THE HUNGARIANS AGAIN.
Destiny had broken the emperor's heart. He returned from the army
seriously ill, and although he had apparently recuperated during the
winter, the close of the year found him beyond all hope of recovery.
Even the joyful intelligence of Loudon's victories was powerless to
restore him to health. Loudon had won several battles, and had
accomplished that for which Joseph had undertaken the war with Turkey.
He had once more raised the Austrian flag over the towers of Belgrade.
[Footnote: The conquest of Belgrade was accompanied by singular
coincidences. The Emperor Francis (the husband of Maria Theresa) had
been in command when, in 1739, the Turks took it from Austria. His
grandson, Francis, with his own hand fired the first gun, when it was
retaken by Loudon. In 1789 General Wallace surrendered the fortress to
Osman Pacha. In 1789 Osman Pacha, the son of the latter, surrendered it
to General (afterward Field-Marshal) Wallace, son of the
former.--Hubner, ii., p. 492.]
Vienna received these tidings with every demonstration of joy. The city
was illuminated for three days, and the emperor shared the enthusiasm of
the people. He took from his state-uniform the magnificent cross of
Maria Theresa--the cross which none but an emperor had ever worn--and
sent it to London with the title and patent of generalissimo. [Footnote:
This cross was worth 24,000 ducats.--Gross-Hotfinger, iii., p. 500.] He
attended the Te Deum, and to all appearances was as elated as his
subjects. But once alone with Lacy, the mask fell, and the smile faded
from his colorless lips.
"Lacy," said he, "I would have bought these last superfluous laurels of
Loudon with my life. But for me no laurels have ever grown; the cypress
is my emblem--the emblem of grief."
He was right. Discontent reigned in Hungary, in the Netherlands, and
latterly in Tyrol. On every side were murmurs and threats of rebellion
against him who would have devoted every hour of his life to the
enlightenment of his subjects. All Belgium had taken up arms. The
imperial troops had joined the insurgents, and now a formidable army
threatened the emperor. Van der Noot, the leader of the revolt,
published a manifesto, declaring Belgium independent of the Austrian
empire. The insurgents numbered ten thousand. They were headed by the
nobles and sustained by the clergy. Masses were said for the success of
the rebels, and requiems were sung for those who fell in battle or
otherwise. [Footnote: Gross-Hoffinger, iii., p. 289.] The cities of
Brussels, Antwerp, Louvain, Mechlin, and Namur, opened their doors to
the patriots. The Austrian General D'Alton fled with his troops to
Luxemburg, and three millions of florins, belonging to the military
coffers, fell into the hands of the insurgents. [Footnote: D'Alton was
cited before the emperor, but on his way to Vienna he took poison and
died four days before Joseph.]
Such was the condition of the Austrian empire toward the close of the
year 1789. The emperor resolved to make one more attempt to bring the
Belgians to reason, and to this end he sent Count Cobenzl to Brussels,
and, after him, Prince de Ligne.
The prince came to take leave of the emperor. "I send you as a mediator
between myself and your countrymen," said Joseph, with a languid smile.
"Prove to those so-called patriots that you, who endeavor to reconcile
them to their sovereign, are the only Belgian of them all who possesses
true patriotism."
"Sire, I shall say to my misguided countrymen that I have seen your
majesty weep over their disloyalty. I shall tell them that it is not
anger which they have provoked in your majesty's heart, but sorrow."
"Yes," replied Joseph, "I sorrow for their infatuation, and they are
fast sending me to the grave. The taking of Ghent was my death-struggle,
the evacuation of Brussels my last expiring sigh. Oh!" continued he, in
tones of extreme anguish--"oh, what humiliation! I shall surely die of
it! I were of stone, to survive so many blows from the hand of fate! Go,
De Ligne, and do your best to induce your countrymen to return to their
allegiance. Should you fail; dear friend, remain there. Do not sacrifice
your future to me, for you have children." [Footnote: The emperor's own
words--"Envres du Prince de Ligne,"]
"Yes, sire," replied De Ligne, with emotion, "I have children, but they
are not dearer to me than my sovereign. And now, with your majesty's
permission, I will withdraw, for the hour of my departure is at hand. I
do not despair of success. Farewell, sire, for a while."
"Farewell forever!" murmured Joseph, as the door closed behind the
prince. "Death is not far off, and I have so much to do!"
He arose hastily from his arm-chair, and opening the door that led into
the chancery, called his three secretaries.
"Let us to work," said he, as they entered.
"Sire," replied one of them, in faltering tones, "Herr von Quarin
desired us, in his name, to implore of your majesty to rest for a few
days."
"I cannot do it," said Joseph, impatiently. "If I postpone this writing
another day, it may never be accomplished at all. Give in your reports.
What dispatches have we from Hungary?"
"They are most unsatisfactory, sire. The landed proprietors have refused
to contribute their share of the imposts, and the people rebel against
the conscription-act, and threaten the officers of the crown with
death."
"Revolt, revolt everywhere!" exclaimed the emperor, shuddering. "But I
will not yield; they shall all submit!"
The door of the cabinet opened, and the marshal of the household
entered, announcing a deputation of Magyars.
"A deputation! From whom?" asked Joseph, eagerly.
"I do not know, sire, but Count Palfy is one of the deputies."
"Count Palfy again!" cried the emperor, scornfully. "When the Hungarians
have a sinister message to send, they are sure to select Count Palfy as
their ambassador. Show them to the reception-room which opens into my
cabinet, count. I will see them there."
