"Ah!" cried the emperor, drawing a deep breath; "at once--at once. I await him with impatience!"

And he walked forward to meet Count Mensdorff, who, at a sign from Major von Fejervari, appeared on the threshold of the royal cabinet.

"Has your imperial majesty any further commands for me?" asked General von Knesebeck.

"Remain! remain! dear general," cried the emperor. "Count Mensdorff's intelligence will have the greatest interest for you, as well as for me!"

The general bowed.

"And now, Count Mensdorff," cried the emperor, with a trembling voice, "speak! The fate of Austria hangs on your lips!"

Count Mensdorff stood before his monarch looking quite broken down; the fatigues of the journey to headquarters had exhausted his feeble frame, nervous anxiety had drawn deep lines upon his countenance, a sorrowful expression lay around his lips, and only his dark eyes shone with feverish brilliance.

"You are exhausted!" cried the emperor; "seat yourselves, gentlemen."

And he seated himself before his writing-table. Crenneville, Count Mensdorff, and General Knesebeck placed themselves near the table.

"Your majesty," said Count Mensdorff, in his low voice, "the tidings I bring are sad,--very sad, but not hopeless."

The emperor folded his hands and looked upwards.

"The army has suffered a frightful defeat," said Count Mensdorff, "ending in a wild flight, in which all order was lost. To a.s.semble and re-form the ma.s.ses will require several days."

"But how is this possible?" cried the emperor, "how could Benedek--"

"The field-marshal," said Count Mensdorff, "was quite right when he told your majesty he could not fight with that army,--events have been unparalleled. Your majesty knows that Benedek is a good, brave general, who is quite capable of forestalling the plans and defeating the troops who operate against him. Your majesty,--I must say it,--he has in no way been supported. The general staff drew up a plan, the excellence of which I will not judge, but which the rapid, unexpected, and wonderfully combined movements of the Prussian army, the sudden and unforeseen arrival of the crown prince's forces, ought to have modified. With inconceivable blindness the general staff refused to make any modification,--to listen to any warning. Added to this, they were so little prepared for a retreat, or so incomprehensibly careless, that the officers were unacquainted with the line of retreat, and not one commandant of a regiment knew the bridges by means of which the march must be effected; thus the retreat became a flight, the flight became the dissolution of the army."

"Terrible!" cried the emperor; "Benedek must be brought before a court-martial."

"Not Benedek, your majesty," said Count Mensdorff; "he has done what he could do; he stood at the post which had been given him, he exposed himself personally in a way seldom done by a general; and with unequalled courage he, with his whole staff, charged the enemy as if at the head of a squadron,--of course in vain. Tears came into my eyes, your majesty," proceeded Count Mensdorff, in a voice slightly trembling with emotion, "when I saw the brave general, broken down with grief, and when he said to me in his simple, soldier-like way: 'I have lost everything, except, alas! my life!' Your majesty, we must deeply regret that the field-marshal was placed in a position to which he was unequal; but to be angry with him, to blame him, is impossible."

The emperor looked silently and gloomily down before him.

"But," continued Count Mensdorff, "the general staff must be made to answer for their conduct. I am far from p.r.o.nouncing a judgment; the moment has not yet come, and an impartial and calm examination is now impossible. I hope that the accused may be able to justify themselves; but a strict reckoning must be required, it is demanded by the voice of the whole army, whose heroic courage has been sacrificed in vain,--in a few days it will be demanded by the voice of the people."

"And who are the guilty?" asked the emperor.

"Lieutenant Field-Marshal von Henikstein and Major-General von Krismanic are the _accused_," said the count with emphasis; "whether they are guilty justice must decide."

"They shall be removed from their positions, and recalled here to justify themselves. Count Crenneville," cried the emperor.

"At your majesty's command," replied the adjutant-general.

"I must not conceal from your imperial majesty," continued Count Mensdorff in a calm voice, "that several parties in the army severely blame Count Clam-Gallas; they say he did not conduct his operations at the right time nor obey the orders that were given him."

"Count Clam!" exclaimed the emperor. "I do not believe it."

