louisa of prussia and her times-第50部分

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opened。　It　was　really　Hubschle；　who　entered　as　hastily　as　before。

〃Your　excellency；　I　have　just　reascended　the　staircase　as　rapidly　as
though　I　were　a　cat；〃　he　gasped。　〃At　the　street　door　I　learned　some
fresh　news　from　one　of　our　men；　and　I　returned　at　once　to　tell　you
all　about　it。〃

〃Quick；　you　idle　gossip；　no　unnecessary　preface！〃

〃Your　excellency；　things　are　assuming　formidable　proportions。　The
riot　is　constantly　on　the　increase；　and　grows　every　minute　more
threatening。　Count　Dietrichstein；　and　Count　Fersen；　the　director　of
the　police；　have　repaired　to　General　Bernadotte　and　implored　him　to
remove　the　banner。〃

〃The　soft…hearted　fools！〃　muttered　Thugut。

〃But　their　prayers　were　fruitless。　They　preferred　them　repeatedly；
and　always　were　refused。　They　even　went　so　far　as　to　assure　the
ambassador；　in　case　he　should　yield　to　their　request　and　give　them
time　to　calm　the　people　and　induce　them　to　leave　the　place；　that　the
Austrian　government　would　assuredly　give　him　whatever　satisfaction
he　should　demand。　But　General　Bernadotte　persisted　in　his　refusal
and　replied　peremptorily；　'No；　the　banner　remains！'〃

〃Proceed；　proceed！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　impatiently。

〃That　is　all　I　know；　but　I　shall　hasten　to　collect　further　news；　and
then　return　to　your　excellency。〃

Hubschle　disappeared　through　the　secret　door；　and　Thugut　replaced
the　painting　before　it。　〃The　banner　remains！〃　he　exclaimed；　laughing
scornfully。　〃We　will　see　how　long　it　will　remain！　Ah；　Heinle　is
rapping　again　at　the　other　door。　What　is　it；　Heinle？〃

〃Another　dispatch　from　the　French　ambassador；〃　said　Heinle；　merely
pushing　his　arm　with　the　letter　through　the　door。

〃And　you　have　made　the　same　reply？〃

〃The　same　reply。〃

〃Good！　Return　to　your　post。〃

The　arm　disappeared　again。　Thugut　opened　the　second　dispatch；　and
read　as　before　in　a　half…loud　voice：　〃The　ambassador　of　the　French
Republic　informs　Baron　Thugut　that　the　fury　of　the　mob　is　constantly
on　the　increase；　already　all　the　window…panes　of　the　dwelling　have
been　shattered　by　the　stones　the　rioters　are　incessantly　throwing　at
them；　he　informs　you　that　the　crowd　at　the　present　moment　numbers　no
less　than　three　or　four　thousand　men；　and　that　the　soldiers　whose
assistance　was　invoked；　so　far　from　protecting　the　house　of　the
French　embassy；　remain　impassive　spectators　of　the　doings　and　fury
of　the　rabble；　their　inactivity　encouraging　the　latter　instead　of
deterring　them。　The　ambassador　cannot　but　believe　that　this
scandalous　scene　is　not　merely　tolerated；　but　fostered　by　the
authorities；　for　nothing　whatever　is　done　to　put　a　stop　to　it。　He
sees　with　as　much　regret　as　pain　that　the　dignity　of　the　French
people　is　being　violated　by　the　insults　heaped　on　the　ambassador；
who　vainly　implored　the　populace　to　disperse　and　go　home。　At　the
moment　the　ambassador　is　writing　these　lines；　the　rage　of　the　crowd
is　strained　to　such　a　pitch　that　the　doors　have　been　broken　open　by
means　of　stones；　while　the　soldiers　were　quietly　looking　on。　The
furious　rabble　tore　the　French　colors　from　the　balcony　with　hooks
and　long　poles。　The　ambassador；　who　cannot　remain　any　longer　in　a
country　where　the　most　sacred　laws　are　disregarded　and　solemn
treaties　trampled　under　foot；　therefore　asks　Baron　Thugut　to　send
him　his　passports　in　order　that　he　may　repair　to　France　with　all　the
attaches　of　the　embassy；　unless　Baron　Thugut　should　announce　at　once
that　the　Austrian　government　has　taken　no　part　whatever　in　the
insults　heaped　upon　the　French　Republic；　that　it　disavows　them；　on
the　contrary；　in　the　most　formal　manner；　and　that　it　orders　the
ringleaders　and　their　accomplices　to　be　arrested　and　punished　in　the
most　summary　manner。　On　this　condition　alone；　and　if　the　Austrian
government　agrees　to　restore　the　French　banner　and　to　cause　it　to　be
displayed　on　the　balcony　of　the　French　embassy　by　a　staff…officer；
the　ambassador　consents　to　remain　in　Vienna。　Let　Baron　Thugut
remember　that　these　are　precious　moments；　and　that　he　owes　the
ambassador　an　immediate　and　categorical　reply　to　his　inquiries。〃
＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　501。＇

