andreas hofer-第102节

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〃That　is　right；　I　like　to　hear　that　kind　of　language！〃　exclaimed　the
emperor；　holding　out　his　hand　kindly　to　the　count。　〃You　may　depend
upon　it　now　that　we　two　shall　remain　yet　a　long　while　together；　and
that；　since　we　are　going　to　have　peace　in　the　country；　we　shall　rule
together　in　tranquillity　and　harmony。　There；　take　the　paper　now　to
your　room；　and　read　it　attentively；　that　you　may　become　thoroughly
familiar　with　it；　above　all　things；　do　not　forget　the　secret
articles；　for　you　know　they　are　always　the　most　important　of　all。
Pray　return　to　me　in　an　hour　from　now；　we　will　then　work　together。〃

〃Sire；　I　shall　be　here　punctually；〃　said　Count　Metternich；　bowing
deeply；　and　walking　backward　to　the　door。

〃I　believe　he　WILL　be　here　punctually；〃　said　the　emperor；　smiling；
after　Metternich　had　left　the　room。　〃He　is　afraid；　if　he　should　not
be　promptly　at　my　door；　it　might　never　open　to　him　again。　I　want
them　all　to　feel　that　I　am　their　master　and　emperorI　alone！　Now　I
am　through　with　Metternich；　and　it　is　my　brother's　turn。　I　will　give
him　to…day　a　lesson　which　he　will　not　forget　all　his　life　long。〃

The　emperor　rang　the　bell。　〃Has　my　brother；　the　Archduke　John；　not
yet　arrived？〃　he　asked　the　footman　who　entered　the　room。

〃Your　majesty；　the　archduke　has　just　arrived；　and　is　waiting　for
your　orders。〃

〃I　request　my　brother　to　come　to　me　immediately；〃　said　the　emperor。
After　the　footman　had　glided　noiselessly　out　of　the　room；　Francis
walked　repeatedly　up　and　down；　and　his　face　assumed　a　gloomy
expression。　〃He　shall　learn　now　that　I　am　his　master；〃　he　murmured；
〃I　will　break　his　haughty　spirit；　and　humiliate　him　so　deeply　that
he　will　never　think　any　more　of　plotting　against　me。〃

At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　the　Archduke　John；　whom　the
footman　announced；　entered　the　room。　He　looked　pale　and　sad；　the
last　months；　full　of　care　and　grief；　had　gnawed　deeply　into　his
soul；　and　deprived　his　eyes　of　their　fire；　and　his　form　of　its
youthful　fulness。

The　emperor　saw　it；　and　a　sardonic　smile　illuminated　for　a　moment
his　features；　which；　however；　quickly　resumed　their　gloomy
expression。　〃Ah；　brother；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　greeting　the
archduke　with　a　slight　nod　of　his　head；　〃we　have　not　seen　each　other
for　a　long　time；　hence；　I　sent　for　you。　I　wish　to　communicate
important　news　to　you。　The　war　is　at　an　end。　I　have　concluded　peace
with　the　Emperor　of　the　French。〃

〃Peace？〃　asked　John；　incredulously。　〃Your　majesty　condescends　to
jest；　and　that　is　a　good　symptom　of　your　majesty's　excellent
health。〃

〃I　never　jest　with　you；〃　said　the　emperor；　dryly。　〃I　tell　you　in
dead　earnest；　I　have　concluded　peace　with　Napoleon。　Austria　loses　a
great　deal　by　this　peace；　she　cedes　one…third　of　her　territory；　and
pays；　moreover；　besides　the　contributions　imposed　heretofore；　the
sum　of　eighty…six　millions　of　franc。〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon　signed　the
treaty　of　Schoenbrunn　on　the　14th　of　October　1809。＇

〃But　what　of　the　Tyrol？〃　asked　John。　〃I　am　sure　your　majesty　will
keep　the　faithful　Tyrol？〃

