"You have during your political life thought out so much, and with such great success," said the emperor kindly, with a slight inclination of the head, "that you must have considered how best this slumbering power might be aroused--inspired with life?" A sudden brilliancy shone in the eyes of Herr von Beust. "Sire," he said with animation, "the first and deepest cause of Austria's weakness lies in this--her own strength binds her, one half of the monarchy watches the other half, and holds it in check. Hungary, with her great military power, with her rich, inexhaustible productiveness, lies dead; and instead of inspiring her with life, Vienna carefully excludes all political life from that country. In this crisis, for example, Hungary alone could save all that is lost; but they will not speak the inspiring word, for this word is, 'Freedom and National Independence;' and at this word all the dusty old acts in the state repositories tremble, and the dusty men tremble still more! And in the interior of the monarchy, in Austria itself, a stiff bureaucracy represses every sign of life amongst the people; and where the people do not feel, do not think, do not co-operate in public life, they are incapable of making great sacrifices and heroic efforts to uphold and to save the state. Oh!" he went on, with still greater animation, "if Austria could arise in renewed life, if her rich powers could be developed and strengthened by natural movement, then all would be won back for Austria and for Germany. If Austria would maintain her moral place in Germany, if she would undertake the sphere of intellectual progress, and through this progress allow her material power to arise afresh, then--and not too late--the day would come when this defeat would be brilliantly avenged. The formulary to obtain this is simple, it is this: freedom and independence for Hungary; freedom and public life for the whole monarchy, the reform of the government, and the reform of the army! But to adopt and carry out this formulary," he added, with a melancholy smile, and a slight bend of the head, "a genius and a will is needed, such as your majesty possesses." "You flatter," said the emperor, smiling, and slightly raising his finger. "At this moment I learn----After the completion of these events, you will perhaps not continue minister of Saxony?" he then said. "I shall remain at my king's side during the present crisis," said Herr von Beust. "But then, I think an unsuccessful statesman had better vanish from the stage." "Or," said the emperor, "try his powers in a wider sphere than that whose narrow boundaries have denied him success." He rose. Beust stood up, and seized his hat.