frederick the great and his family-第142节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ong　a　sense　of　right　that　it　has　become　a　rule　of　hers　never　to　fulfil　a　request　made　by　any　of　her　own　intimate　and　confidential　friends　for　their　families　or　relatives。　She　would　have　paid　no　attention　to　my　request　for　Trenck's　release。　Moreover；　I　would　have　made　enemies　of　a　powerful　and　influential　party　at　courtwith　a　party　whose　wish　it　is　that　Trenck　may　never　be　released；　because　he　would　then　come　and　demand　an　account　of　the　gold；　jewels；　and　property　left　him　by　his　cousin；　the　colonel　of　the　pandours；　thus　causing　a　great　disturbance　amongst　several　noble　families　at　court。　These　families　are　continually　filling　the　ear　of　the　empress　with　accusations　against　the　unfortunate　prisoner；　well　knowing　that　he　cannot　defend　himself。　You　must　appear　to　have　forgotten　that　poor　Trenck　is　languishing　in　prison　while　his　property　is　being　guarded　by　stewards　who　pay　themselves　for　their　heavy　labor　with　the　old　colonel's　money。　It　is　dangerous；　therefore；　to　meddle　with　this　wasp's　nest。　To　serve　Trenck；　the　interceder　must　be　so　harmless　and　insignificant　that　no　one　will　consider　it　worth　while　to　watch　him；　so　that　Trenck's　enemies；　not　suspecting　him；　can　place　no　obstacles　in　his　path。〃

〃Lives　there　such　a　one？〃　said　the　princess。

〃Yes；　your　royal　highness。〃

〃Where　is　he？　What　is　his　name？　What　is　he？〃

〃The　fireman　in　the　apartments　of　the　empress。　He　is　a　poor　Savoyard；　without　name；　without　rank；　without　position；　hut　with　credit　and　influence。〃

〃A　fireman？〃　cried　the　princess；　with　amazement。

〃An　old；　ugly；　deformed　fellow；　called　by　the　other　servants　Gnome　because　of　his　stubborn　silence；　his　want　of　sociability；　his　rough　manner　and　voice；　his　caring　for　nothing　but　his　service；　which　he　performs　with　great　method。　Every　morning　at　six　he　enters　her　majesty's　apartment；　makes　the　fire；　throws　back　the　curtain　to　admit　the　light；　arranges　the　chairs；　and　then　withdraws　without　the　least　noise。　All　this　he　does　without　committing　the　slightest　indiscretion；　always　the　same；　never　lingering　beyond　his　time　never　leaving　before。　He　is　like　a　clock　that　maintains　always　the　same　movement　and　sound。　The　empress；　accustomed　for　thirty　years　to　see　him　enter　daily　her　apartments；　has　become　used　to　his　homeliness；　and　often　in　the　kindness　of　her　heart　enters　into　conversation　with　him。　His　answers　are　always　laconic；　in　a　tone　of　perfect　indifferenceat　times　brusque；　even　harshbut　they　have　a　sensible　and　often　a　deep　meaning。　When　the　empress　speaks　with　him；　he　does　not　cease　his　work　for　a　moment；　and　when　he　has　finished　he　does　not　remain　a　minute　longer；　but　goes　without　asking　if　she　desires　to　continue　the　conversation。　For　thirty　years　he　has　had　the　same　duties　and　has　fulfilled　them　in　the　same　manner。　He　has　never　been　accused　of　a　mistakehe　has　never　been　guilty　of　inquisitiveness　or　intrigue。　Thus　the　empress　has　great　and　firm　confidence　in　him。　She　is　so　convinced　of　his　truth；　disinterestedness；　and　probity；　that　he　has　gained　a　sort　of　influence　over　her；　and　as　she　knows　that　he　is　to　be　won　neither　by　gold；　flattery；　promises　of　position　and　rank；　she　constantly　asks　his　opinion　on　matters　of　importance；　and　not　seldom　is　biassed　by　its　strong；　sensible　tone。〃