"I thank your imperial majesty for that word," said Count Mensdorff, "and I venture to add that I believe from his devotion to your majesty and to Austria, Count Clam-Gallas would be incapable of military negligence; nevertheless, he is my relative, he belongs to the great aristocracy of the empire--the public voice accuses him, and will condemn him the more easily if his justification is not brilliant and complete. I beg your majesty to call him to account."

"It shall be done," said the emperor, "he shall be invited here; I can then take further steps. But now," he continued, "what is to be done?

is the situation hopeless?"

"Your majesty," replied Count Mensdorff, "the army still numbers 180,000 men; at the present moment they are certainly in no condition to carry on any military operation; but only time and re-formation are required to enable them to offer fresh resistance to the enemy. The fortified camp of Olmutz affords rest and safety, and the field-marshal is withdrawing his head-quarters there, to draw the enemy away from Vienna."

"To draw them away from Vienna!" repeated the emperor; "it is terrible; this enemy whom I hoped to overthrow for ever, already threatens me in my capital!"

"It is to be hoped," said Count Mensdorff, "that the Prussian army will follow the field-marshal, and be detained before Olmutz; in the meantime Vienna must be covered to provide for every contingency, and to enable us to attack the enemy on two sides when we can resume offensive measures."

General Knesebeck nodded approval, the emperor cast a look of excitement on his minister.

"And to obtain this," added Count Mensdorff, "we need Hungary and the Italian army."

The emperor rose.

"Do you believe," he cried vehemently, "that from the mouth of Hungary the words that saved Austria will again resound: _Moriamur pro rege nostro?_"

"_Pro rege nostro_," said Count Mensdorff, clearly p.r.o.nouncing each word, "yes, I do believe it--if your majesty will be _rex Hungariae!_"

"Am I not?" cried the emperor. "What shall I do to make Hungary draw the sword for me?"

"Forget and forgive," said Count Mensdorff, "and restore to Hungary her independence beneath the crown of St. Stephen."

The emperor was silent.

"And the Italian army?" he then asked.

"Must be recalled as quickly as possible, to cover Vienna, and to march against the enemy!"

"And what will become of Italy?" asked the emperor.

"Italy must be given up," said Count Mensdorff, sighing.

The emperor gave him a penetrating look.

"Give up Italy?" he asked, hesitatingly, and cast down his eyes.

"Italy or Germany," said Count Mensdorff, "and in my opinion the choice cannot be difficult."

"It is hard enough to have to make the choice," whispered the emperor.

"Your majesty, permit me to speak plainly and to express my thoughts clearly. Your imperial majesty will remember before the commencement of the war my deep anxiety at two different campaigns being carried on at the same moment. I was of the opinion that Italy ought to be sacrificed, that our position in Germany might be recovered and strengthened by an alliance with France. One might then indeed hope that without this sacrifice the war on both sides would be successfully carried on, and your majesty's great and courageous heart held firmly to this hope. Now this is no longer possible, now the sorrowful choice must be made--if we are to gain anything in Germany--if we are to maintain what we possess--the whole strength of Austria must be concentrated upon one point, the whole strength of the Italian army must be brought here, and the Arch-Duke Albert with his eagle eye must take the entire command of both armies. Thus alone is recovery possible; thus alone is it possible to keep Germany for Austria. For,"

he added, mournfully, "your majesty must not be deceived, the disaster of Koniggratz will have a great effect on all the lukewarm and hesitating members of the German Confederation. Baden has already fallen away."

"Baden fallen away?" cried the emperor vehemently.

"Just now, since my return, as I was preparing to come here," said Count Mensdorff, "intelligence came to the Office of State from Frankfort, that Prince William of Baden had declared on the 6th, that under existing circ.u.mstances he must refuse for the troops of Baden to co-operate with the army of the confederation."

"Such, then, is the first result of Koniggratz," said the emperor, bitterly. "But," he cried, with sparkling eyes, as he threw back his head, "they may be mistaken, these princes, whose forefathers humbly surrounded the throne of my ancestors. The power of Austria is shaken, but not destroyed; and yet again the time may come when Hapsburg will sit in judgment in Germany, to punish and reward! Count Mensdorff," he cried, with decision, "my choice is made. I give up all for Germany.

But," he continued, sinking again into gloomy thought, "how can I--I, the victor, bow down before this king of Italy--implore a peace which may, perhaps, be refused?"