andreas hofer-第4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！


writing…table　early　every　morning。

Thanks　to　these　reports；　the　emperor　knew　every　morning　all　that　had
occurred　in　Vienna　during　the　previous　day；　what　the　foreign
ambassadors　had　done；　and；　above　all　things；　what　his　brothers；　the
Archdukes　Charles；　Ferdinand；　Joseph；　and　John；　had　said；　done；　and
perhaps　only　thought。　To…day's　report　had　not　communicated　many
important　things　to　the　emperor；　it　had　only　informed　him　that；　at
daybreak；　a　courier　from　Paris　had　arrived　at　the　house　of　the
French　ambassador；　Count　Andreossi；　and　that　there　were　good　reasons
to　believe　that　be　had　brought　highly　important　news。

It　was　exactly　for　the　purpose　of　dispelling　the　anxiety　with　which
this　unpleasant　intelligence　had　filled　him；　that。　Francis　bad　laid
aside　the　report　and　recommenced　his　work　on　the　cup；　and　by　this
occupation　he　bad　succeeded　in　forgetting　the　burdensome　duties　of
his　imperial　office。

He　was　just　trying　very　hard　to　plane　one　side　of　his　cup；　when　a
low　rap　at　the　small　door　leading　to　the　narrow　corridor；　and　thence
to　the　apartments　of　the　empress；　interrupted　him。　The　emperor　gave
a　start　and　looked　toward　the　door；　listening　and　hoping；　perhaps；
that　his　ear　might　have　deceived　him。　But　no；　the　rapping　was　heard
once　more：　there　could　no　longer　be　a　doubt　of　itsomebody　sought
admittance；　and　intended　to　disturb　the　peaceful　solitude　of　the
emperor。

〃What　does　the　empress　want？〃　murmured　Francis。　〃What　does　she　come
here　for？　I　am　afraid　something　unpleasant　has　happened　again。〃

He　rose　with　a　shrug　from　his　chair；　put　his　miniature　cup　hastily
into　the　drawer　of　his　table；　and　hurried　to　open　the　door。

Francis　had　not　been　mistaken。　It　really　was　the　Empress　Ludovica；
the　third　consort　of　the　emperor；　who　had　married　her　only　a　few
months　ago。　She　wore　a　handsome　dishabille　of　embroidered　white
muslin；　closely　surrounding　her　delicate　and　slender　form；　and
trimmed　with　beautiful　laces。　The　white　dress　reached　up　to　the
neck；　where　a　rose…colored　tie　fastened　it。　Her　beautiful　black
hair；　which　fell　down　in　heavy　ringlets　on　both　sides　of　her　face；
was　adorned　with　a　costly　lace　cap；　from　which　wide　ribbons　of　rose…
colored　satin　flowed　down　on　her　shoulders。　But　the　countenance　of
the　empress　did　not　correspond　to　this　coquettish　and　youthful
dress。　She　was　young　and　beautiful；　but　an　expression　of　profound
melancholy　overspread　her　features。　Her　cheeks　were　transparently
white；　and　a　sad；　touching　smile　quivered　round　her　finely…
chiselled；　narrow　lips；　her　high；　expansive　forehead　was　shaded；　as
it　were；　by　a　cloud　of　sadness；　and　her　large　black　eyes　shot；　from
time　to　time；　gloomy　flashes　which　seemed　to　issue　from　a　gulf　of
fiery　torture。　But　whatever　passions　might　animate　her　delicate；
ethereal　form；　the　empress　had　learned　to　cover　her　heart　with　a
veil；　and　her　lips　never　gave　utterance　to　the　sufferings　of　her
soul。　Only　her　confidantes　were　allowed　to　divine　them；　they　alone
knew　that；　twofold　tortures　were　racking　Ludovica's　fiery　soul；
those　of　hatred　and　wounded　pride。　Napoleon！　it　was　he　whom　the
empress　hated　with　indescribable　bitterness；　and　the　neglect　with
which　her　consort；　the　Emperor　Francis；　treated　her　cut　her　proud
heart　to　the　quick。　Thanks　to　the　intrigues　and　immense　riches　of
her　mother；　Beatrix　of　Este；　Duchess　of　Modena；　she　had　become　the
wife　of　an　emperor；　and　herself　an　empress；　but　she　had　thereby
obtained　only　an　august　position；　not　a　husband　and　partner。　She　was
an　empress　in　name　only；　but　not　in　reality。　Francis　had　given　her
his　hand；　but　not　his　heart　and　his　love。　He　disdained　his
beautiful；　lovely　wife；　he　avoided　any　familiar　intercourse　with　her
with　anxious　timidity；　only　in　the　presence　of　the　court　and　the
public　did　he　treat　the　empress　as　his　consort；　and　tolerate　her
near　his　person。　At　first　Ludovica　had　submitted　to　this　strange
conduct　on　the　part　of　her　husband　with　proud　indifference；　and　not
the　slightest　murmur；　not　the　mildest　reproach；　had　escaped　her
lips。　For　it　was　not　from　love　that　she　had　chosen　this　husband；　but
from　ambition　and　pride。　She　had　told　herself　that　it　would　be
better　for　her　to　be　Empress　of　Austria　than　Princess　of　Modena　and
Este；　and　even　the　prospect　of　being　the　third　wife　of　Francis　of
Austria；　and　the　stepmother　of　the　ten　children　whom　his　second　wife
had　borne　to　him；　had　not　deterred　her。　She　meant　to　marry　the
emperor；　and　not　the　man；　she　wished　to　play　a　prominent　part；　and
exert　a　powerful　influence　on　the　destinies　of　the　world。　But　these
hopes　were　soon　to　prove　utterly　futile。　The　emperor　granted　her
publicly　all　the　privileges　of　her　exalted　position　by　his　side；　but
in　the　privacy　of　her　apartments　he　never　made　her　his　confidante；
he　refused　to　let　her　have　any　influence　over　his　decisions；　he
never　consulted　her　as　to　the　measures　of　his　administration：　nay；
he　avoided　alluding　to　such　topics　in　her　presence。

