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terrible　mistakes　in　your　hopes　of　victory；　minister。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　you　have　made　some　terrible　mistakes；　my　dear　little
baron；〃　said　Count　Saurau；　laying　particular　stress　on　the　last
words。

Thugut　fixed　a　laughing　look　on　him。　〃Why；〃　he　said；　〃how　tender　we
are　to…day；　and　how　big　your　beak　has　grown；　my　dear　little　count！
You　seem　but　slightly　afflicted　by　the　misfortunes　of　the　empire；
for　your　face　is　as　radiant　as　that　of　a　young　cock　that　has　just
driven　a　rival　from　its　dunghill。　But　it　must　have　been　a　very
stupid　old　cock　that　has　condescended　to　fight　with　you。　Now；　my
dear　Count　Colloredo；　let　us　talk　about　business。　We　have　been
defeated　at　Hohenlinden；　and　Moreau　is　advancing　upon　Vienna。　These
are　two　facts　that　cannot　be　disputed。　But　we　shall　recover　from
these　blows；　we　shall　send　a　fresh　army　against　Moreau；　and　it　will
avenge　our　previous　disasters。〃

〃However；　your　excellency；　that　is　a　mere　hope；　and　we　may　be
disappointed　again；〃　replied　Colloredo；　anxiously。　〃The　emperor；　my
gracious　master；　has　lost　faith　in　our　victories；　unless　we　should
have　an　able　and　tried　general　at　the　head　of　our　forcesa　general
equally　trusted　by　the　army　and　the　nation。〃

〃Let　us；　then；　place　such　a　general　at　the　head　of　the　army；〃　said
Thugut；　calmly；　〃let　us　immediately　appoint　Archduke　Charles
commander…in…chief　of　the　Austrian　forces。〃

〃Ah；　I　am　glad　that　you　consent　to　it；〃　exclaimed　Colloredo；
joyfully；　〃for　the　emperor　has　just　instructed　me　to　go　to　his
distinguished　brother　and　to　request　him　in　the　name　of　his　majesty
to　resume　the　command…in…chief。〃

〃Well；　he　will　accept　it；〃　said　Thugut；　smiling；　〃for　commanding　and
ruling　always　is　a　very　agreeable　occupation；　and　many　a　one　would
be　ready　and　willing　to　betray　his　benefactor　and　friend；　if　he
thereby　could　acquire　power　and　distinction。　Are　you　not；　too；　of
this　opinion；　my　dear　little　Count　Saurau？　Ah；　you　do　not　know　how
tenderly　I　am　devoted　to　you。　You　are　the　puppet　which　I　have　raised
and　fostered；　and　which　I　wanted　to　transform　into　a　man　according
to　my　own　views。　I　am　not　to　blame　if　you　have　not　become　a　man；　but
always　remained　only　a　machine　to　be　directed　by　another　hand。
Beware；　my　dear；　of　ever　falling　into　unskilful　or　bad　hands；　for
then　you　would　be　lost；　notwithstanding　your　elasticity　and
pliability。　But　you　have　got　a　worthy　friend　there　at　your　side；
noble；　excellent　Count　Lehrbach。　Do　you　know；　my　dear　Count
Lehrbach；　that　there　are　evil…disposed　persons　who　often　tried　to
prejudice　me　against　you；　who　wanted　to　insinuate　you　were　a　rival
of　mine；　and　were　notoriously　anxious　to　supplant　me　and　to　become
prime　minister　in　my　place？　Truly；　these　anxious　men　actually　went
so　far　as　to　caution　me　against　you。〃

〃And　did　not　your　excellency　make　any　reply　to　them？〃　asked　Count
Lehrbach；　laughing。

〃Parbleu；　you　ask　me　whether　I　have　made　a　reply　to　them　or　not？〃
said　Thugut。　〃I　have　always　replied　to　those　warning　voices：　'I　need
not　break　Count　Lehrbach's　neck；　he　will　attend　to　that　himself。　I
like　to　push　a　man　forward　whom　I　am　able　to　hang　at　any　time。'〃
＇Footnote：　Thugut's　own　words。Hormayer's　〃Lebensbilder；〃　vol。　i。；
p。　882。＇

