louisa of prussia and her times-第53节

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the　police　belong　to　the　people；　let　all　your　employes　and　agents
put　on　civilian's　clothes　and　mix　with　the　people；　not　to　watch　over
them；　but　to　share　and　direct　their　patriotism。〃

〃Ah；　to　direct　it！〃　exclaimed　Count　Saurau；　with　the　air　of　a　man
who　just　commences　guessing　a　riddle。　〃But　suppose　this　patriotism
in　its　triumphal　march　should　meet　with　a　stumbling…block　or　rather
with　a　banner？〃

〃Then　let　it　quietly　go　ahead；　genuine　patriotism　is　strong　and
courageous；　and　will　surmount　any　obstacle　standing　in　its　way。　The
only　question　is　to　inspire　it　with　courage　and　constantly　to　fan
its　enthusiasm。　That　will　be　the　only　task　of　the　police　to…morrow。〃

〃And　they　will　fulfil　that　task　with　the　utmost　cheerfulness。　I
shall　to…morrow〃

〃As　far　as　you　are　concerned；〃　said　Thugut；　interrupting　him；　〃it
seems　to　me　you　will　be　unfortunately　prevented　from　participating
in　the　patriotic　festival　to…morrow。　You　look　exceedingly　pale　and
exhausted；　my　dear　count；　and　if　I　may　take　the　liberty　of　giving
you　a　friendly　advice；　please　go　to　bed　and　send　for　your
physician。〃

〃You　are　right；　excellency；〃　replied　Count　Saurau；　smiling；　〃I
really　feel　sick　and　exhausted。　It　will　be　best　for　me；　therefore；
to　keep　my　bed　for　a　few　days；　and　my　well…meaning　physician　will
doubtless　give　stringent　orders　not　to　admit　anybody　to　me　and　to
permit　no　one　to　see　me　on　business。〃　〃As　soon　as　your　physician　has
given　such　orders；〃　said　Thugut；　〃send　me　word　and　request　me　to
attend　temporarily　to　the　duties　of　your　department　as　long　as　you
are　sick。〃

〃In　half　an　hour　you　shall　receive　a　letter　to　that　effect。　I　go　in
order　to　send　for　a　physician。〃

〃One　word　more；　my　dear　count。　What　has　become　of　that　demagogue；
the　traitor　Wenzel；　who　headed　the　riot　last　year？　I　then
recommended　him　to　your　special　care。〃　〃And　I　let　him　have　it；　your
excellency。　I　believe　he　has　entirely　lost　his　fancy　for
insurrectionary　movements；　and　politics；　I　trust；　are　very
indifferent　to　him。〃

〃I　should　regret　if　it　were　so；〃　said　Thugut；　smiling。　〃I　suppose
you　have　got　him　here　in　Vienna？〃

〃Of　course；　he　occupies　a　splendid　half…dark　dungeon　in　our
penitentiary。〃

〃Picking　oakum？〃

〃No；　I　hear　he　has　often　asked　for　it　as　a　favor。　But　I　had　given
stringent　orders　to　leave　him　all　alone　and　without　any　occupation
whatever。　That　is　the　best　way　to　silence　and　punish　such　political
criminals　and　demagogues。〃

〃I　would　like　to　see　this　man　Wenzel。　We　shall；　perhaps；　set　him　at
liberty　again；　〃said　Thugut。　〃Will　you　order　him　to　be　brought　here
quietly；　and　without　any　unnecessary　eclat？〃

〃I　shall　send　him　to　you；　and　that　shall　be　my　last　official
business　before　being　taken　sick。〃

〃Be　it　so；　my　dear　count。　Go　to　bed　at　once；　it　is　high　time。〃

They　smilingly　shook　hands；　and　looked　at　each　other　long　and
significantly。

〃It　will　be　a　splendid　patriotic　festival　to…morrow；〃　said　Thugut。

〃A　very　patriotic　festival；　and　the　inauguration　of　the　banner
particularly　will　be　a　glorious　affair！〃　exclaimed　Count　Saurau。

