"Your majesty," said General von Knesebeck, "I mast first beg permission to introduce to you Major von Kohlrausch, equerry to my royal master. He begs the honour of presenting a letter from our sovereign."

The emperor bowed kindly to the major, who stepped forward in a soldier-like manner and placed a writing in the emperor's hand.

He opened it quickly and looked through its brief contents.

"His majesty imparts the melancholy catastrophe to me in a few words, and refers me to you for a personal communication, major."

"My gracious master," said Major von Kohlrausch, as if repeating a military order, "commanded me to tell your imperial majesty, that after the great efforts made by his army to preserve the independence of his crown, and victoriously to defend his kingdom, and after these efforts and the successful battle of Langensalza were rendered useless by the superior numbers of the enemy, his majesty deemed his most dignified and worthy course would be to repair to your imperial majesty, his ill.u.s.trious confederate."

"And his true friend!" cried the emperor warmly.

The major bowed and proceeded.

"May I ask your imperial majesty whether the visit of the king and his reception in Vienna will be agreeable to you?"

"Agreeable!" cried the emperor with animation, "I long to embrace the heroic monarch who has given us all so high an example of princely stedfastness. Truly," he proceeded with a sigh, "the king will no longer find here a powerful ally; he will find a broken power needing the greatest courage and every exertion to avert the worst consequences."

"I believe I am speaking the mind of my royal master," said Major von Kohlrausch, "when I a.s.sure your imperial majesty the king is ready and resolved to share fortune and misfortune with his ill.u.s.trious ally, whose cause is his own and that of right."

The emperor looked on the ground for a moment. Then he raised his eyes with a brilliant expression, and said, his countenance glowing with courage and happy pride,--

"The friendship and the trust of so n.o.ble and heroic a heart as your king's must give courage to all, and fresh confidence in our cause.

Tell your royal master I await him with impatience, and that he will find me worthy to defend the cause of right and of Germany to the uttermost. My answer to the king shall be given to you as soon as possible."

The emperor ceased. The major silently awaited a sign of dismissal.

After a few moments Francis Joseph said, in a voice of emotion,--

"The king has given us an unparalleled example of heroism. I am anxious to express my admiration for his courage and that of the crown prince during the last few days by an outward sign. I will immediately summon the chapter of the Order of Maria Theresa, and my army will be proud if the king and his son will wear upon their b.r.e.a.s.t.s the n.o.blest and highest sign of honour to an Austrian soldier--wait until I can send you the insignia."

"I know my master well enough," said the major, with a joyful expression, "to be sure that such a sign will fill him with the highest satisfaction, and that the whole Hanoverian army will receive it with proud joy."

"I have been much pleased, my dear major," said the emperor, gracefully, "to receive you on this occasion as an envoy from the king.

I will, with the other things, send you the cross of the Order of Leopold, and I beg you to wear it in memory of this moment, and of my friendly remembrance."

The major bowed deeply. "Without this gracious sign," he said, "I should never forget this moment."

"Now rest yourself," said the emperor, kindly, "that you may have strength when all is ready for your return."

He bowed his head as a dismissal. The major with a quick military salute left the cabinet.

"You have been in the Bavarian head-quarters," said the emperor to General von Knesebeck.

"I have, your majesty," replied he. "When, in consequence of despatches received from Count Ingelheim, your majesty commanded me to go at once to Prince Karl, and urgently to beg him, in your all-powerful name, to hasten to the a.s.sistance of the Hanoverian army, I set out immediately, and found the Bavarian head-quarters, which the day before had been at Bamberg, at Neustadt. I represented to Prince Karl the pressing danger of the Hanoverian army, and I implored him, in your majesty's name and in that of my king, to make a rapid advance towards Eisenach and Gotha, that a union might be effected, and a favourable and important change possibly be made in the whole campaign."

"And Prince Karl?" asked the emperor, anxiously.

"The prince, as well as General von der Tann, who was with him, fully acknowledged the importance of a union of the Bavarian with the Hanoverian army--they were ready to do everything in their power--as indeed had been intended at the outset of the march. At the same time his royal highness, as well as the chief of the general staff, expressed great dissatisfaction at the march of the Hanoverian army; it was then really not known where it was, and, according to information brought in, the greatest strategical faults had been committed. The prince asked me about the strength of our army, and when I replied that, according to my estimation and to the intelligence I had heard, about nineteen thousand men were under arms, he replied, 'With nineteen thousand men you should cut your way through the enemy, and not march hither and thither into positions where you must be surrounded.'

