louisa of prussia and her times-第64节

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assure　you；　it　is　not　an　easy　task　to　be　this　lady's　lover！　She
demands　a　great　deal　of　courting；　a　great　deal　of　ardor；　a　great
deal　of　passion；　she　has　got　very　warm　blood　herself；　and；　if　I　am
not　mistaken；　she　is　a　great…granddaughter　of　that　beautiful　Roman
lady；　Messalina。〃

Now；　for　the　first　time；　a　slight　tremor　pervaded　Victoria's　frame；
and　a　deep　blush　suffused　her　cheeks。　But　this　lasted　only　a　moment；
and　then　she　sat　again　quite　erect　and　immovable。

〃In　spite　of　the　difficulty　of　your　task；　you　have　played　your　part
in　a　masterly　manner；〃　said　Jean　Debry；　in　a　rude　and　stern　voice。
〃All　of　us　believed　you　were　in　love；　and　this　modern　Messalina
certainly　did　not　doubt　it；　either。〃

〃No；　she　did　not　doubt　it；〃　said　Bonnier；　with　a　disdainful　smile。
〃She　surrounded　herself　with　spies；　who　had　to　watch　me；　but
fortunately　I　knew　them；　and　did　not　betray　myself。〃

〃How　did　you　know　them？〃　asked　Roberjot。

〃My　unknown　correspondent　pointed　them　out　to　me。　He　had　given　up
his　incognito；　and　came　to　me；　satisfying　me　of　his　identity　by
writing　a　few　lines；　which　proved　him　to　be　the　author　of　the　two
previous　letters。　He　offered　for　a　brilliant　compensation　to　assist
me　in　unravelling　the　intrigue；　and　I　promised　him　five　thousand
francs。　He　was　one　of　our　most　astute　and　skilful　spies；　and　he
wanted　this　affair　to　be　his　masterpiece；　in　order　to　obtain　from　me
a　recommendation　to　General　Bonaparte；　who　has　just　returned　from
Egypt。　I　shall　give　him　to…day　the　promised　sum　and　the
recommendation；　for　he　has　honestly　earned　both；　and　faithfully
assisted　me　in　unmasking　this　woman。　＇Footnote：　This　spy　was　the
famous　Schulmeister；　afterward　Bonaparte's　most　adroit　and　intrepid
spy。　He　boasted　of　the　role　he　had　played　at　Kastadt；　and　which　had
brought　him　double　pay；　first　from　Count　Lehrbach；　whom　he　had
informed　that　there　were　important　papers　in　the　hands　of　the
French；　and　then　from　the　French　ambassadors；　whom　he　had　cautioned
against　Count　Lehrbach；　and　given　the　advice　to　burn　their　papers
and　to　be　on　their　guard。＇　I　received　every　morning　a　written　report
from　him　about　every　thing　Madame　Poutet　had　done　during　the
previous　day。　All　these　reports　are　in　this　portfolio；　and　you　will
examine　them；　my　friends。　You　will　see　from　them　that　Madame
Victoria；　who　had　come　to　me　in　order　to　revenge　herself　upon
Thugut；　nevertheless　kept　up　a　good　understanding　with　his　most
intimate　friend；　Count　Lehrbach；　for　every　night；　as　soon　as　I　had
left　Victoria；　the　noble　count　repaired　to　her　house　and　spent
several　hours　with　her；　although　Victoria　had　assured　me　Count
Lehrbach　did　not　even　suspect　her　presence　at　Rastadt。　However；
there　was　a　possibility　that　my　spy　was　deceiving　me　just　as　well　as
he　had　deceived　Madame　de　Poutet。　In　order　to　ascertain　that；　I
informed　Victoria　one　evening　that　a　courier　would　set　out　for　Paris
in　the　morning；　and　forward　to　the　Directory　papers　of　the　highest
importance；　concerning　an　alliance　with　Russia。　We　sent　a　courier　to
Paris　in　the　morning；　but　not　far　from　Rastadt　he　was　arrested　by
Austrian　hussars；　robbed　of　his　papers；　and　taken　to　the
headquarters　of　the　Austrian　Colonel　Barbaczy；　at　Gernsbach；
although　our　courier　was　provided　with　a　French　passport　and　an
official　badge；　enabling　him　fully　to　prove　that　he　was　in　our
service。〃　＇Footnote：　Historical。＇

