louisa of prussia and her times-第52节

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that　a　popular　festival　will　be　held　to…morrow　here　in　Vienna？〃

〃A　popular　festival！　Ah；　my　dear　general；　I　should　not　have　thought
that　the　French　Republic　would　take　so　lively　an　interest　in　the
popular　festivals　of　the　Germans！　But　I　must　take　the　liberty　of
requesting　you；　general；　to　apply　with　this　inquiry　to　Count　Saurau。
For　it　is　the　duty　of　the　police　minister　to　watch　over　these
innocent　amusements　and　harmless　festivals　of　the　people。〃

〃The　celebration　I　refer　to　is　neither　an　innocent　amusement　nor　a
harmless　festival；〃　exclaimed　Bernadotte；　hastily；　〃on　the　contrary；
it　is　a　political　demonstration。〃

〃A　political　demonstration？〃　repeated　Thugut；　in　surprise。　〃By　whom？
And　directed　against　whom？〃

〃A　political　demonstration　of　Austria　against　the　French　Republic；〃
said　the　general；　gravely。　〃It　is　true；　your　excellency　pretends　not
to　know　any　thing　about　this　festival　of　the　thirteenth　of　April；
but〃

〃Permit　me；　sir；〃　interrupted　Thugut；　〃is　to…morrow　the　thirteenth
of　April？〃

〃Yes；　your　excellency。〃

〃Then　I　must　say　that　I　know　something　about　this　festival；　and　that
I　am　able　to　inform　you　about　it。　Yes；　general；　there　will　be　a
popular　festival　to…morrow。〃

〃May　I　inquire　for　what　purpose？〃

〃All；　general；　that　is　very　simple。　It　is　just　a　year　to…morrow；　on
the　thirteenth　of　April；　that　the　whole　youth　of　Vienna；　believing
the　country　to　be　endangered　and　the　capital　threatened　by　the
enemy；　in　their　noble　patriotism　voluntarily　joined　the　army　and
repaired　to　the　seat　of　war。　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme
d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　499。＇　These　young　volunteers　desire　to
celebrate　the　anniversary　of　their　enrolment；　and　the　emperor；　I
believe；　has　given　them　permission　to　do　so。〃

〃I　have　to　beg　your　excellency　to　prevail　on　the　emperor　to　withdraw
this　permission。〃

〃A　strange　request！　and　why？〃

〃Because　this　festival　is　a　demonstration　against　France；　for　those
warlike　preparations　last　year　were　directed　against　France；　while
Austria　has　now　made　peace　with　our　republic。　It　is　easy　to
comprehend　that　France　will　not　like　this　festival　of　the
volunteers。〃

〃My　dear　general；〃　said　Thugut；　with　a　sarcastic　smile；　〃does　France
believe；　then；　that　Austria　liked　all　those　festivals　celebrated　by
the　French　Republic　during　the　last　ten　years？　The　festivals　of　the
republican　weddings；　for　instance；　or　the　festival　of　the　Goddess　of
Reason；　or　the　anniversaries　of　bloody　executions？　Or　more　recently
the　celebrations　of　victories；　by　some　of　which　Austria　has　lost
large　tracts　of　territory？　I　confess　to　you　that　Austria　would　have
greatly　liked　to　see　some　of　those　festivals　suppressed；　but　France
had　not　asked　our　advice；　and　it　would　have　been　arrogant　and
ridiculous　for　us　to　give　it　without　being　asked　for　it；　and　thus　to
meddle　with　the　domestic　affairs　of　your　country。　Hence　we　silently
tolerated　your　festivals；　and　pray　you　to　grant　us　the　same
toleration。〃

〃The　French　Republic　will　not　and　must　not　suffer　what　is　contrary
to　her　interests；〃　replied　Bernadotte；　vehemently。　〃This　festival
insults　us；　and　I　must　therefore　pray　your　excellency　to　prohibit
it。〃　A　slight　blush　mantled　the　cold；　hard　features　of　Baron　Thugut；
but　he　quickly　suppressed　his　anger；　and　seemed　again　quite　careless
and　unruffled。

〃You　pray　for　a　thing；　general；　which　it　is　no　longer　in　our　power
to　grant；〃　he　said；　calmly。　〃The　emperor　has　granted　permission　for
this　festival；　and　how　could　we　refuse　the　young　men　of　the　capital
a　satisfaction　so　eagerly　sought　by　them　and；　besides；　so　well
calculated　to　nourish　and　promote　the　love　of　the　people　for　their
sovereign　and　for　their　country？　Permit　us；　like　you；　to　celebrate
our　patriotic　festivals。〃

〃I　must　repeat　my　demand　that　this　festival　be　prohibited！〃　said
Bernadotte；　emphatically。

〃Your　demand？〃　asked　Thugut；　with　cutting　coldness；　〃I　do　not
believe　that　anybody　but　the　emperor　and　the　government　has　the
right　in　Austria　to　make　demands；　and　I　regret　that　I　am　unable　to
grant　your　prayer。〃

〃Your　excellency　then　will　really　permit　this　festival　of　the
volunteers　to　be　celebrated　to…morrow？〃

〃Most　assuredly。　His　majesty　has　given　the　necessary　permission。〃

〃Well；　I　beg　to　inform　you　that；　in　case　the　festival　takes　place
to…morrow；　I　shall　give　a　festival　on　my　part　to…morrow；　too。〃

〃Every　one　in　Austria　is　at　liberty　to　give　festivals；　provided　they
are　not　contrary　to　decency；　public　morals；　and　good　order。〃

〃Your　excellency　assumes　an　insulting　tone！〃　exclaimed　Bemadotte；　in
an　excited　voice。