General von der Tann nodded approval."

The emperor bent his head and sighed.

"I heard this with great sorrow," added the general, "and my grief was greater since I could not deny the truth of the judgment p.r.o.nounced at the Bavarian headquarters. I am a general staff officer, your majesty,"

he said, with a sigh, "but I must own the marches which our army have made are to me quite incomprehensible, and that it would have been much easier on our part to reach the Bavarians by a hasty march, than to await their advance with these apparently aimless runnings to and fro."

"The poor king!" cried the emperor, in a sorrowful voice.

"Naturally," continued von Knesebeck, "I did not utter these ideas in the Bavarian head-quarters; on the contrary, I urged a hasty advance for the relief of the Hanoverian army--the only course as matters then were which could possibly save it. Prince Karl, in spite of his displeasure, was quite ready to comply; he immediately commanded an advance by the forest of Thuringia upon Gotha, and informed Prince Alexander of his movements, that the eighth army corps might march at the same time. But," he added, with a sigh, "the Bavarian army had been reduced to a peace footing."

"Impossible!" cried the emperor. "Bavaria urged upon the confederation so strongly the policy that led to war."

General von Knesebeck slightly shrugged his shoulders.

"Under the circ.u.mstances," he said, "the Bavarian army was not in a condition to act rapidly and forcibly. However, they set out. Prince Karl removed his headquarters to Meiningen, and with a heavy heart full of misgivings I accompanied him thither. The following day we were to proceed; then Count Ingelheim arrived, and brought the news of the catastrophe of Langensalza!"

"What a melancholy combination of disastrous events!" cried the emperor.

"Under these circ.u.mstances," continued the general, "Prince Karl was quite right in abandoning his onward march and ordering flank movements, through which to join the eighth army corps at Friedberg, seventeen miles from Meiningen. I returned here with a sorrowful heart, and found, alas! the news of the still heavier blow which has smitten your majesty and our cause."

"The blow is heavy," cried the emperor, "but I have courage, and hope all may yet be favourable. I am glad that your king's message came to-day, and that I have seen you, my dear general; it has given me fresh courage to strive to the utmost to do my duty towards Germany. Do you think," he asked, after a moment's thought, "that we may expect an energetic campaign from Bavaria? You have seen the condition of the army--you have the quick eye of a soldier--tell me candidly your opinion!"

"Your majesty," said General von Knesebeck, "Bavaria will doubtless absorb Prussian troops, and that is an advantage. As to an energetic campaign, Prince Karl is a very old gentleman, and at his years energy is unusual, especially at the head of an army unfit to fight."

"But General von der Tann?" asked the emperor.

"General von der Tann has great military capacity; whether he will be responsible for any exploit not purely Bavarian in its aim, whether with the prince's character he can effect anything, I doubt."

"You expect then--?" asked the emperor anxiously.

"Very little!" said the general.

"And from the other German corps?" asked the emperor.

"The eighth corps can do nothing without Bavaria; and before my departure extraordinary news had arrived from Baden."

"Will Baden fall off from us?" cried the emperor.

"I do not know," said Knesebeck, "the impression made by the defeat of Koniggratz, which will perhaps be exaggerated--" He shrugged his shoulders.

"The Reichs-armee!" cried the emperor, stamping his foot upon the ground. "Do you believe," he exclaimed vehemently, "that the Austrian sun is setting? It is indeed evening," he said gloomily--"perhaps night; but," he cried, with flaming eyes, "after night comes morning!"

"The sun does not set upon the realms of Austria; your majesty must have faith in the brilliant star of your house!" cried General von Knesebeck.

"And by G.o.d!" cried the emperor, "if the star of day will once more shine favourably upon the House of Austria during this campaign, then shall your king in the full splendour of power and happiness stand next to myself in Germany!" And he held out his hand to the general with a movement of indescribable n.o.bility.

The equerry entered.

"Count Mensdorff, your imperial majesty, has just returned, and requests an audience."