louisa of prussia and her times-第13部分

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appearing　on　earth！　Don't　you　know；　then；　you　learned　scholar　and
flatterer；　that　Jove；　whenever　he　descended　from　Olympus；　was　in
pursuit　of　a　very　worldly　and　entirely　ungodly　adventure？　It　would
only　remain　for　you　to　inform　my　Josephine　that　I　was　about　to
transform　myself　into　an　ox　for　the　sake　of　some　beautiful　Europa；
or　drop　down　in　the　shape　of　a　golden　rain　to　gain　the　love　of　a
Danae。〃

〃General；　the　sagacious　and　spirited　Josephine　would　believe　the
former　to　be　impossible；　for　even　if　you　should　succeed　in
performing　all　the　miracles　of　the　world；　you　could　never　transform
yourself　into　an　ox。〃

〃What！　you　compared　me　a　minute　ago　with　Jove；　and　now　you　doubt
already　whether　I　could　accomplish　what　Jove　has　done！〃　exclaimed
Bonaparte；　laughing。　〃Ah；　flatterer；　you　see　I　have　caught　you　in
your　own　meshes。　But　would　my　Josephine　believe；　then；　that　I　could
transform　myself　into　a　golden　rain　for　the　purpose　of　winning　a
Danae；　you　arrant　rogue？〃

〃Yes；　general；　but　she　always　would　take　good　care　to　be　that　Danae
herself。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　you　are　right；〃　replied　Bonaparte；　laughing　even
louder　than　before。　〃Josephine　likes　golden　rains；　and　should　they
be　ever　so　violent；　she　would　not　complain；　for　if　they　should
immerse　her　up　to　the　neck；　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours　she　would
have　got　rid　of　the　whole　valuable　flood。〃

〃Your　wife　is　as　liberal　and　generous　as　a　princess；　and　that　is　the
reason　why　she　spends　so　much　money。　She　scatters　her　charities　with
liberal　hands。〃

〃Yes；　Josephine　has　a　noble　and　magnanimous　heart；〃　exclaimed
Napoleon；　and　his　large　blue　eyes　assumed　a　mild　and　tender
expression。　〃She　is　a　woman　just　as　I　like　womenso　gentle　and
good；　so　childlike　and　playful；　so　tender　and　affectionate；　so
passionate　and　odd！　And　at　the　same　time　so　dignified　and　refined　in
her　manners。　Ah；　you　ought　to　have　seen　her　at　Milan　receiving　the
princes　and　noblesse　in　her　drawing…room。　I　assure　you；　my　friend；
the　wife　of　little　General　Bonaparte　looked　and　bore　herself
precisely　like　a　queen　holding　a　levee；　and　she　was　treated　and
honored　as　though　she　were　one。　Ah；　you　ought　to　have　seen　it！〃

〃I　DID　see　it；　general。　I　was　at　Milan　before　coming　here。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　that　is　true。　I　had　forgotten　it。　You　lucky　fellow；　you
saw　my　wife　more　recently　than　I　did　myself。　Josephine　is　beautiful；
is　she　not？　No　young　girl　can　boast　of　more　freshness；　more　grace；
innocence；　and　loveliness。　Whenever　I　am　with　her；　I　feel　as
contented；　as　happy　and　tranquil　as　a　man　who；　on　a　very　warm　day；
is　reposing　in　the　shade　of　a　splendid　myrtle…tree；　and　whenever　I
am　far　from　her〃

Bonaparte　paused；　and　a　slight　blush　stole　over　his　face。　The　young
lover　of　twenty…eight　had　triumphed　for　a　moment　over　the　stern；
calculating　general；　and　the　general　was　ashamed　of　it。

〃This　is　no　time　to　think　of　such　things；〃　he　said；　almost
indignantly。　〃Seal　the　letters　now；　and　dispatch　a　messenger　to
Paris。　Ah；　Paris！　Would　to　God　I　were　again　there　in　my　little　house
in　the　Rue　Chantereine；　alone　and　happy　with　Josephine！　But　in　order
to　get　there；　I　must　first　make　peace　herepeace　with　Austria；　with
the　Emperor　of　Germany。　Ah；　I　am　afraid　Germany　will　not　be　much
elated　by　this　treaty　of　peace　which　her　emperor　is　going　to
conclude；　and　by　which　she　may　lose　some　of　her　most　splendid
fortresses　on　the　Rhine。〃

