MATRIMONIAL PLANS.
Father Porhammer came forward, while the empress looked at him with a
glance of astonishment.
"Forgive me, your majesty, for this intrusion. It is in accordance with
your gracious commands, whose fulfilment I have no right to delay. I was
ordered by your majesty to prove the fact which I asserted."
"Well, have you the proof?" said the empress, impatiently.
"I have, your majesty. It is in the carriage of the lord chancellor, at
the great door of the palace."
The empress made an exclamation; and her face grew scarlet with anger.
Her stormy looks rested upon Kaunitz, who, perfectly unconcerned, seemed
not to have heard what Porhammer had said. This undisturbed serenity on
the part of her minister gave the empress time for recollection. She
knew from experience that the lightning of her wrath would play
harmlessly about the head of this living statue, and she felt more
keenly than she had ever done before, that however Kaunitz's private
life might shock her own sense of honor and decency, his vast intellect
as minister of state was indispensable to Austria.
With a quick and haughty gesture, she motioned the priest away, and then
began to pace up and down the length of the apartment.
Kaunitz remained tranquil near the table, his cold glances resting now
on the papers, now on the pictures that hung opposite to him. He was
busily engaged arranging his Alengon ruffles, when the empress stopped,
and fixed her fiery eyes upon him.
"My lord chancellor, Count Kaunitz, tell me who sits in your carriage
before the doors of my palace, awaiting your return from this
conference?"
"Who sits in my carriage, your majesty? I was not aware that any one was
there whose name it was necessary for me to announce to your imperial
majesty."
"I can well believe that you would not dare to pronounce the name of
that person in my presence," cried the empress, indignantly "but let me
tell you, sir count, that your behavior is highly displeasing to me, and
that I blush to hear the things I do, to the disparagement of your honor
and morality."
"Has your majesty any complaint to make of me as minister, or as
president of council?" asked Kaunitz, almost roughly. "Have I not
fulfilled the vows I made to your majesty ten years ago? Have I
discharged my duties carelessly? The ship of state which, in her hour of
peril, was confided to my hands, have I not steered her safely through
rocks and reefs? Or, have I been unfaithful to my trust? If your majesty
can convict me of crime, or even of negligence, then sit in judgment
upon the culprit. Tell me of what state offence am I accused?"
"I do not speak of my prime minister," replied the empress somewhat
embarrassed. "I have no fault to find with HIM. On the contrary, he has
nobly kept the pledge he made to me and to my Austria, and he has been a
wise, faithful, and conscientious servant. But this is not enough; there
are also duties to perform toward God, toward society, and toward one's
self."
"For your majesty, as well as for me, it suffices that I am true to my
duties as your subject. As to my duty as a man, this is no place to
discuss a matter which lies between God and myself it would be
indecorous for me to raise the veil of my private life before the eyes
of your majesty. I came here to speak of Austria's welfare and yours,
not of me or mine."
Without giving the empress time to make any reply, Kaunitz resumed the
subject which had been interrupted by the visit of Father Porhammer.
"Though your majesty may deem it expedient to postpone the marriage of
the Archduke Joseph, still, that need not prevent us from taking the
steps that will be necessary to secure an advantageous alliance for the
heir to the throne. We can grant a respite to the Archduke of Austria,
but the King of Rome must stifle his grief, and attend to the calls of
duty. He must silence his heart, for the Emperor of Austria must have a
successor."
"At least let us choose him a bride worthy to succeed in his affections
the angelic wife he has lost," said the empress, with feeling.
Something like a smile flitted over Kaunitz's sardonic face. "Your
majesty must pardon me, but you view this matter entirely too much as a
thing of sentiment; whereas, in effect, it is an affair of policy. The
main object of the archduke's marriage is to find a princess whose
family can advance the interests of the state, and who is in a condition
to bear children."
"And have you already found such a wife for my poor child?" asked the
empress. "Have you one to propose whom policy will approve, and who will
not be distasteful to the eye or the heart?"
