louisa of prussia and her times-第56节

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the　police　has　come　to　his　assistance；　that　the　furious　rioters　have
taken　possession　of　a　portion　of　the　house　and　are　destroying　every
thing　they　can　lay　their　hands　on。〃

〃Aha；　my　friend　Wenzel　is　looking　for　the　papers　in　the　rooms　of　the
French　embassy！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　triumphantly。　He　then　read　on。

〃The　ambassador；　the　secretaries　of　legation；　the　French　citizens
and　officers　who　are　with　him；　were　compelled　to　retire　to　a　room
where　they　are　waiting　further　developments　with　the　undaunted
courage　characteristic　of　the　republicans。　The　ambassador　repeats
his　demand　that　the　necessary　passports　be　sent　for　him　and　for　all
the　French　who　desire　to　accompany　him。　The　transmission　of　these
passports　is　the　more　urgent；　as　the　rioters；　who　were　about　to　rush
into　the　room　where　the　French　were　awaiting　them；　only　shrank　back
when　some　servants　of　the　French　embassy　discharged　the　fire…arms
with　which　they　had　been　provided。〃

〃Ah；　a　regular　battle；　then；　has　taken　place！〃　shouted　Thugut；　in
great　glee。　〃A　siege　in　grand　style！　Wonder　why　Hubschle　has　not
come　back　yet？　But　stop！　I　hear　him　already。　He　raps！　I　am　coming；
sir！　I　am　opening　the　door　already！〃

And　Thugut　hastened　to　touch　the　frame　of　the　painting　and　to　open
the　door。

It　was　true；　Hubschle；　the　private　secretary；　was　there；　but　he　did
not　come　alone。　Wenzel；　soiled　with　blood；　his　clothes　torn　and　in
the　wildest　disorder；　entered　with　him；　supporting　himself　on
Hubschle's　arm。

〃Ah；　you　bring　me　there　a　wounded　boar！〃　said　Thugut；　morosely。

〃A　boar　who　splendidly　goaded　on　the　hounds　and　performed　the　most
astonishing　exploits；〃　said　Hubschle；　enthusiastically。　〃He　received
a　gunshot　wound　in　the　right　arm　and　fainted。　I　carried　him　with　the
assistance　of　a　few　friends　to　a　well；　and　we　poured　water　on　him
until　he　recovered　his　senses　and　was　able　again　to　participate　in
the　general　jubilee。〃　〃Then　it　was　a　jubilee？　Mr。　Wenzel；　tell　me
all　about　it。〃

〃It　was　a　very　fine　affair；〃　said　Wenzel；　gasping。　〃We　had
penetrated　into　the　house　and　were　working　to　the　best　of　our　power
in　the　magnificent　rooms。　The　furniture；　the　looking…glasses；　the
chandeliers；　the　carriages　in　the　courtyard；　every　thing　was
destroyed；　while　we　were　singing　and　shouting；　'Long　live　the
emperor！　God　save　the　Emperor　Francis！'〃

〃What　a　splendid　Marseillaise　that　dear；　kind…hearted　Haydn　has
composed　for　us　in　that　hymn；〃　said　Thugut；　in　a　low　voice；
gleefully　rubbing　his　hands。　〃And　the　banner？　What　has　become　of　the
banner？〃

〃The　banner　we　had　previously　torn　to　pieces；　and　with　the　shreds　we
had　gone　to　the　Schottenplatz　and　publicly　burned　them　there　amidst
the　jubilant　shouts　of　the　people。〃

〃Very　good。　And　what　else　was　done　in　the　embassy　building？〃

〃We　rushed　from　room　to　room。　Nothing　withstood　our　fury；　and
finally　we　arrived　at　the　room　in　which　the　ambassador　and　his　suite
had　barricaded　themselves　as　in　a　fortress。　It　was　the　ambassador's
study；〃　said　Wenzel；　slowly　and　significantly〃the　cabinet　in　which
he　kept　his　papers。〃

