登陆注册
14812200000342

第342章

Prince Alexander, Imperial General against the Turks, and Heir-Apparent of Wurtemberg withal, can speak of many things,--hardly much of his serene Cousin the reigning Duke; whose health is in a too interesting state, the good though unlucky man. Of the Gravenitz sitting now in limbo, or travelling about disowned, TOUJOURS UN LAVEMENT SES TROUSSES, let there be deep silence.

But the Prince Alexander can answer abundantly on other heads.

He comes to his inheritance a few months hence; actual reigning Duke, the poor serene Cousin having died: and perhaps we shall meet, him transiently again.

He is Ancestor of the Czars of Russia, this Prince Alexander, who is now dining here in the body, along with Friedrich Wilhelm and Prince Eugene: Paul of Russia, unbeautiful Paul, married the second time, from Mumpelgard (what the French call Montbeillard, in Alsace), a serene Grand-daughter of his, from whom come the Czars,--thanks to her or not. Prince Alexander is Ancestor withal of our present "Kings of Wurtemberg," if that mean anything:

Father (what will mean something) to the serene Duke, still in swaddling-clothes, [Born 21st January, 1732; Carl Eugen the name of him (Michaelis, iii. 450).] who will be son-in-law to Princess Wilhelmina of Baireuth (could your Majesty foresee it); and will do strange pranks in the world, upon poet Schiller and others.

Him too, and Brothers of his, were they born and become of size, we shall meet. A noticeable man, and not without sense, this Prince Alexander; who is now of a surety eating with us,--as we find by the extinct <italic> Morning Post <end italic> in Fassmann's old Book.

Of the others eating figures, Stahrembergs, Sternbergs, Kinsky Ambassador to England, Kinsky Ambassador to France, high Austrian dignitaries, we shall say nothing;--who would listen to us?

Hardly can the Hof-Kanzler Count von Sinzendorf, supreme of Aulic men, who holds the rudder of Austrian State-Policy, and probably feels himself loaded with importance beyond most mortals now eating here or elsewhere,--gain the smallest recognition from oblivious English readers of our time. It is certain he eats here on this occasion; and to his Majesty he does not want for importance. His Majesty, intent on Julich and Berg and other high matters, spends many hours next day, in earnest private dialogue with him. We mention farther, with satisfaction, that Grumkow and Ordnance-Master Seckendorf are both on the list, and all our Prussian party, down to Hacke of the Potsdam grenadiers, friend Schulenburg visibly eating among the others. Also that the dinner was glorious (HERRLICH), and ended about five. [Fassmann, p. 474.]

After which his Majesty went to two evening parties, of a high order, in the Hradschin Quarter or elsewhere; cards in the one (unless you liked to dance, or grin idle talk from you), and supper in the other.

His Majesty amused himself for four other days in Prag, interspersing long earnest dialogues with Sinzendorf, with whom he spent the greater part of Saturday, [Pollnitz, ii. 411.]--results as to Julioh and Berg of a rather cloudy nature. On Saturday came the Kaiser, too, and Kaiserinn, to their high Nouse, the Schloss in Prag; and there occurred, in the incognito form, "as if by accident," three visits or counter-visits, two of them of some length. The King went dashing about; saw, deliberately or in glimpses, all manner of things,--from "the Military Hospital" to "the Tongue of St. Nepomuk" again. Nepomuk, an imaginary Saint of those parts; pitched into the Moldau, as is fancied and fabled, by wicked King Wenzel (King and Deposed-Kaiser, whom we have heard of), for speaking and refusing to speak; Nepomuk is now become the Patron of Bridges, in consequence; stands there in bronze on the Bridge of Prag; and still shows a dried Tongue in the world:

[<italic> Die Legende vom heiligen Johann von Nepomuk, <end italic> von D. Otto Abel (Berlin, 1855); an acute bit of Historical Criticism.] this latter, we expressly find, his Majesty saw.

On Sunday, his Majesty, nothing of a strait-laced man, attended divine or quasi-divine worship in the Cathedral Churoh,--where high Prince Bishops delivered PALLIUMS, did histrionisms;"manifested the ABSURDITAT of Papistry" more or less. Coming out of the Church, he was induced to step in and stie the rooms of the Schloss, or Imperial Palace. In one of the rooms, as if by accident, the Kaiser was found lounging:--"Extremely delighted to see your Majesty!"--and they had the first of their long or considerable dialogues together; purport has not transpired.

The second considerable dialogue was on the morrow, when Imperial Majesty, as if by accident, found himself in the Count-Nostitz Palace, where Friedrich Wilhelm lodges. Delighted to be so fortunate again! Hope your Majesty likes Prag? Eternal friendship, OH JA:--and as to Julich and Berg? Particulars have not transpired.

Prag is a place full of sights: his Majesty, dashing about in all quarters, has a busy time; affairs of state (Julich and Berg principally) alternating with what we now call the LIONS.

Zisca's drum, for instance, in the Arsenal here? Would your Majesty wish to see Zisca's own skin, which he bequeathed to be a drum when HE had done with it? "NARRENPOSSEN!"--for indeed the thing is fabulous, though in character with Zisca. Or the Council-Chamber window, out of which "the Three Prag Projectiles fell into the Night of things," as a modern Historian expresses it?

