louisa of prussia and her times-第112部分

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Would　so　many　women　go　into　convents　and　call　Christ　their
bridegroom；　if　it　were　not　so？　But　what　is　the　name　of　this　lady　who
has　been　pleased　to　fall　in　love　with　me？〃

〃Sire；　I　believe；　the　only　condition　she　stipulated　was　that　your
majesty　should　not　ask　for　her　name。〃

The　emperor　frowned。　〃And　you　would　persuade　me　to　receive　this
nameless　woman？　Who　knows　but　she　may　be　a　mere　intriguer　anxious　to
penetrate　to　me　for　some　dark　purpose？〃

〃Sire；　one　of　the　most　faithful　adherents　and　admirers　of　your
majesty；　M。　von　Brandt；　formerly　major　in　the　Austrian　service；
pledges　his　word　of　honor　that　she　is　not；　and？〃

At　this　moment　the　door　was　opened　violently；　and　Grand…marshal
Duroe　entered。

〃Ah；　your　majesty　is　here　still！〃　he　exclaimed；　joyfully。　〃Your
majesty　has　not　yet　received　the　lady？〃

〃Well；　does　that　concern　you？〃　asked　Napoleon；　smiling。　〃You　are
jealous；　perhaps？　This　lady　is　said　to　be　very　beautiful。〃

〃Sire；〃　said　Duroc；　solemnly；　〃even　though　she　were　as　beautiful　as
Cleopatra；　your　majesty　ought　not　to　receive　her。〃

〃I　ought　not？〃　asked　Napoleon；　sternly。　〃What　should　prevent　me　from
doing　so？〃

〃Sire；　the　sacred　duty　to　preserve　yourself　to　your　people；　to　your
empire。　This　lady　who　tries　to　penetrate　with　so　much　passionate
violence　to　your　majesty　is　a　dangerous　intriguer；　a　mortal　enemy　of
France　and　your　majesty。〃

Napoleon　cast　a　triumphant　glance　on　Constant；　who；　pale　and
trembling；　was　leaning　against　the　wall。

〃Well；〃　he　asked；　〃will　you　defend　her　still？〃

Without　waiting　for　Constant's　reply；　he　turned　again　to　the　grand…
marshal。

〃Whence　did　you　obtain　this　information？〃

〃Sire；　the　governor　of　Vienna；　M。　de　Vincennes；　has　just　arrived
here　in　the　utmost　haste。　His　horse　fell　half　dead　to　the　ground
when　he　entered　the　courtyard。　He　feared　that　he　might　be　too　late。〃

〃How　too　late？〃

〃Too　late　to　warn　your　majesty　from　this　lady；　who　has　evidently
come　to　carry　out　some　criminal　enterprise。〃

〃Ah；　bah！　she　was；　perhaps；　going　to　assassinate　me？〃

〃Sire；　that　is　what　M。　de　Vincennes　asserts。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；　turning　once　more　toward　Constant；　〃did
you　not　tell　me　that　she　was　deeply　enamoured　of　me？　Is　the　governor
here　still？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　he　wants　to　know　whether　he　shall　not　immediately　arrest
the　lady　and　closely　question　her。〃

Napoleon　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　seemed　to　reflect。

〃Constant；〃　he　then　said；　〃tell　M。　de　Vincennes　to　come　hither。　I
myself　want　to　speak　to　him。〃

Constant　went　at　once　into　the　anteroom　and　returned　in　a　minute；　to
introduce　the　governor　of　Vienna；　M。　de　Vincennes。

Napoleon　hastily　went　to　meet　him。　〃You　have　come　to　warn　me；〃　he
said；　sternly。　〃What　are　your　reasons　for　doing　so？〃

〃Sire；　the　intentions　of　this　lady　are　extremely　suspicious。　Since　I
have　been　in　Vienna　she　has　been　incessantly　watched　by　my　agents；
because　she　is　the　intellectual　head　of　all　the　dangerous　and
hostile　elements　of　the　city。　All　the　enemies　of　your　majesty；　all
the　so…called　German　patriots；　meet　at　her　house；　and　by　closely
watching　HER；　we　could　learn　all　our　enemies'　plans　and　actions。
Hence；　it　was　necessary　for　us　to　find　an　agent　in　her　house　who
would　report　to　me　every　day　what　had　been　going　on　there；　and　I　was
so　fortunate　as　to　enlist　the　services　of　her　mistress　of
ceremonies。〃

