louisa of prussia and her times-第45节

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anxious　for　a　crown；　I　might　have　picked　up　one　of　those　crowns　that
fell　down　at　my　feet　in　Italy。　But　I　preferred　to　crush　them　under
my　heels；　just　as　St。　George　crushed　the　dragon；　and　the　gold　of　the
crushed　crowns；　as　it　behooved　a　good　and　dutiful　son；　I　laid　down
on　the　altar　of　the　great　French　Republic。　So　you　see　I　am　not
longing　for　crowns。　If　I　might　follow　my　own　inclinations；　I　should
return　to　the　silence　and　obscurity　of　my　former　life；　and　I　should
lay　my　sword　aside　in　order　to　live　only　as　a　peaceable　citizen。〃

〃Oh；　general；　if　you　should　do　so；〃　exclaimed　Cobenzl；　〃there　would
soon　be　men　to　pick　up　your　sword　in　order　to　fight　with　it　against
the　Republic　and　to　recall　the　Bourbons　to　the　throne　of　the
lilies。〃

A　rapid　flash　from　Bonaparte's　eyes　struck　the　count's　face　and　met
his　sharp；　searching　glance。

〃Count　Cobenzl；〃　he　said；　quietly　and　coldly；　〃the　lilies　of　France
have　dropped　from　their　stems；　and；　being　drowned　in　the　blood　of
the　guillotine；　they　could　not　be　made　to　bloom　again。　He　would　be　a
poor；　short…sighted　gardener　who　would　try　to　draw　flowers　from
seeds　dead　and　devoid　of　germs。　And　believe　me；　we　are　no　such　poor；
short…sighted　gardeners　in　France。　You　alluded　just　now　to　the
ingratitude　of　republics；　and　you　apprehended　lest　I　might　likewise
suffer　thereby。　Let　me　assure　you；　however；　that　even　my　country's
ingratitude　would　be　dearer　to　me　than　the　gratitude　of　a　foreign
power；　and　that　the　crown　of　thorns；　which　France　may　press　upon　my
head；　would　seem　to　me　more　honorable　than　the　coronet　with　which　an
enemy　of　France　might　adorn　my　brow。　And　now；　count；　a　truce　to　such
trifling　matters！　Let　us　speak　about　business　affairs。　We　have
signed　the　ratifications　of　peace；　which　are　to　be　laid　before　the
congress；　it　only　remains　for　us　to　sign　the　secret　articles　which
shall　be　known　by　none　but　France　and　Austria。　The　main　point　is　the
evacuation　of　Mentz　by　your　troops；　so　that　our　army　may　ocupy　the
fortress。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　general；　this　very　point　will　be　a　stumbling…block　for
the　members　of　the　congress。　They　will　raise　a　terrible　hue　and　cry
as　soon　as　they　learn　that　we　have　surrendered　Mentz。〃

〃Let　these　gentlemen　say　what　they　please；〃　said　Bonaparte；
contemptuously；　〃we　have　called　them　hither　that　they　may　talk；　and
while　they　are　talking；　we　shall　act！〃

〃They　will　say　that　Austria　has　sacrificed　the　welfare　and　greatness
of　Germany　to　her　own　private　interests；〃　exclaimed　Count　Cobenzl；
anxiously。

〃Fools　are　they　who　care　for　what　people　will　say！〃　replied
Bonaparte；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃A　prudent　man　will　pursue　his
path　directly　toward　his　aim；　and　the　hum　of　babblers　never　disturbs
him。　Hear；　then；　my　last　words：　in　case　the　Austrian　troops　do　not
leave　Mentz　within　one　week；　and　surrender　the　fortress　to　the
French　forces；　the　French　army　will　remain　in　Venice；　and　I　would
sooner　send　the　latter　city　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea　than　to　let
Austria　have　a　single　stone　of　hers。　Mentz　must　be　ours；　or　I　tear
the　treaty；　and　hostilities　will　recommence！〃

And　Bonaparte；　with　a　furious　gesture；　seized　the　papers　lying　on
the　table　and　was　about　to　tear　them；　when　Count　Cobenzl　suddenly
jumped　up　and　grasped　his　hands。

〃General；〃　he　said；　imploringly；　〃what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃What　am　I　going　to　do？〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；　in　a　thundering　voice；
〃I　am　going　to　tear　a　treaty　of　peace；　which　you　merely　wanted　to
sign　with　words；　but　not　with　deeds！　Oh；　that　was　the　nice　little
trick　of　your　diplomacy；　then！　With　your　prince's　coronet　you　wanted
to　dazzle　my　eyeswith　the　two　hundred　thousand　subjects　you
offered　me　just　now；　you　wanted　me　to　corrupt　my　soul；　and　induce　me
to　barter　away　the　honor　and　greatness　of　France　for　the　miserable
people　of　a　petty　German　prince！　No；　sir。　I　shall　not　sell　my　honor
at　so　low　a　price。　I　stand　here　in　the　name　of　the　French　Republic
and　ask　you；　the　representative　of　Austria；　to　fulfil　what　we　have
agreed　upon　at　Campo　Formic。　Mentz　must　be　ours　even　before　our
troops　leave　Venice。　If　you　refuse　that；　it　is　a　plain　infringement
of　the　treaty；　and　hostilities　will　be　resumed。　Now；　sir；　come　to　a
decision。　I　am　only　a　soldier；　and　but　a　poor　diplomatist；　for　with
my　sword　and　with　my　word　I　always　directly　strike　at　my　aim。　In
short；　then；　count；　will　you　withdraw　your　troops　from　Mentz　and
from　the　other　fortresses　on　the　Rhine；　and　surrender　Mentz　to　our
army？　Yes；　or　no？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　exclaimed　Count　Cobenzl；　with　a　sigh；　〃we　will　fulfil
your　wisheswe　will　withdraw　our　troops　from　Mentz　and　surrender
the　fortress　to　the　French。〃