〃By　no　means；〃　said　Thugut；　quietly。　〃My　words　would　only　be
insulting　if　I　wanted　to　prevent　you　from　giving　your　festival。　I
tell　you；　however；　you　are　welcome　to　give　it。　Let　your　festival
compete　with　ours。　We　shall　see　who　will　be　victorious　in　this
competition。〃

〃So　you　really　want　to　permit　this　festival　of　the　volunteers
although　I　tell　you　that　France　disapproves　of　it？〃

〃Disapproves　of　it？　Then　France　wants　to　play　the　lord　and　master　in
those　countries；　too；　which　the　republican　armies　have　not
conquered？　Permit　me　to　tell　you　that　Austria　does　not　want　to
belong　to　those　countries。　The　festival　of　the　volunteers　will　take
place　to…morrow！〃　〃Well；　my　festival　will　take　place　to…morrow；
too！〃

〃Then　you　doubtless　have　good　reasons；　like　us；　for　giving　a
festival？〃

〃Of　course　I　have。　I　shall　display　to…morrow　for　the　first　time　at
the　hotel　of　the　embassy　the　banner　of　the　French　Republic；　the　tri…
color　of　France；　and　that　event；　I　believe；　deserves　being
celebrated　in　a　becoming　manner。〃

〃You　want　to　publicly　display　the　French　banner？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　it　will　be　displayed　on　my　balcony　and　proudly　float　in
the　air；　as　the　tri…color　of　France　is　accustomed　to　do　everywhere。〃

〃I　do　not　know；　however；　whether　or　not　the　Austrian　air　will
accustom　itself　to　the　tri…color　of　France；　and　I　pray　you　kindly　to
consider；　general；　that　the　enterprise　you　are　going　to　undertake　is
something　extraordinary　and　altogether　unheard　of。　No　ambassador　of
any　foreign　power　has　ever　displayed　any　mark　of　distinction　on　his
house；　and　never　has　a　French　minister　yet　decorated　his　hotel　in
such　a　manner　as　you　now　propose　to　do。　That　banner　of　yours　would
therefore　be　without　any　precedent　in　the　history　of　diplomatic
representation。〃

〃And　so　would　the　festival　you　are　going　to　give　before　the　eyes　of
the　French　embassy；　and　notwithstanding　my　earnest　protest。〃

〃Let　the　French　embassy　close　their　eyes　if　they　do　not　want　to　see
our　Austrian　festivals。　How　often　had　we　to　do　so　in　France　and
pretend　not　to　see　what　was　highly　insulting　to　us！〃

〃For　the　last　time；　then；　you　are　going　to　celebrate　the　festival　of
the　volunteers　to…morrow；　notwithstanding　the　protest　of　France？〃

〃I　do　not　think　that；　France　ought　to　protest　against　matters　that
do　not　concern　her。　You　prayed　me　to　prohibit　the　celebration；　and　I
was　unable　to　grant　your　prayer；　that　is　all。〃

〃Very　well；　your　excellency；　you　may　celebrate　your　festivalI
shall　celebrate　the　inauguration　of　my　banner！　And　now　I　have　the
honor　to　bid　your　excellency　farewell！〃

〃I　hope　the　inauguration　will　be　a　pleasant　affair；　general。　I　take
the　liberty　once　more　to　tell　you　that　your　banner　will　create　a
great　sensation。　The　people　of　Vienna　are　stubborn；　and　I　cannot
warrant　that　they　will　get　accustomed　to　see　another　banner　but　the
one　containing　the　Austrian　colors　displayed　in　the　streets　of
Vienna。　Farewell！〃

He　accompanied　the　general　to　the　door；　and　replied　to　his
ceremonious　obeisance　by　a　proud；　careless　nod。　He　then　hastily
crossed　the　reception…room　and　entered　again　the　adjoining
apartment；　where　the　police　minister　was　awaiting　him。

〃Did　you　hear　it？〃　asked　Thugut；　whose　features　were　expressing　now
the　whole　anger　and　rage　he　had　concealed　so　long。　〃I　have　heard
every　thing；〃　said　Count　Saurau。　〃The　impudence　of　France　knows　no
bounds。〃

〃But　we　shall　set　bounds　to　it！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　with　unusual
vehemence。　〃We　will　show　to　this　impudent　republic　that　we　neither
love　nor　fear　her。〃

〃The　festival；　then；　is　really　to　take　place　to…morrow？〃

〃Can　you　doubt　it？　It　would　be　incompatible　with　Austria's　honor　to
yield　now。　The　youth　of　Vienna　shall　have　their　patriotic　festival；
andlet　the　police　to…morrow　be　somewhat　more　indulgent　than　usual。
Youth　sometimes　needs　a　little　license。　Let　the　young　folks　enjoy
the　utmost　liberty　all　day　to…morrow！　No　supervision　to…morrow；　no
restraints！　Let　the　young　people　sing　their　patriotic　hymns。　He　who
does　not　want　to　hear　them　may　close　his　ears。　Pray　let　us　grant　to
the　good　people　of　Vienna　to…morrow　a　day　of　entire　liberty。〃

〃But　if　quarrels　and　riots　should　ensue？〃

〃My　dear　count；　you　know　very　well　that　no　quarrels　take　place　if
our　police　do　not　interfere；　the　people　love　each　other　and　agree
perfectly　well　if　we　leave　them　alone　and　without　any　supervision。
They　will　be　to…morrow　too　full　of　patriotism　not　to　be　joyful　and
harmonious。　Once　more；　therefore；　no　supervision；　no　restraints！　Let
the　police　belong　to　the　people；　let　all　your　employes　and　agents
put　on　civilian's　clothes　and　m