I
A C O N S PI RAC Y O F T HE C ARBON AR
.
h
LO U I S E
A
u th o r o
f
“
er l in a n d
B
ff H
M
S
a ns
Gr e a t a n d H is F
M A RY
F
1 14
.
a
LB A C H
S
mil y ,
A
”
F
re d e r ick
e tc “ e tc.
J
.
T E N N Y SO N
FI F T H
ouci,
” “
,
V E N UE
N E E LY
,
N
E W
,
Y O RK
.
th e
A C O N S P I RA C Y
OF TH E
C A RB O N A RI
C HAP
AF
I
TER I
.
T E R E S S LI N G E N
.
was th e evening of th e
T
1 80 9,
.
22 d
o f May
,
th e f atal day i nscr i b e d in blo o d
sta ine d l e tt e rs u pon th e pages o f hist ory
th e day
w h ich
brought
to
,
N apoleo n th e
fi rst d i m m in g of h i s star of good f ortu n e
,
t o Germany; a n d esp e cial ly to A u str i a
,
th e fi rst ray of d a w n af t e r t h e l o n g an d
l
o
omy
n
ight
g
.
A f t e r so m a n y v i ctori es an d tr i u m p hs ;
a
ft e r th e b attl e s of Ti ls i t
an d
Jena ,
,
A u st e rl i t z ,
th e h u m i l ia t i o n o f a ll G e rm an y ,
A
2
CON S P I RA CY
th e tri u mphal days
of
-
w he n th e
E rfurt ,
great imperial actor saw b e fore hi m a
whol e
“
parterre of
”
k ings ;
after
career of victory which end ured ten
N apoleo n on th e
of May
22 d
,
a
v e a rs ,
1 80 9, h a d
sustained h is fi rst d efeat lost his fi rst
,
battl e
.
T ru e h e had mad e th is v i ctory
,
cost d early enough
.
T here had been two
days of bl ood an d carnage
was decid e d bu t n ow
,
,
a re
at
th e conflict
th e
close of
th es e two terrible days the fact could n o
,
longer b e denied : th e A ustr i ans und er
,
th e com mand
of
th e A rchd uk e
C harles ,
had van quish ed th e F rench at A spern
,
th ough they were l ed by Na
poleo n him
self
.
T erribl e ind eed had been th o se two
days of
th e
bat tl e of A sp er n or
E ssli n gen
.
T h e infu riat e d foes h url ed d eath to an d
fro f rom th e m ouths of m ore th a n
fo u r
O F
THE CAR B ON AR I
h u n dr e d c ann on
3
.
T h e e a rth shook with
.
th e th u nd er of th e i r artillery th e st a mp
,
ing of th eir steeds ; th e a i r resou nd ed with
th e sh ou ts of th e co mbatants wh o assailed
,
each oth er with th e fury of rage an d
hate f e aring n ot d eath but d efeat ; scorn
,
,
ing life i f i t m u st
’
u
e
r
o
r
s
q
he
owed to th e con
m ercy n ei th er giving n or tak i n g
,
quarter a n d i n dying praying n ot for
,
,
th eir own souls bu t f or th e d efeat a n d
,
h u miliation o f th e en e my !
‘
N ev er si nce thos e y ea rs of bat tl e
twee n F rance a n d A u stria h as th e
be
fi gh t
i ng been charact e riz ed by su ch anim osity
such fi erce f u ry on bot h sid es
was struggl i ng
to avenge
.
,
A ustri a
A u sterlit z , l
F rance n ot to p e rm i t th e re n ow n of that
d ay to b e darke ne d
“
.
W e w i ll con qu er or d i e !
sho u t
i
w th
”
was th e
wh i c h th e A u st rian s , for th e
A
4
twenty
-
fi rs t
C ON S P IRACY
t i m e h ad begu n th e battl e
,
against th e e n emy who pressed
,
fO
I w ar d
across th ree bridges from th e islan d of
L obau in th e m iddle of th e D an u be an d
,
wh om th e A u strian s h ated d oubly
t h at
day becau se anoth er painful wou n d had
,
been d ealt by th e occupation of their
capital — beau tiful bel ove d
,
V ien n a—th e
expulsion of th e emperor an d his family
an d the possession of th e G erm an city
,
.
T hu s conqu est to th e A u strians m eant
also th e rel ease of
V i enna
from th e m as
t ary of the foe th e opening th e way to
,
h is capital to th e
E mperor
had fled to H ungary
If
F ran cis wh o
,
.
th e F rench were vanquish ed
,
it
m ea n t th e confession to th e worl d that
th e star of N apoleon s good fortun e was
’
paling ; that h e too was m erely a mortal
,
wh o m ust bow
,
t o th e
will o f a high er
O F
THE C AR B ON A
ow
e
r
i
t
m
ea
n
t
;
p
d estroying
RI
5
.
th e faith o f
th e prou d v i ctor i ou s F rench army i n its
,
ow n i n v in cibility
.
T h e se w ere th e r e ason s wh ich re n
d e red th e battle so fu riou s so bloodth irsty
,
o n both s i des ; wh i ch l ed th e combatants
to rend e ach oth er with actual pleasu r e
with
exult i ng
r
age
E ach
.
,
yawn i ng
wou n d was hailed wi th a sh ou t of joy by
th e p e rson wh o in flicted it ; each m a n
who
fell dy i ng h eard i nst ea d of th e gen
,
tle lam e nt of p i ty th e s i gh o f sympathy
,
th e j eer i ng laugh
,
th e glad
shou t o f the pitiless foe
victori ou s
.
T h en A u stria n gen erals
c ou ra g in g
,
,
,
eagerly
en
the i r m e n by th eir ow n exam
pl e o f bravery pressed forward at th e
,
h ead of th e i r troops
C harl es ,
.
though ill an d
T h e A rch duk e
s u fi e r in g ,
had
h i ms elf lif ted u po n h i s h o rse an d in th e
,
,
A
6
C ON S P I RACY
en t hus i asm of th e struggle so com p letel y
,
forgot his si ck ness that h e grasped th e
standard of a wavering battalion dashed
,
forward with it an d th ereby indu ced th e
,
soldiers to rush once m ore with eager
,
sh outs of j oy upon th e foe
,
.
Mor e th an ten t i m es th e village of
A spern was taken by th e F rench , m ore
than ten tim es it was recaptured by th e
A u s trians ; every s t ep forward was marked
by bo t h sides with h eaps of corpses rivers
,
of blood
.
E v ery
foot of grou nd every
,
osition
con
qu
ered
p
,
h owever small was
th e scen e of furious strife
church
in A spern ,
,
F or th e
.
th e churchyard single
,
h ouses nay even single trees bore evi
,
,
,
d en ce of th e f u riou s assault of th e e n e
mies upo n each oth er ; wh ole battali ons
w en t
with
exul ting shou ts to death
aceou n t of
.
this in t en s e ani mosity
on
CA R B ON ARI
TH E
O F
7
.
both s i des th is m utu al d es i re
,
f or
ba t~
tl e thu s stim ulated to th e h igh est pitch
th e victory o n th e fi rst day r e m ain ed
,
un
d ecid ed an d th e gath ering darkn ess fou n d
th e foes alm ost in th e sam e positio n wh ich
th ey had occupi ed at th e b e gin n ing of th e
co n flict
T h e A u s t rian s w ere still
.
in
d ense m asses o n th e shore of th e D an ube ;
th e F re n ch still occupied
th e
i sland o f
Lobau a n d th eir th ree bridges co n v eyed
,
t h em across to th e l eft ba n k cf th e D a n
ube to m eet th e en emy
.
B u t t h e seco n d day , after th e m ost
terribl e butch ery
,
most d esperate
th e
s truggle was to see th e victory d e ter
,
m i n ed
It
.
belong ed
t o t h e A u str i ans ,
A rch d uk e C harles
.
H
e
to th e
h a d d ecid ed
it
by a terr i bl e e x p ed i e n t —th e ord e r to l e t
bur ni ng v es s el s d ri ft d ow n th e Dan u be
!
A
3
CONSP I RA CY
aga i nst th e b r i dges wh i ch co n n e c ted th e
i sla n d of L obau with the left shore
T he
wind and th e foam ing waves of th e r i v e r
se e m e d o n th i s day to be alli es o f th e
A u strians ; th e w i n d swept the
r e c tl y
S
h ips d i
upon th e bridges d ensely crowd e d
,
w ith d ead bod ies wou nd e d m e n soldi e rs
,
h orses
,
an d
,
artillery ;
th e
,
qu iver i ng
to n gu es of flam e se iz ed th e pil e s a n d
bla z ed brightly u p till everyth i ng upo n
them plunged in terr i ble
,
in extr i cabl e
confusion d ow n t o th e su rg in g w a tery
grave belo w
At
th e
.
awful
spectacl e
th e wh ol e
F rench army u ttered cri es of anguish
th e A ustria n s sh ou ts of j oy
V ainly
did
N apol eo n
,
.
hi mself
ri d e
through th e ra n ks callin g in the belov e d
,
vo i ce that u s ually k i n dled enth usia s m so
romptly
:
p
“
I mys elf ord e r e d th e d e stru o
O F
THE CAR B ON AR I
t i o n of th e bridges th at
m i gh t h av e
u
o
y
,
9
.
n o choic e between gloriou s v i ctory or
in evitable d estru ction
F or
th e
fi rst tim e
”
.
h is
soldi e rs doubted
t h e truth of his words and did n ot answer
w i th th e e xul t an t c h ee r
“
,
Viv a l
E m
’
B u t th ey fou ght o n b r a v e ly , f ur i ou sl y ,
d e S p e ra te l y !
An d
N apoleon
,
w i th his
pallid iro n cou nte n a n c e r e m a ine d with
,
his troops to watch e v e ryth i ng
,
,
d i r e ct
e very m ovem en t en courag e h i s men
,
g i ve th e ne c e ssary ord ers
‘
,
an d
H i s g en erals
.
a n d aids surrou n d e d h i m l i st eni ng
,
S
l
t
f
u
l
c
e
y,
p
th ough w i th gloomy fac e s
re
to
e v e ry word wh i ch f e ll w e igh ty a n d m o
,
men to u s as a se n t e nc e o f d e ath , f rom th e
whit e
,
compr e ss e d l i ps
.
B u t a h i gh e r
ow
e
r
th
a
n
Na
poleo
n
was
s
en
d
in
g
i
ts
p
de
c r ee s o f d ea th e v en in to th e gro u p o f
g ene r a ls gath er e d a ro u n d th e m as ter o f
th e world ; canno n balls had n o revere n ce
C ae sar
for th e
’
s presence ; th ey tore from
his sid e his d e arest friend his faithf u l
,
follower
,
Marshal L a u n es ; they k illed
G en erals S t
d E
’
s
p
ag n e ,
troops th e
,
W hom
.
H ilaire , A lbuqu erqu e an d
th e lead e rs of
c u r a s s ie rs ,
r e m a in e d
th a t
his brave
thre e thou san d of
day o n th e battl e
fi eld ; th ey wou nd ed Marshal Massena
,
Mar s hal B ess i eres a n d s i x o th er valia n t
,
gen erals
.
Wh en e vening cam e th e battl e was
d ecided
.
A rchduk e C harles was th e vic
tor ; th e F rench ar my was forced back
to
the i sland of L obau whose bridges h ad
,
been s e v e red by th e b u rning ships ; th e
triu mphant
a roun d
A u str i ans
E s sl i ng en
w e re e n camped
an d A sp e rn
wh os e
,
u nk n ow n n am e s h av e b ee n ill u m in ed
s in c e th a t day w i th e t e r nal r en ow n
.
O F T H E C ARB O N AR I
T h e i sl an d
11
.
o f L ob a u pr e s en t ed a te rr ib l e
chaos o f t ro ops
h ors e s
,
me n ,
w ou n d e d
,
artillery corps e s an d l uggag e ; th e w ou n d
,
ed a n d d yin g waile d an d m oan ed th e
uh
,
in j ured fa i rly shriek ed a n d roar ed w i th
fu ry
And ,
.
i f N a t ure wish e d to
as
h er bold a l a ru m to
m en
,
m o u rnfu l dirge o f
th e
.
storm lash ed waves of
th e
ad d
-
Dan
th e
u be th u n dered aro u n d th e is l an d dash e d
,
th eir fo am crested s urg es o n th e
-
an d
,
in
m a n y plac es
lak e s wh ere
s tai n ed
wou n ds
flowed
bod i es
It
.
to
C haro n
,
h ore
boats bl ood
of
floa ted
,
with
yaw n ing
seem ed as if th e S tyx
th e ar du o u s task
to th e
of
co n veyi n g so
n eth e r wo rld , an d
th e pu rpose tra n s form e d its el f in to a
vas
h ad
L o bau to s p a re th e f errym a n
many co rps es
l
e
g
,
cre a t ed crim s o n
,
i ns te ad
s
t f un eral b arge
N ap oleon
,
th e
fo r
s in
.
v i c tor o f so m an y
b at
A C
12
ON S P I RAC Y
t le s th e ma n b efor e wh om a l l
E urop e
,
trembled all th e kings of th e world bowe d
,
i n revere n ce a n d adm i ration ; h e who
,
with a wave of h is hand h ad overtur n ed
,
an d fou n ded dynasti es was n ow forced t o
,
witn ess all this— compelled to su ff e r a n d
endur e lik e a n y or d i n ary m ortal !
H e sat o n a log n ear th e sh ore , both
elbows propped o n his kn ees an d his pale
,
iro n fac e supported by his small white
hands glittering with diam onds ga z ing
,
,
at th e roaring waves of th e D anube and
th e throng of hum a n b e i ngs who sur
rou n d ed h i m
.
B eh ind him , in gloomy sil e n ce , stoo d
h is gen erals —h e d id n ot notic e th em
H is sold i ers m arch ed before hi m —h e di d
.
n ot h eed them
.
B u t they saw h im , and
turn ed from h im to th e m ou n tain s o f
c orp ses , to th e m o an ing wou n ded m en , th e
T H E C A RB O N AR I
O F
13
.
pools o f blood which everywh e r e sur
rounded th em then g a z ed o n ce m or e a t
,
h im whom th ey were won t to
in g ly
w
b a il
exult
as th eir h ero th eir earthly god
,
hom to day for
-
,
crated ; whom i n
,
an d
fi rst tim e th ey ex e
th e
,
fury of th eir gri ef
th e
th ey eve n v entu red to accuse an d to scor n
B ut h e d id n ot h ear
s
.
H e h eard n augh t
.
av e th e voices i n his ow n breast to wh ose
,
gloomy words th e wails an d groan s o f th e
wou nd ed form ed a h orrible choru s
.
S ud denly h e rose slowly , an d turn i ng
toward Marsh al B essi eres wh o w i th h i s
,
,
wou n d ed arm in a sling stood n earest to
,
him N apoleo n pointed to th e river
,
“
To
E bersdorf l
imperiou s voice
me , m arshal
.
”
h e said in his fi rm
,
“
.
Y
.
ou
Y
ou
,
will accompa n y
too g e n tlem e n
,
”
,
he
add ed turning to th e captured A u str i a n
,
G e nera l Weber an d th e
,
Rus s ia n
G ene r al
A CON S P I R ACY
14
C
z e rn its ch e f , w h o
h a d arrived
at
Na po
leon s h ead qu art e rs th e day b e f or e th e
’
battl e
on a special m ission from th e
C z ar
A lexand er , an d b een a very i n opp ort u n e
witn ess of his d e feat
T he
.
two gen e rals bowed silently an d
followe d th e emperor who went h astily
,
d ow n to th e sh ore
.
A boat wi th four
oarsm en lay w a iti n g for h im an d h is
,
v al ets
,
C o nstan t
an d
Ro u s te n ,
stood
tw o
be
sid e th e ski ff to h elp th e emperor enter
H e thrust back
.
th e i r hands with a
s
wift gestu re of repulse an d stepped
s
l owly and prou dly down into th e sway
,
ing rocking boat wh ich was to bear th e
,
C aesar
and his fi rst m isfortun e to his
h eadqu arters
ed
w
a
,
C astle E bersdorf
H e dart
.
l on g angry gl ance at th e foam ing
aves roaring arou n d th e ski ff a glance
b e for e
,
which th e bravest of h is m arshals
CONS P IR ACY
A
16
th e emperor accusin g h i m w i th a ngry
,
,
scorn of
because h e l eft th em i n
rfi d
e
y
p
,
this h ou r of m isfortu ne
.
apoleo n di d n ot h ear th e infuriated
N
sh outs of his soldiery ; h e was listening to
the tempest the waves an d th e m e n ac
,
,
ing voices in his ow n breast
.
nce only h e raised h imself from h is
O
bowed posture an d agai n darted a n angry
glanc e at th e foaming water as if h e
wish ed to lash th e hated
th e look
chains
“
,
as
el e
me n t wi t h
erxes had don e with iro n
!
.
T h e D anube with its furious surges
,
,
and th e storm with its m ad power have
,
conqu ered m e
voice
“
.
”
,
h e cried i n
a.
lou d angry
,
all Nature m ust rise in
A y,
re
bellion an d wrath to wrest a victory fro m
me
.
N ature not A rc h duk e
,
vanqu ishe d m e !
”
C harles ,
has
O F THE CA R B O N AR I
T he
17
.
waves roared an d danced reckl e ssly
on wholly u n m indful of th e em peror s
’
,
wrathfu l exclam ation ; th ey san g
an d
th un d ered a poem o f th eir m igh t j e ering
,
him :
“
B eware of o ffendin g u s , for w e
can avenge ourselves ; we hol d you r fa t e
i n ou r power
for w e are
B eware of o ffend ing us ,
.
h e arin g y o u
f rag i le boat a n d th e
,
o n o u r backs i n a
C aesar
a n d his em
pire weigh n o m ore tha n th e lig h tes t
fi sherma n wi th
o ff e n ding
us ,
h is n ets
.
B eware of
for you are n othing b u t a n
ordinary man ; m ortal as th e poorest
beggar and if w e ch oose w e will drag
,
,
,
vou down to ou r cold damp grave
,
ware
of
offendin g u s !
”
.
B
e
D id h e u n der
stan d th e song of th e m ockin g waves ?
Was that why so deep a frow n of wrat h
rested o n h is brow ?
H e aga in sa n k in to h i s gloomy r e v e r ie ,
CO
A
13
N
SP IRACY
which n o on e vent ured to disturb—n o
save th e j eering surges
one
.
Y et h e seem ed to thin k that som e on e
add ressed him
that som e on e whom
,
must answer h ad s p oken
“
Why yes
,
should ers
battle !
“
,
B
”
.
h e cri ed
,
,
shrugging his
,
yes i t is tru e
ut
he
I
,
have lost a
wh e n on e has gain ed forty
victories i t really i s not anything extra
,
or d inary if h e
l os es
on e
N o on e ventu red to answer this
mation
.
e xcl a
T h e emperor di d n ot seem to
expec t i t ; perh aps h e di d n ot eve n kn ow
that any one had h eard what h e a n sw ered
m enacing voice i n h is ow n s ou l
the
N
ow
N
,
a p o l eo n s o w n w o rd s
H is t o ry
p 1 36
.
the boat touch ed th e shore wh er e
’
v e rsa l
.
.
of
M o d e rn
S
ee
H
m ay r ,
or
Times
”
,
r
t
a
p
Un i
O F
CAR B ON ARI
T H E
19
.
carr i ag e s w e re ready to co n v ey th e e m
ro r
e
p
a n d his suite to
E bersdorf
.
H is whole sta ff , all his m arsh als a n d
gen erals were wai ting for h im before
,
d oor of the castle
th e
With bared h eads i n
.
,
sti ff military attitu d e th ey received th eir
,
lord an d m aste r th e au gust
emp eror
,
expecting a graciou s greeting
.
B
ut
,
he
passed o n withou t looki ng at th em w ith
,
ou t even salut i ng th em by
hand
a
wave of h is
T h ey look ed after h im with wo n
.
d ering angry eyes and lik e th e gli tt er
,
,
,
ing tail of a com et followed h im i n to th e
,
castle u p th e steps and into th e hall
,
,
.
B u t as th ey e n tered th e re ceptio n room
-
wh ere h e u sually talk ed with th em N a
,
l
o
o
n
e
p
va t e
h ad
‘
o flic e ,
hi n d h im
already vani sh ed i n h is pri
whos e d oor swi f tly clos ed
be
.
T h e m arshals a n d gene r als , a ids and
A CON S
20
P
I RA CY
sta ff offi cers still waited
,
.
T h e e mp e ror
would surely re t urn th ey th ough t
,
.
He
still had to give th em his com mands for
th e n ext day his ord ers concern ing what
,
was to b e don e on th e island of L obau
,
wh at provision shou ld be m ade for th e
care of th e woun ded th e su stenance of
,
th e u ninj ured th e rescu e o f th e r e m ains
,
of h is army
.
B u t th ey waited in vai n ; N apol e on di d
n ot return to the m g ave th em n o ord ers
,
.
’
A fter h alf an h our s futil e exp ectation
Ro u s ta n
the
,
glid ed th rough th e littl e door of
private room in t o the h all an d with
,
,
a very im portant air wh ispered to th e
,
listening o ffi cers that th e emperor had
gon e to bed imm ediately and had scarcely
,
tou ch ed th e pillows ere h e su n k into a
deep sl eep
Y
es ,
.
th e E m p eror N a p oleo n w a s slee p
.
O F THE CAR B ONAR I
21
.
in g an d h i s gen era l s glid ed o n tipto e ou t
,
of th e hall a n d discussed outs i d e th e
m easu res which th ey m u st n ow adopt
on
their ow n account to rescu e th e lu ck less
f ragme n t o f th e army from th e islan d
o f L obau
,
a n d m ak e arrangem e n ts for
buildi n g n ew bridges
.
Y es , th e E mperor N apol eo n was slee p
i ng !
H e slept all through th e ni ght ,
through th e broad light of th e n ext day
sl ept w h e n h i s wh ol e sta ff had gon e t o
L obau — slep t wh e n b odies of his in f u
‘
r ia te d
guard s ru sh ed i nto th e castle a n d
,
u nh eeding th e emperor s prese n c e p l u n
! —
dered th e c ellars an d storeroom s
slept
’
,
wh en in th e afternoo n of that day his
,
,
m arshals a n d gen erals retu rn ed
His to ric a l
!
to r
y
.
.
S
ee
H
or
m ay r
’
s
t o C astl e
Un iv e rs al H is
A C ONSP IR AC Y
22
E bersdorf ,
in order at last
emperor s comm an ds
to
rec e i ve th e
’
.
T h ey would n ot could n ot believe that
,
th e com m and er
ing
I t
.
-
in
-
chief was still sleep
seem ed p erfectl y i mpossible that
h e th e illustriou s strong brained
C aesar ,
-
,
cou ld perm it h imself to be subj ugated by
th e com m on p etty n eed of h u man natu re
in these h ours wh en every secon d s d elay
’
might d ecid e th e d estiny of m any t hou
sands
one
;
.
T his sleep could be n o natural
perhaps th e emperor , exhau sted by
fatigu e an d m ental excitem en t h ad falle n
,
into a stu p or ; perhaps h e was sleepin g
n ever to wak e again
him
,
.
T h ey m u st
s ee
th ey mu st convince th emselves
T h ey called
R o u s ta n
.
an d asked him to
ta k e th em to th e emperor s cou ch
’
.
H e di d n ot re fu se , h e only e n treate d
them to ste p lightly t o hold th e ir br ea th
,
,
A C ONSP I R AC Y
24
return to th e drawing room wit h rel i ev ed
-
h earts
.
T hey d id so stealing n oiselessly
,
a gain through
th e
private offic e into th e
hall w h ose door h ad been l eft ajar that
,
th e n oise might n ot rouse th e sleeper
Y et , o n ce within
th e
.
hall th ey looked
,
at each other with wond ering eyes aston
,
is h e d
faces
.
H e was really asleep ; h e could sl eep
.
H e was u ntrou bled , free fro m care
.
Y et if th e A rchd uk e C harles d esired it ,
th e wh ol e army was lost
H e n eed o n ly
.
remai n encamped with his troops on th e
bank of th e D anu be to expose the entire
force to h u nger to d estru ction
,
As
t hey
.
talk ed angrily with gloomy
,
faces they agai n ga z ed at
,
ea
C h oth er with
qu estioning eyes and look ed watchfully
,
arou n d th e drawing room
-
.
N o on e was
resen
e
xce p t th e group o f m a rshals ,
t
p
O F THE CAR B ON AR I
ge n erals an d col on els
25
.
N o on e could
.
overh e ar th em n o on e could see h ow on e
C olon el O
mad e a
,
u d e t,
raised his right h an d an d
fe w
i n th e air
I
,
stra n ge mysterious gestu res
,
.
n sta n tly every h ead bowed reverently
,
every voice whispered a single word :
“
Master
“
”
.
My broth ers
in a l ow ton e
”
r e plied
,
“
,
C olon el C u d ot
important things are
be i ng planned an d w e mu st b e ready to
,
see th em appear i n tangibl e form at
m om ent
“
”
.
We are prepared
were prese n t
“
.
of ou r m aster
“
an y
”
,
m urm u red all
who
We await th e com ma n d s
”
.
I h ave nothing m ore t o say , except
that you are to h ol d yourselves ready ;
fo r
th e great hou r
of
vengean c e an d d e
l iv e ran ce is a pproaching
T h e g r e at S
'
.
o
26
o f th e
c ie ty
C arbo n ar i ,
wh os e
d e vot e d
m embers you are
“
are
W h ose great and venerated h ead you
”
,
low
“
n el
repli ed Ge n er al M assena wi th a
,
h ow
.
