andreas hofer-第9节

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is　opposed　to　war；　and　must　nevertheless　wage　it；　that　is　the　best
part　of　the　joke。　Aha！　it　is　a　fine　sight　to　behold　the　gods　of　this
earth　a　prey　to　such　human　embarrassments！　I　felt　like　bursting　into
loud　laughter　at　the　woe…begone　appearance　of　the　emperor。　But　hush；
hush！　I　will　go　to　the　chancery　until　he　returns。〃

In　the　meantime　the　emperor　had　repaired　to　the　small　reception…
room；　where　Count　Andreossi；　the　French　ambassador；　was　already
waiting　for　him。

Francis　responded　to　the　respectful　greeting　of　the　ambassador　by　a
scarcely　perceptible　nod；　and　strode；　with　head　erect；　into　the
middle　of　the　room。　There　he　stood　still；　and　casting　a　stern　and
almost　defiant　glance　on　the　ambassador；　he　said　in　a　cold；
dignified　tone：　〃You　requested　an　audience　of　me　in　a　very　unusual
manner。　I　granted　it　to　prove　to　you　my　desire　to　remain　at　peace
with　France。　Now　speak；　What　has　the　ambassador　of　the　Emperor　of
the　French　to　say　to　the　Emperor　of　Austria？〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　have　to　present　to　you；　in　the　first　place；　the
respects　of　my　master；　who　has　returned　from　Spain　to　Paris。〃

Francis　nodded　his　head　slowly。　〃What　next？〃　he　asked。

〃Next；　my　sovereign　has　charged　me　with　a　very　difficult　commission；
for　the　execution　of　which　I　must　first；　and　above　all　things；　beg
your　majesty's　pardon。〃

〃You　are　your　master's　servant；　and　it　is　your　duty　to　obey　him；〃
said　the　emperor；　dryly。　〃Say；　therefore；　what　he　ordered　you　to
tell　me。〃

〃Well；　then；　as　your　majesty　has　granted　me　permission；　I　will　say
that　my　master；　the　Emperor　of　the　French；　has　taken　deep　umbrage　at
the　hostile　course　which　Austria　has　of　late　pursued　toward　him。〃

〃And　what　is　it　that　your　emperor　complains　of？〃　asked　the　emperor；
with　perfect　composure。

〃In　the　first　place；　the　Emperor　Napoleon　has　taken　deep　umbrage　at
Austria's　still　hesitating　to　recognize　King　Joseph　as　King　of
Spain；　and　to　send　a　minister　plenipotentiary　to　his　court。〃

〃I　did　not　know　where　to　send　my　ambassador；　and　where　he　would　find
M。　Joseph　Bonaparte；　King　of　Spain；　for　the　time　beingwhether　at
Madrid　or　at　Saragossa；　in　the　camp；　on　the　field　of　battle；　or　in
flight。　Hence　I　did　not　send　an　ambassador　to　his　court。　So　soon　as
the　Spanish　nation　is　able　to　inform　me　where　I　may　look　for　the
king　it　has　elected　and　recognized；　I　shall　immediately　dispatch　a
minister　plenipotentiary　to　this　court。　State　that　to　your　monarch。〃

〃Next；　his　majesty　the　Emperor　Napoleon　complains　bitterly　that
Austria；　instead　of　being　intent　on　maintaining　friendly　relations
with　France；　has　left　nothing　undone　to　reconcile　the　enemies　of
France　who　were　at　war　with　each　other；　and　to　restore　peace　between
them；　and　that　Austria；　by　her　incessant　efforts；　has　really
succeeded　now　in　bringing　about　a　treaty　of　peace　between　Turkey　and
England。　Now；　my　master　the　emperor　must　look　upon　this　as　a　hostile
act　on　the　part　of　Austria；　against　France；　for　to　reconcile　England
with　Turkey　is　equivalent　to　setting　France　at　variance　with　Turkey；
or　at　least　neutralizing　entirely　her　influence　over　the　Sublime
Porte。〃

〃Turkey　is　my　immediate　neighbor；　and　it　is　highly　important　to
Austria　that　there　should　be　no　war…troubles　and　disturbances　on　all
her　frontiers。　Every　independent　state　should　be　at　liberty　to
pursue　its　own　policy；　and　while　this　policy　does　not　assume　a
hostile　attitude　toward　other　independent　states；　no　one　can　take
umbrage　at　it。　Are　you　through　with　your　grievances？〃

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　said　Andreossi；　almost　mournfully。　〃The　worst
and　most　unpleasant　part　remains　to　be　told；　but；　as　your　majesty
was　gracious　enough　to　say；　I　must　obey　the　orders　of　my　master；　and
it　is　his　will　that　I　shall　now　communicate　to　your　majesty　the
emperor's　views　in　his　own　words。　It　has　given　great　offence　to　the
Emperor　Napoleon　that　Austria　should　place　herself　in　a　posture　of
open　hostility　against　France；　when　France　has　given　her　so　many
proofs　of　her　forbearance；　and　has　hitherto　always　spared　Austria；
notwithstanding　the　numerous　acts　of　duplicity　and　evident　hostility
of　the　Austrian　court。　The　Emperor　Napoleon　informs　your　majesty
that　he　is　well　aware　of　the　ambitious　schemes　of　Austria；　but　that
lie　thinks　your　majesty　is　not　strong　enough　to　carry　them　into
effect。　He　requests　your　majesty　never　to　forget　the　magnanimity
which　the　Emperor　Napoleon　manifested　toward　you　after　the　battle　of
Austerlitz。　The　Emperor　Napoleon　has　instructed　me　to　remind　you　of
the　fact；　well　known　to　you；　that　you　can　confide　in　his　generosity；
and　that　he　is　firmly　resolved　to　observe　the　treaties。　Naples；
Prussia；　and　Spain；　would　stand　erect；　yet；　if　their　rulers　had
relied　on　their　own　sagacity；　and　not　listened　to　the　fatal　advice
of　their　ministers；　or　even　of　courtiers；　women；　and　ambitious　young
princes。　His　majesty　beseeches　the　Emperor　of　Austria　not　to　listen
to　such　insidious　advice；　nor　to　yield　to　the　wishes　of　the　war…
party；　which　is　intent　only　on　gratifying　its　passionate　ambition；
and　whose　eyes　refuse　to　see　that　it　is　driving　Austria　toward　the
brink　of　an　abyss　where　she　must　perish；　as　did　Prussia；　Naples；　and
Spain。〃　＇Footnote：　Hormayr；　〃Allgemeine　Geschichte；〃　vol。　iii。；　p。
205。＇

