frederick the great and his family- 第129部分

The　king　bowed　smilingly；　and　as　he　left　the　tent；　told　Rexin　to　ask　the　Tartar　ambassador　to　come　to　him　now　for　a　grave　conference。　The　king　then　dismissed　his　generals；　and　attendants；　and　entered　his　house；　followed　by　Baron　von　Rexin　and　the　Turkish　ambassador　and　his　interpreters。

〃Now　we　will　speak　of　business！〃　said　the　king。　〃What　news　do　you　bring　me　from　the　Khan？　What　answer　does　he　make　to　my　proposition？〃

〃Sire；　he　is　willing　to　grant　all　that　your　majesty　desires；　and　to　give　you　every　assistance　in　his　power；　provided　you　will　not　make　peace　with　our　hated　enemywith　Russiabut　will　continue　the　war　unweariedly　and　unceasingly；　until　Russia　is　humbled　at　our　feet。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　king；　〃the　Khan　of　Tartary　cannot　hate　the　Empress　of　Russia　more　vindictively　than　she　hates　me；　he　need　not　fear；　therefore；　an　alliance　between　me　and　Russia。　I　have　myself　no　desire　to　form　a　friendship　with　those　rough　barbarians。〃

〃If　the　Empress　of　Russia　hates　you；　she　hates　Krimgirai　equally。　Russia　hates　every　thing　that　is　noble　and　true；　she　hates　enlightenment　and　cultivation。　Russia　hates　Krimgirai；　because　he　has　civilized　his　people；　because　he　has　changed　his　rough　hordes　of　men　into　a　mighty　army　of　brave　warriors；　because　he　governs　his　kingdom　with　humanity；　and　is；　at　the　same　time；　a　father　to　his　people　and　a　scourge　to　his　enemies。　Krimgirai　hates　Russia　as　he　hates　every　thing　that　is　wicked；　and　vicious；　and　cruel；　therefore　he　is　willing　to　stand　by　your　side　against　Russia；　with　an　army　of　six　thousand　men；　and；　if　you　wish　it；　to　invade　Russia。〃

〃And　what　are　the　conditions　which　the　Khan　demands　for　this　assistance？〃

〃He　wishes　you　to　pay　his　soldiers　as　you　pay　your　own。〃

〃And　for　himself？〃

〃For　himself；　he　begs　that　you　will　send　him　a　physician　who　can　cure　him　of　a　painful　but　not　dangerous　disease。　Further；　he　begs　for　your　confidence　and　friendship。〃

〃Which　I　gladly　give　him！〃　said　the　king；　gayly。　〃But　tell　me　one　other　thing。　Has　the　Khan　not　yet　become　reconciled　to　the　Grand　Sultan？〃

〃Sire；　the　sultan　feels　that　he　cannot　spare　his　brave　Khan；　he　made　an　overture；　which　Krimgirai　gladly　accepted。　One　week　before　we　started　on　our　journey；　the　Khan　was　received　by　the　sultan　in　his　seraglio。　The　heads　of　forty　rebels　were　displayed　as　a　special　honor　in　front　of　the　seraglio；　and；　in　the　presence　of　the　sultan　himself；　my　master　was　again　presented　with　belt　and　sword；　and　again　reinstalled　as　Khan。　The　sultan　also　presented　him　with　a　purse　containing　forty　thousand　ducats。　You　see；　sire；　that　the　sultan　prizes　and　acknowledges　the　virtues　of　your　ally。〃

〃And　how　do　we　stand　with　the　Porte？〃　asked　the　king；　turning　to　Baron　von　Rexin。

〃I　have　succeeded；　sire；　in　establishing　a　treaty　between　your　majesty　and　the　Porte！　I　shall　have　the　honor　to　lay　it　before　your　majesty　for　your　signature。〃

The　king's　eyes　beamed　with　delight；　as　he　exclaimed：

〃At　length　I　have　attained　the　desired　goal；　and　in　spite　of　the　whole　of　Europe。　I　have　my　allies！〃

