louisa of prussia and her times-第117节

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Gentz；　carelessly；　and　without　the　least　shade　of　bitterness；　while
he　sat　down　on　the　sofa　with　evident　symptoms　of　weariness　and
exhaustion。

〃Are　you　jealous　of　Lord　Paget？〃　she　asked；　taking　a　seat　by　his
side；　and　placing　her　hand；　sparkling　with　diamond…rings；　on　his
shoulder。　〃Remember；　my　friend；　that　it　was　solely　in　obedience　to
your　advice　that　I　did　not　reject　the　attentions　of　the　dear　lord
and　entered　into　this　political　liaison。〃

〃I　know；　I　know；〃　said　Gentz；　deprecatingly；　〃nor　have　I　come　to
quarrel　with　you　about　such　trifles。　I　have　not　come　as　a　jealous
lover　who　wishes　to　upbraid　his　beloved　with　the　attentions　she　has
shown　to　other　men；　but　as　a　poor；　desponding　man　who　appears　before
his　friend　to　pour　his　lamentations；　his　despair　into　her　bosom；　and
to　ask　her　for　a　little　sympathy　with　his　rage　and　grief。〃

〃My　friend；　what　has　occurred？〃　asked　Marianne；　in　dismay。

〃Where　have　you　been　during　the　week；　since　I　have　not　seen　you？　You
took　leave　of　me　in　a　hurried　note；　stating　that　you　would　set　out
on　an　important　journey；　although　you　did　not　tell　me　whither　you
were　going。　Where　have　you　been；　Frederick？〃

〃I　was　in　Olmutz　with　the　emperor　and　with　the　ministers；〃　sighed
Gentz。　〃I　hoped　to　promote　there　the　triumph　of　the　good　cause　and
of　Germany；　I　hoped　to　witness　a　brilliant　victory；　and　now〃

〃And　now？〃　asked　Marianne；　breathlessly；　when　Gentz　paused。

〃Now　I　have　witnessed　a　disgraceful　defeat；〃　groaned　Gentz。

Marianne　uttered　a　cry；　and　her　eyes　flashed　angrily。　〃He　has
conquered　again？〃　she　asked；　in　a　husky　voice。

〃He　has　conquered；　and　we　have　been　beaten；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　in　a
loud　and　bitter　tone。　〃The　last　hope　of　Germany；　nay；　of　Europe；　is
gone；　the　Russians　were　defeated　with　us　in　a　terrible　battle。　The
disaster　is　an　irretrievable　one；　all　the　armies　of　Prussia　being
unable　to　restore　the　lost　prestige　of　the　coalition！　＇Footnote：
Gentz's　own　words。Vide　Gentz's　〃Correspondence　with　Johannes　von
Muller；〃　p。　150。＇　The　Russians　have　already　retreated；　and　the
Emperor　Alexander　has　set　out　to…night　in　order　to　return　to　his
dominions。〃

〃And　HE；〃　muttered　Marianne；　〃HE　is　celebrating　another　triumph　over
us！　He　is　marching　onward　proudly　and　victoriously；　while　we　are
lying；　crushed　and　humiliated；　in　the　dust　of　degradation。　Is　it　Thy
will　that　it　should　be　so；　God　in　heaven？〃　she　asked；　turning　her
eyes　upward　with　an　angry　glance。　〃Hast　Thou　no　thunderbolt　for　this
Titan　who　is　rebelling　against　the　laws　of　the　world？　Wilt　Thou
permit　this　upstart　to　render　all　countries　unhappy；　and　to　enslave
all　nations？〃

