THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT LOUISE MUHLBACH THE TORCH -BEARER, PRECEDING THE FOREMOSI CARRIAGE, VIGOROUSLY MARCHED AHEAD ON THE ROAD THE WORKS OF LOUISE MUHLBACH IN EIGHTEEN VOLUMES LOUISA OF PRUSSIA AND HER TIMES FRONTISPIECES IN COLOR FROM PAINTINGS BY WALTER H. EVERETT NEW YORK P. F. COLLIER & SON M C M I I 7 COPYRIGHT 1867 BY D, APPLETON AND COMPANY COOTEKTS. CAMPO FORMIO. CHAPTER PAGE I. Dreadful Tidings, .1 II. Minister von Thugut, 5 III. The Interview 11 IV. The Two Ministers, 19 V. The House in the Gumpendorfer Suburb, . . 27 VI. Joseph Haydn, 33 VII. General Bonaparte, 40 VIII. The Treaty of Campo Formio, 48 THE YOUNG QUEEN OF PRUSSIA. IX. Queen Louisa, 56 X. The King's Recollections, 67 XI. The Young King, 74 XII. Frederick Gentz, 79 XIII. The Interview with the Minister of Finance, . . 86 XIV. The Memorial to Frederick William III. , . . .-94 XV. The Wedding 101 XVI. Marianne Meier 109 XVII. Love and Politics, 118 FRANCE AND GERMANY. XVIII. Citoyenne Josephine Bonaparte 129 XIX. Bonaparte and Josephine, 137 XX. The Reception of the Ambassadors, .... 146 XXI. France and Austria, 153 XXII. The Banner of Glory, 159 XXIII, Minister Thugut, 169 XXIV. The Festival of the Volunteers 178 XXV. The Riot .... 187 MUHLBACH A VOL. 7 IV CONTENTS. LAST DAYS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. CHAPTER PAGE XXVI. Victoria de Poutet, ..... 197 XXVII. Rastadt . 210 XXVIIL The Justification, . 218 XXIX. The Assassination, . 228 XXX Jean Debry, . 235 XXXI. The Coalition, . 240 XXXII. 246 XXXIII. The Legitimate Wife, . 254 XXXIV. The Eighteenth of Brumaire, . . . . 262 THE PEACE OF LUNEVILLE. XXXV. 270 XXXVI. Thugut's Fall, . 279 XXXVII. 286 xxxvin. The Rivals . 297 XXXIX. 311 XL. The First Consul, . 321 xu. Two German Savants . 333 THE THIRD COALITION. XLII. The Emperor Napoleon, .... 345 XLIII. Napoleon and the German Princes, . 356 XLIV. Queen Louisa's Piano Lesson, . 362 XLV. The Conference, . 369 XLVI. The Oath at the Grave of Frederick the Great, . 378 THE FALL OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE. XLVII. Evil Tidings, ....... . 387 XLVIII. Before the Battle, . 394 XLIX. " Gott Erhalte Franz den Kaiser ! " . . 400 L. Patriotism, . 404 LI. Judith . 416 LII. Napoleon and the Prussian Minister, . . 425 LIII. Judith and Holof ernes, ..... . 433 LIV The Fall of the German Empire, . . 446 CONTENTS. THE BATTLE OF JENA. CHAPTER PAGE LV. A German Bookseller and Martyr, .... 458 LYI. The Arrest, 466 LVII. A Wife's Love, 470 LVIII. The Women of Braunau, 477 LIX. The Last'Hour, ,485 LX. Prussia's Declaration of War, 490 LXI. A Bad Omen, 501 LXII. Before the Battle, 507 LXIII. The German Philosopher, 513 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA AND HER TIMES. OAMPO FORMIO. CHAPTER I. DREADFUL TIDINGS. THE population of Vienna was paralyzed with terror ; a heavy gloom weighed down all minds, and the strength of the stoutest hearts seemed broken. Couriers had arrived to-day from the camp of the army, and brought the dreadful tidings of an over- whelming defeat of the Austrian forces. Bonaparte, the young general of the French Republic, who, in the course of one year (1796), had won as many battles and as much glory as many a great and illustrious warrior during the whole course of an eventful life Bonaparte had crossed the Italian Alps with the serried col- umns of his army, and the most trusted military leaders of Austria were fleeing before him in dismay. The hero of Lodi and Arcole had won new victories, and these victories constantly diminished the distance between his army and the menaced capital of Austria. Archduke Charles had been defeated by Massena, and driven back to Villach ; Bernadotte had reached Laybach ; the citadels of Goritz, Triest, and Laybach had surrendered ; Klagenfurth, after a most desperate struggle, had been forced to open its gates to the conquerors ; Loudon, with his brave troops, had been dispersed in the Tyrol ; Botzen had opened its gates to General Joubert, who, after a brief sojourn, left that city in order to join Bonaparte, who, in his victorious career, was advancing resistlessly toward Vienna. Such were tidings which the couriers had brought, and these tidings were well calculated to produce a panic in the Austrian capital. While the court and the nobility were concealing their grief and their sorrows in the interior of their palaces, the populace 2 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. rushed into the streets, anxiously inquiring for later intelligence, and still hopeful that God in His mercy might perhaps send down some ray of light that would dispel this gloom of anguish and despair. But a pall covered Vienna, and everybody looked sad and de- jected. Suddenly some new movement of terror seemed to pervade the crowd that had gathered on the Kohlmarkt.* As if a storm were raising up the waves of this black sea of human figures, the dense mass commenced to undulate to and fro, and a wail of distress arose, growing louder and louder, until it finally broke out into the terrible cry : " The emperor has deserted us ! the em- peror and the empress have fled from Vienna ! " While the masses were bewailing this new misfortune with the manifestations of despair, while they assembled in small groups to comment vociferously on this last and most dreadful event of the day, all of a sudden Hungarian hussars galloped up and com- manded the people, in the most peremptory manner, to stand aside and to open a passage for the wagons which were about to enter the market from one of the adjoining streets. The people, intimidated by the flashing swords and harsh words of the soldiers, fell back and gazed with an expression of anxious suspense upon the strange procession which now made its appearance. This procession consisted of twelve wagons, apparently not des- tined to receive living men, but the remains of the dead. The broad and heavy wheels were not surmounted by ordinary carriage- boxes, but by immense iron trunks, large enough to enclose a coffin or a corpse ; and these trunks were covered with heavy blankets, the four corners of which contained the imperial crown of Austria in beautiful embroidery. Every one of these strange wagons was drawn by six horses, mounted by jockeys in the imperial livery, while the hussars of the emperor's Hungarian bodyguard rode in serried ranks on both sides. The horses drew these mysterious wagons slowly and heavily through the streets ; the wheels rolled with a dull, thundering noise over the uneven pavement ; and this noise resounded in the ears and hearts of the pale and terrified spectators like the premonitory signs of some new thunderstorm. What was concealed in these mysterious wagons? What was taken away from Vienna in so careful a manner and guarded so closely? Everybody was asking these questions, but only in the depth of his own heart, for nobody dared to interrupt the painful and anxious silence by a loud word or an inquisitive phrase. * Cabbage-Market. DREADFUL TIDINGS. 3 Every one seemed to be fascinated by the forbidding glances of the hussars, and stunned by the dull rumbling of the wheels. But, when finally the last wagon had disappeared in the next street, when the last horseman of the hussar escort had left the place, the eyes of the anxious spectators turned once more toward the speakers who had previously addressed them, and told them of the misfortunes of Austria, and of the brilliant victories of the youthful French General Bonaparte. "What do those wagons contain? " shouted the crowd. "We want to know it, and we must know it ! " " If you must know it, why did you not ask the soldiers them- selves? " shouted a sneering voice in the crowd. "Yes, yes," said another voice, "why did you not approach the wagons and knock at the trunks? may be the devil would have jumped out and shown you his pretty face ! " The people paid no attention to these sneering remarks. The painful uncertainty, the anxious excitement continued unabated, and everybody made surmises concerning the contents of the wagons. " The trunks contain perhaps the coffins of the imperial ancestors, which have been removed from the Kapuzinergruft, in order to save them from the French," said an honest tailor to his neighbor, and this romantic idea rolled immediately, like an avalanche, through the vast crowd. "They are removing the remains of the old emperors from Vi- enna ! " wailed the crowd. " Even the tombs are no longer safe ! They are saving the corpses of the emperors, but they are forsak- ing us the living ! They abandon us to the tender mercies of the enemy ! All who have not got the money to escape are lost ! The French will come and kill us all ! " " We will not permit it ! " shouted a stentorian voice. " We want to keep the remains of Maria Theresa and of the great Emperor Joseph here in Vienna. As long as they lived they loved the people of the capital, and they will protect us in death. Come, brethren, come ; let us follow the wagons let us stop them and take the bodies back to the Kapuzinergrvft. " * " Yes, let us follow the wagons and stop them, " yelled the crowd, which now, when it could no longer see the flashing and threaten- ing weapons of the soldiers, felt exceedingly brave. Suddenly, however, these furious shouts and yells were inter- rupted by a powerful voice which ordered the people to desist, and they beheld a tall man who, with cat-like agility, climbed upon the iron lamp-post in the centre of the square. * Vaults of the Capuchins. 4 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. ."Stop, stop!" roared this man, extending his arms over the crowd as if, a new Moses, he wanted to allay the fury of the sea and cause it to stand still. The crowd instantly obeyed this tremendous voice, and all these indignant, anxious, and terrified faces now turned toward the speaker who stood above them on top of the lamp-post. "Don't make fools of yourselves," said he "don't give these Hungarians who would be only too glad to quench their present rage in German blood a chance to break your bones. Have you any arms to compel them to show you the wagons and their con- tents? And even if you were armed, the soldiers would overpower you, for most of you would run away as soon as a fight broke out, and the balance of you would be taken to the calaboose. I will do you the favor, however, to tell you all about those wagons. Do you want to know it? " " Yes, yes, we do ! " shouted the crowd, emphatically. " Be quiet over there ! Stop your noise ! Do not cry so loud ! Hush ! Let us hear what is in the wagons. Silence, silence ! " Profound silence ensued everybody held his breath and listened. "Well, then, listen to me. These wagons do not contain the remains of the former emperors, but the gold and the jewels of the present emperor. It is the state treasure which those hussars are escorting from Vienna to Presburg, because the government deems it no longer safe here. Just think of what we have come to now- a-days ! Our imperial family, and even the state treasure, must flee from Vienna ! And whose fault is it that we have to suffer all this? Who has brought these French down upon us? Who is in- undating all Austria with war and its calamities? Shall I tell you who is doing it? " " Yes, tell us, tell us ! " shouted the crowd. " Woe unto him who has plunged Austria into war and distress, and caused the flight of the emperor and the removal of the treasure from Vienna ! " The speaker waited until the angry waves of the people's wrath had subsided again, and then said in the clear, ringing tones of his powerful voice : " It is the fault of our prime minister, Baron von Thugut. He don't want us to make peace with the French. He would rather ruin us all than to make peace with the French Republic." " But we don't want to be ruined I " shouted the crowd " we don't want to be led to the shambles like sheep. No, no ; we want peace peace with France. Prime Minister Thugut shall give us peace with France ! " "You had better go and inform the proud minister himself of MINISTER VON THUGUT. 5 what you want," said the speaker with a sneer. "First compel him to do what the emperor and even our brave Archduke Charles wanted to be done compel the omnipotent minister to make peace. " " We will go and ask him to give us peace, " said several voices in the crowd. " Yes, yes, we will do that ! " shouted others. " Come, come ; let us all go to the minister's house and ask him to give us back the emperor and the state treasure, and to make peace with Bona- parte. " The speaker now descended hurriedly from the lamp-post. His tall, herculean figure, however, towered above the crowd even after his feet had touched the pavement. "Come," said he to the bystanders in a loud and decided tone, "I will take you to the minister's house, for I know where he lives, and we will shout and raise such a storm there until the proud gentleman condescends to comply with our wishes. " He led the way rapidly, and the crowd, always easily guided and pliable, followed its improvised leader with loud acclamations. Only one idea, only one wish, animated all these men : they wanted peace with France, lest Bonaparte might come to Vienna and lay their beautiful capital in ashes in the same manner in which he had treated so many Italian cities. Their leader walked proudly at the head of the irregular proces- sion, and as the crowd continued to shout and yell, "Peace with France ! " he muttered, " I think I have accomplished a good deal to-day. The archduke will be satisfied with what I have done, and we may compel the minister after all to make peace with France. " CHAPTER II. MINISTER VON THUGUT. THE prime minister, Baron von Thugut, was in his cabinet, in eager consultation with the new police minister, Count von Saurau, who had given him an account of the safe removal of the imperial state treasure which, like the emperor and the empress, had set out for Hungary. " All right ! all right ! " said Thugut, with a sinister chuckle. "In Hungary both will be safe enough, for I think I have intimi- dated the Hungarians so much that they will remain very quiet and very humble. " " Your excellency refers to the conspiracy which we discovered 6 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. there two years ago, " said Count Saurau, smiling, " and which the accursed traitors expiated on the gallows ! " " De mortuis nil nisi bene ! " exclaimed Thugut. " We are under many obligations to these excellent traitors, for they have enabled us to render the Hungarians submissive, just as the traitors who conspired here at Vienna two years ago enabled us to do the same thing to the population of the capital. A conspiracy discovered by the authorities is always a good thing, because it furnishes us with an opportunity to make an example, to tell the nation through the bloody heads of the conspirators : ' Thus, thus, all will be treated who dare to plot against the government and against their masters ! ' The Viennese have grown very humble and obedient since the day they saw Hebenstreit, the commander of the garrison, on the scaf- fold, and Baron Riedel, the tutor of the imperial children, at the pillory. And the Hungarians, too, have learned to bow their heads ever since the five noble conspirators were beheaded on the Gene- ralwiese, in front of the citadel of Ofen. Believe me, count, that day has contributed more to the submissiveness of Hungary than all the favors and privileges which the Emperors of Austria have bestowed upon the Magyars. Nations are always frivolous and im- pudent children : he who tries to educate them tenderly is sure to spoil them ; but raise them in fear and trembling, and they will become quiet and obedient men. And for that reason, I tell you once more, don't call those men, now that they are dead, accursed traitors, for they have been very useful to us ; they have been the instrument with which we have chastised the whole overbearing people of Austria and Hungary, and those were blessed days for us when we mowed down the high-born traitors of both countries. The sword of our justice performed a noble work on that day, for it struck down a savant and a poet, a count and a distinguished pre- late. Oh, what a pity that there was no prince among them !" "Well, a prince might have been found likewise," said Count Saurau, "and perhaps he may get into our meshes on some other occasion. Your excellency is an adroit hunter. " "And you are an excellent pointer for me. You scent such things on the spot, " Count Thugut exclaimed, and broke out into a loud burst of laughter. Count Saurau laughed also, and took good care not to betray how cruelly the joke had wounded his aristocratic pride. The Austrian aristocracy was accustomed to such insults at^the hands of the powerful and proud prime minister, and everybody knew that Thugut, the son of a poor ship-builder, in the midst of his greatness, liked to recall his modest descent, and to humble the nobility through the agency of the ship- builder's son. MINISTER VON THUGUT. 7 "Your excellency will permit me to render myself at once worthy of the praise you have kindly bestowed upon me," said the police minister, after a short pause. "I believe we have discovered an- other conspiracy here. True, it is only an embryo as yet, but it may grow into something if we give it the necessary time." "What is it, Saurau? " said Thugut, joyfully "tell me at once what it is! A conspiracy a good, sound conspiracy? " "Yes, a most malignant and important conspiracy ! A conspir- acy against your excellency's life ! " "Bah! is that all?" said Thugut carelessly, and with evident disappointment. "I was in hopes that by this time you would hand over to me some high-born aristocrats who had held secret intercourse with that execrable French Republic. It would have been a splendid example for all those hare-brained fools who are so fond of repeating the three talismanic words of the republican regicides, and who are crazy with delight when talking of liberte, egalite, fraternite. I would have liked to chastise a few of these madmen, in order to put a stop to the prevailing republican enthu- siasm. But instead of that, you talk to me of a conspiracy only aimed at myself ! " " Only at yourself ! " repeated the count, with great indignation. "As if it were not the most dreadful calamity for Austria if she should be deprived of your services. You know that we are stand- ing on the verge of a precipice ; in the interior, the liberal and seditious desires which the senseless reforms of the Emperor Joseph have stirred up, are still prevalent, and the people only submit with reluctance and with spiteful feelings to the reforms which your excellency has inaugurated with a view to the best interests of Austria. Abroad, on the other hand, the blood-stained French Re- public incites the malecontents to imitate its own infamies ; they would like to see the victorious banners of General Bonaparte here in order to have his assistance in establishing a republican govern- ment in Austria." " It is true, " said Thugut, " the Austrian empire, at the present time, is exposed to great dangers from within and without ; the reins must be held very firmly in order to conduct the ship of state safely through the breakers, and I believe I am the man to do it. You see, count, I do not underrate my own importance. I know only too well that Austria needs me. Still, the plots and conspira- cies that are merely directed against myself, make me laugh. For let me tell you, my dear little count, I really fancy that my person has nothing to fear either from daggers, or from pistols, or from poisoned cups. Do you believe in a Providence, count? Ah! you look surprised, and wonder how such a question could fall from 8 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. infidel lips like mine. Yes, yes, I am an infidel, and I honestly confess that the heaven of Mohammed, where you are smoking your chibouk, seated on cushions of clouds, while houris, radiant with beauty, are tickling the soles of your feet with rosy fingers, appears to me by far more desirable than the Christian heaven where you are to stand in eternal idleness before the throne of God Al- mighty, singing hymns, and praising His greatness. Ah ! during the happy days of my sojourn at Constantinople, I have had a slight foretaste of the heaven of Mohammed ; and again, in the tedious days of Maria Theresa, I have had a foretaste of the heaven of Christianity !" "And which Providence did your excellency refer to?" asked Saurau. "I pray your excellency to tell me, because your faith is to be the model of mine. " "I believe in a Providence that never does any thing in vain, and never creates great men in order to let them be crushed, like flies, by miserable monkeys. That is the reason why I am not afraid of any conspiracy against myself. Providence has created me to be useful to Austria, and to be her bulwark against the surg- ing waves of the revolution, and against the victorious legions of General Bonaparte. I am an instrument of Providence, and there- fore it will protect me as long as it needs me. But if, some day, it should need me no longer, if it intended then that I should fall, all my precautions would be fruitless, and all your spies, my dear count, would be unable to stay the hand of the assassin. " " You want me to understand, then, that no steps whatever are to be taken against the criminals conspiring against your excel- lency's life?" " By no means, count indeed, that would be an exaggeration of fatalism. I rely greatly on your sagacity and on the vigilance of your servants, count. Let them watch the stupid populace see to it that faux fr&res always attend the meetings of my enemies, and whenever they inform you of conspiracies against myself, why, the malefactors shall be spirited away without any superfluous noise. Thank God, we have fortresses and state prisons, with walls too thick for shrieks or groans to penetrate, and that no one is able to break through. The public should learn as little as possible of the fate of these criminals. The public punishment of an assassin .vho failed to strike me, only instigates ten others to try if they cannot hit me better. But the noiseless disappearance of a culprit fills their cow- ardly souls with horror and dismay, and the ten men shrink back from the intended deed, merely because they do not know in what manner their eleventh accomplice has expiated his crime. The dis- appearance of prisoners, the oubliettes, are just what is needed. MINISTEE VON THUGUT. 9 You must quietly remove your enemies and adversaries it must seem as if some hidden abyss had ingulfed them ; everybody, then, will think this abyss might open one day before his own feet, and he grows cautious, uneasy, and timid. Solely by the wisdom of secret punishments, and through the terror inspired by its mysteri- ous tribunals, Venice has been able to prolong her existence for so many centuries. Because the spies of the Three were believed to be ubiquitous and because everybody was afraid of the two lions on the Piazzetta, the Venetians obeyed these invisible rulers whom they did not know, and whose avenging hand was constantly hang- ing over them. " " Now, however, it seems that a visible hand, a hand of iron, is going to strike away the invisible hands of the Three, " said Count Saurau, quickly. " Bonaparte seems to desire to force Venice, too, into the pale of his Italian republics. The city is full of French emissaries, who, by means of the most eloquent and insidious ap- peals, try to bring about a rising of the Venetians against their rulers, in order but hark !" said the count, suddenly interrupting himself. "What is that? Don't you hear the clamor in the street, right under our window?" He paused, and, like the minister, turned his eyes and ears toward the window. A confused noise, loud shouts and yells, re- sounded below. The two ministers, without uttering a word, arose from their arm-chairs and hurried to one of the windows, which looked upon the wide street extending from the Kohlmarkt to the minister's palace. A vast mass of heads, broad shoulders, and uplifted arms, was visible there, and the angry roar of the excited populace was approaching already the immediate neighborhood of the palace. "It seems, indeed, as if these honorable representatives of the people, intended to pay me a visit, " said Thugut, with great com- posure. "Just listen how the fellows are roaring my name, as if it were the refrain of some rollicking beer-song 1" "Why, it is a regular riot!" exclaimed the police minister, angrily. " Your excellency will permit me to withdraw " He left the window hastily, and took his hat, but Thugut's vig- orous hand kept him back. " Where are you going, count?" said he, smiling. " To the governor of Vienna, " said Saurau. " I want to ask him why he permits this nonsense, and order him to disperse the rabble in the most summary manner !" " Pray, stay here, " said Thugut, quietly. " The governor of Vi- enna is a man of great sagacity, who knows perfectly well how we have to treat the people. Why, it would be an unparalleled tyranny 10 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. if the poor people were not even allowed to give the prime minister their good advice, and tell him what they think of the state of affairs. Just give them this permission, and they will believe they have performed a most heroic deed, and it will seem to them as if they could boast of great liberty. True political wisdom, my dear little count, commands us to give the people a semblance of liberty ; we thereby succeed in dazzling their eyes so well that they do not perceive that they have no real liberty whatever. " The clamor and noise in the street below had increased in fury. The people, whose dense masses now entirely obstructed the street, impetuously moved up to the portal of the ministerial palace, the front door of which had been locked and barred already by the cau- tious porter. Vigorous fists hammered violently against the door, and as an accompaniment to this terrible music of their leaders, the people howled and yelled their furious refrain : " We want to see the minister ! He shall give us peace ! peace ! peace !" " Ah ! I know what it means !" exclaimed Count Saurau, gnash- ing his teeth. "Your enemies have instigated these scoundrels. The party that would like to overthrow you and me, that wants to make peace with France at any price, and to keep Belgium united with Austria this party has hired the villains below to get up a riot. They want to compel your excellency either to resign or to comply with the wishes of the people, and make peace with the French Republic." Thugut laughed. " Compel me ! " said he, laconically. At that moment the mob yelled louder than ever, and the shout "Peace ! we want peace !" shook the windows. Simultaneously the furious blows against the front door redou- bled in violence. "Assuredly, I cannot stand this any longer !" exclaimed the police minister, perfectly beside himself. " I ought not to listen quietly to this outrage. " "No," said Thugut, very quietly, "we won't listen to it any longer. This is my breakfast- hour, and I invite you to be my guest. Come, let us go to the dining-room. " He took the count's arm, and proceeded with him to the adjoin- ing room. Breakfast for eight persons was served in this room, for Baron Thugut was in the habit of keeping every day open table for seven uninvited guests, and his intimate acquaintances, as well as his special favorites, never failed to call on the minister at least once a week during his well-known breakfast and dinner hours. To-day, however, the minister's rapid and inquisitive glances did not discover a single guest. Nobody was in the room except the eight footmen who stood behind the chairs. Well aware of their THE INTERVIEW. 11 master's stern and indomitable spirit, they occupied their usual places, but their faces were very pale, and their eyes turned with an expression of extreme anxiety toward the windows which, just then, trembled again under the heavy, thundering blows levelled at the front door. "Cowards !" muttered Thugut, while walking to his chair at the upper end of the table and beckoning Count Saurau to take a seat at his side. At this moment, however, the door was hastily opened, and the steward, pale and with distorted features, rushed into the room. CHAPTER III. THE INTERVIEW. " EXCUSE me, your excellency, " said he, " but this time they are assuredly in earnest. The people are storming the front door the hinges are beginning to give way, and in fifteen minutes, at the latest, the scoundrels will have forced an entrance !" "You had no business to close the door," said the minister. "Who ordered you to do so? Who ordered you to barricade the house, as if it were a fortress as if we had a bad conscience and were afraid of the people?" The steward looked aghast, and did not know what to reply. "Go down-stairs at once, " continued the minister; "order the porter to open the door, and admit everybody. Show the people up-stairs ; and you rascals who are standing there with pale faces and trembling knees, open the two folding-doors so that they can get in without hurting each other. Now do what I have told you. " The steward bowed with a sigh expressive of the agony he felt, and hurriedly left the room. The footmen, meanwhile, hastened to open the folding-doors of the dining-room, as well as those of the antechamber. The two gentlemen at the table obtaining thereby a full view of the landing of the large staircase, directly in front of the open door of the first room. "And now, Germain," said Thugut to the footman behind his chair, "now let us have our breakfast. Be wise, my dear count, and follow my example ; take some of this sherbet. It cools the blood, and, at the same time, is quite invigorating. Drink, dear count, drink ! Ah ! just see, my cook has prepared for us to-day a genuine Turkish meal, for there is a turkey boiled with rice and paprica. The chief cook of the grand vizier himself furnished me 12 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. the receipt for this exquisite dish, and I may venture to assert that you might look for it everywhere in Vienna without finding it so well prepared as at my table. " Heavy footsteps and confused voices were now heard on the stair- case. " They are coming they really dare to enter here !" said Count Saurau, trembling with anger. "Pardon me, your excellency; I admire your heroic equanimity, but I am unable to imitate it. It is an utter impossibility for me to sit here calmly and passively, while a gang of criminals is bold enough to break into your house !" " I beg your pardon, count ; these people did not break into my house, but I voluntarily opened the door to admit them, " said Baron Thugut, coolly. " And as far as your official position is concerned, I pray you to forget it for half an hour, and remember only that I have the honor of seeing you a rare guest at my table. Let me beg you to take some of that fowl ; it is really delicious !" Count Saurau, heaving a loud sigh, took a piece of the fowl which Germain presented to him, and laid it on the silver plate that stood before him. But just as he was going to taste the first morsel, he hesitated, and looked steadily through the open doors. Several heads with shaggy hair and flashing eyes emerged above the railing of the staircase ; many others followed now the entire figures be- came visible, and in the next moment, from twenty to thirty wild- looking men reached the landing, behind whom, on the staircase, a dense mass of other heads rose to the surface. But the loud shouts, the fierce swearing and yelling, had ceased ; the awe with which the intruders were filled by the aristocratic appearance of every thing they beheld, had hushed their voices, and even the intrepid orator, who previously, on the KohlmarJct, had excited the people to commit acts of violence, and brought them to the minister's house even he stood now hesitating and undecided, at the door of the dining-room, casting glances full of savage hatred and rage into the interior. Thugut took apparently no notice whatever of what was going on ; his breakfast entirely absorbed him, and he devoted his whole attention to a large piece of the turkey, which he seemed to relish greatly. Count Saurau merely feigned to eat, and looked steadfastly at his plate, as he did not want the rioters to read in his eyes the furious wrath that filled his breast. The men of the people did not seem to feel quite at ease on be- holding this strange and unexpected scene, which all of a sudden commenced to cool their zeal and heroism, like a wet blanket. They had triumphantly penetrated into the palace, shouting vociferously, THE INTERVIEW. 13 and quite sure that the minister would appear before them trembling and begging for mercy ; and now, to their utter amazement, they beheld him sitting very calmly at the breakfast -table ! There was something greatly embarrassing for the poor men in this position. They suddenly grew quite sober, and even intimi- dated, and many of those who had ascended the staircase so boister- ously and triumphantly, now deemed it prudent to withdraw as quietly as possible. The number of the heads that had appeared above the balusters was constantly decreasing, and only about twenty of the most resolute and intrepid remained at the door of the ante- room. At length, the speaker who had addressed them on the Kohlmarkt, conscious of his pledges and of the reward promised to him, over- came his momentary bashfulness and stepped boldly into the ante- room, where the others, encouraged by his example, followed him at once. Baron Thugut now raised his eyes with an air of great indiffer- ence from his plate and glanced at the men who with noisy steps approached through the anteroom. Then turning to the footman behind him, he said, in a loud voice : "Germain, go and ask these gentlemen if they want to see me? Ask them likewise whom you will have the honor to announce to your master?" The men, overhearing these words, grew still more confused when the servant in his gorgeous livery stepped up to them, and, with a most condescending smile, informed them of the errand his master had given to him. But now it was out of the question to withdraw, as there was nothing left to them but to arm themselves with whatever pluck and boldness they had at their command in order to carry out the rule they had undertaken to play in the most becoming manner. "Yes," said the speaker of the Kohlmarkt, loudly and resolutely, "we want to see the minister; and as for our names, I am Mr. Wenzel, of the tailors' guild ; my neighbor here is Mr. Kahlbaum, also a tailor ; and others may mention their own names, so that this polite gentleman may answer them to his excellency." But none of the other men complied with this request ; on the contrary, all looked timidly aside, a misgiving dawning in their mmds that such a loud announcement of their names might not be altogether without danger for them. Germain did not wait for the final conclusion, but hastily returned to his master, in order to inform him of what he had heard. "Mr. Wenzel, of the tailors' guild, Mr. Tailor Kahlbaum, and the other gentlemen, whatever their names may be, are welcome, " 14 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. said the minister, aloud, but without interrupting his meal for a single moment. The men thereupon advanced to the door of the dining-room. But here a proud and imperious glance from the minister caused them suddenly to halt. " I believe you have breakfasted already ?" asked Thugut. "Yes, we have breakfasted already," replied Mr. Wenzel, in a surly voice. "Well, unluckily, I have not, and so I request you to let me finish my breakfast first," said Thugut, attacking once more the wing of the turkey on his plate. A long pause ensued. The men stood in the most painful embar- rassment at the door, where the minister's stern glance had arrested them, and a most unpleasant apprehension of what might be the result of this scene began to take hold of their minds. Flashing sword-blades and muskets aimed at their breasts would not have frightened them so much as the aspect of the calm, proud, and for- bidding figure of the minister, and the utter indifference, the feel- ing of perfect security with which he took his breakfast in full view of a seditious mob filled the rioters with serious apprehensions for the safety of their own persons. "I am sure a good many soldiers and policemen are hidden about the palace," thought Mr. Wenzel, "and that is the reason why he permitted us to enter, and why he is now so calm and unconcerned ; for as soon as we get into the dining-room, those fine-looking foot- men will lock the door behind, and the soldiers will rush out of that other door and arrest us. " These pleasant reflections were interrupted by another terrible glance from the minister, which caused poor Mr. Wenzel to tremble violently. "Now, gentlemen, if you please, come in; I have finished my breakfast, " said Thugut, with perfect coolness. " I am quite ready and anxious to hear what you wish to say to me. So, come in, come in !" The men who stood behind Mr. Wenzel moved forward, but the tall, herculean figure of the member of the tailors' guild resisted them and compelled them to stand still. "No, I beg your excellency's pardon," said Mr. Wenzel, fully determined not to cross the fatal threshold of the dining-room, " it would not become poor men like us to enter your excellency's din- ing-room. Our place is in the anteroom there we will wait until your excellency will condescend to listen to us. " This humble language, this tremulous voice, that did not tally at all with the air of a lion-hearted and outspoken popular leader, THE INTERVIEW. 15 which Mr. Wenzel had assumed in the street, struck terror and con- sternation into the souls of the men who had so rashly followed him into the palace. The minister rose ; his broad-shouldered figure loomed up proudly, a sarcastic smile played on his angular and well-marked features ; his shaggy white eyebrows convulsively contracted up to this mo- ment the only outward symptom of anger which Thugut, even under the most provoking circumstances, ever exhibited relaxed and became calm and serene again, as he. approached the men with slow and measured steps. "Well, tell me now what you have come for? What can I do for you?" asked Thugut, in the full consciousness of his power. "We want to implore your excellency to give us peace. The poor people ; "Peace with whom?" calmly asked the minister. " Peace with France, your excellency peace with General Bona- parte, who is said to be a magician, bewitching everybody, and capable of conquering all countries by a glance, by a motion of his hands, whenever he wishes to do so. If we do not make peace, he will conquer -Austria too, come to Vienna, and proclaim himself emperor ; whereupon he will dismiss our own wise and good minis- ters, and give us French mastei's. But we would like to keep our emperor and our excellent ministers, who take care of us so pater- nally. And that is the only reason why we have come here just to implore your excellency to have mercy with the poor people and make peace, so that the emperor may return to Vienna, and bring his state treasury back to the capital. Yes, men, that is all we wanted, is it not? We just wanted to pray your excellency to give us peace !" "Yes, your excellency," shouted the men, "have mercy with us, and give us peace !" "Well, for angels of peace, you have penetrated rather rudely into my house, " said the minister, sternly. " You got up a riot in order to obtain peace. " " It was merely our anxiety that made us so hasty and impetuous, " said Mr. Wenzel, deprecatingly. " We ask your excellency's pardon if we have frightened you. " 'Frightened me !" echoed Thugut, in a tone of unmeasured con- tempt. " As if you were the men to frighten me ! I knew that you would come, and I knew, too, who had bribed you to do it. Yes, yes, I know they have paid you well, Mr. Wenzel, to get up a riot they have given you shining ducats for leading a mob into my house. But will their ducats be able to get you out of it again?" 16 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. Mr. Wenzel turned very pale ; he uttered a shriek and staggered back a few paces. " Your excellency knew " he said. " Yes, I knew, " continued Thugut, sternly, " that men who have no regard for the honor and dignity of their country men who are stupid enough to believe that it would be better to submit volun- tarily. to the dominion of the French Republic, instead of resisting the demands of the regicides manfully and unyieldingly that these men have hired you to open your big mouth, and howl about things which you do not understand, and which do not concern you at all. " At this moment, shrieks of terror and loud supplications, min- gled with violent and threatening voices, and words of military command were heard outside. The men turned anxiously around, and beheld with dismay that the staircase, which only a few minutes ago was crowded with people, was now entirely deserted. Suddenly, however, two men appeared on the landing, who were little calculated to allay the apprehensions of the rioters, for they wore the uniform of that dreaded and inexorable police who, under Thugut 's administration, had inaugurated a perfect reign of terror in Vienna. The two officers approached the door of the anteroom, where they were met by Germain, the footman, who conversed with them in a whisper. Germain then hastened back to the door of the dining- room and walked in, scarcely deigning to cast a contemptuous glance on the dismayed rioters. "Well, what is it?" asked Thugut. " Your excellency, the chief of police sends word that his men are posted at all the doors of the palace, and will prevent anybody from getting out. He has cleared the streets, besides, and dispersed the rioters. The chief of police, who is in the hall below, where he is engaged in taking down the names of the criminals who are yet in the house, asks for your excellency's further orders." "Ah, he does not suspect that his own chief, the minister of police is present," said Thugut, turning with a smile to Count Saurau, who, being condemned to witness this scene in the capacity of an idle and passive spectator, had withdrawn into a bay-window, where he had quietly listened to the whole proceedings. " My dear count, will you permit the chief of police to come here and report to yourself ?" asked Thugut. " I pray you to give him this permission, " replied the count, ap- proaching his colleague. Germain hastened back to the policemen in the anteroom. " And what are we ?" asked Mr. Wenzel, timidly. THE INTERVIEW. 