andreas hofer-第6节

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peaceable　nations。〃

〃But　what　if；　instead　of　destroying　the　lion；　we　should　be　destroyed
by　him？〃　asked　the　emperor；　with　a　shrug。　〃What　if　the　lion　should　a
second　time　place　his　foot　on　our　neck；　trample　us　in　the　dust；　and
dictate　to　us　again　a　disgraceful　and　humiliating　peace？　Do　you
think　that　the　present　position　of　the　King　of　Prussia　is　a　pleasant
and　honorable　one；　and　that　I　am　anxious　to　incur　a　similar　fate？
No；　madame！　I　am　by　no　means　eager　to　wear　a　martyr's　crown　instead
of　my　imperial　crown；　and　I　will　rather　strive　to　keep　my　crown　on
my　head；　regardless　of　the　clamor　of　the　German　war…party。　These
German　shriekers　are　nice　fellows。　They　refuse　to　do　any　thing；　but
think　it　is　enough　for　them　to　cry；　'War！　war！'　and　that　that　will
be　sufficient　to　conquer　Bonaparte。　But；　empress；　a　great　deal　more
is　required　for　that　purpose　than　the　fanatical　war…clamor　of　the
aristocratic　saloons；　and　the　scribblings　of　the　journalists　and
patriotic　poets；　in　order　to　attain　so　grand　an　object；　it　is
indispensable　that　all　Germany　should　rise；　take　up　arms；　and　attack
the　enemy　with　united　forces。〃

〃It　is　as　your　majesty　says；〃　exclaimed　Ludovica；　enthusiastically；
〃all　Germany　is　ready　for　the　struggle　against　the　enemy。　The　nation
is　only　waiting　for　Austria　to　give　the　signal；　draw　the　sword；　and
advance　upon　France；　when　all　Germany　will　follow　her。〃

〃I　know　these　fine　phrases；〃　said　Francis；　shrugging　his　shoulders；
〃I　hear　them　every　day　from　my　brothers；　who　are　eager　for　war；　and
who　manage　to　gain　a　great　deal　of　popularity　in　so　comfortable　a
manner。　But　after　all；　they　are　phrases　with　very　little　sense　in
them。　For　just　tell　me；　empress；　where　is　the　Germany　which；　you
say；　is　only　waiting　for　Austria　to　give　the　signal？　Where　are　the
German　armies　which；　you　say；　are　only　waiting　for　Austria　to
advance；　when　they　will　follow　her？　I　have　good　sound　eyes；　but　I
cannot　see　such　armies　anywhere。　I　am　quite　familiar　with　the
geography　of　Germany；　I　know　all　the　states　that　belong　to　it；　but
among　them　I　vainly　look　for　those　which　are　waiting　for　us　to　give
such　a　signal。　Prussia　is　utterly　powerless；　and　cannot　do　any
thing。　The　princes　of　the　Rhenish　Confederacy；　it　is　true；　are
waiting　for　the　signal；　but　Bonaparte　will　give　it　to　them；　and　when
they　march；　they　will　march　against　Austria　and　strive　to　fight　us
bravely　in　order　to　obtain　from　the　French　Emperor　praise；　honors；
titles；　and　grants　of　additional　territories。　No；　no；　I　cannot　be
blinded　by　brave　words　and　bombastic　phrases；　I　know　that　Austria；
in　case　a　war　should　break　out；　would　stand　all　alone；　and　that　she
must　either　conquer　or　be　ruined。　In　1805；　when；　in　consequence　of
the　disastrous　battle　of　Austerlitz；　I　lost　half　my　states；　I　was
not　alone；　Russia　was　my　ally。　But　Russia　has　recently　declared
that；　in　case　a　war　should　break　out；　she　would　not　assist　us
against　Napoleon；　but　observe　a　strict　neutrality　as　long　as
possible；　if　she　should；　however；　be　obliged　to　take　a　decided
stand；　she　would　be　on　the　side　of　France　and　against　us。
Consequently；　I　am　entirely　isolated；　and　Napoleon　has　numerous
allies。〃

