andreas hofer-第104节

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oath；　and　as　I　am　in　the　habit　of　keeping　my　word；　and　as　it　is
disgraceful　for　any　one　to　break　his　word　and　perjure　himself；　I
shall　fulfil　my　oath。　Hence；　I　shall　obey　my　emperor　and　general…in…
chief；　and　not　leave　the　service。　But　now　I　ask　leave　of　your
majesty　to　withdraw　for　to…day；　if　your　majesty　has　nothing　further
to　say　to　me。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　something　else　to　say　to　you；　my　dear　brother；〃　said
the　emperor；　smilingly。　〃I　will　give　you　a　proof　of　the　great
confidence　which　I　repose　in　you；　and　with　which　I　count　upon　your
discretion。　I　will　communicate　to　you　a　family　secret　which　is　known
at　present　only　to　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　Baron　von　Thugut；　who　acted
as　my　agent　on　this　occasion；　and　myself。〃

〃What！〃　asked　John；　in　surprise；　〃the　Emperor　Napoleon　is　aware　of　a
family　secret　of　your　majesty？〃

〃As　it　concerns　himself；　he　must　be　aware　of　it；〃　said　the　emperor。
〃Napoleon　intends　to　marry　a　second　time。〃

〃A　second　time？　Has　his　first　wife；　the　Empress　Josephine；　then；
died　suddenly？〃

〃No；　she　still　lives；　and　is　acting　yet　at　this　moment　in　Paris　as
the　emperor's　legitimate　consort。　But　Napoleon；　immediately　after
his　return　from　Germany；　will　annul　this　marriage；　which　was　never
consecrated　by　a　priest；　he　will　divorce　himself　solemnly　from　his
wife；　and　have　then　the　right　of　marrying　a　second　time。　He
requested　my　secret　agent；　Baron　von　Thugut；　to　ask　me　if　I　would
consent　to　a　marriage　between　him　and　an　archduchess　of　Austria。　I
replied　in　the　affirmative；　and　this　agreement　forms　one　of　the
secret　articles　of　the　treaty　of　peace。〃

〃An　archduchess　of　Austria　is　to　become　the　consort　of　the　French
despot！〃　cried　John；　in　dismay。　〃And　who；　your　majesty；　is　to　be
sacrificed　to　the　Minotaur？　Which　of　your　sisters　or　cousins　will
you　let　him　have？〃

〃None　of　my　cousins　or　sisters；〃　said　Francis；　calmly；　〃but　my
eldest　daughter；　Maria　Louisa；　is　to　become　the　consort　of　the
Emperor　Napoleon。〃

〃Maria　Louisa！；〃　cried　John；　with　an　expression　of　dismay。　〃Maria
Louisa！〃

And　John　staggered　back　several　steps；　as　pale　as　a　corpse；　and
grasped　the　back　of　the　chair　in　order　not　to　sink　to　the　floor。

Francis　did　not　seem　to　perceive　this。　〃Yes；　Maria　Louisa　will　be
Napoleon's　second　consort；〃　he　said。　〃Every　thing　is　settled
already；　and　the　marriage　will　take　place　next　March。　I　think；
brother；　you　may　stand　proxy　for　Napoleon　on　that　occasion。〃

The　archduke　gave　a　start；　and　pressed　his　hands　to　his　temples　as
if　he　were　afraid　lest　this　dreadful　〃family　secret〃　would　burst　his
head。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　in　a　tremulous　and　almost　inaudible　voice；
〃I　beg　leave　to　withdraw。〃

Without　waiting　for　a　reply；　the　archduke　turned　and　left　the　room
with　a　tottering　step；　and　leaning　now　and　then　against　the　wall　in
order　not　to　sink　to　the　floor。

The　emperor　looked　after　him；　smilingly。　〃It　seems　Hudelist　was　not
mistaken；〃　he　said。　〃My　dear　brother　really　loved　Maria　Louisa；　and
intended　to　become　my　son…in…law。　What　a　nice　idea！　But　he　must　give
it　up　now。　HeHoly　Virgin！　What　noise　is　that　in　the　anteroom？　What
fell　to　the　floor　there？〃

