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"Your majesty must not write," said he, gravely. "You must lay aside all work for a time." "I believe that I shall have to lay it aside forever," replied Joseph, languidly. "What am I to tell your majesty?" asked the physician, disturbed. The emperor looked up with eyes which glowed with the flaming light of fever. "Quarin, you understand me perfectly.
"No, Quarin, you must not follow me. I cannot he guilty of the egotism which would monopolize your valuable services. A soldier in the field has no right to be sick, lest he be suspected of cowardice and as for casualties why, if a ball should strike me, there are plenty of army surgeons who will dress my wounds as they dress those of my men.
This blood is welling up from a wounded heart. Do not look so mournful, doctor. Let us speak of death as man to man. Look at me now, and say whether my malady is incurable." "Why should it be incurable?" asked the physician, faltering. "You are young, sire, and have a sound constitution." "No commonplaces, Quarin, no equivocation," cried Joseph, impatiently.
"But, your majesty, I know that you have not been to bed." "Then I slept in an arm-chair! But no, I will not deny it. I sat up all night, Quarin, for I had an important duty to perform before leaving Vienna. I was making my will." "Your will!" repeated Von Quarin. "Surely your majesty does not fear " "No, I fear nothing certainly not death," returned the emperor.
"From my soul I thank you for the manly frankness with which you have treated me, Quarin, and I desire now to give you a testimony of my gratitude. You have children, have you not?" "Yes, sire two daughters." "And you are not rich, I believe?" "The salary which I receive from your majesty, united to my practice, affords us a comfortable independence." The emperor nodded.
I must see him at once." When Quarin entered the emperor's cabinet, he found him quietly seated before his escritoire half buried in documents: The physician remained standing at the door, waiting until he should be ordered to approach. Suddenly Joseph was interrupted in his writing by a spell of coughing. He dropped his pen, and leaned back exhausted. Quarin hastened to his side.
"Let us to work," said he, as they entered. "Sire," replied one of them, in faltering tones, "Herr von Quarin desired us, in his name, to implore of your majesty to rest for a few days." "I cannot do it," said Joseph, impatiently. "If I postpone this writing another day, it may never be accomplished at all. Give in your reports. What dispatches have we from Hungary?"
"But, sire," said the imperial physician, Von Quarin, "your first duty is to preserve your life for Austria's sake. You have a hot fever, and your eyes and cheeks are hollow." "Give me a cool drink, doctor, perchance it may refresh my burning heart," said Joseph, with sad irony. "Cool drinks will do no good unless your majesty consents to take some rest.
You must tell me, in regard to this lawsuit with my lungs, which is to gain it, myself or death? Here is my evidence." With these words he drew out his handkerchief and held it open between his wan, transparent hands. It was dyed in blood. "Blood!" exclaimed Quarin, in a tone of alarm. "Your majesty has received a wound?" "Yes, an interior wound. The Hungarians have dealt me my death-blow.
"You must do a little commission for me," said he, turning to the escritoire and writing a few lines, which he presented to Quarin. "Take this paper to the court chancery and present it to the bureau of finances. You will there receive ten thousand florins wherewith to portion your daughters." "Oh, sire!" exclaimed Quarin, deeply moved, "I thank you with all the strength of my paternal heart."
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