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ALBERT



BE



NORDENSHILD:

OR, TBS

MODERN ALCIBIADES.

A NOVEL,

TRANSLATED FROM. THE GERMAN.



IN TWO VOLUMES,



VOL. L



London:



PRINTED FOR G. G. AND J. ROBINSON,
PATERNOSTER ROW.



1796.

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ALBERT de NORDENSH!LI>.



CHAPTER I.



CASTLE OF GRIEtfFBNHORST. '

A-LBERT de Nordenfliild, one of the
handfomeft youths of his time, though
;wild as uncultivated nature, was equally
improveable. Juft returned from the
chace, he had ilretched himfelf, in a neg-
ligent pofture, on an antiquated couch in
the fervants hall. Buxar, an old huflar,
formerly belonging to his father's regi-
jpaent, but now in Jhis houfhold fervice,
and called in derifion Mafler of the Horfe,
Jftood at the window cleaning his fabre,
Vol. I, B which

•



a ALBER* *>« WOKDEtfSHILIfc

which ftill continued' to be the chief objedfc
of his aflfe<Stion, Buxar's figure might at
ihoft have been termed frightful $ ;he :had
loft his 1-jft eye, a dark brown fcarcrofiad
his forehead, nofe, and' mouthy which
gave his face a diftcWed appeirirahce,* in
addition to which, a bufhy'red-b^atd'reni
dered it the perfedlion'of uglinefe;^ He
was, neverthelefe, the' defe*ving favourite
of General de Nordenfhild; fdr hfe heart
was as humane and gbod, -as hfe face Was
deformed. He had jiift been' quarrelling
with his young matter for over-heating the
. horfes, and was endeavouring to* conceal
the vexation fte felt, at the indifference
with which Albert heart!* his reproached;
by humming a tune ; which,*however, HatI
in it little of harmony, and bore fcme're^
fcmblarifce to the creaking of «a ^wheeld' :t
Albert feemfcd but of temper;* and white
turning himfelf from fide to -fide Buxa$ &t
every movement hummed louder, ;fhirttfng
Tiis eyes,, or if he, foretimes ventured t6
ileal a glance at hits mafter, he bit his Jips
and conveyed flrong marks of dtfcontent
into his countenance. After remaining in

this

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ALBERT rat HORd^ljSHI^n. J

this foHenmood (ot forte time* Mtert Ml
thrmviflg himfelf about in a.ref^efs, di£-
tontented manner, and covering- kis f f^ce
with one of bis hands, entered into a con*
verfajtioq withJB&xar, that terminated in a
reconciliation. « H?rk ye I Buxar," faid
he> " telj me fomething about Stralfuud."
S*' Aye/* replied the mafter of the horfe^
grinning, .*' there, were other fort. of peo-
".pktfcml"

. » I wMb,'v faid Albert, " the devil had
". jw*, wjthyo^r other fort of people." -
. f c ..MTqw * I fuppafe, young gentleman,
ff yo* think I. do not know that you are
**in this ill hun*our bec^ufe Berda and
"flclina, are gone a walking, without
cleaving word where you might meet
".them; but I know they are gone down
" the btick-walk to find you, for how were
« they to guefs, that the devil, God for-'
f* give toe! was to drive you into every
''lake, pond, and ditch, you could find,
" that the horfes, poor things, look juffc
« i* if they had been creeping on their
f c bellies— how, I wonder, were the girls
« to find that out/"

Ba i!Hol4

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4 ALBERT DE HORDEtfSHlLXK

" Hold your tongue," rejoined Albert,
half rifing from the conch, " and learn
" that I was determined to ford the river,
^ to difcorer if the enemy were to take it
" into his head tp befiege our cattle, whe-
** ther his cavalry could pafsit; fucli a
t€ thought I fuppfcfe never entered your
" ftupid brain, andbecaufe it has not hap-
u pencd in your father's, nor ybur grand-f
" father's time,* you think it impoffible it
••* ever ihould happen : but now I am con-
*.' vinced it can be done/' %

t " Then, oh my foul, mafter, you are
"in the right, for if we had known at
« Stralfund, that it was poflible to pals the
€ * Travenick fea, we Ihould have caught
'* fomething well worth the trouble of
« catching."

" Yes ! I fuppofe you woutd have caught
« Charles himfelf?"

"Whoelfe!—

« Fine bragging! ** faid Albert, laugh-
ing* u £° r how nicely you let htm efeape
a in the laft battle, when he ventured too
i€ fer, and \yasras good as in your power!

