THE COUNCIL OF WAR.
The president, vice-president, and three members of the council,
awaited the entrance of the emperor. The president, the Margrave of
Baden, stood in the embrasure of a window, engaged in a whispered
conversation with the vice-president, General Count von Starhemberg,
whose eyes were continually wandering to the spot where the Duke of
Lorraine was profoundly engaged in the contemplation of a full-
length portrait of Charles V. Beyond, in the recess of another
window, stood the Counts von Kinsky and Portia, conversing in low
but earnest tones; both from time to time glancing at the Duke of
Lorraine with an expression of aversion which neither attempted to
disguise from the other.
"Do you think his majesty will bestow the chief command upon his
brother-in-law?" asked General Count Portia.
"Yes," replied Count Kinsky, with a shrug. "The emperor is so
inordinately fond of the Duke of Lorraine that he fancies him
endowed with military genius."
"General," whispered the Margrave of Baden to Count Starhemberg, "I
wish to say something to you in private. Can I rely upon your
discretion?"
"Your highness does me honor," was the reply, "and I promise
absolute silence as regards any thing you may be pleased to
communicate."
"Then I will go to the point at once. The Duke of Lorraine must not
have the command of the Austrian army. Do you sustain me?"
"Ah! Your highness, too, hates him."
The margrave smiled. "My dear general, that little word 'too '
proves that we are of one mind. Yes, I hate the Duke of Lorraine,
not per se, nor for any evil quality that I know of. I hate him as
one dangerous to the welfare of the state, and too influential with
its ruler, the emperor. Though he has the reputation of being a
great general, he longs for peace and retirement among his books and
maps at home; and he would rather submit to be humbled by foreign
powers than declare war against their aggressions, however insolent.
In other words, he hates bloodshed, and, if he is a soldier, he is
one that loves the pen far more than he does the sword."
"Your highness is right," returned Count Starhemberg; "the duke is
no soldier, and his appointment to the chief command of her armies
would be a misfortune for Austria. And, worse yet, he is so
opiniated that he never will listen to advice."
"Therefore we must work together to avert his appointment. We need a
young commander, brave, ambitious, and eager for renown."
"Like Prince Louis of Baden?" asked Von Starhemberg, smiling.
"Yes, like Prince Louis of Baden," said the margrave, emphatically.
"He is quite as brave and skilful as the duke; but he is modest, is
willing to listen to advice, and to be guided by the experience of
good counsellors. Instead of ruling the war department, he will be
ruled by it, and thus we will have unanimity both in field and
council. It is to your interest, therefore, to defeat the Duke of
Lorraine, and secure the appointment of my nephew."
"Your highness can count on me; but I am not very sanguine of
success."
"It may be easier of accomplishment than you think; at all events
let us make the attempt. We must represent war as inevitable; and,
having given an account of the formidable preparations making by the
enemy, we must counterbalance it all by a glowing exposition of our
own strength and resources. This will arouse the duke's spirit of
opposition, and he will forthwith discourse on the horrors of war. I
will take advantage of his disinclination to fight, to suggest that,
with such sentiments, he had better not aspire to command our
armies. In your quality of vice-president you come forward to
sustain my--Chut! Here comes the emperor."
All the members of the council bowed low, except the Duke of
Lorraine, who, having his back to the door, had not perceived the
entrance of the emperor. Leopold crossed the room, and the thickness
of the carpet so muffled his footfall that he had his hand on his
brother-in-law's shoulder before the latter had become aware of his
presence.
"What are you thinking of?" asked he, with an affable smile. "You
appear to be absorbed in admiration of our great ancestor."
"Yes, your majesty," replied the duke. "I was admiring the beauty of
his noble countenance, and thinking of the pride you must feel when
you remember that you are his descendant, and that his blood flows
in your veins."
Leopold bent his head in token of assent. "You are right; I AM proud
of my descent. Such an ancestry as mine should inspire a man to
noble deeds; and if I encourage pride of birth in my subjects, it is
because I believe it to be an incentive to virtue and honor.
Remembering, then, with mingled gratulation and humility, that we
are the posterity of Charles V., let us determine to-day to act in a
manner worthy of our great progenitor; for, by your haste to
assemble here this morning, I judge that we have weighty matters to
discuss. Be seated, and let us proceed to business."
