louisa of prussia and her times-第69节

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hitherto　refused　to　acknowledge　thy　benefits；　oh；　forgive　me！〃
＇Footnote：　He　exclaimed：　〃Divine　providence；　si　j'ai　meconnu　tes
bien　faits　jusqu'ici；　pardonne！〃Lodiacus；　iii。；　p。　195。＇

〃And　punish　those　who　have　perpetrated　this　horrible　crime！〃　added
Count　Goertz；　folding　his　hands；　and　uttering　a　fervent　prayer。　〃O
God；　reveal　the　authors　of　this　misdeed；　let　us　find　those　who　have
committed　this　outrage；　lest　it　may　remain　a　bloody　stigma　on　the
fame　of　our　country！　Have　mercy　on　poor　Germany；　on　whose　brow　this
mark　of　infamy　is　now　burning；　and　who　will　be　obliged　to　pour　out
rivers　of　her　best　blood　in　order　to　atone　for　this　crime；　and　to
clear　her　sullied　honor！　Have　mercy　on　all　of　us；　and　give　us
courage　to　bravo　the　storms　which　this　horrible　event　will　assuredly
call　down！　Have　mercy；　O　God；　punish　only　the　assassins；　but　not　our
native　land！〃

This　prayer　of　Count　Goertz　was　not　fulfilled。　The　real　instigators
of　the　murder　were　never　detected　and　punished；　although　the
Austrian　court；　in　a　public　manifesto　to　the　German　nation；　promised
a　searching　investigation　of　the　whole　affair；　and　a　rigorous
chastisement　of　the　assassins。　But　the　investigation　was　but　a　very
superficial　proceeding；　and　its　results　were　never　published。　The
Sczekler　hussars　publicly　sold；　on　the　following　day；　the　watches；
snuff…boxes；　and　valuables　they　had　stolen　from　the　French
ambassadors。　Some　of　them　even　acknowledged　openly　that　they　had
perpetrated　the　murder；　at　the　instigation　of　their　officers。　But
nobody　thought　of　arresting　them；　or　calling　them　to　account　for
their　crime。　It　is　true；　after　a　while　some　of　them　were　imprisoned
and　tried。　But　the　proceedings　instituted　against　them　were　never
published；　although　the　Austrian　court　had　expressly　promised　to　lay
the　minutes　of　the　commission　trying　the　prisoners；　and　the　results
of　the　whole　investigation；　before　the　public。　In　reality；　however；
the　Austrian　authorities　tried　to　hush　up　the　whole　affair；　so　that
the　world　might　forget　it。　And　it　was　forgotten；　and　remained
unpunished。　In　diplomatic　circles；　however；　the　real　instigators　of
the　outrage　were　well　known。　〃It　was；〃　says　the　author　of　the
〃Memoirs　of　a　German　Statesman〃　（Count　Schlitz）；　〃it　was　a　man　who；
owing　to　his　exalted　position；　played　a　very　prominent　part　at
Rastadt；　not　a　very　noble　one；　however。　He　was　actuated　by
vindictiveness；　and　he　was　determined　to　seize　the　most　secret
papers　of　the　ambassadors　at　any　price。　The　general　archives；
however；　had　been　forwarded　to　Strasburg　several　days　before。　He　had
found　willing　tools　in　the　brutal　hussars。　These　wretches　believed
that　what　a　man　of　high　standing　asked　them　to　do　was　agreeable　to
the　will　of　their　imperial　master。　Baseness　is　easily　able　to
mislead　stupidity；　and　soldiers　thus　became　the　assassins　of　unarmed
men；　who　stood　under　the　sacred　protection　of　international　law。〃

The　excitement　and　indignation　produced　by　this　horrible　crime　were
general　throughout　Europe；　and　every　one　recognized　in　it　the　bloody
seeds　of　a　time　of　horrors　and　untold　evils；　every　one　was　satisfied
that　France　would　take　bloody　revenge　for　the　assassination　of　her
ambassadors。　In　fact；　as　soon　as　the　tidings　from　Rastadt　penetrated
beyond　the　Rhine；　there　arose　throughout　the　whole　of　France　a
terrible　cry　of　rage　and　revenge。　The　intelligence　reached　Mentz　in
the　evening；　when　the　theatre　was　densely　crowded。　The　commander
ordered　the　news　to　be　read　from　the　stage；　and　the　furious　public
shouted；　〃Vengeance！　vengeance！　et　la　mort　aux　Allemands！〃
＇Footnote：　〃Vengeance！　vengeance！　and　death　to　the　Germans！〃＇

In　Paris；　solemn　obsequies　were　performed　for　the　murdered
ambassadors。　The　seats　which　Bonnier　and　Roberjot　had　formerly
occupied　in　the　hall　of　the　Corps　Legislatif　were　covered　with　their
bloody　garments。　When　the　roll　was　called　and　their　names　were　read；
the　president　rose　and　replied　solemnly：　〃Assassinated　at　Rastadt！〃
The　clerks　then　exclaimed：　〃May　their　blood　be　brought　home　to　the
authors　of　their　murder！〃




CHAPTER　XXXI。

THE　COALITION。


Count　Haugwitz；　the　Prussian　minister　of　foreign　affairs；　had　just
returned　from　a　journey　he　had　made　with　the　young　king　to
Westphalia。　In　his　dusty　travelling…costume；　and　notwithstanding　his
exhaustion　after　the　fatigues　of　the　trip；　as　soon　as　he　had　entered
his　study；　he　had　hastily　written　two　letters；　and　then　handed　them
to　his　footman；　ordering　him　to　forward　them　at　once　to　their
address；　to　the　ambassadors　of　Prussia　and　England。　Only　then　he　had
thrown　himself　on　his　bed；　but　issued　strict　orders　to　awaken　him　as
soon　as　the　two　ambassadors　had　entered　the　house。

