andreas hofer-第7节

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〃The　wish　of　my　lord　and　emperor　shall　be　fulfilled；〃　said　the
empress；　mournfully；　taking　the　arm　which　the　emperor　offered　to　her
to　conduct　her　back　to　her　rooms。

Just　as　she　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　imperial　cabinet；　and
stepped　into　the　corridor；　she　heard　the　voice　of　the　chamberlain；
who　announced：　〃The　courier　from　Paris；　Counsellor　von　Hudelist。〃

〃All　right；　I　shall　be　back　directly！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　and　he
conducted　the　empress　with　a　somewhat　accelerated　step　through　the
corridor。　In　front　of　the　door　at　its　end　he　stood　still　and　bowed
to　the　empress　with　a　pleasant　smile。

〃I　have　conducted　you　now　to　the　frontier　of　your　realm；〃　said
Francis；　〃permit　me；　therefore；　to　return　to　mine。　Farewell！　We
shall　go　to　the　concert　to…night。　Farewell！〃

Without　waiting　for　the　reply　of　the　empress；　he　turned　and　hastily
re…entered　his　cabinet。

Ludovica　entered　her　room　and　locked　the　door　behind　her。　〃Closed
forever！〃　she　said；　with　a　sigh。　〃At　least　I　shall　not　try　again　to
avail　myself　of　this　door；　and　shall　not　expose　myself　again　to　the
sneers　of　the　emperor。　I　must；　then；　bear　this　disgrace；　I　must
submit　to　being　disdained　and　repudiated　by　my　husband；　IBut
hush！〃　the　empress　interrupted　herself；　〃this　is　no　time　for
bewailing　my　personal　fate；　for　the　fate　of　all　Austria　is　at　stake
at　this　juncture。　Highly　important　events　must　have　occurred　at
Paris；　else　Metternich　would　not　have　sent　his　confidant　and
assistant　Hudelist；　nor　would　Andreossi　demand　an　audience　in　so
impetuous　a　manner。　Perhaps　this　intelligence　may　at　length　lead　to
a　decision　to…day；　or　we　may　at　least　contribute　to　such　a　result。　I
will　write　to　the　Archduke　John；　and　ask　him　to　see　the　emperor。
Perhaps　he　will　succeed　better　than　I　did　in　persuading　my　husband
to　take　a　determined　stand。〃

She　hastened　to　her　writing…desk；　and　penned　that　mysterious　little
note　which　she　sent　to　the　Archduke　John　in　the　book　which　she
pretended　he　had　lent　to　her。




CHAPTER　III。

THE　COURIER　AND　THE　AMBASSADOR。


The　emperor；　in　returning　to　his　cabinet；　like　the　empress；
carefully　locked　the　door　behind　him。　He　then　turned　hastily　to　the
courier；　who　was　standing　near　the　opposite　door；　and　was　just
bowing　most　ceremoniously　to　his　majesty。

〃Hudelist；　it　is　really　you；　then？〃　asked　the　emperor。　〃You　left
your　post　by　the　side　of　Metternich　without　obtaining　my　permission
to　come　to　Vienna？　Could　you　not　find　any　other　man　to　bring　your
dispatches？　I　had　commissioned　you　to　remain　always　by　the　side　of
Metternich；　watch　him　carefully；　and　inform　me　of　what　he　was　doing
and　thinking。〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　have　brought　my　report　with　me；〃　said　Hudelist；〃
and　as　for　your　majesty's　order　that　I　should　always　remain　by　the
side　of　Count　Metternich；　I　have　hardly　violated　it　by　corning　to
Vienna；　for　I　believe　the　Count　will　follow　me　in　the　course　of　a
few　days。　Unless　your　majesty　recalls　him　to　Vienna；　the　Emperor
Napoleon；　I　think；　will　expel　him　from　Paris。〃

