andreas hofer-第72节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


that　it　is　positive　that　the　enemy　is　moving　all　his　troops　to
Vienna；　and　that　all　his　columns　are　already　on　the　march　thither。
Tell　him　that　it　is　all…important　for　us　to　detain　him；　and　that　I；
therefore；　have　resolved　to　make　a　sortie　from　the　TETE…DE…PONT；　and
request　the　Archduke　Palatine　to　co…operate　with　me　on　the　right
bank　of　the　Danube。　Let　us　go　to　work；　gentlemen；　to　work！　We　have
no　time　to　lose。　The　order　is　to　keep　the　enemy　here　by　all　means；
let　us　strive　to　do　it！〃

And　they　went　to　work　with　joyous　zeal　and　untiring　energy；　all
necessary　dispositions　were　made　for　forming　a　pontoon…bridge；　and
preventing　the　enemy　from　joining　Napoleon's　main　army。　The　Archduke
John　superintended　every　thing　in　person；　he　was　present　wherever
difficulties　were　to　be　surmounted；　or　obstacles　to　be　removed。　In
his　ardent　zeal；　he　did　not　hesitate　to　take　part　in　the　toils　of
his　men；　and　the　soldiers　cheered　enthusiastically　on　seeing　him
work　so　hard　in　the　midst　of　their　ranks。

Early　in　the　morning　of　the　5th　of　July　the　bridge　was　completed；
the　TETE…DE…PONT　was　fully　armed；　and　every　thing　was　in　readiness
for　the　sortie。　The　Archduke；　who　had　not　slept　all　the　night　long；
was　just　returning　from　an　inspection　of　the　preparations；　when　a
courier　galloped　up　to　him　in　the　middle　of　the　bridge。　On　beholding
the　archduke；　he　jumped　from　his　horse；　and　handed　him；　panting　and
in　trembling　haste；　a　letter　from　the　generalissimo。

〃You　have　ridden　very　rapidly？　You　were　instructed　then　to　make
great　haste？〃　asked　John。

〃I　rode　hither　from　Wagram　in　ten　hours；　your　imperial　highness；〃
said　the　courier；　breathlessly；　〃I　was　instructed　to　ride　as　rapidly
as　possible。〃

〃You　have　done　your　duty　faithfully。　Go　and　rest。〃

He　nodded　kindly　to　the　courier；　and　repaired　to　his　head…quarters
to　read　the　letter　he　had　just　received　from　his　brother。

This　letter　revoked　all　orders　which　had　been　sent　to　him　up　to　this
time。　The　archduke　had　vainly　offered　his　cooperation　and　that　of
the　Archduke　Palatine　four　days　ago。　At　that　time　not　even　a　reply
had　been　made　to　his　offer；　now；　at　the　last　moment；　the
generalissimo　called　impetuously　upon　his　brother　to　hasten　to　his
assistance。　He　demanded　that　the　Archduke　John　should　set　out　at
once；　leave　only　troops　enough　to　hold　the　TET…DE…PONT；　and　hasten
up　with　the　remainder　of　his　forces　to　the　scene　of　action。

When　the　archduke　real　this　order；　a　bitter　smile　played　round　his
lips。　〃See；〃　he　said；　mournfully；　to　General　Frimont；　〃now　I　am
needed　all　at　once；　and　it　seems　as　if　the　battle　cannot　be　gained
without　us。　It　is　all…important　for　us　to　arrive　in　time　at　the
point　to　which　we　are　called　so　late；　perhaps　too　late。　Ah；　what　is
that？　What　do　you　bring　to　me；　Nugent？〃

〃Another　courier　from　the　generalissimo　has　arrived；　he　brought　this
letter。〃

〃You　see；　much　deference　is　paid　to　us　all　of　a　sudden；　we　are
treated　as　highly　important　assistants；〃　sighed　the　archduke。　He
then　unfolded　the　paper　quickly　and　read　it。

〃The　generalissimo；〃　he　said；　〃informs　me　now　that　he　has　changed
his　plan；　and　will　not　give　battle　on　the　bank　of　the　Danube；　but
take　position　in　the　rear　of　Wagram。　He　instructs　me　to　make　a
forced　march　to　Marchegg；　advance；　after　resting　there　for　three
hours；　to　Siebenbrunn；　and　take　position　there。　Very　well；
gentlemen；　let　us　carry　the　generalissimo's　orders　into　effect。　At
one　o'clock　to…night；　all　must　be　in　readiness　for　setting　out。　We
need　the　time　between　now　and　then　to　concentrate　the　extended　lines
of　our　troops。　If　we　are　ready　at　all　earlier　hour；　we　shall　set　out
at　once。　Make　haste；　Let　that　be　the　password　to…night！〃

Thanks　to　this　password；　all　the　troops　had　been　concentrated　by
midnight；　and　the　march　was　just　about　to　begin　when　another　courier
arrived　from　the　generalissimo；　and　informed　the　archduke　that　the
enemy　was　advancing；　and　that　it　was　now　the　generalissimo's
intention　to　attack　him　and　force　him　to　give　battle。　The　Archduke
John　was　ordered　to　march　as　rapidly　as　possible　to　Siebenbrunn；
whither　a　strong　corps　of　the　enemy　had　set　out。

The　Archduke　John　now　advanced　with　his　ten　thousand　men　with　the
utmost　rapidity　toward　Marchegg。　The　troops　were　exhausted　by　the
toils　and　fatigues　of　the　last　days；　they　had　not　eaten　any　thing
for　twenty…four　hours；　but　the　archduke　and　his　generals　and　staff…
officers　always　knew　how　to　stir　them　up　and　induce　them　to　continue
their　march　with　unflagging　energy。　Thus　they　at　length　reached
Marchegg；　where　they　were　to　rest　for　three　hours。