Mdare



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ALBERT DE NORDENSHILD. C

" I dare fay hfc has iihpe often laughed at
^youattV: t ;'/ ; ., ..." r ,.

. " None but the devil/' retorted Bux;ar,
in a paffion, " who is the, father .of lies*
"Can make you f fay fo.-^Efcape— Yes!
"*tcfelet\tiim efcape indeed. Fray, who
<fc told you we let him cfcape? My old
", mafter, I fuppofe. Yes ! yes ! 1^1 ways
u faid it was eafier to command than
"obey* , Now* as the devil would have
" it, there he flood, (pointing with his fa-
" href) my mailer 1 raean^fire ! fire!
" cried hry and fought his way througb*
? c bovT we th^tf fl(K)d at the redoubt faw
^.wherfethe beft bird was to be caughtj
t* but-M-foe f fire f tfas repeated by! many
" a mills fop, without knowing what he
••was about,-— Fire, indeed! when ovt
" *ed jackets were hangi ng on the palifades
" like monkeys, and the cafquea fwim-
*' ming in the moat like \in\ti. ducks; and
li (fighing) there rode Charles'."

"I fhoiild have liked," exclaimed Al?
Vert, jumping up, " to have fecn him."

" He was no great light ; there was no

V difference between him and his guards."

3 3 " I fup-

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ALBERT DE NORDENSHILD.

" I fuppofe you did not think he looked
" like a king, becaufe you did not fee a
*? glittering liar and ,a full-bottomed wig ?
" which you fools always fancy to be the
" enfigns of majefty. But I tell you, that
" the king's excellence lay in thofe parts
" of him, which, in others, are concealed
" by the flar and the. crown "
,. " But, for all that, he was glad to feek
u fafety in flight, when our red jackets
u . purfued him."

..."..But when was his* flight?" initer-
jro^ted Albert, contemptuoufly ; " hot
" till his friend was dead ; Rugert loft,
"Vnd no poflibility left to defend Stral-
" fund. Yet how difficult was it even
" then to perfuade him, that his perfon
* r was of more corifequence than a hun-
'* dr/ed fuch water nefts. I would not for
" the world have been in your fervice
u then ; but I Iheuld have liked to have
" ferved under Charles,"

" But t fuppofe. you would' not have
'■'•liked to have followed him into Turkey
u afterwards ?"

<> Yes,



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£LBE&T D£ KORSEKSHlLtT. f

" Yes, I fhpuld ; I would have given:
u him my laft morfel of bread, and have
" ilarved myfelf rather than he fliould
f have wanted. You know, Buiar,
" that I love yoii, but neverthelefs, if 1
." ever hear you make ttfe of fuch con-
" temptuous cxpreffions of my favourite
" Charles again, I fhall certainly give you
*' a fillip on the nofe."
.... 4i I know you have not the heart to hurt
" my poor old nofe."

," You are in the right, for one mufi pity
Siyov. But come, Buxar, own Che truth,
</ v ap4. te?l me if it was not one of Charles's
" followers that mauled you in this,raan-
« jier. You will, at leaft, allow him to
" have been a brave fellow J"
\. " It will drive me mad if J think of

_... .^Charles t y Charles !" , cried Albert,
f' f every power was combined agairift thee r
"even fate Itfelfl" V

t; It was eafy," muttered Buxar ta

hhnfejf, " to fence with a wooden fword ;

u to Xiave a hble bored in one's heart with

" ^leathern fcabbard, is no yefy dangerous

B 4 " affair ;

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8 ALBERT DE NORDENSHII-B,.

y affair ; or to receive a tap* on one's arm
" from a blo\v that is as light as a feather,-
" is a mere joke. To romp with Augufta
€ f to r day, Louifa to-morvow, and the day
u after another lafs, is pleasant enough *
" faith ! I believe I -fhoukl not. cjifiike it
cc myfelf ; however I think — yes, I do
V riiink he has a good heart, and that
" fomething may flill be made of him *
? and then, young gentleman, you will
" remember poor old Buxar's face.'*

" Buxar," continued Albert, jumping
up, " I am tired, heartily tired of this
4 * mi&rable, indolent ltfc. — To ride my
" horfes to death, and for what ? to fhoot
" a hare or a partridge !. Is this to be my
" deftiny?"

t: But," faid Buxar, laughing, €X you
u forget the girls."

€i I am weary of it, even with them in*
*•' eluded, I think my father muft be
" afhamed to fee me in this torpid ft ate of
" indolence, particularly wlicn he reflects
14 on what he was at my age. But at that
** time men and foluicis were wanting, hot
* fox-hunters."

