louisa of prussia and her times-第55节

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We　are　not　so　stupid　as　the　people　of　Milan；　Venice；　and　Rome；　we　do
not　jubilantly　hail　the　French　color；　on　the　contrary；　this　banner
makes　us　angry。　Down　with　it！　It　is　an　insult　offered　to　the
emperor；　that　a　foreign　flag　with　such　an　abominable　inscription　is
floating　here。　Down　with　the　banner！'〃

〃Very　good；　very　good；　indeed；〃　said　Thugut；　smiling。　〃This　man
Wenzel　is　really　a　practical　fellow。　Go　on；　sir。〃

〃The　crowd　constantly　assumed　larger　proportions；　and　the　shouts　of
'Down　with　the　banner！'　became　every　moment　more　impetuous　and
threatening。　Suddenly　a　small　detachment　of　soldiers　emerged　from
the　adjoining　street。　The　officer　in　command　kindly　urged　the　people
to　disperse。　But　it　was　in　vain；　the　tumult　was　constantly　on　the
increase。　The　crowd　commenced　tearing　up　the　pavement　and　throwing
stones　at　the　windows　and　at　the　banner。〃

〃And　the　soldiers？〃

〃They　quietly　stood　aside。　Butsomebody　is　rapping　at　the　opposite
door！　Shall　I　open　it；　your　excellency？〃

〃One　moment！　I　first　want　to　turn　back　the　painting。　So！　Now　open
the　door；　Hubschle！〃

The　private　secretary　hastened　with　tottering　steps　to　the　door　and
unlocked　it。　Thugut's　second　private　secretary　entered。　He　held　a
sealed　letter　in　his　band。

〃Well；　Heinle；　what's　the　matter？〃　asked　Thugut；　quietly。

〃Your　excellency；　the　French　ambassador；　General　Bernadotte；　has
sent　this　letter　to　your　excellency。〃

〃And　what　did　you　reply　to　the　messenger？〃

〃That　your　excellency　had　a　raging　fever；　that　the　doctor　had
forbidden　us　to　disturb　you；　but　that　I　would　deliver　it　to　the
minister　as　soon　as　he　felt　a　little　better。〃

〃That　was　right。　Now　go　back　to　your　post　and　guard　the　door　well　in
order　that　no　one　may　penetrate　into　my　room。　And　you；　Hubschle；
hasten　back　to　the　Kohlmarkt　and　see　what　is　going　on　there；　and
what　is　occurring　at　the　French　embassy。　But　do　not　drink　any　more
liquor！　As　soon　as　this　affair　is　over；　I　shall　give　you　three　days'
leave　of　absence；　when　you　may　drink　as　much　as　you　please。　Go；　now；
and　return　soon　to　tell　me　all　about　it。〃

〃And　now；〃　said　Thugut；　when　he　was　alone；　〃I　will　see　what　the
French　ambassador　has　written　to　me。〃

He　opened　the　letter；　and；　as　if　the　mere　perusal　with　the　eyes　were
not　sufficient　for　him；　he　read　in　a　half…loud　voice　as　follows：
〃The　ambassador　of　the　French　Republic　informs　Baron　Thugut　that　at
the　moment　he　is　penning　these　lines；　a　fanatical　crowd　has　been　so
impudent　as　to　commit　a　riot　in　front　of　his　dwelling。　The　motives
that　have　produced　this　violent　scene　cannot　be　doubtful；　inasmuch
as　several　stones　already　were　thrown　at　the　windows　of　the　house
occupied　by　the　ambassador。　Profoundly　offended　at　so　much
impudence；　he　requests　Baron　Thugut　immediately　to　order　an
investigation；　so　that　the　instigators　of　the　riot　may　be　punished；
and　that　their　punishment　may　teach　the　others　a　much…needed　lesson。
The　ambassador　of　the　French　Republic　has　no　doubt　that　his
reclamations　will　meet　with　the　attention　which　they　ought　to
excite；　and　that　the　police；　moreover；　will　be　vigilant　enough　to
prevent　similar　scenes；　which　could　not　be　renewed　without　producing
the　most　serious　consequences；　the　ambassador　being　firmly
determined　to　repel　with　the　utmost　energy　even　the　slightest
insults；　and　accordingly　much　more　so；　such　scandalous　attacks。
Baron　Thugut　is　further　informed　that　he　has　reason　to　complain　of
the　conduct　of　several　agents　of　the　police。　Some　of　them　were
requested　to　disperse　the　rioters；　but；　instead　of　fulfilling　the
ambassador's　orders；　they　remained　cold　and　idle　spectators　of　the
revolting　scene。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。；
p。　495。＇

〃What　overbearing　and　insulting　language　this　fellow　dares　to　use！〃
exclaimed　Thugut；　when　he　had　finished　the　letter。　〃One　might　almost
believe　he　was　our　lord　and　master　here；　andah；　somebody　raps
again　at　the　door！　Perhaps　Hubschle　is　back　already。〃

He　quickly　touched　the　frame　of　the　painting　again；　and　the　door
opened。　It　was　really　Hubschle；　who　entered　as　hastily　as　before。

〃Your　excellency；　I　have　just　reascended　the　staircase　as　rapidly　as
though　I　were　a　cat；〃　he　gasped。　〃At　the　street　door　I　learned　some
fresh　news　from　one　of　our　men；　and　I　returned　at　once　to　tell　you
all　about　it。〃

〃Quick；　you　idle　gossip；　no　unnecessary　preface！〃

〃Your　excellency；　things　are　assuming　formidable　proportions。　The
riot　is　constantly　on　the　increase；　and　grows　every　minute　more
threatening。　Count　Dietrichstein；　and　Count　Fersen；　the　director　of
the　police；　have　repaired　to　General　Bernadotte　and　implored　him　to
remove　the　banner。〃