Such　was　the　grief　that　was　gnawing　at　the　heart　of　the　young
empressthe　wound　from　which　her　proud　and　lofty　soul　was　bleeding。
But　for　a　few　weeks　past　she　had　overcome　her　silent　grief；　and　the
presence　of　her　mother；　the　shrewd　and　intriguing　Duchess　of　Modena；
seemed　to　have　imparted　fresh　strength　to　the　empress；　and　confirmed
her　in　her　determination　to　conquer　the　heart　and　confidence　of　her
husband。　Whereas　she　had　hitherto　met　his　indifference　by　proud
reticence；　and　feigned　not　to　notice　it；　she　was　kind　and　even
affectionate　toward　him；　and　it　often　happened　that；　availing
herself　of　the　privilege　of　her　position；　she　traversed　the　private
corridor　separating　her　rooms　from　those　of　her　husband；　and；
without　being　summoned　to　him；　entered　his　cabinet　to　talk　politics
with　him　in　spite　of　his　undisguised　aversion　to　doing　so。　The
emperor　hated　these　interviews　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　a
shudder　pervaded　his　soul；　and　a　cloud　covered　his　brow；　whenever　he
heard　the　low　rap　of　the　empress　at　his　private　door。　To…day；　too；
the　dark　cloud　covered　his　forehead　even　after　the　empress　had
entered　his　cabinet。　Ludovica　noticed　it；　and　a　mournful　smile
overspread　her　pale　face　for　a　moment。

〃As　your　majesty　did　not　come　to　me　to　bid　me　good…morning；　I　have
come　to　you；〃　she　said；　in　a　gentle；　kind　voice；　holding　out　her
beautiful　white　hand　to　the　emperor。

Francis　took　it　and　pressed　it　to　his　lips。　〃It　is　true；〃　he　said；
evidently　embarrassed；　〃I　did　not　come　this　morning　to　pay　my
respects　to　you；　but　time　was　wanting　to　me。　I　had　to　go　at　once　to
my　cabinet　and　work；　I　am　very　busy。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Ludovica；　〃your　majesty's　dress　still　bears　the　traces
of　your　occupation。〃

The　emperor　hastened　to　brush　away　with　his　hands　the　small
particles　of　the　peach…stone　that　had　remained　on　his　shirt…bosom
and　his　sleeve；　but　while　he　was　doing　this　his　brow　darkened　still
more；　and　he　cast　a　gloomy　and　defiant　glance　on　the　empress。

