Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia

by L. Mühlbach

  CHAPTER XXXI.

  BARON VON STEIN.

  Profound sadness reigned for several weeks at the house of Baron Charlesvon Stein. Tears were in the eyes of his children, and whenever theirmother came from her husband's room and joined them for a moment, theyseemed in her only to seek comfort and hope. But the anxious face of thebaroness became more sorrowful, and the family physician, who visitedthe house several times a day, was more taciturn and grave. Baron vonStein was ill, and his disease was one of those which baffle the skillof the physician, because their seat is to be sought less in the bodythan in the mind. Prussia's misfortunes had prostrated Stein. Sick atheart, and utterly broken down, at the commencement of 1807, after theviolent scene with King Frederick William, he left Koenigsberg, andtravelled slowly toward Nassau. There he met his family, and ever sincelived in retirement. Never in his grief had he uttered a complaint, ormanifested any loss of temper, but his face had become paler, his gaitslower, and indicative of increasing weakness and exhaustion. He yieldedat last to the tears of his wife, and the repeated remonstrances of hisphysician, to submit to medical treatment.

  But medicine did not restore him; his strength decreased, and the feverwrecking his body grew more violent. The disease had recently, however,assumed a definite character; the news of the disaster of Friedland, andof the humiliating treaty of Tilsit, had violently shaken hisconstitution, and the physician was now able to discern the truecharacter of the malady and give it a name. It was the tertian feverwhich alternately reddened and paled the baron's cheeks, at timesparalyzing his clear, powerful mind, or moving his lips to utterunmeaning words, the signs of his delirium.

  Baron von Stein had just undergone another attack of his dangerousdisease. All night long his devoted wife had watched at his bedside, andlistened despondingly to his groans, his fantastic expressions, hislaughter and lamentations. In the morning the sufferer had grown calmer;consciousness had returned, and his eyes sparkled again withintelligence. The fever had left him, but he was utterly prostrated. Thephysician had just paid him a visit, and examined his condition insilence. "Dear doctor," whispered the baroness, as he was departing,"you find my husband very ill, I suppose? Oh, I read it in your face; Iperceive from your emotion that you have not much hope of his recovery!"And the tears she knew how to conceal in the sick-room fell withoutrestraint.

  "He is very ill," said the physician, thoughtfully, "but I do notbelieve his case to be entirely hopeless; for an unforeseen circumstancemay come to our assistance and give his mind some energy, when it willfavorably influence the body. If the body alone were suffering, sciencewould suggest ways and means to cure a disease which, in itself, iseasily overcome. The tertain fever belongs neither to the dangerousacute diseases nor to any graver class. But, in this case, it is onlythe external eruption of a disease seated in the patient's mind."

  "Whence, then, is recovery to come in these calamitous and depressingtimes?" said the baroness, mournfully. "His grief at the misfortunes ofPrussia is gnawing at his heart, and all the mortifications andmisrepresentations he has suffered at the hands of the very men whom heserved with so much fidelity have pierced his soul like poisoneddaggers. Oh, I shall never pardon the king that he could so bitterlymortify and humble my noble husband, who is enthusiastically devoted toPrussia--that he could mistake his character so grievously, and prefersuch cruel charges against him. He called him--the best, the mostintelligent and reliable of all his servants--a seditious man; hecharged him with being self-willed, stubborn, and proud, and said he wasmischievous and disobedient to the state. Oh, believe me, thataccusation is what troubles Stein! The King of Prussia has humbled hispride so deeply and unjustly, that a reconciliation between them is outof the question. Stein lives, thinks, and grieves only for his country,and yet the insulting vehemence and unfeeling words of the king haverendered it impossible for him ever to reenter the Prussian service. Hesees that his country is sinking every day, and that she is ruined notonly by foreign enemies, but by domestic foes preying at the vitals ofher administration. He would like to help her--he feels that he hasstored up the means to do so in his experience--and yet he cannot. I askyou, therefore, my friend, where is the balm for his wounded soul?"

