frederick the great and his family- 第145部分

Baron　von　Kindar　placing　his　arm　around　her；　whispered：　〃By　remaining　here；　adored　Camilla；　for　my　sakein　declaring　to　your　hated　husband　that　you　will　leave　Berlin　on　no　accountthat　your　honor　demands　that　you　should　prove　to　him　in　the　face　of　his　brutal　commands；　that　these　are　no　commands　for　youand　that　you　will　follow　your　own　will　and　inclination。　Therefore　you　will　remain　in　Berlin。〃

〃Will　you　write　this　letter　for　me？〃

〃If　I　do　so；　will　you　consent　to　remain　here；　and　to　open　your　door　to　me　in　spite　of　the　orders　of　your　husband；　or　the　argus…eyes　of　your　stepfather？〃

〃Write　the　letter；　the　rest　will　arrange　itself；〃　said　Camilla。

〃I　will　write　it　to…night。　May　I　bring　it　to　you　myself　to…morrow　morning？〃

〃If　I　say　no；　will　you　then　be　so　kind　as　to　give　it　to　my　maid？〃

〃I　swear　by　my　honor　that　I　will　only　give　the　letter　into　your　own　hands。〃

〃Well；　then；　my　tyrannical　cousin；　you　force　me　to　open　my　door　to　you　in　spite　of　my　husband　and　my　stepfather；　and　in　the　face　of　this　Cerberus　of　a　tutor　who　guards　my　stronghold。〃

〃But　what　do　I　care　for　these　open　doors　so　long　as　your　heart　remains　closed　against　me；　Camilla？　Ah；　you　laughyou　mock　at　my　sufferings。　Have　you　no　pity；　no　mercy？　You　see　what　I　suffer；　and　you　laugh。〃

〃I　laugh；〃　she　whispered；　〃because　you　are　so　silly；　beau　cousin。　But　listen；　there　is　the　call　of　my　huntressesI　must　hasten　to　them；　or　they　will　surround　this　cabin　and　they　might　enter。　Farewell。　To…morrow　I　will　expect　you　with　the　letter。　Adieu。〃　Throwing　him　a　kiss　with　the　tips　of　her　fingers；　she　hastily　left　the　hut。

Baron　von　Kindar　looked　after　her　with　a　singular　smile。　〃She　is　mine；〃　he　whispered。　〃We　will　have　a　charming　little　romance；　but　it　will　terminate　in　a　divorce；　and　not　in　a　marriage。　I　have　no　idea　of　following　up　this　divorce　by　a　marriage。　God　protect　me　from　being　forced　to　marry　this　beautiful；　frivolous；　coquettish　woman。〃

While　this　scene　was　taking　place　in　one　part　of　the　forest；　the　fete　continued　gayly。　They　sang　and　laughed；　and　jested；　and　no　one　dreamed　that　dark　sin　was　casting　its　cold　shadow　over　this　bright　scenethat　the　cowardly　crime　of　treachery　had　already　poisoned　the　pure　air　of　this　forest。　None　suspected　it　less　than　Prince　Henry　himself。　He　was　happy　and　content　that　this　fete　had　succeeded　so　wellthat　this　bright　autumn　day　had　come　opportunely　to　his　aid。　The　sun　penetrated　to　his　heart　and　made　it　warm　and　joyous。　He　had　just　made　a　little　tour　through　the　forest　with　some　of　his　cavaliers；　and　had　returned　to　the　tent　on　the　bank　of　the　lake；　where　he　had　last　seen　the　princess　amid　a　bevy　of　nymphs；　but　she　was　no　longer　there；　and　none　of　the　ladies　knew　where　she　had　gone。

〃She　has　retired　to　her　hut；〃　said　the　prince　to　himself；　as　he　turned　smilingly　toward　the　thick　woods。　〃The　only　thing　is　to　discover　her　hut；　without　doubt　she　is　there　and　expects　me　to　seek　her。　Now；　then；　may　fortune　assist　me　to　discover　my　beloved。　I　must　find　her　if　only　to　prove　to　her　that　my　love　can　overcome　all　difficulties　and　penetrate　every　mystery。　There　are　twenty…four　hutsI　know　their　situation。　I　will　visit　each；　and　it　will　be　strange　indeed　if　I　cannot　discover　my　beautiful　Wilhelmina。〃

