louisa of prussia and her times-第54节

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to　attend　the　festival　of　the　volunteers；　and　to　look　at　the
procession。　Do　you　know　where　the　French　ambassador　lives？〃

〃Yes；　on　the　Kohlmarkt。〃

〃You　shall　do　your　best　to　draw　the　people　thither。　The　French
ambassador　will　display　the　banner　of　the　French　Republic　on　his
balcony　to…morrow。　Can　the　people　of　Vienna　tolerate　that？〃

〃No；　the　people　of　Vienna　cannot　tolerate　that！〃　shouted　Wenzel。

〃You　will　repeat　that　to　every　oneyou　will　exasperate　the　people
against　the　banner　and　against　the　ambassadoryou　and　the　crowd
will　demand　loudly　and　impetuously　that　the　banner　be　removed。〃

〃But　suppose　the　ambassador　should　refuse　to　remove　it？〃

〃Then　you　will　forcibly　enter　the　house　and　remove　the　banner
yourselves。〃

〃But　if　they　shut　the　doors？〃

〃Then　you　will　break　them　open；　just　as　you　did　here　a　year　ago。　And
besides；　are　there　no　windowsare　there　no　stones；　by　means　of
which　you　may　open　the　windows　so　nicely？〃

〃You　give　us　permission　to　do　all　that？〃

〃I　order　you　to　do　all　that。　Now　listen　to　your　special　commission。
A　few　of　my　agents　will　always　accompany　you。　As　soon　as　you　are　in
the　ambassador's　house；　repair　at　once　to　his　excellency's　study。
Pick　up　all　the　papers　you　will　find　there；　and　bring　them　to　me。　As
soon　as　I　see　you　enter　my　room　with　these　papers；　you　will　be　free
forever！〃

〃I　shall　bring　you　the　papers；〃　exclaimed　Wenzel；　with　a　radiant
face。

〃But　listen。　Betray　to　a　living　soul　but　one　single　word　of　what　I
have　said　to　you；　and　not　only　yourself；　but　your　wife　and　your
children　will　also　be　lost！　My　arm　is　strong　enough　to　catch　all　of
you；　and　my　ear　is　large　enough　to　hear　every　thing。〃

〃I　shall　be　as　silent　as　the　grave；〃　protested　Wenzel；　eagerly；　〃I
shall　only　raise　my　voice　in　order　to　speak　to　the　people　about　our
beloved　and　wise　Minister　Thugut；　and　about　the　miserable；　over…
bearing　French；　who　dare　to　hang　out　publicly　the　banner　of　their
bloody　republic　here　in　our　imperial　city；　in　our　magnificent
Vienna！〃

〃That　is　the　right　talk；　my　man！　Now　go　and　reflect　about　every
thing　I　have　told　you；　and　to…morrow　morning　call　on　me　again；　I
shall　then　give　you　further　instructions。　Now　gogo　to　your　wife；
and　keep　the　whole　matter　secret。〃　〃Hurrah！　long　live　our　noble
prime　minister！〃　shouted　Wenzel；　jubilantly。　〃Hurrah；　hurrah；　I　am
free！〃　And　he　reeled　away　like　a　drunken　man。

Thugut　looked　after　him　with　a　smile　of　profound　contempt。

〃That　is　the　best　way　to　educate　the　people；〃　he　said。　〃Truly；　if　we
could　only　send　every　Austrian　for　one　year　to　the　penitentiary；　we
would　have　none　but　good　and　obedient　subjects！〃




CHAPTER　XXV。

THE　RIOT。


The　streets　of　Vienna　were　densely　crowded　on　the　following　day。
Every　house　was　beautifully　decorated　with　fresh　verdure　and
festoons　of　flowers；　business　was　entirely　suspended；　and　the　people
in　their　holiday　dresses　were　moving　through　the　streets；　jubilant；
singing　patriotic　hymns；　and　waiting　in　joyous　impatience　for　the
moment　when　the　procession　of　the　volunteers　would　leave　the　city
hall　in　order　to　repair　to　the　Burg；　where　they　were　to　cheer　the
emperor。　Then　they　would　march　through　the　city；　and　finally
conclude　the　festival　with　a　banquet　and　ball；　to　be　held　in　a
public　hall　that　had　been　handsomely　decorated　for　the　occasion。

Not　only　the　people；　however；　but　also　the　educated　and　aristocratic
classes　of　Vienna　wanted　to　participate　in　the　patriotic　festival。
In　the　open　windows　there　were　seen　high…born　ladies；　beautifully
dressed；　and　holding　splendid　bouquets　in　their　hands；　which　were　to
be　showered　down　upon　the　procession　of　the　volunteers；　an　endless
number　of　the　most　splendid　carriages；　surrounded　by　dense　crowds　of
pedestrians；　were　slowly　moving　through　the　streets；　and　in　these
carriages　there　were　seated　the　ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the
aristocracy　and　of　the　wealthiest　financial　circles；　they　witnessed
the　popular　enthusiasm　with　smiles　of　satisfaction　and　delight。

Only　the　carriages　of　the　ministers　were　missing　in　this　gorgeous
procession；　and　it　was　reported　everywhere　that　two　of　these
gentlemen；　Prime　Minister　Baron　von　Thugut　and　Police　Minister　Count
Saurau；　had　been　taken　sick；　and　were　confined　to　their　beds；　while
the　other　ministers　were　with　the　emperor　at　Laxenburg。

Baron　Thugut's　prediction　had　been　verified；　therefore；　the　police
minister　had　really　been　taken　so　sick　that　he　had　to　keep　his　bed；
and　that　he　had　requested　Baron　Thugut　by　letter　to　take　charge　of
his　department　for　a　few　days。

