louisa of prussia and her times-第5节

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that　other　door　and　arrest　us。〃

These　pleasant　reflections　were　interrupted　by　another　terrible
glance　from　the　minister；　which　caused　poor　Mr。　Wenzel　to　tremble
violently。

〃Now；　gentlemen；　if　you　please；　come　in；　I　have　finished　my
breakfast。〃　said　Thugut　with　perfect　coolness。　〃I　am　quite　ready　and
anxious　to　hear　what　you　wish　to　say　to　me。　So；　come　in；　come　in！〃

The　men　who　stood　behind　Mr。　Wenzel　moved　forward；　but　the　tall；
herculean　figure　of　the　member　of　the　tailors'　guild　resisted　them
and　compelled　them　to　stand　still。

〃No；　I　beg　your　excellency's　pardon；〃　said　Mr。　Wenzel；　fully
determined　not　to　cross　the　fatal　threshold　of　the　dining…room；　〃it
would　not　become　poor　men　like　us　to　enter　your　excellency's　dining…
room。　Our　place　is　in　the　anteroomthere　we　will　wait　until　your
excellency　will　condescend　to　listen　to　us。〃

This　humble　language；　this　tremulous　voice；　that　did　not　tally　at
all　with　the　air　of　a　lion…hearted　and　outspoken　popular　leader；
which　Mr。　Wenzel　had　assumed　in　the　street；　struck　terror　and
consternation　into　the　souls　of　the　men　who　had　so　rashly　followed
him　into　the　palace。

The　minister　rose；　his　broad…shouldered　figure　loomed　up　proudly；　a
sarcastic　smile　played　on　his　angular　and　well…marked　features；　his
shaggy　white　eyebrows　convulsively　contracted　up　to　this　momentthe
only　outward　symptom　of　anger　which　Thugut；　even　under　the　most
provoking　circumstances；　ever　exhibitedrelaxed　and　became　calm　and
serene　again；　as　he　approached　the　men　with　slow　and　measured　steps。

〃Well；　tell　me　now　what　you　have　come　for？　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
asked　Thugut；　in　the　full　consciousness　of　his　power。

〃We　want　to　implore　your　excellency　to　give　us　peace。　The　poor
people〃

〃Peace　with　whom？〃　calmly　asked　the　minister。

〃Peace　with　France；　your　excellencypeace　with　General　Bonaparte；
who　is　said　to　be　a　magician；　bewitching　everybody；　and　capable　of
conquering　all　countries　by　a　glance；　by　a　motion　of　his　hands；
whenever　he　wishes　to　do　so。　If　we　do　not　make　peace；　he　will
conquer　Austria　too；　come　to　Vienna；　and　proclaim　himself　emperor；
whereupon　he　will　dismiss　our　own　wise　and　good　ministers；　and　give
us　French　masters。　But　we　would　like　to　keep　our　emperor　and　our
excellent　ministers；　who　take　care　of　us　so　paternally。　And　that　is
the　only　reason　why　we　have　come　herejust　to　implore　your
excellency　to　have　mercy　with　the　poor　people　and　make　peace；　so
that　the　emperor　may　return　to　Vienna；　and　bring　his　state　treasury
back　to　the　capital。　Yes；　men；　that　is　all　we　wanted；　is　it　not？　We
just　wanted　to　pray　your　excellency　to　give　us　peace！〃

〃Yes；　your　excellency；〃　shouted　the　men；　〃have　mercy　with　us；　and
give　us　peace！〃

〃Well；　for　angels　of　peace；　you　have　penetrated　rather　rudely　into
my　house；〃　said　the　minister；　sternly。　〃You　got　up　a　riot　in　order
to　obtain　peace。〃

〃It　was　merely　our　anxiety　that　made　us　so　hasty　and　impetuous；〃
said　Mr。　Wenzel；　deprecatingly。　〃We　ask　your　excellency's　pardon　if
we　have　frightened　you。〃

