louisa of prussia and her times-第82节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


suppressed　it　again。

〃And　shall　I　meet　in　your　house　sometimes　your　wife；　the　beautiful
Countess　Victoria？〃　he　asked。

〃Victoria　implores　you；　through　my　mouth；　to　trust　her　and　never　to
doubt　of　her　friendship。　I　beg　you　to　receive　the　same　assurance　as
far　as　I　am　concerned。　You　have　rendered　both　of　us　so　happy；　my
dear　baron；　you　were　the　mediator　of　a　marriage　in　which　both　of　us；
Victoria　as　well　as　myself；　have　found　the　highest　bliss　on　earth；
and　never　shall　we　cease　to　be　grateful　to　you　for　it；　nor　shall　we
ever　be　able　or　willing　to　do　without　your　advice　and　assistance。
You　are　our　head；　we　are　your　arms；　and　the　head　commanding　the
arms；　we　shall　always　obey　you。　Victoria　implores　you　to　tell　her
any　thing　you　desire；　so　that　she　may　give　you　forthwith　a　proof　of
her　willingness　to　serve　you。　She　has　charged　me　to　ask　you　to　do　so
as　a　proof　of　your　friendship。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Thugut；　laughing；　〃I　accept　your　offer；　as　well　as　that
of　your　beautiful　wife　Victoria。　Count　Lehrbach　has　been　appointed
minister　and　he　wants　even　to　move　to…morrow　into　the　chancery　of
state。　We　will　let　him　move　in　early　in　the　morning；　but；　in　the
course　of　the　day；　the　emperor　will　do　well　to　send　him　his
dismissal；　for　Count　Lehrbach　is　unworthy　of　being　his　majesty's
minister　of　state。　His　hand　is　stained　with　the　blood　which　was　shed
at　Rastadt；　and　a　minister's　hand　must　be　clean。〃

〃But　whom　shall　we　appoint　minister　in　Lehrbach's　place？〃

〃Count　Louis　Cobenzl；　for　his　name　will　offer　the　best　guaranty　of
our　pacific　intentions　toward　France。〃

〃But　Count　Cobenzl　is　to　go　to　Luneville　to　attend　the　peace
conference。〃

〃Let　him　do　so；　and　until　his　return　let　Count　Trautmannsdorf
temporarily　discharge　the　duties　of　his　office。〃

〃Ah；　that　is　true；　that　is　a　splendid　idea！〃　exclaimed　Count
Colloredo；　joyfully。　〃You　are　a　very　sagacious　and　prudent
statesman；　and　I　shall　hasten　to　lay　your　advice　before　the　emperor。
You　may　rest　assured　that　every　thing　shall　be　done　in　accordance
with　your　wishes。　Lehrbach　remains　minister　until　to…morrow　at　noon；
he　then　receives　his　dismissal；　Count　Louis　Cobenzl　will　be
appointed　his　successor；　and　Count　Trautmannsdorf　will　temporarily
discharge　the　duties　of　the　office　until　Cobenzl's　return　from
Luneville。　Shall　it　be　done　in　this　manner？〃

〃Yes；　it　shall；〃　said　Thugut；　almost　sternly。

〃But　this　does　not　fulfil　Victoria's　prayer；〃　said　the　count；
anxiously。　〃I　am　able　to　attend　to　these　matters；　but　Victoria　also
wants　to　give　you　a　proof　of　her　friendship。〃

〃Well；　I　ask　her　to　prepare　a　little　joke　for　me　and　you；〃　replied
Thugut。　〃Count　Lehrbach　will　move　early　to…morrow　morning　with　his
whole　furniture　into　the　chancery　of　state。　I　beg　Victoria　to　bring
it　about　that　he　must　move　out　to…morrow　evening　with　his　whole
furniture；　like　a　martin　found　in　the　dove…cote。〃　＇Footnote：
Thugut's　wishes　were　fulfilled。　Count　Lehrbach　lost　on　the　very　next
day　his　scarcely…obtained　portfolio；　and　he　was　compelled　to　remove
the　furniture　which；　in　rude　haste　he　had　sent　to　the　chancery　of
state　in　the　morning；　in　the　course　of　the　same　evening。Vide
Hormayer's　〃Lebensbilder；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　330。＇