  "I do not know," said the physician, "but we must get it. Germany hasnot now so many high-minded and courageous men that she could spare one,and the best of them all. The genius of Germany will assuredly find aremedy to save her noble champion, Baron von Stein."

  "Ah, you believe still in the genius of Germany?" asked the baroness,mournfully. "You see all the horrors, the shame, the degradation thatGermany, and especially Prussia, have to suffer! The calamities of ourcountry, then, my friend, have transformed you into a believer, and madeof the rationalist a mystic, believing in miracles? You know I washitherto pious, and a faithful believer, but now I begin to doubt. Now Iask myself anxiously whether there really is a God in heaven, whodirects and ordains every thing, and yet permits us to be thus trampledin the dust."

  "Our duty is, perhaps, to strengthen ourselves by misfortunes," saidthe physician. "Germany was sleeping so profoundly that she could onlybe aroused by calamity, and become fully alive to her degradingposition. But, believe me, she is opening her eyes, and seeking forthose who can help her. She cannot forget Baron von Stein; but must feelthat she stands in need of him."

  "May you be a true prophet!" said the baroness, sighing, "and that yourwords--but hark!" she interrupted herself, "some one is violentlyringing the door-bell! He must be a stranger, for none of the citizenswould announce a visit in so noisy a manner. The inhabitants manifestsympathy for us; many come every morning to inquire about my husband.Without solicitation our neighbors have spread a layer of straw in frontof the house, and along the street, that no noise may disturb thebeloved sufferer, and--"

  Just then the door opened, and a footman stated that a stranger desiredto see the baroness concerning a matter of great importance.

  "Me?" she asked, wonderingly.

  "He asked first for Baron von Stein," replied the footman, "and when Itold him that my master was very ill, he seemed alarmed. But he bade meannounce his visit to the baroness, and tell her that he had made a longjourney, and was the bearer of important news."

  "Admit him, baroness," said the physician; "he brings, perhaps, newsthat may be good for our patient. As for me, permit me to withdraw."

  "No, my dear doctor, you must stay," she said. "You are an intimatefriend of my husband and of my family, and this person cannot have anything to say to me that you may not hear. Besides, your advice andassistance may be necessary; and if the news should be important for myhusband, you ought not to be absent."

  "Well, if you wish me to stay, I will," said the physician; "who knowswhether my hopes may not be presently realized?"

  "Admit the stranger," said the baroness; and he entered a few minutesafterward.

  "High-Chamberlain von Schladen!" she exclaimed, meeting him.

  "You recognize me, then, madame?" asked M. von Schladen. "The memoriesof past times have not altogether vanished in this house, and one mayhope--" At this moment his eyes met the physician, and he paused.

  "Doctor von Waldau," said the baroness, "a faithful friend of myhusband, and at present his indefatigable physician. He is one of us,and you may speak freely in his presence, Mr. Chamberlain."

  "Permit me, then, to apply to you directly, and to ask you whether Baronvon Stein is so ill that I cannot see him about grave and importantbusiness?"

  "The baron is very ill," said the physician, "but there is no immediatedanger; and, as the fever has left him to-day, he will be able toconverse about serious matters--that is to say, if they are not of avery sad and disheartening character."

  "Grief for Prussia's misfortunes is my husband's disease," said thebaroness; "consider well, therefore, if what you intend telling him willaggravate it, or bring him relief. If a change for the better has takenplace--if you bring him the news that that disgraceful treaty of Tilsithas been repudiated, and that the w
ar will continue, it will be asalutary medicine, and, in spite of the warlike character of your news,you will appear as an angel of peace at his bedside. But if you comeonly to confirm the disastrous tidings that have prostrated him, it maycause his death."

  "I do not bring any warlike tidings," said M. von Schladen, sadly; "I donot bring intelligence that the treaty of Tilsit has been repudiated!Hence, I cannot, as you say, appear as an angel of peace. Nevertheless,I do not come croaking of our disasters. I come in the name of, andcommissioned by Prussia, to remind Baron von Stein of the words heuttered to the queen when he took leave of her. You, sir, being hisphysician, are alone able to decide whether I may see him, and lay mycommunication before him. For this reason I must tell you moreexplicitly why I have come. You permit me to do so, I suppose,baroness?"