T h e S oc i ety of th e
C u dot
co n tinu ed
Massena s words
“
’
C
,
C arbonari ,
,
wi t hou t
”
C olo
h e ad in g
th e S ociety o f th e
arbo na r i watch es its fai thless m ember
th e ren egad e son of th e
R evolu tion , th e
N apoleon an d will soo n h av e
E mp eror
,
an opportunity t o avenge his
K eep
,
rfi d .
e
p
y
you r h ands on you r swor ds an d be
watchful ; s tr i ve to spread the s p i ri t of
o ur
ord e r m ore and m ore t hr ough th e
army ; initiate m ore an d m ore sold i ers
in to
of
our
th e
leagu e
as
broth ers ; be mindful
grea t obj e ct : w e wi l l fr ee F ra n c e
f rom th e
C aesarism
Look arou n d yo u
forc ed upo n h er
in yo ur c i rcle s a nd
.
se ek
CA R B O N A R I
O F TH E
27
.
th e ha n d which will b e ready to m a k e th e
ren egad e so n of th e society vanish from
world
th e
“
”
.
H e i s th e scourge of ou r n at i ve la n d ,
said on e of th e generals
“
.
H is restless
ambi tion consta n tly plunges u s into
wars
rouses th e hatre d of a ll
,
”
n ew
E urop e
against F rance an d this hatred will on e
,
day b urst into bright flam es and pl ung e
F ra n ce i nto d estru ction
“
”
.
H e is d estroying th e prosperity of th e
cou ntry for ge n erations
“
”
,
said anoth er ;
h e is robbing wives of thei r h u sba n ds
fath ers o f th e i r sons
arms
,
labor of
s
,
tu rdy
T h e fi elds li e u n tilled th e work
.
,
shops are deserted trad e is prostrate a n d
,
all
t hi s
for war
“
on e
,
to gra t ify a si n gl e m a n s d esire
’
”
.
T h e refor e i t i s ne ce s sary to mak e th is
:
ma n h a rm l e ss ,
!
”
s
ai d a third
“
.
If
A
23
C ONS P IR ACY
n o han d i s f oun d to slay h i m th e r e
ar e
,
arm s strong enough to sei z e him bin d
,
h im
h im an d deliver
,
to those whose
prison doors are always open to recei v e
th e
hated foe wh o blockades
bors denies
t h eir
,
t
h eir har
goods adm ittance
to
F rance an d all th e countries h e has con
quered an d everywh ere confronts th em
,
as th eir bitter en emy
“
Y
es ,
E ngland
”
.
is ready and
whispered ano th er
“
.
W
atchful
”
,
S h e promises those
wh o h ave th e courage to dare th e gre at
d eed a brilliant reward ; sh e offers a m ill
,
i on
fl o rin s
an d perp etual co n cealm en t of
th eir nam es
,
as soon as th e
N apoleo n is delivered to h er
“
E mperor
”
.
T h en l et u s seek me n who are bold
ambitiou s
,
resolu te
an d money lovi n g
-
,
e n ough to ventu re su ch a d eed
C olo n el O
u d e t.
“
,
”
,
sai d
F orm co nne ctio n s w i th
O F THE C AR B ON AR I
29
.
thos e wh o h a t e h i m ; be c a u t i o u s
e rat e ,
“
an d bewar e o f tra i tors
”
.
We w i ll be cau tio us a n d del i ber a t e
th ey al l repli ed subm i ss i v e ly ;
b eware of tra i tors
“
,
d e l ib
B ut
w
“
”
,
w e will
”
.
h i le d eterm i ni n g to free F ran ce
fro m th e ambitiou s con qu e ror wh o is
l e ading h er to destru ctio n
C u d ot ,
”
,
sai d
we mu st cons i der what is
don e wh e n th e great work i s
l
sh e d ,
i
p
C ol o n e l
to
a c co
wh e n th e tyrant i s rem oved
.
be
m
It
i s evi d en t to you all that th e prese n t co n
d itio n
of a ffairs ou gh t
F ran ce
now
n ot to las t
.
d epends upo n a s i ngl e lif e ;
a singl e p erso n form s h er dy n asty a n d
,
wh e n h e sink s i n to th e grave
F ra n ce
will b e exposed to caprice to ch a n ce ;
,
e very door to intrigu e will b e op e n ed
W e m u st sec u re F ra n c e from every p er i l
.
.
W e have n ow seen , for th e fi rst tim e ,
CONSP IRACY
A
30
t h at th e
prou d
m ortal
H ad th e bull et wh i ch w ou n d ed
.
h is foot at
e
mp er or
Regensbu rg
is
only a m e r e
struck his h e ad
,
F ranc e w oul d probably be at th e pres en t
,
m om ent i n th e m idst of civil w a r an d
,
,
th e L egitimists th e
Rep ublicans ,
,
an d th e
a d herents of N apoleon wou ld dispu t e th e
victory with each o t her
.
W e m ust try to
av ert th e m os t t errible of all misfortunes
c
,
war ; th e emp eror is n ot m erely
ivil
m ortal ; w e
n ot m e rely have to con
do
sid e r h i s d ea th
,
bu t
we m u st also know
wh at is t o happ e n in case ou r pla n su c
c oeds and h e is placed in cap tivi ty
.
We
m u st hav e ready th e su ccessor th e s u c
,
cessor wh o will at on ce rend er th e
Re
public and th e return of the B ou rbon s
alike impossibl e
D o any of yo u know
.
a su ccessor t hu s quali fi ed ?
“
k n ow o n e
I
m on t
.
”
,
”
repli e d G en eral
M ar-a
A coN s P I RA C Y
32
tow e r e d ab ov e th e m a ll a n d wh os e h an d
,
s
om e p a l e fa c e w i th its en th u s ias t i c bl u e
,
e y e s f orm e d a st ra n g e co n tr ast
,
gr a v e
,
defian t c o u n t enan c e s wh i c h
circled h im
“
en
.
M a rm o n t d o you begi n !
”
said
,
in h i s ge n tl e sol em n to n es
,
T he
to t h e
C u d ot ,
.
g ene ral be n t close to
O
ud e t
an d
wh i sp e r e d som e thing i n to his ear the n
,
h e st e pp e d back a n d m ad e way for
o th e r w h o w a s follow e d by
,
a
f ourth
“
a
an
th i rd ,
a nd
.
My b roth e rs
had spok en
“
,
”
,
sa i d
C
ud o t afte r
my bro t hers
,
I
,
a ll
w i th
s ee
pl easu r e that th e sam e sp i rit th e s am e
,
conv i ctio n rules a mong yo u
Yo u h a ve
.
a ll u tt e red th e sam e n am e ; yo u hav e
sa i d th at
E ug e n e B ea u har n a i s ,
roy o f I taly
,
th e
V ice
w ou l d be th e fi tti n g
d e sire d s u cc e ssor o f Nap o le o n
.
I
r
all
.
an d
ej oi c e
or ran C ARB
O N AR I
in th i s u nani m i ty an d in my
,
,
33
.
o
p
o ne o f th e h ead s o f th e gr ea t
g i v e you r cho i c e m y approval
visibl e o nes —th e h ea ds who
s
sitio n
as
o c ie ty I
,
T h e ih
.
are
ab ov e u s
all a n d f rom whom I l i k e th e oth e r thr e e
,
,
ch iefs o f th e lea gu e rec ei v e m y orders
,
th e in v i s i bl e o n es h av e a lso ch os en E
g en e
B
e a u h ar n a1s
of F r a nc e
for th e futu re emp e ror
T h ereby th e
.
s
would be s e cu r e d , a n d as soo n
e mp e ror s d eath
’
u
or
u ccess i o n
as ,
by th e
impr i so n m e n t
,
th e
thro n e o f F ra n c e i s f r e e we w i ll su m m o n
,
E ug en e
d e B ea uharn a i s to be e mp e ror o f
th e F re n ch
M ay God gra nt H i s bl e ss
.
ing u po n ou r work an d perm i t u s soo n to
‘
fl nd th e
h a n d s we nee d to r i d F ran c e o f
h e r tyran t
”
.
A t that m om en t th e door op e ni ng i n to
th e
e mp e o r s
a
’
stu dy wh i ch
,
h ad
rema in ed
a! ar , w a s fl u ng op en a n d N ap oleo n s too d
C ONS P I RACY
A
34
o n th e th resh ol d
.
H i s i ro n face , which
his officers h ad j ust see n i n th e repose of
sleep was n ow again i ns t inct with po w er
,
an d en ergy ; h i s large eyes were fi xed
u po n h is generals wi t h a n expression of
strange anger
,
a n d seem e d striving to
read th e very d epths of t h ei r h earts ; his
thin lips w ere fi rmly compressed as if to
force back an outburst of i ndignation
which th e gloomy frown on his bro w
n ev erth el ess rev ealed
.
B ut th e wrathful , threatening expres
sio n soo n vanish ed from th e emperor s
’
cou ntenanc e and his features resum ed
,
th eir cold impen etrable expression
,
.
H e m oved swiftly for wa rd several steps
an d greeted with a h asty nod th e offi cers
wh o h ad all bowed respectfully before
him
s
,
a n d stood m otionless
i l en c e
.
iu
m
absolut e
O F
“
THE CAR B ON AR I
G ene ral B ertra n d
35
.
”
sa i d th e e m p eror
“
i n his so n orou s m u sical voice yo u will
,
,
,
,
proce e d at o n c e to th e isla n d
O
f
L obau to
make preparations for th e great bri d ge
building wh i ch m u st be com men ced at
on ce and completed with i n a week
r e storatio n an d
.
Th e
strength en i ng o f th e
bridg e s which conn ect t h e isla n d of L obau
a n d th e oth er little islan d s with th e righ t
bank of
th e
D an u be is our prin cipa l task
for th e m om ent
general
.
B e m indfu l of th at ,
a n d act accord ingly
,
M assena ,
.
Ge n eral
you will u nd ertak e with m e th e
pr i ncipal d irectio n of this bridge bu ild
-
ing and accompa n y m e daily t o th e i sl a n d
,
of
L obau
B ertra n d
will
dire ct th e
building o f th e f ou r fi rm br i dg e s wh ich
w i ll co nn ect L oba u with th e sh ore of th e
D an u b e
.
W e w i ll select th e pl a c e s f or
S
ix
b rid ge s o f b o a ts w h i ch m u st a l so be
A
36
throw n ac ross
.
CONSP IR ACY
T o pr e v en t i nt e rr u ptio n ,
th e A u stria n s m u st
e ral s
F ou ch et an d
be
occup i ed and G e n
,
Ro g u e t
w i l l th erefore
post batteries of fi fty ca n no n a n d bom b
roof
storeh
ouses
for
am
mu
n
ition
p
ord er not
o
nly
to
,
k ee p th e e n emy from
th e left bank b u t also t o dr i v e h i m
,
of all th e i sland s
in
in
the D anube
out
Yo u
.
will all tak e care t o e xe cu t e my ord e rs
w i t h th e utm ost rapidity an d p u n ctilious
n e ss
T h e A u stria n s dispu ted the vic t ory
.
with u s a t
E sslingen ;
i n th eir arroga n ce
th ey will p erhaps eve n go so far as to
assert that th ey obtain ed it ; so
I
will giv e
t hem a battle in which th e victory will be
‘
on my sid e so u n doubtedly that
A us
th e
tri e ns m u s t bow with ou t resistanc e
n eath
its
h eavy im p eriou s hand
Th e
’
,
.
bridge build ing i s th e fi rst a n d m ost
n ec
-
e ssa ry
c nd i
o
be
t i on of th i s c o n qu es t
.
It
O F
T H E
C AR B ONA RI
37
.
m us t be c a rr ie d o n sw i ftly c a u t i o u sly ,
,
—
e
cr
e
tly
th e ene my m ust n ot s u sp e c t
s
wh e r e th e bri dg e s w i ll b e e r e ct e d ; a ll th e
ort
i
o
n
s
o
f
th
e
str
u
ctur
e
s
m
ust
b
e
m
a
d
e
p
o n th e i sl an d of L ob a u th en th e bridges
,
m ust app ea r ou t o f n oth in g n ess lik e a
,
m iracl e b e for e th e as tonish e d eyes o f th e
fo e
T h ese b ridges ge n tlem e n w i ll be
.
,
,
th e road for u s all to gai n ne w l aur e ls ,
w in f res h victories a n d surrou n d th e im
,
m ortal f am e of ou r eagl es with n ew glory
.
I went to G erm a n y to chastis e a n d forc e
‘
in to subm issio n
ob e die n c e th e
in
sole n t G erm an pri n ces wh o w i sh ed to
op
pose m e
an d
I k n ow that they are
.
c on s
i
r
p
ing that th eir treach e rou s d esign s ar e
,
directed toward robbing F rance of h e r
sovereign
,
wh o
s
wa
su mm on e d to h i s
a uth or i ty by th e w ill of th e F re n ch n a
tio n
.
B u t th e y , l i k e all wh o v en tur e to
A
33
CO
N
S P I RAC Y
rebel against m e m us t l earn that God
,
h as p laced i n my h an d th e
r ib u tion
s w o rd
of re t
an d of v engeance an d th at
,
it
will cru sh those wh o blasph em ou sly seek
to conspire against m e an d dispu te m y
p ower
.
A u stria h a s don e th is P ru ss ia
,
w oul d fain attempt it bu t I will det e r
,
P russia by chastising A ustria
gen t lem en !
In
s ix
.
To work
,
weeks at latest w e
,
,
m u st give A u stria a d ecisive ba tt le wh ich
will m ak e it d epend solely on my will
wh eth er
I
perm it th e h ouse of Hapsbu rg
to reign longer or bu ry it in th e nonentity
of ingloriou s obli vion !
”
A fter th e emperor
,
st a nding am on g
h is sil ent generals h ad spok en in a voice
,
wh ich rose l oud er an d lou der till
it
finally
ech oed like m enacing t h und er t h rough
th e h all
,
h e n odded a farewell
,
by a
h au gh ty be nd of th e h ead , an d return ed
40
S P I RAC Y
C O N
A
k now it
.
w h ol e ar my
th e
ten ds through o u t
.
I
I was warn ed in Sp ain again st
th e plots of th e C arbonari an d th e ca u
,
tion has been rep eated h ere
A n d I m u st
.
k eep si l ence I cann ot pun ish th e traitors
.
for tha t would
my gen erals
to
co
,
nsign th e m aj ori ty of
th e a x of th e executioner
.
Bu t I will give t h em all a warn ing exam
pl e
an
I w ill intimidate th em let th em h av e
,
.
intim ation tha t I am
t reach erous
p lans
a
war e
of
th ei r
”
.
He san k down into th e armchair w hic h
stood before h is wri ing d esk took a pen
t
-
,
knife and began to m ark an d cu t th e
,
arm of th e chair wi t h
as
m u ch z eal an d
perseverance as if th e obj ect in view was
to a c complish som e u sef u l
task
.
,
,
arv e d
u rgen t
Th en wh en th e floor was covere d
w ith tiny ch ip s an d
c
an d
w ood
of
th e
th e
black d elicately
,
old fash i o n e d
-
ar
m
T H E CAR B O
O F
c hair
was
mar k e d with
N A
RI
41
.
str e a k s an d
whit e
sp ots th e emperor h url ed th e k nife down
,
and rose h astily from h is seat
“
O
This C olon el
ud e t
.
mu s t d ie
said e ach word fallin g slowly
,
i
l
r
ss
e
v
e
p
all
i
f
ro
h
s
m
y
lips
“
.
”
he
,
im
an d
I cann ot crush
th e limb s bu t I will mak e th e h ead
,
fall ,
an d
that
th is C olon el
O
w il l
paralyz e th em
u d et
Th e n as if th e
,
se
m ust di e !
Y
.
es ,
”
nten ce of d eath
Wh i c h
h e h ad just u ttered h ad reli eved h is sou l
of an O ppressi v e bu rden an d lighten ed his
,
h eart , th e gloomy expr essio n
from
h is
face
,
w h ich was
b righten ed by a ray of j oy
n ow
S eizing th e s ilver h an d bell ,
.
in g into
h is
Rou st an ,
glidin g
s il en tly
aw
a
lmost
.
-
violently twice
a ish ed
v n
he
ran g it
In stantly th e door lead
sleepin g r oom open ed an d
-
in, st ood
h u mbly an d
aitin g th e em p eror s ord e rs
’
.
CO
A
42
N
S P I RACY
N apoleon with a sligh t n od bec k on ed
,
,
to h im t o approach and when
Ro u s t a n ,
,
like a t iger cat noiselessly reach ed
-
,
h is
side with two swif t bou nds th e emperor
,
gazed wi t h a long search in g look in t o
,
th e craf t y smiling face of h is Mam eluk e
,
“
S o you listened to th e conversation
b etween
r
r
o
e
p
“
.
th e gen erals ?
”
ask ed th e em
.
”
said
shaking h is h ead eagerly
“
I d on t kn ow
’
,
sire
,
.
Ro u s tan ,
I probably
d id not u nd ers t an d everyth ing for th ey
,
spok e in low ton es and som etim es I lost
,
th e conn ec t ion
B
.
ut
I h eard t h em talk
in g abou t my illu s t riou s emperor and
master
,
so,
as you r m ajesty m eanwh ile
h ad awaked I th ough t it advisable to
,
inform you that th e gen erals were h aving
a conversation in th e drawing room
-
,
be
cause your m aj es ty might p erh ap s d e s ire
to tak e
art
in it
.
”
T H E
O F
CA R B O N A RI
43
.
“Yo u d id righ t Rou s tan ” said th e
,
,
emperor
wi t h th e pl easan t smil e t h a t
,
“
won every h eart ; yes you d id righ t an d
,
,
I will reward you for it
B
o u rr ie n n e
an d h ave hi m pay you a h u n
dred gold pieces
“
O h,
sire
shall be
v
You can go to
.
”
,
”
.
cried
Ro u s tan ,
“
th en I
ery h appy for I shall h av e a
,
hund red p ortraits of m y worsh iped em
r
r
e
o
p
“
”
.
Wh ich you will d oubtless scatter to
th e four win d s qu ickly en ough
s p e n d t h rif t ,
listen
,
”
e x cl a im e
dN
ap ol e o n
“
.
Bu t
you rogu e : besides m y h undred
’
gold
you
,
ortraits
I
ll
give
you
a
bit
of
p
,
ad
vice w hich is worth m ore than th e gold
c
oins
.
Forget everythin g th at you h ave
heard to day
-
,
beware of treasu rin g i n
you r m em ory even a single word of th e
gen erals or recollectin g th at yo u h ave
,
called
In
at t entio n to i t
”
.
A cos s
44
“
S ir e
”
,
replie d
m
cr
Rou s tan ,
p ression of aston ish m ent
“
,
with
an
ex
S ire I really
,
d o n ot k n ow wh at you r m aj esty is tal k
in g about an d wh at I cou ld h ave said or
,
h eard
I only kn ow th at m y graciou s
.
emperor an d master h as given m e a h un
dred gold napoleons and presen t h appi
,
n ess has s o overpowered m e
,
so
bewild ered
m y senses that I hav e lost m y m em ory
”
.
Th e emperor laugh ed an d as a special
,
proof of h is fa v or pinch ed th e Mam eluke s
’
ear
so
hard that th e latter with
concealed
del igh t
.
h is
s u fl e rin g
d iflic u l ty
u nder a smile of
or
ms
mm m
oxa
IL
CH AP T E R
LE O N O B E
N AP O
’
LE O N
S I MO N I E
DE
w ord
S
45
.
.
fulfill ed !
w as
S carcely t w o m onth s had passe d wh en h e
av enged th e bat t le of A spern
and
twin ed
fresh
aroun d h is brow
.
on
A ustria
,
lau rels of victory
0
n
th e
conflict occurred wh ich
c
6t h
of July a
om pleted
A
us
tria s m isfor t u n es an d wrested from h er
’
all th e adva ntages wh ich t h e victory
A spern
h ad
scarcely
w on
of
.
Th e fi gh t of W agram gave A ustria
completely into the h an ds of th e victor
m ade N apoleon again m ast e r of t h e G er
m an empire
,
,
.
compelle d th e E m pero r
Fran c is an d h is wh ole fa mily to seek
r
efuge
in
H ungary an d yielded V ien n a
,
A CO
46
N S P I R AC Y
and its en virons to th e con q u eror s
w ill
’
Th e Fren ch i mperial army
clash of m ilitary m usic
,
amid
.
th e
agai n entered
,
Vienna w h ose inh abitants were forced to
,
h ow
t h eir h eads t o n ecessi ty in gloomy
silen ce and su bmi t to receivin g and
,
t e r tain in g
in
en
th eir victoriou s foes as gu ests
th e ir h om es
.
Th e E mperor N apoleon
sel ec t ed S ch onbrun n for h is resid ence
,
an d seemed inclined to res t comfortably
th ere af t e r the fresh vi c t ory won a t
Wagram
.
It had indeed been a victory
bu t i t h ad cos t great an d bloody sacri fices
,
.
Th rice a h undred thou san d m en h ad con
fron t e d each o t h er
6 bb
of July
,
1 80 9 ;
on
this m em orable
eigh t
h u ndred
non had sh aken th e ear t h all day
s an t l y
can
in c es
with th eir terr ible t h under an d
th e course of t heir balls
,
w as
marked on
both sides with h eaps of corps e s
.
Both
A
43
of t h e army
.
CO
N S
P I RACY
Bu t m ore than twenty
th ousand m en on bo t h sid e s h ad fallen
v ic t im s on th is terrible fi eld
.
Thou gh
N apoleon in h is bulle t ins of vic t ory e x
,
,
ann ou nced t o
u l tin gl y
the
world anoth er
m agni ficen t triumph France did n ot join
,
enth u siastically as u sual in t h e rejoic ing
of th e comm and er
-
in
-
ch ief for
,
been obliged to pay for th e
sh e
ne w
h ad
laurels
with th e corpses of t oo m any th ousands
of h er sons
,
and t h e p aeans of victory
were drown ed by th e sighs an d lam enta
tion s of so many
t
h ousan d orphan ed
ch ildren widowed wives and betrothe d
,
,
maid ens
.
N apoleon se e m ed to pay little h eed
to th is ; h e was enjoyin g at
S c h iin b r u n n
h is victory an d h is triumph ; h e gath ered
h is brillian t sta ff
around
h im ,
gave
superb entertain m ents an d by p arades
,
T H E CARB O
O F
ARI
N
49
.
S oh é n
and reviews lu red th e Vienn ese to
brun n to w itn ess th e brilliant spec t acle
In Vienn a
,
al s o ,
.
the conqu erors arrang e d
magnificen t fes tivals seekin g t o
,
w in
th e
favor of t h e conquered p eopl e by t h e
am usem en ts o ff ered th e m
Th e Fren ch
.
governor g e n eral of Vien na C ou n t
-
,
d r eo s s y ,
A
n
z ealously endeavored to collect
ar ou nd h im th e remain s of th e A u strian
aristocracy
,
attract t h e soci e ty of th e
c apital by el egan t d inn ers
reception s
!
,
,
balls
,
an d
an d since th e armistice of
naim which
,
o
ccu rred soon after th e
ba t tl e of Wagram h ad p u t an en d to h os
til itie s ,
th e Vienn ese appeared disposed
to accept th e tru ce an d atten d th e bril
liant en t ertain m ents an d pleasan t am u se
m e n ts
o fl e re d
Th e la t ter
by C o un t
w as
A
n d r e os s y
.
n ot th e only person wh o
o p ened h is drawing room s to the V ien
-
A CO N S PI R AC Y
50
nese ; oth ers soon followed ; fashionable
Par isian socie t y seemed for t h e tim e to
h av e t ransferred i t s gay circle from P aris
t o Vienn a ; to make in th e G erm an im
perial capital propaganda for th e gay
t e l l e c t ua l ,
,
in
an d brillian t circle of th e im
p e r ial capi t al
O
f
France
B e au tif ul wom en
.
distingu ish ed
,
by
illustriou s nam es by wealth an d ch arm
,
sudd enly appeared i n Vienna
,
,
op en ed
th ei r drawing rooms an d seem ed to mak e
-
,
it
th eir
O
bj ect to recon cile th e h ostile
elem ents of French and G erm an society
,
smoo t h away con t rasts and bring th em
tog e ther
.
A m on g th ese ladies wh om the victory
brough t t o Vienn a t h e beau t iful Madam e
,
de S im oni e
w as
con spicuous
and u nu sual person
lovely
,
.
as
a brillian t
S h e was young
,
endowed with rare intelle c t u al
CA R B ON ARI
T H E
O F
51
.
the
gifts u n d erstood h ow to d o
,
h onors
of h er drawin g room wi t h th e m ost
-
tle tact an d
,
on e to
act
sub
better su ited th an any
w as
as m ediator between th e Vien
n ese an d th e Fren ch S ince sh e h erself
,
belon ged to both nations
birth
,
by
A German
.
sh e had m arried a Fren ch man
,
lived several years in P aris w ith h er h u s
band one
,
capital
O
f
th e rich est ban kers in th e
an d n ow
,
,
bein g wido w ed
com e to Vi enna in order as
S
,
he
,
h ad
said to
,
d iver t th e m in ds of h er coun t rym en fro m
th e grea t grief
wh
ich
th e
beloved capi t al cau sed th em
B eau tiful
L eon ore
loss of th eir
.
d e S imonie certainly
appeared to be th oroughly in earn est
in
her pu rpose to di v ert th ei r m ind s from
th e ir gr e at grief
draw ing
-
.
E very even in g h er
room s w ere t hrown O pen for th e
r ec e p t ion
of
uests
every
ev
nin
all
t
h
e
e
;
g
g
A C ONSP IR ACY
52
gene ral s
wh o
,
Fren ch cou r t iers
b elonged
w ere
an d people
,
to good society i n France
resent
every
even
ing
m
ore
and
;
p
m ore G erm an s an d Vienn ese wen t to
Madam e d e S i mon ie s u n til it seem ed as
’
,
she
if
a ff ord ed Vien nese and P ari s ian
soci e t y a place of m eeting wh ere forget
,
ting m u tu al aversi on an d h atred t hey
,
a
ssociated in l ove an d h arm ony
To
be
.
a v isitor at Madam e d e S imonie s
’
th erefore soon becam e a synonym of
aristocracy i n th e n ew fash ionable
c ie ty
S O
of Vienna wh ich was composed of
,
many differen t elem en t s
e rs
so
.
