Part 45 (2/2)
”I informed you, gentlemen, of what occurred two weeks ago,” said Count Haugwitz, shrugging his shoulders.
”What! Two weeks ago? Nevertheless, your excellency has just arrived at Berlin, and are wearing yet your travelling-habit?”
”That is very true. I left Minden two weeks ago, but the impa.s.sable condition of the roads compelled me to travel with snail-like slowness.
My carriage every day stuck in an ocean of mire, so that I had to send for men from the adjoining villages in order to set it going again. The axle-tree broke twice, and I was obliged to remain several day in the most forsaken little country towns until I succeeded in getting my carriage repaired.”
”The king seems to have found better roads,” said Count Panin, with a lurking glance. ”The journey to Wesel has been a very rapid one, at all events.”
”The king, it seems, has given up that journey and concluded on the road to return to the capital,” said Count Haugwitz, in an embarra.s.sed manner.
”It would be very deplorable if the king should as rapidly change his mind in relation to his other resolutions!” exclaimed Lord Grenville.
”Your excellency does not fear, then, lest this sudden return of the king should have any connection with our plans?” asked Panin. ”The king has authorized you to negotiate with the English amba.s.sador, Sir Thomas Grenville, and with myself, the representative of the Emperor Paul, of Russia, about forming an alliance for the purpose of driving the rapacious, revolutionary, and bloodthirsty French Republic beyond the Rhine, and restoring tranquillity to menaced Europe?”
”It is true the king gave me such authority two weeks ago,” said Count Haugwitz, uneasily, ”and I doubt not for a single moment that his majesty is now adhering to this opinion. But you comprehend, gentlemen, that I must now hasten to wait on the returning king, in order to receive further instructions from him.”
”That means, Count Haugwitz, that you have invited us to call on you in order to tell us that we may go again?” asked Panin, frowning.
”I am in despair, gentlemen, at this unfortunate coincidence,” said Count Haugwitz, anxiously. ”It is, however, impossible for me now to enter into further explanations. I must repair immediately to the palace, and I humbly beg your pardon for this unexpected interruption of our conference.”
”I accept your apology as sincerely as it was offered, and have the honor to bid you farewell,” said Panin, bowing and turning toward the door.
Count Haugwitz hastened to accompany him. When he arrived at the door, and was about to leave the room, Count Panin turned around once more.
”Count Haugwitz,” he said, in a blunt voice, ”be kind enough to call the attention of the king to the fact that my imperial master, who is very fond of resolute men and measures, prefers an open and resolute enemy to a neutral and irresolute friend. He who wants to be no one's enemy and everybody's friend, will soon find out that he has no friends whatever, and that no one thanks him for not committing himself in any direction.
It is better after all to have a neighbor with whom we are living in open enmity, than one on whose a.s.sistance we are never able to depend, and who, whenever we are at war with a third power, contents himself with doing nothing at all and a.s.sisting no one. Be kind enough to say that to his majesty.”
He bowed haughtily, and entered the anteroom with a sullen face.
Count Haugwitz turned around and met the stern, cold glance of the English amba.s.sador, who was also approaching the door with slow and measured steps.
”Count Haugwitz,” said Lord Grenville quietly, ”I have the honor to tell you that, in case the King of Prussia will not now, distinctly and unmistakably, declare his intention of joining the coalition between Russia, Austria, and England, we shall use the subsidies we had promised to pay to Prussia for an army of twenty-five thousand men, in some other way. Besides, I beg you to remind his majesty of the words of his great ancestor, the Elector Frederick William. That brave and great sovereign said: 'I have learned already what it means to be neutral. One may have obtained the best terms, and, in spite of them, will be badly treated.
Hence I have sworn never to be neutral again, and it would hurt my conscience to act in a different manner.' [Footnote: Hausser's ”History of Germany,” vol. ii., p. 281.] I have the honor, count, to bid you farewell.”
And Lord Grenville pa.s.sed the count with a stiff bow, and disappeared in the door of the anteroom.
Count Haugwitz heaved a profound sigh, and wiped off the perspiration pearling in large drops on his brow. He then took the king's letter from his side-pocket and perused it once more. ”It is the king's handwriting,” he said, shaking his head, ”and it is also his peculiar laconic style.” And, as if to satisfy himself by hearing the contents of the letter, he read aloud:
”Do not enter into any negotiations with the amba.s.sadors of Russia and Great Britain. We will hold another council of war. I am on my way to Berlin. Within an hour after receipt of these lines, I shall expect to see you in my cabinet. Yours, affectionately,”
”Frederick William.”
”Yes, yes, the king has written that,” said Haugwitz, folding the letter; ”I must hastily dress, therefore, and repair to the palace. I am anxious to know whence this new wind is blowing, and who has succeeded in persuading the king to change his mind. Should my old friend, k.o.c.keritz, after all, be favorable to France? It would have been better for him to inform me confidentially, and we might have easily agreed; for I am by no means hostile to France, and I am quite ready to vote for peace, if there be a chance to maintain it. Or should the young king really have come to this conclusion without being influenced by anybody?
Why, that would be a dangerous innovation! We should take quick and decisive steps against it. Well, we will see! I will go and dress.”
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