andreas hofer-第6部分

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else；　necessity　alone　will　determine　my　course。　I　shall　not　attack；
and　thereby　challenge　fate　of　my　own　accord；　but　I　shall　wait；　sword
in　hand；　for　Napoleon　to　attack　me。　If　he　does；　God　and　my　good
right　will　be　on　my　side；　and　whatever　may　be　the　result　of　the
struggle；　people　will　be　unable　to　say　that　I　rashly　plunged　into
war　and　broke　the　peace。　If　we　succumb；　it　is　the　will　of　God　and
the　Holy　Virgin；　and　not；　our　fault。　And　now；　empress；〃　said　the
emperor；　drawing　a　deep　breath；　〃I　have　complied　with　your　wishes
and　talked　politics　with　you。　I　think　it　will　be　enough　once　for
all；　and　you　and　you　political　friends　will　perceive　that　you　cannot
do　any　thing　with　me；　and　that　it　will　be　best　for　you　to　let　me
entirely　alone；　for　I　am　so　stubborn　as　not　to　allow　others　to　lead
me；　but　pursue　my　own　course。　You　have　promised　me；　empress；　to　be　a
faithful　friend　tome。　I　ask　you　now　to　give　me　a　proof　of　your
friendship。　Let　us　speak　of　something　else　than　polities；　that　is
all　that　I　ask　of　your　friendship。〃

〃Well；　then；　let　us　drop　the　subject；〃　said　the　empress；　with　a　deep
sigh。　〃Your　majesty　will　be　kind　enough　to　permit　me　now　to　ask　a
favor　of　you？〃

〃Ah；　you　speak　as　if　there　were　anything　that　I　could　refuse　you；〃
exclaimed　the　emperor；　smiling。

Ludovica　bowed　slightly。　〃I　pray　you；　therefore；〃　she　said；　〃to　be
kind　enough　to　accompany　me　to　the　concert　which　is　to　be　given　at
the　university　hall。　Haydn's　'Creation'　will　be　performed　there；　and
I　believe　the　old　maestro　himself　will　be　present　to　receive　the
homage　of　his　admirers。〃

〃H'm；　h'm！　I　am　afraid　there　is　something　else　behind　it；〃　said　the
emperor；　thoughtfully；　〃and　the　audience　will　not　content　itself
with　merely　offering　homage　to　old　Haydn。　But　no　matter；　your
majesty　wishes　to　go　to　the　concert；　and　it　will　afford　me　pleasure
to　accompany　my　empress。〃

At　this　moment　they　heard　a　low　rap　at　the　door　leading　from　the
emperor's　cabinet　into　the　conference…room；　where　the　officers　of
the　private　imperial　chancery　were　working。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　exclaimed　the　emperor。　〃Come　in。〃

The　emperor's　private　chamberlain　slipped　softly　through　the　half…
opened　door；　and；　on　beholding　the　empress；　be　stood　still　without
uttering　a　word。

〃Never　mind；　the　empress　will　excuse　you；〃　said　Francis。

〃Just　tell　me　what　you　have　come　in　for。〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　the　chamberlain；　〃the　French　ambassador；　Count
Andreossi；　has　just　arrived；　and　requests　your　majesty　to　grant　him
an　audience。　He　says　he　wishes　to　communicate　information　of　great
importance　to　you。〃

〃Why　did　he　not　apply　to　my　minister　of　foreign　affairs？〃　asked　the
emperor；　indignantly。

〃Your　majesty；　the　ambassador　begs　your　pardon；　but　he　says　the
Emperor　Napoleon　gave　him　express　orders　to　endeavor　if　possible　to
speak　with　your　majesty。〃

〃And　he　is　already　in　the　anteroom；　and　waits　for　an　immediate
audience？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　will　receive　him；〃　said　the　emperor；　rising。　〃Conduct
the　ambassador　to　the　small　audience…room。Well？〃　asked　the
emperor；　wonderingly；　when　the　chamberlain　did　not　withdraw。　〃You　do
not　go？　Do　you　wish　to　tell　me　any　thing　else？〃

〃I　do；　your　majesty。　A　courier　has　just　arrived　from　Paris　with
pressing　dispatches　from　Count　Metternich　to　your　majesty。〃

