Part 85 (1/2)
”He does not know either!” exclaimed Anna; ”oh, believe me, sir, Palm is innocent. That pamphlet was sent to him, together with an anonymous letter.”
”He ought to have taken care, then, not to circulate it,” replied the general. ”It is contrary to law to circulate a printed book, the author and printer of which are unknown to him who circulates it.”
”No, general, it is not contrary to the laws of the German free city of Nuremberg. By an order of the Emperor of France, Nuremberg has been given to Bavaria, but the laws and privileges of our more liberal const.i.tution were guaranteed to our ancient free city. Hence, Palm has done nothing contrary to law.”
”We judge according to our laws,” said the general, shrugging his shoulders; ”wherever we are there is France, and wherever we are insulted we hold him who insults us responsible for it, and punish him according to our laws. Your husband has committed a great crime; he has circulated a pamphlet reviling France and the Emperor of the French in the most outrageous manner. He refused to mention the author of this pamphlet; so long as he persists in his refusal, we take him for the author, and shall punish him accordingly. As he declined confessing any thing to me, I have surrendered him to my superiors. Mr. Palm left Nuremberg two hours ago for Ans.p.a.ch, where Marshal Bernadotte is going to judge him.”
”Then I shall go to Ans.p.a.ch, to Marshal Bernadotte,” said Anna; and without deigning to cast another glance at the general, she turned around and left the room.
She intended to set out this very hour, but her endeavors to find a conveyance to take her to Ans.p.a.ch proved unavailing. All the horses of the postmaster had been retained for the suite and baggage-wagons of Marshal Berthier, who was about setting out for Munich, and the proprietors of the livery-stables, owing to the approaching darkness and insecurity of the roads, refused to let her have any of their carriages.
Anna had to wait, therefore, until morning, and improved the long hours of the night in drawing up a pet.i.tion, which she intended to send to Marshal Bernadotte, in case he should refuse to grant her an interview.
Early next morning she at length started, but the roads were sandy and bad; the horses were lazy and weak, and she reached Ans.p.a.ch only late at night.
She had again to wait during a long, dreary night. No one could or would reply to her anxious inquiries whether Palm was really there, or whether he had been again sent to some other place. Trembling with inward fear and dismay, but firmly determined to dare every thing, and leave nothing untried that might lead to Palm's preservation, Anna repaired in the morning to the residence of Marshal Bernadotte.
The marshal's adjutant received her, and asked her what she wanted.
”I must see the marshal himself, for I shall read in his mien whether he will pardon or annihilate my husband,” said Anna. ”I beseech you, sir, have mercy on the grief of a wife, trembling for the father of her children. Induce the marshal to grant me an audience.”
”I will see what can be done,” said the adjutant, touched by the despair depicted on the pale face of the poor lady. But he returned in a few minutes after he had left her.
”Madame,” he said, shrugging his shoulders, ”I am sorry, but your wish cannot be fulfilled. The marshal will have nothing whatever to do with this affair, and declines interfering in it. For this reason, too, he did not admit Mr. Palm, who yesterday, like you, applied for an interview with the marshal, and I had to receive him in the place of the marshal, as I have now the honor to receive you.”
”Oh, you have seen my husband?” asked Anna, almost joyfully. ”You have spoken to him?”
”I have told him in the name of the marshal what I am now telling you, madame. The marshal is unable to do any thing whatever for your husband.
The order for his arrest came directly from Paris, from the emperor's cabinet, and the marshal, therefore, has not the power to revoke it and to prevent the law from taking its course. Moreover, Mr. Palm is no longer in Ans.p.a.ch, as he was sent to another place last night.”
”Whither? Oh, sir, you will have mercy on me, and tell me whither my unfortunate husband has been sent.”
”Madame,” said the adjutant, timidly looking around as if he were afraid of being overheard by an eavesdropper, ”he has been sent to Braunau.”
Anna uttered a cry of horror. ”To Braunau!” she said, breathlessly. ”To Braunau, that is to say, out of the country. You do not wish to try a citizen and subject of Bavaria, for a crime which he is said to have committed in his own country, according to the laws of Bavaria, but according to those of a foreign and hostile state? My husband has been sent to Austria!”
”Pardon me, madame,” said the adjutant, smiling, ”the city of Braunau does not yet again belong to Austria; up to the present hour it is still French territory, for we took and occupied it during the war and have not yet given it back to Austria; hence, Mr. Palm will be tried in Braunau according to the laws of France.”
”Oh, then he is lost,” exclaimed Anna, in despair; ”there is no more hope for him.”
”If he be guilty, madame, he has deserved punishment; if he be innocent, no harm can befall him, for the laws of France are impartial and just.”
”Oh, sir,” said Anna, almost haughtily, ”there are things which may seem deserving of punishment, nay, criminal, according to the laws of your country, but which, according to the laws of a German state, would not deserve any punishment, but, on the contrary, praise and acknowledgment.”
”If what Mr. Palm has done is an offence of this description, I am sorry for him,” said the adjutant, shrugging his shoulders. ”But,” he added, in a lower voice, ”I will give you some good advice. Hasten to the French amba.s.sador at Munich. If he should decline granting you an audience, send him a pet.i.tion, stating the case of your husband truthfully and with full details, and asking for his intercession.”
”And if he should not reply to my pet.i.tion; if he should refuse to intercede for me?”
”Then a last remedy will remain to you. In that case, apply to Marshal Berthier, who is now also at Munich. He has great power over the emperor, and will alone be able to help you. But lose no time.”
”I shall set out this very hour, sir, and I thank you for your advice and sympathy. I see very well that you cannot do any thing for me, but you have granted me your compa.s.sion, and I thank you for it. Farewell, sir.”