louisa of prussia and her times-第59节

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under　foot？〃　asked　Victoria；　her　black　eyes　flashing　like　dagger…
points。　〃Have　we　got　an　enemy　whom　we　want　to　lead　across　the　PONTE
DEI　SOSPIRI　to　an　eternal　prison？　Speak　quickly；　my　friend；　I　am
waiting　for　the　music　of　your　words。〃

〃There　are　two　enemies　for　you　to　fathom；〃　said　Thugut；　slowly。

〃To　fathom！　Is　that　all？　A　little　spying；　nothing　further？〃

〃But　some　bloodshed　might　attend　that　spying。〃

〃I　like　blood；　it　has　such　a　beautiful　purple　color；〃　said　Victoria；
laughing。　〃Who　are　the　two　enemies　I　am　to　fathom？〃

〃France　and　Prussia！〃

〃Oh；　you　are　joking。〃

〃No；　I　am　in　sober　earnest。　France　and　Prussia　are　the　two　enemies
whose　innermost　thoughts　you　are　to　fathom。〃

〃But　France　and　Prussia　are　not　here　in　Vienna。〃

〃No；　not　here　in　Vienna；　but　they　are　at　the　fortress　of　Rastadt。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　my　friend。〃

〃Listen　to　me；　and　you　will　understand　me。　You　know　that　I　hate
France；　and　that　I　abhor　the　peace　we　were　compelled　to　conclude
with　her。　France　is　a　hydra；　whose　head　we　must　cut　off；　or　by　whom
we　must　allow　ourselves　to　be　devoured。　I　am　in　favor　of　cutting　off
her　head。〃

〃So　am　I！〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　laughing。　〃Have　you　got　a　sword　sharp
enough　to　cut　off　the　hydra's　head？　Then　give　it　to　meI　will
behead　her。〃

〃The　hydra　believes　she　has　a　sword　with　which　she　might　kill　me。
Listen　to　me。　I　was　once　in　my　life　foolish　enough　to　sign　a　paper
which　might　prove　dangerous　to　me　in　case　it　should　be　submitted　to
the　emperor。　This　paper　is　in　the　hands　of　France。〃

〃France　has　got　a　large　hand。　Which　of　her　fingers　holds　the　paper？〃

〃A　year　ago；　the　paper　was　in　Bernadotte's　hands；　and　he　had　already
applied　for　an　interview　with　the　empress；　in　order　to　deliver　to
her　the　paper；　which　she　had　promised　to　hand　to　the　emperor。　I
learned　it　in　time；　and　sent　out　a　few　friends　to　bring　the　papers
out　of　his　own　rooms。〃

〃Ah。　I　understand。　It　was　on　the　day　of　the　festival　of　the
volunteers；　and　of　the　inauguration　of　the　French　banner。〃

〃Yes；　it　was　on　that　day。　The　coup　was　not　entirely　successful；　we
gave　Bernadotte　a　good　lessonwe　compelled　him　to　leave　Vienna；　but
he　took　these　papers　along。〃

〃And　where　is　Bernadotte？〃

〃At　Rastadt；　where　he　attends　the　sessions　of　the　congress　as　the
military　plenipotentiary　of　France。〃

〃I　shall　go　there；　too；　as　your　plenipotentiary；　my　friend！〃
exclaimed　Victoria；　smiling。　〃But；　in　order　to　obtain　the　papers；　we
shall　not　make　an　assault　upon　his　house；　we　shall　only　assail　his
heart；　and　that　I　shall　open　a　breach　there　large　enough　to　let　the
dangerous　papers　pass　through　it；　I　hope　my　skill　will　warrant〃
〃Your　skill　and　your　beauty；〃　said　Thugut；　interrupting　her。　〃But　I
believe　my　beautiful　Victoria　will　not　have　to　assail　Bernadotte；
but　another　man。　Bernadotte　took　warning　from　that　scene　in　his
house；　he　understands　very　well　that　the　possession　of　those　papers
is　dangerous；　and　he　has；　therefore；　transferred　the　danger　to　other
shoulders。　He　has　intrusted　another　man　with　the　papers。〃

