louisa of prussia and her times-第41部分

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troops　leave　Venice。　If　you　refuse　that；　it　is　a　plain　infringement
of　the　treaty；　and　hostilities　will　be　resumed。　Now；　sir；　come　to　a
decision。　I　am　only　a　soldier；　and　but　a　poor　diplomatist；　for　with
my　sword　and　with　my　word　I　always　directly　strike　at　my　aim。　In
short；　then；　count；　will　you　withdraw　your　troops　from　Mentz　and
from　the　other　fortresses　on　the　Rhine；　and　surrender　Mentz　to　our
army？　Yes；　or　no？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　exclaimed　Count　Cobenzl；　with　a　sigh；　〃we　will　fulfil
your　wisheswe　will　withdraw　our　troops　from　Mentz　and　surrender
the　fortress　to　the　French。〃

〃When　will　the　surrender　take　place？　As　speedily　as　possible；　if　you
please。〃

〃On　the　ninth　of　December；　general。〃

〃Very　well；　on　the　ninth　of　December。　The　matter　is　settled；　then。〃

〃But　let　there　be　no　solemn　ceremonies　at　the　surrender；〃　said　the
count；　imploringly。　〃Let　our　troops　withdraw　quietlylet　your
forces　occupy　the　place　in　the　same　manner；　so　that　when　the
delegates　of　the　German　empire；　assembled　in　congress　in　this　city；
and　to　whom　the　Emperor　of　Germany　has　solemnly　guaranteed　the
entire　integrity　and　inviolability　of　the　empire；　hear　the　news　of
the　transaction；　the　latter　may　be　already　an　accomplished　fact；　to
which　every　one　must　submit。〃

〃Be　it　so；　if　that　be　Austria's　desire；〃　said　Bonaparte；　smiling。

〃And　now　we　will　consider　the　other　secret　articles。　The　Austrian
troops　retire　from　the　German　empire　up　to　the　line　of　the　Inn　and
Lech；　occupying　hereafter　only　Austrian　territory。〃

〃Yes；　general；　in　return　for　all　these　concessions　on　our　part；　the
French　troops　will　evacuate　on　the　thirtieth　of　December　the
fortresses　and　territory　of　Venice；　which　has　been　ceded　to　Austria
by　the　treaty　of　Campo　Formio；　and　retire　behind　the　line　of
demarcation。〃

〃Granted！　At　the　same　time　the　troops　of　the　republic　seize　the
tete…de…pont　at　Mannheim　either　by　intimidating　the　isolated
garrison；　or　by　making　a　sudden　dash　at　the　position；　＇Footnote：
〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat。〃　The　French　took　the　tete…de…pont　at
Mannheim　by　assault；　on　the　15th　of　January；　1798；　the　garrison
refusing　to　evacuate　it。　Mentz　surrendered　without　firing　a　gun；　and
during　the　night　of　the　28th　of　December　1797；　the　French　entered
this　great　fortress；　which　was　thereupon　annexed　to　the　French
Republic＇　and　during　the　continuation　of　the　negotiations　here　at
Rastadt；　the　French　forces　leave　the　left　bank　of　the　Rhine　and
occupy　the　right　bank　from　Basle　to　Mentz。〃

〃Granted；〃　sighed　Count　Cobenzl。　〃Austria　yields　the　frontier　of　the
Rhine　to　Francethat　is；　by　the　simultaneous　retreat　of　her　own
forces　she　surrenders　to　the　republic　the　most　important　points　of
the　German　empire；　including　Ehrenbreitstein。　The　congress　of　the
states　of　the　German　empire　will　deliberate；　therefore；　under　the
direct　influence　produced　by　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　a　French
army。〃

〃In　case　the　delegates　of　Germany　do　not　like　the　looks　of　the
French　soldiers；　they　may　turn　their　eyes　to　the　other　side；　where
the　Austrian　army　is　encamped　on　the　Danube　and　on　the　Lech；〃
exclaimed　Bonaparte。　〃Thus　the　delegates　will　be　surrounded　by　two
armies。　This　fact　may　interfere　a　little　with　the　freedom　of　speech
during　the　session　of　congress；　but　it　will　be　advantageous；　too；
inasmuch　as　it　will　induce　the　delegates　to　accelerate　their　labors
somewhat；　and　to　finish　their　task　sooner　than　they　would　have　done
under　different　circumstances。〃

