the story of mankind-第72章

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who　was　a　very　sensitive　person。　He　had　been　educated　in

the　school　of　the　great　French　philosophers　who　did　not　believe

in　God　but　in　Human　Reason。　But　Reason　alone　could

not　satisfy　the　Emperor　in　his　predicament。　He　began　to

hear　voices　and　see　things。　He　tried　to　find　a　way　by　which

he　could　square　himself　with　his　conscience。　He　became　very

pious　and　began　to　take　an　interest　in　mysticism；　that　strange

love　of　the　mysterious　and　the　unknown　which　is　as　old　as　the

temples　of　Thebes　and　Babylon。



The　tremendous　emotion　of　the　great　revolutionary　era

had　influenced　the　character　of　the　people　of　that　day　in　a

strange　way。　Men　and　women　who　had　lived　through　twenty

years　of　anxiety　and　fear　were　no　longer　quite　normal。　They

jumped　whenever　the　door…bell　rang。　It　might　mean　the　news

of　the　‘‘death　on　the　field　of　honour''　of　an　only　son。　The

phrases　about　‘‘brotherly　love''　and　‘‘liberty''　of　the　Revolution

were　hollow　words　in　the　ears　of　sorely　stricken　peasants。

They　clung　to　anything　that　might　give　them　a　new　hold　on

the　terrible　problems　of　life。　In　their　grief　and　misery　they

were　easily　imposed　upon　by　a　large　number　of　imposters

who　posed　as　prophets　and　preached　a　strange　new　doctrine

which　they　dug　out　of　the　more　obscure　passages　of　the　Book

of　Revelations。



In　the　year　1814；　Alexander；　who　had　already　consulted　a

large　number　of　wonder…doctors；　heard　of　a　new　seeress　who

was　foretelling　the　coming　doom　of　the　world　and　was　exhorting

people　to　repent　ere　it　be　too　late。　The　Baroness　von

Krudener；　the　lady　in　question；　was　a　Russian　woman　of　uncertain

age　and　similar　reputation　who　had　been　the　wife　of　a

Russian　diplomat　in　the　days　of　the　Emperor　Paul。　She　had

squandered　her　husband's　money　and　had　disgraced　him　by

her　strange　love　affairs。　She　had　lived　a　very　dissolute　life

until　her　nerves　had　given　way　and　for　a　while　she　was　not　in

her　right　mind。　Then　she　had　been　converted　by　the　sight　of

the　sudden　death　of　a　friend。　Thereafter　she　despised　all

gaiety。　She　confessed　her　former　sins　to　her　shoemaker；　a

pious　Moravian　brother；　a　follower　of　the　old　reformer　John

Huss；　who　had　been　burned　for　his　heresies　by　the　Council　of

Constance　in　the　year　1415。



The　next　ten　years　the　Baroness　spent　in　Germany　making

a　specialty　of　the　‘‘conversion''　of　kings　and　princes。　To　convince

Alexander；　the　Saviour　of　Europe；　of　the　error　of　his

ways　was　the　greatest　ambition　of　her　life。　And　as　Alexander；

in　his　misery；　was　willing　to　listen　to　anybody　who　brought　him

a　ray　of　hope；　the　interview　was　easily　arranged。　On　the　evening

of　the　fourth　of　June　of　the　year　1815；　she　was　admitted

to　the　tent　of　the　Emperor。　She　found　him　reading　his　Bible。

We　do　not　know　what　she　said　to　Alexander；　but　when　she

left　him　three　hours　later；　he　was　bathed　in　tears；　and　vowed

that　‘‘at　last　his　soul　had　found　peace。''　From　that　day　on　the

Baroness　was　his　faithful　companion　and　his　spiritual　adviser。

She　followed　him　to　Paris　and　then　to　Vienna　and　the　time

which　Alexander　did　not　spend　dancing　he　spent　at　the

Krudener　prayer…meetings。



You　may　ask　why　I　tell　you　this　story　in　such　great　detail？

Are　not　the　social　changes　of　the　nineteenth　century　of　greater

importance　than　the　career　of　an　ill…balanced　woman　who　had

better　be　forgotten？　Of　course　they　are；　but　there　exist　any

number　of　books　which　will　tell　you　of　these　other　things　with

great　accuracy　and　in　great　detail。　I　want　you　to　learn　something

more　from　this　history　than　a　mere　succession　of　facts。

I　want　you　to　approach　all　historical　events　in　a　frame　of　mind

that　will　take　nothing　for　granted。　Don't　be　satisfied　with

the　mere　statement　that　‘‘such　and　such　a　thing　happened　then

and　there。''　Try　to　discover　the　hidden　motives　behind　every

action　and　then　you　will　understand　the　world　around　you

much　better　and　you　will　have　a　greater　chance　to　help　others；

