old fritz and the new era-第21部分

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could　not　endure　to　behold　it；　and　screamed　with　terror；　fainting。〃

〃You　demanded　to　see　the　future；　and　I　showed　it　to　you；〃　said
Cagliostro；　earnestly。　〃Though　I　let　the　light　shine　into　your　soul；
still　it　was　dark　within；　you　pursued　the　way　of　unbelief；　and
desired　not　to　walk　in　the　way　of　knowledge。　I　sent　messengers　twice
to　you　to　lead　you　in　the　right　path；　and　you　sent　them　laughing
away。　Recall　what　I　told　you　in　Paris。　I　will　it！〃

〃I　remember；　master；　you　said　that　in　the　most　important　days　of　my
life　you　would　come　to　me；　and　extend　to　me　a　helping　hand：　if　I
seized　it；　the　first　picture　would　be　fulfilled；　if　I　refused　it；
the　prison　awaited　me！〃

〃I　have　kept　my　word：　to…day　is　an　eventful　day　in　your　life；　you
have　risen　from　want　and　degradationyou　have　mounted　the　first
rounds　of　the　ladder　of　your　greatness　and　power。　You　are　the
mistress　of　this　house。〃　〃How　did　you　know　it？〃　asked　Wilhelmine；
astonished。　With　a　pitying　smile　he　answered：　〃I　know　every　thing
that　I　will；　and　I　see　many　things　that　I　would　willingly　close　my
eyes　upon。　I　see　your　future；　and　my　soul　pities　you；　unhappy　one；
you　are　lost　if　you　do　not　seize　the　hand　extended　to　you。　You　see
not　the　abyss　which　opens　before　you；　and　you　will　fall　bleeding　and
with　broken　limbs。〃

〃Mercy；　mercy！〃　she　groaned〃stretch　out　your　hand　and　protect　me。〃
Wilhelmine　sank　as　if　crushed　to　the　earth。　Cagliostro　bent　over
her；　and　stroked　her　cold；　pale　face；　breathing　upon　her　the　hot
breath　of　his　lips。　〃I　will　pity　youI　will　protect　you。　Rise；　my
daughter！〃　He　assisted　her　to　rise；　and　imprinted　a　passionate　kiss
upon　her　hand。　〃From　this　hour　I　count　you　as　one　of　mine；〃　he　said；
〃you　shall　be　received　into　the　holy　band　of　spirits！　You　shall　be
consecrated；　and　enter　the　Inner　Temple。　Are　you　prepared？〃　〃I　am；
master；〃　she　humbly　replied。

〃To…morrow　the　Temple　brothers　will　open　the　temple　of　bliss　to　you。
You　shall　hear；　see；　and　be　silent。〃　〃I　will　see；　hear；　and　be
silent；〃　she　murmured。

〃When　evening　sets　in；　send　away　your　servants；〃　commanded
Cagliostro。　〃Let　the　doors　stand　open；　they　shall　be　guarded；　that
no　one　may　enter　but　the　summoned。　Art　thou　prepared？〃

〃I　am；　master！〃

〃Withdraw　now　to　your　room；　Wilhelmine；　and　elevate　your　thoughts　in
devotion　and　contrition；　and　await　the　future。　Kneel；　my　daughter；
kneel！〃　She　sank　upon　her　knees。　〃Bless　me；　master；　bless　me！〃　〃I
bless　you！〃

She　felt　a　hot；　burning　sensation　upon　her　forehead；　and　suddenly　a
bright　light　shone　in　the　obscure　room。　Wilhelmine　screamed；　and
covered　her　eyes。　When　she　ventured　to　look　up；　only　soft　moonlight
penetrated　from　the　high　window　into　the　apartment；　and　she　was
alone。　〃To…morrowto…morrow；　at　midnight！〃　she　murmured；
shuddering；　and　casting　a　timid　look　around。




BOOK　II。

ROSICRUCIANS　AND　POWERFUL　GENIUSES


CHAPTER　X。

GOETHE　IN　BERLIN。


〃I　wish　I　only　knew　whether　it　were　a　man；　or　whether　the　god　Apollo
has　really　appeared　to　me　in　human　form；〃　sighed　Conrector　Moritz；
as　he　paced　his　rooma　strange；　gloomy　apartment；　quite　in　keeping
with　the　singular　occupantgray　walls；　with　Greek　apothegms
inscribed　upon　them　in　large　lettersdirty　windows；　pasted　over
with　strips　of　paper；　high；　open　book…shelves；　containing　several
hundred　books；　some　neatly　arranged；　others　thrown　together　in
confusion。　In　the　midst　of　a　chaos　of　books　and　papers　stood　a
colossal　bust　of　the　Apollo…Belvedere　upon　a　table　near　the　window；
the　whiteness　and　beauty　of　which　were　in　singular　contrast；　to　the
dust　and　disorder　which　surrounded　it。

