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at　heart；　and　intended　earnestly　that　my　army　should　succor　and　save
the　Tyrolese；　would　he　not　have　left　me　at　liberty　to　operate
according　to　the　dictates　of　my　own　judgment　and　in　full　harmony
with　the　Tyrolese；　instead　of　tying　my　hands；　and　regarding　and
employing　my　force　only　as　a　secondary　and　entirely　dependent　corps
of　the　generalissimo's　army？　Look　into　the　past；　Nugent；　bear　in
mind　all　that　has　happened　since　we　took　the　field；　and　tell　me　then
whether　I　am　right　or　not？〃

〃Unfortunately　you　are；〃　sighed　Nugent；　〃I　can　no　longer　contradict
your　imperial　highness；　I　cannot　deny　that　many　a　wrong　has　been
inflicted　on　you　and　us；　that　you　have　have　always　been　prevented
from　taking　the　initiative　in　a　vigorous　manner；　that　you　and　your
army　have　constantly　been　kept　in　a　secondary　and　dependent
position；　that　your　plans　have　incessantly　been　frustrated；　and　that
your　superiors　have　often　done　the　reverse　of　what　you　wished　and
deemed　prudent　and　advisable。〃

〃My　friend　at　they　will　hereafter　say　that　I　was　alone　to　blame　for
the　failure　of　my　plans；〃　cried　the　archduke；　with　a　mournful　smile；
〃they　will　charge　me　with　having　been　unable　to　carry　out　the
grandiloquent　promises　which　I　made　to　the　emperor　and　the　Tyrolese；
and　the　emperor　will　exult　at　the　discomfiture　of　the　boastful
archduke　who　took　it　upon　himself　to　call　out　the　whole　people　of
the　Tyrol；　put　himself　at　their　head；　and　successfully　defend
against　all　enemies　this　fortress　which　God　and　Nature　erected　for
Austria。　The　faithful　Tyrolese　have　taken　up　arms；　I　am　ready　to　put
myself　at　their　head；　but　already　I　have　been　removed　from　the
Tyrol；　and　my　arm　is　paralyzed　so　that　I　can　no　longer　stretch　it
out　to　take　the　hand　which　the　Tyrol　is　holding　out　to　me
beseechingly。　If　I　had　been　permitted　to　advance　after　the　victories
which　my　army　gained　over　the　Viceroy　of　Italy　and　Marmont；　I　should
probably　now　already　have　expelled　the　enemy　from　Upper　Italy　and
the　Southern　Tyrol。　But　I　was　not　allowed　to　follow　up　my　successes；
I　was　stopped　in　the　midst　of　my　victorious　career。　Because　the
generalissimo's　army　had　been　defeated　at　Ratisbon；　I　was　compelled；
instead　of　pursuing　the　enemy　energetically　and　obliging　him　to　keep
on　the　defensive；　to　retreat　myself；　and；　instead　of　being　the
pursuer；　be　pursued　by　the　forces　of　the　viceroy。　Instead　of　going
to　the　Tyrol；　I　was　ordered　by　the　generalissimo　to　turn　toward
Hungary　and　unite　with　the　volunteers　in　that　country。　No　sooner　had
I　done　so；　than　I　was　ordered　to　advance　again　toward　the　Southern
Tyrol；　march　upon　Villach　and　Salzburg；　unite　with　Jellachich；　form
a　connection　with　Field…Marshal　Giulay；　and　operate　with　them　in　the
rear　of　the　enemy；　who　was　already　in　the　immediate　neighborhood　of
Vienna。　And　he　who　gave　me　these　orders　did　not　know　that　Jellachich
had　in　the　meantime　been　beaten　at　Wurzl；　that　Villach　had　been
occupied　by　the　French；　that　I　was　not　in　the　rear　of　the　enemy；　but
that　the　enemy　was　in　my　rear；　be　did　not　or　would　not　know　that　the
Viceroy　of　Italy　was　in　my　rear　with　thirty…six　thousand　men；　and
that　the　Duke　of　Dantzic　was　in　front　of　my　position　at　Salzburg。
Since　then　we　have　been　moving　about　amidst　incessant　skirmishes　and
incessant　losses；　and　scarcely　had　we　reached　Comorn　to　re…organize
and　re…enforce　my　little　army；　when　we　received　orders　to　march　to
the　island　of　Schutt　and　toward　Presburg。　I　vainly　tried　to
remonstrate　and　point　to　the　weakness　and　exhaustion　of　my　troops；　I
vainly　asked　for　time　to　reorganize　my　forces；　when　I　would　attack
Macdonald　and　prevent　him　from　uniting　with　Napoleon。　I　vainly
proved　that　this　was　his　intention；　and　that　no　one　could　hinder　him
from　carrying　it　into　effect；　so　soon　as　I　had　to　turn　toward
Presburg　and　open　to　Macdonald　the　road　to　Vienna。　My　remonstrances
were　disregarded；　pains　were　taken　to　prove　to　me　that　I　was　but　a
tool；　a　wheel　in　the　great　machine　of　state；　and　the　orders　were
renewed　for　me　to　march　into　Hungary。　Well；　I　will　submit　againI
will　obey　again；　but　I　will　not　do　so　in　silence；　I　will；　at　least；
tell　the　emperor　that　I　do　it　in　spite　of　myself；　and　will　march　to
Presburg　and　Raab　only　if　he　approves　of　the　generalissmo's　orders。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　your　imperial　highness　is　going　to　declare　openly
against　the　generalissimo？〃