The　emperor　stepped　quickly　to　the　door　and　opened　it。　〃What　is　the
matter　here〃　he　asked。

〃Your　majesty；〃　exclaimed　the　footman；　who　hastened　to　him；　〃the
archduke　fainted　and　fell　to　the　floor；　striking　with　his　head
against　the　corner　of　a　chair；　and　wounding　his　forehead；　which　is
bleeding　copiously。〃

〃Well；　I　hope　it　is　only　a　slight　scratch；〃　said　the　emperor；
composedly。　〃Carry　the　archduke　to　his　bedchamber　and　send　for　my
surgeon。　I　will　afterward　call　on　him　myself。〃

Without　taking　any　further　notice　of　the　archduke；　the　emperor
returned　into　his　cabinet　and　closed　the　door　after　him。

〃He　fainted；〃　said　Francis；　triumphantly。　〃Henceforth　he　shall　be
entirely　powerless。　No　one　shall　have　any　power　here　but　myself。　Ah；
I　have　broken　his　pride；　bent　his　will；　and　prostrated　him　at　my
feet。　All　my　brothers　shall　bow　to　me；　acknowledge　me　as　their
master；　and　obey　me。　Ah；　I　believe　I　have　played　a　bad　trick　on　my
brothers。　The　Archduke　John　will　not　become　Duke　of　Tyrol；　the
Grand…duke　Ferdinand　of　Wuertzburg　will　not　be　Emperor　of　Austria；
for　Napoleon　will　become　my　son…in…law；　and　he　will　take　good　care
not　to　deprive　his　father…in…law　of　his　throne。　I　alone　am；　and
shall　remain；　Emperor　of　Austria。〃




CHAPTER　XL。

DREADFUL　TIDINGS。


All　the　Tyrolese　were　in　the　highest　excitement　and　terror。　Pale
faces　were　to　be　seen　everywhere；　and　nothing　was　heard　but　the
anxious　query：　〃Is　it　true？　Has　our　emperor　really　made　peace　with
Bonaparte？　Is　it　true　that　he　has　abandoned　us　entirely；　and　that　we
are　to　become　again　subjects　of　France　and　Bavaria？〃

And　some；　of　the　timid　and　disheartened　sighed：　〃It　is　true！　We　read
so　yesterday　in　the　Innspruck　Gazette；　and　the　Viceroy　of　Italy　has
sent　two　messengers　through　the　Puster　valley　to　proclaim　that　the
Emperors　of　Austria　and　France　concluded　a　treaty　of　peace　on　the
14th　of　October；　and　that　the　Tyrolese　are　to　lay　down　their　arms
and　become　again　subjects　of　France　and　Bavaria。〃

〃It　is　not　true！〃　cried　the　bold　and　courageous。　〃The　Emperor
Francis　has　not　made　peace　with　Bonaparte；　and　if　he　has；　he　has
certainly　not　abandoned　the　Tyrol；　but　stipulated　that　we　remain
with　Austria；　for　he　pledged　us　his　word　that　we；　should；　and　the
emperor　will　redeem　his　promise。〃

〃It　is　not　true；　there　is　no　peace；　and　we　are　still　at　war　with　the
Bavarians　and　French；〃　cried　Joseph　Speckbacher；　〃and　we　will
continue　the　war。〃

〃Yes；　we　will；〃　shouted　his　brave　men。

And　as　Speckbacher　said；　so　did　Andreas　Hofer；　so　did　Joachim
Haspinger；　so　did　Anthony　Wallner；　Jacob　Sieberer；　and　all　the
intrepid　commanders　of　the　sharpshooters。

Led　by　these　heroic　men；　the　Tyrolese　formed　again　a　large　army；
which　took　position　on　Mount　Isel；　and　awaited　there　the　Bavarians
who　were　marching　upon　Innspruck　under　the　command　of　the　crown
prince　Louis。

