frederick the great and his family-第87章

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inly　speaks　in　these　letters　of　his　love　and　devotion；　but　also　a　little　of　the　king's　plans　of　battle。　Fraulein　von　Marshal　knows　all　this。　If　Belleville　obtains　her　love　and　confidence；　he　will　receive　pretty　correct　information　of　what　goes　on　in　the　tent　of　the　king　and　in　the　camp　councils。　So　Belleville　will　have　most　important　dispatches　to　forward　to　his　Marquise　de　Pompadour　dispatches　for　which　he　will　be　one　day　rewarded　with　honor　and　fortune。　This　is　the　Frenchman's　plan！　I　see　through　him　as　I　do　through　the　Russian。　They　are　both　paid　spies　informers　of　their　governments　nothing　more。　They　will　be　paid；　or　they　will　be　hung；　according　as　accident　is　favorable　or　unfavorable　to　them。〃　Ranuzi　was　silent；　and　walked　hastily　backward　and　forward　in　the　rood。　Upon　his　high；　pale　brow　dark　thoughts　were　written；　and　flashes　of　anger　flamed　from　his　eyes。

〃And　I；〃　said　he；　after　a　long　pause；　〃am　I　in　any　respect　better　than　they？　Will　not　the　day　come　when　I　also　will　be　considered　as　a　purchased　spy？　a　miserable　informer？　and　my　name　branded　with　this　title？　No；　no；　away　with　this　dark　spectre；　which　floats　like　a　black　cloud　between　me　and　my　purpose！　My　aim　is　heaven；　and　what　I　do；　I　do　in　the　name　of　the　Churchin　the　service　of　this　great；　exalted　Church；　whose　servant　and　priest　I　am。　No；　no；　the　world　will　not　call　me　a　spy；　will　not　brand　my　name　with　shame。　God　will　bless　my　efforts　as　the　Holy　Father　in　Rome　has　blessed　them；　and　I　shall　reach　the　goal。〃

Ranuzi　was　brilliantly　handsome　in　this　inspired　mood；　his　noble　and　characteristic　face　seemed　illuminated　and　as　beautiful　as　the　angel　of　darkness；　when　surrounded　by　a　halo　of　heavenly　light。

〃It　is　an　exalted　and　great　aim　which　I　have　set　before　me；〃　said　he；　after　another　pause；　〃a　work　which　the　Holy　Father　himself　confided　to　me。　I　must　and　I　will　accomplish　it　to　the　honor　of　God　and　the　Holy　Madonna。　This　blasphemous　war　must　end；　this　atheistical　and　free…thinking　king　must　be　reduced；　humbled；　and　cast　down　from　the　stage　he　has　mounted　with　such　ostentatious　bravado。　Silesia　must　be　torn　from　the　hands　of　this　profligate　robber　and　incorporated　in　the　crown　of　our　apostolic　majesty　of　Austria。　The　holy　Church　dare　not　lose　any　of　her　provinces；　and　Silesia　will　be　lost　if　it　remains　in　the　hands　of　this　heretical　king；　he　must　be　punished　for　his　insolence　and　scoffing；　for　having　dared　to　oppose　himself　to　the　Holy　Father　at　Rome。　The　injuries　which　he　heaped　upon　the　Queen　of　Poland　must　be　avenged；　and　I　will　not　rest　till　he　is　so　humbled；　so　crushed；　as　to　sue　for　a　shameful　peace；　even　as　Henry　the　Fourth；　clad　like　a　peasant；　pleaded　to　Canoza。　But　the　means；　the　means　to　attain　this　great　object。〃

Hastily　and　silently　he　paced　the　room；　his　head　proudly　thrown　back；　and　a　cold；　defiant　glance　directed　upward。

〃To　kill　him！〃　said　he　suddenly；　as　if　answering　the　voices　which　whispered　in　his　soul；　〃that　would　be　an　imbecile；　miserable　resort；　and；　moreover；　we　would　not　obtain　our　object；　ho　would　not　be　humiliated；　but　a　martyr's　crown　would　be　added　to　his　laurels。　When；　however；　ho　is　completely　humbled；　when；　to　this　great　victory　at　Hochkirch；　we　add　new　triumphs；　when　we　have　taken　Silesia　and　revenged　Saxony；　then　he　might　die；　then　we　will　seek　a　sure　hand　which　understands　the　dagger　and　its　uses。　Until　then；　silence　and　caution；　until　then　this　contest　must　be　carried　on　with　every　weapon　which　wisdom　and　craft　can　place　in　our　hands。　I　think　my　weapons　are　good　and　sharp；　well　fitted　to　give　a　telling　thrust；　and　yet　they　are　so　simple；　so　threadbarea　cunning　fortune…teller；　a　love…sick　fool；　a　noble　coquette；　and　a　poor　prisoner！　these　are　my　only　weapons；　and　with　these　I　will　defeat　the　man　whom　his　flatterers　call　the　heroic　King　of　Prussia。〃　He　laughed　aloud；　but　it　was　a　ferocious；　threatening　laugh；　which　shocked　himself。

〃Down；　down；　ye　evil　spirits；〃　said　he；　〃do　not　press　forward　so　boldly　to　my　lips；　they　are　consecrated　now　to　soft　words　and　tender　sighs　alone。　Silence；　ye　demons！　creep　back　into　my　heart；　and　there；　from　some　dark　corner；　you　can　hear　and　see　if　my　great　role　is　well　played。　It　is　time！　it　is　time！　I　must　once　more　prove　my　weapons。〃

