frederick the great and his family-第31章

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Weingarten　hurried　past　the　halls　and　chambers；　and　entered　Rosa's　room。　She　read　in　his　pale；　sad　face　that　he　had　no　good　news　to　tell　her。

〃Has　it　all　been　in　vain？〃　said　she；　breathlessly。

〃In　vain？〃　cried　he；　with　a　scornful　smile。　〃No；　not　in　vain。　The　king　rewarded　me　well；　much　better　than　Judas　Iscariot　was　rewarded。　I　have　earned　a　large　sum　of　money；　and　am　still　to　receive　a　thousand　crowns。　Quiet　yourself；　Rosa；　we　will　be　very　happy；　for　we　will　have　money。　Only　I　must　ask　if　the　proud　daughter　of　the　royal　castle…warder　will　give　her　hand　to　a　man　who　can　offer　her　no　name；　no　position。　Rosa；　I　warn　you；　think　well　of　what　you　do。　You　loved　me　because　I　was　a　count；　and　had　position　to　offer　you。　From　to…　day；　I　have　no　position；　no　name；　no　honor；　no　family。　Like　Ahasuerus；　I　will　wander　wearily　through　the　world；　happy　and　thanking　God　if　I　can　find　a　quiet　spot　where　I　am　not　known；　and　my　name　was　never　heard。　There　I　will　rest；　and　trust　to　chance　for　a　name。　Rosa；　will　you　share　with　me　this　existence；　without　sunshine；　without　honor；　without　a　name？〃

She　was　trembling　so；　that　she　could　barely　speak。

〃I　have　no　choice；〃　stammered　she；　at　last；　〃I　must　follow　you；　for　my　honor　demands　that　I　should　be　your　wife。　I　must　go　with　you；　fate　wills　it。〃

With　a　loud　shriek　she　fainted　by　his　side。　Weingarten　did　not　raise　her；　he　glanced　wildly　at　the　pale；　lifeless　woman　at　his　feet。

〃We　are　both　condemned；〃　murmured　he；　〃we　have　both　lost　our　honor。　And　with　this　Cain's　mark　upon　our　foreheads　we　will　wander　wearily　through　the　world。〃　＇Footnote：　Count　Weingarten　escaped　from　all　his　troubles　happily。　He　married　his　sweetheart；　the　daughter　of　the　castle…warder；　and　went　to　Altmark；　where；　under　the　name　of　Veis；　he　lived　happily　for　many　years。＇

The　king；　in　the　mean　while；　after　Weingarten　had　left　him；　walked　thoughtfully　up　and　down　his　room。　At　times　he　raised　his　head　and　gazed　with　a　proud；　questioning　glance　at　the　sky。　Great　thoughts　were　at　work　within　him。　Now　Frederick　throws　back　his　head　proudly；　and　his　eyes　sparkle。

〃The　time　has　come；〃　said　he；　in　a　loud；　full　voice。　〃The　hour　for　delay　is　past；　now　the　sword　must　decide　between　me　and　my　enemies。〃　He　rang　a　bell　hastily；　and　ordered　a　valet　to　send　a　courier　at　once　to　Berlin；　to　call　General　Winterfeldt；　General　Retzow；　and　also　Marshal　Schwerin；　to　Sans…Souci。




CHAPTER　VIII。

DECLARATION　OF　WAR。


A　few　hours　after　the　departure　of　the　courier；　the　heavy　movement　of　wheels　in　the　court　below　announced　to　the　king；　who　was　standing　impatiently　at　his　window；　the　arrival　of　the　expected　generals。　In　the　same　moment；　his　chamberlain；　opening　wide　the　library　door；　ushered　them　into　his　presence。

〃Ah！〃　said　the　king；　welcoming　them　pleasantly；　〃I　see　I　am　not　so　entirely　without　friends　as　my　enemies　think。　I　have　but　to　call；　and　Marshal　Schwerin；　that　is；　wisdom　and　victory；　is　at　my　side；　and　Generals　Winterfeldt　and　Retzow；　that　is；　youth　and　courage；　boldness　and　bravery；　are　ready　to　give　me　all　the　assistance　in　their　power。　Sirs；　I　thank　you　for　coming　to　me　at　once。　Let　us　be　seated；　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say；　and　upon　what　earnest　important　subjects　I　wish　your　advice。〃

And　in　a　few　words　the　king　first　showed　them　the　situation　of　Europe　and　of　his　own　states；　so　as　to　prepare　them　for　the　more　important　subjects　he　had　to　introduce　before　them。

〃You　will　now　understand；〃　said　he；　〃why　I　was　so　willing　to　make　this　contract　with　England。　I　hoped　thereby　to　gain　Russia；　who　is　allied　to　England；　to　my　side。　But　these　hopes　have　been　destroyed。　Russia；　angry　with　Britain　for　having　allied　herself　to　Prussia；　has　broken　her　contract。　Bestuchef；　it　is　true；　wavered　for　a　moment　between　his　love　of　English　guineas　and　his　hatred　of　me；　but　hate　carried　the　day。〃