So saying, the emperor glided into his arm-chair, which stood behind
a semicircular table, immediately under the portrait of Charles V.,
and his five counsellors occupied the tabourets around.
"And now, my lords," exclaimed Leopold, "let me hear what it is that
brings you hither at an hour so unusual."
"Dispatches from General Count Caprara, your majesty," replied the
Margrave Herman of Baden.
"And from France and Poland, likewise," added the Duke of Lorraine.
"Let us hear from General Caprara. We sent him to Turkey to make a
last effort at pacification. Our propositions, through him, were
such as must have proved to the Porte our earnest longing for peace.
Why did the general not present his dispatches in person?"
"Your majesty, it is out of his power to do so," was the reply.
"Your majesty's proposals were haughtily rejected, and, in their
stead, conditions were made which the general could not accept. The
grand-vizier was so incensed, that he arrested your envoy, and
forced him to accompany the Turkish embassy back to Constantinople.
He then marched his army to our frontiers, carrying along your
majesty's legation as prisoners of war. At Belgrade one of the
secretaries managed to make his escape, and to conceal on his person
the letters and documents of the general, which he has ridden day
and night to deliver into your majesty's hands."
"What is the purport of these documents?" said Leopold, who had
listened with perfect calmness to this extraordinary recital.
"First, your majesty, they contain an account of the general's peace
negotiations. They were all rejected, and the grand-vizier has
refused to renew the truce which has just expired. He requires new
conditions."
"Name them," said Leopold.
The margrave drew from his portfolio a document, and began to read.
"Austria shall pay yearly tribute to the Porte. She shall raze every
fortress she has erected on the Turkish frontier. She shall
recognize Count Tokoly as King of Hungary. She shall deliver to him
the island of Schutt, the fortress of Comorn, and all other
strongholds in Hungary, and place him on an equal footing with the
Prince of Transylvania."
"Which means neither more nor less than a declaration of war," cried
the emperor; "and General Caprara would have been a traitor had he
listened to such insulting proposals. My patience with this arrogant
Moslem is exhausted, and further forbearance would be a disgrace. We
have no alternative; we must go to war, trusting in God to defend
the right. Our cause is a holy one; and perhaps, with the blessing
of Heaven, it may be granted us to drive the infidel from Europe
forever. Go on, margrave. What other news have you?"
"Important information, your majesty, as to the strength of the
enemy's forces. The Sultan, at Belgrade, reviewed an army of two
hundred thousand men, all fully equipped, and anxious to retrieve
their losses at St. Gotthard. They have carried their fanaticism to
such an extent that they talk of planting the Crescent where the
Cross now looms from the towers of St. Stephen's in Vienna. Kara
Mustapha himself told General Caprara that, in a few weeks from now,
a Sultan of the West would seat himself on the throne of the
Emperors of Germany."
"God will punish his blasphemous boasting," returned Leopold. "God
will not suffer the Christian to perish before the might of the
Paynim. The die is cast for war, for war! At least, such is my
conviction: but if any one here be of opposite mind, let him speak
boldly. Freedom of speech in this chamber is not only his right, but
his solemn duty."
"War! war!" echoed the councillors, four of them vociferously, the
Duke of Lorraine deliberately, and so slowly that his voice came as
an echo of the words that were spoken by his colleagues.
The emperor was a little surprised. "Your highness is then of our
opinion?" asked he.
"I am, your majesty. War is inevitable, and we must risk our meagre
forces against the two hundred thousand men of the Sultan."
"True, we are not so numerous as the enemy," observed the Margrave
of Baden, "but our men are as well equipped and as enthusiastic as
those of the Porte, and, under the leadership of such a hero as the
Duke of Lorraine, we are certain of victory."
The duke shook his head. "The greatest general that ever led an army
into battle cannot hope for victory, when, to forces immensely
superior to his own, he opposes troops neither well armed nor well
provided."
"Happily," replied the margrave, "this is not the case with our men.
Without counting the auxiliaries that will be furnished by the
princes of the empire, we shall oppose a hundred thousand men to the
Turks. Moreover, we have been preparing for war, and for several
months have taken measures to arm our troops and provision them for
a campaign."
