andreas hofer-第69节

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should　need　your　advice　and　wisdom；　I　shall　send　for　you；　and　when
Baron　Steigentesch　returns　from　his　mission　to　Prussia；　you　shall　be
informed　of　the　results。　Farewell；　brother；　and　let　me　soon　hear　of
new　victories！〃




CHAPTER　XXVI。

THE　REPLY　OF　THE　KING　OF　PRUSSIA。


Two　weeks　after　this　interview　between　the　Archduke　John　and　the
emperor；　the　archduke；　at　the　request　of　the　emperor；　repaired　again
to　the　imperial　headquarters　at　Wolkersdorf；　and　sent　in　his　name　to
his　brother。

〃You　come　just　in　time；　brother；〃　said　the　emperor；　when　John
entered　his　cabinet。〃　I　knew　that　Baron　Steigentesch　would　arrive
here　to…day；　hence　I　sent　for　you；　for　I　promised　to　let　you　hear
the　reply　of　the　King　of　Prussia　to　my　proposal。　The　colonel　did
arrive　a　few　minutes　ago；　and　waits　in　the　anteroom　for　an
audience。〃

〃Before　admitting　him；　your　majesty；　pray　listen　to　me；〃　said　John；
in　a　grave；　tremulous　voice。

〃I　hope　you　do　not　intend　to　reveal　a　secret　to　me？〃　asked　the
emperor。

〃No；　your　majesty；　unfortunately　that　which　I　have　to　say　to　you
will　soon　be　known　to　everybody；　and　our　enemies　will　take　care　to
let　their　triumphant　bulletins　circulate　the　news　throughout
Europe。〃

〃It　is　a　defeat；　then；　that　you　have　to　announce　to　me？〃　asked　the
emperor；　gloomily。

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　a　defeat。　I　met　the　enemy　yesterday　at　Raab
＇June　14；　1809＇。　Our　men　fought　bravely；　some　performed　the　most
heroic　exploits；　but　the　odds　of　the　enemy　were　too　overwhelming。
The　Viceroy　of　Italy　attacked　us　with　his　well…disciplined　veteran
troops；　thirty…nine　thousand　strong。　In　the　outset；　we；　that　is；　the
Archduke　Palatine　and　I；　were　about　as　strong；　including　the
Hungarian　volunteers。　But　the　very　first　attack　of　the　enemy；　the
first　volleys　of　musketry；　caused　the　volunteers　to　fall　back；　they
fled　panic…struck；　abandoned　the　hill　where　I　had　posted　them；　and
rushed　in　wild　disorder　from　the　field　of　battle。　The　enemy　then
occupied　the　hill；　and　this　decided　the　fate　of　the　day　against　us；
shortly　after　the　commencement　of　the　battle。　However；　we　might　have
held　out　and　gained　a　victory；　if　all　had　carried　out　my　orders
promptly　and　carefully；　and　if；　as　usually　during　this　campaign；　no
obstacles　had　been　placed　in　my　way。〃

〃Ah；　archduke；　to　avoid　charges　being　preferred　against　yourself；
you　intend　to　prefer　charges　against　others！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；
shrugging　his　shoulders。

〃Yes　your　majesty；　I　charge　Ignatius　Giulay；　Ban　of　Croatia；　with
violation　of　my　orders；　disobedience；　and　intentional　delays　in
making　the　movements　I　had　prescribed。　I　had　ordered　the　Ban　in　time
to　join　me　at　Comorn　on　the　13th　of　June；　and　he　had　positively
assured　me；　by　letter　and　verbally；　that　he　would　promptly　be　on
hand　on　the　stated　day。　I　counted　upon　his　arrival；　and　made　my
dispositions　accordingly。　The　generalissimo　had　instructed　me　to
keep　open　my　communications　with　the　main　army　on　the　right　bank　of
the　Danube　by　way　of　Raab；　and　I；　therefore；　started　on　the　morning
of　the　13th　from　Comorn；　firmly　convinced　that　Giulay's　troops　would
join　me　in　time　and　follow　me。　But　I　waited　for　him　in　vain；　he
failed　me　at　the　critical　moment；　despite　my　orders　and　his
promises；　and　this　was　the　principal　reason　why　we　lost　the　battle。〃
＇Footnote：　See　Schlosser's　〃History　of　the　Eighteenth　Century；〃　vol。
vii。；　p。　540。＇

