Lucas waved his hand forcefully, his tone grave. "So, reinforcing Buda means saving ourselves!"
The legislators in the Cafe all looked at him solemnly. "What do you think we should do?"
"Do you have a way to persuade the moderates?"
"We should first explain the danger of the current situation to the people..."
Lucas's gaze swept over every face as he said in a low voice, "Clearly, all conventional measures are already too late.
"To save the revolution, we must seize control of Parliament in the shortest possible time!"
Gagern blurted out instinctively, "Hirt and the others will definitely oppose it."
Lucas drew a deep breath. "Then arrest them! Let true revolutionaries serve as legislators!"
Gagern sprang up from his chair. "You mean..."
"Yes, we will revolutionize once again!" Lucas's eyes burned with fervor. "We will lead the citizens of Vienna and the soldiers who support the revolution to purge the weaklings, the capitulationists, the remnants of the nobility, and every other enemy from Parliament!
"Let true representatives of the citizens control Parliament, enact the most correct laws, and guide the Republic toward final victory!"
The Cafe fell silent for several seconds. Every legislator seemed able to hear everyone else's pounding heartbeat.
Then excited shouts erupted. "Revolution! Revolution once more!"
"Drive out every enemy!"
"Long live the Republic! Long live Austria!"
"Victory! We will ultimately achieve victory!"
The next day, Lucas personally went to the National Guard camp on the outskirts of Vienna.
During the Vienna Revolution, he had once single-handedly persuaded the Emperor's officers to switch sides. He enjoyed considerable prestige within the army, especially among the First and Third Infantry Regiments, which had been reorganized from the former Student Army.
At the same time, lawyer Bergman knocked on the door of a dilapidated building in the slums.
January