〃Frightened　me！〃　echoed　Thugut；　in　a　tone　of　unmeasured　contempt。
〃As　if　you　were　the　men　to　frighten　ME！　I　knew　that　you　would　come；
and　I　knew；　too；　who　had　bribed　you　to　do　it。　Yes；　yes；　I　know　they
have　paid　you　well；　Mr。　Wenzel；　to　get　up　a　riotthey　have　given
you　shining　ducats　for　leading　a　mob　into　my　house。　But　will　their
ducats　be　able　to　get　you　out　of　it　again？〃

Mr。　Wenzel　turned　very　pale；　he　uttered　a　shriek　and　staggered　back
a　few　paces。

〃Your　excellency　knew〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　I　knew；〃　continued　Thugut；　sternly；　〃that　men　who　have　no
regard　for　the　honor　and　dignity　of　their　countrymen　who　are
stupid　enough　to　believe　that　it　would　be　better　to　submit
voluntarily　to　the　dominion　of　the　French　Republic；　instead　of
resisting　the　demands　of　the　regicides　manfully　and　unyieldingly
that　these　men　have　hired　you　to　open　your　big　mouth；　and　howl　about
things　which　you　do　not　understand；　and　which　do　not　concern　you　at
all。〃

At　this　moment；　shrieks　of　terror　and　loud　supplications；　mingled
with　violent　and　threatening　voices；　and　words　of　military　command
were　heard　outside。

The　men　turned　anxiously　around；　and　beheld　with　dismay　that　the
staircase；　which　only　a　few　minutes　ago　was　crowded　with　people；　was
now　entirely　deserted。

Suddenly；　however；　two　men　appeared　on　the　landing；　who　were　little
calculated　to　allay　the　apprehensions　of　the　rioters；　for　they　wore
the　uniform　of　that　dreaded　and　inexorable　police　who；　under
Thugut's　administration；　had　inaugurated　a　perfect　reign　of　terror
in　Vienna。

The　two　officers　approached　the　door　of　the　anteroom；　where　they
were　met　by　Germain；　the　footman；　who　conversed　with　them　in　a
whisper。　Germain　then　hastened　back　to　the　door　of　the　dining…room
and　walked　in；　scarcely　deigning　to　cast　a　contemptuous　glance　on
the　dismayed　rioters。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃Your　excellency；　the　chief　of　police　sends　word　that　his　men　are
posted　at　all　the　doors　of　the　palace；　and　will　prevent　anybody　from
getting　out。　He　has　cleared　the　streets；　besides；　and　dispersed　the
rioters。　The　chief　of　police；　who　is　in　the　hall　below；　where　he　is
engaged　in　taking　down　the　names　of　the　criminals　who　are　yet　in　the
house；　asks　for　your　excellency's　further　orders。〃

〃Ah；　he　does　not　suspect　that　his　own　chief；　the　minister　of　police
is　present；〃　said　Thugut；　turning　with　a　smile　to　Count　Saurau；　who；
being　condemned　to　witness　this　scene　in　the　capacity　of　an　idle　and
passive　spectator；　had　withdrawn　into　a　bay…window；　where　he　had
quietly　listened　to　the　whole　proceedings。

〃My　dear　count；　will　you　permit　the　chief　of　police　to　come　here　and
report　to　yourself？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃I　pray　you　to　give　him　this　permission；〃　replied　the　count；
approaching　his　colleague。

Germain　hastened　back　to　the　policemen　in　the　anteroom。

〃And　what　are　we？〃　asked　Mr。　Wenzel；　timidly。

〃You　will　wait！〃　thundered　the　minister。　〃Withdraw　into　yonder
corner！　may　be　the　chief　of　police　will　not　see　you　there。〃

They　withdrew　tremblingly　into　one　of　the　corners　of　the　ante…room；
and　did　not　even　dare　to　whisper　to　each　other；　but　the　glances　they
exchanged　betrayed　the　anguish　of　their　hearts。