〃Ah；　that　will　be　a　splendid　joke；〃　said　Count　Colloredo；　laughing；
〃and　my　dear　Victoria　will　be　happy　to　afford　you　this　little
satisfaction。　I　am　able　to　predict　that　Count　Lehrbach　will　be
compelled　to　move　out　to…morrow　evening。　But　now；　my　dearest　friend。
I　must　hasten　to　Archduke　Charles；　who；　as　you　are　aware；　is　pouting
on　one　of　his　estates。　I　shall　at　once　repair　thither；　and　be　absent
from　Vienna　for　two　days。　Meantime；　you　will　take　care　of　Victoria
as　a　faithful　friend。〃

〃I　shall　take　care　of　her　if　the　countess　will　permit　me　to　do　so；〃
said　Thugut；　smiling；　and　accompanying　Count　Colloredo　to　the　door。

His　eyes　followed　him　for　a　long　while　with　an　expression　of　haughty
disdain。

〃The　fools　remain；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　must　go。　But　no；　I　shall　not　go！
Let　the　world　believe　me　to　be　a　dismissed　minister；　I　remain
minister　after　all。　I　shall　rule　through　my　creatures；　Colloredo　and
Victoria。　I　remain　minister　until　I　shall　be　tired　of　all　these
miserable　intrigues；　and　retire　in　order　to　live　for　myself。〃
＇Footnote：　Thugut　really　withdrew　definitely　from　the　political
stage；　but　secretly　he　retained　his　full　power　and　authority；　and
Victoria　de　Poutet…Colloredo；　the　influential　friend　of　the　Empress
Theresia；　constantly　remained　his　faithful　adherent　and　confidante。
All　Vienna；　however；　was　highly　elated　by　the　dismissal　of　Thugut；
who　had　so　long　ruled　the　empire　in　the　most　arbitrary　manner。　An
instance　of　his　system　is　the　fact　that；　on　his　withdrawal　from　the
cabinet；　there　were　found　one　hundred　and　seventy　unopened
dispatches　and　more　than　two　thousand　unopened　letters。　Thugut　only
perused　what　he　believed　to　be　worth　the　trouble　of　being　read；　and
to　the　remainder　he　paid　no　attention　whatever。〃Lebensbilder；〃
vol。　i。；　p。　327。＇




CHAPTER　XXXVII。

FANNY　VON　ARNSTEIN。


The　young　Baroness　Fanny　von　Arnstein　had　just　finished　her　morning
toilet　and　stepped　from　her　dressing…room　into　her　boudoir；　in　order
to　take　her　chocolate　there；　solitary　and　alone　as　ever。　With　a
gentle　sigh　she　glided　into　the　arm…chair；　and　instead　of　drinking
the　chocolate　placed　before　her　in　a　silver　breakfast　set　on　the
table；　she　leaned　her　head　against　the　back　of　her　chair　and
dreamily　looked　up　to　the　ceiling。　Her　bosom　heaved　profound　sighs
from　time　to　time；　and　the　ideas　which　were　moving　her　heart　and　her
soul　ever　and　anon　caused　a　deeper　blush　to　mantle　her　cheeks；　but
it　quickly　disappeared　again；　and　was　followed　by　an　even　more
striking　pallor。

She　was　suddenly　startled　from　her　musings　by　a　soft；　timid　rap　at
the　door　leading　to　the　reception…room。

〃Good　Heaven！〃　she　whispered；　〃I　hope　he　will　not　dare　to　come　to　me
so　early；　and　without　being　announced。〃

The　rapping　at　the　door　was　renewed。　〃I　cannot；　will　not　receive
him；〃　she　muttered；　〃it　will　be　better　not　to　be　alone　with　him　any
more。　I　will　bolt　the　door　and　make　no　reply　whatever。〃