"She must be a German princess," said Kaunitz.
"Why MUST?"
"Because the house of Hapsburg must court the good-will of all Germany,
which, through this long war and from the divided interests of the
German people, it is in danger of losing. Prussia, grown morally strong
by the war, is about to become the rival of Austria, and even now she
seeks to have a voice in German politics. Northern Germany already
inclines to Prussia by its sympathies of creed and opinion. If we allow
this to go on, Prussia will divide Germany into two halves. The northern
half, that which is Protestant, and in my opinion the wiser half,
because free from the prejudices of religion, will belong to enlightened
Prussia; the southern half, the bigoted Catholic portion, that which
believes in the pope and his Jesuits, may perhaps adhere to Austria.
Then comes revolution. Prussia will have for her allies, not only
northern Germany, but Sweden, England, Holland, Denmark, even Russia.
Every step she takes in advance will drive back Austria; and the day may
come when Prussia, our powerful enemy, will seek for the Margrave of
Brandenburg the crown of the Kaisers."
"Never! never!" exclaimed Maria Theresa, passionately--"To think of this
little Burgrave of Nuremberg, the vassal of Rudolf of Hapsburg, growing
to be the rival of the stately house of Austria! No, no! Never shall the
day dawn when Austria descends to an equality with Prussia! We are
natural enemies; we can no more call the Brandenburgs brothers than the
eagle can claim kindred with the vulture! You are right, count; the
strife of the battle-field is over, let us gird ourselves for that of
diplomacy. Let us be wary and watchful; not only the state but the holy
church is in danger. I can no longer allow this prince of infidels to
propagate his unbelief or his Protestantism throughout my Catholic
fatherland. We are the ally and the daughter of our holy father, the
pope, and we must be up and doing for God and for our country. Now let
us think how we are to check this thirst of Prussia for power."
"There are two expedients," said Kaunitz, calmly interrupting the
empress in her torrent of indignation.
"Let us hear them."
"The first one is to strengthen our interest with Germany either by
offers of advantages and honors, payment of subsidies; or by matrimonial
alliances. For this reason it is that the future king of Rome must
choose his wife among the princesses of Germany. Through your majesty's
other children we will ally ourselves to the rest of Europe. The
Bourbons reign in the south, and they must all be allied to the house of
Hapsubrg. Through the marriage of Archduke Leopold with the daughter of
the King of Spain, we shall gain a powerful ally; and the archduke
himself, as Grand Duke of Tuscany, will represent Austria's interest in
Italy. If the Crown Prince of Parma and the young King of Naples unite
themselves to two of your majesty's daughters, then all Italy will be
leagued with Austria. When this is accomplished, the word 'Italy' will
be a geographical designation, but the country will be an Austrian
dependency. Now for Western Europe. For France, we must confirm our
alliance with her also. The son of the dauphin, the grandson of Louis
XV., is now eleven years old; just three years older than the
Archduchess Marie Antoinette."
"Truly, Kaunitz, your plans are great," cried the empress, her face full
of smiles and radiant with joy. "The emperor often calls me a
match-maker, but I am an insignificant schemer by YOUR side. I must say
that I approve your plans, and will do all that I can to insure them
success."
"The most of them are for the future; before all things we must bestir
ourselves about the present. You have seen how later, we can secure the
friendship of the south; that of the north must come through the
marriage of the King of Rome. His selection of a German princess will
incline all Germany toward your majesty's imperial house. Naarest to
Prussia are the two important principalities of Bavaria and Saxony."
"And both have unmarried princesses," exclaimed the empress, joyfully.
"I wish we might select the daughter of the Elector of Saxony, for that
house has suffered so much for Austria, that I would gladly do it this
favor. But I have heard that the Princess Mary Kunigunde has very few
charms."
"Perhaps Josepha of Bavaria may be handsomer," said Kaunitz dryly.