〃No；　it　is　to　say　that　I　am　going　to　inform　my　sovereign　of　my
doubts　and　fears；　and　unbosom　to　him　my　wishes　and　convictions。　You
smile；　my　friend。　It　is　true；　I　am　yet　a　poor　dreamer；　speculating
on　the　heart；　and　believing　that　the　truth　must　triumph　in　the　end。
I　shall；　however；　at　least　be　able　to　say　that　I　have　done　my　duty；
and　had　the　courage　to　inform　the　emperor　of　the　true　state　of
affairs。　I　shall　repair　this　very　day　to　his　majesty's　headquarters
at　Wolkersdorf。　I　will　dare　once　more　to　speak　frankly　and
fearlessly　to　him。　I　will　oppose　my　enemies　at　least　with　open
visor；　and　show　to　them　that　I　am　not　afraid　of　them。　God　knows；　if
only　my　own　personal　honor　and　safety　were　at　stake；　I　should
withdraw　in　silence；　and　shut　up　my　grief　and　my　apprehensions　in　my
bosom；　but　my　fatherland　is　at　stake；　and　so　is　the　poor　Tyrol；　so
enthusiastic　in　its　love；　so　unwavering　in　its　fidelity；　and　so　are
the　honor　and　glory　of　our　arms。　Hence；　I　will　dare　once　more　to
speak　the　truth；　and　may　God　impart　strength　to　my　words！〃




CHAPTER　XXV。

THE　EMPEROR　FRANCIS　AT　WOLBERSDORF。


The　Emperor　of　Austria　was　still　at　his　headquarters　at　Wolkersdorf。
The　news　of　the　victory　at　Aspern　had　illuminated　the　Emperor's　face
with　the　first　rays　of　hope；　and　greatly　lessened　the　influence　of
the　peace…party　over　him。　The　war…party　became　more　confident；　the
beautiful；　pale　face　of　the　Empress　Ludovica　became　radiant　as　it
had　never　been　seen　before；　and　Count　Stadion　told　the　emperor　he
would　soon　be　able　to　return　to　Vienna。