〃But　if　this　man　is　so　honest　and　disinterested；　how　are　we　to　influence　him？〃

〃We　must　seek　to　win　his　heart　and　his　head。　He　must　become　interested　in　the　fate　of　the　unfortunate　prisonerhe　must　become　anxious　for　his　release。　When　we　have　done　this　much；　we　can　question　his　self…interest　and　offer　him　gold。〃

〃Gold？　This　wonder　of　probity　and　truth　is　susceptible　to　bribes？〃

〃He　never　has；　perhaps　never　may　be。　He　himself　has　no　desires；　no　necessities；　but　he　has　one　weaknesshis　daughter。　She　is　a　young　and　lovely　girl；　whom　he；　in　his　dark　distrust　of　all　at　court　in　the　form　of　men；　has　had　educated　in　a　convent　far　from　Vienna。　She　is　now　living　with　some　respectable　family　in　Vienna；　but　she　never　visits　him；　never　enters　the　castle　to　inquire　for　him　for　fear　she　should　be　seen　by　some　of　the　court　gentlemen。　This　girl　has　now　formed　an　attachment　to　a　young　doctor。　They　would　like　to　marry；　but　he　has　no　practice；　she　no　money。　Her　father　has　saved　nothing；　but　spent　all　his　wages　on　her　education；　and　has　no　dowry　for　his　daughter。〃

〃And　he　intends　to　plead　with　the　empress　for　this　dower？〃

〃If　such　a　thought　came　to　him　he　would　put　it　away　with　contempt；　for　his　only　ambition　consists　in　making　no　requests；　receiving　no　gifts　from　the　empress。　Nor　would　he　now　act　for　this　gold　alone　contrary　to　his　idea　of　right；　were　his　daughter　to　die　of　sorrow。　As　I　said　before；　his　heart　and　head　must　first　be　won；　then　only　must　we　speak　of　reward。〃

〃If　this　man　has　a　heart；　we　cannot　fail　to　win　it　when　we　tell　him　all　that　Trenck　has　suffered　and　still　endures；〃　cried　the　princess。　〃The　agony　and　despair　that　have　been　heaped　upon　the　head　of　one　poor　mortal　will　surely　touch　both　head　and　heart。　When　we　have　succeeded；　we　will　give　his　daughter　a　handsome　dower。　God　has　so　willed　it　that　I　am　right　rich　now；　and　can　fulfil　my　promises。　My　pension　as　abbess　and　my　salary　as　princess　were　both　paid　in　yesterday。　There　is　a　little　fortune　in　my　desk；　and　I　shall　add　more　to　it。　Do　you　think　four　thousand　louis　d'or　will　be　sufficient　to　win　the　Savoyard's　heart？〃

〃For　any　other　it　would　be　more　than　sufficient；　but　to　win　this　honest　heart；　your　offer　is　not　too　great。〃

〃But　is　it　enough？〃

〃It　is。〃

〃Now；　all　that　we　need　is　some　sure；　cunning　messenger　to　send　to　him；　a　man　whose　heart　and　head；　soul　and　body　are　bound　up　in　the　cause　he　advocates。　General；　where　shall　we　find　such　a　man？〃

General　Riedt　laughed。　〃I　thought　your　royal　highness　had　already　found　him。〃

The　princess　looked　at　him　in　amazement。

〃Ah；〃　cried　she；　〃the　jeweller；　the　man　who　brought　me　the　cup；　who　referred　me　to　you　in　so　wise　and　discreet　a　manner。〃

〃I　think　you　desired　him　to　return　early　to…morrow　morning？〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？　Are　you　acquainted　with　him？〃

General　Riedt　bowed　smilingly。　〃I　ventured　to　send　him　to　your　royal　highness。〃

〃Ah！　I　now　understand　it　all；　and　must　acknowledge　that　the　jeweller　is　as　great　a　negotiator　as　you　are　a　diplomatist。　The　cup　I　showed　you；　you　sent　to　me？〃