〃When　will　the　surrender　take　place？　As　speedily　as　possible；　if　you
please。〃

〃On　the　ninth　of　December；　general。〃

〃Very　well；　on　the　ninth　of　December。　The　matter　is　settled；　then。〃

〃But　let　there　be　no　solemn　ceremonies　at　the　surrender；〃　said　the
count；　imploringly。　〃Let　our　troops　withdraw　quietlylet　your
forces　occupy　the　place　in　the　same　manner；　so　that　when　the
delegates　of　the　German　empire；　assembled　in　congress　in　this　city；
and　to　whom　the　Emperor　of　Germany　has　solemnly　guaranteed　the
entire　integrity　and　inviolability　of　the　empire；　hear　the　news　of
the　transaction；　the　latter　may　be　already　an　accomplished　fact；　to
which　every　one　must　submit。〃

〃Be　it　so；　if　that　be　Austria's　desire；〃　said　Bonaparte；　smiling。

〃And　now　we　will　consider　the　other　secret　articles。　The　Austrian
troops　retire　from　the　German　empire　up　to　the　line　of　the　Inn　and
Lech；　occupying　hereafter　only　Austrian　territory。〃

〃Yes；　general；　in　return　for　all　these　concessions　on　our　part；　the
French　troops　will　evacuate　on　the　thirtieth　of　December　the
fortresses　and　territory　of　Venice；　which　has　been　ceded　to　Austria
by　the　treaty　of　Campo　Formio；　and　retire　behind　the　line　of
demarcation。〃

〃Granted！　At　the　same　time　the　troops　of　the　republic　seize　the
tete…de…pont　at　Mannheim　either　by　intimidating　the　isolated
garrison；　or　by　making　a　sudden　dash　at　the　position；　＇Footnote：
〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat。〃　The　French　took　the　tete…de…pont　at
Mannheim　by　assault；　on　the　15th　of　January；　1798；　the　garrison
refusing　to　evacuate　it。　Mentz　surrendered　without　firing　a　gun；　and
during　the　night　of　the　28th　of　December　1797；　the　French　entered
this　great　fortress；　which　was　thereupon　annexed　to　the　French
Republic＇　and　during　the　continuation　of　the　negotiations　here　at
Rastadt；　the　French　forces　leave　the　left　bank　of　the　Rhine　and
occupy　the　right　bank　from　Basle　to　Mentz。〃

〃Granted；〃　sighed　Count　Cobenzl。　〃Austria　yields　the　frontier　of　the
Rhine　to　Francethat　is；　by　the　simultaneous　retreat　of　her　own
forces　she　surrenders　to　the　republic　the　most　important　points　of
the　German　empire；　including　Ehrenbreitstein。　The　congress　of　the
states　of　the　German　empire　will　deliberate；　therefore；　under　the
direct　influence　produced　by　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　a　French
army。〃

〃In　case　the　delegates　of　Germany　do　not　like　the　looks　of　the
French　soldiers；　they　may　turn　their　eyes　to　the　other　side；　where
the　Austrian　army　is　encamped　on　the　Danube　and　on　the　Lech；〃
exclaimed　Bonaparte。　〃Thus　the　delegates　will　be　surrounded　by　two
armies。　This　fact　may　interfere　a　little　with　the　freedom　of　speech
during　the　session　of　congress；　but　it　will　be　advantageous；　too；
inasmuch　as　it　will　induce　the　delegates　to　accelerate　their　labors
somewhat；　and　to　finish　their　task　sooner　than　they　would　have　done
under　different　circumstances。〃

〃It　is　true；　right　in　the　face　of　these　two　armies　at　least　the
small　German　princes　will　not　dare　to　oppose　the　German　emperor　in
ceding　the　entire　left　bank　of　the　Rhine　to　France。　But　it　is　only
just　and　equitable　for　us　to　indemnify　them　for　their　losses。　In　one
of　our　secret　articles；　therefore；　we　should　acknowledge　the
obligation　of　promising　compensations　to　the　princes　and　electors〃

〃Yes；　let　us　promise　compensations　to　them；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a
tinge　of　sarcasm。　〃As　to　the　possessions　of　Prussia　on　the　left　bank
of　the　Rhine；　France　declares　her　readiness　to　give　them　back　to　the
King　of　Prussia。〃

〃But　both　powers　agree　not　to　allow　the　King　of　Prussia　to　acquire
any　new　territory；〃　exclaimed　Count　Cobenzl；　hastily。

〃Yes；　that　was　our　agreement　at　Campo　Formio；〃　said　Bonaparte。
〃Austria's　increase　of　territory；　besides　Venice；　will　consist　of
Salzburg　and　a　piece　of　Upper　Bavaria。　In　case　she　should　make
further　conquests　in　the　adjoining　states；　France　may　claim　a
further　aggrandizement　on　the　right　bank　of　the　Rhine。〃　＇Footnote：
Schlosser's　〃History　of　the　Eighteenth　Century；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　43。＇

〃Yes；　that　was　the　last　secret　article　of　the　preliminaries　of　Campo
Formio；〃　said　Cobenzl；　sighing。

〃Then　we　have　remained　entirely　faithful　to　our　agreement；〃　said
Bonaparte。　〃We　have　not　made　any　alterations　whatever　in　the
programme　which　we　agreed　upon　and　deposed　in　writing　at　the　castle
of　Campo　Formio。　It　only　remains　for　us　to…day　to　sign　these　secret
articles。〃

He　took　the　pen　and　hastily　signed　the　two　documents　spread　out　on
the　table。

Count　Cobenzl　signed　them　also；　but　his　hand　was　trembling　a　little
while　h