louisa of prussia and her times-第105部分

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world　says　that　you　are　happy　and　highly　honored？〃

She　paused；　and　looked　almost　expectantly　at　her　own　image　in　the
looking…glass。　The　clock　commenced　all　at　once　striking　twelve。
〃Midnight！〃　whispered　Marianne；　〃midnight；　the　hour　in　which　ghosts
walk！　I　will　also　call　up　a　ghost；〃　she　said；　after　a　short　pause；
〃I　will　call　it　up　and　compel　it　to　reply　to　me。〃

And　raising　her　arm　toward　the　glittering；　radiant　image　in　the
looking…glass；　she　said　in　a　loud　and　solemn　voice：　〃Marianne　Meier；
rise　from　your　grave　and　come　hither　to　reply　to　my　questions！
Marianne　Meier；　rise　and　walk；　it　is　the　Princess　von　Eibenberg　who
is　calling　you！　Ah；　I　see　youit　is　you；　Marianne；　you　are　looking
at　me　with　the　melancholy　eyes　of　those　days　when　you　had　to　bear　so
much　contumely　and　disgrace；　and　when　you　were　sitting　mournfully　by
the　rivers　of　Babylon　and　weeping。　Yes；　I　recognize　you；　you　still
wear　the　features　of　your　ancestors　of　the　tribe　of　Levi；　men
pretend　not　to　notice　them　any　longer；　but　I　see　them。　Marianne
Meier；　now　listen　to　what　I　am　going　to　tell　you；　and　reply　to　me：
tell　me　what　is　the　matter　with　the　Princess　von　Eibenberg？　What　is
the　reason　she　is　not　happy？　Look　around　in　her　house；　Marianne
Meier；　you　will　behold　there　such　opulence　and　magnificence　as　you
never　knew　in　the　days　of　your　childhood。　Look　at　her　gilt
furniture；　her　carpets　and　lustres；　look　at　the　beautiful　paintings
on　the　walls；　and　at　the　splendid　solid　plate　in　her　chests。　Look　at
her　velvet　and　silk　dresses；　adorned　with　gold　and　silver
embroidery；　look　at　her　diamonds；　her　other　precious　stones　and
jewelry。　Do　you　know　still；　Marianne　Meier；　how　often；　in　the　days
of　your　childhood　and　early　youth；　you　have　longed；　with　scalding
tears；　for　all　those　things？　Do　you　know　still；　Marianne　Meier；　how
often　you　have　wrung　your　hands　and　wailed；　'Would　to　God　I　were
rich！　For　he　who　is　rich　is　happy！'　The　Princess　von　Eibenberg　is
rich；　Marianne　Meier；　why；　then；　is　she　not　happy？　If　it　had　been
predicted　to　you　at　that　time；　when　you　were　only　sighing　for
wealth；　Marianne　Meier；　that　you　would　be　a　princess　one　day；　and
carry　your　Jewish　head　proudly　erect　in　the　most　aristocratic
society；　would　you　not　have　believed　that　this　was　the　acme　of
happiness；　and　that　your　boldest　wishes　had　been　fulfilled？　Ah；
Marianne　Meier；　I　have　reached　this　acme；　and　yet　it　seems　to　me
that　I　am　much　more　remote　from　happiness　than　you　ever　were　at　that
time！　You　had　then　something　to　struggle　for；　you　had　a　great　aim。
But　what　have　I　got？　I　have　reached　my　aim；　and　there　is　nothing　for
me　to　accomplish　and　to　struggle　for！　That　is　the　secret　of　my
melancholy；　I　have　nothing　to　struggle　for。　I　have　reached　the　acme
of　my　prosperity；　and　every　step　I　advance　is　a　step　down…hill
toward　the　grave；　and　when　the　grave　closes　over　me　nothing　will
remain　of　me；　and　my　name　will　be　forgotten；　while　the　name　of　the
hateful　usurper　will　resound　through　all　ages　like　a　golden　harp！
Oh；　a　little　glory；　a　little　immortality　on　earth；　that；　Marianne
Meier；　is　what　the　ambitious　heart　of　the　Princess　von　Eibenberg　is
longing　for；　that　is　the　object　for　which　she　would　willingly
sacrifice　years　of　her　life。　Life　is　now　so　boundlessly　tedious　and
empty；　it　is　nothing　but　a　glittering　phrase；　nothing　but　a　smiling
and　gorgeous　but　dull　repetition　of　the　same　thing！　But；　hark！　What
is　that？〃　She　suddenly　interrupted　herself。　〃It　seemed　to　me　as　if　I
heard　steps　in　the　small　corridor。　Yes；　I　was　not　mistaken。　Somebody
is　at　the　door。　Oh；　it　is　he；　then；　it　is　Gentz。〃

