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below　seemed　to　listen　to　the　new　hymn；　for　its　screams　had　ceased。

A　smile　of　delight　played　on　Haydn's　lips　and　rendered　his　face
again　young　and　beautiful。　〃Now；　sing　with　me；　all　three　of　you；〃　he
said。　〃Sing　loudly　and　firmly；　that　God　may　hear　us。　I　will　commence
again　at　the　beginning；　and　you　shall　accompany　me。〃

He　touched　the　keys　vigorously；　and　sang　once　more；　〃God　save　the
Emperor　Francis！〃　and　carried　away　by　the　melody　so　simple　and　yet
so　beautiful；　the　two　women　and　the　old　footman　sang　with　him　the
tender　and　artless　words。

〃And　now；〃　said　Haydn；　eagerly；　〃now；　I　will　write　down　the　melody
on　the　spot；　and　then　you　shall　run　with　it　to　Councillor　von
Swieten。　He　must　add　a　few　verses　to　it。　And　then　we　will　have　it
copied　as　often　as　possiblewe　will　circulate　it　in　the　streets；
and　sing　it　in　all　public　places；　and　if　the　French　really　should
come　to　Vienna；　the　whole　people　shall　receive　them　with　the
jubilant　hymn；　'God　save　the　Emperor　Francis！'　And　God　will　hear　our
song；　and　He　will　be　touched　by　our　love；　and　He　will　lead　him　back
to　us；　our　good　Emperor　Francis。〃

He　sat　down　at　his　desk；　and　in　youthful　haste　wrote　down　the　music。
〃So；〃　he　said　then；　〃take　it；　Conrad；　take　it　to　Herr　von　Swieten；
tell　him　it　is　my　imperial　hymn。　Oh；　I　believe　it　will　be　useful　to
the　emperor；　and　therefore　I　swear　that　I　will　play　it　every　day　as
long　as　I　live。　My　first　prayer　always　shall　be　for　the　emperor。〃
＇Footnote：　Haydn　kept　his　word；　and　from　that　time　played　the　hymn
every　day。　It　was　even　the　last　piece　of　music　he　performed　before
his　death。　On　the　26th　of　May；　1809；　he　played　the　hymn　three　times
in　succession。　From　the　piano　he　had　to　be　carried　to　his　bed；　which
he　never　left　again。　When　Iffland　paid　him　a　visit　in　1807；　Haydn
played　the　hymn　for　him。　He　then　remained　a　few　moments　before　the
instrumentplaced　his　hands　on　it；　and　said；　in　the　tone　of　a
venerable　patriarch：　〃I　play　this　hymn　every　morning；　and　in　times
of　adversity　have　often　derived　consolation　and　courage　from　it。　I
cannot　help　itI　must　play　it　at　least　once　a　day。　I　feel　greatly
at　ease　whenever　I　do　so；　and　even　a　good　while　afterward。〃
〃Iffland's　Theatrical　Almanac　for　1855；〃　p。　181。＇

〃And　now　run；　Conrad；　and　ask　Herr　von　Swieten　to　finish　the　poem
quickly；　and　you；　women；　leave　me。　I　feel　the　ideas　burning　in　my
head；　and　the　melodies　gushing　from　my　heart。　The　hymn　has　inspired
me　with　genuine　enthusiasm；　and　now；　with　God　and　my　emperor；　I　will
commence　my　Creation！　But　you；　you　must　not　despairand　whenever
you　feel　dejected；　sing　my　imperial　hymn；　and　pour　consolation　and
courage　into　your　heartsinto　the　hearts　of　all　Austrians　who　will
sing　it。　For　not　only　for　you；　but　for　Austria；　I　have　sung　my　hymn；
and　it　shall　belong　to　the　whole　Austrian　people！〃




