andreas hofer-第11节

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him。

〃Rise；　brother；〃　he　said；　coldly；　〃your　knees　must　ache；　and　I；　for
my　part；　do　not　like　such　theatrical　scenes　at　all；　and　such　fine
phrases　make　but　little　impression　on　my　cold　and　prosy　heart。　I　am
accustomed　to　follow　always　my　convictions；　and　when　I　advance　a
step；　I　must　be　sure　not　to　fall　to　an　abyss　which　some　poetical
hero　may　perhaps　have　merely　covered　for　me　with　his　flowery
phrases。　That　I　am　aware　of　the　dangers　threatening　us　on　the　part
of　France　I　have　proved　by　putting　the　army　on　the　war　footing；　by
intrusting　you；　Archduke　John；　with　organizing　the　militia　and　the
reserves　in　accordance　with　the　plan　you　drew　up　for　that　purpose；
and　by　placing　you；　Archduke　Charles；　at　the　head　of　my　army　and
appointing　you　generalissimo。〃

〃An　honor；　your　majesty；　which　I　accepted　with　reverent　gratitude；
although　it　almost　crushes　me　at　the　present　time；〃　said　the
Archduke　Charles；　with　a　sigh。　〃Permit　me　now；　your　majesty；　to　open
my　heart　to　you；　and　lay　my　innermost　thoughts　at　your　feet。　To　do
so；　I　accompanied　my　brother　John　to　you。　He　said　he　would　implore
your　majesty　once　more　to　postpone　the　declaration　of　war　no　longer；
but　utter　at　length　the　decisive　word。　I　implored　him　not　to　do　so；
and　not　to　force　us　to　engage　prematurely　in　a　war　that　could　not
but　bring　the　greatest　calamities　on　Austria。　But　my　dear　brother
would　not　listen　to　my　remonstrances　and　prayers；　he　called　me　a
secret　friend　and　admirer　of　Napoleon；　he　demanded　that　I　should　at
least　speak　out；　freely　and　openly　in　your　majesty's　presence；　and
refute　him　if　I　could；　or　yield　to　him　if　my　arguments　should　prove
untenable。　Your　majesty；　I　have　therefore　complied　with　the　wishes
of　my　brother；　the　Archduke　John；　I　have　come　to　you；　but　only　to
say　to　my　lord　and　emperor：　Your　majesty；　I　implore　you；　in　the　name
of　your　people　and　your　throne；　do　not　yet　unsheath　the　sword！　Wait
until　our　army　is　ready　for　the　contest；　and　until　our　armaments　are
completed。　Do　not　plunge　rashly　into　war；　lest　victory　escape　us。　A
great　deal　remains　to　be　done　yet　before　we　can　say　that　our
armaments　are　completed；　and　only　after　being　fully　prepared　can　we
dare　to　take　the　field　against　the　Emperor　Napoleon　and　his　hitherto
victorious　legions。〃

〃Ah；　do　you　hear　our　Fabius　Cunctator；　brother　John；　the　Lion…
hearted！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　sarcastically。　〃Which　of　you　is
right；　and　whose　wise　advice　shall　I　follow　nowI；　the　poor
emperor；　who　is　not　strong　and　sagacious　enough　to　be　his　own
adviser　and　advance　a　step　without　his　brothers？　John；　the　learned
soldier；　beseeches　me　to　declare　war；　and　Charles；　the　intrepid
hero；　implores　me　not　to　do　so。　What　am　I；　the　poor　emperor；　who
cannot　advise　himself；　and　who　receives　too　much　advice　from　others；
to　do　under　such　circumstances？　Whose　will　must　I　submit　to？〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　cried　John；　in　dismay；　〃it　is　we　that　must　submit；
it　is　your　will　on　which　depends　the　decision。　I　implore　your
majesty　to　declare　war；　because　I　deem　it　necessary；　but；　if　your
majesty　should　take　a　different　resolution；　I　shall　submit　silently
and　obediently。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Charles；　〃requested　you　to　postpone　the　declaration　of
war；　because　I　do　not　believe　that　we　are　sufficiently　prepared　for
the　contest；　but；　like　my　brother；　I　shall　submit　silently　if　your
majesty　should　take　a　different　resolution。〃

〃Indeed；　will　you　do　so；　archdukes？〃　asked　the　emperor；　in　a
scornful　tone。　〃Will　you　be　mindful　of　your　duties　as　subjects；　and；
instead　of　giving　me　unnecessary　advice；　obey　me　silently？〃

The　two　archdukes　bowed　to　indicate　their　submissiveness。　The
emperor　advanced　a　few　steps；　and　proudly　raising　his　head；　he
looked　at　his　two　brothers　with　a　stern　and　imperious　expression。

〃Let　me　tell　you；　then；　archdukes；　what　I；　your　lord　and　emperor；
have　resolved；〃　said　Francis；　sternly。　〃I　have　resolved　to　declare
war！〃

Two　loud　cries　resounded　with　one　accord；　a　cry　of　joy　burst　from
John's　lips；　a　cry　of　dismay　from　those　of　Charles。　Pale；　reeling
like　a　drunken　man；　the　generalissimo　approached　the　emperor　and
held　out　his　hands　to　him　with　a　beseeching　expression。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　resolved　to　declare　war；　but　you
do　not　mean　to　say　that　it　is　to　commence　immediately？〃

〃That　is　what　I　mean　to　say；〃　replied　the　emperor；　sarcastically。

The　Archduke　Charles　turned　still　paler　than　before；　a　strange
tremor　passed　through　his　frame；　his　head　dropped　on　his　bosom；　and
a　deep　groan　issued　from　his　breast。