But　no　sooner　had　they　arrived　there　than　Count　Reuss；　the
generalissimo's　aide…de…camp；　galloped　up　on　a　charger　covered　all
over　with　foam。　The　count　had　ridden　in　seven　hours　from　Wagram　to
Marchegg　for　it　was　all…important　that　the　archduke　should
accelerate　his　march。　The　battle　was　raging　already　with　great　fury。
The　generalissimo　was　in　urgent　need　of　the　archduke's　assistance。
Hence；　the　latter　was　not　to　rest　with　his　troops　at　Marchegg；　but
continue　his　march　and　advance　with　the　utmost　speed　by　Siebenbrunn
to　Loibersdorf。　At　Siebenbrunn　he　would　find　Field…Marshal
Rosenberg；　he　should　then；　jointly　with　him；　attack　the　enemy。

〃Let　us　set　out；　then；　for　Loibersdorf；〃　said　John；　sighing；　〃we
will　do　all　we　can；　and　thus　avoid　being　charged　with　tardiness。　Up；
up；　my　braves！　The　fatherland　calls　us；　we　must　obey　it！〃

But　the　soldiers　obeyed　this　order　only　with　low　murmurs；　and　many
remained　at　Marchegg；　exhausted　to　death。

The　troops　continued　their　march　with　restless　speed；　and　mute
resignation。　The　archduke's　face　was　pale；　his　flashing　eyes　were
constantly　prying　into　the　distance；　his　breast　was　panting；　his
heart　was　filled　with　indescribable　anxiety；　and　he　exhorted　his
troops　incessantly　to　accelerate　their　steps。　Now　they　heard　the
dull　roar　of　artillery　at　a　distance；　and　the　farther　they　advanced；
the　louder　and　more　terrific　resounded　the　cannon。　The　battle；
therefore；　was　going　on；　and　the　utmost　rapidity　was　necessary　on
their　part。　Forward；　therefore；　forward！　At　five　o'clock　in　the
afternoon　they　at　last　reached　Siebenbrunn。　But　where　was　Field…
Marshal　Rosenberg？　What　did　it　mean　that　the　roar　of　artillery　had
almost　entirely　died　away？　And　what　dreadful　signs　surrounded　the
horizon　on　all　sides？　Tremendous　clouds　of　smoke；　burning　villages
everywhere；　and　added　to　them　now　the　stillness　of　death；　which　was
even　more　horrible　after　the　booming　of　artillery　which　had　shaken
the　earth　up　to　this　time。　Where　was　Field…Marshal　Rosenberg？

An　officer　galloped　up　at　full　speed。　It　was　a　messenger　from　Field…
Marshal　Rosenberg；　who　informed　the　archduke　that　he　had　been
repulsed；　that　all　was　over；　and　that　the　day　was　irretrievably
lost。

〃I　have　been　ordered　to　march　to　Loibersdorf；〃　said　the　archduke；
resolutely；　〃I　must　comply　with　my　instructions。〃

And　he　continued　his　march　toward　Loibersdorf。　Patrols　were　sent　out
and　approached　Wagram。　The　fields　were　covered　with　the　dead　and
wounded；　and　the　latter　stated　amid　moans　and　lamentations　that　a
dreadful　battle　had　been　fought；　and　that　the　Austrians　had　been
defeated。

The　archduke　listened　to　these　reports　with　a　pale　face　and
quivering　lips。　But　he　was　still　in　hopes　that　he　would　receive　a
message　from　the　generalissimo；　hence；　he　remained　at　Loibersdorf
and　waited　for　news　from　his　brother。　Night　came；　profound　stillness
reigned　all　around；　broken　only　now　and　then　by　dull　reports　of
cannon　and　musketry　fired　at　a　distance；　and　there　was　no　news　yet
from　the　generalissimo！

One　of　the　patrols　now　brought　in　a　French　officer　who　had　got
separated　from　his　men；　and　whom　the　Austrians　had　taken　prisoner。
The　archduke　sent　for　him；　and　asked　him　for　information　regarding
the　important　events　of　the　day。

The　officer　gave　him　the　required　information　with　sparkling　eyes
and　in　a　jubilant　voice。　A　great　battle　had　been　fought　during　the
previous　two　days。　The　French　army　had　left　the　Island　of　Lobau　on
four　bridges；　which　Napoleon　had　caused　to　be　built　in　a　single
night　by　two　hundred　carpenters；　and　had　given　battle　to　the
Archduke　Charles　at　Wagram。　A　furious　combat　had　raged　on　the　5th
and　6th　of　July。　Both　armies　had　fought　with　equal　boldness；
bravery；　and　exasperation；　but　finally　the　Archduke　Charles　had　been
compelled　to　evacuate　the　field　of　battle　and　retreat。　The　Emperor
Napoleon　had　remained　in　possession　of　the　field；　he　had　gained　the
battle　of　Wagram。

Large　drops　of　sweat　stood　on　the　archduke's　forehead　while　he　was
listening　to　this　report；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears　of　indignation
and　anger；　his　lips　quivered；　and　he　lifted　his　eyes　reproachfully
to　heaven。　Then　he　turned　slowly　to　General　Frimont；　who　was　halting
by　his　side；　and　behind　whom　were　to　be　seen　the　gloomy；　mournful
faces　of　the　other　officers。

〃The　generalissimo　has　lost　a　battle；〃　he　said；　with　a　sigh。　〃This
is　a　twofold　calamity　for　us。　You　know　that　we　could　not　come
sooner。　We　arrived　even　at　an　earlier　hour　than　I　had　promised。　You
will　see　that　the　whole　blame　for　the　loss　of　the　battle　will　be
laid　at　our　door；　and　we　shall　be　c