the extreme parties, and establishing her
ideal government--a liberal aristocracy. A woman of genius, her genius
had the prejudices of her birth; a plebeian, who had found her way to
court, it was necessary for her to have patricians between the throne
and the people. The first blow at M. de Lessart was dealt by a man who
frequented the _salon_ of Madame de Staeel.

III.

But a more terrible and more unexpected blow fell on M. de Lessart: the
very day on which he thus surrendered himself to his enemies, the
unexpected death of the emperor Leopold was known at Paris, and with
this prince expired the last faint hope of peace, for his wisdom died
with him; and who could tell what new policy would arise from his tomb?
The agitation that prevailed filled every one with terror, and this was
soon changed into hatred against the unfortunate minister of Louis XVI.
He had neither known, it was said, how to profit by the pacific
disposition of Leopold whilst this prince yet lived, nor to forestall
the hostile designs of those who succeeded him in the dominion of
Germany. Every thing furnished fresh accusation against him, even
fatality and death.

At the moment of his decease all was ready for hostility. Two hundred
thousand men formed a line from Bale to the Scheldt. The duke of
Brunswick, on whom rested every hope of the coalition, was at Berlin,
giving his last advice to the king of Prussia, and receiving his final
orders. Beschoffwerder, the general and confidant of the king of
Prussia, arrived at Vienna to concert with the emperor the point and
time of attack. On his arrival the prince de Kaunitz hastily informed
him of the sudden illness of the emperor. The 27th Leopold was in
perfect health, and received the Turkish envoy; on the 28th he was in
the agonies of death. His stomach swelled, and convulsive vomitings put
him to intense torture. The doctors, alarmed at these symptoms, ordered
copious bleeding, which appeared to allay his sufferings; but they
enervated the vital force of the prince, who had weakened himself by
debauchery. He fell asleep for a short time, and the doctors and
ministers withdrew; but he soon awoke in fresh convulsions, and died in
the presence of a valet de chambre, named Brunetti, in the arms of the
empress, who had just arrived.

The intelligence of the death of the emperor, the more terrible as it
was so unexpected, spread abroad instantly, and surprised Germany at
the very moment of a cris