〃The　soft…hearted　fools！〃　muttered　Thugut。

〃But　their　prayers　were　fruitless。　They　preferred　them　repeatedly；
and　always　were　refused。　They　even　went　so　far　as　to　assure　the
ambassador；　in　case　he　should　yield　to　their　request　and　give　them
time　to　calm　the　people　and　induce　them　to　leave　the　place；　that　the
Austrian　government　would　assuredly　give　him　whatever　satisfaction
he　should　demand。　But　General　Bernadotte　persisted　in　his　refusal
and　replied　peremptorily；　'No；　the　banner　remains！'〃

〃Proceed；　proceed！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　impatiently。

〃That　is　all　I　know；　but　I　shall　hasten　to　collect　further　news；　and
then　return　to　your　excellency。〃

Hubschle　disappeared　through　the　secret　door；　and　Thugut　replaced
the　painting　before　it。　〃The　banner　remains！〃　he　exclaimed；　laughing
scornfully。　〃We　will　see　how　long　it　will　remain！　Ah；　Heinle　is
rapping　again　at　the　other　door。　What　is　it；　Heinle？〃

〃Another　dispatch　from　the　French　ambassador；〃　said　Heinle；　merely
pushing　his　arm　with　the　letter　through　the　door。

〃And　you　have　made　the　same　reply？〃

〃The　same　reply。〃

〃Good！　Return　to　your　post。〃

The　arm　disappeared　again。　Thugut　opened　the　second　dispatch；　and
read　as　before　in　a　half…loud　voice：　〃The　ambassador　of　the　French
Republic　informs　Baron　Thugut　that　the　fury　of　the　mob　is　constantly
on　the　increase；　already　all　the　window…panes　of　the　dwelling　have
been　shattered　by　the　stones　the　rioters　are　incessantly　throwing　at
them；　he　informs　you　that　the　crowd　at　the　present　moment　numbers　no
less　than　three　or　four　thousand　men；　and　that　the　soldiers　whose
assistance　was　invoked；　so　far　from　protecting　the　house　of　the
French　embassy；　remain　impassive　spectators　of　the　doings　and　fury
of　the　rabble；　their　inactivity　encouraging　the　latter　instead　of
deterring　them。　The　ambassador　cannot　but　believe　that　this
scandalous　scene　is　not　merely　tolerated；　but　fostered　by　the
authorities；　for　nothing　whatever　is　done　to　put　a　stop　to　it。　He
sees　with　as　much　regret　as　pain　that　the　dignity　of　the　French
people　is　being　violated　by　the　insults　heaped　on　the　ambassador；
who　vainly　implored　the　populace　to　disperse　and　go　home。　At　the
moment　the　ambassador　is　writing　these　lines；　the　rage　of　the　crowd
is　strained　to　such　a　pitch　that　the　doors　have　been　broken　open　by
means　of　stones；　while　the　soldiers　were　quietly　looking　on。　The
furious　rabble　tore　the　French　colors　from　the　balcony　with　hooks
and　long　poles。　The　ambassador；　who　cannot　remain　any　longer　in　a
country　where　the　most　sacred　laws　are　disregarded　and　solemn
treaties　trampled　under　foot；　therefore　asks　Baron　Thugut　to　send
him　his　passports　in　order　that　he　may　repair　to　France　with　all　the
attaches　of　the　embassy；　unless　Baron　Thugut　should　announce　at　once
that　the　Austrian　government　has　taken　no　part　whatever　in　the
insults　heaped　upon　the　French　Republic；　that　it　disavows　them；　on
the　contrary；　in　the　most　formal　manner；　and　that　it　orders　the
ringleaders　and　their　accomplices　to　be　arrested　and　punished　in　the
most　summary　manner。　On　this　condition　alone；　and　if　the　Austrian
government　agrees　to　restore　the　French　banner　and　to　cause　it　to　be
displayed　on　the　balcony　of　the　French　embassy　by　a　staff…officer；
the　ambassador　consents　to　remain　in　Vienna。　Let　Baron　Thugut
remember　that　these　are　precious　moments；　and　that　he　owes　the
ambassador　an　immediate　and　categorical　reply　to　his　inquiries。〃
＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　501。＇

〃Well；　I　believe　the　good　people　of　Vienna　will　take　it　upon
themselves　to　make　a　categorical　reply　to　General　Bernadotte；　and　to
silence　the　overbearing　babbler；　no　matter　how　it　is　done；〃
exclaimed　Thugut；　laughing　scornfully。　〃I　am　really　anxious　to　know
how　this　affair　is　going　to　end；　and　how　my　brave　rioters　will
chastise　the　ambassador　for　his　insolence。　What；　another　rap
already？　Why；　you　are　a　genuine　postillon　d'　amour！　Do　you　bring　me
another　letter？〃

〃A　third　dispatch　from　General　Bernadotte；〃　exclaimed　Heinle；
outside；　pushing　his　arm　with　the　dispatch　again　through　the　door。

Thugut　took　it　and　rapidly　opened　it。　〃It　seems　matters　are　growing
more　pressing；〃　he　said；　smilingly。　〃Let　us　read　it！〃

And　he　read　with　an　air　of　great　satisfaction：

〃The　ambassador　of　the　French　Republic　informs　Baron　Thugut　that　the
riotous　proceedings　have　lasted　five　hours　already；　that　no　agent　of
the　police　has　come　to　his　assistance；　that　the　furious　rioters　have
taken　possession　of　a　portion　of　the　house　and　are　dest