andreas hofer-第58部分

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over　her　husband；　and　Count　Stadion　is　no　more　influential　than　her
majesty。　His　generous　enthusiasm　and　fiery　impetuosity　are　repugnant
to　the　emperor；　who　will　remove　him　so　soon　as　he　has　discovered　a
more　submissive　and　obsequious　successor　who　has　as　much　work　in　him
as　Stadion。　But　there　is　one　point　as　to　which　these　incessantly
quarrelling　parties　are　agreed　and　join　hands；　and　that　is　their
common　hostility　against　the　arch…dukes；　the　emperor's　brothers；　so
virulent　is　this　hatred；　that　the　peace…party　deserts　its　leader　in
order　to　operate　with　the　war…party　against　him　and　his　interests。
The　Austrian　nobility　has　always　claimed　the　privilege　of　filling
all　superior　offices；　and　it　is　furious　at　seeing　the　archdukes
animated　with　the　desire　of　dedicating　their　abilities　to　their
fatherland　and　their　emperor。　Hence；　the　nobility　is　decidedly
opposed　to　the　success　of　the　archdukes；　which　might　set　bounds　to
its　oligarchy。　It　opposes　me　as　well　as　the　other　archdukes；　whether
this　opposition　may　endanger　the　interests　of　the　fatherland；　and
even　the　emperor；　or　not。　Things　would　be　even　more　prosperous　in
this　campaign；　if　the　generals　serving　under　the　archdukes　had
carried　out　the　orders　of　their　superiors　with　greater　zeal；
promptness；　and　willingness。　But　they　have　been　intentionally　slow；
they　have　often　hesitated；　misunderstood；　or　purposely　forgotten
their　orders。　They　are　intent　on　proving　the　incapacity　of　the
archdukes　in　order　to　overthrow　them；　and　they　well　know　that　they
are　rendering　a　service　to　the　emperor　by　doing　so；　for　they　are
aware　that　the　emperor　does　not　love　his　brothers。〃

〃No；　your　imperial　highness；〃　exclaimed　Nugent；　when　the　archduke
paused　with　a　sigh。　〃I　hope　that　this　is　going　too　far；　and　that　you
are　likewise　mistaken　about　it。　It　is　impossible　that　the　emperor
should　not　love　his　brothers；　who　are　doing　so　much　honor　to　the
imperial　house　by　their　surpassing　accomplishments；　virtues；　and
talents。〃

〃My　friend；　you　speak　like　a　courtier；〃　said　John；　shaking　his　head；
〃and　you　exaggerate　as　a　friend。　But　even　though　you　were　right；
those　qualities　would　not　be　calculated　to　render　the　emperor's
heart　more　attached　to　us。　He　wants　the　emperor　alone　to　shed　lustre
on；　and　do　honor　to　the　imperial　house；　and　not　the　archdukes；　his
father's　younger　sons；　whom　he　hates。〃

〃No；　no；　your　imperial　highness；　it　is　impossible　that　the　emperor
should　hate　his　brothers！〃

〃And　why　impossible？〃　asked　John；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Do　not
his　brothers；　the　archdukes；　hate　each　other？　Or　do　you　believe；
perhaps；　that　the　Archduke　Charles；　our　generalissimo；　loves　me；　or
even　wishes　me　well？　I　was　so　unfortunate　as　to　be　twice　victorious
during　the　present　campaign；　while　he　was　twice　defeated；　I　beat　the
French　at　Sacile　and　St。　Boniface；　while　he　lost　the　battles　of
Landshut　and　Ratisbon。　This　is　a　crime　which　the　archduke　will　never
forgive　me；　and　for　which　he　will　revenge　himself。〃

〃Perhaps　he　thinks　that　he　took　a　noble　and　glorious　revenge　at　the
battle　of　Aspern？〃