〃But；　sire；〃　said　Retzow；　hastily；　〃if　your　majesty　can　succeed　in　making　a　reconciliation　between　France　and　England；　you　may　become　the　ally　of　these　two　powerful　nations。　Then　let　Austria；　Russia；　and　Saxony　come　upon　us　all　at　once；　we　can　confront　them。〃

〃We　can　do　that；　I　hope；　even　without　the　assistance　of　France；〃　said　the　king；　impetuously。　〃We　must　renounce　all　idea　of　help　from　France；　she　is　allied　to　Austria。　What　Kaunitz　commenced　with　his　wisdom；　Maria　Theresa　carried　out　with　her　flattery。　All　my　enemies　have　determined　to　attack　me　at　once。　But　I　am　ready　for　them；　weapons　in　hand。　I　have　been　hard　at　work；　all　is　arranged；　every　preparation　for　the　march　of　our　army　is　finished。　And　now　I　have　called　you　together　to　counsel　me　as　to　where　we　can　commence　our　attack　advantageously。〃

Frederick　stopped　speaking；　and　gazed　earnestly　at　his　generals；　endeavoring　to　divine　their　thoughts。　Marshal　Schwerin　was　looking　silently　before　him；　a　dark　cloud　rested　upon　General　Retzow's　brow；　but　the　young；　handsome　face　of　Winterfeldt　was　sparkling　with　delight　at　the　thought　of　war。

〃Well；　marshal；〃　said　the　king；　impatiently；　〃what　is　your　advice？〃

〃My　advice；　sire；〃　said　the　old　marshal；　sighing；　〃I　see　my　king　surrounded　by　threatening　and　powerful　foes；　I　see　him　alone　in　the　midst　of　all　these　allied　enemies。　For　England　may；　perchance；　send　us　money；　but　she　has　no　soldiers　for　us；　and　moreover；　we　must　assist　her　to　defend　Hanover。　I　cannot　counsel　this　war；　for　mighty　enemies　are　around　us；　and　Prussia　stands　alone。〃

〃No；〃　said　Frederick；　solemnly；　〃Prussia　stands　not　alone！a　good　cause　and　a　good　sword　are　her　allies；　and　with　them　she　will　conquer。　And　now；　General　Retzow；　let　us　have　your　opinion；〃

〃I　agree　entirely　with　Marshal　Schwerin；〃　said　Retzow。　〃Like　him；　I　think　Prussia　should　not　venture　into　this　strife；　because　she　is　too　weak　to　withstand　such　powerful　adversaries。〃

〃You　speak　prudently；〃　said　Frederick；　scornfully。　〃And　now；　Winterfeldt；　are　you　also　against　this　war？〃

〃No；　sire；〃　cried　Winterfeldt；　〃I　am　for　the　attack；　and　never　were　circumstances　more　favorable　than　at　present。　Austria　has　as　yet　made　no　preparations　for　war；　her　armies　are　scattered；　and　her　finances　are　in　disorder；　and　now　it　will　be　an　easy　task　to　attack　her　and　subdue　her　surprised　army。〃

The　king　looked　at　him　pleasantly；　and　turning　to　the　other　generals；　said　quietly。

〃We　must　not　be　carried　away　by　the　brave　daring　of　this　youth；　he　is　the　youngest　among　us；　and　is；　perhaps；　misled　by　enthusiasm。　But　we　old　ones　must　reflect；　and　I　wished　to　convince　you　that　I　had　not　failed　to　do　this。　But　all　has　been　in　vain。〃

〃Now　is　the　time；〃　said　Winterfeldt；　with　sparkling　eyes；　〃to　convince　the　crippled；　unwieldy　Austrian　eagle　that　the　young　eagle　of　Prussia　has　spread　her　wings；　and　that　her　claws　are　strong　enough　to　grasp　all　her　enemies　and　hurl　them　into　an　abyss。〃

〃And　if　the　young　eagle；　in　spite　of　his　daring；　should　have　to　succumb　to　the　superiority　of　numbers；〃　said　Marshal　Schwerin；　sadly。　〃If　the　balls　of　his　enemies　should　break　his　wings；　thereby　preventing　his　flight　for　the　future？　Were　it　not　better　to　avoid　this　possibility；　and　not　to　allow　the　whole　world　to　say　that　Prussia；　out　of　love　of　conquest；　began　a　fearful　war；　which　she　could　have　avoided？〃

〃There　is　no　reason　in　this　war；〃　said　General　Retzow；　〃for；　though　Austria；　Saxony；　and　Russia　are　not　our　friends；　they　have　not　shown　as　yet　by　any　open　act　that　they　are　our　enemies；　and　though　Austria's　alliance　with　France　surprised　the　world；　so　also　did　Prussia's　alliance　with　England。　Our　soldiers　will　hardly　know　why　they　are　going　to　battle；　and　they　will　be　wanting　in　that　inspiration　which　is　necessary　to　excite　an　army　to　heroic　deeds。〃