17 " You will wait !" thundered the minister. " Withdraw into yon- der corner ! may be the chief of police will not see you there. " They withdrew tremblingly into one of the corners of the ante- room, and did not even dare to whisper to each other, but the glances they exchanged betrayed the anguish of their hearts. The two ministers, meanwhile, had likewise gone into the ante- room, and, while waiting for the arrival of the chief of police, con- versed in a whisper. In the course of a few minutes, the broad-shouldered and erect figure of the chief of the Viennese police appeared in the official uniform so well known to the people of the capital, who, for good reasons, were in the utmost dread of the terrible functionary. When the rioters beheld him, they turned even paler than before ; now they thought that every thing was lost, and gave way to the most gloomy forebodings. Count Saurau beckoned the chief to enter ; the latter had a paper in his right hand. " Your report, " said the count, rather harshly. " How was it possi- ble that this riot could occur? Was nobody there to disperse the seditious scoundrels before they made the attack on his excellency's palace ?" The chief of police was silent, and only glanced anxiously at Baron Thugut. The latter smiled, and turned to the count : "I beg you, my dear count, don't be angry with our worth}* chief of police. I am satisfied he has done his whole duty. " " The whole house is surrounded, " hastily added the chief. " No- body can get out, and I have taken down the names of all the criminals. " " Except these here, " said Thugut, pointing at Mr. Wenzel and his unfortunate companions, who vainly tried to hide themselves in their corner. "But that is unnecessary, inasmuch as they have given us their names already, and informed us of their wishes. Then, sir, the whole honorable meeting of the people is caught in my house as in a mouse-trap?" " Yes, we have got them all, " said the chief. " Now, I would like to know of his excellency, the minister of police, what is to be done with them. " "I beg you, my dear count," said Thugut, turning to Count Saurau, " let me have my way in this matter, and treat these men in a spirit of hospitality. I have opened them the doors of my palace and admitted them into my presence, and it would be ungenerous not to let them depart again. Do not read the list of the names which the chief holds in his hand, but permit him to give it to me, and order him to withdraw his men from my house, and let the 18 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. prisoners retire without molestation, and with all the honors of war." "Your will shall be done, of course, your excellency," said the count, bowing respectfully. " Deliver your list to the prime minis- ter, and go down -stairs to carry out the wishes of his excellency. " The chief delivered the list of the captured rioters, and left the room, after saluting the two dignitaries in the most respectful manner. "And we ? may we go likewise, your excellency?" asked Mr. Wenzel, timidly. " Yes, you may go, " said Thugut. " But only on one condition. Mr. Wenzel, you must first recite to me the song which the honora- ble people were howling when you came here. " "Ah, your excellency, I only know a single verse by heart !" " Well, then, let us have that verse. Out with it ! I tell you, you will not leave this room until you have recited it. Never fear, however ; for whatever it may be, I pledge you my word that no harm shall befall you. " " Very well, " said Mr. Wenzel, desperately. " I believe the verse reads as follows : " ' Triumph I triumph 1 es siegt die gute Sache ! Die Tiirkenknechte flieh'n ! Laut tOnt der Donner der gerechten Sache, Nach Wien und nach Berlin. ' " * " Indeed, it is a very fine song, " said Thugut, " and can you tell me who has taught you this song? " " No, your excellency, I could not do it. Nobody knows it be- sides. It was printed on a small handbill, and circulated all over the city. A copy was thrown into every house, and the working- men, when setting out early one morning, found it in the streets. " " And did you not assist in circulating this excellent song, my dear Mr. Wenzel ?" "I? God and the Holy Virgin forbid ! " exclaimed Mr. Wenzel, in dismay. " I have merely sung it, like all the rest of us, and sung it to the tune which I heard from the others. " "Well, well, you did right, for the melody is really pleasing. Such songs generally have the peculiarity that not a single word of them is true ; people call that poetry. Now, you may go, my poeti- * "Triumph! triumph I the good cause conquers 1 The despots 1 minions fleel The thunders of the just cause Reach Vienna and Berlin !" This hymn was universally sung at that time (1797) in all the German States, not merely by the popular classes, but likewise in the exclusive circles of the aristocracy. It is found in a good many memoirs of that period. THE TWO MINISTERS. 19 cal Mr. Wenzel, and you others, whom the people sent with this pacific mission to me. Tell your constituents that I will this time comply mercifully with their wishes, and give them peace, that is, I will let them go, and not send them to the calaboose, as they have abundantly deserved. But if you try this game again, and get up another riot, and sing that fine song once more, you may rest assured that you. will be taken to jail and taught there a most unpleasant lesson. Begone now 1" He turned his back on the trembling citizens, and took no notice of the respectful bows with which they took leave of him, where- upon they retired with soft but hasty steps, like mice escaping from the presence of the dreaded lion. " And now, my dear count, as we have finished our breakfast, let us return to my cabinet, for I believe we have to settle some addi- tional matters. " CHAPTER IV. THE TWO MINISTERS. BARON THUGUT took the count's arm and led him back to his cabinet. " I read a question in your eyes, " he said, smiling ; " may I know what it is?" " Why, yes, your excellency, " replied Count Saurau. "Bet me ask you, then, what all this means? Why did you ex- cuse the chief of police, who evidently had not done his duty and been guilty of a lack of vigilance? And why did you let these ras- cals go, instead of having them whipped to death?" "You were away from Vienna, count? You were absent from the capital because you accompanied their majesties on their trip to Presburg, and have returned only an hour ago. Am I right?" " Perfectly right, your excellency. " " Then you could not be aware of what has happened meanwhile here in Vienna, and the chief of police could not have informed you of the particulars. Well, then, he came to me and told me that an in- surrection had been planned against the two emperors (I believe you know that the people does us the honor of calling us the two emperors of Vienna) , and that the faction hostile to us was going to make an attempt to overthrow us. A great deal of money had been distributed among the populace. Prince Carl von Schwarzenburg himself had dropped some indiscreet remarks. In short, the faction which hates me because I do not deem seditious Belgium a priceless jewel of the crown of Austria, and do not advise the emperor to keep MUHLBACH B VOL. 7 20 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. that remote province at any price the faction which detests both of us because we do not join its enthusiastic hymns in honor of the French Republic and the republican General Bonaparte this fac- tion has hired the miserable rabble to represent the people, to break my windows, and frighten me sufficiently to make me ready and willing to adopt its insane policy. The chief of police came to see me yesterday. He gave me an account of the whole affair, and de- clared himself fully prepared to protect my palace, and to nip the riot in the bud. I begged him not to do any thing of the kind, but to look on passively and attentively, and only come to my palace after the mob had entered it. I was very anxious for once to find out something definite about the strength, courage, and importance of the opposing faction: It is always desirable to know one's ad- versaries, and to learn as accurately as possible what they are capa- ble of. Besides, it was a splendid opportunity for the police to discover the sneaking demagogues and ringleaders of the mob, and to take down their names for the purpose of punishing them by and by, as we Europeans unfortunately cannot imitate the example of that blessed Queen of Egypt, who took a thousand conspirators by the tails, and, holding them in her left hand, cut off their thousand seditious heads with one stroke of the sword in her right hand. Unfortunately, we have to act by far more cautiously. " " But why did you dismiss all the rioters this time without giving them into custody?" asked the count, moodily. " Why, we have them all by the tails, anyhow, " laughed Thugut, "for have not we got the list of the names here? Ah, my dear little count, perhaps you thought I would have gone in my generosity so far as to tear this list, throw the pieces away, and avert my head, like the pious bishop who found a murderer under his bed, permitted him to escape, and averted his head in order not to see the fugitive's face and may be recognize him on some future occasion? I like to know the faces of my enemies, and to find out their names, and, depend upon it, I shall never, never forget the names I read on this list." " But for the time being, these scoundrels, having escaped with impunity, will go home in triumph, and repeat the same game as soon as another occasion offers. " " Ah, I see you do not know the people at all ! Believe me, we could not have frightened them worse than by letting them go. They are perfectly conscious of their guilt. The very idea of not having received any punishment at our hands fills them with misgivings, and they tremble every moment in the expectation that they will have to suffer yet for their crime. Remorse and fear are tormenting them, and they are the best instruments to rule a people with. My THE TWO MINISTERS. 21 God, what should be done with a nation consisting of none but pure and virtuous men? It would be perfectly unassailable, while its vices and foibles are the very things by which we control it. There- fore, do not blame the people on account of its vices. I love it for the sake of them, for it is through them that I succeed in subjecting it to my will. The idea of acting upon men by appealing to their virtues, is simply preposterous. You must rely on their faults and crimes, and, owing to the latter, all these fellows whom we dis- missed to-day without punishment have become our property. The discharged and unpunished criminal is a sbirro the police has only to hand him a dagger, and tell him, 'Strike there 1' and he will strike. " " Your excellency believes, then, that even the ringleaders should not be punished ?" " By no means. Of course some of them should be chastised, in order to increase the terror of the others. But for God's sake, no public trials no public penalties ! Wenzel should be secretly arrested and disposed of. Let him disappear he and the other ringleaders who were bold enough to come up here. Let us immure them in some strong, thick-walled prison, and while the other rioters are vainly tormenting their heavy skulls by trying to guess what has become of their leaders, we shall render the latter so pliable and tame by all kinds of tortures and threats of capital punishment, that when we finally set them free again, they will actually believe they are in our debt, and in their gratitude become willing tools in our hands to be used as we may deem best. " " By the eternal, you are a great statesman, a sagacious ruler 1" exclaimed Count Saurau, with the gushing enthusiasm of sincere admiration. "Men grow wise by listening to you, and happy and powerful by obeying you ! I am entirely devoted to you full of affection and veneration and do not want to be any thing but your attentive and grateful pupil. " "Be my friend," said Thugut. "Let us pursue our career hand in hand let us always keep our common goal in view, and shrink back from no step in order to reach it." " Tell me what I am to do. I shall follow you as readily as the blind man follows his guide." "Well, if you desire it, my friend, we will consider a little how we have to steer the ship of state during the next months in order to get her safely through the breakers that are threatening her on all sides. During the few days of your absence from the capital, various events have occurred, materially altering the general state of affairs. When you departed, I advised the emperor not to make peace with France under any circumstances. We counted at that 22 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. time on the regiments of grenadiers whom we had sent to the seat of war, and who, under the command of Archduke Charles, were to defend the defiles of Neumarkt against the advancing columns of the French army. We knew, besides, that the French troops were worn out, exhausted, and anxious for peace, or that General Bona- parte would not have addressed that letter to the Archduke Charles, in which he requested the latter to induce the Emperor of Austria to conclude peace with France. In accordance with our advice, the archduke had to give Bonaparte an evasive answer, informing him that, in case of further negotiations, he would have to send to Vienna for fresh instructions. " " But, your excellency, you were firmly determined not to make peace with France !" " So I was, and even now I have not changed my mind ; but we are frequently compelled to disguise our real intentions, and events have occurred, which, for the present, render peace desirable. You need not be frightened, my dear count I merely say, for the present. In my heart I shall never make peace with France, and my pur- pose remains as fixed as ever to revenge Austria one day for the humiliations we have suffered at her hands. Never forget that, my friend ; and now listen to me. Late dispatches have arrived. Mas- sena, after a bloody struggle with our troops, has taken Friesach, . and advanced on the next day to attack the fresh regiments of our grenadiers in the gorges of Neumarkt. Archduke Charles had placed himself at the head of these regiments, firing the courage of the soldiers by his own heroic example. But he was confronted by the united French forces from Italy and Germany, and in the even- ing of that disastrous day the archduke and his grenadiers were compelled to evacuate Neumarkt, which was occupied by the victo- rious French. The archduke now asked the French general for a cessation of hostilities during twenty-four hours in order to gain time, for he was in hopes that this respite would enable him to bring up the corps of General von Kerpen, and then, with his united forces, drive the enemy back again. But this little General Bona- parte seems to possess a great deal of sagacity, for he rejected the request, and sent a detached column against Von Kerpen's corps, which separated the latter still farther from our main army. Bona- parte himself advanced with his forces as far as Fudenberg and Leoben. In order to,save Vienna, there was but one course left to the archduke : he had to make proposals of peace." "Did he really do so?" asked Count Saurau, breathlessly. "He did. He sent two of our friends Count Meerveldt, and the Marquis de Gallo to Bonaparte's headquarters at Leoben, for the purpose of opening negotiations with him. " THE TWO MINISTERS. 23 "Did your excellency authorize the archduke to do so?" asked the count. " No, I did not, and I might disavow it now if it suited me, but it does not it would not promote our interests and I know but one policy, the policy of interest. We should always adopt those measures which afford us a reasonable prospect of gain, and discard those which may involve us in loss. Power alone is infallible, ete^ nal, and divine, and powei has now decided in favor of France. Wherefore we must yield, and don the garb of peace until we secure once more sufficient power to renew hostilities. We must make peace ! Our aim, however, should be to render this peace as advan- tageous to Austria as possible " "You mean at the expense of France?" " Bah ! at the expense of Germany, my dear little count. Ger- many is to compensate us for the losses which peace may inflict. If we lose any territory in Italy, why, we shall make it up in Germany, that is all. " " But in that case, there will be another terrible hue and cry about the infringement of the rights of the holy German empire, " said Count Saurau, smiling ; " Prussia will have a new opportunity of playing the defender of the German fatherland. " " My dear count, never mind the bombastic nonsense in which Prussia is going to indulge we shall take good care that nothing comes of it. Prussia has no longer a Frederick the Great at her head, but the fat Frederick William the Second : "But his life," said the count, interrupting him, "I know for certain, will last but a few days, at best for a few weeks ; for his disease, dropsy of the chest, you know, does not even respect kings. " " And when Prussia has lost her present fat king, she will have another, Frederick William a young man twenty-seven years of age, voild tout! He is just as old as General Bonaparte, and was born in the same year as this general whose glory already fills the whole world ; but of the young heir of the Prussian throne the world has heard nothing as yet, except that he has a most beautiful wife. He is not dangerous, therefore, and I hope and believe that Austria never will lack the power to humiliate and check this Prussian king- dom this revolutionary element in the heart of the German empire. The danger, however, that threatens us now, does not come from Prussia, but from France, and especially from this General Bona- parte, who, by his glory and his wonderful battles, excites the wildest enthusiasm for the% cause of the revolution, and delights the stupid masses so much that they hail him as a new messiah of liberty. Liberty, detestable word 1 that, like the fatal bite of the tarantula, 24 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. renders men furious, and causes them to rave about in frantic dances until death strikes them down. " " This word is the talismanic charm with which Bonaparte has conquered all Italy, and transformed the Italians into insurgents and rebels against their legitimate sovereigns, " said Count Saurau, mournfully. "All Italy? Not yet, my friend. A portion of it still stands firm. The lion of St. Mark has not yet fallen. " " But he will fall. His feet are tottering already. " "Well, then, we must try to make him fall in a manner which will entitle us to a portion of the spoils. And now, my dear little count, we have reached the point which claims our immediate attention. The preliminaries of the peace have been concluded at Leoben, and until peace itself is established, we should pursue such a policy that the peace, instead of involving Austria in serious losses, will give her a chance to increase her strength and enlarge her territory. We must keep our eyes on Bavaria for Bavaria will and must be ours as soon as a favorable opportunity offers. If France should object and refuse to let us seize our prey, why, we will be sure to revive the old quarrel about Belgium, which will render her willing and tame enough. " " But what shall we do if Prussia should support the objections of France? Shall we satisfy her, too, by giving her a piece of Germany ?" " On the contrary, we shall try to take as much as possible from her ; we shall try to humiliate and isolate her, in order to deprive her of the power of injuring us. We shall endeavor so to arrange the peace we are going to conclude with France as to benefit Aus- tria, and injure Prussia as much as we can. In the north, we shall increase our territory by the acquisition of Bavaria ; in the south, by the annexation of Venice. " " By the annexation of Venice I" ejaculated Count Saurau, greatly astonished at what he had heard. " But did you not just tell me that Venice still stood firm?" "We must bring about her fall, my dear count ; that is our great task just now ; for, I repeat, Venice is to compensate us on our southern frontier for our losses elsewhere. Of course, we ought to receive some substantial equivalent for ceding Belgium to France, and if it cannot be Bavaria, then let it be Venice. " " Nevertheless, I do not comprehend " "My dear count, if my schemes were so easily fathomed, they could not be very profound. Everybody may guess the game I am playing now ; but the cards I have got in my hand must remain a secret until I have played them out, or I would run the risk of losing THE TWO MINISTERS. 25 every thing. But this time I will let you peep into my cards, and you shall help me win the game. Venice is the stake we are play- ing for, my dear count, and we want to annex her to Austria. How is that to be brought about ?" "I confess, your excellency, that my limited understanding is unable to answer that question, and that I cannot conceive how a sovereign and independent state is to become an Austrian province in the absence of any claims to its territory, except by an act of open violence." " Not exactly, my dear count. Suppose we set a mouse- trap for Venice, and catch her, like a mouse, in it ? Listen to me ! We must encourage Venice to determine upon open resistance against the victor of Lodi, and make war upon France." " Ah, your excellency, I am afraid the timid signoria will not be bold enough for that, after hearing of our late defeats, and of the new victories of the French. " " Precisely. It is of the highest importance, therefore, that the signoria should hear nothing of it, but believe exactly the reverse, viz. , that our troops are victorious ; and this task, my friend, de- volves upon you. Pray dispatch, at once, some reliable agents to Venice, and to other parts of the Venetian territory. Inform the signoria that the French have been defeated in the Tyrol and in Styria, and was now in the most precarious position. Through some other confidential messenger send word to Count Adam Neip- perg, who, with some of our regiments occupies the southern Tyrol in close proximity to the Venetian frontier, that Venetia is ready to rise and needs his assistance, and order him to advance as far as Verona. The Venetians will look upon this advance as a confirma- tion of the news of our victories. The wise little mice will only smell the bait, and, in their joy, not see the trap we have set for them. They will rush into it, and we shall catch them. For a rising in Venice will be called nowadays a rebellion against France, and France will hasten to punish so terrible a crime. The Venetian Republic will be destroyed by the French Republic, and then we shall ask France to cede us Venice as a compensation for the loss of Belgium." " By the Eternal ! it is a splendid a grand scheme !" exclaimed Count Saurau " a scheme worthy of being planned by some great statesman. In this manner we shall conquer a new province with- out firing a gun, or spilling a drop of blood. " "No. Some blood will be shed," said Thugut, quietly. "But it will not be Austrian blood it will be the blood of the Venetian in- surgents whom we instigate to rise in arms. This bloodshed will glue them firmly to us, for no cement is more tenacious than blood. 26 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. And now, my dear count, as you know and approve of my plans, I pray you to carry them out as rapidly as possible. Dispatch your agents without delay to Venice and to the Tyrol. We have no time to lose, for the preliminaries of Leoben only extend to the eighteenth of April, and until then Venice must have become a ripe fruit, which, in the absence of hands to pluck it, will spontaneously fall to the ground. " " In the course of an hour, your excellency, I shall have executed your orders, and my most skilful spies and agents will be on their road." "Whom are you going to send to the Venetian signoria? " " The best confidential agent I have Anthony Schulmeister. " " Oh, I know him ; he has often served me, and is very adroit, indeed. But do not forget to pay him well in order to be sure of his fidelity, for fortunately he has a failing which renders it easy for us to control him. He is exceedingly covetous, and has a pretty wife who spends a great deal of money. Pay him well, therefore, and he will do us good service. And now, farewell, my dear count. I believe we understand each other perfectly, and know what we have to do. " " I have found out once more that the Austrian ship of state is in the hands of a man who knows how to steer and guide her, as no other ruler does, " said "Count Saurau, who rose and took his hat. "I have inherited this talent, perhaps, my dear count. My father, the ship-builder, taught me all about the management of ships. Addio, caro amico mio." They cordially shook hands, and Count Saurau, with a face radi- ant with admiration and affection, withdrew from the cabinet of the prime minister. A smile still played on his features when the footman in the anteroom assisted him in putting on his cloak, whereupon he rapidly descended the magnificent marble staircase which an hour ago had been desecrated by the broad and clumsy feet of the populace. But when the door of his carriage had closed behind him, and no prying eyes, no listening ears were watching him any longer, his smile disappeared as if by magic, and savage imprecations burst from his lips. "Intolerable arrogance 1 Revolting insolence !" said he, angrily. "He thinks he can play the despot, and treat all of us even myself worse than slaves. He dares to call me 'his little count!' His little count ! Ah, I shall prove to this ship-builder's son one day that little Count Saurau is, after all, a greater man than our overbearing and conceited prime minister. But patience, patience ! My day will come. And on that day I shall iiurl little Thugut from his eminent position 1" THE HOUSE IN THE GUMPENDORFER SUBURB. 27 CHAPTER V. THE HOUSE IN THE GUMPENDORFER SUBURB. VIENNA was really terribly frightened by the near approach of the French army, and the conviction of their dangerous position had excited the people so fearfully that the Viennese, generally noted for their peaceful and submissive disposition, had committed an open riot for the sole purpose, however, of compelling the all- powerful prime minister to make peace with France. Archduke Charles had been defeated the emperor had fled to Hungary. None of all these disastrous tidings had disturbed the inmates of a small house on the outskirts of the Gumpendorfer suburb, in close proximity to the Mariahilf line. This little house was a perfect image of peace and tranquillity. It stood in the centre of a small garden which showed the first tender blossoms of returning spring on its neatly arranged beds. Dense shrubbery covered the white walls of the house with evergreen verdure. Curtains as white and dazzling as fresh snow, and, between them, flower-pots filled with luxuriant plants, might be seen behind the glittering window-panes. Although there was nothing very peculiar about the house, which had but two stories, yet nobody passed by without looking up to the windows with a reverential and inquisitive air, and he who only thought he could discover behind the panes the fugitive shadow of a human being, made at once a deep and respectful bow, and a proud and happy smile overspread his features. And still, we repeat, there was nothing very peculiar about the house. Its outside was plain and modest, and the inside was equally so. The most profound silence prevailed in the small hall, the floor of which had been sprinkled with fresh white sand. A large spotted cat a truly beautiful animal lay not far from the front door on a soft, white cushion, and played gracefully and gently with the ball of white yarn that had just fallen from the woman sitting at the window while she was eagerly engaged in knitting. This woman, in her plain and unassuming dress, seemed to be a servant of the house, but at all events a servant in whom entire confidence was reposed, as was indicated by the large bunch of keys, such as the lady of the house or a trusted housekeeper will carry, which hung at her side. An expression of serene calmness rendered her vener- able features quite attractive, and a graceful smile played on her thin and bloodless lips as she now dropped her knitting upon her lap, and, with her body bent forward, commenced watching the merry play of the cat on the cushion. Suddenly the silence was 28 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. interrupted by a loud and shrill scream, and a very strange-sound- ing voice uttered a few incoherent words in English. At the same time a door was opened hastily, and another woman appeared just as old, just as kind-looking, and with as mild and serene features as the one we have just described. Her more refined appearance, however, her handsome dress, her beautiful cap, her well-powdered toupet, and the massive gold chain encircling her neck, indicated that she was no servant, but the lady of the house. However, peculiarly pleasant relations seemed to prevail between the mistress and the servant, for the appearance of the lady did not cause the latter to interrupt her merry play with the cat ; and the mistress, on her part, evidently did not consider it strange or disre- spectful, but quietly approached her servant. "Catharine," she said, "just listen how that abominable bird, Paper!, screams again to-day. I am sure the noise will disturb the doctor, who is at work already. " " Yes, Paperl is an intolerable nuisance, " sighed Catharine. " I cannot comprehend why the Kapellmeister I was going to say the doctor likes the bird so well, and why he has brought it along from England. Yes, if Paperl could sing, in that case it would not be strange if the Ka , I mean the doctor, had grown fond of the bird. But no, Paperl merely jabbers a few broken words which no good Christian is able to understand. " "He who speaks English can understand it well enough, Catha- rine, " said the lady, " for the bird talks English, and in that respect Paperl knows more than either of us. " " But Paperl cannot talk German, and I think that our language, especially our dear Viennese dialect, sounds by far better than that horrid English. I don't know why the doctor likes the abominable noise, and why he suffers the bird to disturb his quiet by these out- rageous screams. " "I know it well enough, Catharine," said the doctor's wife, with a gentle smile. " The parrot reminds my husband of his voy- age to England, and of all the glory and honor that were showered upon him there." " Well, as far as that is concerned, I should think it was entirely unnecessary for my master to make a trip to England, " exclaimed Catharine. "He has not returned a more famous man than he was already when he went away. The English were unable to add to his glory, for he was already the most celebrated man in the whole world when he went there, and if that had not been the case, they would not have invited him to come and perform his beautiful music before them, for then they would not have known that he is such a splendid musician. " I THE HOUSE IN THE GUMPENDORFER SUBURB. 29 " But they were delighted to see him, Catharine, and I tell you they have perfectly overwhelmed him with honors. Every day they gave him festivals, and even the king and queen urged him frequently to take up his abode in England. The queen promised him splendid apartments in Windsor Castle, and a large salary, and in return my husband was to do nothing but to perform every day for an hour or so before her majesty, or sing with her. Neverthe- less, he had the courage to refuse the brilliant offers of the king and queen, and do you know, Catharine, why he rejected them ?" Catharine knew it well enough ; she had frequently heard the story from her mistress during the two years since the doctor had returned from" England, but she was aware that the lady liked to repeat it, and she liked it very much, too, to hear people talk about her beloved master's fame and glory, having faithfully served him already for more than twenty years. Hence she said, with a kind- hearted smile : "No, indeed, I don't know it, and I cannot comprehend why the doctor said no to the king and queen of England. " "He did so for my sake, Catharine ! " said the lady, and an ex- pression of joyful pride shed a lustre of beauty and tenderness over her kind old face. " Yes, I tell you, it was solely for my sake that my husband came home again. 'Remain with us !' said the king to him. 'You shall have every thing the queen has offered you. You shall live at Windsor, and sing once a day with the queen. Of you, my dear doctor, I shall not be jealous, for you are an excel- lent and honest German gentleman. ' And when the king had told him that, my husband bowed respectfully, and replied : 'Your maj- esty, it is my highest pride to maintain this reputation. But just because I am an honest German, I must tell you that I cannot stay here I cannot leave my country and my wife forever !' "'Oh, as far as that is concerned, ' exclaimed the king, 'we shall send for your wife. She shall live with you at Windsor. ' But my husband laughed and said : ' She will never come, your majesty. She would not cross the Danube in a skiff, much less make a trip beyond the sea. And, therefore, there is nothing left to me but to return myself to my little wife. ' And he did so, and left the king, and the queen, and all the noble lords and ladies, and came back to Vienna, and to his little wife. Say, Catharine, was not that well done of him?" " Of course it was, " said Catharine ; " the fact was, our good doctor loved his wife better than the queen, and all the high born people who treated him so well in England. And, besides, he knew that people hereabouts treat him with as much deference as over there, and that if he only desired it, he could hold daily intercourse 30 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. with the emperor, the princes, and the highest dignitaries in the country. But he does not care for it. The fact is, our master is by far too modest ; he is always so quiet and unassuming, that nobody, unless they knew him, would believe for a single moment that he is so far-famed a man ; and then he dresses so plainly, while he might deck himself with all the diamond rings and breast-pins, the splen- did watches and chains, which the various sovereigns have given to him. But all these fine things he keeps shut up in his desk, and constantly wears the same old silver watch which he has had already God knows how long ! " "Why, Catharine, that was the wedding present I gave him," said the good wife, proudly ; "and just for that reason my husband wears it all the time, although he has watches by far more beautiful and valuable. At the time I gave him that watch, both of us were very poor. He was a young music-teacher, and I was a hair- dresser's daughter. He lived in a small room in my father's house, and as he often could not pay the rent, he gave me every day a lesson on the piano. But in those lessons, I did not only learn music I learned to love him, too. He asked me to become his wife, and on our wedding-day, I gave him the silver watch, and that is just the reason why he wears it all the time, although he has by far better ones. His wife's present is more precious to him than what kings and emperors have given to him." " But he might wear at least a nice gold chain to it, " said Catha- rine. "Why, I am sure he has no less than a dozen of them. But he never wears one of them, not even the other day when the Prin- cess Esterhazy called for him with her carriage to drive with him to the emperor. The doctor wore on that occasion only a plain blue ribbon, on which his own name was embroidered in silver. " " Well, there is a story to that ribbon, " said the mistress, thought- fully. "My husband brought it likewise from London, and he got it there on one of his proudest days. I did not know the story my- self, for you are aware my husband is always so modest, and never talks about his great triumphs in London, and I would not have learned any thing about the ribbon if he had not worn it the other day when he accompanied the princess to the emperor. Ah, Catha- rine, it is a very beautiful and touching story ! " Catharine did not know this story at all ; hence she asked her mistress with more than usual animation to tell her all about the ribbon. The doctor's wife assented readily. She sat down on a chair at Catharine's side, and looked with a pleasant smile at the cat who had come up to her, and, purring comfortably, lay down on the hem of her dress. THE HOUSE IN THE GUMPENDORFER SUBURB. 31 " Yes, " said she, " the story of that ribbon is quite touching, and I do not know really, Catharine, but I will have to shed a few tears while telling it. It was in London, when my husband had just returned from Oxford, where the university had conferred upon him the title of Doctor of" "Yes, yes, I know," grumbled Catharine, "that is the reason why we now have to call him doctor, which does not sound near as imposing and distinguished as our master's former title of Kapell- meister. " " But then it is a very high honor to obtain the title of doctor of music in England, Catharine. The great composer Handel lived thirty years in England without receiving it, and my husband had not been there but a few months when they conferred the title upon him. Well, then, on the day after his return from Oxford, he was invited to the house of a gentleman of high rank and great wealth, who gave him a brilliant party. A large number of ladies and gen- tlemen were present, and when my husband appeared among them they rose and bowed as respectfully as though he were a king. When the doctor had returned the compliment, he perceived that every lady in the room wore in her hair a ribbon of blue silk, on which his name had been embroidered in silver. His host wore the same name in silver beads on his coat-facings, so that he looked precisely as if he were my husband's servant, and dressed in his livery. Oh, it was a splendid festival which Mr. Shaw that was the gentleman's name gave him on that day. At length Mr. Shaw asked the doctor to give him a souvenir, whereupon he presented him with a snuff-box he had purchased in the course of the day for a few shillings ; and when my husband requested the lady of the house, whom he pronounces the most beautiful woman on earth, to give him likewise a souvenir ; Mrs. Shaw thereupon took the ribbon from her head and handed it to him ; and my husband pressed it to his lips, and assured her he would always wear that ribbon on the most solemn occasions. You see, Catharine, he keeps his promise religiously, for he wore the ribbon the other day when he was called to the imperial palace. But my story is not finished yet. Your master called a few days after that party on Mr. Shaw, when the latter showed him the snuff-box he had received from my husband. It was enclosed in a handsome silver case, a beautiful lyre was engraved on the lid, with an inscription stating that my great and illustrious husband had given him the box.* How do you like my story, Catharine? " "Oh, it is beautiful, " said the old servant, thoughtfully; "only, what you said about that beautiful Mrs. Shaw did not exactly please * The inscription was: "Ex dono celeberrimi Josephi Haydn." 32 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. me. I am sure the doctor got the parrot also from her, and for that reason likes the bird so well, although it screeches so horribly, and doubtless disturbs him often in his studies. " "Yes, he got the bird from Mrs. Shaw," replied her mistress, with a smile. " She taught Paperl to whistle three airs from my husband's finest quartets, singing and whistling the music to the bird every day during three or four weeks for several hours, until Paperl could imitate them ; and when my husband took leave of her, she gave him the parrot. " " But the bird never whistles the tunes any more. I have only heard Paperl do it once, and that was on the day after the doctor 1 ' s return from England. " " I know the reason why. The bird hears here every day so much music, and so many new melodies which the doctor plays on his piano, that its head has grown quite confused, and poor Paperl has forgotten its tunes. " "It has not forgotten its English words, though," murmured Catharine. " What may be the meaning of these words which the bird is screaming all the time?" "That beautiful Mrs. Shaw taught Paperl to pronounce them, Catharine. I do not know their precise meaning, but they com- mence as follows : 'Forget me not, forget me not ' Good Heaven ! the bird has commenced screaming again. I am sure it has not had any sugar to-day. Where is Conrad ? He ought to attend to the bird. " "He has gone down town. The doctor has given him several errands. " " Good Heaven ! the screams are almost intolerable. Go, Catha- rine, and give poor Paperl a piece of sugar. " " I dare not, madame ; it always snaps at me with its abominable beak, and if the chain did not prevent it from attacking me, it would scratch out my eyes. " "I am afraid of it, too," said the lady, anxiously ; "nevertheless we cannot permit the bird to go on in this manner. Just listen to it it is yelling as though it were going to be roasted. It will disturb my husband, and you know the doctor is composing a new piece. Come, Catharjjie, we must quiet the bird. I will give him the sugar. " "And I shall take my knitting-needles along, and if it should try to bite, I will hit it on the beak. Let us go now, madame. " And the two women walked boldly across the anteroom, toward the door of the small parlor, in order to commence the campaign against the parrot. The cat followed them gravely and solemnly, and with an air as though it had taken the liveliest interest in the conversation, and thought it might greatly assist them in pacifying the screaming bird. JOSEPH HAYDN. 