登陆注册
5254900000028

第28章 CHAPTER VIII. THE TREATY OF CAMPO FORMIO.(3)

Again they heard Bonaparte's thundering voice. "Ride over to the headquarters of Archduke Charles," shouted Bonaparte. "Tell him on my behalf that the armistice is at an end, and that hostilities will recommence from the present hour. That is all. Depart!"

Then they heard him close the window with a crash, and walk with loud steps through the anteroom.

The two plenipotentiaries looked at each other in dismay. "Count," whispered the marquis, "listen! he leaves and has threatened to shatter Austria. He is the man to fulfil his threat. My God, must we suffer him to depart in anger? Have you been authorized to do that?"

"Will you try to command the storm to stand still?" asked Count Cobenzl.

"Yes, I will try, for we must not break off the negotiations in this way and recommence hostilities. We must conciliate this terrible warrior!"

He rushed out of the room, and hastened through the anteroom and down-stairs to the front door.

Bonaparte had already entered his carriage; his escort had formed in line, the driver had seized the reins and whip in order to give the impatient horses the signal to start.

At this moment, the pale and humble face of the Marquis de Gallo appeared at the carriage door. Bonaparte did not seem to see him.

Leaning back into the cushions, he gloomily looked up to heaven.

"General," said the marquis, imploringly, "I beseech you not to depart!"

"Marquis," replied Bonaparte, shrugging his shoulders, "it does not become me to remain peaceably among my enemies. War has been declared, for you have not accepted my ultimatum."

"But, general, I take the liberty to inform you that the Austrian plenipotentiaries have resolved to accept your ultimatum."

Bonaparte's marble countenance did not betray the slightest emotion of surprise and joy; his large eyes only cast a piercing glance upon the marquis.

"You accept it without subterfuge or reserve?" he asked, slowly.

"Yes, general, precisely as you have stated it. We are ready to sign the treaty of peace, and accept the ultimatum. Just be kind enough to alight once more, and continue the conference with us."

"No, sir," said Bonaparte, "nulla vestigia retrorsam! Being already in my carriage, I shall not return to you. Besides, the delegates of the Venetian Republic are waiting for me at Passeriano, and I believe it is time for me to inform them too of my ultimatum. At the end of three hours, I ask you, marquis, and Count Cobenzl to proceed to my headquarters at Passeriano. There we will take the various stipulations of the treaty into consideration, and agree upon the public and secret articles."

"But you forget, general, that your orderly is already on the way to the Austrian headquarters in order to announce the reopening of hostilities."

"That is true," said Napoleon, quietly. "Here, two orderlies. Follow the first orderly, and command him to return. You see, marquis, I believe in the sincerity of your assurances. In three hours, then, I shall expect you at Passeriano for the purpose of settling the details of the treaty. We shall sign it, however, on neutral ground.

Do you see that tall building on the horizon?"

"Yes, general, it is the decayed old castle of Campo Formio."

"Well, in that castle, the treaty shall be signed. In three hours, then. Until then, farewell."

He nodded carelessly to the marquis, who, as humble as a vassal, at the feet of the throne, stood at the carriage door, constantly bowing deeply, and waving his plumed hat.

"Forward!" shouted Bonaparte, and the carriage, followed by a brilliant suite, rolled away. Bonaparte, carelessly leaning into the corner, muttered, with a stealthy smile: "It was a coup de theatre, and it had evidently great success. They had to accept peace at my hands as a favor. Ah, if they had guessed how much I needed it myself! But these men are obtuse; they cannot see any thing. They have no aim; they only live from minute to minute, and whenever they find a precipice on their route, they stumble over it, and are lost beyond redemption. My God, how scarce real men are! There are eighteen millions in Italy, and I have scarcely found two men among them. I want to save these two men, but the rest may fulfil their destiny. The Republic of Venice shall disappear from the earth--this cruel and bloodthirsty government shall be annihilated. We shall throw it as a prey to hungry Austria; but when the latter has devoured her, and stretched herself in the lazy languor of digestion, then it will be time for us to stir up Austria. Until then, peace with Austria--peace!"

Three hours later the treaty between Austria and France was signed at the old castle of Campo Formio. France, by this treaty, acquired Belgium, the left bank of the Rhine, and the fortress of Monte.

Austria acquired the Venetian territory. But to these acquisitions, which were published, secret articles were added. In these secret articles, France promised, in case Prussia should demand an enlargement of her dominions, like Austria, not to consent to it.

The Emperor of Austria, on his part, pledged himself to withdraw his troops, even before the conclusion of the treaty with the German empire, to be agreed upon at Rastadt, from all the fortresses on the Rhine--in other words, to surrender the German empire entirely to its French neighbors.

Austria had enlarged her territory, but, for this aggrandizement, Germany was to pay with her blood, and finally with her life.

Austria had made peace with France at Campo Formio, and it was stipulated in the treaty that the German empire likewise should conclude peace with France. For this purpose, a congress was to meet at Rastadt; all German princes were to send their ambassadors to that fortress, in order to settle, jointly, with three representatives of the French Republic, the fate of the empire.