Three Official Gentlemen, flung out one morning, [13th (23d) May, 1618 (Kohler, p. 507).] 70 feet, but fell on "sewerage," and did not die, but set the whole world on fire? That is too certain, as his Majesty knows: that brought the crowning of the Winter-King, Battle of the Weissenberg, Thirty-Years War; and lost us Jagerndorf and much else.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 武神界

    武神界

    天启大陆,上古封魔一战后天道规则破碎,阻断无数高手成神之路,随而天道演变极致诞生搂髡,搂髡非人非兽非妖非魔,却身怀大道规则碎片,一手抵御大陆尽头赫连山外深幽魔窟的魔族入侵,一手建立楼中楼势力阻抗大陆群雄的窥探天道之心。搂髡八转,却在楼中楼快要崩毁的时期,一个孤儿意外的出现,承载了搂髡九转的天道规则,从而睥睨天下开启了一场与大陆天才的终极争锋,武道九重,天极奥义,魔窟破封,魔主降临,从此整个世界都不好了。
  • 暗夜天骄

    暗夜天骄

    身为“源剑山庄”少主的沈傲本欲一心读书,在家逢巨变之后,仇恨的力量使他成为了一名杀手,从此杀手之路成为了他人生转变的新起.点,他能否站的更高,望的更远......(敬请期待,一切尽在本书)请欣赏片花:一个曾与世无争的少年,一场突然而来的变故。【开头】是仇恨令他放下了手中书本,转而拿起了复仇之剑。【无奈的神伤】当他走过了一段黑暗的人生路,他隐藏了内心的骄傲。【一路扶摇而上】荆棘遍地的道路,不能阻挡他前进的脚步,誓要与天相争。【暗夜即将过去】一次次的战胜自己,让他心中埋下了坚定的信念:暗夜之后,必有骄阳!【黎明中的曙光】———————————————————————————————————————(这是一个少年的辛酸成长史,不喜骚情者,慎入!)
  • 终于远未

    终于远未

    日子就这样过去了,但是初心仍在。就算没有了当初的你,还是还会有下一个这样的你。
  • 念念前世情

    念念前世情

    七位无敌属性max女主,被人困在游戏世界了?!哼,就凭你,老娘要逃出去,不是分分钟的事,不过嘛,逗留一下也不错的样子~
  • 绝世苍龙

    绝世苍龙

    十余载深山隐居,身怀超自然之力。知身世,归都市,入豪门。看似顺利的坦途,却遭遇神秘暗杀,豪门商业之巨头,却不知不觉落败。这神秘暗杀究竟为何,这无故落败又是什么力量在图谋,这世界当中又有多少你所不知道的神秘。绝世苍龙叶少龙将凭借自身不断强大的能力,打造出这个世界上从未有过的传奇!
  • 混沌圣狐的传说

    混沌圣狐的传说

    本书是史上第一本综合小说,有玄幻,有末世,有都市,有科幻,有穿越。剧情极其狗血,你可以看到丧尸和僵尸的恋爱故事,圣人与宇宙舰队对轰!魔王和勇者相爱公主哭晕厕所。本小说由懒癌晚期作家:【油点落寞】赞助播出。落寞:“我不是懒,而是在养精蓄锐!”。还有【逗比联盟】的顶力支持:“我看作者很有前途!”。感谢【柴刀诚哥会】加盟:“目测主角即将和诚哥团聚!”
  • 总制浙闽文檄

    总制浙闽文檄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 腹黑王妃,逆天废柴三小姐

    腹黑王妃,逆天废柴三小姐

    一场意外,令她意外穿越。穿越到丞相府中最不受待见的废物三小姐,好吧,且看她如何完美演绎逆袭二字,掀起一场腥风血雨。在强者路上收获爱情,揭开一场场的阴谋……
  • 公主千岁:拐个王爷来暖床

    公主千岁:拐个王爷来暖床

    他是手握兵权百姓奉信的战神,战无不胜但生性凉薄。她是穿越而来的公主,无才无德且生性无良。当战神与公主遇上了,又将是一场怎样的对决呢?场景一:“你夺走了本王二十年的清白身子,难道不应该负责吗?”某男微眯眼眸带着一丝不悦。“男欢女爱,你情我愿的,我拒绝负责。”“那本王吃点亏,对你负责好了。”某男凑近某女耳际无赖的说道。场景二:“北辰轩你干嘛摸我屁股?”某女脸色酡红的娇嗔着。“因为为夫想你了,敢不敢应战?”“战就战,who怕who?”于是乎开展了三天三夜的大战……最后某女软趴趴的忍着怒气在床上任由着某男的咸猪手摸来摸去。“北辰轩!老娘跟你没完!”
  • 李安哲学

    李安哲学

    本书运用东西方两种不同哲学传统评析李安导演作品。图书第一部分聚焦李安导演的华语影片中所蕴含的中国传统道、儒及佛教哲学主题;第二部分主要分析了其导演的英语影片中所体现的西方哲学思想主题:然而,全书的终极目标在于探索李安糅合这两种文化、架构中西文化沟通桥梁(即为表现电影主旨内容,策略性的汲取中西文化思想)的电影导演哲学。