andreas hofer-第90节

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and　I　think　he　will　not　catch　me　soon。　Despite　all　his　braggadocio；
he　will　be　obliged　to　allow　the　continued　existence　of　the　Austrian
Empire；　for　all　Europe　would　rise　against　him；　even　Russia　herself
would　become　his　enemy；　and　draw　the　sword　against　him；　if　he　should
be　daring　enough　to　appropriate　the　Austrian　Empire　and　swallow　it
as　he　swallowed　Italy。〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　also　do　not　believe　that　he　would　menace　Austria　in
case　he　should　be　driven　again　to　hostilities；　he　threatens　only　the
Emperor　of　Austria。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Bubna？〃　asked　the　emperor；　vehemently。

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　Count　Bubna；　in　a　low；　timid　voice；　〃the
Emperor　Napoleon　thinks　you　are　his　personal　and　inexorable　enemy；
and　he　believes　if　a　monarch　more　favorable　to　him　were　seated　on
the　throne　of　Austria；　he　would　not　only　soon　conclude　peace　with
Austria；　but　also　have　a　faithful　ally　in　her　hereafter。　If
hostilities　should　be　resumed；　and　if　the　fortune　of　war　should
decide　in　favor　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon〃

〃Proceed；　proceed；〃　cried　the　emperor；　impatiently；　when　Count　Bubna
hesitated；　〃I　must　know　all；　and　am　not　so　cowardly　as　to　be
frightened　by　mere　words。〃

〃But　I；　your　majesty；　am　afraid　of　uttering　words　whose　meaning
fills　me　with　loathing　and　horrorwords　which；　thank　God；　will
never　become　deeds！〃

〃No　preamble；　count；　but　speak　out；〃　cried　the　emperor；　impatiently。
〃What　would　Bonaparte　do　in　case　he　should　defeat　us　again？〃

〃Your　majesty；　he　would　place　another　emperor　on　the　Austrian
throne。〃

〃Ah；　always　the　same　old　strain；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；
contemptuously。　〃One　of　his　brothers　or　brothers…in…law　is　to　become
Emperor　of　Austria；　I　suppose？　'The　Hapsburg　dynasty　has　ceased　to
reign'that　is　it；　is　it　not？〃

〃No；　another　prince　of　the　Hapsburg　dynasty　is　to　be　placed　on　the
throne；　one　of　the　brothers　of　the　Emperor　Francis。〃

〃Ah；　ah！　he　thinks　of　my　brothers；〃　murmured　the　emperor；　whose
cheeks　turned　very　pale。　〃Well；　which　of　my　brothers　did　he
designate　as　future　Emperor　of　Austria？〃

〃He　thought　it　would　be　best　for　France　if　the　throne　were　ceded　to
the　Grand…duke　of　Wurtzburg；　the　Archduke　Ferdinand。　He　said　he　had
had　confidence　in　the　grand…duke　ever　since　he　had　been　in　Tuscany；
and　he　believed　that　the　grand…duke　was　likewise　friendly　to　him。　He
would　make　him　Emperor　of　Austria；　and　add　the　grand　duchy　of
Wurtzburg　to　the　kingdom　of　Bavaria。〃

〃And　the　Tyrol？〃　asked　the　Emperor　Francis。　〃Will　Bonaparte；　in　his
liberality；　give　that　also　to　Bavaria；　or　will　he　leave　it　to　my
brother　Ferdinand；　the　future　Emperor　of　Austria？〃

〃No；　your　majesty。　The　Emperor　Napoleon　seems　to　have　entirely　new
and　rather　singular　plans　in　regard　to　the　Tyrol。　According　to　these
plans。　Bavaria　is　not　to　keep　it；　for　Napoleon　said　angrily　that
Bavaria　had　not　at　all　known　how　to　deal　with　the　simple　and　honest
Tyrolese。　He　added　that　profound　tranquillity　should　reign　in　the
mountains；　hence；　he　could　not　restore　the　Tyrol　to　Bavaria；　against
which　the　Tyrolese　were　animated　by　intense　hatred。　As　the　Tyrolese
had　manifested　their　attachment　and　fidelity　to　Austria　in　so
admirable　a　manner；　it　would　be　best　to　make　the　Tyrol　an
independent　principality；　and　give　it　also　to　one　of　the　arch…dukes；
the　brothers　of　the　emperor。〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's　own　words。See
〃Lebensbilder；〃　vol。　v。；　p。　217。＇

