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majesty　whenever　he　wished　to　communicate　anything　to　her。　He　had
asked　her　to　grant　him　this　permission。〃

〃I　knew　the　particulars　of　this　first　interview；　except　the　passage
referring　to　this　permission；〃　said　Thugut；　quietly。

〃But　this　permission　precisely　is　of　the　highest　importance；　your
excellency；　for　the　empress　thereby　gives　the　French　minister　free
access　to　her　rooms。　He　is　at　liberty　to　see　her　as　often　as　he
wishes；　to　communicate　any　thing　to　her。　It　seems　the　general　has　to
make　many　communications　to　her　majesty；　for　two　days　after　the
first　audience；　that　is　yesterday；　General　Bernadotte　again　repaired
to　the　Hofburg　in　order　to　see　the　empress。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires
d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　485。＇

〃And　did　she　admit　him？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃Yes；　she　admitted　him；　your　excellency。　This　time　the　general　did
not　confine　himself　to　generalities；　but　fully　unbosomed　himself　to
her　majesty。　He　confessed　to　the　empress　that　France　was　very
anxious　to　maintain　peace　with　Naples　as　well　as　with　Austria；
adding；　however；　that　this　would　be　much　facilitated　by　friendly
advances；　especially　on　the　part　of　Austria。　Austria；　instead　of
pursuing　such　a　policy；　was　actuated　by　hostile　intentions　toward
France。　When　the　empress　asked　for　an　explanation　of　these　words；
Bernadotte　was　bold　enough　to　present　to　her　a　memorial　directed
against　the　policy　of　your　excellency；　and　in　which　the　general　said
he　had　taken　pains；　by　order　of　the　Directory；　to　demonstrate　that
the　policy　of　Baron　Thugut　was　entirely　incompatible　with　a　good
understanding　between　Austria　and　France；　and　that；　without　such　an
understanding；　the　fate　of　Naples　could　not　be　but　very　uncertain。〃

〃What　did　the　empress　reply？〃　asked　Thugut；　whose　mien　did　not
betray　a　symptom　of　excitement　or　anger。

〃Her　majesty　replied　she　would　read　the　memorial　with　the　greatest
attention；　and　keep　it　a　profound　secret　from　every　one。　She　added；
however；　she　feared　lest；　even　if　the　memorial　should　convince
herself　of　the　inexpediency　of　Baron　Thugut's　policy；　it　might　be
difficult　if　not　impossible　to　induce　the　emperor　to　take　a　similar
view　of　the　matterhis　majesty　reposing　implicit　confidence　in　his
prime　minister　and　being　perfectly　satisfied　of　your　excellency's
fidelity；　honesty；　and　incorruptibility。　After　this　reply；
Bernadotte　approached　the　empress　somewhat　nearer；　and　cautiously
and　searchingly　glanced　around　the　room　in　order　to　satisfy　himself
that　no　one　but　her　majesty　could　overhear　his　words。　Just　then〃

〃Well；　why　do　you　hesitate？〃　asked　Thugut；　hastily。

〃My　tongue　refuses　to　repeat　the　calumnies　which　the　French　minister
has　dared　to　utter。〃　〃Compel　your　tongue　to　utter　them；　and　let　me
hear　them；〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　sarcastically。

〃With　your　excellency's　leave；　then。　Bernadotte　then　almost　bent
down　to　the　ear　of　the　empress　and　said　to　her；　whisperingly；　the
Directory　of　France　were　in　possession　of　papers　that　would
compromise　Minister　Thugut　and　furnish　irrefutable　proofs　that
Minister　Thugut　was　by　no　means　a　reliable　and　honest　adviser　of　his
majesty；　inasmuch　as　he　was　in　the　pay　of　foreign　powers；　England
and　Russia　particularly；　who　paid　him　millions　for　always　fanning
anew　the　flames　of　Austria's　hostility　against　France。　Bernadotte
added　that　these　papers　were　on　the　way　and　would　arrive　at　Vienna
by　the　next　courier。　He　asked　the　empress　if　she　would　permit　him　to
hand　these　papers　to　her　for　placing　them　into　the　hands　of　the
emperor。〃

〃And　the　empress？〃

〃The　empress　promised　it；　and　granted　a　third　audience　to　the
minister　as　soon　as　he　should　be　in　possession　of　the　papers　and
apply　for　an　interview　with　her。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme
d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　890。＇

〃Are　you　through？〃　asked　Thugut；　with　the　greatest　composure。

〃Not　yet；　your　excellency。　It　remains　for　me　to　tell　you　that　the
courier　expected　by　Bemadotte　arrived　last　night　at　the　hotel　of　the
French　embassy；　and　that　the　minister　himself　immediately　left　his
couch　in　order　to　receive　the　dispatches　in　person。　Early　this
morning　an　extraordinary　activity　prevailed　among　the　employes　of
the　embassy；　and　the　first　attache　as　well　as　the　secretary　of
legation　left　the　hotel　at　a　very　early　hour。　The　former　with　a
letter　from　Bernadotte　repaired　to　Laxenburg　where　the　empress；　as
is　well　known　to　your　excellency；　has　been　residing　with　her　court
for　the　last　few　days。　After　the　lapse　of　an　hour；　he　returned；　and
brought　the　general　the　verbal　reply　from　the　empress　that　her
majesty　would　return　to　Vienna　in　order　to　attend　the　festival　of
the　volunteers；　and　would　then　be　ready　to　grant　an　immediate
audience　to　the　ambassador。〃

