old fritz and the new era-第24部分

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own。　I　live　upon　her　smile。　A　kind　word　falling　from　her　lips　makes
me　happy　for　days；　and　when　she　turns　away　from　me　with　coldness　and
indifference；　I　feel　like　one　driven　about　as　Orestes　by　the
Furies。〃

〃You　really　are　in　love！〃　cried　Moritz。　〃I　will　take　back　what　I
have　said。　You；　the　chosen　of　the　gods；　know　all　the　human　heart　can
suffer；　even　unhappy　love。〃

Almost　angry；　and　with　hesitation；　Goethe　answered　him：　〃I　do　not
call　this　passion　of　mine　an　unhappy　one；　for　in　the　very　perception
of　it　lies　happiness。　We　are　only　wretched　when　we　lose　self…
control。　To　this　point　Love　shall　never　lead　me。　She　yields　me　the
highest　delight；　but　she　shall　never　bring　me　to　self…destruction。
Grief　for　her　may；　like　a　destructive　whirlwind；　crush　every　blossom
of　my　heart；　but　she　shall　never　destroy　me。　The　man；　the　poet；　must
stand　higher　than　the　lover；　for　where　the　latter　is　about　to　yield
to　despair；　the　former　will　rise；　and；　with　the　defiance　of
Prometheus；　challenge　the　gods　to　recognize　the　godlike　similitude；
that　man　can　rise　superior　to　sorrow；　never　despairing；　never
cursing　Fate　if　all　the　rosy　dreams　of　youth　are　not　realities；　but
with　upturned　gaze　stride　over　the　waste　places　of　life；　consoling
himself　with　the　thought　that　only　magnanimous　souls　can　suffer　and
conquer　magnanimously。　Vanquished　grief　brings　us　nearer　to　the
immortal；　and　gradually　bears　us　from　this　vale　of　sorrow　up　to　the
brighter　heights；　nearer　to　Godthe　earth　with　her　petty　confusion
lying　like　a　worthless　tool　at　our　feet！〃

〃It　is　heavenly　to　be　able　to　say　that；　and　divine　to　perceive　it；〃
cried　Moritz；　bursting　into　tears。　〃The　miseries　of　life　chain　me　to
the　dust；　and　do　not　permit　me　to　mount　to　the　heights　which　a　hero
like　Goethe　reaches　victorious。　It　is　indeed　sublime　to　conquer
one's　self；　and　be　willing　to　resign　the　happiness　which　flees　us。
But　see　how　weak　I　amI　cannot　do　it！　I　can　never　give　up　the　one　I
love。　It　seems　as　if　I　could　move　heaven　and　earth　to　conquer　at
last；　and　that　I　must　die　if　I　do　not　succeeddie　like　Werther。〃

Goethe's　eyes　flashed　with　anger；　and　with　heightened　color　he
exclaimed：　〃You　all　repeat　the　same　litanydo　not　make　me
answerable　for　all　your　weaknesses；　and　blame　poor　Werther　for　the
creations　of　your　own　imagination。　I；　who　am　the　author　of　Werther；
am　free　from　this　abominable　sentimentality。　Why　cannot　others　be；
who　only　read　what　I　have　conceived？　But　pardon　my　violence；〃　he
continued；　with　a　milder　voice　and　gentler　manner。　〃Never　did　an
author　create　a　work　which　brought　him　at　the　same　time　so　great
fame　and　bitter　reproach　as　this　work　has　brought　to　me。　'The
Sorrows　of　Young　Werther'　have　indeed　been　transformed　into　the
sorrows　of　young　Goethe；　and　I　even　fear　that　old　Goethe　will　have
to　suffer　for　it。　I　have　spoken　to　you　as　a　friend　to　a　friend：
cherish　my　words；　take　them　to　heart；　and　arise　from　the　dust；　shake
off　the　self…strewn　ashes　from　your　head。　Enter　again　as　a　brave
champion　the　combat　of　lifesummon　to　your　aid　cunning；　power；
prudence；　and　audacity；　to　conquer　your　love。　Whether　you　succeed　or
not；　then　you　aim　at　the　greatest　of　battlesthat　of　mind　over
matterthen　remember　my　farewell　words。　From　the　power　which　binds
all　men　he　frees　himself　who　conquers　himself。Farewell！　If　ever
you　need　the　encouragement　of　a　friend；　if　ever　a　sympathizing　soul
is　necessary　to　you；　come　to　Weimar；　sympathy　and　appreciation　shall
never　fail　you　there。〃