But　the　Emperor　Francis　shook　his　head　with　an　incredulous　smile。
〃You　do　not　know　Bonaparte；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　think　he　will；　because
he　has　suffered　a　defeat；　be　immediately　ready　to　make　peace　and
return　to　France。　Now　he　will　not　rest　before　he　gains　a　victory　and
repairs　the　blunders　he　has　committed。　There　is　wild　and　insidious
blood　circulating　in　Bonaparte's　veins；　and　the　battle　of　Aspern　has
envenomed　it　more　than　ever。　Did　you　not　hear；　Stadion；　of　what
Bonaparte　is　reported　to　have　said？　He　declared　that　there　was　no
longer　a　dynasty　of　the　Hapsburgs；　but　only　the　petty　princes　of
Lorraine。　And　do　you　not　know　that　he　has　addressed　to　the
Hungarians　a　proclamation　advising　them　to　depose　me　without　further
ceremony；　and　elect　another　king；　of　course　one　of　the　new…fangled
French　princes？　Do　you　not　know　that　he　has　sent　to　Hungary
emissaries　who　are　calling　upon　the　people　to　rise　against　me　and
conquer　their　liberty；　which　he；　Bonaparte；　would　protect？　In　truth；
it　is　laughable　to　hear　Bonaparte　still　prating　about　liberty　as
though　it　were　a　piece　of　sugar　which　he　has　only　to　put　into　the
mouth　of　the　nations；　when　they　are　crying　like　babies；　in　order　to
silence　them；　and　thereupon　pull　the　wool　quietly　over　their　eyes。
But　it　is　true；　the　nations　really　are　like　babies；　they　do　not
become　reasonable　and　wise；　and　the　accursed　word　'liberty；'　which
Bonaparte　puts　as　a　flea　into　their　ears；　maddens　them　still　as
though　a　tarantula　had　bitten　them。　They　have　seen　in　Italy　and
France　what　sort　of　liberty　Napoleon　brings　to　them；　and　what　a　yoke
he　intends　to　lay　on　their　necks　while　telling　them　that　he　wishes
to　make　freemen　of　them。　But　they　do　not　become　wise；　and　who　knows
if　the　Magyars　will　not　likewise　allow　themselves　to　be　fooled　and
believe　in　the　liberty　which　Bonaparte　promises　to　them？〃

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　said　Count　Stadion；　〃the　Magyars　are　no
children；　they　are　men　who　know　full　well　what　to　think　of
Bonaparte's　insidious　flatteries；　and　will　not　permit　him　to　mislead
them　by　his　deceptive　promises。　They　received　the　Archduke　John　with
genuine　enthusiasm；　and　every　day　volunteers　are　flocking　to　his
standards　to　fight　against　the　despot　who；　like　a　demon　of　terror；
tramples　the　peace　and　prosperity　of　all　Europe　under　his　bloody
feet。　No；　Bonaparte　can　no　longer　count　upon　the　sympathies　of　the
nations；　they　are　all　ready　to　rise　against　him；　and　in　the　end
hatred　will　accomplish　that　which　love　and　reason　were　unable　to
bring　about。　The　hatred　of　the　nations　will　crush　Bonaparte　and　hurl
him　from　his　throne。〃

〃Provided　the　princes　of　the　Rhenish　Confederation　do　not　support
him；　or　provided　the　Emperor　Alexander　of　Russia　does　not　catch　him
in　his　arms；〃　said　Francis；　shrugging　his　shoulders。〃　I　have　no
great　confidence　in　what　you　call　the　nations；　they　are　really
reckless　and　childish　people。　If　Bonaparte　is　lucky　again；　even　the
Germans　will　idolize　him　before　long；　but　if　he　is　unlucky；　they
will　stone　him。　Just　look　at　my　illustrious　brother；　the
generalissimo。　After　the　defeats　of　Landshut　and　Ratisbon；　and　the
humble　letter　which　he　wrote　to　Bonaparte；　you；　Count　Stadion；
thought　it　would　be　good　for　the　Archduke　Charles　if　we　gave　him　a
successor；　and　if　we　removed　him；　torme