〃Ah；　that　changes　the　matter！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor。　〃Tell　the
ambassador　that　I　can　not　receive　him　now；　but　that　he　is　to　come
back　in　an　hour；　at　eleven　precisely；　when　I　shall　be　ready　to
receive　him。　Tell　the　courier　to　come　to　me　at　once。〃

The　chamberlain　slipped　noiselessly　out　of　the　door；　and　the　emperor
turned　again　to　the　empress：

〃Empress；〃　he　said；　〃do　me　the　honor　of　permitting　me　to　offer　you
my　arm；　and　conduct　you　back　to　your　rooms。　You　see　I　am　a　poor；
tormented　man；　who　is　so　overwhelmed　with　business　that　he　cannot
even　chat　an　hour　with　his　wife　without　being　disturbed。　Pity　me　a
little；　and　prove　it　to　me　by　permitting　me　henceforth　to　rest　in
your　presence　from　the　cares　of　business；　and　not　talk　politics。〃

〃The　wish　of　my　lord　and　emperor　shall　be　fulfilled；〃　said　the
empress；　mournfully；　taking　the　arm　which　the　emperor　offered　to　her
to　conduct　her　back　to　her　rooms。

Just　as　she　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　imperial　cabinet；　and
stepped　into　the　corridor；　she　heard　the　voice　of　the　chamberlain；
who　announced：　〃The　courier　from　Paris；　Counsellor　von　Hudelist。〃

〃All　right；　I　shall　be　back　directly！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　and　he
conducted　the　empress　with　a　somewhat　accelerated　step　through　the
corridor。　In　front　of　the　door　at　its　end　he　stood　still　and　bowed
to　the　empress　with　a　pleasant　smile。

〃I　have　conducted　you　now　to　the　frontier　of　your　realm；〃　said
Francis；　〃permit　me；　therefore；　to　return　to　mine。　Farewell！　We
shall　go　to　the　concert　to…night。　Farewell！〃

Without　waiting　for　the　reply　of　the　empress；　he　turned　and　hastily
re…entered　his　cabinet。

Ludovica　entered　her　room　and　locked　the　door　behind　her。　〃Closed
forever！〃　she　said；　with　a　sigh。　〃At　least　I　shall　not　try　again　to
avail　myself　of　this　door；　and　shall　not　expose　myself　again　to　the
sneers　of　the　emperor。　I　must；　then；　bear　this　disgrace；　I　must
submit　to　being　disdained　and　repudiated　by　my　husband；　IBut
hush！〃　the　empress　interrupted　herself；　〃this　is　no　time　for
bewailing　my　personal　fate；　for　the　fate　of　all　Austria　is　at　stake
at　this　juncture。　Highly　important　events　must　have　occurred　at
Paris；　else　Metternich　would　not　have　sent　his　confidant　and
assistant　Hudelist；　nor　would　Andreossi　demand　an　audience　in　so
impetuous　a　manner。　Perhaps　this　intelligence　may　at　length　lead　to
a　decision　to…day；　or　we　may　at　least　contribute　to　such　a　result。　I
will　write　to　the　Archduke　John；　and　ask　him　to　see　the　emperor。
Perhaps　he　will　succeed　better　than　I　did　in　persuading　my　husband
to　take　a　determined　stand。〃

She　hastened　to　her　writing…desk；　and　penned　that　mysterious　little
note　which　she　sent　to　the　Archduke　John　in　the　book　which　she
pretended　he　had　lent　to　her。




CHAPTER　III。

THE　COURIER　AND　THE　AMBASSADOR。


The　emperor；　in　returning　to　his　cabinet；　like　the　empress；
carefully　locked　the　door　behind　him。　He　then　turned　hastily　to　the
courier；　who　was　standing　near　the　opposite　door；　and　was　just
bowing　most　ceremoniously　to　his　majesty。

〃Hudelist；　it　is　really　you；　then？〃　asked　the　emperor。　〃You　left
your　post　by　the　side　of　Metternich　without　obtaining　my　permission
to　come　to　Vienna？　Could　you　not　find　any　other　man　to　bring　your
dispatches？　I　had　commissioned　you　to　remain　always　by　the　side　of
Metternich；　watch　him　carefully；　and　inform　me　of　what　he　was　doing
and　thinking。〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　have　brought　my　report　with　me；〃　said　Hudelist；〃
and　as　for　your　majesty's　order　that　I　should　always　remain　by　the
side　of　Count　Metternich；　I　have　hardly　violated　it　by　corning　to
Vienna；　for　I　believe　the　Count　will　follow　me　in　the　course　of　a
few　days。　Unless　your　majesty　recalls　him　to　Vienna；　the　Emperor
Napoleon；　I　think；　will　expel　him　from　Paris。〃