33 CHAPTER VI. JOSEPH HAYDN. WHILE the parrot's screams had rendered the mistress and her maid so uneasy, the most profound stillness and quiet reigned in the upper rooms of the little house. Not a sound interrupted the silence of this small, elegantly -furnished sitting-room. Even the sun ap- parently dared only to send a few stealthy beams through the win- dows, and the wind seemed to hold its breath in order not to shake the panes of the small chamber adjoining, venerated by all the inmates of the house as a sacred temple of art. In this small chamber, in this temple of art, a gentleman, appar- ently engaged in reading, was seated at a table covered with papers and music-books, close to an open piano. He was no longer young ; on the contrary, beholding only the thin white hair hanging down on his expansive and wrinkled forehead, and his stooping form, it became evident that he was an old man, nearly seventy years of age. But as soon as he raised his eyes from the paper, as soon as he turned them toward heaven with an air of blissful enthusiasm, the fire of eternal youth and radiant joyousness burst forth from those eyes ; and whatever the white hair, the wrinkled forehead, the furrowed cheeks and the stooping form might tell of the long years of his life, those eyes were full of youthful ardor and strength only the body of this white-haired man was old; in his soul he had remained young a youth of fervid imagination, procreative power, and nervous activity. This venerable man with the soul, the heart, and the eyes of a youth, was Joseph Haydn, the great composer, whose glory, even at that time, filled the whole world, although he had not yet written his greatest masterpieces the " Creation" and the " Seasons. " He was working to-day at the "Creation."* The poem, which had been sent to him from England, and which his worthy friend Von Swieten had translated into German, lay before him. He had read it again and again, and gradually it seemed as if the words were transformed into music ; gradually he heard whispering low at first, then louder, and more sublime and majestic the jubilant choirs of heaven and earth, that were to resound in his " Creation. " As yet he had not written a single note ; he had only read the poem, and composed in reading, and inwardly weighed and tried the sublime melodies which, when reduced to time and measure, and combined into an harmonious whole, were to form the new im- * Hadyn commenced the "Creation " in 1797, and finished it in April, 1798. 84 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. mortal work of his genius. While thus reading and composing, the aged musician was transformed more and more into a youth, and the glowing enthusiasm which burst forth from his eyes became every moment more radiant, surrounding his massive forehead with a halo of inspiration, and shedding the purple lustre of ecstatic joy upon his furrowed cheeks. " Yes, yes, it will do. I shall succeed !" he exclaimed suddenly, in a loud and full voice. " God will give me the strength to com- plete this work ; but it must be commenced with Him strength and inspiration come from Him alone !" And Joseph Haydn, perhaps not quite conscious of what he was doing, knelt down and with folded hands, and beaming eyes lifted up to heaven, he prayed : " O, Lord God, give me Thy blessing and Thy strength, that I may gloriously and successfully carry out this work, which praiseth Thee and Thy creation. Breathe Thy Holy Spirit into the words which Thou speakest in my work. Speak through me to Thy creatures, and let my music be Thy language !" He paused, but remaining on his knees, continued to look up to heaven. Then he rose slowly, and like a seer or a somnambulist, with eyes opened but seeing nothing, he went to his piano without knowing what he was doing. He sat down on the stool, and did not know it ; his hands touched the keys and drew magnificent chords from them, and he did not hear them. He only heard the thousands of seraphic voices which in his breast chanted sublime anthems ; he only heard the praise of his own winged soul which, in divine ecstasy, soared far into the realm of eternal harmonies. Louder and louder rolled the music he drew from the keys ; now it burst forth into a tremendous jubilee, then again it died away in melancholy complaints and gentle whispers, and again it broke out into a swelling, thundering anthem. At length Haydn concluded with a sonorous and brilliant passage, and then with youthful agility jumped up from his seat. " That was the prelude, " he said, aloud, " and now we will go to work. " He hastily threw the white and comfortable dressing-gown from his shoulders and rapidly walked toward the looking-glass which hung over the bureau. Every thing was ready for his toilet, the footman having carefully arranged the whole. He put the cravat with lace trimmings around his neck and arranged the tie before the looking-glass in the most artistic manner ; then he slipped into the long waistcoat of silver-lined velvet, and finally put on the long- tailed brown coat with bright metal buttons. He was just going to put the heavy silver watch, which his wife had given him on their wedding-day, into his vest-pocket, when his eye fell upon the blue JOSEPH HAYDN. 35 ribbon embroidered with silver, which, ever since his visit to the imperial palace, had lain on the bureau. " I will wear it on this holiday of mine, " said Haydn, with great warmth, " for I think the day on which a new work is begun is a holiday, and we ought to wear our choicest ornaments to celebrate it. " He attached the ribbon to his watch, threw it over his neck, and slipped the watch into his vest-pocket. " If that beautiful Mrs. Shaw could see me now, " he whispered, almost inaudibly, "how her magnificent eyes would sparkle, and what a heavenly smile would animate her angelic features ! Yes, yes, I will remember her smile it shall find an echo in the jubilant accords of my Creation. But let us begin let us begin !" He rapidly walked toward his desk, but stopped suddenly. " Hold on !" said he ; "I really forgot the most important thing my ring. While looking at the precious ribbon of my beautiful English friend, I did not think of the ring of my great king and still it is the talisman without which I cannot work at all. " Returning once more to the bureau, he opened a small case and took from it a ring which he put on his finger. He contemplated the large and brilliant diamonds of the ring with undisguised admiration. " Yes, " he exclaimed " yes, thou art my talisman, and when I look at thee, it seems to me as if I saw the eyes of the great king beaming down upon me, and pouring courage and enthusiasm into my heart. That is the reason, too, why I cannot work unless I have the ring on my finger.* But now I am ready and adorned like a bridegroom who is going to his young bride. Yes, yes, it is just so with me. I am going to my bride to St. Cecilia !" When he now returned to his desk, his features assumed a grave and solemn expression. He sat down once more at the piano and played an anthem, then he resumed his seat at the desk, took a sheet of music-paper and commenced writing. He wielded his pen with the utmost rapidity, and covered page after page with the queer little dots and dashes which we call notes. And Haydn's eyes flashed and his cheeks glowed, and a heavenly smile played on his lips while he was writing. But all of a sudden his pen stopped, and a slight cloud settled on his brow. Some pas- sage, may be a modulation, had displeased him, in what he had just composed, for he glanced over the last few lines and shook his head. He looked down sadly and dropped the pen. * Haydn had dedicated six quartets to Frederick the Great, who acknowledged the compliment by sending him a valuable diamond ring. Haydn wore this ring whenever he composed a new work, and it seemed to him as though inspiration failed him unless he wore the ring. He stated this on many occasions. 36 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. "Help me, O Lord God help me!" he exclaimed, and hastily seized the rosary which always lay on his desk. " Help me !" he muttered once more, and, while hurriedly pacing the room, he slipped the beads of the rosary through his fingers and whispered an Ave Maria. His prayer seemed to have the desired effect, for the cloud disap- peared from his forehead, and his eyes beamed again with the fervor of inspiration. He resumed his seat and wrote on with renewed energy. A holy peace now settled on his serene features, and reigned around him in the silent little cabinet. But all at once this peaceful stillness was interrupted by a loud noise resounding from below. Vociferous lamentations were heard, and heavy footsteps ascended the staircase. Haydn, however, did not hear any thing his genius was soaring far away in the realm of inspiration, and divine harmonies still enchanted his ears. But now the door of the small parlor was opened violently, and his wife, with a face deadly pale and depicting the liveliest anxiety, rushed into the room. Catharine and Conrad, the aged footman, appeared behind her, while the cat slipped in with her mistress, and the parrot ejaculated the most frantic and piercing screams. Haydn started in dismay from his seat and stared at his wife Without being able to utter a single word. It was something un- heard of for him to be disturbed by his wife during his working hours, hence he very naturally concluded that something unusual, something really terrible must have occurred, and the frightened looks of his wife, the pale faces of his servants, plainly told him that he was not mistaken. " Oh, husband poor, dear husband !" wailed his wife, " pack up your papers, the time for working and composing is past. Conrad has brought the most dreadful tidings from the city. We are all lost ! Vienna is lost ! Oh, dear, dear ! it is awful, and I tell you I am almost frightened out of my senses !" And the old lady, trembling like an aspen-leaf, threw herself into an arm-chair. "What in Heaven's name is the matter?" asked Haydn "what is it that has frightened you thus ? Conrad, tell me what is the news ?" "Oh, my dear master," wailed Conrad, approaching the doctor with folded hands and shaking knees, " it is all up with us ! Aus- tria is lost Vienna is lost and consequently we are lost, too ! Late dispatches have arrived from the army. Ah ! what do I say? army? We have no longer an army our forces are entirely dispersed Arch- duke Charles has lost another battle old Wurmser has been driven back and General Bonaparte is advancing upon Vienna. " JOSEPH HAYDN. 37 "These are sad tidings, indeed," said Haydn, shrugging hia shoulders, " still they are no reason why we should despair. If the archduke has lost a battle why, all generals have lost battles *' " Bonaparte never lost one, " replied Conrad, with a profound sigh, " he wins every battle, and devours all countries he wants to conquer. " "We must pack up our things, Joseph," said Mrs. Haydn "we must bury our money, our plate, and especially your jewels and trin- kets, so that those French robbers and cannibals will not find them. Come, husband, let us go to work quickly, before they come and take every thing from us. " "Hush, wife, hush!" said Haydn, mildly, and a gentle smile overspread his features. " Never fear about our few trifles, and do not think that the French just want to come to Vienna for what few gold snuff-boxes and rings I have got. If they were anxious for gold and jewels, coming as they do as enemies, they might simply open the imperial treasury and take there all they want. * " Yes, but they would not find any thing, " said Conrad. " The treasury is empty, doctor, entirely empty. Every thing is gone ; there is not a single crown, not a single precious stone left in the treasury. " "Well, and where is the whole treasure then, you fool?" asked Haydn, with a smile. " They have taken it to Presburg, master. I saw the wagons my- self soldiers rode in front of them, soldiers behind them. All streets, all places were crowdecl with people, and a riot broke out, and oh ! such lamentations, such wails ! and finally the people became des- perate, and roared and yelled that the government should make peace, and prevent the French from coming to Vienna and bombarding the city ; and in their desperation they grew quite bold and brave, and thousands of them marched to the house of Minister Thugut, whom they call the real emperor of Vienna, and tried to compel him to make peace. " "Sad, sad tidings, indeed!" sighed Haydn, shaking his head. "Worse than I thought. The people riotous and rebellious the army defeated and the enemy marching upon Vienna. But don't despair courage, courage, children ; let us put our trust in God and our excellent emperor. Those two will never forsake us they will guard and protect Vienna, and never suffer a single stone to be taken from its walls. " "Ah, husband, don't count any longer upon the emperor," said his wife. " For that is the worst part of the news, and shows that every thing is lost : the emperor has left Vienna. " " What !" exclaimed Haydn, and his face grew flushed with 38 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. anger. "What, they dare to slander the emperor so infamously as that ! They dare to assert that the emperor has forsaken his Vien- nese when they are in danger? No, no, the emperor is an honest man and a faithful prince ; he will share good and evil days alike with his people. A good shepherd does not leave his flock, a good prince does not leave his people. " " But the emperor has forsaken us, " said Conrad ; " it is but too true, master. All Vienna knows it, and all Vienna mourns over it. The emperor is gone, and so are the empress and the imperial chil- dren. All are gone and off for Presburg. " " Gone ! the emperor gone !" muttered Haydn, mournfully, and a deadly paleness suddenly covered his cheeks. " Oh, poor Austria ! poor people ! Thy emperor has forsaken thee he has fled from thee !" He sadly inclined his head, and profound sighs escaped from his breast. "Do you see now, husband, that I was right?" asked his wife. * Is it not true that it is high time for us to think of our property, and to pack up and bury our valuables?" " No !" exclaimed Haydn, raising his head again ; " this is no time to think of ourselves, and of taking care of our miserable prop- erty. The emperor has left that means, the emperor is in danger ; and therefore, as his faithful subjects, we should pray for him, and all our thoughts and wishes should only be devoted to his welfare. In the hour of danger we. should not be faint-hearted, and bow our heads, but lift them up to God, and hope and trust in Him ! Why do the people of Vienna lament and despair?* They should sing and pray, so that the Lord God above may hear their voices they should sing and pray, and I will teach them how !" And with proud steps Haydn went to the piano, and his hands began to play gently, at first, a simple and choral-like air ; but soon the melody grew stronger and more impressive. Haydn's face be- came radiant ; instinctively opening his lips, he sang in an enthusi- astic and ringing voice words which he had never known before words which, with the melody, had spontaneously gushed from his soul. What his lips sang was a prayer, and, at the same time, a hymn of victory full of innocent and child-like piety : "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser, Unsern guten Kaiser Franz, Lange lebe Franz der Kaiser In des Qlilckes hellem Olanzl Ihin erbliihen Lorbeerreiser, Wo er geht, zum Ehrenkranz I Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser, Unsern guten Kaiser Franz 1 " * *The celebrated Austrian hymn, "Godsftve the Emperor Francis." JOSEPH HAYDN. 39 Profound silence prevailed while Haydn was singing, and when he concluded with a firm and ringing accord and turned around, he saw that his wife, overcome with emotion, with folded hands and eyes lifted up to heaven, had sunk down on her knees, and that old Catharine and Conrad were kneeling behind her, while the cat stood between them listening to the music as it were, and even the parrot below seemed to listen to the new hymn, for its screams had ceased. A smile of delight played on Haydn's lips and rendered his face again young and beautiful. " Now, sing with me, all three of you, " he said. " Sing loudly and firmly, that God may hear us. I will commence again at the beginning, and you shall accompany me. " He touched the keys vigorously, and sang once more, " God save the Emperor Francis !" and carried away by the melody so simple and yet so beautiful, the two women and the old footman sang with him the tender and artless words. " And now, " said Haydn, eagerly, "now, I will write down the melody on the spot, and then you shall run with it to Councillor von Swieten. He must add a few verses to it. And then we will have it copied as often as possible we will circulate it in the streets, and sing it in all public places, and if the French really should come to Vienna, the whole people shall receive them with the jubilant hymn, 'God save the Emperor Francis !' And God will hear our song, and He will be touched by our love, and He will lead him back to us, our good Emperor Francis. " He sat down at his desk, and in youthful haste wrote down the music. " So, " he said then, " take it, Conrad, take it to Herr von Swieten ; tell him it is my imperial hymn. Oh, I believe it will be useful to the emperor, and therefore I swear that I will play it every day as long as I live. My first prayer always shall be for the em- peror.* And now run, Conrad, and ask Herr von Swieten to finish the poem quickly, and you, women, leave me. I feel the ideas burning in my head, and the melodies gushing from my heart. The hymn has inspired me with genuine enthusiasm ; and now, with God and my emperor, I will commence my Creation I But you, you must not despair and whenever you feel dejected, sing my imperial * Haydn kept his word, and from that time played the hymn every day. It was even the last piece of music he performed before his death. On the 20th of May, 1809, he played the hymn three times in succession. From the piano he had to be carried to his bed, which he never left again. When Iffland paid him a visit in 1807, Haydn played the hymn for him. He then remained a few moments be- fore the instrument placed his hands on it, and said, in the tone of a venerable patriarch: "I play this hymn every morning, and in times of adversity have often derived consolation and courage from it. I cannot help it I must play it at least once a day. I feel greatly at ease whenever I do so, and even a good while af ter- ward." "Inland's Theatrical Almanac for 1855," p. 181. 40 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. hymn, and pour consolation and courage into your hearts into the hearts of all Austrians who will sing it. For not only for you, but for Austria, I have sung my hymn, and it shall belong to the whole Austrian people 1" CHAPTER VII. GENERAL BONAPARTE. AT length peace was to be concluded. For several weeks had the three Austrian plenipotentiaries been at Udine ; the Austrian court having sent with Count Meerveldt and Count Louis Cobenzl the Marquis de Gallo, who, although Neapolitan ambassador at Vienna, and therefore, not in the imperial service, acted as their adviser. General Bonaparte was at Passeriano : he alone had been author- ized by the great French Republic to conclude peace with Austria, or to renew the war, just as he saw fit. The eyes of France and Germany, nay of all Europe, were riveted upon this small point on the border of Germany and Italy, for there the immediate future of Europe was to be decided ; there the dice were to fall which were to bring peace or war to the world. Austria wanted peace ; it was a necessity for her, because she did not feel strong enough for war, and was afraid of the dangers and losses of continued defeats. But she did not want peace, cotite qui cotite; she wanted to derive substantial advantages from it she intended to aggrandize herself at the expense of Italy, at the ex- pense of Prussia and, if need be, at the expense of Germany. But what did France want, or rather, what did General Bona- parte want? None but himself knew. None could read his thoughts in his marble countenance. None could decipher his future actions from his laconic utterances. None could tell what Bonaparte in- tended to do, and what aim his ambition had in view. The negotiations with Austria had been going on for months. For several weeks the Austrian plenipotentiaries and General Bona- parte had had daily interviews of many hours' duration, which alternately took place at Udine and at Passeriano, but the work of pacification would not come to a satisfactory conclusion. Austria demanded too much, and France would not yield enough. These conferences had frequently assumed a very stormy character, and often, during the debates, Bonaparte's voice had resounded in thun- dering tones, and flashes of anger had burst forth from his eyes. But the Austrian plenipotentiaries had not been struck by them. The flashes from the great chieftain's eyes had recoiled powerlessly from their imperturbable smile. When his voice thundered at GENERAL BONAPARTE. 41 them, they had lowered their heads only to raise them slowly again as soon as the general was silent. To-day, on the thirteenth of October, another interview was to take place, at the hotel of Count Cobenzl, and perhaps that was the reason why General Bonaparte had risen at an unusually early hour in the morning. He had just finished his toilet ; the four valets 'vho had assisted him had just concluded their task. As usual, Bo- naparte had suffered them to dress and wash him like a child.* With a silent gesture he now ordered the servants to withdraw, and called out, " Bourrienne !" The door was opened at once, and a tall young man, in the citi- zen's dress of that period, stepped in. Bonaparte, greeting his youthful secretary with a slight nod of his head, pointed with his hand at the desk. Bourrienne walked noiselessly to the desk, sat down, took a pen and some blank paper, and waited for what the general would have to dictate. But Bonaparte was silent. With his hands folded on his back, he commenced rapidly walking up and down. Bourrienne, holding the pen in his hand and momentarily ready to write, enjoyed this pause, this absorbed pondering of the general, with genuine delight ; for it afforded him leisure to contemplate Bonaparte, to study his whole appearance, and to engrave every feature, every gesture of the conqueror of Italy upon his mind. Bourrienne was an old friend of Bonaparte ; they had been to- gether at the military academy ; they had met afterward at Paris and poor young Lieutenant Bonaparte had often been glad enough to accept a dinner at the hands of his wealthier friend. Only a few years had elapsed since that time, and now Lieutenant Bonaparte had become already an illustrious general ; while Bour- rienne, whom the Terrorists had proscribed, thankfully accepted the protection of his old comrade, and now filled the position of private secretary under him. He had been with him in this capacity only two days for two days he had seen Bonaparte every hour, and yet he contemplated with ever new surprise this wonderful countenance, in which he vainly tried to recognize the features of the friend of his youth. True, the same outlines and contours were still there, but the whole face was an entirely different one. No traces of the carelessness, of the harmless hilarity of former days, were left in these features. His*!omplexion was pale almost to sickliness ; his figure, which did not rise above the middle height, was slender and bony. Upon look- *"M6moiresde Constant, premier valet de chambrederEmpereur Napol6on," vol. i., p. 180. 42 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. ing at him, you seemed at first to behold a young man entirely de- void of strength, and hopelessly doomed to an early death. But the longer you examined him, the more his features seemed to breathe vitality and spirit, and the firmer grew the conviction that this was an exceptional being a rare and strange phenomenon. Once accus- tomed to his apparent pale and sickly homeliness, the beholder soon saw it transformed into a fascinating beauty such as we admire on the antique Roman cameos and old imperial coins. His classical and regular profile seemed to be modelled after these antique coins ; his forehead, framed in on both sides with fine chestnut hair, was high and statuesque. His eyes were blue, but brimful of the most wonderful expression and sparkling with fire, a faithful mirror of his fiery soul, now exceedingly mild and gentle, and then again stern and even harsh. His mouth was classically beautiful the finely-shaped lips, narrow and slightly compressed, especially when in anger ; when he laughed, he displayed two rows of teeth, not faultlessly fine, but of pearly white. Every lineament, every single feature of his face was as regular as if modelled by a sculptor ; nevertheless there was something ugly and repulsive in the whole, and in order to be able to admire it, it was necessary first to get accustomed to this most extraordinary being. Only the feet and the small white hands were so surpassingly beautiful that they enlisted at once the liveliest admiration, and this was perhaps the reason why General Bonaparte, who otherwise observed the greatest simplicity in his toilet, had adorned his hands with several splendid diamond rings. * Bourrienne was still absorbed in contemplating the friend of his youth, when the latter suddenly stood still before him and looked at him with a pleasant smile. "Why do you stare at me in this manner, Bourrienne?" he asked in his abrupt and hasty tone. "General, I only contemplate the laurels which your glorious victories have woven around your brow, since I saw you the last time, " said Bourrienne. "Ah, and you find me a little changed since you saw me the last time," replied Bonaparte, quickly. "It is true, the years of our separation have produced a great many changes, and I was glad that you had the good taste to perceive this, and upon meeting me under the present circumstances, to observe a becoming and delicate re- serve. I am under obligations to you for it, and from to-day you shall be chief of my cabinet, my first private secretary." \ Bourrienne rose to thank the young general by bowing respect- * M6moires do Constant, vol. i., p. 52. t M6moires de Monsieur de Bourrienne, vol. i. , p. 83. GENERAL BONAPARTE. 43 fully, but Bonaparte took no further notice of him, and walked again rapidly up and down. The smile had already vanished from his face, which had resumed its immovable and impenetrable ex- pression. Bourrienne quietly sat down again and waited ; but now he dared no longer look at Bonaparte, the general having noticed it before. After a lengthy pause, Bonaparte stood still close to the desk. "Have you read the dispatches which the Directory sent me yes- terday through their spy, M. Botot?" asked the general, abruptly. "I have, general !" "They are unreasonable fools," exclaimed Bonaparte, angrily, " they want to direct our war from their comfortable sofas in the Luxembourg, and believe their ink-stained hands could hold the general's baton as well as the pen. They want to dictate to us a new war from Paris, without knowing whether we are able to bear it or not. They ask us to conclude peace with Austria without ceding Venice to her as compensation for Belgium. Yes, Talleyrand is senseless enough to ask me to revolutionize the whole of Italy once more, so that the Italians may expel their princes, and that liberty may prevail throughout the entire peninsula. In order to give them liberty, they want me to carry first war and revolution into their midst. These big-mouthed and ignorant Parisians do not know that Italy will not belong to us in reality until after the restoration of peace, and that the Directory, even at the first dawn of peace, will rule her from the mountains of Switzerland to the capes of Calabria. Then, and only then, the Directory will be able to alter the various governments of Italy, and for this very reason we have to attach Austria to our cause by a treaty of peace. As soon as she has signed it, she will no longer molest us : first, because she is our ally ; and principally because she will apprehend that we might take back from her what we generously gave, in order to win her over to our side. The war party at Vienna, however, will not submit without hoping for some counter-revolution a dream which the emigres and the diplomacy of Pillnitz still cherishes with the utmost tenacity.* And these unreasonable gentlemen of the Directory want war and revolution, and they dare to accuse me of selfish motives. Ah, I am yearning for repose, for retirement I feel exhausted and dis- gusted, and shall for the third time send in my resignation, which the Directory twice refused to accept." He had said all this in a subdued and rapid voice, apparently only talking to himself the only man worthy of learning the most secret thoughts of his soul and still with proud disdain toward him * Bonaparte's own words. See "Memoires d'un Hornme d'fitat," vol. iv., p. 578. MUHLBACH C VOL. 7 44 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. who could overhear every word he said. He felt as though he were alone, and he only spoke and consulted with himself, notwithstand- ing the secretary's presence. Another long pause ensued, Bonaparte pacing the room once more with rapid steps. Violent and impassioned feelings seemed to agi- tate his breast ; for his eyes became more lustrous, his cheeks were suffused with an almost imperceptible blush, and he breathed heavily ; as if oppressed by the closeness of the room, and in want of fresh air, for he stepped up to the window and opened it vio- lently. An expression of amazement escaped from his lips, for the land- scape, which yesterday was clad in the gorgeous hues of autumn, now offered an entirely different aspect. Hoar-frost, dense and glittering, covered the trees and the verdure of the meadows ; and the Noric Alps, which crowned the horizon with a majestic wreath, had adorned themselves during the night with sparkling robes of snow and brilliant diadems of ice. Bonaparte looked at the unexpected spectacle long and thought- fully. " What a country !" He then whispered, " Snow and ice in the first part of October ! Very well ! we must make peace ! " * He closed the window and returned to the desk. " Give me the army register, " he said to Bourrienne, and took a seat at his side. Bourrienne laid the books and papers in succession before him, and Bonaparte read and examined them with close attention. " Yes, " he then said, after a long pause, " it is true, I have an army of nearly eighty thousand men ; I have to feed and pay them, but, on the battle-field, I could not count on more than sixty thou- sand men. I should win the battle, but lose again twenty thousand men in killed, wounded, and prisoners. How, then, should I be able to resist the united Austrian forces, which would hasten to the assistance of Vienna? It would take the armies on the Rhine more than a month to come up in supporting distance, and in the course of two weeks the snow will have blocked up all roads and mountain- passes. I am determined, therefore, to make peace. Venice must pay for the war, and the frontier of the Rhine. The Directory and the learned lawyers may say what they please, f Write, Bourrienne, I will now dictate my reply." Bourrienne took his pen ; Bonaparte arose from his seat, and fold- ing his arms on his breast, he resumed his promenade across the room, dictating slowly and clearly, so that every word dropped from his lips like a pearl, until gradually the course of his speech grew * Bonaparte's own words. Bourrienne, vol. i., p. 313. t Bonaparte's own words. "M6moires d'un Homme d'fitat," vol. iv. , p. 558. GENERAL BONAPARTE. 45 more rapid and rolled along in an unbroken, fiery, and brilliant torrent. " We shall sign the treaty of peace to-day, " he dictated, in his imperious tone, " or break off the negotiations altogether. Peace will be advantageous to us war with Austria will injure us ; but war with England opens an extensive, highly important and brill- iant field of action to our arms. " And now he explained to the Directory the advantages of a treaty of peace with Austria, and of a war with England, with logical acuteness and precision. His words were no less pointed and sharp than the edge of his sword, and as brief, stern, and cold as the utterances of a Cato. He then paused for a moment, not in order to collect his thoughts, but only to give his secretary a few seconds' rest, and to get a breathing- spell for himself. " Let us go on now, " he said, after a short interval, and dictated in an enthusiastic voice, and with flaming eyes : " If I have been mistaken in my calculations, my heart is pure, and my intentions are well meaning. I have not listened to the promptings of glory, of vanity and ambition ; I have only regarded the welfare of the country and government. If they should not approve of my actions and views, nothing is left to me but to step back into the crowd, put on the wooden shoes of Cincinnatus, and give an example of respect for the government, and of aversion to military rule, which has destroyed so many republics, and annihilated so many states. " * "Are you through?" asked Bonaparte, drawing a long breath. " Yes, general, I am. " "Then take another sheet, my friend. We are going to write now to the sly fox who generally perceives every hole where he may slip in, and who has such an excellent nose that he scents every danger and every advantage from afar. But this time he has lost the trail and is entirely mistaken. I will, therefore, show him the way. 'To Citizen Talleyrand, Minister of Foreign Affairs.' Did you write the address?" "Yes, general." "Well, goon." And without stopping a single time, and even without hesitating, Bonaparte dictated the following letter : "In three or four hours, citizen minister, every thing will be decided peace or war. I confess that I shall do every thing to make peace, in consequence of the advanced season and the slim prospect of achieving important successes. " You know very little about the nations of the peninsula ; they * Bonaparte's own words. "M6moires d'un Homme d'fitat," vol. iv., p. 558. 46 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. do not deserve that forty thousand French soldiers should be killed for their sake. I see from your letter that you always argue from unfounded premises. You fancy that liberty would make a great impression upon a lazy, superstitious, cowardly, and degraded people. "You ask me to do miracles, and I cannot perform them. Ever since I came to Italy, the nation's desire for liberty and equality was not my ally, or at best it was but a very feeble one. Whatever is merely good to be mentioned in proclamations and printed speeches is worth no more than a novel. " Hoping that the negotiations will have a favorable issue, I do not enter upon further details to enlighten you about many matters which apparently have been misunderstood. Only by prudence, sagacity, and determination we are able to realize great objects and surmount all obstacles ; otherwise all our efforts will prove unavail- ing. Frequently there is but a single step from victory to ruin. In highly critical times, I have always noticed that a mere nothing decided the most important events. "It is characteristic of our nation to be too rash and fiery in prosperity. If we adopt a sagacious policy, which is nothing but the result of the calculation of combination and chances as a base for our operations, we shall long remain the greatest nation and most powerful state in Europe nay, more, we shall hold the balance of power, we shall make it incline wherever we desire, and if it were the will of Providence, it would be no impossibility to achieve in the course of a few years those great results which a glowing and excised imagination perhaps foresees, but which only a man of ex- traordinary coolness, perseverance, and prudence is able to accom- plish if" * Bonaparte paused suddenly as if he had been about to betray a profound secret, and stopped exactly when it was not yet too late to keep it buried within his own breast. " It is enough, " he then said, " erase the last word and close the letter. What makes you look at me so strangely, Bourrienne?" "I beg your pardon, general, I had a vision. It seemed to me as if an oriflamme were burning on your head, and I believe if all nations and all men could behold you as I saw you just now, they would believe once more in the fables of pagan mythology, and feel satis- fied that Jove the Thunderer had deigned to descend once more into our human world. " Bonaparte smiled, and this smile lighted up his face, previously so stern and rigid. " You are a flatterer and a courtier, " he said, playfully pinching * "M6moires d'un Homme d'fitat," vol. iv., p. 581. GENERAL BONAPARTE. i7 Bourrienne's ear so violently that the latter was scarcely able to conceal a shriek of pain under a smile. " Yes, indeed, you are a regular courtier, and the republic has done well to banish you, for flattery is something very aristocratic, and injurious to our stiff republican dignity. And what an idea, to compare me to Jove appearing on earth ! Don't you know, then, you learned scholar and flatterer, that Jove, whenever he descended from Olympus, was in pursuit of a very worldly and entirely ungodly adventure? It would only remain for you to inform my Josephine that I was about to transform myself into an ox for the sake of some beautiful Europa, or drop down in the shape of a golden rain to gain the love of a Danae. " " General, the sagacious and spirited Josephine would believe the former to be impossible, for even if you should succeed in perform- ing all the miracles of the world, you could never transform yourself into an ox. " "What 1 you compared me a minute ago with Jove, and now you doubt already whether I could accomplish what Jove has done !" exclaimed Bonaparte, laughing. "All, flatterer, you see I have caught you in your own meshes. But would my Josephine believe, then, that I could transform myself into a golden rain for the pur- pose of winning a Danae, you arrant rogue?" " Yes, general, but she always would take good care to be that Danae herself. " " Yes, indeed, you are right, " replied Bonaparte, laughing even louder than before. " Josephine likes golden rains, and should they be ever so violent, she would not complain ; for if they should im- merse her up to the neck, in the course of a few hours she would have got rid of the whole valuable flood. " " Your wife is as liberal and generous as a princess, and that is the reason why she spends so much money. She scatters her chari- ties with liberal hands." " Yes, Josephine has a noble and magnanimous heart, " exclaimed Napoleon, and his large blue eyes assumed a mild and tender expres- sion. " She is a woman just as I like women so gentle and good, so childlike and playful, so tender and affectionate, so passionate and odd ! And at the same time so dignified and refined in her manners. Ah, you ought to have seen her at Milan receiving the princes and noblesse in her drawing-room. I assure you, my friend, the wife of little General Bonaparte looked and bore herself precisely like a queen holding a levee, and she was treated and honored as though she were one. Ah, you ought to have seen it !" "I did see it, general. I was at Milan before coming here." " Ah, yes, that is true. I had forgotten it. You lucky fellow, 48 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. you saw my wife more recently than I did myself. Josephine is beautiful, is she not? No young girl can boast of more freshness, more grace, innocence, and loveliness. Whenever I am with her, I feel as contented, as happy and tranquil as a man who, on a very warm day, is reposing in the shade of a splendid myrtle-tree, and whenever I am far from her " Bonaparte paused, and a slight blush stole over his face. The young lover of twenty-eight had triumphed for a moment over the stern, calculating general, and the general was ashamed of it. "This is no time to think of such things, " he said, almost indig- nantly. " Seal the letters now, and dispatch a messenger to Paris. Ah, Paris ! Would to God I were again there in my little house in the Rue Chantereine, alone and happy with Josephine ! But in order to get there, I must first make peace here peace with Austria, with the Emperor of Germany. Ah, I am afraid Germany will not be much elated by this treaty of peace which her emperor is going to conclude, and by which she may lose some of her most splendid fortresses on the Rhine. " "And the Republic of Venice, general?" " The Republic of Venice is about to disappear, " exclaimed Bona- parte, frowning. "Venice has rendered herself unworthy of the name of a republic she is about to disappear. " " General, the delegates of the republic were all day yesterday in your anteroom, vainly waiting for an audience. " "They will have to wait to-day likewise until I return from the conference which is to decide about war or peace. In either case, woe unto the Venetians ! Tell them, Bourrienne, to wait until I return. And now, my carriage. I cannot let the Austrian pleni- potentiaries wait any longer for my ultimatum. " CHAPTER VIII. THE TREATY OF CAMPO FORMIO. THE Austrian plenipotentiaries were at the large Alberga of Udine, waiting for General Bonaparte. Every thing was prepared for his reception ; the table was set, and the cooks were only looking for the arrival of the French chieftain in order to serve up the mag- nificent dejeuner with which to-day's conference was to begin. Count Louis Cobenzl and the Marquis de Gallo were in the dining- room, standing at the window and looking at the scenery. " It is cold to-day, " said Count Cobenzl, after a pause in the con- versation. " For my part, I like cold weather, for it reminds me of THE TREATY OF CAMPO FORMIO. 