frederick the great and his family-第140节

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gon　under　his　feet；　and　it　is　one　of　the　most　successful　and　beautiful　works　of　Benvenuto　Cellini。〃

Amelia　did　not　look　at　the　seal；　she　stretched　out　her　hand　toward　the　mysterious　packet；　and　giving　a　searching　look　at　the　jeweller；　she　raised　and　opened　it。

〃A　cup！　a　tin　cup！〃　she　exclaimed；　in　astonishment。

〃As　I　remarked　to　your　highness；　a　worthless　object；　unless　the　rare　beauty　of　the　workmanship　should　give　it　some　value。　The　carving　is　indeed　beautiful　and　most　wonderful；　when　you　know　that　it　was　done　with　a　common　nail；　and　not　even　in　daylight；　but　in　the　gloom　and　darkness　of　a　subterranean　cell。〃

Amelia　trembled　so　violently；　that　the　cup　almost　fell　from　her　hand。　The　stranger　did　not　remark　her　emotion；　but　went　on　quietly。

〃Observe；　your　highness；　how　finely　and　correctly　the　outlines　are　drawn；　it　is　as　artistically　executed　as　the　copperplate　of　a　splendid　engraving。　It　is　greatly　to　be　regretted　that　we　cannot　take　impressions　from　this　tin　cup；　they　would　make　charming　pictures。　The　sketches　are　not　only　well　executed；　but　they　are　thoughtfully　and　pathetically　conceived　and　illustrated　with　beautiful　verses；　which　are　worthy　of　a　place　in　any　album。　If　your　highness　takes　any　interest　in　such　trifles；　I　beg　you　will　take　this　to　the　light　and　examine　it　closely。〃

The　princess　did　not　answer：　she　stepped　to　the　window；　and　turning　her　back　to　the　jeweller；　looked　eagerly　at　the　cup。

It　was；　indeed；　a　masterpiece　of　art　and　industry。　The　surface　was　divided　by　small　and　graceful　arabesques　into　ten　departments；　each　one　of　which　contained　an　enchanting　and　finely…executed　picture。　No　chisel　could　have　drawn　the　lines　more　correctly　or　artistically；　or　produced　a　finer　effect　of　light　and　shade。　Under　each　picture　there　was　a　little　verse　engraved　in　such　fine　characters；　that　they　could　only　be　deciphered　with　difficulty。

Amelia's　eyes　seemed　to　have　recovered　the　strength　and　power　of　earlier　days。　A　youthful；　vigorous　soul　lay　in　the　glance　which　was　fixed　upon　this　cup；　she　understood　every　thing。

There　was　a　cage　with　an　imprisoned　bird；　beneath　this　a　verse：


　　　　　〃Ce　n'est　pas　un　moineau；　　　　　　Garde　dans　cette　cage；　　　　　　C'est　un　de　ces　oiseaux；　　　　　　Qui　chantent　dans　L'orage。　　　　　　Ouvrez；　amis　des　sages；　　　　　　Brisez　fers　et　verroux；　　　　　　Les　chants　dans　vos　bocages；　　　　　　Rejailliront　pour　vous。〃

＇Footnote：　　　　　　〃This　is　not　a　sparrow　　　　　　Kept　in　this　cage。　　　　　　It　is　one　of　those　birds　　　　　　Who　sing　in　storms。　　　　　　Open；　friend　of　the　wise；　　　　　　Break　iron　and　bolts；　　　　　　The　songs　in　your　woods　　　　　　Shall　fly　back　to　you。〃＇

In　the　next　compartment　was　again　a　cage；　containing　a　bird；　and　on　the　branch　of　a　tree　under　which　the　cage　was　placed；　perched　another　bird；　with　fluttering　wings　and　open　beak；　underneath　was　written


　　　　　〃Le　rossignol　cbante；　voici　la　raison；　　　　　　Pourquoi　il　est　pris　pour　chanter　en　prison；　　　　　　Voyez　le　moineau　qui　fait　tant　de　dommage；　　　　　　Jouir　de　la　vie　sans　craindre　la　cage。　　　　　　Voila　un　portrait；　　　　　　Qui　montre　l'effet　　　　　　Du　bonheur　des　fripons　du　desastre　des　sages。〃