〃Oh！　I　will　surely　go；〃　answered　Moritz；　deeply　moved；　and　pressing
heartily　Goethe's　offered　hand。

〃One　thing　more　I　have　to　say　to　you：　Live　much　with　Nature；
accustom　yourself　to　regard　the　sparrow；　the　flower；　or　the　stone；
as　worthy　of　your　attention　as　the　wonderful　phoenix　or　the
monuments　of　the　ancients　with　their　illegible　inscriptions。　To　walk
with　Nature　is　balsam　for　a　weary　soul；　gently　touched　by　her　soft
hands；　the　recovery　is　most　rapid。　I　have　experienced　it；　and　do
experience　it　daily。　Now；　once　more；　farewell；　in　the　true　sense　of
the　word　fare…thee…well！　I　wish　that　I　could　help　you　in　other　ways
than　by　mere　kind　words。　It　pains　me　indeed　that　I　can　render　you　no
other　aid　or　hope。　You　alone　can　do　what　none　other　can　do　for　you。…
…Farewell！〃

He　turned；　and　motioning　to　Moritz　not　to　follow　him；　almost　flew
down　the　stairs　into　the　street。　Drawing　a　long　breath；　he　stood
leaning　against　the　door；　gazing　at　the　crowdat　the　busy　passers…
bysome　merrily　chatting　with　their　companions；　others　with　earnest
mien　and　in　busy　haste。　No　one　seemed　to　care　for　him；　no　one　looked
at　him。　If　by　chance　they　glanced　at　him；　Johann　Wolfgang　Goethe　was
of　no　more　consequence　to　them　than　any　other　honest　citizen　in　a
neighboring　doorway。

Without　perhaps　acknowledging　it　to　himself；　Goethe　was　a　little
vexed　that　no　one　observed　him；　that　the　weather…maker　from　Weimar；
who　was　accustomed　to　be　greeted　there；　and　everywhere；　indeed；　with
smiles　and　bows；　should　here　in　Berlin　be　only　an　ordinary　mortala
stranger　among　strangers。　〃I　would　not　live　here；〃　said　he；　as　he
walked　slowly　down　the　street。　〃What　are　men　in　great　cities　but
grains　of　sand；　now　blown　together　and　then　asunder？　There　is　no
individuality；　one　is　only　a　unit　in　the　mass！　But　it　is　well
occasionally　to　look　into　such　a　kaleidoscope；　and　admire　the　play
of　colors；　which　I　have　done；　and　with　a　glad　heart　I　will　now　fly
home　to　all　my　friendsto　you；　beloved　oneto　you；　Charlotte！〃




CHAPTER　XI。

THE　INNER　AND　THE　MIDDLE　TEMPLE。


Wilhelmine　Enke　had　passed　the　day　in　great　anxiety　and　excitement；
and　not　even　the　distraction　of　her　new　possession　had　been　able　to
calm　the　beating　of　her　heart　or　allay　her　fears。　Prince　Frederick
William　had　arrived　early　in　the　morning；　to　bid　her　farewell；　as　he
was　to　march　in　the　course　of　the　day　with　his　regiments　from
Potsdam。　With　the　tenderest　assurances　of　love　he　took　leave　of
Wilhelmine；　and　with　tears　kissed　his　two　children；　pressing　them　to
his　heart。　As　he　was　about　to　enter　his　carriage　he　returned　to　the
house　to　embrace　his　weeping　mistress；　and　reassure　her　of　his
fidelity；　and　make　her　promise　him　again　and　again　that　she　would
remain　true　to　him；　and　never　love　another。