〃It　is　true；　right　in　the　face　of　these　two　armies　at　least　the
small　German　princes　will　not　dare　to　oppose　the　German　emperor　in
ceding　the　entire　left　bank　of　the　Rhine　to　France。　But　it　is　only
just　and　equitable　for　us　to　indemnify　them　for　their　losses。　In　one
of　our　secret　articles；　therefore；　we　should　acknowledge　the
obligation　of　promising　compensations　to　the　princes　and　electors〃

〃Yes；　let　us　promise　compensations　to　them；〃　said　Bonaparte；　with　a
tinge　of　sarcasm。　〃As　to　the　possessions　of　Prussia　on　the　left　bank
of　the　Rhine；　France　declares　her　readiness　to　give　them　back　to　the
King　of　Prussia。〃

〃But　both　powers　agree　not　to　allow　the　King　of　Prussia　to　acquire
any　new　territory；〃　exclaimed　Count　Cobenzl；　hastily。

〃Yes；　that　was　our　agreement　at　Campo　Formio；〃　said　Bonaparte。
〃Austria's　increase　of　territory；　besides　Venice；　will　consist　of
Salzburg　and　a　piece　of　Upper　Bavaria。　In　case　she　should　make
further　conquests　in　the　adjoining　states；　France　may　claim　a
further　aggrandizement　on　the　right　bank　of　the　Rhine。〃　＇Footnote：
Schlosser's　〃History　of　the　Eighteenth　Century；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　43。＇

〃Yes；　that　was　the　last　secret　article　of　the　preliminaries　of　Campo
Formio；〃　said　Cobenzl；　sighing。

〃Then　we　have　remained　entirely　faithful　to　our　agreement；〃　said
Bonaparte。　〃We　have　not　made　any　alterations　whatever　in　the
programme　which　we　agreed　upon　and　deposed　in　writing　at　the　castle
of　Campo　Formio。　It　only　remains　for　us　to…day　to　sign　these　secret
articles。〃

He　took　the　pen　and　hastily　signed　the　two　documents　spread　out　on
the　table。

Count　Cobenzl　signed　them　also；　but　his　hand　was　trembling　a　little
while　he　was　writing；　and　his　face　was　clouded　and　gloomy。　Perhaps
he　could　not　help　feeling　that　Austria　just　now　was　signing　the
misery　and　disgrace　of　Germany　in　order　to　purchase　thereby　some
provinces；　and　that　Austria　enlarged　her　territory　at　the　expense　of
the　empire　whose　emperor　was　her　own　rulerFrancis　II。　Their
business　being　finished；　the　two　plenipotentiaries　rose；　and　Count
Cobenzl　withdrew。　Bonaparte　accompanied　him　again　to　the　door　of　the
anteroom；　and　then　returned　to　his　cabinet。

A　proud；　triumphant　smile　was　now　playing　on　his　pale；　narrow　lips；
and　his　eyes　were　beaming　and　flashing　in　an　almost　sinister　manner。
Stepping　back　to　the　table；　he　fixed　his　eyes　upon　the　document　with
the　two　signatures。

〃The　left　bank　of　the　Rhine　is　ours！〃　he　said；　heavily　laying　his
hand　upon　the　paper。　〃But　the　right　bank？〃

He　shook　his　head；　and　folding　his　arms　upon　his　back；　he　commenced
pacing　the　room；　absorbed　in　profound　reflections。　His　features　had
now　resumed　their　marble　tranquillity；　it　was　again　the　apparation
of　Julius　Caesar　that　was　walking　up　and　down　there　with　inaudible
steps；　and　the　old　thoughts　of　Julius　Caesar；　those　thoughts　for
which　he　had　to　suffer　death；　seemed　to　revive　again　in　Bonaparte's
mind；　for　at　one　time　he　whispered；　〃A　crown　for　me！　A　crown　in
Germany。　It　would　be　too　small　for　me！　If　my　hand　is　to　grasp　a
crown；　it　must〃

He　paused　and　gazed　fixedly　at　the　wall　as　if　he　saw　the　future
there；　that　arose　before　him　in　a　strange　phantasmagoria。

