[The translator has abridged1 the following chapters and transferred them to a place apparently2 better fitted for them than that they occupy in the German edition, but nothing of importance is omitted.]
Genthin is an ancient place, owing its foundation during the twelfth century to the noble Lords of Plotho, whose ancestral mansion3, Alten-Plotho, lies close to the town. At the present time the head of this family, who is invested with the dignity of Hereditary4 Chamberlain of the Duchy of Magdeburg, resides at the Castle of Parey, on the Elbe. The noble family of Plotho shares with that of the G?nse of Putlitz the distinction of being the only race still flourishing, the origin of which can be traced to the Wendic princes and family chieftains. It is probable that they were early converted to Christianity, and thence were enabled to retain some attributes of their Wendic nobility, and assert some few privileges in the presence of the Teutonic knightly5 aristocracy, gradually thronging6 forward into the Marks with their feudal7 retainers. The Plothos and the Putlitzs hence are called noblemen (Edle Herrn, nobiles viri), at a time when the designation was usually only applied8 to dynasties. In early records they are always named in precedence of the members of the ancient chivalric9 races. They had vassals10 of noble blood, and, up to the most recent period, held their own court at the Manor11 of Parey. The features of that Freiherr von Plotho who so energetically repelled12 the Imperial Ban, in his capacity as Electoral[78] Brandenburg Ambassador, at the Imperial Diet in Ratisbon, which the Imperial notary13, Doctor April, endeavored to force upon him against Frederick the Great, are well known and popular. The best portrait of this remarkable14 personage has been drawn15 by Goethe, in his “Fiction and Truth.”[21] It is not so generally known that a branch of this Wendic family has also established itself in Belgium. The enormous possessions of the Barony of Engelsmünster, in Flanders, were first alienated16 from that family amidst the storms of the French Revolution.
It was on the afternoon of a somewhat chilly17 June day that we drove into the green pastures of Jerichow. The fragrance18 of lime-blossoms and hay saluted19 our nostrils20. The eye was gratified by well-kept fields, pleasantly alternating with plough-land and meadow; the heath, with its thorn bushes, chiefly surrounded by strips of brushwood, smiled before us.
The first place at which we arrived was Redekin, with the simple mansion of the Alvensleben family—its tall poplars, and its neighboring venerable church with the bronze figure of Christ. Next came Jerichow, the small city which gives its name to two counties. This pretty little town has two churches, and welcomed us cheerfully with its group of fine old elms and fragrant21 rose-trees. The church at the entrance has nothing remarkable about it, but the other at the end of the town is very curious, as one of the earliest specimens22 of pure Gothic style in these parts. This possesses a crypt.
Close behind Jerichow on the left, a landmark23, the handsome Kaiser-house of Tangermünde, is visible.
At our next stage, the fine village of Fischbeck, we were already upon ancient Bismarckian soil; we did not, however, drive farther in the direction of Sch?nhausen, close by, but turned to the left towards the Elbe, on the other bank of which Tangermünde, with its imperial castle, tall towers, walls, and turrets24, forming a well-preserved piece of medi?val architecture, presented itself to our view in the last golden rays of the evening sun.
We slowly crossed the broad expanse of the Elbe in a ponderous25 ferry-boat, and went up to the castle built by the Emperor Charles IV., that acute and politic26 King of Bohemia, as a metropolis27 for the great realm which extended from the North Sea and[79] the Baltic as far as Hungary, and in which he designed to found the power of his family—a realm destined28 to fall to pieces under his sons.
At the castle we did not, of course, find the old lime-tree of justice, at which appeals used to be made from the gate of the old Brandenburg bridge. The gate and the tree have both disappeared, but on entering the castle-yard by the massive gate-tower, we had the venerable ruins of the ancient pile before us; on the left the tower, on the right the chapel29, smothered30 in festoons of blooming roses. The castle itself, in which the powerful emperor once lived—where the magnificent Elector Joachim Nestor held his joyous31 wedding-feast with the beautiful Princess Elizabeth of Denmark, and where he breathed out the last breath of his noble life, after many bitter disappointments—exists no longer. The sheriff’s office, which stands on the site of the castle, was built by King Frederick I. before he was king. His F., with the electoral cap and the Roman numerals III., is still to be seen on the ceilings.
The old Kaiserburg is now inhabited by a retired32 officer of cavalry33, who was then entertaining a visitor, General von Fransecky, known since the battle of Sadowa as “Fransecky Vor”—“Fransecky to the Front.” This hero of the fight had come thither34 to inspect the fourth squadron of the Westphalian Dragoons, lying in garrison35 at Tangermünde; hence on this evening the old castle was full of gay feminine toilettes and brilliant uniforms. Charles IV., educated at the French court and in Italy, here at one time instructed the rude squires36 of the Mark in his courtly and chivalrous37 code of manners towards ladies. The first assemblies in which both sexes intermingled took place at Tangermünde. Until that time in these regions men and women had sought their amusements separately, and hence knew nothing of real society.
The old Emperor would certainly have enjoyed the pleasant picture of cheerful sociability38 presented this evening in the lovely gardens between his chapel and tower.
Next morning we visited the remarkable town-hall and the handsome church of the ancient city. Such town-halls and churches no communities or cities as large as Tangermünde build at the present day. We are wanting in that sense of public[80] spirit, and prefer small separate houses, and devote no proud and extensive structures to the use of the commonwealth39.
The morning sun was shining brightly on the old city, and the Sunday bells were tolling40 as we passed back across the Elbe. A group of children bathing enlivened the strand41 below the gray tower. Two officers brought their fine horses across in the ferry-boat; one of these belonged to the Westphalian Dragoons, the other wore the yellow collar and cap-stripe of the Seventh Heavy Militia42 Cavalry, the colonel of which is General Count Bismarck. It is well known that Count Bismarck habitually43 wears the uniform of his regiment44, and a South German Deputy to the Diet did not omit to stigmatize45 the yellow token of the uniform of the Chancellor46 of the Diet as very ominous47. The excellent and reverend gentleman saw in the sulphurous collar of Bismarck a piece of the uniform of a prince as different from our noble King William as could possibly be.
On reaching the landing-place, we took a long last look at Tangermünde, before entering the carriage which was to convey us to Sch?nhausen.
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1
abridged
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| 削减的，删节的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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knightly
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| adj. 骑士般的 adv. 骑士般地 | |
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thronging
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的现在分词 ) | |
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feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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8
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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chivalric
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| 有武士气概的，有武士风范的 | |
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vassals
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| n.奴仆( vassal的名词复数 )；（封建时代）诸侯；从属者；下属 | |
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manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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notary
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| n.公证人，公证员 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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alienated
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| adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等） | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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23
landmark
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| n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标 | |
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24
turrets
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| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
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ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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28
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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30
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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31
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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33
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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38
sociability
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| n.好交际，社交性，善于交际 | |
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39
commonwealth
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| n.共和国，联邦，共同体 | |
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40
tolling
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| [财]来料加工 | |
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41
strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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42
militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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43
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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44
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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45
stigmatize
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| v.污蔑，玷污 | |
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46
chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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47
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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