andreas hofer-第5节

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entered　his　cabinet。　Ludovica　noticed　it；　and　a　mournful　smile
overspread　her　pale　face　for　a　moment。

〃As　your　majesty　did　not　come　to　me　to　bid　me　good…morning；　I　have
come　to　you；〃　she　said；　in　a　gentle；　kind　voice；　holding　out　her
beautiful　white　hand　to　the　emperor。

Francis　took　it　and　pressed　it　to　his　lips。　〃It　is　true；〃　he　said；
evidently　embarrassed；　〃I　did　not　come　this　morning　to　pay　my
respects　to　you；　but　time　was　wanting　to　me。　I　had　to　go　at　once　to
my　cabinet　and　work；　I　am　very　busy。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Ludovica；　〃your　majesty's　dress　still　bears　the　traces
of　your　occupation。〃

The　emperor　hastened　to　brush　away　with　his　hands　the　small
particles　of　the　peach…stone　that　had　remained　on　his　shirt…bosom
and　his　sleeve；　but　while　he　was　doing　this　his　brow　darkened　still
more；　and　he　cast　a　gloomy　and　defiant　glance　on　the　empress。

〃Look；　empress；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　you　belong　to　the　secret　police；
and　have　been　employed　to　watch　me　in　order　to　find　out　what　I　am
doing　when　I　am　alone　in　my　cabinet。　Why；　if　I　found　out　that　that
was　so；　I　should　be　obliged　to　be　on　my　guard　and　have　this　door
walled　up；　so　that　my　esteemed　consort　might　no　longer　be　able　to
surprise　and　watch　me。〃

〃Your　majesty　will　assuredly　not　do　that；〃　said　Ludovica；　whose
voice　was　tremulous；　and　whose　cheeks　had　turned　even　paler　than
before。　〃No；　your　majesty　will　not　make　me　undergo　the　humiliation
of　making　known　to　the　world　the　deplorable　secret　with　which　we
alone　have　hitherto　been　acquainted。　Your　majesty　will　not　deprive
me　of　the　only　privilege　which　I　enjoy　in　common　with　your　former
consorts；　and　thereby　proclaim　to　the　world　that　I　am　in　this　palace
a　stranger　who　has　not　even　access　to　the　rooms　of　her　husband。〃

〃I　do　not　say　that　I　intend　to　do　it；〃　said　Francis；　shrugging　his
shoulders；　〃I　say　only　that　it　is　highly　repugnant　to　me　to　have　my
steps　dogged　and　watched　in　any　manner。　It　is　true；　my　former
consort　had　also　the　keys　of　this　private　corridor；　butpardon　me
for　this　remark；　your　majestythe　empress　never　used　these　keys；
but　always　waited　for　me　to　open　the　door。〃

〃And　she　did　not　wait　in　vain；〃　said　the　empress；　quickly；　〃your
majesty　never　failed　to　come；　for　you　loved　your　consort；　and　I　have
been　told　you　never　suffered　even　a　few　hours　to　pass　by　without
leaving　your　cabinet　and　crossing　the　secret　corridor　to　repair　to
the　rooms　of　the　empress。〃

〃But　the　good　Empress　Theresa；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　〃when　I　was
with　her；　never　endeavored　to　talk　to　me　about　politics　and　state
affairs。〃

〃I　understand　that；〃　said　Ludovica；　〃you　had　both　so　many　mutual
interests　to　converse　about。　You　had　your　mutual　love；　your
children；　to　talk　about。　I；　who　am　so　unhappy　as　not　to　be　able　to
talk　with　you　about　such　matters；　how　intensely　so…ever　my　heart
longs　for　it；　must　content　myself　with　conversing　with　my　husband　on
different　subjects；　and　I　desire　to　share　at　least　his　cares　when　I
cannot　share　his　love。　My　husband；　I　beseech　you；　do　not　disdain　my
friendship；　accept　a　friend's　hand；　which　I　offer　to　you　honestly
and　devotedly。〃

