old fritz and the new era-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


what　passes　around　him；　and　it　was　the　first　man's　face　that　he　had
seen。　But　only　look；　miss；　what　a　beautiful　little　dog　is　coming　up
the　path。〃　It　was　indeed　a　lovely　greyhound；　of　the　small　Italian
race；　which　came　bounding　joyfully　toward　them；　and　as　he　saw　the
woman　barked　loudly。

〃Be　quiet；　Alkmene；　be　quiet！〃　cried　a　loud；　commanding　voice。

〃Oh；　Heaven！　it　is　the　king！〃　whispered　the　young　lady；　turning
pale；　and；　as　if　stunned；　retreated　a　few　steps。

〃Yes；　it　is　really　the　king；〃　cried　the　nurse；　〃and　he　is　coming
directly　from　the　grass…plot　here。〃

〃Let　us　go　as　quickly　as　possible；　Louisa。　Come；　come；〃　and　she
hastily　threw　her　mantle　around　her；　drawing　the　hood　over　her　curly
head。　She　had　only　proceeded　a　few　steps；　when　a　loud　voice　bade　her
to　remainto　stand　still。　She　stood　as　if　rooted　to　the　spot；
leaning　upon　her　nurse　for　support；　her　knees　sank　under　her；　and　it
seemed　as　if　the　whole　world　turned　around　with　her。　After　the　first
tumult　of　anxiety　and　fear；　succeeded　an　insolent　determination；
and；　forcing　herself　to　calmness；　she　said：　〃It　is　the　turning…point
of　my　life；　the　next　few　minutes　will　either　crush　me　or　assure　my
future；　let　me　struggle　for　the　future；　then。　I　will　face　him　who
approaches　me　as　my　judge。〃　Forcing　herself　to　composure；　slowly　and
with　effort　she　turned　toward　the　king；　who；　approaching　by　the　side
path；　had　entered　the　avenue；　and　now　stood　before　her。　But　as　she
encountered　the　fiery　glance　of　the　king's　eye；　she　quailed　before
it；　casting　down　her　own；　covered　with　confusion。

〃Who　are　you？〃　demanded　the　king；　with　stern　authority；　keeping　his
eagle　eye　fixed　upon　her。　Silent　and　immovable　she　stood；　only　the
quick；　feverish　breathing　and　the　heaving　bosom　told　the　storm　that
was　raging　within。

〃Who　are　you？〃　repeated　the　voice；　with　still　more　severity〃who
permit　themselves　to　use　my　park　as　a　nursery？　What　child　is　that？
and　who　are　its　parents？　They　should　be　of　high　position　at　court；
who　would　dare　to　send　their　child　and　nurse　to　the　royal　park；　and
with　what　joy　they　must　regard　the　offspring　of　their　conjugal
tenderness！　Tell　me　to　whom　does　this　child　belong？〃

Sobbing　convulsively；　the　lady　sank；　kneeling；　with　uplifted　arms；
imploring　for　mercy。　〃Sire；　annihilate　me　with　your　anger；　but　do
not　crush　me　with　your　scorn！〃

〃What　language　do　you　permit　yourself　to　hold？〃　asked　the　king。

〃Sire；　it　is　the　language　of　an　unhappy；　despairing　woman；　who　knows
that　she　stands　before　that　great　monarch　whose　judgment　she　fears
more　than　that　of　her　God；　who　sees　into　her　heart；　and　reads　the
tortures　and　reproaches　of　her　conscience；　who　knows　what　she
suffers；　and　knows；　also；　that　she　is　free　from　self…interest；　and
every　base　desire。　I　believe　that　God　will　forgive　what　I　fear　your
majesty　will　not。〃

〃You　speak　presumptuously；　and　remind　me　of　the　theatre　princesses
who　represent　a　grand　scene　with　a　pathetic　exit。　Let　me　inform　you；
I　despise　comediansonly　high　tragedy　pleases　me。　Spare　yourself
the　trouble　to　act　before　me；　but　answer　mewho　are　you？　Whose
child　is　that？〃

〃Sire；　only　God　and　my　king　should　hear　my　replyI　beg　the　favor　to
send　away　the　nurse　and　child。〃　The　king　assented；　slightly　nodding
his　head；　at　the　same　time　bidding　her　not　to　kneel　to　him　as　to　an
image。

