andreas hofer-第3节

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taught　the　Germans　how　the　arrogant　conqueror　must　be　met；　the
example　of　Austria　will　fill　them　with　boundless　enthusiasm；　and
lead　them　to　the　most　glorious　victories！〃

〃And　we　are　still　temporizing　and　hesitating；〃　exclaimed　John；
mournfully；　〃we　are　not　courageous　enough　to　strike　the　first　blow！
All　is　ready；　the　emperor　has　only　to　utter　the　decisive　word；　but
he　refuses　to　do　so！〃

〃The　enthusiasm　of　his　people　will　soon　compel　him　and　his　advisers
to　utter　that　word；〃　said　Nugent。　〃Austria　can　no　longer　retrace　her
steps；　she　must　advance。　Austria　must　lead　Germany　in　the　sacred
struggle　for　liberty；　she　can　no　longer　retrace　her　steps。〃

〃God　grant　that　your　words　may　be　verified！〃　cried　John；　lifting　his
tearful　eyes　to　heaven；　〃God　grant　that〃

A　low　rapping　at　the　door　leading　to　the　small　secret　corridor
caused　the　archduke　to　pause　and　turn　his　eyes　with　a　searching
expression　to　this　door。

The　rapping　was　repeated；　more　rapidly　than　before。

〃It　is　Hormayr；〃　exclaimed　the　archduke；　joyfully；　and　he　hastened
to　the　secret　door　and　opened　it　quickly。

A　tall　young　man；　in　the　uniform　of　an　Austrian　superior　officer；
appeared　in　the　open　door。　The　archduke　grasped　both　his　hands　and
drew　him　hastily　into　the　cabinet。

〃Hormayr；　my　friend；〃　he　said；　breathlessly；　〃you　have　returned　from
the　Tyrol？　You　have　succeeded　in　fulfilling　the　mission　with　which　I
intrusted　you？　You　have　carried　my　greetings　to　the　Tyrolese？　Oh；
speak；　speak；　my　friend！　What　do　my　poor；　deserted　Tyrolese　say？〃

Baron　von　Hormayr　fixed　his　flashing　dark　eyes　with　an　expression　of
joyful　tenderness　on　the　excited　face　of　the　archduke。

〃The　Tyrolese　send　greeting　to　the　Archduke　John；〃　he　said；　〃the
Tyrolese　hope　that　the　Archduke　John　will　deliver　them　from　the
hateful　yoke　of　the　Bavarians；　the　Tyrolese　believe　that　the　hour
has　arrived；　when　they　may　recover　their　liberty；　and　to　prove　this…
…〃

〃To　prove　this？〃　asked　the　archduke；　breathlessly；　when　Hormayr
paused　a　moment。

〃To　prove　this；〃　said　Hormayr；　in　a　lower　voice；　stepping　up　closer
to　the　prince；　〃some　of　the　most　influential　and　respectable
citizens　of　the　Tyrol　have　accompanied　me　to　Vienna；　they　desire　to
assure　your　imperial　highness　of　their　loyal　devotedness；　and
receive　instructions　from　you。〃

〃Is　Andreas　Hofer；　the　landwirth；　among　them？〃　asked　the　archduke；
eagerly。

〃He　is；　and　so　are　Wallner　and　Speckbacher。　I　bring　to　your　imperial
highness　the　leading　men　of　the　Tyrolese　peasants；　and　would　like　to
know　when　I　may　introduce　them　to　you；　and　at　what　hour　you　will
grant　a　private　audience　to　my　Tyrolese　friends？〃