〃Oh；　my　friend；　you　forgot　that　our　mother　was　a　daughter　of　Italy；
and　that　we；　therefore；　do　not　care　for　a　noble　and　glorious
revenge；　but　long　for　an　Italian　vendetta。　The　generalissimo　will
not　content　himself　with　having　obtained　glory；　but　I　must　suffer　a
defeat；　a　disgrace；　which　will　neutralize　what　few　laurels　I
gathered　at　Sacile　and　St。　Boniface。　Oh；　I　know　my　brother　the
generalissimo；　I　see　all　the　little　threads　which　he　is　spinning
around　me；　and　which；　as　soon　as　they　are　strong　enough；　he　will
convert　into　a　net；　in　which　he　will　catch　me；　in　order　to　exhibit
me　to　the　world　as　an　ignoramus　and　dreamer；　destitute　both　of
ability　and　luck　as　a　general。　Do　not　tell　me　that　I　am　mistaken；　my
friend；　I　have　hitherto　observed　every　thing　with　close　attention；
and　my　observations　unfortunately　do　not　deceive　me。　The
generalissimo　is　desirous　of　punishing　me　for　my　victories　at　Sacile
and　St。　Boniface；　and　for　advocating　a　declaration　of　war　when　he
pronounced　three　times　against　it。　He　has　already　several　times　told
the　emperor　that　I　am　self…willed；　disobedient；　and　always　inclined
to　oppose　his　orders　by　words　or　even　deeds；　and　the　emperor　always
takes　pleasure　in　informing　me　of　the　generalissimo's　complaints。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　sighed　Count　Nugent；　〃this　aversion　of　the
generalissimo　to　your　imperial　highness　unfortunately　cannot　be
denied；　and　you　yourself　have　to　suffer　by　it。〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　John；　impetuously；　〃if　that　were　all；　I　should　not
complain；　I　should　add　it　to　the　many　other　pin…pricks　of　my　fate；
and　strive　to　bear　it　without　murmuring。　But　my　soldiers　and　the
glory　of　the　Austrian　arms　suffer　by　it；　and　it　will　destroy　the
liberty　of　the　Tyrol。　It　is　well　known　that　this　is　my　most
vulnerable　point；　that　I　love　the　Tyrol；　and　am　determined　to　leave
nothing　undone　in　order　to　redeem　the　emperor's　pledges　to　preserve
the　Tyrol　to　the　imperial　house；　and　restore　its　ancient　privileges
and　liberties。　It　is　known；　too；　that　I　long　intensely　to　live　in
the　future　days　of　peace　as　the　emperor's　lieutenant　in　the　Tyrol；
to　live；　far　from　the　noisy　bustle　of　the　capital；　in　the　peaceful
seclusion　of　the　mountain　country；　for　myself；　my　studies；　and　the
men　whom　I　love；　and　who　love　me。　Oh；　my　poor；　unfortunate　Tyrol
will　grievously　suffer　for　the　love　which　I　bear　it；　Austria　will
lose　it　a　second　time；　and　now；　perhaps；　forever。〃

〃Does　your　imperial　highness　believe　so？〃　cried　Nugent；　in　dismay。
〃You　believe　so；　even　after　communicating　to　me　the　letter　in　which
the　emperor　promises　to　the　Tyrolese　never　to　sign　a　peace　that　will
not　indissolubly　incorporate　the　Tyrol　and　Vorarlberg　with　his
monarchy；　and　in　which　he　announces　the　speedy　arrival　of　his
beloved　brother　John；　who　is　to　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the
Tyrolese？〃

〃My　friend；　these　numerous　and　liberal　promises　are　the　very　things
that　make　me　distrustful；　and　convince　me　that　they　are　not　meant
seriously。　If　the　emperor　had　the　preservation　of　the　Tyrol　really
at　heart；　and　intended　earnestly　that　my　army　should　succor　and　save
the　Tyrolese；　would　he　not　have　left　me　at　liberty　to　operate
according　to　the　dictates　of　my　own　judgment　and　in　full　harmony
with　the　Tyrolese；　instead　of　tying　my　hands；　and　regarding　and
employing　my　force　only　as　a　secondary　and　entirely　dependent　corps
of　the　generalissimo's　army？　Look　into　the　past；　Nugent；　bear　in
mind　all　that　has　happened　since　we　took　the　field；　and　tell　me　then
whether　I　am　right　or　not？〃

〃Unfortunately　you　are；〃　sighed　Nugent；　〃I　can　no　longer　contradict
your　imperial　highness；　I　cannot　deny　that　many　a　wrong　has　been
inflicted　on　you　and　us；　that　you　have　have　always　been　prevented
from　taking　the　initiative　in　a　vigorous　manner；　that　you　and　your
army　have　constantly　been　kept　in　a　secondary　and　dependent
position；　that　your　plans　have　incessantly　been　frustrated；　and　that
your　superiors　have　often　done　the　reverse　of　what　you　wished　and
deemed　prudent　and　advisable。〃

