andreas hofer-第64节

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indissolubly　incorporate　these　provinces　with　my　other　states。　Your
noble　conduct　has　sunk　deep　into　my　heart；　I　will　never　abandon　you。
My　beloved　brother；　the　Archduke　John；　will　speedily　be　among　you；
and　put　himself　at　your　head。　FRANCIS。〃

＇Footnote：　Hormayr；　〃Das　Heer　von　Inner…Oesterreich　unter　den
Befehlen　des　Erzherzogs　Johann；〃　p。　189。＇

〃And　your　imperial　highness　doubts；　even　after　this　solemn　promise
given　to　the　Tyrolese　by　his　majesty　the　emperor？〃

〃My　friend；〃　said　the　archduke；　casting　a　long；　searching　look　round
the　room；　〃we　are　alone；　no　one　watches；　and；　I　trust；　no　one　hears
us。　Let　me；　therefore；　for　once；　speak　frankly　with　you；　let　me
unbosom　to　you；　my　friend；　what　I　have　hitherto　said　to　God　alone；
let　me　forget　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　that　I　am　a　subject　of　the
emperor；　and　that　his　majesty　is　my　brother；　permit　me　to　examine
the　situation　with　the　eyes　of　an　impartial　observer；　and　to　judge
of　men　as　a　man。　Well；　then；　I　must　confess　to　you　that　I　cannot
share　the　universal　joy　at　the　recent　events；　andmay　God　forgive
me！I　do　not　believe　even　in　the　promises　which　the　emperor　makes
to　the　Tyrolese。　He　himself　may　at　the　present　hour　be　firmly
resolved　to　fulfil　them；　he　may　have　made　up　his　mind　never　to　sign
any　peace　but　one　which　will　indissolubly　incorporate　the　Tyrol　with
his　empire；　but　the　events；　and　especially　men；　will　assuredly
compel　him　to　consent　to　another　treaty　of　peace。　You　know　full　well
that　there　are　two　parties　about　the　emperor；　and　that　there　is　a
constant　feud　between　these　two　parties。　One　wants　war；　the　other
wants　peace；　and　the　peace…party　is　unfortunately　headed　by　the
Archduke　Charles；　the　generalissimo　of　our　army。　You　know　the
fawning　and　submissive　letter　which　the　generalissimo　addressed　to
Napoleon　after　the　defeat　of　Ratisbon；　and　which　Napoleon　disdained
to　answer。　＇Footnote：　The　Archduke　Charles　wrote　to　Napoleon　on　the
30th　of　April；　1809：　〃Your　Majesty　announced　your　arrival　by　a　salvo
of　artillery；　I　had　no　time　to　reply　to　it。　But；　though　hardly
informed　of　your　presence；　I　speedily　discovered　it　by　the　losses
which　I　experienced。　You　have　taken　many　prisoners　from　me；　sire；
and　I　have　taken　some　thousands　from　you　in　quarters　where　you　were
not　personally　present。　I　propose　to　your　majesty　to　exchange　them；
man　for　man；　rank　for　rank；　and；　if　that　proposal　proves　agreeable
to　you；　point　out　the　place　where　it　may　be　possible　to　carry　it
into　effect。　I　feel　flattered；　sire；　in　combating　the　greatest
captain　of　the　age；　but　I　should　esteem　myself　much　happier　if
Heaven　had　chosen　me　to　be　the　instrument　of　procuring　for　my
country　a　durable　peace。　Whatever　may　be　the　events　of　war；　or　the
chances　of　an　accommodation；　I　pray　your　majesty　to　believe　that　my
desires　will　always　outstrip　your　wishes；　and　that　I　am　equally
honored　by　meeting　your　majesty　either　with　the　sword　or　the　olive…
branch　in　your　hand。〃＇　The　war…party　is　headed　by　the　empress　and
Count　Stadion。　But　the　empress　has　unfortunately　little　influence
over　her　husband；　and　Count　Stadion　is　no　more　influential　than　her
majesty。　His　generous　enthusiasm　and　fiery　impetuosity　are　repugnant
to　the　emperor；　who　will　remove　him　so　soon　as　he　has　discovered　a
more　submissive　and　obsequious　successor　who　has　as　much　work　in　him
as　Stadion。　But　there　is　one　point　as　to　which　these　incessantly
quarrelling　parties　are　agreed　and　join　hands；　and　that　is　their
common　hostility　against　the　arch…dukes；　the　emperor's　brothers；　so
virulent　is　this　hatred；　that　the　peace…party　deserts　its　leader　in
order　to　operate　with　the　war…party　against　him　and　his　interests。
The　Austrian　nobility　has　always　claimed　the　privilege　of　filling
all　superior　offices；　and　it　is　furious　at　seeing　the　archdukes
animated　with　the　desire　of　dedicating　their　abilities　to　their
fatherland　and　their　emperor。　Hence；　the　nobility　is　decidedly
opposed　to　the　success　of　the　archdukes；　which　might　set　bounds　to
its　oligarchy。　It　opposes　me　as　well　as　the　other　archdukes；　whether
this　opposition　may　endanger　the　interests　of　the　fatherland；　and
even　the　emperor；　or　not。　Things　would　be　even　more　prosperous　in
this　campaign；　if　the　generals　serving　under　the　archdukes　had
carried　out　the　orders　of　their　superiors　with　greater　zeal；
promptness；　and　willingness。　But　they　have　been　intentionally　slow；
they　have　often　hesitated；　misunderstood；　or　purposely　forgotten
their　orders。　They　are　intent　on　proving　the　incapacity　of　the
archdukes　in　order　to　overthrow　them；　and　they　well　know　that　they
are　rendering　a　service　to　the　emperor　by　doing　so；　for　they　are
aware　that　the　emperor　does　not　love　his　brothers。〃

