Part 27 (1/2)
Count Fersen made no reply; he merely bowed hastily and silently, and, beckoning his attaches who were standing behind him, he left the room with his suite. [Footnote: This whole scene actually took place, and contains only such words as really were exchanged between Bonaparte and Fersen.--Vide ”Memoires d'un Homme d'Etat,” vol. v., p. 64. Le Normand, Memoires, vol. i., p. 263.]
Bonaparte's flas.h.i.+ng eyes followed him until he had disappeared, and then the general turned once more to the amba.s.sadors.
”I could not suffer a traitor and enemy in our a.s.sembly,” he said, in a loud and firm voice. ”We are here in order to make peace, while he was secretly anxious for a renewal of war, and was bent upon sowing the evil seeds of discord among us. Let us all endeavor to make peace, gentlemen, to the best of our power. Do not compel me to enter the lists against you, too, for the struggle could not be doubtful between a nation that has just conquered her liberty, and princes who tried to deprive her of it again. If you reject to-day the pacific overtures I shall make to you, I shall impose other conditions to-morrow; but woe unto him among you, who should refuse my mediation; for in that case I should overthrow the whole framework of a false policy, and the thrones standing on a weak foundation would soon break down. I speak to you with the frankness of a soldier and the n.o.ble pride of a victorious general; I caution you because I have the welfare of the nations at heart, who more than ever need the blessings of peace. It is now for you to say whether we shall have war or peace, and it will solely depend upon your submissiveness whether France will be able to conclude an honorable peace with her German neighbors, or whether you will compel us to take up arms once more. But in that case woe unto you, for we should retaliate in the most terrible manner on those who would dare to oppose us!” [Footnote: Bonaparte's own words.--Vide Le Normand, vol. i.. p. 964]
He paused and rapidly glanced at the a.s.sembled gentlemen. They stood before him with grave and gloomy faces, but none of them were courageous enough to make a dignified reply to the proud and humiliating words of the French general. The amba.s.sadors of Germany received the severe lecture of the representative of France with silent submissiveness.
An imperceptible smile played on Bonaparte's lips. He saluted the gentlemen with a slight nod and rapidly returned to his own rooms.
CHAPTER XXI.
FRANCE AND AUSTRIA.
Bonaparte had scarcely reached his room and just closed the door, when the opposite door opened, and the entering footman announced, ”His excellency Count Louis Cobenzl.” Bonaparte waved his hand and went to meet the count in the anteroom, where he welcomed him with the utmost kindness and courtesy.
The two gentlemen thereupon reentered the room hand in hand, a pleasant smile playing on their lips, while both were a.s.suring each other of their kind intentions, but at the same time secretly entertaining the ardent desire and purpose to divine their mutual thoughts, but to conceal their own schemes. The general, with great politeness, offered the seat of honor on the sofa to the count, and sat down in an arm-chair in front of him. A small round table with writing-materials and paper stood between them, forming as it were the frontier between Austria and France.
”So the ardent desires of Austria are fulfilled now,” said Count Cobenzl, with a sweet smile. ”France will no longer oppose us; she will be our friend and ally.”
”France will welcome this new friend and ally of hers,” exclaimed Bonaparte, feelingly, ”provided Austria's intentions are loyal. Ah, my dear count, no protestations now! In politics words prove nothing, deeds every thing. Let Austria, then, prove by her deeds that she really desires to keep up a good understanding with France, and that she has given up forever her hostile att.i.tude toward the republic.”
”But has not Austria given proof of her intentions toward France already?” asked the count, in surprise. ”Has not his majesty the emperor declared his willingness to resume diplomatic relations with France, and thereby formally and before the whole world to recognize the French Republic?”
”Sir,” exclaimed Bonaparte, ”the French Republic does not humbly solicit to be recognized. She compels hostile states to recognize her, for, like the sun, she sheds her light over the whole globe, and she would pierce the eyes of such as would feign not to see her, rendering them blind for all time to come! [Footnote: Bonaparte's own words.--Vide Constant, vol.
i., p. 284.] Austria beheld this radiant sun of the republic at Lodi, at Rivoli, Arcole, and Mantua; whence, then, would she derive courage enough to refuse recognizing France? But instead of words, prove to us by your actions that your friends.h.i.+p is honest and sincere.”
