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or blockhead。 You see now； empress； that I am entirely isolated； for
the ally which you offer to me will do me no good； I do not want it；
and I have no other allies。 I thought it necessary to arm； in view
of the formidable armaments of France； and show our adversary that I
am not afraid of him； but am prepared for every thing。 I therefore
put my army on the war footing； and showed Bonaparte that Austria is
able to cope with him； and that money and well…disciplined armies
are not wanting to her。 But just now I shall not proceed any
further； and； unless something important should occur； all this war…
clamor and all importunities will make no impression on me。 The
important event to which I alluded would be Napoleon's defeat in
Spain； whereby he would be compelled to keep his armies there。 In
that event； I should no longer be isolated； but Spain would be my
ally； and I should probably declare war。 But if matters should turn
out otherwise； if fortune should favor Napoleon there as everywhere
else； necessity alone will determine my course。 I shall not attack；
and thereby challenge fate of my own accord； but I shall wait； sword
in hand； for Napoleon to attack me。 If he does； God and my good
right will be on my side； and whatever may be the result of the
struggle； people will be unable to say that I rashly plunged into
war and broke the peace。 If we succumb； it is the will of God and
the Holy Virgin； and not； our fault。 And now； empress；〃 said the
emperor； drawing a deep breath； 〃I have complied with your wishes
and talked politics with you。 I think it will be enough once for
all； and you and you political friends will perceive that you cannot
do any thing with me； and that it will be best for you to let me
entirely alone； for I am so stubborn as not to allow others to lead
me； but pursue my own course。 You have promised me； empress； to be a
faithful friend tome。 I ask you now to give me a proof of your
friendship。 Let us speak of something else than polities； that is
all that I ask of your friendship。〃
〃Well； then； let us drop the subject；〃 said the empress； with a deep
sigh。 〃Your majesty will be kind enough to permit me now to ask a
favor of you？〃
〃Ah； you speak as if there were anything that I could refuse you；〃
exclaimed the emperor； smiling。
Ludovica bowed slightly。 〃I pray you； therefore；〃 she said； 〃to be
kind enough to accompany me to the concert which is to be given at
the university hall。 Haydn's 'Creation' will be performed there； and
I believe the old maestro himself will be present to receive the
homage of his admirers。〃
〃H'm； h'm！ I am afraid there is something else behind it；〃 said the
emperor； thoughtfully； 〃and the audience will not content itself
with merely offering homage to old Haydn。 But no matter； your
majesty wishes to go to the concert； and it will afford me pleasure
to accompany my empress。〃
At this moment they heard a low rap at the door leading from the
emperor's cabinet into the conference…room； where the officers of
the private imperial chancery were working。
〃Well； what is it？〃 exclaimed the emperor。 〃Come in。〃
The emperor's private chamberlain slipped softly through the half…
opened door； and； on beholding the empress； be stood still without
uttering a word。
〃Never mind； the empress will excuse you；〃 said Francis。
〃Just tell me what you have come in for。〃
〃Your majesty；〃 said the chamberlain； 〃the French ambassador； Count
Andreossi； has just arrived； and requests your majesty to grant him
an audience。 He says he wishes to communicate information of great
importance to you。〃
〃Why did he not apply to my minister of foreign affairs？〃 asked the
emperor； indignantly。
〃Your majesty； the ambassador begs your pardon； but he says the
Emperor Napoleon gave him express orders to endeavor if possible to
speak with your majesty。〃
〃And he is already in the anteroom； and waits for an immediate
audience？〃
〃Yes； your majesty。〃
〃Well； then； I will receive him；〃 said the emperor； rising。 〃Conduct
the ambassador to the small audience…room。Well？〃 asked the
emperor； wonderingly； when the chamberlain did not withdraw。 〃You do
not go？ Do you wish to tell me any thing else？〃
〃I do； your majesty。 A courier has just arrived from Paris with
pressing dispatches from Count Metternich to your majesty。〃
〃Ah； that changes the matter！〃 exclaimed the emperor。 〃Tell the
ambassador that I can not receive him now； but that he is to come
back in an hour； at eleven precisely； when I shall be ready to
receive him。 Tell the courier to come to me at once。〃
The chamberlain slipped noiselessly out of the door； and the emperor
turned again to the empress：
〃Empress；〃 he said； 〃do me the honor of permitting me to offer you
my arm； and conduct you back to your rooms。 You see I am a poor；
tormented man； who is so overwhelmed with business that he cannot
even chat an hour with his wife without being disturbed。 Pity me a
little； and prove it to me by permitting me henceforth to rest in
your presence from the cares of business； and not talk politics。〃
〃The wish of my lord and emperor shall be fulfilled；〃 said the
empress； mournfully； taking the arm which the emperor offered to her
to conduct her back to her rooms。
Just as she crossed the threshold of the imperial cabinet； and
stepped into the corridor； she heard the voice of the chamberlain；
who announced： 〃The courier from Paris； Counsellor von Hudelist。〃
〃All right； I shall be back directly！〃 exclaimed the emperor； and he
conducted the empress with a somewhat accelerated step through the
corridor。 In front of the door at its end he stood still and bowed
to the empress with a pleasant smile。
〃I have conducted you now to the frontier of your realm；〃 said
Francis； 〃permit me； therefore； to return to mine。 Farewell！ We
shall go to the concert to…night。 Farewell！〃
Without waiting for the reply of the empress； he turned and hastily
re…entered his cabinet。
Ludovica entered her room and locked the door behind her。 〃Closed
forever！〃 she said； with a sigh。 〃At least I shall not try again to
avail myself of this door； and shall not expose myself again to the
sneers of the emperor。 I must； then； bear this disgrace； I must
submit to being disdained and repudiated by my husband； IBut
hush！〃 the empress interrupted herself； 〃this is no time for
bewailing my personal fate； for the fate of all Austria is at stake
at this juncture。 Highly important events must have occurred at
Paris； else Metternich would not have sent his confidant and
assistant Hudelist； nor would Andreossi demand an audience in so
impetuous a manner。 Perhaps this intelligence may at length lead to
a decision to…day； or we may at least contribute to such a result。 I
will write to the Archduke John； and ask him to see the emperor。
Perhaps he will succeed better than I did in persuading my husband
to take a determined stand。〃
She hastened to her writing…desk； and penned that mysterious little
note which she sent to the Archduke John in the book which she
pretended he had lent to her。
CHAPTER III。
THE COURIER AND THE AMBASSADOR。
The emperor； in returning to his cabinet； like