■ - • - " What

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ALBERT BE NORDEtfSHItD* 9

* What the plague do you want the king.
" to declare war that you may hare ibrae-
"thing to do?"

*â–  No, lam far from defiling that; he
w muft feerworthle&, indeed, who for the
u fake of private intereft can wifh for war,
" that ever has been, and ever will be, the
" ruin, the fcourge of countries* 1 thought
M ye*f were betted acquainted with my fen-
" timents, and that you knew my heart
" always bled for the mifery, the oppief-
" fion of the poor. But in the mean time
" I muft have feme employment, and .
" ihould a war break out, I lhall be
€€ reacfy to takie an adtive part in it."

* Ydi* formerly ufed to ~toAl me about
" one of your favourite heroes ; I have
" forgot his name, that knew how to
" afnufe hifiafelf in time of peace/*

"Yfttt mean Akibiades— yes ! I onoe
" determined to imitate his virtues, and to
4€ avoid hsB- errors.'*

** But yeo forget botfa> when yon have
w a pretty girt in your arms."

V Yoi* feeta inclined to feel how my

* putte beats* . You guefe right, Bu&ar,

B5 "my



IO ALBERT 0B NORtfEKSHILm

" my blood circulates more freely, and my
,r heart beats quicker on the bofom of a
u pretty girl, than under the ftrap of my
"ftiooting pouch ; the foft preffure of a
€S female hand ! the glance of a* bright
* c eye ! Why, Buxar, I believe erenyour
*' iron heart has felt the power ef love."

" Ay ! and that moft terribly." *

" But there is a great difference in love/*
faid Albert.

" That/ 5 replied Buxar, "no body
* -knows better than myfelf/ for I have
." tried it in all countries. 1 *

"You are art old fool; one fees and
" defires, plays and is caught ; but upon
• w my honour, Buxar, women are not of
'* confequence enough to me, to be an
" employment; they are only an agreeable
" amufement for a leifure hour. I have
44 feen many handfome women in my life >
'" but the recoile&ion *>f them does not
" give me more pain than that of my grey
*' mare which died at Gottingen "

" That is right ; when I was young I
" did the lame, or how would the tatters
u of my poor heart.hsmg about the wodd.

" I re^

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9 1 rremqmber; &e firft, <ju#ion tjhe girk
? fried to aft. me, wheij; 1 f[^ j(ayiBg.-qvil
^ things t0i them iii. ,my - way , was, 'how
ff far ier it to yotm country, , .and when ihall
'* tve^be married ?\ But (hat wofcrid not da
?* far Baxaf; he drew his neck out of the
sc fhare as faftas he could, and flew away
" like Spanifh &uff/\

CafperV belt rang, and Buxar throwing
his fur jacket over his ihoulders, went to
anfwer it But Albert did not remain lbng %
alone, for Beacda and. Selina, , his two cou-
ilns, had returned from, thei* morning;
walk, and on hearing he was in thefer*

.'rants hall, went to him.,

Albert had been educated and brought
up with thorn; they wpre the loved com-
panions of his early youth ; nor was his;
affe&ion. abated, by his having been. ab~

, fcot the. greateft part of the five years they

♦bad fpenjt at Grieflfenhorft.. For after, the;

. death, of their father, the unfortunate:
Major Noitlenfhild, his -brother Cafperr
h#4 token ii is two orphan nieces under? his>

.protection, and they by their affectionate.

attentions? and natural cheerfulnefs had;

B6. beguiled!

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tt ALBERT M »OR»£KSH*Ld.

beguiled the lonely hours of that worthy
old man, daring the tirte his fca was ate-'
ietrt af the ciniverfity, and on hisr travels ;
«i<d he, in return, repaid thei* love wiflr
ftrch'paternal affeflior*, that though tbey
might feel, they did not regret thfefolitade
they Jived in. Both were good, arttefe, and
amiable ; their manner? were fi&ple, and
thefr minds uncorrupted.

