The Assassins by Alan Bardos (read novel full .TXT) 📕

to sit on one of the chintz covered sofas. Along with the bathrooms, the lift was one of the many modern innovations Franz Ferdinand had installed in the castle. He had turned it into a haven from the pressures of his position, filling it with hunting trophies, paintings and the curios he loved to collect. Far from Vienna, it was somewhere the Archduke could relax with his family, without the intrigues or petty rules and slights of court life. He hoped this would make it a conducive environment in which to build on his previous discussions with the Kaiser.

The lift stopped and Franz Ferdinand guided the Kaiser into his library of gold-bound books and offered him a cigar. Although the visit was largely social, they'd allowed an hour to review the alliances their respective empires had entered into with Italy and Romania. The key issue for Franz Ferdinand was Hungarian nationalism and the destabilising effect it was having on the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and on these alliances.

'My main hope is that the Hungarians be made to adopt more lenient policies towards the Romanians living in Transylvania. This would strengthen our position with Romania, keeping them sympathetic to our cause and prevent Russia from luring them into an alliance.'

The Kaiser glanced over a memorandum before answering. He'd scrawled notes inside the margins, in the same way that his hero, Fredrick the Great did. 'I understand that we need allies in the Balkans, to help buttress your position against a Serbian and Russian league, but does this really need to be done at the expense of the Hungarians?'

Franz Ferdinand was aware that Germany was developing a stronger relationship with the Magyars, as a potential ally against the Slavic hordes, but he thought the Kaiser really needed to be dispelled of the opinion that the Hungarians were largely blameless.

'There has been very little political or social advancement for non-Hungarians living in the Hungarian half of the Monarchy. Nearly all the seats in the Hungarian Parliament are held by Magyar aristocrats, even though they are in the minority. This conflicts with the Austrian half of the Monarchy, where we have extended the franchise. This deviation in policy is forcing us apart,' explained Franz Ferdinand.

The Kaiser scowled, and irritated, flicked his cigar into Franz Ferdinand's favourite ashtray - the foot of an elephant he'd bagged on his grand tour. This evidently wasn't what the Kaiser wanted to hear and he attempted to deflect Franz Ferdinand with a joke. ‘I will command my ambassador in Budapest to remind the Hungarian Prime Minister about the Rumanians whenever he sees him!'

Franz Ferdinand was compelled to press the point. 'The really worrying aspect of this business is the idea that Hungarian nationalism can transcend loyalty to the Monarchy and the Emperor.' The Archduke felt his temper rising and glanced at a portrait of Sophie, to calm himself. 'There is a cadre of Magyars that are constantly conspiring against the Monarchy, to gain advantage for their country to the detriment of Austria.'

'I'm sure that isn't the case, Franzi. The Hungarian Prime Minister, Count Tisa, is an excellent fellow. He strikes me as an unusually gifted statesman - you should make more use of him to solve these domestic issues of yours.'

The Archduke would liked to have told the Kaiser exactly what he thought of the treacherous Count Tisa, but his guest stretched his legs out onto a tiger's skin rug, one of Franz Ferdinand's most prized trophies, and abruptly switched topic.

'Now as to your other little difficulty - don't you think it's about time you resolved the situation with Serbia and stabilised the Balkans? I understand there have been calls for a pre-emptive attack to be made before the situation deteriorates any further. I believe it is a strategy you should consider.'

The Archduke was familiar with this view; it was one that Conrad Von Hotzendorf, Chief of the Austrian Staff, regularly pressed, and one that the Archduke was vehemently against.

'Could we count on Germany's support if we were to take such a course of action?' Franz Ferdinand asked. He knew any military intervention against Serbia would provoke the Russians and as such would be disastrous without German backing.

The Kaiser avoided the question with his usual eccentricity. 'The only possible relationship Serbia should have with Austro-Hungary is that of dependency, like a planet to its sun. I believe the best course of action Austro-Hungary could take is to bring Serbia back into the fold, offer them military aid… finance. If she declines, then force should be applied.' Franz Ferdinand fought to remain patient; the Kaiser had a reputation for making varying arguments.

'Once I have established good order in the Monarchy, I will turn my attention to our petulant neighbour, if the need arises,' Franz Ferdinand replied.

He didn't want to tell his ally just how unprepared the Austro-Hungarian Army was for any form of military action, even though it would have furthered his case against the Hungarian Parliament, which had blocked every step to modernise the army, seeing it as an opportunity to wrest more control of their country from Vienna.

'The current political sanctions against Serbia haven't stopped their influence from spreading in the Balkans. If you do not take decisive action your position will only get worse and you will appear weak,' the Kaiser said.

The Archduke clenched his fists and fell back on his usual line of defence against the hawks at court. 'What would we get out of war with Serbia? We'd lose the lives of our young men and we'd spend money better used elsewhere. And what would we gain, for heaven's sake? A few plum trees, some pastures full of goat droppings, and a bunch of rebellious killers.'

Chapter 21

Gavrilo guided Johnny past the shuttered stalls and shops of the old town and onto Appel Quay. Reluctantly, Johnny followed him into the night, unsure why Gavrilo had asked him along.