同类推荐
  • 六十种曲水浒记

    六十种曲水浒记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大乘无量寿经

    大乘无量寿经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 瀋陽日記

    瀋陽日記

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • LOVE OF LIFE

    LOVE OF LIFE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 客尘医话

    客尘医话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 改变千万人生的八堂课

    改变千万人生的八堂课

    改变千千万万普通人命运的宝典。你能做好人生的选择吗?你能成为人生的驾驭者吗?你的生命是否真正变成自己的生命,而不是千篇一律的重复!本书引用大量生动感人的故事,通过八堂课的形式,深入讲述人生的玄妙哲理,帮助人们获得成功人生的资本。
  • 昭云记

    昭云记

    学子寒窗苦读数十载,许多人都秉着一颗为了百姓的心,但是越当官越不敢任事者不在少数。大燕国风虽好,但是腐败的陈规却啃噬着天下。大部分人看不到,一部分人踌躇犹豫,少部分则决心改陈除弊!
  • 血班规

    血班规

    十校九邪,一个刚刚毕业的大学生,无意之间接到一份面试通知,心喜若狂之后随之而来的奇怪的梦境,学生一个又一个离奇地死亡,学校陷入了诡异阴狸的气氛中……到底谁是真凶?扑朔迷离的事实真像背后隐藏了一个尘封已久的故事。
  • 今生系之只待今生

    今生系之只待今生

    陆繁星望着那张66分的试卷,一阵鬼哭狼嚎,无奈之下只好,“闵衍,江湖救急啊~”。闵衍其实不想理的,但是他看着她那“悲催暗淡无神两眼发黑眼泪汪汪”的大眼睛后,摇了摇头。“我真是怕了你了。” 对,怕了你天天这样磨我,如果有一天,我不在你身边,或者,你不在我身边,我会不会疯,你会不会崩溃。
  • 校邠庐抗议

    校邠庐抗议

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 出击,我的王者

    出击,我的王者

    【2018王者荣耀文学大赛·征文参赛作品】这是一本,讲述拥有超能力的王者英雄们,希望大家可以喜欢我的脑洞~也可以给我留言,写下你们喜欢的王者CP然后我会有番外集~~
  • 快穿之宿主养成手册

    快穿之宿主养成手册

    一二三四五六七……白小七的宿主数量要数不过来了。她,是立志要成为最伟大系统的白小七!然而……系统评测不及格,彻底打破她的梦想。白小七走上崩坏之路。影后?来来!给你个系统,让你重生到当初被你欺负的人身上!总裁?来来!想要缠上总裁一朝飞上枝头变凤凰么?问问系统答不答应!还有各种宿主等你来解锁!于是,后来,系统拥有者协会中,一个帖子被盖得飞起。——《八一八我那个要求奇葩的系统大人》
  • 嗜血傻王太难缠

    嗜血傻王太难缠

    一朝穿越,她成了替嫁的倒霉郡主。传言他是人人可欺的傻王。智商犹若七岁孩童。新婚夜,他急不可耐想要把她扑倒,她连哄带骗欲盖弥彰。婚后,他处处受人排挤,各种被人欺负,她一次次挺身而出,“谁敢动我夫君!”事后,他依偎在她怀中,“爱妃最好了……”终有一日她被千军万马包围,危难关头,轮到他挺身而出,“谁也动本王爱妃!杀无赦!”
  • 亶甲集

    亶甲集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 女王逃婚罗曼史

    女王逃婚罗曼史

    唉…难怪人家说一旦人衰起运来就会无药可救,喏!她就是一个前车之鉴!就是因为洗澡的时候摔倒了,所以就无厘头的掉进了另一个世界里,最倒霉的是她刚到达的地方居然是别人的浴桶!!!哇啊啊!!!!这个男人是谁啊?为什么她和他都没有穿衣服,而且泡在水里,难道是…鸳鸯浴?!哇啊啊!!救命啊!!色狼!!———————————————————————————————————————才华横溢的蛮横国师——绰隐:“女王陛下,您已经窥视了臣下的身体,所以您要对臣下负责!您必须娶臣下!”家财万贯的霸道少爷——霖蓦:“不管你是高高在上的女王,还是霖府的平凡管家,你!蓝若涵!我嫁定了!”风流倜傥的翩翩公子——曲凡:“本来我是打算永远做一个自由人,但是自从遇到你之后我的心就被束缚了,所以我决定这辈子都跟着你了!”冷若冰霜的无情宫主——肆幽:“娶我!笨女人!否则!后果自负!”弱不禁风的纯洁少年——清煦:“呜…小涵不要煦儿了吗?呜…煦儿要永远跟你在一起!”柔情似水的神医谷主——梵唯:“纵使我有起死回生的医术,我也救不了已经被你侵蚀的真心,涵儿,只有你能救我了!”番外人物之流失21世纪的青楼男子——云颜:“我额前的梅花,永生只为你而绽放!”———————————————————————————————————————啊!!!这、这都什么跟什么啊!逼婚成奸?!她不要啊!!!不行!!她不能就这样屈服于这些魔爪之下,一个字!逃!就这样,她——蓝若涵的逃婚史拉开了序幕…———————————————————————————————————————此文轻松,简单,希望亲们在看完此文后能感受到和女主一样纯粹的幸福。最后感谢支持我的亲们。么个~~