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greatness；　and　the　greatness　of　Germany。　The　country　is　in　danger
let　us　see　if　we　cannot　contribute　something　to　its　preservation；
and　if　it　does　not　need　our　hands　and　our　heads　in　order　to　weather
the　storm。　If　we　should　be　able；　while　assisting　the　country；　to
pick　up　a　few　laurels；　titles；　decorations；　and　treasures　for
ourselves；　we　would　be　fools　not　to　avail　ourselves　of　the
opportunity。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　right；〃　said　Gentz；　smiling；　〃we　would　be　fools　not　to
do　so；　and　you　are　right；　too；　as　to　the　perils　of　the　country。
Germany　is　in　danger。　The　new　century　will　dawn　upon　her　with　a
bloody　morning　sun；　and　it　will　arouse　us　from　our　sleep　by　a
terrific　cannonade。　But　as　for　ourselves；　we　will　not　wait　until　the
roar　of　the　strife　awakens　us；　we　will　be　up　and　doing　now　and　work
on　the　lightning…rod　with　which　we　will　meet　the　approaching
thunderstorm；　in　order　that　its　bolts　may　glance　off　harmlessly　and
not　destroy　Germany。　I　will　be　an　untiring　warrior　in　the　great
struggle　against　the　revolution；　and　my　pen；　which　is　my　sword；
shall　never　be　idle　in　the　strife。　From　this　hour　I　cease　to　be　the
insignificant　Prussian　counsellor；　Frederick　Gentz；　from　this　hour　I
will　strive　to　become　the　great　political　writer　of　Germany。　May　the
genius　of　Germany　be　with　me　in　my　endeavors！〃

〃Amen！〃　said　Marianne；　fervently。　〃May　the　genius　of　Germany　bless
us　and　the　new　century。　Amen！〃




THE　PEACE　OF　LUNEVILLE


CHAPTER　XXXV。

JOHANNES　MULLER。


The　minister；　Baron　Thugut；　was　pacing　his　cabinet　in　an　excited
manner。　His　face；　usually　so　cold　and　immovable；　was　painfully
agitated　to…day；　his　shaggy　white　eyebrows　were　closely　contracted；
and　his　eyes　were　casting　angry　glances　on　the　dispatch　which　he　had
just　thrown　on　his　desk；　and　which　a　courier　from　General　Melas；　in
Lombardy；　had　brought　to　him　a　few　minutes　ago。

〃Another　battle　lost！〃　he　muttered；　〃another　laurel…wreath　placed　on
the　defiant　head　of　General　Bonaparte！　This　man　will　make　me　mad　yet
by　his　impudent　good　luck。　It　is　dreadful　only　to　think　that　he　was
already　defeated　at　Marengo　＇Footnote：　The　battle　of　Marengo　was
fought　on　the　14th　of　June；　1800。＇so　surely　defeated　that　General
Melas　issued　orders　for　the　pursuit　of　the　enemy；　and　rode　to
Alessandria　to　take　his　supper　in　the　most　comfortable　manner。　That
fellow　Melas　is　a　jackass；　who　only　scented　the　roast　meat　which　he
was　going　to　have　for　supper；　but　not　General　Desaix；　who　arrived
with　his　troops　in　time　to　snatch　victory　from　our　grasp；　and　to
inflict　a　most　terrible　defeat　upon　our　triumphant　army。　All　of　our
generals　are　short…sighted　fools；　from　that　ridiculously…over…rated
Archduke　Charles　down　to　General　Schwarzenberg；　and　whatever　the
names　of　these　gentlemen　may　bethese　gentlemen　with　the　golden
epaulets；　and　decorated　breasts；　and　empty　headsI　have　no
confidence　in　a　single　one　of　them。　At　the　moment　of　danger　as　well
as　of　victory　they　regularly　lose　their　senses；　and　thereby　turn　our
victories　into　defeats；　while　they　render　our　checks　in　the　same　way
only　more　disastrous　and　decisive。　I　am　entirely　opposed　to　placing
any　more　archdukes　at　the　head　of　our　armies。　Fortunately；　I　have
succeeded　in　getting　rid　of　Archduke　Charles；　and　I　hope　that
Archduke　John；　too；　will　be　badly　beaten　at　no　distant　period；　so
that　we　may　remove　him；　like　his　brother；　from　his　position　at　the
head　of　his　troops。　It　will　never　do。　Well〃　he　interrupted　himself
in　his　soliloquy；　casting　an　angry　glance　on　his　private　secretary；
Hudlitz；　who　was　just　entering　the　room〃well；　why　do　you　disturb
me　without　being　called　for？〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　excellency；〃　said　Hudlitz；　humbly；　〃but　your
excellency　had　instructed　me　to　inform　you　immediately　of　the
arrival　of　the　custodian　of　the　imperial　library；　whom　your
excellency　had　sent　for。〃