〃Look；　empress；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　you　belong　to　the　secret　police；
and　have　been　employed　to　watch　me　in　order　to　find　out　what　I　am
doing　when　I　am　alone　in　my　cabinet。　Why；　if　I　found　out　that　that
was　so；　I　should　be　obliged　to　be　on　my　guard　and　have　this　door
walled　up；　so　that　my　esteemed　consort　might　no　longer　be　able　to
surprise　and　watch　me。〃

〃Your　majesty　will　assuredly　not　do　that；〃　said　Ludovica；　whose
voice　was　tremulous；　and　whose　cheeks　had　turned　even　paler　than
before。　〃No；　your　majesty　will　not　make　me　undergo　the　humiliation
of　making　known　to　the　world　the　deplorable　secret　with　which　we
alone　have　hitherto　been　acquainted。　Your　majesty　will　not　deprive
me　of　the　only　privilege　which　I　enjoy　in　common　with　your　former
consorts；　and　thereby　proclaim　to　the　world　that　I　am　in　this　palace
a　stranger　who　has　not　even　access　to　the　rooms　of　her　husband。〃

〃I　do　not　say　that　I　intend　to　do　it；〃　said　Francis；　shrugging　his
shoulders；　〃I　say　only　that　it　is　highly　repugnant　to　me　to　have　my
steps　dogged　and　watched　in　any　manner。　It　is　true；　my　former
consort　had　also　the　keys　of　this　private　corridor；　butpardon　me
for　this　remark；　your　majestythe　empress　never　used　these　keys；
but　always　waited　for　me　to　open　the　door。〃

〃And　she　did　not　wait　in　vain；〃　said　the　empress；　quickly；　〃your
majesty　never　failed　to　come；　for　you　loved　your　consort；　and　I　have
been　told　you　never　suffered　even　a　few　hours　to　pass　by　without
leaving　your　cabinet　and　crossing　the　secret　corridor　to　repair　to
the　rooms　of　the　empress。〃

〃But　the　good　Empress　Theresa；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　〃when　I　was
with　her；　never　endeavored　to　talk　to　me　about　politics　and　state
affairs。〃

〃I　understand　that；〃　said　Ludovica；　〃you　had　both　so　many　mutual
interests　to　converse　about。　You　had　your　mutual　love；　your
children；　to　talk　about。　I；　who　am　so　unhappy　as　not　to　be　able　to
talk　with　you　about　such　matters；　how　intensely　so…ever　my　heart
longs　for　it；　must　content　myself　with　conversing　with　my　husband　on
different　subjects；　and　I　desire　to　share　at　least　his　cares　when　I
cannot　share　his　love。　My　husband；　I　beseech　you；　do　not　disdain　my
friendship；　accept　a　friend's　hand；　which　I　offer　to　you　honestly
and　devotedly。〃

〃My　God；　that　is　precisely　what　I　long　for！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor
fervently；　again　pressing　to　his　lips　the　hand　which　the　empress
held　out　to　him。　〃My　fondest　wish　is　fulfilled　when　your　majesty
will　give　me　your　friendship；　and　confide　in　me　as　your　best；　most
devoted；　and　faithful　friend！〃

〃But　this　confidence　must　be　reciprocated；　my　dearest　friend；〃　said
Ludovica；　putting　her　hand　on　the　emperor's　shoulder。　and　gazing
long　and　ardently　into　his　eyes。　〃Your　majesty　must　confide　in　me
too；　and　count　implicitly　on　my　fidelity。〃

〃That　is　what　I　do；〃　said　Francis；　hastily；　〃never　should　I　dare　to
doubt　the　fidelity　of　the　purest；　chastest；　and　most　virtuous
empress　and　ladythe　fidelity　of　my　wife。〃

〃I　did　not　refer　to　the　wife's　fidelity；〃　said　Ludovica；　sighing；
〃but　to　the　fidelity　of　my　friendship；　which　is　joyously　ready　to
share　all　your　cares　and　afflictions。〃

〃Well　then；〃　said　the　emperor；　nodding　to　her　smilingly；　〃I　will
give　you　a　proof　of　my　faith　in　your　friendship。　Yes；　you　shall
share