andreas hofer-第67章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Viennese　to　make　terms　with　the　conqueror　and　invoke　his　clemency
and　generosity。　They　had　thus　been　obliged　to　conceal　their　rage　and
exasperation　in　their　hearts；　and　surrender　to　the　tender　mercies　of
the　French　emperor；　they　had　opened　their　gates　to　the　enemy；　but
not　their　hearts。　Their　hearts　were　filled　with　boundless　rage　and
shame；　which　brought　wild　imprecations　to　the　lips　of　the　men；　and
tears　to　the　eyes　of　the　women。

Joseph　Haydn；　the　silver…haired　octogenarian；　had　still　the　heart　of
a　fiery　man　in　his　bosom；　and　his　trembling　lips　cursed　the
conqueror；　the　relentless　foe　of　Austria；　and　called　down　the　wrath
of　Heaven　on　the　French　emperor；　who　always　spoke　of　peace　and
conciliation；　and　always　stirred　up　quarrels　and　enmities。　The
latest　reverses　of　Austria　had　produced　a　most　painful　impression
upon　the　aged　maestro；　and　the　ravishing　joy　which　had　illuminated
Joseph　Haydn's　face　at　the　performance　of　〃The　Creation；〃　had　long
since　disappeared　from　his　careworn　and　mournful　countenance。　His
eyes　were　gloomy　and　dim；　and　often　veiled　with　tears；　and　when　he
played　his　imperial　hymn；　as　he　did　every　morning；　he　could　not　sing
to　it；　for　tears　choked　his　voice；　and　the　words；　so　full　of
confidence　and　triumphant　hope；　seemed　to　him　a　bitter　mockery。

He　led　now　a　very　quiet　and　lonely　life　at　his　small　house　in　the
Mariahilf　suburb；　and　he　did　not　even　leave　it；　as　he　had　formerly
always　done；　on　Sundays；　in　order　to　go　to　mass。　The　sight　of　the
French　uniforms　wounded　his　heart；　and　he　grieved　on　seeing　his
beloved　Viennese　oppressed　and　humiliated。

〃God　is　every　where；〃　said　Haydn　to　his　faithful　servant　Conrad；
〃and　He　will　hear　my　prayer　even　though　I　should　utter　it　in　my
quiet　closet；　and　not　at　church。　But　to…day；　my　friend；　I　will　pray
to　God　in　the　open　air。　See　how　gloriously　the　sun　shines；　and　how
blue　the　sky　is！　To…day　is　Sunday。　Let　us；　therefore；　put　on　our
Sunday　clothes。　Conrad；　give　me　the　fine　ring　which　the　great　King
of　Prussia　presented　to　me；　and　then　come　to　hear　mass　in　my　little
garden。〃

Conrad　fetched　quickly　the　Sunday　clothes　of　his　master；　he　helped
him　to　put　on　the　silken　and　silver…embroidered　coat；　and　put　the
large　diamond…ring；　which　Frederick　the　Great　had　one　day　sent　to
the　great　master　of　harmony；　on　his　finger。　Then　he　handed　him　his
hat　and　his　strong　cane；　which　was　adorned　with　a　golden　cross…
piece；　that　the　tottering　octogenarian　might　lean　on　it。　Joseph
Haydn　now　left　the　room　slowly；　his　right　hand　leaning　on　his　cane；
his　left　arm　resting　on　the　shoulder　of　his　servant。　Behind　him
walked　with　a　grave　step　the　old　cat；　an　heirloom　from　Haydn's
lamented　wife；　and　hence　highly　prized　and　honored　by　the　aged
maestro。　Purring　softly；　now　raising　its　beautiful　long　tail；　now
rolling　it　up；　the　cat　followed　close　in　the　footsteps　of　its
master；　through　the　hall　and　across　the　yard　to　the　small　garden。

〃How　beautiful　it　is　here！〃　said　Haydn；　standing　still　in　the　door
of　the　garden；　and　slowly　looking　around　at　the　flowers　and
shrubbery；　the　humming　bees　and　flitting　butter…flies。　〃Oh；　how
gloriously　beautiful　is　God's　creation；　and　how　radiant〃

〃How　radiant　is　nature；〃　interrupted　Conrad；　〃how　brilliantly　the
sun　shines；　and　how　splendid　the　lawn　looks！〃

〃You　are　a　fool；　old　Conrad；　to　repeat　these　words　from　MY
'Creation；'〃　said　Haydn；　with　a　gentle　smile。　〃I　was　not　thinking　of
MY　'Creation'　at　this　moment；　but　of　God's　creation。　And　He
certainly　knew　more　about　the　music　of　the　creation　than　I　did；　and…
…just　listen　how　the　nightingale　sings　in　the　elder…bush　yonder！　It
is　an　air　such　as　is　to　be　found　only　in　God's　Creation；　and；　as
Joseph　Haydn；　with　all　his　talents　and　enthusiasm；　never　was　able　to
compose。　Oh；　how　sweetly　this　prima　donna　assoluta　of　the　good　God
sings；　and　what　divine　melodies；　modulations；　and　harmonies　she
warbles　forth；　andBut　what　is　that？〃

〃That　is　the　parrot　singing　an　air　from　Joseph　Haydn's　'Creation；'〃
exclaimed　Conrad；　bursting　into　triumphant　laughter。　〃And　just
listen；　doctor；　the　prima　donna　assoluta　of　the　good　God　has　become
entirely　silent；　and　listens　with　delight　to　the　divine　melodies；
modulations；　and　harmonies　of　my　dear　master　Joseph　Haydn。〃

