Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia

by L. Mühlbach

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  BARON VON STEIN.

  On the same day, after the king had given an audience to Grand-MarshalDuroc, and informed him that he rejected the treaty of Charlottenburg,he instructed Koeckeritz and Beyme to offer the department of foreignaffairs to Baron von Stein. But the baron had declined, declaring he wasunable to fill so difficult a position--that he lacked the necessaryknowledge of affairs and forms and the requisite skill in applying themso as to discharge the duties of so high an office in an efficientmanner. The king, however, did not accept this refusal. He caused newoffers to be made to him--requesting him to take charge of thedepartment at least temporarily, and promising him a large salary,besides eight thousand dollars annually for household expenses. ButBaron von Stein did not allow himself to be tempted by the brilliancy ofthe position, or the large compensation. He adhered to hisdetermination, and declined a second time, proposing to the king toappoint in his place, as minister of foreign affairs, Count vonHardenberg, that experienced and skillful statesman.

  The king shook his head indignantly, and bit his lips, as he wasaccustomed to do whenever he was angry. "Tell Baron von Stein to come tome," he said to General von Koeckeritz. "I will speak to him myself."

  General von Koeckeritz hastened away, and an hour afterward Baron vonStein entered the king's cabinet. Frederick William was slowly pacinghis room, with his hands joined behind him. He apparently did not noticethe baron's arrival, and passed him repeatedly without greeting or evenlooking at him. The minister, who at first had stood respectfully nearthe door, waiting to be accosted by the king, tired of this longsilence, turned to the paintings hanging on the wall, and, whilecontemplating them, passing from one to another, happened to pushagainst a chair, which made a loud noise.

  The king was aroused from his meditation. He stood still before Baronvon Stein, and looked with a stern air into his manly face. "I offeredyou twice the department of foreign affairs," he said, in his dry,abrupt manner. "Why did you not accept it?"

  "Your majesty, because I did not feel capable of filling it," repliedStein, calmly, "and because there are worthier men who are betterqualified for it."

  The king shook his head. "Subterfuges!" he said. "Firm and bold men,such as you, do not undervalue their own importance, but appreciate itcorrectly. In days so grave as these, it is necessary for every one tobe sincere. I want to be informed why you reject my offer. I have aright to insist on knowing your reasons. I am king still, and I believemy functionaries owe me an explanation when refusing to undertake a taskwhich I ask them to perform. Speak, and tell me your reasons. I commandyou to do so."

  "Your majesty," said Stein, with cold, proud equanimity, "suppose, inorder to comply with your command, I should allege some pretext or otherin lieu of my real reasons, and, like Count von Haugwitz, base myrefusal on my pretended ill-health? How would your majesty be able toknow whether I was sincere or not? Even kings are not capable of lookinginto the hearts of men, and no orders can reveal secrets if we desire toconceal them. But I do not wish to hide my thoughts from your majesty.In compliance with your request, I will lay my reasons freely andsincerely before you. But, before doing so, I must ask your majesty togrant me two things."

  "Well, what are they?" inquired the king, quickly.

  "In the first place, I beg leave to be seated, for I have been ill, andam still weak."

  The king sat down on the divan and pointed to an easy-chair standingnear. "Take a seat, and tell me your second request."

  "I must beg your majesty graciously to pardon my frankness, in case mywords should not meet with your approval or should appear too bold andrash."

  "I wish to know the truth, and must, therefore, have the courage to hearit," said the king. "Why did you decline?"

  "Your majesty, my first reason, though you refused to believe it, is andremains, that I regard Count von Hardenberg as much better qualifiedthan myself to take charge of the department of foreign affairs, becausehe enjoys the confidence of those courts with which your majesty intendskeeping up friendly relations. Count von Hardenberg, moreover, has theconfidence of your people, who, wherever they are permitted to do so,are loudly expressing themselves in his favor, and would consider thissalutary appointment a consolation and hope for the future. It seemsunbecoming in me to accept an office that should be intrusted to aminister distinguished for his faithful services in this department,and, under the present circumstances perhaps, highly influential alreadyby his very name."

  "Go on, go on," said the king, impatiently. "Say no more aboutHardenberg. Tell me your other reasons."

