frederick the great and his family-第95章

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The　dazzling　appearance　of　these　royal　saloons　was　therefore　mostly　owing　to　the　flashing　uniforms　of　the　prisoners　of　war。　Only　a　few　old　Prussian　generals；　and　the　courtiers；　whose　duties　prevented　them　from　being　heroes；　were　added　to　the　number。

Herr　von　Giurgenow；　and　his　friend　Captain　Belleville；　were　invited　to　the　ball；　and　were　well　pleased　to　offer　their　homage　to　the　majesty　of　Prussia。　Count　Ranuzi；　who；　reserved　and　silent　as　usual；　had　been　wandering　through　the　saloons；　now　joined　them；　and　they　had　all　withdrawn　to　a　window；　in　order　to　observe　quietly　and　undisturbed　the　gay　crowd　passing　before　them。

〃Look　you；〃　said　Ranuzi；　laughing；　〃this　reminds　me　of　the　frantic　confusion　in　the　anterooms　of　hell；　which　Dante　has　described　in　such　masterly　style。　We　all　wear　our　glittering　masks；　under　which　our　corpses　are　hidden；　one　word　from　our　master　and　this　drapery　would　fall　off；　and　these　grinning　death…heads　be　brought　to　ruin。　It　depends　solely　upon　the　will　of　Frederick　of　Prussia　to　speak　this　word。　He　is　our　master；　and　when　he　commands　it；　we　must　lay　aside　our　swords　and　exchange　our　uniforms　for　the　garments　of　a　malefactor。〃

〃He　will　not　dare　to　do　this；〃　said　Giurgenow；　〃all　Europe　would　call　him　a　barbarian；　and　make　him　answerable　for　his　insolence。〃

〃First；　all　Europe　must　be　in　a　condition　to　call　him　to　account；〃　said　Ranuzi；　laughing；　〃and　that　is　certainly　not　the　case　at　present；　I　am　sorry　to　say。〃

〃You　have　not　heard；　then；〃　said　Belleville；　〃of　the　glorious　victory　which　our　great　General　Broglie　has　gained　over　Duke　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick；　all　France　is　jubilant　over　this　happy　event；　and　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour；　or　rather　King　Louis；　has　made　this　second　Turenne；　our　noble　Broglie；　marshal。〃

〃I　know　of　this；〃　said　Ranuzi；　〃but　I　know　also　that　the　fortune　of　battles　is　inconstant；　otherwise　we　would　not　now　be　here。〃

〃It　is　to　be　hoped　we　will　not　be　here　long；〃　said　Giurgenow；　impatiently。　〃Does　it　not　lie　in　our　power　to　go　at　once？　What　think　you？　Have　we　not　our　swords？　They　have　not　dared　to　take　them　from　us！　They　tremble　before　us；　and　honor；　in　our　persons；　the　nations　we　represent。　Look　at　the　complaisance　and　consideration　with　which　we　are　met　on　all　sides。　The　King　of　Prussia　fears　his　powerful　enemies；　and　does　all　in　his　power　to　conciliate　them。　Suppose　that　to…night；　as　soon　as　the　royal　family　are　assembled；　we　draw　our　swords　and　take　them　all　prisoners；　we　have　overpowering　numbers；　and　I　think　it　would　be　an　easy　victory。　We　could　make　a　fortress　of　this　palace；　and　defend　ourselves；　they　would　not　dare　to　make　a　violent　attack；　as　the　queen　and　princesses　would　be　in　our　power。　What　think　you　of　this　plan；　Count　Ranuzi？〃

Ranuzi　met　the　sharp　and　piercing　glance　of　the　Russian　with　cool　composure。

〃I　think　it　bold；　but　impossible。　We　could　not　maintain　our　position；　one　hour。　The　garrison　of　Berlin　would　overcome　us。　We　have　no　thousands　of　prisoners　in　the　casements　here；　as　in　Kustrin；　to　aid　us　in　such　an　attempt。〃

〃The　count　is　right；〃　said　Belleville；　gayly；　〃such　a　grandiose　and　warlike　conspiracy　would　amount　to　nothing。　We　must　revenge　ourselves　in　another　way　for　the　tedious　ennui　we　are　made　to　endure　here；　and　my　friends　and　myself　are　resolved　to　do　so。　We　will　no　longer　submit　to　the　shackles　of　etiquette；　which　are　laid　upon　us；　we　will　be　free　from　the　wearisome　constraint　which　hems　us　in　on　every　side。　These　proud　ladies　wish　us　to　believe　that　they　are　modest　and　virtuous；　because　they　are　stiff　and　ceremonious。　They　make　a　grimace　at　every　equivoque。　We　will　prove　to　them　that　we　are　not　blinded　by　this　outward　seeming；　and　not　disposed　to　lie　like　Dutchmen；　languishing　at　the　feet　of　our　inexorable　fair　ones。　Our　brave　brothers　have　conquered　the　Prussians　at　Hochkirch　and　at　Bergen；　we　cannot　stand　side　by　side　with　them　in　the　field；　but　here；　at　least；　we　can　humble　the　Prussian　women！〃

〃I　can　well　believe；〃　whispered　Giurgenow；　〃that　you　would　be　pleased　to　humble　the　beautiful　Fraulein　von　Marshal？〃

〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　said　Ranuzi；　laughing；　〃you　touch　the　wound　of　our　poor　friend。　You　do　not　seem　to　know　that　the　beautiful　Marshal　is　responsible　for　the　scorn　and　rage　of　Count　Belleville。　she　is　indeed　a　haughty　and　presumptuous　beauty；　she　not　only　dared　to　reject　the　love　of　the　fascinating　count；　but　she　showed　him　the　door；　and　when　afterward　he　ventured　to　send　her　a　passionate　and　tender　billet…doux；　she　informed　him；　through　her　servant；　that　she　would　give　the　letter　to　her　chambermaid；　for　whom；　without　doubt；　it　was　intended。〃

〃Eh　bien；　what　do　you　say　to　this　insolence？〃　cried　the　enraged　Frenchman。　〃But　she　shall　do　penance　for　it。　I　have　already　made　the　necessary　arrangements　with　my　friends。　This　is　not　simply　a　personal　affair；　it　touches　the　general　honor。　The　whole　French　army；　all　France；　is　insulted　in　my　person。　It　is　necessary　we　should　have　satisfaction；　not　only　from　this　presumptuous　lady；　but　from　all　the　ladies　of　the　court！　We　will　have　our　revenge　this　evening！　We　will　show　to　these　dull　dames　what　we　think　of　their　prudery。　And　the　queen　shall　see　that　we　are　not　at　all　inclined　to　bow　down　to　her　stiff　ceremonies。　She　is；　in　our　eyes；　not　a　queen　simply　the　wife　of　an　enemy　over　whom　we　will　soon　triumph　gloriously。〃

〃I　counsel　you；　however；　to　wait　till　the　hour　of　triumph　for　your　revenge；〃　said　Ranuzi。　〃Your　intentions　may　lead　to　the　worst　consequences　for　us　all。　The　great　Frederick　will　never　be　a　harmless　adversary　till　he　is　dead；　and　we　would　all　be　ignominiously　punished　for　any　contempt　shown　the　queen。　You　have　a　personal　affair　with　Fraulein　Marshal；　well；　then；　you　must　make　her　personally　responsible；　but　do　not　involve　us　all　in　your　difficulties。　It　would　be　an　easy　thing　to　forfeit　even　this　appearance　of　freedom。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Giurgenow；　〃we　might　be　banished　from　Berlin；　and　that　would　be　a　bitter　punishment　for　us　all。〃

〃But　look！　the　doors　are　being　thrown　open；　and　the　queen　and　court　will　appear；　you　will　have　the　happiness　of　seeing　your　cruel　fair　one；〃　whispered　Ranuzi　to　the　Frenchman。

〃I　assure　you　she　shall　repent　of　her　cruelty　to…night；〃　said　Belleville；　gnashing　his　teeth。　Exchanging　a　significant　glance　with　several　French　officers；　who　were　standing　not　far　off；　he　advanced　into　the　saloon　to　the　outer　circle；　which　was　formed　on　both　sides；　and　through　which　the　queen　and　court　must　pass。

Now　the　grand　master　of　ceremonies　appeared　on　the　threshold；　with　his　golden　staff。　Behind　him　the　queen　and　the　Princess　Amelia　entered　the　room；　both　appeared　in　all　the　pomp　and　splendor　of　their　rank。　A　small　diamond…crown　glittered　in　the　blonde　hair　of　the　queen；　a　magnificent　necklace　of　diamonds　and　emeralds　was　clasped　around　her　dazzlingly　white　and　beautifully　formed　throat。

Bielfeld　had　once　declared　that　this　necklace　could　purchase　a　kingdom。　A　white　robe　worked　with　silver　and　a　dark…red　velvet　shawl　trimmed　with　ermine　fell　in　graceful　folds　around　the　noble　and　graceful　figure　of　the　queen；　whose　bowed　head；　and　quiet；　modest　bearing　contrasted　strangely　with　the　luxury　and　splendor　which　surrounded　her。

Another　striking　contrast　to　the　queen　was　offered　in　the　presence　of　the　Princess　Amelia。　Like　her　royal　sister；　she　appeared　in　complete　toilet；　adorned　with　all　her　jewelsher　arms；　her　throat；　her　hair；　and　her　hands　flashed　with　diamonds。　The　festoons　of　her　robe　of　silver　gauze　were　fastened　up　with　diamond　buttons；　and　beneath　appeared　a　green　robe　embroidered　with　silver。　The　princess　knew　full　well　that　all　this　splendor　of　toilet；　all　these　flashing　gems；　would　bring　into　contemptuous　notice　her　sharp；　angular　figure；　and　her　poor　deformed　visage；　she　knew　that　the　eyes　of　all　would　he　fixed　upon　her　in　derision；　that　her　appearance　alone　would　be　greeted　as　a　cherished　source　of　amusement；　and　as　soon　as　her　back　was　turned　the　whole　court　would　laugh　merrily。　She　assumed；　as　usual；　a　cold　contemptuous　bearing；　she　met　mockery　with　mockery；　and　revenged　herself　by　sharp　wit　and　cutting　irony　for　the　derisive　glances　which　plainly　spoke　what　the　lips　dared　not　utter。　She　no　sooner　entered　the　saloon　than　s