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sovereign　of　the　Tyrol。　That　is　the　reason　why　you　incited　the
people　to　rebellion；　and　intrigued　and　plotted　until　the　poor
peaceable　peasants　became　insurgents　and　rebels　against　their
Bavarian　king；　and　unfurled　the　banner　of　blood　with　frantic
fanaticism。　You　say　thousands　have　fallen　in　the　Tyrol　in　the
struggle　for　liberty；　you　say　thousands　lie　wounded　on　the　gory　soil
of　their　native　country；　that　prosperity　has　disappeared；　and
poverty　and　starvation　reign　in　the　Tyrol？　Well；　then；　all　this　is
your　work；　it　is　your　fault。　You　stirred　up　the　insurrection；　and
committed　the　heavy　crime　of　inciting　a　people　to　revolution。　The
Tyrol　belonged　to　Bavaria；　the　Tyrolese　were　subjects　of　the　King　of
Bavaria；　nothing　gave　them　the　right　to　shake　off　the　rule　of　their
king　and　choose　another　sovereign。　And　you　think　I　should　be　so　weak
as　to　approve　of　the　bad　example　set　by　the　Tyrolese；　and　encourage
the　crimes　committed　by　the　revolutionists？　You　think　I　should
sanction　your　work　and　consecrate　your　traitorous　schemes　by
permitting　you　to　go　to　the　Tyrol　in　order　to　preach　insurrection
once　more；　make　yourself　sovereign　of　the　Tyrol；　come　to　an
understanding　with　M。　Bonaparte；　and　be　recognized　and　confirmed　by
him　as　Duke　of　Tyrol？〃

〃Brother；〃　cried　John；　in　dismay；　〃I〃

〃Hush；〃　interrupted　the　emperor；　imperiously；　〃no　one　has　a　right　to
say　a　word　when　I　am　speaking。　I　am　not　speaking　to　you　as　your
brother；　but　as　your　emperor。　And　as　your　emperor；　I　tell　you　now；
you　will　not　go　to　the　Tyrol；　you　will　not　dare　to　cross　again　the
frontiers　of　the　Tyrol　without　my　permission；　and　I　promise　you　that
you　will　have　to　wait　a　long　while　for　this　permission。　And　as　your
emperor　I　order　you　further　to　inform　the　Tyrolese　that　I　have
concluded　peace　with　France；　and　to　call　upon　them　to　lay　down　their
arms　and　submit　to　their　fate。〃

〃Your　majesty；　never；　never　will　I　do　that！〃　cried　John。

〃Oh；　you　think　the　good　Tyrolese　would　then　begin　to　doubt　the
honesty　of　their　adored　archduke　and　withdraw　from　him　their　love；
which　was　to　erect　a　throne　for　him？〃

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　said　John；　looking　him　full　in　the　face；　〃I　mean
that　I　have　pledged　my　word　to　protect　the　Tyrolese；　and　help　and
succor　them　in　their　struggle　for　liberty　and　for　their　emperor；　and
that　I　will　not　incur　the　disgrace　of　having　cheated　a　whole　people
and　abused　their　confidence　and　love　in　the　most　revolting　manner。〃

〃Oh；　you　want　to　intimate　to　me　once　more　that　I　have　done　sothat
I　have　abused　the　confidence　and　love　of　the　Tyrolese　in　a　revolting
manner？〃　asked　the　emperor；　with　a　freezing　smile。　〃No　matter；　keep
your　opinion；　but　you　shall　surely　obey　me；　and　do　it　at　once　in　my
presence。　Seat　yourself　at　my　writing…table　yonder。　You　are　a
scholar；　and　know　how　to　wield　the　pen　quickly　and　skilfully。　Write；
therefore。　Inform　the　faithful　Tyrolese　that　peace　has　been
concluded；　order　them　to　lay　down　their　arms　and　submit　obediently
to　their　new　master。〃