At　the　back　of　the　room　was　an　open　wardrobe；　filled　with　gay…
colored　garments。　A　beautiful　carpet　of　brilliant　colors　covered　the
middle　of　the　dirty　floor；　and　upon　this　paced　to　and　fro　the
strange　occupant　of　this　strange　room；　Philip　Charles　Moritz；
conrector　of　the　college　attached　to　the　Gray　Monastery。　There　was
no　trace　of　the　bearing　and　demeanor　which　distinguished　him　at　the
parade　at　Potsdam　yesterdayno　trace　of　the　young　elegant；　dressed
in　the　latest　fashion。　To…day　he　wore　a　white　garment；　of　no
particular　style；　tied　at　the　neck　with　a　red　ribbon　（full　sleeves；
buttoned　at　the　wrist　with　lace…cuffs）；　and；　falling　from　the
shoulders　in　scanty　folds　to　just　below　the　knees；　it　displayed　his
bare　legs；　and　his　feet　shod　with　red　sandals。

His　hair　was　unpowdered；　and　not　tied　in　a　cue；　according　to　the
fashion；　but　hung　in　its　natural　brown　color；　flowing　quite　loosely；
merely　confined　by　a　red　ribbon　wound　in　among　his　curls；　and
hanging　down　in　short　bows　at　each　temple　like　the　frontlet　of　the
old　Romans。　Thus；　in　this　singular　costume；　belonging　half　to　old
Adam；　and　half　to　the　old　Romans；　Philip　Moritz　walked　back　and
forth　upon　the　carpet；　ruminating　upon　the　beaming　beauty　of　the
stranger　whose　acquaintance　he　had　so　recently　made；　and　whom　he
could　not　banish　from　his　thoughts。　〃What　wicked　demon　induced　me　to
go　to　Potsdam　yesterday？〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃I　who　hate　mankind；
and　believe　that　they　are　all　of　vulgar；　ordinary　material；　yield　to
the　longing　for　society；　and　am　driven　again　into　the　world。〃

A　loud　knocking　at　the　door　interrupted　this　soliloquy；　and　the　door
opened　at　the　commanding　〃Come　in！〃

〃It　is　he；　it　is　Apollo；〃　cried　Moritz；　joyfully。　〃Come　in；　sir；
come　inI　have　awaited　you　with　the　most　ardent　desire。〃

Moritz　rushed　to　the　young　gentleman；　who　had　just　closed　the　door；
and　whose　beautiful；　proud　face　lighted　up　with　a　smile　at　the
singular　apparition　before　him。　〃Pardon　me；　I　disturb　you；　sir；　you
were　about　to　make　your　toilet。　Permit　me　to　return　after　you　have
dressed。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；〃　cried　Moritz；　eagerly。　〃You　find　me　in　my　usual
home…dressI　like　my　ease　and　freedom；　and　I　am　of　opinion　that
mankind　will　never　be　happy　and　contented　until　they　return　to　their
natural　state；　wearing　no　more　clothing；　but　glorying　in　the　beauty
which　bountiful　Nature　has　bestowed　upon　her　most　loved　and　chosen
subjects。〃

〃Sir；〃　cried　the　other；　laughing；　〃then　benevolent　Nature　should
adapt　her　climate　accordingly；　and　relieve　her　dear　creatures　from
the　inclination　to　take　cold。〃

〃You　may　be　right；〃　said　Moritz；　earnestly；　〃but　we　will　not　quarrel
about　it。　Will　you　not　keep　your　promise　to　reveal　to　me　your　name？〃

〃Tell　me　your　own　once　more。　Tell　me　if　this　youth；　whom　I　see
before　me　in　this　ideal　dress；　is　the　same　modest　young　man　whom　I
met　at　the　parade　yesterday；　and　who　presented　himself　as　Philip
Moritz？　Then　please　to　inform　me　whether　you　are　the　Philip　Moritz
who　wrote　a　spirited　and　cordial　letter　to　Johann　Wolfgang　Goethe
some　years　since　about　the　tragedy　of　'Stella；'　the　representation
of　which　had　been　forbidden　at　that　time？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　the　same　Philip　Moritz；　who　wrote　to　the　poet　Goethe　to
prove　to　him；　with　the　most　heart…felt　sympathy；　that　we　are　not　all
such　stupid　fellows　in　Berlin　as　Nicolai；　who　pronounced　the　tragedy
'Stella'　immoral；　that　it　is　only；　as　Goethe　himself　called　it；　'a
play　for　lovers。'〃

