andreas hofer-第2部分

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！


revolutionist。　I　had　to　suffer　a　good　deal　for　my　convictions；　a
great　many　obstacles　were　raised　against　all　my　plans；　and　yet　I
desired　only　to　contribute　to　the　welfare　of　the　whole；　I　demanded
nothing　for　myself；　but　every　thing　for　the　fatherland。　To　the
fatherland　I　wished　to　devote　my　blood　and　my　life；　for　the
fatherland　I　wished　to　conquer　in　the　disastrous　campaign　of　1805。
However；　such　were　not　the　plans　of　my　adversaries；　they　did　not
wish　to　carry　on　the　war　with　sufficient　energy　and　perseverance；
they　would　not　give　my　brother　Charles　and　me　an　opportunity　to
distinguish　ourselves　and　gain　a　popular　name。　Whenever　I　planned　a
vigorous　attack；　I　was　not　permitted　to　carry　it　into　effect。
Whenever；　with　my　corps；　I　might　have　exerted　a　decisive　influence
upon　the　fortunes　of　the　war；　I　was　ordered　to　retreat　with　my
troops　to　some　distant　position　of　no　importance　whatever；　and　when
I　remonstrated；　they　charged　me　with　rebelling　against　the　emperor's
authority。　Ah；　I　suffered　a　great　deal　in　those　days；　and　the　wounds
which　my　heart　received　at　that　juncture　are　bleeding　yet。　I　had　to
succumb；　when　the　men　who　had　commenced　the　war　at　a　highly
unfavorable　time；　conducted　it　at　an　equally　unfavorable　moment；　and
made　peace。　And　by　that　peace　Austria　lost　her　most　loyal　province；
the　beautiful　Tyrol；　one　of　the　oldest　states　of　the　Hapsburgs；　and
her　most　fertile　province；　the　territory　of　Venetia　and　Dalmatia；
for　which　I　did　not　grieve　so　much；　because　it　always　was　a　source
of　political　dissensions　and　quarrels　for　the　hereditary　provinces
of　Austria。　What　afflicted　me　most　sorely　was　the　loss　of　the　Tyrol；
and　even　now　I　cannot　think　of　it　without　the　most　profound　emotion。
It　seemed　as　though　Fate　were　bent　on　blotting　out　from　our　memory
all　that　might　remind　us　of　our　ancestors；　their　virtues；　their
patriotism；　and　their　perseverance　in　the　days　of　universal
adversity；　and　as　though；　in　consequence　of　this；　the　spirit；　of　the
Hapsburgs　had　almost　become　extinct；　and　we　were　to　lose　all　that
they　bad　gained　in　the　days　of　their　greatness。　＇Footnote：　John's
own　words。See　〃Forty…eight　Letters　from　Archduke　John　to　Johannes
von　Muller；〃　p。　103。＇　But　now　Fate　is　willing　to　give　us　another
opportunity　to　repair　our　faults　and　show　that　we　are　worthy　of　our
ancestors。　If　we　allow　this　to　pass　too；　all　is　lost；　not　only　the
throne　of　the　Hapsburgs；　but　also　their　honor！〃

〃This　opportunity　will　not　pass！〃　exclaimed　the　count。　〃The　throne
of　the　Hapsburgs　will　be　preserved；　for　it　is　protected　by　the
Archdukes　John　and　Charles；　a　brave　army　that　is　eager　for　a　war
with　France；　and　a　faithful；　intrepid　people；　which　is　sincerely
devoted　to　its　imperial　dynasty；　which　never　will　acknowledge
another　ruler；　and　which　never　will　desert　its　Hapsburgs。〃

〃Yes；　the　people　will　not　desert　us；〃　said　John；　〃but　worse　things
may　happen；　we　may　desert　ourselves。　Just　look　around；　Nugent；　and
see　how　lame　we　have　suddenly　become　again；　how　we　have　all　at　once
stopped　half　way；　unable　to　decide　whether　it　might　not　be　better
for　us　to　lay　down　our　arms　again　and　surrender　at　discretion　to　the
Emperor　of　the　French。〃