Then　turning　once　more　to　Mustapha　Aga；　he　dismissed　him　for　the　day；　and　gave　him　permission　to　occupy　the　magnificent　tent　which　had　been　presented　to　him　by　the　Khan；　during　the　remainder　of　his　visit。

Mustapha　Aga　then　withdrew　with　his　interpreter；　leaving　the　king　alone　with　the　Baron　von　Rexin；　who　now　presented　to　him　the　papers　which　it　was　necessary　he　should　sign；　to　establish　the　long…desired　alliance　with　Turkey。　This　treaty　assured　to　Prussia　all　the　privileges　which　Turkey　accorded　to　the　other　European　powers：　free　navigation；　the　rights　of　ambassadors　and　consuls；　and　the　personal　liberty　of　any　Prussian　subjects　who　might　have　been　seized　as　slaves。

The　king　signed　the　treaty；　and　named　Baron　von　Rexin　his　minister　plenipotentiary；　and　commanded　him　to　return　with　the　ambassador　from　Tartary　and　present　the　signed　treaty　to　the　Grand　Sultan。

〃Now　the　struggle　can　begin　anew；〃　said　Frederick；　when　he　was　once　more　alone。　〃I　will　recommence　with　the　new　year；　I　will　battle　as　I　have　already　done；　I　will　consider　nothing　but　my　honor　and　the　glory　of　Prussia。　I　will　not　live　to　see　the　moment　when　I　will　consent　to　a　disgraceful　peace。　No　representations；　no　eloquence　shall　bring　me　to　acknowledge　my　own　shame。　I　will　be　buried　under　the　ruins　of　my　native　land；　or　if　this　consolation　be　denied　me　by　my　unfortunate　fate；　I　will　know　how　to　end　my　misfortunes。　Honor　alone　has　led　my　footsteps；　and　I　will　follow　no　other　guide。　I　sacrificed　my　youth　to　my　father；　my　manhood　to　my　country；　and　I　have　surely　gained　the　right　to　dispose　of　my　old　age。　There　are　people　who　are　docile　and　obedient　toward　fate。　I　am　not　one　of　them。　Having　lived　for　others；　I　dare　at　least　die　for　myself；　careless　what　the　world　may　say。　Nothing　shall　force　me　to　prefer　a　weak　old　age　to　death。　I　will　dare　all　for　the　accomplishment　of　my　plans；　they　failing；　I　will　die　an　honorable　death。　But　no！　no！〃　said　the　king；　smiling　after　a　short　pause。　〃I　will　not　indulge　in　such　sad　and　despairing　thoughts　on　the　day　which　has　shown　me　the　first　ray　of　sunlight　after　so　many　storms。　Perhaps　the　year　sixty…　two　will　be　more　fortunate　than　the　one　just　passed。　I　stand　no　longer　alone；　I　have　my　friends　and　my　allies。　Why　should　I　carp；　that　the　world　calls　them　unbelievers？　I　have　seen　Christians　betray　and　murder　one　another。　Perhaps　unbelievers　are　better　Christians　than　believers。　We　will　try　them；　at　least。　When　all　deserted　me；　they　offered　me　the　hand　of　friendship。　This　is　the　first　sunbeam　which　has　greeted　me。　Perhaps　bright　days　may　now　follow　the　storms。　May　God　grant　it！〃　＇Footnote：　The　king　was　not　deceived。　The　Empress　Elizabeth　died　in　the　commencement　of　the　year　1762。　Her　successor　Peter　the　Third；　was　a　passionate　admirer　of　Frederick　the　Great；　and　he　now　became　the　ally　of　Prussia。　The　Empress　Catharine　approved　this　change；　and　remained　the　ally　of　Prussia。　France　now　withdrew　from　the　contest；　and　in　the　year　1763；　Austria；　finding　her　treasury　completely　exhausted；　was　compelled　to　make　peace　with　Prussia。　Prussia　had　no　use　for　her　new　ally　of　Tartary；　and　Krimgirai；　who　was　already　on　the　march；　returned　home　with　his　army。See　〃Memoires　du　Baron　de　Tott　sur　les　Turcs　et　les　Tartares。〃＇




