Louisa of Prussia and Her Times

ne; the Austrian court having sent with Count Meerveldt and Count Louis Cobenzl the Marquis de Gallo, who,

authorized by the great French Republic to conclude pea

on the border of Germany and Italy, for there the immediate future of Europe was to

nd losses of continued defeats. But she did not want peace, coute qui coute; she wanted to derive substantial advantages from it-

uld read his thoughts in his marble countenance. None could decipher his future actions from his lac

isfactory conclusion. Austria demanded too much, and France would not yield enough. These conferences had frequently assumed a very stormy character, and often, during the debates, Bonaparte's voice had resounded in thundering tones, and flashes of anger had burst forth from his eyes. But

ur in the morning. He had just finished his toilet; the four valets who had assisted him had just concluded their task. As usual, Bonaparte had suffered them to dress and wash him like a child.

ess of that period, stepped in. Bonaparte, greeting his youthful secre

down, took a pen and some blank paper, and wa

and momentarily ready to write, enjoyed this pause, this absorbed pondering of the general, with genuine delight; for it afforded him leisure

y academy; they had met afterward at Paris-and poor young Lieutenant Bonaparte h

n illustrious general; while Bourrienne, whom the Terrorists had proscribed, thankfully accepte

res seemed to breathe vitality and spirit, and the firmer grew the conviction that this was an exceptional being-a rare and strange phenomenon. Once accustomed to his apparent pale and sickly homeliness, the beholder soon saw it transformed into a fascinating beauty such as we admire on the antique Roman cameos and old imperial coins. His classical and regular profile seemed to be modelled after these antique coins; his forehead, framed in on both sides with fine chestnut hair, was high and statuesque. His eyes were blue, but brimful of the most wonderful expression and sparkling with fire, a faithful mirror of his fiery soul, now exceedingly mild and gentle, and then again stern and even harsh. His mouth was classically beautiful-the finely-shaped lips, na

iend of his youth, when the latter suddenly stood sti

s manner, Bourrienne?" he aske

ur glorious victories have woven around your brow

ges, and I was glad that you had the good taste to perceive this, and upon meeting me under the present circumstances, to observe a becoming and delicate reserve. I am und

no further notice of him, and walked again rapidly up and down. The smile had alread

d; but now he dared no longer look at Bonap

"Have you read the dispatches which the Directory sent me yest

e, gen

ty, they want me to carry first war and revolution into their midst. These big-mouthed and ignorant Parisians do not know that Italy will not belong to us in reality until after the restoration of peace, and that the Directory, even at the first dawn of peace, will rule her from the mountains of Switzerland to the capes of Calabria. Then, and only then, the Directory will be able to alter the various governments of Italy, and for this very reason we have to attach Austria to our cause by a treaty of peace. As soon as she has signed it, she will no longer molest us: first, because she is our ally; and principally because she will apprehend that we mig

the most secret thoughts of his soul-and still with proud disdain toward him who could overhear every word he said. He

his breast; for his eyes became more lustrous, his cheeks were suffused with an almost imperceptible blush, and he breathed heavil

entirely different aspect. Hoar-frost, dense and glittering, covered the trees and the verdure of the meadows; and the Noric Alps, which cr

ry!" He then whispered, "Snow and ice in the first part of October! Very well! we

indow and retur

," he said to Bourrienne,

succession before him, and Bonaparte rea

s. How, then, should I be able to resist the united Austrian forces, which would hasten to the assistance of Vienna? It would take the armies on the Rhine more than a month to come up in supporting distance, and in the course of two weeks the snow will have blocked up all roads and mountain-passes

nade across the room, dictating slowly and clearly, so that every word dropped from his lips like a pearl, until

e negotiations altogether. Peace will be advantageous to us-war with Austria will injure us; but

f a war with England, with logical acuteness and precision. His words were no less pointed an

his thoughts, but only to give his secretary a few se

ptings of glory, of vanity and ambition; I have only regarded the welfare of the country and government. If they should not approve of my actions and views, nothing is left to me but to step back into the crowd, put on the wooden shoes of Cincin

asked Bonaparte, dr

eneral,

nd who has such an excellent nose that he scents every danger and every advantage from afar. But this time he has lost the trail and is

gene

l, g

and even without hesitating, Bonap

or war. I confess that I shall do every thing to make peace, in consequence o

iers should be killed for their sake. I see from your letter that you always argue from unfounded premises. Y

sire for liberty and equality was not my ally, or at best it was but a very feeble one. Whatever i

rstood. Only by prudence, sagacity, and determination we are able to realize great objects and surmount all obstacles; otherwise all our efforts will prove unavailin

eatest nation and most powerful state in Europe-nay, more, we shall hold the balance of power, we shall make it incline wherever we desire, and if it were the will of Providence, it would be no impossibility to achieve in the course of a few y

ray a profound secret, and stopped exactly when it was n

last word and close the letter. What make

ieve if all nations and all men could behold you as I saw you just now, they would believe once more in the fables o

mile lighted up his face, pr

flattery is something very aristocratic, and injurious to our stiff republican dignity. And what an idea, to compare me to Jove appearing on earth! Don't you know, then, you learned scholar and flatterer, that Jove, whenever he descended from Olympus, was in purs

to be impossible, for even if you should succeed in performing all the

!" exclaimed Bonaparte, laughing. "Ah, flatterer, you see I have caught you in your own meshes. But would my Josephine

ways would take good care

golden rains, and should they be ever so violent, she would not complain; for if they should immerse

, and that is the reason why she spends so much mon

ul, so tender and affectionate, so passionate and odd! And at the same time so dignified and refined in her manners. Ah, you ought to have seen her at Milan receiving the princes and noblesse in her drawing-room.

ral. I was at Milan

she not? No young girl can boast of more freshness, more grace, innocence, and loveliness. Whenever I am with her, I feel as contented, as

young lover of twenty-eight had triumphed for a moment over th

ittle house in the Rue Chantereine, alone and happy with Josephine! But in order to get there, I must first make peace here-peace with Austria, with the Emperor of Germany. Ah, I a

ublic of Ven

d Bonaparte, frowning. "Venice has rendered herself unwo

ic were all day yesterday in your ant

war or peace. In either case, woe unto the Venetians! Tell them, Bourrienne, to wait until I return.