Scarcely　an　hour　had　elapsed　when　the　footman　awakened　the　count；
informing　him　that　the　two　ambassadors　had　just　arrived　at　the　same
time；　and　were　waiting　for　him　in　the　small　reception…room。

The　minister　hastily　rose　from　his　couch；　and　without　devoting　a
single　glance　to　his　toilet　and　to　his　somewhat　dishevelled　wig；　he
crossed　his　study　and　entered　the　reception…room；　where　Lord
Grenville　and　Count　Panin　were　waiting　for　him。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　count　after　a　hurried　bow；　〃be　kind　enough　to
look　at　my　toilet；　and　then　I　hope　you　will　excuse　me　for　daring　to
request　you　to　call　upon　me；　instead　of　coming　to　you　as　I　ought　to
have　done。　But　you　see　I　have　not　even　doffed　my　travelling　habit；
and　it　would　not　have　behooved　me　to　call　on　you　in　such　a　costume；
but　the　intelligence　I　desire　to　communicate　is　of　such　importance
that　I　wished　to　lose　no　time　in　order　to　lay　it　before　you；　and
hence　I　took　the　liberty　of　inviting　you　to　see　me。〃

〃As　far　as　I　am　concerned；　I　willingly　accepted　your　invitation；〃
said　Lord　Grenville；　deliberately；　〃for　in　times　like　these　we　can
well　afford　to　disregard　the　requirements　of　etiquette。〃

〃That　I　was　no　less　eager　to　follow　your　call；〃　said　Count　Panin；
with　a　courteous　smile；　〃you　have　seen　from　the　fact　that　I　arrived
at　the　same　time　with　the　distinguished　ambassador　of　Great　Britain。
But　now；　gentlemen；　a　truce　to　compliments；　let　us　come　to　the　point
directly；　and　without　any　further　circumlocution。　For　the　six　months
that　I　have　been　here　at　Berlin；　in　order　to　negotiate　with　Prussia
about　the　coalition　question；　I　have　been　so　incessantly　put　off
with　empty　phrases；　that　I　am　heartily　tired　of　that　diet　and　long
for　more　substantial　food。〃

〃Your　longing　will　be　gratified　to…day；　Count　Panin；〃　said　Count
Haugwitz；　with　a　proud　smile；　inviting　the　gentlemen；　by　a　polite
gesture；　to　take　seats　on　the　sofa；　while　he　sat　down　in　an　arm…
chair　opposite　them。　〃Yes；　you　will　find　to…day　a　good　and
nourishing　diet；　and　I　hope　you　will　be　content　with　the　cook　who
has　prepared　it　for　you。　I　may　say　that　I　am　that　cook；　and　believe
me；　gentlemen；　the　task　of　preparing　that　food　for　you　has　not　been
a　very　easy　one。〃

〃You　have　induced　the　King　of　Prussia　at　length　to　join　the
coalition；　and　to　enter　into　an　alliance　with　Russia；　England；　and
Austria　against　the　French　Republic？〃　asked　Count　Panin；　joyfully。

〃You　have　told　his　majesty　that　England　is　ready　to　pay　large
subsidies　as　soon　as　Prussia　leads　her　army　into　the　field　against
France？〃　asked　Lord　Grenville。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；　in　a　slightly　sarcastic　tone；　〃I
feel　greatly　flattered　by　your　impetuous　inquiries；　for　they　prove
to　me　how　highly　you　value　an　alliance　with　Prussia。　Permit　me；
however；　to　communicate　to　you　quietly　and　composedly　the　whole
course　of　negotiations。　You　know　that　I　had　the　honor　of
accompanying　my　royal　master　on　his　trip　to　our　Westphalian
possessions；　where　his　majesty　was　going　to　review　an　army　of　sixty
thousand　men。〃

〃It　would　have　been　better　to　send　these　sixty　thousand　men　directly
into　the　field；　instead　of　losing　time　by　useless　parades；〃　muttered
Count　Panin。

The　minister　seemed　not　to　have　heard　the　words；　and　continued：　〃His
majesty　established　his　headquarters　at　Peterhagen；　and　there　we
were　informed　that　Archduke　Charles　of　Austria　was　holding　the　Rhine
against　Bernadotte　and　Jourdan；　and　that　the　imperial　army；　under
the　command　of　Kray；　in　Italy；　had　been　victorious；　too；　it　is　true；
however；　the　Russian　auxiliary　army；　under　Field…Marshal　Suwarrow；
had　greatly　facilitated　Kray's　successful　operations。　This
intelligence　did　not　fail　to　make　a　powerful　impression　upon　my
young　king；　and　I　confess　upon　myself　too。　Hitherto；　you　know；　I　had
always　opposed　to　a　war　against　France；　and　I　had　deemed　it　most
expedient　for　Prussia　to　avoid　hostilities　against　the　republic。　But
the　brilliant　achievements　of　Russia　and　Austria　in　Italy；　and　the
victories　of　Archduke　Charles　on　the　Rhine；　seem　to　prove　at　length
that　the　lucky　star　of　France　is　paling；　and　that　it　would　be
advantageous　for　Prussia　openly　to　join　the　adversaries　of　the
republic　in　their　attack。〃

〃A　very　bold　and　magnanimous　resolution；〃　said　Count　Panin；　with　a
sarcastic　smile。

〃A　resolution　influenced　somewhat　by　the　British　subsidies　I　have
promised　to　Prussia；　I　suppose？〃　asked　Lord　Grenville。

〃Let　me　finish　my　statement；　gentlemen；〃　said　Count　Haugwitz；
courteously。　〃Th