Berda, the eldeft, with a vivacity of
cBfpofition almoft bordering ©a wiWnefs,
was tail and well made, and her face
might withotit flattery be called hand-
fome ; her penetrating bla*ck eyes feemed
formed to fubdue every heart, and but
. few who law her, efcaped feeling their
power. Selina's perfbn was hot inferior to
her fitter's, but her manners were entirely
\ thereverfe; forihe was gentlenefe itielf",
and often did her dove-like eyes, without
intending it, rob her filler of hef con*
queftst

Berda, in her dark green riding habit,
ran, or rather flew acrofs the hall to Al-
bert and throwing her arms round his
Heck, and killing him, cried, "good
i "morning

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ALBERT t>E NORDlNSBlLD. »j

^mofrnfog to you, you Mice." — "The
"feme to you," replied Albert. — " Good
"'mowing to you, ipy dear Albert/* &id
Selina, then throwing back her veil, and
offering ffkri her cheek. Albert embraced
Her, iaying, €€ good morning to you alfo,
"my (fear Sel'ma, you look like an angel

* m your white drefs this morning."

" We waited for you a long time," re-
plied Selina, u at Beech Grove, my dear
« Albert." -

" I believe," faid Berda, « I ran up the
" Ml £ hundred times to look for you/'

"But no. Albert," added Selina, "was
"tfrbefeen."

Albert embraced them both, crying,
â– * but nx>W I am here, and could live an

* eternity in thofe arms."

Buxar came into the halt with a hand-
ful- of letters, juftas Albert was kiffingthe
gitls, and l&ying them in the window,
faid, " I know who uied to come m for a
u fmack formerly."

Who, you old fright ?" demanded
Berda.

*' 1, from Mife Berda, if you know her."

<< I kifs

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14 XtfcfckT i>E KORDENSHItD.

" I kifs your hideous iace! look; in the
** glaft you manftdr, and 'fee how heaven
<« : has marked -it:, as a puniihment for your
« youthful fins/' '

: '*<•* That cannot be altered now*" faid
Buxaf, " but I was jiot hideous and a
" monfter when I ufed to ride you on my
* c knees at Riedinftun, when you were
'" little girls> and ran about ih your rbund-
** ear'd caps. Then as fo6n as I had deli-
" vered my meflages to your papa, nay;
(e fcften before I had finilhed it, you were
" both pulling me about ; then it was^
< now, dear Buxar, let me ride, and J will
c kifs you, pretty Buxar, if you will letme;
c gallop a little longer.' And as I was al-
Ci ways tired before Mifs Berda was, ibe*
" ufed to ftroke my face, kifs, and ddax.
«< me; moft. . ■ If flis would^ but do fo,
«now!"

cc Go. about your bufinefs, you old fool;
« and do not make & laughing-flock Of
* yourfclf.'*

- " So I. wili," faid Buxar, taking up the*
letters, (€ but o« recolle<ftion I muft dreis
"tbyfelffirft^ With

«' your leave, ladies— you know this room
— ■ - "is>

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ALBERT DB KOftDENtHllP. l£

* c is/muae ;; you may therefore chtife either
ff to lea*e ii,.or fee me in fliy fliirt ; for
te I x mufti endeavour to make myfelf l$ok a
" little handfome."

♦: » Tbe<idea of you and beauty, diverts
"me. For you may adorn a goat as
f * much as you pieafe, but a goat he will
" ftill remain.'* *

'« And I, Buxar. The devil may. be a
c * beauty compared to me, for any thing
u I know, to the contrary."

ft But you are an honeft fellow,," laid
Albert, " for all that"

" That is the gteateft compliment you
u can pay hint," anfwered JBerda, " and
" when you have faid that, you have &id
€€ every thing." .

She and her fifter then left the room,
a;nd Albert inquired where Buxar wag
going to ; who informed him,. " to. taks
" the tetters ta the poft-office: , ~ u Let
" me fee who they arc to;" faid Albert,
going towards the window,, and taking
them up,, one after the other* ' To Co*
u lonel Ratlaad»\-~Now what ca«. my
" father write to him about, but far a

^,pro-

* ;



10 A£*£%* DE NOKMtfSHILD.

* prolongation of my leave of abfence
** from my regiment, which I am # fure
«< 1 do not clefire. — r To Captain Adenfee,
" Pay-mafter General.* — What bufinefe
i€ tan he have, with- him ? art leaft, he has

* no debts to pay for me.— ' A Madame
u h. Comtefle de Prufcha, rue de Wifin-
u bach.' - One of thofe unhappy females,**
continued he, " who would be glad to
• f have, the date of her wedding-day erafed
" out of her almanack, and love owt of her
Ji heart. — J)id you ever fee her, Buxar ;
" I have been told fhe is handfome ?'* — <
" She is both handfome and good;'* re-
plied he. * But I cannot think how flie
u came to marry that old tyrant. 5 ': —
€: There are many things that happien in
" the world ; particularly in the great
% * world," obferved Albert, " the reafons