After　a　long　pause；　he　started　and　seemed　to　awake　from　a　dream。

〃I　believe　I　will　read　the　letter　once　more；　which　I　received
yesterday　by　mail；〃　he　murmured；　in　an　almost　inaudible　tone。　〃It　is
a　wonderful　letter；　and　I　really　would　like　to　know　who　wrote　it。〃

He　drew　a　folded　paper　from　his　bosom　and　opened　it。　Stepping　into　a
bay　window；　he　perused　the　letter　with　slow；　deliberate　glances。　The
bright　daylight　illuminated　his　profile　and　rendered　its　antique
beauty　even　more　conspicuous。　Profound　silence　surrounded　him；　and
nothing　was　heard　hut　his　soft　and　slow　respiration　and　the　rustling
of　the　paper。

When　he　had　finished　it；　he　commenced　perusing　it　again；　but　this
time　he　seemed　to　be　anxious　to　hear　what　he　was　reading。　He　read
it；　however；　in　a　very　low　and　subdued　voice；　and　amidst　the　silence
surrounding　him　the　words　that　fell　from　the　lips　of　the　resurrected
Caesar　sounded　like　the　weird　whispers　of　spirits。

〃You　have　to　choose　now　between　so　great　an　alternative；〃　he　read；
〃that　however　bold　your　character　may　be；　you　must　be　uncertain　as
to　the　determination　you　have　to　come　to；　if　you　are　to　choose
between　respect　and　hatred；　between　glory　or　disgrace；　between
exalted　power　or　an　abject　insignificance；　that　would　lead　you　to
the　scaffold；　and；　finally；　between　the　immortality　of　a　great　man；
or　that　of　a　punished　partisan。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Bonaparte；　and　his　voice　was　now　loud　and　firm。　〃Ah！
I　shall　never　hesitate　between　such　alternatives。　I　should　bear
disgrace；　abject　insignificance；　and　an　utter　lack　of　power？　And　my
hand　should　not　be　witheredit　should　be　able　yet　to　grasp　a　sword
and　pierce　my　breast　with　it？〃

He　lowered　his　eyes　again　and　continued　reading：　〃You　have　to　choose
between　three　parts：　the　first　is　to　return　quietly　to　France　and　to
live　there　as　a　plain　and　unassuming　citizen；　the　second；　to　return
to　France　at　the　head　of　an　army　and　there　to　become　the　leader　of　a
party；　the　third；　to　establish　a　great　empire　in　Italy　and　proclaim
yourself　king　of　the　peninsula。　I　advise　you　to　do　so；　and　to　grasp
the　Italian　crown　with　a　firm　hand。〃　＇Footnote：　Sabatier　de　Castres；
living　at　that　time　in　exile　at　Hamburg；　had　written　this　anonymous
letter　to　Bonaparte。＇

〃He　is　a　fool；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃who　believes　a　man　might　make
himself　king　of　Italy　and　maintain　himself　on　the　throne；　unless　he
previously　has　seized　the　sovereign　power　in　France；　＇Footnote：
〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　69。＇　But　no　one　must　hear
these　thoughts！　I　will　go　to　Josephine！〃

He　hastily　folded　the　paper　and　concealed　it　again　in　his　bosom。
Then　stepping　to　the　looking…glass；　he　closely　scanned　his　face　in
order　to　see　whether　or　not　it　might　betray　his　thoughts；　and　when
he　had　found　it　to　be　as　pale　and　impassive　as　ever；　he　turned　round
and　left　the　room。




CHAPTER　XXII。

THE　BANNER　OF　GLORY。


Four　days　had　elapsed　since　Bonaparte's　arrival　at　Rastadt；　and　the
congress　had　profited　by　them　in　order　to　give　the　most　brilliant
festivals　to　the　French　general　and　his　beautiful　wife。　All　those
ambassadors；　counts；　barons；　bishops；　and　diplomatists　seemed　to
have　assembled　at　Rastadt　for　the　sole　purpose　of　giving　banquets；
tea…parties；　and　balls；　no　one　thought　of　attending　to　business；　and
all　more　serious　ideas　seemed　to　have　been　utterly　banished；　while
every　one　spoke　of　the　gorgeous　decorations　of　the　ball…rooms　and　of
the　magnificence　of　the　state　dinners；　where　the　most　enthusiastic
toasts　were　drunk　in　honor　of　the　victorious　Fr