louisa of prussia and her times-第15节

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said　to　myself：　'This　republican　bear　is　not　insensible　to　the
favors　and　affability　of　the　great。'　Flattery　is　a　dish　which　he
likes　to　eat；　we　will；　therefore；　feed　him　with　it；　and　he　will　be
ours；　and　do　whatever　we　may　want　without　even　noticing　it。　The
great　Empress　Catharine　used　to　say：　'Bears　are　best　tamed　by
sweetmeats；　and　republicans　by　titles　and　decorations。'　Just　see；
marquis；　how　I　am　going　to　honor　him！　I　let　him　drink　his　chocolate
to…day　from　my　most　precious　relic　from　this　cup　here；　which　the
great　empress　gave　to　me；　and　which　you　see　contains　the　czarina's
portrait。　Ah；　it　was　at　the　last　festival　at　the　Ermitage　that　she
handed　me　the　cup　with　chocolate；　and；　in　order　to　give　it　its　real
value；　she　touched　the　rim　of　the　cup　with　her　own　sublime　lips；
sipped　of　the　chocolate；　and　then　permitted　me　to　drink　where　she
had　drunk。　This　cup；　therefore；　is　one　of　my　most　cherished
reminiscences　of　St。　Petersburg；　and　little　General　Bonaparte　may　be
very　proud　to　be　permitted　to　drink　from　Catharine's　cup。　Yes；　yes；
we　will　give　sweetmeats　to　the　bear；　but　afterward　he　must　dance
just　as　we　please。　We　will　not　yield；　but　HE　must　yield　to　US。　Our
demands　ought　to　be　as　exorbitant　as　possible！〃

〃By　straining　a　cord　too　much；　you　generally　break　it；〃　said　the
Italian；　thoughtfully。　〃General　Bonaparte；　I　am　afraid；　will　not
consent　to　any　thing　derogatory　to　the　honor　and　dignity　of　France。
Besides；　there　is　another　bad　feature　about　himhe　is
incorruptible；　and　even　the　titles　and　decorations　of　the　Empress
Catharine　would　not　have　tamed　this　republican。　Let　us　proceed
cautiously　and　prudently；　count。　Let　us　demand　much；　but　yield　in
time；　and　be　content　with　something　less　in　order　not　to　lose　every
thing。〃

〃Austria　can　only　consent　to　a　peace　which　extends　her　boundaries；
and　enlarges　her　territory；〃　exclaimed　Cobenzl；　hastily。

〃You　are　right；　certainly；〃　replied　the　Marquis　de　Gallo；　slowly；
〃but　Austria　cannot　intend　to　aggrandize　herself　at　the　expense　of
France。　What　is　that　so…called　Germany　good　for？　Let　Austria　take
from　her　whatever　she　wantsa　piece　of　Bavaria；　a　piece　of　Prussia…
…I　would　not　care　if　she　even　gave　to　France　a　piece　of　Germany；　for
instance　the　frontier　of　the　Rhine。　In　the　name　of　Heaven；　I　should
think　that　the　so…called　German　empire　is　decayed　enough　to　permit
us　to　break　off　a　few　of　its　pieces。〃

〃You　are　very　unmerciful　toward　the　poor　German　empire；〃　said　Count
Cobenzl；　with　a　smile；　〃for　you　are　no　German；　and　owing　to　that；　it
seems　you　are　much　better　qualified　to　act　as　Austrian
plenipotentiary　in　this　matter。　Nevertheless　it　is　odd　and　funny
enough　that　in　these　negotiations　in　which　the　welfare　of　Germany　is
principally　at　stake；　the　Emperor　of　Germany　should　be　represented
by　an　Italian；　and　the　French　Republic　by　a　Corsican！〃

〃You　omit　yourself；　my　dear　count；〃　said　the　marquis；　politely。　〃You
are　the　real　representative　of　the　German　emperor；　and　I　perceive
that　the　emperor　could　not　have　intrusted　the　interests　of　Germany
to　better　hands。　But　as　you　have　permitted　me　to　act　as　your
adviser；　I　would　beg　you　to　remember　that　the　welfare　of　Austria
should　precede　the　welfare　of　Germany。　Andbut　listen！　a　carriage
is　approaching。〃