She　rushed　toward　the　door；　and　opening　it　hastily；　she　said；　〃Is　it
you；　my　beloved　friend？〃

〃If　you　apply　this　epithet　to　me；　Marianne；　yes；　it　is　I；〃　replied
Gentz；　entering　the　room。

〃And　to　whom　else　should　I　apply　it；　Frederick？〃　she　asked；
reproachfully。　〃Who　but　you　has　got　a　key　to　my　house　and　to　this
door？　Who　but　you　is　allowed　to　enter　my　house　and　my　room　at　any
hour　of　the　day　or　night？〃

〃Perhaps　Lord　Paget；　my　powerful　and　fine…looking　rival；〃　said
Gentz；　carelessly；　and　without　the　least　shade　of　bitterness；　while
he　sat　down　on　the　sofa　with　evident　symptoms　of　weariness　and
exhaustion。

〃Are　you　jealous　of　Lord　Paget？〃　she　asked；　taking　a　seat　by　his
side；　and　placing　her　hand；　sparkling　with　diamond…rings；　on　his
shoulder。　〃Remember；　my　friend；　that　it　was　solely　in　obedience　to
your　advice　that　I　did　not　reject　the　attentions　of　the　dear　lord
and　entered　into　this　political　liaison。〃

〃I　know；　I　know；〃　said　Gentz；　deprecatingly；　〃nor　have　I　come　to
quarrel　with　you　about　such　trifles。　I　have　not　come　as　a　jealous
lover　who　wishes　to　upbraid　his　beloved　with　the　attentions　she　has
shown　to　other　men；　but　as　a　poor；　desponding　man　who　appears　before
his　friend　to　pour　his　lamentations；　his　despair　into　her　bosom；　and
to　ask　her　for　a　little　sympathy　with　his　rage　and　grief。〃

〃My　friend；　what　has　occurred？〃　asked　Marianne；　in　dismay。

〃Where　have　you　been　during　the　week；　since　I　have　not　seen　you？　You
took　leave　of　me　in　a　hurried　note；　stating　that　you　would　set　out
on　an　important　journey；　although　you　did　not　tell　me　whither　you
were　going。　Where　have　you　been；　Frederick？〃

〃I　was　in　Olmutz　with　the　emperor　and　with　the　ministers；〃　sighed
Gentz。　〃I　hoped　to　promote　there　the　triumph　of　the　good　cause　and
of　Germany；　I　hoped　to　witness　a　brilliant　victory；　and　now〃

〃And　now？〃　asked　Marianne；　breathlessly；　when　Gentz　paused。

〃Now　I　have　witnessed　a　disgraceful　defeat；〃　groaned　Gentz。

Marianne　uttered　a　cry；　and　her　eyes　flashed　angrily。　〃He　has
conquered　again？〃　she　asked；　in　a　husky　voice。

〃He　has　conquered；　and　we　have　been　beaten；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　in　a
loud　and　bitter　tone。　〃The　last　hope　of　Germany；　nay；　of　Europe；　is
gone；　the　Russians　were　defeated　with　us　in　a　terrible　battle。　The
disaster　is　an　irretrievable　one；　all　the　armies　of　Prussia　being
unable　to　restore　the　lost　prestige　of　the　coalition！　＇Footnote：
Gentz's　own　words。Vide　Gentz's　〃Correspondence　with　Johannes　von
Muller；〃　p。　150。＇　The　Russians　have　already　retreated；　and　the
Emperor　Alexander　has　set　out　to…night　in　order　to　return　to　his
dominions。〃

〃And　HE；〃　muttered　Marianne；　〃HE　is　celebrating　another　triumph　over
us！　He　is　marching　onward　proudly　and　victoriously；　while　we　are
lying；　crushed　and　humiliated；　in　the　dust　of　degradation。　Is　it　Thy
will　that　it　should　be　so；　God　in　heaven？〃　she　asked；　turning　her
eyes　upward　with　an　angry　glance。　〃Hast　Thou　no　thunderbolt　for　this
Titan　who　is　rebelling　against　the　laws　of　the　world？　Wilt　Thou
permit　this　upstart　to　render　all　countries　unhappy；　and　to　enslave
all　nations？〃

