andreas hofer-第70节

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cabinet。

〃Now；　colonel；〃　said　the　emperor　to　him；　〃you　are　to　report　the
results　of　your　mission　to　Koenigsberg；　and　I　confess　I　am　quite
anxious　to　hear　them。　But　before　you　commence；　I　wish　to　say　a　few
words　to　your　minister　of　foreign　affairs。　On　the　same　day　that　I
dispatched　Colonel　Steigentesch　to　Koenigsberg；　I　handed　you　a
sealed　paper　and　ordered　you　to　preserve　it　till　my　ambassador's
return。　Have　you　done　so？〃

〃I　have；　your　majesty。〃

〃And　have　you　brought　it　with　you　now？〃

〃Here　it　is；　your　majesty；〃　said　Count　Stadion；　drawing　a　sealed
envelope　from　his　bosom；　and　presenting　it　to　the　emperor；　with　a
low　bow。　Francis　took　it；　and　examined　the　seal　with　close
attention；　then　held　it　to　his　nose　and　smelled　it。

〃Indeed；〃　he　exclaimed　joyfully；　〃it　has　retained　its　perfume；　and
is　as　fresh　and　brilliant　as　though　it　had　been　put　on　only　at　the
present　moment。　And　what　a　beautiful　crimson　it　is！　I　have；　then；　at
length；　found　the　right　receipt　for　good　sealing…wax；　and　this；
which　I　made　myself；　may　vie　with　that　made　at　the　best　Spanish
factories。　Oh；　I　see；　this　sealing…wax　will　drive　my　black　cabinet
to　despair；　for　it　will　be　impossible　to　open　a　letter　sealed　with
it；　even　the　finest　knife　will　be　unable　to　do　it。　Do　you　not　think
so　too；　minister？〃

〃I　am　no　judge　of　sealing…wax；〃　said　Count　Stadion；　coldly；　〃and　I
confess　that　I　did　not　even　look　at　the　seal　of　this　envelope；　your
majesty　ordered　me　to　keep　it　and　return　it　to　you　after　Baron
Steigentesch's　return。　I　complied　with　your　majesty's　orders；　that
is　all。〃

The　emperor　smiled；　and　laid　the　sealed　paper　with　a　slight　nod　on
the　table　by　his　side；　then　he　sank　into　an　easy…chair；　and　beckoned
to　the　gentlemen　to　take　seats　on　the　chairs　on　the　other　side　of
the　table。

〃Now；　Colonel　Steigentesch；　let　me　hear　the　results　of　your　mission。
In　the　first　place；　tell　me；　has　King　Frederick　William　sent　no
letter　to　me　in　reply　to　mine？〃

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　replied　Colonel　Steigentesch；　with　a　significant
smile；　〃I　am　only　the　bearer　of　a　verbal　reply。　I　believe　the　king
thought　a　written　answer　too　dangerous；　or　he　was　afraid　lest　he
should　thereby　compromise　himself。　But　after　every　interview　I　had
with　the　king　or　the　queen；　I　noted　down　every　word　their　majesties
spoke　to　me；　and　if　your　majesty　permits；　I　shall　avail　myself　of　my
diary　in　replying　to　you。〃

