history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第51章
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ft so far： and the nimble wicked Voltaire so seizes his moment； trips poor Sisyphus； and sends him down； heels…over…head； in a torrent of roaring debris！ 'From gradual transpiration of our vital force comes Death； which perhaps； by precautions； might be indefinitely retarded；' says Maupertuis。 'Yes； truly；' answers the other： 'if we got ourselves japanned； coated with resinous varnish （INDUITS DE POIX RESINEUX）； who knows！' Not a sublime owlery can you drop； but it is manipulated； ground down； put in rifled cannon； comes back on you as tempests of burning dust。〃 Enough to send Maupertuis pirouetting through the world； with red wig unquenchably on fire！
Peals of laughter （once you are allowed to be non…official） could not fail； as an ovation； from the King；so report the French Biographers。 But there was； besides； strict promise that the Piece should be suppressed： 〃Never do to send our President pirouetting through the world in this manner； with his wig on fire； promise me； on your honor！〃 Voltaire promised。 But； alas； how could Voltaire perform！ Once more the Rhadamanthine fact is： Voltaire； as King's Chamberlain； was bound； without any promise； to forbear； and rigidly suppress such an AKAKIA against the King's Perpetual President。 But withal let candid readers consider how difficult it was to do。 The absurd blusterous Turkey…cock； who has； every now and then； been tyrannizing over you for twenty years； here you have him filled with gunpowder； so to speak； and the train laid。 There wants but one spark；（edition printed in Holland； edition done in Berlin； plenty of editions made or makable by a little surreptitious legerdemain；and I never knew whether it was AKAKIA in print； or AKAKIA in manuscript； that King and King's Chamberlain were now reading together； nor does it matter much）：your Turkey surreptitiously stuffed with gunpowder； I say； train ready waiting； one flint…spark will shoot him aloft； scatter him as flaming ruin on all the winds： and you are； once and always； to withhold said spark。 Perhaps； had AKAKIA not yet been writtenBut all lies ready there； one spark will do it； at any moment；and there are unguarded moments； and the Tempter must prevail！
On what day AKAKIA blazed out at Berlin； surreptitiously forwarded from Holland or otherwise； I could never yet learn （so stupid these reporters）。 But 〃on November 2d〃 the King makes a Visit to sick Maupertuis； which is published in all the Newspapers； ＇Rodenbeck； IN DIE； Helden…Geschichte； iii。 531； 〃2d November； 1752； 5 P。M。〃＇and one might guess the AKAKIA conflagration； and cruel haha…ings of mankind； to have been tacitly the cause。 Then or later； sure enough； AKAKIA does blaze aloft about that time； and all Berlin； and all the world； is in conversation over Maupertuis and it；30；000 copies sold in Paris： and Friedrich naturally was in a towering passion at his Chamberlain。 Nothing for the Chamberlain but to fly his presence； to shriek； piteously； 〃Accident； your Majesty！ Fatal treachery and accident； after such precautions too！〃and fall sick to death （which is always a resource one has）； and get into private lodgings in the TAUBEN…STRASSE； ＇At a 〃Hofrath Francheville's〃 （kind of subaltern Literary Character； see Denina； ii。 67）； 〃TAUBEN…STRASSE （Dove Street）； No。 20：〃 stayed there till 〃March； 1753〃 （Note by Preuss； OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 306 n。）。＇ till one either die； or grow fit to be seen again： 〃Ah； Sire〃let us give the Voltaire shriek of NOT…GUILTY； with the Friedrich Answer； both dateless unluckily：
VOLTAIRE。 〃AH； MON DIEU； Sire； in the state I am in！ I swear to you again； on my life； which I could renounce without pain； that it is a frightful calumny。 I conjure you to summon all my people； and confront them。 What？ You will judge me without hearing me！ I demand justice or death。〃