CHAPTER　VII

GENERAL　BONAPARTE


At　length　peace　was　to　be　concluded。　For　several　weeks　had　the　three
Austrian　plenipotentiaries　been　at　Udine；　the　Austrian　court　having
sent　with　Count　Meerveldt　and　Count　Louis　Cobenzl　the　Marquis　de
Gallo；　who；　although　Neapolitan　ambassador　at　Vienna；　and　therefore；
not　in　the　imperial　service；　acted　as　their　adviser。

General　Bonaparte　was　at　Passeriano：　he　alone　had　been　authorized　by
the　great　French　Republic　to　conclude　peace　with　Austria；　or　to
renew　the　war；　just　as　he　saw　fit。

The　eyes　of　France　and　Germany；　nay　of　all　Europe；　were　riveted　upon
this　small　point　on　the　border　of　Germany　and　Italy；　for　there　the
immediate　future　of　Europe　was　to　be　decided；　there　the　dice　were　to
fall　which　were　to　bring　peace　or　war　to　the　world。

Austria　wanted　peace；　it　was　a　necessity　for　her；　because　she　did
not　feel　strong　enough　for　war；　and　was　afraid　of　the　dangers　and
losses　of　continued　defeats。　But　she　did　not　want　peace；　coute　qui
coute；　she　wanted　to　derive　substantial　advantages　from　itshe
intended　to　aggrandize　herself　at　the　expense　of　Italy；　at　the
expense　of　Prussiaand；　if　need　be；　at　the　expense　of　Germany。

But　what　did　France　want；　or　rather；　what　did　General　Bonaparte
want？　None　but　himself　knew。　None　could　read　his　thoughts　in　his
marble　countenance。　None　could　decipher　his　future　actions　from　his
laconic　utterances。　None　could　tell　what　Bonaparte　intended　to　do
and　what　aim　his　ambition　had　in　view。

The　negotiations　with　Austria　had　been　going　on　for　months。　For
several　weeks　the　Austrian　plenipotentiaries　and　General　Bonaparte
had　had　daily　interviews　of　many　hours'　duration；　which　alternately
took　place　at　Udine　and　at　Passeriano；　but　the　work　of　pacification
would　not　come　to　a　satisfactory　conclusion。　Austria　demanded　too
much；　and　France　would　not　yield　enough。　These　conferences　had
frequently　assumed　a　very　stormy　character；　and　often；　during　the
debates；　Bonaparte's　voice　had　resounded　in　thundering　tones；　and
flashes　of　anger　had　burst　forth　from　his　eyes。　But　the　Austrian
plenipotentiaries　had　not　been　struck　by　them。　The　flashes　from　the
great　chieftain's　eyes　had　recoiled　powerlessly　from　their
imperturbable　smile。　When　his　voice　thundered　at　them；　they　had
lowered　their　heads　only　to　raise　them　slowly　again　as　soon　as　the
general　was　silent。

To…day；　on　the　thirteenth　of　October；　another　interview　was　to　take
place；　at　the　hotel　of　Count　Cobenzl；　and　perhaps　that　was　the
reason　why　General　Bonaparte　had　risen　at　an　unusually　early　hour　in
the　morning。　He　had　just　finished　his　toilet；　the　four　valets　who
had　assisted　him　had　just　concluded　their　task。　As　usual；　Bonaparte
had　suffered　them　to　dress　and　wash　him　like　a　child。　＇Footnote：
〃Memoires　de　Constant；　premier　valet　de　chambre　de　l'Empereur
Napoleon；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　180。＇　With　a　silent　gesture　he　now　ordered
the　servants　to　withdraw；　and　called　out；　〃Bourrienne！〃

The　door　was　opened　at　once；　and　a　tall　young　man；　in　the　citizen's
dress　of　that　period；　stepped　in。　Bonaparte；　greeting　his　youthful
secretary　with　a　slight　nod　of　his　head；　pointed　with　his　hand　at
the　desk。

