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to　unlock　it。　Victoria；　remaining　still　erect　and　calm　in　her　arm…
chair；　looked　at　him　while　he　was　doing　so；　and　only　when　Bonnier
had　opened　the　door　and　returned　to　the　table；　she　rose　slowly　from
her　seat。

Now　she　stood　there；　drawing　herself　up　to　her　full　height；　her　face
glowing　with　indignation；　a　deep　blush　mantling　her　cheeks；　a
disdainful　smile　playing　on　the　slightly　parted　lips；　the　expansive
white　forehead　deeply　wrinkled；　as　cold　as　marble；　and　yet
concealing　under　this　marble　surface　a　torrent　of　molten　lava；
which；　as　soon　as　it　should　burst　forth；　could　not　but　produce　death
and　destruction。　Hers　was　now　a　diabolic　beauty；　and　when　she　turned
her　eyes　toward　the　three　republicans；　they　glistened　like　dagger…
points。

〃I　have　to　make　but　a　brief　reply　to　M。　Bonnier's　long　speech；〃　she
said；　proudly　and　calmly。　〃This　is　my　answer：　I　shall　obtain　those
papers　in　spite　of　you；　and　I　shall　revenge　myself　for　this　hour！　To
your　last　high…sounding　sentences；　I　answer　by　another　sentence：
there　is　nothing　more　dangerous　than　an　irritated　and　insulted
woman；　for　she　will　revenge　herself　and　imbrue　her　hands　in　the
blood　of　those　who　have　insulted　her。　Roberjot；　Bonnier；　and　Debry；
you　have　insulted　me；　and　I　tell　you　I　shall　revenge　myself。　Before
three　times　three　days　have　passed；　you　will　have　atoned　with　your
blood　for　this　hour；　and　may　God　have　mercy　on　your　poor　souls！〃

She　greeted　all　of　them　with　a　haughty　nod；　and　slowly　turning
around；　she　proudly　crossed　the　room。　The　three　men　looked　at　her
with　pale　and　gloomy　faces；　and　a　slight　shudder　pervaded　for　a
moment　the　hearts　of　the　republicans；　usually　so　bold　and　undaunted。

〃She　looked　like　an　evil　demon　predicting　our　future！〃　murmured
Roberjot。

〃She　will　fulfil　her　word；　she　will　try　to　assassinate　us；〃　said
Bonnier。　〃Did　you　not　see　it？　Her　eyes　were　moist；　no　tears　were
glistening　in　them；　however；　only　the　venom　she　will　discharge　at
us。　Let　us　be　on　our　guard！〃

〃Yes；　let　us　beware　of　the　serpent's　venom！〃　exclaimed　Jean　Debry；
with　gloomy　energy〃let　us　beware；　and　most　of　all；　let　us　be　men
who　cannot　be　intimidated　by　the　furious　threats　of　a　woman。〃

But　Jean　Debry　knew　neither　the　energy　nor　the　power　of　this　woman
whose　threats　he　despised。　He　did　not　know　that；　her　anger　once
aroused；　she　would　not　rest　until　she　had　taken　her　revenge。　Late　in
the　evening　of　that　day；　when　all　Rastadt　was　sleeping；　Victoria
received　in　her　house　her　two　powerful　assistants；　Count　Lehrbach
and　Colonel　Barbaczy；　the　latter　having　been　invited　by　a　mounted
messenger　to　come　to　her　from　Gernsbach。

A　long　and　portentous　conference　these　three　persons　held　in　the
course　of　that　night；　during　which　they　consulted　about　the　best　way
to　punish　the　French　ambassadors；　and　to　take　from　them　the　papers
which　Thugut　wished　to　obtain。　〃We　must　have　those　papers　at　any
price〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　with　flashing　eyes。

〃Oh；　it　will　only　cost　a　little　blood！〃　shouted　Count　Lehrbach；　in　a
hollow　voice；　and　laughing　hoarsely。　〃These　overbearing　French　have
trampled　us　under　foot　for　two　long　years；　and　tormented　us　by
pricking　us　with　pins。　Now　we　will　also　trample　them　under　foot　and
prick　them；　and　if　our　pins　are　longer　than　theirs；　who　will
complain？〃

