history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第55章
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MONDAY； 18th JUNE； the Big Case； lumbering along； does arrive。 It is carried straight to Freytag's； and at eleven in the morning； Collini eagerly attends to have it opened。 Freytag；to whom Schmidt has returned from Embden； but no Answer from Potsdam； or the least light about those SKRIPTUREN；is in the depths of embarrassment； cannot open； till he know completely what items and SKRIPTUREN he is to make sure of on opening： 〃I cannot； till the King's answer come！〃〃But your written promise to Voltaire？〃 〃Tush； that was my own private promise； Monsieur； my own private prediction of what would happen； a thing PRO FORMA〃； and to save Madame Denis's life。 Patience； perhaps it will arrive this very day。 Come again to me at three P。M。；there is Berlin post today； then again in three days：I surely expect the Order will come by this post or next； God grant it may be by this！〃 Collini attends at three； there is Note from Fredersdorf： King's Majesty absent in Preussen all this while； expected now in two days。 Freytag's face visibly brightens： 〃Wait till next post； three days more； only wait！〃 ＇Varnhagen； pp。 39…41。＇ And in fact； by next post； as we find； the OPEN…SESAME did punctually come。 Voltaire； and all this big cawing rookery of miseries and rages； would have at once taken wing again； into the serene blue； could Voltaire but have had patience three days more！ But that was difficult for him； too Difficult。
PART II。 VOLTAIRE； IN SPITE OF HIS EFFORTS； DOES GET AWAY （June 20th…July 7th）。
WEDNESDAY； JUNE 20th； Voltaire and Collini （〃word。 of honor〃 fallen dubious to them； dubious or more）；havmg laid their plan； striving to think it fair in the circumstances；walk out from the Lion d'Or； 〃Voltaire in black…velvet coat；〃 ＇Ib。 p。 46。＇ with their valuablest effects （LA PUCELLE and money…box included）； leaving Madame Denis to wait the disimprisonment of OEUVRE DE POESIE and wind up the general business。 Walk out； very gingerly；duck into a hackney…coach； and attempt to escape by the Mainz Gate！ Freytag's spy runs breathless with the news； never was a Freytag in such taking。 Terrified Freytag has to 〃throw on his coat；〃 order out three men to gallop by various routes； jump into some Excellency's coach （kind Excellency lent it）； which is luckily standing yoked near by； and shoot with the velocity of life and death towards Mainz Gate。 Voltaire； whom the well…affected Porter； suspecting something； has rather been retarding； is still there： 〃Arrested； in the King's name！〃and there is such a scene！ For Freytag； too； is now raging； ignited by such percussion of the terrors； and speaks； not like what they call 〃a learned sergeant〃； but like a drilled sergeant in heat of battle： Vol… taire's tongue； also； and Collini's；〃Your Excellenz never heard such brazen…faced lies thrown on a man； that I had offered； for 1；000 thalers； to let them go； that I had〃 In short； the thing has caught fire； broken into flaming chaos again。
〃Freytag ＇to give one snatch from Collini's side＇ got into the carriage along with us； and led us； in this way； across the mob of people to Schmidt's ＇to see what was to be done with us＇。 Sentries were put at the gate to keep out the mob； we are led into a kind of counting…room； clerk； maid… and man…servants are about； Madam Schmidt passes before Voltaire with a disdainful air； to listen to Freytag； recounting；〃 in the tone not of a LEARNED sergeant； what the matter is。 They seize our effects； under violent protest； worse than vain。 〃Voltaire demands to have at least his snuffbox； cannot do without snuff； they answer； 'It is usual to take everything。'