〃By　what　means　did　you　bribe　her？〃　asked　Napoleon。　〃By　means　of　love
or　money？〃

〃Sire；　thank　God；　money　alone　was　sufficient　for　the　purpose。〃

The　emperor　smiled。　〃The　woman　is　old　and　ugly；　then？〃

〃Very　ugly；　sire。〃

〃And　she　hates　her　mistress　because　she　is　beautiful。　For；　I
suppose；　she　is　very　beautiful？〃

〃Extremely　so；　sire；　a　most　fascinating　woman；　and　consequently　the
more　dangerous　as　an　intriguer。〃

Napoleon　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃Proceed　with　your　report。　You　had
bribed　her　mistress　of　ceremonies；　then？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　she　kept　an　accurate　diary；　containing　a　statement　of
what　her　mistress　had　been　doing　every　hour；　and　brought　it　to　me
every　evening。　For　the　last　few　days　the　conduct　of　her　mistress　has
seemed　to　her　particularly　suspicious；　hence　she　watched　her　more
closely；　and　my　other　agents　dogged　her　steps　in　disguise　whenever
she　left　her　mansion。　All　symptoms　appeared　suspicious　enough；　and
pointed　to　the　conclusion　that　she　was　meditating　an　attack　upon
some　distinguished　person。　But　I　did　not　guess　as　yet　whom　she　was
aiming　at。　All　at　once；　two　hours　ago；　her　mistress　of　ceremonies
came　to　bring　me　her　diary；　and　to　report　to　me　that　her　mistress
had　just　left　her　mansion　with　Major　von　Brandt；　and　that　her　last
words　had　indicated　that　she　had　gone　to　see　your　majesty　at
Schonbrunn。　While　I　was　still　considering　what　ought　to　be　done；
another　agent　of　mine　made　his　appearance；　I　had　commissioned　him
specially　to　watch　M。　von　Brandt；　for；　although　he　seems　to　be
extremely　devoted　to　us；　I　do　not　trust　him。〃

〃And　you　are　perfectly　right；〃　said　Napoleon；　sternly。　〃Traitors
ought　never　to　be　trusted；　and　this　M。　von　Brandt　is　a　traitor；
inasmuch　as　he　adheres　to　us；　the　enemies　of　his　country。　What　was
the　information　brought　to　you　by　your　agent？〃

〃Sire；　my　agent　caused　one　of　his　men；　who　is　a　very　skilful
pickpocket；　to　steal　the　major's　memorandum…book　just　at　the　moment
when　he　was　entering　the　lady's　house。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Napoleon；　laughing。　〃Your　agents　are　clever　fellows。
What　did　you　find　in　the　memorandum…book？　Love　letters　and　unpaid
bills；　I　suppose？〃

〃No；　sire；　I　found　in　it　an　important　document；　an　agreement；　by
virtue　of　which　the　lady　is　to　pay　the　major；　in　case　he　should
obtain　for　her　an　interview　with　your　majesty；　a　gold…piece　for
every　minute　of　its　duration。〃

Napoleon　laughed。　〃The　lady　is　as　rich　as　Croesus；　then？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　sire；　the　princess　is　said　to？〃

〃Princess！　What　princess？〃

〃Sire；　the　lady　to　whom　your　majesty　has　granted　an　audience　is　the
Princess　von　Eibenberg。〃

〃The　Princess　von　Eibenberg；〃　replied　Napoleon；　musingly。　〃Did　I　not
hear　that　name　on　some　former　occasion？　Yes；　yes；　I　remember；〃　he
said；　in　a　low　voice；　after　a　short　pause；　as　if　speaking　to
himself；　〃the　agent　of　the　Count　de　Provence；　who　delivered　to　me
the　letter；　and　whom　I　then　expelled　from　Paris。〃

〃Have　you　got　the　diary　of　the　mistress　of　ceremonies　and　the　other
papers　with　you？〃　he　then　asked　the　governor。

〃I　have；　sire；　here　they　are；〃　replied　M。　de　Vincennes；　drawing　a
few　papers　from　his　bosom。　〃Here　is　also　the　singular　agreement　of
the　princess。〃

〃Give　them　to　me；〃　said　Napoleon；　and　taking　the　papers；　he　looked
over　them　and　read　a　few　lines　here　and　there。　〃Indeed；〃　he　then
said；　〃this　affair　is　piquant　enough；　it　begins　to　excite　my
curiosity。　Constant；　where　is　the　lady？〃