〃And　the　Republic　of　Venice；　general？〃

〃The　Republic　of　Venice　is　about　to　disappear；〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；
frowning。　〃Venice　has　rendered　herself　unworthy　of　the　name　of　a
republicshe　is　about　to　disappear。〃

〃General；　the　delegates　of　the　republic　were　all　day　yesterday　in
your　anteroom；　vainly　waiting　for　an　audience。〃

〃They　will　have　to　wait　to…day　likewise　until　I　return　from　the
conference　which　is　to　decide　about　war　or　peace。　In　either　case；
woe　unto　the　Venetians！　Tell　them；　Bourrienne；　to　wait　until　I
return。　And　now；　my　carriage。　I　cannot　let　the　Austrian
plenipotentiaries　wait　any　longer　for　my　ultimatum。〃




CHAPTER　VIII。

THE　TREATY　OF　CAMPO　FORMIO。


The　Austrian　plenipotentiaries　were　at　the　large　Alberga　of　Udine；
waiting　for　General　Bonaparte。　Every　thing　was　prepared　for　his
reception；　the　table　was　set；　and　the　cooks　were　only　looking　for
the　arrival　of　the　French　chieftain　in　order　to　serve　up　the
magnificent　dejeuner　with　which　to…day's　conference　was　to　begin。

Count　Louis　Cobenzl　and　the　Marquis　de　Gallo　were　in　the　dining…
room；　standing　at　the　window　and　looking　at　the　scenery。

〃It　is　cold　to…day；〃　said　Count　Cobenzl；　after　a　pause　in　the
conversation。　〃For　my　part；　I　like　cold　weather；　for　it　reminds　me
of　the　most　memorable　years　of　my　lifeof　my　sojourn　at　the　court
of　the　Russian　Semiramis。　But　you；　marquis；　are　probably　reminded　by
this　frosty　weather　even　more　sensibly　of　your　beautiful　Naples　and
the　glowing　sun　of　the　south。　The　chilly　air　must　make　you
homesick。〃

〃That　disease　is　unknown　to　me；　count；〃　said　the　marquis。　〃I　am　at
home　wherever　I　can　serve　my　king　and　my　country。〃

〃But　to…day；　my　dear　marquis；　you　have　to　serve　a　foreign　prince。〃

〃Austria　is　the　native　country　of　my　noble　Queen　Caroline；〃　said　the
marquis；　gravely；　〃and　the　empress　is　my　king's　daughter。　The
Austrian　court；　therefore；　may　command　my　whole　power　and　ability。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　we　are　going　to　have　hard　work　to…day；　marquis；〃
remarked　Count　Cobenzl；　gloomily。　〃This　French　general　is　really　a
sans…culotte　of　the　worst　kind。　He　is　entirely　devoid　of　noblesse；
bon　ton；　and　refinement。〃

〃My　dear　count；　for　my　part　I　take　this　Bonaparte　to　be　a　very　long…
headed　man；　and　I　am　sure　we　must　be　greatly　on　our　guard　to　be　able
to　wrest　a　few　concessions　from　him。〃

〃Do　you　really　believe　that；　marquis？〃　asked　the　count；　with　an
incredulous　smile。　〃You　did　not　see；　then；　how　his　marble　face
lighted　up　when　I　handed　him　the　other　day　that　autograph　letter
from　his　majesty　the　emperor？　You　did　not　see　how　he　blushed　with
pleasure　while　reading　it？　Oh；　I　noticed　it；　and；　at　that　moment；　I
said　to　myself：　'This　republican　bear　is　not　insensible　to　the
favors　and　affability　of　the　great。'　Flattery　is　a　dish　which　he
likes　to　eat；　we　will；　therefore；　feed　him　with　it；　and　he　will　be
ours；　and　do　whatever　we　may　want　without　even　noticing　it。　The
great　Empress　Catharine　used　to　say：　'Bears　are　best　tamed　by
sweetmeats；　and　republicans　by　titles　and　decorations。'　Just　see；
marquis；　how　I　am　going　to　honor　him！　I　let　him　drink　his　chocolate
to…day　from　my　most　precious　relic　from　this　cup　here；　which　the
great　empress　gave　to　me；　and　which　you　see　contains　the　czarina's
portrait。　Ah；　it　was　at　the　last　festival　at　the　Ermitage　that　she
handed　me　the　cup　with　chocolate；　and；　in　order　to　give　it　its　real
value；　she　touched　the　rim　of　the　cup　with　her　own　sublime　lips；
sipped　of　the　chocolate；　and　then　permitted　me　to　drink　where　she
had　drunk。　This　cup；　therefore；　is　one　of　my　most　cherished
reminiscences　of　St。　Petersburg；　and　little　General　Bonaparte　may　be
very　proud　to　be　permitted　to　drink　from　Catharine's　cup。　Yes；　yes；
we　will　give　sweetmeats　to　the　bear；　but　afterward　he　must　dance
just　as　we　please。　We　will　not　yield；　but　HE　must　yield　to　US。　Our
demands　ought　to　be　as　exorbitant　as　possible！〃

