louisa of prussia and her times-第49节

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easily　appropriated　the　spoils　amounting　to　many　millions；　but　I
disdained　the　money　of　spoliation　and　bribery；　and　what　little　money
I　have　got　now；　was　acquired　in　an　honest　and　chivalrous　manner；
＇Footnote：　Bonaparte　at　St。　Helena　said　to　Las　Casas　that　he　had
brought　only　three　hundred　thousand　francs　from　Italy。　Bourrienne
asserts；　however；　Bonaparte　had　brought　home　no　less　than　three
million　francs。　He　adds；　however；　that　this　sum　was　not　the　fruit　of
peculation　and　corruption；　Bonaparte　having　been　an　incorruptible
administrator。　But　he　had　discovered　the　mines　of　Yorda；　and　he　had
an　interest　in　the　meat　contracts　for　the　army。　He　wanted　to　be
independent；　and　knew　better　than　any　one　else　that　he　could　not　be
independent　without　money。　He　said　to　Bourrienne　in　regard　to　it；　〃I
am　no　Capuchin！〃Memoires　de　Bourrienne；　vol　11。；　p。　47。＇　It　is
sufficient；　however；　to　secure　a　brilliant　existence　to　us。　I　shall
not　be　satisfied　until　I　live　with　you　in　a　house　corresponding　with
the　splendor　of　my　name。　I　need　a　palace；　and　shall　have　it
decorated　with　all　the　stands　of　colors　I　have　taken　in　Italy。　To
you　alone；　Josephine；　to　you　I　intrust　the　care　of　designating　to　me
a　palace　worthy　of　being　offered　to　me　by　the　nation　I　have
immortalized；　and　worthy　also　of　a　wife　whose　beauty　and　grace　could
only　beautify　it。　＇Footnote：　Le　Normand；　vol。　i。；　p。　265。＇　Come；
Josephinecome　to　Paris！　Let　us　select　such　a　palace！〃




CHAPTER　XXIII。

MINISTER　THUGUT。


The　prime　minister；　Baron　Thugut；　was　in　his　study。　It　was　yet　early
in　the　morning；　and　the　minister　had　just　entered　his　room　in　order
to　begin　his　political　task。　On　the　large　green　table　at　which
Thugut　had　just　sat　down；　there　lay　the　dispatches　and　letters
delivered　by　the　couriers　who　had　arrived　during　the　night　and　early
in　the　morning。　There　were；　besides；　unfolded　documents　and　decrees；
waiting　for　the　minister's　signature；　in　order　to　become　valid　laws。
But　the　minister　took　no　notice　whatever　of　these　papers；　but　first
seized　the　newspapers　and　other　periodicals；　which　he　commenced
reading　with　great　eagerness。　While　he　was　perusing　them；　his　stern
features　assumed　a　still　harsher　mien；　and　a　gloomy　cloud　settled　on
his　brow。　Suddenly　he　uttered　a　wild　oath　and　violently　hurling　the
paper；　in　which　he　had　been　reading；　to　the　floor；　he　jumped　up　from
his　chair。

〃Such　impudence　is　altogether　intolerable！〃　he　shouted；　angrily。　〃It
is　high　time　for　me　to　teach　these　newspaper　scribblers　another
lesson；　and　they　shall　have　it！　I〃

Just　then；　the　door　of　the　anteroom　opened；　and　a　footman　entered。
He　informed　his　master　that　the　police　minister；　Count　Saurau；
wished　to　see　him。

Baron　Thugut　ordered　him　to　be　admitted　at　once；　and　went　to　meet
him　as　soon　as　he　heard　him　come　in。

〃You　anticipate　my　wishes；　my　dear　count；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　just
going　to　send　for　you。〃

〃Your　excellency　knows　that　I　am　always　ready　to　obey　your　calls；〃
replied　Count　Saurau；　politely。　〃I　acknowledge　your　superiority　and
submit　to　you　as　though　you　were　my　lord　and　master；　notwithstanding
our　position　in　society　and　in　the　state　service；　which　is　almost　an
equal　one；　I　willingly　permit　you　to　treat　me　as　your　disciple　and
inferior。〃

〃And　I　believe　that　is　the　wisest　course　you　can　pursue；　my　dear
little　count；〃　said　Thugut；　laughing　sarcastically。　〃It　has　been
good　for　you　to　do　so；　I　should　think；　and　so　it　has　been　for　the
whole　Austrian　ship　of　state；　that　has　been　intrusted　to　my
guidance。　Yes；　sir；　the　son　of　the　ship…builder　Thunichtgut　has
shown　to　you　and　your　fellow…members　of　the　ancient　aristocracy　that
talents　and　ability　are　no　exclusive　privileges　of　your　class；　and
that　a　common　ship…builder's　son　may　become　prime　minister；　and　that
a　low…born　Thunichtgut　may　be　transformed　into　a　Baron　von　Thugut。
The　great　Empress　Maria　Theresa　has　performed　this　miracle；　and
baptized　me；　and　I　believe　Austria　never　found　fault　with　her　for
doing　so。　The　ship…builder's　son　has　piloted　the　ship　of　state
tolerably　skilfully　through　the　breakers　up　to　the　present　time；　and
he　shall　do　so　in　future　too；　in　spite　of　all　counts　and
aristocrats。　You　see；　I　do　not　try　to　conceal　my　humble　descent；
nay；　I　boast　of　it；　and　it　is　therefore　quite　unnecessary　for　you　to
remind　me　of　what　I　never　want　to　forget！〃

〃I　see　that　some　late　occurrence　must　have　excited　your　excellency's
just　anger；〃　exclaimed　Count　Saurau。

〃And　being　police　minister；　you　doubtless　know　all　about　that
occurrence；〃　said　Thugut；　sarcastically。