〃It　is　General　Bonaparte；〃　said　Count　Cobenzl；　hastening　to　the
window。　〃Just　see　the　splendid　carriage　in　which　he　is　coming。　Six
horsesfour　footmen　on　the　box；　and　a　whole　squadron　of　lancers
escorting　him！　And　you　believe　this　republican　to　be　insensible　to
flattery？　Ah；　ha！　we　will　give　sweetmeats　to　the　bear！　Let　us　go　and
receive　him。〃

He　took　the　arm　of　the　marquis；　and　both　hastened　to　receive　the
general；　whose　carriage　had　just　stopped　at　the　door。

The　Austrian　plenipotentiaries　met　Bonaparte　in　the　middle　of　the
staircase　and　escorted　him　to　the　dining…room；　where　the　dejeuner
was　waiting　for　him。

But　Bonaparte　declined　the　dejeuner；　in　spite　of　the　repeated　and
most　pressing　requests　of　Count　Cobenzl。

〃At　least　take　a　cup　of　chocolate　to　warm　yourself；〃　urged　the
count。　〃Drink　it　out　of　this　cup；　general；　and　if　it　were　only　in
order　to　increase　its　value　in　my　eyes。　The　Empress　Catharine　gave
it　to　me；　and　drank　from　it；　and　if　you　now　use　this　cup　likewise；　I
might　boast　of　possessing　a　cup　from　which　the　greatest　man　and　the
greatest　woman　of　this　century　have　drunk！〃

〃I　shall　not　drink；　count！〃　replied　Bonaparte；　bluntly。　〃I　will　have
nothing　in　common　with　this　imperial　Messalina；　who；　by　her
dissolute　life；　equally　disgraced　the　dignity　of　the　crown　and　of
womanhood。　You　see　I　am　a　strong…headed　republican；　who　only
understands　to　talk　of　business。　Let　us；　therefore；　attend　to　that
at　once。〃

Without　waiting　for　an　invitation；　he　sat　down　on　the　divan　close　to
the　breakfast…table；　and；　with　a　rapid　gesture；　motioned　the　two
gentlemen　to　take　seats　at　his　side。

〃I　informed　you　of　my　ultimatum　the　day　before　yesterday；〃　said
Bonaparte；　coldly；　〃have　you　taken　it　into　consideration；　and　are
you　going　to　accept　it？〃

This　blunt　and　hasty　question；　so　directly　at　the　point；
disconcerted　the　two　diplomatists。

〃We　will　weigh　and　consider　with　you　what　can　be　done；〃　said　Count
Cobenzl；　timidly。　〃France　asks　too　much　and　offers　too　little。
Austria　is　ready　to　cede　Belgium　to　France；　and　give　up　Lombardy；
but　in　return　she　demands　the　whole　territory　of　Venice；　Mantua
included。〃

〃Mantua　must　remain　with　the　new　Cisalpine　Republic！〃　exclaimed
Bonaparte；　vehemently。　〃That　is　one　of　the　stipulations　of　my
ultimatum；　and　you　seem　to　have　forgotten　it；　count。　And　you　say
nothing　about　the　frontier　of　the　Rhine；　and　of　the　fortress　of
Mentz；　both　of　which　I　have　claimed　for　France。〃

〃But；　general；　the　Rhine　does　not　belong　to　Austria；　and　Mentz　is
garrisoned　by　German　troops。　We　cannot　give　away　what　does　not
belong　to　us。〃

〃Do　not　I　give　Venice　to　you？〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte〃Venice；　which；
even　at　the　present　hour；　is　a　sovereign　state；　and　whose　delegates
are　at　my　headquarters；　waiting　for　my　reply！　The　Emperor　of　Germany
has　certainly　the　right　to　give　away　a　German　fortress　if　he
choose。〃

