history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第44部分

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ith　secret　gibings　on　myself：let　us　hear　it　while　we　can；　amid　those　world…wide　crashing　discords　and　piping　whirlwinds　of　war。

Friedrich　sends　his　new　Verses　or　light　Proses；　which　he　is　ever　and　anon　throwing　off；　Voltaire　sends　his；　mostly　in　print；　and　of　more　elaborate　turn：　they　talk　on　matters　that　are　passing　round　them；　round　this　King；　the　centre　of　them；Friedrich　usually　in　a　rather　swaggering　way　（lest　his　Correspondent　think　of　blabbing）；　and　always　with　something　of　banter　audible　in　him；as　has　Voltaire　too；　but　in　a　finer　TREBLE　tone；　being　always　female　in　this　pretty　duet　of　parted　lovers。　It　rarely　comes　to　any　scolding　between　them；　but　there　is　or　can　be　nothing　of　cordiality。　Nothing；　except　in　the　mutual　admiration；　which　one　perceives　to　be　sincere　on　both　sides；　and　also；　in　the　mutual　practical　estrangement：　〃Nothing　more　of　you；especially　of　YOU；　Madam；as　a　practical　domestic　article！〃

After　long　reading；　with　Historical　views；　in　this　final　section　of　the　Friedrich…Voltaire　Correspondence；　at　first　so　barren　otherwise　and　of　little　entertainment；　one　finds　that　this　too；　when　once　you　CAN　〃read〃　it　（that　is　to　say；　when　the　scene　and　its　details　are　visible　to　you）；　becomes　highly　dramatic；　Shakspearean…comic　or　more；　for　this　is　Nature's　self；　who　far　excels　even　Shakspeare；　and　that　the　inextricably　dark　condition　of　these　Letters　is　a　real　loss　to　the　ingenuous　reader；　and　especially　to　the　student　of　Friedrich。　Among　the　frequently　recurring　topics；　one　that　oftenest　turns　up　on　Voltaire's　side　is　that　of　Peace：　Oh；　if　your　Majesty　would　but　make　Peace！　Does　it　depend　on　me？　thinks　Friedrich　always；　and　is；　at　last；　once　provoked　to　say　so：　


FRIEDRICH　TO　VOLTAIRE。

〃REICH…HENNERSDORF；　2d　July；　1759；　＇shortly　before　Schmottseifen；　while　waiting　Daun's　slow　movements＇。

〃Asking　ME　for　Peace：　there　is　a　bitter　joke！＇In　verse；　this；　flings　off　a　handful　of　crackers　on　the　BIEN…AIME；　whose　Chamberlain　you　are；　on　the　HONGROISE　QUI'IL　ADORE；　on　the　Russian　QUE　J'ABHORRE；then　continues　in　prose＇：

〃It　is　to　him；〃　the　Well…beloved　Louis；　〃that　you　must　address　yourself；　or　to　his　Amboise　in　Petticoats　＇his　Pompadour；　acting　the　Cardinal…Premier　on　this　occasion＇。　But　these　people　have　their　heads　filled　with　ambitious　projects：　these　people　are　the　difficulty；　they　wish　to　be　the　sovereign　arbiters　of　sovereigns；　and　that　is　what　persons　of　my　way　of　thinking　will　by　no　means　put　up　with。　I　love　Peace　quite　as　much　as　you　could　wish；　but　I　want　it　good；　solid　and　honorable。　Socrates　or　Plato　would　have　thought　as　I　do　on　this　subject；　had　they　found　themselves　placed　in　the　accursed　position　which　is　now　mine　in　the　world。

〃Think　you　there　is　any　pleasure　in　leading　this　dog　of　a　life　＇CHIENNE；　she…dog＇？　In　seeing　and　causing　the　butchery　of　people　you　know　nothing　of；　in　losing　daily　those　you　do　know　and　love；　in　seeing　perpetually　your　reputation　exposed　to　the　caprices　of　chance；　in　passing　year　after　year　in　disquietudes　and　apprehensions；　in　risking；　without　end；　your　life　and　your　fortune？

〃I　know　right　well　the　value　of　tranquillity；　the　sweets　of　society；　the　charms　of　life；　and　I　love　to　be　happy；　as　much　as　anybody　whatever。　But　much　as　I　desire　these　blessings；　I　will　not　purchase　them　by　basenesses　and　infamies。　Philosophy　enjoins　us　to　do　our　duty；　faithfully　to　serve　our　Country；　at　the　price　of　our　blood；　of　our　repose；　and　of　every　sacrifice　that　can　be　required　of　us。　The　illustrious　ZADIG　went　through　a　good　many　adventures　which　were　not　to　his　taste；　CANDIDE　the　like；　and　nevertheless　took　their　misfortune　in　patience。　What　finer　example　to　follow　than　that　of　those　heroes？

