frederick the great and his family-第36章

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the　peculiar　and　laughable　customs　and　habits　of　the　Chinese；　thus　causing　even　the　proud　queen　to　laugh　at　his　humorous　descriptions。

Count　Bruhl　was　suddenly　interrupted　in　an　unusual　manner。

His　secretary；　Willmar；　approached　the　royal　table；　and　without　a　word　of　excuse；　without　greeting　the　king；　handed　the　count　a　sealed　package！

This　was　such　a　crime　against　courtly　etiquette　that　the　count；　from　sheer　amazement；　made　no　excuses　to　the　king；　he　only　cast　a　threatening　look　at　the　secretary。　But　as　he　encountered　Willmar's　pale；　terrified　countenance；　a　tremor　seized　him；　and　he　cast　an　eager　glance　upon　the　papers　in　his　hand；　which；　no　doubt；　contained　the　key　to　all　this　mystery。　〃They　are　from　the　commandant　at　Leipsic；〃　whispered　the　secretary；　〃I　entreat　your　excellency　to　read　them。〃

Before　the　count　had　time；　however；　to　open　the　dispatch；　a　still　stranger　event　took　place。

The　Prussian　ambassador；　who；　upon　the　plea　of　illness；　had　declined　Count　Bruhl's　invitation；　suddenly　appeared　in　the　garden；　accompanied　by　the　four　secretaries　of　his　legation；　and　approached　the　royal　table。　Upon　his　countenance　there　was　no　sign　of　sickness；　but　rather　an　expression　of　great　joy。

As　he　neared　the　tent；　the　gay　song　and　merry　jest　ceased。　Every　eye　was　fixed　inquiringly　upon　the　individual　who　had　dared　to　disturb　this　fete　by　his　presence。　The　music；　which　had　before　filled　the　air　with　joyous　sounds；　was　now　playing　a　heart…breaking　air。

Count　Bruhl　now　arose　and　advanced。　He　greeted　the　Prussian　ambassador　in　a　few　cold；　ceremonious　words。

But　Count　Mattzahn's　only　answer　to　this　greeting　was　a　silent　bow。　He　then　said；　in　a　voice　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　the　king　and　queen：

〃Count　Bruhl；　as　ambassador　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　I　request　you　to　demand　an　audience　for　me　at　once　from　the　King　of　Saxony。　I　have　an　important　dispatch　from　my　king。〃

Count　Bruhl；　struck　with　terror；　could　only　gaze　at　him；　he　had　not　the　strength　to　answer。

But　King　Augustus；　rising　from　his　seat；　said：

〃The　ambassador　of　my　royal　brother　can　approach；　I　consent　to　grant　him　this　audience；　it　is　demanded　in　so　strange　a　manner；　it　must　surely　have　some　important　object。〃

The　count　entered　the　royal　tent。

〃Is　it　your　majesty's　wish；〃　said　Mattzahn；　solemnly；　〃that　all　these　noble　guests　shall　be　witnesses？　I　am　commanded　by　my　royal　master　to　demand　a　private　audience。〃

〃Draw　the　curtain！〃　said　the　king。

Count　Bruhl；　with　trembling　fingers；　drew　the　golden　cord；　and　the　heavy　curtains　fell　to　the　ground。　They　were　now　completely　separated　from　the　guests。

〃And　now；　count；〃　said　the　king；　taking　his　seat　by　his　proud；　silent　queen；　〃speak。〃

Bowing　profoundly；　Count　Mattzahn　drew　a　dispatch　from　his　pocket；　and　read　in　a　loud；　earnest　voice。

It　was　a　manifesto　from　the　King　of　Prussia；　written　by　himself　and　addressed　to　all　the　European　courts。　In　it；　Frederick　denied　being　actuated　by　any　desire　of　conquest　or　gain；　but　declared　that　he　was　compelled　to　commence　this　war　to　which　Austria　had　provoked　him　by　her　many　and　prolonged　insults。　There　was　a　pause　when　the　count　finished　reading。　Upon　the　gentle；　amiable　countenance　of　the　king　there　was　now　an　angry　look。　The　queen　was　indifferent；　cold；　and　haughty；　she　seemed　to　have　paid　no　attention　whatever　to　Count　Mattzahn；　but；　turning　to　the　princess　at　her　side；　she　asked　a　perfectly　irrelevant　question；　which　was　answered　in　a　whisper。

Countess　Bruhl　dared　not　raise　her　eyes；　she　did　not　wish　her　faithless　lover；　Count　Mattzahn；　whose　cunning　political　intrigues　she　now　perfectly　understood；　to　see　her　pain　and　confusion。　The　prince…elector；　well　aware　of　the　importance　of　this　hour；　stood　at　the　king's　side；　behind　him　was　Count　Bruhl；　whose　handsome；　sparkling　countenance　was　now　deadly　pale。

