THE BIRTHDAY.
It was the birthday of the Archduchess Isabella, and all Vienna was
alive with festivity. The passionate love of the archduke for his
beautiful young wife was well known, and the people hastened to offer
homage to the beloved partner of their future emperor.
From early morning the equipages of the nobility were seen hurrying to
the palace, where the archduchess in state, surrounded by the other
members of the imperial family, received the congratulations of the
court. In an adjoining room, on a table of white marble, were exhibited
the rich gifts by which her new relatives had testified their affection;
for Isabella was adored by her husband's family.
The Emperor Francis, usually so simple, had presented her with a set of
jewels, worth half a million; and the empress, whose joy in the
happiness of her son's wedded life knew no bounds, was lavish in her
demonstrations of love to the woman who had awakened his heart to gentle
emotions.
Not only had every variety of rich costumes been ordered for Isabella
from Paris, but the empress had gone so far as to present a set of
bridal jewels to her little grand-daughter, a child scarcely a year old.
This magnificent parure of diamonds, sapphires, and pearls, was the
admiration of the whole court. Around it lay the offerings of the young
sisters-in-law, all of whom, with one exception, had presented
something. The Princess Christina, the dearest friend of Isabella, had
painted her miniature, and this beautiful likeness was intended as a
present to the Archduke Joseph. [Footnote: Wraxall, page 80.] He
received it with delight; and while his large blue eyes wandered from
the portrait to the original, he testified his pleasure by every
possible expression of rapture and gratitude. "And yet," said he, "there
is something in this picture which I have never seen in your
countenance, Isabella. Your eyes, which to me have always seemed to
borrow their light from heaven, here look dark and unfathomable, as if
within their melancholy depths there lay a secret full of untold
sorrow."
Joseph did not perceive the look of intelligence that passed between his
wife and sister as he spoke these words: he still gazed upon the
picture, and at last his face, which had been lit up with joy, grew
sorrowful and full of thought. Suddenly he laid the miniature down, and
placing his hands upon Isabella's shoulders, he looked searchingly at
her pale countenance.
"Look at me, my beloved," whispered he, tenderly, "let me see your
bewitching smile, that it may give the lie to yonder strange image. I
see there your beautiful features, but instead of my loving and beloved
wife, my happy, smiling Isabella, I see an angel, but, oh, I see a
martyr, too, dying of some secret sorrow. That is not your face--is it
my wife? YOU have never looked so wretched, so heart-broken! Speak,
Isabella, you are happy, are you not, my own one?"
"Yes, dear husband," whispered she, scarcely moving her blanched lips,
"I am happy and contented in your happiness, But see, the empress
beckons to you. She seems about to present some stranger to your
notice."
The archduke left to obey the summons, and Isabella and Christina
remained together, looking vacantly upon the birthday-table and the
splendid gifts that lay in such rich profusion before their eyes.
"Poor brother!" murmured Christina, "he loves as few have ever loved
before! And you, dear sister, can you not kindle one spark from the
embers of your heart to warm--"
"Why speak of my dead heart?" said Isabella, mournfully. "Did I not long
ago confide to you its terrible secret? You, my trusted and dearest
friend, have you not seen how I pray Heaven for strength to hold before
my husband's eyes the faint ray of light which he mistakes for the
sunshine of love? Dear Joseph! His heart is so noble and so rich with
love that he sees not the poverty of mine. May God be merciful that his
delusion last at least as long as my life! then will I die happy; for I
shall have done my duty in the face of a sorrow transcending all other
sorrows."
Christina bent her head over the glittering heaps before her, that no
one might see her tears. But Isabella saw them as they fell upon the
bridal gifts of her little daughter.
She pointed to the jewels. "See, Christina, your tears are brighter than
our dear mother's diamonds. Now, were the emperor here--"
"Heaven forbid!" said Christina, as with her gossamer handkerchief she
wiped away the fallen tear. "If the empress were to know this, she would
be justly displeased, that, on such a day, my tears should dim the
splendor of your little daughter's bridal jewels."