〃You　prefer　a　grave　charge　against　a　man　whom　I　have　always　found　to
be　faithful；　brave；　and　honorable；〃　said　the　emperor；　with　cutting
coldness。

〃Your　majesty；　I　beg　you　to　be　so　gracious　as　to　call　the　Ban　of
Croatia　to　a　strict　account；〃　exclaimed　John；　vehemently。　〃I　beg　you
to　be　so　gracious　as　to　send　for　the　orders　which　I　gave　him；　and
ask　him　why　he　did　not　obey　them。〃

〃I　shall　do　so；〃　replied　the　emperor；　〃and　it　is　my　conviction　that
he　will　be　able　to　justify　himself　completely。〃

The　Archduke　John　gave　a　start；　a　deathly　pallor　overspread　his
cheeks；　his　eyes　shot　fire；　his　lips　opened　to　utter　an　impetuous
word；　but　he　restrained　it　forcibly；　compressing　his　lips；　pale　and
panting；　he　hastily　moved　back　a　few　steps　and　approached　the　door。

〃Stay！〃　ordered　the　emperor；　in　a　harsh　voice。　〃I　have　yet　some
questions　to　put　to　you。　You　are　responsible　for　this　battle　of
Raab；　and　you　owe　me　some　explanations　concerning　it。　How　was　the
retreat　effected？　Where　are　your　forces　now？〃

〃The　retreat　was　effected　in　good　order；〃　said　John；　in　a　low；
tremulous　voice。　〃I　marched　with　four　battalions　of　grenadiers　and
two　battalions　of　Gratz　militia　slowly　along　the　heights　to　Als；
where　we　arrived　at　midnight；　and　to…day　we　went　back　to　Comorn。
There　our　forces　are　now。〃

〃And　Raab？　Have　the　enemy　taken　it　already？〃

〃No；　your　majesty；　it　still　holds　out：　but　it　will　fall；　as　I　told
your　majesty　two　weeks　ago；　for　the　generalissimo　has　sent　me
neither　ammunition　nor　re…enforcements；　despite　my　most　pressing
requests。〃

〃Is　that　to　be　another　charge？〃　asked　the　emperor；　sternly。

〃No；〃　said　John；　mournfully；　〃it　is　only　to　be　my　defence；　for
unfortunately　it　is　always　necessary　for　me　to　defend　myself。〃

〃Ah；　archduke；　you　always　consider　yourself　the　victim　of　cabals；〃
exclaimed　the　emperor；　〃you　believe　yourself　always　persecuted　and
calumniated；　you　suspect　invariably　that　you　are　slighted　and　placed
in　false　positions　by　those　who　are　jealous　of　your　exalted
qualities；　and　envious　of　your　talents。　You　think　that　your
greatness　excites　apprehensions；　and　your　genius　and　learning　create
misgivings；　and　that　you　are　therefore　persecuted；　that　intrigues
are　entered　upon　against　you；　and　that　not　sufficient　elbow…room　is
given　to　your　abilities。　But　you　are　mistaken；　archduke。　I　am　not
afraid　of　you；　and　although　I　admire　you；　and　think；　like　you；　that
you　are　the　greatest　captain　of　the　age〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　interrupted　John；　in　a　loud；　vehement　voice；　〃your
majesty；　I〃

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　cried　the　emperor；　hastily　advancing　a　few　steps
toward　his　brother；　and　staring　at　him　with　defiant　eyes。　〃What　have
you　got　to　say　to　me？〃

