history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第21章
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'Well； at least； our shot is off； has not burst out； and lodged in our person here；thanked be all the gods！'
〃Off； sure enough：and what should we say if the whole matter were already oozing out； if； on this same Sunday evening； November 29th） not quite a week's time yet； the matter （as we learn long afterwards） had been privately whispered to his Majesty： 'That Voltaire has sent off a Jew to buy Steuer…Scheine； and has promised to get him made Court…Jeweller！' ＇Voltaire； OEuvres； lxxiv。 314 （〃Letter to Friedrich； February； 1751；〃AFTER Catastrophe）。＇； So； within a week； and before Hirsch is even gone！ For men are very porous； weighty secrets oozing out of them； like quicksilver through clay jars。 I could guess； Hirsch； by way of galling insolent Ephraim； had blabbed something： and in the course of five days； it has got to the very King；this Kammerherr Voltaire being such a favorite and famous man as never was； the very bull's…eye of all kinds of Berlin gossip in these days。 'Hm； Steuer…Scheine； and the Jew Hirsch to be Court…Jeweller； you say？' thinks the King； that Sunday night； but locks the rumor in his Royal mind； he； for his part； or dismisses it as incredible： 'There ought to be impervious vessels too； among the porous！' Voltaire notices nothing particular； or nothing that he speaks of as particular。 This must have been a horrid week to him； till Hirsch got away。〃 Hirsch is away （December 2d）； in Dresden； safe enough； but
〃But； the fortnight that follows is conceivable as still worse。 Hirsch writing darkly； nothing to the purpose； Voltaire driving often into Berlin； hearing from Ephraim hints about； 'No connection with that House；' 'If Monseigneur have intrusted Hirsch with money；may there be a good account of it！' and the like。 Black Care devouring Monseigueur； but nothing definite； except the fact too evident； That Hirsch does not send or bring the smallest shadow of Steuer…Scheine；'Peltries；' or 'Diamonds；' we mean；or any value whatever for that Paris Bill of ours； payable shortly； and which he has already got cashed in Dresden。 Nothing but excuses； prevarications； stupid； incoherently deceptive jargon； as of a mule intent on playing fox with you。 Vivid Correspondence is conceivable； but nothing of it definite to us； except this sample〃 （which we give translated）：
DOCUMENT THIRD （torn fraction in Voltaire's hand： To Hirsch； doubtless； early in December）。 。。。 〃Not proper （IL NE FALLAIT PAS） to negotiate Bills of Exchange； and never produce a single diamond〃bit of peltry； or ware of any kind； you son of Amalek！ 〃Not proper to say： I have got money for your bills of exchange； and I bring you nothing back； and I will repay your money when you shall no longer be here ＇in Germany at all＇。 Not proper to promise at 35 louis； and then say 30。 To say 30； and then next morning 25。 You should at least have produced goods （IL FALLAIT EN DONNER） at the price current； very easy to do when one was on the spot。 All your procedures have been faults hitherto。 ＇Klein； v。 259。＇
〃These are dreadful symptoms。 Steuer…Notes； promised at 35 discount； are not to be had except at 30。 Say 30 then； and get done with it； mule of a scoundrel！ Next day the 30 sinks to 25； and not a Steuer…Note； on any terms； comes to hand。 And the mule of a scoundrel has drawn money； in Dresden yonder； for my Bill on Paris；excellent to him for trade of his own！ What is to be done with such an Ass of Balaam？ He has got the bit in his teeth； it would seem。 Heavens； he too is capable of stopping short； careless of spur and cudgel； and miraculously speaking to a NEW Prophet ＇strange new 〃Revealer of the Lord's Will；〃 in modern dialect＇； in this enlightened Eighteenth Century itself！One thing the new Prophet； can do： protest his Paris Bill。
〃DECEMBER 12th ＇our next bit of certainty＇； Voltaire writes； haste； haste； to Paris； 'Don't pay；' and intimates to Hirsch； 'You will have to return your Dresden Banker his money for that Paris Bill。 At Paris I have protested it； mark me； and there it never will be paid to him or you。 And you must come home again instantly； job undone； lies not untold； you！' Hirsch； with money in hand； appears not to have wanted for a briskish trade of his own in the Dresden marts。 But this of cutting off his supplies brings him instantly back：〃and at Berlin； DECEMBER 16th； new facts emerge again of a definite nature。
〃WEDNESDAY； 16th DECEMBER； 1750。 'To…day the King with Court and Voltaire come to Berlin for the Carnival；' ＇Rodenbeck； i。 209。＇ to…day also Voltaire； not in Carnival humor； has appointed his Jew to meet him。 In the Royal Palace itself；we hope； well remote from Friedrich's Apartment！this sordid conference； needing one's choicest diplomacy withal； and such exquisite handling of bit and spur； goes on。 And probably at great length。 Of which； as the FINALE； and one clear feature significant to the fancy； here is； for record of what they call 'COMPLETE SETTLEMENT；' which it was far from turning out to be：
DOCUMENT FOURTH （in Hirsch's hand； First Piece of it）。
〃'Pour quittance generale promettant de rendre a Mr。 de Voltaire tous billets； ordres et lettres de change a moy donnez jusqu'a ce jour； 16 Decembre； 1750。 〃'Account all settled； I promising to return M。 de Voltaire all Letters； Orders and Bills of Exchange given me to this day； 16th December； 1750。
