按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃This I would not do； my awe was too great。 They thereupon laid hands on me ＇the mischievous dogs； not ill…humored either＇： one took me by the right arm； another by the left； 'Off； off； to the Garden！' Having got me thither； they looked out for the King。 He was among the gardeners； examining some rare plant； stooping over it； and had his back to us。 Here I had to halt； and the Officers began； in underhand tone ＇the dogs！＇； to put me through my drill： 'Hat under left arm！Right foot foremost！ Breast well forward！Head up！Papers from pouch！Papers aloft in right hand！Steady！ Steady！'And went their ways； looking always round； to see if I kept my posture。 I perceived well enough they were pleased to make game of me； but I stood； all the same； like a wall； being full of fear。 The Officers were hardly out of the Garden； when the King turned round； and saw this extraordinary machine；〃telegraph figure or whatever we may call it； with papers pointing to the sky。 〃He gave such a look at me； like a flash of sunbeams glancing through you； and sent one of the gardeners to bring my papers。 Which having got； he struck into another walk with them； and was out of sight。 In few minutes he appeared again at the place where the rare plant was； with my Papers open in his left hand； and gave me a wave with them To come nearer。 I plucked up a heart； and went straight towards him。 Oh； how thrice and four…times graciously this great Monarch deigned to speak to me！
KING。 〃'My good Thuringian （LIEBER THURINGER）； you came to Berlin； seeking to earn your bread by industrious teaching of children； and here； at the Packhof； in searching your things； they have taken your Thuringen hoard from you。 True； the batzen are not legal here； but the people should have said to you： You are a stranger； and did n't know the prohibition；well then； we will seal up the Bag of Batzen； you send it back to Thuringen； get it changed for other sorts； we will not take it from you！
〃'Be of heart； however； you shall have your money again； and interest too。But； my poor man； Berlin pavement is bare； they don't give anything gratis： you are a stranger； before you are known and get teaching； your bit of money is done； what then？'
〃I understood the speech right well； but my awe was too great to say： 'Your Majesty will have the all…highest grace to allow me something！' But as I was so simple and asked for nothing； he did not offer anything。 And so he turned away； but had scarcely gone six or eight steps； when he looked round； and gave me a sign I was to walk by him； and then began catechising：
KING。 〃'Where did you （ER） study？'
LINSENBARTH。 〃'Your Majesty； in Jena。'
KING。 〃'What years？'
LINSENBARTH。 〃'From 1716 to 1720。' ＇〃Born 1689〃 （Rodenbeck； p。 474）； twenty…five when he went。＇
KING。 〃'Under what Pro…rector were you inscribed？'
LINSENBARTH。 〃'Under the PROFESSOR THEOLOGIAE Dr。 Fortsch。'
KING。 〃'Who were your other Professors in the Theological Faculty？'〃
LINSENBARTHnames famed men； sunk now； mostly； in the bottomless waste…basket： 〃Buddaus〃 （who did a DICTIONARY of the BAYLE sort； weighing four stone troy； out of which I have learned many a thing）； 〃Buddaeus；〃 〃Danz；〃 〃Weissenborn；〃 〃Wolf〃 （now back at Halle after his tribulations；poor man； his immortal System of Philosophy； where is it！）。
KING。 〃'Did you study BIBLICA diligently？'
LINSENBARTH。 〃'With Buddaeus （BEYM BUDDAO）。'
KING。 〃'That is he who had such quarrelling with Wolf？'
LINSENBARTH。 〃'Yea； your Majesty！ He was'
KING （does not want to know what he was）。 〃'What other useful Courses of Lectures （COLLEGIA） did you attend？'
LINSENBARTH。 〃'Thetics and Exegetics with Fortsch ＇How the deuce did Fortsch teach these things？＇； Hermeneutics and Polemics with Walch ＇editor of Luther's Works； I suppose＇； Hebraics with Dr。 Danz； Homiletics with Dr。 Weissenborn； PASTORALE ＇not Pastoral Poetry； but the Art of Pastorship＇ and MORALE with Dr。 Buddaeus。' ＇There； your Majesty！what a glimpse； as into infinite extinct Continents； filled with ponderous thorny inanities； invincible nasal drawling of didactic Titans； and the awful attempt to spin； on all manner of wheels； road…harness out of split cobwebs： Hoom！ Hoom…m…m！ Harness not to be had on those terms。 Let the dreary Limbus close again； till the general Day of Judgment for all this。＇
KING （glad to get out of the Limbus）。 〃'Were things as wild then at Jena； in your time； as of old； when the Students were forever scuffling and ruffling； and the Couplet went：
〃Wer kommt von Jena ungeschlagen； Der hat von grossen Gluck zu sagen。 〃He that comes from Jena SINE BELLO； He may think himself a lucky fellow〃？'