  "Sire, my second reason is that, even though I accept the position, Ishould be unable to accomplish in it what I should deem necessary forthe welfare of the state. Your majesty, so long as there is no free anddirect intercourse between you and your ministers--so long as there is acabinet government in existence, separating the king from his ministers,and exercising an injurious influence on the relations of the lattertoward the subordinate officers in their departments, your ministerscannot hope to promote the welfare of the state, and to introduce andcarry out such measures as they deem indispensable for the bestinterests of the people. Your majesty's ministers have long sincerecognized and felt the disastrous influence of this government which iswatching with the utmost jealousy at the door of your cabinet, andkeeping every minister from it and from direct intercourse with you.They were silent so long as Prussia appeared to be in prosperouscircumstances, and the inward germs of her degeneracy and decay couldbe concealed by a semblance of justice. But now every illusion of thischaracter has been rudely dissipated, and it is time to beseech yourmajesty to abolish a system during the existence of which the calamitouscondition of our state has constantly and hopelessly increased. Fearfulevents have followed in quick succession, and the Prussian states havebeen plunged into disasters from which they can be restored only by theunited strength of the whole people. But although the ministers arefully conscious of this state of affairs, and though they hold in theirhands the remedies that might save the kingdom, they never would be surethat they can profit by them, for they see between them and the king apower without any well-defined functions, and without responsibility,meddling with every thing and directing nothing--this power can foil theplans of the ministers at any time, reverse their measures, andcounteract their advice."

  "I know very well," said the king, angrily, "that, like Hardenberg, youare constantly on bad terms with Koeckeritz, Beyme, and Lombard, themembers of my cabinet."

  "Sire, I do not attack persons, but privileges," said Stein, gravely."If your majesty dismiss those gentlemen and select others, there wouldbe no change for the better. If you do not permit the ministers toconsult you directly concerning the affairs of their departments--if youdo not reestablish the council of state, and abolish the irresponsiblecabinet, the position of your minister of foreign affairs would remainas it is now--an empty shadow. But if your majesty should gather yourministers around you as a regular council of state, and direct theirloyal plans and counsels with that fatherly love for your subjects whichyou have manifested at all times, such a step would strengthen theconfidence of your allies, restore the courage of the oppressed nation,inspire the conquered provinces with the determination of shrinking fromno danger in order to deliver themselves from the yoke of the oppressor,and counteract, in the countries remaining as yet intact, thatdiscouragement which cannot but prevent the people from making anyheroic efforts in self-defence. Such, sire," added Stein, drawing a deepbreath, "are my honest opinions and convictions. I lay them before yourmajesty with the sincerity and earnestness which the threatening stateof affairs renders it incumbent on me to manifest. My determination toshare the fate of the monarchy, and of your majesty's house, whatevermay be in store for them, is well known. But if you are unwilling togive up a system that I am satisfied has already brought so manycalamities upon the country, and will continue to do so--if the cabinetis to remain, and if the council of state, without which I believePrussia can
not be saved, is not organized--I most humbly beg yourmajesty to accept my refusal."

  "You want to threaten me!" exclaimed the king. "You think, perhaps, youare alone able to save Prussia?"

  "No, your majesty," said Stein, looking the king in the face; "no, Ionly believe that the present cabinet government is destined to ruinher."

  The king looked down for a while musingly. "Well, what is your ideaabout the new council of state which you propose?" he asked after apause. "Who is to belong to it? What is to be its object?"

  "Its object is to be the intermediate voice between the people and theking; to lay before him the laws and ordinances, in order to obtain hisapproval and signature; to publish such of them as he has sanctioned,and to be responsible to him for the administration of the country. Butfor all these reasons it would be indispensable that the ministersshould be admitted to the king at any time, and be consulted as to anyresolutions which he would take and in reference to any changes he woulddecide upon in the general policy of the government. The ministers offoreign affairs, of war, and of finance, would form the nucleus of thiscouncil, and be as much as possible near the king's person. If yourmajesty should travel, one of them at least would have to accompanyyou."

  "That is to say, you would depose me," said the king, a deep blushmantling his cheeks. "The ministers are to govern alone, and I am tohave only the right of being a sort of writing-machine to sign theirdecrees."

  "No, your majesty, the king is to have the deciding voice in regard toevery thing; but he must graciously refrain from deciding any thingwithout having listened to the opinions of his ministers."

  "And if I approve your proposition--if I assemble in my cabinet everyday a council of state, consisting of the ministers," said the king,with seeming calmness, "would you then be inclined to accept theposition I have offered you, and become minister of foreign affairs?"

  "Sire," said Stein, firmly, "it would not be enough for your majesty toappoint new ministers, and hold daily consultations with them, but youwould have also to dismiss, formally and forever, the gentlemen who havehitherto monopolized your confidence. Unless Count von Haugwitz andLombard be dismissed from the civil service--unless Beyme, who issuspected by and disagreeable to the Russian court, and hated by a verylarge majority of our people, be deprived of his present office, theministers cannot rely on any certain efficiency in their positions, andeven the council of state would offer them no guaranty whatever againstthe continued secret cabinet consisting of Messrs, von Haugwitz,Lombard, and Beyme."