〃By　the　Eternal！　my　brothers　seem　to　be　the　special　favorites　of　the
Emperor　Napoleon；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor。　〃Which　of　the　archdukes　is
to　receive　the　new　principality　of　the　Tyrol　at　Bonaparte's　hands？〃

〃Your　majesty；　he　said　the　Tyrol　should　be　given　to　that　archduke
for　whom　the　Tyrolese　had　always　manifested　the　greatest　love　and
enthusiasm；　the　Archduke　John。〃

〃John！〃　cried　the　emperor；　giving　a　start；　〃John　is　to　become
sovereign　of　the　Tyrol？　Ah；　my　sagacious　and　learned　brother　has
speculated　correctly；　then！　He　first　stirred　up　a　rebellion　in　the
Tyrol　in　the　shrewdest　manner；　and　he　will　now　quiet　the　beloved
Tyrol；　by　becoming　its　sovereign　and　ruler。〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　exclaimed　the　count；　in　dismay；　〃it　is　not　the　noble
Archduke　John　who　conceived　such　plans；　but　the　Emperor　Napoleon。〃

〃He　seems　at　least　to　keep　up　a　touching　understanding　with　my
brothers。　I　should　like　to　know　whether　his　generosity　will　not
provide　crowns　and　states　for　the　other　arch…dukes　too。　And　then；
you　have　not　told　me　yet　what　he　intends　to　do　with　me　after　hurling
me　from　the　throne。　Does　he　want　to　keep　me　confined　like　the　King
of　Spain　and　Pope　Pius；　or　will　he　permit　me　to　live　as　a　refugee　in
foreign　lands；　like　the　King　of　Naples？〃

〃Your　majesty；　Napoleon　only　dreamed　of　the　future；　and　dreams　never
are　logical　and　consistent。　I　myself　listened　to　his　dreams　in
silence；　and　they　amused　me　as　the　merry　fairy…stories　of　my
childhood　didfairy…stories　invented　only　for　the　purpose　of　making
us　laugh。〃

〃Yes；　let　us　laugh　at　them；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　bursting　into
loud　laughter；　which；　however；　sounded　so　unnatural　that　Count　Bubna
did　not　join　in　it。　〃And　now；〃　said　the　emperor；　whose　face　suddenly
became　very　gloomy；　〃having　spoken　enough　about　Bonaparte's　funny
dreams；　let　us　turn　to　more　serious　matters。　What　are　the　terms　on
which　the　Emperor　of　the　French　would　make　peace　with　me？　What　does
he　demand？〃

〃Your　majesty；　his　demands　are　so　exorbitant　that　I　scarcely　dare　to
repeat　them。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　emperor；　dryly。　〃If　I　could　listen　quietly　to
the　plan　regarding　my　brothers；　I　believe　I　shall　be　able　to　bear
the　rest。　Speak；　therefore。　What　are　the　terms　on　which　Napoleon
would　conclude　peace？〃

〃He　demands　the　cession　of　all　the　provinces　actually　occupied　by
the　French　armies；　the　surrender　of　the　fortresses　still　occupied　by
our　troops　in　these　provinces；　with　their　magazines；　arsenals；
stores；　and　supplies；　the　surrender　of　the　fortresses　of　Gratz　and
Brunn；　and　large　contributions　in　kind；　to　be　collected　by　M。　Daru；
the　French　intendant…general。〃