＇Footnote：　　　　　　〃The　nightingale　sings；　and　this　is　the　reason　　　　　　That　he　is　taken　to　sing　in　a　prison。　　　　　　See　now　the　sparrow；　who　does　so　much　evil；　　　　　　Plays　with　life　without　fear　of　cages。　　　　　　　　　　　See　in　this　portrait；　　　　　　　　　　　Which　shows　the　effect　　　　　　Of　the　good　luck　of　rogues；　and　the　misfortune　of　sages。〃＇

Amelia　could　not　control　herself；　she　could　look　no　longer。　She　rarely　wept；　but　now　her　eyes　were　filled　with　tears。　They　fell　upon　the　cup；　as　if　to　kiss　the　letters　which　had　recalled　so　many　touching　and　sad　remembrances。　But　she　had　no　time　for　tears；　she　must　read　on！　With　an　involuntary　movement；　she　dashed　the　tears　from　her　eyes；　and　fixed　them　steadily　upon　the　cup。

Here　was　another　picture。　In　a　cell　lay　a　skeleton　form；　the　hands　and　the　feet　bound　with　heavy　chains。　The　figure　had　raised　itself　slightly　from　the　straw　bed　and　gazed　with　an　agonized　expression　at　the　grating　in　the　wall；　behind　which　the　grim…bearded　face　of　a　soldier　was　seen；　who；　with　wide…open　mouth　seemed　to　be　calling　angrily　to　the　prisoner。　Beneath　this　stood　some　verses　in　German。　＇Footnote：　See　memoirs　of　Trenck；　Thiebault；　in　which　Trenck　describes　one　of　these　cups　and　the　fate　which　befell　it。　One　of　them　was　engraved　for　the　Landgrave　of　Hesse；　and　in　this　way　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Emperor　Joseph　the　Second；　who　kept　it　in　his　art　cabinet。　Another；　which　had　been　once　in　possession　of　the　wife　of　Frederick　the　Great；　Trenck　afterward　recovered　in　Paris。　Some　of　these　cups　are　still　to　be　seen　in　art　collections　in　Germany；　and　some　are　in　the　museum　in　Berlin。＇　〃Oh　fearful！　most　fearful！〃　sobbed　Amelia；　and；　completely　overcome；　her　head　sank　upon　her　breast。　She　cared　not　that　the　strange　jeweller　saw　her　tears　and　heard　the　despairing　cry　of　her　heart；　she　had　nothing　to　fear；　she　had　no　more　to　lose。　The　assembled　world　might　hear　and　see　her　great　grief。　But　no；　no；　this　must　not　be。　His　agony；　his　tortures；　might　perhaps　be　increased　to　punish　her　through　him！　She　must　not　weep；　she　must　not　complain。　Trenck　lived；　although　in　prison　and　in　chains；　he　still　lived；　so　long　as　he　lived；　she　must　conquer　the　despair　of　her　heart。

As　she　thought　thus；　she　dried　her　tears；　and　raised　her　head　with　proud　resolve。　She　would　be　calm　and　self…possessed；　perhaps　this　man；　sent　to　her　by　the　landgrave；　had　something　still　to　say　to　her。　She　half　turned　her　head　toward　him；　he　appeared　not　to　be　thinking　of　her；　but　was　quietly　engaged　placing　his　treasures　again　in　his　casket。

