"Yes, I knew," continued Thugut, sternly, "that men who have no regard for the honor and dignity of their country--men who are stupid enough to believe that it would be better to submit voluntarily to the dominion of the French Republic, instead of resisting the demands of the regicides manfully and unyieldingly-- that these men have hired you to open your big mouth, and howl about things which you do not understand, and which do not concern you at all."
At this moment, shrieks of terror and loud supplications, mingled with violent and threatening voices, and words of military command were heard outside.
The men turned anxiously around, and beheld with dismay that the staircase, which only a few minutes ago was crowded with people, was now entirely deserted.
Suddenly, however, two men appeared on the landing, who were little calculated to allay the apprehensions of the rioters, for they wore the uniform of that dreaded and inexorable police who, under Thugut's administration, had inaugurated a perfect reign of terror in Vienna.
The two officers approached the door of the anteroom, where they were met by Germain, the footman, who conversed with them in a whisper. Germain then hastened back to the door of the dining-room and walked in, scarcely deigning to cast a contemptuous glance on the dismayed rioters.
"Well, what is it?" asked Thugut.
"Your excellency, the chief of police sends word that his men are posted at all the doors of the palace, and will prevent anybody from getting out. He has cleared the streets, besides, and dispersed the rioters. The chief of police, who is in the hall below, where he is engaged in taking down the names of the criminals who are yet in the house, asks for your excellency's further orders."
"Ah, he does not suspect that his own chief, the minister of police is present," said Thugut, turning with a smile to Count Saurau, who, being condemned to witness this scene in the capacity of an idle and passive spectator, had withdrawn into a bay-window, where he had quietly listened to the whole proceedings.
"My dear count, will you permit the chief of police to come here and report to yourself?" asked Thugut.
"I pray you to give him this permission," replied the count, approaching his colleague.
Germain hastened back to the policemen in the anteroom.
"And what are we--?" asked Mr. Wenzel, timidly.
"You will wait!" thundered the minister. "Withdraw into yonder corner! may be the chief of police will not see you there."
They withdrew tremblingly into one of the corners of the ante-room, and did not even dare to whisper to each other, but the glances they exchanged betrayed the anguish of their hearts.
The two ministers, meanwhile, had likewise gone into the ante-room, and, while waiting for the arrival of the chief of police, conversed in a whisper.
In the course of a few minutes, the broad-shouldered and erect figure of the chief of the Viennese police appeared in the official uniform so well known to the people of the capital, who, for good reasons, were in the utmost dread of the terrible functionary. When the rioters beheld him, they turned even paler than before; now they thought that every thing was lost, and gave way to the most gloomy forebodings.
Count Saurau beckoned the chief to enter; the latter had a paper in his right hand.
"Your report," said the count, rather harshly. "How was it possible that this riot could occur? Was nobody there to disperse the seditious scoundrels before they made the attack on his excellency's palace?"
The chief of police was silent, and only glanced anxiously at Baron Thugut. The latter smiled, and turned to the count:
"I beg you, my dear count, don't be angry with our worthy chief of police. I am satisfied he has done his whole duty."
"The whole house is surrounded," hastily added the chief. "Nobody can get out, and I have taken down the names of all the criminals."