"Permit me to dispute your last assertion," replied the duke, whose
mild countenance kindled, and whose soft eyes began to glow. "It is
my duty to speak the truth to his majesty, and I shall do it
fearlessly. No, my liege, we have NOT a hundred thousand men, and
our soldiers are ill equipped and ill provided. As regards the
auxiliaries of the princes of the German empire, your majesty knows
that their deputies have been in Frankfort for months without having
yet held one single council to deliberate on the expediency of
sending or not sending re-enforcements to our army. I grieve to say
so, but the truth must be spoken. We have an insignificant army,
which, of itself, is inadequate to repel the Turkish hordes; and,
should they march to Vienna, our capital must fall, for I regret to
say that no measures have been taken for its defence. There are but
ten guns on the bastions; the trenches are so dry that they can be
crossed by foot-passengers, and the garrison consists of our
ordinary city guard, and one thousand troops of the line. For Vienna
to withstand a siege in this defenceless condition is impossible;
and, should the Turks be allowed to march hither, your majesty would
have to surrender."
"Your majesty," interrupted Count Starhemberg, vehemently, "leave to
me the defence of Vienna, and I swear that, sooner than deliver your
capital to the Turks, I will perish under its ruins."
"And I," added the margrave. "solemnly adjure your majesty not to
confide the chief command of your forces to the Duke of Lorraine,
for it is evident that he does not desire so perilous an
appointment. His highness has no confidence in our ability to
prosecute the war successfully; and no general can lead his soldiers
to victory who beforehand is convinced that they are destined to
suffer defeat."
"No general can lead his soldiers to victory who refuses to
contemplate the possibilities of defeat," exclaimed the Duke of
Lorraine, whose handsome face began to show traces of anger. "To
estimate his strength at its real value, he must at least learn
something of the size and condition of his army. It is the duty of a
commander-in-chief to see with his own eyes, and decide from his own
observation; for him, the men and stores that are exhibited to view
on the green cloth of a table within the walls of a council-chamber
have no significance whatever."
"Does your highness accuse me of an intention to deceive his
majesty?" cried the margrave, haughtily. "Do you--"
"Peace, gentlemen, peace!" interrupted the emperor. "We are here to
war with the stranger, not with our own flesh and blood. Every man
present shall speak his mind without censure from his colleagues;
and he who prevaricates is no true subject of mine. You are all free
to discuss our difficulties; it remains for me to decide in what
manner they shall be met. I beg to recall this fact to Count
Starhemberg, who unsolicited has offered to take upon himself the
defence of Vienna. My heartfelt thanks are due to the Duke of
Lorraine for his frank exposition of our disabilities; he is now, as
ever, the champion of truth and right. Has the Margrave of Baden any
further dispatches to lay before us?"
"No, your majesty," answered the margrave, pale with anger.
"Then let us have those of his highness of Lorraine," returned
Leopold, with an affectionate glance at his brother-in-law.
"I have couriers, your majesty, from Count von Mansfeld and from
Count von Waldstein."
"Let us hear the news from Paris first," replied Leopold, slightly
frowning. "Let us hear from our hereditary foe, who, under pretence
of coming to our rescue, pillages our property while the house is on
fire. We know full well that this fair-spoken Louis is in secret
league with our foes at home and abroad, and we confess that when he
invited us to be sponsor to his grandson, we accepted the honor with
an ill grace. By-the-by, has the young dauphin been baptized?"
"Yes, your majesty, and Count von Mansfeld was your imperial
majesty's proxy. After the ceremony the king held a long and
gracious conversation with your majesty's representative, in which
he expressed his great sympathy with your majesty, and requested
Count Mansfeld to say that he remembered you night and morning in
his prayers."
"The King of France will deceive neither the Lord of heaven nor His
servant the ruler of Austria, with his prayers," exclaimed Leopold,
with some show of warmth. "He merely means to say that he intends to
give us nothing more substantial. Would he but content himself with
cold neutrality, we would be willing to accept his prayers instead
of his works. But while he prays for us, he gives aid and comfort to
our enemies, who are less our enemies than such a sanctimonious
friend. But, enough of the King of France! To such an offensive
message I have no answer to return."
"Count von Mansfeld left Paris at once, your majesty, and proceeded
to Spain to urge the claims of his imperial highness, the Archduke
Charles, to the Spanish succession."
"Now let us hear from Count von Waldstein and Warsaw."