〃Oh；　I　will　see　them　at　once！〃　exclaimed　John；　impatiently。　〃My
heart　longs　to　gaze　into　the　faithful；　beautiful　eyes　of　the
Tyrolese；　and　read　in　their　honest　faces　if　they　really　are　still
devoted　and　attached　to　me。　Bring　them　to　me；　Hormayr；　make　haste
but　no；　I　forgot　that　it　is　broad　daylight；　and　that　the　spies
watching　me　have　eyes　to　see；　ears　to　hear；　and　tongues　to　report　to
the　emperor　as　dreadful　crimes　all　that　they　have　seen　and　heard
here。　We　must　wait；　therefore；　until　the　spies　have　closed　their
eyes；　until　dark　and　reticent　night　has　descended　on　earth；　and。
Well；　Conrad；　what　is　it？〃　the　archduke　interrupted　himself；　looking
at　his　valet　de　chambre；　who　had　just　entered　hastily　by　the　door　of
the　anteroom。

〃Pardon　me；　your　imperial　highness；〃　said　Conrad；　〃a　messenger　of
her　majesty　the　empress　is　in　the　anteroom。　Her　majesty　has　ordered
him　to　deliver　his　message　only　to　the　archduke　himself。〃

〃Let　him　come　in；〃　said　the　archduke。

Conrad　opened　the　door；　and　the　imperial　messenger　appeared　on　the
threshold。

〃Her　majesty　the　Empress　Ludovica　sends　her　respects　to　the
archduke；〃　said　the　messenger；　approaching　the　archduke
respectfully。　〃Her　majesty　thanks　your　imperial　highness　for　the
book　which　you　lent　her；　and　she　returns　it　with　sincere　thanks。〃

An　expression　of　astonishment　overspread　John's　face；　but　it　soon
disappeared；　and　the　archduke　received　with　a　calm　smile　the　small
sealed　package　which　the　messenger　handed　to　him。

〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃tell　her　majesty　to　accept　my　thanks。〃

The　messenger　returned　to　the　anteroom；　and　Conrad　closed　the　door
behind　him。

〃Place　yourself　before　the　door；　Nugent；　that　nobody　may　be　able　to
look　through　the　key…hole；〃　whispered　John；　〃for　you　know　that　I　do
not　trust　Conrad。　And　you；　Hormayr；　watch　the　secret　door。〃

The　two　gentlemen　hastened　noiselessly　to　obey。　The　archduke　cast　a
searching　glance　around　the　walls；　as　if　afraid　that　even　the　silken
hangings　might　contain　somewhere　an　opening　for　the　eyes　of　a　spy；
or　serve　as　a　cover　to　an　ear　of　Dionysius。

〃Something　of　importance　must　have　occurred；〃　whispered　John；
〃otherwise　the　empress　would　not　have　ventured　to　send　me　a　direct
message。　I　did　not　lend　her　a　book；　and　you　know　we　agreed　with　the
ladies　of　our　party　to　communicate　direct　news　to　each　other　only　in
cases　of　pressing　necessity。　Let　us　see　now　what　it　is。〃

He　hastily　tore　open　the　sealed　package　and　drew　from　it　a　small
prayer…book　bound　in　black　velvet。　While　he　was　turning　over　the
leaves　with　a　smile；　a　small　piece　of　paper　fluttered　from　between
the　gilt…edged　leaves　and　dropped　to　the　floor。

〃That　is　it；〃　said　John；　smiling；　picking　up　the　paper；　and　fixing
his　eyes　on　it。　〃There　is　nothing　on　it；〃　he　then　exclaimed；
contemplating　both　sides　of　the　paper。　〃There　is　not　a　word　on　it。
It　is　only　a　book…mark；　that　is　all。　But；　perhaps；　something　is
written　in　the　book；　or　there　may　be　another　paper。〃

〃No；　your　imperial　highness；〃　whispered　Nugent；　stepping　back　a　few
paces　from　the　door。　〃The　Princess　Lichtenstein　whispered　to　me
yesterday；　at　the　court　concert；　that　she　had　obtained　an　excellent
way　of　sending　a　written　message　to　her　friends　and　allies；　and
that；　if　we　received　a　piece　of　white　paper　from　the　ladies　of　our
party；　we　had　better　preserve　it　and　read　it　afterward　near　the
fireplace。〃

