louisa of prussia and her times-第80节

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dethronement　and　assassination　of　emperors　and　kings。　Schiller's
'Mary　Stuart'　is　looked　upon　as　an　allusion　to　Marie　Antoinette；
'Wallenstein'　and　'Tell'　are　ostracized；　because　they　might　provoke
revolutions　and　military　mutinies。　The　'Merchant　of　Venice'　must　not
be　performed；　because　it　might　give　rise　to　riotous　proceedings
against　the　Jews；　and　in　Schiller's　'Love　and　Intrigue；'　President
de　Kalb　has　been　transformed　into　a　plebeian　vicedomus；　in　order　to
maintain　the　respect　due　to　the　nobility　and　to　the　government
functionaries。　It　is　true；　it　is　permitted　to　represent　villains　and
impostors　on　the　stage；　but　they　must　never　be　noblemen；　and　if　men
of　ideal　character　are　to　be　brought　upon　the　stage；　they　must　be
either　princes；　counts；　or　police…directors。　For　even　more　sacred
than　the　dignity　of　the　highest　classes　is　the　holy　police；　the
great　guardian　of　the　government；　the　great　spy　watching　the　people；
who　are　being　deprived　of　every　thing；　to　whom　every　intellectual
enjoyment；　every　free　manifestation　of　their　enthusiasm　is
forbidden；　and　who　are　yet　required　to　deem　themselves　happy；　and
that　they　shall　be　faithfully　attached　to　their　government！　If　the
government　enslaves　the　people；　it　must　expect　that　these　slaves
will　lose　all　sense　of　honor　and　justice；　and　willingly　sell
themselves　to　him　who　holds　out　to　them　the　most　glittering　offers；
and　knows　best　how　to　tempt　them　by　golden　promises！I　am　through；
your　excellency；〃　said　Johannes　Muller；　drawing　a　deep　breath；　〃I
have　recited　to　you　my　whole　chapter　on　the　literature　of　Austria；
and　I　thank　you　for　having　listened　to　me　so　patiently。　Now　it　is
for　your　excellency　alone　to　decide　whether　you　deem　me　worthy　of
filling　the　honorable　position　you　have　offered。　I　am　ready　to
accept　it；　and　to　write　the　history　of　our　times　in　this　spirit；　and
shall　be　very　grateful　if　your　excellency　will　grant　me　for　this
purpose　your　protection　and　a　salary　of　four　thousand　florins。〃

Thugut　looked　with　an　air　of　pride　and　disdain　into　his　glowing
face。

〃My　dear　sir；〃　he　said；　after　a　long　pause〃my　dear　sir；　I　was
mistaken　in　you；　for　I　believed　you　to　have　a　clear　head　and　a
strong　mind；　and　I　perceive　now　that　you　are　nothing　but　a　weak
enthusiast；　dreaming　of　ideal　fancies　which　one　day　will　turn　out
entirely　differently；　to　become　spectres；　from　which　you　will　shrink
back　in　dismay。　You　will　not　always　remain　the　enthusiastic　admirer
of　freedom　as　at　present；　and　the　proud　republican　will　one　day；
perhaps；　be　transformed　into　the　obedient　servant　of　a　tyrant。　You
assured　me　quite　haughtily　that　you　had　no　stain　on　your　conscience；
let　me　tell　you；　sir；　that　there　is　a　stain　on　your　character；　and　I
should　have　profited　by　ityou　are　vain。　I　should　not　have　tried　to
bribe　you　with　money；　but　with　flattery；　and　I　had　been　successful。
I　had　too　good　an　opinion　of　you；　however。　I　believed　you　had　a
vigorous　mind；　capable　of　comprehending　what　is　necessary　and
useful；　and　of　preferring　the　practical　and　advantageous　to　the
ideal。　Although　a　native　of　Switzerland；　you　are　a　genuine　German
dreamer；　and　I　hate　dreamers。　Go；　sir；　remain　custodian　of　the
Imperial　Library　and　complete　your　catalogues；　but　never　imagine
that　you　will　be　able　with　your　weak　hand　to　stem　the　wheel　of
history　and　of　political　affairs；　the　wheel　would　only　destroy　your
hand　and　what　little　glory　you　have　obtained；　and　hurl　you　aside
like　a　crushed　dog。　Farewell！〃

He　turned　his　back　upon　Johannes　Muller；　and　placed　himself　at　the
window　until　the　soft　noise　of　the　closing　door　told　him　that　the
historian　had　left　him。

〃What　a　fool！〃　he　said。　Then；　turning　around　again〃a　genuine
German　fool！　Wanted　to　lecture　meME！〃

And；　amused　by　the　idea；　Thugut　burst　into　loud　laughter。　He　then
rang　the　bell　violently；　and　as　soon　as　the　valet　de　chambre　made
his　appearance　he　ordered　him　to　get　the　carriage　ready　for　him。

Fifteen　minutes　later　the　minister　left　the　chancery　of　state　for
the　purpose　of　repairing；　as　was　his　custom　every　evening；　to　his
garden　in　the　Wahringer　Street。　The　streets　through　which　he　had　to
pass　were　crowded　with　citizens；　who　were　talking　with　ill…concealed
rage　about　the　fresh　defeat　of　the　Austrians　at　Marengo；　and　were
loudly　calling　out　that　Minister　Thugut　was　alone　to　blame　for
Austria's　misfortunes；　and　that　he　was　the　only　obstacle　that
prevented　the　emperor　from　making　peace。　And　the　people　surrounded
the　well…known　carriage　of　the　minister　with　constantly…increasing
exasperation；　and　cried　in　a　constantly　louder　and　more　menacing
tone：　〃We　do　not　want　war！　We　want　peace！　peace！〃