He　advanced　with　hasty　steps　in　the　direction　of　the　huts。　By　a　singular　coincidence　they　were　all　vacant；　the　ivy　wreath　was　displayed　on　none；　and　the　prince　could　enter　and　convince　himself　that　no　one　was　within。　He　had　visited　twenty…three　of　the　huts　without　finding　the　object　of　his　search。　〃I　will　go　to　the　last　one；〃　said　the　prince；　gayly；　〃perhaps　the　gods　have　led　me　astray　only　that　I　might　find　happiness　at　the　end　of　my　path。〃　He　saw　the　last　hut　in　the　distance。　It　nestled　in　the　midst　of　low　bushes；　looking　quiet　and　undisturbed；　and　on　the　door　hung　the　ivy　wreath。　The　heart　of　the　prince　beat　with　joy；　and　he　murmured；　〃She　is　thereI　have　found　her；〃　as　he　hastened　toward　the　hut。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　dare　not　surprise　her。　I　must　consider　the　law　sacred　which　I　made。　The　ivy　wreath　is　before　the　doorno　one　dare　enter。　But　I　will　lie　down　before　the　door；　and　when　she　comes　out　she　roust　cross　my　body　or　fall　into　my　arms。〃　The　prince　approached　the　hut　quietly；　careful　to　avoid　making　any　noise。　When　he　had　reached　it；　he　sank　slowly　upon　the　grass；　and　turned　his　eyes　upon　the　door；　which　concealed　his　beloved　one　from　his　view。

Deep　silence　reigned。　This　was　a　charming　spot；　just　suited　for　a　tender　rendezvous；　and　full　of　that　sweet　silence　which　speaks　so　eloquently　to　a　loving　heart。　In　the　distance　could　be　heard　the　sound　of　the　hunter's　horn；　whilst　the　great　trees　rustled　their　leaves　as　though　they　wished　to　mingle　their　notes　in　the　universal　anthem。　The　prince　gavo　himself　up　for　a　long　time　to　the　sweet　pleasures　of　this　solitude；　turning　his　smiling　glance　first　to　the　heavens　where　a　few　white　clouds　were　floating；　and　then　again　to　earth；　where　some　glittering　insect　attracted　his　gaze。

But　what　was　it　which　pierced　through　him　with　a　deadly　horror　which　made　him　become　so　pale；　and　turn　his　flashing　eyes　with　an　indescribable　expression　of　dread　toward　the　hut？　Why　did　he　partially　arise　from　his　reclining　position　as　the　hunter　does；　who　sees　the　prey　approach　that　he　wishes　to　destroy？　What　was　it　that　made　him　press　his　lips　so　tightly；　one　against　the　other；　as　if　he　would　repress　a　cry　of　agony；　or　an　execration？　And　why　does　he　listen　now　with　bated　breath；　his　gaze　fixed　upon　the　hut；　and　both　hands　raised；　as　if　to　threaten　an　approaching　enemy？　Suddenly　he　sprang　up；　and　rushed　trembling　to　the　door；　and；　while　in　the　act　of　bursting　it　open；　he　fell　back；　pale　as　death；　as　if　his　foot　had　trodden　upon　a　poisonous　serpent。　Thus　retreating；　with　wildly　staring　eyes；　with　half…open　lips；　which　seemed　stiffened　in　the　very　act　of　uttering　a　shriek；　he　slowly　left　the　hut；　and　then　suddenly；　as　if　he　could　no　longer　look　at　any　thing　so　frightful；　he　turned　and　fled　from　the　spot　as　if　pursued　by　furies。　Farther；　always　farther；　until　his　strength　and　his　breath　were　exhausted；　then　he　sank　down。