〃I　cannot；　brother；〃　cried　John；　mournfully。　〃Have　mercy　upon　me！　I
cannot　deliver　a　whole　people　to　the　executioner's　axe。　For；　if　you
withdraw　your　hand　from　the　Tyrol；　if　you　surrender　it　to　the　tender
mercies　of　the　Bavarians　and　French；　they　will　wreak　a　fearful
revenge　on　the　Tyrolese　for　all　the　defeats　and　humiliations　which
the　heroic　mountaineers　have　made　them　undergo。〃

〃That　will　deter　the　mountaineers　from　entering　into　any　more
conspiracies　and　revolutions；　and　teach　them　to　be　patient　and
submissive；　and　they　will　thereby　become　an　awful　example　to　my　own
subjects。　Do　not　disobey　me　any　longer。　Seat　yourself　and　write；
archduke！〃

〃No；〃　cried　John；　vehemently；　〃your　majesty　may　punish　me　as　a
rebel；　take　my　life；　or　sentence　me　to　everlasting　imprisonment；　but
I　cannot　obey！　I　cannot　write　such　a　proclamation！〃

〃I　shall　not　punish　you　as　a　rebel；〃　said　the　emperor；　shrugging　his
shoulders；　〃I　shall　not　take　your　life；　I　shall　not　sentence　you　to
everlasting　imprisonment；　but　I　will　withdraw　my　hand　entirely　from
the　Tyrol。　I　will　not；　as　I　had　resolved　and　stipulated　expressly；
give　the　fugitive　Tyrolese；　if　they　should　succeed　in　crossing　the
frontier；　an　asylum　here　in　Austria；　and　protect　them　to　the　best　of
my　power；　but　I　will　deliver　them　as　escaped　criminals　to　their
legitimate　sovereigns；　that　they　may　punish　them　according　to　their
deserts。　Nor　shall　I；　as　I　intended　to　do；　stipulate　in　the　treaty
of　peace　that　the　ancient　constitution　shall　be　confirmed　and
guaranteed　to　the　Tyrolese；　nor　shall　I；　finally；　as　I　had　resolved
to　do；　appoint　a　commission　which　will　afford　relief　to　the
fugitives　who　escape　with　their　families　to　Austria。　It　will　be　your
fault　if　the　poor　Tyrolese　are　deprived　of　these　boons；　and　you　will
expose　the　deserted　people　to　the　most　fearful　persecutions。〃

〃No；　your　majesty；　no　one　shall　ever　be　able　to　say　that；〃　cried
John；　profoundly　moved。　〃I　will　obey　your　order　and　draw　up　the
proclamation。〃

He　hastened　to　the　writing…table；　and；　throwing　himself　on　a　chair
in　front　of　it；　uttered　a　deep　groan　and　dropped　his　head　on　his
breast　as　though　he　were　dying。

〃Well；　do　not　reflect　so　long；　brother；〃　said　Francis；　〃but　write！〃

John　took　up　the　pen；　and；　restraining　the　tears　which　filled　his
eyes；　wrote　quickly　a　few　lines。　He　then　rose　as　pale　as　a　corpse；
and；　approaching　the　emperor　slowly；　handed　the　paper　to　him。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　solemnly；　〃I　have　complied　with　your　order。
I　inform　the　Tyrolese　that　peace　has　been　concluded；　and　exhort　them
to　submit。　Will　you　now　fulfil　the　conditions；　on　account　of　which　I
have　written　this　to　the　Tyrolese？　Will　you　grant　an　asylum　here　in
Austria　to　those　who　shall　succeed　in　escaping　their　tormentors　and
executioners？　Will　you　appoint　an　imperial　commission　which　will
afford　relief　to　the　fugitives　and　their　families？；　And　last；　will
you　see　to　it　that　the　ancient　constitution　is　guaranteed　to　the
Tyrolese　in　the　treaty　of　peace　you？〃

