louisa of prussia and her times-第60节

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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；　and　you　will　set　out　to…morrow
evening。　I　shall　provide　fresh　horses　for　you　at　every　station；　and
I　shall　send　you　to…morrow　morning　a　comfortable　travelling…coach。
Your　first　question；　then；　is　answered。　Now　for　the　second。〃

〃Yes；　my　friend；　I　will　briefly　state　my　second　question。　After
accomplishing　my　task；　after　chivalrously　fighting　my　duel；　and
conquering　the　papers；　what　will　be　my　reward？〃

〃Your　reward　will　be　the　only　one　I　dare　offer　to　a　beautiful　young
widow；〃　said　Thugut；　with　a　diabolical　smile。　〃A　husband　who　will
bestow　upon　you　a　distinguished　name；　who　will　strengthen　your
position　at　court；　and　who　will　one　day　bequeath　to　you　a　princely
inheritance。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　joyfully；　〃you　will　marry　me；　my
friend？〃

〃I？〃　asked　Thugut；　almost　in　terror。　〃Who　spoke　of　me？　Am　I　able　to
offer　you　wealth　and　a　distinguished　name？　My　fortune　would　be　too
insignificant　for　your　pin…money；　and　although　the　ship…builder's
son　has　acquired　quite　a　distinguished　name；　he　lacks　the　dust　of
ten　dead　ancestors。　I　am　my　own　ancestor；　and　my　pedigree　contains
but　my　own　name。　No；　Victoria；　I　have　something　better　in　store　for
you。　I　shall　make　you　the　wife　of　the　minister；　Count　Colloredo。　He
is　a　member　of　the　old　aristocracy；　and　his　wife　will　outrank　at
court　all　the　ladies　of　the　ministers　and　of　the　lower　nobility。　He
is；　moreover；　very　wealthy；　and　a　favorite　of　the　emperor。　I　shall
give　him　to　understand　that　he　loves　you　ardently；　and　that　he　would
pine　away　if　you　should　reject　him。　The　dear　count　does　not　like　to
hear　people　talk　about　pining　away　and　dying；　and　he　will　consider
himself　saved　if　you　accept　him　and　allow　him　to　grow　young　again　in
your　arms。　To　induce　him　to　marry　you；　and　to　direct　him　correctly；
let　me　alone　for　that。　On　the　day　on　which　you　bring　me　the　papers；
even　if　they　should　be　somewhat　blood…stained；　on　that　day　I　shall
have　the　honor　to　lead　you　to　the　altar；　and　greet　you　by　the　name
of　Countess　Colloredo。〃

〃The　scheme　is　good　and　feasible；〃　said　Victoria；　musingly；　〃and　yet
I　do　not　like　it　altogether。　To　be　frank　with　you；　my　friend；　if　you
really　believe　that　I　ought　to　marry　again；　why　will　not　YOU　marry
me？　What　shall　I　do　with　the　childish；　conceited；　and　proud　Count
Colloredo；　who　is　already　seventy　years　of　age？　Why　cannot　I　have　my
god　of　darkness？　Thugut；　I　ask　you；　why　do　not　you　want　to　marry
me？〃

Thugut　replied　to　the　flaming　glance　of　the　charming　lady　by　a　loud
laugh。

〃I　marry　you？　Ah；　my　heavenly　demon！　that　would　be　very　imprudent；
for　in　that　case　I　should　have　to　require　you　to　lead　a　devout　and
chaste　life；　and　to　keep　my　name　unsullied。〃

〃Ah；　you　insult　me；〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　feelingly。　〃You　want　to
insinuate　that　I　am　unworthy　of　being　your　wife。〃

〃You　are　worthy　of　being　much　more；　dearest；　for　you　are　a　demon　of
love；　but　my　wife　ought　only　to　be　a　matron　of　chastity。〃

〃Oh；　how　tiresome！〃　sighed　Victoria。

〃Yes；　how　tiresome！〃　repeated　Thugut。　〃And　our　own　heavenly　liaison；
the　last　romantic　dream　of　my　life；　would　it　not　also　be　broken　off
if　you　were　to　become　my　wife？　Why　would　we　then　stand　in　need　of
secrecyof　hidden　staircases　and　doors；　and　of　this　Turkish
cabinet？inasmuch　as　I　should　have　the　right　to　enter　your　rooms
before　the　eyes　of　the　whole　world。　Besides；　we　would　be　unable　to
be　useful　to　each　other。　My　wife；　of　course；　would　have　to　side　with
me　and　defend　me　everywhere；　while；　in　case　you　are　married　to
another　man；　you　are　at　liberty　to　act　for　me　and　to　favor　me。　I
could　not　promote　the　interests　of　my　wife　at　court；　I　could　not
speak　of　her　in　terms　of　praise　to　the　empress；　and　recommend　that
fresh　honors　and　distinctions　be　conferred　upon　her。　My　wife；
therefore；　would　remain　the　aja　of　the　little　Archduchess　Maria
Louisa；　while　my　influence　will　be　able　to　secure　to　the　Countess
Victoria　Colloredo　the　position　of　a　first　lady　of　honor　of　the
duchess。〃

〃First　lady　of　honor！〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　joyfully；　and　with
glowing　cheeks。　〃You　are　right；　my　friend；　it　is　better　for　me　to
marry　Count　Colloredo。　Colloredo　has　great　power　over　the　emperor；　I
have　great　power　over　the　empress；　and　shall　have　the　same　power
over　Colloredo。　But　I　am　again　under　your　control；　and　thus　you　will
rule　us　all；　and　rule　Austria；　for　I　shall　always　remain　your
faithful　servant　and　friend。〃