〃It　was　cowardly　to　fly；〃　he　murmured；　〃but　I　felt　that　I　should　murder　them；　if　they　came　out　of　the　hut　before　my　eyes。　A　voice　within　whispered；　'Fly；　or　you　will　be　a　murderer！'　I　obeyed　it　almost　against　my　will。　It　was　cowardlyan　unpardonable　error；　but　I　will　return　to　the　hut。〃

He　sprang　forward　like　a　tiger；　ready　to　fall　upon　his　prey。　His　hand　involuntarily　sought　his　side　for　his　sword。

〃Ah；　I　have　no　weapon；〃　he　said；　gnashing　his　teeth；　〃I　must　murder　them　with　my　hands。〃

He　advanced　with　uplifted　head；　defiant　as　a　conqueror；　or　as　one　who　has　overcome　death　and　has　nothing　to　fear。　The　hut　was　again　before　him；　but　it　no　longer　smiled　at　him；　it　filled　him　with　horror　and　fury。　Now　he　has　reached　it；　and　with　one　blow　he　bursts　open　the　door；　but　it　is　empty。　The　prince　had　not　remarked　that　the　ivy…wreath　was　no　longer　displayed；　and　that　the　hut　was　therefore　vacant。

〃They　are　gone；〃　he　murmured。　〃This　time　they　have　escaped　punishment；　but　it　surely　awaits　them。〃




CHAPTER　IX。

BROTHER　AND　SISTER。


A　month　had　passed　since　Amelia　dispatched　her　emissary　to　the　queen's　fireman；　and　she　had　as　yet　received　no　definite　intelligence。　General　Riedt　had　called　but　once；　he　told　her　he　had　succeeded　in　interesting　the　Savoyard　in　Trenck's　fate；　and　he　had　promised　to　remind　the　empress　of　the　unfortunate　prisoner。　But　a　condition　must　be　attached　to　this　promise：　no　one　must　approach　him　again　on　this　subject；　it　must　be　kept　an　inviolable　secret。　Only　when　Trenck　was　free　would　the　fireman　receive　the　other　half　of　the　stipulated　sum；　if　he　failed　in　his　attempt；　he　would　return　the　money　he　now　held。

This　was　all　that　the　princess　had　heard　from　Vienna；　her　heart　was　sorrowfulalmost　hopeless。　Trenck　still　sat　in　his　wretched　prison　at　Magdeburg；　and　she　scarcely　dared　hope　for　his　release。

It　was　a　dark；　tempestuous　November　day。　The　princess　stood　at　the　window；　gazing　at　the　whirling　snow…flakes；　and　listening　to　the　howling　of　the　pitiless　storm。　They　sounded　to　her　like　the　raging　shrieks　of　mocking；　contending　spirits；　and　filled　her　heart　with　malignant　joy。

〃Many　ships　will　go　down　to　destruction　in　the　roaring　sea；　many　men　will　lose　all　that　they　possess；〃　she　murmured；　with　a　coarse　laugh。　〃God　sends　His　favorite　daughter；　the　bride　of　the　winds；　she　sings　a　derisive　song　to　men；　she　shows　them　how　weak；　how　pitiful　they　are。　She　sweeps　away　their　possessionstouches　them　on　that　point　where　alone　they　are　sensitive。　I　rejoice　in　the　howling；　whistling　tempest！　This　is　the　voice　of　the　great　world…spirit；　dashing　by　in　the　thunder；　and　making　the　cowardly　hearts　of　men　tremble。　They　deserve　this　punishment；　they　are　utterly　unworthy　and　contemptible。　I　hate；　I　despise　them　all！　Only　when　I　see　them　suffer　can　I　be　reconciled　to　them。　Aha！　the　storm　has　seized　a　beautifully…dressed　lady。　How　it　whirls　and　dashes　her　about！　Look　how　it　lifts　her　robe；　making　rare　sport　of　her　deceitful；　affected　modesty。　Miserable；　variegated　butterfly　that　you　are；　you　think　yourself　a　goddess　of　youth　and　beauty。　This　wild　tempest　teaches　you　that　you　are