Thugut　nodded　gently；　and　said　nothing　but　〃Proceed！〃

〃I　rushed　toward　the　door　and　encouraged　the　others　to　follow　me。　We
succeeded　in　bursting　the　door　open。　At　the　same　moment　the　besieged
fired　at　us。　Three　of　us　dropped　wounded；　the　others　ran　away。〃

〃Yes；　the　miserable　rascals　always　run　away　as　soon　as　they　smell
gunpowder；〃　said　Thugut；　indignantly。　〃And　you；　Mr。　Wenzel？〃

〃I　was　wounded　and　had　fainted。　My　comrades　carried　me　out　of　the
house。〃

〃And　the　papers？〃　asked　Thugut。　〃You　did　not　take　them？〃

〃Your　excellency；　General　Bernadotte　and　the　whole　retinue　of　the
embassy　were　in　the　room　in　which　the　ambassador　keeps　his　papers。　I
would　have　penetrated　into　it　with　my　friends　if　the　bullet　had　not
shattered　my　arm　and　stretched　me　down　senseless。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　you　became　entirely　senseless；〃　said　Thugut；　harshly；
〃for　you　even　forgot　that　I　only　promised　to　release　you　provided
you　should　bring　the　papers　of　the　French　ambassador。〃

〃Your　excellency；〃　shouted　Wenzel；　in　dismay；　〃I〃

〃Silence！〃　commanded　Thugut；　in　a　stern　tone；　〃who　has　allowed　you
to　speak　without　being　asked？〃

At　this　moment　another　hasty　rap　at　the　door　was　heard；　and　Heinle's
arm　appeared　again　in　the　door。

〃Another　dispatch　from　the　French　ambassador？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃No；　your　excellency；　a　dispatch　from　his　majesty　the　emperor。〃

Thugut　hastily　seized　the　small　sealed　note　and　opened　it。　It
contained　nothing　but　the　following　words：

〃The　ambassador　has　received　a　salutary　lesson；　and　his　banner　has
been　destroyed。　Let　us　stop　the　riot　now；　and　avoid　extreme
measures。　Several　regiments　must　be　called　out　to　restore　order。〃

The　minister　slowly　folded　the　paper　and　put　it　into　his　pocket。　He
then　rang　the　bell　so　violently　and　loudly；　that　Heinle　and　the
other　servants　rushed　immediately　into　the　room。

〃Open　every　doorcall　every　footman！〃　commanded　Thugut。　〃Admit
every　one　who　wants　to　see　me。　Two　mounted　messengers　shall　hold
themselves　in　readiness　to　forward　dispatches。　Every　one　may　learn
that；　in　spite　of　my　sickness；　I　have　risen　from　my　couch　in　order
to　reestablish　tranquillity　in　the　capital。〃

He　stepped　to　his　desk　and　rapidly　wrote　a　few　words；　whereupon　he
handed　the　paper　to　Germain；　his　valet　de　chambre。

〃Here；　Germain；　hasten　with　this　note　to　Count　Fersen；　the　director
of　police；　and　take　this　fellow　along。　Two　footmen　may　accompany
you。　You　will　deliver　him　to　the　director　of　the　police　and　tell　him
that　he　is　one　of　the　rioters　whom　my　agents　have　arrested。　Request
the　director　to　have　him　placed　in　a　safe　prison　and　to　admit　none
to　him　but　the　officers　of　the　criminal　court。　He　is　a　very
dangerous　criminal；　this　is　the　second　time　that　he　has　been
arrested　as　a　rioter。　Well；　what　is　the　matter　with　the　fellow？　He
reels　like　a　drunken　man！　He　has　probably　drunk　too　much　brandy　for
the　purpose　of　stimulating　his　courage。〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　excellency；〃　said　Hubschle；　〃the　man　has　fainted。〃