〃You　do　not　say　so！〃　exclaimed　Francis；　shrugging　his　shoulders。
〃You　think　he　will　issue　a　manifesto　against　Metternich；　as　he　did
against　the　Prussian　minister　Von　Stein？　Well；　let　me　hear　the　news。
What　have　you　to　tell　me？〃

〃So　many　important　things；　your　majesty；　that　the　count　and　myself
deemed　it　expedient　to　report　to　your　majesty　verbally；　rather　than
send　a　dispatch　which　might　give　you　only　an　unsatisfactory　idea　of
what　has　occurred。　Hence　I　came　post…haste　to　Vienna；　and　arrived
here　only　a　quarter　of　an　hour　since；　I　pray　your　majesty　therefore
to　pardon　me　for　appearing　before　you　in　my　travelling…dress。〃

〃Sit　down；　you　must　be　tired；〃　said　the　emperor；　good…naturedly；
seating　himself　in　an　arm…chair；　and　pointing　to　the　opposite　chair。
〃Now　tell　me　all！〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　Hudelist；　mysteriously；　while　a　strange
expression　of　mischievous　joy　overspread　his　ugly；　pale　face；　〃the
Emperor　Napoleon　has　returned　from　Spain　to　France。〃

The　Emperor　Francis　gave　a　start　and　frowned。　〃Why？〃　he　asked。

〃Because　he　intends　to　declare　war　against　Austria；〃　said　Hudelist；
whose　face　brightened　more　and　more。　〃Because　Napoleon　is
distrustful　of　us；　and　convinced　that　Austria　is　intent　on　attacking
him。　Besides；　he　felt　no　longer　at　ease　in　pain；　and　all　sorts　of
conspiracies　had　been　entered　into　in　Paris；　whereby　his　return
might　have　been　rendered　impossible　if　he　had　hesitated　any　longer。〃

〃Who　were　the　conspirators？〃

〃Talleyrand　and　Fouche；　the　dear　friends　and　obedient　servants　of
the　Emperor　Napoleon。　He　knows　full　well　what　their　friendship　and
devotedness　amount　to。　Hence　be　had　the　two　gentlemen　well　watched；
and　it　seems　his　spies　sent　him　correct　reports；　for；　after
returning　from　Spain；　he　rebuked　them　unmercifully；　be　told　them；
with　the　rage　of　a　true　Corsican；　and　regardless　of　etiquette；　what
miserable　fellows　they　were；　and　how　high　he　stood　above　them。〃

〃And　yet　he　would　like　so　much　to　be　an　emperor　in　strict。
accordance　with　court　etiquette；〃　said　the　emperor；　laughing。　〃He　is
anxious　to　have　such　a　court　about　him　as　Louis　XIV。　had。　But　the
lawyer's　son　always　reappears　in　the　emperor；　and；　if　it　please　God；
He　will　one　day　deprive　him　of　all　his　power　and　splendor。〃

〃And；　if　it　please　God；　your　majesty　will　be　His　instrument　in
putting　an　end　to　Napoleon's　power　and　splendor；〃　cried　Hudelist；
with　a　smile　which　distorted　his　face　strangely；　and　caused　two　rows
of　large　yellow　teeth　to　appear　between　the　pale　lips　of　his
enormous　mouth。　〃It　is　true　he　stands　firm　as　yet；　and　rebukes　his
ministers　as　Nero　did　his　freedmen。　Talleyrand　was　still
thunderstruck　at　what　the　emperor　had　told　him；　when　he　had　an
interview　with　Count　Metternich　and　myself　in　Fouche's　green…house。
To　be　sure；　the　phrases　which　he　repeated　to　us　were　well　calculated
to　make　even　the　blood　of　a　patient　minister　boil。　Napoleon　sent　for
the　two　ministers　immediately　after　his　arrival：　when　they　came　to
him；　he　let　them　stand　at　the　door　of　his　cabinet　like　humble
suppliants；　and；　running　up　and　down　before　them；　and　casting　fiery
glances　o