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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第35章

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in。 Good Advocates; none other allowed; and no Advocate talks; he merely endeavors to think; see and discover; holds his tongue if he can discover nothing: that doubtless is one source of the brevity!Many lies are stated by Hirsch; many by Voltaire: but the Judges; without difficulty; shovel these aside; and come step by step upon the truth。 Hirsch says plainly; He was sent to buy STEUER…SCHEINE at 35 per cent discount; Voltaire entirely denies the Steuer…Notes; says; It was an affair of Peltries and Jewelries; originating in loans of money to this ungrateful Jew。 Which necessitates much wriggling on the part of M。 de Voltaire;but he has himself written in a Lawyer's Office; in his young days; and knows how to twist a turn of expression。 The Judges are not there to judge about Steuer… Notes; but they give you to understand that Voltaire's Peltry…and… Jewelry story is moonshine。 Hirsch produces the Voltaire Scraps of Writing; already known to our readers; Voltaire says; 〃Mere extinct jottings; which Hirsch has furtively picked out of the grate;〃or may be said to have picked; Papers annihilated by our Bargain of December 16th; and which should have been in the grate; if they were not; this felon never having kept his word in that respect。 Peltries and Jewelries; I say: he will not give me back that Paris Bill which was protested; pays me the other 3;000 crowns (Draft of 650 pounds) in Jewels overvalued by half。〃Jewels furtively changed since Plaintiff had them of me!〃 answers Hirsch;and the steady Judges keep their sieves going。

The only Documents produced by Voltaire are Two; of 19th DECEMBER and of 24th DECEMBER;which the reader has not yet seen; but ought now to gain some notion of; if possible。 They affect once more; as that of December 16th had done; to be 〃Final Settlements〃 (or Final Settlement of 19th; with CODICIL of 24th); and turn on confused Lists of Jewels; bought; returned; re…bought (that 〃Topaz ring〃 torn from one's hand; a conspicuous item); which no reader would have patience to understand; except in the succinct form。 Let all readers note them; however;at least the first of them; that of December 19th; especially the words we mark in Italics; which have merited a sad place for IT in the history of human sin and misery。 Klein has given both Documents in engraved fac…simile; we must help ourselves by simpler methods。 Berlin; December 19th; 1750; Voltaire writes; Hirsch signs;and the Italics are believed to be words foisted in by M。 de Voltaire; weeks after; while the Hirsch pleadings were getting stringent! Read;a very sad memorial of M。 de Voltaire;

DOCUMENT FIFTH (in Voltaire's hand; written at two times; and the old writing MENDED in parts; to suit the new!)。〃FOR PAYMENT OF 3;000 THALERS BY ME DUE; I have sold to M。 de Voltaire; at the price costing by estimation and tax; with 2 per cent for my commission '〃OR GRATIFICATION;〃 written above'; the following Diamonds; taxed 'blotted into 〃TAXABLE〃'; as here adjoined; viz。〃 seven pieces of jewelry; pendeloques; &c。; with price affixed; among which is the violated Topaz;〃the whole estimated by him '〃him〃 crossed out; and 〃ME〃 written over it'; being 3;640 thalers。 Whereupon; received from Monsieur de Voltaire 'what is very strange; not intelligible without study!' the sum of 2;940 thalers; and he has given me back the Topaz; with 60 crowns for my trouble。 Berlin; 19th December; 1750。〃 (Hitherto in Voltaire's hand; after which Hirsch writes:) 〃APROUVE; A。 Hirschel。〃 'Sic: that is always his SIGNATURE; 〃Abraham HirschEL;〃 so given by Klein; while Klein and everybody CALL him Hirsch (STAG); as we have done;if only to save a syllable on the bad bargain。' And between these two lines (〃。。。 1750〃 and 〃APPROVED 。。。〃); there is crushed in; as afterthought; 〃VALUED BY MYSELF 'Hirsch's self'; 2;940; ADD 60; IS 3;000。〃 And; in fine; below the Hirsch signature; on what may be called the bottom margin; there is;I think; avowedly Voltaire's and subsequent;this: 〃N。B。 that Hirsch's valuing of all the jewels 'present lot and former lot' is; by real estimation; between twice and thrice too high;〃 of which; it is hoped; your Lordships will take notice!

Was there ever seen such a Paper; one end of it contradicting the other? Payment TO M。 de Voltaire; and payment BY M。 de Voltaire; with other blottings and foistings; which print and italics will not represent! Hirsch denies he ever signed this Paper。 Is not that your writing; then: 〃APROUVE; A。 Hirschel〃?〃No!〃 and they convict him of falsity in that respect: the signature IS his; but the Paper has been altered since he signed it。 That is what the poor dark mortal meant to express; and in his mulish way; he has expressed into a falsity what was in itself a truth。 There is not; on candid examination of Klein's Fac…similes and the other evidence; the smallest doubt but Voltaire altered; added and intercalated; in his own privacy; those words which we have printed in italics; TAXES changed into TAXABLES (〃estimated at〃 into 〃estimable at〃); HIM for ME; and so on; and above all; the now first line of the Paper; FOR PAYMENT OF 3;000 THALERS BY ME DUE; and in last line the words VALUED BY MYSELF; &c。; are palpable interpolations; sheer falsifications; which Hirsch is made to continue signing after his back is turned!

No fact is more certain; and few are sadder in the history of M。 de Voltaire。 To that length has he been driven by stress of Fortune。 Nay; when the Judges; not hiding their surprise at the form of this Document; asked; Will you swear it is all genuine? Voltaire answered; 〃Yes; certainly!〃for what will a poor man not do in extreme stress of Fortune? Hirsch; as a Jew; is not permitted to make oath; where a Quasi…Christian will swear to the contrary; or he gladly would; and might justly。 The Judges; willing to prevent chance of perjury; did not bring Voltaire to swearing; but contrived a way to justice without that。

FEBRUARY 18th; 1751; the Court arrives at a conclusion。 Hirsch's Diamonds; whatever may have been written or forged; are not; nor were; worth more than their value; think the Judges。 The Paris Bill is admitted to be Voltaire's; not Hirsch's; continue they;and if Hirsch can prove that Voltaire has changed the Diamonds; not a likely fact; let him do so。 The rest does not concern us。 And to that effect; on the above day; runs their Sentence: 〃You; Hirsch; shall restore the Paris Bill; mutual Papers to be all restored; or legally annihilated。 Jewels to be valued by sworn Experts; and paid for at that price。 Hirsch; if he can prove that the Jewels were changed; has liberty to try it; in a new Action。 Hirsch; for falsely denying his Signature; is fined ten thalers (thirty shillings); such lie being a contempt of court; whatever more。〃

〃Ha; fined; you Jew Villain!〃 hysterically shrieks Voltaire: 〃in the wrong; weren't you; then; and fined thirty shillings?〃 hysterically trying to believe; and make others believe; that he has come off triumphant。 〃Beaten my Jew; haven't I?〃 says he to everybody; though inwardly well enough aware how it stands; and that he is a Phoenix douched; and has a tremor in the bones! Chancellor Cocceji was far from thinking it triumphant to him。 Here is a small Note of Cocceji's; addressed
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