"She is nevertheless the daughter of Charles VII., and he has never been
my friend. I have suffered much from this man, and would you have me
accept his daughter as mine?"
"There can be no resentment for bygones in politics," said Kaunitz,
deliberately.
"But there may be gratitude for past services," exclaimed the empress,
warmly. "I shall never forget how Hungary sustained me when this man
would have robbed me of my crown. I never would have worn my imperial
diadem but for the help of God, and the sword of St. Stephen, which my
brave Magyars drew for me on the battle-field! Without Hungary I would
have been dethroned, and shall I now place the crown of St. Stephen's
upon the brow of an enemy's daughter! It would be an injustice to my
loyal Hungarians. I shall give my voice to Mary of Saxony, but if Joseph
prefers Josepha, I will not oppose his choice. And this matter settled,
tell me your other plans for strengthening the power of Austria."
"My second plan is to humanize the Hungarian nobles. These nobles reign
in Hungary like so many petty sovereigns. There is no such thing as
nationality among them. The country is divided into nobles and vassals.
The nobles are so powerful that the government is completely lost sight
of, and the real sovereigns of Hungary are the Magyars."
"That is in some sense true," answered the empress. "I have often felt
how dangerous to my rights was the arrogance of my Hungarian subjects.
They lift their haughty heads too near the regions of royalty."
"And your majesty's great ancestor, Charles V. once said that nothing
had a right to lift its head in the vicinity of a king. The very trees
would he lop, that their branches might not grow too near to heaven; how
much more the heads of men, when they were raised too high."
"But such a policy shall never be mine--I will never buy obedience with
oppression. Besides, I have already said that I am under obligations to
my Hungarian nobles, and I will not injure a hair of their heads."
"There are other ways of conquering besides the sword," said the crafty
Kaunitz. "Coercion would but fortify the Magyars in their insolence.
These haughty lords must be enticed from their fastnesses to Vienna.
They must be greeted with honors, titles, and estates. They must be
taught to love splendor, to spend money, to accumulate debts, until they
become bankrupt, and their possessions in Hungary fall into the hands of
the crown."
"What an infamous policy!" cried the empress.
"Good, nevertheless," said Kaunitz calmly. "Nothing can be done with the
Magyars by force. They must be vanquished by pleasure, and also by
marriage. They must be made to take home Viennese wives, who will
initiate them into the arts of refined life, who will help them to waste
their money, and so cut off the wings of their freedom. He who has
learned to love pleasure will have no taste for sedition, and he who is
in debt is no longer free. Your majesty must bestow gifts and places at
court; the Magyars will grow ambitious--they will become hangers-on of
princes, and--dissipation, ostentation, and extravagance will do the
rest."
While Kaunitz was unfolding his satanic schemes, the empress walked up
and down, in visible agitation. When he ceased, she came and stood
before him, and with her searching eyes tried to look through the mask
of his impenetrable countenance.
"What you have said there," said she, "is a mournful leaf from the book
of worldly wisdom which guides your actions, and it is enough to make an
honest heart ache to think that good is to be reached by such foul
means. My heart struggles against such a course, but my head approves
it, and I dare not listen to my womanly scruples, for I am a sovereign.
May the wiles of the women of Vienna make loyal subjects of my brave
Hungarians! I will bestow honors without end; but for aught else, let it
come as it may. Extravagance, debt, and sequestration, they must bring
about themselves."
"They will follow; and then sequestered estates must go to Austrian
nobles, that our own people may mingle with the Magyars at home, and
strengthen the influence of your majesty's house in Hungary."
"Say no more," said the empress, mournfully. "Bring them hither, if you
can. But my heart aches, and my ears burn to have heard what you have
said. Say no more of Hungary to me--let us speak of our bright plans for
my children. It makes me happy to think that so many of them will wear
crowns."
"The first will be that of the King of Rome, and I trust that, before
his coronation, your majesty will have persuaded him to marry one of the
two German princesses of whom we have spoken."