〃I　pledged　you　my　word　that　I　would　do　so；　dear　brother〃　said　the
emperor；　smiling；　〃and　you　yourself　said　a　while　ago；　'Never　will　an
Emperor　of　Austria　break　his　word　and　incur　the　disgrace　of
perjuring　himself。'　Well；　read　to　me　now　what　you　have　written。　I
should　like　to　hear　it　from　your　own　lips。〃

The　archduke　bowed　and　read　in　a　tremulous　voice：

〃Dear；　brave　Tyrolese：　The　news　that　peace　has　been　concluded　will
soon　reach　you。　The　emperor　has　ordered　me　to　confirm　this
intelligence　to　you。　The　emperor　would　have　done　every　thing　to
fulfil　the　wishes　of　the　Tyrol；　but；　however　great　an　interest　the
emperor　takes　in　the　fate　of　the　honest　and　excellent　inhabitants　of
that　province；　he　has　had　to　submit　to　the　stern　necessity　of　making
peace。　I　inform　you　of　this　by　order　of　his　majesty；　with　the
addition　that　it　is　his　majesty's　wish　that　the　Tyrolese　should　keep
quiet　and　not　sacrifice　themselves　needlessly。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃The　Archduke　John。〃

〃H'm！〃　said　the　emperor；　taking　the　paper　from　John's　hand　and
contemplating　it　attentively；　〃it　is　written　quite　laconically
indeed。　But；　no　matter；　you　have　complied　with　my　order　and　done
your　duty。〃

〃I　thank　your　majesty　for　this　acknowledgment。　And　now　that　I　have
done　my　duty；　I　request　your　majesty　to　be　so　gracious　as　to　dismiss
me　from　your　service；　and　permit　me　to　retire　from　the　court　into
private　life。　I　feel　weak　and　exhausted；　and　need　repose。　Moreover；
since　we　have　peace　now；　my　services　are　superfluous　and　may　be
easily　dispensed　with。〃

〃And　you　wish　me　to　dismiss　you　very　speedily；　do　you　not？〃　asked
the　emperor；　sarcastically。　〃You　would　like　to　retire　as　quickly　as
possible　into　private　life；　that　the　whole　world；　and；　above　all；
the　dear　Tyrolese；　may　perceive　that　the　noble　and　beloved　Archduke
John　is　dissatisfied　with　the　treaty；　and　has　therefore　withdrawn　in
anger　from　the　court　and　service　of　his　emperor？　I　am　sorry　that　I
cannot　afford　you　this　satisfaction。　You　will　remain　in　the　service；
I　do　not　accept　your　resignation。　I　do　not　permit　you　to　retire　into
private　life。　You　should　devote　your　abilities　to　the　state；　you　are
not　allowed　to　withhold　your　services　from　it　at　this　juncture。〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　can　no　longer　be　useful　to　the　state。　I　am
exhausted　to　death。　I　repeat　my　request　in　the　most　urgent　manner：
dismiss　me　from　the　service；　and　permit　me　to　retire　into　private
life。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Francis；　vehemently。　〃Your　emperor　has　informed　you　of
his　will；　and　you　dare　to　oppose　it？　That　is　a　violation　of
subordination；　for　which　the　emperor；　as　supreme　commander　of　his
army；　would　punish　his　rebellious　general　rigorously；　but　for　the
fact　that　this　general　unfortunately　is　his　brother。　I　repeat　it；　I
do　not　accept　your　resignation。　You　remain　in　the　service；　I　demand
it　as　your　general…in…chief；　I　remind　you　of　the　oath　of　allegiance
which　you　have　sworn　to　me；　your　emperor　and　master。〃

〃Your　majesty　does　right　in　reminding　me　of　the　oath　I　took；〃　said
the　archduke；　with　freezing　coldness。　〃It　is　true；　I　swore　that
oath；　and　as　I　am　in　the　habit　of　keeping　my　word；　and　as　it　is
disgraceful　for　any