登陆注册
5426900000012

第12章

THE COURIER AND THE AMBASSADOR.

The emperor, in returning to his cabinet, like the empress, carefully locked the door behind him. He then turned hastily to the courier, who was standing near the opposite door, and was just bowing most ceremoniously to his majesty.

"Hudelist, it is really you, then?" asked the emperor. "You left your post by the side of Metternich without obtaining my permission to come to Vienna? Could you not find any other man to bring your dispatches? I had commissioned you to remain always by the side of Metternich, watch him carefully, and inform me of what he was doing and thinking.""Your majesty, I have brought my report with me," said Hudelist;"1

"You do not say so!" exclaimed Francis, shrugging his shoulders.

"You think he will issue a manifesto against Metternich, as he did against the Prussian minister Von Stein? Well, let me hear the news.

What have you to tell me?"

"So many important things, your majesty, that the count and myself deemed it expedient to report to your majesty verbally, rather than send a dispatch which might give you only an unsatisfactory idea of what has occurred. Hence I came post-haste to Vienna, and arrived here only a quarter of an hour since; I pray your majesty therefore to pardon me for appearing before you in my travelling-dress.""Sit down, you must be tired," said the emperor, good-naturedly, seating himself in an arm-chair, and pointing to the opposite chair.

"Now tell me all!"

"Your majesty," said Hudelist, mysteriously, while a strange expression of mischievous joy overspread his ugly, pale face, "the Emperor Napoleon has returned from Spain to France."The Emperor Francis gave a start and frowned. "Why?" he asked.

"Because he intends to declare war against Austria," said Hudelist, whose face brightened more and more. "Because Napoleon is distrustful of us, and convinced that Austria is intent on attacking him. Besides, he felt no longer at ease in pain, and all sorts of conspiracies had been entered into in Paris, whereby his return might have been rendered impossible if he had hesitated any longer.""Who were the conspirators?"

"Talleyrand and Fouche, the dear friends and obedient servants of the Emperor Napoleon. He knows full well what their friendship and devotedness amount to. Hence be had the two gentlemen well watched, and it seems his spies sent him correct reports, for, after returning from Spain, he rebuked them unmercifully; be told them, with the rage of a true Corsican, and regardless of etiquette, what miserable fellows they were, and how high he stood above them.""And yet he would like so much to be an emperor in strict.

accordance with court etiquette," said the emperor, laughing. "He is anxious to have such a court about him as Louis XIV. had. But the lawyer's son always reappears in the emperor, and, if it please God, He will one day deprive him of all his power and splendor.""And, if it please God, your majesty will be His instrument in putting an end to Napoleon's power and splendor," cried Hudelist, with a smile which distorted his face strangely, and caused two rows of large yellow teeth to appear between the pale lips of his enormous mouth. "It is true he stands firm as yet, and rebukes his ministers as Nero did his freedmen. Talleyrand was still thunderstruck at what the emperor had told him, when he had an interview with Count Metternich and myself in Fouche's green-house.

To be sure, the phrases which he repeated to us were well calculated to make even the blood of a patient minister boil. Napoleon sent for the two ministers immediately after his arrival: when they came to him, he let them stand at the door of his cabinet like humble suppliants, and, running up and down before them, and casting fiery glances of anger upon them, he upbraided them with their conduct, and told them he was aware of all their intrigues, and knew that they were conspiring with Austria, Spain, and, through Spain, with England. Then he suddenly stood still in front of them, his hands folded on his back, and his glances would have crushed the two ministers if they had not had such a thick skin 'You are impudent enough to conspire against me!' he shouted, in a thundering voice.

'To whom are you indebted for every thing--for your honors, rank, and wealth? To me alone! How can you preserve them? By me alone!

Look backward, examine your past. If the Bourbons had reascended the throne, both of you would have been hanged as regicides and traitors. And you plot against me? You must be as stupid as you are ungrateful, if you believe that anybody else could promote your interest as well as I have done. Had another revolution broken out, on whatever side you might have placed yourselves, you would certainly have been the first to be crushed by it!'" [Footnote:

Napoleon's own words--See Schlosser, "History of the Eighteenth Century," vol. viii., p. 488.]

"That is very plain talk, indeed," said Francis, laughing. "But Talleyrand and Fouche have sound stomachs; they will digest it, and not get congestions in consequence of it provided the emperor does not punish them in a different manner.""For the time being, he only punished Talleyrand, whom he deprived of the position and salary of lord chamberlain. Fouche remained police minister, but both are closely watched by Napoleon's secret police. Nevertheless, they succeeded in holding a few unobserved interviews with us. Count Metternich learned also from another very well-informed quarter many accurate details regarding the plans and intentions of the Emperor Napoleon.""What do you mean? What well-informed quarter do you refer to?"asked the emperor.