〃And　he　is　there　now？〃　asked　Thugut。

〃Yes；　your　excellency；　Mr。　Muller；　the　aulic　councillor　and
custodian　of　the　imperial　library　is　waiting　in　the　anteroom。〃

〃Admit　him；　then；　〃said　Thugut；　waving　his　hand　toward　the　door。

Hudlitz　limped　out；　and　a　few　minutes　later　the　announced　visitor
appeared　on　the　threshold　of　the　door。　He　was　a　little；　slender　man；
with　a　stooping　form；　which　had　not　been　bent；　however；　by　the
burden　of　years；　but　by　the　burden　of　learning；　of　night…watches　and
untiring　studies。　His　head；　covered　with　a　pig…tail　wig；　according
to　the　fashion　of　that　period；　was　slightly　bent　forward。　His
expansive　forehead　was　indicative　of　the　philosophical　turn　of　his
mind；　his　large　eyes　were　beaming　with　deep　feeling；　his　pleasing；
yet　not　handsome　features；　were　expressive　to　an　almost　touching
degree；　of　infinite　gentleness　and　benevolence；　and　a　winning　smile
was　playing　constantly　on　his　thin　lips。

This　smile；　however；　disappeared　now　that　he　felt　the　small；
piercing　eyes　of　the　minister　resting　upon　his　countenance。　Hat　in
hand；　and　without　uttering　a　word；　he　remained　standing　at　the　door；
he　only　raised　his　head　a　little；　and　his　eyes　were　fixed　on　the
minister　with　a　calm　and　proud　expression。

〃You　are　the　aulic　councillor；　Johannes　Muller？〃　asked　Thugut；　after
a　short　pause；　in　a　somewhat　harsh　voice。

〃Yes；　I　am　Johannes　Muller；〃　said　the　latter；　and　the　smile　had
already　returned　to　his　lips。　〃I　thank　your　excellency　for　this
salutary　question。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that；　sir？〃　asked　Thugut；　wonderingly。　〃Why　do
you　call　my　question　salutary？〃

〃Because　it　involves　a　good　lesson；　your　excellency；　and　because　it
informs　me　that　they　are　wrong　who；　from　motives　of　mistaken
benevolence；　would　persuade　me　that　I　was　a　well…known　person；　and
that　everybody　in　Vienna　was　familiar　with　my　name。　It　is　always
wholesome　for　an　author　to　be　reminded　from　time　to　time　of　his
insignificance　and　littleness；　for　it　preserves　him　from　giving　way
to　pride；　and　pride　is　always　the　first　symptom　of　mental
retrogradation。〃

Thugut　fixed　his　eyes　with　a　sullen　air　on　the　countenance　of　the
savant。　　〃Do　you　want　to　give　me　a　lesson？〃　he　asked；　angrily。

〃By　no　means；　your　excellency；〃　said　Johannes　Muller；　calmly；　〃I
only　wished　to　mention　the　reason　why　I　was　grateful　to　you　for　your
question。　And　now　I　trust　your　excellency　will　permit　me　the
questionto　what　am　I　indebted　for　the　honor　of　being　called　to
your　excellency？〃

〃Well；　I　wished　to　make　your　acquaintance；　Mr。　Aulic　Councillor；〃
said　Thugut。　〃I　wished　no　longer　to　remain　the　only　inhabitant　of
Vienna　who　had　not　seen　the　illustrious　historian　of　Switzerland　and
the　author　of　the　'Furstenbund。'　＇Footnote：　〃The　League　of　the
Princes；〃　one　of　the　celebrated　works　of　Johannes　von　Muller。＇　You
see；　sir；　I　know　your　works　at　least；　even　though　I　did　not　know
your　person。〃