  "Enough," exclaimed the king, rising hastily, and pacing the room. "Ihave listened to you to the end, because I wished to see how far youraudacity would go, and to gain a clear insight into your wholecharacter. I was already prejudiced against you. It is true, I knew youwere a thoughtful, talented, and bold man, but, at the same time, Ibelieved you to be somewhat eccentric; in short, I regarded you as a manwho, because he always thinks only his own opinion to be correct, isunable to fill a position in which he would constantly come in conflictwith others, and soon be irritated and discouraged by the clash ofopinions prevailing there. I overcame these prejudices, because I havealways striven to select the servants of the state, not according to thepromptings of personal whims, but of sensible reasons. I was advised toappoint you minister of foreign affairs; and (please take notice of whatI am about to tell you now) those who advised me to do so--those whoadvocated your appointment most strenuously, were precisely the oneswhom you are now attacking, and are bent upon overthrowing. I yielded! Ioffered you the department of foreign affairs. You declined the positionon the pretext of not being familiar enough with the details of thedepartment. Your refusal was greatly embarrassing to me, for I stillbelieved that your services ought to be preserved to the state and tomyself. I overlooked your ungracious refusal, and sent for you to speakfreely and openly with you. I have conversed with you, and now know youbetter!"

  The king, walking up and down, uttered these words with increasingexcitement, and in a voice growing louder and louder, without lookingonce at Stein, who had risen from his seat, and, drawing himself up tohis full height, listened to this angry outburst. The king stood stillbefore him, and, fixing his piercing eyes on the calm, cold face of thebaron, added, "I have found out, to my regret, that my original opinionof your character was not erroneous; that my prejudices against you werejust, and that you ought to be considered an obstinate, refractory, anddisobedient servant of the state, who, boastfully relying on his geniusand talents, so far from aiming at the welfare of his country, isactuated solely by his whims, his passions, and personal hatred. Suchmen are precisely those whose conduct is most injurious to theinterests of the monarchy."

  "Your majesty," exclaimed Stein, impetuously, "your majesty, I--"

  "Silence," ejaculated the king, in an imperious voice, "silence while Iam speaking! I really feel sorry that you have compelled me to speak toyou so plainly and unreservedly; but as you are always boasting of beinga truthful man, I hare told you my opinion in unvarnished language, andwill add that, if you should be unwilling to change your disrespectfulconduct, the state cannot count very confidently of profiting further byyour services."

  "Your majesty, I cannot change my conduct," exclaimed Stein, pale withhidden anger, which he could no longer repress. "As you believe me to bean 'obstinate, refractory, and disobedient servant of the state, who,boastfully relying on his genius and talents, so far from aiming at thewelfare of his country, is actuated solely by his whims, his passions,and personal hatred--'"

  "Ah," interrupted the king, laughing scornfully, "you have an excellentmemory, for I believe you are repeating my own words!"

  "Sire, this will show you that my conduct is not always disrespectful,but that I set so high a value on your royal words that they areimmediately engraved upon my memory," said Baron von Stein, smiling."But, inasmuch as I am also of your majesty's opinion that suchofficials as you have described me to be are most injurious to theinterests of the monarchy, I must request your majesty to accept mydeclination, and I hope it will be granted immediately."

  "You have pronounced your own sentence, and I do not know how to add anything to it!" replied the king.

  Baron von Stein bowed. "I thank your majesty most humbly," he said. "NowI must beg that my dismissal from the service be communicated to me inthe usual form. I have the honor to take leave of your majesty."

  Without waiting for the king's reply, the baron bowed a second time, andleft the room with measured steps. He crossed the anteroom rapidly, andthen entered the apartment contiguous to the hall. A royal _valet dechambre_ hastened to meet him. "Your excellency," he said, "the queenbegs you to be so kind as to go immediately to her. She instructed me towait here till your return from the king, and ordered me to announceyou directly to her majesty."

  "Announce me, then," said Baron von Stein, following the footman with amournful air.

  The queen was in her cabinet, and rose from her divan when Baron vonStein entered. She offered her hand to the minister with a smile. "Ibegged you to come to me," she said, "because I intended to be the firstto wish you--nay, ourselves--joy of your new position. The king hasinformed me that he would intrust the office of Count von Haugwitz toyou, and I tell you truly that this is as a beam of light for me in thegloom of our present circumstances. I know that you are a true andfaithful patriot; that you have the welfare of Prussia, of Germany, andof our dynasty at heart, and that you have the will and the ability tohelp us all--this is the reason why I wish ourselves joy of--"

  "Pardon me, your majesty, for daring to interrupt you," said. Baron vonStein, in a low, melancholy voice; "but I cannot accept yourcongratulations. I was not appointed minister of foreign affairs, butthe king has just granted my request to be dismissed from the service."