〃Whom？　If　it　be　a　man　of　flesh　and　blood　name　him；　and　I　shall　make
the　assault　upon　him；〃　said　Victoria。

〃It　is　doubtless　one　of　the　three　ambassadors　of　the　French
Republic；　and　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　it　is　the　haughty　and
impudent　Bonnier。　It　was　he　at　least　who　spoke　to　Count　Cobenzl
about　certain　papers　that　might　become　dangerous　to　me；　and　who
inquired　stealthily　if　Cobenzl　would　feel　inclined　to　deliver　them
to　the　emperor。〃

〃Let　me　depart；　my　friend；　I　must　have　the　papers；〃　said　Victoria；
rising。

〃Ah；　how　beautiful　you　are　in　your　impetuosity！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；
smiling；　〃but　we　are　not　through　yet　with　our　conference；　dear
Victoria。　For　the　sole　purpose　of　obtaining　those　miserable　papers；
I　should　not　beg　my　angel　to　unfold　his　demon's　wings　and　to　assist
me。　If　my　interests　alone　were　at　stake；　I　should　allow　fate　to　take
its　course；　and　leave　every　thing　to　its　decision。　But　the　interests
of　Austria　are　equally　at　stake；　and　I　do　not　say　this　in　the　sense
in　which　my　great　predecessor；　Prince　Kaunitz；　used　to　say：　'He　who
attacks　me；　attacks　Austria；　for　Austria　cannot　exist　without　me。
She　would　fall　down　if　my　strong　hand　did　not　hold　her。'　No；　I　know
very　well　that　no　man　is　indispensable；　that　we　are　only　machines　in
the　hands　of　fate；　and　that；　as　soon　as　one　of　these　machines　is
worn　out　and　unnecessary；　fate　casts　it　aside　and　substitutes　a　new
one。　But　the　state　is　something　more　exalted　and　important　than　a
mere　individual；　in　order　to　defend　it；　we　must　collect　our　whole
energy；　our　whole　ability；　and　it　is　a　matter　of　indifference　if；　by
doing　so；　we　endanger　some　human　lives　and　shed　some　blood。　There　is
an　abundance　of　human　lives　in　the　world；　and　the　blood　that　has
been　shed　is　restored　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours。　Victoria；　you
shall　not　merely　assist　me；　you　shall　aid　the　state　too；　and　make　an
effort　for　its　welfare。〃

〃Only　he　who　dares　wins！〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　with　a　fascinating
smile。　〃Tell　me　what　I　am　to　do；　my　friend。〃

〃To　be　fascinating；　to　avail　yourself　of　the　power　of　your　charms；
that　is　all。　To　tame　a　bear；　in　order　to　draw　his　secrets　from　him。〃

〃In　what　forest　shall　I　find　this　bear？〃

〃At　Rastadt；　and　his　name　is　Roberjot；　or　Bonnier；　or　Debry；　for
aught　I　know。　Try　all　three　of　them。　One　of　them　at　least　will　have
a　heart　capable　of　falling　in　love；　and　eyes　to　admire　your　beauty。
Chain　that　man　to　your　triumphal　car；　fathom　him；　try　to　become　his
confidante；　and　sift　his　secrets。〃

〃For　a　special　purpose；　or　only　in　general？〃

〃For　a　special　purpose。　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　France　is
deceiving　us；　and　that；　while　seeking　an　alliance　with　us；　and
assuring　us　every　day　of　her　friendship；　she　is　secretly　plotting
against　us。〃

〃Plotting　with　whom？〃

〃With　Prussia；　Austria's　mortal　enemy。　France　has　promised　us　not　to
grant　any　further　aggrandizement　to　Prussia。　I　am　satisfied　that　she
has　secretly　made　similar　promises　to　Prussia　in　relation　to　us；　and
that　she　is　trying　as　eagerly；　and　by　means　of　as　many　assurances；
to　obtain　the　alliance　of　Prussia；　as　that　of　Austria。〃