〃Women's　oaths　are　as　fitful　as　the　wind；　they　are　as　fleeting　as
the　clouds；〃　said　Thugut；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃But　I　believe
you；　Victoria；　for　you　are　no　woman　like　other　women。　If　I　were　ever
to　discover　that　you　had　deceived　me；　I　should　take　a　terrible
revenge！〃

〃What　sort　of　revenge；　my　friend？〃　asked　Victoria；　embracing　him
smilingly　and　tenderly。

〃I　know　but　one　punishment　for　a　faithless　woman；〃　said　Thugut；　〃and
if　I　envy　any　thing；　my　friend；　Sultan　Mustapha；　is　able　to　do　it；
it　is　his　power　of　publicly　inflicting　this　punishment。　A　faithless
woman　is　drowned　in　a　sack；　that　is　all。　She　is　placed　in　a　sack
gagged；　of　course；　so　as　to　be　unable　to　screamand　in　the　dead　of
night　she　is　rowed　out　into　the　sea；　which　silently　opens　its　waves
in　order　to　receive　the　silent　victim。　I　have　witnessed　this
romantic　spectacle　three　times　in　Constantinople；　and　it　always
filled　me　with　delight。　It　is　so　noiseless；　so　simple；　and　yet　so
significant！　It　is　true　we　have　no　sea　here；　but　we　have　the　Danube；
and　there　is　room　in　it　for　many　faithless　women。　Beware；　therefore；
Victoria！　But　now　a　truce　to　business　and　politics。　Now；　my　demon；
unfold　your　angel　wings；　and　let　me　pass　an　hour　with　you　in
paradise。　Will　you　do　me　the　honor；　Countess　Colloredo　in　spe；　to
take　supper　with　me　here？〃

〃Here？〃　said　Victoria；　looking　around　wonderingly。　〃Where　is　the
supper…table？〃

〃You　will　see　it　directly。〃

Thugut　stooped　and　vigorously　pressed　a　golden　knob；　fixed　in　the
floor；　close　to　the　sofa。　Immediately　a　creaking　and　rattling　noise
was　heard；　the　floor　opened；　and　a　large　aperture　became　visible。
After　a　few　minutes　a　table；　covered　with　the　most　luxurious　dishes
and　sparkling　wines；　and　glittering　with　silver　and　crystal；　slowly
and　majestically　arose。

〃Splendid！〃　shouted　Victoria；　dancing　like　a　fairy　around　the　magic
table〃　splendid！　The　prince　of　darkness　commands；　hell　opens；　and
by　the　fire；　over　which　the　souls　of　the　wicked　are　roasting；　the
most　savory　dishes　have　been　prepared　for　Satan！　But　first　swear　to
me；　my　friend；　that　this　pheasant　is　filled　with　truffles；　and　not
with　human　souls。〃

〃My　dear　Victoria；〃　replied　Thugut；　laughing；　〃human　souls　have　only
too　often　the　same　fate　as　truffleshogs　discover　them！　Come；　I
drink　this　glass　of　sherbet　to　the　health　of　the　Countess　Colloredo
in　spe。！〃




CHAPTER　XXVII。

RASTADT。


The　congress　of　Rastadt　had　been　in　session　for　nearly　two　years。
For　nearly　two　years　the　German　ambassadors　had　been　quarrelling
with　France　about　the　ancient　boundaries　of　the　empire；　and　had　been
quarrelling　among　each　other　about　a　few　strips　of　land；　a　few
privileges　which　one　state　demanded；　while　another　would　not　grant。

It　was　a　sorrowful　and　humiliating　spectacle　this　congress　of
Rastadt　presented　to　the　world；　and　all　Germany　was　looking　on　with
feelings　of　pain　and　shame；　while　France　pointed　at　it　with　scornful
laughter；　and　exclaimed：

〃It　is　not　France　that　destroys　and　dissolves　Germany；　but　Germany
is　annihilating　herself。　She　is　dissolving　away；　owing　to　her　own
weakness；　and　the　dissensions　of　her　rulers　will　kill　her！〃

Yes；　indeed；　Germany　bore　the　germ　of　death　and　dissolution　in　her
sick；　lacerated　breast；　and　the　first　symptoms　of　putrefaction
already　made　their　appearance。　These　first　symptoms　were　the　envy；
jealousy；　and　hatred　the　rulers　of　Germany　felt　toward　each　other；
and　the　malicious　joy　with　which　one　saw　another　die；　without
pitying　his　torments；　and　only　mindful　of　the　fact　that　he　would　be
the　dying　state's　heir。

The　first　section　of　Germany　which　succumbed　under　these
circumstances；　embraced　the　bishoprics　and　ecclesiastical　states。
They　exhibited　most　of　all　the　corruption　and　putrefaction　of　German
affairs。　Hence；　such　German　states　as　expected　to　be　benefited　by
their　dissolution；　voted　for　secularization；　while　such　as　were
threatened　with　losses　voted　against　it。　A　new　apple　of　discord　had
been　thrown　into　the　German　empire；　the　last　spark　of　German　unity
was　gone；　and　two　hostile　parties；　bitterly　menacing　each　other；
were　formed。　Austria　loudly　raised　her　voice　against　the
secularization　of　the　ecclesiastical　possessions；　because　she　could
derive　no　benefit　from　it；　while　Prussia　declared　in　favor　of
secularization；　because　she　believed　she　would　be　able　to　aggrandize
her　territory　in　consequence；　and　the　secondary　princes　demanded　the
dissolution　of　the　bishoprics　even　more　urgently　than　Prussia；
because　they　knew　that　a　portion　of　those　dominions　would　fall　to
their　own　share。

Covetousness　caused　the　German　princes　to　overlook　all　other
interests；　and　to