＇Hirsch signs。 But you have forgotten something； Monsieur Hirsch！ Whereupon＇ et promets de donner a Mr。 de Voltaire dans le jour de demain ou apres au plustard deux cent guatre…vingt frederics d'or au lieu de deux cent quatre…vingt louis d'or； que je lui ai payez； le tout pour quittance generale； ce 16 Decembre； 1750； a berlin And promise to give M。 de Voltaire； in the course of to…morrow； or the day after to…morrow at latest； 280 FREDERICS D'OR； instead of 280 LOUIS D'OR ＇gold FREDERICS the preferabe coin； say experts＇ which I have now paid him； whereby All will be settled。
＇Hirsch again signs； but has again forgotten something； most important thing。 And＇
je lui remettrai surtout les 40；000 livres de billets de change sur paris qu'il mavoit donnez et fiez' I will especially return him the Bill on Paris for 40；000 livres （1；600 pounds） which he had given and trusted to me；'but has since protested； as is too evident。
＇and Hirsch signs for the last time＇。〃 ＇Klein； pp。 258； 260。＇ Symptomatic； surely； of a haggly settlement； these THREE shots instead of one！〃Voltaire's return is：
〃'Pour quittance generale de tout compte solde entre nous； tout paye au sieur abraham hersch a berlin； 16 Decembre； 1750。Voltaire' 〃'Account all settled between us； payment of the Sieur Abraham Hirsch in full： Berlin； 16th Deember； 1750。'
＇which Second Piece； we perceive； is to lie in Hirsch's hand； to keep； if he find it valuable＇。
〃This 'COMPLETE SETTLEMENT；'little less than miraculous to Voltaire and us；one finds； after sifting； to have been the fruit of Voltaire's exquisite skill in treating and tuning his Hirsch （no harshness of rebuke； rather some gleam of hope； of future bargains； help at Court）： （Your expenses； compensation for protesting of that Bill on Paris？ Tush； cannot we make all that good！ In the first place； I will BUY of you these Jewels ＇this one discovers to have been the essence of the operation！＇； all or the best part of them； which I have here in pawn for Papa's Bill： 650 pounds was it not？ Well； suppose I on the instant take 450 pounds worth； or so； of these Jewels （I want a great many jewels）； and you to pay me down a 200 or so of gold LOUIS as balance；gold LOUIS； no； we will say FREDERICS rather。 There now； that is settled。 Nothing more between us but settles itself； if we continue friends！' Upon which Hirsch walked home； thankful for the good job in Jewels； wondering only what the Allowance for Expenses and Compensation will be。 And Voltaire steps out； new…burnished； into the Royal Carnival splendors； with a load rolled from his mind。
〃This COMPLETE SETTLEMENT； meanwhile； rests evidently on two legs； both of which are hollow。 'What will the handsome Compensation be； I wonder？' thinks Hirsch；and is horror…struck to find shortly； that Voltaire considers 60 thalers （about 9 pounds） will be the fair sum！ 'More than ten times that！' is Hirsch's privately fixed idea。 On the other hand； Voltaire has been asking himself； 'My 450 pounds worth of Jewels； were they justly valued； though？' Jew Ephraim （exaggerative and an enemy to this Hirsch House） answers； 'Justly？ I would give from 300 pounds to 250 pounds for them！'So that the legs both crumbling to powder； Complete Settlement crashes down into chaos： and there ensues；〃But we must endeavor to be briefer！
There ensues； for about a week following； such an inextricable scramble between the Sieur Hirsch and M。 de Voltaire as；as no reader； not himself in the Jew…Bill line； or paid for understanding it； could consent to have explained to him。 Voltaire； by way of mending the bad jewel…bargain； will buy of Hirsch 200 pounds worth more jewels； gets the new 200 pounds worth in hand； cannot quite settle what articles will suit： 〃This； think you？ That； think you？〃 And intricately shuffles them about； to Hirsch and back。 Hirsch； singular to notice； holds fast by that Protested Paris Bill； on frivolous pretexts； always forgets to bring that： 〃May have its uses； that； in a Court of Justice yet！〃 Meetings there are； almost daily； in the Voltaire Palace…Apartment； DECEMBER 19th and DECEMBER 24th） there are Two DOCUMENTS （which we must spare the reader； though he will hear of them again； as highly notable； especially of one of them； as notable in the extreme！） indicating the abstrusest jewel…bargainings； scramblings； re…bargainings。
〃My Jewels are truly valued！〃 asseverates Hirsch always： 〃Ephraim is my enemy； ask Herr Reklam； chief Jeweller in Berlin； an impartial man！〃 The meetings are occasionally of stormy character； Voltaire's patience nearly out： 〃But did n't I return you that Topaz Ring； value 75 pounds？ And you have NOT deducted it； you！〃 〃One day； Picard and he pulled a Ring ＇doubtless this Topaz＇ off my finger；〃 says the pathetic Hirsch； 〃and violently shoved me out of the room； slamming their door；〃and sent me home； along the corridors； in a very scurvy humor！ Thus； under a skin of second settlement； there are two galvanic elements； getting ever more galvanic； which no skin of settlement can prevent exploding before long。
Explosion there accordingly was； most sad and dismal； which rang through all the Court circles of Berlin； and； like a sound of hooting and of weeping mixed； is audible over seas to this day。 But let not the reader insist on tracing the course of it henceforth。 Klein； though faithful and exact； is not a Pitaval； and we find in him errors of the press。 The acutest Actuary might spend weeks over these distracted Money…accounts； and inconsistent Lists of Jewels bought and not bought； and would be unreadable if successful。 Let us say； The business catches fire at this point； the Voltaire…Hirsch theatre is as if blown up into mere whirlwinds of igneous rum and smoky darkness。 Henceforth all plunges into Lawsuit； into chaos of conflicting lies；undecipherable； not worth deciphering。 Let us give w
