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第28章

history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第28章

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e sum of 2;250 pounds may it not otherwise; contrives Voltaire; be called a 'Loan' to Jeweller Hirsch; so obliging a Jeweller; to buy 'Furs' or 'Diamonds' with? At a gain of 35 per 100 Pieces; there will be above 800 pounds to me; after all expenses cleared: a very pretty stroke of business do…able in few days!〃

〃Monday; 23d November:〃 The beautiful Wilhelmina; one remarks; is just making her packages; right sad to end such a Visit as this had been! Thursday night; from her first sleeping…place; there is a touching Farewell to her Brother;tender; melodiously sorrowful; as the Song of the Swan。 'Wilhelmina to Friedrich; 〃Brietzen; 26th November; JOUR FUNESTE POUR MOI〃 ( OEuvres de Frederic;  xxvii。 i。 197)。' To Voltaire she was always good; always liked Voltaire。 Voltaire would be saying his Adieus; in state; among the others; to that high Being;just in the hours while such a scandalous Hirsch…Concoction went; on underground!

〃As to the Two Bills and Voltaire's security for them; readers are to note as follows。 Bill FIRST is a Draft; on Voltaire's Paris Banker for 40;000 livres (about 1;600 pounds); not payable for some weeks: 'This I lend you; Monsieur Hirsch; mind; LEND you;to buy Furs!' 'Yes; truly; what we call Furs;and before the Bill falls payable; there will be effects for it in Monseigneur de Voltaire's hand; which is security enough for Monseigneur。' The SECOND Bill; again〃Truth is; there were in succession two Second Bills; an INTENDED…Second (of this same Monday 23d); which did not quite suit; and an ACTUAL…Second (two days later); which did。 INTENDED… Second Bill was one for 4;000 thalers (about 600 pounds); drawn by Voltaire on the Sieur Ephraim;a very famous Jew of Berlin now and henceforth; with whom as money…changer; if not yet otherwise (which perhaps Ephraim thinks unlucky); Voltaire; it would seem; is in frequent communication。 This Bill; Ephraim would not accept; told Hirsch he owed M。 de Voltaire nothing; 〃turned me rudely away;〃 says Hirsch (two of a trade; and no friends; he and I!)so that there is nothing to be said of this Ephraim Bill; and except as it elucidates some dark portions of the whirlpools; need not have been noticed at all。 〃Hirsch;〃 continues my Authority; 〃got only Two available Bills; the first on Paris for 1;600 pounds; payable in some weeks; and; after a day or two; this other: The ACTUAL BILL SECOND; which is a Draft for 4;430 thalers (about 650 pounds); by old Father Hirsch; head of the Firm; on Voltaire himself:'Furs too with that; Monsieur Hirsch; at the rate of 35 per piece; you understand?' 'Yea; truly; Monseigneur!'Draft accepted by Voltaire; and the cash for it now handed to Hirsch Son: the only absolutely ready money he has yet got towards the affair。

〃For these Two Bills; especially for this Second; I perceive; Voltaire holds borrowed jewels (borrowed in theatrical times; or partly bought; from the Hirsch Firm; and not paid for); which make him sure till he see the STEUER Papers themselves。(And now off; my good Sieur Hirsch; and know that if you please ME; there are things in my power which would suit a man in the Jeweller and Hebrew line!' Hirsch pushes home to Berlin; primed and loaded in this manner; Voltaire naturally auxious enough that the shot may hit。 Alas; the shot will not even go off; for some time: an ill omen!

〃SUNDAY; 29th NOVEMBER; Hirsch; we hear; is still in Berlin。 Fancy the humor of Voltaire; after such a week as last! TUESDAY; December 1st) Hirsch still is not off: 'Go; you son of Amalek!' urges Voltaire; and sends his Servant Picard; a very sharp fellow; for perhaps the third time;who has orders now; as Hirsch discovers; to stay with him; not quit sight of him till he do go。 'Hirsch's Narrative; see Voltaire's Letter to D'Arget (  OEuvres;  lxiv。 11)。' Hirsch's hour of departure for Dresden is not mentioned in the ACTS; but I guess he could hardly get over Wednesday; with Picard dogging him on these terms; and must have taken the diligence on Wednesday night: to arrive in Dresden about December 4th。 'Well; at least; our shot is off; has not burst out; and lodged in our person here;thanked be all the gods!'