  "Oh, speak! my heart is yearning for your words!" exclaimed thebaroness.

  "I come to see Baron von Stein, not merely because I long to speak tothe man for whom I entertain so much love and respect," said M. vonSchladen, "but I come in the name of the king and queen. I bring himletters from Minister von Hardenberg, from the Princess Louisa vonRadziwill, and from General Bluecher, and verbal communications from thequeen. I have travelled without taking a moment's rest in order todeliver my letters as soon as possible, and to inform the baron of thewishes of their majesties. And now that I have arrived at mydestination, I find the man sick in bed who is the only hope of Prussia.You will, perhaps, even shut his door against me, and all the greetingsof love, the solicitations and supplications which I bring, will notreach him! It would be a heavy misfortune for Prussia and for thedeeply-afflicted king, who is looking hopefully toward Baron von Stein!"

  "He is looking hopefully toward my husband," exclaimed the baroness,reproachfully, "and yet it was he who insulted the baron in so grievousa manner!"

  "But the king repents of it, and desires to indemnify him for it," saidM. von Schladen. "I come to request Baron von Stein to return toPrussia, and to become once more the king's minister and adviser."

  "Oh," exclaimed the physician, joyfully, "you see now that I am a trueprophet. The genius of Germany has found a remedy to cure our noblesufferer."

  "You permit me, then, to speak to him?" asked M. von Schiaden.

  "I request you to do so," replied the physician. "I demand that you goto him immediately, and speak to him freely and unreservedly. His mindis in need of a vigorous shock to become again conscious of its ownstrength; when it has regained this consciousness, the body will risefrom its prostration."

  "Doctor, I am somewhat afraid," said the baroness, anxiously. "He was oflate so nervous and irritable, you know, that the most triflingoccurrence caused him to tremble and covered his brow with perspiration.I am afraid these stirring communications may make too powerful animpression upon him."

  "Never mind," exclaimed the physician; "let them make a powerfulimpression upon him--let them even cause him to faint--I do not fear theconsequences in the least; on the contrary, I desire them, for the shockof his nervous system will be salutary, and bring about a crisis thatwill lead to his recovery."

  "But, doctor, excuse me, you know he had a raging fever all night, andis exhausted. What good will it do to communicate the news to him? Hecannot obey the king's call, and, at best, weeks must pass beforerecovering sufficiently to attend to state matters."

  "Ah, Baron von Stein accomplishes in days what others perform only inweeks," exclaimed the physician, smiling. "He is one of those men whosemind has complete control of his body. In his case, if you cure the oneyou cure the other."

  "But I doubt whether my husband will accept these offers of the king,"said the baroness, hesitatingly; "he has been insulted too grossly."

  "But he is a patriot in the best sense of the word," said M. vonSchladen; "he will forget personal insult when the welfare of the peopleis at stake."

  "And even though he should not accept," said the physician, "he receivesat least a gratifying satisfaction in the king's offer, and that willassuredly be a balm for his wounds. I shall now go to him once more. Ifhe is entirely free from fever, I will let you come in, and you may tellhim every thing."

  "But you will not go away," said the baroness; "you will stay here, soas to be at hand in case any thing should happen."

  "I shall remain in this room," said the physician, "and you may call meif necessary. Now let me see first how our patient is, and whether I mayannounce M. von Schladen's visit." He hastened back into the sick-roomwithout waiting for a reply; the baroness sank down on a chair, and,folding her trembling hands, prayed fervently. High-Chamberlain vonSchladen looked at the door by which the physician had disappeared, andhis face expressed suspense and impatience.

  At length the door opened again, and the physician appeared on thethreshold. "High-Chamberlain von Schladen," he said aloud, "come in;Baron von Stein awaits you."