frederick the great and his family- 第108部分

〃See；〃　murmured　the　justice；　〃our　good　old　minister　has　not　come　to…　day　to　preach　to　us；　but　has　sent　his　assistant。　There　is　certainly　some　disagreeable　order　of　the　archbishop　to　read　to　us；　and　our　pastor　is　not　willing　to　read　it；　he　is　a　good　Prussian；　and　loves　the　great　king。〃

The　young　minister　advanced　smilingly　to　meet　the　two　old　men。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　with　sanctimonious　friendliness；　as　he　offered　both　of　them　a　hand；　〃allow　me　to　congratulate　you。〃

〃For　what？〃　asked　both　of　them；　astonished。

〃For　the　happiness　of　yesterday。　Can　there　be　a　greater　joy　for　fathers　than　to　receive　their　sons　safe　and　sound　from　the　tumult　of　battle？　Your　sons　have　returned　home；　faithfully　fulfilling　their　duty　to　their　new　master；　his　Catholic　majesty　of　France。　They　abandoned　the　flag　of　the　heretic　king；　laid　aside　his　uniform；　and　are　again　simple　peasants；　ready　to　assist　their　fathers　in　the　field。　Come；　my　young　friends；　that　I　may　give　you　the　blessing　of　the　Church；　for　so　resolutely　fulfilling　your　duty。〃

He　held　out　his　hand　to　the　young　men；　who　were　just　entering　the　churchyard。　They　obeyed　his　call　the　more　readily；　as　it　was　the　first　welcome　they　had　receivedthe　first　kind　word　they　had　heard　since　their　return。　As　they　approached　the　minister；　the　other　men　drew　back；　and　entered　the　church　hastily；　followed　by　their　wives　and　children。

〃You　will　see；　father；〃　murmured　the　justice；　as　they　seated　themselves　together　in　the　pew；　〃that　there　is　an　order　to…day。　Whenever　the　assistant　is　so　delighted　and　friendly；　there　is　something　wrong。　They　are　certainly　meditating　some　villanous　trick　against　Frederick；　and　therefore　our　good　pastor　is　not　here。〃

The　justice　had　prophesied　aright。　When　the　services　were　over；　and　the　congregation　about　to　leave　the　church；　the　assistant　again　mounted　the　pulpit；　and　desired　them　to　remain　for　a　while；　and　hear　what　he　had　to　communicate；　in　the　name　of　the　archbishop；　Sir　Clement　Augustus　of　Bavaria。

〃His　eminence；　the　most　honorable　archbishop；　sends　his　dear　and　faithful　children　the　holy　blessing　and　salutation　of　the　Church。　These　are　his　words：　'We；　Clement　Augustus；　archbishop　of　Bavaria；　entreat　and　command　our　children　in　Christ　to　be　faithful　to　their　new　government　and　their　new　king；　Louis　XV。　of　France；　whose　apostolic　majesty　has　taken　the　sword　of　the　Lord　into　his　blessed　hand；　to　fight　the　enemies　of　the　Church；　and　to　chastise　and　punish　the　rebellious　heretic　prince　who　has　arbitrarily　named　himself　King　of　Prussia。　God's　anger　is　against　him；　and　He　will　crush　and　destroy　the　presumptuous　mockers　of　the　Lord。　Woe　unto　them　who　will　not　listen　to　God's　voice；　who　in　their　mad　blindness　cling　to　this　heretic！　Woe　unto　you　if；　in　the　delusion　of　your　hearts；　you　still　offer　him　love　and　faith！　You　are　released　from　all　duty　to　him　as　subjects；　and　you　now　have　the　blessing　of　the　Church。　I；　as　your　shepherd；　made　so　by　the　holy　Pope　of　Rome；　command　you；　therefore；　to　be　faithful　to　your　new　masterpray　that　God　may　bless　his　arms；　and　grant　him　victory　over　his　ungodly　enemy。　My　anger　and　dire　punishment　shall　reach　any　one　who　refuses　to　obey　this　command。　He　who　dares　to　stand　by　the　heretic　king；　is　himself　a　heretic；　and　a　rebellious　subject　of　the　Church。　Be　on　your　guard；　heavy　punishment　shall　meet　those　who　dare　to　rejoice　over　the　fame　of　the　so…called　great　Frederick。　Such　rejoicing　will　be　regarded　as　blasphemy　against　the　holy　Mother　Church。　To　conclude；　we　remain　your　loving　father；　and　send　our　dear　children　in　Christ　our　most　gracious　love　and　greeting。'〃

The　men　listened　to　the　message　of　the　fanatic　archbishop　with　gloomy　faces　and　downcast　eyes；　but　the　twelve　boys；　who　at　first　stood　alone　in　the　aisle；　not　daring　to　seat　themselves　with　the　others；　now　gazed　boldly　and　triumphantly　around；　seeming　to　ask　if　the　villagers　did　not　now　acknowledge　that　they　had　acted　wisely　in　returning。

With　renewed　courage；　and　somewhat　proudly；　they　were　the　first　to　leave　the　church；　and　placed　themselves　in　two　rows　at　the　door。　While　the　congregation　was　passing　by　they　invited　their　dear　friends　and　relations　to　meet　them　that　afternoon　under　the　great　linden；　where　they　would　hold　a　little　festival　to　celebrate　their　safe　return。

〃We　shall　come；〃　said　the　men；　with　earnest；　solemn　voices。　〃We　will　be　there；〃　said　the　mothers；　gazing　with　tearful　eyes　at　the　triumphant　faces　of　their　sons。　The　young　maidens　whom　the　boys　invited　to　dance；　passed　them　in　silence。