Th e fore ign
wh o had com e to t h e A u strian capi t al
,
attracted by th e ren own of t h e Fren ch
emperor or l ed by sel fi sh n ess s t rove wi t h
,
,
S pecial earn estn ess
to
obtain
en tr é e
the
to Madam e d e S imoni e s d rawing room
’
-
,
for th ere t h ey were S ur e o f m eetin g th os e
O F
TH E CAR B O
N
AR I
53
.
wh ose a c quaintan ce was p ro fi tabl e ; by
wh ose m editatio n th ey m igh t h op e to
O
bta i n access to th e presen c e of th e
French em peror
.
Th e day before Baroness Leon ore n ad
iven
a
brillian
t
entertain
m
ent
g
a late h ou r
O
f
O
f
U ntil
th e nigh t all th e windows
th e story whi ch
the pal aces on
.
sh e
th e
occupied in on e of
Graben were brigh tly
ligh ted ; th e c u r iou s characterless p oor
,
p eopl e h ad ga t h ered in th e stree t to watch
th e carriages roll u p and away and g az e
,
at th e windows wh en ce th e candles bla z
in g
in th e chandeliers sh one down upon
them an d beh in d wh o s e pan es they
s aw
,
i n S wift altern ation
broidered u niform s
d resses
,
so
so
many gold em
-
m any sh o wy ball
.
A s h as been said it was a brillian t
,
tertainment
en
an d th e B ar on ess d e S i mo ni e
A CONSP IR ACY
54
m igh t well be conten t with i t ; for th ough
th e h ostess
sh e
had also been
E very on e Fren ch as well
,
as
its
qu e e n
.
A u strians
,
R ussian s and Italian s , Hungarian s an d
P oles had o ff ered h er
,
e n th u s as t ic
h om
age ; had expressed in glo w ing encom iu m s
th eir
r
a
f
u
l
t
e
g
festival
sh e
thanks for th e m agnifi cen t
h ad given
.
S h e h ad been radian t too in grace an d
,
,
beau ty yesterday even in g
.
Th e gayes t
j ests were th ron ed upon h er scarlet lips
,
th e p roudest ligh t h ad sparkled in her
large black eyes th e m ost radian t roses
,
of youth had bloom ed on h er d e licate
ch eeks and th e long bla ck tresses wh ich
,
,
with wonderful lu xu riance en circl ed h er
,
h igh wh ite brow h ad been t o many th e
,
A rmida n ets in which th eir h earts were
prison ed
B
ut
.
t o day ,
-
on
th e m orn in g after th is
A C ONSP IR ACY
56
“
He will co m e oh h e will com e ; h e
,
w
,
ill be with m e in an h ou r !
pered again glan cing over
,
beaming happy eyes
,
it in to h er bosom
“
This is mine
,
an d
”
s h e w h is ~
th e
n o te with
th e n th ru s tin g
.
”
,
sh e
"
sa id softly ;
my
p rop er ty ; no one shall dispu te it w ith
m e and
,
A tremor ran throu gh every limb
,
a
bu rn ing blush crimson ed h er c h eeks the n
,
to a d eep pallor—s h e h ad h eard
v ie l d e d
steps approach ing in th e
d rawing
-
room
outsid e reco gn iz ed th e voice wh i ch called
,
h er n am e
“
.
He is coming !
is h e !
”
sh e
m u rm u red
“
.
It
My execu t ioner is app roac h ing to
begin t h e tortures
O
f
th e rack a fre sh
”
.
A t that m om en t th e door which led
in t o th e apar t ment really
d id
O
pen an d
,
a littl e ge n tl e m an d aintily and fash i 0 n ~
,
abl attired
e
nt er ed
.
T H E
O F
“
CARB ON A RI
May I v en ture to pay my re s pe cts to
B aron ess d e S im onie ?
”
h e asked paus
sm ilin g face
lo w,
with a
.
Leonore d id n ot answer
t ion l e s s
.
,
ing at th e door an d bowing
o
57
.
S h e lay m o
.
on t h e divan h er beau t ifu l figure
,
utstre tch ed at full l ength h er face cal m
,
an d in di ff eren t h er large eyes uplif t e d
,
wi th a dreamy expressi on to
“
th e
ceiling
.
M adam e la Baronn e d oes n ot seem to
h ave h eard m e
’
,
said the gentle man
sh rugging h is shoulders
“
.
,
I vent u red to
ask t h e qu es t ion wh e t h er I could pay my
respects t o you
S till
sh e
”
.
d id n ot m ov e , di d n ot
h er eyes t oward him
d istin ct voice :
W h at
“
is
Well
sw er
“
You
,
said in
bu t
see
a
t u rn
lou d
W e are alon e !
.
the u se of playing th is fa rc e
”
,
he cried laugh in g
,
sho w s th at we
,
“
,
?”
your
eall y al on e
are r
an
and
A C ONSP IR ACY
53
need no mask
Good day t h en L eon ore
-
.
,
,
or rath er good m orning for as I
-
,
,
see ,
,
you
are still in your d r e ssin g gown an d proba
-
bly have j u s t risen from you r cou ch
“
”
.
It was fou r o clock in th e m orn ing
’
w h en th e guests d eparted an d I could go
to rest
”
S h e said still retainin g h er
,
,
cu mben t at t itude
“
re
.
It is t ru e th e en tertain m en t lasted a
,
very lon g tim e
”
h e cried dropping
,
,
un
cerem oniously into t h e arm chair wh ich
stood besid e th e divan
“
.
Moreover i t i s
,
tru e th at you were an admirabl e h os t ess
an d u n derstood h ow to d o t h e hon ors
you r h ou se m os t perfectly
.
o
f
Th e g e n t le
m en were all completely be w itch ed by
you an d in my character of you r uncl e
,
,
an d social gu id e I received m ore c lasps
,
of th e h an d an d embraces than ever be
f ore in
my wh ole life
”
.
or T H E
“
you
59
.
I can imagin e h ow m uch it am u sed
”
,
“
CARB ON AR I
Y
sh e said coldly and
es ,
tha t
”
h e cried
laughin g
,
am used m e
it
t h ought wh at
in d ifl e ren tl y
“
,
.
I adm i t
esp ecially wh en I
,
h orror and am azem en t
would fi ll t h ese h augh t y aristocrats wh o
yes t erday
O
fl e re d
m e th eir friend ship if
,
t h e y kn e w wh o and wh at
w ere
“
”
.
I wish they d i d k n ow
quietly
“
up
f orbid !
What p u t
s
”
he
sh e
,
said
I am bored
”
,
cried
,
starti ng
u ch a m ad p repos ter
,
ous wish into you r h ead ?
“
”
.
Heaven
“
.
bo t h really
we
”
S h e replied
“
.
a
B u t h ow are
we
playin g a farce ?
“
sk e d in aston ish m en t
.
a
”
weary of p e rpetually playing a farce
“
m
I
.
”
he
W e are trying
t o m ake ou r fortu n e or as th e Fren ch
,
m ore correctly express it
,
N
ou s cor mg ou s
’
A CO
60
f
”
?
in g a farce
n otr e
“
or tu n e
N S
P I RACY
Why do yo u call it p lay
.
Becau se we pretend to be wh a t we are
n ot h on est aristocrats
,
“
”
.
My d ear you are com binin g w ha t is
,
rarely pu t toge t h er in life ; for you
se e
aristocratic p eople are rarely h on est an d
,
h onest folk are seldom aristocrats
“
“
Bu t we are n ei t h er
,
S h e said qu ietly
”
,
,
L eon ore s eems
an c h o l y
n es s ed
to
us
.
,
My d ear
h ave an attack of mel
to day wh ich I h ave n ever
-
.
ap
h e cried laugh ing
and t h at n o on e suspects
,
w it
in h er be fore an d wh ich r e nd e rs
,
m e su sp iciou s
“
.
Th e m ore ren own for u s t h a t we
pear to b e bo t h
“
”
”
”
.
S uspiciou s ?
”
sh e
asked and
,
,
fo r
fi rst t im e tu rn ed h er h ead sligh tly
,
,
th e
fix
ing h er eyes with a qu es t ion in g glance
u p o n th e
O
ld
man wh o sat beside h er ,
O F
n
TH E CAR BO N AR I
oddin g an d smiling
“
.
S u sp icious !
“
Well I really d id
no
,
anythin g d e fi nite
“
”
tion
,
so
.
t intend
to
s ay
h e replied sm iling
,
,
I only m ean t that
you su dd enly
I
”
’
d on t kn ow what you m ean
.
is strange t o
it
.
s ee
d e pressed by you r posi
wh ich h ith erto
greatly am u sed
so
A nd becau se this seem ed stran ge
I sought— search ing you kn ow is a trait
you
.
,
,
of h uman n a t ure —I sough t th e cause
this
“
n ew
DO
m ood
.
you th in k
P erhaps
f
”
u
o
y
Sh e ask ed carelessly
“
O
so,
”
n av ;
foun d it ? ”
.
h e said smilin g
,
“
.
Th e
most clever an d experien ced wom an may
be deluded by love an d
,
s u ff e r
h er reason
to be clouded by sweet allurin g visions
,
“
Yo u m ean that I have don e
“
Yes that is what I m ean ; out
,
so ?
,
.
”
it
m e n o f u rth er an xiety for I h ave
”
gives
c on fi
A CO
62
N
S P I RACY
den ce that your reason will soon conq u er
you r h eart
S o I d o not grudge yon th e
'
.
rare sa t isfaction of enjoying th e bliss of
O
nly I warn you :not to
take t h e matter seriously an d str ive to
being l oved
.
m ake th e d ream a reality
“
An d
.
t h at sh ould happen
if
w ould you d o
“
”
?”
I would be in exorabl e
sternly
“
.
you are
,
wh at
I wou ld tell
”
,
h e answered
w ho
an d what
”
.
S h e lay m otionl ess ; h er face still
t ain e d
i t s calm
,
re
indi ff e rent expression
,
only for a m om en t an angry flash darted
from h er eyes at t h e
O
ld
gentleman but
,
sh e lowered h er lids over th em as if th ey
,
m u s t n ot betray th e s e cre t s of h er soul
A pau se followed
t h e slow
,
,
in te rrup t ed
.
only by
regular ticking of th e great
R ococo clock wh ich stood on th e marble
mantel
ie ce
.
A CO N
64,
ten ed
S P I RACY
you r conversation bu t yo u wer e
to
,
m aliciou s enough to gran t h im th e inter
in
vie w
wh ich
th e little corner drawing room
-
h as
bu t a single entrance
S
.
O
it
impossi ble to enter it u nn oticed
w as
W ell what did th e coun t want ?
,
.
”
,
“
He wanted to tell m e t h at he loved
m e u n utterably
th e
favor
’
co up e
O
f
He wanted to implore
.
accepting from h im t h e
with th e two dapple grays
in
-
,
wh ich h e drove m e yes terday and wh ich
,
I had praised
“
“
day
”
.
I h ope th at you granted the favor
I did
”
.
Th e equipage will be sen t to
.
”
.
“
Th e
beau tiful
dapple grays
-
”
,
are
said th e old gentleman rub
,
bing h is hands contentedly
worth at leas t a t housan d
c oup
é is
remarkably
a m odel
O
f
“
.
They are
fl o rin s ,
and
th e
elegance an d beauty
.
O F TH E
CAR BO N ARI
65
.
Th e co u nt received i t from P aris a fort
night ago
A
n d r eo s s y
“
B u t h ow did yo u repay
.
for h is regal gift
?”
I t old h im th at I d e t ested him an d
,
th at h e n eed n ever h op e for my love
“
Yet you accep t ed h is gift ? h e asked
Yes
treated
I accepted it becau se h e
.
it
en
as th e fi rst an d great e st favor
,
rantin
g
g
,
small a boon
,
after th e d eep sorrow I h ad
ca u sed him I could n ot h elp
“
,
.
and because
“
.
”
smil in g
“
”
so
”
.
Magnificent !
”
he
cried
laugh ing ;
,
you talk like a reign ing qu een accept
,
ing gifts from h er vassal
coun t loves
not ?
“
passion ately
Th en th e
,
does h e
”
He loves n oth ing except h imself an d
h is ambi t ion
th e
o
u
y
.
.
He wou ld like to
title of prince from N apoleon
O
”
.
b t ai n
A CO NSP IR AC Y
66
“
And
h im
“
bel ieves that yo u co uld
he
aid
?”
Indirectly yes
,
cover
.
If I h elp h im to
a ff air which is
ah
O
f
d is
great im po r
t ance to t h e emperor an d for wh ose
d is
,
closure h e could n ot fail to reward C ou n t
A
n d re o s s y
“
“
A
”
.
What kind of an a ff air ?
A conspiracy
”
,
sh e
”
said qu ietly
“
A conspiracy ?
A gains t
“
A gainst
E mpero r
n d re o s s y
th e
w
.
hom
N apoleon
naturally believes m e t o
.
be
an enth usias t ic ad m irer of h is emperor
,
and therefore h e imparted to m e h is f e ar s
and conjectures
.
Th e poin t in question
is a widespread conspiracy wh ich is sai d
,
t o exi st in th e Fren ch army an d h ave
assistan t s am ong th e A u s t rians
“
A nd
u
o
y
c ons p i racy ?
”
?
”
.
D o you believe in
th is
TH E CARB
O F
“
s
O
O N
ARI
67
.
I am on th e trac k an d p erh aps sh all
oon be able to gi ve th e p articulars
.
nly i t requ ir es t im e an d great caution
an d secrecy
Let m e say n o m ore n ow ,
.
bu t I prom ise th a t I will b e active an d
watchful
S
.
nly I mak e on e cond i t ion
O
”
.
“
Wh a t is t h at ?
“
If I su cceed in discoverin g th is con
delivering th e leaders in to you r
ra c ,
i
y
p
hands
giving the em peror u nd en iabl e
,
proofs
”
O
f
th e existen ce of th is plot per
,
haps even saving h is l ife by th e d isclosu re ;
if I su cceed
,
as
I said i n doing all this
,
,
then you will release m e an d perm it m e
to leave Vienn a
”
.
“
To go wh er e ?
“
Wherever I wish
”
,
only alon e , only
not
“
say ,
O
nly
”
he
n ot
w ith
yo u yo u w anted to
,
add ed , co m p letin g th e senten c e
.
A C ONSP IRACY
53
“
My ch ild you
,
t h at I was righ t in
see
remarking th a t a change h ad tak en place
i n you
w it h
'
Form erl y you were glad to be
.
me ;
you n ever felt a wish to leave
m e ; form erly it was your ard en t d esire
occu py a brilliant position
to
socie ty t o
in
,
be rich aristocratic brilliant influ ential ;
,
,
,
and now wh en you h ave at tained all th is
,
,
n ow you are still u nsatisfied n ow you
,
lon g to resign
all
t his again
Bu t you
.
wil l re fl ect Leonore ; you will listen to
,
reason
You will consider what we have
.
suff ered from t h e pe t tin ess th e pitiful
,
n ess th e arrogan ce and th e selfishn ess
,
,
of m en
You will rem em ber
.
h ow
often
you vowed with angry tears to avenge
,
,
yourself som e day for all that we h ave
su ff er e d
.
R em ember , ch ild , rem ember !
Have you forgot t en h ow we starved and
pined wh en yo u r m oth er died be c a u se
,
,
TH E CAR B O N A RI
O F
we were
SO
69
.
p oor th at i n h er illn ess
,
we
,
c ould not give h er th e n ecessary nu rsin g
could n ot pay a doctor
gotten
h ow w e
Have you for
.
both kn elt besid e
corpse and wi t h tears
,
O
f
,
h er
grief an d anger
,
swore to avenge th e d eath of th e poor
su ff erer u pon cru el m en base society ?
”
,
“
I kn ow it fath er yes I kn ow it
,
,
,
answered panting for brea t h as
sh e
,
,
”
,
sh e
slowly raised h er h ands and pressed th em
on h er bosom as if to force d own th e
anguish wi t h in
forget it !
“
.
That
A h yes I sh all n ever
,
,
w as
th e h ou r wh en w e
both sold ourselves to h ell
“
Until
man
”
,
”
.
that tim e I h ad been an h onest
h e contin u ed
“
.
I had toil ed
I n
h on est ways to obtain support for my
family and myself
d e av o r e d
.
I had earn estly
to m ak e my knowledge
eu
r
o
fi
t
a
p
b le—hu mble en ou gh to be willi ng to teac h
f o r t he
ON S P IR ACY
C
A
70
lo west price t o
,
everywh ere
O
ff er
my serv ices
Bu t I could get no employ
.
m en t ; peopl e wan ted n o teach er of m usic ;
everywhere I was pitilessly tu r n ed away
.
D u ring th e m ournfu l years of war wh ich
had closed in u pon u s n o on e wan t ed to
,
spen d his mon ey for a useless art
,
w h ich
perhaps cou ld be u sed only for d irges
A m u sic teach er was th e m ost
'
-
.
u n n ec es
a y an d u s eless of m ortal s and th e m usic
s r
,
teach er fel t this an d was ready t o becom e
,
wood c utter laborer street sweeper any
-
-
,
,
t hing
only
to
procu re food for h is sick wife
c h il d ,
'
to
,
w as
a
ray of comfort
e
m ploym ent
n
owh ere ;
migh t h av e s t a rved in th e m id s t
wh o, With
,
h is
.
all in vain ; th e poor m usic ;
teach er fou n d
r
at
city
e
g
,
bright en th eir im p overish
ed sorrowfu l lives with
B u t it
,
s
u rr ou nd ed by
w e althy
O
he
f th e
”
eo
l
e
p p
r o gan t b eari ng d aily d rove
a r
,
A C ON SP I R ACY
72
“
Yes
,
drun ken spree
secret
,
so
L eh rbach
Cou n t
’
val e t in
s
a
,
betrayed h is master
,
’
s
I learned th e fi n e business and
,
could warn t h e en voys could warn L eh r
,
bach to take stronger p recautions
It
.
was my fi rst trial an d i t was well paid
,
“
.
Th e p oor envoys p aid for it wi t h th eir
lives
“
”
”
,
S h e cried sh u ddering
That was
,
.
their own
fault
Why
.
d id n t th ey lis t en to m y warn ing ?
Why
’
d id n t they d elay th e ir d eparture u n t il
’
th ey following m orning ?
I k n ew that in
th e evenin g a wh ole d etachm ent
Hu s
f
O
sars was station ed on th e h igh way which
t h ey
m ust p ass
warn ed th em
.
I told th em
.
s o,
an d
B u t th ey d id n ot believe
m e ; t h ey were reckless en ough to
s et
ou t
,
an d I on ly su cceeded in persuading th em
to bu rn th eir important p apers an d arm
th emselves
.
Tru e this was u sel ess
,
.
Th ey
T H E
O F
CAR B ONARI
73
.
were butchered by t h e Hu ssars
.
O
ne
alon e Jean D ubarry escaped and I m ay
,
,
,
th at I saved h im ; for I d iscovered
s ay
h im in th e tree u p wh ich h e h ad climbed
in hi s m or t al terror t ook
,
h iding place
-
,
h im
t o a safe
an d inform ed th e French
auth orities in Rastadt
.
Yes I saved his
,
life and th erefore I can say tha t I began
,
my n ew life with a good deed an d did n ot
,
entirely sel l myself to t h e d evil
.
S in ce
th at tim e I have led a ch angefu l stirring
,
existen ce of t en in danger of getting a
‘
,
bullet in my h ead or a rope aroun d my
,
n eck
But what h as given m e courag e t o
.
d eride defy all th ese perils ? Th e th ough t
,
of
my child
,
my
daugh ter Leon ore
.
beau tiful
,
beloved
I h ad tak en h er to
P aris an d placed h er in on e of t h e m ost
,
fashion able boarding sch ools
.
I wish ed to
h ave h er trained to be an aristocrati c
C O N S P I R AC
A
74
lady
I
.
h ad
fu t ure and
,
al l
told h er
as ,
like m e
,
Y
my plans
sh e
world and h u man beings
f or t h e
despised
th e
S h e had
ap
,
prov ed these plans an d so lemn ly vowed
by th e m em ory of h er m o t h er m urd ered
,
by wan t fam in e
,
,
an d
grief
to avenge
,
h erself wi t h m e upon soc iety—wrest from
it wh at form erly
it
h ad
so
cru elly den ied :
weal t h h onor an d distin ction
,
“
A
,
nd
”
.
I th in k I h ave k ept my oath
S h e said earn estly
“
.
”
,
I have en tered into
al l you r plans ; I h ave accepted th e part
wh ich you imposed upon m e
,
an d for
th ree years h ave played it wi t h su ccess
Baroness von Vern on
w as
.
as u seful t o you
in Berlin th e las t two ye a rs as Ba roness
,
d e Sim onie is n ow i n Vi enna
yo u
.
S he
aided
all your plan s en t ere d into you r
in
,
d esign s pi tilessly b e tray e d al l wh o tr u sted
,
h er
an d
wh os e secr e t s sh e st ol e by craft ,
falseh ood an d h
o cr is
O F T H E
“
75
.
be
Wh y did th ey all ow them to
stolen
“
CARB ON ARI
?”
h is
h e said sh ruggin g
,
Wh y were they
reckl e ss
so
sh ou ld ers
as
to tru st
.
a
bea utifu l woman wh en experience t each es
,
ih
that all wom e n lie d eceive an d are
,
,
Th ey m u st
capable of k eepin g a s ecret ?
bear th e consequ en ces
th eir own folly ;
of
we n e e d n ot reproach ou rselves for it
“
“
I d o n ot reproach myself
only life bores m e
e
p
”
,
sh e
”
.
said
,
I long for rest for
,
.
ace for solitud e aroun d m e th a t I may
,
,
n ot be
“
me
so u
n utterably lonely with i n
”
.
You wish to con ceal th e truth from
Leonore
,
sh oulders
“
,
”
,
h e cri e d shru gging h is
,
but I k now it
l ove m y child and S in ce
,
th is i s
,
y
,
You are
.
as
in
I su ppose
,
our firs t l ove it cann ot fail to be
,
very passion ate and
tran s fi g u r e
m an i ty with a roseate glow
th at w ill
pas s away
an d
.
B
yo u w ill
hu
all
ut
s
e
wait !
oo n
be
A C ON S P I RACY
76
disench an ted
n ot
H ush ! do n ot answ e r ;
.
do
try to contradict m e ; l overs reason s
’
h ave n o con vin cin g power
.
We will leave
everyth in g t o tim e an d say n o m ore abou t
it
L et u s rather talk about t h e great
.
a ff a ir
,
which you j ust m en t ion ed
,
and
wh ich cer t ainly migh t grea t ly promote
our prosperi t y
Th en you really believe
.
in a con spiracy ?
“
I do
”
I know som e of th e accomplices
.
and shall succeed in discovering oth ers
Bu t I
repeat
,
I will d o n othin g
.
in
regard t o this matter u n t il you h ave
gran ted my condition
“
”
.
”
A re you serious L eonore ? h e asked
,
sorrowfully
fa t h er ?
“
.
You would leave m e you r
,
You wis h to aban don th e task
wh ich w e imposed upon ourselves ?
ou
y
kn ow that we h ad
pu rp os e
O
f
set
becomin g ri c h
For
ou rselves th e
in
o
rd er
to
CA RBO N AR I
O F T H E
77
'
.
trample u nder our feet th ose wh o scorn ed
and ill treated u s wh en we were poor
-
.
But th ere i s s t ill m u ch to be don e ere w e
a ttain ou r goal
.
It is tru e that I am well
paid ; for I am always paid for my life
,
wh ich is risked in every on e of my en ter
prises
You too
.
,
,
are well paid ; for a
m agni fi cently furnish ed h om e w ith a
m onth ly in com e of si x th ousand francs is
a
compensation
l ib e ra l
Bu t my proud
.
,
aristocratic Leonore kn ows little abou t
economy and S h e has arran ged h er h ou se
,
keepin g on so regal a scale t hat I sh all
scarcely su cceed i n pu t t ing a trifle asid e
for h er every m onth
Besid es con sider
.
,
that th e engagem ent is liabl e to be can
celled
at
any m om ent and t hat th e least
,
error t he m ost trivial su spic ion
,
O
f
you r
trus t wor t hin ess will su ffi c e to h url yo u
back into O blivion
.
N
O
,
Leon ore I m u st
,
A
78
C ON S P I R ACY
n ot e n ter in to you r ecsta sy an d I
w ill
,
n ot
You m ust remain with m e ; yo u
.
m ust fulfill th e vow you m ad e and h old
,
in g my hand pursue th e path into
,
w
h ich
d espair and contempt for man k ind
led
“
us
h as
”
.
A n d if I will not
?”
S h e asked
,
s it
ti ng erect and for the first t im e d uring
,
th is
wh ole
,
conversation perm itting th e
,
passionate agi t a t ion
r or e d
in h er face
h er so u l to be m ir
O
f
“
If I will n ot ?
.
If I
h ave resolved to fly from th is life
shameful
splendor
wh ite w ash ed c rime ?
“
gilded
,
falseh ood
,
”
Th en I shall h old you
h e cri e d
“
,
f
O
in
it by for c e
”
,
grasping h er arm violen tly
A nd d o you kn ow h ow ?
I
w
.
ill inform
th e man you love wh o you are and
,
,
b e~
li eve m e h e w ill turn from you with con
,
temp t
an d loath ing ; h e will n ot follow
CO NSP IR A CY
A
30
“
Yo u will n ot do th at
”
,
sh e
sh riek ed
,
th rowing h erself from th e d ivan u p on her
kn ees ;
“
n o father you will n ot
,
,
You
.
will h av e pity on m e for I will confess
,
i t to you : I love h im
my only love an d for
,
for
h is
h is
is
my first
,
,
,
n ot betray m e
.