〃Then　carry　him　away；　and　take　him　in　a　carriage　to　the　director　of
the　police；〃　said　Thugut；　indifferently；　and　he　looked　on　coldly　and
unfeelingly；　while　the　footman　hastily　seized　the　pale；　unconscious
man　and　dragged　him　away。

He　returned　to　his　desk　and　rapidly　wrote　a　few　words　on　a　sheet　of
large；　gilt…edged　paper；　which　he　then　enclosed　in　an　envelope；
sealed；　and　directed。

〃A　dispatch　to　the　emperor！〃　he　said；　handing　it　to　Heinle。　〃Let　a
mounted　messenger　take　it　immediately　to　his　majesty。〃

This　dispatch　contained　the　reply　to　the　emperor's　laconic　note；　and
it　was　almost　more　laconic　than　the　latter；　for　it　contained　only
the　following　words：

〃Sire；　within　an　hour　order　will　be　reestablished。〃

〃Now；　Hubschle；　sit　down；〃　said　Thugut；　all　the　others　having　left
the　room　by　his　orders。　〃Collect　your　five　senses；　and　write　what　I
am　going　to　dictate　to　you。〃

Hubschle　sat　already　at　the　desk；　and　waited；　pen　in　hand。　Baron
Thugut；　folding　his　hands　behind　his　back；　slowly　paced　the　room　and
dictated：

〃The　minister　of　foreign　affairs　has　heard　with　regret　of　the
riotous　proceedings　referred　to　in　the　notes　which　the　ambassador　of
the　French　Republic　has　addressed　to　him　this　evening。　The　minister
will　report　the　whole　affair　to　his　imperial　majesty；　and　entertains
no　doubt　that　the　emperor　will　be　very　indignant　at　the　occurrence。
The　ambassador　may　rest　assured　that　nothing　will　be　left　undone　in
order　to　ferret　out　the　perpetrators　of　this　outrage；　and　to　punish
them　with　the　whole　severity　of　the　laws；　and　with　the　sincere
desire　which　the　Austrian　government　has　always　entertained　to
maintain　the　friendship　so　happily　established　between　the　two
countries。〃　＇Footnote：　The　French　ambassador　really　left　Vienna　in
consequence　of　this　riot。　The　emperor　vainly　tried　to　pacify　him。
Bernadotte　persisted　in　his　demands。　He　wanted　the　Austrian
Government　to　restore　the　banner　and　to　have　it　displayed　on　his
balcony　by　a　staff　officer。　In　reply　to　these　repeated　demands；
Thugut　sent　him　his　passports；　and　the　legation　left　Vienna。Vide
Hauser；　〃German　History；〃　vol　II。；　p。　180。　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme
d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。＇

〃Well；　why　do　you　dare　to　laugh；　Hubschle？〃　asked　Thugut　when　he
took　the　pen　in　order　to　sign　the　note。

〃Your　excellency；　I　am　laughing　at　the　many　fine　words　in　which　this
dispatch　says：　'Mr。　Ambassador；　ask　for　your　passports；　you　may
depart。'〃

Thugut　smiled。　〃When　you　are　drunk；　Hubschle；　you　are　exceedingly
shrewd；　and　for　that　reason；　I　pardon　your　impertinence。　Your
rubicund　nose　has　scented　the　matter　correctly。　The　ambassador　has
demanded　his　passports　already。　But　go　now。　Take　this　dispatch　to
the　second　courier　and　tell　him　to　carry　it　immediately　to　the
French　embassy。　As　for　yourself；　you　must　hasten　to　the　commander　of
Vienna；　and　take　this　paper　to　him。　You　may　say　to　him；　'The　gates
are　to　be　closed　in　order　to　prevent　the　populace　of　the　suburbs
from　reaching　the　city。　The　Preiss　regiment　shall　occupy　the　house
of　the　ambassador　and　the　adjoining　streets；　and　fire　at　whosoever
offers　resistance　or　wants　to　raise　a　disturbance。'　V