"Give yourself no concern for my daughter's jewels, Christina; she will
never see her bridal-day."
"How? Do you expect her to be an old maid, like my two eldest sisters?"
asked Christina, with assumed playfulness.
Isabella laid her hand on Christina's shoulder. "I believe," said she,
solemnly, "or rather I know, that my daughter will ere long be an
angel."
"Oh, Isabella," cried Christina, almost impatiently, "is it not enough
that you prophesy your own death, to make me wretched, without adding to
my grief by predicting that of your child, too?"
"I cannot leave her behind, Christina; I should be unhappy without her.
She must follow me--but hush! Here comes the empress --let us be happy
for her sake."
And with a sweet smile, Isabella advanced to greet her mother-in-law.
"My dearest daughter," said the empress, "I long for this ceremonial to
end, that we may enjoy our happiness en famille. We must dine in
private, unless you wish it otherwise, for to-day you are empress of all
hearts, and your wishes are commands."
Isabella raised the hand of the empress to her lips. "I have but one
wish to-day, your majesty," said she; "it is that you love me."
"That wish was granted before it was uttered, my beloved child," replied
the empress, tenderly, "for indeed I love you more and more each day of
my life; and when I see you and my son together, your happiness seems
like the old melody of my own happy bridal so many years ago."
"And yet," said Isabella, "your majesty looks so young--"
"No, child, I am a grandmother," replied the empress, smiling proudly,
"but my heart is as young as ever, and it leaps with joy when I look
upon the son whom you have made so happy. Why, HIS heart looks out of
his great, blue eyes with such--But see for yourself, here he comes!"
At this moment the archduke entered the room, and advanced toward his
mother, while at the door, apparently awaiting his return, stood the
emperor and the lord high chancellor, Kaunitz.
"Pardon me, your majesty, if I interrupt you," said the archduke. "I
have just learned from the marshal of the imperial household that your
majesty has declined going to the opera to-night. Can this be possible,
when Gluck's new opera has been rehearsing for two months with especial
reference to this occasion?"
"It can," replied the empress, "for I do not interdict the
representation--I only absent myself from it."
The archduke crimsoned, and he was about to make some hasty reply, when
he felt the pressure of his wife's hand upon his arm. He smiled, and
controlled himself at once.
"Forgive me, if I venture to remonstrate with your majesty," replied he,
good-humoredly. "This new opera of Gluck is a musical gem, and is well
worthy your majesty's notice."
"I have been told, on the contrary, that it is very tiresome," exclaimed
the empress with impatience. "The libretto is heavy, and the music also.
It is highly probable that the opera will fail, and it would certainly
be unfortunate if, on this day of rejoicing, we should assemble there to
witness the failure."
"But your majesty may have been misinformed," persisted Joseph. "Let me
beg of you, my dear mother, for the sake of the great maestro, who would
take your absence sorely to heart, as well as for the sake of the
director, Count Durazzo, who has taken such pains to produce this new
masterpiece--let me beg you to reconsider your decision."
"And allow me to add my entreaties to those of Joseph," said the
emperor; entering the room. "All Vienna awaits the new representation as
a high artistic gratification. Without your majesty's presence the
triumph of the maestro will be incomplete."
"And the emperor, too, opposes me?" said Maria Theresa. "Does he, too,
desert the old style, to follow these new-fangled musical
eccentricities? Have we not all enjoyed the opera as it exists at
present? And if so, why shall this Master Gluck step suddenly forward
and announce to us that we know nothing of music, and that what we have
hitherto admired as such was nothing more than trumpery? Why does he
disdain the poetry of Metastasio, to adopt that of a man whom nobody
knows? I will not lend my hand to mortify the old man who for thirty
years has been our court-poet. I owe it to him, at least, not to appear
at this representation, and that is reason enough for me to refuse my
presence there."
"But Calzabigi's poem is of surpassing beauty," remonstrated the
emperor; "for Kaunitz himself has seen it, and is in raptures with it."
"Ah, Kaunitz, too, has given his adherence to the new musical caprice of
Master Gluck?" said the empress, signing to the count to come forward.