〃You　are　a　fool；　Conrad；　despite　your　seventy　years；〃　said　Haydn；
〃to　call　old　Paperl　my　prima　donna　assoluta；　and　compare　him　with
the　nightingale。　But　tell　me；　for　God's　sake；　where　did　the　bird
hear　that　melody？　Why；　Paperl　whistles　the　great　base…air　from　'The
Creation'　as　though　he　were　the　first　singer。　Where　did　he　learn
it？〃

〃I　taught　him　the　melody；　doctor；〃　said　Conrad；　proudly；　〃I　gave　him
lessons　for　three　months；　and　he　took　pains　to　learn　the　melody；　for
he　knew　full　well　that　we　two　were　preparing　a　little　surprise　and
joy　for　our　dear　master；　the　great　Joseph　Haydn。〃

〃And　that　is　the　reason　why　I　have　not　seen　Paperl　for　so　long；〃
said　Haydn；　nodding　his　head　gently。　〃I　did　not　wish　to　inquire
after　him；　for　I　was　afraid　the　answer　would　be　that　the　bird　was
dead　and　had　gone　home　to　my　dear　old　wife。〃

〃Well；　I　am　sure　Paperl　would　never　go　to　her；〃　said　Conrad；
laughing；　〃the　two　could　never　get　along　with　each　other；　and　were
always　quarrelling。　Whenever　Paperl　could　catch　one　of　your　wife's
fingers；　he　bit　it　with　his　thick　beak；　and　she　hated　the　bird
cordially　for　it；　and　would　have　preferred　sending　him　to　the　grave
than　descending　into　it　herself。　But　Paperl　did　not　die；　and　you
need　not　be　anxious　on　his　account；　doctor。　Such　parrots　live　a
thousand　years。　Therefore；　I　locked　him　up　in　my　chamber　for　three
months；　and　taught　him　the　beautiful　air；　that　the　bird　might
whistle　it　to　mankind　a　thousand　years　hence；　and　remind　all　of　the
great　composer；　Joseph　Haydn。〃

〃Ah；　my　dear　old　Conrad；〃　sighed　Haydn；　sinking　into　the　easy…chair
which　Conrad　had　placed　for　him　under　the　fragrant　elder…bush；　〃a
thousand　years　hence　no　one　will　know　any　thing　about　us；　and　we
shall　be　nothing　but　dust　returned　to　dust。　But　God　will　remain；　and
His　sun　will　shine　a　thousand　years　hence　as　gloriously　as　it　does
to…day；　and　His　nightingales　will　sing　the　same　wonderful　melodies
from　His　creation　long　after　my　‘Creation'　has　been　forgotten。〃

He　paused；　and　clasping　his　hands　devoutly；　lifted　his　eyes　to
heaven。　By　his　side；　on　the　high　pole；　its　right　leg　fastened　to　it
with　a　small　silver　chain；　the　parrot　sat；　and　fixed　its　piercing；
sagacious　eyes　upon　him；　the　cat　lay　at　Haydn's　feet；　and　gazed　with
philosophical　equanimity　at　the　flies　which　were　buzzing　from　flower
to　flower；　and　pricked　up　its　ears　attentively　whenever　a　small　bird
rustled　in　the　shrubbery；　or　skipped　merrily　from　branch　to　branch
in　the　fragrant　walnut　tree。　Beside　the　easy…chair　stood　Conrad；　the
old　servant；　his　faithful；　honest　face　turned　toward　his　master　with
an　expression　of　infinite　tenderness；　and　quite　absorbed　in
contemplating　this　mild；　smiling；　and　calm　octogenarian；　whose　eyes
were　looking　around　slowly；　and　seemingly　greeting　God　and　Nature。
In　the　distance　bells　were　ringing　and　calling　devout　worshipers　to
divine　service；　their　notes　resounded　tremulously　through　the　air
like　a　solemn　accompaniment　to　the　voices　of　Nature。

〃Oh；　how　beautiful；　how　beautiful！〃　murmured　Haydn。　〃Why　can　I　not
exhale　with　this　sigh　of　joy　my　old　life；　which　is　no　longer　good
for　any　thing？　Why　can　I　not　die　with　this　prayer　of　gratitude
toward　God　on　my　lips；　and　waft　my　soul　up　to　heaven；　as　that　bird
yonder　is　at　this　moment　soaring　toward　the　sun！〃

〃Oh；　sir；　why　do　you　talk　already　of　dying？〃　cried　Conrad；
anxiously；　〃you　must　live　yet　a　long　while；　a　joy　to　mankind；　and
honored　and　esteemed　by　the　whole　world。〃

〃And　a　burden　to　myself；〃　sighed　Haydn。　〃I　am　exhausted；　Conrad；　I
have　no　longer　strength　enough　to　live。　This　unfortunate　war　crushed
to　the　ground　and　broke　my　poor　heart。　＇Footnote：　Haydn's　own
words。〃Zeitgenossen；〃　vol。　iv。；　p。　36。＇　When　Napoleon　made　his
second　entrance　into　Vienna；　and　our　good　Emperor　Francis　had　to
escape　again　from　the　capital；　I　felt　as　though　my　heart　were　rent
asunder；　and　this　rent　will　never　heal　again。　The　misfortunes　o