49 the most memorable years of my life of my sojourn at the court of the Russian Semiramis. But you, marquis, are probably reminded by this frosty weather even more sensibly of your beautiful Naples and the glowing sun of the south. The chilly air must make you homesick. " " That disease is unknown to me, count, " said the marquis. " I am at home wherever I can serve my king and my country. " "But to-day, my dear marquis, you have to serve a foreign prince. " " Austria is the native country of my noble Queen Caroline, " said the marquis, gravely, "and the empress is my king's daughter. The Austrian court, therefore, may command my whole power and ability." "I am afraid that we are going to have hard work to-day, mar- quis, " remarked Count Cobenzl, gloomily. " This French general is really a sans-culotte of the worst kind. He is entirely devoid of noblesse, bon ton, and refinement. " "My dear count, for my part I take this Bonaparte to be a very long-headed man, and I am sure we must be greatly on our guard to be able to wrest a few concessions from him. " "Do you really believe that, marquis?" asked the count, with an incredulous smile. "You did not see, then, how his marble face lighted up when I handed him the other day that autograph letter from his majesty the emperor? You did not see how he blushed with pleasure while reading it? Oh, I noticed it, and, at that moment, I said to myself : ' This republican bear is not insensible to the favors and affability of the great. ' Flattery is a dish which he likes to eat ; we will, therefore, feed him with it, and he will be ours, and do whatever we may want without even noticing it. The great Empress Catharine used to say : ' Bears are best tamed by sweetmeats, and republicans by titles and decorations. ' Just see, marquis, how I am going to honor him ! I let him drink his choco- late to-day from my most precious relic from this cup here, which the great empress gave to me, and which you see contains the czarina's portrait. Ah, it was at the last festival at the Ermitage that she handed me the cup with chocolate, and, in order to give it its real value, she touched the rim of the cup with her own sublime lips, sipped of the chocolate, and then permitted me to drink where she had drunk. This cup, therefore, is one of my most cherished reminiscences of St. Petersburg, and little General Bonaparte may be very proud to be permitted to drink from Catharine's cup. Yes, yes, we will give sweetmeats to the bear, but afterward he must dance just as we please. We will not yield, but he must yield to us. Our demands ought to be as exorbitant as possible !" 50 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. " By straining a cord too much, you generally break it, " said the Italian, thoughtfully. "General Bonaparte, I am afraid, will not consent to any thing derogatory to the honor and dignity of France. Besides, there is another bad feature about him he is incorruptible, and even the titles and decorations of the Empress Catharine would not have tamed this republican. Let us proceed cautiously and prudently, count. Let us demand much, but yield in time, and be content with something less in order not to lose every thing." " Austria can only consent to a peace which extends her bounda- ries, and enlarges her territory, " exclaimed Cobenzl, hastily. " You are right, certainly, " replied the Marquis de Gallo, slowly ; " but Austria cannot intend to aggrandize herself at the expense of France. What is that so-called Germany good for? Let Austria take from her whatever she wants a piece of Bavaria, a piece of Prussia I would not care if she even gave to France a piece of Ger- many, for instance the frontier of the Rhine. In the name of Heaven, I should think that the so-called German empire is decayed enough to permit us to break off a few of its pieces. " " You are very unmerciful toward the poor German empire, " said Count Cobenzl, with a smile, " for you are no German, and owing to that, it seems you are much better qualified to act as Austrian plenipotentiary in this matter. Nevertheless it is odd and funny enough that in these negotiations in which the welfare of Germany is principally at stake, the Emperor of Germany should be repre- sented by an Italian, and the French Republic by a Corsican !" " You omit yourself, my dear count, " said the marquis, politely. " You are the real representative of the German emperor, and I per- ceive that the emperor could not have intrusted the interests of Germany to better hands. But as you have permitted me to act as 1 your adviser, I would beg you to remember that the welfare of Austria should precede the welfare of Germany. And but listen I a carriage is approaching. " "It is General Bonaparte," said Count Cobenzl, hastening to the window. " Just see the splendid carriage in which he is coining. Six horses four footmen on the box, and a whole squadron of lancers escorting him ! And you believe this republican to be in- sensible to flattery ? Ah, ha ! we will give sweetmeats to the bear 1 Let us go and receive him. " He took the arm of the marquis, and both hastened to receive the general, whose carriage had just stopped at the door. The Austrian plenipotentiaries met Bonaparte in the middle of the staircase and escorted him to the dining-room, where the dejeuner was waiting for him. THE TREATY OF CAMPO FORMIO. 51 But Bonaparte declined the dejeuner, in spite of the repeated and most pressing requests of Count Cobenzl. " At least take a cup of chocolate to warm yourself, " urged the count. " Drink it out of this cup, general, and if it were only in order to increase its value in my eyes. The Empress Catharine gave it to me, and drank from it ; and if you now use this cup likewise, I might boast of possessing a cup from which the greatest man and the greatest woman of this century have drunk !' "I shall not drink, count!" replied Bonaparte, bluntly. "I will have nothing in common with this imperial Messalina, who, by her dissolute life, equally disgraced the dignity of the crown and of womanhood. You see I am a strong -headed republican, who only understands to talk of business. Let us, therefore, attend to that at once. " Without waiting for an invitation, he sat down on the divan close to the breakfast-table, and, with a rapid gesture, motioned the two gentlemen to take seats at his side. " I informed you of my ultimatum the day before yesterday, " said Bonaparte, coldly ; " have you taken it into consideration, and are you going to accept it?" This blunt and hasty question, so directly at the point, discon- certed the two diplomatists. "We will weigh and consider with you what can be done," said Count Cobenzl, timidly. "France asks too much and offers too little. Austria is ready to cede Belgium to France, and give up Lombardy, but in return she demands the whole territory of Venice, Mantua included." " Mantua must remain with the new Cisalpine Republic !" ex- claimed Bonaparte, vehemently. " That is one of the stipulations of my ultimatum, and you seem to have forgotten it, count. And you say nothing about the frontier of the Rhine, and of the fortress of Mentz, both of which I have claimed for France. " "But, general, the Rhine does not belong to Austria, and Mentz is garrisoned by German troops. We cannot give away what does not belong to us. " " Do not I give Venice to you?" exclaimed Bonaparte "Venice, which, even at the present hour, is a sovereign state, and whose delegates are at my headquarters, waiting for my reply ! The Em- peror of Germany has certainly the right to give away a German fortress if he choose. " " Well, Austria is not indisposed to cede the frontier of the Rhine to France," remarked the Marquis de Gallo. "Austria is quite willing and ready to form a close alliance with France, in order to resist the ambitious schemes of Prussia. " 52 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. " If Austria should acquire new territory in consequence of an understanding with France, she must be sure that no such right of aggrandizement should be granted to Prussia, " said Count Cobenzl, hastily. " France and Austria might pledge themselves in a secret treaty not to permit any further aggrandizement of Prussia, but to give back to her simply her former possessions on the Rhine, " said De Oallo. "No digressions, if you please!" exclaimed Bonaparte, impa- tiently. " Let us speak of my ultimatum. In the name of France, I have offered you peace, provided the territories on the left bank of the Rhine with their stipulated boundaries, including Mentz, be ceded to France, and provided, further, that the Adige form the boundary-line between Austria and the Cisalpine Republic, Mantua to belong to the latter. You cede Belgium to France, but, in return, we give you the continental possessions of Venice ; only Corfu and the Ionian Islands are to fall to the share of France, and the Adige is to form the frontier of Venetian Austria. " " I told you already, general, " said Count Cobenzl, with his most winning smile, "we cannot accept the last condition. We must have Mantua, likewise ; in return, we give you Mentz ; and not the Adige, but the Adda, must be our frontier. " " Ah I I see new difficulties, new subterfuges !" exclaimed Bona- parte, and his eyes darted a flash of anger at the diplomatist. This angry glance, however, was parried by the polite smile of the count. " I took the liberty of informing you likewise of our ultimatum, general, " he said, gently, " and I am sorry to be com- pelled to declare that I shall have to leave this place unless our terms be acceded to. But in that case, I shall hold you responsible for the blood of the thousands which may be shed in consequence. " Bonaparte jumped up, with flaming eyes, and lips quivering with rage. " You dare to threaten me !" he shouted, angrily. " You resort to subterfuge after subterfuge. Then you are determined to have war? Very well, you shall have it." He extended his arm hastily and seized the precious cup which the Empress Catharine had given to Count Cobenzl, and, with an impetuous motion, hurled it to the ground, where it broke to pieces with a loud crash. " See there !" he shouted in a thundering voice. " Your Austrian monarchy shall be shattered like this cup within less than three months. I promise you that. " Without deigning to cast another glance upon the two gentlemen, he hurried with rapid steps to the door, and left the room. THE TREATY OF CAMPO FORMIO. 53 Pale with anger and dismay, Count Cobenzl stared at the debris of the precious cup, which so long had been the pride and joy of his heart. 'He is leaving," muttered the Marquis de Gallo. "Shall we let him go, count?" "How is that bear to be kept here?" asked the count, sighing, and shrugging his shoulders. At this moment Bonaparte's powerful voice was heard in the anteroom, calling out : "An orderly quick !" "He calls out of the window, " whispered the marquis. " Let us hear what he has got to say. " The two plenipotentiaries slipped on tiptoe to the window, cau- tiously peeping from behind the curtains. They saw a French lancer galloping up below, and stopping and salutinj under the window of the adjoining room. Again they heard Bonaparte's thundering voice. "Ride over to the headquarters of Archduke Charles, " shouted Bonaparte. " Tell him on my behalf that the armistice is at an end, and that hostili- ties will recommence from the present hour. That is all. Depart !" Then they heard him close the window with a crash, and walk with loud steps through the anteroom. The two plenipotentiaries looked at each other in dismay. "Count," whispered the marquis, "listen ! he leaves and has threat- ened to shatter Austria. He is the man to fulfil his threat. My God, must we suffer him to depart in anger? Have you been au- thorized to do that?" " Will you try to command the storm to stand still?" asked Count Cobenzl. " Yes, I will try, for we must not break off the negotiations in this way and recommence hostilities. We must conciliate this ter- rible warrior !" He rushed out of the room, and hastened through the anteroom and down-stairs to the front door. Bonaparte had already entered his carriage ; his escort had formed in line, the driver had seized the reins and whip in order to give the impatient horses the signal to start. At this moment, the pale and humble face of the Marquis de Gallo appeared at the carriage door. Bonaparte did not seem to see him. Leaning back into the cushions, he gloomily looked up to heaven. " General, " said the marquis, imploringly, " I beseech you not to depart !" " Marquis, " replied Bonaparte, shrugging his shoulders, " it does 54 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. net become me to remain peaceably among my enemies. War has been declared, for you have not accepted my ultimatum. " " But, general, I take the liberty to inform you that the Austrian plenipotentiaries have resolved to accept your ultimatum. " Bonaparte's marble countenance did not betray the slightest emotion of surprise and joy ; his large eyes only cast a piercing glance upon the marquis. "You accept it without subterfuge or reserve?" he asked, slowly. " Yes, general, precisely as you have stated it. We are ready to sign the treaty of peace, and accept the ultimatum. Just be kind enough to alight once mors, and continue the conference with us. " " No, sir, " said Bonaparte, " nulla vestigia retrorsam ! Being already in my carriage, I shall not return to you. Besides, the del- egates of the Venetian Republic are waiting for me at Passeriano, and I believe it is time for me to inform them too of my ultimatum. At the end of three hours, I ask you, marquis, and Count Cobenzl to proceed to my headquarters at Passeriano. There we will take the various stipulations of the treaty into consideration, and agree upon the public and secret articles. " " But you forget, general, that your orderly is already on the way to the Austrian headquarters in order to announce the reopening of hostilities. " " That is true, " said Napoleon, quietly. " Here, two orderlies. Follow the first orderly, and command him to return. You see, marquis, I believe in the sincerity of your assurances. In three hours, then, I shall expect you at Passeriano for the purpose of set- tling the details of the treaty. We shall sign it, however, on neutral ground. Do you see that tall building on the horizon?" " Yes, general, it is the decayed old castle of Campo Formio. " " Well, in that castle, the treaty shall be signed. In three hours, then. Until then, farewell." He nodded carelessly to the marquis, who, as humble as a vassal, at the feet of the throne, stood at the carriage door, constantly bow- ing deeply, and waving his plumed hat. " Forward !" shouted Bonaparte, and the carriage, followed by a brilliant suite, rolled away. Bonaparte, carelessly leaning into the corner, muttered, with a stealthy smile : "It was a coup de theatre, and it had evidently great success. They had to accept peace at my hands as a favor. Ah, if they had guessed how much I needed it myself ! But these men are obtuse ; they cannot see any thing. They have no aim ; they only live from minute to minute, and whenever they find a precipice on their route, they stumble over it, and are lost beyond redemption. My God, how scarce real men are ! There are eighteen millions in Italy, and I have scarcely found two THE TREATY OF CAMPO FORMIC. 55 men among them. I want to save these two men, but the rest may fulfil their destiny. The Republic of Venice shall disappear from the earth this cruel and bloodthirsty government shall be annihi- lated. We shall throw it as a prey to hungry Austria ; but when the latter has devoured her, and stretched herself in the lazy languor of digestion, then it will be time for us to stir up Austria. Until then, peace with Austria peace !" Three hours later the treaty between Austria and France was signed at the old castle of Campo Formio. France, by this treaty, acquired Belgium, the left bank of the Rhine, and the fortress of Mentz. Austria acquired the Venetian territory. But to these acquisitions, which were published, secret articles were added. In these secret articles, France promised, in case Prussia should de- mand an enlargement of her dominions, like Austria, not to con- sent to it. The Emperor of Austria, on his part, pledged himself to withdraw his troops, even before the conclusion of the treaty with the German empire, to be agreed upon at Rastadt, from all the fortresses on the Rhine in other words, to surrender the German empire entirely to its French neighbors. Austria had enlarged her territory, but, for this aggrandizement, Germany was to pay with her blood, and finally with her life. Austria had made peace with France at Campo Formio, and it was stipulated in the treaty that the German empire likewise should conclude peace with France. For this purpose, a congress was to meet at Rastadt ; all German princes were to send their ambassadors to that fortress, in order to settle, jointly, with three representatives of the French Republic, the fate of the empire. THE YOTHsTG QUEE1ST OF PEUSSIA. CHAPTER IX. QUEEN LOUISA. THE most noble Countess von Voss, mistress of ceremonies at the court of Prussia, was pacing the anteroom of Queen Louisa in the most excited manner. She wore the regular court dress a long black robe and a large cap of black crape. In her white hands, half covered with black silk gloves, she held a gorgeous fan, which she now impatiently opened and closed, and then again slowly moved up and down like a musical leader's baton. If anybody had been present to observe her, the noble mistress of ceremonies would not have permitted herself such open manifesta- tions of her impatience. Fortunately, however, she was quite alone, and under these circumstances even a mistress of ceremonies at the royal court might feel at liberty to violate the rules of that etiquette which on all other occasions was the nobie lady 's most sacred gospel. Etiquette, however, was just now the motive of her intense ex- citement, and in its interest she was going to fight a battle on that very spot in Queen Louisa's anteroom. " Now or never !" she murmured. " What I was at liberty to overlook as long as Frederick William and Louisa were merely 'their royal highnesses, the crown prince and crown princess, ' I cannot permit any longer now that they have ascended the royal throne. Hence I am determined to speak to the young king on this first day of his reign* in as emphatic and sincere a manner as is required by a faithful discharge of my responsible duties. " Just at that moment the large folding doors were opened, and a tall and slender young man in a dashing uniform entered the room. It was young King Frederick William III. , on his return from the interior palace-yard where he had received the oath of allegiance at the hands of the generals of the monarchy. The noble and youthful countenance of this king of twenty-seven years was grave and stern, but from his large blue eyes the kindness and gentleness of his excellent heart was beaming, and his * November 17, 1797. QUEEN LOUISA. 57 handsome and good-natured features breathed a wonderful spirit of serenity and sympathy. He crossed the room with rapid and noiseless steps, and, politely bowing to the mistress of ceremonies, approached the opposite door. But the mistress of ceremonies, evidently anxious to prevent him from opening that door, placed herself in front of it and gravely said to him : " Your majesty, it is impossible. I cannot permit etiquette to be violated in this manner, and I must beg your majesty to inform me most graciously of what you are going to do in these rooms?" " Well, " said the king, with a pleasant smile, " I am going to do to-day what I am in the habit of doing every day at this hour I am going to pay a visit to my wife. " " To your wife ! " exclaimed the mistress of ceremonies, in dis- may. " But, your majesty, a king has no wife ! " " Ah ! in that case a king would be a very wretched being, " said the king, smiling, "and, for my part, I would sooner give up my crown than my beloved wife." "Good Heaven, your majesty, you may certainly have a wife, but let me implore you not to apply that vulgar name to her majesty in the presence of other people. It is contrary to etiquette and in- jurious to the respect due to royalty. " " My dear countess, " said the young king, gravely, " I believe, on the contrary, that it will only increase the respect which people will feel for us, if her majesty remains a woman in the noblest and truest meaning of the word, and my wife I beg your pardon, I was going to say the queen is such a woman. And now, my dear countess, permit me to go to her. " " No, " exclaimed the mistress of ceremonies, resolutely. " Your majesty must first condescend to listen to me. For an hour already I have been waiting here for your majesty's arrival, and you must now graciously permit me to speak to you as frankly and sincerely as is required by my duty and official position." "Well, I will listen to you, my dear countess," said the king, with an inaudible sigh. " Your majesty, " said the mistress of ceremonies, " I consider it my duty to beseech your majesty on this memorable day to confer upon me the power of enforcing the privileges of my office with more severity and firmness. " "And to submit myself to your sceptre. That is what you want me to do, I suppose, dear countess?" asked the king, smiling. "Sire, at all events it is impossible to keep up the dignity and majesty of royalty if the king and queen themselves openly defy the laws of etiquette. " 58 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. "Ah!" exclaimed the king, sharply, "not a word against the queen, if you please, my dear mistress of ceremonies ! You may accuse me just as much as you please, but pray let me hear no more complaints about my Louisa ! Well, then, tell me now what new derelictions I have been guilty of. " " Sire, " said the countess, who did not fail to notice the almost imperceptible smile playing on the king's lips "sire, I perceive that your majesty is laughing at me ; nevertheless, I deem it incum- bent on me to raise my warning voice. Etiquette is something sublime and holy it is the sacred wall separating the sovereign from his people. If that ill-starred queen, Marie Antoinette, had not torn down this wall, she would probably have met with a less lamentable end." " Ah ! countess, you really go too far ; you even threaten me with the guillotine," exclaimed the king, good-naturedly. "Indeed, lam afraid I must have committed a great crime against etiquette. Tell me, therefore, where you wish to see a change, and I pledge you my word I shall grant your request if it be in my power to do so. " " Sire, " begged the mistress of ceremonies, in a low and impres- sive voice, " let me implore you to be in your palace less of a father and husband, and more of a king, at least in the presence of others. It frequently occurs that your majesty, before other people, addresses the queen quite unceremoniously with 'thou, ' nay, your majesty even in speaking of her majesty to strangers or servants, often briefly calls the queen ' my wife. ' Sire, all that might be overlooked in the modest family circle and house of a crown prince, but it can- not be excused in the palace of a king. " "Then, "asked the king, smiling, "this house of mine has been transformed into a palace since yesterday ?" " Assuredly, sire, you do not mean to say that you will remain in this humble house after your accession to the throne?" exclaimed the mistress of ceremonies, in dismay. " Now tell me sincerely, my dear countess, cannot we remain in this house?" " I assure your majesty it is altogether out of the question How would it be possible to keep up the court of a king and queen in so small a house with becoming dignity? The queen's household has to be largely increased ; hereafter we must have four ladies of honor, four ladies of the bedchamber, and other servants in the same pro- portion. According to the rules of etiquette, Sire, you must like- wise enlarge your own household. A king must have two adjutant- generals, four chamberlains, four gentlemen of the bedchamber, and" " Hold on, '' exclaimed the king, smiling, " my household fortiz- QUEEN LOUISA. 59 nately does not belong to the department of the mistress of ceremo- nies, and therefore we need not allude to it. As to your other propositions and wishes, I shall take them into consideration, for I hope you are through now. " " No, your majesty, I am not. I have to mention a good many other things, and I must do so to-day my duty requires it, " said the mistress of ceremonies, in a dignified manner. The king cast a wistful glance toward the door. " Well, if your duty requires it, you may proceed, " he said, with a loud sigh. " I must beseech your majesty to assist me in the discharge of my onerous duties. If the king and queen themselves will submit to the rigorous and just requirements of etiquette, I shall be able to compel the whole court likewise strictly to adhere to those salutary rules. Nowadays, however, a spirit of innovation and disinclination to observe the old-established ceremonies and customs, which deeply afflicts me, and which I cannot but deem highly pernicious, is gain- ing ground everywhere. It has even now infected the ladies and gentlemen of the court. And having often heard your majesty, in conversation with her majesty the queen, contrary to etiquette, use the vulgar German language instead of the French tongue, which is the language of the courts throughout Germany, they believe they have a perfect right to speak German whenever they please. Yes, it has become a regular custom among them to salute each other at breakfast with a German ' Guten morgen ! ' * That is an innovation which should not be permitted to anybody, without first obtaining the consent of her majesty's mistress of ceremonies and your maj- esty's master of ceremonies." " I beg your pardon, " said the king, gravely, " as to this point, I altogether differ from you. No etiquette should forbid German gentlemen or German ladies to converse in their mother tongue, and it is unnatural and mere affectation to issue such orders. In order to become fully conscious of their national dignity, they should especially value and love their own language, and no longer deign to use in its place the tongue of a people who have shed the blood of their king and queen, and whose deplorable example now causes all thrones to tremble. Would to God that the custom of using the German language would become more and more prevalent at my court, for it behooves Germans to feel and think and speak like Germans ; and that will also be the most reliable bulwark against the bloody waves of the French Republic, in case it should desire to invade Germany. Now you know my views, my dear mistress of ceremonies, and if your book of ceremonies prescribes that all court * Vide Ludwig Haiisser's "History of Germany," vol. ii. 60 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. officers should converse in French, I request you to expunge that article and to insert in its place the following : ' Prussia, being a German state, of course everybody is at liberty to speak German. ' This will ateo be the rule at court, except in the presence of persons not familiar with the German language. Pray don't forget that, my dear countess, and now, being so implacable a guardian of that door, and of the laws of etiquette, I request you to go to her majesty the queen, and ask her if I may have the honor of waiting upon her majesty. I should like to present my respects to her majesty ; and I trust she will graciously grant my request. " * The mistress of ceremonies bowed deeply, her face radiant with joy, and then rapidly entered the adjoining room. The king looked after her for a moment, with a peculiar smile. " She has to pass through six large rooms before reaching Louisa's boudoir, " he murmured : " this door, however, directly leads to her through the small hall and the other anteroom. That is the shortest road to her, and I shall take it. " Without hesitating any longer, the king hastily opened the small side door, slipped through the silent hall and across the small ante- room, and knocked at the large and heavily-curtained door. A sweet female voice exclaimed, " Come in ! " and the king imme- diately opened the door. A lady in deep mourning came to meet him, extending her hands toward him. " Oh, my heart told me that it was you, my dearest ! " she ex- claimed, and her glorious blue eyes gazed upon him with an inde- scribable expression of impassioned tenderness. The king looked at her with a dreamy smile, quite absorbed in her aspect. And indeed it was a charming and beautiful sight pre- sented by this young queen of twenty years. Her blue eyes were beaming in the full fire of youth, enthusiasm, and happiness ; a sweet smile was always playing on her finely- formed mouth, with the ripe cherry lips. On both sides of her slightly-blushing cheeks her splendid auburn hair was flowing down in waving ringlets ; her noble and pure forehead arose above a nose of classical regularity, and her figure, so proud and yet so charming, so luxuriant and yet so chaste, full of true royal dignity and win- ning womanly grace, was in complete harmony with her lovely and youthful features. "Well?" asked the queen, smiling. "Not a word of welcome from you, my beloved husband?" "I only say to you, God bless you on your new path, and may *The king's own words. Vide " Characterztige und Historische Fragmenteaus dem Leben des Konigs von Pruessen, Friedrich Wilhelm III. Gesammelt und herausgegeben von R. Fr. Eylert, Bishop, u.s. w. Th. ii., p. 21. QUEEN LOUISA. 61 He preserve you to me as long as I live !" replied the king, deeply moved, and embracing his queen with gushing tenderness. She encircled his neck with her soft, white arms, and leaned her head with a happy smile upon his shoulder. Thus they reposed in each other's arms, silent in their unutterable delight, solemnly moved in the profound consciousness of their eternal and imperish' able love. Suddenly they were interrupted in their blissful dream by a low cry, and when they quickly turned around in a somewhat startled manner, they beheld the Countess von Voss, mistress of ceremonies, standing in the open door, and gloomily gazing upon them. The king could not help laughing. "Do you see now, my dear countess?" he said. "My wife and I see each other without any previous interruption as often as we want to do so, and that is precisely as it ought to be in a Christian family. But you are a charming mistress of ceremonies, and here- after we will call you Dame d' Etiquette.* Moreover, I will comply with your wishes as much as I can. " He kindly nodded to her, and the mistress of ceremonies, well aware of the meaning of this nod, withdrew with a sigh, closing the door as she went out. The queen looked up to her husband with a smile. "Was it again some quarrel about etiquette?" she asked. " Yes, and a quarrel of the worst kind, " replied the king, quickly. " The mistress of ceremonies demands that I should always be an- nounced to you before entering your room, Louisa. " "Oh, you are always announced here," she exclaimed, tenderly; " my heart always indicates your approach and that herald is alto- gether sufficient, and it pleases me much better than the stern coun- tenance of our worthy mistress of ceremonies. " " It is the herald of my happiness, " said the king, fervently, laying his arm upon his wife's shoulder, and gently drawing her to his heart. "Do you know what I am thinking of just now?" asked the queen, after a short pause. " I believe the mistress of ceremonies will get up a large number of new rules, and lecture me considerably about the duties of a queen in regard to the laws of etiquette. " "I believe you are right," said the king, smiling. "But I don't believe she is right!" exclaimed the queen, and, closely nestling in her husband's arms, she added: "Tell me, my lord and king, inasmuch as this is the first time that you come to me as a king, have I not the right to ask a few favors of you, and to pray you to grant my requests ?" *Tlie king's own words. Vide Eylert, part ii., p. 93. 62 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. " Yes, you have that right, my charming queen, " said the king, merrily ; " and I pledge you my word that your wishes shall be ful- filled, whatever they may be. " "Well, then," said the queen, joyfully, "there are four wishes that I should like you to grant. Come, sit down here by my side, on this small sofa, put your arm around my waist, and, that I may feel that I am resting under your protection, let me lean my head upon your shoulder, like the ivy supporting itself on the trunk of the strong oak. And now listen to my wishes. In the first place, I want you to allow me to be a wife and mother in my own house, without any restraint whatever, and to fulfil my sacred duties as such without fear and without regard to etiquette. Do you grant this wish?" " Most cordially and joyfully, in spite of all mistresses of ceremo- nies !" replied the king. The queen nodded gently and smiled. " Secondly, " she continued, " I beg you, my beloved husband, on your own part, not to permit etiquette to do violence to your feelings toward me, and always to call me, even in the presence of others, your ' wife, ' and not ' her majesty the queen. ' Will you grant that, too, my dearest friend?" The king bent over her and kissed her beautiful hair. " Louisa, " he whispered, " you know how to read my heart, and, generous as you always are, you pray me to grant what is only my own dearest wish. Yes, Louisa, we will always call each other by those most honorable of our titles, 'husband and wife.' And now, your third wish, my dear wife?" " Ah, I have some fears about this third wish of mine, " sighed the queen, looking up to her husband with a sweet smile. " I am afraid you cannot grant it, and the mistress of ceremonies, perhaps, was right when she told me etiquette would prevent you from com- plying with it. " "Ah, the worthy mistress of ceremonies has lectured you also to- day already?" asked the king, laughing. The queen nodded. " She has communicated to me several im- portant sections from the 'book of ceremonies, '" she sighed. "But all that shall not deter me from mentioning my third wish to you. I ask you, my Frederick, to request the king to permit my husband to live as plainly and modestly as heretofore. Let the king give his state festivals in the large royal palace of his ancestors let him receive in those vast and gorgeous halls the homage of his subjects, and the visits of foreign princes, and let the queen assist him on such occasions. But these duties of royalty once attended to, may we not be permitted, like all others, to go home, and in the midst of our dear little family circle repose after the fatiguing pomp and QUEEN LOUISA. 63 splendor of the festivities? Let us not give up our beloved home for the large royal palace ! Do not ask me to leave a house in which I have passed the happiest and finest days of my life. See, here in these dear old rooms of mine, every thing reminds me of you, and whenever I am walking through them, the whole secret history of our love and happiness stands again before my eyes. Here, in this room, we saw each other for the first time after my arrival in Berlin, alone and without witnesses. Here you imprinted the first kiss upon your wife's lips, and, like a heavenly smile, it penetrated deep into my soul, and it has remained in my heart like a little guardian angel of our love. Since that day, even in the fullest tide of happi- ness, I always feel so devout and grateful to God ; and whenever you kiss me, the little angel in my heart is praying for you, and when- ever I am praying, he kisses you. " "Oh, Louisa, you are my angel my guardian angel !" exclaimed the king, enthusiastically. The queen apparently did not notice this interruption she was entirely absorbed in her recollections. "On this sofa here," she said, " we were often seated in fervent embrace like to-day and when every thing around us was silent, our hearts spoke only the louder to each other, and often have I heard here from your lips the most sublime and sacred revelations of your noble, pure, and manly soul. In my adjoining cabinet, you were once standing at the window, gloomy and downcast ; a cloud was covering your brow, and I knew you had heard again sorrowful tidings in your father's palace. But no complaint ever dropped from your lips, for you always were a good and dutiful son, and even to me you never alluded to your father's failings. I knew what you were suffering, but I knew also that at that hour I had the power to dispel all the clouds from your brow, and to make your eyes radiant with joy and happiness. Softly approaching you, I laid my arm around your neck, and my head on your breast, and thereupon I whispered three words which only God and my husband's ears were to hear. And you heard them, and you uttered a loud cry of joy, and before I knew how it happened, I saw you on your knees before me, kissing my feet and the hem of my garment, and applying a name to me that sounded like heavenly music, and made my heart overflow with ecstasy and suffused my cheeks with a deep blush. And I don't know again how it happened, but I felt that I was kneeling by your side, and we were lifting up our folded hands to heaven, thanking God for the great bliss He had vouchsafed to us, and praying Him to bless our child, unknown to us as yet, but already so dearly beloved. Oh, and last, my own Frederick, do you remember that other hour in my bedroom? You were sitting at my bedside, with folded hands, 64 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. praying, and yet, during your prayer, gazing upon me, while I was writhing with pain, and yet so supremely happy in my agony, for I knew that Nature at that hour was about to consecrate me for my most exalted and sacred vocation, and that God would bless our love with a visible pledge of our happiness. The momentous hour was at hand a film covered my eyes, and I could only see the Holy Vir- gin surrounded by angels, on Guido Reni's splendid painting, oppo- site my bed. Suddenly a dazzling flash seemed to penetrate the darkness surrounding me, and through the silence of the room there resounded a voice that I had never heard before the voice of my child. And at the sound of that voice I saw the angels descending from the painting and approaching my bedside in order to kiss me, and the Mother of God bent over me with a heavenly smile, exclaim- ing : 'Blessed is the wife who is a mother !' My consciousness left me I believe my ineffable happiness made me faint. " " Yes, you fainted, beloved wife, " said the king, gently nodding to her ; " but the swoon had not dispelled the smile from your lips, nor the expression of rapturous joy from your features. You lay there as if overwhelmed with joy and fascinated by your ecstatic bliss. Knowing that you were inexpressibly happy, I felt no fear whatever " " Well, I awoke soon again, " added the queen, joyfully. " I had no time to spare for a long swoon, for a question was burning in my heart. I turned my eyes toward you you were standing in the middle of the room, holding the babe that, in its new little lace dress, had just been laid into your arms. My heart now commenced beating in my breast like a hammer. I looked at you, but my lips were not strong enough to utter the question. However, you under- stood me weU'enough, and drawing close to my bedside, and kneel- ing down and laying the babe into my arms, you said, in a voice which I shall never forget, 'Louisa, give your blessing to your son !' Ah, at that moment it seemed as if my ecstasy would rend my breast. I had to utter a loud scream, or I should have died from joy. 'A son ! ' I cried, 'I have given birth to a son ! ' And I drew my arms around you and the babe, and we wept tears oh, such tears " She paused, overwhelmed with emotion, and burst into tears. "Ah!" she whispered, deprecatingly, "I am very foolish you will laugh at me. " But the king did not laugh, for his eyes also were moist ; only he was ashamed of his tears and kept them back in his eyes. A pause ensued, and the queen laid her head upon the shoulder of her husband, who had drawn his arm around her waist. All at once she raised her head, and fixing her large and radiant eyes upon the deeply -moved face of the king, she asked : QUEEN LOUISA. 65 " My Frederick, can we leave a house in which I bore you a son and crown prince? Will we give up our most sacred recollections for the sake of a large and gorgeous royal palace?" " No, we will not, " said the king, pressing his wife closer to his heart. "No, we will remain in this house of ours we will not leave it. Our happiness has grown and prospered here, and here it shall bloom and bear fruit. Your wish shall be fulfilled ; we will continue living here as man and wife, and if the king and queen have to give festivals and to receive numerous guests, then they will go over to the palace to comply with their royal duties, but in the evening they will return to their happy home. " "Oh, my friend, my beloved friend, how shall I thank you?" exclaimed the queen, encircling his neck with her arms, and im- printing a glowing kiss upon his lips. " But now, dear wife, let me know your fourth wish, " said the king, holding her in his arms. " I hope your last wish is a real one, and not merely calculated to render me happy, but one that also con- cerns yourself ?" " Oh, my fourth wish only concerns myself, " said the queen, with an arch smile. " I can confide it to you, to you alone, and you must promise to keep it secret, and not to say a word about it to the mistress of ceremonies. " " I promise it most readily, dear Louisa. " "Well," said the queen, placing her husband's hand upon her heart, and gently stroking it with her fingers. "I believe during the coming winter we shall often have to be king and queen. Fes- tivals will be given to us, and we shall have to give others in return ; the country will do homage to the new sovereign, and the nobility will solemnly take the oath of allegiance to him. Hence there will be a great deal of royal pomp, but very little enjoyment for us dur- ing the winter. Well, I will not complain, but endeavor, to the best of my ability, to do honor to my exalted position by your side. In return, however, my beloved lord and friend in return, next summer, when the roses are blooming, you must give me a day a day that is to belong exclusively to myself ; and on that day we will forget the cares of royalty, and only remember that we are a pair of happy young lovers. Of course, we shall not spend that day in Berlin, nor in Parez either ; but like two merry birds, we will fly far, far away to my home in Mecklenburg, to the paradise of my early years to the castle of Hohenzieritz ; and no one shall know any thing about it. Without being previously announced, we will arrive there, and in the solitude of the old house and garden we will perform a charming little idyl. On that day you only belong to me, and to nobody else. On that day I am your wife and sweetheart and 66 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. nothing else, and I shall provide amusement and food for you. Yes, dearest Frederick, I shall prepare your meals all alone, and set the table and carve for you. Oh, dear, dear friend ; give me such a day, such an idyl of happiness !" " I give it to you and to myself, most joyfully ; and let me con- fess, Louisa, I wish the winter were over already, and the morning of that beautiful day were dawning. " " Thanks thousand thanks !" exclaimed the queen, enthusiasti- cally. "Let the stiff and ceremonious days come now, and the sneaking, fawning courtiers and the incense of flattery. Through all the mist I shall constantly inhale the sweet fragrance of the roses of the future, and on the stiff gala-days I shall think of the idyl of that day that will dawn next summer and compensate me for all the annoyances and fatigues of court life. " The king placed his right hand on her head, as if to bless her, and with his left lifted up her face that was reposing on his breast. " And you really think, you charming, happy angel, that I do not understand you?" he asked, in a low voice. "Do you think I do not feel and know that you want to offer me this consolation and to comfort me by the hope of such a blissful day for the intervening time of care, fatigue, and restlessness? Oh, my dear Louisa, you need no such consolation, for God has intended you for a queen, and even the burdens and cares of your position will only surround you like enchanting genii. You know at all times how to find the right word and the right deed, and the Graces have showered upon you the most winning charms to fascinate all hearts, in whatever you may be doing. On the other hand, I am awkward and ill at ease. I know it only too well ; my unhappy childhood, grief and cares of all kinds, have rendered my heart reserved and bashful. Perhaps I am not always lacking right ideas, but I fail only too often to find the right word for what I think and feel. Hereafter, my dear Louisa, frequent occasions will arise when you will have to speak for both of us. By means of your irresistible smile and genial con- versation you will have to win the hearts of people, while I shall be content if I can only win their heads. " "Shall I be able to win their hearts?" asked the queen, musingly. "Oh, assist me, my dearest friend. Tell me what I have to do in order to be beloved by my people. " "Remain what you are, Louisa, " said the king, gravely "always remain as charming, graceful, and pure as I beheld you on the most glorious two days of my life, and as my inward eye always will be- hold you. Oh, I also have some charming recollections, and although I cannot narrate them in words as fascinating and glowing as yours, yet they are engraved no less vividly on my mind, and, THE KING'S RECOLLECTIONS. 