Bourrienne　walked　noiselessly　to　the　desk；　sat　down；　took　a　pen　and
some　blank　paper；　and　waited　for　what　the　general　would　have　to
dictate。

But　Bonaparte　was　silent。　With　his　hands　folded　on　his　back；　he
commenced　rapidly　walking　up　and　down。　Bourrienne；　holding　the　pen
in　his　hand　and　momentarily　ready　to　write；　enjoyed　this　pause；　this
absorbed　pondering　of　the　general；　with　genuine　delight；　for　it
afforded　him　leisure　to　contemplate　Bonaparte；　to　study　his　whole
appearance；　and　to　engrave　every　feature；　every　gesture　of　the
conqueror　of　Italy　upon　his　mind。

Bourrienne　was　an　old　friend　of　Bonaparte；　they　had　been　together　at
the　military　academy；　they　had　met　afterward　at　Parisand　poor
young　Lieutenant　Bonaparte　had　often　been　glad　enough　to　accept　a
dinner　at　the　hands　of　his　wealthier　friend。

Only　a　few　years　had　elapsed　since　that　time；　and　now　Lieutenant
Bonaparte　had　become　already　an　illustrious　general；　while
Bourrienne；　whom　the　Terrorists　had　proscribed；　thankfully　accepted
the　protection　of　his　old　comrade；　and　now　filled　the　position　of
private　secretary　under　him。

He　had　been　with　him　in　this　capacity　only　two　daysfor　two　days　he
had　seen　Bonaparte　every　hour；　and　yet　he　contemplated　with　ever　new
surprise　this　wonderful　countenance；　in　which　he　vainly　tried　to
recognize　the　features　of　the　friend　of　his　youth。　True；　the　same
outlines　and　contours　were　still　there；　but　the　whole　face　was　an
entirely　different　one。　No　traces　of　the　carelessness；　of　the
harmless　hilarity　of　former　days；　were　left　in　these　features。　His
complexion　was　pale　almost　to　sickliness；　his　figure；　which　did　not
rise　above　the　middle　height；　was　slender　and　bony。　Upon　looking　at
him；　you　seemed　at　first　to　behold　a　young　man　entirely　devoid　of
strength；　and　hopelessly　doomed　to　an　early　death。　But　the　longer
you　examined　him；　the　more　his　features　seemed　to　breathe　vitality
and　spirit；　and　the　firmer　grew　the　conviction　that　this　was　an
exceptional　beinga　rare　and　strange　phenomenon。　Once　accustomed　to
his　apparent　pale　and　sickly　homeliness；　the　beholder　soon　saw　it
transformed　into　a　fascinating　beauty　such　as　we　admire　on　the
antique　Roman　cameos　and　old　imperial　coins。　His　classical　and
regular　profile　seemed　to　be　modelled　after　these　antique　coins；　his
forehead；　framed　in　on　both　sides　with　fine　chestnut　hair；　was　high
and　statuesque。　His　eyes　were　blue；　but　brimful　of　the　most
wonderful　expression　and　sparkling　with　fire；　a　faithful　mirror　of
his　fiery　soul；　now　exceedingly　mild　and　gentle；　and　then　again
stern　and　even　harsh。　His　mouth　was　classically　beautifulthe
finely…shaped　lips；　narrow　and　slightly　compressed；　especially　when
in　anger；　when　he　laughed；　he　displayed　two　rows　of　teeth；　not
faultlessly　fine；　but　of　pearly　white。　Every　lineament；　every　single
feature　of　his　face　was　as　regular　as　if　modelled　by　a　sculptor；
nevertheless　there　was　something　ugly　and　repulsive　in　the　whole；
and　in　order　to　be　able　to　admire　it；　it　was　necessary　first　to　get
accustomed　to　this　most　extraordinary　being。　Only　the　feet　and　the
small　white　hands　were　so　surpassingly　beautiful　that　they　enlisted
at　once　the　liveliest　admiration；　and　this　was