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to　tell　you　all　about　those　wagons。　Do　you　want　to　know　it？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　we　do！〃　shouted　the　crowd；　emphatically。　〃Be　quiet　over
there！Stop　your　noise！Do　not　cry　so　loud！Hush！Let　us　hear
what　is　in　the　wagons。Silence；　silence！〃

Profound　silence　ensuedeverybody　held　his　breath　and　listened。

〃Well；　then；　listen　to　me。　These　wagons　do　not　contain　the　remains
of　the　former　emperors；　but　the　gold　and　the　jewels　of　the　present
emperor。　It　is　the　state　treasure　which　those　hussars　are　escorting
from　Vienna　to　Presburg；　because　the　government　deems　it　no　longer
safe　here。　Just　think　of　what　we　have　come　to　now…a…days！　Our
imperial　family；　and　even　the　state　treasure；　must　flee　from　Vienna！
And　whose　fault　is　it　that　we　have　to　suffer　all　this？　Who　has
brought　these　French　down　upon　us？　Who　is　inundating　all　Austria
with　war　and　its　calamities？　Shall　I　tell　you　who　is　doing　it？〃

〃Yes；　tell　us；　tell　us！〃　shouted　the　crowd。　〃Woe　unto　him　who　has
plunged　Austria　into　war　and　distress；　and　caused　the　flight　of　the
emperor　and　the　removal　of　the　treasure　from　Vienna！〃

The　speaker　waited　until　the　angry　waves　of　the　people's　wrath　had
subsided　again；　and　then　said　in　the　clear；　ringing　tones　of　his
powerful　voice：　〃It　is　the　fault　of　our　prime　minister；　Baron　von
Thugut。　He　don't　want　us　to　make　peace　with　the　French。　He　would
rather　ruin　us　all　than　to　make　peace　with　the　French　Republic。〃

〃But　we　don't　want　to　be　ruined！〃　shouted　the　crowd〃we　don't　want
to　be　led　to　the　shambles　like　sheep。　No；　no；　we　want　peacepeace
with　France。　Prime　Minister　Thugut　shall　give　us　peace　with　France！〃

〃You　had　better　go　and　inform　the　proud　minister　himself　of　what　you
want；〃　said　the　speaker　with　a　sneer。　〃First　compel　him　to　do　what
the　emperor　and　even　our　brave　Archduke　Charles　wanted　to　be　done
compel　the　omnipotent　minister　to　make　peace。〃

〃We　will　go　and　ask　him　to　give　us　peace；〃　said　several　voices　in
the　crowd。

〃Yes；　yes；　we　will　do　that！〃　shouted　others。　〃Come；　come；　let　us　all
go　to　the　minister's　house　and　ask　him　to　give　us　back　the　emperor
and　the　state　treasure；　and　to　make　peace　with　Bonaparte。〃

The　speaker　now　descended　hurriedly　from　the　lamp…post。　His　tall；
herculean　figure；　however；　towered　above　the　crowd　even　after　his
feet　had　touched　the　pavement。

〃Come；〃　said　he　to　the　bystanders　in　a　loud　and　decided　tone；　〃I
will　take　you　to　the　minister's　house；　for　I　know　where　he　lives；
and　we　will　shout　and　raise　such　a　storm　there　until　the　proud
gentleman　condescends　to　comply　with　our　wishes。〃

He　led　the　way　rapidly；　and　the　crowd；　always　easily　guided　and
pliable；　followed　its　improvised　leader　with　loud　acclamations。　Only
one　idea；　only　one　wish；　animated　all　these　men：　they　wanted　peace
with　France；　lest　Bonaparte　might　come　to　Vienna　and　lay　their
beautiful　capital　in　ashes　in　the　same　manner　in　which　he　had
treated　so　many　Italian　cities。

Their　leader　walked　proudly　at　the　head　of　the　irregular　procession；
and　as　the　crowd　continued　to　shout　and　yell；　〃Peace　with　France！〃
he　muttered；　〃I　think　I　have　accomplished　a　good　deal　to…day。　The
archduke　will　be　satisfied　with　what　I　have　done；　and　we　may　compel
the　minister　after　all　to　make　peace　with　France。〃