67 like beautiful genii, accompany me everywhere. Only before others they are bashful and reticent like myself. " " Let me hear them, Frederick, " begged the queen, tenderly lean- ing her beautiful head on her husband's shoulder. "Let us devote another hour to the recollections of the past. " " Yes, let another hour be devoted to the memories of past times, " exclaimed the king, " for can there be any thing more attractive for me than to think of you and of that glorious hour when I saw you first? Shall I tell you all about it, Louisa?" "Oh, do so, my beloved friend. Your words will sound to me like some beautiful piece of music that one likes better and under- stands better the more it is heard. Speak, then, Frederick, speak. " CHAPTER X. THE KING'S RECOLLECTIONS. "WELL," said the king, "whenever I look back into the past, every thing seems to me covered with a gray mist, through which only two stars and two lights are twinkling. The stars are your eyes, and the lights are the two days I alluded to before the day on which I saw you for the first time, and the day on which you arrived in Berlin. Oh, Louisa, never shall I forget that first day ! I call it the first day, because it was the first day of my real life. It was at Frankfort-on-the-Main, during the campaign on the Rhine. My father, the king, accompanied by myself, returned the visit that the Duke of Mecklenburg, your excellent father, had paid on the previ- ous day. We met in a small and unpretending villa, situated in the midst of a large garden. The two sovereigns conversed long and seriously, and I was listening to them in silence. This silence was, perhaps, disagreeable to my father the king. "'What do you think, your highness?' he suddenly asked your father. 'While we are talking about the military operations, will we not permit the young gentleman there to wait upon the ladies? As soon as we are through, I shall ask you to grant me the same privilege. ' " The duke readily assented, and calling the footman waiting in the anteroom, he ordered him to go with me to the ladies and to announce my visit to them. Being in the neighborhood of the seat of war, you know, little attention was paid to ceremonies. I followed the footman, who told me the ladies were in the garden, whither he conducted me. We walked through a long avenue and a number of side-paths. The footman, going before me, looked around in every MUHLBACH D VOL. 7 68 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. direction without being able to discover the whereabouts of the ladies. Finally, at a bend in the avenue, we beheld a bower in the distance, and something white fluttering in it. "'Ah, there is Princess Louisa, ' said the footman, turning to me, and he then rapidly walked toward her. I followed him slowly and listlessly, and when he came back and told me Princess Louisa was ready to receive me, I was perhaps yet twenty yards from the rose- bower. I saw there a young lady rising from her seat, and accele- rated my steps. Suddenly my heart commenced pulsating as it never had done before, and it seemed to me as if a door were burst- ing open in my heart and making it free, and as if a thousand voices in my soul were singing and shouting, 'There she is ! There is the lady of your heart!' The closer I approached, the slower grew my steps, and I saw you standing in the entrance of the bower in a white dress, loosely covering your noble and charming figure, a gentle smile playing on your pure, sweet face, golden ringlets flow- ing down both sides of your rosy cheeks, and your head wreathed with the full and fragrant roses which seemed to bend down upon you from the bower in order to kiss and adorn you, your round white arms only half covered with clear lace sleeves, and a full- blown rose in your right hand which you had raised to your waist. And seeing you thus before me, I believed I had been removed from earth, and it seemed to me I beheld an angel of innocence and beauty, through whose voice Heaven wished to greet me.* At last I stood close before you, and in my fascination I entirely forgot to salute you. I only looked at you. I only heard those jubilant voices in my heart, singing, 'There is your wife the wife you will love now and forever!' It was no maudling sentimentality, but a clear and well-defined consciousness which, like an inspiration, suddenly moistened my eyes with tears of joy. f Oh, Louisa, why am I no painter to perpetuate that sublime moment in a beautiful and glori- ous picture? But what I cannot do, shall be~tried by others. A true artist shall render and eternize that moment for me, J so that one day when we are gone, our son may look up to the painting and say : 'Such was my mother when my father first saw her. He be- lieved he beheld an angel, and he was not mistaken, for she was the guardian angel of his whole life. '" " Oh ! you make me blush you make me too happy, too happy !" exclaimed the queen, closing her husband's lips with a burning kiss. * Goethe saw the young princess at the same time, and speaks of her "divine beauty." t The king's own words, vide Bishop Eylert's work, vol. ii., p. 22. J This painting was afterward executed, and may now be seen at the royal pal- ace of Berlin. The whole account of the first meeting of the two lovers is based upon the communication the king made himself to Bishop Eylert THE KING'S RECOLLECTIONS. 69 "Don't praise me too much, lest I should become proud and over- bearing. " The king gently shook his head. " Only the stupid, the guilty, and the base are proud and overbearing, " he said. " But, whoever has seen you, Louisa, on the day of your first arrival in Berlin, will never forget your sweet image in its radiance of grace, modesty, and loveliness. It was on a Sunday, a splendid clear day in winter, the day before Christmas, which was to become the greatest holiday of my life. A vast crowd had gathered in front of the Arsenal Unter den Linden. Every one was anxious to see you. At the entrance of the Linden, not far from the Opera-Place, a splendid triumphal arch had been erected, and here a committee of the citizens and a num- ber of little girls were to welcome you to Berlin. In accordance with the rules of court etiquette, I was to await your arrival at the palace. But my eagerness to see you would not suffer me to remain there. Closely muffled in my military cloak, my cap drawn down over my face, in order not to be recognized by anybody, I had gone out among the crowd and, assisted by a trusty servant, obtained a place behind one of the pillars of the triumphal arch. Suddenly tremendous cheers burst forth from a hundred thousand throats, thousands of arms were waving white handkerchiefs from the win- dows and roofs of the houses, the bells were rung, the cannon com- menced thundering, for you had just crossed the Brandenburger Gate. Alighting from your carriage, you walked up the Linden with your suite, the wildest enthusiasm greeting every step you made, and finally you entered the triumphal arch, not suspecting how near I was to you, and how fervently my heart was yearning for you. A number of little girls in white, with myrtle- branches in their hands, met you there ; and one of them, bearing a myrtle- wreath on an embroidered cushion, presented it to you and recited a simple and touching poem. Oh, I see even now, how your eyes were glowing, how a profound emotion lighted up your features, and how, overpowered by your feelings, you bent down to the little girl, clasped her in your arms and kissed her eyes and lips. But behind you there stood the mistress of ceremonies, Countess von Voss, pale with indignation, and trembling with horror at this un- paralleled occurrence. She hastily tried to draw you back, and in her amazement she cried almost aloud, ' Good Heaven ! how could your royal highness do that just now? It was contrary to good- breeding and etiquette!' Those were harsh and inconsiderate words, but in your happy mood you did not feel hurt, but quietly and cheerfully turned around to her and asked innocently and hon- estly : 'What! cannot I do so any more?'* Oh, Louisa, at that *Eylert,vol. ii.,p. 79. 70 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. moment, and in consequence of your charming question, my eyes grew moist, and I could hardly refrain from rushing out of the crowd and pressing you to my heart, and kissing your eyes and lips as innocently and chastely as you had kissed those of the little girl. "See," said the king, drawing a deep breath, and pausing for a minute, "those are the two great days of my life, and as you ask me now, what you ought to do in order to win the love of your peo- ple, I reply to you once more : Remain what you are, so that these beautiful pictures of you, which are engraved upon my heart, may always resemble you, and you will be sure to win all hearts. Oh, my Louisa, your task is an easy one, you only have to be true to yourself, you only have to follow your faithful companions the Graces, and success will never fail you. My task, however, is diffi- cult, and I shall have to struggle not only with the evil designs, the malice, and stupidity of others, but with my own inexperience, my want of knowledge, and a certain irresolution, resulting, however, merely from a correct appreciation of what I am lacking. " The queen with a rapid gesture placed her hand upon the king's shoulder. " You must be more self-reliant, for you may safely trust your- self, " she said, gravely. " Who could be satisfied with himself, if you were to despair? What sovereign could have the courage to grasp the sceptre, if your hands should shrink back from it? your hands, as free from guilt and firm and strong as those of a true man should be ! I know nothing about politics, and shall never dare to meddle with public affairs and to advise you in regard to them ; but I know and feel that you will always be guided by what you believe to be the best interests of your people, and that you never will devi- ate from that course. The spirit of the Great Frederick is looking upon you ; he will guide and bless you !" The king seemed greatly surprised by these words. "Do you divine my thoughts, Louisa?" he asked. " Do you know my soul has been with him all the morning that I thus conversed with him and repeated to myself every thing he said to me one day in a great and solemn hour. Oh, it was indeed a sacred hour, and never have I spoken of it to anybody, for every word would have looked to me like a desecration. But you, my noble wife, you can only consecrate and sanctify the advice I received in that momen- tous hour ; and as I am telling you to-day about my most glorious reminiscences, you shall hear also what Frederick the Great once said to me." The queen nodded approvingly, raising her head from his shoulder and folding her hands on her lap as if she were going to pray. The king paused for a moment, and seemed to reflect. THE KING'S RECOLLECTIONS. 71 " In 1785, " he then said, " on a fine, warm summer day, I met the king in the garden at Sans-Souci. I was a youth of fifteen years at that time, strolling carelessly through the shrubbery and humming a song, when I suddenly beheld the king, who was seated on the bench under the large beech -tree, at no great distance from the Japanese palace. He was alone ; two greyhounds were lying at his feet, in his hands he held his old cane, and his head reposed gently on the trunk of the beech -tree. A last beam of the setting sun was playing on his face, and rendered his glorious eyes even more radiant. I stood before him in leverential awe, and he gazed upon me with a kindly smile. Then he commenced examining me about my studies, and finally he drew a volume of La Fontaine's 'Fables' from his pocket, opened the book and asked me to translate the fable on the page he showed me. I did so but when he after- ward was going to praise me for the skill with which I had rendered it, I told him it was but yesterday that I had translated the same fable under the supervision of my teacher. A gentle smile imme- diately lighted up his face, and tenderly patting my cheeks, he said to me, in his sonorous, soft voice : ' That is right, my dear Fritz, always be honest and upright. Never try to seem what you are not always be more than what you seem !' I never forgot that exhor- tation, and I have always abhorred falsehood and hypocrisy. " The queen gently laid her hand upon his heart. "Your eye is honest, " she said, " and so is your heart. My Frederick is too proud and brave to utter a lie. And what did you say to your great ancestor?" "I? He spoke to me I stood before him and listened. He ad- monished me to be industrious, never to believe that I had learned enough ; never to stand still, but always to struggle on. After that he arose and, conversing with me all the time, slowly walked down the avenue leading to the garden gate. All at once he paused, and leaning upon his cane, his piercing eyes looked at me so long and searchingly, that his glance deeply entered into my heart. ' Well, Fritz, ' he said, ' try to become a good man, a good man par excel- lence. Great things are in store for you. I am at the end of my career, and my task is about accomplished. I am afraid that things will go pell-mell when I am dead. A portentous fermentation is going on everywhere, and the sovereigns, especially the King of France, instead of calming it and extirpating the causes that have produced it, unfortunately are deluded enough to fan the flame. The masses below commence moving already, and when the explo- sion finally takes place, the devil will be to pay. I am afraid your own position one day will be a most difficult one. Arm yourself, therefore, for the strife ! be firm ! think of me ! Watch over our 72 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA, honor and our glory ! Beware of injustice, but do not permit any one to treat you unjustly!' He paused again, and slowly walked on. While deeply moved and conscious of the importance of the interview, I inwardly repeated every word he had said, in order to remember them as long as I lived. We had now reached the obelisk, near the gate of Sans-Souci. The king here gave me his left hand, and with his uplifted right hand he pointed at the obelisk. ' Look at it, ' he said, loudly and solemnly ; ' the obelisk is tall and slender, and yet it stands firm amid the most furious storms. It says to you : Ma force est ma droiture. The culmination, the highest point over- looks and crowns the whole ; it does not support it, however, but is supported by the whole mass underlying it, especially by the invisi- ble foundation, deeply imbedded in the earth. This supporting foundation is the people in its unity. Always be on the side of the people, so that they will love and trust you, as they alone can render you strong and happy. ' He cast another searching glance upon me, and gave me his hand. When I bent over it in order to kiss it, he imprinted a kiss on my forehead. 'Don't forget this hour, ' he said kindly, nodding to me. He turned around, and accompanied by his greyhounds, slowly walked up the avenue again.* I never for- got that hour, and shall remember it as long as I live. " " And the spirit of the great Frederick will be with you and remain with you, " said the queen, deeply moved. " Would to God it were so 1" sighed the king. " I know that I am weak and inexperienced ; I stand in need of wise and experi- enced advisers ; I " A rap at the door interrupted the king, and on his exclaiming. " Come in !" the door was opened and the court marshal appeared on the threshold. "I humbly beg your majesty's pardon for venturing to disturb you," he said, bowing reverentially ; "but I must request your maj- esty to decide a most important domestic matter a matter that brooks no delay. " "Well, what is it?" said the king, rising and walking over to the marshal. "Your majesty, it is about the bill of fare for the royal table, and I beseech your majesty to read and approve the following paper I have drawn up in regard to it. " With an obsequious bow, he presented a paper to the king, who read it slowly and attentively. "What!" he suddenly asked, sharply, "two courses more than formerly ?" * The king's own account to Bishop Eylert, in the latter's work, vol. i., p. 456. THE KING'S RECOLLECTIONS. 73 " Your majesty, " replied the marshal, humbly, " it is for the table of a king .'" " And you believe that my stomach has grown larger since I am a king?" asked Frederick William. "No, sir, the meals shall re- main the same as heretofore,* unless," he said, politely turning to the queen, "unless you desire a change, my dear?" The queen archly shook her head. "No," she said, with a charming smile; "neither has my stomach grown larger si ace yesterday. " " There will be no change, then, " said the king, dismissing the marshal. " Just see, " he said to the queen, when the courtier had disap- peared, " what efforts they make in order to bring about a change in our simple and unassuming ways of living ; they flatter us wherever they can, and even tiy to do so by means of our meals. " " As for ourselves, however, dearest, we will remember the words of your great uncle, " said the queen, " and when they overwhelm us on all sides with their vain and ridiculous demands, we will remain firm and true to ourselves. " "Yes, Louisa," said the king, gravely, "and whatever our new life may have in store for us, we will remain the same as before. " Another rap at the door was heard, and a royal footman entered. "Lieutenant-Colonel von Kockeritz, your majesty, requests an audience. " "Ah, yes, it is time," said the king, looking at the clock on the mantel-piece. " I sent him word to call on me at this hour. Fare- well, Louisa, I must not let him wait. " He bowed to his wife, whose hand he tenderly pressed to his lips, and turned to the door. The footman who had meantime stood at the door as straight as an aiTow, waiting for the king's reply, now hastened to open both folding- doors. " What !" asked the king, with a deprecating smile, " have I sud- denly grown so much stouter that I can no longer pass out through one door ?"f The queen's eyes followed her husband's tall and commanding figure with a proud smile, and then raising her beautiful, radiant eyes with an indescribable expression to heaven, she whispered: "Oh, what a man ! my husband !" \ * Vide Eylert, vol. i., p. 18. -tlbid., p. 19. J"O, welch einMann! meiii Mann !" Eylert, vol. ii., p. 157. 74 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. v CHAPTER XI. THE YOUNO KING. THE king rapidly walked through the rooms and across the hall, separating his own apartments from those of the queen. He had scarcely entered his cabinet, when he opened the door of the ante- room, and exclaimed : " Pray, come in, my dear Kockeritz. " A corpulent little gentleman, about fifty years of age, with a kind, good-natured face, small, vivacious eyes, denoting an excel- lent heart, but little ability, and large, broad lips, which never perhaps had uttered profound truths, but assuredly many pleasant jests, immediately appeared on the threshold. While he was bowing respectfully, the king extended his hand to him. " You have received my letter, my friend ?" he asked. " Yes, your majesty. I received it yesterday, and I have been studying it all night." "And what are you going to reply to me?" asked the king, quickly. " Are you ready to accept the position I have tendered to you? Will you become my conscientious and impartial adviser my true and devoted friend ?" "Your majesty," said the lieutenant-colonel, sighing, "I am afraid your majesty has too good an opinion of my abilities. When I read your truly sublime letter, my heart shuddered, and I said to myself, ' The king is mistaken about you. To fill the position he is offering to you, he needs a man of the highest ability and wisdom. The king has confounded your heart with your head. ' Yes, your majesty, my heart is in the right place ; it is brave, bold, and faith- ful, but my head lacks wisdom and knowledge. I am not a learned man, your majesty. " " But you are a man of good common-sense and excellent judg- ment, and that is worth more to me than profound learning, " ex- claimed the king. "I have observed you for years, and these ex- tended observations have confirmed my conviction more and more that I was possessing in you a man who would be able one day to render me the most important services by his straightforwardness, his unerring judgment, his firm character, and well-tried honesty. I have a perfect right to trust you implicitly. I am a young man, as yet too ignorant of the world to rely exclusively upon myself, and not to fear lest dishonest men, in spite of the most earnest precau- tions, should deceive me. Hence every well-meant advice must be exceedingly welcome to me, and such advice I can expect at your THE YOUNG KING. 75 hands. I pray you, sir, remain my friend, do not change your bear- ing toward me, become my adviser.* Kockeritz, will you reject my request?" "No," exclaimed Herr von Kockeritz ; "if that is all your maj- esty asks of me, I can promise it and fulfil my promise. Your majesty shall always find me to be a faithful, devoted, and honest servant. " " I ask more than that, " said the king, gently. " Not only a faith- ful servant, but a devoted friend a friend who will call my atten- tion to my short- comings and errors. Assist me with your knowl- edge of men and human nature. For nobody is more liable to make mistakes in judging of men than a prince, and it cannot be other- wise. To a prince no one shows himself in his true character. Every one tries to fathom the weaknesses and inclinations of rulers and then assumes such a mask as seems best calculated to accom- plish his purposes. Hence, I expect you to look around quietly, without betraying your intentions, for honest and sagacious men, and to find out what positions they are able to fill in the most cred- itable manner. " f " I shall take pains, your majesty, to discover such men, " said Herr von Kockeritz, gravely. " It seems to me, however, sire, that fortunately you have got many able and excellent men close at hand, and for that reason need not look very far for other assistants. " "To whom do you allude?" exclaimed the king, sharply, and with a slight frown. Herr von Kockeritz cast a rapid glance upon the king's counte- nance and seemed to have read his thoughts upon his clouded brow. " Your majesty, " he said, gravely and slowly, " I do not mean to say any thing against Wollner, the minister, and his two counsel- lors, Hermes and Hiller, nor against Lieutenant- General von Bisch- ofswerder. " The frown had already disappeared from the king's brow. Step- ping up to his desk, he seized a piece of paper there, which he handed to his friend. " Just read that paper, and tell me what to do about it. " "Ah, Lieutenant-General von Bischofswercler has sent in his resignation !" exclaimed Herr von Kockeritz, when he had read the paper. " Well, I must confess that the general has a very fine nose, and that he acted most prudently. " "You believe, then, I would have dismissed him anyhow?" " Yes, I believe so, your majesty. " *Vide " A letter to Lieutenant-Colonel von Kockeritz, by Frederick William III." tlbid. 76 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. "And you are right, Kockeritz. This gloomy and bigoted man has done a great deal of mischief in Prussia, and the genius of our country had veiled his head and fled before the spirits which Bisch- ofswerder had called up. Oh, my friend, we have passed through a gloomy, disastrous period, and seen many evil spirits here, and been tormented by them. But not another word about it ! It does not behoove me to judge the past, for it does not belong to me. Only the future is mine ; and God grant when it has, in turn, be- come the past, that it may not judge me ! Lieutenant-General von Bischofswerder was the friend and confidant of my lamented father, the king, and in that capacity I must and will honor him. I shall accept his resignation, but grant him an ample pension." " That resolution is highly honorable to your majesty's heart," exclaimed Hen- von Kockeritz, feelingly. "As to Minister Wollner," said the king, frowning, "in respect- ful remembrance of my lamented father's partiality for him, I shall not at once dismiss him, but leave it to himself to send in his resig- nation. Let him see if he will be able to reconcile himself to the new era, for a new era, I hope, is to dawn for Prussia an era of toleration, enlightenment and true piety, that does not seek satis- faction in mere lip-service and church-going, but in good and pious deeds. Religion is not an offspring of the church, but the reverse is true ; the church is an offspring of religion, and the church there- fore, ought to be subordinate to religion, and never try to place itself above it. Henceforth there shall be no more compulsion in matters of faith, and all fanatical persecutions shall cease. I honor religion myself ; I devoutly follow its blessed precepts, and under no circumstances would I be the ruler of a people devoid of religion. But I know that religion always must remain a matter of the heart and of personal conviction, and if it is to promote virtue and right- eousness, it must not, by a mere methodical constraint, be degraded to an empty and thoughtless ritualism. Hereafter Lutheran princi- ples shall be strictly adhered to in religious affairs, for they are entirely in harmony with the spirit and Founder of our religion. No compulsory laws are necessary to maintain true religion in the country and to increase its salutary influence upon the happiness and morality of all classes of the people.* These, I am afraid, are principles which Minister Wollner cannot adopt; and if he is an honest man, he will consequently send in his resignation. If he should not do so in the course of a few weeks, of course I shall dis- miss him. You see, Kockeritz, I am speaking to you frankly and unreservedly, as if you were a true friend of mine, and I am treat- ing you already as my adviser. Now tell me who are the men of * Vide "Menzel's Twenty Years of Prussian History," p. 534. THE YOUNG KING. 77 whom you wished to speak, aud whom you believe to be able and reliable. " The face of Herr von Kockeritz assumed an embarrassed and anxious air, but the king was waiting for an answer, and therefore he could not withhold it any longer. "Well, your majesty," he said, somewhat hesitatingly, "I alluded to the minister of foreign affairs, Herr von Haugwitz, whom I believe to be an honest man, while I am equally satisfied that his first assistant, Lombard, is a man of excellent business qualifica- tions and great ability. " The king nodded his assent. "I am entirely of your opinion," he said ; " Minister von Haugwitz is not only an honest man, but an able-minded and skilful diplomatist, and an experienced statesman. I stand in need of his experience and knowledge, and as I moreover believe him to be a good patriot, he may remain at the head of his department. " A gleam of joy burst from the eyes of Herr von Kockeritz, but he quickly lowered them, in order not to betray his feelings. "As to Lombard," said the king, "you are likewise right ; he is an excellent and most able man, though a little tinctured with Jacobinism. His French blood infects him with all sorts of demo- cratic notions. I wish he would get rid of them, and I shall assist him in doing so, in case he should prove to be the man I take him for. His position is too exalted and important that I should not deem it desirable to see him occupy a place in society in accordance with the old established rules. I want him to apply for letters of nobility. I shall grant the application at once. Please, tell him so. " Herr von Kockeritz bowed silently. " Is there anybody else whom you wish to recommend to me?" asked the king with an inquiring glance. " Your majesty, " said Kockeritz, " I do not know of anybody else. But I am sure your majesty "will always find the right man for the right place. Even in my case, I trust, your majesty has done so, for if it is of importance for you to have a faithful and devoted servant close to your person, who values nothing in the world so greatly, who loves nothing so fervently, and adores nothing so much as his young king, then I am the right man, and in this regard I do not acknowledge any superior. And further, if it be of importance that your majesty should at all times hear the truth, then I am the right man again, for I hate -falsehood, and how should I, therefore, ever be false toward your majesty, inasmuch as I love your majesty ?" "I believe you, I believe you," exclaimed the king, taking the lieutenant-colonel by the hand. " You love me and are an honest man ; I shall, therefore, always hear the truth from you. But you 78 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. shall inform yourself also of the state of public opinion concerning myself and my government, weigh the judgment passed on me and my counsellors, and if you believe it to be correct, then discuss it with men whom you know to be impartial and able to speak under- standingly of the matter. Having thus ascertained public opinion and familiarized yourself with every thing, I expect you to lay the matter before me and tell me your opinion firmly and unreservedly. I shall never question your good intentions, but always endeavor to profit by your advice. And I shall now directly give you a trial. What do you think of the congress which met a few weeks ago at Rastadt, and-at which the German empire is to negotiate a treaty of peace with France?" " Your majesty, I believe it will be good for all of us to live at peace with* France, " exclaimed Herr von Kockeritz, earnestly. " If Prussia should quarrel with France, it would only afford Austria an opportunity to carry out its long-standing designs upon Bavaria, while Prussia would be occupied elsewhere ; and in order not to be hindered by Prussia in doing so, Austria, who now has just con- cluded so favorable a treaty of peace with France at Campo Formio, would become the ally of France and thus strengthen her old hostility toward Prussia. A war between Austria and Prussia would be the unavoidable consequence ; the whole of Germany would dissolve itself into parties favorable or hostile to us, and this state of affairs would give France an opportunity and a pretext to carry out her own predatory designs against Germany ; and, while we would be fighting battles perhaps in Silesia and Bavaria, to seize the left bank of the Rhine. " "I am entirely of your opinion, " exclaimed the king. "I am very glad to find my views in complete harmony with yours." It is true Lieutenant- Colonel von Kockeritz was well aware of this, for all he had said just now was nothing but a repetition o2 what the king, while yet a crown prince, had often told him in their confidential conversations. But of this he took good care not to remind the king, and merely bowed with a grateful smile. "Yes," added the king, "like you, I believe prudence and sound policy command us to remain at peace with France, and to form a closer alliance with this power. That is the only way for us to pre- vent Austria from realizing her schemes of aggrandizement. Aus- tria, not France, is dangerous co us ; the latter is our natural ally, and the former our natural adversary. Every step forward made by Austria in Germany, forces Prussia a step backward. Let Aus- tria enlarge her territory in the south, toward Italy, but never shall I permit her to extend her northern and western frontiers farther into Germany. The peace of Campo Formio has given Venice to FREDERICK GENTZ. 79 the Austrians but they never shall acquire Bavaria. It is Prussia's special task to induce France not to permit it, and, precisely for that reason, we must force a closer alliance with France. That, my dear Koekeritz, is my view of the political course that we should pursue in future. Peace abroad and peace at home ! No violent commo- tions and convulsions, no rash innovations and changes. New in- stitutions should gradually and by their own inherent force grow from the existing ones, for only in that case we may be sure that they really have taken root. I shall not head the world in the capacity of a creative and original reformer, but I shall always take pains to adopt such reforms as have proven valuable, and gradually to transform and improve such institutions as at present may be defective and objectionable. And in all these endeavors, my dear Kockeritz, you shall be my adviser and assistant. Will you prom- ise me your aid?" He looked earnestly and anxiously at the lieutenant-colonel and gave him his hand. "I promise it to your majesty," exclaimed Herr von Kockeritz, gravely, and grasping the king's hand. " Well, " said the king, " with this solemn pledge you may enter upon your official position, and I am satisfied that my choice has been a judicious one. Remain what you are, sir, an upright, hon- est man ! As far as I am concerned, you may always be sure of my heart- felt gratitude ; on the other hand, however, you should remem- ber that you not only oblige me personally, but that I request you, as it were, in the name of the state, to labor for the latter. At some future time you will gain the sweet conviction and satisfaction that you have done not a little for the welfare of the commonwealth and thereby earned the thankfulness of every well-meaning patriot. I am sure there cannot be a sweeter reward for a man of true honor and ambition like yourself. " * CHAPTER XII. FREDERICK GENTZ. IT was yet early in the morning ; the blinds of all the windows in the Taubenstrasse were as yet firmly closed, and only in a single house an active, bustling life prevailed. At its door there stood a heavy travelling- coach which a footman was busily engaged in loading with a large number of trunks, boxes, and packages. In the rooms of the first story people were very active ; industrious hands were assiduously occupied with packing up things generally j * Vide the king's letter to Lieutenant-Colonel von Kockeritz. 80 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. straw was wrapped around the furniture, and then covered with linen bags. The looking-glasses and paintings were taken from the walls and laid into wooden boxes, the curtains were removed from the windows, and every thing indicated that the inmates of the house were not only about to set out on a journey, but entirely to give up their former mode of living. Such was really the case, and while the servants filled the ante- rooms and the halls with the noise of their preparations, those for whom all this bustle and activity took place were in their parlor, in a grave and gloomy mood. There were two of them a lady, scarcely twenty-four years of age, and a gentleman, about twelve years older. She was a delicate and lovely woman, with a pale, sad face, while he was a vigorous, stout man with full, round features, and large vivacious eyes which at present tried to look grave and afflicted without being able to do so ; she wore a travelling-dress, while his was an elegant morning costume. Both of them had been silent for awhile, standing at the window, or rather at different windows, and witnessing the removal of the trunks and packages to the travelling-coach. Finally, the lady, with a deep sigh, turned from the window and approached the gen- tleman who had likewise stepped back into the room. " I believe the trunks are all in the carriage, and I can set out oiow, Frederick, " she said, in a low and tremulous voice. He nodded, and extended his hand toward her. " And you are not angry with me, Julia?" he asked. She did not take his hand, but only looked up to him with eyes full of eloquent grief. " I am not angry, " ske said. " I pray to God that He may forgive you. " " And will you forgive me, too, Julia? For I know I have sinned grievously against you. I have made you shed many tears I have rendered you wretched and miserable for two years, and these two years will cast a gray shadow over your whole future. When you first entered this room, you were an innocent young girl with rosy cheeks and radiant eyes, and now, as you leave it fox-ever, you are a poor, pale woman with a broken heart and dimmed eyes. " "A divorced wife, that is all," she whispered, almost inaudibly. "I came here with a heart overflowing with happiness I leave you now with a heart full of wretchedness. I came here with the joy- ous resolution and fixed purpose to render you a happy husband, and I leave you now with the painful consciousness that I have not be- stowed upon you that happiness which I sought so earnestly to obtain for myself. Ah, it is very sad and bitter to be under the necessity of accepting this as the only result of two long years 1" FREDERICK GENTZ. 81 "Yes, it is very sad," he said, sighing. "But after all, it is no fault of ours. There was a dissonance in our married life from the start, and for that reason there never could be any genuine harmony between us. This dissonance well, at the present hour I may con- fess it to you, too this dissonance simply was the fact that I never loved you !" A convulsive twitching contracted the pale lips of the poor lady. "You were a great hypocrite, then," she whispered, "for your words, your solenm vows never made me suspect it. " "Yes, I was a hypocrite, a wretch, a coward!" he exclaimed, impetuously. " They overwhelmed me with exhortations, supplica- tions, and representations. They knew so well to flatter me with the idea that the beautiful, wealthy, and much- courted heiress, Julia Gilly, had fallen in love with me, the poor, unknown Frederick Gentz, the humble military counsellor. They knew so well to de- pict to me the triumph I would obtain by marrying you, to the great chagrin of all your other suitors. Flattery intoxicates me, and a success, a triumph over others, fills me with the wildest de- light. My father spoke of my debts, my creditors threatened me with suits and imprisonment : " And thus, " she interrupted him " thus you sacrificed me to your vanity and to your debts you falsely vowed a love to me which you never felt, and accepted my hand. My father paid your debts, you solemnly promised to all of us not to incur any new ones, but you utterly broke your pledges. Instead of squandering hundreds as heretofore, you henceforth lavished thousands, until my whole ma- ternal property was gone until my father, in a towering passion, turned his back upon us and swore never to see us again. The creditors, the debts, the embarrassments, reappeared, and as I had no money left with which to extricate you from your difficulties, you thought you owed me no further respect and were not under the necessity of remembering that I was your wife. You had a number of love-affairs, as I knew very well, but was silent. Love-letters arrived for you, not from one woman with whom you had fallen in love, but from God knows how many. I was aware of it and was silent. And when you were finally shameless enough to let the whole city witness your passion for an actress when all Berlin spoke contemptuously of this flame of yours and of the follies you committed in consequence then I could be silent no longer, and my honor and dignity commanded me to apply for a divorce. " l ' And every one must acknowledge that you were perfectly right. As a friend I could not have given you myself any other advice, for I shall not and cannot alter my nature. I am unable to accustom myself to a quiet and happy family life domestic felicity is repul- 82 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. sive to me, and a feeling of restraint makes me rear and plunge like the noble charger feeling his bit and bridle for the first time. I can bear no chains, Julia, not even those of an excellent and affectionate wife such as you have been to me. " "You can bear no chains," she said, bitterly, "and yet you are always in chains in the chains of your debts, your love-affairs, and your frivolity. Oh, listen to me heed my words for once. They are as solemn as though they were uttered on a death-bed, for we shall never see each other again. Fancy a mother were speaking to you a mother tenderly loving you. For I confess to you that I still love you, Gentz my heart cannot yet break loose from you, and even now that I have to abandon you, I feel that I shall forever remain tenderly attached to you. Oh, true love is ever hopeful, and that was the reason why I remained in your house, although my father had applied for a divorce. I was always in hopes that your heart would return to me oh, I did not suspect that you had never loved me ! and thus I hoped in vain, and must go now, for our divorce will be proclaimed to-day, and honor forbids me to re- main here any longer. But now that I am going, listen once more to the warning voice of a friend. Frederick Gentz, turn back ! Pursue no longer the slippery path of frivolity and voluptuousness. Break loose from the meshes of pleasures and sensuality. God has given you a noble mind, a powerful intellect make good use of your surpassing abilities. Become as great and illustrious as Providence has intended you if you but be true to yourself. See, I believe in you, and although you only seem to live for pleasure and enjoyment, I know you are destined to accomplish great things, provided you strive to do so. Oh, let me beseech you to change your course, and to emerge from this whirlpool of dissipation and profligacy. Close your ears to the alluring songs of the sirens, and listen to the sublime voices resounding in your breast and calling you to the path of glory and honor. Follow them, Frederick Gentz be a man, do not drift any longer aimlessly in an open boat, but step on a proud and glori- ous ship, grasp the helm and steer it out upon the ocean. You are the man to pilot the ship, and the ocean will obey you, and you will get into port loaded with riches, glory, and honor. Only make an effort. Remember my words, and now, Frederick Gentz, in order to live happily, never remember me !" She turned round and hastily left the room. He stood immovable for several minutes, dreamily gazing after her, while her words were still resounding in his ears like an inspired prophecy. But when he heard the carriage roll away on the street, he started, passed his hand across his quivering face and whispered : " I have deeply wronged her ; may God forgive me 1" FEEDEEICK GENTZ. 