按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
At that time； she died！ Youth； happiness； heart were buried； but now； as she looked upon him； the coffin unclosed； the shroud fell back； and the immortal spirits greeted each other with the love of the olden time。
And now； Laura wept no more。 Enthusiasm； inspiration were written upon her face。 She felt no earthly pain； the heavenly peace of the resurrection morning filled her soul。 She arose and approached the prince。 He did not see her； his eyes were closed。 Perhaps he slumbered； perhaps the king of terrors had already pressed his first bewildering kiss upon the pale brow。 Laura bent over and looked upon him。 Her long； dark ringlets fell around his face like a mourning veil。 She listened to his light breathing； and； bowing lower； kissed the poor； wan lips。
He opened his eyes very quietly； without surprise。 Peacefully； joyfully he looked up at her。 And Laurashe asked no longer if that wasted form could be the lover of her youth。 In his eyes she found the long…lost treasurethe love； the youth； the soul of the glorious past。
Slowly the prince raised his arms； and drew her toward him。 She sank down； and laid her head by his cold cheek。 Her hot breath wafted him a new life…current； and seemed to call back his soul from the spirit…world。
For a long time no word was spoken。 How could they speak； in this first consecrated moment？ They felt so much； that language failed。 They lay heart to heart； and only God understood their hollow sighs； their unspoken prayers； their suppressed tears。 Only God was with them！ God sent through the open doors the fresh fragrance of the flowers； He sent the winds； His messengers； through the tall trees； and their wild； melancholy voices were like a solemn organ； accompanying love's last hymn。 In the distant thickets the nightingale raised her melancholy notes； for love's last greeting。 Thus eternal Nature greets the dying sons of men。
God was with His children。 Their thoughts were prayers； their eyes； which at first were fixed upon each other； now turned pleadingly to heaven。
〃I shall soon be there！〃 said Prince Augustus〃soon！ I shall live a true life； and this struggle with death will soon be over。 For sixteen years I have been slowly dying； day by day； hour by hour。 Laura； it has been sixteen years； has it not？〃
She bowed silently。
〃No；〃 said he； gazing earnestly upon her； 〃it was but yesterday。 I know now that it was but yesterday。 You are just the same unchanged； my Laura。 This is the same angel…face which I have carried in my heart。 Nothing is changed； and I thank God for it。 It would have been a great grief to look upon you and find a strange face by my side。 This is my Laura； my own Laura； who left me sixteen years ago。 And now； look at me steadily； see what life has made of me； see how it has mastered metortured me to death with a thousand wounds！ I call no man my murderer； but I die of these wounds。 Oh； Laura！ why did you forsake me？ Why did you not leave this miserable； hypocritical； weary world of civilization； and follow me to the New World； where the happiness of a true life awaited us？〃
〃I dared not；〃 said she； 〃God demanded this offering of me； and because I loved you boundlessly I was strong to submit。 God also knows what it cost me； and how these many years I have struggled with my heart； and tried to learn to forget。〃
〃Struggle no longer； Laura； I am dying； when I am dead you dare not forget me。〃
She embraced him with soft tenderness。
〃No； no；〃 whispered she； 〃God is merciful！ He will not rob me of the only consolation of my joyless； solitary life。 I had only this。 To think he lives； he breathes the same air； he looks up into the same heavensthe same quiet stars greet him and me。 And a day will come in which millions of men will shout and call him their king； and when I look upon his handsome face； and see him in the midst of his people； surrounded by pomp and splendor； I dare say to myself； That is my work。 I loved him more than I loved myself； therefore he wears a crownI had the courage not only to die for him； but to live without him； and therefore is he a king。 Oh； my beloved； say not that you are dying！〃
〃If you love me truly； Laura； you will not wish me to live。 Indeed I have long been dying。 For sixteen years I have felt the death…worm in my heartit gnaws and gnaws。 I have tried to crush itI wished to live； because I had promised you to bear my burden。 I wished to prove myself a man。 I gave the love which you laid at my feet； bathed in our tears and our blood； to my fatherland。 I was told that I must marry； to promote the interest of my country； and I did so。 I laid a mask over my face； and a mask over my heart。 I wished to play my part in the drama of life to the end； I wished to honor my royal birth to which fate had condemned me。 But it appears I was a bad actor。 I was cast out from my service； my gay uniform and royal star torn from my breast。 I； a prince； was sent home a humiliated； degraded； ragged beggar。 I crept with my misery and my shame into this corner； and no one followed me。 No one showed a spark of love for the poor； spurned cast…away。 Love would have enabled me to overcome all； to defy the world； and to oppose its slanders boldly。 I was left alone to bear my shame and my despairwholly alone。 I have a wife； I have children； and I am alone； they live far away from me； and at the moment of my death they will smile and be happy。 I am the heir of a throne； but a poor beggar； I asked only of fate a little love； but I asked in vain。 Fate had no pityonly when I am dead will I be a prince again； then they will heap honors upon my dead body。 Oh； Laura！ how it burns in my hearthow terrible is this hell…fire of shame！ It eats up the marrow of my bones and devours my brain。 Oh； my head； my head！ how terrible is this pain！〃
With a loud sob he sank back on the pillow； his eyes closed； great drops of sweat stood on his brow； and the breath seemed struggling in his breast。
Laura bowed over him； she wiped away the death…sweat with her hair； and hot tears fell on the poor wan face。 These tears aroused himhe opened his eyes。
〃I have got something to say；〃 whispered he； 〃I feel that I shall soon be well。 When the world says of me； 'He is dead；' I shall have just awaked from death。 There above begins the true life； what is here so called is only a pitiful prologue。 We live here only that we may learn to wish for death。 Oh； my Laura！ I shall soon live； love； and be happy。〃
〃Oh； take me with you； my beloved；〃 cried Laura； kneeling before him； dissolved in tears。 〃Leave me not aloneit is so sad； so solitary in this cold world！ Take me with you； my beloved！〃
He heard her not！ Death had already touched him with the point of his dark wings； and spread his mantle over him。 His spirit struggled with the exhausted body and panted to escape。 He no longer heard when Laura called； but he still lived： his eyes were wide open and he spoke again。 But they were single； disconnected words； which belonged to the dreamland and the forms of the invisible world which his almost disembodied spirit now looked upon。
Once he said； in a loud voice； and this time he looked with full consciousness upon Laura； 〃I close my lifea life of sorrow。 Winterfeldt has shortened my days； but I die content in knowing that so bad； so dangerous a man is no longer in the army。〃 ＇Footnote： The prince's own words。 He died the 12th of June； 1758； at thirty…six years of age。 As his adjutant； Von Hagen； brought the news of his death to the king； Frederick asked； 〃Of what disease did my brother die？〃
〃Grief and shame shortened his life；〃 said the officer。 Frederick turned his back on him without a reply； and Von Hagen was never promoted。
The king erected a monument to Winterfeldt； Ziethen； and Schwerin； but he left it to his brother Henry to erect one to the Prince of Prussia。 This was done in Reinenz； where a lofty pyramid was built in honor of the heroes of the Seven Years' War。 The names of all the generals； and all the battles they had gained were engraven upon it； and it was crowned by a bust of Augustus William； the great… grandfather of the present King of Prussia。
The king erected a statue to Winterfeldt； and forgot his brother； and now Prince Henry forgot to place