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"I shall write immediately to his majesty the emperor and request him to permit me to withdraw from the service of the state without delay." Count Colloredo sighed mournfully; Count Saurau smiled, and Count Lehrbach laughed in Thugut's face with the mien of a hyena. "And do you know who will be your successor?" asked the latter.
"And you will send some of your most intrepid hussars to Lehrbach and to me, that we may tell the brave men what rewards are in store for them if they perform their duly in a satisfactory manner? No, my beautiful god of war, do not shake your silvery locks BO wildly do not threaten me with your frowning brow! Think of Gurgewo, my friend!
"The world will not grudge these hot-blooded French a little blood- letting, and it will praise your surgical skill, my dear Barbaczy," exclaimed Lehrbach, laughing. "The responsibility, besides, does not fall on your shoulders. Who will blame you if your hot-blooded hussars commit some excesses-some highway robberies?
"And to examine their bodies if any papers should be concealed there," added Count Lehrbach, laughing. "And their reward shall be that the hussars will be allowed to look for some other spoils," said Victoria. "Highway robbery and murder, then," sighed Barbaczy, "and perpetrated by soldiers of my regiment! Highway robbery and murder!"
They repaired in a solemn procession to the Ettlinger gate, headed by Count Goertz and Baron Dohm; the others followed in pairs, Count Lehrbach, the Austrian ambassador, being the only one who had not joined the procession.
"And Moreau has already crossed the Inn and is now advancing upon Vienna," said Count Lehrbach, with a sneer. "You have made some terrible mistakes in your hopes of victory, minister." "Yes, indeed, you have made some terrible mistakes, my dear little baron," said Count Saurau, laying particular stress on the last words. Thugut fixed a laughing look on him.
They had garrisoned Trieste and Fiume on the Adriatic and formed an alliance with the republic of Venice, at that time well supplied with men, arms, and gold. A great insurrection of the peasantry, infuriated by the pillage of the French troops, had broken out at Bergamo. The gallant Tyrolese, headed by Count Lehrbach, and the Hungarians, had risen en masse.
"But my beautiful Victoria shall not lack seconds to furnish her weapons, and to do every thing she wants them to do." "Who are my seconds?" "Count Lehrbach and Colonel Barbaczy." "Ah, Barbaczy, whose acquaintance we made at Giurgewo?" "The same. A bold, intrepid man, who is not afraid of anybody neither of God nor of the devil."
"Well," said Thugut, laughing, "I accept your offer, as well as that of your beautiful wife Victoria. Count Lehrbach has been appointed minister and he wants even to move to-morrow into the chancery of state.
"Count Lehrbach has the right to issue orders to myself and to my troops, and I owe you the fulfilment of my oath. My hussars will occupy the city to-morrow, and I shall order the French ambassadors to depart forthwith. What is to be done after their departure you may settle with the hussars I shall send to you. I shall take no notice of it."
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