〃But　you　have　not　taken　into　consideration　that　the　man　whom　you　are
pushing　forward　might　reach　back　and　afford　you　the　same　pleasure
which　you　had　in　store　for　him；〃　exclaimed　Lehrbach；　laughing
boisterously。

〃Yes；　that　is　true；〃　said　Thugut；　artlessly；　〃I　ought　to　have　been
afraid　of　you；　after　all；　and　to　perceive　that　you　have　got　a　nail
in　your　head　on　which　one　may　be　hanged　very　comfortably。　But；　my
friends；　we　detain　Count　Colloredo　by　our　jokes；　and　you　are　aware
that　he　must　hasten　to　the　archduke　in　order　to　beg　him　to　become
our　commander…in…chief　and　to　sign　a　treaty　of　peace　with　France。
For　I　believe　we　will　make　peace　at　all　events。〃

〃We　shall　make　peace　provided　we　fulfil　the　conditions　which
Bonaparte　has　exacted；〃　said　Count　Colloredo；　timidly。

〃Ah；　he　has　exacted　conditions；　and　these　conditions　have　been
addressed　to　the　emperor　and　not　to　myself？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃The　dispatches　were　addressed　to　me；　the　minister　of　the　imperial
household；〃　said　Count　Colloredo；　modestly。　〃The　first　of　these
conditions　is　that　Austria　and　France　make　peace　without　letting
England　participate　in　the　negotiations。〃

〃And　the　second　condition　is　beaming　already　on　Count　Lehrbach's
forehead；〃　said　Thugut；　calmly。　〃Bonaparte　demands　that　I　shall
withdraw　from　the　cabinet；　as　my　dismissal　would　be　to　him　a
guaranty　of　the　pacific　intentions　of　Austria；　＇Footnote：　Hausser's
〃History　of　Germany；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　324。＇　Am　I　mistaken？〃

〃You　are　not；　but　the　emperor；　gratefully　acknowledging　the　long　and
important　services　your　excellency　has　rendered　to　the　state；　will
not　fulfil　this　condition　and　incur　the　semblance　of　ingratitude。〃

〃Austria　and　my　emperor　require　a　sacrifice　of　me；　and　I　am　ready　to
make　it；〃　said　Thugut；　solemnly。　〃I　shall　write　immediately　to　his
majesty　the　emperor　and　request　him　to　permit　me　to　withdraw　from
the　service　of　the　state　without　delay。〃

Count　Colloredo　sighed　mournfully；　Count　Saurau　smiled；　and　Count
Lehrbach　laughed　in　Thugut's　face　with　the　mien　of　a　hyena。

〃And　do　you　know　who　will　be　your　successor？〃　asked　the　latter。

〃My　dear　sir；　I　shall　have　no　successor；　only　a　miserable　imitator；
and　you　will　be　that　imitator；〃　said　Thugut；　proudly。　〃But　I　give
you　my　word　that　this　task　will　not　be　intrusted　to　you　for　a　long
while。　I　shall　now　draw　up　my　request　to　the　emperor；　and　I　beg　you；
gentlemen；　to　deliver　it　to　his　majesty。〃

Without　saying　another　word　he　went　to　his　desk；　hastily　wrote　a　few
lines　on　a　sheet　of　paper；　which　he　then　sealed　and　directed。　〃Count
Colloredo；〃　he　said；　〃be　kind　enough　to　hand　this　letter　to　the
emperor。〃

Count　Colloredo　took　it　with　one　hand；　and　with　the　other　he　drew　a
sealed　letter　from　his　bosom。