But　the　prime　minister　himself　had　suddenly　become　quite　unwell；　and
was　unable　to　leave　his　room！　Hence　he　had　not　accompanied　the　other
ministers　to　Laxenburg　in　order　to　dine　at　the　emperor's　table。　Nay…
…an　unheard　of　occurrencehe　had　taken　his　meals　all　alone　in　his
study。　His　footman　had　received　stringent　orders　to　admit　no　one；
and　to　reply　to　every　applicant　for　an　interview　with　him；　〃His
excellency　was　confined　to　his　bed　by　a　raging　fever；　and　all
business　matters　had　to　be　deferred　until　tomorrow。〃

The　minister's　condition；　however；　was　not　near　as　bad　as　that。　It
was　true　he　had　the　fever；　but　it　was　merely　the　fever　of
expectation；　impatience；　and　long　suspense。　The　whole　day　had
passed；　and　not　a　single　dissonance　had　disturbed　the　pure　joy　of
the　celebration；　not　a　single　violent　scene　had　interrupted　the
patriotic　jubilee。　The　crowds　on　the　streets　and　public　places
constantly　increased　in　numbers；　but　peace　and　hilarity　reigned
everywhere；　and　the　people　were　singing　and　laughing　everywhere。

This　was　the　reason　why　the　minister's　blood　was　so　feverish；　why　he
could　find　no　rest；　and　why　his　cold　heart　for　once　pulsated　so
rapidly。　He　was　pacing　his　study　with　long　steps；　murmuring　now　and
then　some　incoherent　words；　and　then　uneasily　stepping　to　the　window
in　order　to　survey　the　street　cautiously　from　behind　the　curtain；
and　to　observe　the　surging　crowd　below。

Just　then　the　large　clock　on　the　marble　mantelpiece　commenced
striking。　Thugut　hastily　turned　toward　it。　〃Six　o'clock；　and　nothing
yet；〃　he　murmured。　〃I　shall　put　that　fellow　Wenzel　into　a
subterranean　dungeon　for　life；　and　dismiss　every　agent　of　mine；　if
nothing〃

He　paused　and　listened。　It　had　seemed　to　him　as　though　he　had　heard
a　soft　rap　at　the　hidden　door　leading　to　the　secret　staircase。　Yes；
it　was　no　mistake；　somebody　was　rapping　at　it；　and　seemed　to　be　in
great　haste。

〃At　last！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　drawing　a　deep　breath；　and　he
approached　with　hurried　steps　the　large　painting；　covering　the　whole
wall　and　reaching　down　to　the　floor。　He　quickly　touched　one　of　the
artificial　roses　on　the　gilt　frame。　The　painting　turned　round；　and
the　door　became　visible　behind　it　in　the　wall。

The　rapping　was　now　plainly　heard。　Thugut　pushed　the　bolt　back　and
unlocked　the　door。　His　confidential　secretary；　Hubschle；　immediately
rushed　in　with　a　glowing　face　and　in　breathless　haste。

〃Your　excellency；〃　he　gasped〃your　excellency；　the　fun　has　just
commenced！　They　are　now　pursuing　the　deer　like　a　pack　of　infuriated
blood…hounds。　Oh；　oh！　they　will　chase　him　thoroughly；　I　should
think！〃

Thugut　cast　a　glance　of　gloomy　indignation　on　the　versatile　little
man　with　the　bloated　face。　〃You　have　been　drinking　again；　Hubschle；〃
he　said；　〃and　I　have　ordered　you　to　remain　sober　to…day！〃

〃Your　excellency；　I　am　quite　sober；〃　protested　Hubschle。　〃I　assure
you　I　have　not　drunk　any　more　than　what　was　required　by　my　thirst。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　your　thirst　always　requires　large　quantities；〃　exclaimed
Thugut；　laughing。　〃But　speak　now　rapidly；　briefly；　and　plainly。　No
circumlocution；　no　tirades！　Tell　me　the　naked　truth。　What　fun　has
just　commenced？〃

〃The　inauguration　of　the　banner；　your　excellency。〃

〃Then　Bernadotte　has　hung　out　his　banner；　after　all？〃

〃Yes；　he　has　done　so。　We　were　just　going　down　the　streetquite　a
jolly　crowd　it　was；　by　the　by。　Master　Wenzel；　a　splendid　fellow；　had
just　loudly　intoned　the　hymn　of　'God　save　the　Emperor　Francis；'　and
all　the　thousands　and　thousands　of　voices　were　joining　the　choir；　as
if　they　intended　to　serenade　the　French　ambassador；　when；　suddenly；
a　balcony　door　opened；　and　General　Bernadotte；　in　full　uniform　came
out。　He　was　attended　by　his　whole　suite；　and　several　footmen　brought
out　an　immense　banner；　which　they　attached　to　the　balcony。　We　had
paused　right　in　the　middle　of　our　beautiful　hymn；　and　the　people
were　looking　up　to　the　balcony；　from　which　the　gentlemen　had
disappeared　again；　with　glances　full　of　surprise　and　curiosity。　But
the　banner　remained　there！　Suddenly　a　violent　gust　touched　the
banner；　which；　up　to　this　time；　had　loosely　hung　down；　and　unfolded
it　entirely。　Now　we　saw　the　French　tri…color　proudly　floating　over
our　German　heads；　and　on　it　we　read；　in　large　letters　of　gold
Liberte！　Egalite！　Fraternite！〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme
d'Etat；〃　vol。　V。　p。　494。＇

〃What　impudence！〃　muttered　Thugut。

〃You　are　right；　that　was　the　word；〃　exclaimed　Hubschle。

〃'What　impudence！'　roared　Master　Wenzel；　and　the　whole　crowd
immediately　repeated；　'What　impudence！　Down　with　the　foreign　banner！
We　are　not　so　stupid　as　the　people　of　Milan；　Venice；