andreas hofer-第79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！


I；　will　lead　the　brave　Tyrolese　against　the　enemy。　Now；　if　the
country　is　to　be　governed　properly　while　we　are　fighting；　a　man　in
whom　both　the　people　and　the　authorities　have　confidence　must　be　at
the　head　of　the　government。　You　are　this　man；　Andreas　Hofer。　The
people；　the　authorities；　and　the　defenders　of　the　country；　pray　you
to　consent　to　it；　but　God　commands　you　through　my　mouth　to　accept
the　position。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　enthusiastically；　lifting　his　eyes
devoutly　to　heaven；　〃I　will　do　joyfully　what　God　commands；　and　what
you　request　me　to　do。　I　will　take　upon　myself　this　arduous　duty；　I
will　comply　with　your　wishes。　You　say　it　is　necessary　for　the　good
of　the　country　and　the　emperor　that　there　should　be　a　lieutenant　of
the　emperor；　and　if　there　is　no　other　and　better　man　than　I；　and　if
you　have　confidence　in　me；　I　will　accept　the　position。　I　am　nothing
but　an　instrument　in　the　hand　of　God　my　Lord；　and　I　do　what　He　wants
me　to　do；　even　though　it　should　cost　my　life。　My　life　is　in　His
hand；　and　what　I　am；　and　have；　and　can　be；　belongs　to　my　emperor　and
my　country。　I　will　be；　then；　the　emperor's　lieutenant　in　the　Tyrol
until　the　emperor　issues　orders　to　the　contrary；　or　until　peace　is
restored　to　the　country；　and　the　emperor　is　able　again　to　take
charge　of　the　government。　Let　us　pray　God　and　the　Holy　Virgin　that
that　day　may　soon　dawn　upon　us！〃

〃Long　live　the　emperor's　lieutenant！〃　shouted　the　whole　assembly；
joyously。

〃Now；〃　exclaimed　the　mayor；　〃give　me　your　hand；　Andreas　Hofer；
lieutenant　of　the　emperor；　and　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol。　We
will　conduct　you　in　solemn　procession　to　the　imperial　palace；　for
the　lieutenant　must　take　up　his　residence　there。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　let　us　accompany　Andreas　Hofer　to　the　imperial　palace；〃
exclaimed　all；　in　joyful　excitement。

〃Well；　if　it　please　God。　I　will　take　up　my　residence　in　the　imperial
palace；〃　exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer；　solemnly；　giving　his　hand　to　the
mayor　and　stepping　with　him　to　the　door　of　the　ballroom。

He　was　followed　by　the　Capuchin；　Joseph　Speckbacher；　Anthony
Wallner；　the　other　commanders　of　the　Landsturm；　and　the　municipal
authorities。　On　stepping　into　the　street；　they　were　received　with
thundering　cheers　by　the　people　who　thronged　the　street　and　the
neighboring　place；　and　amid　singing　and　deafening　acclamations；　and
the　ringing　of　all　the　church…bells；　the　emperor's　lieutenant　and
commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　Andreas　Hofer；　was　conducted　to　the
magnificent　imperial　palace；　where　the　Sandwirth　was　to　take　up　his
residence。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

THE　FIFTEENTH　OF　AUGUST　AT　COMORN。


While　the　people　of　Innspruck　set　no　bounds　to　their　rejoicings　on
the　15th　of　August；　and　accompanied　Andreas　Hofer；　the　emperor's
lieutenant；　amid　the　most　rapturous　manifestations　of　enthusiasm；　to
the　imperial　palace；　while　the　Emperor　Napoleon　was　celebrating　the
15th　of　August；　his　birthday；　by　a　great　parade　at　Schoenbrunn；　and
the　bestowal　of　orders　and　rewards　on　many　distinguished　persons；
the　Emperor　Francis　was　at　the　fortress　of　Comorn。　Only　a　few　of　his
faithful　adherents　had　followed　him　thither；　only　his　servants　and
officers　surrounded　him　at　his　mournful　court　there。　The　Empress
Ludovica　and　the　archduchesses　had　already　repaired　to　Totis；　a
country…seat　of　Prince　Lichtenstein；　in　Hungary；　whither　the　emperor
intended　to　follow　her　in　the　course　of　a　few　days。