〃And　here；　your　excellency；〃　he　said〃here　I　have　the　honor　to
present　to　you　his　majesty's　reply。　The　emperor；　fully　cognizant　of
your　noble　and　devoted　patriotism；　was　satisfied　in　advance　that　you
would　be　ready　to　sacrifice　yourself　on　the　altar　of　the　country；
and；　however　grievous　the　resolution；　he　was　determined　to　accept
the　sacrifice。　The　emperor　grants　your　withdrawal　from　the　service
of　the　state；　and　Count　Louis　Cobenzl；　who　is　to　set　out　within　a
few　hours　for　Luneville；　in　order　to　open　there　the　peace　conference
with　the　brother　of　the　First　Consul；　Joseph　Bonaparte；　will　take
along　the　official　announcement　of　this　change　in　the　imperial
cabinet。　Count　Lehrbach；　I　have　the　honor　to　present　to　you；　in　the
name　of　the　emperor；　this　letter；　by　which　his　majesty　appoints　you
minister　of　the　interior。〃

He　handed　to　Count　Lehrbach　a　letter；　which　the　latter　hastily
opened　and　glanced　over　with　greedy　eyes。

〃And　you；　my　dear　little　Count　Saurau？〃　asked　Thugut；
compassionately。　〃Have　they　not　granted　you　any　share　whatever　in
the　spoils？〃

〃Yes；　they　have；　I　have　received　the　honorable　commission　to
communicate　to　the　good　people　of　Vienna　the　joyful　news　that　Baron
Thugut　has　been　dismissed；〃　said　Count　Saurau；　〃and　I　shall　now
withdraw　in　order　to　fulfil　this　commission。〃

He　nodded　sneeringly　to　Thugut；　bowed　respectfully　to　Count
Colloredo；　and　left　the　minister's　cabinet。

〃I　am　avenged；〃　he　muttered；　while　crossing　the　anteroom；
〃henceforward　the　shipbuilder's　son　will　call　me　no　longer　his　'dear
little　count。'〃

〃And　I　shall　withdraw；　too；〃　said　Count　Lehrbach；　with　a　scornful
smile。　〃I　shall　withdraw　in　order　to　make　all　necessary
preparations；　so　that　my　furniture　and　horses　can　be　brought　here
tomorrow　to　the　building　of　the　chancery　of　state。　For　I　suppose；
Baron　Thugut；　you　will　move　out　of　this　house　in　the　course　of　to…
day？〃

〃Yes；　I　shall；　and　you　will　withdraw　now；　sir；〃　said　Thugut；
dismissing　the　count　with　a　haughty　wave　of　his　hand。　Count　Lehrbach
went　out　laughing；　and　Count　Colloredo　remained　alone　with　Thugut。

〃And　you；〃　asked　Thugut；　〃do　not　you　wish　to　take　leave　of　me　by
telling　me　something　that　might　hurt　my　feelings？〃

〃I　have　to　tell　you　a　great　many　things；　but　nothing　that　will　hurt
your　feelings；〃　said　Colloredo；　gently。　〃First　of　all　things；　I　must
beg　you　not　to　deprive　me　of　your　friendship　and　advice；　but　to
assist　me　as　heretofore。　I　need　your　advice　and　your　help　more　than
ever；　and　shall　do　nothing　without　previously　ascertaining　your
will。〃

〃The　emperor　will　not　permit　it；〃　said　Thugut；　gloomily。　〃He　will
require　you　to　break　off　all　intercourse　with　me。〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　whispered　Colloredo；　〃the　emperor　desires　you
always　to　assist　him　and　myself　by　your　counsels。　The　emperor
desires　you　to　be　kind　enough　to　call　every　day　upon　me　in　order　to
consider　with　me　the　affairs　of　the　day；　and　there；　accidentally　of
course；　you　will　meet　his　majesty；　who　wants　to　obtain　the　advice　of
your　experience　and　wisdom。　You　will　remain　minister；　but
incognito。〃

A　flash　of　joy　burst　forth　from　Thugut's　eyes；　but　he　quickly
suppressed　it　again。

〃And　shall　I　meet　in　your　house　sometimes　your　wife；　the　beautiful
Countess　Vic