〃Off; sure enough:and what should we say if the whole matter were already oozing out; if; on this same Sunday evening; November 29th) not quite a week's time yet; the matter (as we learn long afterwards) had been privately whispered to his Majesty: 'That Voltaire has sent off a Jew to buy Steuer…Scheine; and has promised to get him made Court…Jeweller!' 'Voltaire;  OEuvres;  lxxiv。 314 (〃Letter to Friedrich; February; 1751;〃AFTER Catastrophe)。'; So; within a week; and before Hirsch is even gone! For men are very porous; weighty secrets oozing out of them; like quicksilver through clay jars。 I could guess; Hirsch; by way of galling insolent Ephraim; had blabbed something: and in the course of five days; it has got to the very King;this Kammerherr Voltaire being such a favorite and famous man as never was; the very bull's…eye of all kinds of Berlin gossip in these days。 'Hm; Steuer…Scheine; and the Jew Hirsch to be Court…Jeweller; you say?' thinks the King; that Sunday night; but locks the rumor in his Royal mind; he; for his part; or dismisses it as incredible: 'There ought to be impervious vessels too; among the porous!' Voltaire notices nothing particular; or nothing that he speaks of as particular。 This must have been a horrid week to him; till Hirsch got away。〃 Hirsch is away (December 2d); in Dresden; safe enough; but

〃But; the fortnight that follows is conceivable as still worse。 Hirsch writing darkly; nothing to the purpose; Voltaire driving often into Berlin; hearing from Ephraim hints about; 'No connection with that House;' 'If Monseigneur have intrusted Hirsch with money;may there be a good account of it!' and the like。 Black Care devouring Monseigueur; but nothing definite; except the fact too evident; That Hirsch does not send or bring the smallest shadow of Steuer…Scheine;'Peltries;' or 'Diamonds;' we mean;or any value whatever for that Paris Bill of ours; payable shortly; and which he has already got cashed in Dresden。 Nothing but excuses; prevarications; stupid; incoherently deceptive jargon; as of a mule intent on playing fox with you。 Vivid Correspondence is conceivable; but nothing of it definite to us; except this sample〃 (which we give translated):

DOCUMENT THIRD (torn fraction in Voltaire's hand: To Hirsch; doubtless; early in December)。 。。。 〃Not proper (IL NE FALLAIT PAS) to negotiate Bills of Exchange; and never produce a single diamond〃bit of peltry; or ware of any kind; you son of Amalek! 〃Not proper to say: I have got money for your bills of exchange; and I bring you nothing back; and I will repay your money when you shall no longer be here 'in Germany at all'。 Not proper to promise at 35 louis; and then say 30。 To say 30; and then next morning 25。 You should at least have produced goods (IL FALLAIT EN DONNER) at the price current; very easy to do when one was on the spot。 All your procedures have been faults hitherto。 'Klein; v。 259。'

〃These are dreadful symptoms。 Steuer…Notes; promised at 35 discount; are not to be had except at 30。 Say 30 then; and get done with it; mule of a scoundrel! Next day the 30 sinks to 25; and not a Steuer…Note; on any terms; comes to hand。 And the mule of a scoundrel has drawn money; in Dresden yonder; for my Bill on Paris;excellent to him for trade of his own! What is to be done with such an Ass of Balaam? He has got the bit in his teeth; it would seem。 Heavens; he too is capable of stopping short; careless of spur and cudgel; and miraculously speaking to a NEW Prophet 'strange new 〃Revealer of the Lord's Will;〃 in modern dialect'; in this enlightened Eighteenth Century itself!One thing the new Prophet; can do: protest his Paris Bill。

〃DECEMBER 12th 'our next bit of certainty'; Voltaire writes; haste; haste; to Paris; 'Don't pay;' and intimates to Hirsch; 'You will have to return your Dresden Banker his money for that Paris Bill。 At Paris I have protested it; mark me; and there it never will be paid to him or you。 And you must come home again instantly; job undone; lies not untold; you!' Hirsch; with money in hand; appear

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