by L. Mühlbach
CHAPTER XLIX.
THE PARADE AT SCHOeNBRUNN.
Napoleon's great victory at Wagram had put an end to the war withAustria, and destroyed only too speedily the hopes which the battle ofAspern or Esslingen had awakened in the hearts of the Germans.
The Archduke Charles had gained at Aspern half a victory; and the factthat the Austrians had not been beaten--that Napoleon had been compelledto fall back with his army and to take refuge on the island of Lobau,was regarded as a victory, which was announced in the most boastfulmanner. But if it was a victory, the Austrians did not know how toprofit by it. Instead of uniting their forces and attacking Lobau, wherethe French army was encamped, huddled together, and exhausted by thelong and murderous struggle--where the French grenadiers were weepingover the death of their brave leader, Marshal Lannes, Duke ofMontebello--where the wounded and defeated were cursing for the firsttime the emperor's insatiable thirst for conquest--instead ofsurrounding the French army, or opening a cannonade upon them, theArchduke Charles fell farther back from the right bank of the Danube,and allowed his exhausted troops to rest and recover from the fatigue ofthe terrible battle that had lasted two days. While the Austrians weredressing their wounds, the French profited by the delay, and built newbridges, procured barges, left the island that might have been agraveyard for them, and reorganized their shattered forces.
On the 6th of July, Napoleon took revenge at Wagram for the two days ofAspern, and wrested again from the Archduke Charles the laurels won atthe latter place. Germany was in ecstasies after the battle of Aspern,but she bowed her head mournfully after that of Wagram.
Napoleon was again the master of Germany; and Austria, like the rest ofthe country, had to bow humbly to his imperious will. The "first soldierof Aspern," brave Prince John of Lichtenstein, was sent to Napoleon'sheadquarters at Znaim to request an armistice and the opening of peacenegotiations. Napoleon, whose armies were exhausted, whose attention,besides, was absorbed by the war in Spain, and who had found out at hislate battles what resistance was now beginning to be made in Germany,granted the request, consented to a cessation of hostilities, and thatthe envoys of France and Austria should agree upon terms of peace.
These negotiations had already been carried on for months, and noconclusion had yet been arrived at. Vienna was still a French city, andthe Viennese had to submit to the rule of a new governor, and to thegalling yoke imposed on them by a foreign police, who kept a closesurveillance over every action--nay, every expression and look. They hadto bow to stern necessity, and to celebrate Napoleon's birthday, the15th of August, by festivities and an illumination, as though it werethe birthday of their own sovereign.
Napoleon was still residing at Schoenbrunn, at the palace which MariaTheresa had built, and where she had signed the marriage-contract of herdaughter Marie Antoinette with the Dauphin of France. Marie Antoinettehad been guillotined, and the heir of the Revolution and of the Frenchcrown was dwelling at her mother's palace.
Every morning the French Emperor reviewed his guards in the largepalace-yard, and thousands of the inhabitants of Vienna hastenedregularly to Schoenbrunn in order to see him and witness the parade.These morning reviews had become a favorite public amusement, and, whenlistening to the music of the French bands, and beholding the emperor(in his gray coat, with his broad brow covered with the three-corneredhat) gallop down the ranks of his troops, followed by the brilliantstaff of his marshals and generals, amid shouts of "_Vive l'Empereur_"the kind-hearted citizen sometimes forgot that it was their enemy whowas displaying his power, and rejoicing in his ambition; instead ofcursing, they admired him and his veterans, whose scars were the signsof many a victory.
Napoleon was but too well aware of the influence which these paradeswere exerting on the minds of the people; he knew the fascination whichhis person produced not only on his soldiers, but the public generally,and he wished to profit by it, in order to conquer the civilians afterconquering their army. Every one, therefore, had free access, and thesubtle invader had always a kind glance and an affable smile with whichto win their hearts.