〃What　a　pity　that　my　sickness　should　prevent　me　from　attending　it！〃

He　saluted　the　prime　minister　once　more　and　withdrew。　When　the　door
had　closed　behind　him　the　smile　disappeared　from　Thugut's　features；
and　a　gloomy　cloud　settled　on　his　brow。　Folding　his　arms　on　his
back；　and　absorbed　in　deep　thought；　he　commenced　slowly　pacing　the
room。　〃The　interview　with　the　empress　must　be　prevented　at　all
events；〃　he　muttered；　after　a　long　pause；　〃even　if　all　diplomatic
relations　with　France　have　to　be　broken　off　for　that　purpose。
Besides；　I　must　have　those　papers　which　he　wanted　to　deliver　to　the
empress；　my　repose；　my　safety　depends　upon　it。　Oh；　I　know　very　well
what　sort　of　papers　they　are　with　which　they　are　threatening　me。
They　are　the　letters　I　had　written　in　cipher　to　Burton；　the　English
emissary；　whom　the　French　Directory　a　month　ago　caused　to　be
arrested　as　a　spy　and　demagogue　at　Paris；　and　whose　papers　were
seized　at　the　same　time。　Those　letters；　of　course；　would　endanger　my
position；　for　there　is　a　receipt　among　them　for　a　hundred　thousand
guineas　paid　to　me。　What　a　fool　I　was　to　write　that　receipt！　I　must
get　it　again；　and　I　am　determined　to　have　it！〃

A　few　hours　later；　an　emaciated；　pale　man　was　conducted　into　the
room　of　Prime　Minister　Baron　Thugut。　The　minister　received　him　with
a　friendly　nod；　and　looked　with　a　smiling　countenance　at　this　sick；
downcast；　and　suffering　man；　whom　he　had　seen　only　a　year　ago　so
bold　and　courageous　at　the　head　of　the　misguided　rioters。

〃You　have　greatly　changed；　Mr。　Wenzel；〃　he　said；　kindly。　〃The　prison
air　seems　not　to　agree　with　you。〃

Wenzel　made　no　reply；　but　dropped　his　head　with　a　profound　sigh　on
his　breast。

〃Ah；　ah；　Mr。　Wenzel；〃　said　Thugut；　smiling；　〃it　seems　your　eloquence
is　gone；　too。〃

〃I　have　formerly　spoken　too　much；　hence　I　am　now　so　taciturn；〃
muttered　the　pale　man。

〃Every　thing　has　its　time；　speaking　as　well　as　silence；〃　said
Thugut。　〃It　is　true　speaking　has　rendered　you　very　wretched；　it　has
made　you　guilty　of　high　treason。　Do　you　know　how　long　you　will　have
to　remain　in　prison？〃

〃I　believe　for　fifteen　years；〃　said　Wenzel；　with　a　shudder。

〃Fifteen　years！　that　is　half　a　lifetime。　But　it　does　not　change　such
demagogues　and　politicians　as　you；　sir。　As　soon　as　you　are　released
you　recommence　your　seditious　work；　and　you　try　to　make　a　martyr's
crown　of　your　well…merited　punishment。　Traitors　like　you　are　always
incorrigible；　and　unless　they　are　gagged　for　life　they　always　cry
out　anew　and　stir　up　insurrection　and　disorder。〃

Wenzel　fixed　his　haggard　eyes　with　a　sorrowful　expression　upon　the
minister。

〃I　shall　never　stir　up　insurrections　again；　nor　raise　my　voice　in
public　as　I　used　to　do；〃　he　said；　gloomily。　〃I　have　been　cured　of　it
forever；　but　it　was　a　most　sorrowful　cure。〃

〃And　it　will　last　a　good　while　yet；　Mr。　Wenzel。〃

〃Yes；　it　will　last　dreadfully　long；〃　sighed　the　wretched　man。

〃Are　you　married？　Have　you　got　any　children？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　a　wife　and　two　little　girlstwo　little　angels。　Ah；　if
I　could　only　see　them　once　more　in　my　life！〃