"Yes, your majesty," said Kaunitz, bowing, "I also am for the new and
startling, whether in politics or in music. I have learned this lesson
from my imperial mistress, whose new line of policy now commands the
admiration of all Europe."
The empress received these flattering words with an emotion of visible
pleasure; for it was seldom that Kaunitz paid compliments, even to
sovereigns.
"You mean, then, that Gluck has not only produced something new, but
something of worth, also?"
"Yes, your majesty, music has cut off her queue, and really in her new
coiffure she is divinely beautiful. Moreover, your majesty has rewarded
the seventy years of Metastasio with a rich pension, proof enough to him
of the estimation in which his talents are held. Metastasio belongs to
the old regime you have pensioned off; Calzabigi and Gluck are children
of our new Austria. Your majesty's self has created this Austria, and
you owe to her children your imperial countenance and favor."
"But I have been told there will be some strife to-night between the
rival parties," said the empress.
"And since when has your majesty shunned the battle-field?" asked
Kaunitz.
"But the defeat, count, I fear the defeat. The opera is sure to fail."
"No one knows better than your majesty how to console the vanquished.
Your majesty was never greater than when, after the defeat of
Field-marshal Daun, you went forth to meet him with all the honors which
you would have awarded to a victorious general. [Footnote: After the
battle of Torgau, which Daun lost.] If Gluck fails to-day, he will not
be the less a great artiste, and your majesty will sustain him under his
reverses."
The empress laughed. "It is dangerous to contend with Kaunitz, for he
slays me with my own weapons. And you, too, my husband, would have me
abandon Hasse and Metastasio, who are so pious and so good, for this
Gluck, whom I have never met inside of a church? Gluck is not even a
Christian."
"But he is a genius," cried out Joseph, "and genius is pleasing in the
sight of God. Metastasio and Hasse are old, and having nothing better to
do, they go to church. If they were young, your majesty would not meet
them so often, I fancy."
The face of the empress grew scarlet while the archduke poured forth
these thoughtless words; and all present felt that Gluck and his cause
were lost.
But Isabella came to the rescue. Approaching the empress and kissing her
hand, she said: "Your majesty has been so good as to say that to-day you
would refuse me nothing. I have two requests to make. May I speak?"
"Yes, dear child, you may," replied the empress, already appeased by the
gentle voice of her beloved daughter-in-law. "I know so well that you
will ask nothing unseemly that I do not fear to grant your requests.
What are they?"
"First, your majesty, I beg that my husband and I be permitted to attend
the mass that is to be celebrated in your private chapel, that by your
side we may beg of God to give peace to Austria, and to bless us, your
majesty's own family, with unity and love among ourselves. Will you
permit this?"
The empress, in her animated way, drew the archduchess toward her, and
kissed her tenderly.
"You are an angel, Isabella," said she, "and discord ceases at the very
sound of your voice. Yes, dearest child, you shall come with Joseph; and
side by side we will pray for peace and family concord. For the second
boon, I guess it. Is it not that I grant your husband's petition?"
Isabella, smiling, bowed her head, and the empress turned toward the
emperor.
"Well, your majesty," continued she, "since my presence is
indispensable, I bow to your superior judgment in art, and the court
must attend the opera to-night. Are you satisfied, my son?" asked she of
the archduke. "Are you satisfied now that I have sacrificed my
prejudices to give you pleasure? And on some future occasion will you do
as much for me, should I require it?"
"With shame I shall remember your majesty's goodness in pardoning my
ungracious behavior to-day" replied the archduke, fervently pressing his
mother's hands to his lips.
"I not only forgive but forget it, my son," said Maria Theresa, with one
of her enchanting smiles; "this is a day of rejoicing, and no clouds
shall darken our happiness. Let us now retire to the chapel, for,
believe me, dear son, it is not well to forget our heavenly Father until
age forces us to remember our dependence. A great and brilliant destiny
is before you, Joseph, and much you need help from Heaven. Watch and
pray while you are young, that you may call down the blessing of God
upon your career."