〃It　is；　however；　of　the　highest　importance　for　us　to　know　what
France　may　have　promised　to　Prussia；　and　how　far　the　negotiations
between　the　two　powers　have　gone。　To　fathom　this；　either　by　amicable
or　violent　means；　by　shrewdness　or　by　compulsion；　by　bribery　or　by
threats；　will　be　your　task；　my　heavenly　demon。〃

〃It　is　a　beautiful　task；　because　it　is　a　difficult　one；〃　said
Victoria；　proudly。　〃It　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death；　this　duel　I　am
to　fight　with　one　of　those　French　bears。〃

〃But　my　beautiful　Victoria　shall　not　lack　seconds　to　furnish　her
weapons；　and　to　do　every　thing　she　wants　them　to　do。〃

〃Who　are　my　seconds？〃

〃Count　Lehrbach　and　Colonel　Barbaczy。〃

〃Ah；　Barbaczy；　whose　acquaintance　we　made　at　Giurgewo？〃

〃The　same。　A　bold；　intrepid　man；　who　is　not　afraid　of　anybody
neither　of　God　nor　of　the　devil。〃

〃Lehrbach　and　Barbaczy；　your　two　bloodhounds；〃　said　Victoria；
musingly。　〃If　they　are　to　be　my　seconds；　I　am　afraid　the　duel　will
not　merely　remain　a　spiritual　one；　and　not　merely　hearts　will　be
wounded。　I　am　afraid　real　blood　will　be　shed；　and　there　will　be
carnal　wounds。〃

〃I　must　have　the　papers！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　〃either　by　means　of
cunning　or　by　measures　of　open　violence；　do　you　understand？　And　as
to　the　wounds　and　blood；　I　wish　with　all　my　heart　to　give　these
impudent　republican　fellows　who　are　putting　on　such　airs　at　Rastadt；
as　though　they　were　masters　of　Germany；　a　sound　and　bloody　lesson；
and　thus　give　France　an　unmistakable　proof　of　our　opinion。〃

〃Good；　my　dear　Satan；　I　shall　assist　you　in　performing　this　little
infernal　comedy。　Two　weighty　questions；　however；　remain　to　be　asked。
On　what　pretext　shall　I　ask　my　imperial　mistress　to　grant　me　leave
of　absence？〃

〃Have　you　not　got　a　sister；　who　is　married　to　a　rich　country
gentleman；　in　the　grand…duchy　of　Baden；　and　who　informed　you
yesterday　that　she　had　been　suddenly　taken　dangerously　ill？〃

〃I　have　a　sister！〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　laughing。　〃I　who　never　knew　a
paternal　roof；　or　familyI　who　dropped　upon　earth　like　a　ripe
peach…blossom；　and　would　have　been　crushed　there；　if　my　handsome　and
generous　Charles　de　Poutet　had　not　accidentally　passed　by　while　the
wind　was　driving　me　along；　and　if　he　chivalrously　had　not　picked　me
up　and　placed　me　in　his　button…hole。　I　never　knew　my　familyI　was
an　orphan　since　my　earliest　childhood。　No；　my　friend；　I　have　no
sister。〃

〃Oh；　try　to　recollect；　Victoria；　it　is　your　sister　who　has　called
you　to　her　death…bed；　and　for　whose　sake　the　empress　will　give　you
leave　of　absence。〃

〃Ah；　vraiment；　I　recollect　now！　Of　course；　I　must　go　and　see　my
sister。　The　good；　dear　sisterhow　she　will　long　to　see　me　again　in
order　to　recover　from　her　sickness！　Oh；　I　must　repair　to　my　sister
nothing　must　detain　me　here。　The　kind…hearted　empress　will　not
refuse　me　leave　of　absence；　for　I　have　to　fulfil　a　sacred　duty。
Family　ties　are　more　sacred　than　any　other。〃

〃Ah；　you　are　really　a　most　affectionate　sister；　the　empress　will
readily　grant　you　leave　of　absence；　a