United States or Uzbekistan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Oh," whispered Hardenberg to himself, sadly and reproachfully, "that time will never come! My hopes are blasted." The king paced the room silently and musingly, with his hands folded behind him. Field-Marshal Kalkreuth and General Kockeritz followed every motion in anxious suspense. Hardenberg cast down his eyes, and his features were expressive of profound grief.
Count Kalkreuth touched his lips to it, and they were so cold that the princess shuddered as if she had been embraced by death itself. It was their last meeting! a cold, formal farewell for life. The count now turned to the prince, who gave him his hand smilingly. "Farewell, count," said he.
Poor prince! You will pay dearly for the wound Kalkreuth received for you. I said, and I repeat it he is lost!" Her husband looked at her as if he feared she had gone mad during his absence. "Of whom do you speak, Louise?" whispered he. "What do you mean? Will you not speak one word of welcome to me to convince me that you know me that I have not become a stranger to you?"
"I believe she belonged to those who expected a great deal from him, and thought him a hero and a powerful enemy of Napoleon? Is it not so, sire?" "Yes," said the king, thoughtfully, "the queen had a great regard for Blucher, and considered him a brave and faithful patriot." "And what did she think of Field-Marshal Kalkreuth?" asked Alexander, with seeming carelessness.
Yet the charm of his conversation, the brilliancy of his intellect kept him always well-friended. And the fortune which favors fools watched over his closing years, and sent the admiring Graf Kalkreuth, an intellectual Silesian nobleman, to dig him out of miserable lodgings, and instal him in his own castle near Freistadt.
Prince Henry arose, glass in hand, and said, in a loud voice: "And now, my guests, I have pleasant news for you; as you are all friends of Count Kalkreuth, what is good news to him will be to you also. His majesty has appointed him lieutenant-general of Prince Frederick William's army corps in Prussia.
"I, unfortunately, do not belong to the princes of the royal house, and I therefore fear that the king might regard me as the cat who had to pull the hot chestnuts from the ashes, and I might suffer for all three. I therefore pray your highness to allow me to withdraw." "You may go, and if you meet Kalkreuth, ask him to accompany you. You officers must not carry your insubordination any further.
"I think leaving in the dark, and on foot, looks as if I were afraid," said the prince, thoughtfully. "Secrecy is good for priests and old women, but not for us," cried Kaphengst. "Secrecy suits all who wish to do wrong," said Kalkreuth, earnestly. The prince glanced hastily at him. "You believe, then, we are about to do wrong?"
I am glad this is also your opinion that you have given up all thought of a public scandal and denunciation. In relation to the princess. I give you full power to make any and every arrangement you see fit. As to Kalkreuth, he shall receive the place you mentioned. I have appointed him lieutenant-general of the third army corps in Prussia. He will leave here at once.
He could endure it no longer, and was preparing to leave, when the door was opened, and an adjutant entered to conduct him to the king's apartments. The king was in his sitting-room. As Count Kalkreuth entered, he laid aside the book he had been reading, and rose. In a stern, imperious manner he advanced to meet him.
Word Of The Day