〃Can　you　tell　me　who　engraved　this　cup？〃

〃Certainly；　your　royal　highness。　A　poor　prisoner；　who　has　been　confined　for　nine　years　in　a　subterranean　cell　in　the　fortress　of　Magdeburg；　engraved　it。　He　is　called　Frederick　von　Trenck。　Your　highness　has　perhaps　never　heard　the　name；　but　in　Magdeburg　every　child　knows　it；　and　speaks　it　with　wonder　and　admiration！　No　one　has　seen　him；　but　every　one　knows　of　his　daring；　his　heroism；　his　unfaltering　courage；　and　endurance；　his　herculean　strength；　and　his　many　and　marvellous　attempts　to　escape。　Trenck　is　the　hero　of　the　nursery　as　well　as　the　saloon。　No　lady　in　Magdeburg　is　acquainted　with　him；　but　all　are　enthusiastic　in　his　praise；　and　all　the　officers　who　know　him　love　and　pity　him。　Many　are　ready　to　risk　their　lives　for　him！〃

The　princess　sighed　deeply；　and　a　ray　of　joy　and　hope　lighted　up　her　countenance。　She　listened　with　suppressed　breath　to　the　jeweller's　wordsthey　sounded　like　far…off　music；　pleasant　but　mournful　to　the　soul。

The　stranger　continued：　〃Some　time　since；　in　order　to　dispel　the　tediousness　of　his　prison…life；　he　began　to　engrave　poems　and　figures　upon　his　tin　cup　with　a　nail　which　he　had　found　in　the　earth　while　making　his　last　attempt　to　undermine　the　floor　of　his　cell。　During　one　of　his　visits　of　observation；　the　commandant　discovered　this　cup；　he　was　delighted　with　the　engravings；　took　the　cup　and　sent　Trenck　another；　hoping　he　would　continue　the　exercise　of　his　art。　Trenck　seized　the　occasion　joyfully；　and　since　then　he　has　been　constantly　occupied　as　an　engraver。　Every　officer　desires　to　have　a　cup　engraved　by　him；　as　a　souvenir。　Every　lady　in　Magdeburg　longs　for　one；　and　prefers　it　to　the　most　costly　jewel。　These　cups　are　now　the　modeindeed；　they　have　become　an　important　article　in　trade。　If　one　of　the　officers　can　be　induced　to　sell　his　cup；　it　will　cost　twenty　louis　d'or。　Trenck　gets　no　money　for　his　work；　but　he　has　gained　far　greater　advantages。　These　cups　give　him　the　opportunity　of　making　known　to　the　world　the　cruel　tortures　to　which　he　is　subject；　they　have　given　him　speech；　and　replaced　the　writing　materials　of　which　they　have　deprived　him。　They　have　answered　even　a　better　and　holier　purpose　than　this；〃　said　the　jeweller；　in　a　low　voice；　〃they　have　procured　him　light　and　air。　In　order　to　give　him　sufficient　light　for　his　work；　the　officers　open　the　doors　into　the　first　corridor；　in　which　there　is　a　large　window；　one　of　the　upper　panes　of　this　window　is　open　every　morning。　As　the　days　are　short　in　the　casemates；　the　commandant　looks　through　his　fingers；　when　the　officers　bring　lights　to　the　poor　prisoner。　Trenck　feels　as　if　his　wretched　prison…cell　was　now　changed　into　the　atelier　of　an　artist。〃

Amelia　was　silent　and　pressed　the　cup　tenderly　to　her　lips；　the　stranger　did　not　regard　her；　but　continued　his　recital　quietly。

〃An　officer　of　the　garrison　told　me　all　this；　your　highness；　when　he　sold　me　this　cup。　They　make　no　secret　of　their　admiration　and　affection　for　Trenck；　they　know　they　would　be　severely　punished　if　the　higher　authorities　discovered　that　they　allowed　Trenck　any　privileges　or　alleviations；　but　they　boast　of　it　and　consider　it　a　humane　action。〃

〃May　God　reward　them　for　it！〃　sighed　Amelia。　〃I　will　buy　this　cup；　sir。　I　do　not　wish　to　be　behind　the　ladies　of　Magdeburg；　and　as　it　is　the　mode　to　possess　a　cup　engraved　by　Trenck；　I　will　take　this。　Name　your　price。〃

The　jeweller　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then　said：

〃Pardon　me；　your　highness；　I　dare　not　sell　you　this　cup；　or　rather　I　implore　your　highness　not　to　desire　it。　If　possible；　I　will　make　it　an　instrument　fo