〃No；〃　said　Francis；　looking　his　brother　full　in　the　face；　〃the　Tyrol
will　be　divided；　one　part　of　it　will　be　restored　to　Bavaria；　the
other　part　will　be　given　to　the　Viceroy　of　Italy；　and　become　a
province　of　French　Italy。〃

〃That　is　impossible！〃　cried　John；　in　dismay；　〃that　cannot　be　your
will〃

〃And　why　not？　Why　is　it　impossible？〃　asked　the　emperor；　sternly。

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　John；　facing　his　brother　boldly；　〃you　pledged
your　word　to　the　Tyrolese　solemnly；　in　the　face　of　God　and　the　whole
world；　that　you　would　not　conclude　a　peace　which　would　separate　the
Tyrol　from　your　monarchy。〃

〃Ah；　you　dare　to　remind　me　of　it？〃　cried　Francis；　in　a　threatening
tone。

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　said　John；　vehemently；　〃and　I　have　a　right　to　do　so；
for　it　is　I　who　pledged　my　honor　that　the　imperial　promise　would　be
redeemed。　It　was　I　who　stirred　up　the　insurrection　of　the　Tyrolese；
who　repeated　the　promises　of　their　beloved　emperor　to　them；　it　was　I
who　called　upon　them　in　the　emperor's　name　to　organize　a　conspiracy
and　rebellion；　and　who　induced　them　to　draw　the　sword　and　fight　for
their　liberty。　Your　majesty；　thousands　of　the　noblest　Tyrolese　have
lost　their　lives　in　this　contest；　thousands　lie　wounded　and　in　great
pain；　the　soil　of　the　Tyrol；　formerly　so　tranquil　and　peaceful；　is
reeking　yet　with　gore；　the　fields　are　not　cultivated；　where
prosperity　formerly　reigned；　there　is　now　distress　and　starvation；
where　peace　and　tranquillity　prevailed；　there　rages　an　insurrection；
where　merry　and　happy　people　used　to　live；　and　where　nothing　was
heard　formerly　but　the　ringing　notes　of　the　Ranz　des　Vaches　and　the
merry　Jodlers　of　the　herdsmen；　there　are　to　be　seen　now　only　pale；
mournful　invalids；　tottering　along　painfully；　and　nothing　is　heard
but　the　booming　of　artillery　and　the　lamentations　of　the
impoverished　and　starving　mountaineers。　And　yet；　despite　all　their
disasters　and　privations；　the　faithful　Tyrolese　stand　firm；　for
their　hearts　are　full　of　hope　and　love　for　their　emperor。　They
risked　all　in　order　to　become　Austrians　again；　and　even　now；　when
the　deplorable　armistice　has　compelled　your　troops　to　sheathe　their
swords；　the　faithful　and　confiding　Tyrolese　continue　their　struggle
for　their　emperor　and　the　liberty　of　their　beloved　country。　All
Europe　gazes　with　astonishment　and　admiration　upon　this　heroic
people；　which　alone　is　yet　courageous　enough　to　resist　the　French
despot；　which　alone　does　not　yet　bow　to　his　decrees；　and　still　draws
its　sword　against　him；　while　all　Europe　is　crouching　before　him　in
the　dust。　Oh；　your　majesty　cannot　and　will　not　abandon　this　faithful
people；　which　loves　you　and　believes　in　you。　It　would　be　high
treason　to　think　your　majesty　capable　of　such　a　step；　for　you
pledged　your　word　to　the　Tyrolese；　and　never　will　an　Emperor　of
Austria　break　his　word　and　incur　the　disgrace　of　perjuring　himself。〃

The　emperor　uttered　a　cry　of　rage；　and；　entirely　forgetful　of　his
assumed　calmness；　rushed　upon　the　archduke　with　flashing　eyes　and
uplifted　arm。

〃You　dare　to　insult　me！〃　he　cried。　〃You　are　impudent　enough　to
charge　me　with　perjury！　You〃