Opposite　to　this　agitated　group；　stood　the　Prussian　ambassador；　whose　haughty；　quiet　appearance　presented　a　marked　contrast。　His　clear；　piercing　glance　rested　upon　each　one　of　them；　and　seemed　to　fathom　every　thought　of　their　souls。　His　tall；　imposing　form　was　raised　proudly；　and　there　was　an　expression　of　the　noblest　satisfaction　upon　his　countenance。　After　waiting　some　time　in　vain　for　an　answer；　he　placed　the　manifesto　before　the　king。

〃With　your　majesty's　permission；　I　will　now　add　a　few　words；〃　said　he。

〃Speak！〃　said　the　king；　laconically。

〃His　majesty；　my　royal　master；〃　continued　Count　Mattzahn；　in　a　loud　voice；　〃has　commissioned　me　to　give　your　majesty　the　most　quieting　assurances；　and　to　convince　you　that　his　march　through　Saxony　has　no　purpose　inimical　to　you；　but　that　he　only　uses　it　as　a　passway　to　Bohemia。〃

The　king's　countenance　now　became　dark　and　stern；　even　the　queen　lost　some　of　her　haughty　indifference。

〃How？〃　said　the　king；　〃Frederick　of　Prussia　does　us　the　honor　to　pass　through　our　land　without　permission？　He　intends　coming　to　Saxony？〃

〃Sire；〃　said　Mattzahn；　with　a　slight　smile；　〃his　majesty　is　already　there！　Yesterday　his　army；　divided　into　three　columns；　passed　the　Saxon　borders！〃

The　king　rose　hastily　from　his　seat。　The　queen　was　deadly　pale；　her　lips　trembled；　but　she　remained　silent；　and　cast　a　look　of　bitter　hatred　upon　the　ambassador　of　her　enemy。

Count　Bruhl　was　leaning　against　his　chair；　trembling　with　terror；　when　the　king　turned　to　him。

〃I　ask　my　prime　minister　if　he　knows　how　far　the　King　of　Prussia　has　advanced　into　Saxony？〃

〃Sire；　I　was　in　perfect　ignorance　of　this　unheard…of　event。　The　King　of　Prussia　wishes　to　surprise　us　in　a　manner　worthy　of　the　most　skilful　magician。　Perhaps　it　is　one　of　those　April　jests　which　Frederick　II　is　so　fond　of　practising。〃

〃Your　excellency　can　judge　for　yourself；〃　said　Count　Mattzahn；　earnestly；　〃whether　the　taking　of　towns　and　fortresses　is　to　be　considered　a　jest。　For；　if　I　am　rightly　informed；　you　have　this　day　received　two　dispatches；　informing　you　of　my　royal　master's　line　of　march。〃

〃How？〃　said　the　king；　hastily；　〃you　were　aware　of　this；　count；　and　I　was　not　informed？　You　received　important　dispatches；　and　I　was　not　notified　of　it？〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　the　count；　much　embarrassed。　〃I　received　two　couriers。　The　dispatches　of　the　first　were　handed　to　me　the　same　moment　your　majesties　entered　my　house；　I　received　the　other　just　as　Count　Mattzahn　arrived。　I　have；　therefore；　read　neither。〃

〃With　your　majesty's　permission；〃　said　Count　Mattzahn；　〃I　will　inform　you　of　their　contents。〃

〃You　will　be　doing　me　a　great　service；〃　said　the　king；　earnestly。

〃The　first　dispatch；　sire；　contained　the　news　that　his　majesty　the　King　of　Prussia　had　taken　without　resistance　the　fortresses　of　Torgau　and　Wittenberg！〃

A　hollow　groan　escaped　the　king　as　he　sank　in　his　chair。　The　queen　became　paler　than　before。

〃What　more？〃　said　the　king；　gloomily。

〃The　second　dispatch；〃　continued　Count　Mattzahn；　smilingly；　〃informed　his　excellency　Count　Bruhl　that　the　King　of　Prussia；　my　noble　and　victorious　master；　was　pressing　forward；　and　had　also　taken　Leipsic　without　the　slightest　resistance！〃

〃How！〃　said　the　king；　〃he　is　in　Leipsic？〃

〃Sire；　I　think　he　was　there；〃　said　Count　Mattzahn；　laughing；　〃for　it　seems　that　the　Prussians；　led　by　their　king；　have　taken　the　wings　of　the　morning。　Frederick　was　in　Leipsic　when　the　courier　lefthe　must　now　be　on　his　way　to　Dresden。　But　he　has　commissioned　me　to　say　that　his　motive　for　passing　through　Saxony　is　to　see　and　request　your　majesty　to　take　a　neutral　part　in　this　war　between　Austria　and　Prussia。〃