The　lady　rose　and　sought　the　nurse；　who；　from　fright；　had　withdrawn
into　the　shrubbery；　and　stood　staring　at　the　king　with　wide…open
eyes。　〃Go　home；　Louisa；　and　put　the　child　to　sleep；〃　said　she；
quickly。

The　nurse　obeyed　promptly；　and　when　alone；　the　king　demanded　again；
〃Who　are　you？　and　to　whom　does　the　child　belong？〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　am　the　daughter　of　your　chapel　musician　Enke；　and
the　child　is　the　son　of　Prince　Frederick　William　of　Prussia；〃　she
replied；　in　a　firm　and　defiant　manner。

The　king's　eyes　flashed　as　he　glanced　at　the　bold　speaker。　〃You　say
so；　but　who　vouches　for　the　truth　of　it？　You　permit　yourself　to　use
a　high　name；　to　give　your　child　an　honorable　father！　What　temerity！
what　presumption！　What　if　I　should　not　believe　you；　but　send　you　to
the　house　of　correction；　at　Spandau；　as　a　slanderer；　as　guilty　of
high…treason；　as　a　sinner　and　an　adulteress？〃

〃You　could　not　do　it；　sireyou　could　not；〃　cried　Wilhelmine　Enke；
〃for　you　would　also　send　there　the　honor　and　the　name　of　your
successor　to　the　throne。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　cried　the　king；　furiously。

〃I　mean；　your　majesty；　that　the　prince　has　holy　duties　toward　me。　I
am　the　mother　of　that　child！〃

〃You　acknowledge　your　shame；　and　you　dare　confess　it　to　me；　your
king；　that　you　are　the　favorite；　the　kept　mistress　of　the　Prince　of
Prussia；　who　has　already　a　wife　that　has　borne　him　children？　You　do
not　even　seek　to　deny　it；　or　to　excuse　yourself？〃

〃I　would　try　to　excuse　myself；　did　I　not　feel　that　your　majesty
would　not　listen　to　me。〃

〃What　excuse　could　you　offer？there　is　none。〃

〃Love　is　my　excuse；〃　cried　Wilhelmine；　eagerly。　〃Oh！　my　ruler　and
king；　do　not　shake　your　noble　head　so　unbelievingly；　do　not　look　at
me　so　contemptuously。　Oh；　Father　in　heaven；　I　implore　Thee　to
quicken　my　mind；　that　my　thoughts　may　become　words；　and　my　lips
utter　that　which　is　burning　in　my　soul！　In　all　these　years　of　my
poor；　despised；　obscure　life；　how　often　have　I　longed　for　this　hour
when　I　might　stand　before　my　king；　when　I　might　penitently　clasp　his
knees　and　implore　mercy　for　myself　and　my　childrenthose　poor；
nameless　beings；　whose　existence　is　my　accusation；　and　yet　who　are
the　pride　and　joy　of　my　life！　Oh；　sire；　I　will　not　accuse；　to　excuse
myself；　I　will　not　cast　the　stone　at　others　which　they　have　cast　at
me。　But　it　is　scarcely　charitable　to　judge　and　condemn　a　young　girl
fourteen　years　of　age；　who　did　but　obey　the　command　of　her　parents；
and　followed　the　man　who　was　the　first　and　only　one　that　ever
whispered　the　word　of　love　in　her　ear。〃

〃I　have　heard　that　your　parents　sold　their　child　to　shame。　Is　it
true？〃　cried　the　king。

〃Sire；　my　father　was　poor；　the　scanty　income　of　a　chapel　musician
scarcely　sufficed　to　educate　and　support　four　children。　The　prince
promised　my　father　to　educate　me。〃

〃Bah！　The　promises　of　a　young　man　of　twenty…five　are　made　without
reflection；　and　rarely　ever　fulfilled。〃

〃Sire；　to　the　Prince　of　Prussia　I　owe　all　that　I　know；　and　all　that
I　am；　his　promise　to　my　dying　father　was　fully　redeemed。〃

〃Indeed；　by　whom　were　you　taught；　and　what　have　you　learned？〃

〃Your　majesty；　the　prince　wished；　before　all；　that　I　should　learn　to
speak　French。　Madame　Girard　was　my　French　instructress；　and　taught
me　to　play　the　guitar　and　spinet　also。〃

〃Oh；　I　presume　you　have　learned　to　jabber　a　little　French　and　drum　a
little　music；〃　said　the　king；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

