louisa of prussia and her times-第91节

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unhappiness　and　disgrace？〃

〃Do　as　I　have　done；〃　said　Marianne；　〃let　the　whole　world　be　your
convent；　and　your　reception…room　the　cell　in　which　you　do　penance；
by　compelling　men　to　kneel　before　you　and　adore　you。　instead　of
kneeling　yourself；　and　mortifying　your　flesh。　Lay　your　unhappiness
and　your　disgrace　like　a　halo　around　your　head；　and　boldly　meet　the
world　with　open　eyes　and　a　proud　mien。　If　you　were　poor　and　nameless
I　should　seriously　advise　you　to　become　a　Catholic；　and　to　take
refuge　in　a　convent。　But　you　are　rich；　you　bear　a　distinguished；
aristocratic　name；　your　husband　is　able　to　give　sumptuous　dinner…
parties；　consequently　people　will　pardon　his　wife　for　having　become
the　heroine　of　an　unfortunate　romance；　and　they　will　take　good　care
not　to　turn　their　backs　on　nor　to　point　their　fingers　at　you；　and
whenever　you　pass　them　in　the　street；　not　to　laugh　scornfully　and
tell　your　history　in　an　audible　voice。　I；　my　child；　formerly　had　to
bear　such　contumely　and　humiliation；　and　I　took　a　solemn　oath　at
that　time　that　I　would　revenge　myself　upon　this　world；　which
believed　it　had　a　right　to　despise　methat　I　would　revenge　myself
by　becoming　its　equal。　And　I　have　fulfilled　my　oath；　I　am　now　a
princess　and　a　highness。　The　proud　world　that　once　scorned　me　now
bows　to　me；　the　most　virtuous　and　aristocratic　ladies　do　not　deem　it
derogatory　to　their　dignity　to　appear　in　my　reception…room；　the　most
distinguished　princes　and　cavaliers　court　the　friendship　and　favor
of　the　Princess　von　Eibenberg；　nee　Marianne　Meier。　Follow　my
example；　therefore；　Fanny；　brave　the　world；　appear　in　your
reception…room　with　serene　calmness　and　ease；　give　even　more
sumptuous　dinner…parties　than　heretofore；　and　the　small　cloud　now
darkening　your　name　will　pass　by　unnoticed。　People　will　come　at
first　from　motives　of　curiosity；　in　order　to　see　how　you　bear　your
affliction　and　how　you　behave　under　the　eclat　produced　by　the
deplorable　occurrence；　next　they　will　come　because　your　dinners　are
so　very　excellent；　and　because　this　and　that　princess　or　countess；
this　and　that　prince；　minister；　or　general；　do　not　disdain　to　appear
in　your　reception…room；　and　thus　the　whole　affair　will　gradually　be
forgotten。〃

〃But　my　heart　will　not　forget　it；〃　said　the　baroness；　mournfully；
〃my　heart　will　never　cease　to　weep　for　him；　and　when　my　heart　is
weeping；　my　eyes　will　not　laugh。　You　have　had　the　courage　to　conceal
your　tears　under　a　smile；　and　not　to　suffer　your　head　to　be　weighed
down　by　the　disgrace　and　contumely　which　they　tried　to　heap　on　it。　I
shall　have　the　courage　not　to　conceal　my　tears；　and　to　walk　about；
bending　my　head　under　the　disgrace　and　contumely　which　have
undeservedly　fallen　to　my　share。　If　I　were　guiltier；　I　should　be
able；　perhaps；　to　brave　the　world；　but　having　to　mourn；　not　over　a
guilty　action；　but　only　over　a　misfortune；　I　shall　weep！　Let　the
world　condemn　me　for　it；　I　shall　not　hear　its　judgment；　for　I　shall
retire　into　solitude。〃

