louisa of prussia and her times-第46节

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the　table。

Count　Cobenzl　signed　them　also；　but　his　hand　was　trembling　a　little
while　he　was　writing；　and　his　face　was　clouded　and　gloomy。　Perhaps
he　could　not　help　feeling　that　Austria　just　now　was　signing　the
misery　and　disgrace　of　Germany　in　order　to　purchase　thereby　some
provinces；　and　that　Austria　enlarged　her　territory　at　the　expense　of
the　empire　whose　emperor　was　her　own　rulerFrancis　II。　Their
business　being　finished；　the　two　plenipotentiaries　rose；　and　Count
Cobenzl　withdrew。　Bonaparte　accompanied　him　again　to　the　door　of　the
anteroom；　and　then　returned　to　his　cabinet。

A　proud；　triumphant　smile　was　now　playing　on　his　pale；　narrow　lips；
and　his　eyes　were　beaming　and　flashing　in　an　almost　sinister　manner。
Stepping　back　to　the　table；　he　fixed　his　eyes　upon　the　document　with
the　two　signatures。

〃The　left　bank　of　the　Rhine　is　ours！〃　he　said；　heavily　laying　his
hand　upon　the　paper。　〃But　the　right　bank？〃

He　shook　his　head；　and　folding　his　arms　upon　his　back；　he　commenced
pacing　the　room；　absorbed　in　profound　reflections。　His　features　had
now　resumed　their　marble　tranquillity；　it　was　again　the　apparation
of　Julius　Caesar　that　was　walking　up　and　down　there　with　inaudible
steps；　and　the　old　thoughts　of　Julius　Caesar；　those　thoughts　for
which　he　had　to　suffer　death；　seemed　to　revive　again　in　Bonaparte's
mind；　for　at　one　time　he　whispered；　〃A　crown　for　me！　A　crown　in
Germany。　It　would　be　too　small　for　me！　If　my　hand　is　to　grasp　a
crown；　it　must〃

He　paused　and　gazed　fixedly　at　the　wall　as　if　he　saw　the　future
there；　that　arose　before　him　in　a　strange　phantasmagoria。

After　a　long　pause；　he　started　and　seemed　to　awake　from　a　dream。

〃I　believe　I　will　read　the　letter　once　more；　which　I　received
yesterday　by　mail；〃　he　murmured；　in　an　almost　inaudible　tone。　〃It　is
a　wonderful　letter；　and　I　really　would　like　to　know　who　wrote　it。〃

He　drew　a　folded　paper　from　his　bosom　and　opened　it。　Stepping　into　a
bay　window；　he　perused　the　letter　with　slow；　deliberate　glances。　The
bright　daylight　illuminated　his　profile　and　rendered　its　antique
beauty　even　more　conspicuous。　Profound　silence　surrounded　him；　and
nothing　was　heard　hut　his　soft　and　slow　respiration　and　the　rustling
of　the　paper。

When　he　had　finished　it；　he　commenced　perusing　it　again；　but　this
time　he　seemed　to　be　anxious　to　hear　what　he　was　reading。　He　read
it；　however；　in　a　very　low　and　subdued　voice；　and　amidst　the　silence
surrounding　him　the　words　that　fell　from　the　lips　of　the　resurrected
Caesar　sounded　like　the　weird　whispers　of　spirits。

〃You　have　to　choose　now　between　so　great　an　alternative；〃　he　read；
〃that　however　bold　your　character　may　be；　you　must　be　uncertain　as
to　the　determination　you　have　to　come　to；　if　you　are　to　choose
between　respect　and　hatred；　between　glory　or　disgrace；　between
exalted　power　or　an　abject　insignificance；　that　would　lead　you　to
the　scaffold；　and；　finally；　between　the　immortality　of　a　great　man；
or　that　of　a　punished　partisan。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；　and　his　voice　was　now　loud　and　firm。　〃Ah！
I　shall　never　hesitate　between　such　alternatives。　I　should　bear
disgrace；　abject　insignificance；　and　an　utter　lack　of　power？　And　my
hand　should　not　be　witheredit　should　be　able　yet　to　grasp　a　sword
and　pierce　my　breast　with　it？〃