,
sak e oh ! solely
sak e I would fain again be good
p u re vir t u ou s
“
He
.
,
S o h ave pi ty on m e d o
,
”
.
Will you s w ear to remain Mad am e d e
S im onie
?
To mak e n o ch ange in yo u r
p resen t m od e of life ? To fulfill th e du ties
wh ich you have u nder t aken an d pursu e
,
you r task wit h zeal and clevern ess ?
“
”
If I do will you then promise n ot
,
betray m e ?
“
to
”
If you do I will d evo t e all my craft
,
,
c unn ing and boldness to t h e on e pu rpose
,
O
f
m aking u s rich ; will put all m eans
m otion , in order , wh en
w e ar e
in
w ealthy ,
O F
T H E CA R B O N A RI
81
.
to givo you the h app in ess of living wi th
you r lover in som e seclu ded corn er of th e
world
“
Y
”
.
ou
t ray m e
“
.
d o n ot
th at you will n ot
say
S wear i t
be
”
.
I swear that I will betray to n o hu man
bein g wh o an d wh at you are
,
as
soon
as
you swear to remain w hat you are and to
fulfill you r d u ties
“
Well t h en
”
,
”
.
sh e
roan
ed
fain
tly
g
“
,
I
swe ar it : I will rem ain wh a t I am ; I will
m ak e n o attempt to fly from th is life o f
dis grace an d crime
“
“
”
.
My d ear Leon ore
”
,
h e said kindly
,
n ow we h ave taken ou r m utual vows
an d u nderstand each oth er
en ce s
sure
“
re
O
are set t led an d
,
f
Yes
each oth er
,
we
we
.
f
a e
A ll di ff er
once m ore
”
.
are su re of each oth er
”
,
S
he
p ea t ed wi th a m elanch oly sm ile , slo wly
A
32
C O NSP I RACY
rising from h er kn ees an d drawin g h er
figure proudly t o i t s full h e igh t
“
.
I will
take u p my par t again an d you shall h ear
n o m ore complain t s from me
fa t h er
,
Have you any furth er qu e stions to ask ?
“
R eally ,
”
”
h e exclaim e d gazing at h er
,
wi t h sparkling eyes
ad mirable woman
ing ,
.
“
,
really you are an
,
Ju st
.
a d espair
now
peni t en t Magdalen and on ce m ore a
,
Judith ready for
b a t tl e o r a
D elilah wh o is
j oyfully ready to cu t S a mson s locks an d
’
d eliver him to t h e P hilistin es
Tell m e
.
,
is th ere a S amson wh om yo u will d eliver
to u s
“
?”
More than on e
”
,
sh e
cried ;
“
you th at th ere is a con spiracy
for I tell
an d I
,
already kn ow three of t h e m embers
O
bj ect is t o discover t h e o t h ers
m e tim e an d trus t m e
“
S
O
give
”
.
May I s p ea k of it
”
n ow ?
.
Th e
.
to t h e
e
mp ero r
TH E CAR B O N AR I
O F
“
83
Yo u m ay warn h im th row ou t h ints
,
fi x you r price
For as
.
we m u st be rich to
be
h ave said
o
u
y
free and h appy
D emand a h igh price of blood that
,
may be rich
“
B
,
.
we
”
.
lood m on ey !
Th en
-
serious matter
.
i t is a very
Blood will be S h ed !
A y,
blood will be S h ed ! H eads will fall !
sh e
,
cried with flash ing eyes
d o w e care for th at ?
“
.
”
Bu t what
We shall be paid
for betraying th e trai t ors an d wh en
,
,
we
h ave gain ed wealth n o on e w ill as k from
,
wh at bloody sourc e i t came
reconciles equ alizes everythin g
,
will be rich
l isten
.
,
rich
Wealt h
.
S
.
O
we
A n d n ow , un cle
.
,
B aron ess d e S im onie will give
an o t h er ent e r t a in m en t to m orrow
-
.
Sh e
will invite all her frien ds an d acquain t
anoes bu t especially C ou n t
,
A
n d re o s s y s
aids C olon el Mariage C aptain d e
,
,
’
G u esi
n ard Lieutenan t col o n el S ch wei t zer
-
th
CONSP IR ACY
A
34
C ou nts von
t wo
n u mber
f
O
P
an d m o reover a
o l d rin g ,
French and A u str ian O ffi cers
m agistrates an d ladi es
,
It m u s t be a
.
brillian t f e t e —all th e room s crowded wi t h
people
t hat som e
,
,
with ou t at t racting
at t ention m ay be able to retire and h old
,
a fam iliar con versation
“
O f
”
.
of co u rse (m y beau tiful
Leon ore an d as you r un cl e an d m ajor
cou rse
,
,
,
d om o I will d o every t h ing i n my power
,
for you r h on or ! A nd
well !
I will go to
to
em peror
th e
.
S ch O
,
n brunn ,
to report
Farewell an d be brave
,
h appy an d j oyous
,
my child fare
n o w,
.
,
B e lieve m e m e n d o
,
n ot d eserve t o be pi t ied far less to be
,
l oved
Th e
.
d ay
will soon com e wh en m y
L e on ore will percei v e thi s an d s t rip t he
e
n t h usiasm of lov e from
cal mly as th e glove from
Farewel l
o
n ie
p
9
!
,
h er
h er
h eart as
fair h and
you lovely B aron ess
.
d e S im~
T HE CAR B O
O F
N
ARI
C H A P T E R I II
B
LE
A RO
N
.
K O LB I E L S KY
VO N
35
.
.
h ad accompan ied L
h er fath e r
O N O RE
into th e an teroom an d listen ed in breath
less silence t o h is departin g footste p s
Th en
,
rush in g to th e window
,
S
.
he
threw it open an d gazed d own in t o th e
street
.
Yes sh e saw h im enter a carriage
and drive
to h er
,
ff
O
in it turn in g once to nod
,
.
With a sigh of relief
h er bo u doir
transformed
sh e
went bac k to
Her wh ol e bein g seem ed
.
Her ch eek s flu sh ed
.
,
her
eyes sparkled an d a h appy smile h overed
,
arou n d h er lips
lo ck
c
.
as
sh e
glan ced at
th e
A
36
“
Twel ve !
”
CO NSP IR AC Y
sh e
cried joyou sly
I S h all
He will com e !
,
,
twelve !
h i m again
see
Th ere h e is !
A h th ere h e is !
“
”
S h e d arted to t h e door to O pen it
had n ot been mis t ak en
H
.
m an wh om S h e expec t ed
e
.
Sh e
.
was th ere th e
,
With a cry of
.
j oy h e opened h is arms an d S h e th rew
,
h erself into th em
claspin g h er arm s
,
aroun d his n eck and laid h er h ead upon
,
h is breast
“
.
Welcom e m y bel oved one welcom e !
,
O h,
h ow d eligh tfu l it is to rest u pon you r
breast !
“
,
”
A n d what happiness to clasp yo u
m y arm s
,
R aise
L e onore !
in
you r h e ad
,
my swee t love ; let m e see you r b e autiful
face an d
sun
myself in you r e yes
S h e lifted h er face to
him w ith a h appy smile
in
y o u r eyes d earest
,
”
.
h is ,
“
.
I
”
.
gazing at
see
myself
A
33
“
C ONSP IR ACY
I love yo u becau se you are
d ifl e r en t
from every on e else ; becau se what attracts
others d oes
n ot
ch arm you ; what
te r rifi e s
others d oes n ot intim idate y ou ; I love
you precisely becau se you are th e poor
ad ventu rer yo u call
you rself
Than k
.
h eav en that you are n o sensible prudent
,
,
d eliberate gen t leman wh o longs for titles
,
and ord ers for m on ey an d posi t ion bu t
,
,
th e clever adven tu rer wh o calls noth in g
h is
own sav e h is h on or seek s noth ing
,
save p eril loves n o t hin g save
,
“
Loves noth ing sav e Leon ore
ardently interru p t ed
so
!
“
.
”
,
he
Beli eve m e i t i s
,
I love n oth in g save you and u n t il
,
,
I kn ew you I did n ot kn ow even love
,
on ly hate
“
,
”
.
Hate ?
”
she
asked sm iling
,
“
.
wh om d id you h ate m y loved on e ?
An d
”
,
“
T he
fo e s of m y nativ e land ,
’
h e c ri ed ,
T H E CAR B O
O F
AR I
N
39
.
while a dar k angry flush swept over
,
h is d ar k
h andsom e expressive face an d
,
,
eyes flash ed m ore brightly
“
repeated smilin g
,
hated foes ?
“
.
Th e foes of you r n ative land ?
“
.
”
sh e
A n d wh o are th ese
”
Th e P ru ssians an d th e E m p eror N a
l
e on .
o
p
It was th e P russian s
wh o
dismembered my h apless country
I
h is
w as
first
O h,
.
bu t a littl e boy wh en th e E mpress
C a t h arin e an d Kin g Fred e rick s t ole th e
fairest portions of h apless P oland
.
I did
’
n ot u nders t an d my m oth er s tears my
,
fath er s execra t ions
’
,
bu t as my fa t h er
com man ded m e I laid my h an d upon t h e
,
Bi ble an d vowed e ternal inextingu ish able
,
hatred of th e P russians
A nd t h e boy s
’
.
v ow has been k ept by th e m an
.
I h ave
struggled ceaselessly again st t h ese ambi
tio u s , lan d greedy , avariciou s P ru ssia n s ;
-
CONSP IR ACY
A
90
fough t with m y ton gu e my swor d an d
,
my p en
.
,
A n d wh en at las t at Jena
,
,
th ey were van q u ish ed an d forced to bow
to t h e very d ust I exu lted for th eir d e
,
,
feat was P olan d s vengean ce
’
God
.
w as
requ i ting th e wrong th ey had d on e to
P oland
S in ce th en I h ave n o longer
.
hated th e P ru ssian s bu t I d espise t h em
,
”
.
”
sh e
ask ed gazin g lovingly at h i m with
he r
“
A n d wh om d o you h ate n ow ?
,
large d reamy eyes
,
“
.
Him th e traitor th e a ctor an d liar
,
,
th e E mperor N apoleon !
,
”
h e cri e d s t ar t
,
in g u p an d p acing excitedly to and fro
“
Ah
,
Leon ore
,
,
.
why d id you lay you r
h an d u pon th e great ever achin g wound
-
,
in my h ear t ? W h y did yo u as k abou t m y
h ate w hen I wish ed to spea k t o you only
of
my l ove ?
Why d o you wish to
s ee
that
my h eart is bl eed in g wh en y ou o u gh t
T H E
O F
CAR BO
AR I
N
91
.
only to k n o w that it e x ults in love ?
perhaps it is better
Yet
bet t er t h at yo u
so ;
S hould beh ol d it wh olly with ou t d isguise ;
tha t you should know
bu t h ates
.
it
n ot only loves
,
L eon ore all my love is you rs
,
,
N ap oleon s
all my h ate
I cam e t o
’
.
Vienn a by th e beh est of my ha t e an d for
,
th e
first tim e I foun d h ere wh at I h ad
n ever kn own —love Hi t h erto m y h eart
,
.
had belonged t o my n ative land n ow it i s
,
yours
,
Leonore
.
Th e poor adventur e r
,
wh o u nd er m anifol d form s i n m ani fo ld
,
,
.
disguises und er m any names ha d
,
,
d ered th rough th e w o rl d
vice
now
O
f
,
al w a
s
y
w an
i n th e s e r
h is native lan d an d vengean ce h as
,
foun d a h om e at you r feet an d it
,
som e t im es happens t h at h e forgets grief
for h is cou ntry in t h e joy of h is lov e
yet Leonore yet th ere
,
,
ar e
.
A nd
bi t ter sorrow
,
ful h ours , in w hich I execra t e my lov e
CO NSP IR ACY
A
92
i tself ;
in
wh ich I f e e l that I will rend it
from my h ear t ; that I mu st escape from
i t in t o t h e ha t e wh ich h i t herto h as gu ided
an d fi x e d my wh ole ex is t en ce
“
”
.
If you feel an d th in k t hus you d o
,
n ot love me
“
”
sh e said m ournfully
,
Yes I love
,
.
Leonore ; love you
y ou ,
wi t h raptu re with anguish with d espair
,
with j oy
.
,
,
Yet I ask myself what will be
th e goal and end of t h is love ?
I
as k
my
self wh en th is sun wh ic h h as sh on e upon
,
m e t h rough on e beau t iful splen did day
,
will
“
set ?
,
”
It will n ever set u nless by you r d e
,
sire
”
,
S h e cried pu t t ing
,
h is n eck an d bending
u pon h is brow
“
It will
h er
to
arm s aroun d
imprin t a kiss
.
s e t,
for I
am
n ot c reated to
live i n sunsh in e an d enj oy happin es s
My life belongs to my na t ive la nd !
.
I
O F
T H E
CAR B O
N A RI
93
.
have sworn to consecra t e it t o m y cou n try
and I m ust k eep m y oa t h
,
I dare n ot
.
give myself up t o love un t il I hav e don e
enough for h ate ; I dare n o t enjoy happi
n e ss ere I hav e ful filled vengeance
“
Veng e an ce m y d ear e s t ?
O
,
do you wish to tak e vengean ce ?
“
O
n
him
wh o
”
.
n
whom
”
stol e m y n a t iv e lan d ; wh o
deluded u s for y e ars wi t h false h opes
wi th lyin g prom ises ; wh o prom ised
liber t y an d i n return gav e u s bondage
,
uS
.
I
seek to avenge m y cou ntry on N apo
leon
“
Hush ! for God s sak e
’
,
h ush !
”
sh e
cried tre mbling viol e n t ly as S h e pressed
,
,
h er h an d upon h is lips
“
.
DO
n ot ut t er
su ch words ; d o not ventu re even to th in k
t h em ; for even th ough t s bring danger
an d speec h will bring you
“
Ah
”
,
h e cried
,
d eath
laugh ing
”
.
“
,
,
doe s my
A CO
94
N
S PI RACY
D oes s h e fear
prou d royal Leon ore fear ?
,
in h er own h ou se i n her boudoir wh ere
,
love alon e can h ear
“
An d h ate
you
”
,
sh e
,
?”
sa id an xiou sly
t ha t not only love
s ay
d w e lls in you r h e ar t
“
“
.
For
bu t h a t e
,
,
”
.
Bu t n o t in you rs Leonor e
,
.
No
,
in
your hear t dw e lls only lov e an d I w ill
,
trus t i t
Yes
.
,
b e au t iful
o
u
y
,
gloriou s
wom an I will g iv e you a proof of my
,
fi n ite lov e an d con fid e nce
.
in
.
Yo u S hall
kn ow m y s e cre ts an d I w ill t e l l you wha t
I h ave yet b e trayed t o n o woman on
earth
“
N
”
.
O
,
no
”
,
she
“
cri e d v e h e m en t ly ;
I w ill h ear n oth ing
no
,
I d o no t w ish t o
.
know you r secrets ; for I m igh t reveal
th em in m v sle e p
.
T
h e y m igh t fill my
sou l w ith su ch angu ish an d terror that
,
they w ould occu py it even in slu mb e r an d
,
A
93
us,
CO NS P IR ACY
w h ere th e n oise of th e world does n ot
p enetrate w h ere w e sh all lear n n o t h in g
,
m ore of its d issensions and wars wh ere
,
fi
O
'
l y l ov e
an d p eace w ill dwell wi t h us ;
wh ere clasp e d in each o t her s embrace
’
,
we can rest
ce iv e
on
’
N atu re s bosom an d
rs
fro m h er h ealing for all our wounds
comfort for all ou r losses
for I k now well tha t
,
.
so
O h,
let
us
,
fly
,
,
lon g as yo u are
h ere—h ere in this world of strife and
in
trigu e —you will n ot be min e ; yo u cannot
wren ch yourself away fro m th e n u merou s
relation s wh ich h old an d b in d you d raw
,
you in to th eir perilou s circle
up
.
.
G ive t h e m
L e t u s rend th ese bonds wh ich fetter
you an d will d rag yo u t o d estru ction
Le t
.
u s go t o A m erica ; far far away to
,
som e qu iet u nkn own valley wh ere there
,
,
are n o h um an beings an d th erefore th er e
,
will be n o falseh ood an d no treachery ,
no
O F
TH E CA RBO
b attles and strife
N
A RI
97
.
Th ere let u s d w ell
.
in
th e d ivin e peace of creation ; live as A da m
an d E ve l ived in P aradise qu ietly an d at
,
rest in th e precincts O f p u re h u man happi
ness
“
”
.
A n d yo u would yo u c o u ld d o th is
,
,
for m e ?
”
h e asked gazin g w ith
,
a d mir
in g eyes at her glowing face radian t wit h
,
en t h u siasm
“
.
You
,
th e petted qu een
of society th e spoiled delicat e dau gh ter
,
,
of lu xu ry an d wealth you cou ld resolve
,
to l ead a qu ie t simple u n known life far
,
,
,
from th e worl d an d m en ?
“
O h,
”
sh e
exclaim ed
”
“
,
such an exist
en ce would be my h appiness m y ecstasy
,
m y bliss
.
I would gr e e t
it
exultingly
,
.
I lon g for it wi t h all th e powers of m y
soul all th e fervor of my h eart
,
.
G iv e it
to m e my beloved ; give u s bo t h this life
,
O
f
solit u de an d d ivin e p eace
.
S pea k
on e
CONSP IRA CY
A
93
word — say t hat
y ou
are ready to fly with
m e—I will arrang e ev e ry t h ing for our
es
cape ; wil l gu id e u s bo t h t o liber t y t o
,
h appin ess
S peak t h is on e word an d I
.
,
w ill s e ver ev e ry
t ie
t hat b inds m e t o t h e
world ; m y fu t ure an d m y life will belong
to you alon e
W e will s t rip
.
all th e
o ff
lu xu ry t hat su rrounds u s as th e glit t er
ing snake S kin w it h wh ich
-
c e al e d
.
have con
ou r rea l n a t u res an d escape in t o
,
th e soli t u d e
G od
we
as
fre e happy ch ild re n of
,
If su ch a l ife of peac e an d rest
does n ot sa t isfy you ; if you wish to labor
and cr e ate
,
be
u seful to mankind we can
find th e opportun it y
,
.
W e will buy
a
trac t of land i n A m e ri ca ga t h er aroun d
,
us
p eople t o cul t ivate it create
a
,
l ittl e
state w h os e prince you will be wh ich
,
you will render fre e an d h appy and con
tent
.
S ay that yo u will my loved
,
on e ;
A
100
C ONSP IRACY
rise from h is kn ees to fall u pon h er
n ot
breas t ; h e only bowed h is h ead l ower an d
k issed th e h em
be
feet wh ich
,
“
A las !
”
O
h er dress —kissed h er
f
pressed to h is bosom
h e sigh ed sadly
“
,
.
th is little
foot i n its w h ite satin sh oe is n ot created
,
,
for th e rough path s of life ; it would
be
torn an d blood stain ed by their thorns
-
and th e fault wou ld be m in e
N o my
.
,
S weet love you S h all n ot for my sake
,
n ou nce
d or
th e
w h ose
,
re
w orld of pleasu re an d splen
qu een you are even thoug h
,
you wish i t an d perh aps even long for
,
t h e peace an d qu iet of solitud e
.
I mu st
n ot accompany you th i t h er m ust no t b e
,
faith less to myself
.
For th e m ost terri
ble an d inconsolable thing wh ich can
fall
a
be
m an i s to be faith less to h i mself
an d turn from th e way which h e h imself
h as ch osen an d from th e goals wh ich h e
,
O F
T H E CAR B O N AR I
him self has ap p ointed
101
.
Bu t I sh ould d o
.
this Leonore if I renounced the goals
,
,
e ff orts of m y w h ole past life and
an d
,
turned from wh at I h ave h ith erto
re
g arded as th e m ost sacred pu r p ose of my
existence
Yo u you rself Leonore can
.
it,
n ot wish
,
,
for th en h ow cou ld you tru st
my fi delity , my love , if , for you r sak e , I
c auld be u ntru e to m y native land my
,
s acred du ty
t
N o Leon ore my h eart
.
,
,
is
ours bu t m y brain and life belon g to
,
my cou n try
it
.
h ere
I cam e to Vienna to serv e
.
Th e great pa t riots of P olan d
‘
.
GO
s en t
‘
me
to A ustria th ey said and serve
,
,
th ere th e sacred cau se of freedom an d
h u man dignity
h ere t o serve it
’
.
.
A n d I went an d am
,
Many are in
th e
leagu e
with m e strugglin g with m e t oward th e
,
sam e goal
.
N
O
on e
kn ows th e oth ers
but in th e decisive h o u r
we sh all
,
all wor k
A CO
102
N
S P I RACY
togeth e r for th e on e great object
A nd
.
this h ou r will soon com e ; all th e prepara
tion s are m ad e all th e plans are m atur ed
,
.
It is approach ing Th e great h ou r O f sacred
.
v engean ce is approach in g
You d o
.
n ot
wish m e to in itiate you into m y secre ts
Leonore an d I
feel that you
now
,
,
are
righ t for every S harer in th ese secrets
,
is
imperiled by th em an d I will not dra w
,
you my beloved on e into th e dangerous
,
,
circle wh ere I am bou nd
,
c iou s
.
Bu t if a gra
d es t iny gran ts ou r plans succ e ss if
,
th e great ventu re which
m ined upon su cc e eds th en
,
h ave d e ter
we
,
Leon ore I
,
will com e to you h old ou t my h and and
,
,
exultingly repeat th e question wh ich to
d ay I d are only to whisper tim orously :
L eon ore will you be my wife ?
”
,
S h e d id not answer im m ediately bu t
,
c ov ered h er glowing fa c e with h er hand s,
S
O
CONSP I R A CY
A
1 04
I will bid yo u farewell my dearest
,
D urin g t h is tim e
,
,
far e well for a week
.
rem em ber m e pray for m e an d lov e m e
,
,
.
A week my dear on e t h en I w ill return
,
,
to you ; and th en oh t h en m ay I be
,
,
r
e
p
mitte d n ever to leav e yo u again ; th en
perhaps we shall m ak e th e dream of you r
h eart a reality an d in some valley of th e
,
N ew World seek for ourselves a n ew
w orld of h appin ess
”
.
H e again pressed h er closely i n h is
arm s an d im printed a lon g ardent kiss
,
u
h er
pon
lips
“
.
Farewell beloved fare
,
w ell for a week an etern i t y
,
“
Do
.
n o t s ay
”
.
that ; d o n ot talk
cried tremblin g as
,
,
,
sh e
so
!
”
sh e
thre w h er ar m s
aroun d h is n eck an d clung closely t o
h im
of
“
.
O h,
d o n ot sp e ak of an etern ity
separation as you bi d m e farewell
,
or my arm s will h old yo u
to
,
dra w yo u by
O F
T H E CAR B O
N
AR I
105
.
for c e from th e dangers th at threaten you ;
my lips will betray you by calling for
h elp an d accusin g you of a con spiracy
you —compel
m erely t o sav e
n ounce you r perilou s plans
“
O
f
.
”
.
If you S hould d o th at
even for love
yo u to re
,
Leo
o re
if
q
m e you cou ld becom e a
,
;
traitress I would kill myself bu t ere I
,
d ied
,
I wou ld curse you an d invok e
h eaven s veng e ance upon you !
’
But
wh y
pictures !
conj ure u p su ch terrible
I
know that my Leon ore would be I n capa
bl e of treach ery an d th at d u rin g t h is
,
,
w eek of separa t ion n o word n o look n o
,
h int
,
w il Lb e tray
,
that h er m in d is an xiou s
and th at som e care oppress es h er
“
,
”
.
I S wear to you th at by n o word n o
,
loo k n o h int will I be t ray anything
,
“
”
,
sh e
said solemnly
n ot
even a t tem p t t o g u ess yo u r secr e ts
.
I swear that I will
,
A
1 03
CONS P IR AC
be
in ord er not to
Y
distu rbed by th em
B u t on e qu estion m o re d earest
,
-
A
n d re os s y ,
zer
C
ol o n e l s
C aptain
,
two C oun t s von
P
Mariage an d
G u e s n iar d ,
de
o ld rin g
I shall
.
give an en t ertain m ent to m orrow
.
C oun t
.
S
c h w e it
an d
th e
w ill be presen t
,
as w ell as Gen erals Berthier an d Massena
,
and several m en wh o are prom in ent
aris t ocra t ic A u strian society
not att e n d my reception ?
.
in
Will yo u
Will yo u n ot
com e to m orrow
-
“
N
h e replied
“
,
n o I cann ot a ttend
,
gay en t ertainm en ts n ow
My week of
.
exile begins from t h is h ou r and th e first
,
fes t ival for m e will be w hen I again clas p
you in my arm s
m e go
.
.
A nd n ow d earest let
,
,
This last kiss on you r eyes —d o
n ot open th em un t il I have lef t you ;
you r eyes exert a magic power
ar e
a
z
ing
g
at
me I sh all
n ot
an d
f or
if th ey
have c ou rag e
,
A
1 03
CONSP IR A CY
it an d may He g u ard and p rotect h im in
,
all his en terprises !
I d o n ot wish to
k n ow th em ; I will n ot in vestigate th em
Tho u oh God canst sh ield
,
h im
.
,
Thou alon e !
”
an d
.
d efend
CAR B O
O F TH E
N A
IV
C HA PTE R
B
C O LO N
room
,
A RO
M A RI A G E
E L
w as
.
alon e
,
fi xed
intently
an x iou sly u pon th e door
,
in
h is
al m ost
,
.
Th e appointed h ou r has com e an d h e
is not h ere
“
.
pacin g restlessly u p and down ,
w ith h is eyes
“
10 9
.
M O U D E N F E LS
VO N
N
RI
”
,
h e m urm u red in a low t on e
.