〃I　should　set　out　this　very　day；〃　he　said；　pacing　his　cabinet；　to
his　confidential　agent　Hudelist；　the　Aulic　councillor；　〃but　I　should
like　to　see　previously　Count　Bubna；　whom　I　have　sent　to　Bonaparte。〃

〃I　hope；　your　majesty；　that　the　count　will　yet　return　today；〃
replied　Hudelist；　in　his　humble　bland　voice。

〃God　grant　it！〃　sighed　the　emperor。　〃It　is　very　tedious　here；　and　I
hope　our　sojourn　at　Totis　will　not　be　so　mournful　and　wearisome。
Prince　Lichtenstein　told　me　there　were　excellent　fishing…ponds
there；　and　he　added　that　he　had　caused　to　be　built　a　laboratory
where　I　might　manufacture　sealing…wax。　I　think；　Hudelist；　we　shall
be　very　industrious　there；　and　manufacture　new　and　beautiful
styles。〃

〃I　received　to…day　a　new　receipt　for　making　carmine　sealing…wax；
perfumed　a　la　rose；〃　said　Hudelist；　smiling。

〃Ah；　that　is　nice；〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　〃give　it　to　melet　me
read　it。〃

The　Aulic　councillor　drew　a　paper　from　his　bosom　and　handed　it　with
a　low　bow　to　the　emperor。　Francis　took　it　quickly；　and　fixed　his
eyes　smilingly　on　it。

His　features；　however；　suddenly　became　very　gloomy；　and　he　threw　the
paper　indignantly　on　the　table。　〃What　do　you　give　me　this　for？〃　he
asked；　angrily。　〃In　speaking　of　the　receipt；　I　had　forgotten　the
abominable　political　situation　for　a　moment；　but　you　must　at　once
remind　me　of　it。〃

〃My　God！〃　faltered　out　Hudelist；　〃what　did　I　do；　then；　to　excite
your　majesty's　indignation？〃

The　emperor　took　the　paper　from　the　table　and　handed　it　to　him。
〃See；〃　he　said；　already　half　pacified；　〃is　that　a　receipt　for　making
sealing…wax？〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　groaned　Hudelist；　in　dismay；　〃I　made　a　mistake。　In
place　of　the　receipt；　I　handed　to　your　majesty　the　draft　of　the
proclamation　to　your　subjects；　which　your　majesty　ordered　me　to
write。　Oh；　I　humbly　beg　your　majesty's　pardon　for　having　made　so
lamentable　a　blunder；　I〃

〃Well；　never　mind；〃　interrupted　the　emperor；　〃there　is　no　harm　done。
You　handed　me　one　receipt；　in　place　of　another；　and　it　is　true；　the
sealing…wax　receipt　may　remain　in　your　pocket　until　we　arrive　at
Totis；　but　the　other　receipt　is　needed　immediately；　for　it　is
destined　to　reduce　the　people　to　submissiveness　and　tranquillity。
Well；　read　the　proclamation　you　have　drawn　up。〃

〃Your　majesty；　I　have　carried　out　carefully　the　orders　of　your
majesty；　and　the　instructions　of　your　minister；　Count　Metternich；
and　written　only　what　your　majesty　had　agreed　upon　with　the
minister。〃

〃Read　it；〃　said　the　emperor；　taking　the　fly…flap　from　the　table；
and；　while　he　was　slowly　gliding　along　the　walls；　and　killing　now
and　then　a　fly；　Hudelist　read　as　follows：〃

〃To　my　people　and　my　army！My　beloved　subjects；　and　even　my　enemies
know　that；　in　entering　upon　the　present　war；　I　was　induced　to　take
up　arms　neither　by　thirst　for　conquest　nor　by　mortified　personal
feelings。〃

〃Self…preservation　and　independence；　a　peace　which　would　be
compatible　with　the　honor　of　my　crown；　and　which　would　give　security
and　tranquillity　to　my　people；　were　the　lofty　and　only　objects　which
I　strove　to　attain。〃