〃Wait　yet　for　fourteen　years；　you　can　see　them　then　if　they　be　still
alive；　and　care　about　having　you　back。〃

〃I　shall　not　live　fourteen　years；〃　murmured　the　pale；　downcast　man。
〃Well；　listen　to　me；　Mr。　Wenzel。　What　would　you　do　if　I　should　set
you　at　liberty？〃

〃At　liberty？〃　asked　the　man；　almost　in　terror。　〃At　liberty！〃　he
shouted　then；　loudly　and　jubilantly。

〃Yes；　sir；　at　liberty！　But　you　must　do　something　in　order　to　deserve
it。　Will　you　do　so？〃

〃I　will　do　every　thing；　every　thing　I　am　ordered　to　do；　if　I　am　to
be　set　at　liberty；　if　I　am　allowed　to　see　my　wife　and　my　little
girls　again！〃　shouted　Wenzel；　trembling　with　delight。

〃Suppose　I　should　order　you　again　to　become　a　popular　orator　and　to
stir　up　a　nice　little　riot？〃

The　gleam　of　joy　disappeared　again　from　Wenzel's　eyes；　and　he　looked
almost　reproachfully　at　the　minister。　〃You　want　to　mock　me；〃　he
said；　mournfully。

〃No；　my　man；　I　am　in　good　earnest。　You　shall　be　a　popular　orator　and
leader　all　day　to…morrow。　Are　you　ready　for　it？〃

〃No；　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　such　matters　now。　I　am　a　good　and
obedient　subject；　and　only　ask　to　be　allowed　to　live　peaceably　and
quietly。〃

Thugut　burst　into　a　loud　laugh。　〃Ah；　you　take　me　for　a　tempter；　Mr。
Wenzel；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　am　in　earnest；　and　if　you　will　get　up　for
me　a　splendid　riot　to…morrow；　I　will　set　you　at　liberty　and　no　one
shall　interfere　with　you　as　long　as　you　render　yourself　worthy　of　my
indulgence　by　obedience　and　an　exemplary　life。　Tell　me；　therefore；
do　you　want　to　be　released　and　serve　me？〃

Wenzel　looked　inquiringly　and　with　intense　suspense　at　the　cold；
hard　features　of　the　minister；　and　then；　when　he　had　satisfied
himself　that　he　had　really　been　in　earnest；　he　rushed　forward　and
kneeling　down　before　Thugut；　he　shouted；　〃I　will　serve　you　like　a
slave；　like　a　dog！　only　set　me　at　liberty；　only　give　me　back　to　my
children　and　my〃

A　flood　of　tears　burst　from　his　eyes　and　choked　his　voice。

〃All　right；　sir；　I　believe　you；〃　said　Thugut；　gravely。　〃Now　rise　and
listen　to　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。　You　will　be　released　tonight。
Then　go　and　see　your　old　friends　and　tell　them　you　had　made　a
journey；　and　the　French　had　arrested　you　on　the　road　and　kept　you
imprisoned　until　you　were　released　in　consequence　of　the　measures
the　Austrian　government　had　taken　in　your　favor。　If　you　dare　to
utter　a　single　word　about　your　imprisonment　here；　you　are　lost；　for
I　hear　and　learn　every　thing；　and　have　my　spies　everywhere；　whom　I
shall　instruct　to　watch　you　closely。〃

〃I　shall　assuredly　do　whatever　you　want；〃　exclaimed　Wenzel；
trembling。

〃You　shall　complain　to　your　friends　about　the　harsh　and　cruel
treatment　you　had　to　suffer　at　the　hands　of　the　French。　You　shall
speak　as　a　good　patriot　ought　to　speak。〃

〃Yes；　I　shall　speak　like　a　good　patriot；〃　said　Wenzel；　ardently。

〃To…morrow　you　will　be　with　all　your　friends　on　the　street　in　order
to　attend　the　festival　of　the　volunteers；　and　to　look　at　the
procession。　Do　you　know　where　the　French　ambassador　lives？〃

〃Yes；　o