〃Oh；　you　foolish　woman！〃　exclaimed　Marianne；　fervently。

〃Yes；　foolish；　because　you　believe　already　at　the　beginning　of　your
life　that　you　are　done　with　it。　My　child；　the　human　heart　is　much
too　weak　to　be　able　to　bear　such　a　grief　for　many　years。　It
gradually　grows　tired　of　it　and　finally　drops　it；　and　perceives　then
all　at　once　that　it　is　quite　empty。　Tedium；　with　its　long　spider…
legs；　will　then　creep　over　you　and　draw　its　dusty　network　around　and
no　one　will　tear　away　this　network；　because　nobody　will　be　there　to
do　this　salutary　service；　for　you　will　have　driven　people　away　from
your　side　and　preferred　loneliness　to　their　society。　Beware　of
solitude；　or　rather　learn　to　be　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　world；　but
not　in　the　privacy　of　your　deserted　boudoir。　You　have　to　fulfil　a
beautiful　and　grand　mission　here　in　Vienna。　You　have　to　emancipate
the　Jewsin　a　manner；　however；　different　from　the　course　I　have
pursued。　I　have　proved　to　the　foolish　world　that　a　Jewess　may　very
well　be　a　princess　and　worthily　represent　her　exalted　rank；
notwithstanding　her　oriental　blood　and　curved　nose；　but　in　order　to
be　able　to　prove　it　to　the　world；　I　had　to　give　up　my　religion　and
to　desert　my　people。　It　is　your　mission　to　finish　the　work　I　have
commenced；　and　to　secure　to　the　Jews　a　distinguished　and　undisputed
place　in　society。　You　shall　be　the　mediator　between　the　aristocracy
of　blood　and　of　pedigree　and　the　aristocracy　of　moneythe　mediator
between　the　Christians　and　the　Jews。　You　shall　give　to　the　Jews　here
in　Vienna　a　position　such　as　they　are　justly　entitled　to：　free；
respected；　and　emancipated　from　the　degrading　yoke　of　prejudices。
Such　is　your　mission。　Go　and　fulfil　it！〃

〃You　are　right；　Marianne；〃　replied　Fanny；　with　glowing　enthusiasm。
〃I　will　fulfil　the　mission；　for　it　is　a　grand　and　sacred　one；　and　it
will　comfort　and　strengthen　my　heart。　The　happiness　of　my　life　is
gone　forever；　but　I　may；　perhaps；　be　happy　in　my　unhappiness；　and　I
will　now　try　to　become　so　by　consoling　the　unhappy；　by　assisting　the
suffering；　and　by　giving　an　asylum　to　the　disowned　and　proscribed。
To　dry　tears；　to　distribute　alms；　and　to　scatter　joy　and　happiness
around　methat　shall　be　the　balm　with　which　I　will　heal　the　wounds
of　my　heart。　You　are　right；　I　will　not　retire　from　the　world；　but　I
will　compel　it　to　respect　me；　I　will　not　flee　with　my　grief　into
solitude；　but　I　will　remain　with　it　in　the　midst　of　society；　a
comfort　to　all　sufferers；　a　refuge　to　all　needing　my　assistance！〃
＇Footnote：　Fanny　von　Arnstein　kept　her　word。　Her　house　became　the
centre　of　the　most　distinguished　intellectual　life；　her　hands　were
always　open　and　ready　to　scatter　charities　and　to　spread　blessings。
She　did　not；　however；　give　merely　with　her　hands；　but　also　with　her
heart；　and　only　thereby　she　became　a　true　benefactress；　for　she
added　to　her　gifts　that　pity　and　sagacity　which　know　how　to
appreciate　the　true　sort　of　relief。　To　many　people　she　secured
lasting　happiness；　to　many　she　opened　the　road　to　wealth；　and　to
some　she　gave　sums　which；　in　themselves；　were　equivalent　to　an
independent　fortune。　Her　hospitality　equalled　her　benevolence；　and
she　exercised　it　with　rare　amiability　and　to　a　remarkable　extent。
Every　day　numerous　guests　were　received　in　her　house　in　the　city　as
well　as　in　her　villa；　where　they　enjoyed　the　advantages　of　the　most
attractive；　enlightened；　and　distinguished　society。＇

