“I was in Olmutz with the emperor and with the ministers,” sighed Gentz. “I hoped to promote there the triumph of the good cause and of Germany; I hoped to witness a brilliant victory, and now—”
“And now?” asked Marianne, breathlessly, when Gentz paused.
“Now I have witnessed a disgraceful defeat,” groaned Gentz.
Marianne uttered a cry, and her eyes flashed angrily. “He has conquered again?” she asked, in a husky voice.
“He has conquered, and we have been beaten,” exclaimed Gentz, in a loud and bitter tone. “The last hope of Germany, nay, of Europe, is gone; the Russians were defeated with us in a terrible battle. The disaster is an irretrievable one, all the armies of Prussia being unable to restore the lost prestige of the coalition! [Footnote: Gentz’s own words.—Vide Gentz’s “Correspondence with Johannes von Muller,” p. 150.] The Russians have already retreated, and the Emperor Alexander has set out to-night in order to return to his dominions.”
“And HE,” muttered Marianne, “HE is celebrating another triumph over us! He is marching onward proudly and victoriously, while we are lying, crushed and humiliated, in the dust of degradation. Is it Thy will that it should be so, God in heaven?” she asked, turning her eyes upward with an angry glance. “Hast Thou no thunderbolt for this Titan who is rebelling against the laws of the world? Wilt Thou permit this upstart to render all countries unhappy, and to enslave all nations?”
“Yes, God permits him to do so,” exclaimed Gentz, laughing scornfully. “God has destined him to be a scourge to chastise us for our own impotence. We do not succumb owing to his greatness, but owing to our weakness. The Austrian cabinet is responsible for our misfortunes! I have long since perceived the utter lack of ability, the contemptible character, nay, the infamy of this cabinet; in former times I used to denounce our Austrian cabinet to the other cabinets of Europe as the real source of the calamities of our period, and to unveil to them the whole terrible truth. Oh, if they had heeded MY warnings, when I wrote last June, and as late as in the beginning of August, to many prominent men, ‘Beware with whom you enter into a coalition! Do not be deceived by an illusory semblance of improvement. They are the same as ever! With them no great undertaking, either in the cabinet or in the field, will succeed; their rejection is the conditio sine qua non of the preservation of Europe. It was all in vain! Finally, I was left alone with my warnings; every one deserted me!” [Footnote: Gentz’s “Correspondence,” etc., p. 144.]
“I did not desert you, Frederick,” said Marianne, reproachfully, “and I compelled Lord Paget, too, to support your views. Thanks to our united efforts, that stupid Count Colloredo, at least, was forced to withdraw from the cabinet.”
“That is a consolation, but no hope,” said Gentz. “So long as the other ministers will retain their positions, every thing will be in vain. Every thing is so diseased and rotten that, unless the whole be thrown away, there is no reasonable hope left. I hoped the Emperor of Russia would boldly denounce the incapacity of the cabinet, and by his powerful influence succeed in cleansing our Augean stable, but he is too gentle for such an undertaking, and has no man of irresistible power and energy at his side. He beheld our misery; he greatly deplored it, but refused to meddle with the domestic affairs of Austria. Thus every thing was lost, and he was himself disgracefully defeated.”
“And now we have submitted altogether?” asked Marianne. “We have made peace with the usurper?”