〃Fortunately；　it　is　too　late　now　to　take　such　a　resolution；　for
Austria　has　already　gone　so　far　that　a　hesitating　policy　at　this
juncture　will　no　longer　succeed　in　pacifying　the　Emperor　of　the
French。　And　it　is　owing　to　the　efforts　of　your　imperial　highness
that　it　is　so；　we　are　indebted　for　it　to　your　zeal；　your　energy；　and
your　enthusiasm　for　the　good　cause；　which　is　now　no　longer　the　cause
of　Austria；　but　that　of　Germany。　And　this　cause　will　not　succumb；
God　will　not　allow　a　great　and　noble　people　to　be　trampled　under
foot　by　a　foreign　tyrant；　who　bids　defiance　to　the　most　sacred
treaties　and　the　law　of　nations；　and　who　would　like　to　overthrow　all
thrones　to　convert　the　foreign　kingdoms　and　empires　into　provinces
of　his　empire；　blot　out　the　history　of　the　nations　and　dynasties；
and　have　all　engulfed　by　his　universal　monarchy。〃

〃God　may　not　decree　this；　but　He　may　perhaps　allow　it　if　the　will　of
the　nations　and　the　princes　should　not　be　strong　enough　to　set
bounds　to　such　mischief。　When　the　feeling　of　liberty　and
independence　does　not　incite　the　nations　to　rise　enthusiastically
and　defend　their　rights；　God　sends　them　a　tyrant　as　a　scourge　to
chastise　them。　And　such；　I　am　afraid；　is　our　case。　Germany　has　lost
faith　in　herself；　in　her　honor；　she　lies　exhausted　at　the　feet　of
the　tyrant；　and　is　ready　to　be　trampled　in　the　dust　by　him。　Just
look　around　in　our　German　fatherland。　What　do　you　see　there？　All　the
sovereign　princes　have　renounced　their　independence；　and　become
Napoleon's　vassals；　they　obey　his　will；　they　submit　to　his　orders；
and　send　their　armies　not　against　the　enemy　of　Germany；　but　against
the　enemies　of　France；　no　matter　whether　those　enemies　are　their
German　brethren　or　not。　The　German　princes　have　formed　the
Confederation　of　the　Rhine；　and　the　object　of　this　confederation　is
not　to　preserve　the　frontier　of　the　Rhine　to　Germany；　but　to　secure
the　Rhine　to　France。　The　German　princes　are　begging　for　honors　and
territories　at　the　court　of　Napoleon；　they　do　not　shrink　from
manifesting　their　fealty　to　their　master；　the　Emperor　of　the　French；
by　betraying　the　interests　of　Germany；　they　are　playing　here　at
Vienna　the　part　of　the　meanest　spies；　they　are　watching　all　our
steps；　and　are　shameless　enough　to　have　the　Emperor　Napoleon　reward
their　infamy　by　conferring　royal　titles　on　them；　and　to　accept　at
his　hands　German　territories　which　he　took　from　German　princes。
Bavaria　did　not　disdain　to　aggrandize　her　territories　at　our
expense；　Wurtemberg　accepts　without　blushing　the　territories　of
other　German　princes　at　the　bands　of　Napoleon；　who　thus　rewards　her
for　the　incessant　warnings　by　which　the　King　of　Wurtemberg　urges　the
Emperor　of　the　French　to　be　on　his　guard　against　Austria；　and　always
distrust　the　intentions　of　the　Emperor　Francis。　＇Footnote：
Schlosser；　〃History　of　the　Eighteenth　Century；〃　vol。　vii。；　p。　488。＇
In　the　middle　of　the　German　empire　we　see　a　new　French　kingdom；
Westphalia；　established　by　Napoleon's　orders；　it　is　formed　of　the
spoils　taken　from　Prussia　and　Hanover；　and　the　German　princes　suffer
it；　and　the　German　people　bow　their　heads；　silently　to　the
disgraceful　foreign　yoke！　Ah；　Nugent；　my　heart　is　full　of　grief　and
anger；　full　of　the　bitterness　of　despair；　for　I　have　lost　faith　in
Germany；　and　see　shudderingly　that　she　will　decay　and　die；　as　Poland
died；　of　her　own　weakness。　Ah；　it　would　be　dreadful；　dreadful；　if　we
too；　had　to　fall；　as　the　unfortunate　Kosciusko　did；　with　the
despairing　cry　of　'Finis　Germaniae！'〃

