history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第18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!
or my notion fell at once;〃 says he; 〃when I heard it was DO UT FACIAS; FACIO UT FACIAS (I give that thou mayest do; I do that thou mayest do; Wilt have the kirk; then take the irk; WILLST DU DIE PFARRE; SO NIMM DIE QUARRE); on those terms; my reply was: 'Most respectful thanks; Herr Fief…judge; and No; for such a vocation! And why? The vocation must have LIBERTATEM; there must be no VITIUM ESSENTIALE in it; it must be right IN ESSENTIALI; otherwise no honest man can accept it with a good conscience。 This were a marriage on constraint; out of which a thousand INCONVENIENTIAE might spring!'〃 Hear Linsenbarth; in the piebald dialect; with the sound heart; and preference of starvation itself to some other things! Kettenbeil (CHAIN…AXE) went home; and there was found another Candidatus willing for the marriage on constraint; 〃out of which INCONVENIENTIAE might spring;〃 in Linsenbarth's opinion。
〃And so did the sneakish courtly gentleman 'HOFMANN; courtier as Linsenbarth has it'; who grasped with both hands at my rejected offer; experience before long;〃 continues Linsenbarth。 〃For the loose thing of court…tatters led him such a life that; within three years; age yet only thirty; he had to bite the dust〃 (BITE AT THE GRASS; says Linsenbarth; proverbially); which was an INCONVENIENTIA including all others。 〃And I had LEGITIMAM CAUSAM to refuse the vocation CUM TALI CONDITIONE。
〃However; it was very ill taken of me。 All over that Thuringian region I was cried out upon as a headstrong foolish person: The Herr Graf von Werthern; so ran the story; had of his own kindness; without request of mine; offered me a living; RARA AVIS; singular instance; and I; rash and without head; flung away such gracious offer。 In short; I was told to my face 'by good…natured friends'; Nobody would ever think of me for promotion again;〃 universal suffrage giving it clear against poor Linsenbarth; in this way。
〃To get out of people's sight at least;〃 continues he; 〃I decided to leave my native place; and go to Berlin;〃 250 miles away or more。 〃And so it was that; on June the 20th; 1750; I landed at Berlin for the first time: and here straightway at the PACKHOF (or Custom…house); in searching of my things; 400 THALERS (some 60 pounds); all in Nurnberg BATZEN; were seized from me;〃BATZEN; quarter…groats we may say; 7 and a half batzen go to a shilling; what a sack there must have been of them; 9;000 in all; about the size of herring…scales; in bad silver; fruit of Linsenbarth's stern thrift from birth upwards:all snatched from him at one swoop。 〃And why?〃 says he; quite historically: Yes; Why? The reader; to understand it wholly; would need to read in Mylius's Edicten…Sammlung; in SEYFARTH and elsewhere; 'Mylius; Edict xli。; January; 1744; &c。 &c。' and to know the scandalous condition of German coinage at this time and long after; every needy little Potentate mixing his coin with copper at discretion; and swindling mankind with it for a season; needing to be peremptorily forbidden; confiscated or ordered home; by the like of Friedrich。 Linsenbarth answers his own 〃And why?〃 with historical calmness:
〃The king had; some (six) years ago; had the batzen utterly cried down (GANZ UND GAR); they were not to circulate at all in his Countries; and I was so bold; I had brought batzen hither into the King's Capital; KONIGLICHE RESIDENZ itself! At the Packhof; there was but one answer; 'Contraband; Contraband!'〃Here was a welcome for a man。 〃I made my excuses: Did not the least know; came straight from Thuringen; many miles of road; could not guess there What His Majesty the King had been pleased to forbid in His (THEIRO) Countries。 'You should have informed yourself;' said the Packhof people; and were deaf to such considerations。 'A man coming into such a Residenz Town as Berlin; with intent to abide there; should have inquired a little what was what; especially what coins were cried down; and what allowed;' said they of the Packhof。〃 Poor Linsenbarth! 〃'But what am I to do now? How am I to live; if you take my very money from me?' 'That is your outlook;' said they; and added; He must even find stowage for his stack of herring… scales or batzen; as soon as it was sealed up; 'we have no room for it in the Packhof!'〃 for a man: Here is a roughish welcome 〃I must leave all my money here; and find stowage for it; in a day or two。
