andreas hofer-第4节

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our　friends　not　only　intend　to…night　to　give　an　ovation　to　the
veteran　master　of　German　art；　Joseph　Haydn；　but　wish　also　to　profit
by　the　German　music　to　make　a　political　demonstration；　and　they　long
for　the　presence　of　the　imperial　court；　that　the　emperor　and　his
brothers　may　witness　the　patriotic　enthusiasm　of　Vienna。〃

〃I　shall　certainly　be　present；〃　said　the　archduke；　earnestly；　〃and　I
hope　the　empress　will　succeed　in　prevailing　on　the　emperor　to　go　to
the　concert。Well；　then；　my　friends；　let　us　go　to　work；　and　nay　God
grant　success　to　our　efforts！〃




CHAPTER　II。

THE　EMPEROR　FRANCIS。


The　Emperor　Francis　had　to…day　entered　his　study　at　an　earlier　hour
than　usual；　and　was　industriously　engaged　there　in　finishing　a
miniature　cup　which　he　had　commenced　cutting　from　a　peach…stone
yesterday。　On　the　table　before　him　lay　the　drawing　of　the　model
after　which　he　was　shaping　the　cup；　and　Francis　lifted　his　eves　only
from　time　to　time　to　fix　them　on　the　drawing；　and　compare　it　with
his　own　work。　These　comparisons；　however；　apparently　did　not　lead　to
a　cheering　result；　for　the　emperor　frowned　and　put　the　cup　rather
impetuously　close　to　the　drawing　on　the　table。

〃I　believe；　forsooth；　the　cup　is　not　straight；〃　murmured　the　emperor
to　himself；　contemplating　from　all　sides　the　diminutive　object　which
had　cost　him　so　much　labor。　〃Sure　enough；　it　is　not　straight；　it　has
a　hump　on　one　side。　Yes；　yes；　nothing　is　straight；　nowadays；　and
even　God　in　heaven　creates　His　things　no　longer　straight；　and　does
not　shrink　from　letting　the　peach…stones　grow　crooked。　But　no
matterwhat　God　does　is　well　done；〃　added　the　emperor；　crossing
himself　devoutly；　〃even　an　emperor　must　not　censure　it；　and　must　not
grumble　when　his　cup　is　not　straight　because　God　gave　the　peach…
stone　a　hump。　Well；　perhaps；　I　may　change　it　yet；　and　make　the　cup
straight。〃

He　again　took　up　the　little　cup；　and　commenced　industriously　working
at　it　with　his　sharp　files；　pointed　knives；　and　gimlets。　It　was　hard
work；　large　drops　of　sweat　stood　on　the　emperor's　forehead；　his　arms
ached；　and　his　fingers　became　sore　under　the　pressure　of　the　knives
and　files；　but　the　emperor　did　not　mind　it；　only　from　time　to　time
wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow；　and　then　continuing　his　labor　with
renewed　zeal。

Close　to　the　small　table　containing　the　tools　stood　the　emperor's
large　writing…table。　Large　piles　of　documents　and　papers　lay　on　this
table；　and　among　them　were　scattered　also　many　letters　and
dispatches　with　broad　official　seals。　But　the　emperor　had　not　yet
thought　of　opening　these　dispatches　or　unsealing　these　letters。　The
peach…stone　had　engrossed　his　attention　this　morning；　and　he　had
unsealed　only　one　of　the　papers；　the　emperor　had　read　only　the
report　of　the　secret　police　on　the　events　of　the　previous　day。　These
reports　of　the　secret　police　and　the　Chiffre…Cabinet　were　the
favorite　reading　matter　of　the　Emperor　Francis；　and　he　would　have
flown　into　a　towering　passion　if　he　had　not　found　them　on　his
writing…table　early　every　morning。

Thanks　to　these　reports；　the　emperor　knew　every　morning　all　that　had
occurred　in　Vienna　during　the　previous　day；　what　the　foreign
ambassadors　had　done；　and；　above　all　things；　what　his　brothers；　the
Archdukes　Charles；　Ferdinand；　Joseph；　and　John；　had　said；　done；　and
perhaps　only　thought。　To…day's　report　had　not　communicated　many
important　things　to　the　emperor；　it　had　only　informed　him　that；　at
daybreak；　a　courier　from　Paris　had　arrived　at　the　house　of　the
French　ambassador；　Count　Andreossi；　and　that　there　were　good　reasons
to　believe　that　be　had　brought　highly　important　news。

It　was　exactly　for　the　purpose　of　dispelling　the　anxiety　with　which
this　unpleasant　intelligence　had　filled　him；　that。　Francis　bad　laid
aside　the　report　and　recommenced　his　work　on　the　cup；　and　by　this
occupation　he　bad　succeeded　in　forgetting　the　burdensome　duties　of
his　imperial　office。

He　was　just　trying　very　hard　to　plane　one　side　of　his　cup；　when　a
low　rap　at　the　small　door　leading　to　the　narrow　corridor；　and　thence
to　the　apartments　of　the　empress；　interrupted　him。　The　emperor　gave
a　start　and　looked　toward　the　door；　listening　and　hoping；　perhaps；
that　his　ear　might　have　deceived　him。　But　no；　the　rapping　was　heard
once　more：　there　could　no　longer　be　a　doubt　of　itsomebody　sought
admittance；　and　intended　to　disturb　the　peaceful　solitude　of　the
emperor。

〃What　does　the　empress　want？〃　murmured　Francis。　〃What　does　she　come
here　for？　I　am　afraid　something　unpleasant　has　happened　again。〃