Count　Saurau　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　confess　I　am　unable　to
divine〃

〃Then　you　have　not　read　the　papers　this　morning？〃　asked　Thugut；
scornfully。　〃You　have　no　idea　of　the　infamous　attack　which　an
aristocratic　newspaper　scribbler　has　dared　to　make　upon　me；　nay；
upon　the　emperor　himself？〃

〃I　confess　that　I　do　not　understand　what　your　excellency　means；〃
said　Count　Saurau；　anxiously。

〃Well；　then；　listen　to　me！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　seizing　the　paper
again。　〃Listen　to　what　I　am　going　to　read　to　you：　'At　a　time　when
the　whole　Austrian　people　are　longing　for　peace；　when　our　august
Empress　Theresia　and　our　dearly　beloved　Archduke　Charles　share　these
sentiments　of　the　people　and　give　expression　to　them　at　the　feet　of
the　throne　and　in　opposition　to　those　who　would　deluge　our　cherished
Austria　with　the　miseries　and　dangers　of　warat　such　a　time　we
fondly　look　back　into　the　great　history　of　our　country　and　remember
what　has　been　accomplished　by　great　and　gifted　members　of　our
imperial　house　in　former　periods　for　the　welfare　and　tranquillity　of
Austria；　we　remember；　for　instance；　that　Austria　in　1619；　like　to…
day；　was　threatened　by　enemies　and　on　the　eve　of　a　terrible　war；　not
because　the　honor　and　welfare　of　Austria　rendered　such　a　war
necessary；　but　because　the　ambitious　and　arrogant　minister；　Cardinal
Clesel；　was　obstinately　opposed　to　peace；　and　utterly　unmindful　of
the　wishes　of　the　people。　He　alone；　he；　the　all…powerful　minister；
was　in　favor　of　war；　he　overwhelmed　the　weak　Emperor　Mathias　with
his　demands；　and　when　the　latter；　owing　to　the　anxiety　he　had　to
undergo；　was　taken　sick；　he　even　pursued　him　with　his　clamor　for　war
into　his　sick…room。　But　then　the　archdukes；　the　emperor's　brothers；
boldly　determined　to　interfere。　They　arrested　the　rascally　minister
at　the　emperor's　bedside；　and　sent　him　to　Castle　Ambrass　in　the
Tyrol；　where　he　suffered　long　imprisonment；　a　just　punishment　for
his　arrogance　and　for　his　attempt　to　involve　the　country　in　a　war　so
distasteful　to　all　classes　of　the　people。　About　half　a　century　later
a　similar　occurrence　took　place。　There　was　again　a　minister
advocating　war　in　spite　of　the　whole　Austrian　people。　It　was　in
1673。　The　minister　to　whose　suggestions　the　Emperor　Leopold　lent　a
willing　ear　at　that　time；　was　Prince　Lobkowitz。　But　the　Empress
Claudia　had　compassion　on　the　people；　groaning　under　the　heavy　yoke
of　the　minister。　She　alone　prevailed　upon　the　emperor　by　her
eloquence　and　beauty　to　deprive　Prince　Lobkowitz　suddenly　of　all　his
honors　and　offices　and　to　send　him　on　a　common　hay…wagon　amidst　the
contemptuous　scoffs　and　jeers　of　the　populace　of　Vienna　to　the
fortress　of　Raudnitz；　forbidding　him　under　pain　of　death　to　inquire
about　the　cause　of　his　punishment。'〃　＇Footnote：　Vide　Hormayer；
〃Lebensbilder　aus　dem　Befreiungskriege；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　321。＇

〃Well；〃　asked　Thugut；　when　he　ceased　reading；　〃what　do　you　think　of
that？〃

〃I　believe　the　article　contains　very　idle　historical　reminiscences；〃
said　Count　Saurau；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃these　reminiscences；
according　to　my　opinion；　have　no　bearing　whatever　upon　our　own
times。〃

〃That　is；　you　will　not　admit　their　bearing　upon　our　own　times；　my
dear　little　count；　you　pretend　not　to　perceive　that　the　whole
article　is　directed　against　myself；　that　the　object　is　to　exasperate
the　people　against　me　and　to　encourage　my　enemies　to　treat　me　in　the
same　manner　as　Clesel　and　Lobkowitz　were　treated。　The　article
alludes　to　the　archdukes　who　overthrew　the　minister　so　obstinately
opposed　to　peace；　and　to　the　Empress　Claudia　who　profited　by　her
power　over　the　emperor　in　order　to　ruin　an　all…powerful　minister；
her　enemy。　And　you　pretend　not　to　see　that　all　this　is　merely
referred　to　for　the　purpose　of　encouraging　Archduke　Charles　and　the
Empress　Theresia　to　act　as　those　have　acted？　Both　are　at　the　head　of
the　peace　party；　both　want　peace　with　France；　and　in　their　short…
sightedness　and　stupidity；　they　are　enthusiastic　admirers　of　that
French　general　Bonaparte；　whom　they　call　'the　Italian；'　unmindful　of
the　great　probability　of　his　designating　himself　some　day　by　the
sobriquet　of　'the　Austrian；'　unless　we　oppose　him　energetically　and
set　bounds　to　his　thirst　after　conquest。　They　want　to　get　rid　of　me
in　the　same　manner　as　their　predecessors　got　rid　of　Cardinal　Clesel。
But　I　hold　the　helm　as　yet；　and　do　not　mean　to　relinquish　it。〃

〃It　would　be　a　terrible　misfortune　for　Austria　if　your　excellency
should　do　so；〃　said　Count　Saurau；　in　his　soft；　bland　voice。　〃I　do
not　believe　that　either　the　Empress　Theresa　or　the　Archduke　Charles
will　act　in　a　hostile　manner　toward　you。〃