〃This　was　an　unheard…of　violation　of　international　law；　for　which　we
have　vainly　sought　redress；〃　said　Jean　Debry；　gloomily。

〃These　German　cowards　are　not　even　courageous　enough　to　acknowledge
their　own　acts。　They　deny　having　robbed　our　courier；　but　they　cannot
deny　having　imprisoned　him；　contrary　to　international　law。〃

〃Just　as　little　as　Victoria　can　deny　that　she　was　the　person　who　had
informed　Lehrbach　and　Barbaczy　of　the　courier's　departure；〃　said
Bonnier；　〃for；　fifteen　minutes　before　setting　out；　the　courier
himself　did　not　know　any　thing　about　his　mission；　and　the
dispatches；　of　course；　were　of　the　most　harmless　description。　But　my
pretty　lady…bird　there　had　gone　into　the　trap　I　had　set　for　her；　and
I　kept　her　in　it　without　her　knowing　any　thing　about　it。　She　was
quite　unsuspecting；　and；　thanks　to　my　talents　as　a　comedian；　and　to
my　love；　I　finally　found　out　the　real　purpose　of　her　visit　to
Rastadt。　Yesterday　I　promised　her　to　deliver　to　her　to…day　the
papers　that　endanger　Thugut's　position　at　the　head　of　the　Austrian
government；　and　prove　him　to　be　a　hireling　of　England。　In　the
evening　Count　Lehrbach　sent　a　courier　to　Vienna；　then　we　retaliated；
caused　the　courier　to　be　arrested　and　took　his　papers　from　him。　He
had；　however；　only　a　small　note；　addressed　to　Minister　Thugut。　Here
it　is。　It　contains　only　the　following　words：〃

'I　shall　get　the　papers　to…morrow。'

'VICTORIA。'

〃But　these　words　were　written　by　the　beautiful　hand　of　the　same　lady
who　latterly　had　penned　so　many　tender　love…letters　to　myself。　I　had
promised　her　those　papers　if　she　would　call　for　them　to…day；　and　you
see；　my　friends；　that　she　has　come。　But　I　desired　to　know　if　this
really　was　the　only　object　for　which　Baron　Thugut　had　sent　his　most
beautiful　and　sagacious　agent　to　Rastadt；　or　if　there　were　not　some
secondary　objects　at　the　bottom　of　this　mission。　I　therefore
resolved　to　ascertain　this　to…day。　My　astute　spy　had　told　me　that
Madame　de　Poutet　was　also　anxious　to　get　hold　of　some　other
important　papers。　I　therefore　feigned　to…day　to　have　abstracted　the
wrong　papers　and　to　have　brought　here　a　portfolio　containing　our
correspondence　with　the　Prussian　minister　and　documents　in　relation
to　an　alliance　between　France　and　Prussia。　I　told　my　fair　friend
that　the　loss　of　these　papers　would　ruin　me　irretrievably；　and　yet　I
was　such　a　love…sick　fool　as　to　drop　the　portfolio　with　the　papers
while　engaged　in　tenderly　kissing　my　hand　to　my　dulcinea。　Look；
gentlemen；　the　portfolio　is　yet　lying　on　the　floor；　but　the　papers
are　no　longer　in　it。　They　are　carefully　concealed　in　Madame
Victoria's　pocket。　Oh；　it　was　a　very　pretty　scene；　when　she　stole
them。　I　watched　her　through　a　small　hole　which　I　had　bored　through
the　door　this　morning；　and　through　which　I　could　plainly　see　every
motion　of　my　beautiful　Victoria。　Yes；　my　beautiful　Victoria　stole
the　papers；　although　she　knew　that　this　loss　would　seriously
embarrass　me。　However；　my　friends；　it　will　be　unnecessary　for　the
republic　to　punish　me　for　this　theft　Madame　de　Poutet　has　committed；
for　the　papers　she　has　got　in　her　pocket　are　nothing　but　the
faithful　diary　of　my　daily　intercourse　with　Victoria　de　Poutet。　I
have　carefully　noted　in　it　every　conversation　I　had　with　her；　and
every　favor　she　granted　to　me；　and　I　have　no　objection　whatever　to
this　diary　being　transmitted　to　Minister　Thugut。　If　he　is　not
jealous；　he　will　not　complain　of　it。　And　now　I　am　through　with　my
justification；　and　I　ask　you；　did　I　not　act　as　a　good　and　faithful
son　of　the　republic　should？　Have　I　done　my　duty？　Will　the　country　be
content　with　me？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Roberjot；　solemnly；　〃you　have　acted　as　a　good　and
faithful　son　of　the　republic。　You　have　intrepidly　followed　the　enemy
who　had　approached　you　on　secret　paths；　into　his　hiding…places；　and
you　have　skilfully　exposed　the　perfidious　intrigues　he　had　carried
on　against　France。　You　have　done　your　duty。〃

