ed Lombardy were marching
northward on Prague, or turning eastward towards Hungary. It then became
a grave question whether, even at the cost of the whole Milanais, a
peace should not be at once concluded, and Austria merely stipulate for
certain commercial advantages, and the undisturbed possession of the
Venetian States. If the more dispassionate heads that rule cabinets saw
wisdom in this plan, the warmer and less calculating hearts of soldiers
deemed it a base humiliation. Long accustomed to treat the Italians with
a haughty contempt, they could not endure the thought of recognizing
them as equals, not to say superiors. There were thus two parties in the
Council,----the one eager for a speedy termination of the war, and the
other burning to erase the memory of late defeats, and win back the
fair provinces of their Emperor. To such an extent had this spirit of
discordance at last gone, that the cabinet orders of Vienna were
more than once overruled at headquarters, and the very decrees of
the Government slighted by the commander-in-chief. It was a time of
independent will and personal responsibility; and probably to this
accident is owing the salvation of the Imperial House.

At last, when the sympathies of France and England with the cause of
Italy became more than a mere suspicion, when troops marched southward
towards the Alps, and diplomatic messages traversed Europe, counselling,
in all the ambiguous courtesy of red tape, "wise and reasonable
concessions to the fair demands of a people," the cabinet of Vienna
hastily despatched an envoy to Lombardy, with orders to concert with the
generals, and treat for a peace.

Had a squadron of the enemy dashed through the streets of Verona, they
could not have created one half the dismay that did the arrival of the
caleche which conveyed the Imperial Commissioner. The old Field-Marshal
had just returned from a review of the troops, who, as usual when
he appeared, were wild with enthusiasm, when an officer of his staff
announced the presence of the envoy, and in a low whisper added the
object of his mission. A council was speedily called, and Von Auersberg
specially invited to be present and assist in its deliberations.

The discussion lasted several hours; and, however unshaken in hope and
resolute in will the old Marshals of the Empire, they found themselves
no match in argument for the wily civilian, who, displaying before
them the financial embarrassments of the State,