〃But　your　majesty　has　a　powerful　ally　in　the　universal　enthusiasm　of
the　Austrians　and　Germans；　in　the　universal　indignation　of　the
nations　against　Napoleon。　You　have　public　opinion　on　your　side；　and
that　is　the　most　powerful　ally。〃

〃Ah；　let　me　alone　with　that　abominable　ally；〃　cried　the　emperor；
vehemently；　〃I　do　not　want　to　hear　of　it　nor　to　have　anything　to　do
with　it。　Public　opinion　is　the　hobby　which　my　brother；　the　popular
Archduke　John；　is　riding　all　the　time；　but　it　will　throw　him　one　day
into　the　mire；　and　then　he　will　find　out　what　it　really　amounts　to。
Pray；　never　speak　to　me　again　of　public　opinion；　for　I　detest　it。　It
smells　of　revolution　and　insurrection；　and；　like　a　patient　donkey；
suffers　itself　to　be　led　by　whosoever　offers　it　a　thistle　as　a　bait。
I　renounce　once　for　all　the　alliance　of　public　opinion；　and　I　do　not
care　whether　it　blesses　or　crucifies　me；　whether　it　calls　me　emperor
or　blockhead。　You　see　now；　empress；　that　I　am　entirely　isolated；　for
the　ally　which　you　offer　to　me　will　do　me　no　good；　I　do　not　want　it；
and　I　have　no　other　allies。　I　thought　it　necessary　to　arm；　in　view
of　the　formidable　armaments　of　France；　and　show　our　adversary　that　I
am　not　afraid　of　him；　but　am　prepared　for　every　thing。　I　therefore
put　my　army　on　the　war　footing；　and　showed　Bonaparte　that　Austria　is
able　to　cope　with　him；　and　that　money　and　well…disciplined　armies
are　not　wanting　to　her。　But　just　now　I　shall　not　proceed　any
further；　and；　unless　something　important　should　occur；　all　this　war…
clamor　and　all　importunities　will　make　no　impression　on　me。　The
important　event　to　which　I　alluded　would　be　Napoleon's　defeat　in
Spain；　whereby　he　would　be　compelled　to　keep　his　armies　there。　In
that　event；　I　should　no　longer　be　isolated；　but　Spain　would　be　my
ally；　and　I　should　probably　declare　war。　But　if　matters　should　turn
out　otherwise；　if　fortune　should　favor　Napoleon　there　as　everywhere
else；　necessity　alone　will　determine　my　course。　I　shall　not　attack；
and　thereby　challenge　fate　of　my　own　accord；　but　I　shall　wait；　sword
in　hand；　for　Napoleon　to　attack　me。　If　he　does；　God　and　my　good
right　will　be　on　my　side；　and　whatever　may　be　the　result　of　the
struggle；　people　will　be　unable　to　say　that　I　rashly　plunged　into
war　and　broke　the　peace。　If　we　succumb；　it　is　the　will　of　God　and
the　Holy　Virgin；　and　not；　our　fault。　And　now；　empress；〃　said　the
emperor；　drawing　a　deep　breath；　〃I　have　complied　with　your　wishes
and　talked　politics　with　you。　I　think　it　will　be　enough　once　for
all；　and　you　and　you　political　friends　will　perceive　that　you　cannot
do　any　thing　with　me；　and　that　it　will　be　best　for　you　to　let　me
entirely　alone；　for　I　am　so　stubborn　as　not　to　allow　others　to　lead
me；　but　pursue　my　own　course。　You　have　promised　me；　empress；　to　be　a
faithful　friend　tome。　I　ask　you　now　to　give　me　a　proof　of　your
friendship。　Let　us　speak　of　something　else　than　polities；　that　is
all　that　I　ask　of　your　friendship。〃