〃Well；　I　believe　the　good　people　of　Vienna　will　take　it　upon
themselves　to　make　a　categorical　reply　to　General　Bernadotte；　and　to
silence　the　overbearing　babbler；　no　matter　how　it　is　done；〃
exclaimed　Thugut；　laughing　scornfully。　〃I　am　really　anxious　to　know
how　this　affair　is　going　to　end；　and　how　my　brave　rioters　will
chastise　the　ambassador　for　his　insolence。　What；　another　rap
already？　Why；　you　are　a　genuine　postillon　d'　amour！　Do　you　bring　me
another　letter？〃

〃A　third　dispatch　from　General　Bernadotte；〃　exclaimed　Heinle；
outside；　pushing　his　arm　with　the　dispatch　again　through　the　door。

Thugut　took　it　and　rapidly　opened　it。　〃It　seems　matters　are　growing
more　pressing；〃　he　said；　smilingly。　〃Let　us　read　it！〃

And　he　read　with　an　air　of　great　satisfaction：

〃The　ambassador　of　the　French　Republic　informs　Baron　Thugut　that　the
riotous　proceedings　have　lasted　five　hours　already；　that　no　agent　of
the　police　has　come　to　his　assistance；　that　the　furious　rioters　have
taken　possession　of　a　portion　of　the　house　and　are　destroying　every
thing　they　can　lay　their　hands　on。〃

〃Aha；　my　friend　Wenzel　is　looking　for　the　papers　in　the　rooms　of　the
French　embassy！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　triumphantly。　He　then　read　on。

〃The　ambassador；　the　secretaries　of　legation；　the　French　citizens
and　officers　who　are　with　him；　were　compelled　to　retire　to　a　room
where　they　are　waiting　further　developments　with　the　undaunted
courage　characteristic　of　the　republicans。　The　ambassador　repeats
his　demand　that　the　necessary　passports　be　sent　for　him　and　for　all
the　French　who　desire　to　accompany　him。　The　transmission　of　these
passports　is　the　more　urgent；　as　the　rioters；　who　were　about　to　rush
into　the　room　where　the　French　were　awaiting　them；　only　shrank　back
when　some　servants　of　the　French　embassy　discharged　the　fire…arms
with　which　they　had　been　provided。〃

〃Ah；　a　regular　battle；　then；　has　taken　place！〃　shouted　Thugut；　in
great　glee。　〃A　siege　in　grand　style！　Wonder　why　Hubschle　has　not
come　back　yet？　But　stop！　I　hear　him　already。　He　raps！　I　am　coming；
sir！　I　am　opening　the　door　already！〃

And　Thugut　hastened　to　touch　the　frame　of　the　painting　and　to　open
the　door。

It　was　true；　Hubschle；　the　private　secretary；　was　there；　but　he　did
not　come　alone。　Wenzel；　soiled　with　blood；　his　clothes　torn　and　in
the　wildest　disorder；　entered　with　him；　supporting　himself　on
Hubschle's　arm。

〃Ah；　you　bring　me　there　a　wounded　boar！〃　said　Thugut；　morosely。

〃A　boar　who　splendidly　goaded　on　the　hounds　and　performed　the　most
astonishing　exploits；〃　said　Hubschle；　enthusiastically。　〃He　received
a　gunshot　wound　in　the　right　arm　and　fainted。　I　carried　him　with　the
assistance　of　a　few　friends　to　a　well；　and　we　poured　water　on　him
until　he　recovered　his　senses　and　was　able　again　to　participate　in
the　general　jubilee。〃　〃Then　it　was　a　jubilee？　Mr。　Wenzel；　tell　me
all　about　it。〃