〃Thugut　wants　those　papers；　and　he　has　forgiven　us　in　advance　if
they　should　be　a　little　blood…stained；〃　said　Victoria；　looking　up
smilingly　to　old　Colonel　Barbaczy；　who；　with　his　hands　folded　on　his
back；　his　large　shaggy　eyebrows　gloomily　contracted；　was　slowly
pacing　the　room。

〃Barbaczy！　Barbaczy！〃　he　muttered；　in　a　low　voice；　〃what　will　the
world　say　of　your　old　head？〃　＇Footnote：　Barbaczy's　own　words。Vide
〃Uteransoher　Lodiacus。〃　Edited　by　Theod。　Mundt；　1835。　Third　number；
p。　208＇

〃The　world　will　not　grudge　these　hot…blooded　French　a　little　blood…
letting；　and　it　will　praise　your　surgical　skill；　my　dear　Barbaczy；〃
exclaimed　Lehrbach；　laughing。　〃The　responsibility；　besides；　does　not
fall　on　your　shoulders。　Who　will　blame　you　if　your　hot…blooded
hussars　commit　some　excesses…some　highway　robberies？　You　do　not
order　them　to　assassinate　anybody；　you　only　order　them　to　take　the
papers　from　the　ambassadors；　and　only　to　use　force　if　it　cannot　be
helped。〃

〃I　shall　send　fifty　hussars　to　the　city　to…morrow；〃　said　Barbaczy；
thoughtfully。　〃They　shall　encamp　in　front　of　the　Ettlinger　Gate；　so
that　no　one；　whosoever　it　may　be；　will　be　able　to　cross　the　bridges
connecting　the　city　with　the　suburbs　without　passing　through　their
ranks。〃

Victoria　approached　him；　and　laying　her　hands　on　his　shoulders；　she
looked　up　to　him　with　a　fascinating　smile。

〃And　you　will　send　some　of　your　most　intrepid　hussars　to　Lehrbach
and　to　me；　that　we　may　tell　the　brave　men　what　rewards　are　in　store
for　them　if　they　perform　their　duly　in　a　satisfactory　manner？　No；　my
beautiful　god　of　war；　do　not　shake　your　silvery　locks　BO　wildlydo
not　threaten　me　with　your　frowning　brow！　Think　of　Gurgewo；　my
friend！　Do　you　remember　what　you　swore　to　me　at　that　time　in　the
trenches　when　I　dressed　with　my　own　hands　the　wound　for　which　you
were　indebted　to　a　Turkish　sabre？　Do　you　remember　that　you　swore　to
me　at　that　time　you　would　reciprocate　my　service　as　soon　as　it　was
in　your　power？〃　〃I　know　it；　and　I　am　ready　to　fulfil　my　oath；〃　said
Barbaczy；　heaving　a　sigh。

〃Well；　my　friend；　all　I　ask　is　this：　send　to…morrow　six　of　your
bravest　and　wildest　hussars　to　my　house；　and　order　them　faithfully
to　carry　out　what　Count　Lehrbach　and　I　shall　tell　them。〃

〃The　hussars　shall　halt　at　your　door　to…morrow　morning　at　nine
o'clock；〃　said　Barbaczy；　resolutely。

〃And　I　will　admit　them！〃　exclaimed　Victoria；　smiling。　〃You　will　be
here；　Count　Lehrbach；　I　suppose？〃

〃I　shall　be　here　in　order　to　listen　to　the　wise　lessons　which　the
goddess　Victoria　will　teach　the　sons　of　Mars；〃　replied　Lehrbach；
fixing　his　small；　squinting　eyes　with　an　admiring　air　on　Victoria's
beautiful　face。　〃You　will　need　no　other　means　but　your　smiles　and
your　beauty　in　order　to　inspire　those　brave　soldiers　with　the　most
dauntless　heroism。　Who　would　not　be　willing　to　shed　a　little　French
blood；　if　your　lips　should　promise　him　a　reward？〃

