vanity fair(名利场)-第198章

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its　western　frontier　bidding　defiance　to　Prussia；　from
Grogwitz；　where　the　Prince　has　a　hunting…lodge；　and
where　his　dominions　are　separated　by　the　Pump　River
from　those　of　the　neighbouring　Prince　of　Potzenthal；　from
all　the　little　villages；　which　besides　these　three　great
cities；　dot　over　the　happy　principalityfrom　the　farms
and　the　mills　along　the　Pump　come　troops　of　people　in
red　petticoats　and　velvet　head…dresses；　or　with　three…
cornered　hats　and　pipes　in　their　mouths；　who　flock　to　the
Residenz　and　share　in　the　pleasures　of　the　fair　and　the
festivities　there。　　Then　the　theatre　is　open　for　nothing；
then　the　waters　of　Monblaisir　begin　to　play　（it　is　lucky
that　there　is　company　to　behold　them；　for　one　would　be
afraid　to　see　them　alone）then　there　come　mountebanks
and　riding　troops　（the　way　in　which　his　Transparency
was　fascinated　by　one　of　the　horse…riders　is　well　known；
and　it　is　believed　that　La　Petite　Vivandiere；　as　she　was
called；　was　a　spy　in　the　French　interest）；　and　the　delighted
people　are　permitted　to　march　through　room　after　room
of　the　Grand　Ducal　palace　and　admire　the　slippery
floor；　the　rich　hangings；　and　the　spittoons　at　the
doors　of　all　the　innumerable　chambers。　　There　is　one
Pavilion　at　Monblaisir　which　Aurelius　Victor　XV　had
arrangeda　great　Prince　but　too　fond　of　pleasureand
which　I　am　told　is　a　perfect　wonder　of　licentious　elegance。
It　is　painted　with　the　story　of　Bacchus　and　Ariadne；　and
the　table　works　in　and　out　of　the　room　by　means　of　a
windlass；　so　that　the　company　was　served　without　any
intervention　of　domestics。　　But　the　place　was　shut　up　by
Barbara；　Aurelius　XV's　widow；　a　severe　and　devout
Princess　of　the　House　of　Bolkum　and　Regent　of　the　Duchy
during　her　son's　glorious　minority；　and　after　the　death
of　her　husband；　cut　off　in　the　pride　of　his　pleasures。
The　theatre　of　Pumpernickel　is　known　and　famous　in
that　quarter　of　Germany。　　It　languished　a　little　when　the
present　Duke　in　his　youth　insisted　upon　having　his　own
operas　played　there；　and　it　is　said　one　day；　in　a　fury；
from　his　place　in　the　orchestra；　when　he　attended　a
rehearsal；　broke　a　bassoon　on　the　head　of　the　Chapel
Master；　who　was　conducting；　and　led　too　slow；　and　during
which　time　the　Duchess　Sophia　wrote　domestic　comedies；
which　must　have　been　very　dreary　to　witness。　　But　the
Prince　executes　his　music　in　private　now；　and　the　Duchess
only　gives　away　her　plays　to　the　foreigners　of　distinction
who　visit　her　kind　little　Court。
It　is　conducted　with　no　small　comfort　and　splendour。
When　there　are　balls；　though　there　may　be　four
hundred　people　at　supper；　there　is　a　servant　in　scarlet　and
lace　to　attend　upon　every　four；　and　every　one　is　served
on　silver。　　There　are　festivals　and　entertainments　going
continually　on；　and　the　Duke　has　his　chamberlains　and
equerries；　and　the　Duchess　her　mistress　of　the　wardrobe
and　ladies　of　honour；　just　like　any　other　and　more
potent　potentates。
The　Constitution　is　or　was　a　moderate　despotism；
tempered　by　a　Chamber　that　might　or　might　not　be
elected。　　I　never　certainly　could　hear　of　its　sitting　in　my　time
at　Pumpernickel。　　The　Prime　Minister　had　lodgings　in　a
second　floor；　and　the　Foreign　Secretary　occupied　the
comfortable　lodgings　over　Zwieback's　Conditorey。　　The
army　consisted　of　a　magnificent　band　that　also　did　duty
on　the　stage；　where　it　was　quite　pleasant　to　see　the
worthy　fellows　marching　in　Turkish　dresses　with　rouge　on
and　wooden　scimitars；　or　as　Roman　warriors　with
ophicleides　and　trombonesto　see　them　again；　I　say；　at
night；　after　one　had　listened　to　them　all　the　morning　in
the　Aurelius　Platz；　where　they　performed　opposite　the
cafe　where　we　breakfasted。　　Besides　the　band；　there　was
a　rich　and　numerous　staff　of　officers；　and；　I　believe；　a
few　men。　　Besides　the　regular　sentries；　three　or　four　men；
habited　as　hussars；　used　to　do　duty　at　the　Palace；　but　I
never　saw　them　on　horseback；　and　au　fait；　what　was　the
use　of　cavalry　in　a　time　of　profound　peace？and　whither
the　deuce　should　the　hussars　ride？
Everybodyeverybody　that　was　noble　of　course；　for