〃Yes；　God　permits　him　to　do　so；〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　laughing
scornfully。　〃God　has　destined　him　to　be　a　scourge　to　chastise　us　for
our　own　impotence。　We　do　not　succumb　owing　to　his　greatness；　but
owing　to　our　weakness。　The　Austrian　cabinet　is　responsible　for　our
misfortunes！　I　have　long　since　perceived　the　utter　lack　of　ability；
the　contemptible　character；　nay；　the　infamy　of　this　cabinet；　in
former　times　I　used　to　denounce　our　Austrian　cabinet　to　the　other
cabinets　of　Europe　as　the　real　source　of　the　calamities　of　our
period；　and　to　unveil　to　them　the　whole　terrible　truth。　Oh；　if　they
had　heeded　MY　warnings；　when　I　wrote　last　June；　and　as　late　as　in
the　beginning　of　August；　to　many　prominent　men；　'Beware　with　whom
you　enter　into　a　coalition！　Do　not　be　deceived　by　an　illusory
semblance　of　improvement。　They　are　the　same　as　ever！　With　them　no
great　undertaking；　either　in　the　cabinet　or　in　the　field；　will
succeed；　their　rejection　is　the　conditio　sine　qua　non　of　the
preservation　of　Europe。　It　was　all　in　vain！　Finally；　I　was　left
alone　with　my　warnings；　every　one　deserted　me！〃　＇Footnote：　Gentz's
〃Correspondence；〃　etc。；　p。　144。＇

〃I　did　not　desert　you；　Frederick；〃　said　Marianne；　reproachfully；
〃and　I　compelled　Lord　Paget；　too；　to　support　your　views。　Thanks　to
our　united　efforts；　that　stupid　Count　Colloredo；　at　least；　was
forced　to　withdraw　from　the　cabinet。〃

〃That　is　a　consolation；　but　no　hope；〃　said　Gentz。　〃So　long　as　the
other　ministers　will　retain　their　positions；　every　thing　will　be　in
vain。　Every　thing　is　so　diseased　and　rotten　that；　unless　the　whole
be　thrown　away；　there　is　no　reasonable　hope　left。　I　hoped　the
Emperor　of　Russia　would　boldly　denounce　the　incapacity　of　the
cabinet；　and　by　his　powerful　influence　succeed　in　cleansing　our
Augean　stable；　but　he　is　too　gentle　for　such　an　undertaking；　and　has
no　man　of　irresistible　power　and　energy　at　his　side。　He　beheld　our
misery；　he　greatly　deplored　it；　but　refused　to　meddle　with　the
domestic　affairs　of　Austria。　Thus　every　thing　was　lost；　and　he　was
himself　disgracefully　defeated。〃

〃And　now　we　have　submitted　altogether？〃　asked　Marianne。　〃We　have
made　peace　with　the　usurper？〃

〃We　have　BEGGED　him　to　make　peace　with　us；　you　mean；　and　he　will
dictate　the　terms　in　which　we　shall　have　to　acquiesce。　Oh；　Marianne；
when　I　think　of　the　events　of　the　last　few　days；　I　am　seized　with
rage　and　grief；　and　hardly　know　how　I　shall　be　able　to　live
henceforward。　Just　listen　HOW　we　have　begged　for　peace！　Yesterday；
two　days　after　the　battle；　the　Emperor　Francis　sent　Prince　John　of
Lichtenstein　to　Napoleon；　who　had　established　his　headquarters　at
Austerlitz；　in　a　mansion　belonging　to　the　Kaunitz　family；　to　express
to　the　conqueror　his　wish　to　have　an　interview　with　him　at　the
advanced　posts。　Napoleon　granted　it　to　him；　and　the　Emperor　of
Germany　went　to　his　conqueror　to　beg　for　peace。　He　was　accompanied
by　none　but　Lamberti　to　the　meeting；　which　was　to　take　place　in　the
open　field。　Bonaparte　received　him；　surrounded　by　all　his　generals；
chamberlains；　and　masters　of　ceremonies；　and　with　the　whole　pomp　of
his　imperial　dignity。〃　＇Footnote：　This　account　of　the　interview　of
the　two　emperors　may　be　found　verbatim　in　a　letter　from　Gentz　to
Johannes　von　Muller。　Vide　〃Correspondence；〃　etc。；　p。　154。＇