〃It　was　a　very　fine　affair；〃　said　Wenzel；　gasping。　〃We　had
penetrated　into　the　house　and　were　working　to　the　best　of　our　power
in　the　magnificent　rooms。　The　furniture；　the　looking…glasses；　the
chandeliers；　the　carriages　in　the　courtyard；　every　thing　was
destroyed；　while　we　were　singing　and　shouting；　'Long　live　the
emperor！　God　save　the　Emperor　Francis！'〃

〃What　a　splendid　Marseillaise　that　dear；　kind…hearted　Haydn　has
composed　for　us　in　that　hymn；〃　said　Thugut；　in　a　low　voice；
gleefully　rubbing　his　hands。　〃And　the　banner？　What　has　become　of　the
banner？〃

〃The　banner　we　had　previously　torn　to　pieces；　and　with　the　shreds　we
had　gone　to　the　Schottenplatz　and　publicly　burned　them　there　amidst
the　jubilant　shouts　of　the　people。〃

〃Very　good。　And　what　else　was　done　in　the　embassy　building？〃

〃We　rushed　from　room　to　room。　Nothing　withstood　our　fury；　and
finally　we　arrived　at　the　room　in　which　the　ambassador　and　his　suite
had　barricaded　themselves　as　in　a　fortress。　It　was　the　ambassador's
study；〃　said　Wenzel；　slowly　and　significantly〃the　cabinet　in　which
he　kept　his　papers。〃

Thugut　nodded　gently；　and　said　nothing　but　〃Proceed！〃

〃I　rushed　toward　the　door　and　encouraged　the　others　to　follow　me。　We
succeeded　in　bursting　the　door　open。　At　the　same　moment　the　besieged
fired　at　us。　Three　of　us　dropped　wounded；　the　others　ran　away。〃

〃Yes；　the　miserable　rascals　always　run　away　as　soon　as　they　smell
gunpowder；〃　said　Thugut；　indignantly。　〃And　you；　Mr。　Wenzel？〃

〃I　was　wounded　and　had　fainted。　My　comrades　carried　me　out　of　the
house。〃

〃And　the　papers？〃　asked　Thugut。　〃You　did　not　take　them？〃

〃Your　excellency；　General　Bernadotte　and　the　whole　retinue　of　the
embassy　were　in　the　room　in　which　the　ambassador　keeps　his　papers。　I
would　have　penetrated　into　it　with　my　friends　if　the　bullet　had　not
shattered　my　arm　and　stretched　me　down　senseless。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　you　became　entirely　senseless；〃　said　Thugut；　harshly；
〃for　you　even　forgot　that　I　only　promised　to　release　you　provided
you　should　bring　the　papers　of　the　French　ambassador。〃

〃Your　excellency；〃　shouted　Wenzel；　in　dismay；　〃I〃

〃Silence！〃　commanded　Thugut；　in　a　stern　tone；　〃who　has　allowed　you
to　speak　without　being　asked？〃

At　this　moment　another　hasty　rap　at　the　door　was　heard；　and　Heinle's
arm　appeared　again　in　the　door。

〃Another　dispatch　from　the　French　ambassador？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃No；　your　excellency；　a　dispatch　from　his　majesty　the　emperor。〃

Thugut　hastily　seized　the　small　sealed　note　and　opened　it。　It
contained　nothing　but　the　following　words：

〃The　ambassador　has　received　a　salutary　lesson；　and　his　banner　has
been　destroyed。　Let　us　stop　the　riot　now；　and　avoid　extreme
measures。　Several　regiments　must　be　called　out　to　restore　order。〃

The　minister　slowly　folded　the　paper　and　put　it　into　his　pocket。　He
then　rang　the　bell　so　violently　and　loudly；　that　Heinle　and　the
other　servants　rushed　immediately　into　the　room。

〃Open　every　doorcall　every　footman！〃　commanded　Thugut。　〃Admit
every　one　who　wants　to　see　me。　Two　mounted　messengers　shall　hold
themselves　in　readiness　to　forward　dispatches。　Every　one　may　learn
that；　in　spite　of　my　sickness；　I　have　risen　from　my　co