Part 31 (1/2)

”I should be a very poor police minister, and my secret agents would furnish me very unsatisfactory information, if I did not know it.”

”Well, let us hear all about it, my dear count. What did the empress say to Bernadotte?”

”In the first audience General Bernadotte began by reading his official speech to her majesty, and the empress listened to him with a gloomy air. But then they entered upon a less ceremonious conversation, and Bernadotte a.s.sured the empress that France entertained no hostile intentions whatever against Naples, her native country. He said he had been authorized by the Directory of the Republic to a.s.sure her majesty officially that she need not feel any apprehensions in relation to Naples, France being animated by the most friendly feelings toward that kingdom. The face of the empress lighted up at once, and she replied to the general in very gracious terms, and gave him permission to renew his visits to her majesty whenever he wished to communicate anything to her.

He had asked her to grant him this permission.”

”I knew the particulars of this first interview, except the pa.s.sage referring to this permission,” said Thugut, quietly.

”But this permission precisely is of the highest importance, your excellency, for the empress thereby gives the French minister free access to her rooms. He is at liberty to see her as often as he wishes, to communicate any thing to her. It seems the general has to make many communications to her majesty, for two days after the first audience, that is yesterday, General Bernadotte again repaired to the Hofburg in order to see the empress.” [Footnote: ”Memoires d'un Homme d'Etat,” vol.

v., p. 485.]

”And did she admit him?” asked Thugut.

”Yes, she admitted him, your excellency. This time the general did not confine himself to generalities, but fully unbosomed himself to her majesty. He confessed to the empress that France was very anxious to maintain peace with Naples as well as with Austria; adding, however, that this would be much facilitated by friendly advances, especially on the part of Austria. Austria, instead of pursuing such a policy, was actuated by hostile intentions toward France. When the empress asked for an explanation of these words, Bernadotte was bold enough to present to her a memorial directed against the policy of your excellency, and in which the general said he had taken pains, by order of the Directory, to demonstrate that the policy of Baron Thugut was entirely incompatible with a good understanding between Austria and France, and that, without such an understanding, the fate of Naples could not be but very uncertain.”

”What did the empress reply?” asked Thugut, whose mien did not betray a symptom of excitement or anger.

”Her majesty replied she would read the memorial with the greatest attention, and keep it a profound secret from every one. She added, however, she feared lest, even if the memorial should convince herself of the inexpediency of Baron Thugut's policy, it might be difficult if not impossible to induce the emperor to take a similar view of the matter--his majesty reposing implicit confidence in his prime minister and being perfectly satisfied of your excellency's fidelity, honesty, and incorruptibility. After this reply, Bernadotte approached the empress somewhat nearer, and cautiously and searchingly glanced around the room in order to satisfy himself that no one but her majesty could overhear his words. Just then--”

”Well, why do you hesitate?” asked Thugut, hastily.

”My tongue refuses to repeat the calumnies which the French minister has dared to utter.” ”Compel your tongue to utter them, and let me hear them,” exclaimed Thugut, sarcastically.

”With your excellency's leave, then. Bernadotte then almost bent down to the ear of the empress and said to her, whisperingly, the Directory of France were in possession of papers that would compromise Minister Thugut and furnish irrefutable proofs that Minister Thugut was by no means a reliable and honest adviser of his majesty, inasmuch as he was in the pay of foreign powers, England and Russia particularly, who paid him millions for always fanning anew the flames of Austria's hostility against France. Bernadotte added that these papers were on the way and would arrive at Vienna by the next courier. He asked the empress if she would permit him to hand these papers to her for placing them into the hands of the emperor.”

”And the empress?”

”The empress promised it, and granted a third audience to the minister as soon as he should be in possession of the papers and apply for an interview with her.” [Footnote: ”Memoires d'un Homme d'Etat,” vol. v., p. 890.]

”Are you through?” asked Thugut, with the greatest composure.

”Not yet, your excellency. It remains for me to tell you that the courier expected by Bemadotte arrived last night at the hotel of the French emba.s.sy, and that the minister himself immediately left his couch in order to receive the dispatches in person. Early this morning an extraordinary activity prevailed among the employes of the emba.s.sy, and the first attache as well as the secretary of legation left the hotel at a very early hour. The former with a letter from Bernadotte repaired to Laxenburg where the empress, as is well known to your excellency, has been residing with her court for the last few days. After the lapse of an hour, he returned, and brought the general the verbal reply from the empress that her majesty would return to Vienna in order to attend the festival of the volunteers, and would then be ready to grant an immediate audience to the amba.s.sador.”

”And whither did the secretary of legation go?”

”First to one of our most fas.h.i.+onable military tailors, [Footnote: Military tailors are tailors who have the exclusive privilege of furnis.h.i.+ng uniforms, etc., to the officers of the army.] and then to a dry-goods store. At the tailor's he ordered a banner, which is to be ready in the course of this evening, and at the dry-goods store he purchased the material required for this banner--blue, white, and red.

Now, your excellency, I am through with my report.”

”I confess, my dear count, that I have listened to you with the most intense pleasure and satisfaction, and that I cannot refrain from expressing to you my liveliest admiration for the vigilance and energy of your police, who do not merely unfathom the past and present, but also the future. In three days, then, the amba.s.sador of France will have an interview with the empress?”

”Yes, your excellency, and he will then deliver to her the above mentioned papers.”

”Provided he has got any such papers, my friend! Papers that might compromise me! As if there were any such papers! As if I ever had been so stupid as to intrust secrets to a sc.r.a.p of paper and to betray to it what every one must not know. He who wants to keep secrets--and I understand that exceedingly well--will intrust them just as little to paper as to human ear. I should burn my own hair did I believe that it had got wind of the ideas of my head. I would really like to see these papers which Bernadotte--”

The sudden appearance of the valet de chambre interrupted the minister.

”Your excellency,” he said, ”the amba.s.sador of the French Republic, General Bernadotte, would like to see your excellency immediately concerning a very important and urgent affair.”