Old　Buschman；　alone；　did　not　answer　his　son's　invitation；　nor　did　he　follow　the　rest　to　the　village；　but　turned　to　the　side　of　the　churchyard　where　his　wife　was　buried。　He　seated　himself　upon　her　grave；　and　murmured　a　few　words　with　trembling　lips；　raising　his　face　toward　heaven。　A　sob　escaped　him　every　now　and　then；　and　the　tears　rolled　slowly　from　his　eyes。　From　time　to　time　he　wrung　his　hands；　as　if　bewailing　his　sorrow　to　God　and　beseeching　His　mercy；　then　brushed　away　his　tearsangry　with　himself　for　being　so　moved。

He　sat　there　a　long；　long　time；　struggling　with　his　griefalone　with　God　and　his　shame。　Approaching　steps　aroused　him；　he　looked　up。　The　village　justice　stood　before　him；　and　gazed　at　him　with　a　melancholy　smile。

〃I　knew　I　would　find　you　here；　Father　Buschman；　and　I　came　for　you。　The　time　is　come；　we　are　all　assembled　on　the　square　awaiting　you。〃

〃I　come！〃　said　the　old　man；　as　he　stood　up　resolutely；　giving　a　last　loving　farewell　glance　at　his　wife's　grave。

The　old　man　no　longer　needed　his　friend's　arm　to　support　him；　his　steps　were　firm；　his　form　manly　and　erect；　his　venerable　countenance　glowed　with　energy。

By　the　side　of　the　village　justice　he　walked　to　the　square；　under　the　great　linden。　There　every　thing　looked　bright　and　gay。　The　boys　had　taken　advantage　of　the　dinner　hour　to　make　worthy　preparations　for　their　festival。　They　had　brought　fresh　evergreens　from　the　woods；　and　had　made　wreaths　and　festooned　them　from　tree　to　tree　around　the　square。　The　ground　was　covered　prettily　with　flowers　and　leaves；　and　the　bench　under　the　tree　was　decorated　with　a　wreath　of　field…flowers。

On　one　side　of　the　square　stood　several　tables　covered　with　bottles　of　wine　and　beer　and　cake　and　bread；　not　far　from　the　tables　was　a　throne　adorned　with　flowers；　where　sat　the　fiddler；　gazing　proudly　around　him；　like　a　king　who　knows　he　is　the　crowning　point　of　the　feast。

It　certainly　had　been　a　long　time　since　the　merry　sound　of　the　fiddle　had　been　heard　in　the　village　of　Brunen。　The　throne　was　surrounded　by　little　boys　and　girls　listening　with　wondering　delight　at　the　gay　music。　But　the　grown　girls　stood　afar　off　and　did　not　look　even　once　at　the　enticing　fiddler；　but　hid　themselves　timidly　behind　the　mothers；　who　were　standing　with　stern　faces　gazing　at　the　groups　of　men　waiting　anxiously　on　the　other　side　of　the　square。

The　stillness　and　universal　silence　began　at　last　to　make　the　boys　uneasy。　They　had　tried　in　vain　to　engage　the　men　in　conversation。　They　received　no　answer　to　their　questions；　and　when　they　turned　to　the　women　and　the　maidens；　they　also　remained　dumb。　The　returned　soldiers　then　went　to　the　other　side　of　the　square　to　talk　to　the　fiddler　and　the　children；　but　when　they　began　to　fondle　and　play　with　the　little　ones；　they　were　called　by　their　fathers　and　mothers　and　bade　to　remain　at　their　side。

The　boys　gazed　questioningly　at　one　another。

〃I　am　curious　to　know　what　this　means；　are　we　to　remain　standing　here　all　night？〃　muttered　one　of　them。

〃It　appears　to　me　that　they　are　waiting　for　some　one；〃　murmured　another。

〃They　are　expecting　my　father；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃and　see；　there　he　comes　from　the　churchyard。　The　justice　went　for　him。〃

When　the　old　man　arrived　at　the　square　the　men　advanced　to　meet　him；　conducted　him　gravely　to　the　bench　under　the　great　linden；　and　assisted　him　to　stand　upon　it。　There　he　towered　above　them；　and　his　pale；　venerable　face；　his　silver　hairs　were　visible　to　all。　Every　eye　was　directed　to　him；　and　breathless　silence　ensued。　The　old　man　raised　his　arm　and　pointed　toward　the　side　where　the　twelve　boys　stood。

〃Come　to　me；　Charles　Henry　Buschman；〃　he　said；　solemnly；　and　as　his　son　advanced　rapidly　to　him；　he　continued：　〃I　ask　you　in　the　name　of　God；　if　what　you　told　me　yesterday　is　true？　Have　you　secretly　left　the　flag　of　your　king；　our　sovereignthe　great　King　Frederick　of　Prussia？　Is　it　true　that　you　have　forsaken　your　regiment　and　the　flag　to　which　you　swore　to　be　faithful？〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　with　assumed　daring；　〃but　we　were　not　only　justified　in　doing　soour　duty　compelled　us。　We　are　no　longer　Prussian　subjects；　but　subjects　of　the　King　of　France。　You　all　heard　to…day　what　the　minister　read　to　us　in　churchhow　the　archbishop　commanded　us　to　be　faithful　to　our　new　sovereign。　We　could　no　longer　wear　the　Prussian　uniform　or　be　Prussian　soldiers；　therefore　we　returned　to　our　village。〃

〃You　returned　as　dishonored；　faithless　soldiers！〃　cried　the　old　man；　looking　angrily　at　his　son〃　you　returned　covered　with　shame　miserable　desertersto　the　disgrace　of　your　fathers；　mothers；　your　brothers；　sisters；　sweethearts；　and　your　friends。　You　have　deserted　the　flag　of　your　rightful　king；　to　whom