He　lowered　his　eyes　again　and　continued　reading：　〃You　have　to　choose
between　three　parts：　the　first　is　to　return　quietly　to　France　and　to
live　there　as　a　plain　and　unassuming　citizen；　the　second；　to　return
to　France　at　the　head　of　an　army　and　there　to　become　the　leader　of　a
party；　the　third；　to　establish　a　great　empire　in　Italy　and　proclaim
yourself　king　of　the　peninsula。　I　advise　you　to　do　so；　and　to　grasp
the　Italian　crown　with　a　firm　hand。〃　＇Footnote：　Sabatier　de　Castres；
living　at　that　time　in　exile　at　Hamburg；　had　written　this　anonymous
letter　to　Bonaparte。＇

〃He　is　a　fool；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃who　believes　a　man　might　make
himself　king　of　Italy　and　maintain　himself　on　the　throne；　unless　he
previously　has　seized　the　sovereign　power　in　France；　＇Footnote：
〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　69。＇　But　no　one　must　hear
these　thoughts！　I　will　go　to　Josephine！〃

He　hastily　folded　the　paper　and　concealed　it　again　in　his　bosom。
Then　stepping　to　the　looking…glass；　he　closely　scanned　his　face　in
order　to　see　whether　or　not　it　might　betray　his　thoughts；　and　when
he　had　found　it　to　be　as　pale　and　impassive　as　ever；　he　turned　round
and　left　the　room。




CHAPTER　XXII。

THE　BANNER　OF　GLORY。


Four　days　had　elapsed　since　Bonaparte's　arrival　at　Rastadt；　and　the
congress　had　profited　by　them　in　order　to　give　the　most　brilliant
festivals　to　the　French　general　and　his　beautiful　wife。　All　those
ambassadors；　counts；　barons；　bishops；　and　diplomatists　seemed　to
have　assembled　at　Rastadt　for　the　sole　purpose　of　giving　banquets；
tea…parties；　and　balls；　no　one　thought　of　attending　to　business；　and
all　more　serious　ideas　seemed　to　have　been　utterly　banished；　while
every　one　spoke　of　the　gorgeous　decorations　of　the　ball…rooms　and　of
the　magnificence　of　the　state　dinners；　where　the　most　enthusiastic
toasts　were　drunk　in　honor　of　the　victorious　French　general；　and　the
people　seemed　most　anxious　entirely　to　forget　poor；　suffering；　and
patient　Germany。

Josephine　participated　in　these　festivities　with　her　innate
cheerfulness　and　vivacity。　She　was　the　queen　of　every　party；　every
one　was　doing　homage　to　her；　every　one　was　bent　upon　flattering　her
in　order　to　catch　an　affable　word；　a　pleasant　glance　from　her；　and；
encouraged　by　her　unvaried　kindness；　to　solicit　her　intercession
with　her　husband；　in　whose　hands　alone　the　destinies　of　the　German
princes　and　their　states　now　seemed　to　lie。

But　while　Josephine's　radiant　smiles　were　delighting　every　one
while　she　was　promising　to　all　to　intercede　for　them　with　her
husband；　Bonaparte's　countenance　remained　grave　and　moody；　and　it
was　only　in　a　surly　mood　that　he　attended　the　festivals　that　were
given　in　his　honor。　His　threatening　glances　had　frequently　already
been　fixed　upon　his　wife；　and　those　moody　apprehensions；　ever　alive
in　his　jealous　breast；　had　whispered　to　him：　〃Josephine　has　deceived
you　again！　In　order　to　silence　your　reproaches；　she　invented　a
beautiful　story；　in　which　there　is　not　a　word　of　truth；　for　the
letter　that　was　to　call　you　back　to　Paris　does　not　arrive；　and　the
Directory　keeps　you　here　at　Rastadt。〃