〃There was; accordingly; a truck…porter called in; he loaded my effects on his barrow; and rolled away。 He brought me to the WHITE SWAN in the JUDENSTRASSE 'none of the grandest of streets; that Berlin JEWRY'; threw my things out; and demanded four groschen。 Two of my batzen〃 2 and a half exact; 〃would have done; but I had no money at all。 The landlord came out: seeing that I had a stuffed feather…bed 'note the luggage of Linsenbarth: 〃FEDER…BETT;〃 of extreme tenuity'; a trunk full of linens; a bag of Books and other trifles; he paid the man; and sent me to a small room in the court… yard 'Inn forms a Court; perhaps four stories high': 'I could stay there;' he said; 'he would give me food and drink in the meanwhile。' And so I lived in this Inn eight weeks long; without one red farthing; in mere fear and anxiety。〃 June 20th PLUS eight weeks brings us to August 15th; Voltaire in HEIGHT of feather; and very great things just ahead! '〃Grand Carrousel; 25th August;〃 &c。'of which soon。
The White Swan was a place where Carriers lodged: some limb of the Law; of Subaltern sort; whom Linsenbarth calls 〃DER ADVOCAT B。〃 (one of the Ousted of Cocceji; shall we fancy!); had to do with Carriers and their pie…powder lawsuits。 Advocat B。 had noticed the gray dreary CANDIDATUS; sitting sparrow…like in remote corners; had spoken to him;undertook for a LOUIS D'OR; no purchase no pay; to get back his batzen for him。 They went accordingly; one morning; to 〃a grand House;〃 it was a Minister's (name not given); very grand Official Man: he heard the Advocat B。's short statement; and made answer: 〃Monsieur; and is it you that will pick holes in the King's Law? I have understood you were rather aiming at the HAUSVOGTEI 'Common Jail of Berlin': Go on in that way; and you are sure of your promotion!〃Advocat B。 rushed out with Linsenbarth into the street; and there was neither pay nor purchase in that quarter。
Poor Linsenbarth was next advised; by simple neighbors; to go direct to the King; as every poor man can; at certain hours of the day。 〃Write out your Case (Memorial) with extreme brevity;〃 said they; 〃nothing but the essential points; and those clear。〃 Linsenbarth; steam at the high…pressure; composed (CONZIPIRTE) a Memorial of that right laconic sort; wrote it fair (MUNDIRTE ES); and went off therewith 〃at opening of the Gates 'middle time of August; 1750; no date farther); 'August 21st? (See Rodenbeck; DIARY; which we often quote; i。 205。)'without one farthing in my pocket; in God's name; to Potsdam。〃 He continues:
〃And at Potsdam I was lucky enough to see the King; my first sight of him。 He was on the Palace Esplanade there; drilling his troops 'fine trim sanded Expanse; with the Palace to rear; and Garden… walks and River to front; where Friedrich Wilhelm sat; the last day he was out; and ordered Jockey Philips's house to be actually set about; where the troops do evolutions every morning;there is Friedrich with cocked…hat and blue coat; say about 11 A。M。'。
〃When the drill was over; his Majesty went into the Garden; and the soldiers dispersed; only four Officers remained lounging upon the Esplanade; and walked up and down。 For fright I knew not what to do; I pulled the Papers out of my pocket;these were my Memorial; two Certificates of character; and a Thuringen Pass 'poor soul'。 The Officers noticed this; came straight to me; and said; 'What letters has He there; then?' I thankfully and gladly imparted the whole; and when the Officers had read them; they said; 'We will give you 'Him; not even THEE' a good advice; The King is extra… gracious to…day; and is gone alone into the Garden。 Follow him straight。 Thou wilt have luck。'
〃This I would not do; my awe was too great。 They thereupon laid hands on me 'the mischievous dogs; not ill…humored either': one took me by the right arm; another by the left; 'Off;