andreas hofer-第10节

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so　doing；　for　I　shall　not　stop；　but　continue　my　preparations。　I
called　out　the　militia；　just　as　the　Emperor　of　the　French　constantly
calls　new　levies　of　conscripts　into　immediate　activity；　and　if　war
should　be　inevitable　in　consequence　thereof；　I　shall　bear　what　is
inevitable　with　firmness　and　composure。〃

〃Your　majesty；　is　this　your　irrevocable　resolution？〃　asked
Andreossi。　〃Is　this　the　answer　that　I　am　to　send　to　my　master；　the
Emperor　Napoleon？〃

〃I　think　it　will　be　better　for　you　to　convey　this　answer　in　person
to　your　emperor；〃　said　Francis；　calmly。　〃As　no　one　has　witnessed　our
interview；　only　you　yourself　can　repeat　my　words　with　perfect
accuracy；　and　it　is　therefore　best　for　you　to　set　out　this　very　day
for　Paris。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　your　majesty　gives　me　my　passports；　and　war　will
immediately　break　out　between　France　and　Austria！〃　sighed　Andreossi。
〃Your　majesty　should　graciously　consider〃

〃I　have　considered　every　thing；〃　interrupted　Francis；　vehemently；
〃and　I　request　you　not　to　speak　to　me　again　in　the　style　of　your
French　bulletins。　I　will　hear　the　bulletins　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon
on　the　field　of　battle　rather　than　in　my　cabinet。　Set　out；
therefore；　for　Paris；　Mr。　Ambassador；　and　repeat　to　the　emperor　what
I　have　said　to　you。〃

〃I　will　comply　with　your　majesty's　orders；〃　said　Andreossi；　with　a
sigh；　〃I　will　set　out；　but　I　shall　leave　the　members　of　my　legation
here　as　yet；　for　I　do　not　yet　give　up　the　hope　that　it　may　be
possible　for　the　two　courts　to　avoid　a　declaration　of　war；　and　to
spare　such　a　calamity　to　two　countries　that　have　such　good　reasons
to　love　each　other。〃

〃Let　us　quietly　await　the　course　of　events；〃　replied　the　emperor。
〃Farewell；　Count　Andreossi。　If　you　will　accept　my　advice；　you　will
set　out　this　very　day；　for　so　soon　as　my　dear　Viennese　learn　that
war　is　to　break　out　in　earnest；　they　will　probably　give　vent　to
their　enthusiasm　in　the　most　tumultuous　and　rapturous
demonstrations；　and　I　suppose　it　would　be　disagreeable　to　you　to
witness　them。　Farewell；　sir！〃

He　waved　his　hand　toward　tile　ambassador；　bent　his　head　slowly　and
haughtily；　and　left　the　reception…room　without　vouchsafing　another
glance　to　Count　Andreossi。

〃Now　my　brothers　will　be　in　ecstasies；〃　said　the　emperor　to　himself；
slowly　walking　up　and　down；　his　hands　folded　on　his　back；　in　the
sitting…room　adjoining　the　reception…room。　〃They　will　be　angry；
though；　because　I　did　not　consult　them；　and　decided　the　whole　affair
without　listening　to　their　wisdom。〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　a　footman；　who　entered　the　room　at　this　moment；
〃their　imperial　highnesses；　the　Archdukes　Charles　and　John；　request
an　audience　of　your　majesty。〃

〃They　are　welcome；〃　said　the　emperor；　whose　features　were　lit　up　by
a　faint　smile。　〃Show　my　brothers　in。〃




CHAPTER　IV。

THE　EMPEROR　AND　HIS　BROTHERS。


A　few　minutes　afterward　the　two　archdukes　entered　the　room　of　the
emperor；　who　slowly　went　some　steps　to　meet　them；　and　greeted　them
with　a　grave；　cold　glance。

