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see　the　infantry　and　cavalry　form　in　column。

It　was　now　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning。　The　mist　began　to　rise；　the
first　feeble　rays　of　the　December　sun　pierced　it　and　commenced
gradually　illuminating　the　landscape。

The　emperor　placed　himself　on　a　small　knoll；　where　his　eye　embraced
the　whole　field　of　battle；　his　marshals　were　on　horseback　at　his
side；　anxiously　awaiting　his　order　to　commence　the　combat。

Profound　silence　reigned　everywhere；　but　suddenly　it　was　interrupted
by　a　very　brisk　fire　of　artillery　and　musketry。　A　radiant　flash
seemed　to　light　up　the　emperor's　face；　and　proudly　raising　his　head；
he　said；　in　an　imperious　voice：

〃To　your　posts；　gentlemen；　the　battle　is　about　to　commence！〃
＇Footnote：　The　battle　of　Austerlitz；　Dec。　2；1805。＇




CHAPTER　XLIX。

〃GOTT　ERHALTE　FRANZ　DEN　KAISER！〃


For　three　days　the　utmost　uneasiness　and　commotion　had　reigned　in
Vienna。　Nobody　wanted　to　stay　at　home。　Everybody　hastened　into　the
street；　as　if　he　hoped　there　to　hear　at　an　earlier　moment　the　great
news　which　the　people　were　looking　for；　and　as　if　the　fresh　air
which　had　carried　to　them　three　days　ago　the　thundering　echoes

of　the　cannon；　would　waft　to　them　to…day　the　tidings　of　the
brilliant　victory　supposed　to　be　achieved　by　the　Emperors　Francis
and　Alexander。

But　these　victorious　tidings　did　not　come；　the　roar　of　the　cannon
had　a　quicker　tongue　than　the　courier　who　was　to　bring　the　news　of
the　victory。　He　did　not　come；　and　yet　the　good　people　of　Vienna　were
waiting　for　him　with　impatience　and；　at　the　same　time；　with　proud
and　joyful　confidence。　It　is　true　no　one　was　able　to　state
positively　where　the　battle　had　been　fought；　but　the　people　were
able　to　calculate　the　spot　where　the　great　struggle　had　probably
taken　place；　for　they　knew　that　the　allies　had　occupied　the
immediate　environs　of　Olmutz；　and　then　advanced　toward　Brunn　and
Austerlitz；　where　the　French　army　had　established　itself。　They
calculated　the　time　which　the　courier　would　consume　in　order　to
reach　Vienna　from　the　battle…field；　and　the　obstacles　and　delays
that　might　have　possibly　impeded　his　progress　were　taken　into
consideration。　But　no　one　felt　anxious　at　his　prolonged　absence；　no
one　doubted　that　the　allies　had　obtained　a　great　victory。

For　their　two　armies　were　by　far　superior　to　the　French　army；　and
Napoleon　himself　had　not　hoped　for　a　victory　this　time；　he　had
fallen　back　with　his　army　because　he　wished　to　avoid　a　battle　with
the　superior　forces　of　the　enemy；　he　had　even　gone　so　far　in　his
despondency　as　to　write　to　the　Emperor　of　Russia　and　to　sue　for
peace。

How　could　people　think；　therefore；　that　Napoleon　had　won　the　battle；
the　thunders　of　which　had　filled　the　Viennese　three　days　ago　with
the　utmost　exultation？

No；　fate　had　at　length　stopped　the　onward　career　of　the　conqueror；
and　it　was　on　Austrian　soil　that　his　eagles　were　to　be　struck　down
and　his　laurels　to　wither。

Nobody　doubted　it；　the　joyful　anticipation　of　a　great　victory
animated　every　heart　and　beamed　from　every　eye。　They　longed　for　the
arrival　of　the　courier；　and　were　overjoyed　to　celebrate　at　length　a
triumph　over　those　supercilious　French；　who　had　latterly　humiliated
and　angered　the　poor　people　of　Vienna　on　so　many　occasions。

It　is　true　the　French　embassy　had　not　yet　left　Vienna。　But　that　was
only　a　symptom　that　it　had　not　yet　been　reached　by　a　courier　from
the　battle…field；　else　it　would　have　fled　from　Vienna　in　the　utmost
haste。

But　the　people　did　not　wish　to　permit　the　overbearing　French　to
depart　from　their　city　in　so　quiet　and　unpretending　a　manner；　they
wanted　to　accompany　them　at　least　with　loud　jeers；　with　scornful
shouts　and　curses。

Thousands；　therefore；　surrounded　the　house　of　the　French　embassy；
where　Talleyrand；　Napoleon's　minister　of　foreign　affairs；　had　been
staying　for　some　days；　and　no　longer　did　they　swallow　their　wrath
and　hatred；　but　they　gave　vent　to　it　loudly；　no　longer　did　they
threaten　only　with　their　glances；　but　also　with　their　fists；　which
they　raised　menacingly　toward　the　windows　of　the　French　minister。

And　while　thousands　had　gathered　around　the　embassy　building；　other
thousands　strolled　out　toward　Mohringen；　and　stared　breathlessly
down　the　road；　hoping　to　behold　the　longed…for　messenger　who　would
announce　to　them　at　length　the　great　victory　that　had　been　won。

All　at　once　something　in　the　distance　commenced　stirring　on　the
road；　at　times　glittering　objects；　resembling　twinkling　stars；　were
to　be　seen；　and　then　motley　colors　were　discerned；　it　came　nearer
and　nearer。　No　doubt　it　must　be　a　column　of　soldiers；　perhaps　some
of　the　heroic　regiments　which　had　defeated　the　French　army　were
already　on　their　homeward　march。