〃His；〃 Voltaire's； 〃eyes were sparkling with fury； from time to time he lifted them on mine； as if to interrogate me。 All on a sudden； noticing a door half open； he dashes through it； and is out。 Madam Schmidt forms her squad； shopmen and three maid… servants； and； at their head； rushes after。 'What？' cries he； （cannot I be allowed toto vomit； then？'〃 They form circle round him； till he do it； call out Collini； who finds him 〃bent down； with his fingers in his throat； attempting to vomit； and is terrified； 'MON DIEU； are you ill； then？' He answered in a low voice； tears in his eyes； 'FINGO； FINGO （I pretend；'〃 and Collini leads him back； RE INFECTA。 〃The Author of the HENRIADE and MEROPE； what a spectacle！ ＇Collini； pp。 81； 86。＇ 。。。 Not for two hours had they done with their writings and arrangings。 Our portfolios and CASSETTE （money…box） were thrown into an empty trunk ＇what else could they be thrown into？＇which was locked with a padlock； and sealed with a paper； Voltaire's arms on the one end； and Schmidt's cipher on the other。 Dorn； Freytag's Clerk； was bidden lead us away。 Sign of the BOUC〃 （or BILLY…GOAT； there henceforth； LION D；OR refusing to be concerned with us farther）； twelve soldiers； Madame Denis with curtains of bayonets；and other well…known flagrancies。 。。。 The 7th of July； Voltaire did actually go； and then in an extreme hurry；by his own blame； again。 These final passages we touch only in the lump； Voltaire's own Narrative of these being so copious； flamingly impressive； and still known to everybody。 How much better for Voltaire and us； had nobody ever known it； had it never been written； had the poor hubbub； no better than a chance street…riot all of it； after amusing old Frankfurt for a while； been left to drop into the gutters forever！ To Voltaire and various others （me and my poor readers included）； that was the desirable thing。
Had there but been； among one's resources； a little patience and practical candor； instead of all that vituperative eloquence and power of tragi…comic description！ Nay； in that case； this wretched street…riot hubbub need not have been at all。 Truly M。 de Voltaire had a talent for speech； but lamentably wanted that of silence！ We have now only the sad duty of pointing out the principal mendacities contained in M。 de Voltaire's world…famous Account （for the other side has been heard since that）； and so of quitting a painful business。 The principal mendacitiesdeducting all that about 〃POE'ShIE〃 and the like； which we will define as poetic fictionare：
1。 That of the considerable files of soldiers （almost a Company of Musketeers； one would think） stuck up round M。 de Voltaire and Party； in THE BILLY…GOAT； Madame Denis's bed…curtains being a screen of bayonets； and the like。 The exact number of soldiers I cannot learn： 〃a SCHILDWACHE of the Town…guard ＇means one； surely does not mean Four？＇ for each prisoner；〃 reports the arithmetical Freytag； which； in the extreme case； would have been twelve in whole （as Collini gives it）； and 〃next day we reduced them to two〃； says Freytag。 2。 That of the otherwise frightful night Madame Denis had； 〃the fellow Dorn ＇Freytag's Clerk； a poor； hard…worked frugal creature； with frugal wife and family not far off＇ insisting to sit in the Lady's bedroom； there emptying bottle after bottle； nay at last ＇as Voltaire bethinks him； after a few days＇ threatening to〃 Plainly to EXCEL all belief！ A thing not to be spoken of publicly： indeed； what Lady could speak of it at all； except in hints to an Uncle of advanced years？Proved fact being； that Madame Denis； all in a flutter； that first night at THE BILLY…GOAT； had engaged Dorn； 〃for a louis…d'or；〃 to sit in her bedroom； and did actually pay him a louis…d'or for doing so！ This is very bad mendacity； clearly conscious on M。 de Voltaire's part； and even constructed by degrees。 3。 Very bad also is that of the moneys stolen from him by those Official people。 M。 de Voltaire knows well enough how he failed to get his moneys； and quitted Frankfurt in a hurry！ Here； inexorably certain from the Documents； and testimonies on both parts； is that final Passage of the long Fire…work： last crackle of the rocket before it dropped perpendicular：
JULY 6th； complete OPEN…SESAME having come； Freytag and Schmidt duly invited Voltaire to be present at the opening of seals （his and theirs）； and to have his moneys and effects returned from that 〃old trunk〃 he speaks of。 But Voltaire had by this time taken a higher flight。 July 6th； Voltaire was protesting before Notaries； about the unheard…of violence done him； the signal reparations due； and disdained； fo