BOOK　VI。


CHAPTER　I。

THE　KING'S　RETURN。


Berlin　was　glittering　in　festal　adornment！　This　was　a　great；　a　joyous　day；　the　first　gleam　of　sunshine；　after　many　long　years　of　sorrow；　suffering；　and　absolute　want。　For　the　last　seven　years　the　king　had　been　absent　from　his　capital…to…day　he　would　return　to　Berlin。

After　seven　years　of　bloody　strife；　the　powers　at　Hubertsburg　had　declared　peace。　No　nation　had　enlarged　its　boundaries　by　this　war。　Not　one　of　the　cities　or　fortresses　of　the　King　of　Prussia　had　been　taken　from　him；　and　he　was　forced　to　content　himself　with　his　former　conquest。　There　had　been　no　successful　results！　Losses　only　were　to　be　calculated。

During　these　seven　years；　Russia　had　lost　one　hundred　and　eighty　thousand　men；　the　French　two　hundred　thousand；　the　Prussians　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand；　the　English　and　confederate　Germans　a　hundred　and　sixty　thousand；　and　the　Saxons　ninety　thousandlastly；　the　Swedes　and　the　States　sixty　thousand。　This　seven　years'　war　cost　Europe　nearly　a　million　of　men。　Their　blood　fertilized　the　German　soil；　and　their　bones　lay　mouldering　beneath　her　green　sods。

Throughout　all　Europe；　weeping　mothers；　wives；　and　children　turned　their　sorrowful　faces　toward　the　land　which　had　robbed　them　of　their　dear　loved　ones；　they　were　even　deprived　the　painfully　sweet　consolation　of　weeping　over　these　lonely　and　neglected　graves。

Losses　were　not　only　to　be　counted　in　myriads　of　men；　whose　blood　had　been　shed　in　vain；　but　uncounted　millions　had　been　lavished　upon　the　useless　strife。

During　this　war；　the　debt　of　England　had　increased　to　seventy　million　pounds　sterling；　the　yearly　interest　on　the　debt　was　four　and　a　half　million　crowns。　The　Austrians　calculated　their　debt　at　five　hundred　million　guldens；　France　at　two　thousand　million　livres；　Sweden　was　almost　bankrupt；　and　unfortunate　Saxony　had　to　pay　to　Prussia　during　the　war　over　seven　million　crowns。

In　the　strict　meaning　of　the　term；　Prussia　had　made　no　debt；　but　she　was；　in　fact；　as　much　impoverished　as　her　adversaries。　The　Prussian　money　which　was　circulated　during　the　war　was　worthless。

At　the　close　of　the　war；　all　those　who　carried　these　promissory　notes　shared　the　fate　of　the　rich　man　in　the　fairy　tale。　The　money　collected　at　night　turned　to　ashes　before　morning。　This　was　the　fatal　fruit　of　the　war　which　for　seven　years　had　scourged　Europe。　Prussia；　however；　had　reason　to　be　satisfied　and　even　grateful。　Although　bleeding　from　a　thousand　wounds；　exhausted　and　faint　unto　death；　she　promised　a　speedy　recovery；　she　was　full　of　youthful　power　and　energyhad　grown；　morally；　during　this　seven　years'　strugglehad　become　great　under　the　pressure　of　hardship　and　self…　denial；　and　now　ranked　with　the　most　powerful　nations　of　Europe。

To…day；　however；　suffering　and　destitution　were　forgotten：　only　smiling；　joyous　faces　were　seen　in　Berlin。　The　whole　city　seemed　to　be　invigorated　by　the　golden　rays　of　fortune；