The　two　ministers；　meanwhile；　had　likewise　gone　into　the　ante…room；
and；　while　waiting　for　the　arrival　of　the　chief　of　police；　conversed
in　a　whisper。

In　the　course　of　a　few　minutes；　the　broad…shouldered　and　erect
figure　of　the　chief　of　the　Viennese　police　appeared　in　the　official
uniform　so　well　known　to　the　people　of　the　capital；　who；　for　good
reasons；　were　in　the　utmost　dread　of　the　terrible　functionary。　When
the　rioters　beheld　him；　they　turned　even　paler　than　before；　now　they
thought　that　every　thing　was　lost；　and　gave　way　to　the　most　gloomy
forebodings。

Count　Saurau　beckoned　the　chief　to　enter；　the　latter　had　a　paper　in
his　right　hand。

〃Your　report；〃　said　the　count；　rather　harshly。　〃How　was　it　possible
that　this　riot　could　occur？　Was　nobody　there　to　disperse　the
seditious　scoundrels　before　they　made　the　attack　on　his　excellency's
palace？〃

The　chief　of　police　was　silent；　and　only　glanced　anxiously　at　Baron
Thugut。　The　latter　smiled；　and　turned　to　the　count：

〃I　beg　you；　my　dear　count；　don't　be　angry　with　our　worthy　chief　of
police。　I　am　satisfied　he　has　done　his　whole　duty。〃

〃The　whole　house　is　surrounded；〃　hastily　added　the　chief。　〃Nobody
can　get　out；　and　I　have　taken　down　the　names　of　all　the　criminals。〃

〃Except　these　here；〃　said　Thugut；　pointing　at　Mr。　Wenzel　and　his
unfortunate　companions；　who　vainly　tried　to　hide　themselves　in　their
corner。　〃But　that　is　unnecessary；　inasmuch　as　they　have　given　us
their　names　already；　and　informed　us　of　their　wishes　Then；　sir；　the
whole　honorable　meeting　of　the　people　is　caught　in　my　house　as　in　a
mouse…trap？〃

〃Yes；　we　have　got　them　all；〃　said　the　chief。　〃Now；　I　would　like　to
know　of　his　excellency；　the　minister　of　police；　what　is　to　be　done
with　them。〃

〃I　beg　you；　my　dear　count；〃　said　Thugut；　turning　to　Count　Saurau；
〃let　me　have　my　way　in　this　matter；　and　treat　these　men　in　a　spirit
of　hospitality。　I　have　opened　them　the　doors　of　my　palace　and
admitted　them　into　my　presence；　and　it　would　be　ungenerous　not　to
let　them　depart　again。　Do　not　read　the　list　of　the　names　which　the
chief　holds　in　his　hand；　but　permit　him　to　give　it　to　me；　and　order
him　to　withdraw　his　men　from　my　house；　and　let　the　prisoners　retire
without　molestation；　and　with　all　the　honors　of　war。〃

〃Your　will　shall　be　done；　of　course；　your　excellency；〃　said　the
count；　bowing　respectfully。　〃Deliver　your　list　to　the　prime
minister；　and　go　down…stairs　to　carry　out　the　wishes　of　his
excellency。〃

The　chief　delivered　the　list　of　the　captured　rioters；　and　left　the
room；　after　saluting　the　two　dignitaries　in　the　most　respectful
manner。

〃And　we？　may　we　go　likewise；　your　excellency？〃　asked　Mr。　Wenzel；
timidly。

〃Yes；　you　may　go；〃　said　Thugut。　〃But　only　on　one　condition。　Mr。
Wenzel；　you　must　first　recite　to　me　the　song　which　the　honorable
people　were　howling　when　you　came　here。〃

〃Ah；　your　excellency；　I　only　know　a　single　verse　by　heart！〃

〃Well；　then；　let　us　have　that　v