〃Yes；　God　permits　him　to　do　so；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　laughing
scornfully。　〃God　has　destined　him　to　be　a　scourge　to　chastise　us　for
our　own　impotence。　We　do　not　succumb　owing　to　his　greatness；　but
owing　to　our　weakness。　The　Austrian　cabinet　is　responsible　for　our
misfortunes！　I　have　long　since　perceived　the　utter　lack　of　ability；
the　contemptible　character；　nay；　the　infamy　of　this　cabinet；　in
former　times　I　used　to　denounce　our　Austrian　cabinet　to　the　other
cabinets　of　Europe　as　the　real　source　of　the　calamities　of　our
period；　and　to　unveil　to　them　the　whole　terrible　truth。　Oh；　if　they
had　heeded　MY　warnings；　when　I　wrote　last　June；　and　as　late　as　in
the　beginning　of　August；　to　many　prominent　men；　'Beware　with　whom
you　enter　into　a　coalition！　Do　not　be　deceived　by　an　illusory
semblance　of　improvement。　They　are　the　same　as　ever！　With　them　no
great　undertaking；　either　in　the　cabinet　or　in　the　field；　will
succeed；　their　rejection　is　the　conditio　sine　qua　non　of　the
preservation　of　Europe。　It　was　all　in　vain！　Finally；　I　was　left
alone　with　my　warnings；　every　one　deserted　me！〃　＇Footnote：　Gentz's
〃Correspondence；〃　etc。；　p。　144。＇

〃I　did　not　desert　you；　Frederick；〃　said　Marianne；　reproachfully；
〃and　I　compelled　Lord　Paget；　too；　to　support　your　views。　Thanks　to
our　united　efforts；　that　stupid　Count　Colloredo；　at　least；　was
forced　to　withdraw　from　the　cabinet。〃

〃That　is　a　consolation；　but　no　hope；〃　said　Gentz。　〃So　long　as　the
other　ministers　will　retain　their　positions；　every　thing　will　be　in
vain。　Every　thing　is　so　diseased　and　rotten　that；　unless　the　whole
be　thrown　away；　there　is　no　reasonable　hope　left。　I　hoped　the
Emperor　of　Russia　would　boldly　denounce　the　incapacity　of　the
cabinet；　and　by　his　powerful　influence　succeed　in　cleansing　our
Augean　stable；　but　he　is　too　gentle　for　such　an　undertaking；　and　has
no　man　of　irresistible　power　and　energy　at　his　side。　He　beheld　our
misery；　he　greatly　deplored　it；　but　refused　to　meddle　with　the
domestic　affairs　of　Austria。　Thus　every　thing　was　lost；　and　he　was
himself　disgracefully　defeated。〃

〃And　now　we　have　submitted　altogether？〃　asked　Marianne。　〃We　have
made　peace　with　the　usurper？〃

〃We　have　BEGGED　him　to　make　peace　with　us；　you　mean；　and　he　will
dictate　the　terms　in　which　we　shall　have　to　acquiesce。　Oh；　Marianne；
when　I　think　of　the　events　of　the　last　few　days；　I　am　seized　with
rage　and　grief；　and　hardly　know　how　I　shall　be　able　to　live
henceforward。　Just　listen　HOW　we　have　begged　for　peace！　Yesterday；
two　days　after　the　battle；　the　Emperor　Francis　sent　Prince　John　of
Lichtenstein　to　Napoleon；　who　had　established　his　headquarters　at
Austerlitz；　in　a　mansion　belonging　to　the　Kaunitz　family；　to　express
to　the　conqueror　his　wish　to　have　an　interview　with　him　at　the
advanced　posts。　Napoleon　granted　it　to　him；　and　the　Emperor　of
Germany　went　to　his　conqueror　to　beg　for　peace。　He　was　accompanied
by　none　but　Lamberti　to　the　meeting；　which　was　to　take　place　in　the
open　field。　Bonaparte　received　him；　surrounded　by　all　his　generals；
chamberlains；　and　masters　of　ceremonies；　and　with　the　whole　pomp　of
his　imperial　dignity。〃　＇Footnote：　This　account　of　the　interview　of
the　two　emperors　may　be　found　verbatim　in　a　letter　from　Gentz　to
Johannes　von　Muller。　Vide　〃Correspondence；〃　etc。；　p。　154。＇

〃Oh；　what　a　terrible　disgrace　and　humiliation！〃　exclaimed　Marianne；
bursting　into　tears；　while　she　tore　the　diadem　with　a　wild　gesture
from　her　hair　and　hurled　it　to　the　floor。　〃Who　dares　to　adorn
himself　after　events　so　utt