This　time；　however；　the　Tyrolese　were　not　victorious；　the　Bavarians
expelled　them　from　Innspruck；　and；　on　the　29th　of　October；　the　crown
prince　Louis　of　Bavaria　made　his　triumphal　entry　into　the　city；
after　a　bloody　battle　of　four　days'　duration　on　Mount　Isel　and　near
the　Judenstein。　A　part　of　the　Tyrolese　forces　remained　on　Mount
Isel；　and　another　part　hastened　with　unbroken　courage　to　other
regions；　to　meet　the　armies　of　the　enemy　and　drive　them　beyond　the
frontiers　of　the　country。

Anthony　Wallner　returned　with　his　sharpshooters　to　the　Puster
valley；　and　advanced　thence　against　General　Rusca；　who　was　coming　up
from　Carinthia　with　his　corps；　he　intended　to　defend　the　frontiers
of　his　country；　against　him　and　General　Baraguay　d'Hilliers；　who　was
also　approaching　with　a　strong　force。

Joseph　Speckbacher　marched　his　intrepid　men　to　the　Ziller　valley　and
the　Muhlbach　Pass；　where　he　united　with　Joachim　Haspinger；　and
advanced　with　him　upon　the　enemy。

All　were　in　good　spirits；　and　no　one　believed　in　the　dreadful
tidings　which　at　first　had　frightened　them　all　so　much：　no　one
believed　that　peace　had　been　made。

Andreas　Hofer　himself　thought　the　news　was　false。　He　had　remained
courageous　and　undaunted　in　spite　of　the　disastrous　battle　on　Mount
Isel；　and　he　sent　messengers　throughout　the　country；　calling　upon
all　able…bodied　men　to　take　up　arms　and　attack　the　enemy；　who　had
invaded　the　Tyrol　once　more。　He　was　still　encamped　with　his　army
near　Mount　Isel；　and　had　established　his　headquarters　at　Steinach。
The　crown　prince　of　Bavaria　had　sent　to　him　hither　two
plenipotentiaries；　who　informed　him　that　peace　had　really　been
concluded；　and　that　the　Tyrolese　had　no　course　left　but　submission。
But　Andreas　Hofer　replied　to　these　plenipotentiaries；　shaking　his
head　indignantly；　〃That　is　a　mean　lie；　the　Emperor　Francis；　our
beloved　master；　will　never　abandon　his　loyal　Tyrolese。　He　pledged　us
his　word；　and　he　will　keep　it。　Your　intention　is　to　deceive　us；　but
you　cannot　catch　us　by　such　stratagems。　We　believe　in　the　emperor
and　the　good　God；　and　neither　of　them　will　ever　abandon　us！〃

And　Andreas　Hofer　returned　to　his　room　with　a　calm　smile　and　went　to
bed。

In　the　dead　of　night；　however；　he　was　suddenly　aroused　from　his
sleep。　Cajetan　Doeninger　stood　at　his　bedside　and　informed　him　that
the　intendant　of　the　Puster　valley；　Baron　von　Worndle；　had　arrived
with　an　envoy　of　the　Emperor　Francis；　Baron　von　Lichtenthurn；　and
both　wished　urgently　to　see　the　commander…in…chief。

〃I　will　admit　them；〃　said　Hofer；　rising　hastily；　〃God　grant　that
they　are　the　bearers　of　good　news！〃

He　dressed　himself　quickly　and　followed　Doeninger　into　the　room；
where　he　found　the　two　envoys　and　several　members　of　his　suite。

〃Now　tell　me；　gentlemen；　what　news　do　you　bring　to　us？〃　asked　Hofer；
shaking　hands　with　the　two　envoys。

〃No　good　news；　commander…in…chief；〃　sighed　Baron　von　Worndle；　〃but
there　is　no　use　in　complaining；　we　must　submit　patiently　to　what
cannot　be　helped。　The　Emperor　Francis　has　mane　peace　with　France。〃

〃Do　you　sing　in　that　strain　too；　Mr。　Intendant？〃　asked　Andreas；　with
a　mournful　smile。　〃I　shall　never　believe　it　until　I　see　it　in　blac