He　rose　with　a　shrug　from　his　chair；　put　his　miniature　cup　hastily
into　the　drawer　of　his　table；　and　hurried　to　open　the　door。

Francis　had　not　been　mistaken。　It　really　was　the　Empress　Ludovica；
the　third　consort　of　the　emperor；　who　had　married　her　only　a　few
months　ago。　She　wore　a　handsome　dishabille　of　embroidered　white
muslin；　closely　surrounding　her　delicate　and　slender　form；　and
trimmed　with　beautiful　laces。　The　white　dress　reached　up　to　the
neck；　where　a　rose…colored　tie　fastened　it。　Her　beautiful　black
hair；　which　fell　down　in　heavy　ringlets　on　both　sides　of　her　face；
was　adorned　with　a　costly　lace　cap；　from　which　wide　ribbons　of　rose…
colored　satin　flowed　down　on　her　shoulders。　But　the　countenance　of
the　empress　did　not　correspond　to　this　coquettish　and　youthful
dress。　She　was　young　and　beautiful；　but　an　expression　of　profound
melancholy　overspread　her　features。　Her　cheeks　were　transparently
white；　and　a　sad；　touching　smile　quivered　round　her　finely…
chiselled；　narrow　lips；　her　high；　expansive　forehead　was　shaded；　as
it　were；　by　a　cloud　of　sadness；　and　her　large　black　eyes　shot；　from
time　to　time；　gloomy　flashes　which　seemed　to　issue　from　a　gulf　of
fiery　torture。　But　whatever　passions　might　animate　her　delicate；
ethereal　form；　the　empress　had　learned　to　cover　her　heart　with　a
veil；　and　her　lips　never　gave　utterance　to　the　sufferings　of　her
soul。　Only　her　confidantes　were　allowed　to　divine　them；　they　alone
knew　that；　twofold　tortures　were　racking　Ludovica's　fiery　soul；
those　of　hatred　and　wounded　pride。　Napoleon！　it　was　he　whom　the
empress　hated　with　indescribable　bitterness；　and　the　neglect　with
which　her　consort；　the　Emperor　Francis；　treated　her　cut　her　proud
heart　to　the　quick。　Thanks　to　the　intrigues　and　immense　riches　of
her　mother；　Beatrix　of　Este；　Duchess　of　Modena；　she　had　become　the
wife　of　an　emperor；　and　herself　an　empress；　but　she　had　thereby
obtained　only　an　august　position；　not　a　husband　and　partner。　She　was
an　empress　in　name　only；　but　not　in　reality。　Francis　had　given　her
his　hand；　but　not　his　heart　and　his　love。　He　disdained　his
beautiful；　lovely　wife；　he　avoided　any　familiar　intercourse　with　her
with　anxious　timidity；　only　in　the　presence　of　the　court　and　the
public　did　he　treat　the　empress　as　his　consort；　and　tolerate　her
near　his　person。　At　first　Ludovica　had　submitted　to　this　strange
conduct　on　the　part　of　her　husband　with　proud　indifference；　and　not
the　slightest　murmur；　not　the　mildest　reproach；　had　escaped　her
lips。　For　it　was　not　from　love　that　she　had　chosen　this　husband；　but
from　ambition　and　pride。　She　had　told　herself　that　it　would　be
better　for　her　to　be　Empress　of　Austria　than　Princess　of　Modena　and
Este；　and　even　the　prospect　of　being　the　third　wife　of　Francis　of
Austria；　and　the　stepmother　of　the　ten　children　whom　his　second　wife
had　borne　to　him；　had　not　deterred　her。　She　meant　to　marry　the
emperor；　and　not　the　man；　she　wished　to　play　a　prominent　part；　and
exert　a　powerful　influence　on　the　destinies　of　the　world。　But　these
hopes　were　soon　to　prove　utterly　futile。　The　emperor　granted　her
publicly　all　the　privileges　of　her　exalted　position　by　his　side；　but
in　the　privacy　of　her　apartments　he　never　made　her　his　confidante；
he　refused　to　let　her　have　any　influence　over　his　decisions；　he
never　consulted　her　as　to　the　measures　of　his　administration：　nay；
he　avoided　alluding　to　such　topics　in　her　presence。

Such　was　the　grief　that　was　gnawing　at　the　heart　of　the　young
empressthe　wound　from　which　her　proud　and　lofty　soul　was　bleeding。
But　for　a　few　weeks　past　she　had　overcome　her　silent　grief；　and　the
presence　of　her　mother；　the　shrewd　and　intriguing　Duchess　of　Modena；
seemed　to　have　imparted　fresh　strength　to　the　empress；　and　confirmed
her　in　her　determination　to　conquer　the　heart　and　confidence　of　her
husband。　Whereas　she　had　hitherto　met　his　indifference　by　proud
reticence；　and　feigned　not　to　notice　it；　she　was　kind　and　even
affectionate　toward　him；　and　it　often　happened　that；　availing
herself　of　the　privilege　of　her　position；　she　traversed　the　private
corridor　separating　her　rooms　from　those　of　her　husband；　and；
without　being　summoned　to　him；　entered　his　cabinet　to　talk　politics
with　him　in　spite　of　his　undisguised　aversion　to　doing　so。　The
emperor　hated　these　interviews　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　a
shudder　pervaded　his　soul；　and　a　cloud　covered　his　brow；　whenever　he
heard　the　low　rap　of　the　empress　at　his　private　door。　To…day；　too；
the　dark　cloud　covered　his　forehead　even　after　the　empress　had
entered　his　cabinet。　Ludovica　noticed　it；　and　a　mournful　smile
overspread　her　pale　face　for　a　moment。

〃As　your　majesty