The　archduke　on　seeing　his　brother　so　close　before　him；　furious　and
with　clinched　fist；　started　back　a　few　steps。　〃Your　majesty；〃　he
said；　〃I　am　sure　you　do　not　intend　to　insult　your　brother。　Pray　take
your　hand　away；　for　if　it　should　touch　my　face；　my　forehead；　I
should　be　obliged　to　forget　that　you　are　the　emperor；　that　you　are
my　brother；　and　should　demand　satisfaction　of　you。〃

〃The　emperor　would　not　give　satisfaction　to　a　rebel；〃　said　Francis；
dropping　his　arm　slowly；　〃he　would　crush　the　rebel　by　a　word；　and
deliver　the　traitor　into　the　hands　of　his　judges。〃

〃Well；　then；　do　so；〃　exclaimed　John；　〃punish　me；　let　me　expiate　with
my　blood　the　boldness　with　which　I　reminded　you　of　the　sacred
promise　which　you　gave　to　the　Tyrolese。　But　do　not　forget　your　word；
do　not　abandon　the　faithful　Tyrol；　do　not　destroy　the　only　hope　of
these　honest；　innocent　children　of　nature；　who　confide　so　touchingly
in　their　emperor！　Oh；　your　majesty；　let　us　both　forget　the　vehement
words　which　anger　and　grief　caused　us　to　utter　just　now！　I　implore
your　majesty's　forgivenessI　confess　that　I　sinned　grievously
against　my　emperor。　But　now　have　mercy　in　your　turn！　See；　I　bow　to
you；　I　kneel　down　before　you；　and　implore　you；　by　your　imperial
honor　and　in　the　name　of　the　Tyrol；　do　not　abandon　the　Tyrol　and　its
commander…in…chief；　Andreas　Hofer；　and　do　not　forget　your　solemn
promise　that　you　would　never　consent　to　a　treaty　of　peace　that　would
not　forever　incorporate　the　Tyrol　with　your　states。　You　want　to　make
peace　with　Napoleon；　but　the　treaty　has　not　been　proclaimed　yet；　the
world　does　not　know　of　it　yet；　and　it　is　still　possible　for　your
majesty　to　break　off　the　negotiations。　Oh；　do　so；　your　majesty；
redeem　the　word　you　pledged　to　the　Tyrol；　and　do　not　conclude　a
peace　which　will　not　indissolubly　unite　the　Tyrol　with　your
monarchy。　Permit　the　Tyrolese　at　least　to　conquer　their　liberty　once
more；　and；　after　they　have　done　so；　protect　it。　Send　me　to　the
Tyrol；　permit　me　to　place　myself　at　the　head　of　the　brave
mountaineers；　and　you　shall　see　that　the　Tyrolese　will　rise　as　one
man　and　fight　with　the　courage　of　lions。　Oh；　your　majesty；　send　me
to　the　Tyrol；　that　the　Tyrolese　and　the　whole　world　may　learn　that
the　emperor　of　Austria　keeps　his　word　and　does　not　abandon　them；　and
that　he　sends　his　own　brother　to　them　in　order　to　tell　them　that　he
will　not　consent　to　any　peace　which　will　not　incorporate　their
country　with　Austria！〃

The　emperor　burst　into　loud　and　scornful　laughter。　〃Ah；　you　are　very
shrewd；　brother；〃　he　said；　〃you　think　I　myself　should　give　you
permission　to　go　to　the　Tyrol　and　play　there；　with　redoubled
splendor；　your　part　as　savior　and　liberator　of　the　province。　You
think　I　am　ignorant　of　your　nice　little　plan；　and　do　not　know　why
you　wish　to　go　to　the　Tyrol；　and　what　intentions　you　entertain　in
regard　to　it。　Yes；　sir；　I　know　all！　I　am　aware　of　your　plans。　I　know
that　you　are　a　revolutionist　and　rebel。　You　wanted　to　make　yourself
sovereign　of　the　Tyrol。　That　is　the　reason　why　you　incited　the
peo