〃Why；　this　is　a　rare　spectacle；〃　said　Francis；　sneeringly；　〃to　see
my　brothers　side　by　side　in　such　beautiful　harmony。　In　truth；　it　was
only　wanting　to　me　that　even　you　two　should　be　of　the　same　opinion；
and　come　to　me　for　the　purpose　of　inviting　me；　as　Schiller　says；　to
be　the　third　in　your　league。〃

〃Your　majesty　would　always　be　the　first　in　this　league；〃　said　the
Archduke　John；　in　his　clear；　ringing　voice；　〃my　brother　would　be　the
second；　and　I　only　the　third。〃

〃See；　see；　my　brother　is　very　modest　and　humble　to…day；〃　said
Francis；　smiling。　〃This　means　doubtless　that　you　have　come　to　ask　a
favor　of　me；　and　that；　by　your　kindness　and　devotedness；　you　wish　to
induce　me　to　comply　with　your　request；　as　a　dog　is　decoyed　with
cakes　and　sweets　by　the　thief　who　intends　to　steal　something　from
the　dog's　master。〃

〃Oh；　your　majesty；　we　do　not　intend　to　steal　any　thing　from　our
master！〃　exclaimed　John；　laughing。　〃But　there　is　really　an　attack　to
be　made　on　our　master's　property；　only　he　who　intends　to　make　it
does　not　decoy　us　with　cakes　and　sweets；　but　assails　us　with　the
sword　and　coarse　invectives。〃

〃It　was　very　shrewd　in　you　to　mention　at　once　the　subject　on　which
you　wished　to　speak　with　me；〃　said　the　emperor；　with　a　slight　sneer。
〃But　permit　me　first　to　say　a　word　to　my　brother　Charles　there；　and
bid　welcome　to　his　imperial　highness；　the　illustrious　captain；　the
generalissimo　of　our　army；　the　hope　and　consolation　of　Austria。〃

〃Your　majesty　wishes　to　mock　me；〃　said　the　Archduke　Charles；　in　a
mournful　voice。

〃I　repeat　only　what　I　read　every　day　in　the　newspapers；；　and　what
the　dear　Viennese　are　singing　and　shouting　in　every　street！〃
exclaimed　the　emperor。　〃Yes；　yes；　my　dear　brother；　you　must　consent
to　be　the　hope　and　consolation　of　Austria；　and　to　be　praised　as　the
august　and　invincible　hero　of　our　immediate　future。〃

So　saying；　the　emperor　gazed　with　a　long　and　searching　look　at　his
brother's　form；　and　a　scornful　expression　overspread　his　features。

Indeed；　the　epithets　which　the　emperor　had　applied　to　his　brother
corresponded　but　little　to　the　appearance　of　the　Archduke　Charles。
His　small；　bent　form；　with　its　weak；　shrivelled　limbs；　was　not　the
form　of　a　hero；　his　pale；　wan　face；　with　the　hollow　cheeks；　the　dim
eyes　deeply　imbedded　in　their　sockets；　and　the　clouded　brow；　on
which　thin　tufts　of　hair　hung　down；　was　not　the　face　of　a　bold
captain；　confident　of　achieving　brilliant　triumphs　by　his　heroic
deeds；　and　deserving　of　the　name　of　the　hope　and　consolation　of
Austria。　But　the　Austrians　did　call　him　by　that　name；　and　the　glory
of　his　military　achievements；　which　filled　not　only　Austria　but　the
whole　of　Germany；　caused　them　really　to　build　their　hopes　on　the
Archduke　Charles；　despite　his　very　feeble　health。　The　Emperor
Francis　was　aware　of　this；　he　knew　that　the　Archdukes　Charles　and
John　were　by　far　more　popular　than　he　was；　hence　he　was　jealous　of
and　angry　with　themnay；　he　almost　hated　them。

〃You　look　very　pale　and　sick　to…day；　my　dear　Archduke　Charles；〃　said
the　emperor；　after　a　pause；　during　which　he　had　contemplated　the
archduke　with　a　searching　expression。