And　while　he　was　indulging　in　such　reflections；　his　features　assumed
a　sinister　expression；　and　his　lips　muttered：　〃Woe　to　Josephine；　if
she　should　have　deceived　me！〃

Thus　the　fourth　day　had　arrived；　and　the　Bavarian　ambassador　was　to
give　a　brilliant　soiree。　Bonaparte　had　promised　to　be　present；　but
he　had　said　to　Josephine；　in　a　threatening　manner；　that　he　would
attend　only　if　the　expected　courier　from　Paris　did　arrive　in　the
course　of　the　day；　so　that　he　might　profit　by　the　Bavarian
ambassador's　party　to　take　leave　of　all　those　〃fawning　and　slavish
representatives　of　the　German　empire。〃

But　no　courier　had　made　his　appearance　during　the　whole　morning。
Bonaparte　had　retired　to　his　closet　and　was　pacing　the　room　like　an
angry　lion　in　his　cage。　All　at　once；　however；　the　door　was　hastily
opened；　and　Josephine　entered　with　a　radiant　face；　holding　in　her
uplifted　right　hand　a　large　sealed　letter。

〃Bonaparte！〃　she　shouted；　in　a　jubilant　voice；　〃can　you　guess　what　I
have　got　here？〃

He　ran　toward　her　and　wanted　to　seize　the　letter。　But　Josephine
would　not　let　him　have　it；　and　concealed　it　behind　her　back。　〃Stop；
my　dear　sir；〃　she　said。　〃First　you　must　beg　my　pardon　for　the　evil
thoughts　I　have　read　on　your　forehead　during　the　last　few　days。　Oh；
my　excellent　general；　you　are　a　poor　sinner；　and　I　really　do　not
know　if　I　am　at　liberty　to　grant　you　absolution　and　to　open　the
gates　of　paradise　to　you。〃

〃But　what　have　I　done；　Josephine？〃　he　asked。　〃Was　I　not　as　patient
as　a　lamb？　Did　I　not　allow　myself　to　be　led　like　a　dancing…bear　from
festival　to　festival？　Did　I　not　look　on　with　the　patience　of　an
angel　while　every　one　was　making　love　to　you；　and　while　you　were
lavishing　smiles　and　encouraging；　kind　glances　in　all　directions？〃

〃What　have　you　done；　Bonaparte？〃　she　retorted　gravely。　〃You　inwardly
calumniated　your　Josephine。　You　accused　her　in　your　heart；　and　day
and　night　the　following　words　were　written　on　your　forehead　in
flaming　characters：　'Josephine　has　deceived　me。'　Do　you　pretend　to
deny　it；　sir？〃

〃No；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃I　will　not　deny　any　thing；　dear；　lovely
expounder　of　my　heart！　I　confess　my　sins；　and　implore　your
forgiveness。　But　now；　Josephine；　be　kind　enough　not　to　let　me　wait
any　longer。　Let　me　have　the　letter！〃

〃Hush；　sir！　this　letter　is　not　directed　to　you；　but　to　myself；〃
replied　Josephine；　smiling。

Bonaparte　angrily　stamped　his　foot。　〃Not　to　me！〃　he　exclaimed；
furiously。　〃Then　is　it　not　from　the　Directoryit　does　not　call　me
back　from　Rastadt？〃

〃Hush；　Bonaparte！〃　said　Josephine；　smiling；　〃must　you　always
effervesce　like　the　stormy　sea　that　roared　around　your　cradle；　you
big　child？　Be　quiet　now；　and　let　me　read　the　letter　to　you。　Will　you
let　me　do　so？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；〃　said　Bonaparte；　hastily。　〃Read；　I　implo