〃Do　so；〃　said　Francis；　〃let　us　hear　what　you　noted　down　in　your
diary。〃

Colonel　Steigentesch　drew　a　memorandum…book　from　his　bosom　and
opened　it。

〃Well；　then；　how　did　the　king　receive　you？〃　inquired　Francis；　after
a　pause。

〃The　king　received　me　rather　coldly　and　stiffly；〃　read　Colonel
Steigentesch　from　his　diary；　〃he　asked　me　what　was　the　object　of　my
mission。　I　replied　that　my　emperor's　letter　stated　this　in　a
sufficiently　lucid　manner。　The　king　was　silent　for　a　while；　then　he
said　rather　morosely：　'The　emperor　asks　for　succor　now；　but
hereafter　he　will；　perhaps；　conclude　a　separate　peace　and　sacrifice
me。'　I　replied；　'The　Emperor　Francis；　my　august　master；　does　not　ask
for　succor。　The　battle　of　Aspern　has　proved　that　means　of　defence
are　not　wanting　to　Austria。　But　as　it　is　the　avowed　object　of　this
war　that　the　powers　should　recover　their　former　possessions；　it　is
but　just　and　equitable　that　they　should　take　an　active　part　in　the
contest；　whose　only　object　can　be　attained　by　seizing　the　favorable
moment。　I　have　not　been　sent　to　you　to　argue　a　question　which　should
be　settled　already；　but　to　make　the　arrangements　necessary　for
carrying　it　into　effect。'〃

〃An　expedient　reply；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　nodding　his　head
eagerly。　〃And　what　did　the　King　of　Prussia　answer　to　you？〃

〃The　king　was　silent　a　while；　and　paced　his　room　repeatedly；　his
hands　clasped　on　his　back。　Then　he　stood　still　in　front　of　me；　and
said　in　a　loud；　firm　voice：　'Despite　the　fear　which　I　might　have　of
being　deserted　by　Austria；　I　am　determined　to　ally　myself　ONE　DAY
with　your　court；　but　it　is　not　yet　time。　Continue　the　war；　in　the
mean　time　I　will　gradually　strengthen　my　forces；　only　then　shall　I
be　able　to　take　a　useful　part　in　the　contest。　I　lack　powder；
muskets；　and　money；　my　artillerists　are　all　young　and　inexperienced
soldiers。　It　is　painful　to　me　to　avow　the　whole　wretchedness　of　my
position　to　an　Austrian　officer；　but　I　must　do　so　to　prove　to　your
master　what　it　is　that　keeps　me　back　at　this　juncture。　You　will
easily　convince　yourself　that　I　am　striving　to　be　useful　to　you　by
all　means。　Your　sick　soldiers　are　nursed　at　my　hospitals　and　sent　to
their　homes；　I　give　leave　of　absence　to　all　my　officers　who　wish　to
serve　in　your　army。　But　to　ask　me　to　declare　now　in　your　favor；　is
to　call　upon　me　to　sign　my　own　ruin。　Deal　the　enemy　another　blow；
and　I　will　send　an　officer　out　of　uniform　to　your　emperor's
headquarters　to　make　all　necessary　arrangements。'　＇Footnote：　The
king's　own　words。See　〃Lebensbilder；〃　vol。　iii。；　p。　262。＇　After
these　words　the　king　bowed　to　me　and　dismissed　me。〃

〃Ah；　indeed；　the　King　of　Prussia　gives　very　wise　advice；〃　exclaimed
the　emperor；　〃we　are　to　deal　Bonaparte　another　blow；　and　then
Prussia　will　negotiate　with　us。　After　we　have　gained　another
victory；　the　cautious　King　of　Prussia　will　enter　into　secret
negotiations　with　me；　and　send　to　my　headquarters　an　officer；　but；
do　you　hear；　out　of　uniform；　in　order　not　to　compromise　himself。　Did
you　not　wear　your　uniform；　then；　colonel？〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　majesty；　I　did。　But　this　seemed　to　be　disagreeable
to　the　king；　and　he　asked　me　to　doff　my　uniform　at　Koenigsberg；　but
I　replied；　that　I　was；　since　the　battle　of　Aspern；　so　proud　of　my
uniform　that　I　could　not　doff　it。　＇Footnote：　Ibid＇　The　king
thereupon　requested　me　to　state　publicly　that　I　had　come　to　Prussia
only　for　the　purpose　of　asking　of　the　king　permission　to　buy　corn　in
Silesia　and　horses　in　Prussia。〃

〃And　you　complied　with　this　request；　colonel！〃

〃I　did　not；　your　majesty。　I　replied　that　I　could　not　even　state
this；　for　it　was　repugnant　to　my　sense　of　honor；　however；　I　would
not　contradict　such　a　rumor　if　it　were　circulated。〃