which　（when　all　is　said　and　done）　is　the　only　truly　satisfactory

way　of　living。



I　do　not　want　you　to　think　of　the　Holy　Alliance　as　a　piece

of　paper　which　was　signed　in　the　year　1815　and　lies　dead　and

forgotten　somewhere　in　the　archives　of　state。　It　may　be　forgotten

but　it　is　by　no　means　dead。　The　Holy　Alliance　was

directly　responsible　for　the　promulgation　of　the　Monroe

Doctrine；　and　the　Monroe　Doctrine　of　America　for　the　Americans

has　a　very　distinct　bearing　upon　your　own　life。　That　is

the　reason　why　I　want　you　to　know　exactly　how　this　document

happened　to　come　into　existence　and　what　the　real　motives　were

underlying　this　outward　manifestation　of　piety　and　Christian

devotion　to　duty。



The　Holy　Alliance　was　the　joint　labour　of　an　unfortunate

man　who　had　suffered　a　terrible　mental　shock　and　who　was

trying　to　pacify　his　much…disturbed　soul；　and　of　an　ambitious

woman　who　after　a　wasted　life　had　lost　her　beauty　and　her

attraction　and　who　satisfied　her　vanity　and　her　desire　for

notoriety　by　assuming　the　role　of　self…appointed　Messiah　of　a

new　and　strange　creed。　I　am　not　giving　away　any　secrets

when　I　tell　you　these　details。　Such　sober　minded　people　as

Castlereagh；　Metternich　and　Talleyrand　fully　understood

the　limited　abilities　of　the　sentimental　Baroness。　It　would　have

been　easy　for　Metternich　to　send　her　back　to　her　German

estates。　A　few　lines　to　the　almighty　commander　of　the　imperial

police　and　the　thing　was　done。



But　France　and　England　and　Austria　depended　upon　the

good…will　of　Russia。　They　could　not　afford　to　offend　Alexander。

And　they　tolerated　the　silly　old　Baroness　because　they

had　to。　And　while　they　regarded　the　Holy　Alliance　as　utter

rubbish　and　not　worth　the　paper　upon　which　it　was　written；

they　listened　patiently　to　the　Tsar　when　he　read　them　the　first

rough　draft　of　this　attempt　to　create　the　Brotherhood　of　Men

upon　a　basis　of　the　Holy　Scriptures。　For　this　is　what　the

Holy　Alliance　tried　to　do；　and　the　signers　of　the　document

solemnly　declared　that　they　would　‘‘in　the　administration　of

their　respective　states　and　in　their　political　relations　with　every

other　government　take　for　their　sole　guide　the　precepts　of　that

Holy　Religion；　namely　the　precepts　of　Justice；　Christian

Charity　and　Peace；　which　far　from　being　applicable　only　to

private　concerns　must　have　an　immediate　influence　on　the

councils　of　princes；　and　must　guide　all　their　steps　as　being　the

only　means　of　consolidating　human　institutions　and　remedying

their　imperfections。''　They　then　proceeded　to　promise　each

other　that　they　would　remain　united　‘‘by　the　bonds　of　a　true

and　indissoluble　fraternity；　and　considering　each　other　as

fellow…countrymen；　they　would　on　all　occasions　and　in　all　places

lend　each　other　aid　and　assistance。''　And　more　words　to　the

same　effect。



Eventually　the　Holy　Alliance　was　signed　by　the　Emperor

of　Austria；　who　did　not　understand　a　word　of　it。　It　was　signed

by　the　Bourbons　who　needed　the　friendship　of　Napoleon's　old

enemies。　It　was　signed　by　the　King　of　Prussia；　who　hoped　to

gain　Alexander　for　his　plans　for　a　‘‘greater　Prussia；''　and　by

all　the　little　nations　of　Europe　who　were　at　the　mercy　of　Russia。

England　never　signed；　because　Castlereagh　thought　the

whole　thing　buncombe。　The　Pope　did　not　sign　because　he

resented　this　interference　in　his　business　by　a　Greek…Orthodox

and　a　Protestant。　And　the　Sultan　did　not　sign　because　he

never　heard　of　it。



The　general　mass　of　the　European　people；　however；　soon

were　forced　to　take　notice。　Behind　the　hollow　phrases　of　the

Holy　Alliance　stood　the　armies　of　the　Quintuple　Alliance

which　Metternich　had　created　among　the　great　powers。　These

armies　meant　business。　They　let　it　be　known　that　the　peace

of　Europe　must　not　be　disturbed　by　the　so…called　liberals　who

were　in　reality　nothing　but　disguised　Jacobins；　and　hoped　for

a　return　of　the　revolutionary　days。　The　enthusiasm　for　the

great　wars　of　liberation　of　the　years　1812；　1818；　1814　and

1815　had　begun　to　wear　off。　It　had　been　followed　by