For Sceptre and Crown Volume II Part 47

The emperor sighed deeply and looked on the ground.

"My dear General," he then said, "you have come too late. I have indeed the most affectionate and honest friendship for the king, and from my soul I wished to see the sad conflict avoided whose unhappy consequences are now being accomplished. I have endeavoured to work in this spirit, it has been in vain. I must be quite frank with you," he continued, "the position of affairs demands it. The wish of my heart to be useful to your king is opposed by an unalterable political necessity, which King William, my uncle, deplores as deeply as I do myself."

The general sighed. His face quivered with pain and tears shone in his eyes.

The emperor looked at him for some time with an expression of deep sorrow and affectionate sympathy.

"I scarcely venture," he then said in a gentle voice, "to make the only proposition to you that the circ.u.mstances permit, and which if the king accepts it, I am sure I can prevail upon the King of Prussia to grant; if the king will abdicate," he proceeded with hesitation, "the Brunswick succession shall be secured to the Crown Prince Ernest Augustus."

The general was silent for a moment.

"Thus," said he, "must the house of Guelph be reduced to its cradle and its oldest inheritance! Will your majesty permit me to lay this proposition to which I am not in a position to reply, before my king at once?"

"I request you will do so," said the emperor, "you will," he added, "have no cipher at hand, send the despatch to Count Stackelberg, he can also receive the answer under his cipher."

"At your majesty's command," said General von Knesebeck.

"Be convinced," said the emperor in a hearty tone, "that I feel the deepest and warmest sympathy for your king; may G.o.d make the future of his family as happy as possible, and if I can help him in any way, I am ready to do so. Though the occasion is sad, I am glad that I have had the opportunity of making your acquaintance, my dear general."

He took his hand and pressed it heartily.

Then he rang and called his equerry.

"Take the despatch which the general will give you to Prince Gortschakoff at once. It must be sent in cipher to my amba.s.sador in Vienna immediately. The answer must be sent here to the general without delay."

With a low bow General von Knesebeck left the cabinet.

An hour later the electric wire bore his despatch to Vienna.

The night fell; restless and sleepless the general watched the sun which only at midnight sank for a short time below the horizon, and soon reappeared, mingling the twilight of evening with the morning dawn.

At noon a secretary arrived from Prince Gortschakoff and brought him a sealed letter.

The general hastily broke the seal with its large double eagles, and in the neatest handwriting saw the reply to his despatch.

It ran thus:

"The king cannot trade upon the succession to Brunswick, which will devolve upon himself and his heirs, by right of family inheritance, and the lawful transmission of land. He is however ready to abdicate immediately, provided the government of the kingdom of Hanover is guaranteed to the Crown Prince."

"I expected this," said the general with a sigh.

And sticking the paper into his uniform, he seized his plumed hat, and descended the stairs to the carriage already waiting to convey him to the Emperor Alexander.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE MARSHALS OF FRANCE.

Again the Emperor Napoleon sat in his cabinet at the Tuileries, but his wearied and anxious features no longer expressed content and calm security. A short sojourn at the baths of Vichy had not strengthened his health, and the political situation had not answered his expectations. Gloom and gravity overspread his face, he supported his elbows on his knees and bent down his head, slightly twisting the points of his moustache with his left hand, whilst listening to the report of the minister of foreign affairs, who sat before him.

Monsieur Drouyn de Lhuys was extremely excited, a pale flush was upon his usually quiet countenance, and in his keen and brilliant eyes shone a fire only repressed by a strong effort of will.

"Sire," he said, "your majesty beholds the result of the uncertain and vacillating policy I have so long implored you to abandon. Had your majesty prevented the war between Prussia and Austria, or had you marched the army to the Rhine a month ago, either the present difficult position could not have arisen, or France would have gained that which, from the new const.i.tution of Germany, she _must have_. Our situation now is most painful, and it will cost us double the effort successfully to uphold the interests of France."

The emperor raised his head a little, and from beneath his drooping eyelashes stole a look at the excited face of his minister.

"Do you think," he said, "that in Berlin they will really refuse our demands for compensation? Mayence we might perhaps abandon, if it ceases to be a fortress, or is reduced to a fortress of the second rank, but would they dare--?"

He paused.

"I am convinced," said Drouyn de Lhuys, "that they will give us _nothing_ of their own free-will. Peace with Austria is concluded, the Prussian army is free to march where it lists, and as it is prepared for war it has a great advantage over us; from Russia too the reports are very unfavourable, the feeling of displeasure in St. Petersburg has given place to extreme reserve, and during the last few days all Baron Talleyrand's remarks upon the dangers of a united military Germany have been met with evasive answers. Benedetti's short announcement leaves us in no doubt as to how his propositions were received in Berlin. We must make the greatest exertions."

Again the emperor looked up with a thoughtful gaze. He drew out his watch.

"Benedetti must have returned this morning, I am anxious to hear his report myself," he said.

"He will have gone to the Quai d'Orsay," returned Drouyn de Lhuys.

The curtain which hung over the door leading to the private secretary's room moved, and Pietri's fine intelligent head appeared from behind the portiere.

"Sire," he said, "Monsieur Benedetti is here, and asks whether your majesty is inclined to receive him?"

"Immediately!" said the emperor with animation, "bring him here!"

A minute afterwards the portiere opened and the amba.s.sador entered the cabinet.

He was in black morning dress, his pale features showed traces of fatigue from his journey, his eyes shone with nervous excitement.

He bowed deeply to the emperor, and shook hands with Drouyn de Lhuys.

"I have expected you with impatience," said Napoleon, "be seated, and tell me how matters stand in Berlin."

"Sire," said Benedetti, as he took a chair, and placed himself opposite to the emperor and Drouyn de Lhuys, "I had driven to the Quai d'Orsay to announce myself to the minister, and as I heard he was here, I took the liberty of coming at once."

"You were right," said the emperor, "you now find the whole apparatus of the const.i.tutional government together," he added laughingly; "relate,--I listen with impatience."

Monsieur Benedetti drew a deep breath and said:

"As your majesty is aware, I laid the sketch of the treaty which I received from Vichy before Count Bismarck, in a confidential conversation, immediately after his return to Berlin."

"And--?" asked the emperor.

"Any compensation, but above all the cession of Mayence, he plainly and roundly--refused."

"Your majesty perceives," said Drouyn de Lhuys.