Thugut　was　leaning　back　comfortably　on　the　cushions　of　his　carriage。
He　seemed　not　to　hear　the　shouts　of　the　people；　and　not　to　deem　them
worthy　of　the　slightest　notice。　Only　when　the　tumult　increased　in
violence；　and　when　the　incensed　people　commenced　hurling　stones　and
mud　at　his　carriage；　the　minister　rose　for　a　moment　in　order　to　look
out　with　an　air　of　profound　disdain。　He　then　leaned　back　on　his
seat；　and　muttered；　with　a　glance　of　indescribable　contempt：

〃Canaille！〃　＇Footnote：　Hormayer's　〃Lebensbilder；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　230。＇




CHAPTER　XXXVI。

THUGUT'S　FALL。


Tidings　of　fresh　defeats　had　reached　Vienna；　more　disasters　had
befallen　the　army；　and　the　great　victory　of　Marengo　had　been
followed；　on　the　3rd　of　December；　1800；　by　the　battle　of
Hohenlinden；　in　which　Moreau　defeated　the　Austrians　under　Archduke
John。　Even　Thugut；　the　immovable　and　constant　prime　minister；　felt
alarmed　at　so　many　calamities；　and　he　was　generally　in　a　gloomy　and
spiteful　humor。

He　felt　that　there　was　a　power　stronger　than　his　will；　and　this
feeling　maddened　him　with　anger。　He　was　sitting　at　his　desk；　with　a
clouded　brow　and　closely　compressed　lips；　his　sullen　eyes　fixed　on
the　papers　before　him；　which　a　courier；　just　arrived　from　the
headquarters　of　the　army；　had　delivered　to　him。　They　contained　evil
tidings；　they　informed　him　of　the　immense　losses　of　the　Austrians；
and　of　the　insolence　of　the　victorious　French　general；　who　had　only
granted　the　Austrian　application　for　an　armistice　on　condition　that
the　fortresses　of　Ulm；　Ingolstadt　and　Philipsburg　be　surrendered　to
him；　and　these　humiliating　terms　had　been　complied　with　in　order　to
gain　time　and　to　concentrate　a　new　army。　For　Thugut's　stubbornness
had　not　been　broken　yet；　and　he　still　obstinately　refused　to
conclude　the　peace　so　urgently　desired　by　the　whole　Austrian　people；
nay；　by　the　emperor　himself。

〃No；　no；　no　peace！〃　he　muttered；　when　he　had　perused　the　dispatches。
〃We　will　fight　on；　even　though　we　should　be　buried　under　the　ruins
of　Austria！　I　hate　that　revolutionary　France；　and　I　shall　never
condescend　to　extend　my　hand　to　it　for　the　purpose　of　making　peace。
We　will　fight　on；　and　no　one　shall　dare　to　talk　to　me　about　peace！〃

A　low　rap　at　the　door　leading　to　the　reception…room　interrupted　his
soliloquy；　and　when　he　had　harshly　called　out；　〃Come　in；〃　his　valet
de　chambre　appeared　in　the　door。

〃Your　excellency；〃　he　said；　timidly；　〃Counts　Colloredo；　Saurau；　and
Lehrbach　have　just　arrived；　and　desire　to　obtain　an　interview　with
your　excellency。〃

Not　a　muscle　moved　in　Thugut's　face　to　betray　his　surprise；　and　he
ordered　the　servant　in　a　perfectly　calm　voice　to　admit　the　gentlemen
immediately。　He　then　hastily　walked　to　the　door　for　the　purpose　of
meeting　them。　They　entered　a　few　minutes　later：　first；　Count
Colloredo；　minister　of　the　imperial　household；　next；　Count　Saurau；
minister　of　police；　and　last；　Count　Lehrbach；　minister　without
portfolio。　Thugut　surveyed　the　three　dignitaries　with　a　single
searching　glance。　He　perceived　that　good…natured　Count　Colloredo
looked　rather　frightened；　that　the　ferocious　eyes　of　Count　Lehrbach
were　glistening　like　those　of　a　tiger　just　about　to　lacerate　his
victim：　and　that　Count　Saurau；　that　diplomatist　generally　so
impenetrable；　permitted　a　triumphant　smile　to　play　on　his　lips。　With
the　sure　tact　which　Thugut　never　lost　sight　of；　he　saw　from　the
various　miens　of　these　three　gentlemen　what　had　occasioned　their
call　upon　him；　and　his　mind　was　made　up　at　once。

He　received　them；　however；　with　a　pleasant　salutation；　and　took　the
hand　of　Count　Colloredo　in　order　to　conduct　him　to　an　armchair。
Colloredo's　hand　was　cold　and　trembling；　and　Thugut　said　to　himself；
〃he　is　charged　with　a　very　disagreeable　message　for　me；　and　he　is
afraid　to　deliver　it。〃

〃Your　excellency　is　doubtless　astonished　to　see　us　disturb　you　at　so
unexpected　an　hour；〃　said　Count　Colloredo；　in　a　tremulous　voice；
when　the　four　gentlemen　had　taken　seats。

〃No；　I　am　not　astonished；〃　said　Thugut；　calmly。　〃You；　gentlemen；　on
the　contrary；　have　only　anticipated　my　wishes。　I　was　just　about　to
invite　you　to　see　me　for　the　purpose　of　holding　a　consultation；　very
disastrous　tidings　having　arrived　from　the　headquarters　of　our　army。
We　have　lost　a　battle　at　HohenlindenArchduke　John　has　been
defeated。〃

〃And　Moreau　has　already　crossed　the　Inn　and　is　now　advancing　upon
Vienna；〃　said　Count　Lehrbach；　with　a　sneer。　〃You　have　made　some
terrible　mistakes　in　your　hopes　of　victory；　minister。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　you　have　made　some