〃Very　well；　colonel；〃　said　the　emperor；　smiling；　〃you　have　acted　in
a　manner　worthy　of　a　true　Austrian。　And　now　tell　me；　did　you　see　the
queen　also？〃

〃I　did；　your　majesty。　Her　majesty　sent　for　me　on　the　day　of　my
arrival。　The　queen　looked　pale　and　feeble；　but　she　seemed　to　take
pains　to　conceal　her　sufferings　under　a　smile　which　illuminated　her
face　like　a　sunbeam。〃

〃See；　see。〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　sarcastically；　〃our　colonel　talks
in　the　enthusiastic　strain　of　a　poet　now　that　he　refers　to　the
queen。　Is　she　so　very　beautiful；　then？〃

〃Your　majesty；　she　is　more　than　beautiful；　she　is　at　the　same　time　a
noble；　high…spirited　woman；　and　an　august　queen。　Her　misfortunes　and
humiliations　have　not　bent　her　neck；　but　this　noble　lady　seems　even
more　august　and　majestic　in　the　days　of　adversity　than　in　those　of
splendor　and　prosperity。〃

〃And　what　did　the　queen　say　to　you？　Was　she　of　her　husband's　opinion
that　Austria　should　not　be　succored　at　this　juncture；　and　that
Prussia；　before　declaring　in　our　favor；　ought　to　wait　and　see　if
Austria　can　defeat　France　single…handed？〃

〃Your　majesty；　the　queen　was　more　unreserved　and　frank　in　her
utterances　than　the　king。　She　openly　avowed　her　hatred　against
Napoleon；　and　it　is　her　opinion　that　Prussia　should　take　a　decided
stand　against　France。　‘For；'　she　said；　'I　am　convinced　that　the
hatred　of　the　French　emperor　against　Austria；　and　his　intention　to
overthrow　all　dynasties；　leave　no　hope　of　peace。　I　am　the　mother　of
nine　children；　to　whom　I　am　anxious　to　preserve　their　inheritance；
you　may；　therefore；　judge　of　the　wishes　which　I　entertain。'〃
＇Footnote：　The　queen's　own　words。　See　〃Lebensbilder；〃　vol。　iii。；　p。
280。＇

〃If　such　were　the　queen's　sentiments；　I　suppose　she　profited　by　the
great　influence　which　she　is　said　to　have　over　her　husband；　to
prevail　upon　him　to　take　a　bold　stand；　and　you　bring　me　the　news　of
it　as　the　final　result　of　your　mission；　do　you　not？〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　majesty；　I　do　not。　It　seems　the　influence　of　the
queen　does　not　go　far　enough　to　induce　the　king　to　change　his　mind
after　he　has　once　made　it　up。　Now；　the　king　has　resolved　not　to　ally
himself　with　Austria　at　this　juncture；　but　to　wait　until　Austria；　as
he　says；　‘has　dealt　the　Emperor　of　the　French　another　blow。'　All　my
interviews　with　the　king　were；　as　it　were；　only　variations　of　this
theme。　In　the　last　interview　which　I　had　with　the　king；　he　did　not
express　any　thing　but　what　he　had　already　told　me　in　the　first。　He
repeated　that　he　would；　as　soon　as　Austria　had　dealt　France　another
decisive　blow；　send　an　officer　out　of　uniform　to　the　headquarters　of
your　majesty；　but　then；　he　added；　‘I　hope　to　come　myself；　and　not
alone。'　When　I　took　leave　of　the　queen；　she　was　even　sadder　than
usual；　and　her　voice　was　tremulous；　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears；
when　she　said　to　me　she　hoped　to　meet　me　soon　again　under　more
favorable　circumstances。〃

〃And　what　did　the　other　persons　at　the　Prussian　court　say？　How　did
the　princes；　the　generals；　and　ministers　express　themselves？〃

〃Prince　William；　the　king's　br