  The queen started, and turned pale. "You did not accept the positionwhich the king offered to you?" she asked. "Oh, then I was mistaken inyou, too! There is, alas! no more fidelity or constancy on earth!" Shepressed her hand against her ach
ing forehead, and tottered back a fewsteps, to sink exhausted on the divan.

  Baron von Stein approached, and his face seemed to be radiant withenergy and determination. "No, queen," he said, loudly and firmly--"no;you were not mistaken in me, and if your majesty hitherto believed me tobe a faithful and reliable man, I am sure you only did me justice.Fealty does not change, however, and he who has once been found reliablewill be so forever. No; let me repeat once more, your majesty was notmistaken in me, although I rejected the position offered to me. Ifearlessly and truthfully stated to his majesty the conditions on whichalone I could accept it. The king was unwilling to submit to theseconditions; he was angry at them and reproached me in such a manner asto leave me no choice but to present him my humble declination, which hegranted immediately. I did not refuse his offer because the situation ofthe country frightened me, but because, above all, I had to remainfaithful to myself, and obey the promptings of my conviction. My love,my fealty, my soul, belong to Prussia and the royal dynasty. I retireinto obscurity, and shall wait for the voice of Prussia and of my king.When he calls me--when he can profit by services such as I am ableconscientiously to perform--when he permits me to be faithful to myselfand to my principles, that all my energy and faculties may be devoted tothe welfare of my country, I shall gladly be ready to obey his call andenter upon those services. I would come to him, though from the mostremote regions, and even should death menace me at every step. A trueman does not shrink from danger or death, but from hypocrisy andfalsehood, whether it concerns himself or others; he will not stoop tothe tricks of diplomacy and dally with that which ought to be eitherforcibly removed from his path or carefully avoided, but with which henever ought to enter into compromise or alliance."

  "Now I understand you," said the queen, gently and mournfully. "You didnot wish to enter into an alliance with the secret friends of the Frenchin our suite. The king was unwilling to sacrifice Haugwitz, Beyme, andLombard to you, and hence you withdraw from the service. You did right,and it makes my heart ache to be compelled to admit it. So long as thosethree men are here, there will be a policy of continued vacillation andhesitancy, and what you would do one day those three men would annul thenext. Oh! the king is so generous, so faithful and modest! He believesin the disinterestedness of Minister von Haugwitz, in his honesty andsagacity; for this reason, he will not altogether give him up, and helistens still to his advice, although Haugwitz is no longer at the headof the foreign department. Because the king himself is taciturn, andthinks and feels more in his head and heart than is uttered by his lips,Beyme's eloquence and quick perception fill him with respect; andbecause he is so very modest, and always believes others to be moresagacious than himself, he esteems Lombard's abilities highly, andwishes to preserve his services to the state. You know what I think ofLombard, and that at Stettin I was carried away by my anger at hisconduct, more than was compatible with prudence. I caused the man to bearrested, whom I knew to be ready at that moment to betray me and thewhole of Prussia, and whom I suspected of being in the pay of the Frenchemperor. But you know also that my act was repudiated, and thatimmediate steps were taken to annul it. A special courier was sent toStettin to procure the release of Lombard, and to convey him under asafe-escort to Kuestrin; the messenger even took an autograph letter fromthe king to him, in which his majesty regretted the occurrence asarising from mere mistake. I do not tell you this in order to complainof it, but to show you how deep-rooted is the influence of those men,and how time is required to destroy it. But the time will come--believeme, it will--when Prussia will extend her hand toward you, and need yourstrong arm and firm will. Promise me that you will wait, and not give upto despair--that you will not enter the service of another monarch, sothat, when Prussia calls you, you may be at liberty to respond."

  "I promise it to your majesty," said Stein, solemnly. "I will wait;blessed be the hour when Prussia needs me, and when I shall be able toserve her again!"

  "Yes, blessed be that hour!" exclaimed the queen, and, raising her eyespiously to heaven, she whispered, "God grant that it may come soon, forthen a change in our circumstances will have taken place, and we shallhave passed from present incertitude to firm determination. Oh, how muchdistress--how many disappointments and mortifications--until that changeshall come! May we have strength to bear, and courage to overcome them!"