〃Well；　then；　let　us　drop　the　subject；〃　said　the　empress；　with　a　deep
sigh。　〃Your　majesty　will　be　kind　enough　to　permit　me　now　to　ask　a
favor　of　you？〃

〃Ah；　you　speak　as　if　there　were　anything　that　I　could　refuse　you；〃
exclaimed　the　emperor；　smiling。

Ludovica　bowed　slightly。　〃I　pray　you；　therefore；〃　she　said；　〃to　be
kind　enough　to　accompany　me　to　the　concert　which　is　to　be　given　at
the　university　hall。　Haydn's　'Creation'　will　be　performed　there；　and
I　believe　the　old　maestro　himself　will　be　present　to　receive　the
homage　of　his　admirers。〃

〃H'm；　h'm！　I　am　afraid　there　is　something　else　behind　it；〃　said　the
emperor；　thoughtfully；　〃and　the　audience　will　not　content　itself
with　merely　offering　homage　to　old　Haydn。　But　no　matter；　your
majesty　wishes　to　go　to　the　concert；　and　it　will　afford　me　pleasure
to　accompany　my　empress。〃

At　this　moment　they　heard　a　low　rap　at　the　door　leading　from　the
emperor's　cabinet　into　the　conference…room；　where　the　officers　of
the　private　imperial　chancery　were　working。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　exclaimed　the　emperor。　〃Come　in。〃

The　emperor's　private　chamberlain　slipped　softly　through　the　half…
opened　door；　and；　on　beholding　the　empress；　be　stood　still　without
uttering　a　word。

〃Never　mind；　the　empress　will　excuse　you；〃　said　Francis。

〃Just　tell　me　what　you　have　come　in　for。〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　the　chamberlain；　〃the　French　ambassador；　Count
Andreossi；　has　just　arrived；　and　requests　your　majesty　to　grant　him
an　audience。　He　says　he　wishes　to　communicate　information　of　great
importance　to　you。〃

〃Why　did　he　not　apply　to　my　minister　of　foreign　affairs？〃　asked　the
emperor；　indignantly。

〃Your　majesty；　the　ambassador　begs　your　pardon；　but　he　says　the
Emperor　Napoleon　gave　him　express　orders　to　endeavor　if　possible　to
speak　with　your　majesty。〃

〃And　he　is　already　in　the　anteroom；　and　waits　for　an　immediate
audience？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　will　receive　him；〃　said　the　emperor；　rising。　〃Conduct
the　ambassador　to　the　small　audience…room。Well？〃　asked　the
emperor；　wonderingly；　when　the　chamberlain　did　not　withdraw。　〃You　do
not　go？　Do　you　wish　to　tell　me　any　thing　else？〃

〃I　do；　your　majesty。　A　courier　has　just　arrived　from　Paris　with
pressing　dispatches　from　Count　Metternich　to　your　majesty。〃

〃Ah；　that　changes　the　matter！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor。　〃Tell　the
ambassador　that　I　can　not　receive　him　now；　but　that　he　is　to　come
back　in　an　hour；　at　eleven　precisely；　when　I　shall　be　ready　to
receive　him。　Tell　the　courier　to　come　to　me　at　once。〃

The　chamberlain　slipped　noiselessly　out　of　the　door；　and　the　emperor
turned　again　to　the　empress：

〃Empress；〃　he　said；　〃do　me　the　honor　of　permitting　me　to　offer　you
my　arm；　and　conduct　you　back　to　your　rooms。　You　see　I　am　a　poor；
tormented　man；　who　is　so　overwhelmed　with　business　that　he　cannot
even　chat　an　hour　with　his　wife　without　being　disturbed。　Pity　me　a
little；　and　prove　it　to　me　by　permitting　me　henceforth　to　rest　in
your　presence　from　the　cares　of　business；　and　not　talk　politics。〃

〃The　wish　of　my　lord　and　emperor　s