〃You　do　not　say　so！〃　exclaimed　Francis；　shrugging　his　shoulders。
〃You　think　he　will　issue　a　manifesto　against　Metternich；　as　he　did
against　the　Prussian　minister　Von　Stein？　Well；　let　me　hear　the　news。
What　have　you　to　tell　me？〃

〃So　many　important　things；　your　majesty；　that　the　count　and　myself
deemed　it　expedient　to　report　to　your　majesty　verbally；　rather　than
send　a　dispatch　which　might　give　you　only　an　unsatisfactory　idea　of
what　has　occurred。　Hence　I　came　post…haste　to　Vienna；　and　arrived
here　only　a　quarter　of　an　hour　since；　I　pray　your　majesty　therefore
to　pardon　me　for　appearing　before　you　in　my　travelling…dress。〃

〃Sit　down；　you　must　be　tired；〃　said　the　emperor；　good…naturedly；
seating　himself　in　an　arm…chair；　and　pointing　to　the　opposite　chair。
〃Now　tell　me　all！〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　Hudelist；　mysteriously；　while　a　strange
expression　of　mischievous　joy　overspread　his　ugly；　pale　face；　〃the
Emperor　Napoleon　has　returned　from　Spain　to　France。〃

The　Emperor　Francis　gave　a　start　and　frowned。　〃Why？〃　he　asked。

〃Because　he　intends　to　declare　war　against　Austria；〃　said　Hudelist；
whose　face　brightened　more　and　more。　〃Because　Napoleon　is
distrustful　of　us；　and　convinced　that　Austria　is　intent　on　attacking
him。　Besides；　he　felt　no　longer　at　ease　in　pain；　and　all　sorts　of
conspiracies　had　been　entered　into　in　Paris；　whereby　his　return
might　have　been　rendered　impossible　if　he　had　hesitated　any　longer。〃

〃Who　were　the　conspirators？〃

〃Talleyrand　and　Fouche；　the　dear　friends　and　obedient　servants　of
the　Emperor　Napoleon。　He　knows　full　well　what　their　friendship　and
devotedness　amount　to。　Hence　be　had　the　two　gentlemen　well　watched；
and　it　seems　his　spies　sent　him　correct　reports；　for；　after
returning　from　Spain；　he　rebuked　them　unmercifully；　be　told　them；
with　the　rage　of　a　true　Corsican；　and　regardless　of　etiquette；　what
miserable　fellows　they　were；　and　how　high　he　stood　above　them。〃

〃And　yet　he　would　like　so　much　to　be　an　emperor　in　strict。
accordance　with　court　etiquette；〃　said　the　emperor；　laughing。　〃He　is
anxious　to　have　such　a　court　about　him　as　Louis　XIV。　had。　But　the
lawyer's　son　always　reappears　in　the　emperor；　and；　if　it　please　God；
He　will　one　day　deprive　him　of　all　his　power　and　splendor。〃