CHAPTER　II。

MINISTER　VON　THUGUT。


The　prime　minister；　Baron　von　Thugut；　was　in　his　cabinet；　in　eager
consultation　with　the　new　police　minister；　Count　von　Saurau；　who　had
given　him　an　account　of　the　safe　removal　of　the　imperial　state
treasure　which；　like　the　emperor　and　the　empress；　had　set　out　for
Hungary。

〃All　right！　all　right！〃　said　Thugut；　with　a　sinister　chuckle。　〃In
Hungary　both　will　be　safe　enough；　for　I　think　I　have　intimidated　the
Hungarians　so　much　that　they　will　remain　very　quiet　and　very
humble。〃

〃Your　excellency　refers　to　the　conspiracy　which　we　discovered　there；
two　years　ago；〃　said　Count　Saurau；　smiling；　〃and　which　the　accursed
traitors　expiated　on　the　gallows！〃

〃De　Mortuir　Nil　Nisi　Bene！〃　exclaimed　Thugut。　〃We　are　under　many
obligations　to　these　excellent　traitors；　for　they　have　enabled　us　to
render　the　Hungarians　submissive；　just　as　the　traitors　who　conspired
here　at　Vienna　two　years　ago　enabled　us　to　do　the　same　thing　to　the
population　of　the　capital。　A　conspiracy　discovered　by　the
authorities　is　always　a　good　thing；　because　it　furnishes　us　with　an
opportunity　to　make　an　example；　to　tell　the　nation　through　the
bloody　heads　of　the　conspirators：　'Thus；　thus；　all　will　be　treated
who　dare　to　plot　against　the　government　and　against　their　masters！'
The　Viennese　have　grown　very　humble　and　obedient　since　the　day　they
saw　Hebenstreit；　the　commander　of　the　garrison；　on　the　scaffold；　and
Baron　Riedel；　the　tutor　of　the　imperial　children；　at　the　pillory。
And　the　Hungarians；　too；　have　learned　to　bow　their　heads　ever　since
the　five　noble　conspirators　were　beheaded　on　the　Generalwiese；　in
front　of　the　citadel　of　Ofen。　Believe　me；　count；　that　day　has
contributed　more　to　the　submissiveness　of　Hungary　than　all　the
favors　and　privileges　which　the　Emperors　of　Austria　have　bestowed
upon　the　Magyars。　Nations　are　always　frivolous　and　impudent
children：　he　who　tries　to　educate　them　tenderly　is　sure　to　spoil
them；　but　raise　them　in　fear　and　trembling；　and　they　will　become
quiet　and　obedient　men。　And　for　that　reason；　I　tell　you　once　more；
don't　call　those　men；　now　that　they　are　dead；　accursed　traitors；　for
they　have　been　very　useful　to　us；　they　have　been　the　instrument　with
which　we　have　chastised　the　whole　overbearing　people　of　Austria　and
Hungary；　and　those　were　blessed　days　for　us　when　we　mowed　down　the
high…born　traitors　of　both　countries。　The　sword　of　our　justice
performed　a　noble　work　on　that　day；　for　it　struck　down　a　savant　and
a　poet；　a　count　and　a　distinguished　prelate。　Oh；　what　a　pity　that
there　was　no　prince　among　them！〃

〃Well；　a　prince　might　have　been　found　likewise；〃　said　Count　Saurau；
〃and　perhaps　he　may　get　into　our　meshes　on　some　other　occasion。　Your
excellency　is　an　adroit　hunter。〃

〃And　you　are　an　excellent　pointer　for　me。　You　scent　such　things　on
the　spot；〃　Count　Thugut　exclaimed；　and　broke　out　into　a　loud　burst
of　laughter。

Count　Saurau　laughed　also；　and　took　good　care　not　to　betray　how
cruelly　the　joke　had　wounded　his　aristocratic　pride。　The　Austrian
aristocracy　was　accustomed　to　such　insults　at　the　hands　of　the
powerful　and　proud　prime　minister；　and　everybody　knew　that　Thugut；
the　son　of　a　poor　ship…builder；　in　the　midst　of　his　greatness；　liked
to　recall　his　modest　descent；　and　to　humble　the　nobility　through　the
agency　of　the　ship…builder's　son。

〃Your　excellency　will　permit　me　to　render　myself　at　once　worthy　of
the　praise　you　have　kindly　bestowed　upon　me；〃　said　the　police
minister；　after　a　short　pause。　〃I　believe　we　have　discovered　another
conspiracy　here。　True；　it　is　only　an　embryo　as　yet；　but　it　may　grow
into　something　if　we　give　it　the　necessary　time。〃

