For Sceptre and Crown Volume II Part 3

"On what excuse?" cried Count Ingelheim; "the sickly old man will accept any excuse with thankfulness that sends him out of this noise, these hards.h.i.+ps, and the near neighbourhood of cannon. Consider," he continued urgently, "what will be said in Vienna, by the emperor, who builds so strongly upon Hanover, by all your friends in society, who count so much upon you, the Schwarzenbergs, the Dietrichsteins, Countess Mensdorff, Countess Clam-Gallas----"

"Persiany shall go!" exclaimed Count Platen; "they know in Vienna my devotion to Austria; in the exposed position of Hanover----"

"It is best to hold firmly to one side or the other," said Count Ingelheim, "and to gain a sure friend, even at the twelfth hour."

"I will go to the king," said Count Platen, and he walked slowly towards the house.

Count Ingelheim looked after him, and shook his head slightly.

"If he only meets no one on the way," he said to himself. "I fear," he added, continuing his soliloquy, "I fear matters here will not end well; there is no connecting link between the heroic king and his brave army; this general staff is ignorant of war, it knows but one maxim, to get out of the enemy's way whenever he shows himself; and the crown prince----"

He sighed deeply.

"However," he added, "we have always gained something. The Hanoverian campaign has cost Prussia much time; has absorbed many troops; all this is clear gain on our side; the occupation of the country absorbs much of its strength; above all things an understanding, a political arrangement, must be prevented which would leave the enemy's hands free here in the north. But here comes my northern colleague!" And he hastened to meet the Russian amba.s.sador as he came out of the house.

Monsieur de Persiany had slept a little, had refreshed his toilette a little, and had eaten a little, and he looked much fresher than before.

But his footsteps were still uncertain as he walked to meet Count Ingelheim.

"Welcome to head-quarters, my dear colleague," cried the latter, as he held out his hand; "the corps diplomatique is well represented--I was its only member up to this time! You are fatigued by the journey, are you not?"

"Tired to death!" cried Persiany, as he sank upon a garden seat, where Count Ingelheim placed himself at his side; "tired to death, and it does not appear that they have much to revive one here."

"No, that there certainly is not," said Count Ingelheim; "the whole day noise, trumpet calls, bugle sounds----"

"Horrible!" exclaimed Persiany.

"And at night no bed, or at best a hard straw mattress."

Persiany folded his hands and raised his eyes to heaven.

"These are only slight disagreeables which we scarcely think of," said Count Ingelheim.

Persiany looked at him with an expression of great surprise.

"It will be much more unpleasant when action really begins, when real fighting commences," said the Austrian diplomatist; "the king is certain to be in the midst, and we must of course be with him."

"Do you think we should really be in danger?" asked Persiany, "our diplomatic character----"

"Will scarcely preserve me from imprisonment," said Count Ingelheim; "for we are at war with Prussia. With you it is somewhat different: you are certain to be treated with consideration, so soon as you have identified yourself before a commander of troops. But in the melee!..."

And he shrugged his shoulders.

"Should we really have cause to fear?" asked Persiany.

"My dear colleague," replied Count Ingelheim, sighing slightly, and casting a penetrating look at the Russian diplomatist, "a cannon ball, the pistol of an hussar, the sword of a cuira.s.sier, little heed the diplomatic character."

"My G.o.d!" cried Persiany. "But if fighting begins I scarcely think I ought to remain here; we are at peace with Prussia."

"It will come suddenly, I think, and without much warning; there will be no choice," said Count Ingelheim drily. "I do not believe our lives will be actually in danger; but really it will be sufficiently unpleasant to hear the noise of battle--to see the blood--the corpses----"

Persiany fell back on the bench, and his white lips trembled as he thought of such a trial to his nerves.

"I wonder if they have some soda-water here?" he asked.

"I do not think so," said Count Ingelheim; "we do not find such things, and the small store they have is carefully put aside for the wounded in the approaching engagement. At the king's table we have thin beer, cold beef, and baked potatoes."

"Impossible!" cried Persiany.

Count Ingelheim shrugged his shoulders.

"What would you have?" said he; "you cannot expect good dinners in the midst of war; besides, we sportsmen are accustomed----"

"But I am not a sportsman!" cried Persiany.

"Here comes Count Platen," exclaimed the Austrian amba.s.sador; "perhaps he will bring us some news."

Count Platen came and begged the Russian amba.s.sador, who was greatly shaken by Count Ingelheim's descriptions, to accompany him to the king.

"You do not believe further negotiations are possible?" asked Persiany, as he ascended the steps.

"I do not think the king will permit anything to be attempted," replied Count Platen, after a short hesitation.

"Then----" said M. de Persiany--but he could not express his thoughts, for they had reached the door of the king's room.

"My dear Monsieur de Persiany," said George V., "I sent for you in order----I hope, though, you are somewhat rested."

"I thank your majesty," said Persiany, sighing; "I am a little stronger."

"I sent for you," said the king, "to thank you for the zeal which caused you to undertake a journey, doubly fatiguing to one of your years, and in your weak health, for the purpose of expressing to me the emperor's friendly regard, and his hearty desire to mediate. I would also beg you to remain longer at my head-quarters----"

A slight flush pa.s.sed over Persiany's face; he gasped.

"If," continued the king, "there were the least possibility of negotiating, after Colonel von Doring had been the bearer of a proposal again based on the Prussian project of reform, which I had already declined. Also the envoy considered his commission actually annulled before he delivered it. I should therefore only torment you, and injure your health uselessly, by exposing you to the tumult and fatigues of war, if I kept you with me. I beg you therefore to return to Hanover.

Your advice will be useful to the queen. Pray thank the emperor most heartily and sincerely for his sympathy and friends.h.i.+p."

"If your majesty is really of opinion that all hope of negotiation is over, that I should be useless to you, and that I might perhaps be of service to her majesty the queen in Hanover----"

"That is quite my opinion," said the king.

"If it were possible," said Persiany, "that perhaps the course of events,--opposed to a superior power,--still the moment for negotiation might come,--it would be my duty to remain,--and only your majesty's distinct command----"

"If it must be so," said the king, "I give this command; set out immediately, and tell the queen how you found me and the army."

"Then I must obey," cried Persiany. "I pray G.o.d to bless your majesty, and to guide things to a happy termination."

With great emotion the old gentleman seized the hand the king offered him, and a tear fell upon it.

The king smiled good-humouredly.