〃Take　my　word；　our　'curt　jackets；'　as　you　call　them　＇HABITS　ECOURTES；　peculiar　to　the　Prussian　soldier　at　that　time＇；　are　as　good　as　your　red　heels；　as　the　Hungarian　pelisses；　and　the　green　frocks　of　the　Roxelans　＇Russians＇。　We　are　actually　on　the　heels　of　the　latter　＇at　least　poor　Dohna　is；　and　poor　Dictator　Wedell　will　be；　not　with　the　effect　anticipated！＇who　by　their　stupidities　give　us　fine　chance。　You　will　see　I　shall　get　out　of　the　scrape　this　Year　too；　and　deliver　myself　both　from　the　Greens　and　the　Dirty…Whites　＇Austrian　color　of　coat＇。　My　neighbor　of　the　Sacred　Hat；I　think；　in　spite　of　Holy　Father's　benediction；　the　Holy　Ghost　must　have　inspired　him　the　reverse　way；　he　seems　to　have　a　great　deal　of　lead　in　his　bottom。　。。。　F。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxiii。　53。＇

VOLTAIRE　IN　ANSWER。

〃THE　DELICES；〃　guessed　to　be　some　time　in　〃August；　1759。〃

〃In　whatever　state　you　are；　it　is　very　certain　that　you　are　a　　great　man。　It　is　not　to　weary　your　Majesty　that　I　now　write；　it　is　to　confess　myself；on　condition　you　will　give　me　absolution！　I　have　betrayed　you；　that　is　the　fact〃（really　guilty　this　time；　and　HAVE　shown　something　of　your　writing；　as　your　Majesty；　oh　how　unjustly；　is　often　suspecting　that　I　do；　and　with　mischievous　intention；　instead　of　good；　ah；　Sire！）In　fact；　I　have　received　that　fine　〃MARCUS…AURELIUS〃　Letter　（Letter　we　have　just　read）；　exquisite　Piece；　though　with　biting　〃JUVENAL〃　qualities　in　it　too；　and　have　shown　it；　keeping　back　the　biting　parts；　to　a　beautiful　gillflirt　of　the　Court；　MINAUDIERE　（who　seems　to　be　a　Mistress　of　Choiseul's）；　who　is　here　attending　Tissot　for　her　health：　MINAUDIERE　charmed　with　it；　insists　on　my　sending　to　Choiseul；　〃He　admires　the　King　of　Prussia；　as　he　does　all　nobleness　and　genius；　send　it！〃　And　I　did　so；and　look　here；　what　an　Answer　from　Choiseul　（Answer　lost）：　and　may　it　not　have　a　fine　effect；　and　perhaps　bring　PeaceOh；　forgive　me；　Sire。　But　read　that　Note　of　the　great　man。　〃Try　if　you　can　decipher　his　writing。　One　may　have　very　honest　sentiments；　and　a　great　deal　of　ESPRIT；　and　yet　write　like　a　cat。　。。。

〃Sire；　there　was　once　a　lion　and　a　mouse　（RAT）；　the　mouse　fell　in　love　with　the　lion；　and　went　to　pay　him　court。　The　lion；　tired　of　it；　gave　him　a　little　scrape　with　his　paw。　The　mouse　withdrew　into　his　mouse…hole　（SOURICIERE）；　but　he　still　loved　the　lion；　and　seeing　one　day　a　net　they　were　spreading　out　to　catch　the　lion　and　kill　him；　he　gnawed　asunder　one　mesh　of　it。　Sire；　the　mouse　kisses　very　humbly　your　beautiful　claws；　in　all　submissiveness：he　will　never　die　between　two　Capuchins；　as；　at　Bale；　the　mastiff　（DOGUE）　of　St。　Malo　has　done　＇27th　July　last＇。　He　would　have　wished　to　die　beside　his　lion。　Believe　that　the　mouse　was　more　attached　than　the　mastiff。〃V。　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxiii。　59；　60。＇