"The Saxon or the Bavarian," said the empress. "I think he will
comply--for he will understand as well as ourselves the urgency of the
case. When is the coronation to take place?"
"In two weeks, your majesty." "Then poor Joseph has but fourteen days
for his grief. When he returns from Frankfort, I shall remind him of his
duty as a sovereign. But hark! It is twelve o'clock--the hour for mass.
If the lord chancellor has nothing more to propose, I--"
"Pardon me, your majesty. I have an insignificant petition to
present--it concerns myself."
"It is a pleasure to me," said Maria Theresa, "to think that in any way
I can gratify you. Speak, then, without fear. What can I do to serve
you?"
"It is only for the sake of decorum, your majesty," replied Kaunitz.
"You say that I have been useful to the country. I confess that I, too,
think that I deserve something from Austria. If I were another man, and
Kaunitz stood by, as I reviewed in my mind all that he has done and is
trying still to do to make Austria powerful, I would speak thus to your
majesty: 'It is in the power of the empress to distinguish merit by
elevating it to a position above the common herd. Your majesty has
honored Count Kaunitz by calling him your right hand. When the head of a
body politic is an empress, it is not enough for the right hand to be
called a count.'"
"Shall I call you prince?" laughed Maria Theresa.
"Just what I was about to propose to your majesty," said Kaunitz, as he
made a deeper inclination than usual before the empress.
"Then it shall be so," said she, warmly. "From this moment my esteemed
minister is Prince Kaunitz, and the letters patent shall be made out
this very day."
She extended her hand to the new-made prince, who kissed it fervently.
"I take this title, so graciously bestowed, not because it will confer
splendor upon my own name, but because it will prove to the world that
those who serve Maria Theresa with fidelity, she delights to honor. And
now that this trifling matter is arranged, I beg your majesty's
permission to retire."
"Until to-morrow," replied the empress, with a smile.
She waved her hand; but as Kaunitz left the room, he heard her following
him into the anteroom. He had already opened the door leading into the
hall, but hearing her still advance, he turned again, and made a
profound inclination.
"Au revoir, my dear prince," said the empress, loud enough for Father
Porhammer, who waited to accompany her to the chapel, to hear her
greeting.
The father could not withhold some trace of his displeasure from his
countenance, while Kaunitz, with a faint, derisive smile, passed on. The
empress, at that moment, reopened the door, and came out into the hall.
Father Porhammer, advancing to her, said, "Did I not prove to your
majesty the truth of my statement concerning the immorality of--"
"The what?" said the empress, with an absent air. "Oh yes, yes. I had
forgotten. You wished to prove to me that the lord chancellor had some
person in his carriage awaiting his return. I believe you,
father--doubtless there is some one in the carriage of the lord
chancellor, whom it would be improper to name in my presence. But listen
to what I have to say on this subject. It is better for you and for me
not to see what goes on either in the lord chancellor's house or in his
carriage. Close your eyes, as I shall mine, to whatever is objectionable
in his life. I cannot afford to lose his services. So far as I am
concerned, he is blameless. His life may be loose, but his loyalty is
firm; he is a wise and great statesman, and that, you will allow, is a
virtue which may well cover a multitude of sins."
Father Porhammer bowed to the will of his sovereign; Prince Kaunitz went
on with his life of debauchery.
"Let us hasten to the chapel," added the empress; and a page throwing
open the doors of another apartment, Maria Theresa joined her lords and
ladies in waiting, and the imperial court entered the chapel.
But the thoughts of the empress were more of earth than heaven, on that
morning. Her heart was filled with maternal cares, and when the services
were over, and she had arrived at the door of her cabinet, she dismissed
her attendants, and summoned to her presence the marshal of the
household, Count Dietrichstein.
As soon as he appeared, Maria Theresa said eagerly: "Come hither, count.
I wish to have a confidential conversation with you. You are an old and
faithful servant of my family, and I know that I can depend upon your
discretion."