〃Well；　Austria　is　not　indisposed　to　cede　the　frontier　of　the　Rhine
to　France；〃　remarked　the　Marquis　de　Gallo。　〃Austria　is　quite　willing
and　ready　to　form　a　close　alliance　with　France；　in　order　to　resist
the　ambitious　schemes　of　Prussia。〃

〃If　Austria　should　acquire　new　territory　in　consequence　of　an
understanding　with　France；　she　must　be　sure　that　no　such　right　of
aggrandizement　should　be　granted　to　Prussia；〃　said　Count　Cobenzl；
hastily。

〃France　and　Austria　might　pledge　themselves　in　a　secret　treaty　not
to　permit　any　further　aggrandizement　of　Prussia；　but　to　give　back　to
her　simply　her　former　possessions　on　the　Rhine；〃　said　De　Gallo。

〃No　digressions；　if　you　please！〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；　impatiently。
〃Let　us　speak　of　my　ultimatum。　In　the　name　of　France；　I　have　offered
you　peace；　provided　the　territories　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Rhine
with　their　stipulated　boundaries；　including　Mentz；　be　ceded　to
France；　and　provided；　further；　that　the　Adige　form　the　boundary…line
between　Austria　and　the　Cisalpine　Republic；　Mantua　to　belong　to　the
latter。　You　cede　Belgium　to　France；　but；　in　return；　we　give　you　the
continental　possessions　of　Venice；　only　Corfu　and　the　Ionian　Islands
are　to　fall　to　the　share　of　France；　and　the　Adige　is　to　form　the
frontier　of　Venetian　Austria。〃

〃I　told　you　already；　general；〃　said　Count　Cobenzl；　with　his　most
winning　smile；　〃we　cannot　accept　the　last　condition。　We　must　have
Mantua；　likewise；　in　return；　we　give　you　Mentz；　and　not　the　Adige；
but　the　Adda；　must　be　our　frontier。〃

〃Ah！　I　seenew　difficulties；　new　subterfuges！〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；
and　his　eyes　darted　a　flash　of　anger　at　the　diplomatist。

This　angry　glance；　however；　was　parried　by　the　polite　smile　of　the
count。　〃I　took　the　liberty　of　informing　you　likewise　of　OUR
ultimatum；　general；〃　he　said；　gently；　〃and　I　am　sorry　to　be
compelled　to　declare　that　I　shall　have　to　leave　this　place　unless
our　terms　be　acceded　to。　But　in　that　case；　I　shall　hold　YOU
responsible　for　the　blood　of　the　thousands　which　may　be　shed　in
consequence。〃

Bonaparte　jumped　up；　with　flaming　eyes；　and　lips　quivering　with
rage。

〃You　dare　to　threaten　me！〃　he　shouted；　angrily。　〃You　resort　to
subterfuge　after　subterfuge。　Then　you　are　determined　to　have　war？
Very　well；　you　shall　have　it。〃

He　extended　his　arm　hastily　and　seized　the　precious　cup　which　the
Empress　Catharine　had　given　to　Count　Cobenzl；　and；　with　an　impetuous
motion；　hurled　it　to　the　ground；　where　it　broke　to　pieces　with　a
loud　crash。

〃See　there！〃　he　shouted　in　a　thundering　voice。　〃Your　Austrian
monarchy　shall　be　shattered　like　this　cup　within　less　than　three
months。　I　promise　you　that。〃

Without　deigning　to　cast　another　glance　upon　the　two　gentlemen；　he
hurried　with　rapid　steps　to　the　door；　and　left　the　room。

Pale　with　anger　and　dismay；　Count　Cobenzl　stared　at　the　debris　of
the　precious　cup；　which　so　long　had　been　the　pride　and　joy　of　his
heart。

〃He　is　leaving；〃　muttered　the　Marquis　de　Gallo。　〃Shall　we　let　him
go；　count？〃

〃How　is　that　bear　to　be　kept　here？〃　asked　th