〃My　God；　that　is　precisely　what　I　long　for！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor
fervently；　again　pressing　to　his　lips　the　hand　which　the　empress
held　out　to　him。　〃My　fondest　wish　is　fulfilled　when　your　majesty
will　give　me　your　friendship；　and　confide　in　me　as　your　best；　most
devoted；　and　faithful　friend！〃

〃But　this　confidence　must　be　reciprocated；　my　dearest　friend；〃　said
Ludovica；　putting　her　hand　on　the　emperor's　shoulder。　and　gazing
long　and　ardently　into　his　eyes。　〃Your　majesty　must　confide　in　me
too；　and　count　implicitly　on　my　fidelity。〃

〃That　is　what　I　do；〃　said　Francis；　hastily；　〃never　should　I　dare　to
doubt　the　fidelity　of　the　purest；　chastest；　and　most　virtuous
empress　and　ladythe　fidelity　of　my　wife。〃

〃I　did　not　refer　to　the　wife's　fidelity；〃　said　Ludovica；　sighing；
〃but　to　the　fidelity　of　my　friendship；　which　is　joyously　ready　to
share　all　your　cares　and　afflictions。〃

〃Well　then；〃　said　the　emperor；　nodding　to　her　smilingly；　〃I　will
give　you　a　proof　of　my　faith　in　your　friendship。　Yes；　you　shall
share　my　cares　and　afflictions。〃

〃Oh；　my　husband；　how　happy　you　make　me　by　these　words！〃　exclaimed
Ludovica；　and　a　faint　blush　beautified　her　noble　face。

〃I　will　let　you　participate　in　my　work　to…day；　and　you　shall　give　me
your　advice；〃　said　the　emperor；　nodding　to　the　empress；　and　stepping
to　the　writing…table；　from　whose　drawer　he　took　the　little　cup。
〃Look；　my　dear　friend；〃　added　the　emperor；　handing　the　cup　to　his
consort；　〃I　wished　to　make　a　little　cup　from　this　peach…stone　and
give　it　to　Maria　Louisa；　who　delights　in　such　things；　but　when　I　had
nearly　finished　it；　I　discovered　suddenly　that　the　peach…stone　was
crooked　and　not　equally　round　on　both　sides。　Now　give　me　your
advice；　my　fair　friend；　tell　me　what　I　am　to　do　in　order　to
straighten　the　cup。　Look　at　it；　and　tell　me　how　to　fix　it。　It　would
be　an　everlasting　disgrace　for　an　emperor　to　be　unable　to　straighten
a　thing　which　he　himself　made　crooked。〃

The　empress　had　turned　pale　again；　her　dark　eyes　shot　fire　for　a
moment；　and　she　compressed　her　lips　as　if　to　stifle　a　cry　of
indignation。　But　she　overcame　her　agitation　quickly；　and　hastily
took　the　little　cup　which　the　emperor　still　held　out　to　her。

〃Your　majesty　is　right；〃　she　said；　the　〃cup　is　really　crooked；　and
will　not　stand　erect　when　you　put　it　on　the　table。　As　your　majesty
has　asked　me　what　ought　to　be　done　about　it；　I　advise　you　to　get　rid
of　the　thing；　declare　war　against　the　little　cup；　and　remove　it
forever　by　touching　it　in　this　manner　with　your　little　finger。〃

She　upset　the　miniature　cup　with　her　slender　little　finger；　so　that
it　rolled　to　the　other　end　of　the　table。

〃That　is　very　energetic　advice；　indeed；〃　said　Francis；　smiling；　〃but
I　do　not　like　it。　To　upset　a　thing　that　is　not　well　done　is　no　way
of　improving　it。〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　to　destroy　what　is　not　well　done　is　paving　the
way　for　something　better；〃　exclaimed　Ludovica。

