"But my dear Mensdorff," he said, "I know your Austrian heart; does it not beat higher at the thought of again raising in Germany the ancient power of the house of Hapsburg, and of breaking the might of that dangerous rival who would root out Austria and my royal house from Germany, the old inheritance of my fathers? Shall I give up this opportunity, which perhaps may never again occur?"

"Your majesty cannot bear in your heart deeper love to Austria, nor greater pride in your n.o.ble house, than I," replied Count Mensdorff warmly; "and I would give the last drop of my blood to see you again enthroned from Rome to Frankfort, surrounded by the princes of the empire, as lord and leader of Germany; but----"

"But?" cried the emperor with kindling eyes. "Do you believe the object is to be attained without throwing the sword into the balance? That man in Berlin, himself, says, 'Blood and the Sword must regenerate Germany.' Now let the sword decide, and may the blood be upon him."

"I cannot," said Count Mensdorff, in a melancholy voice, "consider this opportunity as favourable; to open two theatres of war at once, is play which neither the present resources of Austria nor my hopes for her future justify; especially when one enemy is so powerful, and so untiringly energetic, that we shall need all our strength to withstand him."

"Energetic?" said the emperor softly: "at Olmutz the strong man quietly gave way."

"Olmutz will not be repeated; the Emperor Nicholas is dead, and between Alexander and us lies Sebastopol!"

The emperor was silent.

"May I humbly suggest to your majesty's attention," said Count Mensdorff, after a moment's pause, during which he looked through his papers, "that the Duc de Gramont presses for an answer on the subject of the French Treaty, to be concluded on condition that we give up Venetia."

"Can the answer no longer be postponed?" asked the emperor.

"No, your majesty; the amba.s.sador declares that an undecided answer will be regarded as a definite refusal."

"What would you do?"

Count Mensdorff spoke slowly and calmly. "If your imperial majesty has decided, as indeed you have, to undertake at the present moment a mighty war for the re-establishment of the Austrian power in Germany, that object is great enough to set aside every other; it is n.o.ble and costly enough to demand a sacrifice. The house of Hapsburg was powerful in Europe _without_ Venice, it has not obtained power with that province; on the contrary, many embarra.s.sments, troubles, and difficulties. The war in Germany, and about Germany, would have greater chance of success if the enemy in the south were removed, our own army there set free, whilst our alliance with France would hinder Prussia from concentrating her army against us. The enemy would be occupied on two sides, whilst we should be able to throw our whole force on one point, and our present unfavourable position would be turned completely to our advantage. Under such a constellation a second Olmutz would be possible, or, if the sword decided, success would be far more certain.

Your majesty," concluded Count Mensdorff, calmly meeting the emperor's searching, anxious gaze, "I would yield Venetia."

The emperor bit his lips in silence.

"Must I buy," he cried at last, "must I buy the position of my house in Germany,--must I buy the rights of my ancestors? And from whom? from this King of Italy, who has banished the princes of my race, who threatens the Church, and is even ready to attack the holy patrimony itself. No! no! Put yourself in my place, Count Mensdorff; you will own I cannot do it."

"Forgive me, your majesty," said the count, "but everything must be bought; every treaty is a purchase, and the more valuable the object obtained, the better the bargain. Austria's Italian position, and earlier policy, the correctness of which is doubtful, were given up with Lombardy. Venice cannot avail us much, and would be a hindrance to a possible alliance with Italy."

"You think of an alliance with Italy as possible?" cried the emperor with astonishment.

"Why not?" said Count Mensdorff, "if Italy has the whole of what is Italian, she has no further enmity with Austria, and would far rather be a close friend to her, than to France, with whom sooner or later she must struggle for the first place amongst the nations of Latin race."

"And the banished archdukes, and his Holiness the Head of the Church?"

asked the emperor. "I cannot do it," he continued, gazing before him: "what would my uncle think, who is preparing to make Italy feel the sharpness of the Austrian sword--what would my whole family, what would history?--what would they say of me in Rome? When Italy is overcome,"

he said, after a moment's thought, "when we have attained our former eminence in Germany, then we can negotiate about Venice; if then, through this sacrifice, the safety of the Holy Father and the patrimony of St. Peter can be guaranteed----"

"If your majesty is victorious in Germany, we shall need no negotiations with Italy," said Count Mensdorff; "but----"

A knock at the door was heard, and the equerry on duty, Prince Liechtenstein, entered.

"A despatch for your imperial majesty from the Field-Marshal;" and he withdrew.

The emperor's eyes sparkled, and his hand trembled slightly as he tore off the cover of the telegram.

"Perhaps an engagement," he murmured.

His eyes flew with the greatest anxiety over the lines. He turned deadly pale, and with his eyes still fixed on the paper he held in his hand, he sank upon the plain wooden chair before his writing-table. A short silence ensued, during which the emperor gasped for breath.

Count Mensdorff watched his imperial master with the greatest anxiety, but did not venture to interrupt the painful reflections in which he was plunged by the intelligence he had just received. At last the emperor roused himself.

"A despatch from Benedek!" he cried.

"And what does the Field-Marshal announce?" asked Count Mensdorff.

The emperor pa.s.sed his hand over his brow. "He begs me to make peace at any price. The army is not in a condition to fight, as he will explain hereafter."

"Your majesty cannot believe that the Field-Marshal and I have conspired. If he does not believe the army equal to the war which is before us--he, the man trusted by public opinion"--Count Mensdorff said this with an almost imperceptible smile,--"then there must be a strong foundation for my belief."

The emperor sprang to his feet and hastily rang the golden bell which stood upon his writing-table. The gentleman-in-waiting entered.

"Prince Liechtenstein!" cried the emperor.

A moment afterwards the equerry on duty stood before him.

"Beg Count Crenneville to come immediately. Who is in the ante-room?"

"General Baron Gablenz, with the chief of his staff and aides-de-camp,"

replied Prince Liechtenstein.

"Very good," said the emperor; "let them come in at once."

The prince immediately summoned the general and his companions. Baron Gablenz advanced towards the emperor.

"I beg your majesty, before my departure for the army, to permit me to express my humble thanks for the command you have bestowed upon me of the 10th corps, and for your gracious expressions of confidence in me."

The emperor replied, "This confidence, my dear general, is no favour, you have deserved it, and you will justify it by the fresh laurels which you will bind around the banners of Austria."

Baron Gablenz presented Colonel Bourguignon, his aides-de-camp, and Lieutenant von Stielow. The emperor said a few words to each in his usually gracious and engaging way. To Herr von Stielow he said--

"You are from Mecklenburg?"

"At your command, your majesty."

"Yours will perhaps be a divided heart; for I fear your Fatherland will be compelled to stand on the side of our enemy."

"Your majesty," replied the young officer with emotion, "so long as I wear this uniform, my Fatherland is where your royal banners wave. My heart is Austrian." He placed his hand on his breast, and pressed closer to his heart the rose he had received the evening before.

The emperor smiled, and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"I rejoice that the general has chosen you, and I hope to hear of you."

Prince Liechtenstein opened the door with the words, "General Count Crenneville."

The emperor's adjutant-general entered. He wore undress uniform. His sharply-cut features of the French type, his short black moustache, and bright dark eyes, belied the fifty years which the general bore.

"Your imperial majesty sent for me," he said.