〃I　beg　pardon；　sire；　I　have　a　tolerable　knowledge　of　history　and　of
geography。　I　am　familiar　with　the　ancient　and　modern　poets。　I　have
read　a　good　French　translation　of　Homer；　Horace；　and　Virgil；　with　a
master。　I　have　studied　the　history　of　Brandenburg；　of　Germany；　and
of　America。　We　have　read　the　immortal　works　of　Voltaire；　of　Jean
Jacques　Rousseau；　and　of　Shakespeare；　with　many　of　our　modern　poets。
My　instructor　has　read　all　these　works　aloud　to　me；　and　he　was　much
pleased　when　I　repeated　parts　of　what　he　had　read　to　me　some　days
afterward。〃

〃You　appear　to　have　had　a　very　learned　instructor；〃　remarked　the
king；　sneeringly。　〃What　is　his　name？〃

〃His　name；　sire；　is　Prince　Frederick　William　of　Prussia。　Yes；　it　is
he　who　has　taught　mehe　who　has　made　me　an　intelligent　woman。
However　young　he　was　when　he　undertook　the　task；　he　has　accomplished
it　with　fidelity；　firmness；　and　patience。　He　loved　me；　and　would
make　me　worthy　of　him；　in　heart　and　mind。　I　shall　ever　be　grateful
to　him；　and　only　death　can　extinguish　the　love　and　esteem　with　which
he　in　spires　me。〃

〃Suppose　I　command　you　to　leave　the　prince？　Suppose　I　will　no　longer
endure　the　scandal　of　this　sinful　relation？〃

〃I　shall　never　willingly　separate　myself　from　my　dear　prince　and
masterfrom　the　father　of　my　two　children。　Your　majesty　will　be
obliged　to　force　me　from　him；〃　answered　Wilhelmine；　defiantly。

〃Oh；　that　will　not　be　necessary；　mademoiselle；〃　cried　the　king。
〃There　are　ways　enough。　I　will　make　known　my　wishes　to　the　prince；　I
will　command　him　to　leave　you；　and　have　no　further　communication
with　you。〃

〃Sire；〃　she　answered；　gently；　〃I　know　that　the　prince　is　an　obedient
and　respectful　subject　and　servant　to　his　king　in　all　things；　but
this　command　he　would　not　obey。〃

〃He　would　not　dare　to　brave　my　commands！〃

〃He　would　not　brave　them；　sire。　Oh；　no；　it　would　be　simply
impossible　to　obey　them。〃

〃What　would　hinder　him？〃

〃Love；　sire；　the　respect　which　he　owes　to　me　as　the　mother　of　his
two　childrenwho　has　consecrated　her　love；　her　honor　to　him；　and　of
whom　no　one　can　say　that　she　has　injured　the　fidelity　which　she　has
sworn　to　the　princeto　the　man　of　her　first　and　only　loveeven
with　a　word　or　look。〃

〃You　mean　to　say；　that　I　cannot　separate　you　from　the　prince　but　by
force？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；〃　cried　she；　with　conscious　power；　〃that　is
exactly　what　I　mean。〃

〃You　will　find　yourself　deceived；　you　will　be　made　to　realize　it；〃
said　the　king；　with　a　menacing　tone。　〃You　know　nothing　of　the　power
that　lies　in　a　legitimate　marriage；　and　what　rivals　legitimate
children　are；　whom　one　dares　acknowledge　before　Godbefore　the
world。　Boast　not　of　the　love　of　the　prince；　but　remember　that　an
honorable　solitude　is　the　only　situation　becoming　to　you。　Such
connections　bear　their　own　curse　and　punishment　with　them。　Hasten　to
avoid　them。　Lastly；　I　would　add；　never　dare　to　mingle　your　impure
hands　in　the　affairs　of　state。　I　have　been　obliged　to　give　the　order
to　the　state　councillors　in　appointments　and　grants　of　office；　not
to　regard　the　protection　and　recommendation　of　a　certain　high
personage；　as　you　are　the　real　protectress　and　bestower　of　mercy。
Take　care；　and　never　let　it　happen　again。　You　will　never　venture　to
play　the　little　Pompadour　here；　nor　anything　else　but　what　your
dishonor　allows　you；　otherwise　you　will　have　to　deal　with　me！　You
say　that　you　have　read　Homer；　then；　doubtless；　you　remember　the
story　of　Pen