〃No；　your　imperial　highness；〃　exclaimed　Nugent；　when　the　archduke
paused　with　a　sigh。　〃I　hope　that　this　is　going　too　far；　and　that　you
are　likewise　mistaken　about　it。　It　is　impossible　that　the　emperor
should　not　love　his　brothers；　who　are　doing　so　much　honor　to　the
imperial　house　by　their　surpassing　accomplishments；　virtues；　and
talents。〃

〃My　friend；　you　speak　like　a　courtier；〃　said　John；　shaking　his　head；
〃and　you　exaggerate　as　a　friend。　But　even　though　you　were　right；
those　qualities　would　not　be　calculated　to　render　the　emperor's
heart　more　attached　to　us。　He　wants　the　emperor　alone　to　shed　lustre
on；　and　do　honor　to　the　imperial　house；　and　not　the　archdukes；　his
father's　younger　sons；　whom　he　hates。〃

〃No；　no；　your　imperial　highness；　it　is　impossible　that　the　emperor
should　hate　his　brothers！〃

〃And　why　impossible？〃　asked　John；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Do　not
his　brothers；　the　archdukes；　hate　each　other？　Or　do　you　believe；
perhaps；　that　the　Archduke　Charles；　our　generalissimo；　loves　me；　or
even　wishes　me　well？　I　was　so　unfortunate　as　to　be　twice　victorious
during　the　present　campaign；　while　he　was　twice　defeated；　I　beat　the
French　at　Sacile　and　St。　Boniface；　while　he　lost　the　battles　of
Landshut　and　Ratisbon。　This　is　a　crime　which　the　archduke　will　never
forgive　me；　and　for　which　he　will　revenge　himself。〃

〃Perhaps　he　thinks　that　he　took　a　noble　and　glorious　revenge　at　the
battle　of　Aspern？〃

〃Oh；　my　friend；　you　forgot　that　our　mother　was　a　daughter　of　Italy；
and　that　we；　therefore；　do　not　care　for　a　noble　and　glorious
revenge；　but　long　for　an　Italian　vendetta。　The　generalissimo　will
not　content　himself　with　having　obtained　glory；　but　I　must　suffer　a
defeat；　a　disgrace；　which　will　neutralize　what　few　laurels　I
gathered　at　Sacile　and　St。　Boniface。　Oh；　I　know　my　brother　the
generalissimo；　I　see　all　the　little　threads　which　he　is　spinning
around　me；　and　which；　as　soon　as　they　are　strong　enough；　he　will
convert　into　a　net；　in　which　he　will　catch　me；　in　order　to　exhibit
me　to　the　world　as　an　ignoramus　and　dreamer；　destitute　both　of
ability　and　luck　as　a　general。　Do　not　tell　me　that　I　am　mistaken；　my
friend；　I　have　hitherto　observed　every　thing　with　close　attention；
and　my　observations　unfortunately　do　not　deceive　me。　The
generalissimo　is　desirous　of　punishing　me　for　my　victories　at　Sacile
and　St。　Boniface；　and　for　advocating　a　declaration　of　war　when　he
pronounced　three　times　against　it。　He　has　already　several　times　told
the　emperor　that　I　am　self…willed；　disobedient；　and　always　inclined
to　oppose　his　orders　by　words　or　even　deeds；　and　the　emperor　always
takes　pleasure　in　informing　me　of　the　generalissimo's　complaints。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　sighed　Count　Nugent；　〃this　aversion　of　the
generalissimo　to　your　imperial　highness　unfortunately　cannot　be
denied；　and　you　yourself　have　to　suffer　by　it。〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　John；　impetuously；　〃if　that　were　all；　I　should　not
complain；　I　should　add　it　to　the　many　other　pin…pricks　of　my　fate；
and　strive　to　bear　it　without　murmuring。　But　my　soldiers　and　the
glory　of　the　Austrian　arms　suffer　by　it；　and　it　will　destroy　the
liberty　of　the　Tyrol。　It　is　well　known　that　this　is　my　most
vulnerable　point；　that　I　love　the　Tyrol；　and　am　determined　to　leave
nothing　undone　in　order　to　redeem　the　emperor's　pledges　to　preserve
the　Tyrol　to　the　imperial　house；　and　restore　its　ancient　privileges
and　liberties。　It　is　known；　too；　that　I　long　intensely　to　live　in
the　future　days　of　peace　as　the　emperor's　lieutenant　in　the　Tyrol；
to　live；　far　from　the　noisy　bustle　of　the　capital；　in　the　peaceful
seclusion　of　the　mountain　country；　for　myself；　my　studies；　and　the
men　whom　I　love；　and　who　love　me。　Oh；　my　poor；　unfortunate　Tyrol
will　grievously　suffer　for　the　love　which　I　bear　it；　Austria　will
lose　it　a　second　time；　and　now；　perhaps；　forever。〃

〃Does　your　imperial　highness　believe　so？〃　cried　Nugent；　in　dismay。
〃You　believe　so；　even　after　communicating　to　me　the　letter　in　which
the　emperor　promises　to　the　Tyrolese　never　to　sign　a　peace　that　will
not　indissolubly　incorporate　the　Tyrol　and　Vorarlberg　with　his
monarchy；　and　in　which　he　announces　the　speedy　arrival　of　his
beloved　brother　John；　who　is　to　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the
Tyrolese？〃

〃My　friend；　these　numerous　and　liberal　promises　are　the　very　things
that　make　me　distrustful；　and　convince　me　that　they　are　not　meant
seriously。　If　the　emperor　had　the　preservation　of　the　Tyrol　really
at　heart；　and　intended　earnestly　that　my　army　should　succor　and