Has suspicion been ro used and h ave th ey
,
arres t ed h im ?
O h,
God forbi d ! th en we
sh ou ld all be lost for w e are all com
,
promi s ed
,
an d letters from m e
w o uld be foun d am ong h is papers
A t t h is m omen t th e door
opened
“
and
Baron von
th e
servan t
M ou d e n f els
”
.
,
also
,
”
.
w as
sof t ly
an no u n c e d
A
1 10
“
is
He
C ON S P I RA CY
welcom e h eartily welcom e !
,
cried th e colon el joyfully
v an c in
th e
g
”
,
swiftly
ad
t oward t h e door th rou gh wh ich
,
person ann ounced h ad j u st entered
t h e room
wh ite
It was an old man with a long
.
h e a rd ,
large wig
,
his head covered w i t h a
wh ose sti ff
,
powd ered locks
ad orn ed t he temples on both sid es of
pale
emacia t ed
,
face
Thick
.
,
h is
bu shy
brows S had ed a pair of large dark eyes
,
w hose you thful fire form ed a strange con
trast to th e bowed fram e an d th e wh i t e
hair
H is
.
figu re wh ich m u st on ce h ave
,
been stately an d vigorou s
,
w as
at t ired in
th e latest fash ion an d th e elegance of
,
h i s d ress showed th at Baron von Mou den
fels thou gh a m an p erhaps seventy had
,
,
n o t yet don e wi t h t h e vanities of t hi s
world bu t was ready to pay th em h omage
,
.
In h is right hand over which f e ll a broad
,
“
CONSP IR AC Y
A
1 12
You are as yo u
,
s ay ,
an old m an bu t
in
,
this aged for m dwells a fi ery youthful
,
soul wh ose s t rength of will w ill support
,
th e body so l on g as i t n eed s t h e aid
“
S
long
O
l and yes
,
”
as
”
.
it is n ecessary t o th e native
cried th e baron eagerly ;
,
“
so
lon g as th ere are foes to fi gh t friends to
,
aid
Y
.
es ,
th e last years of my life belon g
t o my native lan d an d th e foes wh o
O
p
p ress it and I kn ow t hat I shall n ot d ie
,
u n til I h ave attained th e obj ect of m y
l ife u n t il I h ave h elped to overthrow th e
,
wh o
tyran t
native lan d
has n ot only re ndered my
,
G ermany ,
also h u rling h is
into r u in
o wn
wretch ed bu t is
,
co u ntry Fran c e
,
,
”
.
C ol on el Mariage glanced arou nd th e
roo m with a h as t y an xious look
,
h eave n s sa k e
”
’
S
p eak
SO
,
h e whispered
“
.
“
,
F
or
’
d on t
l o u d , b aro n ; wh o kno w s wh ether
O F
TH E CAR B O
my valet is n o t a paid
N A RI
spy
1 13
.
wh e t h er h e is
;
n ot s t an ding at th e d oor lis t en ing t o
A
tray m e at once t o C oun t
even to th e emperor
“
smiling
th at
,
we
that is
or
.
”
,
why
said th e baron
,
i t i s qu i te tim e
should secure you against su ch
treason and remove t h ose
who
,
yo u
n d re os s y ,
”
My d ear co l on el
“
be
th reate n
”
.
“
W ha t do you m ean by that baron ?
”
,
asked th e colonel
you saying
“
t imid il y
“
.
Wha t are
?”
I am saying th at t h e great h ou r of de
c is io n
is approaching
solemnly
“
.
”
,
replied th e baro n
I m ean th at ere a we e k h as
passed the world will be rel e ased from th e
yok e which oppr e sses it— released from
,
th e evil dem on N apoleon
,
”
.
Th e colon el with ou t an swerin g even
,
by a word , crossed t h e large apartm ent ,
A
1 14
CONSP IRACY
with a swif t j e rk opened t h e d o o r
a nd
l e ad ing in t o
th e
an teroo m
Th en after
.
,
convincing h im self t h a t n o on e was n ear
h e closed i t an d m ade a tou r of th e
,
room
c io u s
,
spa
carefully exam inin g every
,
every articl e of fu rn i t u re and
re,
r
i
é
o
t
p
,
at last approach ed th e baron wh o h ad
,
been watchin g h im with a quiet scorn ful
,
smil e
“
.
N ow my dear baron speak
,
,
”
,
h e said
,
ta k ing h is seat in an arm ch air opposit e
to h im
“
.
We are really alon e an d with
o ut listen ers
,
So
I am r ea dy to h ear you
.
you bring n ews from ou r fri ends ?
DO
N ews from Fran ce especially ?
”
,
“
Yes n ews from Fran ce
,
I m ea n n e w s
.
from th e Min ister of P olice
,
F
ou c h
é
.
DO
you kn ow my d ear s ir t hat Fou ch e is very
,
,
m uch dissatisfied wi t h h is beloved fello w
consp irators ; that h e th inks th ey h a v e
not
A
113
CONSP IR AC Y
m igh t have b e en b e li e ved to be d ead an d
,
d id
even h ear h is d ru nk en soldiers
no t
force th e ir
and
into th e castl e g arden
w ay
,
w i th furiou s sh ou ts plund er and
,
,
d estroy everyth in g un til ou r represen t a
tions an d entreaties forced them t o
tire
“
re
”
.
Yes t h e emperor fell in t o a dea t h
,
l ike Sl u m ber an d would h ave been unable
t o resist or to d efend h im self had h e bee n
boun d an d gagged an d qu ie t ly carried
aw a y
.
Yet wh at d id th e generals an d
colon els wh o h ad assembled in th e large
reception h all close besid e th e sleeping
-
emperor s pri vate offi ce ? What d i d t h e
’
gentlemen wh o all belonged to
th e
secr e t
l eagu e which h as exist e d in th e Fren c h
army fou r years an d whose object is to
,
ov e r t h row th e h ated tyran t a n d oppressor ?
Did
they av ail th emse l ve s of th e O ppO b
O F
tu n ity
T H E CA RB ONA RI
11 7
.
to attain this d esired goal with a
N
single bold strok e ?
O
,
t h ey s t ood
w h is
p ering an d irresolute asking on e an oth er
,
wh at sh ould be don e if N apoleon di d n ot
wake fro m h is deathlik e sl u mber—w h o
sh ould t h en be h is h eir t o th e throne of
th ey S h ould
France ? Wh eth er
m ak e
Bernadotte th e P rin ce of P onte C orvo
,
,
or E ugen e th e Viceroy of Italy or t h e
,
,
C ount of P roven ce wh o styles h imself
,
L ouis
VII I
!
,
king of France or agai n
,
restore th e great an d gloriou s republ ic ?
A n d S ince they cou ld n ot agre e
fi p on
these qu estions th ey di d n oth in g at all
,
,
bu t contented th emsel v es with sendin g
en voy to P aris to ask Fou ch e
a s e cr e t
wh at S h ould b e don e
,
h ow
th ey sh ould act
i n s u ch a case an d what coun sel h e had
,
t o give
“
B
”
.
ut
h ow do y ou k no w all thi s
so
A
1 13
accura tely ?
prise
“
.
O
”
CONSP IR A CY
asked th e colon el in
wou ld really suppose you
ne
h ad been present
ber that t h is
“
s ur
w as
,
e
t
y
I d istin ctly rem em
not th e case
”
.
N o I w as n o t ; bu t you probably kn ow
,
a cer tain C om missi on er Krau s was
t h at
t h ere
Bern ad o t te h ad m ad e th e
.
ao
qu ain tan ce of this H err Krau s at C olon el
'
O
ud et s wh o as is well kn own
’
-
,
,
h ead of
th e
,
is t h e
secret society wh ich existed
,
in th e French army an d to whose laws
,
m embers
,
al l
or if you ch oose all fellow
,
,
conspirators were compelled to su bm i t
,
O
u d et
.
h ad recom m end ed Krau s to t h e
P rince of P onte C orvo as a faith fu l an d
‘
reliable m an a skillf u l n egotia t or wh o
,
,
was qu ali fi ed to m aintain an d to prom o te
t he
agreem ents and allian ces between
th e
Fren ch con spirators and th e G erm an
p atriots ,
an d
wh o
cou ld
be
em p loyed
C ONSP IR ACY
A
1 20
d oubtless tr ack ed h im and h e h as aton e d
,
for his reckless en terprise with
“
N
O
Kraus
,
to let h imself
S pies
“
”
,
an d
is
he
h is l ife
.
too clever and too bold
discovered by N apoleon s
’
said th e baron with a subtle smile
,
,
sin ce Mon sieu r Bonaparte m ust
fare lik e th e w orthy citizens of
berg
”
who
N
u re
m
h ang n o on e until th ey h ave
caugh t h i m C omm ission er Krau s h as n ot
,
been compell ed to aton e for h is bold
t e rp ris e
w ith h is life bu t h as returned
,
successful and u n harm ed
“
“
“
What ?
He
h as
Fou r days ago
”
.
return ed ?
”
”
.
Fou r days ago an d I w e all k n ow
,
n othing of it ?
“
en
Yes
,
I
,
,
”
kn ew i t
.
S urely yo u are a w are
th at Fou ch e was no t to d irect
h is
reply
dir e ctly t o any on e of you to a subj ect
,
O
f
th e
e
m peror in
,
der ,
O r
in c as e
of
d is
.
O F
T H E CAR BO
to
c o v e ry ,
N
AR I
c om p rom ise
1 21
.
no
on e
So
.
Fou ch e addressed h is reply to m e ; for if
th e letter h ad actually been open ed i t
,
M ou d e n f e l s
could h av e don e Baron von
n o harm S in ce fortunately I am n o t on e
,
O
f
’
th e emperor s su bj ects an d wh at h e
,
c ould pun ish i n you as h ig h treason h e
-
,
m ust recogni z e in u s G erm ans as patriot
“
Bu t th e letter
Fou ch e s an swer !
’
,
said Mariage impatiently
“
.
P ray d o not
k eep m e on th e rac k any longer
'
does Fou ch e write ?
“
.
What
”
Why h is l etter
,
”
is
tolerably la c on ic
an d on e m u st u nd erstan d
h ow to
read
,
be
tween th e lin es t o in terpret th e m ean in g
Here it is You see that i t i s
directed to m e— Baron von M o u d e n f el s
correctly
.
.
an d contain s n oth ing bu t th e followin g
Wo rd s :
‘
Wh y
as
k me
a
n yth in g, w h en
A CO
1 22
S P I RACY
N
yo u ou gh t al ready to h ave accomplish ed
P ut hi m
everyth ing you rselves ?
in
a
sack d row n h i m i n t h e D an ube — th en all
,
will be easily arran ged everywh er e
“
”
’
For h eaven s sake
pale an d h orror stricken
0f
ing ?
“
.
cried th e colonel
,
“
-
Fou ch e m ean ?
’
,
wh om
is
,
what d oes
he
s
pea k
”
Why
,
O
‘
f
wh om except Bon aparte or
as h e lik es to
N apoleon !
”
ca
,
ll h im s elf th e E m p eror
,
said th e baron coolly
you will ad m it that
F
ou ch
é
“
An d
.
is righ t
.
If
,
at E bersdorf t h e sleeping Bonaparte had
,
been thrust into a sack an d flung into th e
D an ube
,
th e whole a ffair would h av e
been end ed in
th e
m ost su ccessfu l an d
shortest way instead of ou r n ow be ing
,
obliged to
ra
H ist o rical
”
l d Pil grim P
.
O
,
c k ou r brain s and pl u ng e
“
A n e mo n e s
art I I
.
,
f rom th e Diary
p 99
.
,
of an
A
1 24
C ONSP I RAC Y
m enti on n on e an d j u st as I wou ld com
,
mu n ic a te you r n am e to n o one , 1 m ay n ot
impart t h e nam es of t h e others to you
.
S ecrecy and silen ce m ust en velop th e
w hol e conspiracy like a veil that bestows
in visibility if w e are to h op e for success
,
N
O
.
on e will kn ow of th e oth ers u ntil th e
day
O
d ecision an d even th e n ecessary
f
,
arrangem ents wh ich
th e
conspirators
h av e to m ak e m u st be d on e und er a
m ask
I am t h e m edia t or
.
,
who
conveys
th e m essages to an d fro an d I kn ow very
,
well th at I risk m y life in doin g it
Bu t
.
I am ready to sacrifice it for m y native
land
,
an d
d eat h is a m atter of
in d iff e r
enc e if my su ff erin g serv os m y cou ntry
,
N ow listen !
.
Within a week N apoleon
m u st be removed ; for every day beyon d
endangers us th e m ore
i
c ion
p
O
f
.
o u r p lans ; h e has
H e has a
a w h ol e
su s
legion
O F
of S
TH E CAR BO
N A RI
125
.
pies in th e army i n V ienna a c ting in
,
,
concert with friends
a nd
foes to watch
,
th e designs of th e con spirators
For h e
.
is perfectly consciou s th at a conspir acy
exists an d som e ink l ing even
,
O
f
th e con
v ersa t ion of h is gen eral s at C astl e E bers
dorf has reach ed his ears
It cau sed su ch
.
an ou tburst of fury th at h e was attack e d
with convulsions and for t hree days a t e
,
noth ing u ntil
Ro u s tan
cau se h e was afrai d
h ad tasted it
of
,
be
being poison ed
.
Th e E mperor N apoleon also learn ed th at
C olonel
O
ud e t
was h ead
of
th e secret
society an d h is m ost dangerou s en emy
,
,
because h e was extrem ely popular in th e
army an d possessed rare powers of
sion
.
So
h as been
O
ude t
r
e
s
u
a
p
m ust be rem oved an d h e
,
”
.
“
Th en yo u thin k th a t
“
That t h e bullet wh ich str u c k C olonel
A
1 23
O
C O NSP IR AC Y
at th e battl e
ud et
O
f
W agram was n ot a
C er
ch ance sh ot sent by th e en emy ?
,
I thin k
ta in l y
t h at
th e
h ead
an d
so,
wou nd was i n th e back of
th e
S o h e was stru ck from b e h ind
.
his mu rd erer
w as
fellow comba t ants
-
e
an d th e proof of i t is
.
S
,
in t h e ran ks of h is
O
you see th at th e
mperor h ad senten ced h im to dea t h an d
h e h ad his execu t ion ers ready t o f u lfill h is
com m ands
.
warning t o u s
We mu st let this serve
to kill
“
a
We m u st k ill h im that h e
.
,
m ay n ot discover u s an d order h is
t io n e rs
as
us
e x ec u
”
.
It is tru e w e are all lost if h e dis
,
covers th e consp iracy
.
A
S
I said
,
th e
work m ust be accompl ish ed within a
w e e k or you and all you r companions
,
all t he m embers of
periled
.
th e
,
soci e ty w ill be im
,
Th e emperor h as h is suspicions ;
if h e becom es certain your death sent e nce
,
-
C ONS P I RA CY
A
1 3
0
N
re p orts an d order your subordinates to be
,
th e sam e
You are
.
th e sta ff
on
p resent Govern or gen eral
O
-
C oun t
A
f
O
f th e
Vienna
,
an d it is you r tas k n ot
n d r e os s y ,
m erely to h ear bu t also t o
s ee
,
occu rrin g i n th e capi t al
th e n ext few days
,
But
.
,
what is
durin g
yo u will h ave th e
k indness to be blin d an d
n othing that
see
is passin g aroun d you n ot to n otice th e
,
p reparation s t h at attract th e attention of
th e su spiciou s
Yo u will give t h e sam e
.
d irec t ion s to you r con fi dan t ou r fellow
,
conspirator
,
C aptai n d e
G u e s n iard ,
an d
if our enterprise i s en dangered you will
,
warn u s th rough h im as we will com
,
m u n ic at e
t o you by th e sam e person
wh at other aid
,
we
expect from you
you ready to fulfill th ese demands ?
“
Yes baron I am ready
,
,
.
.
,
A re
”
I hate N a
polco u and I lov e th e legi tim ate king of
TH E CAR B O
O F
F
ra nc e
S o I have
.
no
N
AR I
choice
129
.
I will ris k
.
my life to serve th e k ing for th e kings
,
O
f
Fran c e h ave been kin d and graciou s
lord s to my family for centu ries an d w e
,
O
th em all th a t w e are
we
I am ready t o
.
prove m y gratitud e by deed s an d I h op e
,
that if I fall in th e service of
,
h e will h ave pity
on
th e
k in g
,
my wife and my tw o
children as soon as h e h imself retu rn s t o
France
I will fulfill yo u r com mand s
.
.
I
will play th e par t of on e wh o is blin d an d
deaf
I will
.
an d h ear n oth in g warn
see
,
n o on e u nless I am forced to warn th e
,
conspirators
“
n
”
.
In that case yo u will h av e th e k in d
ess to sen d you r friend C aptain d e
,
G u es n ia rd ,
to S t S teph en s
.
.
O
ne
of ou r
emissaries w ill be waiting n igh t an d day
at th e entrance of th e m ain d oor of th e
cath edral an d every m essage h e receives
,
will be faithfull brou ht to
us.
”
“
B ut wh o will i t be ?
n iar d
“
C ONSP I RACY
A
1 30
H
ow
is De G ue s
to recogni ze you r con fi d a nt
Wh o will
it
be ?
”
?
To day ou r m essen
-
ger at th e d oor of S t St eph ens will be a
.
beggar woman to m orrow perh a p s a blin d
-
-
,
cripple th e day after a priest a lady or
,
,
som e o t her person wh o woul d
s
uspicion
o g n iz e
th e
e
n voy will be a stri p
,
n
Well
,
th at
w
oth ing m ore t o
“
not
rou se
Th e token by wh ich to
.
p aper h eld in th e left hand
“
,
N o colon el
,
k in dn ess to
s ee
.
ill
su
s ay ,
mc e
O
r ec
bl u e
f
”
.
.
baron ?
Yo u ha v e
”
S o you will h ave
and h ear nothing for
th e
th e
space of a w eek bu t if at th e end of th at
,
,
t im e you learn t h e news that th e E m
,
ro r
e
p
N apoleon h as disappeared you will
,
h ear it with t h e joy of a tru e p atriot
s e t o ff
It
at on c e
will be reserved for
u
o
y
with p o st
bear to th e C o unt d c
h orse s
to
to
.
A
1 32
CON S P I R ACY
C HA PT E R V
C O M M I S S I O N E R KR
AF T E
O
ld
R
.
AUS
.
t aking leave of C olon el Mariage
Baron von
M o u d e nf e l s
,
passed th rough
t h e antech amber wh ere h e fo u n d th e
,
valet wi t h slow and weary s t eps
,
Pan t
.
in g an d resting on every s t air h e d e
,
scend ed
th e staircase
,
cough ing
,
an d
m oved S lowly past th e h ou ses to th e n ear
est carriage into which h e clim bed with
,
diffi culty an d san k with a groan upon th e
cushions
“
.
Wh ere shall I d rive you r lordship
?”
,
ask ed th e h ack man lifting
,
rouse
th e
S lu mber
“
h is w h ip
to
weary nags from their half
.
W h er e ? I don t k now myself , my
’
T HE CAR B O N AR I
O F
friend
“
”
re p lied th e old man
,
1 33
.
,
S
ighing
.
I only wan t to rid e about a li t tle wh ile
to rest my poor old limbs an d get som e
fresh air
S
.
O
t ake m e through th e busies t
streets in Vienna th at I m ay see th em
,
.
I am a stranger wh o h as se e n li t tle of
you r capital because h is weary limbs will
,
not carry h im far
S o drive very slowly
,
at a walk that I m ay see an d adm ire
every t h in g — s o slowly t hat if I liked any
,
th ing especially and wanted to get ou t I
,
,
could d o so without stopping th e veh icle
“
”
.
Then you r lordsh ip does n o t want t o
d rive by th e trip but by th e h ou r
?”
,
“
Yes my frien d
,
here are fou r
two h ou rs
by th e h ou r
,
fl o rin s
,
an d
i n prepaym en t for
Yo u ll h av e n o occasion to
’
.
trou ble yo u rself
n o w,
bu t drive as S lowly
as possible and you r horses will be able to
S o go on th rough th e b u siest
”
s t ree t s and a t a w a l k
rest
.
.
A
134
“
CONSP IR ACY
W e ll tha t will su it my poor beasts
,
sa id th e d river, laughing
“
,
ready been standing for
sti ff en ough from it
H e touch ed
h is
th ey h ave
s ix
”
,
al
h ours an d
,
”
.
h orses backs wi t h th e
’
are whip an d th e an imals started
,
.
Th e carriage n ow rolled on slowly like
,
a
h earse at th e pace drivers u su ally tak e
,
wh en th ey wish to n otify pedestr ian s th at
th ey h a ve n o occupant in th eir veh icles
an d can receive a passenger
S o n o on e
.
n oticed th e S low progress of th e carriage ;
n o one in th e crowd ed s t reets th rough
which it pass ed h eeded it
.
Y
et
many a
person m igh t have been interested if h e
could h ave cast a glan ce wi t h in
S om eth ing strange an d
u
.
n u sual
certainly occu rring insid e th e hack
s
.
w as
N
O
oon er h ad it started than Baron von
M oude nf el s
h as tily raised both th e side
A CO N S P I RACY
1 36
into a young on e
First h e removed h is
.
,
powdered wig and exch anged it for t h e
blon d e on e doin g i t
,
qu ickly that th e
so
m ost wa t chf u l eye wou ld h ave h ad n o
tim e to
c e al e d
see
th e color of
ben eath
.
h is
own hair con
With th e sam e speed h e
fasten ed over h is h ith erto beardless lips
a pointed m u stach e of reddish fair hair
-
and after rem ovin g from his face t h e
,
skillfully painted wrinkles an d th e pow
der h e h astened to ad d red ch eeks to th e
,
fair cu rls on h is h ead and to tinge th e
,
tip of h is n ose wi t h
th e
rosy h u e wh ich
suggests a con vival n ature
w as
.
A f t er t his
accomplished an d th e baron had con
,
v in c e d
h imself
by
a carefu l examina t ion
i n th e mirror th at h e was transformed
into a ch arm ing gay young fellow h e
,
,
,
beg an a similar m etamorph osis of
tum e
.
h is
c os
Tak in g th e dia mond p in fro m his
.
on T H E
CAR BO N AR I
13 7
.
lace jabot h e h id it u nd er h is vest wh ich
,
h e buttoned t o th e n ecktie
Th en
.
re
m oving t h e light silk long skirted dress
-
coat h e turned it completely on t h e o t h er
,
sid e and by takin g ou t som e pin s which
,
h el d t hem let th e t ails fall back
,
Th e
.
d ress coat was n ow ch anged into an over
-
coa t
a
,
blu e cloth overcoat wh ose color
,
h armon ize d very p leasan tly with h is fair
h air
.
N ow th e m etam orp hosis
complete
w as
,
an d from th e skill an d speed wi t h which
,
th e baron had perform ed i t on e m ight
,
suppose t hat h e was n ot practising su ch
arts of disgu ise for th e first tim e bu t
,
well train ed
-
in
th em
.
calmn ess an d delibera t ion
cast
ln
o ff
-
Wi th
w as
perfec t
n ow p u t t h e
he
articl es into th e parcels hi d t hem
,
t h e pockets of h is clothes an d after
u nscr ew in g th e gold
,
,
c r u tc h h an dl e fro m
-
A
1 33
h is
c an e
and
CO
N S
P I RA CY
re p la c ing
it by
a
i
l
in
v
ry
a
o
p
h ea d h e drew u p th e little cu rtain s an d
,
l ook ed ou t with a k een wa tc hful
,
Th e carriage
w as
j ust passin g
gaz e
d own
.
th e
crowded an d bu sy Grab e n s tras s e m ovin g
beh ind a lon g row of e qu ipag e s followin g
a
f u n e ra l
p rocession an d th e d ri ver
w as
,
cou rse com pell ed to proc eed slowly
of
.
T h e baron n ow cautiously open ed th e
carriage d oor an d as it was just i n th e act
,
of t u rning a corner h e too k advan tage of
,
th e opportunity o ff ered to spring with
swift leap i nto th e stree t
.
H e n ow h u rried rapidly alon g th e
s
i
t
e
o
p
side ;
h is h earin g
an d en ergeti c
as
an d fee b l e ; an d
g
ay
%
had
w it h
h air e v e ry t race of
,
ish e d ; h a
1
it
m
b lack
ne w a
eye s,
a
was
as
op
vigorou s
j ust been bowed
th e wrin k les an d
ag e
h ad
al so van
yo un g man b u t
,
th e
w ith t h eir hel d . W
“
CO
A
1 40
S P I RAC Y
Is C ou nt von Kot t e at h om e ?
th e baron h astily
“
N
No
”
th e
lack ey
“
,
coun t isn t at h om e and it wasn t
’
’
,
sary t o ring
qu estion
so
as ked
.
m u ttered
,
”
th e
n ec es
h orribly lou d to ask th e
”
.
He stepped back and was abou t to c lose
th e door again but th e baron th rust h is
,
foot between it an d th e fram e and sei z e d
th e m an s sleeve
’
“
My good fellow
count
“
.
”
,
,
I mu s t
h e said im periou sly
s ee
the
.
Bu t wh en I tell you that th e count
isn t
’
He stopped suddenly in th e m iddle of
h is sentence and cast a s t olen glance at
th e
d or in
wh ich th e baron h ad pressed
into h is hand
“
.
A nnoun ce m e to C ou n t von Kotte
sai d th e baron pleasantly
tain l
receiv e m e
”
.
“
.
”
,
He will cer
O F TH E C
“
You r n am e
respectfully
“
,
ARB
s ir ?
”
O N
ARI
1 41
.
asked th e la ck ey
.
C om mission er Kra u s
”
w as
,
th e reply
.
Th e man withd re w an d a few m in u tes
,
,
af t er return ed wi t h a sm ilin g face
,
“
.
Th e coun t is at h om e an d begs th e
gen tleman to com e in
”
h e said throwin g
,
,
th e d oor wid e open an d standing respect
fu lly beside it
.