83 Suddenly, however, he drew himself up to his full height, and a gleam of intense joy burst forth from his eyes. "I am free!" he exclaimed, loudly and in a tone of exultation. " Yes, I am free ! My life and the world belong to me again. All women are mine again, Cupid and all the gods of love will boldly flit toward me, for they need not conceal themselves any longer from the face of a hus- band strolling on forbidden grounds, nor from the spying eyes of a jealous wife. Life is mine again, and I will enjoy it ; yes I enjoy it. I will enjoy it like fragrant wine pressed to our lips in a golden goblet, sparkling with diamonds. Ah, how they are hammering and battering in the anteroom ! Every stroke of theirs is a note of the glorious song of my liberty. The furniture of my household is gone ; the pictures and looking-glasses are all gone gone. The past and every thing reminding [me thereof shall disappear from these rooms. I will have new furniture furniture of gold and velvet, large Venetian mirrors, and splendid paintings. Oh, my rooms shall look as glorious and magnificent as those of a prince, and all Berlin shall speak of the splendor and luxury of Frederick Geutz. And to whom shall I be indebted for it? Not to my wife's dower, but to myself to myself alone, to my talents, to my genius ! Oh, in regard to this at least, poor Julia shall not have been mistaken. I shall gain fame, and glory, and honors ; my name shall become a household word throughout all Europe ; it shall reecho in every cabi- net ; every minister shall have recourse to me, and hark ! What's that?" he suddenly interrupted himself. "I really believe they are quarrelling in the anteroom. " Indeed, a violent altercation was heard outside. Suddenly the door was pushed open, and a vigorous, broad-shouldered man, with a flushed and angry face, appeared on the threshold. "Well," he exclaimed, with a bitter sneer, turning to the foot- man who stood behind him, " was I not right when I told you that Mr. Counsellor Gentz was at home? You would not announce me, because your master had ordered you not to admit any visitors of my class. But I want to be admitted. I will not permit myself to be shown out of the anteroom like a fool, while the counsellor here is snugly sitting on his sofa laughing at me. " " You see, my dear Mr. Werner, I am neither sitting on my sofa nor laughing at you," said Gentz, slowly approaching his angry visitor. " And now let me ask you what you want of me. " " What I want of you?" replied the stranger, with a sneer. " Sir, you know very well what I want of you. I want my money ! I want the five hundred dollars you have been owing me for the last twelve months. I tnisted your word and your name ; I furnished you my best wines my choicest champagne and the most exquisite 84 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. delicacies for your dinner parties. You have treated your friends , that was all right enough, but it should have been done at your ex- pense, and not at mine. For that reason I am here, and you must pay me. For the hundredth and last time, I demand my money !" " And if I now tell you for the hundredth, but not the last time, that I have not got any money ?" " Then I shall go to the war department and attach your salary. " " Ah, my dear friend, there you would be altogether too late, " exclaimed Gentz, laughing. "My honorable landlord has out- stripped you as far as that is concerned ; he has attached my salary for a whole year, and I believe it is even insufficient to cover what I owe him. " "But in the d 1's name, sir, you must find some other means of satisfying my claim, for I tell you I shall not leave this room with- out getting my money. " "My dear Mr. Werner, pray do not shout so dreadfully," said Gentz, anxiously ; " my ears are very sensitive, and such shouting terrifies me as much as a thunderstorm. I am quite willing to pay you, only point out to me a way to do it !" " Borrow money of other people and then pay me !" " My dear sir, that is a way I have exhausted long ago. There is no one willing to advance me money either on interest or on my word of honor. " "But how in the d 1's name are you going to pay me then, sir?" "That is exactly what I don't know yet, but after a while I shall know, and that time will come very soon. For I tell you, sir, these days of humiliations and debts will soon cease for me. I shall occupy an exalted and brilliant postion ; the young king will give it to me, and" "Fiddlesticks!" exclaimed Werner, interrupting him; "do not feed me with such empty hopes after I have fed you with delicacies and quenched your thirst with my champagne. " " My dear sir, I have not partaken all alone of your good cheer ; my friends have helped me, and now you ask me alone to pay the whole bill. That is contrary to natural law and to political economy. " "Mr. Counsellor, are you mocking me with your political econ- omy? What do ymi know about economy?" "Ah, I am quite familiar with it, and my book on English finances has brought me fame and honor. " " It would have been better for you, Mr. Counsellor, if you had attended to your own finances. All Berlin knows in what condition they are." " Nevertheless, there were always excellent men putting a noble trust in me, and believing that I would repay the money I borrowed FREDERICK GENTZ. 85 of them. You are one of those excellent men, Mr. Werner, and I shall never forget it. Have a little patience, and I will pay you principal and interest. " "I cannot wait, Mr. Counsellor. I am in the greatest embarrass- ment myself ; I have to redeem large notes in the course of a few days, and unless I can do so I am lost, my whole family is ruined, and my reputation gone ; then I must declare myself insolvent, and suffer people to call me an impostor and villain, who incurs debts without knowing wherewith to pay them. Sir, I shall never suffer this, and therefore I must have my money, and I will not leave this room until you have paid my claim in full. " " In that case, my dear sir, I am afraid you will have to remain here and suffer the same distressing fate as Lot's unfortunate wife " " Sir, pray be serious, for my business here is of a very serious character. Five hundred dollars is no trifle ; a man may squander them in a few days, but they may cause him also to commit suicide. Pay me, sir, pay me ; I want my money !" "For God's sake, do not shout in this manner. I told you once already that I cannot stand it. I know very well that five hundred dollars is a serious matter, and that you must have your money. I will make an effort, nay, I will do my utmost to get it for you ; but you must be quiet. I pledge you my word that I will exert myself to the best of my power in order to obtain that amount for you, but in return you must promise me to go home quietly and peaceably, and to wait there until I bring you the money. " "What are you going to do? How are you going to get the money ? You told me just now you were unable to borrow any thing. " " But somebody may give me those miserable five hundred dollars, and it seems to me that would do just as well. " " Oh, you are laughing at me. " " By no means, sir. Just be still and let me write a letter. I will afterward show you the address, and thereby let you know from whom I am expecting assistance. " He walked rapidly to his desk, penned a few lines, and placed the paper in a large envelope, which he sealed and directed. " Read the address, " he said, showing the letter to Mr. W T erner. "To his excellency the minister of the treasury, Count von Schu- lenburg-Kehnert, general of artillery, " read Werner, with a hesi- tating tongue, and casting astonished and inquisitive glances upon Gentz. "And this is the distinguished gentleman to whom you apply for the money, Mr. Counsellor?" " Yes, my friend ; and you must confess that a minister of finance is the best man to apply to for money. I have written to his excel- lency that I stand in urgent need of five hundred dollars to-day, and 86 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. I request him to extricate me from my embarrassment. I ask him to appoint an hour during the forenoon when I may call upon him and get the money. " " And you really believe that he will give you the money ?" " My dear sir, I am perfectly sure of it, and in order to satisfy you likewise, I will make a proposition. Accompany my footman to the minister's house, carry the letter to him yourself, and hear his reply. You may then repeat this reply to my footman, go home in good spirits, and wait there until I bring you the money. " "And if you should fail to come?" asked Werner. " Then that last remedy you alluded to, suicide, always remains to you. Now go, my dear sir. John ! John !" The footman opened the door with a rapidity indicating that his ears probably had not been very far from the keyhole. "John," said Gentz, "accompany this gentleman to the house of Minister Schulenburg-Kehnert, and wait at the door for the reply he will repeat to you. And now, Mr. Werner, good-by ; you see I have done all I can, and I hope you will remember that in future, and not make so much noise for the sake of a few miserable dollars. Good gracious, if I did not owe any one more than you, my creditors might thank their stars " "Poor creditors!" sighed Mr. Werner, saluting Gentz, and left the room with the footman, holding the letter like a trophy in his hand CHAPTER XIII. THE INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER OF FINANCE. " WELL, I am really anxious to know whether the minister will give me the money, " murmured Gentz ; " his reply will indicate to me, if the letter to the king I intrusted yesterday to Menken, has made a favorable impression, and if I may hope at length for pro- motion and other favors. My God, I am pining away in my present miserable and subordinate position ! I am able to accomplish greater things. I am worth more than all these generals, ministers, and ambassadors, who are so proud and overbearing, and dare to look down upon me as though I were their inferior. Ah ! I shall not stoop so low as to knuckle to them and flatter them. I don't want to be lifted up by them, but I will be their equal. I feel that I am the peer of the foremost and highest of all these so-called statesmen. I do not need them, but they need me. Ah, my God ! somebody knocks at the door again, and John is not at home. Good Heaven, if it should be another of those noisy, impertinent creditors ! I am THE INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER OF FINANCE. 87 indebted to Julia for all these vexations. Because her things are being sent away, every door in the house is open, and every one can easily penetrate into my room. Yes, yes, I am coming. I am already opening the door. " He hastened to the door and unlocked it. This time, however, no creditor was waiting outside, but a royal footman, who respect- fully bowed to the military counsellor. " His royal highness Prince Louis Ferdinand, " he said, " requests Mr. Counsellor Gentz to dine with him to-morrow." Gentz nodded haughtily. " I shall come, " he said briefly, and then looked inquiringly at his own footman who had just entered the other room. "Well, John, what did the minister reply?" " His excellency requests Mr. Counsellor Gentz to call on him in the course of an hour. " "All right !" said Gentz, and an expression of heart-felt satisfac- tion overspread his features. He closed the door, and stepped back into his study, and, folding his hands on his back, commenced pacing the room. " He is going to receive me in the course of an hour, " he mur- mured. "I may conclude, therefore that the king was pleased with my letter, and that I am at last to enter upon a new career. Ah, now my head is light, and my heart is free ; now I will go to work. " He sat down at his desk and commenced writing rapidly. His features assumed a grave expression, and proud and sublime thoughts beamed on his expansive forehead. He was so absorbed in his task that he entirely forgot the audi- ence the minister had granted to him, and his footman had to come in and remind him that the hour for calling upon his excellency was at hand. "Ah ! to be interrupted in my work for such a miserable trifle," said Gentz, indignantly laying down his pen and rising. "Well, then, if it must be, give me my dress-coat, John, and I will go to his excellency." A quarter of an hour later Counsellor Frederick Gentz entered the anteroom of Count Schulenburg-Kehnert, minister of finance. "Announce my arrival to his excellency," he said to the footman in waiting, with a condescending nod, and then quickly followed him to the door of the minister's study. "Permit me to announce you to his excellency," said the foot- man, and slipped behind the portiere. He returned in a few minutes. "His excellency requests Mr. Gentz to wait a little while. His excellency has to attend to a few dispatches yet, but will very soon be ready to admit Mr. Gentz." 88 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. " Very well, I shall wait, " said Gentz, with a slight frown, and he approached the splendidly bound books which were piled up in gilt cases on the walls of the room. The most magnificent and precious works of ancient and modern literature, the rarest editions, the most superb illustrated books were united in this library, and Gentz noticed it with ill-concealed wrath. "These men can have all these treasures, nay, they have got them, and value them so little as to keep them in their anterooms, " he murmured, in a surly tone, forgetting altogether that the foot- man was present and could overhear every word he said. He had really heard his remark, and replied to it, approaching Gentz : " I beg your pardon, Mr. Counsellor, his excellency does not un- dervalue these treasures, but appreciates them highly, and is always glad enough when the bookbinder delivers new volumes in gorgeous bindings. For this very reason his excellency has ordered the library to be placed in this anteroom, so that it also may gladden the hearts of other people, and those gentlemen who have to wait here may have something wherewith to while away their time. " " They are permitted, then, to take the books down and read them?" asked Gentz. The footman looked somewhat embarrassed. "I believe," he said, timidly, " that would not be altogether agreeable to his excel- lency, for you see, Mr. Counsellor, all of these beautiful books are gilt-edged, and gilt edges suffer greatly if the books are read. You cannot even open the books without injuring them slightly." " And the gilt edges on this row of the books before me are as good as new, and perfectly uninjured, " said Gentz, gravely. " Well, that is easily explained. They have not been disturbed since the bookbinder brought them here, " exclaimed the footman, solemnly. " No one would dare to handle them. " " Does not his excellency read these books?" " God forbid ! His excellency likes books, but he has not got time to read much. But whenever his excellency passes through this anteroom, he pauses before his bookcases, and looks at them, and, with his own hands, frequently wipes off the dust from the gilt edges of the books. " "Indeed, that is a most honorable occupation for a minister of finance, " said Gentz, emphatically. " It is always a great consola- tion to know that a minister of finance wipes off the dust from the gold. I should be very happy if his excellency should consent to do that also for me as often as possible. But does it not seem to you, my dear fellow, that it takes his excellency a good while to finish those dispatches? It is nearly half an hour since I have been wait- ing here. " THE INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER OF FINANCE. 89 " I am sure his excellency will soon ring the bell. " "Ring the bell?" asked Gentz, uneasily, "for whom?" "Why, for myself, in order to notify me to admit you, Mr. Counsellor. " "Ah, for you?" asked Gentz, drawing a deep breath, and turn- ing once more to the books in order to while away the time by read- ing at least the titles, as he was not permitted to take down and open one of the magnificent volumes. Time passed on in this manner, and Gentz was walking up and down near the bookcases, studying the titles, and waiting. The footman had withdrawn into the most remote window, and was waiting likewise. Suddenly the large clock commenced striking solemnly and slowly, and announced to Gentz that he had been a whole hour in his excellency's anteroom. And his excellency had not yet rung the bell. At this moment Gentz turned toward the footman with a gesture of indignation and impatience. " I am satisfied that his excellency has entirely forgotten that I am waiting here in the anteroom, "he said, angrily. "The dis- patches must be quite lengthy, for I have been here now for an hour already. Hence I must beg you to inform the minister that I cannot wait any longer, for I am quite busy too, and have to return to my study. Please say that to his excellency. " " But can I dare to disturb his excellency ?" asked the footman, anxiously. "He has not rung the bell, sir." "Well, you must be kind enough to disturb him and tell him I must leave unless he can admit me at once, " exclaimed Gentz, ener- getically. "Go, sir, go!" The footman sighed deeply. " Well, I will do so at your risk, Mr. Counsellor, " he said, in a low voice, stepping behind the por- tidre. He soon returned, a malicious smile playing on his lips. " His excellency regrets that you cannot wait any longer, Mr. Counsellor," he said. "His excellency being so busy that he cannot be disturbed, he requests you to call again to-morrow at the same hour. " "So his excellency dismisses me after detaining me here in the anteroom for more than an hour?" asked Gentz, incredulously. "His excellency is overwhelmed with unexpected business," said the footman, with a shrug of his shoulders. " His excellency there- fore requests you, Mr. Counsellor, to call again to-morrow." Gentz cast upon the footman a glance which would have shivered him like a thunderbolt if he had not been a man of stone. But being a man of stone, the thunderbolt harmlessly glanced off from 90 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. him. With a peculiar smile, he assisted the enraged counsellor in putting on his cloak, handed him his hat with a polite bow, and then hastened to the door in order to open it to him. At this moment the minister in his study rang the bell loudly and violently. The footman quickly opened the door leading to the hall, and, with a polite gesture, invited Gentz to step out. The latter, however, did not stir. He had hastily placed his hat on his head and was now putting on his gloves with as grave an air as if they were gauntlets with which he was going to arm himself for the pur- pose of stepping out into the arena. The minister's bell reeounded even louder and more violently than before. "I beg your pardon, Mr. Counsellor," the footman exclaimed, impatiently, "his excellency is calling me. Be kind enough to close the door when you leave. I must go to his excellency. " He hurriedly crossed the room and hastened into the minister's study. Gentz now put on his gloves and approached the door. He bent one more glance full of anger upon the anteroom, and finally fixed hie eyes upon the glittering books in the cases on the wall. An expression of malicious joy suddenly overspread his features. He drew back from the door, and hurriedly crossing the room, he ap- proached the books. Without any hesitation whatever, he took down one of the largest and most richly ornamented volumes, con- cealed the book under his cloak, hastened back to the door, and left the house of the minister of finance with a haughty and defiant air. Without nodding or greeting any one, he hastened through the streets back to I is own house. At the door of the latter there stood two huge furniture- wagons, half filled with the sofas, arm-chairs, tables, and looking-glasses which heretofore had adorned his rooms, and which he was now going to lose with his wife. The servants had not finished removing the furniture, and he had to pause in the hall in order to let them pass with the large silken sofa which had been the chief ornament of his own parlor. This greatly increased his anger ; with furious gestures he rapidly ascended the staircase and went to his rooms. Every door was open the apartments which he crossed with ringing steps, were empty and deserted, and finally he reached the door of his study, where his footman had posted himself like a faithful sentinel. Gentz silently beckoned him to open it, and entered. But when the servant was going to follow him, he silently but imperiously kept him back, and slammed the door in his face. Now at last he was alone ; now no one could see and watch him any longer ; now he could utter the cry of rage that was filling his '3U THE INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER OP FINANCE. 91 breast and almost depriving him of the power of speech ; and after uttering th?c cry, he could appease his wrath still in some other way. He threw his cloak and hat upon a chair, seized the splendidly bound and richly gilt volume from the minister's library with both hands and hurled it upon the floor. " Lie there, toy of a proud minister !" he exclaimed furiously. " I will treat you as I would like to treat him. I will abuse you as I would like to abuse him. There ! take this ! and this ! and that !" And he stamped with his heels upon the magnificent work, clinchiug his fists and swearing fearfully.* A loud and merry laugh was heard behind him, and upon turning round he beheld in the door one of his friends, who was looking at him with a radiant face. " Herr von Gualtieri, you laugh, and I am furious, " exclaimed Gentz, stamping again upon the costly volume. "But why, for God's sake, are you furious?" asked Herr von Gualtieri. " Why do you perpetrate such vandalism upon that mag- nificent volume under your feet?" "Why? Well, I will tell you. I was to-day at the house of Count Schulenburg-Kehnert ; he had sent me word to call on him at ten o'clock, and when I was there, he made me stand for an hour in his anteroom like his gorgeous, gilt-edged books, which his foot- man told me he never opens because he is afraid of injuring their gilt edges. " " And did he admit you after you had been in the anteroom for an hour?" "No. When I had been there for an hour, he sent me word through his footman that he was too busy to receive me, and that I bad better call again to-morrow. Bah ! He wanted to treat me like those books of his, which he never opens ; he did not want to open me either me, a man who has got more mind, more knowledge, and information than all his books together. He made me wait in his anteroom for a whole hour, and then dismissed me !" " And you allowed yourself to be dismissed ?" "Yes, sir, I did; but I took one of his splendid gilt-edged vol- umes along, in order to stamp on it and maltreat it, as I would like to maltreat him. Thus ! and thus ! To crush it under my heels. It does me good. It relieves me. At this moment this is the only revenge I can take against the miserable feUow. " f HeiT von Gualtieri laughed uproariously. " Ah ! that is an entirely novel jus gentium, " he exclaimed; "an exceedingly funny * Vide "Gallerie von Bildnissen aus Rafael's Umgang," edited by Varnhagen von Ense, vol. ii., p 168 tGentz's own words. Vide "Rahel's Umgang," vol ii., p. 168. MUHLBACH E VOL. 7 92 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. jus gentium. My friend, let me embrace you ; you are a glorious fellow !" With open arms he approached Gentz and pressed him tenderly, laughing all the while, to his heart. Gentz was unable to withstand this kindness and this laughter, and suddenly forgetting his anger, he boisterously joined his friend's mirth. " You like my revenge ?" he asked. " Ah ! it is admirable ; it is the revenge of a genuine Corsican !" Baid Gualtieri, gravely. "Of a Corsican?" asked Gentz, shrinking back. "That is an ugly comparison, sir. I do not want to have any thing in common with that Corsican, General Bonaparte. I tell you I am afraid that man will some day prove a terrible scourge for us. " "And I adore him !" exclaimed Gualtieri. "He is the resusci- tated Alexander of Macedon, the conqueror of the world, the master of the world. He alone has stemmed the tide of revolution in France. To him alone the French are indebted for the restoration of order and tranquillity in their country. The thirteenth of Ven- demiaire is as heroic a deed, as great a victory, as the battles of Lodi and Arcole. " " That may be, " said Gentz, morosely. " I am no soldier, and do not like battles and warfare. And what do we Germans care for the Corsican? Have we not got enough to do at home? Germany, how- ever, is so happy and contented that, like the Pharisee, she may look upon republican France and exclaim : ' I thank thee, my God, that I am not like this man. ' " " You are right, " replied Gualtieri. " We also stand in need of a revolution. In Germany, too, a guillotine must be erected heads must fall, and death must hold its bloody harvest. " "Hush, my friend, hush !" said Gentz, drawing back in dismay. "Did you merely come to me for the purpose of speaking of such dreadful matters, while you are well aware that I don't like to hear anybody allude to bloodshed, murders, and similar horrors?" "I merely wanted to try you a little in order to see whether you are still the same dear old childish coward, " exclaimed Gualtieri, laughing. "The same great child with the strong, manly soul, and the gentle, weak, and easily moved child's heart. Now, let me know quickly what you wanted of the minister of finance, and I shall reward you then by telling you some good news. Well, then, what did you want of Schulenburg?" " I had asked him to lend me five hundred dollars, and to appoint an hour when I might call for the money. He named ten o'clock, and I went to his house, merely to leave it an hour after in a tower- THE INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER OF FINANCE. 93 Ing passion and with empty hands. Oh, it is infamous, it is dread- ful ! It is" At that moment the door opened, and the footman entered. "From his excellency, General von Schulenburg-Kehnert, " he said, delivering to Gentz a small sealed package and a letter. " The servant who brought it has left, as he said no reply was required. " Gentz beckoned his servant to withdraw, and he then hastily opened the package. "Twelve fifty-dollar bills !" he exclaimed, triumphantly. "One hundred dollars more than I had asked for! That is very kind, indeed. " " May be he does not give it to you, but merely lends it to you,* said Gualtieri, smiling. "Lend it to me 1" exclaimed Gentz, scornfully. "People don't lend any money to me, because they know that I am unable to pay it back ; people reward me, sir ; they show their gratitude toward me in a substantial manner, but they are not so mean as to lend me what I ask for. " "Does the minister tell you so in his letter?" asked Gualtieri, dryly. " Ah ! that is true. I have not yet read the letter, " said Gentz, breaking the seal. While he was reading it, a slight blush suffused his cheeks, and an expression of shame overspread his features. "Here, read it," he murmured, handing the letter to his friend. Gualtieri took it and read as follows : " MY DEAR COUNSELLOR, You wished to see me, and I begged you to call at ten o'clock, although I was overwhelmed with busi- ness and hardly had any time to spare. Precisely at ten o'clock I was ready to receive you, for in all matters of business I am a very punctual man. However, after vainly waiting for you for half an hour, I resumed my work. I had to examine some very complicated accounts, and could not allow myself to be interrupted after once taking them up. Hence I had to ask you to wait, and when, after waiting for half an hour, like myself, you grew impatient and would not stay any longer, I sent you word to call again to-morrow. Now, that I have concluded my pressing business, however, I hasten to comply with your request. You asked me for five hundred dol- lars ; here they are. Knowing, however, how precious your time is, and that you had to wait for half an hour through my fault, I take the liberty of adding one hundred dollars for the time you have lost to-day. Farewell, sir, and let me conclude with expressing the hope that you will soon again delight the world and myself with one of your excellent works. " 94 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. CHAPTER XIV. THE MEMORIAL TO FREDERICK WILLIAM in. " I BELIEVE, " said Gualtieri, returning the letter to Gentz, " I be- lieve the minister wanted to teach you a lesson. He made you wait in order to teach you the necessity of being punctual. " "And I shall not forget the lesson." "You will be punctual hereafter?" " On the contrary. This time I was half an hour behind time, and he paid me one hundred dollars for it. Hereafter I shall be an hour too late ; he will make me wait an hour and pay me two hun- dred dollars for it. I believe that is sound arithmetic. Don't look at me so scornfully, Gualtieri ; this state of affairs will not last for any length of time ; there will be a time at no distant period when no minister will dare to make me wait in his anteroom, nor to pay me such petty, miserable sums. The ministers then will wait in my anteroom, and will be only too happy if I accept the thousands which they will offer to me. I have formed the fixed resolution to obtain a brilliant position and to coin wealth out of my mind. " " And I am sure you will succeed in accomplishing your purpose, " said Gualtieri. " Yes, I am satisfied a brilliant future is in store for you. You are a genius such as Germany has not seen heretofore, for you are a political genius, and you may just as well confess that Germany greatly lacks politicians who are able to wield their pen like a pointed two-edged sword, to strike fatal blows in all direc- tions and obtain victories. Germany has already fixed her eyes upon you, and even in England your name is held in great esteem since you published your excellent translation of Burke 'a work on the French Revolution. The political pamphlets you have issued since that time, and the excellent political magazine you have estab- lished, have met with the warmest approval, and the public hopes and expects that you will render great and important services to the country. Go on in this manner, my friend ; boldly pursue the path you have entered, and it will become for you a path of glory, honor, and wealth." Gentz looked at him almost angrily. "I hope," he said, "you will not believe me to be an avaricious and covetous man. I value money merely because it is an instru- ment wherewith to procure enjoyment, and because, without it, we are the slaves of misery, privations, and distress. Money renders us free, and now that people would like to set up freedom as the religion of all nations, every one ought to try to make as much THE MEMORIAL TO FREDERICK WILLIAM III. 95 money as possible, that alone rendering him really free. The ac- cursed French Revolution, which has dragged all principles, all laws and old established institutions under the guillotine, was under the necessity of leaving one power unharmed the power of money. The aristocracy, the clergy, nay, even royalty had to bleed under the guillotine, but money never lost its power, its influence, and its importance. Money speaks a universal language, and the sans- culotte and Hottentot understand it as well as the king, the minister, and the most beautiful woman. Money never needs an interpreter ; it speaks for itself. See, my friend, that is the reason why I love money and try to make as much as possible, not in order to amass it, but because with it I can buy the world, love, honor, enjoyment, and happiness. But not being one of those who find money in their cradles, I must endeavor to acquire it and avail myself of the capital God has given me in my brains. And that I shall and will do, sir, but I pledge you my word, never in a base and unworthy manner. I shall probably make people pay very large sums of money for my services, but never shall I sell myself ; all the millions of the world could not induce me to write against my principles, but all the mill- ions of the world I shall demand, when they ask me to write for my principles! See, my friend, that is my programme, and you may be sure that I shall live up to it. I am an aristocrat by nature and conviction ; hence I hate the French Revolution which intended to overthrow every aristocracy, not only that of pedigree, but also that of the mind, and therefore I have sworn to oppose it as an in- defatigable and indomitable champion, and to strike it as many blows with my pen and tongue as I can. Hence I shall never join the hymns of praise which the Germans, always too complaisant, are now singing to the little Corsican, General Bonaparte. What- ever you may say about his heroism and genius, I believe him to be an enemy of Germany, and am, therefore, on my guard. " " So you do not admire his victories, the incomparable plans of his battles, which he conceives with the coolness of a wise and ex- perienced chieftain, and carries out with the bravery and intrepidity of a hero of antiquity?" " I admire all that, but at the same time it makes me shudder when I think that it might some day come into the head of this man who conquers every thing, to invade and conquer Germany also. I believe, indeed, he would succeed in subjugating her, for I am afraid we have no man of equal ability on our side who could take the field against him. Ah, my friend, why does not one of our German princes resemble this French general, this hero of twenty- seven years? Just think of it, he is no older than our young king; both were born in the same year. " 96 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. "You must not count his years," exclaimed Gualtieri, "count his great days, his great battles. The enthusiasm of all Europe hails his coming, for he fights at the head of his legions for the noblest boons of manhood for freedom, honor, and justice. No wonder, therefore, that he is victorious everywhere ; the enslaved nations everywhere are in hopes that he will break their fetters and give them liberty." " He is a scourge God has sent to the German princes so that they may grow wiser and better. He wishes to compel them to respect the claims of their subjects to freedom and independence, that being the only way for them to erect a bulwark against this usurper who fights his battles not only with the sword, but also with ideas. Oh, I wish our German sovereigns would comprehend all this, and that all those who have a tongue to speak, would shout it into their ears and arouse them from their proud security and infatuation. " "Well, have not you a tongue to speak, and yet you are silent?" asked Gualtieri, smiling. " No, I have not been silent, " exclaimed Gentz, enthusiastically. "I have done my duty as a man and citizen, and told the whole truth to the king." " That means " " That means that I have written to the king, not with the fawn- ing slavishness of a subject, but as a man who has seen much, re- flected much, and experienced much, and who speaks to a younger man, called upon to act an important part, and holding the happiness of millions of men in his hands. It would be a crime against God and humanity, if we knew the truth and should not tell it to such a man. Because I believe I know the truth, I have spoken to the king, not in a letter which he may read to-day and throw to-morrow into his paper-basket, but in a printed memorial, which I shall circulate in thousands of copies as soon as I have heard that it is in the hands of the king." "And you believe the king will accept this printed memorial of yours?" " My friend, Counsellor Menken, has undertaken to deliver it to the king. " "In that case he will accept it, for he thinks very highly of Menken. But what did you tell the king in this memorial?" " I gave him sound advice about government affairs. " "Advice 1 my friend, kings do not like to listen to advice, espe- cially when it is given to them spontaneously. Did you confine yourself to general suggestions? You see I am very anxious to learn more about your bold enterprise. Just read the memorial to me, friend Gentz!" THE MEMORIAL TO FREDERICK WILLIAM III. 97 " Ah, that would be a gigantic task for you to hear it, and for myself to read it, the memorial being quite lengthy. I ask the king therein in impressive and fervent words oh, I wept myself when I penned them to make his people happy and prosperous. I directed his attention to the various branches of our administration ; first, to military affairs " "Aad you advise him to make war?" asked Gualtieri, hastily. " No, I advise him always to be armed and prepared, but to main- tain peace as long as it is compatible with his honor. Next I allude to the condition of our judicial and financial affairs. I beseech him to abstain from interference with the administration of justice, to insist upon a constant equilibrium being maintained between the expenses and revenues of the state, so as not to overburden his sub- jects with taxes, and not to curtail the development of commerce and industry by vexatious monopolies. Finally, I ask him to de- vote some attention to intellectual affairs and to the press. " "Oh, I expected that," said Gualtieri, smiling, "and I should not be surprised at all if you had been bold enough to ask the timid and diffident young king to grant freedom of the press to his people. " " Yes, that is what I ask him to do, " said Gentz, enthusiastically. "You want me to read the whole memorial to you. Let me read at least what I have said about the freedom of the press. Will you listen to it?" " Oh, I am most anxious to hear it, " said Gualtieri, sitting down on the sofa. Gentz took several sheets of paper from his desk, sat down oppo- site his friend and commenced reading in a loud and enthusiastic voice : " Of all things repugnant to fetters, none can bear them as little as human thought. The oppression weighing down the latter is not merely injurious because it impedes what is good, but also because it promotes what is bad. Compulsion in matters of faith may be passed over in silence. It belongs to those antiquated evils on which now that there is greater danger of an utter prostration of religious ideas than of their fanatical abuse, only narrow-minded babblers are declaiming. Not so, however, with regard to freedom of the press. Misled by unfounded apprehensions, arising from the events of the times, even sagacious men might favor a system which, viewed in its true light, is more injurious to the interests of the government than it ever can be to the rights of the citizens, even in its most deplorable abuses. "What, even aside from all other considerations, peremptorily and absolutely condemns any law muzzling the press, is the impor- tant fact that it is impossible to enforce it. Unless there be a regular 98 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. inquisition watching over the execution of such a law, it is now-a- days utterly impossible to carry it out. The facilities for bringing ideas before the public are so great, as to render any measure destined to curtail this publicity a mere matter of derision. But if these laws prove ineffectual they may yet exasperate the people, and that is precisely their most dangerous feature ; they exasperate without deterring. They instigate those against whom they are directed to offer a resistance which frequently not only remains suc- cessful, but moreover becomes glorious and honorable. The most wretched productions, whose real value would not secure a life of two hours, obtain general circulation because it seems to have re- quired some degree of courage to write them. The most insignifi- cant scribblers will be looked upon as men of mind, and the most venal writers suddenly become 'martyrs of truth.' A thousand noxious insects, whom a sunbeam of truth and real sagacity would have dispersed, favored by the darkness created for them with de- plorable short-sightedness, insinuate themselves into the unarmed minds of the people, and instil their poison to the last drop, as though it were a forbidden delicacy of the most exquisite character. The only antidote, the productions of better writers, loses its strength because the uninformed only too easily mistake the advocates of salutary restrictions for the defenders of such as are manifestly un- just and oppressive. " Let freedom of the press, therefore, be the immovable principle of your government, not as though the state or mankind, in this age so prolific in books, were interested in the publication of a thousand works more or less, but because your majesty is too great to main- tain an unsuccessful, and therefore disastrous struggle, with petty adversaries. Every one should be held responsible, strictly respon- sible for unlawful acts and writings assuming such a character, but mere opinion should meet with no other adversary than its opposite, and if it be erroneous, with the truth. Never will such a system prove dangerous to a well-regulated state, and never has it injured such a one. Where it apparently became pernicious, destruction had preceded it already, and mortification and putrefaction had set in. " * "Well?" asked Gentz, with glowing cheeks and flashing eyes, when he had ceased reading, " what do you think of my exposition of the freedom of the press? Is it not clear, convincing, and un- answerable? Will not the king see that my words contain the truth, and hence follow them?" Gualtieri looked at his friend with an air of compassionate ten- derness. * Memorial respectfully presented to his majesty Frederick William IIL , on his accession to the throne, November 16, 1797. by Frederick Gentz. THE MEMORIAL TO FREDERICK WILLIAM III. 99 " Oh, you are a full-grown child, " he said ; " you still believe in the possibility of realizing Utopian dreams, and your faith is so honest, so manly ! You want to force a scourge upon a timid young king, who most ardently desires to maintain peace, and to remain unnoticed, and tell him, ' With this scourge drive out the evil spirits and expel the lies, so as to cause daylight to dawn, and darkness to disappear !' as though that daylight would not be sure to lay bare all the injuries and ulcers of which our own poor Prussia is suffering, and for which she greatly needs darkness and silence. " "What! you think the king will take no notice of my demands?" " I believe, " said Gualtieri, shrugging his shoulders, " that you are a highly-gifted visionary, and that the king is a tolerably intel- ligefit and tolerably sober young gentleman, who, whenever he wants to skate, does not allow himself to be dazzled and enticed by the smooth and glittering surface, but first repeatedly examines the ice in order to find out whether it is firm enough to bear him. And now good-by, my poor friend. I came here to congratulate you for having regained your liberty, and for belonging again to the noble and only happy order of bachelors ; but instead of hearing you rejoice, I find in you a philanthropic fanatic, and an enthusiastic advocate of a free press. " " But that does not prevent you from wishing me joy at my return to a bachelor's life," exclaimed Gentz, laughing. "Yes, my friend, I am free ; life is mine again, and now let the flames of pleasure close again over my head let enjoyment surround me again in fiery torrents, I shall exultingly plunge into the whirlpool and feel as happy ^s a god ! We must celebrate the day of my regeneration in a becoming manner ; we must celebrate it with foaming champagne, pcites defoie gras, and oysters ; and if we want to devote a last tear to the memory of my wife, why, we shall drink a glass of Lacrymce Cliristi in her honor. You must come and see me to-night, Gual- tieri. I shall invite a few other friends, and if you will afford us a rare pleasure, you will read to us some of La Fontaine's Fables, which no one understands to recite so well as you. " "I shall do so," said Gualtieri, extending his hand to Gentz. "I shall read to you one of La Fontaine's Fables, the first two lines of which eloquently express the whole history of your past. " " Let me hear those two lines. " Gualtieri covered his head, and standing in the door he had opened, he said with a deep pathos and in a profoundly melancholy voice : "Deux coqs vivaient en paix; une poule survint, Et voil& la guerre allumee " and nodding a last adieu, he disappeared. 