The　Archduke　John；　forgetful　of　his　quarrel　with　his　brother
Charles；　at　the　sight　of　the　latter's　profound　grief；　hastened　to
him；　and　tenderly　grasped　both　his　hands。

〃Brother；〃　he　asked；　anxiously；　〃what　is　the　matter？　Are　you
unwell？〃

〃I　am；〃　said　Charles；　wiping　from　his　forehead　the　large　drops　of
sweat　standing　on　it。　〃I　am　unwell；　but　I　must　say　a　few　additional
words　to　the　emperor。　I　must　disclose　to　him　a　melancholy　secret　of
which　I　heard　only　an　hour　ago。Your　majesty；　I　implore　you　once
more；　postpone　the　war　as　long　as　possible；　forhear　my　terrible
secretwe　have　been　infamously　defrauded　by　Commissary…General　von
Fassbender。〃

〃Your　intimate　friend？〃　interposed　the　emperor；　with　a　scornful
laugh。

〃Yes；　my　intimate　friend；〃　exclaimed　the　archduke；　in　a　loud；　shrill
voice；　〃he　deceived　me　most　shamefully。　All　the　army　contracts　had
been　intrusted　to　him；　and　he　assured　me　he　had　filled　them　in　the
most　conscientious　manner。　I　believed　him；　and　it　is　only　now　that　I
find　out　that　he　has　shamefully　deceived　me　and　his　emperor。　All　his
bills　for　the　supplies　which　he　pretended　to　have　furnished　are　in
my　hands；　but　the　troops　did　not　get　the　supplies。　The　scoundrel
sent　only　sour　flour；　bad　linen；　and　moth…eaten　uniform　cloth　to　the
regiments；　and　yet　he　drew　enormous　sums　of　money　for　the　full
amount　of　his　contracts。〃

〃We　shall　compel　the　thief　to　disgorge　his　ill…gotten　gains；〃　cried
the　emperor。

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　said　Charles；　with　a　groan；　and　leaning　more
firmly　on　his　brother's　arm；　in　order　not　to　sink　to　the　floor；　he
added：　〃no；　your　majesty；　the　criminal　is　beyond　the　reach　of　your
power。　He　escaped　from　human　justice　by　committing　suicide　an　hour
ago。　The　criminal　has　fled　from　his　judges；　but　his　crimes　remain；
and　our　army　suffers　in　consequence　of　them。　Now　your　majesty　knows
all；　you　will　take　back　your　word；　and　say　no　longer　that　you　will
declare　war。　You　will　be　gracious　enough　to　give　me　time　to　repair
the　injury　resulting　from　the　crimes　of　the　commissary…general；　and
to　provide　the　army　with　all　that　is　unfortunately　wanting　to　it　as
yet。〃

〃No；〃　cried　the　emperor　vehemently；　〃I　will　not！　I　will　not　take
back　my　word；　and　I　had　already　made　up　my　mind　before　you；　my
brothers；　entered　here　to　assist　me　so　generously　by　your　wisdom。
War　will　be　declared　immediately；　my　resolution　is　irrevocable。　I
have　already　informed　the　French　ambassador　of　it；　and　ordered　him
to　leave　Vienna　this　very　day。　Your　warnings　come　just　as　much　too
late　as　did　John's　entreaties。　I　did　what　I　myself　deemed　best；　and
I　deemed　it　best　to　declare　war　against　Bonaparte；　in　reply　to　his
intolerable　arrogance。　Every　thing　is　fixed　and　settled；　war　will
commence　without　delay：　and　you；　Archduke　Charles；　are　the
generalissimo　of　my　army。〃

The　Archduke　Charles　made　no　reply；　he　uttered　a　painful　groan　and
sank　to　the　floor　by　John's　side。　All　his　limbs　trembled　and
quivered；　his　pale　face　became　distorted；　he　clinched　his　fists；　and
his　eyes　were　glassy　as　though　he　were　dying。

〃He　has　one　of　his　fits；〃　said　the　emperor　calmly；　looking　down　on
his　brother。　〃Call　his　servants　and　his　doctor；　Archduke　John；　that
they　may　remove　the　generalissimo　to　another　room　and　administer
medicine　to　him。〃

John　rushed　to　the　door；　and　soon　the　servants　and　the　physician；
who　always　accompanied　the　Archduke　Charles；　hastened　into　the　room。
They　lifted　with　practised　hands　the　archduke；　who　was　still
writhing　in　convulsions；　and　carried　him　tenderly　out　of　the　room。

John；　who；　with　touching　solicitude；　had　remained　near　the　sufferer；
would　have　accompanied　him；　but　a　word　from　the　emperor　called　him
back。

〃Stay　a　moment；　archduke；〃　said　Francis；　〃the　Archduke　Charles　only
has　his　fits；　and　his　servants　will　take　care　of　him。　I　have　yet　to
speak　a　few　words　with　you。　This　will　be　a　formidable　war；　brother；
and　we　must　see　to　it　that　it　breaks　out　at　the　same　time　in　all
quarters　of　our　empire；　and　that　the　people　rise　with　one　accord　and
take　up　arms。　We　have　made　our　preparations　everywhere；　and　our
emissaries　have　done　their　duty；　they　have　everywhere　enlisted
friends　of　our　cause；　and　established　committees　which　have　made　all
necessary　dispositions　for　the　defence　of　the　country。　You　yourself
sent　your　emissary；　Baron　von　Hormayr；　to　your　beloved　Tyrol；　if　I
am　correctly　informed；　he　has　already　returned　to　Vienna。〃

〃Your　majesty；　he　arrived　here　this　morning；〃　said　John；　looking　at
his　brother　with　an　air　of　surprise　and　even　terror。

This　did　not　escape　the　emperor；　and　a　smile　of　satisfaction　lit　up
his　face。

〃You　see；　my　agents　serve　me　very　w