Count Bruhl Part 38

First he glanced at Bruhl's face consulting it as if it were a barometer to tell his humour.

'Your Excellency,' he said, 'in the first place, my congratulations.'

'Business before all,' the minister interrupted, 'we need money, money, and always money for the court, for our affairs in Poland, for the King, for me for you, not to mention Sulkowski.'

'They whisper,' said Henniche. 'The n.o.blemen are angry, the townsmen grumble and appeal to their privileges, to _immunitates_.'

'Who?' asked Bruhl.

'Almost all of them.'

'But who is at their head? Who speaks most?'

'Many of them.'

'Send the Swiss guard, seize a few of them and send them to Pleissenburg. There they will keep quiet.'

'But whom shall I choose?'

'I should doubt your acuteness if you do not understand. Do not reach so high as to touch some partisan of Sulkowski's. Do not reach too low, for it would be useless. Do not take a man who has relations at the court--'

'But the reason?' asked the ex-lackey.

Bruhl laughed.

'Must I give you a reason? A word spoken too loud, _crimen laesae majestatis_. You should understand if you are not a blockhead.'

'I understand,' said Henniche sighing.

Bruhl began to walk to and fro.

'You must tell Globig to carry out my orders. During the last hunting-party a pet.i.tion was nearly handed to the Prince. A n.o.bleman hid behind a bush. A few hours before a hunting-party, or a ride, or a walk, the roads should be inspected and guards posted. n.o.body should be allowed to approach the Prince--'

'I cannot do everything by myself. There are Loss, Hammer, Globig and others.'

'You must supervise them.'

The conversation changed into a confidential whispering, but it did not last long. Bruhl yawned, Henniche understood and went out. Chocolate was brought. Bruhl swallowed it quickly, drank some water, and rang the bell for a lackey to help him to dress. In the dressing-room everything was ready, and the changing of clothes did not take long. The _porte-chaise_ with porters stood at the door. It was nine o'clock when the minister ordered them to carry him to the house occupied by the Austrian envoy, the Prince Venceslas von Lichtenstein. The house stood in the Old Market Square and the journey was not a long one. This hour Bruhl usually spent with the King, but to-day he took advantage of his wedding and went to see the Prince von Lichtenstein. Bruhl did not forget that that morning it was essential he should appear to everybody the happiest man in the world; therefore although he was tired, his face beamed with joy.

The Prince von Lichtenstein, a lord, and, in the full meaning of the word, a courtier of one of the oldest ruling houses in Europe, was a man well fitted for his position. He was tall, good-looking; his features were regular, his mien was lordly; he was affable and polite; in his eyes one could see intelligence and diplomatic cunning. Although Bruhl was only a petty n.o.bleman, but now, as prime minister of a Prince related to the reigning house of Austria, and as husband of the Countess Kolowrath, almost equal to Lichtenstein, he was clever enough not to show it and he greeted the envoy with respect.

They entered the study. The Prince asked Bruhl to be seated, and he himself took a chair opposite him.

'I return,' Bruhl said 'to our conversation of yesterday.'

'My dear Bruhl, I a.s.sure you that you may expect every a.s.sistance from my court; t.i.tle, wealth, protection, but we must go hand in hand--you understand.'

Bruhl put out his hand immediately.

'Yes,' he said, 'we must go hand in hand. But n.o.body must see our hands--the greatest secrecy must be observed, otherwise everything would come to nought. I should be overthrown and with me the man who serves you faithfully.'

'Do you doubt?' asked the Prince? 'My word is as good as that of the Emperor.'

'I am satisfied with your word,' said Bruhl.

'Is it the case, that Sulkowski has some plans?' the Prince asked.

'There is no doubt about that.'

'But nothing definite.'

'On the contrary, the plan is written.'

'Have you seen it?'

Bruhl smiled and did not answer.

'Could you get it?' asked the Prince.

Bruhl's smile became still more significant. The Prince bent towards him and seized both his hands.

'If you give me that plan in writing--'

He hesitated for a moment.

'It would mean much the same as giving you my head,' said Bruhl.

'But I hope you could trust me with your head,' the Prince rejoined.

'Certainly,' said Bruhl, 'but once the plan is in your hands there could be no further alteration, one of us must fall, and you know how attached the Prince is to him.'

Lichtenstein rose from his seat.

'But we have on our side the Princess, Father Guarini, you, Father Volger and Faustina,' he said eagerly.

Bruhl smiled. 'Sulkowski has on his side the Prince's favour and heart.'

'Yes, it is true, that weak people are stubborn, said the Prince, 'but acting on them slowly and intelligently one can always influence them.

Never too suddenly, for their feebleness, which they feel, makes them stubborn; one must act on them in such a way as to make them believe that they act by themselves.'

'Sulkowski was the Prince's playmate in boyhood, he trusts him in matters in which he would trust n.o.body else.'

'I do not deny that the work is difficult, but I do not think it impossible,' answered Lichtenstein. 'But that plan? Have you seen it?

Have you read it?'

Bruhl checked the Prince's impatience by a cool business question.

'Prince, permit me to speak first about the conditions.'