"Count von Waldstein was received with distinguished consideration.
The King of Poland, at least, is your imperial majesty's friend. You
remember that his wife is a French woman?"
"Yes," replied Leopold, shaking his head, "and a woman whose birth
is not illustrious enough for her station."
"She is, nevertheless, Queen of Poland, my liege, and is recognized
as such by the Poles. When the grandson of the King of France was
born, he purposely sent notification of the event to the King of
Poland, ignoring in his dispatches the queen. This omission of a
courtesy, customary among royal heads, offended the queen; and to
her resentment we are to attribute the gracious reception given to
our ambassador. My liege, our alliance with Poland is a fixed fact.
A treaty has been concluded, by which John Sobiesky pledges himself
to sustain Austria against Turkey, furnishing at once forty thousand
men who are ready for action as soon as needed."
"To what are we pledged in return for this?" asked Leopold.
"Merely to furnish on our part sixty thousand men, and to consult
with his majesty as to our operations."
"To consult with him!" repeated the emperor. "This looks as though
he expected to take part in our plans for the prosecution of this
war, instead of recognizing us as commander-in-chief."
"To exact such recognition from him would be unseemly," replied the
duke. "The King of Poland is a great captain as well as a crowned
head; and it would ill become us to dictate to a warrior, from whom
we should all regard it as a privilege to receive advice. Moreover,
as a crowned head, John Sobiesky is entitled to the first rank in
the field as well as in the cabinet."
"He is nothing more than an elected ruler," observed Leopold, with a
shrug. "For want of a better alliance, I must content myself with
that of John Sobiesky; but I put the question to you--suppose he
were to come to Vienna, how should I receive or entertain an elected
king?"
"With open arms, if he come to deliver us from our foes," [Footnote:
The duke's own words.--See Armath, "Prince Eugene of Savoy," vol.
i.] was the prompt reply. "Welcome are all who visit us as true
friends, but doubly welcome those who come in time of need. The King
of Poland has been the first prince to respond to our offers of
alliance, the first to co-operate with us in our struggle with the
infidel."
"But he will not be the last," interposed the Margrave of Baden. "I,
too, have good news for you, my liege. The Elector of Bavaria, to
whom I wrote for aid in your majesty's approaching troubles, has
promised not only a considerable body of troops, but offers to
command them in person. The Elector of Saxony, too, I think, will
co-operate with us. The council of the states of the German empire
also are in session at Frankfort, to consult as to the expediency of
joining your majesty's standard."
"And before the electors equip their men, and the council make up
their mind, the Turks will have marched to Vienna, unless we make a
junction with the King of Poland and intercept them on their way.
Each day of delay increases the peril, for they are already on this
side of Belgrade. Unless we can oppose them now, we are lost, and
all Bavaria, Saxony, and the states of the empire, cannot avert our
doom."
"Then, in God's name, let us act at once," cried the emperor, rising
from his seat. "President of the war department, let your troops be
in readiness to march, and see that our men are equipped and
provisioned."
"Your majesty's commands shall be obeyed."
"Duke of Lorraine," continued Leopold, "I appoint you to the chief
command of my forces. Go forth, and, with the blessing of God, do
battle for Christendom and Germany."
"I accept, your majesty," returned the duke, solemnly bending his
head. "Victory is in the hands of Almighty God; but bravery,
loyalty, and struggle unto death, I promise, on behalf of your
majesty's army."
"Count Rudiger von Starhemberg," resumed the emperor, "your petition
is granted. To you I commit the defence of my capital."
"Thanks, your majesty," exclaimed Von Starhemberg fervently. "I will
defend it with the last drop of my blood; and if Vienna fall into
the hands of the infidel, he shall find nothing left of her
stateliness, save a heap of ruins and the lifeless bodies of her
defenders."
"To you, Counts Portia and Kinsky, I commit the direction of the war
department, in conjunction with your colleague, the Margrave of
Baden. Let couriers be dispatched to all the European courts with
information of our declaration of war against the Porte. Let it be
announced to the world that, for the good of Christendom, Leopold
has grasped the sword; and, in this new crusade, may he confound the
unbelieving Turk, and glorify the standard of the Christian, in the
name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And may the
Blessed Virgin, the Mother of Christ, vouchsafe her protection and
her prayers!"