”We are ready to do so,” said Count Cobenzl, politely. ”Austria is ready to give a public and brilliant proof of her devotion to the great general whose glory is now filling the whole world with astonishment and admiration. His majesty the emperor, in the letter which I had the honor of delivering to you some time ago, told you already in eloquent words how greatly he admired the conqueror of Italy, and how gladly his majesty, if it were in his power, would grant you such favors as would be agreeable to you. But at that time you rejected all such offers, general, and nothing could induce you to accept of what we wished to present to you. It seemed not to have value enough to--”
”Rather say, count, it was all too valuable not to be looked upon as a bribe,” exclaimed Bonaparte. ”I was negotiating with you, sword in hand, and it would not have been becoming of me to lay the sword aside in order to fill my hands with your presents.”
”But now, general, now that we have laid the sword aside, that we have made peace, that we have exchanged the ratifications of the treaty--now that you tender your hand to Austria in friends.h.i.+p and peace, you might permit his majesty the Emperor of Austria to deposit something in your friendly hand, that might prove to you how sincerely my august master the emperor is devoted to you.”
”And what does the emperor desire to deposit in my hand?” asked Bonaparte, with a quiet smile.
Count Cobenzl hesitated a little before making a reply. ”General,” he then said, ”when I see you thus before me in your marble beauty, I am involuntarily reminded of the heroes of Rome and Greece, who have immortalized the glory of their countries, but whom the admiration of posterity had to compensate for the ingrat.i.tude of their contemporaries.
General, republics never were grateful to their great men, and only too often have they stigmatized their most glorious deeds; for the republics deprecated the greatness of their heroes, because he who distinguished himself, thereby annulled the equality and fraternity of all the citizens. Pericles was banished from Athens, and Julius Caesar was a.s.sa.s.sinated! General, will modern republics be more grateful than those of antiquity? For my part, I dare say, it is rather doubtful, and the French being descendants of the Romans, I am afraid they will not prove any more grateful than the latter. The emperor, my august master, shares my fears, and as he loves and venerates you, he would like to exalt you so high as to prevent the hands of the political factions from reaching up to you. His majesty therefore proposes to create a princ.i.p.ality for you in Germany, and to make you the sovereign ruler of two hundred thousand people, appointing you at the same time a prince of the German empire, and giving you a seat and vote at the imperial diet. [Footnote: Historical.--Vide ”Memoires d'un Homme d'Etat,” vol. V., p. 67.]
General, do you accept my emperor's offer?”
”To become the emperor's va.s.sal?” asked Bonaparte, with an imperceptible smile. ”A small prince of the German empire who on solemn occasions might be deemed worthy to present the wash-basin to the emperor, or to be his train bearer, while every king and elector would outrank me. No, my dear count, I do not accept the offer. I sincerely thank the emperor for the interest he takes in my welfare, but I must accept no gifts or favors not coming directly from the French nation, and I shall always be satisfied with the income bestowed upon me by the latter,” [Footnote: Bonaparte's own reply.--Vide ”Memoires d'un Homme d'Etat,” vol. V., p.
51.]
”You reject the emperor's offer?” asked Cobenzl, mournfully--”you disdain wearing a crown?”
”If the crown should crush the few laurels with which my victories have adorned me, yes; in that case I should prefer to decline the crown in favor of my laurels. And, my dear count, if I had been so anxious for a crown, I might have picked up one of those crowns that fell down at my feet in Italy. But I preferred to crush them under my heels, just as St. George crushed the dragon; and the gold of the crushed crowns, as it behooved a good and dutiful son, I laid down on the altar of the great French Republic. So you see I am not longing for crowns. If I might follow my own inclinations, I should return to the silence and obscurity of my former life, and I should lay my sword aside in order to live only as a peaceable citizen.”
”Oh, general, if you should do so,” exclaimed Cobenzl, ”there would soon be men to pick up your sword in order to fight with it against the Republic and to recall the Bourbons to the throne of the lilies.”
A rapid flash from Bonaparte's eyes struck the count's face and met his sharp, searching glance.