On the 13th of October, as usual, a parade was to be held; and the roadleading to Vienna was early covered with carriages, horsemen, andpedestrians, hastening to Schoenbrunn. Among those hurrying along thehigh-road was a man of whom no one took any notice, with whom no one wasconversing, and who, while all around were laughing, and speaking of theparade, was pursuing his way in grave silence. His youthful countenancewas sad and pale; long, light hair was waving round his oval face. Hiseyes seemed on fire, and his thin, half-parted lips were quivering asthough he were a prey to intense emotion. He was wrapped in a largeblack cloak reaching nearly to his feet; a small black velvet capcovered his head. This strange figure looked like an apparition in themidst of the chatting crowd, the elegant carriages, and dashinghorsemen. All were too busily engaged with themselves, with the review,which was to be particularly brilliant, and with the emperor, who wasnot only to be present, but to command the troops.
A few persons referred also to the hopes entertained of a speedyconclusion of peace, and regretted that they had not yet been fulfilled,while others conversed stealthily about the victories of the Tyrolese,and of noble and brave Andrew Hofer, who, with his faithfulmountaineers, still dared to resist the French conqueror. The young manlistened gravely and silently to all this conversation.
It was yet early when he reached the palace; for the Viennese wereanxious to get good places, and to be as near the emperor as possible,and therefore they had set out several hours before the parade was tocommence.
The young man glanced with an evident air of disappointment over thelarge, unoccupied space which lay before him, and on which as yet not aman of the imperial guard was to be seen. "Will there be no paradeto-day?" he asked a corpulent citizen of Vienna, who was standing at hisside.
"Certainly, sir, there will be one," said the citizen, with aself-important air. "But it is very early yet, and an hour may elapsebefore the emperor makes his appearance."
"An hour yet!" exclaimed the young stranger, indignantly. "I was told Ihad to be here early in order to witness the spectacle."
"You were correctly informed, sir. For if you want to see any thing, itis necessary to be here at this hour to secure a good place. Besides,the time you will have to wait will not be very tedious. The variousregiments that are to participate in the parade will soon make theirappearance; then, come the imperial guards, who form in line, and,finally, the emperor with his marshals. Oh, you ought to hear theshouts, the music of the band, and the roll of the drums when heappears! You will certainly hear the noise, provided it does not makeyou deaf."
"I think it will not," said the young man, with a mournful smile. "Buttell me, shall we be able to see the emperor very near? From which doorwill he make his appearance, and where does he generally take hisposition?"
"He comes generally from the large portal yonder; it is there that hemounts on horseback; he then rides down the front of the soldiers, andhalts a short time just there, where we are standing. Those who desireto say any thing to him, or to deliver petitions, had better do so onthis very spot. But come, let us go a little farther into thepalace-yard, that we may see better."
"Very well, lead the way. I will follow," said the young man.
"Come, then, sir." And the kind-hearted citizen of Vienna elbowedhimself through the crowd.
The young conspirator followed him a few steps, and then halted. Insteadof advancing farther he slipped back to his former place.
"No," he muttered to himself, "I must not stand close to, or conversewith any one. I must be alone and an utter stranger, so as to castsuspicion on no one else, and not to endanger the lives of innocentpersons. The glory of the deed will belong to me alone, if it shouldsucceed; let the penalty be inflicted on me alone, if it should fail."He withdrew farther from the citizen who had spoken to him socourteously, and when he had entirely lost sight of him, he approachedthe palace cautiously and from the opposite side. "The blo
w must bestruck at once," he muttered. "Every delay will involve me in freshdangers, and my fate might be the same as that of the two brethren whodrew the black balls last year. I drew the lot this time, and mustaccomplish what they were unable to perform."
The youthful stranger raised his eyes toward heaven, and a solemnearnestness beamed from his countenance. "Yes, I swear it by the memoryof Anna, and the tears she will soon shed for me, that I will not, likethose two brethren, shrink from striking the blow. I drew the lot, andthe president must repair the fault committed by them. I must destroythe tyrant! Heaven, hear my oath and let my plan succeed!" He elbowedhimself quickly through the crowd, and approached closer to the entranceof the palace. Once, in the midst of the surging mass, his cloak wasaccidentally displaced, and something like a dagger-blade flashed fromunder it; but hastily arranging his cloak he glanced around with an airof uneasiness. No one paid any attention to him, for all eyes were fixedon the imperial guard marching into line with a proud step, consciousthat they were the favorites of the greatest general of the age, and theterror of the battle-field.