〃That　is　right！　I　like　to　hear　you　talk　thus；〃　exclaimed　Marianne；
embracing　her　friend；　and　tenderly　pressing　her　to　her　heart。　〃Now
my　fears　for　you　are　gone；　and　I　may　bid　you　farewell　with　a
reassured　and　comforted　heart。　My　travelling…coach　is　waiting　for
me；　and　I　shall　set　out　in　the　course　of　the　present　hour。〃

〃And　where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Fanny；　sympathetically。

〃That　is　a　secreta　profound　political　secret；〃　said　Marianne；
smiling；　〃but　I　will　confide　it　to　you　as　a　proof　of　my　love。　I　go
to　Paris　for　the　purpose　of　delivering　to　the　first　consul　a　letter
from　the　poor　Count　de　Provence；　whom　the　royalists；　and
consequently　myself；　also　call　King　Louis　the　Eighteenth　of　France。
That；　Fanny；　is　the　legacy　Prince　Charles　von　Lichtenstein　has
bequeathed　to　ME。　Through　him　I　became　acquainted　with　some　of　those
noble　emigres　who　preferred　to　give　up　their　country　and　their
possessions；　and　to　wander　about　foreign　lands　without　a　home；
instead　of　proving　faithless　to　their　king；　and　of　obeying　that
despotic　republic　and　the　tyrant　who　now　lays　his　iron　hand　upon
France。　It　was　the　Prince　von　Lichtenstein　who；　two　weeks　ago；
brought　the　Duke　d'Enghien　to　me；　and　initiated　me　into　the　great
plans　of　the　unfortunate　Bourbons。〃

〃The　Duke　d'Enghien　was　here　in　Vienna？〃　asked　Fanny；　in　surprise。

〃Yes；　he　was　here；　he　kept　himself　concealed　in　the　palace　of　your
friend　Lichtenstein；　and　only　his　devoted　adherents　knew　where　he
was。　The　prince　belonged　to　his　most　enthusiastic　followers　and
friends。　Oh；　what　plans　those　two　fiery　young　men　conceived　in　the
safe　asylum　of　my　reception…room！　what　great　things　did　they　expect
from　the　future　for　the　cause　of　the　Bourbons　and　for　France！　You
ought　to　have　see　Prince　Charles　von　Lichtenstein　in　such　hours；
Fanny；　then　you　would　have　really　understood　and　boundlessly　loved
him。　His　cheeks；　then；　were　glowing　with　noble　impetuosity；　his　eyes
flashed　fire；　and　sublime　words　of　soul…stirring　eloquence　dropped
from　his　lips。　Never　has　an　enemy　been　hated　more　ardently　than　he
hated　Bonaparte；　the　first　consul；　never　has　a　cause　been　more
passionately　adhered　to　than　the　cause　of　his　unhappy　fatherland　and
that　of　the　exiled　Bourbons。　If　the　Count　de　Provence　could　boast　of
a　hundred　such　defenders　as　was　the　Prince　von　Lichtenstein；　he
would　have　reconstructed　the　throne　of　the　fleur…de…lis　within　a
week　in　Paris。　Dry　your　tears；　Fanny；　for　you　are　not　most　to　be
pitied。　You　only　lost　a　lover；　but　the　Bourbons　lost　a　champion　and
Germany　a　true　and　valorous　son；　these　two　are　more　to　be　pitied
than　you。　You　may　find　a　hundred　other　lovers；　if　such　should　be
your　desire；　but　the　Bourbons　have　but　few　champions；　and　the　number
of　the　true　and　noble　sons　of　Germany　is　constantly　on　the
decrease。〃

〃And　he　said