like a lion； horns rather short and somewhat curved； and enormously large
at the base。
Every morning； at six o'clock； the drums beat； and two or three hours
after the troops were ordered to parade in the court of honor； and at
precisely ten o'clock his Majesty descended； and put himself at the head
of his generals。
It is impossible to give an idea of these parades； which in no particular
resembled reviews in Paris。 The Emperor； during these reviews；
investigated the smallest details； and examined the soldiers one by one；
so to speak； looked into the eyes of each to see whether there was
pleasure or work in his head； questioned the officers； sometimes also the
soldiers themselves； and it was usually on these occasions that the
Emperor made his promotions。 During one of these reviews； if he asked a
colonel who was the bravest officer in his regiment； there was no
hesitation in his answer； and it was always prompt； for he knew that the
Emperor was already well informed on this point。 After the colonel had
replied； he addressed himself to all the other officers； saying； 〃Who is
the bravest among you？〃〃Sire； it is such an one； 〃and the two answers
were almost always the same。 〃Then；〃 said the Emperor； 〃I make him a
baron； and I reward in him； not only his own personal bravery； but that
of the corps of which he forms a part。 He does not owe this favor to me
alone； but also to the esteem of his comrades。〃 It was the same case
with the soldiers； and those most distinguished for courage or good
conduct were promoted or received rewards； and sometimes pensions； the
Emperor giving one of twelve hundred francs to a soldier； who； on his
first campaign； had passed through the enemy's squadron； bearing on his
shoulders his wounded general； protecting him as he would his own father。
On these reviews the Emperor could be seen personally inspecting the
haversacks of the soldiers； examining their certificates； or taking a gun
from the shoulders of a young man who was weak； pale； and suffering； and
saying to him； in a sympathetic tone； 〃That is too heavy for you。〃 He
often drilled them himself； and when he did not； the drilling was
directed by Generals Dorsenne； Curial； or Mouton。 Sometimes he was
seized with a sudden whim； for example； one morning； after reviewing a
regiment of the Confederation； he turned to the ordnance officers； and
addressing Prince Salm； who was among them； remarked 〃M。 de Salm； the
soldiers ought to get acquainted with you； approach； and order them to
make a charge in twelve movements。〃 The young prince turned crimson；
without being disconcerted； however； bowed； and drawing his sword most
gracefully； executed the orders of the Emperor with an ease and precision
which charmed him。
Another day； as the engineer corps passed with about forty wagons； the
Emperor cried； 〃Halt！〃 and pointing out a wagon to General Bertrand；
ordered him to summon one of the officers。 〃What does that wagon
contain？〃〃Sire； bolts； bags of nails； ropes； hatchets； and saws。〃
〃How much of each？〃 The officer gave the exact account。 His Majesty； to
verify this report； had the wagon emptied； counted the pieces； and found
the number correct； and in order to assure himself that nothing was left
in the wagon； climbed up into it by means of the wheel； holding on to the
spokes。 There was a murmur of approbation and cries of joy all along the
line。 〃Bravo！〃 they said； 〃well and good！ that is the way to make sure
of not being deceived。〃 All these things conspired to make the soldiers
adore the Emperor。
CHAPTER XVI。
At one of the reviews which I have just described； and which usually
attracted a crowd of curious people from Vienna and its suburbs； the
Emperor came near being assassinated。 It was on the 13th of October；
his Majesty had just alighted from his horse； and was crossing the court
on foot with the Prince de Neuchatel and General Rapp beside him； when a
young man with a passably good countenance pushed his way rudely through
the crowd； and asked in bad French if he could speak to the Emperor。 His
Majesty received him kindly； but not understanding his language； asked
General Rapp to see what the young man wanted； and the general asked him
a few questions； and not satisfied apparently with his answers； ordered
the police…officer on duty to remove him。 A sub…officer conducted the
young man out of the circle formed by the staff； and drove him back into
the crowd。 This circumstance had been forgotten； when suddenly the
Emperor； on turning； found again near him the pretended suppliant； who
had returned holding his right hand in his breast； as if to draw a
petition from the pocket of his coat。 General Rapp seized the man by the
arm； and said to him； 〃Monsieur； you have already been ordered away； what
do you want？〃 As he was about to retire a second time the general；
thinking his appearance suspicious； gave orders to the police…officer to
arrest him； and he accordingly made a sign to his subalterns。 One of
them seizing him by the collar shook him slightly； when his coat became