〃I　received　it　from　the　Governor　of　Magdeburg；　the　Landgrave　of　Hesse；　as　I　could　do　nothing　with　it；　I　ventured　to　send　it　to　your　royal　highness。〃

〃And　I　thank　you；　general；　for　sending　it　in　so　discreet；　so　wise　a　manner。　We　may；　perhaps；　succeed　in　keeping　all　this　secret　from　my　brother；　so　that　he　cannot　act　against　us。　Hasten　away；　general；　and　give　the　jeweller；　or　whatever　else　he　may　be；　his　instructions。　Send　him　to　me　early　in　the　morning　for　his　reward。〃　＇Footnote：　The　princess　succeeded　in　winning　the　influence　of　the　fireman。　How　he　succeeded　with　the　empress；　can　be　seen　in　〃Thiebault's　Souvenirs　de　Vingt　Ans；〃　vol。　iv。＇




CHAPTER　VII。

THE　ROYAL　HOUSE…SPY。


The　next　morning；　a　carriage　drew　up　before　the　garden　of　Sans…　Souci；　and　a　gentleman；　in　a　glittering；　embroidered　court　uniform；　crept　out　slowly　and　with　much　difficulty。　Coughing　and　murmuring　peevish　words　to　himself；　he　slipped　into　the　allee　leading　to　the　terraces。　His　back　was　bent；　and　from　under　the　three…cornered　hat；　ornamented　with　rich　gold　lace；　came　sparsely；　here　and　there；　a　few　silver　hairs。　Who　could　have　recognized；　in　this　doubled…up；　decrepit　form；　now　with　tottering　knees　creeping　up　the　terrace；　the　once　gay；　careless；　unconcerned　grand…master　of　ceremonies；　Baron　von　Pollnitz？　Who　could　have　supposed　that　this　old　weatherbeaten　visage；　deformed　with　a　thousand　wrinkles；　once　belonged　to　the　dashing　cavalier？　And　yet；　it　was　even　so。　Pollnitz　had　grown　old；　and　his　back　was　bowed　down　under　the　yoke　which　the　monster　Time　lays　at　last　upon　humanity；　but　his　spirit　remained　unchanged。　He　had　preserved　his　vivacity；　his　malice；　his　egotism。　He　had　the　same　passion　for　goldmuch　gold；　not；　however；　to　hoard；　but　to　lavish。　His　life　was　ever　divided　between　base　covetousness　and　thoughtless　prodigality。　When　he　had　revelled　and　gormandized　through　the　first　days　of　every　month；　he　was　forced；　during　the　last　weeks；　to　suffer　privation　and　hunger；　or　to　borrow　from　those　who　were　good…natured　and　credulous　enough　to　lend　him。　There　was　also　one　other　source　of　revenue　which　the　adroit　courtier　knew　how　to　use　to　his　advantage。　He　was　a　splendid　ecarte　player；　and；　as　it　was　his　duty；　as　grand…　master　of　ceremonies；　to　provide　amusements　for　the　court；　to　choose　places　and　partners　for　the　card…tables；　he　always　arranged　it　so　as　to　bring　himself　in　contact　with　wealthy　and　eager　card…players；　from　some　of　whom　he　could　win；　and　from　others　borrow　a　few　louis　d'or。　Besides　this；　since　the　return　of　the　king；　Pollnitz　had　voluntarily　taken　up　his　old　trade　of　spy；　and　informed　Frederick　of　all　he　saw　and　heard　at　court；　for　this；　from　time　to　time；　he　demanded　a　small　reward。

〃Curious　idea；〃　he　said；　as；　puffing　and　blowing；　he　clambered　up　the　terrace。　〃Curious　idea　to　live　in　this　wearisome　desert；　when　he　has　respectable　and　comfortable　castles　in　the　midst　of　the　city；　and　on　a　level　plain。　One　might