It　was　not　alone　the　farewell　to　her　beloved　prince　which　caused
Wilhelmine　such　anxiety　and　made　her　so　restless。　Like　a　dark　cloud
the　remembrance　of　Cagliostro's　mysterious　appearance　arose　in　her
mind；　overshadowing　her　every　hour　more　and　more；　filling　her　soul
with　terror。　In　vain　did　she　seek　refuge　near　her　children；　trying
to　cheer　and　forget　herself　in　their　innocent　amusementone　moment
running　about　the　garden　with　them；　then　returning　to　the　house　to
reexamine　it。　Her　thoughts　would　revert　to　Cagliostro；　and　the
solemnities　which　were　to　take　place　at　her　house　that　night。　The
thought　terrified　her　that　at　nightfall　she　was　obliged　to　send　away
all　her　servants；　and　not　even　be　permitted　to　lock　herself　in　the
lonely；　deserted　house。　For　the　great　magician　had　commanded　her　to
let　the　doors　of　her　house　stand　open；　he　would　place　sentinels　at
every　entrance；　and　none　but　the　elect　would　be　allowed　to　enter。
Wilhelmine　had　not　the　courage　to　resist　this　command。　As　evening
approached；　she　sent　the　cook；　with　other　servants；　to　her　apartment
at　Berlin；　ordering　them　to　pack　her　furniture　and　other　effects；
and　send　them　by　a　hired　wagon　to　Charlottenburg　the　following
morning。　An　hour　previous　to　this　she　had　sent　the　nurse　and　two
children　to　Potsdam　with　a　similar　commission；　ordering　them　to
return　early　the　next　day。　Alone　she　now　awaited　with　feverish
anxiety　Cagliostro's　appearance。　Again　and　again　she　wandered
through　the　silent；　deserted　rooms　frightened　at　the　sound　of　her
own　footsteps；　and　peering　into　each　room　as　if　an　assassin　or
robber　were　lurking　there。　She　had　many　enemiesmany　there　were　who
cursed　her；　and；　alas！　none　loved　hershe　was　friendless；　save　the
prince；　who　was　far　away。　The　tears　which　the　princess　had　shed　on
her　account　weighed　like　a　heavy　burden　upon　her　heart；　burning　into
her　very　soul　in　this　hour　of　lonely；　sad　retrospection。　She　tried
in　vain　to　excuse　herself；　in　the　fact　that　she　had　loved　the　prince
before　his　marriage；　that　she　had　sacrificed　herself　to　him　through
affection；　and　that　she　was　not　entitled　to　become　his　wife；　as　she
was　not　born　under　the　canopy　of　a　throne。

From　the　depths　of　her　conscience　there　again　rose　the　tearful；　sad
face　of　the　princess；　accusing　her　as　an　adulteressas　a　sinner
before　God　and　man！　Terrified；　she　cried：　〃I　have　truly　loved　him；
and　I　do　still　love　him；　this　is　my　excuse　and　my　justification。　She
is　not　to　be　pitied　who　can　walk　openly　by　the　side　of　her　husband；
enjoying　the　respect　and　sympathy　of　all　to　whom　homage　is　paid；　and
who；　one　day；　will　be　queen！　I　am　the　only　one；　I　alone！　I　stand　in
the　shade；　despised　and　scorned；　avoided　and　shunned　by　every　one。
Those　who　recognize　me；　do　so　with　a　mocking　smile；　and　when　I　pass
by　they　contemptuously　shrug　their　shoulders　and　say　to　one　another；
'That　was　Enke；　the　mistress　of　the　Prince　of　Prussia！'　All　this
shall　be　changed；〃　she　cried　aloud；　〃I　will　not　always　be　despised
and　degraded！　I　will　be　revenged　on　my　crushed　and　scorned　youth！　I
will　have　rank　and　name；　honor　and　position；　that　I　willyes；　that
I　will；　indeed！〃

Wilhelmine　wandered　on　through　the　silent　rooms；　all　brilliantly
illuminated；　a　precaution　she　had　taken　before　dismissing　her
servants。　The　bright　light　was　a　consolation　to　her；　and；　at　least；
she　could　not　be　attacked　by　surprise；　but　see　her　enemy；　and
escape。　〃I　was　a　fool；〃　she　murmured；　〃to　grant　Cagliostro　this
reception　to…night。　I　know　that　he　is　a　charlatan！　There　are　no
prophets　or　wizards！　Yet；　well　I　remember；　though　a　stranger　to　me；
in　Paris；　how　truthfully　he　brought　before　me　my　past　life；　with
what　marvellous　exactness　he　revealed　to　me　secrets　known　only　to　my
Maker　and　myself。　Cagliostro　must　be　a　wizard；　then；　or　a　prophet；
he　has　wonderful　power　over　me　also；　and　reads　my　most　secret
thoughts。　He　will　assist　me　to　rise　from　my　shame　and　degradation　to
an　honored　position。　I　shall　become