C om missioner Krau s smilin g stepped
,
,
past h im in to th e an t eroom
th e opposite sid e open ed
,
.
A door on
t h e tal l
an d
fi gu re of a m an attired in the A u str ian
u niform appeared
“
I
cried
.
i t really you my d ear Kra u e l
s
”
he
,
“
.
S o you h ave re t u rn ed already
C om e com e I h ave longed to see
,
,
o
y
u
.
”
.
Holding ou t h is h and to th e visitor h e
,
d rew h im hastily in to th e n e xt room
“
.
Yo u h av e longed t o see m e m y dear
,
1 42
A
co u nt
”
s
,
CO
N
S P I R ACY
aid Krau s laughin g
,
“
,
and yet I
wi thin an ace of being tu rn ed fro m
w as
you r d oor
S in c e w h en have you lived
.
i n a ba rricad ed apar t m en t c oun t ?
”
,
“
S in ce th e spies of
n or
t he
Vien n a C ou nt
of
Fren ch gover
A
,
n d reo ss y ,
have
wa tc hed my d oor an d pursu ed my every
step
”
,
replied th e coun t sm ilin g
,
n ow speak my dear Kraus
,
to Totis ?
Francis ?
“
Yo u talked
wi
“
.
Bu t
You went
.
t h t h e E mperor
”
I went to Totis and talked with th e
E mperor Fran cis
“
”
.
Good h eavens ! you say it wi th su ch a
gloomy solem n expression
,
.
Has th e em
pe t or becom e irresolute
“
Yes th at is it
,
.
Th e emperor is su r
ro u nded by ad heren ts
of
t h e N apoleonic
p arty ; th ey h ave su cceed ed in thrusting
b ac k t h e
real patriots th e A n ti Bonapart
-
,
CO
A
1 44
N
S P I RAC Y
" ‘
of th e B ourbon s in :S pain : I h e Hap s
bu rg dynasty h as c eased to exist
If
som ething d o es n ot n ow happen if we d o
,
is
n ot force a d ecision everything
,
lost
.
A u stria will con clude a h u m iliatin g peace
and in stead of being d elivered from th e
,
’
French tyrant s yok e we sh all be obliged
,
to see A u stria sink into a Fren ch province
,
an d th e E mperor Francis in spite of his
,
h igh sounding ti t l e becom e n othing m ore
-
,
than :th e viceroy of t h e E mperor N apo
”
leon
.
“
It m u st n ot
,
it shall n ot com e t o
“
”
th at ! excla imed th e cou n t wildly
.
mu st risk everything to preven t this
.
We
We
m ust stake ou r blood o u r :lives to save
”
A ustria and G erm any !
,
“
Ah
,
,
if you speak an d thin k
th u s ,
count you are on e of u s ; you will wish
,
to have a sh are in ou r work of liberation
.
TH E C A R B
O F
“
Y
es m I
O N A RI
welcome it will be
an d t h e
is ,
t h e m or e
”
.
We all risk ou r li ves
solemn ly
,
dem an d my sh are
greater an d m ore perilou s i t
“
.
“
,
”
,
said Krau s
an d if we are defea t ed
,
we
shall all be lost ; for th e E mperor Fran cis
w ill n ot prot e c t
us
N apoleon s wrath
—h e will aband o n u s to
’
,
in ord er to prove t ha t
h e had n o part in ou r plans
Wi t h this
.
conviction we mu st begin ou r work an d
,
arrange o u r a ff airs as if we
into a battle
“
ready
“
,
goin g
a nd
I am
”
.
My a ff airs are arranged
”
w ere
,
replied th e cou nt solemnly
Hush ! lis t en !
.
A ll ou r friend s lik e
,
you are ready an d t h e con sp i racy winds
,
,
like a great chain th rou gh all th e cou n
tr ies
of
E urop e
.
E very on e wh o loves h is
native land an d th erefore h ates N apoleon
,
h as
,
laid h is brave han d on this ch ai n an d
A CO
1 46
N
S P I RAC Y
will add th e lin k of h is manly strength
In Fran ce
,
.
in E ngland in S pain an d
,
Italy in S w ed en in R ussia an d Turkey
,
,
,
every w h ere ou r friend s are waiting for
,
th e decisive act wh ich m ust take place
h ere
.
In E nglan d t hey h ave bought arm s
and am m unition and sen t th em to H
elig o
l and Th en ce m embers of our leagu e have
.
brou gh t th em h ere an d distribu ted them
am ong th e broth ers
.
In th e h arbor of
Genoa a S wedish an d an E nglish ship li e
ready for ou r service ; th e E nglish on e
to aid ou r escape and con vey u s to E ng
land if ou r enterprise fails ; th e S wedish
,
on e to serve as a transp or t vessel if we
,
s ucceed
E verywh ere ou r
.
friends are
working everywh ere th ey are preparing
,
t h e in su rrection ; Tyrol is like a well
filled bomb which n eeds only th e appli ca
t ion of a sp ar k to b u rst an d scatter
con
A CO N S PI RAC Y
1 43
S uch daggers rend ered th e tyran t Juliu s
C aesar a h ero a martyr and th ey would
,
,
also transform N apoleon into a d emi god
-
N o w e will n ot gran t hi m su ch a trium ph
,
.
,
su ch a gl oriou s end —w e will :n ot allow
h im a speedy d eath He sh all ig n omin
.
io u s l y
d i s appear ; h e shall di e slowly on
some barren islan d i n th e ocean ; die am id
the tortures of soli tud e of wearin ess of
,
p owerl ess rage
.
,
This m ust be th e venge
an ce of E urope ; th is m u st be th e en d
of t h e vampire w h o h as dru nk h er h eart s
’
blood
“
”
.
You are righ t ; it S hall it m ust be s o
,
th e
cried
“
”
,
count wit h S parkling eyes
,
.
do?
Wha t
You will go t o Gen oa cou n t
H ere
N ow tell m e w hat have
,
I to
par t is assign ed t o me
“
,
.
is a let t er from Gen eral N ugent to th e
captain of the S w edish ship
no w
1
'
n
in th e h ar b o r
.
”
P
i
ne ,
p
ros e r
O F
“
CAR B ON ARI
T H E
B u t it is n ot seal ed ?
c ou nt ta k ing th e pap er
O
as k ed
th e
.
pen it an d yo u will fi nd th at it does
,
n ot con t ain a singl e word
so
”
ff ered
O
,
“
1 49
.
I received it
from our m essenger wh o brought i t
,
direc tly from C o u nt N u gent i n Hel igolan d
-
to m e
.
I t is yo u r let ter
tion that
,
is
all !
of re c o
mmen d a
Written words m ight
comprom ise spoken on es die away upo n
,
th e wind
.
If you d eliver t his addresse d
,
in G en eral N ugen t s h and to t h e cap t ai n
’
,
of th e P roserpina h e will recogn ize yo u
,
as th e righ t m essenger an d you w ill t h e n
,
tell h im verbally wh at you h ave t o say
”
.
“
Wh at sh all I tell h im ?
“
Tell h im to take in h is freigh t h av e
”
,
h is ballast on board and keep everyth in g
,
in
readin ess for departu re
.
From th e
day th at yo u reach h im th e P roserpin a
mu st
be
ready for
s ea ,
an d a boat mu s t
A C ONSP IRA C Y
1 50
li e in th e harbor nigh t an d day t o receive
th e m embers of our leagu e wh o will com e
if th e plan su cceeds
“
Bu t I
to d o
?
hO pe
t h is
”
.
is
n ot all th at I h ave
be
I shall n ot
d enied a m ore
ac t ive part in th e great cause
“
If you wish n o !
O
,
ne
?”
of u s will
ac
c ompany Bonaparte to G en oa as h is jailer
.
You can relieve h i m th ere an d atten d
,
hi m t o his prison
“
I will d o so
prison be
“
”
.
.
But wh ere will
th e
?”
You will pu t hi m on som e barre n
islan d in th e ocean wh ich will serve as
,
h is d ungeon
.
Th en you will re t u rn
.
Bu t
you m ust n am e th e place to wh ich you
con veyed h im to n o on e excep t th e h e ad s
of th e society : th at is to Gen eral N u g e n t
,
and myself
.
We will guard i t as t h e
m ost sa c red secret of ou r lives that n o
,
ou r
CONSP IR ACY
A
15 2
friends
.
You will recogni z e th em by
th e black enam el ring wh ich every m em
h an d
ber of ou r
fi nger of
h is
mu st we ar u pon the littl e
left hand
Yo u w ill nam e
.
to eac h a place of m eeting
“
O h,
cou nt
“
so
I already k now on e
“
,
it
”
,
th e
c ried
is
Men t ion n o nam es
ru p te d
.
quic k ly
“
.
”
,
Krau s in ter
I shall n ot be presen t
it is n ot n e c essary for m e to k now
E very secret is im p eriled
by
,
.
n eedle s s
com m unica tion and we m us t comprom ise
,
n o on e wi t h ou t cau se
Here cou n t are
.
,
,
som e n ecessary papers in wh ich you will
fi nd furth er in stru ctions
.
Mak e you r
prepara t ion s accordingly an d wh en you
,
h ave read th em an d inform ed th e persons
con cern ed burn t h em
,
“
”
.
But you tell m e nothin g abou t th e
p rinci p al
m at t e r ,
”
sa id
th e
c o u nt
.
O F
“
TH E CAR BO
N
AR I
153
.
W h o will accomplish th e actual d eed
?
Wh o will h ave th e h eroic daring to tak e
N apoleon captive ?
“
”
Many will be active in th at , cou n t
Th e nam es are n o t to be m en tion ed
,
.
b ut
if you lay stress upon it I will tell you
,
th at of th e perso n wh o h as u n dertak en t o
in
lie
ambu sh for N apol eon gag h im
,
an d carry h im away
M o u d en f e l s
“
Von
It i s Baron von
.
.
M o u d en f e l s ?
bu t I h ave h eard of
Baron von
,
M o u d e n f el s
’
I d on t know h im
h im
,
Was i t n ot
.
wh o arranged th e
secret conn ecti on with t h e conspi ra t ors
in th e French army and n egotiated wi th
,
O
ud e t ?
“
”
Yes th e sam e m an
,
.
H e is a great
patrio t an d a darin g fellow
.
H
e
h ates
N apoleon and if h e on ce h as h im in
,
h is
i
e
e
ras
p
h
e
w
ll
ra
r
t
n
su
r
i
f
d
a
f
t
h im
e
h
h
g
,
A
1 54
CONSP IR ACY
to escape thou gh N apoleon sh ould
,
a kingdom as a ransom
O
ff er
N ow farewell
.
,
cou n t and m ay God gran t that we
s ee
each oth er again successful !
th e
,
May
guardian an gel of our n ative land pro t ec t
us i n th e perils wh ich we m u st bravely
m eet
“
”
.
S o be
it,
”
sa i d th e coun t cordially
,
pressing in h is own Krau s
h and
“
.
’
extend ed
G o to Totis : I will go to Gen oa
to await m y prison e r th ere
,
”
.
Wi t h th e sam e h asty steps as h e had
com e
,
C om m issioner Kraus agai n h as
ten ed down t h e steps
an d once m or e
,
pl unged into th e tu mult of th e s t re e t
A f t er a sh ort walk
h ou se
an d
,
he
~
again en t er e d a
ascended the stairs to a d oor
in th e fourth story besid e wh ich
rush
-
bo ttom ed
chair
h is head bowed
eac e f u l l
.
on
,
s at
h is
,
in a
a servan t with
,
breast sl e ep in g
,
CO NSP IR AC Y
A
15 6
“
I beg yo ur p ardon
sound asleep
s ir ;
,
I
w as
so
very
’
I d idn t sleep all n igh t
.
becau se I was expecting you and I ve
’
,
been on th e watch all day
“
”
.
Have many spies been h ere ?
”
ask ed
t he baron as followed by h is servant h e
,
.
en t ered h is si t ting room
-
“
.
Yes S i r t h ey fairly besieged th e d oor
,
,
of the h ou se and patrolled t h e opposite
sid e of t h e street all day long
Three
.
tim es too gentlemen called to ask for
,
,
you
Th ey said t hat th ey were visitors
.
bu t I th in k th ey were only spi es
wh o
wan ted to find ou t w h ether yo u were
hom e
“
,
at
”
.
W ell ,
n ow
th ey can com e and assu re
t h em sel ves t h a t I m h ere
”
’
master
,
,
replied h is
s t retch ing h im self comfortably
u pon th e sofa
“
.
Tru e
it won t las t
’
,
long—w e star t in an h ou r
.
O
rd er p os t
CA R B ON A RI
T H E
O F
157
.
horses P eter two post h orses and a ligh t
-
,
,
carriage and pack th e baggage
,
“
Yes
s ir !
,
”
P eter
sigh ed
clo t h es will y ou tak e ?
O
ld
.
“
.
Wha t
D o w e travel this
M ou d e n f e l s ,
t im e again as Baron von
m u s t I pack th e
”
’
gen tlem an s baggage
as I did for th e jou rn ey to Frankfort
“
an d
N 0 n ot as Baron von
,
?”
M o u d en f el s
.
This tim e I S h all go in my own person
and u nder my own nam e
.
We sh all go
t o To t is to th e cam p of h is m ajesty t h e
emperor
S
.
O
tak e
th e
cour t dress an d
everything n ecessary for a gentleman
.
Than k h eaven I sh all be rid of th e tire
,
w ig
som e
for a few days
R em oving the blon de
”
.
w ig
h e passed hi s
h an d th rou gh th e bla ck locks wh ich
appeared u nder it
“
.
Hurry P eter order post h orses an d
,
-
,
pack ou r cloth ing ; w e m u st start i n
ho u r
”
.
an
CO
A
N S
P IRAC Y
C H A P T E R VI
T H E
T
H E
C O N S P I R
AC Y
.
D I S C O V E RE D
.
fes t ival was over th e last guests
,
h ad taken leave of Baron ess d e S imonie
,
and th e servants and lack e ys were glid
ing noiselessly throu gh th e empty room s
to extingu ish th e lights in t h e chandelie rs
an d candelabra an d h ere an d th ere pu sh
,
th e scat t ered pieces of fu rn i t ure into
p lace
.
B aron ess d e S im on i e had gone to h er
boudo ir bu t t h ough it was late at n igh t
,
S h e seem ed to feel n o disposit ion t o retire
t o res t nor was th ere t h e sligh test ex
,
pression of wearin ess on h er beautiful
face ; h er eyes sparkl ed as
th ey h ad j ust
fl ash ed
brigh t ly
as
u p on h er gu ests
,
160
C O NSP IR A CY
A
Sp ringing t o th e d oor with a
bound lik e a lioness
“
“
I
s
,
i t you fa t h er ?
sh e
S I n gl e
tore it op en
.
”
,
Yes i t
,
is
I
”
h e an swered
,
,
enterin g
t h e room and cautiously lockin g th e door
behind h im
“
.
Th an k h eaven that yo u are h er e
,
”
fath er ! sh e sigh ed with an air of relief
,
“
Wh at
?
”
h e asked smiling
,
L eon ore again becom e
d augh ter
th at
fa t her if h e
sh e
is
so
“
,
h as
.
my
a lf e c tio n a te a
is an xiou s abou t h er
sudd enly called a w ay at
For you have been anxiou s a bou t
m e —about m e and n o on e else — have
nigh t ?
you n ot ?
“
”
N o n ot for you
,
u o u sly ,
“
”
,
sh e
cried imp e t
for him for h i m alon e
,
.
m e tha t h e is n ot i n dan ger that h e
,
Tell
h as
n oth ing to do with th e m atter on wh os e
account yo u
aw a
w ere
so
s u ddenly call ed
'
O P T RR
“
CA R B
I swear it L eonore
,
O N
AR I
1 61
.
B u t my ch ild
.
,
th e imp etu osity of yo u r passion
ginnin g
m a k e m e u neasy
to
,
is b e
How will
.
you keep you r h ead clear if your h ear t is
,
burn in g with su ch impetu ou s fi re tha t
th e rising sm ok e m u st beclou d you r
brain ?
I h ave allowed you to give y o u r
self th e amu sement
O
f
love bu t yo u m u s t
,
n ot m ak e a seriou s life qu es t ion of i t
”
.
“
Yet I sh all ei t h er perish :O i ;this love
”
or be n ew born by i t s h e m u rmu red
-
.
,
“
l e tl u s
But
n ot talk abou t it
fi rst why you lef t th e ball
“
U rgent
so
Tell m e
su ddenly ?
business my ch il d
,
.
.
Th e em
ro r
e
p
sent for m e t o com e to S
bru nn
”
“
“
ch O n
.
Th e emperor !
you ?
”
What d id h e wan t of
”
Th ere
som eth in g to b e discovered ,
I s
L eonore—a m u rderer wh o seeks th e em
’
e ro r s
l if e
’
.
“
“
C O NSP IR ACY
A
1 62
A m u rd erer !
”
sh e said sh u dderin g
,
my G od suppose i t sh ould be h e !
,
”
,
“
Th e emperor has received an an ony
mo u s l e tte r from Hungary , in wh ich h e i s
inform ed th a t d u ring th e course of th e
,
n ex t w eek a young m an will com e to
,
S
c h O n b ru n n
to m u rd er h im
I suppose
!
.
t h at this com es d irectly from th e E mperor
Fran cis court a t To t is
S om e fan ati c
’
.
h as told th e E mperor Fran cis t h at h e will
go th ere to m u rd er h is h ated foe an d
,
kind h ear t ed emperor in h is m agna
th e
-
,
mity , has sen t this warn ing to N apo
ni
leon
“
”
.
An d
he
trem blin g
was in Totis
,
said L eon ore
u nder h er breath
,
t old m e th at in a
would h appen
“
”
w
,
an d h e
”
.
You are silen t Leon ore ?
His torical
,
eek som e th ing d ecisive
,
a
“
,
S
ee
“
A ne mo n es
”
,
”
ask ed h er
P art I I
.
,
p 90
.
.
1 64
“
Well th en d o
,
,
not
ies
CONS PI R ACY
A
you choose
-as
,
bu t do
ask m e to com mu nicate my d iscover
Good n igh t fa t h er ; I feel t ired I
-
,
.
w ill go to sleep
,
”
.
P assing her fath er
d oor
.
But ju st as
,
S
sh e
he
approach ed the
was abou t to open
her
i t h e laid his h and on
,
stopped h er
“
see
arm and
.
”
'
S tubborn girl
,
h e said sm iling
,
“
,
I
that you r will mu st be obeyed t o in
d u ce you to speak
.
Well th en I swea r
,
,
that if th e p e rson wh o com es to m u rde r
,
N apol eon is Baron
v ou
K o l b ie l s ky ,
I will
let h im escape if h e falls in to my h and s
“
.
S w ear it by my m oth er s spiri t and
’
m em ory
“
”
”
.
I swear
m emory
.
it by
B ut
’
your m oth er s spirit an d
n ow
,
Le onore
,
sp eak
Ha v e you really d iscovered a conspirac y ?
“
Y
es ,
I h a v e discover e d
a
.
”
c onsp i ra cy ,
O F T H E
CAR B O
N
AR I
1 65
.
and than k h eaven I can tell yo u every
,
,
thing —th e n am es of all the conspirators ;
for h e is not among th em — h e has noth
ing to d o with t his crazy reckless a ffair
,
Fath er
.
you can tell N apoleon th at a
,
widespread con spiracy e xists an d t h at it
,
even h as nu merou s adh erents i n his own
army
Th e m ost aristocratic m embers of
.
it were present a t my entertainm ent an d
h eld a consultation h ere
C olonel Mari
.
age as you kn ow h ad begged m e to give
,
,
h im
and his friends a room wh ere th ey
could talk u n distu r bed
“
’
-
Yes
I gave
.
drawing room
this bou doir
h eard all
“
”
,
-
as
.
A n d you gave h im th e little red draw
ing room didn t you ?
“
”
S
O
it
.
,
t
h em th e little red
wh ich is reach ed from
I
w as
in th e n ich e an d
.
is really an actu al conspiracy ?
k e d h e r fa th e r
w
it h
:1
ha
s
m il e
”
“
p
CONSP IR ACY
A
1 66
R eally an ac t ual conspiracy ,
e a te d
gravely
“
,
”
sh e
re
and u nless you warn th e
E mperor N apoleon un less you save h im
,
,
h e will be a los t m an wi t hin a week even
,
’
if th at m u rd erer s dagger sh oul d n ot
s t rike h im
“
That
”
.
is
splend id th at is m arvelou s
,
cried h er fa t h er
“
.
Leon ore
we shal l really a tt ain ou r goal
be rich
.
,
th is tim e
We shall
Th e emperor is gen erous ; h e
.
l oves life
it
,
”
.
I will
a h igh price upon
s et
By h eaven th e C aesar s h ead is well
’
,
.
worth four hu ndr e d thousand fran cs !
will ask t h em and I sh all receive
,
.
I
We
sh all be rich en ough to do without an d
be ind e p e nd en t of m en
“
”
.
A n d I sh all be free
”
,
m urm u red
Leon ore wit h a flash of enthusiasm upon
,
h e r beau tifu l face
e t,
g
“
.
You will not for
father , t h at yo u p r omised to g iv e
C ONS P I R ACY
A
1 63
p rou d baron ess is no oth er than
th e
well
k nown
h as
ren
S ch ulm eister wh o
s py
,
dere d th e E mperor N apoleon s o many u s e
ful services and wh ose n am e K ol b ie l s ky
,
h as
'
so
often m en ti on ed in m y presen ce
wi t h scornfu l execra t ion
n ot learn all th is
N o h e m ust
.
,
We will conceal
.
past we w ill begin a
new
,
our
life an d S in ce
,
we shall th en be rich enough i t will not
,
be di ffi cu lt for u s t o remain n oble an d
virtu ou s
B
.
ut
n ow my L eon ore tell m e
,
,
exactly an d in d etail everythin g yo u
k now
.
C om e let u s
,
s it
down on t his
d ivan an d all ow m e to n ote at on ce th e
m ost important points in your story and
,
especially th e nam es
“
”
.
Then listen fath er !
,
th e
emperor is to be carried away by
force
“
Th u rsday n ext
.
C arri ed a w ay
m e is t e r
s
m il in g
.
s
-
wh ere ?
”
as
k ed Sc h u l
T H E
O F
“
T
o
CA RB
O N
AR I
som e desol at e islan d
1 69
.
in
th e ocean
.
’
B u t d o not interrupt m e ; d on t l et m e
an ticipate bu t relate every th in g in regu
,
lar order
n ecessary
.
.
S o listen and n ote wha t is
Th ere
is
a conspiracy wh ich
h as i t s m embers i n th e Fren ch army i n
,
th e garrison n ow i n Vien n a nay even
,
among th ose
wh o
,
are in th e closest
at
tendance upon th e emperor an d wh ich
,
u nites all th e malcontents in Fran ce w ith
th e foes of N apol eon th rou gh ou t all
E urope
.
Heligoland
is
th e m eetin g place
-
for th e envoys of th e conspirators thro u g h
ou t E u rope ; th ere th e cen tral com m ittee
always assembles
at
certain tim es an d
,
from th ere by con fi d ential m essengers
and fellow c onspirators issu es
its
com
m an ds an d d irection s t o th e m embers i n
all places ; th ere is t h e d epot of t h e arm s
am m u nition an d o th e r military st ores
,
,
.
1 70
C ONSP IRACY
A
Th ith er E nglan d h as sent G en era l Bath
S pain
u rs t ;
s u l tat io n
Gen eral Bandari
,
,
for con
an d agreemen t w i t h th e A u s
N ugen t th e R ussian G en
trian
G eneral
eral
D e mid o fi ,
M o u d e n fe l s ,
,
an d a certain Baron von
wh o h as apparen tly played
a prom inen t part in all these
n e g o tia
tion s an d i n wh ose h ands all t h e single
,
th reads of th is man y bran ch ed conspiracy
-
m eet
.
Th ere was d evised an d arran ged
t h e plan wh ich is n ow to
in wh ich Baron von
m os t impor t an t part
“
DO
fel s ?
”
be
execu ted an d
M ou d e n f e ls
plays th e
”
.
you kn ow this Baron von Mouden
asked S ch ulm eister
“
.
Was h e a t
yo ur entertain m en t th is even ing ?
I
saw
several gen tlemen wh o w ere strangers to
m e an d wh ose n am es I was goi n g t o ask
,
you wh en I was called away
,
.
von M oudenfels among th e m
W as B
o
ar n
CONS PIRACY
A
1 72
stroll alon g th e lovely sh ad y p ath s
,
in g with his gen erals
.
tal k
,
To h is surprise
h e will fi n d a most charmin g l ittle b u t
wh ich h e h as n ot seen before —for th e
very good reason that it was erected only
th e previou s day
Th e emperor
.
,
as
is
well kn own is cu riou s and h e will go to
it Th e con spirators— and h is en t ire
-
,
,
.
su ite is composed of th em —the conspira
tors will propose going in
A Fren ch
.
son g th e signal t h at everyth in g
,
will be h eard withi n
e
.
is
ready
,
Th e emperor will
n ter his com p an io n s will follo w
,
I
.
n
side the h u t arm ed conspira t ors will be
stationed wh o as soon
,
,
en t e rs will sei z e an d gag
,
h and an d foot
harmless
,
the emperor
as
h im,
h im
bin d
an d t hu s rend er h i m
Th en on e of th e party wh o
en tered with t h e emperor C olonel Le
,
j e u n e , w h ose fi gure is e x a c tly l i k e h is wil l
,
O F T H E CAR B O N A RI
1 73
.
pu t on a suit of clot h es m a de p recisely
‘
like
th e
em p eror s an d don ni n g N apo
’
,
,
leon s t hree corn ered h at will leave th e
’
-
,
hut
Mean while t wiligh t will h av e gath
.
er e d an d t h e conspirators w ith th e em
r or— t h at is C olonel Leje u n e —a t thei r
e
p
,
,
h ead will return to
,
S ch O n b r u n n
guards will salu t e as soon as th ey
Th e
.
th e
s ee
emperor dash into th e courtyard
Th e
.
ch ief equ erry will h old h is stirru p an d
,
h elp
h im
to dism ou n t
.