100 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. Gentz laughed. "Indeed, he is right," he exclaimed; "that is the end of wedded life. But, thank God, mine is over, and, I swear by all my hopes, never will I be such a fool as to marry again ! I shall remain a bachelor as long as I live ; for he who belongs to no woman owns all women. It is time, however, to think of to-night's banquet. But in order to give a banquet, I must first procure new furniture for my rooms, and this time I won't have any but beauti- ful and costly furniture. And how shall I get it? Ah, parbleu, I forgot the six hundred dollars I received from the minister. I shall buy furniture for that sum. No, that would be very foolish, inas- much as I greatly need it for other purposes. The furniture dealers, I have no doubt, will willingly trust me, for I never yet purchased any thing of them. Unfortunately, I cannot say so much in regard to him who is to furnish me the wines and delicacies for the supper, and I have only one hundred dollars in my pocket. The other five hundred dollars I must send to that bloodsucker, that heartless cred- itor Werner. But must I do so? Ah ! really, I believe it would be rank folly. The fellow would think he had frightened me, and as soon as I should owe him another bill, he would again besiege my door, and raise a fresh disturbance here. No ; I will show him that I am not afraid of him, and that his impudent conduct deserves pun- ishment. Oh, John ! John !" The door was opened immediately, and the footman entered. "John," said Gentz, gravely, "go at once to Mr. Werner. Tell him some friends are coming to see me to-night. I therefore want him to send me this evening twenty-four bottles of champagne, three large pates de foie gras, two hundred oysters, and whatever is necessary for a supper. If he should fill my order promptly and carefully, he can send me to-morrow a receipt for two hundred dol- lars, and I will pay him the money. But if a single oyster should be bad, if a single bottle of champagne should prove of poor quality, or if he should dare to decline furnishing me with the supper, he will not get a single groschen. Go and tell him that, and be back as soon a3 possible. " "Meantime, I will write a few invitations," said Gentz, as soon as he was alone. " But I shall invite none but unmarried men. In the first place, the Austrian minister, Prince von Reuss. This gen- tleman contents himself with one mistress, and as he fortunately does not suspect that the beautiful Marianne Meier is at the same time my mistress, he is a great friend of mine. Yes, if he knew that ah !" he interrupted himself, laughing, " that would be another illustration of La Fontaine's fable of the two cocks and the hen. Well, I will now write the invitations. " THE WEDDING. 101 He had just finished the last note when the door opened, and John entered, perfectly out of breath. "Well, did you see Mr. Werner?" asked Gentz, folding the last note. " Yes, sir. Mr. Werner sends word that he will furnish the sup- per promptly and satisfactorily, and will deliver here to-night twenty -four bottles of his best champagne, three large pdtes de foie gras, two hundred oysters, etc. , but only on one condition. " "What! the fellow actually dares to impose conditions?" ex- claimed Gentz, indignantly. "What is it he asks?" " He asks you, sir, when he has delivered every thing you have ordered, and before going to supper, to be kind enough to step out for a moment into the anteroom, where Mr. Werner will wait for you in order to receive there his two hundred dollars. I am to notify him if you accept this condition, and if so, he will furnish the supper. " "Ah, that is driving me to the wall, " exclaimed Gentz, laughing. "Well, go back, to the shrewd fellow and tell him that I accept his conditions. He is to await me in the anteroom, and as he would, of course, make a tremendous noise in case I should disappoint him, he may be sure that I shall come. So go to him, John. " " As for myself, " said Gentz, putting on his cloak, " I shall go and purchase several thousand dollars' worth of furniture ; my rooms shall hereafter be as gorgeous as those of a prince. By the by, I believe I have been too generous. If I had offered Werner one hundred dollars, he would have contented himself with that sum. " CHAPTER XV. THE WEDDING. AT the house of the wealthy banker Itzig a rare festival took place to-day, a festival which all Berlin had been talking of for the last few days, and which had formed the topic of conversation, no less among the people on the streets, than among the aristocratic classes in their palatial mansions. To-day the wedding of three of his beautiful young daughters was to take place, and the rich, osten- tatious, and generous gentleman had left nothing undone in order to celebrate this gala-day in as brilliant and imposing a manner as possible. All the manufacturers of Berlin had been employed for months to get up the trousseaux of his daughters, for he had de- clared that they should wear exclusively the productions of German 103 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. industry, and that not a single piece of their new household goods should be of French manufacture. Hence, all the gorgeous brocades, velvets, and laces for their dresses and furniture had been woven in Berlin manufactories ; the most magnificent linen had been ordered from Silesia, and a host of milliners and seamstresses had got up every thing required for the wardrobe of the young ladies, in the most skilful and artistic manner. Even the plate and costly jewelry had been manufactured by Berlin jewellers, and the rich and ex- quisitely painted china had been purchased at the royal Porzellan- fabrik. These three trousseaux, so beautiful and expensive, had been, as it were, a triumph of home art and home industry, and for this reason they excited general attention. Herr Itzig had finally, though very reluctantly, yielded to the urgent entreaties of his friends and admitted the public to the rooms and halls of his house in which the trousseaux of his daughters were displayed. However, in order not to lay himself open to the charge of boastful ostenta- tion, he had tried to impart a useful and charitable character to this exhibition. He had fixed a tablet over the entrance to those rooms, bearing the inscription of "Exhibition of Productions of Home Industry ; " in addition, every visitor had to buy a ticket of admission for a few groschen, the proceeds to be distributed among the poor. Every one hastened to the banker's house in order to admire the "productions of home industry. " Even the queen had come with one of her ladies of honor to inspect the gorgeous display, and while admiring the magnificence of the silks and velvets and the artistic setting of the diamonds, she had exclaimed joyfully : "How glad I am to see that Germany is really able to do entirely without France, and to satisfy all her wants from her own resources !" The queen had uttered these words perhaps on the spur of the moment, but the public imparted to them a peculiar meaning and tendency ; and the newspapers, the organs of public opinion, never tired of praising the royal words, and of admonishing the inhabi- tants of Berlin to visit the patriotic exhibition at the banker's house. Curiosity, moreover, stimulated the zeal of the ladies, while politi- cal feeling caused the male part of the population to appear at the exhibition. But when it became known that the French embassy had taken umbrage at the zeal manifested by the people of Berlin, and that the French minister had even dared at the royal table to complain loudly and bitterly of the words uttered by the queen in Herrltzig's house, the indignation became general, and the visits to the exhibition assumed the character of a national demonstration against the overbearing French. Hosts of spectators now hastened to Herr Itzig 's house, and gay, mischievous young men took THE WEDDING. 103 pleasure in stationing themselves in groups in the street on which the French minister was living, right in front of the house, in order to converse loudly in the French language about the rare attractions of the banker's exhibition, and to praise the noble patriot who dis- dained to buy abroad what he could get at home just as well, if not better. The success of his exhibition, however, far exceeded the wishes of the banker, and he was glad when the days during which the ex- hibition was to continue were at an end, so that he could exclude the inquisitive visitors from his house. But to-day the house was to be opened to the invited guests, for to-day, as we stated before, Herr Itzig was going to celebrate simul- taneously the wedding of three of his beautiful daughters, and the whole place was astir with preparations for a becoming observance of the gala- day. While the footmen and other servants, under the direction of skilful artists, were engaged in gorgeously decorating the parlors and halls ; while a hundred busy hands in the kitchen and cellar were preparing a sumptuous repast ; while Herr Itzig and wife were giving the last directions for the details of the festival, the three brides were chatting confidentially in their own room. All of them were quite young yet, the eldest sister having scarcely com- pleted her twenty-first year. They were very beautiful, and theirs was the striking and energetic beauty peculiar to the women of the Orient that beauty of flaming black eyes, glossy black hair, a glowing olive complexion, and slender but well- developed forms. They wore a full bridal costume ; their bare, beautifully rounded arms and necks were gorgeously adorned with diamonds and other precious stones ; their tall and vigorous figures were clad in white silk dresses, trimmed with superb laces. He \vlio would have seen them thus in the full charm of beauty, grace, and youth, in their magnificent costumes, and with delicate myrtle -crowns on their heads, would have believed he beheld three favorite daughters of Fate, who had never known care and grief, and upon whose heads happiness had poured down an uninterrupted sunshine. Perhaps it was so ; perhaps it was only the beautiful myrtle-crowns that cast a shadow over the faces of the three brides, and not their secret thoughts their silent wishes. They had eagerly conversed for a while, but now, however, they paused and seemed deeply absorbed. Finally, one of them slowly raised her glowing black eyes and cast a piercing glance upon her sisters. They felt the magic influence of this glance, and raised their eyes at the same time. "Why do you look at us so intently, Fanny?" they asked. 104 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. "I want to see if I can read truth on your brow," said Fanny, "or if the diamonds and the myrtle-crowns conceal every thing. Girls, suppose we take off for a moment the shining but lying masks with which we adorn ourselves in the eyes of the world, and show to each other our true and natural character? We have always lied to each other. We said mutually to each other : ' I am happy. I am not jealous of you, for I am just as happy as you. ' Suppose we now open our lips really and tell the truth about our hearts? Would not it be novel and original? Would it not be an excellent way of whiling away these few minutes until our betrothed come and lead us to the altar? See, this is the last time that we shall be thus together the last time that we bear the name of our father ; let us, therefore, for once tell each other our true sentiments. Shall we do so?" " Yes, " exclaimed the two sisters. " But about what do you want us to tell you the truth ?" " About our hearts, " replied Fanny, gravely. " Esther, you are the eldest of us three. You must commence. Tell us, therefore, if you love your betrothed, Herr Ephraim?" Esther looked at her in amazement. " If I love him ?" she asked. " Good Heaven ! how should I happen to love him ? I scarcely know him. Father selected him for me ; it is a brilliant match ; I shall remain in Berlin ; I shall give splendid parties and by my magnifi- cent style of living greatly annoy those ladies of the so-called haute volee, who have sometimes dared to turn up their noses at the 'Jewesses. ' Whether I shall be able to love Ephraim, I do not know ; but we shall live in brilliant style, and as we shall give magnificent dinner-parties, we shall never lack guests from the most refined classes of society. Such are the prospects of my future, and although I cannot say that I am content with them, yet I know that others will deem my position a most enviable one, and that is at least something. " "The first confession!" said Fanny, smiling. "Now it is your turn, Lydia. Tell us, therefore, do you love Baron von Eskeles, your future husband ?" Lydia looked at her silently and sadly. " Do not ask me, " she said, "for you and Esther know very well that I do not love him. I once had a splendid dream. I beheld myself an adored wife by the side of a young man whom I loved and who loved me passionately. He was an artist, and when he was sitting at his easel, he felt that he was rich and happy, even without money, for he had his genius and his art. When I was looking at his paintings, and at the hand- some and inspired artist himself, it seemed to me there was but one road to happiness on earth : to belong to that man, to love him, to THE WEDDING. 105 serve him, and, if it must be, to suffer and starve with him. It was a dream, and father aroused me from it by telling me that I was to marry Baron von Eskeles, that he had already made an agreement with the baron's father, and that the wedding would take place in two weeks. " "Poor Lydia !" murmured the sisters. A pause ensued. " Well, " asked Esther, " and you, Fanny ? You examine us and say nothing about yourself. What about your heart, my child? Do you love your betrothed, Baron von Arnstein, the partner of Eskeles, your future brother-in-law? You are silent? Have you nothing to say to us?" " I have to say to you that we are all to be pitied and very unhappy, " said Fanny, passionately. "Yes, to be pitied and very unhappy, notwithstanding our wealth, our diamonds, and our brilliant future ! We have been sold like goods ; no one has cared about the hearts which these goods happen to have, but eveiy one merely took into consideration how much profit he would derive from them. Oh, my sisters, we rich Jewesses are treated just in the same manner as the poor princesses ; we are sold to the highest bidder. And we have not got the necessary firmness, energy, and independence to emancipate ourselves from this degrading traffic in flesh and blood. We bow our heads and obey, and, in the place of love and happi- ness, we fill our hearts with pride and ostentation, and yet we are starving and pining away in the midst of our riches." " Yes, " sighed Lydia, " and we dare not even complain ! Doomed to eternal falsehood, we must feign a happiness we do not experi- ence, and a love we do not feel. " "I shall not do so!" exclaimed Fanny, proudly. "It is enough for me to submit to compulsion, and to bow my head ; but never shall I stoop so low as to lie. " " What ! you are going to tell your husband that you do not love him?" asked the sisters. " I shall not say that to my husband, but to my betrothed as soon as he makes his appearance. " " But suppose he does not want to marry a girl who does not love him?" "Then he is the one who breaks off the match, not I, and father cannot blame me for it. But do you not hear footsteps in the hall ? It is my betrothed. I begged him to be here a quarter of an hour previous to the commencement of the ceremony, because I desired to speak to him about a very serious matter. He is coming. Now pray go to the parlor, and wait for me there. I shall rejoin you, perhaps alone, and in that case I shall be free ; perhaps, however, Arnstein will accompany me, and in -that eventuality he will have 106 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. accepted the future as I am going to offer it to him. Farewell, sisters ; may God protect us all. " " May God protect you ! " said Lydia, tenderly embracing her sis- ter. "You have a courageous and strong soul, and I wish mine were like yours. " " Would that save you, Lydia?" asked Fanny, sharply. " Courage and energy are of no avail in our case ; in spite of our resistance, we should have to submit and to suffer. He is coming. " She pushed her sisters gently toward the parlor door, and then went to meet her betrothed, who had just entered. " Mr. Arnstein, " said Fanny, giving him her hand, " I thank you for complying so promptly with my request. " " A business man is always prompt, " said the young baron, with a polite bow. " Ah, and you treat this interview with me likewise as a business affair?" " Yes, but as a business affair of the rarest and most exquisite character. A conference with a charming young lady is worth more than a conference with the wealthiest business friend, even if the interview with the latter should yield a profit of one hundred per cent." " Ah, I believe you want to flatter me, " said Fanny, closely scan- ning the small and slender figure and the pale face of the baron. He bowed with a gentle smile, but did not raise his eyes toward her. Fanny could not help perceiving that his brow was slightly clouded. " Baron, " she said, " I have begged you to come and see me, be- cause I do not want to go to the altar with a lie on my soul. I will not deceive God and yourself, and therefore I now tell you, frankly and sincerely, I do not love you, baron ; only my father's will gives my hand to you !" There was no perceptible change in the young baron's face. He seemed neither surprised nor offended. "Do you love another man?" he asked quietly. "No, I love no one !" exclaimed Fanny. "Ah, then, you are fortunate indeed," he said, gloomily. "It is by far easier to marry with a cold heart, than to do so with a broken one ; for the cold heart may grow warm, but the broken one never. " Fanny's eyes were fixed steadfastly on his features. "Mr. Arnstein," she exclaimed, impetuously, "you do not love me either !" He forced himself to smile. "Who could see you you, the proud, glorious beauty without falling in love with you?" he ex- claimed, emphatically. THE WEDDING. 107 "Pray, no empty flatteries," said Fanny, impatiently. "Oh, tell me the truth ! I am sure you do not love me !" " I saw you too late, " he said, mournfully ; " if I had known you sooner, I should have loved you passionately. " "But now I am too late and have you already loved another?" she asked, hastily. "Yes, I love another," he said, gravely and solemnly. "As you ask me, I ought to tell you the truth. I love another. " "Nevertheless, you want to marry me?" she exclaimed, angrily. "And you?" he asked, gently. "Do you love me?" " But I told you already my heart is free. I love no one, while you why don't you marry her whom you love?" " Because I cannot marry her. " "Why cannot you marry her?" " Because my father is opposed to it. He is the chief of our house and family. He commands, and we obey. He is opposed to it because the young lady whom I love is poor. She would not in- crease the capital of our firm." " Oh, eternally, eternally that cold mammon, that idol to whom our hearts are sacrificed so ruthlessly !" exclaimed Fanny, indig- nantly. "For money we sell our^ youth, our happiness, and our love." " I have not sold my love. I have sacrificed it, " said Baron Arnstein, gravely ; " I have sacrificed it to the interests of our firm. But in seeing you so charming and sublime in your loveliness and glowing indignation, I am fully satisfied already that I am no longer to be pitied, for I shall have the most beautiful and generous wife in all Vienna. " " Then you really want to marry me ? You will not break off the match, although your heart belongs to another woman, and although you know that I do not love you ?" "My beautiful betrothed, let us not deceive each other," he said, smiling ; " it is not a marriage, but a partnership we are going to conclude in obedience to the wishes of our fathers. In agreeing upon this partnership only our fortunes, but not our hearts, were thought of. The houses of Itzig, Arnstein, and Eskeles will flourish more than ever ; whether the individuals belonging to these houses will wither is of no importance. Let us therefore submit to our fate, my dear, for we cannot escape from it. Would it be condu- cive to your happiness if I should break off the match ? Your father would probably select another husband for you, perhaps in Poland or in Russia, and you would be buried with all the treasures of your beauty and accomplishments in some obscure corner of the world, while I shall take you to Vienna, to the great theatre of the world 108 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. upon a stage where you will at least not lack triumphs and hom- age. And I ? Why should I be such a stupid fool as to give you up you who bring to me much more than I deserve your beauty, your accomplishments, and your generous heart? Ah, I shall be the target of general envy, for there is no lady in Vienna worthy of being compared with you. As I cannot possess her whom I love, I may thank God that my father has selected you for me. You alone are to be pitied, Fanny, for I cannot offer you any compensation for the sacrifices you are about to make in my favor. I am unworthy of you ; you are my superior in beauty, intellect, and education. I am a business man, that is all. But in return I have at least some- thing to give wealth, splendor, and a name that has a good sound, even at the imperial court. Let me, then, advise you as a friend to accept my hand it is the hand of a friend who, during his whole life, will honestly strive to compensate you for not being able to give his love to you and to secure your happiness. " He feelingly extended his hand to her, and the young lady slowly laid hers upon it. "Be it so!" she said, solemnly; "I accept your hand and am ready to follow you. We shall not be a pair of happy lovers, but two good and sincere friends. " " That is all I ask, " said Arnstien, gently. " Never shall I molest you with pretensions and demands that might offend your delicacy and be repugnant to your heart ; never shall I ask more of you than what I hope I shall be able to deserve your esteem and your confi- dence. Never shall I entertain the infatuated pretensions of a hus- band demanding from his wife an affection and fidelity he is him- self unable to offer her. In the eyes of the world we shall be man and wife ; but in the interior of your house you will find liberty and independence. There you will be able to gratify all your whims and wishes ; there every one will bow to you and obey you. First of all, I shall do so myself. You shall be the pride, the glory and joy of my house, and secure to it a brilliant position in society. We shall live in princely style, and you shall rule as a queen in my house. Will that satisfy you? Do you accept my proposition ?" "Yes, I accept it, " exclaimed Fanny, with radiant eyes, "and I assure you no other house in Vienna shall equal ours. We will make it a centre of the best society, and in the midst of this circle which is to embrace the most eminent representatives of beauty, intellect, and distinction, we will forget that we are united without happiness and without love." "But there will be a day when your heart will love," said Arn- stein. " Swear to me that you will not curse me on that day because I shall then stand between you and your love. Swear to me that MARIANNE MEIER. 109 you will always regard me as your friend, that you will have con- fidence in me, and tell me when that unhappy and yet so happy hour will strike, when your heart begins to speak. " " I swear it to you !" said Fanny, gravely. " We will always be sincere toward each other. Thus we shall always be able to avert wretchedness, although it may not be in our power to secure happi- ness. And now, my friend, come, give me your arm and accom- pany me to the parlor where they are already waiting for us. Now, I shall no longer weep and mourn over this day, for it has given to me a friend, a brother !" She took his arm and went with him to the parlor. A gentle smile was playing on her lips when the door was opened and they entered. With an air of quiet content she looked at her sisters, who were standing by the side of their betrothed, and had been waiting for her with trembling impatience. " There is no hope left, " murmured Lydia ; " she accepts her fate, too, and submits. " " She follows my example, " thought Esther ; " she consoles her- self with her wealth and brilliant position in society. Indeed, there is no better consolation than that. " At that moment the door opened, and the rabbi in his black robe, a skull-cap on his head, appeared on the threshold, followed by the precentor and sexton. Solemn silence ensued, and all heads were lowered in prayer while the rabbi was crossing the room in order to salute the parents of the brides. CHAPTER XVI. MARIANNE MEIER. AT that moment of silent devotion, no one took any notice of a lady who crossed the threshold a few seconds after the rabbi had entered. She was a tall, superb creature of wonderful beauty. Her black hair, her glowing eyes, her finely-curved nose, the whole shape of her face imparted to her some resemblance to Fanny Itzig, the banker's beautiful daughter, and indicated that she belonged likewise to the people who, scattered over the whole world, have with unshaken fidelity and constancy preserved everywhere their type and habits. And yet, upon examining the charming stranger somewhat more closely, it became evident that she bore no resem- blance either to Fanny or to her sisters. Hers was a strange and peculiar style of beauty, irresistibly attractive and chilling at the Same time a tall, queenly figure, wrapped in a purple velvet dress, 110 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. fastened under her bosom by a golden sash. Her shoulders, dazzling white, and of a truly classical shape, were bare ; her short ermine mantilla had slipped from them and hung gracefully on her beauti- ful, well-rounded arms, on which magnificent diamond bracelets were glittering. Her black hair fell down in long, luxuriant ring- lets on both sides of her transparent, pale cheeks, and was fastened in a knot by means of several large diamond pins. A diamond of the most precious brilliants crowned her high and thoughtful fore- head. She looked as proud and glorious as a queen, and there was some- thing haughty, imperious, and cold in the glance with which she now slowly and searchingly surveyed the large room. " Tell me, " whispered Baron Arnstein, bending over Fanny Itzig, " who is the beautiful lady now standing near the door ?" "Oh !" exclaimed Fanny, joyfully, "she has come after all. "We scarcely dared to hope for her arrival. It is Marianne Meier. " "What! Marianne Meier?" asked Baron Arntsein. "The cele- brated beauty whom Goethe has loved for whom the Swedish am- bassador at Berlin, Baron Bernstein, has entertained so glowing a passion, and suffered so much and who is now the mistress of the Austrian minister, the Prince von Reuss?" "Hush, for Heaven's sake, hush!" whispered Fanny. "She is coming toward us. " And Fanny went to meet the beautiful lady. Marianne gently inclined her head and kissed Fanny with the dignified bearing of a queen. "I have come to congratulate you and your sisters," she said, in a sonorous, magnificent alto voice. " I wanted to see how beautiful you looked, and whether your betrothed was worthy of possessing you or not. " Fanny turned round to beckon Baron Arnstein to join them, but he had just left with the rabbi and the other officers of the synagogue. The ladies were now alone, for the ceremony was about to begin. And now the women entered, whose duty it was to raise loud lamen- tations and weep over the fate of the brides who were about to leave the parental roof and to follow their husbands. They spread costly carpets at the feet of the brides, who were sitting on arm-chairs among the assembled ladies, and strewing flowers on these carpets, they muttered, sobbing and weepnig, ancient Hebrew hymns. The mother stood behind them with trembling lips, and, raising her tearful eyes toward heaven. The door was opened, and the sexton in a long robe, his white beard flowing down on his breast, appeared, carrying in his hand a white cushion with three splendid lace veils. He was followed by Mr. Itzig, the father of the three brides. Tak- MARIANNE MEIER. Ill ing the veils from the cushion, and muttering prayers all the \vhile, he laid them on the heads of his daughters so that their faces and bodies seemed to be surrounded by a thin and airy mist. And the mourning- worn en sobbed, and two tears rolled over the pale cheeks of the deeply-moved mother. The two men withdrew silently, and the ladies were alone again. But now, in the distance, the heart- stirring sounds of a choir of sweet, sonorous children's voices were heard. How charming did these voices reecho through the room 1 They seemed to call the brides, and, as if fascinated by the inspiring melody, they slowly rose from their seats. Their mother approached the eldest sister and offered her hand to her. Two of the eldest ladies took the hands of the younger sisters. The other ladies and the mourning- women formed in pairs behind them, and then the procession com- menced moving in the direction of the inviting notes of the anthem. Thus they crossed the rooms nearer and nearer came the music and finally, on passing through the last door, the ladies stepped into a long hall, beautifully decorated with flowers and covered with a glass roof through which appeared the deep, transparent azure of the wintry sky. In the centre of this hall there arose a purple canopy with golden tassels. The rabbi, praying and with uplifted hands, /was standing under it with the three bridegrooms. The choir of the singers, hidden behind flowers and orange-trees, grew louder and louder, and to this jubilant music the ladies conducted the brides to the canopy, and the ceremony commenced. When it was concluded, when the veils were removed from the heads of the brides so that they could now look freely into the world, the whole party returned to the parlor, and brides and bridegrooms received the congratulations of their friends. Fanny and Marianne Meier were chatting in a bay-window at some distance from the rest of the company. They were standing there, arm in arm Fanny in her white bridal costume, like a radi- ant lily, and Marianne in her purple dress, resembling the peerless queen of flowers. "You are going to leave Berlin to-day with your husband?" asked Marianne. "We leave in an hour, " said Fanny, sighing. Marianne had heard this sigh. " Do you love your husband?" she asked, hastily. " I have seen him only twice, " whispered Fanny. A sarcastic smile played on Marianne's lips. "Then they have simply sold you to him like a slave-girl to a wealthy planter, " she said. " It was a mere bargain and sale, and still you boast of it, and pass your disgusting trade in human hearts for virtue, and believe 112 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. you have a right to look proudly and contemptuously down upon those who refuse to be sold like goods, and who prefer to give away their love to being desecrated without love. " " I do not boast of having married without love, " said Fanny, gently. " Oh, I should willingly give up wealth and splendor I should be quite ready to live in poverty and obscurity with a man whom I loved. " "But first the old rabbi would have to consecrate your union with such a man, I suppose? otherwise you would not follow him, not- withstanding your love?" asked Marianne. "Yes, Marianne, that would be indispensable," said Fanny, gravely, firmly fixing her large eyes upon her friend. " No woman should defy the moral laws of the world, or if she does, she will always suffer for it. If I loved and could not possess the man of my choice, if I could not belong to him as his wedded wife, I should give him up. The grief would kill me, perhaps, but I should die with the consolation of having remained faithful to virtue " "And of having proved false to love!" exclaimed Marianne, scornfully. " Phrases ! Nothing but phrases learned by heart, my child, but the world boasts of such phrases, and calls such senti- ments moral ! Oh, hush I hush ! I know what you are going to say, and how you wish to admonish me. I heard very well how contemptuously your husband called me the mistress of the Prince von Reuss. Don't excuse him, and don't deny it, for I have heard it. I might reply to it what Madame de Balbi said the other day upon being upbraided with being the mistress of the Royal Prince d' Artois : ' Le sang des princes ne souille pas ! ' But I do not want to excuse myself ; on the contrary, all of you shall some day apologize to me. For I tell you, Fanny, I am pursuing my own path aud have a peculiar aim steadfastly in view. Oh, it is a great, a glori- ous aim. I want to see the whole world at my feet ; all those ridicu- lous prejudices of birth, rank, and virtue shall bow to the Jewess, and the Jewess shall become the peer of the most distinguished rep- resentatives of society. See, Fanny, that is my plan and my aim, and it is yours too ; we are only pursuing it in different ways you, by the side of a man whose wife you are, and to whom you have pledged at the altar love and fidelity without feeling them ; I, by the side of a man whose friend I am to whom, it is true, I have not pledged at the altar love and fidelity, but whom I shall faith- fully love because I have given my heart to him. Let God decide whose is the true morality. The world is on your side and con- demns me, but some day I shall hurl back into its teeth all its con- tempt and scorn, and I shall compel it to bow most humbly to me. " " And whosoever sees you in your proud, radiant beauty, must MARIANNE MEIER. 113 feel that you will succeed in accomplishing what you are going to undertake, " said Fanny, bending an admiring glance on the glorious creature by her side. Marianne nodded gratefully. " Let us pursue our aim, " she said, "for it is one and the same. Both of us have a mission to fulfil, Fanny ; we have to avenge the Jewess upon the pride of the Chris- tian women ; we have to prove to them that we are their equals in every respect, that we are perhaps better, more accomplished, and talented than all of those haughty Christian women. How often did they neglect and insult us in society ! How often did they offensively try to eclipse us ! How often did they vex us by their scorn and insolent bearing ! We will pay it all back to them ; we will scourge them with the scourges with which they have scourged us, and compel them to bow to us !" " They shall at least consider and treat us as their equals, " said Fanny, gravely. " I am not longing for revenge, but I want to hold my place in society, and to prove to them that I am just as well-bred and aristocratic a lady, and have an equal, nay, a better right to call myself a representative of true nobility ; for ours is a more ancient nobility than that of all these Christian aristocrats, and we can count our ancestors farther back into the most remote ages than they our fathers, the proud Levites, having been high-priests in Solomon's temple, and the people having treated them as noblemen even at that time. We will remind the Christian ladies of this whenever they talk to us about their own ancestors, who, at best, only date back to the middle ages or to Charlemagne. " " That is right. I like to hear you talk in this strain, " exclaimed Marianne, joyfully. " I see you \vill represent us in Vienna in a noble and proud manner, and be an honor to the Jews of Berlin. Oh, I am so glad, Fanny, and I shall always love you for it. And do not forget me either. If it pleases God, I shall some day come to Vienna, and play there a brilliant part. However, we shall never be rivals, but always friends. Will you promise it?" " I promise it, " said Fanny, giving her soft white hand to her friend. Marianne pressed it warmly. " I accept your promise and shall remind you of it some day, " she said. "But now farewell, Fanny, for I see your young husband yonder, wno would like to speak to you, and yet does not come to us for fear of coming in contact with the mistress of the Prince von Reuss. God bless and protect his virtue, that stands in such nervous fear of being infected ! Farewell ; don't forget our oath, and re- member me. " She tenderly embraced her friend and imprinted a glowing kiss upon her forehead, and then quickly turning around, walked across 114 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. the room. All eyes followed the tall, proud lady with admiring glances, and some whispered, " How beautif ul she is! How proud, how glorious !" She took no notice, however ; she had so often re- ceived the homage of these whispers, that they could no longer gladden her heart. Without saluting any one, her head proudly erect, she crossed the room, drawing her ermine mantilla closely around her shoulders, and deeming every thing around her unworthy of notice. In the anteroom a footman in gorgeous livery was waiting for her. He hastened down-stairs before her, opened the street door, and rushed out in order to find his mistress's carriage among the vast number of coaches encumbering both sides of the street, and then bring it to the door. Marianne stood waiting in the door, stared at by the inquisitive eyes of the large crowd that had gathered in front of the house to see the guests of the wealthy banker Itzig upon their departure from the wedding. Marianne paid no attention whatever to these bystanders. Her large black eyes swept over all those faces before her with an air of utter indifference ; she took no interest in any one of them, and their impertinent glances made apparently no impression upon her. But the crowd took umbrage at her queenly indifference. "Just see," the bystanders whispered here and there, "just see the proud Jewess ! How she stares at us, as if we were nothing but thin air ! What splendid diamonds she has got ! Wonder if she is indebted for them to her father's usury?" On hearing this question, that was uttered by an old woman in rags, the whole crowd laughed uproariously. Marianne even then took no notice. She only thought that her carriage was a good while coming up, and the supposed slowness of her footman was the sole cause of the frown which now commenced clouding her brow. When the crowd ceased laughing, a woman, a Jewess, in a dirty and ragged dress, stepped forth and placed herself close to Marianne. "You think she is indebted to her father for those diamonds J" she yelled. "No, I know better, and can tell you all about it. Her father was a good friend of mine, and frequently traded with me when he was still a poor, peddling Jew. He afterward made a great deal of money, while I grew very poor ; but he never bought her those diamonds. Just listen to me, and I will tell you what sort of a woman she is who now looks down on us with such a haughty air. She is the Jewess Marianne Meier, the mistress of the old Prince von Reuss 1" "Ah, a mistress!" shouted the crowd, sneeringly. "And she is looking at us as though she were a queen. She wears diamonds in MARIANNE MEIER. 