〃It　is　very　kind　in　his　majesty　the　Emperor　Napoleon　to　give　me　such
friendly　advice；〃　sail　the　Emperor　Francis；　smiling。　〃But　I　beg　his
majesty　to　believe　that；　in　accordance　with　his　wishes；　I　rely　only
on　my　own　individual　sagacity；　that　I　am　influenced　by　no　party；　no
person；　but　am　accustomed　to　direct　myself　the　affairs　of　my　country
and　the　administration　of　my　empire；　and　not　to　listen　to　any
insinuations；　from　whatever　quarter　they　may　come。　I　request　you　to
repeat　these　words　to　his　majesty　the　Emperor　Napoleon　with　the　same
accuracy　with　which　you　communicated　his　message　to　me。　And　now；
Count　Andreossi；　I　believe　you　have　communicated　to　me　all　that　your
master　instructed　you　to　say　to　me。〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　majesty；　I　am　instructed　last　to　demand　in　the
emperor's　name　an　explanation　as　to　the　meaning　of　the　formidable
armaments　of　Austria；　the　organization　of　the　militia；　and　the
arming　of　the　fortresses　on　the　frontiers；　and　to　inquire　against
whom　these　measures　are　directed。　The　emperor　implores　your　majesty
to　put　a　stop　to　these　useless　and　hurtful　demonstrations；　and
orders　me　expressly　to　state　that；　if　Austria　does　not　stop　her
armaments　and　adopt　measures　of　an　opposite　character；　war　will　be
inevitable。〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's　own　words。See　〃Lebensbilder；〃
vol。　ii。；　and　Hormayr；　〃Allgemeine　Geschichte；〃　vol。　iii。＇

〃In　that　case；　Mr。　Ambassador　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　war　is
inevitable；〃　cried　Francis；　who　now　dropped　the　mask　of　cold
indifference；　and　allowed　his　face　to　betray　the　agitation　and　rage
filling　his　bosom；　by　his　quivering　features；　flashing　eyes；　and
clouded　brow。　〃I　have　calmly　listened　to　you；〃　he　added；　raising　his
voice；　〃I　have　received　with　silent　composure　all　the　arrogant
phrases　which　you　have　ventured　to　utter　here　in　the　name　of　your
emperor。　I　look　on　them　as　one　of　the　famous　proud　bulletins　for
which　your　emperor　is　noted；　and　to　whose　overbearing　and
grandiloquent　language　all　Europe　is　accustomed。　But　it　is　well
known　too　that　these　bulletins　are　not　exactly　models　of　veracity；
but　sometimes　the　very　reverse　of　it。　An　instance　of　the　latter　is
your　emperor's　assertion　that　he　observes　the　treaties；　and　that　he
gave　me　proofs　of　his　magnanimity　after　the　battle　of　Austerlitz。
No；　the　emperor　did　no　such　thing；　he　made　me；　on　the　contrary；　feel
the　full　weight　of　his　momentary　superiority。　He　was　my　enemy；　and
treated　me　as　an　enemy；　without　magnanimity；　which；　for　the　rest；　I
did　not　claim　at　the　time。　But　he　has　proved　to　me；　too；　that　he
does　not　observe　the　most　sacred　treaties。　He　violated　every　section
of　the　peace　of　Presburg；　he　did　not　respect　the　frontiers　as
stipulated　in　that　treaty；　he　forced　me；　in　direct　violation　of　the
treaties；　to　allow　him　the　permanent　use　of　certain　military　roads
within　the　boundaries　of　my　empire；　he　hurled　from　their　thrones
dynasties　which　were　related　to　me；　and　whose　existence　I　had
guaranteed；　he　deprived；　in　violation　of　the　law　of　nations；　the
beloved　and　universally　respected　head　of　Christendom　of　his　throne；
and　subjected　him　to　a　most　disgraceful　imprisonment；　he　exerted　on
all　seas　the　most　arbitrary　pressure　on　the　Austrian　flag。　And　now；
after　all　this　has　happened；　after　Austria　has　endured　all　these
wrongs　so　long　and　silently；　the　Emperor　Napoleon　undertakes　even　to
meddle　with　the　internal　administration　of　my　empire；　and　forbids　me
what　he；　ever　since　his　accession；　has　incessantly　done；　to　wit：　to
mobilize　my　army；　levy　conscripts　for　the　troops　of　the　line　and　the
reserves；　and　arm　the　fortresses。　He　asks　me　to　put　a　stop　to　my
armaments；　else；　he　says；　war　will　be　inevitable。　Well；　Mr。
Ambassador；　I　do　not　care　if　the　Emperor　Napoleon　looks　at　the
matter　in　that　light；　and　I　shall　not　endeavor　to　prevent　him　from
so　doing；　for　I　shall　not　stop；　but　continue　my　preparations。　I
called　out　the　militia；　just　as　the　Emperor　of　the　French　constantly
calls