This was an instance where French shrewdness got the better of English gold. Chancellor Bestuzhev was outwitted and outplayed at every stage of the diplomatic game. He realized, when it was too late, that he had been beaten by a French spy, disguised as a woman, and the recollection of it embittered the remainder of his life.
There was a dramatic sequel to this defeat, which fortunately for those concerned, did not have a fatal ending. Armed thugs entered the house where Douglass and D’Eon were sleeping and, rushing into the room, fired several shots at the young men.
They escaped with their lives and were content to regard the affair as an ordinary case of housebreaking. But if either of them had been called upon to point the finger of suspicion at any one, it would have been straight in the direction of Chancellor Bestuzhev.
VII
HOW NAPOLEON’S CHIEF SPY HOODWINKED THE EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA
The amazing audacity of Charles Louis Schulmeister—Napoleon’s chief spy—was never illustrated to better advantage than when he hoodwinked Francis II, Emperor of Austria.
The episode really had its inception on the twenty-third of October, 1805, when Napoleon sent for his favorite and told him that he wanted to know the plans of the Austrian army. At that time General Kontovsoff was believed to be hurrying westward with 60,000 Russians. It was characteristic of Schulmeister that he received this commission as a matter of course. He had men and money at his disposal and was in a position to command the attention of the great. But his biggest asset was his fearlessness.
On the day after his interview with Napoleon he started on the mission which was to involve him in the most sensational events of his checkered career. He met his old friend and confederate, Lieutenant Bendel, at Muhldorf, and by him was presented to General Kienmayer, in command of the Austrian forces. He was well received as before by this officer, who regarded him as a member of the Austrian Secret Service. Indeed, Kienmayer had taken a liking to the medium-sized man with the scarred forehead and was glad to meet him again. He little thought that this was the man who had betrayed the Austrian military secrets and who more than any one individual, was responsible for the maneuvers which had resulted in the surrender of Field Marshal Mack.
Schulmeister, with his unwavering blue eyes and his brusque soldierly manner, had several talks with Kienmayer and learned that the Austrian was not yet ready to take the offensive. Also he was given an inkling of the movements of General Kontovsoff. This valuable information was transmitted to Napoleon, who made his plans accordingly.
But Schulmeister was not satisfied to stop at this stage of the game. He had another scheme hatching in his fertile mind, and presently he made it known to his friend Bendel.