He dismissed the secretaries, and rang for his valet. He could scarcely
stand, while Gunther was assisting him to change his dressing-gown for
his uniform. [Footnote: This was the brother of him who was the lover of
Rachel.] His toilet over, he was obliged to lean upon the valet for
support, for his limbs were almost failing him.
"Oh!" cried he, bitterly, "how it will rejoice them to see me so weak
and sick! They will go home and tell their Hungarians that there is no
strength left in me to fight with traitors! But they shall not know it.
I will be the emperor, if my life pay the forfeit of the exertion. Lead
me to the door, Gunther. I will lean against one of the pillars, and
stand while I give audience to the Magyars."
Gunther supported him tenderly to the door, and then threw it wide open.
In the reception-room stood the twelve deputies, not in court-dress, but
in the resplendent costume of their own nation. They were the same men
who, several years before, had appeared before the emperor, and Count
Palfy, the Chancellor of Hungary, was the first one to advance.
The emperor bent his head, and eyed his visitors.
"If I am not mistaken," said he, "these are the same gentlemen who
appeared here as Hungarian deputies several years ago."
"Yes, sire, we are the same men," replied Count Palfy.
"Why are you here again?"
"To repeat our remonstrances, sire. The kingdom of Hungary has chosen
the same representatives, that your majesty may see how unalterable is
our determination to defend our rights with our lives. Hungary has not
changed her attitude, sire, and she will never change it."
"Nor shall I ever change mine," cried Joseph, passionately.
"My will to-day is the same as it was six years ago."
"Then, sire, you must expect an uprising of the whole Hungarian nation,"
returned Count Palfy, gravely. "For the last time we implore your
majesty to restore us our rights."
"What do you call your rights?" asked Joseph, sarcastically.
"All that for centuries past has been guaranteed to us by our
constitution; all that each king of Hungary, as he came to the throne,
has sworn to preserve inviolate. Sire, we will not become an Austrian
province; we are Hungarians, and are resolved to retain our nationality.
The integrity of Hungary is sorely threatened; and if your majesty
refuse to rescue it, we must ourselves hasten to the rescue. Not only
our liberties are menaced, but our moneyed interests too. Hungary is on
the road to ruin, if your majesty does not consent to revoke your
arbitrary laws, or--"
"Or?"--asked Joseph, as Palfy hesitated.
"On the road to revolution," replied the deputy firmly.
"You presume to threaten me!" cried Joseph, in a loud voice.
"I dare deliver the message intrusted to me, and, had I been too weak to
speak it, intrusted to those who accompany me. Is it not so, Magyars?"
"It is, it is," cried all, unanimously.
"Sire, I repeat to you that Hungary is advancing either toward ruin or
revolution. Like the Netherlanders, we will defend our constitution or
die with it. Oh, your majesty, all can yet be remedied! Call a
convention of the states--return the crown of St. Stephen, and come to
Hungary to take the coronation oath. Then you will see how gladly we
shall swear allegiance to our king, and how cheerfully we will die for
him, as our fathers did before us, in defence of the empress-queen, his
mother."
"Give us our constitution, and we will die for our king!" cried the
Magyars in chorus.
"Yes, humble myself before you!" exclaimed Joseph, furiously.
"You would have the sovereign bow before the will of his vassals!"
"No, sire," returned Count Palfy, with feeling. "We would have your
majesty adopt the only means by which Hungary can be retained to the
Austrian empire. If you refuse to hear us, we rise, as one man, to
defend our country. We swear it in the name of the Hungarian nation!"
"We swear it in the name of the Hungarian nation!" echoed the Magyars.
"And I," replied Joseph, pale and trembling with passion, "I swear it in
the name of my dignity as your sovereign, that I never will yield to men
who defy me, nor will I ever forgive those who, by treasonable
importunity, have sought to wring from me what I have not thought it
expedient to grant to respectful expostulation!"
"Sire, if you would give this proof of love to your subjects, if, for
their sakes, you would condescend to forget your imperial station, you
cannot conceive what enthusiasm of loyalty would be your return for this
concession. In mortal anxiety we await your final answer, and await it
until to-morrow at this hour."
"Ah!--you are so magnanimous as to grant me a short reprieve!" shouted
the infuriated emperor, losing all command of himself. "You--"
Suddenly he ceased, and became very pale. He was sensible that he had
burst a blood-vessel, and he felt the warm stream of his life welling
upward, until it moistened his pallid lips. With a hasty movement he
drew out his handkerchief, held it for a moment before his mouth, and
then replaced it quickly in his bosom. Large drops of cold sweat stood
out from his brow, and the light faded from his eyes. But these haughty
Magyars should not see him fall! They should not enjoy the sight of his
sufferings!
With one last desperate effort he collected his expiring energies, and
stood erect.
"Go," said he, in firm, distinct tones; "you have stated your
grievances, you shall have my answer to-morrow."
"We await your majesty until to-morrow at noon," returned Count Palfy.
"Then we go, never to return."
"Go!" cried the emperor, in a piercing voice; and the exasperated
Magyars mistook this last cry of agony for the culmination of his wrath.
They bowed in sullen silence, and left the room.
The emperor reeled back to his cabinet, and fell into a chair. He
reached the bell, and rang it feebly.
"Gunther," said he to his valet, and now his voice was hardly audible,
"send a carriage for Quarin. I must see him at once."