Th e emperor
,
followed by his sui t e will en ter t h e c astle
,
according to his cust om
,
,
an d silently
,
ascend th e stairs an d go to th e h all w here
h e receives h is m arsh als ; th ere as h e
,
so
frequ en t ly d oes h e wil l dism iss all wh o
,
are pres e n t w ith a wav e of h is h an d
an d
pass on in t o h is study w hich adj oin s h is
,
sl eeping room
”
-
“
.
W e ll it m ust be ad mitted th at
,
so
far
A CO N S PIR ACY
1 74
t h e a ff air h as a glim m er of feasibility an d
probability
“
”
,
said h er fa t h er smilin g
,
.
Bu t I sh ould be very an xiou s abou t t h e
contin uation
R o u s tan ,
Would
.
wh o
uh
d resses th e emperor every evening also
,
be d eceived by th e m asqu erade or wou ld
,
the conspirators attempt to abdu ct h im
—
also ? A n d th en has it been forgotten
th at before going t o rest t h e em peror
n ow works an h ou r every even ing with
h is private secretary
"
B
o u rrie n n e
is
B
,
o u r rie n n e ?
”
on e of th e conspirators
.
He will enter t h e room wi t h h is por t foli o
and
rem ain th ere an h ou r after fi rst
,
bringin g t o t h e anteroom th e ord er in
,
th e e mperor s n am e to m ak e n o fu r t h er
’
,
reports to h im that evenin g as h e
,
w as
wearied an d th erefore wish ed t o go to
rest
early
.
Th e
Mam eluke
R o u s ta n
could n ot be bribed and t h erefore t h e
,
A
1 76
C ONSP IR AC Y
h as upon th e minds of th e peopl e th ere
.
W e n eed n ot troubl e ou rsel ves abou t it
for th e presen t ; i t d oes n o t belon g to
th e
business wh ich occupies ou r at t en t ion
”
‘
N
e
O
n o we h ave t o d eal on ly wi t h t h e
,
,
mperor
“
.
”
,
crie d S c h ulm eis t e r laughing
,
,
and I can t ell you t h a t I am as an xiou s
abou t th e progress of t h is mat t er as if
w ere th e developm en t
O
f
it
a drama an d
,
th at I am extrem e ly cu riou s to kn ow
wha t m ore is to be d on e w it h th e gagged
emperor
“
.
We have lef t h im i n th e hu t
”
.
Yes an d h e will remain t h ere u ntil
,
th e nigh t has closed in
M ou d en fel s
von
The n Baro n
.
an d two other conspira
t ors d isgu ised as workm en will con vey
,
,
h im i n a basket standin g ready in
'
th e
h u t su ch as are u sed i n th e transporta
,
tion of t h e sic k to the place in the wood s
w here a carriage will be waitin g for
th e
T H E
O F
CA R B O N A
RI
bas k et an d its companion s
.
Th ey
.
w
ill
rid e all night long relays will be ready
,
everywh ere at th e appoin t ed spots and
,
wh en m ornin g dawn s
,
t h ey w ill h ave
,
reached th e h ous e of a conspirator n ear
Gratz
,
an d spen d th e day th ere
.
At
nigh tfall th e journey w ill be con tin u ed
in th e sam e
w ay ,
an d
S O
,
cons t an tly
travelin g by nigh t an d restin g by d ay
in
th e h ouse of a conspirator u ntil Trieste
,
is reach ed
ties ,
To be prepare d for all casual
.
a Fren ch passport for th e transpor
t a tion
of an invalid to Trieste has bee n
obtain ed
.
C ou n t
the reques t
of
A
n d r e os s y
issu ed it at
C olon el Mariage and for
,
grea ter securi t y C ap t ain d e
,
G u e s n iar d ,
in full uniform an d provide d with t h e
n ec e ssary l e gal d ocu m en t s will
,
p any
“
th e
par t y to
rieste
T
acc o
m
”
.
Wh o are t o be th e oth er companions
of t h e ca tive em
ror ?
a
”
CONSP IR AC Y
A
1 73
“
Thre e m ore persons will accom pan y
h im F irs t Baron M o u d e n f e l s t h e ori g
,
.
in a to r
,
an d ins t iga t or of t h e whol e plan
.
Then t h ere
a re
t h e Fr e n ch
ar
G u e s n iard
two subal t ern offi cers in
mv ,
for wh om C ap t ain d e
answers
were n o t m e n t ion ed
“
O h,
”
.
I will discover t h em
Sc hulm eis t er
“
,
t h e m ; and I
s
wh ose nam es
bu t
,
a
“
cried
,
be as su r e d I will discover
m glad t h at
t here
pecial work for m e in t his a ff ai r
no w,
”
go on my Leonore
,
is
som e
Go
.
on
”
.
Th ere is but lit t le m ore to say
.
A
ship laden wi t h grain li es in t h e h ar bor
,
,
of Tri este with papers ready to
on c e for Gen oa
d e n f e l s , w it h
.
s et
sail
at
Th e Baron von Mou
t he pri s on er and th e t wo
Fren ch l ieu t enants w ill t ake pa ss a g e
,
in
her for G enoa wh ere an o t her v e ssel fur
,
h
ish ed by
th e
,
S w edish m em ber s
O
f the
1 80
A CO
N
S P I RAC Y
consider th eir t ask too sacred to profan e
it by assassin a t ion
.
Th ey wish to rid
E u rope of th e u nh allowed yoke wh ich
w eighs u pon i t in th e p erson of th e E m
g
ro r
e
p
N apoleon
.
They are con vin ced that
they are su m m on ed to th e work ; th at
th ey shall th ereby rend er th e world and
m an kind a service full of blessing ; bu t
th ey will n ot an t icipate fate ; th ey will
l e av e i t t o G od to en d a life wh ich
th ey m erely d e sire t o render h armless to
God an d me n
.
This is t h e first m otiv e
for n o t killing th e emperor th e
,
s c e ond
is
th at th ey beli e ve a sp e edy d eath would
be n o fi t p unish m en t for t h e crim e wh ich
N apoleon h as perp e t ra t ed on h um ani ty
,
wh ile a perpe t u al
,
,
h opeless cap t ivity
em bittered by th e omn ipresent ever aler t
,
consciou sn ess of ruin ed greatn ess of fam e
,
b u rie d in d us t
an d
sil ence , wo u l d be
a
TH E CAR B O N AR I
O F
1 81
.
lasting p enan ce m ore terribl e to an e m
bition s land robber th an death could ever
-
be
”
.
“
Th ey are righ t by th e etern al G od
,
th ey are right !
”
cried S ch u lm e ister ;
“
,
I
believe th at th e emperor would prefer a
speedy d eath a h u n dred tim es t o su c h
slow tortu re ; an d to you Leon ore to
o
u
y
an d to m e will now fall th e vast
th e
,
,
,
p riceless happiness of pr e ser v in g th e em
ro r
e
p
from su ch m ar tyrdom
.
I say
th e
priceless h appin ess bu t I shall take good
,
care that th e emperor pays m e for it as
d early as possi ble an d —s o far as it can
,
be don e —balan ces t h e im m ense we igh t of
o u r serv ice by its compensation
.
By
h eaven h alf a m illion fran cs really seem s
,
a
tr iv al
reward and I d on t kn ow wh ether
’
,
we can be satisfi ed with it
“
I
s
hall b e satis fi ed ,
”
”
.
c ried L eonor e,
CONSP IR ACY
A
1 8 33
wi th an enth u sias t ic glance
“
,
only wh en
you ful fill th e v o w which you m ad e ; when
,
af t er I h av e m ad e you rich you mak e
,
m e free an d perm i t m e to go with t h e
m an whom I love wh erever I d esire tak
,
ing c a re th at you
do
not betray by a
word a h int wh o I am an d what I w as
“
,
,
,
I will fulfill my oa t h to you
S c h ulm eis t er earn es t ly
perform ed yours
.
“
,
”
,
”
.
sa id
for you have
You h ave di s co v e re d
a conspiracy an d t h rou gh th is d is covery
,
saved th e emperor from a terribl e mis f or
tun e an d given m e t h e righ t
,
a h igh price
.
to
dem an d
You will m ake m e rich ;
you will d ri ve th e d em on of povert y from
m y h ead ; I w ill repay you — I w ill guard
you rs from t h e d emon s of d isgra c e and
sh am e ; you sh all have n o cau se to blush
i n th e presen ce of t h e m an whom you
love
.
O
n
t h e day t hat I brin g fro m
th e
A CO
1 84
emperor m u st
th e tru th
l
o
d
e
p
,
so
N
S PI RACY
th at I am telling h im
see
I m u st n ot let th e a ffair ex
too soon
.
I m u st first know th e
nam es an d residences of all th e conspira
t ors in vestigate th e d eta ils
enterprise
th e wh ol e
of
,
and h old in my han d t h e
,
threads of th e entire web i n order to be
sure th at all th e spiders w h o have labored
at i t will be caught in th eir own n et
“
Do
O u s ly
fath er
s o,
“
.
”
”
.
cried Leon ore joy
,
I will l eave them all to you — all
t h ese poor spid ers of th e conspira c y
feel n o pity for them
Le t th em
'
.
th em su ff er what do I care !
I
.
d ie ,
let
I too h ave
,
,
,
su ff ered oh an d wha t m or tal angu ish !
,
,
Yes le t t h em die an d rot ; I shall a t las t
,
h appy ,
be
pra ised tha t th e man W h om I love
n ot
e
free an d beloved
O h,
be
,
.
God
is
ntangled i n th is conspiracy t hat I
,
ou ld disclos e th e wh ole p lot mentio n
c
,
TH E CAR BO
O F
N
AR I
1 85
.
th e names of all th e conspirators with
,
ou t fear of compromisin g h im
than k Th ee m y God
,
,
.
Yes I
,
th at K olb ie l s ky
h as n o sh are in this schem e
”
.
186
C H A P T E R VII
T H
T
H E
n es d a
y
c e iv e d
E
R E V E LA
.
T I O N
.
fatal Th ursday h ad passed Wed
,
had co me yet Leonore h ad
,
n o t idings from h er father
re
For
.
three days sh e h ad n ot seen h im had had
,
n o m essa g e from h im
.
Bu t i t was n ot t h is alon e that disturbed
and tort u red Leonore
.
S he
n o n ews from K o l b ie l s ky
,
had also had
th ough t h e
week w hich h e had nam ed as t h e
n eces
sary d ura t ion of t heir par t ing had ex
re d
i
p
“
the d ay before
He had said :
.
My week of exile
w
ill begin from t his
h our an d the fi rst fes t ival will be when I
,
again clasp you in my arm s
”
.
This wee k h ad expired yesterday and
,
Kol biel s ky h ad not com e to clas p h is
C ONSP IRAC Y
A
1 83
of th e conspirators especially th ose of th e
,
h eads an d leaders ; s h e kn ew that Kolbiel
sky s n ame h ad n ot once bee n m ention e d
’
th e wh ole discussion be tw e en
d uring
th em
S o away with anxie t ies away w ith
.
,
cowardly fears
S om e accident might
.
h ave detained him migh t have c aused a
,
day s d elay
’
.
To day yes t o day h e would come at
-
-
,
last !
,
To day sh e would see h im again
-
w ould rush in t o h is arms rest on
,
,
h is
h eart n ever oh ! n ever to part from h im
,
,
again !
Hark
,
a carriage
before the door !
corridor
T
w as
stopping
S t eps e c hoed in th e
.
h ey approached
,
s te p p e d
I t is h e oh surely it
,
,
is
at h er door !
he !
D arting to t h e door S h e tore it open
,
.
No !
I t was h er father only her fath er !
W ith
a
,
trou bled c ry
,
sh e
san k int o
th e
TH E CAR B O
O F
chair besid e th e d oor
to h er ; sh e d id
not
N
AR I
1 89
.
Her father went
.
see t he sorrowful
almost pitying look h e fi xed u pon h er
,
.
S h e h ad covered her face with her h ands
and groan ed alo ud
b e fore h er
m o t ionless
w
.
S ch ulm eister stood
i t h a gloomy brow silent an d
,
.
A t last after a long pause
,
,
Leon ore
slowly removed h er h ands from h er fac e
and raised h er h ead
“
.
A re we rich n ow ?
”
sh e as ked i n a
whisper as th ough S h e feared lest e v e n
,
the walls S h ould h ear h er qu estion
“
Yes
”
,
we are rich
h
e exclaim ed
joyfu lly
.
“
,
e
s
y ,
”
.
D rawing h is pocke t book from h is coat
,
h e opened i t and po ured ou t its con tents
,
S haking th e variou s papers w ith th eir
array of high numbers into Leon ore s lap
’
“
.
L ook my daughter my beloved ch ild !
,
,
,
A
30
C O NSP IR AC Y
Loo k at th es e wond erful pape rs
T
.
en
bankn o t es e ac h one fif ty thou sand fran cs
,
Tha t
half a million
is
Look a t t hese papers
no
papers each
,
.
.
my Leonore !
,
Yet
n o,
th ey are
a ma gic s p ell wi t h
is
,
wh ich you can m ake a pa lac e rise ou t of
n o t hing
S ee th is t h in scrap of paper ;
.
a s p ark
would suffi ce to transform it t o
ashes yet you n e e d
,
on l v
carry it t o t h e
n earest banker s t o see i t changed in t o
’
h eap o f gold or glit t er as a
,
c os t lies t d iam onds
.
ar
a
r
e
o
f
p
a
th e
If you d esire it
,
these papers will transmu te t h em sel ves
into a magn ificent c astle
servan ts
,
I
,
n to liveried
in t o S uperb carriages
.
O h,
I
alr e ady see you standing as t h e prou d
m istress of a s tately castle in you r
,
oes t ral hall
,
eu
with vas sals bowing b e fore
you an d counts and pr inc es su ing for yo ur
,
han d
.
For these magic papers w ill
i
v
e
g
1 92
CO
A
region
N
S P I R ACY
W hat would
.
th e t reasu res of
all
th e earth avail if I did not h ave him !
,
W hat would I care for castles d iam on ds
,
and carr iages if h e were n ot with m e !
,
I
am expec t ing h im —h e m ay be h ere at any
m omen t
qu ickly
S o tell m e fath er—describe
.
,
h ow
everythin g h as hap p en ed
.
I have n ot see n you for three days ; I d o
n ot
k now
what
has
occu rred
for
,
,
strangely n othing has reach ed th e p u b
,
l ie
”
.
“
Th e emperor enjoined th e m ost invio
la ble
S ilence upon
ter gloom ily
“
.
us
all
”
,
said
S c h u l me is
Th e whole a ff air has
been t reated an d concealed as th e m ost
profound secre t
.
Th e emperor d oes not
w ish to h ave anyth ing kn own abou t it ;
no on e m u st deem it p o ssible th at people
have dared to see k to ta k e his life to
t empt
to capt u re h im
.
I n ever
,
at
s aw
h im
TH E CAR B O
O F
In
N A RI
1 93
.
h im
s u ch a fury as whe n I fi rs t told
th e plan of th e conspirators
ligh t nings
fl ash ed
,
His eyes
.
h e stamped
fee t
h is
,
clen ch ed his little hands in to fis t s an d
,
stretch ed the m threateningly toward th e
inv isibl e
con spirators
.
H e vowed t o kill
them all to take vengean ce o n th e m all
,
for th e unpre c eden t ed crim e
”
.
“
A n d has h e fulfilled t h e vow ?
“
He has
He h as punish ed the c on
.
s p irato rs , s o
”
far as lay
in
h is power
.
But
som e of them for instance Baron von
,
M o u d en fel s ,
d o n ot belon g to th e n u mber
of h is subj ects bu t are A us t rians Th e
.
,
emperor did n ot h av e th e sentenc e whi c h
h e pronoun ced upon h is own su bj ects ex
e c u te d
upon th em ; h e cou ld n ot
tim e for yo u
,
kn o w
at
th is
th at n ego t iations for
p eac e h a v e bee n opened an d th e treaty
,
w i l l be
signed im m ediately
.
S
O
t h e em
A CO
N
SP I RAC Y
p aror d id n ot wish to con s t itute him self
a
j udge of A u stria n subj e c t s ; it
ca t e at t en t ion t o
is
d e li
a
A u s t ri an emperor
th e
,
and th e la tt e r w ill kn o w h ow to thank
h im for it an d
w
to
punish th e criminals
i t h all t h e rigor of t he law
M o u d e n f e ls
Baron von
an d C ou n t von
Kot t e h ave m erely been h eld
and w ere
co m
tion to d ay
“
t h is
,
e x ec u
.
”
as ked Leo nore
in
.
C aptain d e G u es
,
an d two sous lie utenan t s were sh ot
-
m orni n g on th e m eadow at S ch en
S ch ulm ei s ter in a low ton e
sa i d
Leo nore sh u dde red
,
livered t hem to d eath !
H is to rical
.
S
ee
“
”
.
an d a d eathlik e
pa llor over sprea d h er fac e
a
prison ers
”
C olon el Lej eu n e
n iar d ,
as
witn e ss the
to
W h at e x ec ut ion ?
h orror
“
pell e d
Th erefore
.
“
.
she
An e mone s
"
,
An d
m oan ed
Part
de
I
.
p 90
.
.
A CO
1 96
S PI RAC Y
N
th e rid e with his su ite an d n ot p erm it m e
,
to c om e t o h is assistan ce with a f e w trust
,
worthy assistants u n til after h e h ad
,
t ored th e h u t and been captured
.
eu
Bu t
h e rejected th is plan becau s e h e would
,
h ave been compelled to arrest his most
d istinguish ed gen erals an d subject th e
greater number of
rigid
investigati o n
h is
.
sta ff
O
ffi cers to a
Th e whole
arm y
w ould th en h ave h eard of th is bold con
s p irac y ,
t a g io u s
sors
.
and conspiracies are lik e con
d iseases th ey always h ave succes
,
S o th e emperor rejected this plan
and at th e m om en t that his suite
,
w
,
ere
m oun ting to attend h i m on his rid e h e
,
dismissed th em all saying that h e wish ed
,
to go into th e woods alon e accompanied
,
only by C olon el L ejeun e the Mam elu ke
,
and myself
horror
,
th e
.
,
You can imagin e th e m ute
d ea th lik e p allor of th e gen
O F
e ral s
TH E CAR B O
N A RI
1 97
.
Th e emperor did n ot vou ch safe
.
any of th e m a glan ce but dash ed away
,
.
W he n we h ad ridden in to t h e woods , t h e
emperor ch ecked h is h orse and tu rn ed to
C
L ejeu ne wh o white as a corpse
ol o n l
rode besid e h im
“
,
,
.
You r sword colon el !
,
in ton e s of t h under
th e part
O
f
,
“
.
”
h e exclaim ed
Yo u will
not
play
emp e ror to d ay bu t m erely
,
th e character of an arch t raitor and assas
-
s in
”
.
A t th e sam e instant
Rou s ta n
and I
rode to L e ! e un e s sid e an d each seized
’
,
an arm
.
A m om en t later h e
w as
dis
arm ed an d d e prived of th e papers wh ich
foun d in h is breast pocket and th e
we
,
tender farewell letters to h is wi f e and hi s
m other i n case that th e enterprise S ho u ld
,
fail
.
“
I will h av e
th e
se se nt at o nc e t o their
A CO
1 98
a
SP I RACY
N
ddresses t h e m orning after you r
t ion
”
,
e xe cu
th e emp e ror said wi t h a wi t h ering
,
glan ce from
h is
large flash ing e yes
h e rod e on and we follow e d
,
,
e
Th en
.
ach h old
ing an arm of L e j e un e wh o rode between
,
us
A t last we reached th e
.
emperor ch ec k ed
tan u ttered
a
sam e instan t
s ix
,
h is
b ut
h orse again
and th e
R ous
.
w his t le and at th e
lo w
,
gray beard ed gian ts of
-
th e im perial guard stood besid e
they had sprung from
th e
as if
us
earth
A
.
s
conspirators e n t er e d th e hu t
,
th ey h ad cau tiously approach e d it and
,
soon as
th e
concealed b e hin d th e t re es awa it ed th e
,
precon cer t ed s ign al
.
Th e emp e ror gree t ed th em wi t h
th e
smile w hich b e w it ched h is old sold ie rs
becaus e
it
rem ind ed th em of th e days of
t h e ir great victory
“
,
I k now that
.
y ou
are
faithful
”
,
he
20 0
C
A
“
Yes
”
,
ONS P I RACY
replied S ch ulm eister
was am ong th em
“
“
Th en you
Y
es ,
“
,
e
s
y ,
he
”
.
s aw
him ?
I saw h im
”
”
.
The slow solem n ton e with which
h er
,
fa t h er an swered m ad e Leonore t rem bl e
S h e look ed up qu estioningly into
h is
face
.
,
th eir eyes m et and were fi xed s t eadily on
,
each oth er
“
Why
.
do
yo u ga z e at m e
compassion ately
d en l y ,
“
?”
asked Leon ore
sud
.
I did n ot kn ow that I was doing
You were you are still
n x iou sly
“
”
,
sh e
c ried
Fath er I read misfortun e
,
.
in yo u r face
so,
”
.
,
a
sadly an d
cowerin g as th ough in fright
h e an sw e red gen t ly
“
so
.
You are con cealing som e
You —O h h eaven
th in g from m e !
,
h ave n ews of K olb iel s ky
,
o
u
y
”
.
S h e started u p letting th e b an k not es
,
-
O F
f all
T H E CAR B O
N A RI
unh eeded to th e floor
20 1
.
sei z ed h er
,
fath er s arm with both h an ds and ga z ed
’
,
silently at h im with panting breath
.
H e a v oid ed h er eyes released himself
,
almost violen t ly from h er grasp stooped
,
,
p icked up th e bills and divided th em in t o
h alves pu tting fi ve in to h is breast pocket
,
an d givin g h is dau gh ter th e oth er fi ve
“
,
.
Tak e it m y Leon ore ; tak e th e magic
,
k ey wh ich will o p en Paradise to you !
”
S h e took th e ban k n otes and with a
-
,
contem p t u ou s gest u re fl u ng th em o n th e
,
floor
“
.
Yo u kn o w som eth in g of K ol biel s ky
S h e repeated
me
,
f ath er ,
“
.
do
”
.
an s wer p oor ch ild wh at
wil l it avail yo u ?
s
av e h im
.
Wh ere i s h e ? A nswer
if you don t wish m e to fall
Yet if I
”
,
’
d ead at you r feet
“
”
,
H
e
,
is lost yo u can not
,
CO N S PI R A C
A
203
S he
Y
n e ith er shr ie k ed n or wept
’
gra sp ed h er father s
ar
“
Where
is
K ol bie l s ky ?
”
.
sh e
A n swer or I w il l k ill myself
,
“
onl y
sh e
m m ore fir mly an d
look ed hi m stea d ily i n th e face
“
,
ask ed
.
”
.
W ell , Leonore , I will gi ve you a proo f
of m y i nfi n ite love
I will tell
.
tru th th e wh ole tru t h
,
o
u
y
th e
W he n th e pris
.
on ers were dragged ou t of th e h ut on e of
,
them su d denly m ad e an attem p t t o escape
.
Th e s old ier tri e d to h old him t h ey strug
gled — in the scu ffl e th e con spirator s wig
,
’
fell
O
ff
.
Hith erto h e had h ad wh i te
h ai r
“
It was B a ron von M o u d en fel s ?
L e on ore bre ath les s ly
”
asked
.
“
Yes L eon ore it
,
,
d en fel s
.
w as
B ut when
fro m h is h ead
,
th e
w e sa w
Baron v on M ou d e nf el s
Baron von Mou
,
wig
no
but
w as
ol d
—
q
.
”
torn
man ,
no
C ONS P IR ACY
A
20 4
n e g ot ia
brunn attend ing t o th e p eac e
tion s—h as sent to Totis to th e E mperor
F
rancis
”
.
Th e Baron ess d e S im on ie bou nded like
a t igress through th e room tearing a t
,
t h e bell till i t so unded lik e a tocsin and
th e servan t s c am e rushing in terror from
t h e an t eroom
“
.
My carriage —it m ust be ready in fi ve
”
m in utes ! S he cried Th e servants ran ou t
.
an d Leon ore darted across th e room tore
,
open th e d oor of th e adjoining chamber
,
o p ened a wardrobe in frantic haste and
,
d ragged ou t a cloak wh ic h
,
h er sh oulders
“
I
n
sh e
flu ng over
.
’
h eaven s nam e Leonore are you
,
ou t of you r senses ?
”
,
ask e d h er father
,
w h o had h urried after h er an d n ow seized
h er arm
W h ere
“
.
are
What
do
yo u goin g ?
”
you m ea n to
do?
O F
“
T H E
CA RB ON ARI
To th e E mperor
cried loudly
“
.
20 5
.
N apoleon !
”
sh e
T o th e E mperor N a p o
leon to sav e th e life of th e m an I lov e
,
G ive m e t h e m on ey fath er !
.
”
,
“
What m on ey Leonore ?
”
,
“
Th e ban k n otes !
Th e blood m on ey
-
-
wh ich I h av e earned !
Her fath er h ad
c
”
arefully ga t h ered u p
th e bank bills w h ich
S
-
h ad
he
t hrown
abou t t h e room an d gav e t h em to h er
,
.
Leonore sh uddered as s h e clen ch ed them
in h er trembling h ands
h im
”
,
“
.
I h av e sol d
S h e sh rieked raising th e h an d that
,
h eld th e papers to ward heaven
blood cl ings to th i s m on ey
h url i t a t th e emperor s f e e t
p
;
I will b e g
h is
H
is
.