〃By　straining　a　cord　too　much；　you　generally　break　it；〃　said　the
Italian；　thoughtfully。　〃General　Bonaparte；　I　am　afraid；　will　not
consent　to　any　thing　derogatory　to　the　honor　and　dignity　of　France。
Besides；　there　is　another　bad　feature　about　himhe　is
incorruptible；　and　even　the　titles　and　decorations　of　the　Empress
Catharine　would　not　have　tamed　this　republican。　Let　us　proceed
cautiously　and　prudently；　count。　Let　us　demand　much；　but　yield　in
time；　and　be　content　with　something　less　in　order　not　to　lose　every
thing。〃

〃Austria　can　only　consent　to　a　peace　which　extends　her　boundaries；
and　enlarges　her　territory；〃　exclaimed　Cobenzl；　hastily。

〃You　are　right；　certainly；〃　replied　the　Marquis　de　Gallo；　slowly；
〃but　Austria　cannot　intend　to　aggrandize　herself　at　the　expense　of
France。　What　is　that　so…called　Germany　good　for？　Let　Austria　take
from　her　whatever　she　wantsa　piece　of　Bavaria；　a　piece　of　Prussia…
…I　would　not　care　if　she　even　gave　to　France　a　piece　of　Germany；　for
instance　the　frontier　of　the　Rhine。　In　the　name　of　Heaven；　I　should
think　that　the　so…called　German　empire　is　decayed　enough　to　permit
us　to　break　off　a　few　of　its　pieces。〃

〃You　are　very　unmerciful　toward　the　poor　German　empire；〃　said　Count
Cobenzl；　with　a　smile；　〃for　you　are　no　German；　and　owing　to　that；　it
seems　you　are　much　better　qualified　to　act　as　Austrian
plenipotentiary　in　this　matter。　Nevertheless　it　is　odd　and　funny
enough　that　in　these　negotiations　in　which　the　welfare　of　Germany　is
principally　at　stake；　the　Emperor　of　Germany　should　be　represented
by　an　Italian；　and　the　French　Republic　by　a　Corsican！〃

〃You　omit　yourself；　my　dear　count；〃　said　the　marquis；　politely。　〃You
are　the　real　representative　of　the　German　emperor；　and　I　perceive
that　the　emperor　could　not　have　intrusted　the　interests　of　Germany
to　better　hands。　But　as　you　have　permitted　me　to　act　as　your
adviser；　I　would　beg　you　to　remember　that　the　welfare　of　Austria
should　precede　the　welfare　of　Germany。　Andbut　listen！　a　carriage
is　approaching。〃

〃It　is　General　Bonaparte；〃　said　Count　Cobenzl；　hastening　to　the
window。　〃Just　see　the　splendid　carriage　in　which　he　is　coming。　Six
horsesfour　footmen　on　the　box；　and　a　whole　squadron　of　lancers
escorting　him！　And　you　believe　this　republican　to　be　insensible　to
flattery？　Ah；　ha！　we　will　give　sweetmeats　to　the　bear！　Let　us　go　and
receive　him。〃

He　took　the　arm　of　the　marquis；　and　both　hastened　to　receive　the
general；　whose　carriage　had　just　stopped　at　the　door。

The　Austrian　plenipotentiaries　met　Bonaparte　in　the　middle　of　the
staircase　and　escorted　him　to　the　dining…room；　where　the　dejeuner
was　waiting　for　him。

But　Bonaparte　declined　the　dejeuner；　in　spite　of　the　repeated　and
most　pressing　requests　of　Count　Cobenzl。

〃At　least　take　a　cup　of　chocolate　to　warm　yourself；〃　urged　the
count。　〃Drink　it　out　of　this　cup；　general；　and　if　it　were　only　in
order　to　increase　its