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part05+-第52部分

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was very cordial; spoke most heartily regarding President



Roosevelt; and asked me to forward his request that the



President's daughter might be allowed to christen the imperial



yacht then building in America。 In due time this request was



granted; and as the special representative of the sovereign at



its launching he named his brotherPrince Henry。 No man in the



empire could have been more fitly chosen。 His career as chief



admiral of the German navy had prepared him to profit by such a



journey; and his winning manners assured him a hearty welcome。







My more serious duties were now relieved by sundry festivities;



and of these was a dinner on the night of the prince's departure



from Berlin; given to the American Embassy by the Emperor; who



justly hoped and believed that the proposed expedition would



strengthen good feeling between the two countries。 After dinner



we all sat in the smoking…room of the old Schloss until midnight;



and various pleasant features of the conversation dwell in my



memoryparticularly the Emperor's discussions of Mark Twain and



other American humorists; but perhaps the most curious was his



amusement over a cutting from an American newspapera printed



recipe for an American concoction known as 〃Hohenzollern punch;〃



said to be in readiness for the prince on his arrival。 The number



of intoxicants; and the ingenuity of their combination; as his



Majesty read the list aloud; were amazing; it was a terrific



brew; which only a very tough seaman could expect to survive。







But as we all took leave of the prince at the station afterward;



there were in my heart and mind serious misgivings。 I knew well



that; though the great mass of the American people were sure to



give him a hearty welcome; there were scattered along his route



many fanatics; and; most virulent of all; those who had just then



been angered by the doings of sundry Prussian underlings in



Poland。 I must confess to uneasiness during his whole stay in



America; and among the bright days of my life was that on which



the news came that he was on board a German liner and on his



return。







One feature of that evening is perhaps more worthy of record。



After the departure of the prince; the Emperor's conversation



took a more serious turn; and as we walked toward his carriage he



said; 〃My brother's mission has no political character whatever;



save in one contingency: If the efforts made in certain parts of



Europe to show that the German Government sought to bring about a



European combination against the United States during your



Spanish war are persisted in; I have authorized him to lay before



the President certain papers which will put that slander at rest



forever。〃 As it turned out; there was little need of this; since



the course both of the Emperor and his government was otherwise



amply vindicated。







The main matter of public business during the first months of the



year was the Russian occupation of Manchuria; regarding which our



government took a very earnest part; instructing me to press the



matter upon the attention of the German Government; and to follow



it up with especial care。 Besides this; it was my duty to urge a



fitting representation of Germany at the approaching St。 Louis



Exposition。 Regarding this there were difficulties。 The Germans



very generally avowed themselves exposition…weary



(Ausstellungsmude); and no wonder; for exposition had succeeded



exposition; now in this country; now in that; and then in various



American cities; each anxious to outdo the other; until all



foreign governments were well…nigh tired out。 But the St。 Louis



Exposition encountered an adverse feeling much more serious than



any caused by fatigue;the American system of high protection



having led the Germans to distrust all our expositions; whether



at New Orleans; Chicago; Buffalo; or St。 Louis; and to feel that



there was really nothing in these for Germany; that; in fact;



German manufacturing interests would be better served by avoiding



them than by taking part in them。 Still; by earnest presentation



of the matter at the Foreign Office and to the Emperor; I was



able to secure a promise that German art should be well



represented。







In March; a lull having come in public business as well as in



social duty; I started on my usual excursion to Italy; its most



interesting feature being my sixth stay in Venice。 Ten days in



that fascinating city were almost entirely devoted to increasing



my knowledge of Fra Paolo Sarpi。 Various previous visits had



familiarized me with the main events in his wonderful career; but



I now met with two pieces of especially good fortune。 First; I



made the acquaintance of the Rev。 Dr。 Alexander Robertson; an



ardent admirer of Father Paul; and author of an excellent



biography of him; and; next; I was able to add to my own material



a mass of rare books and manuscripts relating to the great



Venetian。 Most interesting was my visit; in company with Dr。



Robertson; to the remains of Father Paul's old monastery; where



we found what no one; up to our time; seems to have



discoveredthe little door which the Venetian Senate caused to



be made in the walls of the monastery garden; at Father Paul's



request; in order that he might reach his gondola at once; and



not be again exposed to assassins like those sent by Pope Paul V;



who had attacked him and left him; to all appearances dead; in



the little street near the monastery。







Returning to Berlin; the usual round of duty was resumed; but



there seems nothing worthy to be chronicled; save possibly the



visit of the Shah of Persia and the Crown Prince of Siam。 Both



were seen in all their glory at the gala opera given in their



honor; but the Persian ruler appeared to little advantage; for he



was obliged to retire before the close of the representation。 He



was evidently prematurely old and worn out。 The feature of this



social function which especially dwells in my memory was a very



interesting talk with the Emperor regarding the kindness shown



his brother by the American people; at the close of which he



presented me to his guest; the Crown Princess of Saxony。 She was



especially kindly and pleasing; discussing various topics with



heartiness and simplicity; and it was a vast surprise to me when;



a few months later; she became the heroine of perhaps the most



astonishing escapade in the modern history of royalty。







As to matters of business; there came one which especially



rejoiced me。 Mr。 Carnegie having established the institution for



research which bears his name at Washington; with an endowment of



ten million dollars; and named me among the trustees; my old



friend Dr。 Gilman had later been chosen President of the new



institution; and now arrived in Berlin to study the best that



Germans were doing as regards research in science。 Our excursions



to various institutions interested me greatly; both the men we



met and things we saw were full of instruction to us; and of all



public duties I have had to discharge; I recall none with more



profit and pleasure。 One thing in this matter struck me as never



beforethe quiet wisdom and foresight with which the various



German governments prepare to profit by the best which science



can be made to yield them in every field。







Upon these duties followed others of a very different sort。 On



the 19th of June died King Albert of Saxony; and in view of his



high character and of the many kindnesses he had shown to



Americans; I was instructed to attend his funeral at Dresden as a



special representative of the President。 The whole ceremonial was



interesting; there being in it not only a survival of various



mediaeval procedures; but many elements of solemnity and beauty;



and the funeral; which took place at the court church in the



evening; was especially impressive。 Before the high altar stood



the catafalque; in front of it; the crown; scepter; orb; and



other emblems of royalty; and at its summit; the coffin



containing the body of the King。 Around this structure were



ranged lines of soldiers and pages in picturesque uniforms and



bearing torches。 Facing these were the seats for the majesties;



including the new King; who had at his right the Emperor of



Austria; and at his left the German Emperor; while next these



were the seats of foreign ambassadors and other representatives。



Of all present; the one who seemed least in accord with his



surroundings was the nephew of the old and the son of the new



King; Prince Max; who was dressed simply as a priest; his plain



black gown in striking contrast with the gorgeous uniforms of the



other princes immediately about him。 The only disconcerting



feature was the sermon。 It was given by one of the priests



attached to the court church; and he evidently considered this an



occasion to be made much of; for instead of fifteen minutes; as



had been expected; his sermon lasted an hour and twenty minutes;



much to the discomfort of the crowd of officials; who were



obliged to remain standing from beginning to end; and especially



to the chagrin of the two Emperors; whose special trains and



time…tables; as well as the railway arrangements for the general



public; were thereby seriously deranged。







But all fatigues were compensated by the music。 The court choir



of Dresden is famous; and for this occasion splendid additions



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