〃Nothing；　your　majesty；〃　said　John；　in　a　hollow　voice；　〃you　are　the
emperor！　I　am　silent；　and　submit。〃

〃And　you　are　very　prudent　in　doing　so；　for；　as　you　say；　I　am　the
emperor；　and　I　will　remain　the　emperor；　despite　all　my　great　and
august　brothers。　If　your　imperial　highness　does　not　like　this；　if
you　think　you　are　treated　unjustly；　if　you　consider　yourself　a
martyr；　why　do　you　not　imitate　what　the　generalissimo　has　done
already　three　times　during　the　present　campaignwhy　do　you　not
offer　your　resignation？　Why　do　you　not　request　your　emperor　to
dismiss　you　from　his　service？〃

〃Will　your　majesty　permit　me　to　make　a　frank　and　honest　reply　to
this　question？〃　asked　John；　looking　at　the　emperor　firmly　and
gravely。

〃I　will。〃

〃Well；　then；　your　majesty；　I　do　not　offer　my　resignation　because　I
am　not　an　invalid；　because　I　am　young；　strong；　and　able　to　work。　I
request　the　emperor　not　to　dismiss　me　from　the　service；　because　I
serve　not　only　him；　but　the　fatherland；　and　because　I　owe　to　it　my
services　and　strength。　I　know　well　that　many　would　like　me　to　retire
into　privacy　and　withdraw　entirely　from　public　affairs；　but　I　cannot
fulfil　their　wishes；　and　never　shall　I　withdraw　voluntarily　from　the
service。　No　matter　what　wrongs　and　slights　may　be　inflicted　upon　me；
they　will　be　fruitless；　for　they　will　never　shake　my　purpose。　All
the　disagreeable　things　that　happen　to　me　in　my　career；　I　think
proceed　from　individuals；　and　not　from　the　fatherland；　why　should　I；
then；　avenge　myself　on　the　fatherland　by　resigning　and　depriving　it
of　my　services　when　it　has　done　me　no　wrong？　＇Footnote：　The
archduke's　own　words。See　his　〃Letters　to　Johannes　von　Mailer；〃　P。
92。＇　I　serve　the　fatherland　in　serving　your　majesty；　should　I
resign；　I　should　be　unfaithful　to　both　my　masters；　and　only　then
would　your　majesty　have　a　right　to　despise　me。〃

〃Listen；〃　said　the　emperor；　〃the　word　fatherland　is　a　dangerous　and
two…edged　one；　and　I　do　not　think　much　of　it。　The　insurgents　and
revolutionists　have　it　always　in　their　mouths；　and　when　rising
against　their　prince　and　refusing　him　obedience；　they　likewise　say
that　they　do　so　in　the　service　of　the　fatherland；　and　devote　their
strength　and　fidelity　to　it。　The　soldier；　above　all；　has　nothing　to
do　with　the　fatherland；　but　only　with　his　sovereign；　it　is　to　him
alone　that　he　has　sworn　allegiance；　and　to　him　alone　he　must　remain
faithful。　Now；　as　you　are　a　soldier　and　wish　to　remain　in　the
service；　pray　bear　in　mind　that　you　have　sworn　allegiance　to　your
emperor；　and　let　me　bear　no　longer　any　of　your　subtle　distinctions
between　your　emperor　and　your　fatherland。　And　now　that　you　have
reported　to　me　the　result　of　the　disastrous　battle　of　Raab；　Baron
Steigentesch　may　come　in　and　report　the　results　of　his　mission　to
Koenigsberg。　Stay；　therefore；　and　listen　to　him。〃

The　emperor　rang　the　bell；　and　ordered　the　footman　who　entered　the
room　to　admit　immediately　Minister　Count　Stadion　and　Colonel　Baron
Steigentesch。　A　few　minutes　later　the　two　gentlemen　entered　the
cabinet。

〃Now；　colonel；〃　said　the　emperor　to　him；　〃you　are　to　report　the
resul