as　for　the　bourgeois　we　could　not　quite　be　expected　to
take　notice　of　THEMvisited　his　neighbour。　　H。　　E。　　Madame
de　Burst　received　once　a　week；　H。　　E。　　Madame　de
Schnurrbart　had　her　nightthe　theatre　was　open　twice
a　week；　the　Court　graciously　received　once；　so　that　a
man's　life　might　in　fact　be　a　perfect　round　of　pleasure　in
the　unpretending　Pumpernickel　way。
That　there　were　feuds　in　the　place；　no　one　can　deny。
Politics　ran　very　high　at　Pumpernickel；　and　parties　were
very　bitter。　　There　was　the　Strumpff　faction　and　the
Lederlung　party；　the　one　supported　by　our　envoy　and　the
other　by　the　French　Charge　d'Affaires；　M。　　de　Macabau。
Indeed　it　sufficed　for　our　Minister　to　stand　up　for
Madame　Strumpff；　who　was　clearly　the　greater　singer　of　the
two；　and　had　three　more　notes　in　her　voice　than　Madame
Lederlung　her　rivalit　sufficed；　I　say；　for　our　Minister　to
advance　any　opinion　to　have　it　instantly　contradicted
by　the　French　diplomatist。
Everybody　in　the　town　was　ranged　in　one　or　other　of
these　factions。　　The　Lederlung　was　a　prettyish　little
creature　certainly；　and　her　voice　（what　there　was　of　it）　was
very　sweet；　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　the　Strumpff　was
not　in　her　first　youth　and　beauty；　and　certainly　too　stout；
when　she　came　on　in　the　last　scene　of　the　Sonnambula；
for　instance；　in　her　night…chemise　with　a　lamp　in　her
hand；　and　had　to　go　out　of　the　window；　and　pass　over
the　plank　of　the　mill；　it　was　all　she　could　do　to
squeeze　out　of　the　window；　and　the　plank　used　to　bend
and　creak　again　under　her　weightbut　how　she　poured
out　the　finale　of　the　opera！　　and　with　what　a　burst　of
feeling　she　rushed　into　Elvino's　armsalmost　fit　to
smother　him！　　Whereas　the　little　Lederlungbut　a　truce
to　this　gossipthe　fact　is　that　these　two　women　were
the　two　flags　of　the　French　and　the　English　party　at
Pumpernickel；　and　the　society　was　divided　in　its
allegiance　to　those　two　great　nations。
We　had　on　our　side　the　Home　Minister；　the　Master　of
the　Horse；　the　Duke's　Private　Secretary；　and　the　Prince's
Tutor；　whereas　of　the　French　party　were　the　Foreign
Minister；　the　Commander…in…Chief's　Lady；　who　had
served　under　Napoleon；　and　the　Hof…Marschall　and　his
wife；　who　was　glad　enough　to　get　the　fashions　from
Pans；　and　always　had　them　and　her　caps　by　M。　　de
Macabau's　courier。　　The　Secretary　of　his　Chancery　was　little
Grignac；　a　young　fellow；　as　malicious　as　Satan；　and　who
made　caricatures　of　Tapeworm　in　all　the…albums　of　the
place。
Their　headquarters　and　table　d'hote　were　established
at　the　Pariser　Hof；　the　other　inn　of　the　town；　and　though；
of　course；　these　gentlemen　were　obliged　to　be　civil　in
public；　yet　they　cut　at　each　other　with　epigrams　that
were　as　sharp　as　razors；　as　I　have　seen　a　couple　of
wrestlers　in　Devonshire；　lashing　at　each　other's　shins
and　never　showing　their　agony　upon　a　muscle　of　their
faces。　　Neither　Tapeworm　nor　Macabau　ever　sent　home
a　dispatch　to　his　government　without　a　most　savage
series　of　attacks　upon　his　rival。　　For　instance；　on　our　side
we　would　write；　〃The　interests　of　Great　Britain　in　this
place；　and　throughout　the　whole　of　Germany；　are　perilled
by　the　continuance　in　office　of　the　present　French　envoy；
this　man　is　of　a　character　so　infamous　that　he　will　stick
at　no　falsehood；　or　hesitate　at　no　crime；　to　attain　his
ends。　　He　poisons　the　mind　of　the　Court　against　the
English　minister；　represents　the　conduct　of　Great　Britain　in
the　most　odious　and　atrocious　light；　and　is　unhappily
backed　by　a　minister　whose　ignorance　and　necessities
are　as　notorious　as　his　influence　is　fatal。〃　On　their　side
they　would。say；　〃M。　　de　Tapeworm　continues　his
system　of　stupid　insular　arrogance　and　vulgar　falsehood
against　the　greatest　nation　in　the　world。　　Yesterday　he
was　heard　to　speak　lightly　of　Her　Royal　Highness　Madame
the　Duchess　of　Berri；　on　a　former　occasion　he　insulted
the　heroic　Duke　of　Angouleme　and　dared　to　insinuate
that　H。R。H。　　the　Duke　of　Orleans　was　conspiring　against
the　august　throne　of　the　lilies。　　His　gold　is　prodigated　in
every　direction　which　his　stupid　menaces　fail　to　frighten。
By　one　and　the　other；　he　has　won　over　creatures　of　the
Court　herean