Louisa of Prussia and Her Times

ng was prepared for his reception; the table was set, and the cooks were only looking for the arrival of th

allo were in the dining-room, standing a

he most memorable years of my life-of my sojourn at the court of the Russian Semiramis. But you, marquis, are probably reminded by th

said the marquis. "I am at home wherev

arquis, you have to se

he marquis, gravely, "and the empress is my king's daughter. The A

Count Cobenzl, gloomily. "This French general is really a sans-culotte of

very long-headed man, and I am sure we must be greatly on

be ours, and do whatever we may want without even noticing it. The great Empress Catharine used to say: 'Bears are best tamed by sweetmeats, and republicans by titles and decorations.' Just see, marquis, how I am going to honor him! I let him drink his chocolate to-day from my most precious relic from this cup here, which the great empress gave to me, and which you see contains the czarina's portrait. Ah, it was at the last festival at the Ermitage that she handed me the cup with chocolate, and, in order to give

and dignity of France. Besides, there is another bad feature about him-he is incorruptible, and even the titles and decorations of the Empress Catharine would not have tamed

h extends her boundaries, and enlarges he

any good for? Let Austria take from her whatever she wants-a piece of Bavaria, a piece of Prussia-I would not care if she even gave to France a piece of Germany, for in

e much better qualified to act as Austrian plenipotentiary in this matter. Nevertheless it is odd and funny enough that in these negotiations in whic

hat the emperor could not have intrusted the interests of Germany to better hands. But as you have permitted me to act as your adviser,

e is coming. Six horses-four footmen on the box, and a whole squadron of lancers escorting him! And you believe th

h hastened to receive the general, whos

e middle of the staircase and escorted him to the

, in spite of the repeated and most

in order to increase its value in my eyes. The Empress Catharine gave it to me, and drank from it; and if you now use this c

alina, who, by her dissolute life, equally disgraced the dignity of the crown and of womanhood. You see I am a

van close to the breakfast-table, and, with a rapid gest

erday," said Bonaparte, coldly; "have you taken it

so directly at the point, dis

ce asks too much and offers too little. Austria is ready to cede Belgium to France, and gi

f the stipulations of my ultimatum, and you seem to have forgotten it, count. And you say nothing abo

tria, and Mentz is garrisoned by German troops.

, is a sovereign state, and whose delegates are at my headquarters, waiting for my reply! T

remarked the Marquis de Gallo. "Austria is quite willing and ready to form a cl

standing with France, she must be sure that no such right of aggran

to permit any further aggrandizement of Prussia, but to give back

r stipulated boundaries, including Mentz, be ceded to France, and provided, further, that the Adige form the boundary-line between Austria and the Cisalpine Republic, Mantua to belong to the latter. You cede Bel

, "we cannot accept the last condition. We must have Mantua, likewise; in retu

ges!" exclaimed Bonaparte, and his eyes d

imatum, general," he said, gently, "and I am sorry to be compelled to declare that I shall have to leave this place unless our ter

th flaming eyes, and li

resort to subterfuge after subterfuge. Then you are d

ess Catharine had given to Count Cobenzl, and, with an impetuous motio

r Austrian monarchy shall be shattered like this cu

pon the two gentlemen, he hurried with ra

ed at the debris of the precious cup, which so

the Marquis de Gallo. "S

ere?" asked the count, sighing

powerful voice was heard in

derly-

whispered the marquis. "Let us

eeping from behind the curtains. They saw a French lancer galloping up

duke Charles," shouted Bonaparte. "Tell him on my behalf that the armistice is at an

ndow with a crash, and walk with

"listen! he leaves and has threatened to shatter Austria. He is the man to fulfil his th

the storm to stand stil

negotiations in this way and recommence hostil

hastened through the anteroom a

formed in line, the driver had seized the reins and whip

appeared at the carriage door. Bonaparte did not seem to see him.

uis, imploringly, "I bes

does not become me to remain peaceably among my enemies. Wa

solved to accept your ultimatum." Bonaparte's marble countenance did not betray the slighte

t subterfuge or reser

sign the treaty of peace, and accept the ultimatum. Just be kind

iting 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 p

lready on the way to the Austrian headquarters i

quis, I believe in the sincerity of your assurances. In three hours, then, I shall expect you at Passeriano for the purpose of

the decayed old cas

ty shall be signed. In three ho

vassal, at the feet of the throne, stood at the carriage

se; 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 ful

bank of the Rhine, and the fortress of Monte. Austria acquired the Venetian territory. But to these acquisitions, which were published, secret articles

clusion of the treaty with the German empire, to be agreed upon at Rastadt, from all the fortres

po 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; al

QUEEN OF