FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   271   272   273   274   275   276   277   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   291   292   293   294   295  
296   297   298   299   300   301   302   303   304   305   306   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320   >>   >|  
u tell me where I may find this man?" While M. von Schladen was speaking, Stein slowly raised his head to listen. His countenance had undergone a marvellous change; his features had regained their wonted expression, and his eyes beamed with energy. "Your excellency," asked Schladen again, "can you tell me where I may find this man for whom all Prussia is calling?" "You have not yet told me his name," whispered Baron von Stein. "To find him it is necessary to know his name." "His name is on this letter which the Princess von Radziwill requested me to deliver to him," said Schladen, taking one from his memorandum-book, and handing it to the patient. Baron von Stein quickly took it, and, on looking at the superscription, he muttered, "My name! my name is on the letter!" "And it is your name that is now on all Prussian lips--that the queen is calling from afar--that the king--" "Ah," interrupted Baron von Stein, "the king has insulted me too deeply; I should almost dishonor myself if I forget it!" "You will shed the most radiant honor on your name by forgiving it," exclaimed M. de Schladen. "The king has commissioned me to tell you that he hopes in you alone. He will intrust to you the department of the interior and of finance; he assures you of his most implicit confidence; he promises never to allude again to what has passed between him and you. Here, your excellency, is a communication from Minister von Hardenberg, which will confirm all I have said." He laid another letter on the table. Baron von Stein took it and looked at the address with a faint smile. "It is Hardenberg's handwriting," he said; "he is a genuine courtier, and takes it always for granted that the king's will is a sacred law for every one. He calls me already 'Prussian Minister of Finance.' And the queen?" he then asked, raising his eyes to M. von Schladen. "What does she say? Does she believe, too, that I can forget, forgive, and return?" "The queen believes it, because she wishes it, your excellency. 'Stein is my last consolation,' she said to me when I took leave of her. 'Being a man of magnanimity and the keenest sagacity, he may be able to discover ways and means of saving the country that are as yet concealed from us. Tell him that, when he comes, the sun will rise again for me; tell him to remember the sacred vow I received from him to stand faithfully by us, and to come when Prussia stands in need of him, and calls him to he
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   271   272   273   274   275   276   277   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   291   292   293   294   295  
296   297   298   299   300   301   302   303   304   305   306   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Schladen

 

excellency

 

letter

 

Minister

 
Hardenberg
 

forget

 

Prussian

 

sacred

 
Prussia
 

calling


genuine
 
handwriting
 

courtier

 

granted

 

received

 

remember

 

confirm

 

communication

 

stands

 

faithfully


address
 

looked

 

raising

 

discover

 

consolation

 

wishes

 
return
 
believes
 

keenest

 
magnanimity

passed

 

forgive

 
concealed
 

sagacity

 

Finance

 
country
 
saving
 

deeply

 

whispered

 

energy


Princess

 

memorandum

 

handing

 
taking
 

deliver

 
Radziwill
 

requested

 

beamed

 

expression

 
slowly