115 her hair, and wants to hide her shame by dressing in purple velvet. She" At that moment the carriage rolled up to the door ; the footman obsequiously opened the coach door and hastened to push back the crowd in order to enable Marianne to walk over the carpet spread out on the sidewalk to her carriage. "We won't be driven back 1" roared the crowd ; "we want to see the beautiful mistress we want to see her close by. " And laughing, shouting, and jeering, the bystanders crowded closely around Marianne. She walked past them, proud and erect, and did not seem to hear the insulting remarks that were being levelled at her. Only her cheeks had turned even paler than before, and her lips were quivering a little. Now she had reached her carriage and entered. The footman closed the door, but the mob still crowded around the carriage, and looked through the glass windows, shouting, " Look at her ! look at her ! What a splendid mistress she is ! Hurrah for her ! Long live the mistress !" The coachman whipped the horses, and the carriage commenced moving, but it could make but little headway, the jeering crowd rolling along with it like a huge black wave, and trying to keep it back at every step. Marianne sat proudly erect in her carriage, staring at the mob with flaming and disdainful eyes. Not a tear moistened her eyes ; not a word, not a cry issued from her firmly- compressed lips. Even when her carriage, turning around the corner, gained at last a free field and sped away with thundering noise, there was no change whatever in her attitude, or in the expression of her countenance. She soon reached the embassy buildings. The carriage stopped in front of the vestibule, and the footman opened the coach door. Marianne alighted and walked slowly and proudly to the staircase. The footman hastened after her, and when she had just reached the first landing-place he stood behind her and whispered : " I beg your pardon, madame ; I was really entirely innocent. Your carriage being the last to arrive, it had to take the hindmost place ; that was the reason why it took us so long to get it to the door. I beg your pardon, madame. " Marianne only turned to him for a moment, bending a single contemptuous glance upon him, and then, without uttering a word, continued ascending the staircase. The footman paused anfl looked after the proud lady, whispering with a sigh "She will discharge me she never forgives !" Marianne had now reached the upper story, and walked down MUHLBACH F VOL. 7 116 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. the corridor as slowly and as proudly as ever. Her valet stood at the door, receiving her with a profound bow, while opening the folding door. She crossed gravely and silently the long suite of rooms now opening before her, and finally entered her dressing- room. Her two lady's maids were waiting for her here in order to assist her in putting on a more comfortable dress. When they approached their mistress, she made an imperious, repelling gesture. " Begone !" she said, " begone !" That was all she said, but it sounded like a scream of rage and pain, and the lady's maids hastened to obey, or rather to escape. When the door had closed behind them, Marianne rushed toward it and locked it, and drew the heavy curtain over it. Now she was alone now nobody could see her, nobody could hear her. With a wild cry she raised her beautiful arms, tore the splendid diadem of brilliants from her hair, and hurled it upon the floor. She then with trembling hands loosened the golden sash from her tapering waist, and the diamond pins from her hair, and threw all these precious trinkets disdainfully upon the floor. And now with her small feet, with her embroidered silken shoes, she furiously stamped on them with flaming eyes, and in her paroxysm of anger slightly opening her lips, so as to show her two rows of peerless teeth which she held firmly pressed together. Her fine hair, no longer fastened by the diamond pins, had fallen down, and was now floating around her form like a black veil, and closely covered her purple dress. Thus she looked like a goddess of vengeance, so beautiful, so proud, so glorious and terrible her small hands raised toward heaven, and her feet crushing the jewelry. "Insulted, scorned!" she murmured. "The meanest woman on the street believes she has a right to despise me me, the celebrated Marianne Meier me, at whose feet counts and princes have sighed in vain ! And who am I, then, that they should dare to despise me?" She asked this question with a defiant, burning glance toward heaven, but all at once she commenced trembling, and hung her head humbly and mournfully. " I am a disgraced woman, " she whispered. " Diamonds and vel- vet do not hide my shame. I am the prince's mistress. That's all ! " But it shall be so no longer !" she exclaimed, suddenly. " I will put a stop to it. I must put a stop to it ! This hour has decided my destiny and broken my stubbornness. I thought I could defy the world in my way. I believed I could laugh at its prejudices ; but the world is stronger than I, and therefore I have to submit, and shall hereafter defy it in its own way. And I shall do so most assuredly. I shall do BO on the spot. " MARIANNE MEIER. 117 Without reflecting any further, she left her chamber and hastened once more through the rooms. Her hair now was waving wildly around her shoulders, and her purple dress, no longer held together by the golden sash, was floating loosely around her form. She took no notice whatever of her dishabille; only one idea, only one purpose filled her heart. In breathless haste she hurried on, and now quickly opened a last door, through which she entered a room furnished in the most sumptuous and comfortable manner. At her appearance, so sudden, and evidently unexpected, the elderly gentleman, who had reposed on the silken sofa, arose and turned around with a gesture of displeasure. On recognizing Marianne, however, a smile overspread his fea- tures, and he went to meet her with a pleasant greeting. "Back already, dearest?" he said, extending his hand toward her. " Yes, your highness I am back already, " she said drily and coldly. The gentleman upon whose features the traces of a life of dissi- pation were plainly visible, fixed his eyes with an anxious air upon the beautiful lady. He only now noticed her angry mien and the strange dislidbille in which she appeared before him. "Good Heaven, Marianne !" he asked, sharply, "what is the cause of your agitation, of your coldness toward me? What has happened to you?" "What has happened to me? The most infamous insults have been heaped upon my head !" she exclaimed with quivering lips, an angry blush suffusing her cheeks. " For a quarter of an hour, nay, for an eternity, I was the target of the jeers, the contempt, ' and the scorn of the rabble that publicly abused me in the most disgraceful manner !" "Tell me," exclaimed the old gentleman, "what has occurred, and whose fault it was !" " Whose fault it was?" she asked, bending a piercing glance upon him. " Yours, my prince ; you alone are to blame for my terrible disgrace and humiliation. For your sake the rabble has reviled me, called me your mistress, and laughed at my diamonds ; calling them the reward of my shame ! Oh, how many insults, how many mor- tifications have I not already suffered for your sake with how many bloody tears have I not cursed this love which attaches me to you, and which I was nevertheless unable to tear from my heart, for it is stronger than myself. But now the cup of bitterness is full to overflowing. My pride cannot bear so much contumely and scorn. Farewell, niy prince, my beloved ! I must leave you. I cannot stay 118 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. with you any longer. Shame would kill me. Farewell ! Hereafter, no one shall dare to call me a mistress. " With a last glowing farewell, she turned to the door, but the prince kept her back. " Marianne, " he asked, tenderly, " do you not know that I love you, and that I cannot live without you?" She looked at him with a fascinating smile. "And I?" she asked, "far from you, shall die of a broken heart ; with you, I shall die of shame. I prefer the former. Farewell ! No one shall ever dare again to call me by that name. " And her hand touched already the door-knob. The prince encircled her waist with his arms and drew her back. "I shall not let you go," he said, ardently. "You are mine, and shall remain so ! Oh, why are you so proud and so cold? Why will you not sacrifice your faith to our love ? Why do you insist upon remaining a Jewess?" "Your highness," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder, "why do you want me to become a Christian?" "Why?" he exclaimed. "Because my religion and the laws of my country prevent me from marrying r Jewess." " And if I should sacrifice to you the last that has remained to me?" she whispered "my conscience and my religion." " Marianne, " he exclaimed, solemnly, " I repeat to you what I have told you so often already : 'Become a Christian in order to be- come my wife. ' " She encircled his neck impetuously with her arms and clung to him with a passionate outburst of tenderness. " I will become a, Christian !" she whispered. CHAPTER XVII. LOVE AND POLITICS. " AT last ! at last !" exclaimed Gentz, in a tone of fervid tender- ness, approaching Marianne, who went to meet him with a winning smile. " Do you know, dearest, that you have driven me to despair for a whole week ? Not a word, not a message from you ! When- ever I came to see you, I was turned away. Always the same terri- ble reply, 'Madame is not at home,' while I felt your nearness in every nerve and vein of mine, and while my throbbing heart was under the magic influence of your presence. And then to be turned away ! No reply whatever to my letters, to my ardent prayers to see you only for a quarter of an hour. " "Oh, you ungrateful man !" she said, smiling, "did I not send for you to-day? Did I not give you this rendezvous quite voluntarily?" LOVE AND POLITICS. 119 " You knew very well that I should have died if your heart had not softened at last. Oh, heavenly Marianne, what follies despair made me commit already ! In order to forget you, I plunged into all sorts of pleasures, I commenced new works, I entered upon fresh love-affairs. But it was all in vain. Amidst those pleasures I was sad ; during my working hours my mind was wandering, and in order to impart a semblance of truth and tenderness to my protesta- tions of love, I had to close my eyes and imagine you were the lady whom I was addressing. " "And then you were successful?" asked Marianne, smiling. " Yes, then I was successful, " he said, gravely ; " but my new lady-love, the beloved of my distraction and despair, did not suspect that I only embraced her so tenderly because I kissed in her the be- loved of my heart and of my enthusiasm. " " And who was the lady whom you call the beloved of your dis- traction and despair?" asked Marianne. "Ah, Marianne, you ask me to betray a woman?" " No, no ; I am glad to perceive that you are a discreet cavalier. You shall betray no woman. I will tell you her name. The be- loved of your distraction and despair was the most beautiful and charming lady in Berlin it was the actress Christel Enghaus. Let me compliment you, my friend, on having triumphed with that belle over all those sentimental, lovesick princes, counts, and barons. Indeed, you have improved your week of 'distraction and despair' in the most admirable manner. " " Still, Marianne, I repeat to you, she was merely my sweetheart for the time being, and I merely plunged into this adventure in order to forget you. " "Then you love me really?" asked Marianne. " Marianne, I adore you ! You know it. Oh, now I may tell you so. Heretofore you repelled me and would not listen to my protestations of love because I was a married man. Now, how- ever, I have got rid of my ignominious fetters, Marianne ; now I am no longer a married man. I am free, and all the women in the world are at liberty to love me. I am as free as a bird in the air !" "And like a bird you want to flit from one heart to another?" "No, most beautiful, most glorious Marianne ; your heart shall be the cage in which I shall imprison myself. " " Beware, my friend. What would you say if there was no door In this cage through which you might escape ?" " Oh, if it had a door, I should curse it. " " Then you love me so boundlessly as to be ready to sacrifice to me the liberty you have scarcely regained?" 120 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. "Can you doubt it, Marianne?" asked Gentz, tenderly pressing her beautiful hands to his lips. "Are you in earnest, my friend?" she said, smiling. "So you offer your hand to me? You want to marry me?" Gentz started back, and looked at her with a surprised and frightened air. Marianne laughed merrily. " Ah !" she said, " your face is the most wonderful illustration of Goethe's poem. You know it, don't you?" And she recited with ludicrous pathos the following two lines : " ' Heirathen, Kind, ist wunderlich Wort, Hor' ich's, mocht' ich gleich wieder fort. ' " Good Heaven, what a profound knowledge of human nature our great Goethe has got, and how proud I am to be allowed to call him a friend of mine Heirathen, Kind, ist unmderlich Wort. " " Marianne, you are cruel and unjust, you " "And you know the next two lines of the poem?" she interrupted him. " The maiden replied to him : "' Heirathen wir eben, Das Ubrige wird sich geben. ' " "You mock me," exclaimed Gentz, smiling, "and yet you know the maiden's assurance would not prove true in our case, and that there is something rendering such a happiness, the prospect of call- ing you my wife, an utter impossibility. Unfortunately, you are no Christian, Marianne. Hence I cannot marry you. " * "And if I were a Christian?" she asked in a sweet, enchanting voice. He fixed his eyes with a searching glance upon her smiling, charming face. "What!" he asked, in evident embarrassment. "If you were a Christian? What do you mean, Marianne?" " I mean, Frederick, that I have given the highest proof of my love to the man who loves me so ardently, constantly, and faithfully. For his sake I have become a Christian. Yesterday I was baptized. Now, my friend, I ask you once more, I ask you as a Christian woman : Gentz, will you marry me ? Answer me honestly and frankly, my friend ! Remember that it is ' the beloved of your heart and of your enthusiasm, ' as you called me yourself a few moments ago, who now stands before you and asks for a reply. Remember that this moment will be decisive for our future speedily, nay, immediately decisive. For you see I have removed all obstacles. * Marriages between Christians and Jews were prohibited in the German states at that period. LOVE AND POLITICS. 121 I have become a Christian, and I tell you I am ready to become your wife in the course of the present hour. Once more, then, Gentz, will you marry me ?" He had risen and paced the room in great excitement. Marianne followed him with a lurking glance and a scornful smile, but when he now stepped back to her, she quickly assumed her serious air. " Marianne, " he said, firmly, " you want to know the truth, and I love you too tenderly to conceal it from you. I will not, must not, cannot marry you. I will not, because I am unable to bear once more the fetters of wedded life. I must not, because I should make you unhappy and wretched. I cannot, while, doing so, I should act perfidiously toward a friend of mine, for you know very well that the Prince von Reuss is my intimate friend. " " And / am his mistress. You wished to intimate that to me by your last words, I suppose ?" " I wished to intimate that he loves you boundlessly, and he is a generous, magnanimous man, whose heart would break if any one should take you from him." "For the last time, then : you will not marry me?" "Marianne, I love you too tenderly I cannot marry you !" Marianne burst into a fit of laughter. " A strange reason for re- jecting my hand, indeed !" she said. "It is so original that in itself it might almost induce me to forgive your refusal. And yet I had counted so firmly and surely upon your love and consent that I had made already the necessary arrangements in order that our wedding might take place to-day. Just look at me, Gentz. Do you not see that I wear a bridal- dress?" "Your beauty is always a splendid bridal-dress for you, Marianne. " " Well said ! But do you not see a myrtle-wreath, my bridal- wi'eath, on the table there? Honi soit qui mal y pense! The priest is already waiting for the bride and bridegroom in the small chapel, the candles on the altar are lighted, every thing is re'^dy for the cere- mony. Well, we must not make the priest wait any longer. So you decline being the bridegroom at the ceremony? Well, attend it, then, as a witness. Will you do so? Will you assist me as a faith- ful friend, sign my marriage-contract, and keep my secret?" " I am ready to give you any proof of my love and friendship, " said Gentz, gravely. "Well, I counted on you," exclaimed Marianne, smiling, "and, to tell you the truth, I counted on your refusal to marry me. Come, give me your arm. I will show you the same chapel which the Prince von Reuss has caused to be fitted up here in the building of the Austrian embassy. The servants will see nothing strange in our 122 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. going there, and I hope, moreover, that we shall meet with no one on our way thither. At the chapel we shall perhaps find Prince Henry that will be a mere accident, which will surprise no one. Come, assist me in putting on this long black mantilla which will entirely conceal my white silk dress. The myrtle-wreath I shall take under my arm so that no one will see it. And now, come !" " Yes, let us go, " said Gentz, offering his arm to her. " I see very well that there is a mystification in store for me, but I shall follow you wherever you will take me, to the devil or " " Or to church, " she said, smiling. " But hush now, so that no one may hear us. " They walked silently through the rooms, then down a long corri- dor, and after descending a narrow secret staircase, they entered a .small apartment where three gentlemen were waiting for them. One of them was a Catholic priest in his vestments, the second the Prince von Reuss, Henry XIII. , and the third the first attache of the Austrian embassy. The prince approached Marianne, and after taking her hand he saluted Gentz in the most cordial manner. " Every thing is ready, " he said ; " come, Marianne, let me place the wreath on your head. " Marianne took off her mantilla, and, handing the myrtle- wreath to the prince, she bowed her head, and almost knelt down before him. He took the wreath and fastened it in her hair, whereupon he beckoned the attacJie to hand to him the large casket standing on the table. This casket contained a small prince's coronet of exqui- site workmanship and sparkling with the most precious diamonds. The prince fastened this coronet over Marianne's wreath, and the diamonds glistened now like stars over the delicate myrtle-leaves. " Arise, Marianne, " he then said, loudly. " I have fastened the coronet of your new dignity in your hair ; let us now go to the altar. " Marianne arose. A strange radiance of triumphant joy beamed in her face ; a deep flush suffused her cheeks, generally so pale and transparent ; a blissful smile played on her lips. With a proud and sublime glance at Gentz, who was staring at her, speechless and amazed, she took the prince's arm. The priest led the way, and from the small room they now entered the chapel of the embassy. On the altar, over which one of Van Dyck's splendid paintings was hanging, large wax- tapers were burning in costly silver chandeliers. On the carpet in front of the altar two small prie-dieus for Marianne and the prince were placed, and two arm-chairs for the witnesses stood behind them. Opposite the altar, on the other side of the chapel, a sort of choir or balcony with an organ bad been fitted up. LOVE AND POLITICS. 123 But no one was there to play on that organ. All the other chairs and benches were vacant ; the ceremony was to be performed secretly and quietly. Gentz saw and observed every thing as though it were a vision, he could not yet make up his mind that it was a reality ; he was confused and almost dismayed, and did not know whether it was owing to his surprise at what was going on, or to his vexation at being so badly duped by Marianne. He believed he was dreaming when he saw Marianne and the prince kneeling on the prie-dieus, Marianne Meier, the Jewess, at the right hand of the high-born nobleman, at the place of honor, only to be occupied by legitimate brides of equal rank ; and when he heard the priest, who stood in front of the altar, pronounce solemn words of exhortation and bene- diction, and finally ask the kneeling bride and bridegroom to vow eternal love and fidelity to each other. Both uttered the solemn " Yes" at the same time, the prince quietly and gravely, Marianne hastily and in a joyful voice. The priest thereupon gave them the benediction, and the ceremony was over. The whole party then returned to the anteroom serving as a sacristy. They silently re- ceived the congratulations of the priest and the witnesses. The attache then took a paper from his memorandum- book ; it contained the minutes of the ceremony, which he had drawn up already in advance. Marianne and the prince signed it ; the witnesses and the priest did the same, the latter adding the church seal to his signa- ture. It was now a perfectly valid certificate of their legitimate marriage, which the prince handed to Marianne, and for which she thanked him with a tender smile. " You are now my legitimate wife, " said the Prince von Reuss, gravely ; "I wish to give you this proof of my love and esteem, and I return my thanks to these gentlemen for having witnessed the cer- emony ; you might some day stand in need of their testimony. For the time being, however, I have cogent reasons for keeping our marriage secret, and you have promised not to divulge it." "And I renew my promise at this sacred place and in the pres- ence of the priest and our witnesses, my dear husband," said Mari- anne. "No one shall hear from me a word or even an intimation of what has occurred here. Before the world I shall be obediently and patiently nothing but your mistress until you deem it prudent to acknowledge that I am your wife. " " I shall do so at no distant day, " said the prince. " And you, gentlemen, will you promise also, will you pledge me your word of honor that you will faithfully keep our secret?" "We promise it upon our honor !" exclaimed the two gentlemen. The prince bowed his thanks. " Let us now leave the chapel sep- 124 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. arately, just as we have come, " he said ; " if we should withdraw together, it would excite the attention and curiosity of the servants, some of whom might meet us in the hall. Come, baron, you will accompany me." He took the attache's arm, and left the small sacristry with him. " And you will accompany me, " said Marianne, kindly nodding to Gentz. " And I shall stay here for the purpose of praying for the bride and bridegroom, " muttered the priest, returning to the altar. Marianne now hastily took the coronet and myrtle-wreath from her hair and concealed both under the black mantilla which Gentz gallantly laid around her shoulders. They silently reascended the narrow staircase and returned through the corridor to Marianne's rooms. Upon reaching her bou- doir, Marianne doffed her mantilla with an indescribable air of tri- umphant joy, and laid the coronet and myrtle- wreath on the table. " Well, " she asked in her sonorous, impressive voice, " what do you say now, my tender Gentz?" He had taken his hat, and replied with a deep bow : " I have to say that I bow to your sagacity and talents. That was a master- stroke of yours, dearest. " "Was it not?" she asked, triumphantly. "The Jewess, hitherto despised and ostracized by society, has suddenly become a legiti- mate princess ; she has now the power to avenge all sneers, all de- rision, all contempt she has had to undergo. Oh, how sweet this revenge will be how I shall humble all those haughty ladies who dared to despise me, and who will be obliged henceforth to yield the place of honor to me !" "And will you revenge yourself upon me too, Marianne?" asked Gentz, humbly " upon me who dared reject your hand ? But no, you must always be grateful to me for that refusal of mine. Just imagine I had compelled you to stick to your offer : instead of being a princess, you would now be the unhappy wife of the poor military counsellor, Frederick Gentz. " Marianne laughed. " You are right, " she said, " I am grateful to you for it. But, my friend, you must not and shall not remain the poor military counsellor Gentz. " "God knows that that is not my intention either," exclaimed Gentz, laughing. " God has placed a capital in my head, and you may be sure that I shall know how to invest it at a good rate of interest. " " But here you will obtain no such interest, " said Marianne, eagerly, " let us speak sensibly about that matter. We have paid our tribute to love and friendship ; let us now talk about politics. LOVE AND POLITICS. 125 I am authorized and she who addresess you now is no longer Mari- anne Meier, but the wife of the Austrian ambassador I am author- ized to make an important offer to you. Come, my friend, sit down in the arm-chair here, and let us hold a diplomatic conference." " Yes, let us do so, " said Gentz, smiling, and taking the seat she had indicated to him. " Friend Gentz, what are your hopes for the future?" " A ponderous question, Taut I shall try to answer it as briefly as possible. I am in hopes of earning fame, honor, rank, influence, and a brilliant position by my talents. " "And you believe you can obtain all that here in Prussia?" " I hope so, " said Gentz, hesitatingly. " You have addressed a memorial to the young king ; you have urged him to give to his subjects prosperity, happiness, honor, and freedom of the press. How long is it since you sent that memorial to him?" " Four weeks to-day. " " Four weeks, and they have not yet rewarded you for your glori- ous memorial, although the whole Prussian nation hailed it with the most rapturous applause? They have not yet thought of ap- pointing you to a position worthy of your talents? You have not yet been invited to court?" "Yes, I was invited to court. The queen wished to become acquainted with me. Gualtieri presented me to her, and her maj- esty said very many kind and flattering things to me. " * " Words, empty words, my friend ! Their actions are more elo- quent. The king has not sent for you, the king has not thanked you. The king does not want your advice, and as if to show to yourself, and to all those who have received your letter so enthusi- astically, that he intends to pursue his own path and not to listen to such advice, the king, within the last few days, has addressed a decree to the criminal court, peremptorily ordering the prosecuting attorneys to proceed rigorously against the publishers of writings not submitted to or rejected by the censors, "f "That cannot be true that is impossible!" exclaimed Gentz, starting up. "I pardon your impetuosity in consideration of your just indig- nation, " said Marianne, smiling. " That I told you the truth, how- ever, you will see in to-morrow's Gazette, which will contain the royal decree I alluded to. Oh, you know very well the Austrian ambassador has good friends everywhere, who furnish him the latest news, and keep him informed of all such things. You need *Varnhagen, "Gallerie von Bildnissen," etc., vol. ii. t F. Foerster, " Modern History of Prussia," vol. i., p. 498. 126 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. not hope, therefore, that the young king will make any use of your talents or grant you any favors. Your splendid memorial has offended him instead of winning him ; he thought it was altogether too bold. Frederick William the Third is not partial to bold, eccen- tric acts ; he instinctively shrinks back from all violent reforms. The present King of Prussia will not meddle with the great affairs of the world ; the King of Prussia wishes to remain neutral amidst the struggle of contending parties. Instead of thinking of war and politics, he devotes his principal attention to the church service and examination of the applicants for holy orders, and yet he is not even courageous enough formally to abolish Wollner's bigoted edict, and thus to make at least one decisive step forward. Believe me, lukewarmness and timidity will characterize every act of his ad- ministration. So you had better go to Austria. " "And what shall I do in Austria?" asked Gentz, thoughtfully. "What shall you do there?" exclaimed Marianne, passionately. " You shall serve the fatherland you shall serve Germany, for Ger- many is in Austria just as well as in Prussia. Oh, believe me, my friend, only in Austria will you find men strong and bold enough to brave the intolerable despotism of the French. And the leading men there will welcome you most cordially ; an appropriate sphere will be allotted to your genius, and the position to which you will be appointed will amply satisfy the aspirations of your ambition. I am officially authorized to make this offer to you, for Austria is well aware that, in the future, she stands in need of men of first- class ability, and she therefore desires to secure your services, which she will reward in a princely manner. Come, my friend, I shall set out to-day with the prince on a journey to Austria. Accompany us become one of ours !" "Ours ! Are you, then, no'longer a daughter of Prussia?" " I have become a thorough and enthusiastic Austrian, for I wor- ship energy and determination, and these qualities I find only in Austria, in the distinguished man who is holding the helm of her ship of state, Baron Thugut. Come with us ; Thugut is anxious to have you about his person ; accompany us to him." "And what are you going to do in Vienna?" asked Gentz, eva- sively. " Is it a mere pleasure-trip?" "If another man should put that question to me, I should reply in the affirmative, but to you I am going to prove by my entire sincerity that I really believe you to be a devoted friend of mine. No, it is no pleasure-trip. I accompany the prince to Vienna be- cause he wants to get there instructions from Baron Thugut and learn what is to be done at Rastadt. " " Ah, at Rastadt at the peace congress, " exclaimed Gentz. " The LOVE AND POLITICS. 127 emperor has requested the states of the empire to send plenipoten- tiaries to Rastadt to negotiate there with France a just and equitable peace. Prussia has already sent there her plenipotentiaries, Count Goertz and Baron Dohm. Oh, I should have liked to accompany them and participate in performing the glorious task to be accom- plished there. That congress at Rastadt is the last hope of Germany ; if it should fail, all prospects of a regeneration of the empire are gone. That congress will at last give to the nation all it needs : an efficient organization of the empire, a well-regulated administration of justice, protection of German manufactures against British arro- gance, and last, but not least, freedom of the press, for which the Germans have been yearning for so many years. " Marianne burst into a loud fit of laughter. " Oh, you enthusiastic visionary!" she said, "but let us speak softly, for even the walls must not hear what I am now going to tell you. " She bent over the table, drawing nearer to Gentz, and fixing her large, flaming eyes upon him, she asked in a whsiper, " I suppose you love Germany? You would not like to see her devoured by France as Italy was devoured by her? You would not like either to see her go to decay and crumble to pieces from inherent weakness?" "Oh, I love Germany!" said Gentz, enthusiastically. "All my wishes, all my hopes belong to her. Would to God I could say some day, all my talents, my energy, my perseverance are devoted to my fatherland to Germany !" " Well, if you really desire to be useful to Germany, " whispered Marianne, " hasten to Rastadt. If Germany is to be saved at all, it must be done at once. You know the stipulations of the treaty of Campo Formio, I suppose?" " I only know what every one knows about them. " " But you do not know the secret article. I will tell you all about it. Listen to me. The secret article accepted by the emperor reads as follows : ' The emperor pledges himself to withdraw his troops from Mentz, Ehrenbreitstein, Mannheim, Konigsteiu, and from the German empire in general, twenty days after the ratification of the peace, which has to take place in the course of two months. '" "But he thereby delivers the empire to the tender mercies of the enemy," exclaimed Gentz, in dismay. "Oh, that cannot be! No German could grant and sign such terms without sinking into the earth from shame. That would be contrary to every impulse of patriotism " " Nevertheless, that article has been signed and will be carried out to the letter. Make haste, therefore, Germany is calling you ; assist her, you have got the strength. Oh, give it to her ! Become *Schlosser's "History of the Eighteenth Century," vol. v., p. 43. 128 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. an Austrian just as Brutus became a servant of the kings ; become an Austrian in order to save Germany !" "Ah, you want to entice me, Delilah !" exclaimed Gentz. "You want to show me a beautiful goal in order to make me walk the tortuous paths which may lead thither ! No, Delilah, it is in vain ! I shall stay here ; I shall not go to Austria, for Austria is the state that is going to betray Germany. Prussia may be able to save her ; she stands perhaps in need of my arm, my pen, and my tongue for that purpose. I am a German, but first of all I am a Prussian, and every good patriot ought first to serve his immediate country, and wait until she calls him. I still hope that the king will prove the right man for his responsible position ; I still expect that he will succeed in rendering Prussia great and Germany free. I must, therefore, remain a Prussian as yet and be ready to serve my country. " " Poor enthusiast ! You will regret some day having lost your time by indulging in visionary hopes. " "Well, I will promise, whenever that day comes, whenever Prussia declares that she does not want my services, then I will come to you then you shall enlist me for Austria, and perhaps I may then still be able to do something for Germany. But until then, leave me here. I swear to you, not a word of what you have just told me here shall be betrayed by my lips ; but I cannot serve him who has betrayed Germany. " " You cannot be induced, then, to accept my offer? You want to stay here? You refuse to accompany me to Vienna, to Rastadt, in order to save what may yet be saved for Germany?" " If I had an army under my command, " exclaimed Gentz, with flaming eyes, " if I were the King of Prussia, then I should assuredly go to Rastadt, but I should go thither for the purpose of dispersing all those hypocrites, cowards, and scribblers who call themselves statesmen, and of driving those French republicans who put on such disgusting airs, and try to make us believe they had a perfect right to meddle with the domestic affairs of Germany beyond the Rhine ! I should go thither for the purpose of garrisoning the for- tresses of the Rhine which the Emperor of Germany is going to surrender to the tender mercies of the enemy with my troops, and of defending them against all foes from without or from within. That would be my policy if I were King of Prussia. But being merely the poor military counsellor, Frederick Gentz, and having nothing but some ability and a sharp pen, I shall stay here and wait to see whether or not Prussia will make use of my ability and of my pen. God save Germany and protect her from her physicians who are con- cocting a fatal draught for her at Rastadt ! God save Germany 1" FRANCE AND GERMANY. CHAPTER XVIII. CTTOYENNE JOSEPHINE BONAPARTE. A JOYFUL commotion reigned on the eighth of November, 1797, in the streets and public places of the German fortress of Rastadt. The whole population of the lower classes had gathered in the streets, while the more aristocratic inhabitants appeared at the open win- dows of their houses in eager expectation of the remarkable event for which not only the people of the whole city, but also the foreign ambassadors, a large number of whom had arrived at Rastadt, were looking with the liveliest symptoms of impatience. And, indeed, a rare spectacle was in store for them. It was the arrival of General Bonaparte and his wife Josephine that all were waiting for this morning. They were not to arrive together, how- ever, but both were to reach the city by a different route. Jose- phine, who was expected to arrive first, was coming from Milan by the shortest and most direct route ; while Bonaparte had undertaken a more extended journey from Campo Formio through -Italy and Switzerland. It was well known already that he had been received everywhere with the most unbounded enthusiasm, and that all na- tions had hailed him as the Messiah of liberty. There had not been a single city that had not received him with splendid festivities, and honors had been paid to him as though he were not only a trium- phant victor, but an exalted ruler, to whom every one was willing to submit. Even free Switzerland had formed no exception. At Geneva the daughters of the first and most distinguished families, clad in the French colors, had presented to him in the name of the city a laurel-wreath. At Berne, his carriage had passed through two lines of handsomely decorated coaches, filled with beautiful and richly adorned ladies, who had hailed him with the jubilant shout of " Long live the pacificator !" In the same manner the highest honors had been paid to his wife Josephine, who had been treated everywhere with the deference due to a sovereign princess. The news of these splendid receptions had reached Rastadt already ; and it was but natural that the authorities 130 LOUISA OF PRUSSIA. and citizens of the fortress did not wish to be outdone, and that they had made extensive arrangements for welcoming the conqueror of Italy in a becoming manner. A magnificent triumphal arch had been erected in front of the gate through which General Bonaparte was to enter the city, and under it the city fathers, clad in their official robes, were waiting for the victorious hero, in order to conduct him to the house that had been selected for him. In front of this house, situated on the large market-place, a number of young and pretty girls, dressed in white, and carrying baskets with flowers and fruits which they were to lay at the feet of the general's beautiful wife, had assembled. At the gate through which Josephine was to arrive, a brilliant cavalcade of horsemen had gathered for the purpose of welcoming the lady of the great French chieftain, and of escorting her as a guard of honor. Among these cavaliers there were most of the ambassadors from the different parts of Germany, who had met here at Rastadt in order to accomplish the great work of peace. Every sovereign Ger- man prince, every elector and independent count had sent his dele- gates to the southwestern fortress for the purpose of negotiating with the French plenipotentiaries concerning the future destinies of Germany. Even Sweden had sent a representative, who had not appeared so much, however, in order to take care of the interests of Swedish Pomerania, as to play the part of a mediator and reconciler. All these ambassadors had been allowed to enter Rastadt quietly and entirely unnoticed. The German city had failed to pay any public honors to these distinguished German noblemen ; but every one hastened to exhibit the greatest deference to the French general and even the ambassadors deemed it prudent to participate in these demonstrations : only they tried to display, even on this occa- sion, their accustomed diplomacy, and instead of receiving the victorious chieftain in the capacity of humble vassals, they pre- ferred to present their respects as gallant cavaliers to his beautiful wife and to escort her into the city. The German ambassadors, therefore, were waiting for Mine. General Bonaparte on their magnificent prancing steeds in front of the gate through which she was to pass. Even old Count Metternich, the delegate of the Emperor of Austria and ruler of the empire, not- withstanding the stiffness of his limbs, had mounted his horse ; by his side the other two ambassadors of Austria were halting Count Lehrbach, the Austrian member of the imperial commission, and Count Louis Cobenzl, who was acting as a delegate for Bohemia and Hungary. Behind old Count Metternich, on a splendid and most fiery charger, a young cavalier of tall figure and rare manly beauty CITOYENNE JOSEPHINE BONAPARTE. 131 might be seen ; it was young Count Clemens Metternich, who was to represent the corporation of the Counts of Westphalia, and to be- gin his official diplomatic career here at Rastadt under the eye of his aged father. By his side the imposing and grave ambassadors of Prussia made their appearance Count Goertz, who at the time of the war for the succession in Bavaria had played a part so important for Prussia and so hostile to Austria ; and Baron Dohrn, no less dis- tinguished as a cavalier, than as a writer. Not far from them the representatives of Bavaria, Saxony, Wurtemberg, and of the whole host of the so-called " Immediates" * might be seen, whom the editors and correspondents had joined, that had repaired to Rastadt in the hope of finding there a perfect gold -mine for their greedy pens. But not merely the German diplomatists and the aristocratic young men of Rastadt were waiting here for the arrival of Mme. General Bona- parte ; there was also the whole crowd of French singers, actors, and adventurers who had flocked to the Congress of Rastadt for the pur- pose of amusing the distinguished noblemen and delegates by their vaudevilles, comedies, and gay operas. Finally, there were also the French actresses and ballet-girls, who, dresse :'n the highest style of fashion, were occupying on one side of the A ~>r-