"Your majesty well knows that I would sooner die than betray a secret of
my imperial mistress," exclaimed good, fat, old Dietrichstein,
fervently.
The empress looked kindly at his real, good-humored face. "And you would
rather die than tell me an untruth also, is it not so?" said she,
smiling.
"That," replied Count Dietrichstein, with another smile, "that is an
embarrassing question; for there are cases, when even your majesty's
self--"
"Yes, yes; but in this instance I earnestly desire to hear the
unvarnished truth."
"If so, your majesty's desire is for me a command, and I will answer
truthfully whatever you ask."
"Well, then, listen to me. You have just returned from a tour in Bavaria
and Saxony. Of course you have seen the two princesses. Mary Kunigunde
and Josepha."
"I know them both," said Dietrichstein, puffing.
"Well, tell me what sort of person is the Princess Mary Kunigunde?"
"She is slender," replied Dietrichstein, shrugging his shoulders;
"slender as a bean-pole. If your majesty will pardon me the expression
in favor of its truth, her bones rattle as she walks, and if you should
chance to touch her by accident, I pity you."
"What for?"
"Because you will retreat from the collision bruised."
"You are a wicked slanderer, count," replied the empress. "You mean to
say that the Princess of Saxony is frail and feminine in her
appearance."
"If your majesty pleases, so be it; but if you looked into her serene
Highness's face, you might mistake her for a man, nevertheless."
"Holy Virgin! what does the man mean?" cried the empress, astounded.
"I mean," said the count, with a sort of comic seriousness, "that the
frail and feminine princess has a black beard which a cornet might
envy."
"Nonsense, count! you saw her at twilight, and mistook a shadow on her
face for a beard."
"Pardon me, your majesty, you commanded me to tell the truth. I saw the
princess by sunlight as well as by candlelight. Under all circumstances,
this black shadow overhung her not very small mouth; and I have strong
reason for persisting in my opinion that it was a flourishing beard."
"But Josepha of Bavaria--is she handsomer?"
"Handsomer, your majesty," cried the old count. "It is said that she is
a good and estimable person; if this be true, her soul is very, very
different from her body. Indeed, her beauty may be said to rival that of
the Princess Mary."
"You are a keen critic," sighed the empress. "But suppose you were
obliged to marry either one of the princesses, which one would you
choose?"
"Your majesty!" exclaimed the old count, horror stricken. "I never would
have the assurance to raise my eyes to thoughts of marriage with a
serene highness."
"Well, then," said the empress, "suppose you were a prince and her equal
in birth, which one then would you prefer?"
The count looked at the floor, and was silent.
"The truth, the truth!" cried the empress. "Speak out and do not fear.
Whatever you say shall be sacred with me. Now tell me, which of the two
would you take to wife?"
"Well, then," said Count Dietrichstein, with a grimace of excessive
disgust, "since your majesty obliges me to suppose the case, I will tell
the truth. If by any artifice I could escape, nothing on earth would
induce me to marry either one of them. But if the knife were at my
throat, and I had no other way of saving my life, I would take the
Princess Josepha, for she--"
"Speak out," said the empress, amused, though sorely disappointed. "You
would marry Josepha of Bavaria because--"
"Because," sighed the fat old count, "if she is horribly ugly, she has,
at least, something like a woman's bosom."
Maria Theresa broke out into a hearty laugh. "You are right," said she,
"the reason is a very good one, and has its weight. I thank you for your
candor, and will turn over in my mind what you have told me."
"But your majesty has promised not to betray me," protested the count
with imploring look.
"And I will keep my promise faithfully," replied the empress, reaching
him her hand. "Nevertheless, I cling to the hope that you have
exaggerated the defects of the princesses, and that they are not
altogether as ugly as you have pictured them to me." [Footnote: This
conversation is historical, and the criticism of Count Dietrichstein
upon the two princesses, as here related, is almost verbatim. See
Wraxall's "Memoirs," vol. ii., page 406.]