〃My　friend　at　they　will　hereafter　say　that　I　was　alone　to　blame　for
the　failure　of　my　plans；〃　cried　the　archduke；　with　a　mournful　smile；
〃they　will　charge　me　with　having　been　unable　to　carry　out　the
grandiloquent　promises　which　I　made　to　the　emperor　and　the　Tyrolese；
and　the　emperor　will　exult　at　the　discomfiture　of　the　boastful
archduke　who　took　it　upon　himself　to　call　out　the　whole　people　of
the　Tyrol；　put　himself　at　their　head；　and　successfully　defend
against　all　enemies　this　fortress　which　God　and　Nature　erected　for
Austria。　The　faithful　Tyrolese　have　taken　up　arms；　I　am　ready　to　put
myself　at　their　head；　but　already　I　have　been　removed　from　the
Tyrol；　and　my　arm　is　paralyzed　so　that　I　can　no　longer　stretch　it
out　to　take　the　hand　which　the　Tyrol　is　holding　out　to　me
beseechingly。　If　I　had　been　permitted　to　advance　after　the　victories
which　my　army　gained　over　the　Viceroy　of　Italy　and　Marmont；　I　should
probably　now　already　have　expelled　the　enemy　from　Upper　Italy　and
the　Southern　Tyrol。　But　I　was　not　allowed　to　follow　up　my　successes；
I　was　stopped　in　the　midst　of　my　victorious　career。　Because　the
generalissimo's　army　had　been　defeated　at　Ratisbon；　I　was　compelled；
instead　of　pursuing　the　enemy　energetically　and　obliging　him　to　keep
on　the　defensive；　to　retreat　myself；　and；　instead　of　being　the
pursuer；　be　pursued　by　the　forces　of　the　viceroy。　Instead　of　going
to　the　Tyrol；　I　was　ordered　by　the　generalissimo　to　turn　toward
Hungary　and　unite　with　the　volunteers　in　that　country。　No　sooner　had
I　done　so；　than　I　was　ordered　to　advance　again　toward　the　Southern
Tyrol；　march　upon　Villach　and　Salzburg；　unite　with　Jellachich；　form
a　connection　with　Field…Marshal　Giulay；　and　operate　with　them　in　the
rear　of　the　enemy；　who　was　already　in　the　immediate　neighborhood　of
Vienna。　And　he　who　gave　me　these　orders　did　not　know　that　Jellachich
had　in　the　meantime　been　beaten　at　Wurzl；　that　Villach　had　been
occupied　by　the　French；　that　I　was　not　in　the　rear　of　the　enemy；　but
that　the　enemy　was　in　my　rear；　be　did　not　or　would　not　know　that　the
Viceroy　of　Italy　was　in　my　rear　with　thirty…six　thousand　men；　and
that　the　Duke　of　Dantzic　was　in　front　of　my　position　at　Salzburg。
Since　then　we　have　been　moving　about　amidst　incessant　skirmishes　and
incessant　losses；　and　scarcely　had　we　reached　Comorn　to　re…organize
and　re…enforce　my　little　army；　when　we　received　orders　to　march　to
the　island　of　Schutt　and　toward　Presburg。　I　vainly　tried　to
remonstrate　and　point　to　the　weakness　and　exhaustion　of　my　troops；　I
vainly　asked　for　time　to　reorganize　my　forces；　when　I　would　attack
Macdonald　and　prevent　him　from　uniting　with　Napoleon。　I　vainly
proved　that　this　was　his　intention；　and　that　no　one　could　hinder　him
from　carrying　it　into　effect；　so　soon　as　I　had　to　turn　toward
Presburg　and　open　to　Macdonald　the　road　to　Vienna。　My　remonstrances
were　disregarded；　pains　were　taken　to　prove　to　me　that　I　was　but　a
tool；　a　wheel　in　the　great　machine　of　state；　and　the　orders　were
renewed　for　me　to　march　into　Hungary。　Well；　I　will　submit　againI
will　obey　again；　but　I　will　not　do　so　in　silence；　I　will；　at　least；
tell　the