LINSENBARTH。 〃'That sort of folly is gone quite out of fashion； and a man can lead a silent and quiet life there； just as at other Universities； if he will attend to the DIC； CURHIC？ ＇or know what his real errand is＇。 In my time their Serene Highnesses； the Nursing…fathers of the University （NUTRITORES ACADEMIAE）；of the Ernestine Line ＇Weimar…Gotha Highnesses； that is＇； were in the habit of having the Rufflers （RENOMISTEN）； Renowners as they are called； who made so much disturbance； sent to Eisenach to lie in the Wartburg a while； there they learned to be quiet。' ＇Clock strikes Twelve；dinner…time of Majesty。＇
KING。 〃'Now I must go： they are waiting for their soup'〃 （and so ends Dialogue for the present）。 'Did the King bid me wait？
〃When we got out of the Garden；〃 says Linsenbarth； silent on this point； 〃the four Officers were still there upon the Esplanade ＇Captains of Guard belike＇； they went into the Palace with the King；〃clearly meaning to dine with his Majesty。
〃I remained standing on the Esplanade。 For twenty…seven hours I had not tasted food： not a farthing IN BONIS ＇of principal or interest＇ to get bread with； I had waded twenty miles hither； in a sultry morning； through the sand。 Not a difficult thing to keep down laughter in such circumstances！〃Poor soul； but the Royal mind is human too。〃In this tremor of my heart； there came a KAMMER…HUSSAR ＇Soldier…Valet； Valet reduced to his simplest expression＇ out of the Palace； and asked； 'Where is the man that was with my King （MEINEM KONIG；THY King particularly？） in the Garden？' I answered； 'Here！' And he led me into the Schloss； to a large Room； where pages； lackeys； and Kammer…hussars were about。 My Kammer…hussar took me to a little table； excellently furnished； with soup； beef； likewise carp dressed with garden…salad； likewise game with cucumber…salad： bread； knife； fork； spoon and salt were all there ＇and I with an appetite of twenty…seven hours； I too was there＇。 My hussar set me a chair； said： 'This that is on the table； the King has ordered to be served for you （IHM）： you are to eat your fill； and mind nobody； and I am to serve。 Sharp； then； fall to！' I was greatly astonished； and knew not what to do； least of all could it come into my head that the King's Kammer…hussar； who waited on his Majesty； should wait on me。 I pressed him to sit by me； but as he refused； I did as bidden； sat down； took my spoon； and went at it with a will （FRISCH）！
〃The hussar took the beef from the table； set it on the charcoal dish （to keep it hot till wanted）； he did the like with the fish and roast game； and poured me out wine and beer＇was ever such a lucky Barmecide！＇ I ate and drank till I had abundantly enough。 Dessert； confectionery； what I could；a plateful of big black cherries； and a plateful of pears； my waiting…man wrapped in paper and stuffed them into my pockets； to be a refreshment on the way home。 And so I rose from the Royal table； and thanked God and the King in my heart； that I had so gloriously dined；〃HERRLICH； 〃gloriously〃 at last。 Poor excellent down…trodden Linsenbarth； one's heart opens to him； not one's larder only。
〃The hussar took away。 At that moment a Secretary came； brought me a sealed Order （Rescript） to the Packhof at Berlin； with my Certificates （TESTIMONIA）； and the Pass； told down on the table five Tail…ducats （SCHWANZ…DUKATEN）； and a Gold Friedrich under them ＇about 3 pounds 10s。； I think； better than 10 pounds of our day to a common man； and better than 100 pounds to a Linsenbarth＇； saying； The King sent me this to take me home to Berlin again。
〃And if the hussar took me into the Palace； it was now the Secretary that took me out again。 And there； yoked with six horses； stood a royal Proviant…wagon； which having led me to； the Secretary said： 'You people； the King has given order you are to take this stranger to Berlin； and also to accept no drink…money from him。' I again； through the HERRN SECRETARIUM； testified my most submissive thankfulness for all Royal graciousnesses； took my place； and rolled away。
〃On reaching Berlin； I went at once to the Packhof； straight to the office…room；〃standing more erect this time；〃and handed them my Royal Rescript。 The Head man opened the seal； in reading； he changed color； went from pale to red； said nothing； and gave it to the second man to read。 The second put on his spectacles； read； and gave it to the third。 However； he ＇the Head man＇ rallied himself at last： I was to come forward； and be so good as write a quittance （receipt）； 'That I had received； f