〃And　your　excellency　did　not　lose　any　thing　by　not　knowing　the
latter；　for　it　is　a　person　that　is　not　worth　the　trouble　to　become
acquainted　with。　We　men　of　learning　are　less　able　to　speak　with　our
tongues　than　with　our　pens；　and　our　desk　alone　is　our　rostrum。〃

〃And　there　you　are　a　powerful　and　most　impressive　orator；　Mr。　Aulic
Councillor！〃　exclaimed　Thugut；　in　a　tone　of　unaffected　and　cordial
praise。

An　air　of　joyful　surprise　overspread　the　gentle　face　of　Johannes
Muller；　and　he　cast　a　glance　of　heart…felt　gratitude　on　the
minister。

Thugut　noticed　this　glance。　〃You　are　surprised　that　I　am　able　to
appreciate　your　merits　so　correctly　and　yet　suffered　years　to　elapse
without　inviting　you　to　call　on　me？　I　am　a　poor　man；　overburdened
with　business　and　harassed　with　the　dry　details　of　my
administration；　and　the　direction　of　political　affairs　leaves　me　no
leisure　to　be　devoted　to　literature。〃

〃At　least　not　to　German　literature；〃　said　Muller；　quickly；　〃but
every　one　knows　your　excellency　to　be　a　profound　connoisseur　of
oriental　languages；　and　it　is　well　known；　too；　that　you　devote　a
great　deal　of　attention　to　them；　notwithstanding　the　immense　burden
of　business　constantly　weighing　you　down。〃

Thugut　smiled；　and　his　harsh　features　assumed　a　milder　expression。
Johannes　Muller；　without　intending　it　perhaps；　had　touched　the　chord
that　sounded　most　sweetly　to　Thugut's　ears；　he　had　flattered　him　by
referring　to　his　profound　oriental　studies。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃you　see　I　am　taking　likewise　a　lively　interest　in
German　literature；　for　I　invited　you　to　come　and　see　me；　and　you　are
a　German　author；　and　one　of　the　most　illustrious　at　that。　Now；　sir；
let　us　speak　frankly　and　without　circumlocution；　as　two　men　of
science　ought　to　do。　Let　us　mutually　forget　our　titles　and　official
positions；　and　chat　confidentially　with　each　other。　Come；　my　dear
sir；　let　us　sit　down　in　these　two　arm…chairs　and　talk　like　two
German　gentlemen；　that　is；　frankly　and　sincerely。　Nobody　is　here　to
hear　us；　and　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor　nobody　shall　learn　a　word
of　what　we　are　going　to　say　to　each　other。　Perfect　irresponsibility
and　impunity　for　every　thing　that　will　be　spoken　during　this
interview。　Are　you　content　with　this；　and　will　you　promise　me　to
open　your　mind　freely　to　me？〃

〃I　promise　it；　your　excellency；　and　shall　reply　truthfully　and
fearlessly　to　whatever　questions　you　may　address　to　me；　provided　I
am　able　to　tell　you　the　truth。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Thugut；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Every　thing
has　two　sides；　and　both　are　true　according　to　the　stand…point　from
which　one　is　looking　at　them。　You　have　two　sides　yourself；　sir；　and
they　are　contrasting　very　strangely　with　each　other。　You　are　a
native　of　Switzerland；　and　yet　you　depict　the　Hapsburg　princes　in
your　works　with　more　genuine　enthusiasm　than　any　of　our　Austrian
historians。　You　are　a　republican；　and　yet　you　are　serving　a
monarchy；　the　forms　of　which　seem　to　agree　with　you　exceedingly
well。　You　belong　to　the　orthodox　reformed　church；　and　yet　you　have
written　'The　Voyages　of　the　Popes；'　and　'The　Letters　of　Two　Catholic
Prelates。'　You　are　a　friend　of　justice；　and　yet　you　have　even
discovered　good　and　praiseworthy　qualities　in　that　tyrannous　King　of
France；　Louis　XI。　Now　tell　me；　sir；　which　is　your　true　side；　and
what　you　really　are？〃

〃I　am　a　man；〃　said　Johannes　Muller；　gently；　〃I　commit　errors　and
have　my　failings　like　all　men；　my　heart　is　vacil