Ah；　the　proud　and　sanguine　people　of　Vienna　regretted　now
exceedingly　that　there　were　no　longer　any　French　regiments　in　the
capital；　and　that　they　had　left　their　city　only　a　week　ago　and
rejoined　Napoleon's　army。　Now　there　would　have　been　an　opportunity
for　them　to　take　revenge　for　the　hospitality　which　they　had　been
compelled　for　the　last　two　weeks　to　extend　to　the　French。　Now　they
would　have　chased　the　French　soldiers　in　the　most　ignominious　manner
through　the　same　streets　which　they　had　marched　hitherto　with　so
proud　and　confident　a　step。

The　soldiers　drew　nearer　and　nearer；　the　people　hastened　to　meet
them　like　a　huge　boa　constrictor　with　thousands　and　thousands　of
movable　rings；　and　thousands　and　thousands　of　flashing　eyes。

But　all　at　once　these　eyes　became　fixed　and　dismayed；　the　joyful
hum；　which　hitherto　had　filled　the　air　as　though　it　were　a　vast
multitude　of　gnats　playing　in　the　sun；　died　away。

Those　were　not　the　uniforms　of　the　Austrians；　nor　of　the　Russians
either！　Those　were　the　odious　colors　of　France。　The　soldiers
marching　toward　Vienna　were　French　regiments。

And　couriers　appeared　too；　the　longed…for　couriers！　But　they　were　no
Austrian　couriers；　the　tri…colored　sash　was　wrapped　around　their
waists；　they　did　not　greet　the　people　with　German　words　and　with
fraternal　German　salutations。　They　galloped　past　them　and　shouted
〃VICTOIRE！　VICTOIRE！　VIVE　L'EMPEREUR　NAPOLEON！〃

The　people　were　thunderstruck；　they　did　not　stir；　but　stared　wildly
and　pale　with　horror　at　the　regiments　that　now　approached　to　the
jubilant　music　of　their　bands；　and　treated　the　Viennese　to　the　notes
of　the　Marseillaise　and　the　air　of　Va…t…en…guerrier；　they　stared　at
the　sullen；　ragged　men　who　marched　in　the　midst　of　the　soldiers；
like　the　Roman　slaves　before　the　car　of　the　Triumphator。　These　poor；
pale　men　wore　no　French　uniforms；　and　the　tri…colored　sash　was　not
wrapped　around　their　waists；　nor　did　they　bear　arms；　their　hands
were　empty；　and　their　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　ground。　They　were
prisoners；　prisoners　of　the　French；　and　they　wore　Russian　uniforms。

The　people　saw　it　with　dismay。　The　good　Viennese　had　suddenly　been
hurled　from　their　proud　hopes　of　victory　into　an　abyss　of　despair；
and　they　were　stunned　by　the　sudden　fall；　and　unable　to　speak　and　to
collect　their　thoughts。　They　stood　on　the　road；　pale　and　breathless；
and　witnessed　the　spectacle　of　the　return　of　the　victorious　columns
with　silent　despondency。

All　at　once　the　brilliant　column；　which　had　filed　through　the　ranks
of　the　people；　halted；　and　the　band　ceased　playing。　An　officer
galloped　up　and　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　colonel　in　command。
The　colonel　made　a　sign　and　uttered　a　few　hurried　words；　whereupon
four　soldiers　stepped　from　the　ranks；　and　forcing　a　passage　through
the　staring　crowd；　walked　directly　toward　a　small　house　situated
solitary　and　alone　on　the　road；　in　the　middle　of　a　garden。

Every　inhabitant　of　Vienna　knew　this　house　and　the　man　living　in　it；
for　it　was　the　residence　of　Joseph　Haydn。

When　the　four　soldiers　approached　the　door　of　the　popular　and　well…
known　maestro；　the　people　seemed　to　awake　from　their　stupefaction；　a
unanimous　cry　of　rage　and　horror　resounded；　and　thousands　and
thousands　of　voices　shouted　and　screamed；　〃Father　Haydn！　They　want
to　arrest　Father　Haydn！〃

But；　no。　The　four　soldiers　stopped　at　the　door；　and　remained　there
as　a　guard　of　honor。

And　the　band　of　the　next　regiment；　which　had　just　come　up；　halted　on
the　road　too；　and；　in　stirring　notes；　the　French　musicians　began　to
play　a　melody　which　was　well　known　to　everybody；　the　melody　of　the
great　hymn　from　the　〃Creation；〃　〃In　verdure　clad。〃　＇Footnote：
Historical。＇

It　sounded　to　the　poor　Viennese　like　a　cruel　mockery　to　hear　a　band
of　the　victorious　French　army　play　this　melody　composed　by　a　German
maestro；　and　tears　of　heart…felt　shame；　of　inward　rage；　filled　many
an　eye　which　had　never　wept　before；　and　a　bitter　pang　seized　every
breast。

The　French　musicians　had　not　yet　finished　the　tune；　when　a　window　in
the　upper　story　of　the　house　was　opened；　and　Joseph　Haydn's
venerable　white…haired　head　appeared。　His　cheeks　were　pale；　and　his
lips　trembled；　for　his　footman；　who　had　just　returned　home；　had
brought　him　the　news　that　the　French　had　been　victorious　again；　and
that　Napoleon　had　defeated　the　two　emperors　at　Austerlitz。

Joseph　Haydn；　the　old　man；　was　pale　and　trembling；　but　Joseph　Haydn；
the　genius；　was　courageous；　joyful；　and