〃He　intends　to　spoliate　Austria　as　mercilessly　as　he　formerly
plundered　Hamburg　and　the　whole　of　Northern　Germany；〃　said　the
emperor；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃And　does　not　Bonaparte　demand　any
money　this　time？　Will　he　content　himself　with　provinces；　fortresses；
and　contributions　in　kind？　Will　he　extort　no　money　from　us？〃

〃Your　majesty；　he　demands　an　enormous　sum。　He　demands　the　immediate
payment　of　two　hundred　and　thirty…seven　millions　of　francs。〃
＇Footnote：　See　Schlosser's　〃History　of　the　Nineteenth　Century；〃　vol。
viii。；　p。　115。＇

〃Well；　well；　he　will　take　less　than　that；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor。

〃Then　your　majesty　will　graciously　negotiate　with　him　on　his　terms
of　peace？〃　asked　Count　Bubna；　joyously。　〃Bearing　in　mind　only　the
welfare　of　your　monarchy；　you　will　not　reject　his　rigorous　demands
entirely；　and　not　allow　the　armistice　to　lead　to　a　resumption　of
hostilities；　which；　under　the　present　circumstances；　could　not　but
involve　Austria　in　utter　ruin？〃

〃I　shall　think　of　it；〃　said　the　emperor；　〃at　all　events；　I　have
already　shown　my　desire　for　peace　by　sending　my　ministers；　Counts
Stadion　and　Metternich；　to　Altenburg；　to　negotiate　there　with
Bonaparte's　minister　Champagny。　I　shall　not　recall　them；　but　allow
them　to　continue　the　negotiations。　They　are　skilled　diplomatists；
and　men　of　great　sagacity。　The　labors　of　diplomatists　generally　make
slow　headway；　hence；　it　will　be　good　for　us　to　lend　them　a　little
secret　assistance。　While　the　plenipotentiaries　are　negotiating
publicly　at　Altenburg　in　Hungary；　I　will　secretly　begin　to　negotiate
with　the　emperor　himself；　and　you；　Count　Bubna；　shall　be　my　agent
for　this　purpose。〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　exclaimed　Count　Bubna；　in　a　tone　of　surprise　rather
than　joy；　〃your　majesty　reposes　in　me　so　much　confidence〃

〃Which；　I　hope；　you　will　appreciate；　and　strive　to　render　yourself
worthy　of；〃　interrupted　the　emperor。　〃I　count　on　your　skill；　your
zeal；　and；　above　all；　your　discretion。　You　will　take　new　proposals
of　peace　to…morrow；　on　my　part；　to　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperor
Napoleon；　at　Schoenbrunn。　But　no　one　must　learn　of　your　mission；
and；　least　of　all；　my　two　ministers　who　are　negotiating　at
Altenburg。〃

〃Sire；　I　shall　keep　as　silent　as　the　grave。〃

〃A　bad　comparison；　Bubna；　for　new　life　is　to　blossom　for　Austria
from　your　secret　negotiations。　Well；　go　now　and　repose；　we　will
afterward　confer　again　in　regard　to　this　matter；　and　I　will　explain
my　views　to　you。　But　say；　Bubna；　do　you　really　think　that　Bonaparte
was　in　earnest　about　his　dreams；　and　that；　in　case　he　should　defeat
us　again；　he　would　seriously　think　of　carrying　into　effect　his　plans
regarding　the　Archdukes　Ferdinand　and　John？〃

〃I　am　afraid；　your　majesty；　he　was　in　earnest。〃

〃The　Emperor　Napoleon；　then；　hates　me　intensely？〃

〃He　believes　that　your　majesty　hates　him　intensely。　He　told　me　once
frankly　that　only　your　majesty's　personal　hatred　had　brought　about
this　war；　and　that　he　was　afraid　this　hatred　would　frustrate　all
peace　negotiations。　I　ventured　to　contradict　him；　but　be　shook　his
head　vehemently　and　exclaimed；　'The　Emperor　Francis　hates　me　so
intensely；　that　I　believe　he　would　lose　his　crown　and　e