同类推荐
  • 印法参同

    印法参同

    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。
  • Rinkitink In Oz

    Rinkitink In Oz

    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。
  • Timon of Athens

    Timon of Athens

    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。
  • 舍头谏经

    舍头谏经

    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。
  • 图经衍义本草

    图经衍义本草

    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
  • 元始诸天

    元始诸天

    古老天人长生不死,武中圣人吼碎山河。带着一面石镜,荀少彧来到这方莽荒乱世,一步步映照诸天。从这人间苦境开始,踏上寰宇诸天之路,元始大罗诸天…… QQ群:795659741
  • 校草是个粘人精

    校草是个粘人精

    【正文已完结】五岁那年——慕小苏被骗“种瓜得瓜,种豆得豆”便将一大包零食种在地上希望能长出零食树。自此,慕小苏便希望有一天能像电视里放得那样将夜景辰扑倒在地,狠狠的揍一顿。望着主动送上门来的人儿,夜景辰邪魅一笑,大手一楼。主动送上门的人儿,岂有不要之理?【读者群:239212759】
  • 黑色主教的杀人事件

    黑色主教的杀人事件

    第一位死者被人用箭射穿心脏,第二位死者被枪射穿头部,第三位死者从高墙上摔死……署名“主教”的残酷凶手不断地刻意提供线索,一连串令人不寒而栗的离奇命案,竟然与一首家喻户晓的古老童谣完全吻合!——是谁杀了小知更鸟?“是我。”麻雀回答。“我用弓和箭射死了小知更鸟!”阴暗、幽沉的童谣宛如恶魔谱下的追魂曲一般,预示着一幕幕血腥的惨剧,死亡的阴影霎时笼罩了整个纽约……谁是藏在幕后的黑色主教?他为什么制造谋杀又提供线索,如幽灵般若隐若现?一切究竟隐藏着什么天大的阴谋?
  • 忠诚与背叛:告诉你一个真实的红岩

    忠诚与背叛:告诉你一个真实的红岩

    作者通过大量新解密的史料及历史细节,对幸存下来的革命者及其后代的采访,真实再现了中共中央南方局领导的地下党在重庆解放前夕艰苦卓绝的战斗,再现了国民党政权的白色恐怖与黑色屠杀、敌特的疯狂抓捕与叛徒的无耻出卖下,白公馆和渣滓洞中各位英烈的不屈斗争!作品通过“革命者”“普通群众”“革命的叛徒”和“敌人”等不同人物群像,生动而真实地诠释了“忠诚与背叛”的宏大命题,表现了革命志士巨大的人格魅力,弘扬先烈们坚定的革命信念,引发读者对于“忠诚”与“背叛”的深度思考。
  • 飞天神皇

    飞天神皇

    一剑风云变,一剑破长天。一剑斩神明,踏破三十三。
  • 田色古香:娘子宠上天

    田色古香:娘子宠上天

    白风菱,国内知名农业大学研究生。一朝穿越,还有带个天赋异禀的人小鬼精灵!讲的是农业女大学生在古代创业的故事!明明是有内涵的,却总是靠脸吃饭!某女“铺子是你的,我不要!”某男“那转到夫人名下!”某女“坏人都被你收拾了,钱都是你赚的,你娶我做什么?”某男“夫人只需貌美如花!”PS:新文《鉴宝王妃:王爷,榻上请》已开坑,喜欢的可以入坑
  • 老子自然人生(传世名家经典文丛)

    老子自然人生(传世名家经典文丛)

    人生是一门博大精深的学问,有着太多太多的智慧等待着我们去汲取、领悟;思想是一片宽广无垠的大海,有着太浓太浓的魅力吸引我们去畅游其中。名家的人生,闪烁智慧的光芒,为我们折射出人生的光彩,波荡出生活的弦音;名家的人生,尽显思想的魅力,引领我们享受心灵的美丽旅途,体味生命的丰富元素。驰骋于睿智的思想海洋,让我们的精神变得充盈,心灵变得纯净而通透。
  • 姻缘劫:倾城如画

    姻缘劫:倾城如画

    她是江湖上鼎鼎大名的南宫伊公子,扛上了朝廷之人,嫁入王府,在别人眼中是件令人羡慕的事,却是万劫不复的开始,命运让他们纠缠不清。越是对她狠心越是在意她,不知不觉堕入亲手编织的情网中,当他发现一切的真相她已经芳踪难觅。历经生与死的感情何去何从……
  • 唐朝十讲

    唐朝十讲

    如果说,世界上有一门无人不参与、无人不受影响的学问的话,那就是历史。唐朝是一个透露和包含着多种因素的朝代:它是盛极而衰的王朝,它的开国和守国的逻辑是复杂而多变的,它同时拥有高度发达的文明。正是它的这些丰富和矛盾才构成了它永久和持续的魅力。正因为如此,我们读史、读唐的时候才能积累经验,以期获得来自历史的智慧。
  • 亿万星空我等你

    亿万星空我等你

    他是她这辈子最强大的敌人,然而却在葵树下一见钟情。“没有人能动我的她,一根寒毛也不行,否则,只有用鲜血来偿还!”“没有他的天,心就是冰冷静止的,任何人想要伤害他,都得从我的尸体上踏过去!”一句承诺,千山万水,亿万星空,我等你!