　shall　go；　too；　my　friend；　and　the　doors　that　will　open　to　me
shall　not　be　closed　to　you。　My　rank　opens　them　to　me；　and　your
genius　opens　them　to　you。　Come；　let　us　be　faithful　allies；　let　us
swear　to　support　each　other　firmly　and　immovably；　and　to　walk
together　step　by　step。〃

〃Oh；　my　noble　and　generous　friend；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　sadly；　〃how
delicately　you　try　to　veil　your　protection！　In　such　an　alliance；　I
am　unable　to　offer　you　any　compensation；　for　I　should　find　all　doors
closed　if　you　should　not　open　them　to　me。　I　have　neither　rank；
money；　nor　friends　at　court！〃

〃Well；　let　me　protect　you　now；　and　at　some　later　period　you　will
protect　me；〃　said　Marianne。　〃Let　us　swear　to　pursue　our　path
together。〃

〃I　swear　it　by　all　that　is　sacred　to　me！〃　exclaimed　Gentz。　〃I　swear
that　I　will　remain　faithful　to　you　and　to　Germany　for　my　whole　life。
I　swear　that　I　will　follow　you　everywhere；　that　I　will　serve　you
wherever　and　whenever　I　can；　and　to　love　you　to　my　last　breath。〃

〃The　alliance　is　closed；〃　said　Marianne；　solemnly；　〃Henceforth；　we
will　fight　jointly；　and　pursue　our　goal　together。　It　is　our　own
greatness；　and　the　greatness　of　Germany。　The　country　is　in　danger
let　us　see　if　we　cannot　contribute　something　to　its　preservation；
and　if　it　does　not　need　our　hands　and　our　heads　in　order　to　weather
the　storm。　If　we　should　be　able；　while　assisting　the　country；　to
pick　up　a　few　laurels；　titles；　decorations；　and　treasures　for
ourselves；　we　would　be　fools　not　to　avail　ourselves　of　the
opportunity。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　right；〃　said　Gentz；　smiling；　〃we　would　be　fools　not　to
do　so；　and　you　are　right；　too；　as　to　the　perils　of　the　country。
Germany　is　in　danger。　The　new　century　will　dawn　upon　her　with　a
bloody　morning　sun；　and　it　will　arouse　us　from　our　sleep　by　a
terrific　cannonade。　But　as　for　ourselves；　we　will　not　wait　until　the
roar　of　the　strife　awakens　us；　we　will　be　up　and　doing　now　and　work
on　the　lightning…rod　with　which　we　will　meet　the　approaching
thunderstorm；　in　order　that　its　bolts　may　glance　off　harmlessly　and
not　destroy　Germany。　I　will　be　an　untiring　warrior　in　the　great
struggle　against　the　revolution；　and　my　pen；　which　is　my　sword；
shall　never　be　idle　in　the　strife。　From　this　hour　I　cease　to　be　the
insignificant　Prussian　counsellor；　Frederick　Gentz；　from　this　hour　I
will　strive　to　become　the　great　political　writer　of　Germany。　May　the
genius　of　Germany　be　with　me　in　my　endeavors！〃

〃Amen！〃　said　Marianne；　fervently。　〃May　the　genius　of　Germany　bless
us　and　the　new　century。　Amen！〃




THE　PEACE　OF　LUNEVILLE


CHAPTER　XXXV。

JOHANNES　MULLER。


The　minister；　Baron　Thugut；　was　pacing　his　cabinet　in　an　excited
manner。　His　face；　usually　so　cold　and　immovable；　was　painfully
agitated　to…day；　his　shaggy　white　eyebrows　were　closely　contracted；
and　his　eyes　were　casting　angry　glances　on　the　dispatch　which　he　had
just　thrown　on　his　desk；　and　which　a　courier　from　General　Melas；　in
Lombardy；　had　brought　to　him　a　few　minutes　ago。

〃Another　battle　lost！〃　he　muttered；　〃another　laurel…wreath　placed　on
the　defiant　head　of　General　Bonaparte！　This　man　will　make　me　mad　yet
by　his　impudent　good　luck。　It　is　dreadful　only　to　think　that　he　was
already　defeated　at　Marengo　＇Footnote：　The　battle　of　Marengo　was
fought　on　the　14th　of　June；　1800。＇so　surely　defeated　that　General
Melas　issued　orders　for　the　pursuit　of　the　enemy；　and　rode　to
Alessandria　to　take　his　supper　in　the　most　comfortable　manner。　That
fellow　Melas　is　a　jackass；　who　only　scented　the　roast　meat　which　he
was　going　to　have　for　supper；　but　not　General　Desaix；　who　arrived
with　his　troops　in　time　to　snatch　victory　from　our　grasp；　and　to
inflict　a　most　terrible　defeat　upon　our　triumphant　army。　All　of　our
generals　are　short…sighted　fools；　from　that　ridiculously…over…rated
Archduke　Charles　down　to　General　Schwarzenberg；　and　whatever　the
names　of　these　gentlemen　may　bethese　gentlemen　with　the　golden
epaulets；　and　decorated　breasts；　and　empty　headsI　have　no
confidence　in　a　single　one　of　them。　At　the　moment　of　danger　as　well
as　of　victory　they　regularly　lose　their　senses；　and　thereby　turn　our
victories　into　defeats；　while　they　render　our　checks　in　the　same　way
only　more　disastrous　and　decisive