〃I　am　very　feeble　and　unwell；　your　majesty；〃　sighed　Charles；　〃and
but　for　the　special　request　of　my　brother；　the　Archduke　John；　I
should　not　have　dared　to　come　here　this　morning。　However；　I　am
afraid　that　I　can　do　but　little　to　comply　with　his　wishes；　and　that
my　brother　John　will　soon　think　it　would　have　been　better　for　him
not　to　ask　me　to　accompany　him　to　your　majesty。〃

〃Ah；　then；　you　are　after　all　not　so　harmonious　as　I　thought　when　I
saw　you　entering　here　together！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　laughing。
〃There　are　still　differences　of　opinion；　then；　between　the　two
pillars　of　my　throne；　and　were　I　to　lean　on　one；　the　other　would
totter　and　give　way。　Well；　what　do　you　want？　What　brought　you　here？〃

〃Your　majesty；　only　the　intense　desire　to　dedicate　our　services　to
Austria　and　our　emperor！〃　exclaimed　John；　enthusiastically。　〃We
wished　to　implore　your　majesty　to　utter　at　length　the　word　that　will
deliver　Austria　and　all　Germany。　Your　majesty；　this　hesitation　and
silence　rests　like　a　nightmare　on　every　heart　and　every　bosom；　all
eyes　are　fixed　hopefully　on　your　majesty：　Oh；　my　lord　and　emperor；
one　word　from　your　lips；　and　this　nightmare　will　disappear；　all
hearts　will　rejoice　in　blissful　ecstasy；　and　every　bosom　will　expand
and　breathe　more　freely　when　your　majesty　shall　utter　this　word：
'War！　war！'　We　hold　the　sword　in　our　hands；　let　the　will　of　my
august　emperor　give　us　the　right　now　to　draw　the　sword　against　him
who；　for　years　past；　has　swept　like　a　destructive　hurricane　through
all　Germany；　all　Europe；　and　who　tramples　alike　on　princes　and
peoples；　on　liberty　and　law。　Your　majesty；　in　the　name　of　your
people；　in　the　name　of　all　German　patriots；　I　bend　my　knees　here
before　my　lord　and　emperor；　and　thus；　kneeling　and　full　of
reverence。　I　implore　your　majesty　to　let　the　hour　of　deliverance
strike　at　length；　let　us；　with　joyful　courage；　expel　the　enemy　who
has　already　so　long　been　threatening　our　frontiers　with　defiant
arrogance：　let　us　take　the　field　against　the　impudent　usurper；　and
wrest　from　him　the　laurels　which　he　gained　at　Austerlitz；　and　of
which　he　is　so　proud。　Your　majesty；　your　people　are　filled　with
warlike　ardor；　your　faithful　Tyrolese　are　waiting　only　for　a　signal
to　break　their　chains　and　rise　for　their　beloved　emperor。　Your
Italian　provinces　are　longing　for　the　day　when　war　shall　break　out；
in　order　to　avenge　themselves　on　the　tyrant　who　promised　them
liberty　and　brought　them　only　slavery。　The　hour　of　retribution　has
come　for　Napoleon；　may　your　majesty　consult　our　best　interests　by
saying　that　we　are　to　profit　by　this　hour；　and　that　war；　a　mortal
struggle；　is　to　begin　now　against　the　Emperor　of　the　French！〃

And；　still　bending　his　knees　before　the　emperor；　John　looked　up　to
him　with　longing；　beseeching　eyes。

Francis　looked　down　on　him　with　a　gloomy　air；　and　the　noble　and
enthusiastic　face　of　his　brother；　who　was　ten　years　younger；　and
much　stronger　and　better…looking；　made　a　disagreeable　impression　on
him。

〃Rise；　brother；〃　he　said；　coldly；　〃your　knees　must　ache；