〃And；　if　it　please　God；　your　majesty　will　be　His　instrument　in
putting　an　end　to　Napoleon's　power　and　splendor；〃　cried　Hudelist；
with　a　smile　which　distorted　his　face　strangely；　and　caused　two　rows
of　large　yellow　teeth　to　appear　between　the　pale　lips　of　his
enormous　mouth。　〃It　is　true　he　stands　firm　as　yet；　and　rebukes　his
ministers　as　Nero　did　his　freedmen。　Talleyrand　was　still
thunderstruck　at　what　the　emperor　had　told　him；　when　he　had　an
interview　with　Count　Metternich　and　myself　in　Fouche's　green…house。
To　be　sure；　the　phrases　which　he　repeated　to　us　were　well　calculated
to　make　even　the　blood　of　a　patient　minister　boil。　Napoleon　sent　for
the　two　ministers　immediately　after　his　arrival：　when　they　came　to
him；　he　let　them　stand　at　the　door　of　his　cabinet　like　humble
suppliants；　and；　running　up　and　down　before　them；　and　casting　fiery
glances　of　anger　upon　them；　he　upbraided　them　with　their　conduct；
and　told　them　he　was　aware　of　all　their　intrigues；　and　knew　that
they　were　conspiring　with　Austria；　Spain；　and；　through　Spain；　with
England。　Then　he　suddenly　stood　still　in　front　of　them；　his　hands
folded　on　his　back；　and　his　glances　would　have　crushed　the　two
ministers　if　they　had　not　had　such　a　thick　skin　'You　are　impudent
enough　to　conspire　against　me！'　he　shouted；　in　a　thundering　voice。
'To　whom　are　you　indebted　for　every　thingfor　your　honors；　rank；
and　wealth？　To　me　alone！　How　can　you　preserve　them？　By　me　alone！
Look　backward；　examine　your　past。　If　the　Bourbons　had　reascended　the
throne；　both　of　you　would　have　been　hanged　as　regicides　and
traitors。　And　you　plot　against　me？　You　must　be　as　stupid　as　you　are
ungrateful；　if　you　believe　that　anybody　else　could　promote　your
interest　as　well　as　I　have　done。　Had　another　revolution　broken　out；
on　whatever　side　you　might　have　placed　yourselves；　you　would
certainly　have　been　the　first　to　be　crushed　by　it！'〃　＇Footnote：
Napoleon's　own　wordsSee　Schlosser；　〃History　of　the　Eighteenth
Century；〃　vol。　viii。；　p。　488。＇

〃That　is　very　plain　talk；　indeed；〃　said　Francis；　laughing。　〃But
Talleyrand　and　Fouche　have　sound　stomachs；　they　will　digest　it；　and
not　get　congestions　in　consequence　of　it　provided　the　emperor　does
not　punish　them　in　a　different　manner。〃

〃For　the　time　being；　he　only　punished　Talleyrand；　whom　he　deprived
of　the　position　and　salary　of　lord　chamberlain。　Fouche　remained
police　minister；　but　both　are　closely　watched　by　Napoleon's　secret
police。　Nevertheless；　they　succeeded　in　holding　a　few　unobserved
interviews　with　us。　Count　Metternich　learned　also　from　another　very
well…informed　quarter　many　accurate　details　regarding　the　plans　and
intentions　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　What　well…informed　quarter　do　you　refer　to？〃
asked　the　emperor。

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　Hudelist；　with　a　significant　grin；　〃Count
Metternich　is　a　very　fine…looking　man；　now；　Queen　Caroline　of
Naples；　Murat's　wife；　and　Napoleon's　favorite　sister；　is　by　no　means
insensible　to　manly　beauty；　and　she　accepted　with　evident
satisfaction　the　homage　which　the　count　offered　to　her。　For　the
rest；　Napoleon　winked　at　and　encouraged　this　flirtation；　for；
previous　to　his　departure　for　Spain；　he　said　to　his　sister　loud
enough　to　be　overheard　by　some　of　our　friends；　'Amusez…nous　ce
niais；　Monsieur　de　Metternich。　Nous　en　avons　besoin　a　present！'
＇Footnote：　Hormayr；　〃The　Emperor　Francis　and　Metternich；　a
Fragment；〃　p。　55。＇　Madame　Caroline　Murat　told　Count　Metternich；　for
instance；　that　it　is　the　Kings　of　Bavaria　and　Wurtemburg　that　keep
their　spies　for　Napoleon　here　in　Vienna；　and　that　they　urged
Napoleon　vehemently　to　return　from　Spain　in　order　to　declare　war
against　Austria。　And　Napoleon　is　determined　to　comply　with　their
wishes。　He　travelled　with　extraordinary　expedition　from　Madrid　to
Paris；　stopping　only　at　Valladolid；　where　he　shut　himself　up　for　two
days　with　Maret；　his　minister　of　foreign　affairs；　and　dispatched
eigh