To　which　we　saw　the　Answer；　pair　of　Answers；　at　Sagan；　in　September　last。　This　Note　from　Choiseul；　conveyed　by　Voltaire；　appears　to　have　been　the　trifling　well…spring　from　which　all　those　wide…spread　waters　of　Negotiation　flowed。　Pitt；　when　applied　to；　on　the　strength　of　Friedrich's　hopes　from　this　small　Document　of　Choiseul's；　was　of　course　ready；　〃How　welcome　every　chance　of　a　just　Peace！〃　and　agreed　to　the　Joint　Declaration　at　the　Hague；　and　took　what　farther　trouble　I　know　not；probably　less　sanguine　of　success　than　Friedrich。　Friedrich　was　ardently　industrious　in　the　affair；　had　a　great　deal　of　devising　and　directing　on　it；　a　great　deal　of　corresponding　with　Voltaire　and　the　Duchess；　only　small　fractions　of　which　are　now　left。　He　searched　out；　or　the　Duchess　of　Sachsen…Gotha　did　it　for　him；　a　proper　Secret　Messenger　for　Paris：　Secret　Messenger；　one　Baron　von　Edelsheim；　properly　veiled；　was　to　consult　a　certain　Bailli　de　Froulay；　a　friend　of　Friedrich's　in　Paris；which　loyal…hearted　Bailli　did　accordingly　endeavor　there；　but　made　out　nothing。　Only　much　vague　talking；　part　of　it；　or　most　of　it；　subdolous　on　Choiseul's　side。　Pitt　would　hear　of　no　Peace　which　did　not　include　Prussia　as　well　as　England：　some　said　this　was　the　cause　of　failure；the　real　cause　was　that　Choiseul　never　had　any　serious　intention　of　succeeding。　Light　Choiseul；　a　clever　man；　but　an　unwise；　of　the　sort　called　〃dashing；〃　had　entertained　the　matter　merely　in　the　optative　form；　and　when　it　came　nearer；　wished　to　use　it　for　making　mischief　between　Pitt　and　Friedrich；　and　for　worming　out　Edelsheim's　secrets；　if　he　had　any；for　which　reason　he　finally　threw　Edelsheim　into　the　Bastille　for　a　few　days。　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　v。　38…41；　detailed　account　of　the　Affair。＇

About　the　end　of　March　I　guess　it　to　have　been　that　Choiseul；　by　way　of　worming　out　poor　Edelsheim's　secrets；　flung　him　into　the　Bastille　for　a　day　or　two。　Already　in　December　foregoing；　we　have　seen　Choiseul's　Black…Artist　busy　upon　the　Stolen　EDITION　of　Friedrich's　Verses。　A　Choiseul　full　of　intrigues；　adroit　enough；　ambitious　enough；　restlessly　industrious　in　making　mischief；　if　there　were　nothing　else　to　be　made；　who　greatly　disgusted　Friedrich；　now　and　afterwards。

And　this　was　what　the　grand　Voltaire　Pacification　came　to；　though　it　filled　the　world　with　temporary　noise；　and　was　so　interesting　to　Voltaire　and　another。　What　a　heart…affecting　generosity；　humility　and　dulcet　pathos　in　that　of　the　poor　Mouse　gnawing　asunder　a　mesh　of　the　Lion's　net！　There　is　a　good　deal　of　that　throughout；　on　the　Voltaire　side；that　is　to　say；　while　writing　to　Friedrich。　But　while　writing　of　him；　to　third　parties；　sometimes　almost　simultaneously；　the　contrast　of　styles　is　not　a　little　startling；　and　the　beautiful　affectionately　chirping　Mouse　is　seen　suddenly　to　be　an　injured　Wild…cat　with　its　fur　up。　All　readers　of　Voltaire　are　aware　of　this；　and　how　Voltaire　handles　his　〃LUC〃　（mysterious　nickname　for　KING　FRIEDRICH ）；　when　Luc's　back　is　turned。　For　alas；　there　is　no　man　or　thing　but　has　its　wrong　side　too；　least　of　all；　a　Voltaire；doing　TREBLE　voice　withal；　if　you　consider　it；　in　such　a　Duet　of　estranged　Lovers！　Suppose　we　give　these　few　Specimens；　treble　mostly；　and　a　few　of　bass　as　well；to　illustrate　the　nature　of　this　Duet；　and　of　the　noises　that　went　on　round　it；　in　a　war…　convulsed　world？　And　first　of　all；　concerning　the　enigma　〃What　is　Luc？〃

What　the　LUC　in　Voltaire　is？　Shocking　explanations　have　been　hit　upon：　but　Wagniere　（WAGNER；　an　intelligent　Swiss　man）；　Voltaire's　old　Secretary；　gives　this　plain　reading　of　the　riddle：　〃M。　de　Voltaire　had；　at　The　Delices　＇near　by　Ferney；　till　the　Chateau　got　built＇；　a　big　Ape；　of　excessively　mischievous　turn；　who　used　to