He　stepped　to　the　glass　and　looked　thoughtfully　at　his　face；　examined　his　eyes；　his　lips；　to　see　if　they　betrayed　the　dark　passions　of　his　soul；　then　arranged　his　dark　hair　in　soft；　wavy　lines　over　his　brow；　he　rang　for　his　servant；　put　on　his　Austrian　uniform；　and　buckled　on　the　sword。　The　king　had　been　gracious　enough　to　allow　the　captive　officers　in　Berlin　to　wear　their　swords；　only　requiring　their　word　of　honor　that　they　would　never　use　them　again　in　this　war。　When　Count　Ranuzi；　the　captive　Austrian　captain；　had　completed　his　toilet；　he　took　his　hat　and　entered　the　street。　Ranuzi　had　now　assumed　a　careless；　indifferent　expression；　he　greeted　the　acquaintances　who　met　him　with　a　friendly　smile；　uttering　to　each　a　few　kindly　words　or　gay　jests。　He　reached；　at　last；　a　small　and　insignificant　house　in　the　Frederick　Street；　opened　the　door　which　was　only　slightly　closed；　and　entered　the　hall；　at　the　same　moment　a　side　door　opened；　and　a　lady　sprang　forward；　with　extended　arms；　to　meet　the　count。

〃Oh；　my　angel；〃　said　she；　in　that　soft　Italian　tongue；　so　well　suited　to　clothe　love's　trembling　sighs　in　words〃oh；　my　angel；　are　you　here　at　last？　I　saw　your　noble；　handsome　face；　from　my　window；　it　seemed　to　me　that　my　room　was　illuminated　with　glorious　sunshine；　and　my　heart　and　soul　were　warmed。〃

Ranuzi　made　no　answer　to　these　glowing　words；　silently　he　suffered　himself　to　be　led　forward　by　the　lady；　then　replied　to　her　ardent　assurances　by　a　few　cool；　friendly　words。

〃You　are　alone　to…day；　Marietta；〃　said　he；　〃and　your　husband　will　not　interrupt　our　conversation。〃

〃My　husband！〃　said　she；　reproachfully；　〃Taliazuchi　is　not　my　husband。　I　despise　him；　I　know　nothing　of　him；　I　am　even　willing　that　he　should　know　I　adore　you。〃

〃Oh　woman；　woman！〃　said　Ranuzi；　laughing；　〃how　treacherous；　how　dangerous　you　are！　When　you　love　happily；　you　are　like　the　anaconda；　whose　poisonous　bite　one　need　not　fear；　when　it　is　well　fed　and　tended；　but　when　you　have　ceased　to　love；　you　are　like　the　tigress　who；　rashly　awaked　from　sleep；　would　strangle　the　unfortunate　who　disturbed　her　repose。　Come；　my　anaconda；　come；　if　you　are　satisfied　with　my　love；　let　us　talk　and　dream。〃　He　drew　her　tenderly　toward　him；　and；　kissing　her　fondly；　seated　her　by　his　side；　but　Marietta　glided　softly　to　his　feet。

〃Let　it　be　so；〃　she　said；　〃let　me　lie　at　your　feet；　let　me　adore　you；　and　read　in　your　face　the　history　of　these　last　three　terrible　days；　in　which　I　have　not　seen　you。　Where　were　you；　Carlo？　why　have　you　forgotten　me？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　he；　laughing；　〃my　anaconda　begins　to　hunger　for　my　heart's　blood！　how　long　before　she　will　be　ready　to　devour　or　to　murder　me？〃

〃Do　not　call　me　your　anaconda；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head；　〃you　say　that；　when　we　are　satisfied　with　your　love；　we　are　like　the　sleeping　anaconda。　But；　Carlo；　when　I　look　upon　you；　I　thirst　for　your　glances；　your　sweet　words；　your　assurances　of　love。　And　has　it　not　been　thus　all　my　life　long？　Have　I　not　loved　you　since　I　was　capable　of　thought　and　feeling？　Oh；　do　you　remember　our　happy；　glorious　childhood；　Carlo？　those　days　of　sunshine；　of　fragrance；　of　flowers；　of　childish　innocence？　Do　you　remember　how　often　we　have　wandered　hand　in　hand　through　the　Campagna；　talking　of　God；　of　the　stars；　and　of　the　flowers？dreaming　of　the　time　in　which　the　angels　and　the　stars　would　float　down　into　our　hearts；　and　change　the　world　into　a　paradise　for　us？〃

〃Ah！　we　had　a　bitter　awaking　from　these　fair　dreams；〃　said　Ranuzi；　thoughtfully。　〃My　father　placed　me　in　a　Jesuit　college；　your　mother　sent　you　to　a　cloister；　that　the　nuns　might　make　of　you　a　public　singer。　We　had　both　our　own　career　to　make；　Marietta；　you　upon　the　stage；　I　on　the　confessor's　stool。　We　were　the　poor　children　of　poor　parents；　and　every　path　was　closed　to　us　but　one；　the　church　and　the　stage；　our　wise　parents　knew　this。〃

〃And　they　separated　us；〃　sighed　Marietta；　〃they　crushed　out　the　first　modest　flame　of　our　young；　pure　hearts；　and　made　us　an　example　of　their