〃Oh；　what　a　terrible　disgrace　and　humiliation！〃　exclaimed　Marianne；
bursting　into　tears；　while　she　tore　the　diadem　with　a　wild　gesture
from　her　hair　and　hurled　it　to　the　floor。　〃Who　dares　to　adorn
himself　after　events　so　utterly　ignominious　have　occurred？〃　she
ejaculated〃who　dares　to　carry　his　head　erect　after　Germany　has
been　thus　trampled　under　foot！　The　Emperor　of　Germany　has　begged　the
invader　to　make　peace；　he　has　humbly　solicited　it　like　a　beggar
asking　alms！　And　has　the　conqueror　graciously　granted　his　request？
Oh；　tell　me　every　thing；　Frederick！　What　took　place　at　that
interview？　What　did　they　say　to　each　other？〃

〃I　can　tell　you　but　little　about　it；〃　said　Gentz；　shrugging　his
shoulders；　〃for　the　two　emperors　conversed　without　witnesses。
Bonaparte　left　his　suite　at　the　bivouac　fire　kindled　by　his
soldiers；　and　Lamberti　also　went　thither。　The　two　emperors　then
embraced　each　other　like　two　friends　who　had　not　met　for　years。〃
＇Footnote：　Historical。＇

〃And　the　Emperor　Francis　had　not　sufficient　strength　to　strangle　the
fiend　with　his　arms？〃　asked　Marianne；　trembling　with　wrath　and
grief。

〃He　had　neither　the　strength　nor　the　inclination；　I　suppose；〃　said
Gentz；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃When　Napoleon　released　the
unfortunate　Emperor　Francis　from　his　arms；　he　pointed　with　a　proud
glance　toward　heaven　and　said：　'Such　are　the　palaces　which　your
majesty　has　obliged　me　to　inhabit　for　these　three　months。'〃

〃'The　abode　in　them；'　replied　the　Austrian　monarch；　'makes　you　so
thriving　that　you　have　no　right　to　be　angry　with　me　for　it。'〃

〃'I　only　ask　your　majesty；'　said　Napoleon；　hastily；　'not　to　renew
the　war　against　France。'〃

〃'I　pledge　you　my　word　as　a　man　and　a　sovereign　that　I　shall　do　so
no　more；'　replied　Francis；　loudly　and　unhesitatingly。　The
conversation　then　was　continued　in　a　lower　tone；　and　neither
Lamberti　nor　the　French　marshals　were　able　to　understand　another
word。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　du　Duo　de　Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　218。＇

〃The　interview　lasted　two　hours；　and　then　the　two　emperors　parted
with　reiterated　demonstrations　of　cordiality。　The　Emperor　Francis
returned　silently；　and　absorbed　in　his　reflections　to　his
headquarters　at　Austerlitz。　Hitherto　he　had　not　uttered　a　word；　but
when　he　saw　the　Prince　von　Lichtenstein；　he　beckoned　him　to
approach；　and　said　to　him　in　a　low　voice；　and　with　suppressed　anger；
'Now　that　I　have　seen　him；　he　is　more　intolerable　to　me　than　ever。'
＇Footnote：　Hausser's　〃History　of　Germany；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　690。＇　That
was　the　only　utterance　he　gave　to　his　rage；　as　for　the　rest；　he
seemed　contented　with　the　terms　he　obtained。〃

〃And　were　the　terms　honorable？〃　asked　Marianne。

〃Honorable！〃　said　Gentz；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Napoleon
demanded；　above　all；　that　the　Russian　army　should　retire　speedily
from　the　Austrian　territories；　and　the　emperor　promised　this　to　him。
Hence；　the　Emperor　Alexander　has　departed；　the　Russian　army　is
retreating；　one　part　of　it　is　going　to　Prussia；　while　the　other　is
returning　to　Poland。　The　cabinet　of　Vienna；　therefore；　is　free；　that
is　to　say；　it　is　left　to　its　own　peculiar　infamy　without　any　bounds
whatever；　and　thus　peace　will　be　made　soon　enough。　Those
contemptible　men　will　submit　to　any　thing；　provided　he　gives　up
Vienna。　Finance…minister　Fic