〃A　neutral　part！〃　said　the　king；　angrily；　〃when　my　land　is　invaded　without　question　or　permission；　and　peace　broken　in　this　inexplicable　manner。　Have　you　any　other　message；　count？〃

〃I　have　finished；　sire；　and　humbly　ask　if　you　have　any　answer　for　my　sovereign？〃

〃Tell　the　king；　your　master；　that　I　will　raise　my　voice　throughout　the　land　of　Germany　to　complain　of　this　unheard…of　and　arbitrary　infringement　of　the　peace。　At　the　throne　of　the　German　emperor　I　will　demand　by　what　right　the　King　of　Prussia　dares　to　enter　Saxony　with　his　army　and　take　possession　of　my　cities。　You　can　depart；　sir；　I　have　no　further　answer　for　his　majesty！〃

The　count；　bowing　reverentially　to　the　king　and　queen；　left　the　royal　tent。

Every　eye　was　fixed　upon　the　prime　minister。　From　him　alone；　who　was　considered　the　soul　of　the　kingdom　of　Saxony；　help　and　counsel　was　expected。　All　important　questions　were　referred　to　him；　and　all　were　now　eagerly　looking　for　his　decision。　But　the　powerful　favorite　was　in　despair。　He　knew　how　utterly　impossible　it　was　to　withstand　the　King　of　Prussia's　army。　Every　arrangement　for　this　war　had　been　made　on　paper；　but　in　reality　little　had　been　accomplished。　The　army　was　not　in　readiness！　The　prime　minister　had　been　in　want　of　a　few　luxuries　of　late；　and　had；　therefore；　as　he　believed　there　would　be　no　war　until　the　following　spring；　reduced　it。　He　knew　how　little　Saxony　was　prepared　to　battle　against　the　King　of　Prussia's　disciplined　troops；　and　the　ambassador's　friendly　assurances　did　not　deceive　him。

〃Well；　count；〃　said　the　king；　after　a　long　pause；　〃how　is　this　strange　request　of　Frederick　II。；　that　we　should　remain　neutral；　to　be　answered？〃

Before　the　count　was　able　to　answer；　the　queen　said；　in　a　loud　voice：

〃By　a　declaration　of　war；　my　husband！　This　is　due　to　your　honor。　We　have　been　insulted；　it　therefore　becomes　you　to　throw　down　the　gauntlet　to　your　presumptuous　adversary。〃

〃We　will　continue　this　conversation　in　my　apartments；〃　said　the　king；　rising；　〃this　is　no　place　for　it。　Our　beautiful　feast　has　been　disturbed　in　a　most　brutal　manner。　Count　Bruhl；　notify　the　different　ambassadors　that；　in　an　hour；　I　will　receive　them　at　my　palace。〃

〃This　hour　is　mine！〃　thought　the　queen；　as　she　arose；　〃in　it　I　will　stimulate　my　husband's　soft　and　gentle　heart　to　a　brave；　warlike　decision；　he　will　yield　to　my　prayers　and　tears。〃　She　took　the　king's　arm　with　a　gay　smile；　and　left　the　tent；　followed　by　the　princes；　and　the　host　and　hostess。

Silently　they　passed　the　festive　tables；　from　which　the　guests　had　risen　to　greet　them。　The　courtiers　sought　to　read　in　their　countenances　the　solution　of　that　riddle　which　had　occupied　them　since　the　arrival　of　the　Prussian　ambassador；　and　about　which　they　had　been　anxiously　debating。

But；　upon　the　queen's　countenance　there　was　now　her　general　look　of　indifference。　It　is　true；　the　king　was　not　smiling　as　was　his　wont　when　amongst　his　subjects；　but　his　pleasant　countenance　betrayed　no　fear　or　sorrow。　The　queen　maintained　her　exalted　bearing；　nothing　had　passed　to　bow　her　proud　head。　After　the　royal　guests　had　left；　Count　Bruhl　returned。　He　also　had　regained　his　usual　serenity。　With　ingenious　friendliness　he　turned　to　his　guests；　and　while　requesting　them；　in　a　flattering　manner；　to　continue　to　grace　his　wife's　fete　by　their　presence；　demanded　for　himself　leave　of　absence。　Then　passing　on；　he　whispered　here　and　there　a　few　words　to　the　different　ambassadors。　They　and　the　count　then　disappeared。

The　fete　continued　quietly；　the　music　recommenced　its　gay；　melodious　sounds；　the　birds　carolled　their　songs；　and　the　flowers　were　as　beautiful　and　as　sweet　as　before。　The　jewels　of　the　courtiers　sparkled　as　brilliantly。　Their　eyes　alone　were　not　so　bright；　and　the　ha