〃What　is　it；　Saurau？〃　said　Thugut；　joyfully〃tell　me　at　once　what
it　is！　A　conspiracya　good；　sound　conspiracy？〃

〃Yes；　a　most　malignant　and　important　conspiracy！　A　conspiracy
against　your　excellency's　life！〃

〃Bah！is　that　all？〃　said　Thugut　carelessly；　and　with　evident
disappointment。　〃I　was　in　hopes　that　by　this　time　you　would　hand
over　to　me　some　high…born　aristocrats　who　had　held　secret
intercourse　with　that　execrable　French　Republic。　It　would　have　been
a　splendid　example　for　all　those　hare…brained　fools　who　are　so　fond
of　repeating　the　three　talismanic　words　of　the　republican　regicides；
and　who　are　crazy　with　delight　when　talking　of　Liberte；　Egalite；
Fraternite。　I　would　have　liked　to　chastise　a　few　of　these　madmen；　in
order　to　put　a　stop　to　the　prevailing　republican　enthusiasm。　But
instead　of　that；　you　talk　to　me　of　a　conspiracy　only　aimed　at
myself！〃

〃Only　at　yourself！〃　repeated　the　count；　with　great　indignation。　〃As
if　it　were　not　the　most　dreadful　calamity　for　Austria　if　she　should
be　deprived　of　your　services。　You　know　that　we　are　standing　on　the
verge　of　a　precipice；　in　the　interior；　the　liberal　and　seditious
desires　which　the　senseless　reforms　of　the　Emperor　Joseph　have
stirred　up；　are　still　prevalent；　and　the　people　only　submit　with
reluctance　and　with　spiteful　feelings　to　the　reforms　which　your
excellency　has　inaugurated　with　a　view　to　the　best　interests　of
Austria。　Abroad；　on　the　other　hand；　the　blood…stained　French
Republic　incites　the　malecontents　to　imitate　its　own　infamies；　they
would　like　to　see　the　victorious　banners　of　General　Bonaparte　here
in　order　to　have　his　assistance　in　establishing　a　republican
government　in　Austria。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Thugut；　〃the　Austrian　empire；　at　the　present
time；　is　exposed　to　great　dangers　from　within　and　without；　the　reins
must　be　held　very　firmly　in　order　to　conduct　the　ship　of　state
safely　through　the　breakers；　and　I　believe　I　am　the　man　to　do　it。
You　see；　count；　I　do　not　underrate　my　own　importance。　I　know　only
too　well　that　Austria　needs　me。　Still；　the　plots　and　conspiracies
that　are　merely　directed　against　myself；　make　me　laugh。　For　let　me
tell　you；　my　dear　little　count；　I　really　fancy　that　my　person　has
nothing　to　fear　either　from　daggers；　or　from　pistols；　or　from
poisoned　cups。　Do　you　believe　in　a　Providence；　count？　Ah！you　look
surprised；　and　wonder　how　such　a　question　could　fall　from　infidel
lips　like　mine。　Yes；　yes；　I　am　an　infidel；　and　I　honestly　confess
that　the　heaven　of　Mohammed；　where　you　are　smoking　your　chibouk；
seated　on　cushions　of　clouds；　while　houris；　radiant　with　beauty；　are
tickling　the　soles　of　your　feet　with　rosy　fingers；　appears　to　me　by
far　more　desirable　than　the　Christian　heaven　where　you　are　to　stand
in　eternal　idleness　before　the　throne　of　God　Almighty；　singing
hymns；　and　praising　His　greatness。　Ah！　during　the　happy　days　of　my
sojourn　at　Constantinople；　I　have　had　a　slight　foretaste　of　the
heaven　of　Mohammed；　and　again；　in　the　tedious　days　of　Maria　Theresa；
I　have　had　a　foretaste　of　the　heaven　of　Christianity！〃

〃And　which　Providence　did　your　excellency　refer　to？〃　asked　Saurau。
〃I　pray　your　excellency　to　tell　me；　because　your　faith　is　to　be　the
model　of　mine。〃

〃I　believe　in　a　Providence　that　never　does　any　thing　in　vain；　and
never　cre