〃And　will　you　not　be　kind　enough　to　tell　me　what　response　the　poet
made　to　your　amiable　letter？〃

〃Proud　and　amiable　at　the　same　time；　most　gracefully　he　answered　me；
but　not　with　words。　He　sent　me　his　tragedy　'Stella'　bound　in　rose…
colored　satin。　＇Footnote：　〃Goethe　in　Berlin；〃Sketches　from　his
life　at　the　anniversary　of　his　one　hundredth　birthday。＇　See　there！
it　is　before　the　bust　of　Apollo　on　my　writing…table；　where　it　has
lain　for　three　years！〃

〃What　did　he　write　to　you　at　the　same　time？〃

〃Nothingwhy　should　he？　Was　not　the　book　sufficient　answer？〃

〃Did　he　write　nothing？　Permit　me　to　say　to　you　that　Goethe　behaved
like　a　brute　and　an　ass　to　you！〃

〃Sir；〃　cried　Moritz；　angrily；　〃I　forbid　you　to　speak　of　my　favorite
in　so　unbecoming　a　manner　in　my　room！〃

〃Sir；〃　cried　the　other；　〃you　dare　not　forbid　me。　I　insist　upon　it
that　that　man　is　sometimes　a　brute　and　an　ass！　I　can　penitently
acknowledge　it　to　you；　dear　Moritz；　for　I　am　Johann　Wolfgang　Goethe
himself！〃

〃You；　you　are　Goethe！〃　shouted　Moritz；　as　he　seized　him　with　both
hands；　drawing　him　toward　the　window；　and　gazing　at　him　with　the
greatest　enthusiasm　and　delight。　〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　shouted；　〃you　are
either　Apollo　or　Goethe！　The　gods　are　not　so　stupid　as　to　return　to
this　miserable　world；　so　you　must　be　Goethe。　No　other　man　would　dare
to　sport　such　a　godlike　face　as　you　do；　you　favorite　of　the　gods！〃

He　then　loosed　his　hold　upon　the　smiling　poet；　and　sprang　to　the
writing…table。　〃Listen；　Apollo；〃　he　cried；　with　wild　joy。　〃Goethe　is
here；　thy　dear　son　is　here！　Hurrah！　long　live　Goethe！〃

He　took　the　rose…colored　little　book；　and　shouting　tossed　it　to　the
ceiling；　and　sprang　about　like　a　mad　bacchant；　and　finally　threw
himself　upon　the　carpet；　rolling　over　and　over　like　a　frolicksome；
good…natured　child　upon　its　nurse's　lap。

Goethe　laughed　aloud。　〃What　are　you　doing；　dear　Moritz？　What　does
this　mean？〃　he　asked。

Moritz　stopped　a　moment；　looking　up　to　Goethe　with　a　face　beaming
with　joy。　〃I　cannot　better　express　my　happiness。　Language　is　too
feebletoo　poor！〃

〃If　that　is　the　case；　then　I　will　join　you；〃　said　Goethe；　throwing
himself　upon　the　carpet；　rolling　and　tumbling　about。　＇Footnote：　This
scene　which　I　relate；　and　which　Teichman　also　mentions　in　his
〃Leaves　of　Memory　of　Goethe　in　Berlin；〃　has　been　often　related　to　me
by　Ludwig　Tieck　exactly　in　this　manner。　Teichman　believes　it　was　the
poet　Burman。　But　I　remember　distinctly　that　Ludwig　Tieck　told　me
that　it　was　the　eccentric　savant；　Philip　Moritz；　with　whom　Goethe
made　the　acquaintance　in　this　original　manner。The　Authoress。＇

All　at　once　Moritz　jumped　up　without　saying　a　word；　rushed　to　the
wardrobe；　dressed　himself　in　modest　attire　in　a　few　moments；　and
presented　himself　to　Goethe；　who　rose　from　the　carpet　quite
astounded　at　the　sudden　metamorphosis。　Then　he　seized　his　three…
cornered　hat　to　go　out；　when　Goethe　held　him　fast。

〃You　are　not　going　into　the　street；　sir！　You　forget　that　your　hair
is　flying　about　as　if　unloosed　by　a　divine　madness。〃

〃Sir；　people　are　quite　accustomed　to　see　me　in　a　strange　costume；
and　the　most　of　them　think　me　crazy。〃

〃You