〃And　whither　did　the　secretary　of　legation　go？〃

〃First　to　one　of　our　most　fashionable　military　tailors；　＇Footnote：
Military　tailors　are　tailors　who　have　the　exclusive　privilege　of
furnishing　uniforms；　etc。；　to　the　officers　of　the　army。＇　and　then　to
a　dry…goods　store。　At　the　tailor's　he　ordered　a　banner；　which　is　to
be　ready　in　the　course　of　this　evening；　and　at　the　dry…goods　store
he　purchased　the　material　required　for　this　bannerblue；　white；　and
red。　Now；　your　excellency；　I　am　through　with　my　report。〃

〃I　confess；　my　dear　count；　that　I　have　listened　to　you　with　the　most
intense　pleasure　and　satisfaction；　and　that　I　cannot　refrain　from
expressing　to　you　my　liveliest　admiration　for　the　vigilance　and
energy　of　your　police；　who　do　not　merely　unfathom　the　past　and
present；　but　also　the　future。　In　three　days；　then；　the　ambassador　of
France　will　have　an　interview　with　the　empress？〃

〃Yes；　your　excellency；　and　he　will　then　deliver　to　her　the　above
mentioned　papers。〃

〃Provided　he　has　got　any　such　papers；　my　friend！　Papers　that　might
compromise　me！　As　if　there　were　any　such　papers！　As　if　I　ever　had
been　so　stupid　as　to　intrust　secrets　to　a　scrap　of　paper　and　to
betray　to　it　what　every　one　must　not　know。　He　who　wants　to　keep
secretsand　I　understand　that　exceedingly　wellwill　intrust　them
just　as　little　to　paper　as　to　human　ear。　I　should　burn　my　own　hair
did　I　believe　that　it　had　got　wind　of　the　ideas　of　my　head。　I　would
really　like　to　see　these　papers　which　Bernadotte〃

The　sudden　appearance　of　the　valet　de　chambre　interrupted　the
minister。　〃Your　excellency；〃　he　said；　〃the　ambassador　of　the　French
Republic；　General　Bernadotte；　would　like　to　see　your　excellency
immediately　concerning　a　very　important　and　urgent　affair。〃

Thugut　exchanged　a　rapid；　smiling　glance　with　the　count。　〃Take　the
ambassador　to　the　reception…room　and　tell　him　that　I　shall　wait　on
him　at　once。〃

〃Well？〃　he　asked；　when　the　valet　had　withdrawn。　〃Do　you　still
believe　that　Bernadotte　has　got　papers　that　would　compromise　me？
Would　he　call　on　me　in　that　case？　He　doubtless　intends　telling　me
his　ridiculous　story；　too；　or　he　wishes　to　intimidate　me　by　his
interviews　with　the　empress；　so　as　to　prevail　on　me　to　accede　to　the
desires　of　France　and　to　become　more　pliable。　But　he　is　entirely
mistaken。　I　am　neither　afraid　of　his　interviews　with　the　empress；
nor　of　Bernadotte's　papers；　and　shall　immovably　pursue　my　own　path。
If　it　please　God；　this　path　will　soon　lead　me　to　a　point　where　the
battle　against　those　overbearing　French　may　be　begun　in　a　very　safe
and　satisfactory　manner。　Come；　my　dear　count；　accompany　me　to　the
adjoining　room。　I　shall　leave　the　door　ajar　that　leads　into　the
reception…room；　for　I　want　you　to　be　an　invisible　witness　to　my
interview　with　the　ambassador。　Come！〃




CHAPTER　XXIV。

THE　FESTIVAL　OF　THE　VOLUNTEERS。


He　quietly　took　the　count's　arm　and　went　with　him　to　the　adjoining
room。　Indicating　to　him　a　chair　standing　not　far　from　the　other
door；　he　walked　rapidly　forward　and　entered　the　reception…room。

General　Bernadotte；　quite　a　young　man；　approached　him　with　a　stiff
and　dignified　bearing；　and　there　was　an　expression　of　bold　defiance
and　undisguised　hostility　plainly　visible　on　his　youthful　and
handsome　features。

Thugut；　on　his　side；　had　called　a　smile　upon　his　lips；　and　his　eyes
were　radiant　with　affability　and　mildness。

〃I　am　very　glad；　general；　to　see　you　here　at　so　unexpected　an　hour；〃
he　said；　politely。　〃Truly；　this　is　a　distinction　that　will　cause　all
of　our　pretty　ladies　to　be　jealous　of　me；　and　I　am　afraid；　general；
you　will　still　more　exasperate　the　fair　sex；　who　never　would　grant
me　their　favor；　against　myself；　for　I　am　now　assuredly　to　blame　if
some　of　our　most　beautiful　ladies　now　should　vainly　wait　for　your
arrival。〃

〃I　am　always　very　punctual　in　my　appointments；　your　excellency；
whether　they　be　armed　rencounters　or　such　rendezvous　as　your
excellency　has　mentioned　just　now；　and；　therefore；　seems　to　like
especially；〃　said　Bernadotte；　gravely。　〃I　call　upon　your　excellency；
however；　in　the　name　of　a　lady；　tooin　the　name　of　the　French
Republic！〃

〃And　she　is；　indeed；　a　very　exalted　and　noble　lady；　to　whom　the
whole　world　is　bowing　reverentially；〃　said　Thugut；　smiling。

〃In　the　name　of　the　French　Republic　and　of　the　French　Directory；　I
would　like　to　inquire　of　your　excellency　whether　or　not　it　is　a　fact
that　a　popular　festival　will　be　held　to…morrow　here　in　Vienna？〃

〃A　popular　festiv