〃Ah；　sympathetic　ink；〃　exclaimed　John；　〃well；　we　will　see。〃

He　hastily　approached　the　fireplace；　where　a　bright　fire　was
burning；　and　held　the　piece　of　paper　close　to　the　flames。
Immediately　a　number　of　black　dots　and　lines　appeared　on　the　paper；
these　dots　and　lines　assumed　gradually　the　shape　of　finely…written
words。

The　archduke　followed　with　rapt　attention　every　line；　every　letter
that　appeared　on　the　white　paper；　and　now　he　read　as　follows：

〃The　French　ambassador　has　requested　the　emperor　to　grant　him　an
audience　at　eleven　o'clock　this　morning。　A　courier　from　Metternich
in　Paris　has　arrived；　and；　I　believe；　brought　important　news。　The
decisive　hour　is　at　hand。　Hasten　to　the　emperor；　leave　nothing
undone　to　prevail　on　him　to　take　a　bold　stand。　Send　somebody　to　the
Archduke　Charles；　request　him　to　repair　likewise　to　the　emperor　and
influence　him　in　the　same　direction。　I　have　paved　the　way　for　you。　I
hope　the　French　ambassador　will；　in　spite　of　himself；　be　our　ally；
and　by　his　defiant　and　arrogant　bearing；　attain　for　us　the　object
which　we　have　hitherto　been　unable　to　accomplish　by　our　persuasion
and　our　arguments。　Make　haste！　Burn　this　paper。〃

The　archduke　signed　to　his　two　confidants　to　come　to　him；　and
pointed　to　the　paper。　When　they　had　hastily　read　the　lines；　he　threw
the　paper　into　the　flames；　and　turned　to　the　two　gentlemen　who　stood
behind　him。

〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　it？〃　he　inquired。　〃Shall　I　do　what　these
mysterious　lines　ask　of　me？　Shall　I　go　to　the　emperor　without　being
summoned　to　him？〃

〃The　empress　requests　you　to　do　so；　and　she　is　as　prudent　as　she　is
energetic；〃　said　Count　Nugent。

〃I　say；　like　the　empress；　the　decisive　hour　is　at　hand；〃　exclaimed
Baron　von　Hormayr。　〃Hasten　to　the　emperor；　try　once　more　to　force
the　sword　into　his　hand；　and　to　wrest　at　length　the　much…wished…for
words；　'War　against　France！'　from　his　lips。　The　Tyrolese　are　only
waiting　for　these　words；　to　rise　for　their　emperor　and　become　again
his　loving　and　devoted　subjects。　All　Austria；　nay；　all　Germany；　is
longing　for　these　words；　which　will　be　the　signal　of　the　deliverance
of　the　fatherland　from　the　French　yoke。　Oh；　my　lord　and　prince；
hasten　to　the　emperor；　speak　to　him　with　the　impassioned　eloquence
of　the　cherubim；　break　the　fatal　charm　that　holds　Austria　and　the
Tyrol　enthralled！〃

At　this　moment　the　large　clock　standing　on　the　mantelpiece　commenced
striking。

〃Eleven　o'clock；〃　said　the　archduke〃the　hour　when　the　emperor　is
to　give　an　audience　to　the　French　ambassador。　It　is　high　time；
therefore。　Nugent；　hasten　to　my　brother；　implore　him　to　repair
forthwith　to　the　emperor；　and　to　act　this　time　at　least　in　unison
with　me。　Tell　him　that　everything　is　at　stake；　and　that　we　must　risk
all　to　win　all。　But　you；　Hormayr；　go　to　my　dear　Tyrolese；　tell　them
that　I　will　receive　them　here　at　twelve　o'clock　to…night；　and
conduct　them　to　me　at　that　hour；　my　friend。　We　will　hold　a　council
of　war　at　midnight。〃

〃And　your　imperial　highness　does　not　forget　that　you　promised　to　go
to　the　concert　to…night？〃　asked　Nugent。　〃Your　highness　is　aware　that
our　friends　not　only　intend　to…night　to　give　an　ovatio