KAUNITZ.
"What an abominable idea!" exclaimed Prince Kaunitz, as, perfectly
exhausted from his journey, he fell into an armchair in his own room.
"What an abominable idea to undertake this journey! These German roads
are as rough and uncouth as the Germans themselves, and I only wonder
that we have arrived without breaking our ribs!"
"It would certainly have been more convenient," said Baron Binder, "if
the King of Prussia had visited us in Vienna."
Kaunitz turned his large eyes full upon his friend.
"I suppose," said he, "that you jest, Binder; for you MUST know that it
is never safe to have your enemy under your own roof."
"Your highness, then, has no confidence in the protestations of love
that are going on between the emperor and the king?"
The prince made no reply. He was looking at himself in a mirror,
criticising his toilet, which had just been completed by the expert
Hippolyte. Apparently it was satisfactory, for he looked up and spoke:
"You are a grown-up child, Binder; you stare, and believe every thing.
Have you not yet learned that statesmanship recognizes nothing but
interests? To-day it is to the interest of Frederick to squeeze our
hands and protest that he loves us; to-morrow (if he can), he will put
another Silesia in his royal pocket. We, too, have found it convenient
to write him a love-letter or two; but to-day, if we would, we would
pluck off his crown, and make him a little margrave again! Our intimacy
reminds me of a sight I once saw while we were in Paris. It was a cage,
in which animals, naturally antagonistic, were living in a state of
perfect concord. A dog and cat were dining sociably together from one
plate, and, not far off, a turkey-hen was comfortably perched upon the
back of a fox, who, so far from betraying any symptom of appetite for
the turkey, looked quite oblivious of her proximity. I gave the keeper a
louis d'or, and he told me his secret. The dog's teeth were drawn, and
the cat's claws were pared off; this, of course, forced both to keep the
peace. As for the turkey-hen, she was fastened to the back of the fox
with fine wire, and this was the secret of her security."
"Ah!" cried Binder, laughing, "this is the history of many a human
alliance. How many foxes I have known who carried their hens upon their
backs and made believe to love them, because they dared not do
otherwise!"
"Peace, Binder, my story is not yet ended. One morning the dog and the
cat were found dead in THEIR corner; and in the other, the fox lay
bleeding and moaning; while of the hen, nothing remained save her
feathers. Time--the despot that rules us all, had outwitted the keeper
and asserted the laws of Nature. The cat's claws had grown out, and so
had the dog's teeth. The fox, after much pondering over his misfortunes,
had discovered the reason why he could not reach the hen; and this done,
he worked at the wires until they broke. Of course he revenged himself
on the spot by gobbling her up; but in his wrath at the wires, he had
thrust them so deeply into his own flesh that the wounds they made upon
his body caused his death. And so ended the compulsory alliance of four
natural enemies."
"Does your highness apply that anecdote to us?" asked Binder. "Are we to
end like the cat and the dog?"
"For the present," said Kaunitz, thoughtfully, "our teeth and claws are
harmless. We must wait until they have grown out again!"
"Your highness, then, assigns us the role of the dog?"
"Certainly. I leave it to Prussia to play the cat--she has scratched us
more than once, and even to-day, when she covers her paws with velvet, I
feel the claws underneath. I came hither to watch her. I am curious to
know what it is in Frederick that has so bewitched the young Emperor of
Austria."
"It would appear that his majesty of Prussia has extraordinary powers of
fascination. No one can resist him."
"I shall resist him," said Kaunitz, "for against his fascinations I am
defended by the talisman of our mutual hate."
"Do not say so, your highness. The King of Prussia may fear, but he
cannot hate you. And did he not make it a special request that you
should accompany the emperor?"
"He did; and however disinclined I might be to accept his invitation, I
have come lest he should suppose that I am afraid to encounter his eagle
eyes. [Footnote: Ferrand, "History of the Dismemberment of Poland," vol.
i., p. 103.] I fear HIM! HE intimidate me! It is expedient for the
present that Austria and Prussia should be quasi allies, for in this way
peace has been secured to Europe. But my system of diplomacy, which the
empress has made her own, forbids me to make any permanent alliance with
a prince who lives politically from hand to mouth, and has no fixed line
of policy. [Footnote: Kaunitz's own words. See Ferrand. vol. i., v. 69.]
No--I do not fear him; for I see through his hypocritical professions,
and in spite of his usurped crown I feel myself to be more than his
equal. If he has won thirteen victories on the battle-field, I have
fought twice as many in the cabinet, where the fight is hand to hand,
and the victor conquers without an army. On this field he will scarcely
dare to encounter me. If he does, he will find his master for once!
"Yes," repeated Kaunitz emphatically, "he will find his master in me. I
have never failed to make other men subservient to my schemes, and the
King of Prussia shall grace my triumph with the rest. He is the vassal
of Austria, and I will be the one to force him back to his allegiance.
It is scandalous that this petty king should have been suffered to play
an important part in European affairs. I will drive him from his
accidental grandeur, and he shall return to his duty. I will humble him
if I can; for this King of Prussia is the only man in Europe who has
denied me the honors and consideration due me as a politician and a
prince." [Footnote: Kaunitz's own words. Ferrand, vol. i., p. 104]
While Kaunitz spoke, his marble face grew animated, and his eyes glowed
with the fire of hate.
"Nay, prince!" exclaimed Binder, anxious to subdue the fiend that was
rising in his friend's heart, "everybody knows that you are the coachman
of Europe, and that it is in the power of no man to wrest the reins from
your hands."
"May this Prussian ride behind as my footman!" cried Kaunitz, gnashing
his teeth. "Oh, I know him! I know why he pays a million of subsidy
annually to his accomplice, the virtuous Catherine, that she may
continue her assaults upon Poland and Turkey! I know whither his
longings travel; but when he stretches his hand out for the booty, we
too will be there to claim our share, and he shall yield it."
"Your highness speaks in riddles," said Binder, shrugging his shoulders.
"I am accustomed, as you know, to look through your political
spectacles; and I beg you to explain, for I am perfectly at a loss to
understand you."
The countenance of Kaunitz had resumed its impassible look. He threw
back his head, and fixed his cold, heartless blue eyes upon the baron.
"Do you know," said he, "what William the Silent once said of himself?
'If I knew that my night-cap had found out my thoughts I would throw it
in the fire.' Now, Binder, do not aim to be my night-cap, or I shall
burn you to a cinder.--But enough of this. It would seem that the
Emperor Joseph expects me to wait upon him. Well--if it please him that
I should make the first visit, I will humor him. When a man feels that
he is lord and master of another, he can afford to be condescending! I
will indulge the emperor's whim."
He rang, and one of his valets entered the room.
"Is his majesty in the castle?"
"Yes, your highness. His majesty has been reviewing the troops."
"Where is his majesty now?"
"He is with his suite in the parlor that overlooks the square."
"Is it far from this room?"
"No, your highness. It is close by."
"Then reach me a cloak and muff, and woe to you if I encounter a draught
on my way!"