〃Inspiration　shall　not　be　wanting；　and　my　army　as　well　as　yourselves　shall　know　the　many　causes　we　have　for　this　war。　The　reasons　I　have　given　you　as　yet　have　not　satisfied　you？　Well；　then；　I　will　give　you　others；　and；　by　Heaven；　you　will　be　content　with　them！　You　think　Austria's　unkindly　feelings　to　Prussia　have　not　been　shown　by　any　overt　act。　I　will　now　prove　to　you　that　she　is　on　the　point　of　acting。〃　And　Frederick；　lifting　up　some　papers　from　his　desk；　continued：　〃These　papers　will　prove　to　you；　what　you　seem　determined　not　to　believe；　namely；　that　Saxony；　Russia；　and；　France　are　prepared　to　attack　Prussia　with　their　combined　forces；　and　to　turn　the　kingdom　of　Prussia　into　a　margraviate　once　more。　These　papers　are　authentic　proofs　of　the　dangers　which　hover　over　us。　I　will　now　inform　you　how　I　came　by　them；　so　that　you　may　be　convinced　of　their　genuineness。　For　some　time　I　have　suspected　that　there　was；　amongst　my　enemies；　an　alliance　against　me；　and　that　they　had　formed　a　contract　in　which　they　had　sworn　to　do　all　in　their　power　to　destroy　Prussia。　I　only　needed　to　have　my　suspicions　confirmed；　and　to　have　the　proofs　of　this　contract　in　my　hands。　There　proofs　were　in　the　Saxon　archives；　and　in　the　dispatches　of　the　Austrian　embassy。　It　was　therefore　necessary　to　get　the　key　of　these　archives；　and　to　have　copies　of　these　dispatches。　I　succeeded　in　doing　both；　Chance；　or　if　you　prefer　it；　a　kind　Providence；　came　to　my　aid。　The　Saxon　chancellor；　Reinitz；　a　former　servant　of　General　Winterfeldt；　came　from　Dresden　to　Potsdam　to　look　for　Winterfeldt　and　to　confide　to　him　that　a　friend　of　his；　Chancellor　Minzel　of　Dresden；　had　informed　him　that　the　state　papers　interchanged　between　the　court　of　Vienna　and　Dresden　were　kept　in　the　Dresden　archives；　of　which　he　had　the　key。　Winterfeldt　brought　me　this　important　message。　Reinitz　conducted　the　first　negotiations　with　Menzel；　which　I　then　delivered　into　the　hands　of　my　ambassador　in　Dresden；　Count　Mattzahn。　Menzel　was　poor　and　covetous。　He　was　therefore　easily　to　be　bribed。　For　three　years　Mattzahn　has　received　copies　of　every　dispatch　that　passed　between　the　three　courts。　I　am　quite　as　well　informed　of　all　negotiations　between　Austria　and　France；　for　the　secretary　of　the　Austrian　legation　of　this　place；　a　Count　Weingarten；　gave　me；　for　promises　and　gold；　copies　of　all　dispatches　that　came　from　Vienna　and　were　forwarded　to　France。　You　see　the　corruption　of　man　has　borne　me　good　fruit；　and　that　gold　is　a　magic　wand　which　reveals　all　secrets。　And　now　let　us　cast　a　hasty　glance　over　these　papers　which　I　have　obtained　by　the　aid　of　treachery　and　bribery。〃

He　took　one　of　the　papers　and　spread　it　before　the　astonished　generals。　〃You　see　here；〃　he　continued；　〃a　sample　of　all　other　negotiations。　It　is　a　copy　of　a　share　contract　which　the　courts　of　Vienna　and　Dresden　formed　in　1745。　They　then　regarded　the　decline　of　Prussia　as　so　sure　an　occurrence　that　they　had　already　divided　amongst　themselves　the　different　parts　of　my　land。　Russia　soon　affixed　her　name　also　to　this　contract；　and　here　in　this　document　you　will　see　that　these　three　powers　have　sworn　to　attack　Prussia　at　the　same　moment；　and　that　for　this　conquest；　each　one　of　the　named　courts　was　to　furnish　sixty　thousand　men。〃

While　the　generals　were　engaged　in　reading　these　papers；　the　king　leaned　back　in　his　arm…chair；　gazing　keenly　at　Retzow　and　Schwerin。　He　smiled　gayly　as　he　saw　Schwerin　pressing　his　lips　tightly　together；　and　trying　in　vain　to　suppress　a　cry　of　rage；　and　Retzow　clinching　his　fists　vehemently。

When　the　papers　had　been　read；　and　Schwerin　was　preparing　to　speak；　the　king；