"Count Rivero," he said, "begs for an audience, and as your majesty commanded me to announce him at once, I----" "Is this a warning?" said the emperor, in a low tone; and he made a movement as if to decline the interview. He then stepped back from the window, and said,-- "Let him come." The groom of the chambers withdrew. "I will hear him," said the emperor; "he has at least the right to candour and truth." The door of the inner apartment was again opened, and Count Rivero entered the cabinet, looking grave and melancholy. "You come in a heavy hour, count," said the emperor, addressing him; "the events of this day have buried many hopes." "Just and holy hopes should never be buried, your majesty," replied the count; "yes, even if we go down to the grave, we must look with trust to the future." The emperor gave him a scrutinizing look. "I will not quite give up hope," he said, with a certain amount of embarrassment. "Your majesty," said the count, after a short pause, during which the emperor expressed nothing more, "I have only heard the outlines of the great disaster; I do not yet know what its results will be, or what your majesty has determined to do. But I do know well that all is prepared in Italy for an insurrection in favour of our Holy Faith, and for the right. The Austrian victories have deeply shaken both the military and moral power of the King of Sardinia, and the moment has come to pronounce the decisive word which will set the country in flames. I beg your majesty's commands to do this, and above all I ask whether the rising in Italy will have the full and powerful support of the Austrian army. Without this, the sacrifice of many lives would be useless, and we should but injure our holy cause." The count spoke in a calm, low voice, and in the respectful tone of a courtier, but at the same time with grave firmness, and a certain proud conviction. The emperor cast down his eyes for a moment, then he came a step nearer to the count, and said,-- "My dear count, the enemy in Bohemia threatens the capital; the defeated army cannot operate without rest and reorganization. I need the whole strength of Austria to counteract the consequences of this defeat, to parry this threatened blow; the army of the south must cover Vienna, and give the Bohemian army time to reassemble, and strength to reassume offensive measures." "Then your majesty will give up Italy?" said the count, with a deep sigh, but without a sign of excitement, as he fixed his dark eyes full on the emperor. "I must," said the emperor,--"I must, unless I yield Germany, and annihilate the position of Austria; there is no escape." "Your majesty will thus," continued the count, calmly, in his deep metallic voice, "your majesty will thus yield the iron crown of the House of Hapsburg, for ever, to the House of Savoy, yield Venice, the proud Queen of the Adriatic, to Victor Emanuel, whose army has been smitten down by the sword of Austria?"