I wan t n o
life for my recompense
P ray fath er pray th at
,
m ay
.
B u t I will
.
’
ay
“
he
m ay h ear m e
.
,
gra nt m e m erc y for I s w ear by all
,
t hat is sacred if
,
K ol bie l s ky
m ust die , I
A CONSP I RACY
20 6
will kill hi s m urderers
d orera are —you and I !
“
is
Th e carriag e
servant entering
,
.
A nd
h is
mur
”
at th e d oor
”
,
s
aid
a
.
S h e spran g forward
“
.
I am comin g
.
P ray fa t h er p ray for m ercy u p on my
,
loved on e
,
’
s
m urderers !
”
A
20 3
an d
CO
N
a clergym an
S P I RACY
With
.
a
sol emn
,
im
countenanc e C om mis
m ovable offi cial
s io n e r
G oh a u s e n
w h ic h
h is subordinate handed to h im
open ed th e d ocu m ent
,
and i n a lou d voice read its con t ents
,
,
I t was a sentence of death
.
Th e death
.
sen t en ce of Baron Friedrich C arl Glare
von K o l b ie l s ky
“
on accoun t of sympathy
an d complicity in a m urd erou s assa u lt
upon t h e sacred life of h is
an n o in te d
im
p erial ally an d friend N apoleon emperor
,
of th e French
,
E arly th e following
!
.
m ornin g a t dawn Baro n Friedrich C arl
,
,
Glar e
v on
K o l b iel s ky
S ch onb ru nn
m ust be sh ot at
.
K o l b iel s ky
h ad listened to this death
W arran t W ith imm ovable composu re —n o
W ord , n o entreaty for pardon escaped h is
“
An e mo n e s
”
,
P a rt
p 93
.
.
T H E
O F
lips
CAR B O
N A RI
20 9
.
B u t h e requ este d t h e priest
.
d es ired to remain
to
,
I
Wh at
m ust k n ow
“
,
pray wi t h h i m an d
receive h is confession to leave h im
“
who
.
h ave t o con fess on ly G od
,
”
,
h e said smiling prou dly
,
.
In ou r corrupt tim es even th e secrets of
th e confessional are n o lon ger sacred an d
,
if I confessed t h e truth t o you i t would
,
m ea n th e betrayal of m y frien ds
.
God
sees my h eart ; H e kn ows i ts secrets an d
will h ave m ercy on m e
.
I
w ish to b e
”
alon e th at is th e last favor I request
S o h e was left alon e — alon e d u ring th is
.
,
-
long bitter nigh t before his doom !
Yet
His t h ough ts w ere
an d h is love— hi s love for
h e was n ot solitary !
wi t h h im
,
Leonore !
N ever h ad h e so ard ently worsh ipped h er
as on t his n ight of angu ish
.
N ever had
h e recalled wit h s u ch raptu re h er bea u ty ,
C O N SP IR A CY
A
210
h er ind escrib able charm as on this n ight
,
wh e n w it h t h e d eepest yearnin g of
h is
,
h eart h e took leave of h er
,
often h ow of t en
,
,
.
Ah
,
ho w
carried away by th e
fervor of h is feelin gs h e h ad s t retched
,
out h is arms t o th e empty air wh isperin g
,
h er d ear bel oved nam e an d n ot asham ed
,
,
of th e tears wh ich stream ed from h is eyes
H e h ad sacri fi ced h is life t o hate to
,
.
h is
native land bu t h is las t thoughts his l as t
,
,
greetings
,
m igh t
be given to th e
now
woman wh om h e loved
tu rn ed to h er
.
O h,
to
.
see
A ll h is d esire s
h er on ce more !
Wha t rapture thrilled h im at th e th ou gh t !
A n d h e k new th at
sen t to h er ;
sh e
sh e
wou ld com e if h e
w oul d h ave th e daring
courage to visi t h is prison to brin g h im
h er last l ove greetin g
-
.
He n eed only call
th e j ailer an d say to him :
“
H
aste n to Bar one s s de S im oni e
1n
A CO N S P I RACY
2 12
h is
h eart sh ou ld not su ff er a m om en t s
’
,
an xiety t h rough h im
H e lov e d h er
.
so
ferven t ly t h a t for h er sak e h e j oyfully
sacrificed even
h is
longing for
h er th ink of h i m
ish od !
von
h er
Let
.
on e wh o h ad van
as
Let h er n ever learn that Baron
M o u d e n f el s ,
t h e m an
shot in a few h ou rs
S h e loved
.
,
w as
who
would be
t h e man wh o m
H e w oul d m ee t d ea t h calmly
and j oyfully for h e would l e ave h er h ope !
,
Hop e of a m ee t ing — n ot yonder bu t h ere
,
on earth !
S h e would expec t h im
would wa t c h for h im daily
in
,
love
sh e
an d
loyalty an d gradu ally g e n tly and eas ily
,
,
sh e
,
wou ld becom e accustom e d to t h e
though t of seeing h i m n o m or e
wh ile d oing
s o,
.
sh e woul d n ot d e em
Ye t
,
h im
faithless would n ot suppose t h at h e h ad
,
abandon ed h er bu t would kn ow t hat i t
,
was
d estin y
w h ich S evere d
—
th e m th at if
O F
TH E CAR B O
N
AR I
2 13
.
h e did n ot retu rn to h er h e had gon e
,
th e place wh ence th ere i s n o return
“
O h,
Leon ore
N ever to
s ee
,
dearly
to
.
loved
on e !
you again n ever again to
,
h ear from you r lips those sweet sacre d
,
revela t ion s of love ; n e ver again to look
into you r eyes , th os e eyes wh ich sh in e
m ore brightly th an all
h eaven
th e stars
”
.
It was already growing lighter
was approaching
night
in
s ky
.
D aw n
.
Yonder i n th e dar k
,
a dull golde n streak app e ared
th e h arbinger of day
.
Th e su n
ing bring in g t o th e worl d an d
,
w as
,
ris
ll its
a
creatures life ; bu t to h im th e condemn ed
,
,
m an death
,
.
S till h e w ould di e for h is n ative land
,
for {liberty ! Th at w a s consolation s u p
port H e h ad sou gh t t o rid th e world of
,
.
th e tyrant
Who
h ad c ru sh e d all
ation s
n
A
214
C ONSP IR AC Y
in t o th e d u st d es t royed all liberty
,
had n ot favored
tyrant
S
.
o
h im ;
K o l bie l s ky
Fate
.
it sh ield ed t h e
was dying
N ot
.
as a cr im inal bu t as t h e martyr of a great
,
an d n obl e cause would h e fron t d e ath
.
A n d t h ough fa t e had n o t favored h im
now
som e day i t would avenge h im
,
avenge h im on th e tyran t N apol eon
.
,
It
would h url h im from h is height crush
,
hi m into
the
d ust t rample h im under
,
foo t as h e n ow tram pled u n der his feet
,
t h e righ t s an d t h e l iber t ies of t h e nations
.
Th ere was comfort genuin e consola
,
tion in t h is th ought
T he
.
I t m ad e d ea t h easy
dawn gr e w brigh t e r
.
C rimson clou d s
floa t ed from all d irec t ions across th e
P erh aps
an h ou r
he
.
s ky
!
w ould be su mmoned in h alf
.
N o n ot even half an h ou r s d elay
’
,
H is
e x ec u tion e rs were p un c tual
.
.
T he
A
2 16
C O NSP IR AC Y
m an also l eaned for a m om en t utterly
,
cru sh ed an d powerless against th e wall
,
besid e t h e door
by
Th en rou sing h im self
.
violen t eff ort h e ben t toward th e
a
,
gray beard ed j ailer wh o stood in th e door
-
way w i t h h is h uge bun ch of k eys in h is
h and an d wh ispered
,
a
few words
Th e
.
jailer nod ded stepped bac k in to the corri
,
dor
closed th e door behin d h im an d
,
lock ed it
.
Th e yo u n g m an flung as ide th e cloa k
wh ich sh roud e d h is figu re
What did
He w ore K o l biel s ky s l ivery ;
this m ean ?
from
h is
.
’
dress h e appeared t o be his
servant yet h e was n ot th e m an wh om h e
,
h ad had
in
h is servic e for years
K o lb ie l s ky
had the strength to go a
few steps forward
“
.
Wh o are you ?
ton e
“
.
.
”
h e asked
in
a
l ow
”
Good h eav ens , wh o are yon ?
TH E CAR B O N AR I
O F
Th e you t h flung
toward K ol b ie l s ky
s ay w h o
“
.
Wh o a m I ? I ?
“
.
”
.
,
K ol b iel s ky
’
s
then seizing th e you t h s sl e nd er
’
‘
,
figure in h is arms h e bore i t to th e
,
dow
”
Look at m e and
cry a singl e cry escaped
A
lips
I am
h is hat and ru sh ed
o ff
h e cried exultingly
217
.
w in
.
Th e fi rst rays of th e risin g
sun
were
’
sh ining in an d fell upon th e yo u n g m an s
face
.
O h,
blessed be thou
,
radiant sun for
,
thou bringest etern al life t h ou g bringest
,
love
“
.
It is
sh e !
It is m y Leon ore !
My
love my
,
H e could
s ay
n o m ore
.
P r e ssing h er
tenderly in h i s arm s h e b o wed his h ead
upon h e r sh oulder an d w ep t —w e pt bit
,
terly
.
B
ut
t h ey
w ere
te ars of del ight ,
O
CO
A
218
ecstas y—tears
f
N
s
SP I RA C Y
u ch
m or ta ls weep
as
wh en th ey have n o words to
j oy
earth
h
as
ar e
m th eir
rarely shed on
.
Yet n o
w
s uC
Tears
.
e xp re
He would n ot w eep for t e ars
.
,
ill dim h er im age
.
H e wis h e d t o
see
h er imprin t h er face d eep de e p upon
,
,
h is h eart that it m igh t still live th e re
wh ile h e died
.
He too k th e beau t iful beloved h ead
,
between h is h a nds an d gazed at i t with
happy sm ile
“
a
.
Hav e you risen u pon m e again my
,
h eavenly s t ars ?
D o you sh in e on m e
once m or e ere I en t er eternal n igh t
?”
,
Bending lower h e k issed h e r eyes and
again gaze d a t
“
h e r,
sm iling
.
Why d o you r lips qu iv e r ?
th ey u tter n o word of
break
th e m
th e
”
.
se
l ov e ?
Why
O h,
do
let m e
al of s ile nc e w h ich c lose s
“
“
P ardon !
Pardon !
“
C ONSP IR AC Y
A
2 20
”
h e cried alm ost s h ri e k ed
,
Bu t from wh om ?
.
”
Pardon from your sovereign an d ma s
ter fro m t h e E mperor Francis !
”
,
“
God be praised
h im,
”
I can accept i t from
.
c ri ed K o lbie l s ky j ubilantly
I am free ?
“
.
S peak d earest I am free ?
,
So
”
,
S h e S h ook h er h ead slowly and sadly
“
.
I h av e been able only t o save you from
d eath
”
sh e said m ournfully
,
“
.
I h ave
bee n able only to obtain you r life
alas ! n ot your liberty
“
“
,
“
“
For h ow long ?
For life
”
.
barely au dible
”
.
m u rmu red in a voice
.
Bu t K olb ie l s ky — laugh ed
“
”
”
sh e
,
b ut
”
Then I remain a prison er ?
Yes a prison er
,
For life !
N a p oleon lives
.
Tha t m eans—s o long
an d
is
powerf u l
.
But
as
he
TH E CAR B O N AR I
O F
w ill
22 1
.
die ; h e will fall an d th en m y em
,
r
r
e
o
p
will release m e ; th en I sh all bel ong
to life to th e worl d ; th en I shall again b e
,
you rs !
I will accept my emperor s par
’
don for it is you w h o bring it to m e —yo u
,
h ave obtained it
You
.
s ay
an d I
so ,
kn ow it You h as t ened to Totis you thre w
.
,
you rself at t h e emperor s feet pleaded
’
,
for m ercy an d h e could not resist you r
,
fi ery z eal you r bewitch in g p erson ality
,
B ut h ow d id you kno w th a t I
rested ?
von
“
Wh o tol d you th at I
M ou d en f el s ?
My u ncle
cast eyes
“
,
tidin gs ; h e
”
,
w as
w as
.
ar
Baron
”
sh e
replied with down
my u n cle brough t m e th e
tol d
m e that
N apol eon
,
th rough C ou nt B uhna h ad sent a courier
,
to Totis
,
to th e E mperor Fran cis an d
asked your con demnation
,
.
I h asten ed t o
S ch O n bru nn ; I s u cceeded in overcom in g
A
2 22
C ONSP IR A CY
all obstacles and reaching the emperor
h is
th re w myself at
feet con fessed am id
,
my tears that I loved you
you r l ife
A nd
.
be
I
.
,
begged
for
granted it ; h e becam e
you r in t ercessor to t h e E mperor Fran cis
He wro t e a
fe w
lin es which I was to con
,
vey to Totis myself
I did so hastening
.
,
th i t h er wi t h post h orses
I S pok e to t he
-
emperor
.
.
He was deeply moved but h e
.
,
h ad n ot th e cou rage to take any d ecisive
s te p ; h e s t ill d readed O ff en ding h is new
a
lly
Th e E mperor N apoleon
.
gran t K o l bie ls ky
’
s
b egs
life h e said
,
m e to
‘
I will
.
d o so bu t can d o n oth ing m ore for
,
presen t
I will gran t
.
h im
cann ot give h im liber ty
.
life
,
th e
bu t I
H e mu st be
taken to th e Hu ngarian fortress Leopold
stadt
as
Th ere h e m ust remain
.
h e l ives
“
T
o
so
long
’
.
L e 0 p o l d s tad t !
In an o nen g ra v e
”
,
C ONS P IR A CY
A
22 4
shall n ot bu ry you r beauty
o
u
y
bloom
you thful
i n a livin g tomb
.
,
yo u r
Yo u r
tender foo t is n ot mad e t o tread th e
r
ough paths of life
.
Th e proud Baroness
d e S imonie accu stom ed to th e splen dor
,
,
l u xu ry and comfort of existen ce m ust
,
n ot drag ou t h er life in u n worthy h umil
iation
fi ce
I th an k you love for th e sacri
.
,
,
you wis h to mak e but n o t hing will
,
m e to accept i t
ind uce
R eturn to th e
.
w orld my worshipped on e !
,
love you r fideli ty !
,
Keep you r
Wait for m e
.
Eve n
th ough years may pass th e h our of liberty
,
wil l at last strike an d th en I will re t u rn
to you !
“
”
No no !
,
“
”
s
he
impe t u ou sly exclaim ed
I will n ot leave you ; I will cling to you
You mu s t n ot repulse m e
.
.
.
Th e em p eror
has given yo u r servant th e righ t to stay
with you
s ta
.
I am you r servant
.
I sh al t
O F
“
T H E CAR B O N ARI
L eon ore I entrea t you
,
wh at i s impossible
22 5
.
do not
,
as k
Th ere are sa cri fi c es
.
wh ich a m an can n ever accep t from th e
woman he love—s w h ic h h u m ilia t e
th ey enn obl e h er
.
w ould
bow m e into th e
Leon ore d e S imonie
m ust n ot
l eave th e p ure prou d sphere
in
,
sh e
lives ;
m us t remain wh at
sh e
th e qu een of th e dra w in g room
-
“
Is this you r fi nal answer ?
tu rn in g d eadly pal e
“
“
My fi nal on e
who
”
wh ich
sh e
is
,
ask ed
,
”
.
sh e
.
”
.
Well th en h ear m e !
,
as
I should blush before
.
your n obili ty ; i t
du st
h im
,
Yo u shall kn ow
I a m ; you sh all at least learn th at
you migh t acc e pt every sacrifice from m e
with ou t ev er being obliged to blush in my
p resen ce
.
You th rust m e from you that
,
is yo u th r u st m e into death !
,
Yes I will
,
d ie I wish to d ie b u t fi rst you shall hear
,
,
CO
226
A
from my lips
the
S P I RAC Y
N
t ru t h t ha t yo u may n ot
,
grieve may n o t sh ed a single t ear for m e
,
.
S o h ear m e C arl h ear m e ! I am not
,
,
w ha t you believe
t o me d
My foot is n ot accus
to th e soft pa t hs of life — t h e world
.
of splendor and h onor is n ot mine
.
From
my earliest ch ild hood I h ave walked
in
obscurity an d h u miliation
,
i n d isgrace
an d sham e
,
ignom in iou s
creature
,
a dishonored
”
.
A s if crush ed by h er own word s
sh e
san k d own a t his feet an d raised h er
,
clasped h and s beseechingly
wh ile h er
,
h ead dro o ped low on her breast
K o l bie l s ky
.
gazed at h er with an expres
sion of unsp e akable h orror th en a smil e
,
fl itte d
“
“
a:
.
.
You are sp e ak ing falsely
o
u
y
ity
over h is face
”
,
h e cried ,
are speaking falsely out of gen ome
s
“
C ONSP I R ACY
A
2 23
we e p —c u rse m e !
DO h ot
from you bu t d o n ot weep
,
have d eserved you r tears
lost creature
Th ru st m e
A las ! yet I
.
I am a poor
.
Yes d o no t wee p
.
,
su ff ered m u ch
atoned h eavil y
si nn ed m u ch
,
Y
.
es ,
,
I h ave
.
bu t als o
,
weep for m e !
My
l ife lies bare as a torn wreath of roses in
th e d ust—not a bloss om remain s nothing
,
save t h e pathway of thorns grief and
,
tortu re
Y
.
es,
lost existen ce
bu t I
w as
weep for
ru e
,
—we
e
p for a
I w as inn ocen t an d pu re
poor— th a t w as my m isfortune
.
,
.
P overty drove my fath er to despair dr o ve
,
u s bot h to disgrace and crim e
.
O h,
God !
I was so young and I wanted to l ive ; I
,
d id n ot wish to die of starvation and
,
tempter
ca
th e
m e to m e in my fa t her s for m
wh isper in g
’
‘
,
have h on or !
wom en will
H
av e mon ey
and
you will
Help yo u rsel f for me n
,
no t aid
.
o
u
y
,
T h ey t ur n
an d
can
O F T H E
t e mp tuou s l y
CAR B
O N
A RI
2 29
.
away beca u se you are p oor
.
To morrow if yo u are rich th ey will p ay
-
,
,
court to you
,
h on or an d love yo u
,
.
I
o ff er you th e m eans to becom e rich
Give m e your han d
Leonore
,
.
d espise
,
th e peop le w h o leave u s to die an d follow
,
me
’
I gave h i m my h and I followed
.
,
’
h im I becam e N apoleon s S py
,
m on ey I h ad a nam e I
,
,
saw
I h ad
.
peopl e throng
arou nd m e I learn ed to d espise th em
,
an d th erefore I coul d betray th em
,
,
in
.
Bu t
th e m idst of my brillian t life I was
,
un happy
for th e consciou sn ess of my
,
sham e constantly hau nted m e constantly
,
cast its shadow upon m e
.
A nd on e day
on e day I saw an d loved you !
,
From t h a t
day I was th e victim of anguish and de
spair
.
O
n
my knees I besough t my
father to release m e t o perm it m e t o
,
escape fro m
th e
wo rld
.
H
e
threatened
CO
A
2 30
N
S P I RAC Y
to betray my past my disgrace to you
A nd I — oh God I loved you — I yielded
,
,
I rem ained
.
,
,
My fa t h er vowed tha t if I
.
,
m ade h im rich h e would set m e fre e
,
discovered a conspiracy
.
I
You w ere n o t
.
am ong th e accomplic e s — I betrayed i t
I wanted to serve
o
u
y
.
by the tr e achery
an d I plunged you in t o ru in
”
.
Tears gus h ed from h er eyes ; t h e sobs
so
long repress ed bu rst forth an d stifled th e
words on h er lips
w ep t
.
.
K olb iel s ky
n o longer
He h ad let his h ands fall from h is
face and was l isten ing to h er in d eep
,
th ough t
,
in breathless suspense
.
N ow
,
w h en S h e paused sobbing h e stretch ed
,
ou t h is h an d as if h e wished to raise L eo
n ore th en h e seem ed to h esitate an d
,
withdrew it
.
S h e did n ot
to loo k
s ee
it ;
sh e
did not ventu re
at h im ; s h e ga z ed only in to h er
A
232
C ONSP IR ACY
cloth e s an d th e nam e of Leonore
N
.
ow
you kn ow all and you will no longer be able
,
t o say that I can m ake a sacrifice for you
.
D ecid e wh eth er I m ust die or wh ether
,
you will pardon m e
.
Let m e aton e ; let
m e live —live as y ou r slave you r thrall
,
I d esire n oth ing save to
you live for you
,
to
.
see
.
you serve
,
You n e e d n ever spea k
m e n ever deem m e worthy of a w o rd
,
I will di vin e you r orders with ou t them
.
.
I will Sleep on you r th resh old like a faith
ful dog that loves you t h ough yo u thrust
,
h i m from you —wh o caresses th e han d that
strikes h im
.
I have d eserved t h e blows ;
I will n o t m u rm u r only
,
live
let
m e let m e
,
”
.
S h e gazed imploringly at h im with a
,
face beam ing with enth us iasm and love
.
An d h e ?
A
ray
of
en th u sia s m ill u m i ned h is face
O F
al s o
laid
H
.
h is
e
CA RB ON AR I
T H E
233
.
be n t over th e k neeling fi gu re ,
han ds on h er sh o u lders an d gazed
,
in to her fa c e wh ile som eth ing akin t o
divin e smile illu m in ed h is features
“
”
W h en I bad e you farewell
softly
“
,
,
a
.
h e s aid
I said th at if I retu rn ed I would
,
ask you a m om en tou s qu estion
k n ow what it was ?
DO
.
you
”
S h e sh rank and a burning blu sh crim
h er ch ee ks b u t
s on e d
,
s h e d id
n ot ven
t ure to reply only ga z ed breathless ly
,
h im with fi xed eyes
!
at
.
He ben t close to h er
an d ,
sm iling
,
w h is
p ered :
“
Leonore will you be my wife ?
”
,
W ith a cry of j oy
sh e
spr ang in to his
arms laughing and weeping in h er e c stasy
,
K o l biel s ky
h eart
an d
.
pressed h er c l osely to his
l aid h is han d 11 a her h e ad as
if in b en edi ction
.
A
23 4
“
“
CONSP IR AC Y
You h ave a t oned
”
,
h e said solemnly
You shall be forgiven
su ff ered h eavily !
h om eless
.
you r h ome
,
.
for you have
You h ave com e to m e
Hen cefor t h m y h eart S hall be
You h ave cast asid e you r
.
nam e—I o ff e r you m in e in exch ang e
Will you be my wife ?
.
”
”
“
S h e wh isp e red a low h appy yes
,
.
A n h ou r later an o ffi cer of j ustice
arrived to announ ce to
K o l bie l s ky h is
ch ange of sentence to p e rpe t ual
im prison
m ent an d inform him t h a t th e carri age
,
was wai t ing to convey hi m to L e opo ld
stad t
.
K o lb ie l s ky
n ow d e sir e d to s e e t he pr ie s t
wh ose m inis t ration he h ad form erly
fused and wh en h alf an h ou r la t e r
,
,
en t ered t h e carriage
wife
as
.
S he
,
Leon ore
ac c ompani e d h im
,
w as
,
re
he
his
d isgu is e d
h is servant , for th e perm issio n to attend
A CONSP I RA CY
23 6
In his wrath h e wrote veh emen t
in
l etters to th e E mperor Francis
s u l tin g
m ade hims e lf g uil t y of h igh treason
-
they
,
w
ere well satisfi e d t o find
.
,
So
h im
wor t hy of pun ish m ent and render t h e
,
troublesom e faul t
-
fi nd e r
fo rever harmless
.
‘
S o h e remained a p risoner lon g after
N apoleon h ad
been overth rown
.
His
w ife d ied m any years before h im leaving
,
on e daugh t er
eight e en
trian
o
,
,
wh o
wh e n a girl of
,
m arried a d is t ingu ish ed A us
flic e r
.
Her en t reaties an d h er
h usband s in fluen c e finall y su cceeded in
’
secu ring K o lbie l s ky
year
1 82 9
s
liberation
.
In th e
h e was perm i t ted to leave
L e op ol d s ta d t,
O
’
t o live wi t h his daughter at
fen w here h e d ied in
,
TH E
1 83 1
E N D.
.
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W H A T O T H E RS S A Y O F I T
.
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A lb y J u
l
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l
f
—
E lb d H ubb d
i ti g s p l did m g i
Y
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l
E ll W h l
c
tt
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ti
v
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c
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t
W ilm
l
A
p "
U 8 S
ds m m g i
J m S M
ill
A
l ly h
Ev y iss i s i t w ith c h i c l i t tu ””—B st T sc ip t
—
d i fl
R h t
l ti
id
c
i
cu
P d flh p
ly
G wi g
p
“ I t is
t i i g i d p l ty by s f its g l c ll c
l
d
D mc t
R ch s
m ki g f it —
t i l y c o g tu l t y
s y
P if
th s
I h
U i v s i y f R c h st
J I I G i lm
”—
D
v
y m uch d p dic t f it g d
I l i k th m g i
m
t
th w l l k
L is S
t t i i
w
l th f
i st u ti v d ll il l ust t d m tt
C
t us
tt c ti v c v s P h d lp l R c d
i
b tw
th
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l v
c u ty
s f it
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H
N
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c ll c
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T
th th l i t s t f t su p p t N Y k P
ti s
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c ll t I f o
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f y u m g i
T h l s t u mb
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G
L
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it i b
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f
p
”
BB
H
d i
c t i s much i t st! m tt
b uti
m g i
Y u
d C m
fu l l y i llu st d t h t it c t i ly ” g t it t th dit
(3 W U 8
D qf W ll s L M
m i l T v l s H m A ss i ti
‘B
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O n a
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