* of which you will' not eafily guels ; this,
u however, I can tell yon : two of the
€% firit families of Baimau had long been
** at Variance, the court wished 1 them, for
44 Certain reafons, to a<ft in cOnjwn<ftioft,
Â¥ < a ifeeone&iation waff therefore neceflkry ;
* ttd fee wtts the V&fiift." Albert looked

at

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ALBERT &£ tf QR&£K»HlbD« ' If

- at the back of the ktter, which He had
held.in- his. hand during the tiine he wrt
fpeakingy flnd read the- following words :
" Shoj^d thecountefe have left Moncia-
*' before this letter, arrives, it is not to be
" fept after her, but returned to General
" de . Nppicnfhild, at Grieffenhorft."*—
€C Very extraordinary T laid Albert *
" what can my father mean by it; he
*' cannot furely fhipeft her of going to
*' pay her tferfpc&s to her hufband ? if fhe
" doesj fhe mull: have weighty reafons
" for doixjg &."

: « To be fare ihei taift," faid Bu*ar,
" Bat, (holding his finger to his nofe) I
u remember foon after you went out this
*' moraing, my mailer received fome let*
" ters, and immediately after he ordered
" me to have the garden apartments pre*
" pared, for that he foon expedted fome
" company* Perhaps the Countefs &
" coming// • ~

" What builnefe/' alked Albert, " can :
" fhe have here, and yet — "

" You wifh her to come* Do you want
*' any thing brought , from town, (putting
•:•.-• " the



1$ ALBERT DE .NORQENSHILD,

" the letters m his pocket) powder, fhot T
"or balls?"

" No ! but if you fee Madame de Stem-
tC berg, you may give my refpe&s to her.
u For I fuppofe ihe will call to you when
« you pafs her houfe/' .

" And if Ihe bids me tjell you that fhe
" lhall expedi you in her garden this af*
u ternoon, what am I to fay !•"

u Say ! why fay : I intend to wait on
" her. — For you know I muil try the
«' new horfes this evening."
"Tobefura"

Albert, abforbed in a profound reverie
for fome time after Buxar left the room,
at length gavte free vent to his thought*
in a foliloquy, in which, finding himfclf
alone, he uttered, without r$ferv$, the
genuine fentiments of his heart.

u Love and knowledge, what delicious
" dreams do ye afford ! With equal im-
f c patience do we thirft after both, what
S pleafure, what childiflv joy do we feel
'.' when fancying we have difcovercd the
? fpring where this tbiril may be allayed j
".©w. hearts tieut quicker*, our' lips burn
... , " with

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ALBERT BE tfORDENSHIXB. 19

u with impatience ; tore drink as if heaven
" were in the draught ; remove the glafi
" from our lips and we thirfl* again. This
iC undefcribable void, this continual defire,
" of fbmething unpoflefled, will ever be
" our lot, whilft we continue to fee w^th
" thefe eyes, think with this head, and
" feel with thifr heart. And it is a queftion,
" difficult to refolve, if the contrary would
"T>e more beneficial. For the contented
"'man would be ina&ive,- the happy ab-
" forbed in felfifh gratification* This the
" great Artift forcfaw, and therefore im-
planted in us this anxious "define, this
^rteftleis wiflx for h'appinefs, which Will
ever be fought* but never obtained, to
11 prompt us to noble deeds ! And in return,
u as parents give their children toy* to
" amufe them, he gave us this fomething
" in profpeft, which, though it feems to ex-
" ift cvefy'where, is in reality, no where
\< to be found : it flutters about us, .fwims
" on the forface, but never, never fettles.
" Sdnietimes it appears of a gigantic fize,
ff but in a moment dwindles inta a dwarf;
" and at the inftant-wefaney it an immerife

" moui^-

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%0 ALJERT i>E NORDENSHltU.

* mountain, it vanifhes into an airy phanr
* r fom. It is a iliade between jmaguiatio A
*' and certainty, vifion and reality : ; a ltMid
" of twilight ; for the heart of man cpuld
u as ill fupport a fudden change, from a
,r ffete of expectation to one of fruition,
" as his eye could the immediate tranfi-
** tion, from the darknefs of night to ther
** glare of fun-fhine. We call it hope, ra-
" ther fiiould we call it deception ; for
H what mortal cad flatter himfelf with-thc
ft expeftation of ever attaining the fummit .
u of hte willies; In vain will the philofo-..
*' j*hcr fearch after wiftfom ; his time will