She　glided　with　soft　steps　across　the　room　to　the　door；　and　was　just
about　to　bolt　it；　when　the　rapping　resounded　for　the　third　time；　and
a　modest　female　voice　asked：

〃Are　you　there；　baroness；　and　may　I　walk　in？〃

〃Ah；　it　is　only　my　maid；〃　whispered　the　baroness；　drawing　a　deep
breath；　as　though　an　oppressive　burden　were　removed　from　her　breast；
and　she　opened　the　door　herself。

〃Well；　Fanchon；〃　she　asked；　in　her　gentle；　winning　voice；　〃what　do
you　want？〃

〃Pardon　me；　baroness；〃　said　the　maid；　casting　an　inquisitive　look
around　the　room；　〃the　baron　sent　for　me　just　now；　he　asked　me　if　you
had　risen　already　and　entered　your　boudoir；　and　when　I　replied　in
the　affirmative；　the　baron　gave　me　a　message　for　you；　with　the
express　order；　however；　not　to　deliver　it　until　you　had　taken　your
chocolate　and　finished　your　breakfast。　I　see　now　that　I　must　not　yet
deliver　it；　the　breakfast　is　still　on　the　table　just　as　it　was
brought　in。〃

〃Take　it　away；　I　do　not　want　to　eat　any　thing；〃　said　the　baroness；
hastily。　〃And　now　Fanchon；　tell　me　your　errand。〃

Fanchon　approached　the　table；　and　while　she　seized　the　silver
salver；　she　cast　a　glance　of　tender　anxiety　on　her　pale；　beautiful
mistress。

〃You　are　eating　nothing　at　all；　baroness；〃　she　said；　timidly；　〃for　a
week　already　I　have　had　to　remove　the　breakfast　every　morning　in　the
same　manner；　you　never　tasted　a　morsel　of　it；　and　the　valet　de
chambre　says　that　you　hardly　eat　any　thing　at　the　dinner…table
either；　you　will　be　taken　ill；　baroness；　if　you　go　on　in　this
manner；　and〃

〃Never　mind；　dear　Fanchon；〃　her　mistress　interrupted　her　with　a
gentle　smile；　〃I　have　hardly　any　appetite；　it　is　true；　but　I　do　not
feel　unwell；　nor　do　I　want　to　be　taken　ill。　Let　us　say　no　more　about
it；　and　tell　me　the　message　the　baron　intrusted　to　you。〃

〃The　baron　wished　me　to　ask　you　if　you　would　permit　him　to　pay　you
immediately　a　visit；　and　if　you　would　receive　him　here　in　your
boudoir。〃

The　baroness　started；　and　an　air　of　surprise　overspread　her
features。　〃Tell　the　baron　that　he　will　be　welcome；　and　that　I　am
waiting　for　him；〃　she　said　then；　calmly。　But　so　soon　as　Fanchon　had
withdrawn；　she　whispered：　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？　What　is
the　reason　of　this　unusual　visit？　Oh；　my　knees　are　trembling；　and　my
heart　is　beating　so　violently；　as　though　it　wanted　to　burst。　Why？
What　have　I　done；　then？　Am　I　a　criminal；　who　is　afraid　to　appear
before　her　judge？〃

She　sank　back　into　her　arm…chair　and　covered　her　blushing　face　with
her　hands。　〃No；〃　she　said；　after　a　long　pause；　raising　her　head
again；　〃no；　I　am　no　criminal；　and　my　conscience　is　guiltless。　I　am
able　to　raise　my　eyes　freely　to　my　husband　and　to　my　God。　So　far；　I
have　honestly　struggled　against　my　own　heart；　and　I　shall　struggle
on　in　the　same　manner。　Iah！　he　is　coming；〃　she　interrupted　herself
when　she　heard　steps　in　the　adjoining　room；　and　her　eyes　were　fixed
with　an　expression　of　anxious　suspense　on　the　door。

The　latter　opened；　and　her　husband；　Baron　Arnstein；　entered。　His
face　was　pale；　and　indicative　of　deep