〃Sire；　M。　de　Bausset　has　taken　her　to　the　small　reception…room　of
your　majesty；　she　is　waiting　there。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Napoleon；　〃she　has　waited　long　enough；　and　might　become
impatient；　I　will；　therefore；　go　to　her。〃

〃But；　sire；　you　will　not　see　her　alone；　I　hope？〃　asked　Duroc；
anxiously。　〃I　trust　your　majesty　will　permit　me　to　accompany　you？〃

〃Ah；　you　are　anxious　to　see　the　famous　belle？〃　asked　Napoleon；
laughing。　〃Another　time；　M。　grand…marshalbut　this　time　I　shall　go
alone。　Just　remember　that　the　princess　is　passionately　enamoured　of
me；　and　that　it；　therefore；　would　terribly　offend　her　if　I　should
not　come　alone　to　the　interview　with　her。〃

He　advanced　a　few　steps　toward　the　door。　But　now　Constant　rushed
toward　him；　and　kneeling　before　him；　exclaimed；　in　a　voice　trembling
with　anguish：　〃Sire；　your　majesty　must　have　pity　on　me。　Do　not
expose　your　priceless　life　to　such　a　danger！　Do　not　plunge　my　poor
heart　which　adores　your　majesty　into　everlasting　despair！　It　was　I
who　first　dared　to　request　your　majesty　to　receive　this　lady！　Now；
sire；　I　implore　your　majesty　on　my　kneesdo　not　receive　her！〃

〃Sire；　I　venture　to　unite　my　prayers　with　those　of　Constant；〃　said
Duroc；　urgently。　〃Sire；　do　not　receive　this　lady！〃

〃Your　majesty；　permit　me　rather　to　arrest　her　immediately；〃
exclaimed　M。　de　Vincennes。

Napoleon's　flaming　eyes　glanced　in　succession　smilingly　at　the　three
men。　〃Truly；〃　he　said；　〃on　hearing　you；　one　might　almost　believe
this　beautiful　woman　to　be　a　mine；　and　that　it　was　merely　necessary
to　touch　her　in　order　to　explode　and　be　shattered！　Reassure
yourselves；　I　believe　we　will　save　our　life　this　time。　You　have
warned　me；　and　I　shall　be　on　my　guard。　Not　another　word；　no　more
prayers！　My　resolution　is　fixed；　I　will　see　this　beautiful　woman；
and；　moreover；　alone！〃

〃Sire；〃　exclaimed　Constant；　anxiously；　〃suppose　this　crazy　woman
should　fire　a　pistol　at　your　head　at　the　moment　when　your　majesty
appears　before　her？〃

〃In　that　case　the　bullets　would　harmlessly　glance　off　from　me；　or
the　pistol　would　miss　fire；〃　replied　Napoleon；　in　a　tone　of　firm
conviction。　〃Fate　did　not　place　me　here　to　fall　by　the　hands　of　an
assassin！　Go；　gentlemen；　and　accept　my　thanks　for　your　zeal　and
sympathy。　M。　de　Vincennes；　return　to　Vienna；　I　shall　keep　your
papers　here。　Is　Count　Haugwitz　still　at　your　rooms；　Duroc？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　we　were　just　engaged　in　drawing　up　the　several　sections
of　the　treaty；　when　M。　de　Vincennes　sent　for　me。〃

〃Return　to　the　count；　and　you；　Constant；　go　to　M。　von　Brandt　and
count　with　him　the　minutes　which　his　lady　will　pass　in　my　company。　I
should　not　be　surprised　if　he　should　earn　a　great　many　gold…pieces；
for　I　do　not　intend　dismissing　the　interesting　belle　so　soon。〃

He　nodded　to　them；　and　hastily　crossing　the　room；　passed　through　the
door　which　Constant　opened。　With　rapid　steps；　and　without　any
further　hesitation；　he　walked　across　the　two　large　reception…halls；
and　then　opened　the　door　of　the　small　reception…room　where　the　lady；
as　Constant　had　told　him；　was　waiting　for　him。

He　remained　for　a　moment　on　the　threshold；　and　his　burning　glances
turned　toward　Marianne；　who；　as　soon　as　she　saw　him　coming　in；　had
risen　from　the　arm…chair　in　which　she　had　been　sitting。

〃It　is　true；〃　murmured　Napoleon　to　himself；　〃she　is　really
beautiful！〃

He　advanced　a　few　steps；　then；　as　if　remembering　only　at　this　moment
that　he　h