FRIEDRICH。 〃Your effrontery astonishes me。 After what you have done； and what is clear as day； you persist； instead of owning yourself culpable。 Do not imagine you will make people believe that black is white； when one ＇ON； meaning _I_＇ does not see； the reason ？ONE p。 218； book XVI ＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋ is； one does not want to see everything。 But if you drive the affair to extremity；all shall be made public； and it will be seen whether； if your Works deserve statues； your conduct does not deserve chains。〃 ＇ OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 302； 301。＇
Most dark element （not in date only）； with terrific thunder…and… lightning。 Nothing for it but to keep one's room； mostly one's bed；〃Ah； Sire； sick to death！〃
December 24th； 1752； there is one thing dismally distinct； Voltaire himself looking on （they say）； from his windows in Dove Street： the Public Burning of AKAKIA； near there； by the common Hangman。 Figure it； and Voltaire's reflections on it：haggardly clear that Act Third is culminating； and that the final catastrophe is inevitable and nigh。 We must be brief。 On the eighth day after this dread spectacle （New…year's…day 1753）； Voltaire sends； in a Packet to the Palace； his Gold Key and Cross of Merit。 On the interior wrappage is an Inscription in verse： 〃I received them with loving emotion； I return them with grief； as a broken…hearted Lover returns the Portrait of his Mistress：
Je les recus avec tendresse； Je vous les rends avec douleur； C'est ainsi qu'un amant； dans son extreme ardeur； Rend le portrait de sa maitresse。〃
Andin a Letter enclosed； tender as the Song of Swanshas one wish： Permission for the waters of Plonbieres； some alleviations amid kind nursing friends there； and to die craving blessings on your Majesty。 ＇Collini； p。 48； LETTER； in OEuvres de Frederic； xxii。 305。＇
Friedrich； though in hot wrath； has not quite come that length。 Friedrich； the same day； towards evening； sends Fredersdorf to him； with Decorations back。 And a long dialogue ensues between Fredersdorf and Voltaire； in which Collini； not eavesdropping； 〃heard the voice of M。 de Voltaire at times very loud。〃 Precise result unknown。 After which； for three months more； follows waiting and hesitation and negotiation； also quite obscure。 Confused hithering and thithering about permission for Plombieres； about repentance； sorrow； amendment； blame； in the end； reconciliation； or what is to pass for such。 Recorded for us in that whirl of misdated Letter…clippings； in those Narratives； ignorant； and pretending to know： perhaps the darkest Section in History； Sacred or Profane；were it of moment to us； here or elsewhere！
Voltaire has got permission to return to Potsdam； Apartment in the Palace ready again： but he still lingers in Dove Street； too ill； in real truth； for Potsdam society on those new terms。 Does not quit Francheville's 〃till March 5th；〃 and then only for another Lodging； called 〃the Belvedere〃； of suburban or rural kind。 His case is intricate to a degree。 He is sick of body； spectre…haunted withal； more than ever；often thinks Friedrich； provoked； will refuse him leave。 And； alas； he would so fain NOT go； as well as go！ Leave for Plombieres ；leave in the angrily contemptuous shape； 〃Go； then； forever and a day！〃Voltaire can at once have： but to get it in the friendly shape； and as if for a time only？ His prospects at Paris； at Versailles； are none of the best； to return as if dismissed will never do！ Would fain not go； withal；and has to diplomatize at Potsdam； by D'Argens； De Prades； and at Paris simultaneously； by Richelieu； D'Argenson and friends。 He is greatly to be pitied；even Friedrich pities him； the martyr of bodily ailments and of spiritual； and sends him 〃extract of quinquina〃 at one time。 ＇Letter of Voltaire's。＇ Three miserable months； which only an OEdipus could read； and an OEdipus who had nothing else to do！ The issue is well known。 Of precise or indisputable； on the road thither； here are fractions that will suffice：
VOLTAIRE TO ONE BAGIEU HIS DOCTOR AT PARIS （〃Berlin； 19th December；〃 1752； week BEFORE his AKAKIA was burnt）。 。。。 〃Wish I could set out on the instant； and put myself into your hands and into the arms of my family！ I brought to Berlin about a score of teeth； there remain to me something like six； I