〃And　what　reward　are　you　going　to　promise　to　the　soldier？〃　asked
Barbaczy；　turning　to　Madame　de　Poutet。　〃What　are　you　going　to　ask
them　to　do？〃

〃Only　to　seize　all　the　papers　of　the　ambassadors；〃　said　Victoria。

〃And　to　examine　their　bodies　if　any　papers　should　be　concealed
there；〃　added　Count　Lehrbach；　laughing。

〃And　their　reward　shall　be　that　the　hussars　will　be　allowed　to　look
for　some　other　spoils；〃　said　Victoria。

〃Highway　robbery　and　murder；　then；〃　sighed　Barbaczy；　〃and
perpetrated　by　soldiers　of　my　regiment！　Highway　robbery　and　murder！〃

〃Fie；　what　ugly　words　those　are！　and　who　thinks　of　murder？〃
exclaimed　Victoria。　〃Did　we　Germans　die；　then；　of　the　numerous　kicks
and　blows　which　the　French　have　given　us　for　the　last　few　years？　We
will　only　return　those　kicks　and　blows；　and　the　French　will
assuredly　not　be　so　thin…skinned　as　to　die　of　them　on　the　spot。〃

〃Do　as　you　please；〃　sighed　Barbaczy。　〃Count　Lehrbach　has　the　right
to　issue　orders　to　myself　and　to　my　troops；　and　I　owe　you　the
fulfilment　of　my　oath。　My　hussars　will　occupy　the　city　to…morrow；
and　I　shall　order　the　French　ambassadors　to　depart　forthwith。　What
is　to　be　done　after　their　departure　you　may　settle　with　the　hussars
I　shall　send　to　you。　I　shall　take　no　notice　of　it。〃

〃And　that　is　a　very　wise　resolution　of　yours；　colonel；〃　said
Lehrbach。　〃'To　know　too　much　gives　us　the　headache；'　says　our
gracious　emperor；　whenever　he　returns　the　dispatches　to　Baron　Thugut
without　having　read　them。　Send　us；　then；　your　hussars　to…morrow；　and
whatever　may　happen；　colonel；　we　shall　not　betray　each　other。〃

〃No；　we　shall　not　betray　each　other！〃　repeated　Victoria　and
Barbaczy；　with　uplifted　hands。

〃To…morrow；　then！〃　said　Victoria。　〃Now；　good…night；　gentlemen！〃




CHAPTER　XXIX。

THE　ASSASSINATION。


Early　on　the　next　day　a　strange　and　exciting　report　pervaded　the
city　of　Rastadt。　Austrian　regiments　were　encamped　all　round　the
city；　and　Sczekler　hussars　held　all　the　gates。　This　was　the　report
which　filled　with　astonishment　and　terror　all　those　who　were　not
initiated　into　the　secrets　of　the　political　situation；　and　who　were
not　familiar　with　the　condition　of　the　negotiations　between　France
and　Germany。　For；　by　surrounding　the　city　with　troops；　in　spite　of
the　presence　of　the　French　ambassadors；　Austria　openly　violated　the
treaty　stipulating　that；　until　the　congress　had　adjourned　sine　die；
neither　German　nor　French　troops　should　approach　the　city　within　a
circuit　of　three　German　miles。

It　was　reported；　toowhat　the　ambassadors　as　yet　remaining　in
Rastadt　had　carefully　concealed　up　to　this　timethat　the　imperial
ambassador；　Count　Metternich；　had　quietly　left　the　city　several　days
before；　and　that　the　peace　commissioners　of　the　empire　had　the　day
previous　suspended　their　official　functions。

Congress　had　then　dissolved；　the　peace　commissioners　of　France　and
Germany　had　been　in　session　for　two　years　without　accomplishing
their　task；　and　the　situation　looked　as　ominous　and