〃No；　that　will　never　happen！〃　cried　Nugent。　〃No；　Germany　will　never
endure　the　disgrace　and　debasement　of　Poland；　she　will　never　sink　to
ruin　and　perish　like　Poland。　It　is　true；　a　majority　of　the　German
princes　bow　to　Napoleon's　power；　and　we　may　charge　them　with
infidelity　and　treason　against　Germany；　but　we　can　not　prefer　the
same　charge　against　the　German　people　and　the　subjects　of　the
traitorous　German　princes。　They　have　remained　faithful；　and　have　not
yet　lost　faith　in　their　fatherland。　They　are　indignantly　champing
the　bit　with　which　their　despots　have　shut　their　mouth；　and；　in
silence；　harmony；　and　confidence　in　God；　they　are　preparing　for　the
great　hour　when　they　will　rise；　for　the　sacred　day　when　they　will
break　their　shackles　with　the　divine　strength　of　a　united　and　high…
minded　people。　Everywhere　the　embers　are　smouldering　under　the
ashes；　everywhere　secret　societies　and　leagues　have　been　formed；
everywhere　there　are　conspirators；　depots　of　arms；　and　passwords；
everywhere　the　people　of　Germany　are　waiting　only　for　the　moment
when　they　are　to　strike　the　first　blow；　and　for　the　signal　to　rise。
And　they　are　in　hopes　now　that　Austria　will　give　the　signal。　Our
preparations　for　war　have　been　hailed　with　exultation　throughout
Germany：　everywhere　the　people　are　ready　to　take　up　arms　so　soon　as
Austria　draws　the　sword。　The　example　of　Spain　and　Portugal　has
taught　the　Germans　how　the　arrogant　conqueror　must　be　met；　the
example　of　Austria　will　fill　them　with　boundless　enthusiasm；　and
lead　them　to　the　most　glorious　victories！〃

〃And　we　are　still　temporizing　and　hesitating；〃　exclaimed　John；
mournfully；　〃we　are　not　courageous　enough　to　strike　the　first　blow！
All　is　ready；　the　emperor　has　only　to　utter　the　decisive　word；　but
he　refuses　to　do　so！〃

〃The　enthusiasm　of　his　people　will　soon　compel　him　and　his　advisers
to　utter　that　word；〃　said　Nugent。　〃Austria　can　no　longer　retrace　her
steps；　she　must　advance。　Austria　must　lead　Germany　in　the　sacred
struggle　for　liberty；　she　can　no　longer　retrace　her　steps。〃

〃God　grant　that　your　words　may　be　verified！〃　cried　John；　lifting　his
tearful　eyes　to　heaven；　〃God　grant　that〃

A　low　rapping　at　the　door　leading　to　the　small　secret　corridor
caused　the　archduke　to　pause　and　turn　his　eyes　with　a　searching
expression　to　this　door。

The　rapping　was　repeated；　more　rapidly　than　before。

〃It　is　Hormayr；〃　exclaimed　the　archduke；　joyfully；　and　he　hastened
to　the　secret　door　and　opened　it　quickly。

A　tall　young　man；　in　the　uniform　of　an　Austrian　superior　officer；
appeared　in　the　open　door。　The　archduke　grasped　both　his　hands　and
drew　him　hastily　into　the　cabinet。

〃Hormayr；　my　friend；〃　he　said；　breathlessly；　〃you　have　returned　from
the　Tyrol？　You　have　succeeded　in　fulfilling　the　mission　with　which　I
intrusted　you？　You　have　carried　my　greetings　to　the　Tyrolese？　Oh；
speak；　speak；　my　friend！　What　do　my　poor；　deserted　Tyrolese　say？〃

Baron　von　Hormayr　fixed　his　flashing　dark　eyes　with　an　expression　of
joyful　tenderness　on　the　excited　face　of　the　archduke。

〃The　Tyrolese　send　greeting　to　the　Archduke　John；〃　he　said；　〃the
Tyrolese　hope　that　the　Archduke　John　will　deliver　them　from　the
hateful　yoke　of　the　Bavarians；　the　Tyrolese　believe　that　the　hour
has　arrived；　when　they　may　recover　their　liberty；　and　to　prove　this…
…〃

〃To　prove　this？〃　asked　the　archduke；　breathlessly；　when　Hormayr
paused　a　moment。

〃To　prove　this；〃　said　Hormayr；　in　a　lower　voice；　stepping　up　closer
to　the　prince；　〃some　of　the　most　influentia