partly unbuttoned； and something fell out resembling a package of papers；
on examination it was found to be a large carving knife； with several
folds of gray paper wrapped around it as a sheath； thereupon he was
conducted to General Savary。
This young man was a student； and the son of a Protestant minister of
Naumbourg； he was called Frederic Stabs； and was about eighteen or
nineteen years old； with a pallid face and effeminate features。 He did
not deny for an instant that it was his intention to kill the Emperor；
but on the contrary boasted of it； and expressed his intense regret that
circumstances had prevented the accomplishment of his design。
He had left his father's house on a horse which the want of money had
compelled him to sell on the way； and none of his relatives or friends
had any knowledge of his plan。 The day after his departure he had
written to his father that he need not be anxious about him nor the
horse； that he had long since promised some one to visit Vienna； and his
family would soon hear of him with pride。 He had arrived at Vienna only
two days before； and had occupied himself first in obtaining information
as to the Emperor's habits； and finding that he held a review every
morning in the court of the chateau； had been there once in order to
acquaint himself with the locality。 The next day he had undertaken to
make the attack； and had been arrested。
The Duke of Rovigo； after questioning Stabs； sought the Emperor； who had
returned to his apartments； and acquainted him with the danger he had
just escaped。 The Emperor at first shrugged his shoulders； but having
been shown the knife which had been taken from Stabs； said； 〃Ah； ha！
send for the young man； I should like very much to talk with him。〃 The
duke went out； and returned in a few moments with Stabs。 When the latter
entered； the Emperor made a gesture of pity； and said to the Prince de
Neuchatel； 〃Why； really； he is nothing more than a child！
〃An interpreter was summoned and the interrogation begun。
His Majesty first asked the assassin if he had seen him； anywhere before
this。 〃Yes； I saw you；〃 replied Stabbs； 〃at Erfurt last year。〃〃It
seems that a crime is nothing in your eyes。 Why did you wish to kill
me？〃〃To kill you is not a crime； on the contrary； it is the duty of
every good German。 I wished to kill you because you are the oppressor of
Germany。〃〃It is not I who commenced the war； it is your nation。 Whose
picture is this？〃 （the Emperor held in his hands the picture of a woman
that had been found on Stabs）。 〃It is that of my best friend； my
father's adopted daughter。〃〃 What！ and you are an assassin！ and have
no fear of afflicting and destroying beings who are so dear to you？〃〃I
wished to do my duty； and nothing could have deterred me from it。〃〃But
how would you have succeeded in； striking me？ 〃〃I would first have
asked you if we were soon to have peace； and if you had answered no； I
should have stabbed you。〃〃He is mad！〃 said the Emperor； 〃he is
evidently mad！ And how could you have hoped to escape； after you had
struck me thus in the midst of my soldiers？〃〃I knew well to what I was
exposing myself； and am astonished to be still alive。〃 This boldness
made such a deep impression on the Emperor that he remained silent for
several moments； intently regarding Stabs； who remained entirely unmoved
under this scrutiny。 Then the Emperor continued； 〃The one you love will
be much distressed。〃〃Oh； she will no doubt be distressed because I did
not succeed； for she hates you at least as much as I hate you myself。〃
〃Suppose I pardoned you？〃〃You would be wrong； for I would again try to
kill you。〃 The Emperor summoned M。 Corvisart and said to him； 〃This
young man is either sick or insane； it cannot be otherwise。〃〃I am
neither the one nor the other；〃 replied the assassin quickly。
M。 Corvisart felt Stabs's pulse。 〃This gentleman is well；〃 he said。
〃I have already told you so；〃 replied Stabs with a triumphant air。
〃Well； doctor；〃 said his Majesty； 〃this young man who is in such good
health has traveled a hundred miles to assassinate me。〃
Notwithstanding this declaration of the physician and the avowal of
Stabs； the Emperor； touched by the coolness and assurance of the
unfortunate fellow； again offered him his pardon； upon the sole condition
of expressing some repentance for his crime。； but as Stabs again asserted
that his only regret was that he had not succeeded in his undertaking；
the Emperor reluctantly gave him up to punishment。
After he was conducted to prison； as he still persisted in his
assertions； he was immediately brought before a military commission；
which condemned him to death。 He did not undergo his punishment till the
17th； and after the 13th； the day on which he was arrested； took no food；
saying that he would have strength enough to go to his death。 The
Emperor had ordered that the execution should be delayed as long as
possible； in the hope that sooner or later Stabs would repent； but he
remained unshaken。 As he was being conducted to the place where he was
to be shot； some one having told him that peace had