〃Yes；　the　republic　will　thank　you　for　your　zeal；〃　exclaimed　Jean
Debry；　〃you　have　run　great　risks　for　her　sake。　For　a　beautiful；
voluptuous；　and　intriguing　woman　is　even　more　dangerous　than　a
venomous　serpent。　Like　St。　Anthony；　you　have　withstood　the　temptress
by　praying　to　our　holy　mother；　the　great　French　Republic！　Yes；　the
country　will　be　content　with　you。〃

〃I　thank　you；　my　friends；〃　said　Bonnier；　with　a　happy　smile；　〃I　now
stand　again　before　you　with　a　clear　conscience；　and　without　a　blush
of　shame　on　my　cheeks。　You　have　accepted　my　atonement。　As　for　this
woman；　we　will　inflict　no　further　punishment　on　her。　She　was　only　a
tool　in　Thugut's　hands；　that　was　all。　This　hour　has　punished　her
sufficiently；　and　our　profound　contempt　shall　be　the　only　penalty
she　will　take　away　with　her。〃

〃Yes；　our　profound　contempt　shall　be　the　penalty　she　will　take　with
her；〃　exclaimed　Roberjot　and　Jean　Debry　at　the　same　time。

〃There　is　nothing　more　disgraceful　under　the　sun　than　a　woman　who
sells　her　charms；〃　said　Roberjot。

〃There　is　nothing　more　dreadful　and　dishonorable　than　an　ambitious
and　heartless　wanton！〃　added　Jean　Debry；　in　a　voice　of　profound
disdain。

〃Victoria　de　Poutet；〃　said　Bonnier；　throwing　the　pistol　aside；
〃every　thing　between　us　was　a　comedy；　even　this　pistol；　the
pretended　bullet　of　which　frightened　and　silenced　you。　It　was　not
loaded。　The　comedy　is　now　at　an　end；　and　there　remains　nothing　for
yon　but　to　go　to　your　stage…manager　and　to　tell　him　that　you　utterly
failed　in　performing　your　part。　You　may　go　now；　nothing　further
detains　you　here。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Victoria；　in　a　perfectly　calm　and　sonorous
voice；　〃you　forget　that　you　put　the　key　of　the　door　into　your
pocket；　go；　therefore；　and　unlock　it。〃

She　pointed　at　the　door　with　an　imperious　gesture；　and　Bonnier　went
to　unlock　it。　Victoria；　remaining　still　erect　and　calm　in　h