〃You　yourself　said　just　now　it　would　be　an　everlasting　disgrace　for
an　emperor　to　be　unable　to　straighten　anything　which　lie　himself
made　crooked。　It　seems　to　me；　now；　an　emperor　should　extricate
himself　from　any　position　imposing　on　him　the　necessity　of　doing
anything　crooked　and　unworthy　of　his　imperial　dignity。　If　such　is
his　duty　in　regard　to　a　thing　so　insignificant　as　a　peach…stone；　how
much　more　urgent　is　this　duty；　when　there　is　at　stake　something　so
great　and　sacred　as　the　independence　and　honor　of　your　empire　and
policy！〃

〃See；　see！〃　said　the　emperor；　scratching　his　head　with　an　expression
of　ludicrous　surprise；　〃then　we　have　really　got　back　from　the　peach…
stone　to　political　affairs　and　the　war…question。　Now；　this　war…
question　is　a　hard　peach…stone　to　crack；　and　the　mere　thought　of　it
sets　my　teeth　on　edge。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Ludovica；　〃your　teeth　are　firm　and　strong；　for　they　are
composed　of　three　hundred　thousand　swords；　and　thousands　of　cannon
and　muskets。　If　the　lion　is　determined　to　use　his　teeth；　lie　will
easily　succeed　in　destroying　the　were…wolf；　for　this　rapacious　and
bloodthirsty　were…wolf　is　brave　and　invincible　only　when　he　has　to
deal　with　lambs；　only　the　feeble　and　disarmed　have　reason　to　fear
him。〃

〃In　speaking　of　a　were…wolf；　I　suppose　you　refer　to　the　Emperor
Napoleon？〃　asked　the　emperor；　smiling。　〃I　must　tell　you；　however；
that；　in　your　warlike　enthusiasm；　you　do　him　injustice。　It　seems　to
me　he　is　brave　not　alone　where　he　has　to　deal　with　lambs；　arid　not
alone　the　feeble　and　disarmed　have　reason　to　fear　him。　I　think　I　did
not　march　lambs　against　him　at　Austerlitz；　but　brave　men；　who　were
not　feeble　and　disarmed；　but　strong　and　well…armed。　Nevertheless；
Bonaparte　overpowered　them；　he　gained　the　battle　of　Austerlitz　over
us；　and　we　had　to　submit　to　him；　and　accept　the　terms　of　peace　which
he　imposed　on　us。〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty　had　to　submit　to　him。〃　cried　the　empress；
ardently；　〃you　were　obliged　to　repair　to　the　proud　usurper's　camp
and　beseech　him　to　grant　you　peace！〃

〃I　was　not　obliged　to　go　to　him；　but　I　did　so　in　order　to　restore
peace　to　my　people；　and　prevent　all　Austria　from　sinking　into　ruin。
It　is　true；　it　was　a　dreadful　walk　for　me；　and　when　I　saw　the
Emperor　of　the　French　at　his　camp…fire；　he　became　utterly
distasteful　to　me。　＇Footnote：　The　emperor's　own　words。See
〃Lebensbilder　aus　dem　Befreiungekriege；〃　vol。　i。＇　Nevertheless；　the
truth　cannot　be　gainsaid；　and　the　truth　is　that　the　Emperor　Napoleon
is　more　than　a　were…wolf　killing　only　lambs；　he　is　a　lion　whose
furious　roar　causes　all　thrones　to　tremble；　and　who；　when　he　shakes
his　mane；　shakes　all　Europe　to　its　foundations。〃

〃The　more　is　it　incumbent　on　us　then　to　put　an　end　to　this　unnatural
state　of　affairs；〃　exclaimed　the　empress；　vehemently；　〃to　strengthen
the　thrones；　and　restore　at　length　tranquillity　to　Europe。　And　there
is　only　one　way　of　doing　this；　my　lord　and　emperor；　and　that　is　war！
We　must　destroy　the　lion　in　order　to　restore　tranquillity　to　the
peaceable　nations。〃

〃But　what　if；　instead　of　destroying　the　lion；　we　should　be　destroyed
by　him？〃　asked　the　emperor；　with　a　shrug。