〃The　fickle　fortunes　of　war　have　not　fulfilled　my　expectations；　the
enemy　penetrated　into　the　heart　of　my　states；　and　exposed　them　to
the　devastations　of　a　war　carried　on　with　the　most　relentless
exasperation　and　barbarity；　but；　at　the　same　time；　he　became
acquainted　with　the　patriotic　spirit　of　my　people　and　the　bravery　of
my　army。〃

〃This　experience；　which　he　purchased　after　fearful　bloodshed；　and　my
unvarying　solicitude　for　the　happiness　of　my　subjects；　brought　about
mutual　advances　for　peace　negotiations。　My　plenipotentiaries　met
with　those　of　the　French　emperor。〃

〃I　am　desirous　of　concluding　an　honorable　peace；　the　terms　of　which
offer　the　possibility　and　prospect　of　its　duration。　The　bravery　of
my　army；　its　unwavering　courage；　its　ardent　patriotism；　its　emphatic
wish　not　to　lay　down　its　arms　prior　to　the　conclusion　of　an
honorable　peace；　prevent　me　from　submitting　to　terms　which　would
shake　the　foundations　of　the　empire；　and　dishonor　us　after　such
great　and　generous　sacrifices　and　so　much　bloodshed。〃

〃The　noble　spirit　animating　the　army　is　a　sufficient　guaranty　that；
if　the　enemy　should　after　all　mistake　our　intentions　and　strength；
we　shall　certainly　obtain　the　reward　of　constancy　in　the　end。〃
＇Footnote：　See　Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　440。＇

〃There；〃　cried　the　emperor　at　this　moment；　striking　with　the　fly…
flap　at　the　wall；　〃that　will　at　length　put　an　end　to　your　humming；
with　which　you　have　dinned　my　ears　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　Come
here；　Hudelist；　and　look　at　this　bluebottle　fly。　The　whole　time
while　you　were　reading　I　was　chasing　it；　and　have　only　just　got　it。
Did　you　ever　see　so　large　a　fly？〃

〃It　is　a　very　large　fly　indeed；〃　said　Hudelist；　with　a　grin。

〃I　do　not　believe　that　it　is　a　bluebottle　fly；〃　exclaimed　the
emperor。　〃It　is　Bonaparte；　who　has　transformed　himself　into　a
bluebottle　fly；　as　Jove　once　transformed　himself　into　an　ox；　and　he
came　hither　to　annoy　me　and　din　my　ears　until　I　am　quite　sick。　Yes；
yes；　Hudelist；　believe　me；　Bonaparte　is　a　huge　bluebottle　fly；　which
drives　all　Europe　mad。　Ah；　would　I　could　treat　him　as　I　treat　this
abominable　bluebottle　fly　now；　and　crush　him　under　my　foot！〃

And　the　emperor　crushed　the　writhing　insect　under　his　heel。

〃Your　majesty　will　surely　enjoy　one　day　the　pleasure　of　crushing
Bonaparte；　the　huge　bluebottle　fly；　under　your　heel；〃　said　Hudelist。
〃Only　your　majesty　must　be　gracious　enough　to　have　patience；　and　not
now　try　to　attain　what　you　will　surely　accomplish　at　a　later　time。
At　this　juncture　Bonaparte　is　strong　and　superior　to　us；　but　let　us
wait　until　there　is　a　moment　when　he　is　weak；　your　majesty　will
profit　by　this　moment；　and　crush　him。〃

〃See；　see　how　kind　you　are！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　with　a　sardonic
smile；　〃you　are　so　obliging　as　to　give　me　advice　which　I　did　not　ask
for。　I　thank　you；　Mr。　Aulic　Councillor；　but　I　believe　it　will　be
better　for　me　to　follow　my　own　understanding。　As　God　Almighty　has
placed　me　at　the　head　of　Austria　and　made　me　emperor；　He　must
confide　in　my　ability　to　discharge　the　duties　of　my　imperial　office。
Well；　you　need　not　look　so　dismayed；　I　know　that　your　intentions　are
good；　and　I　confide　in　you。〃

〃Your　majesty　knows　that　I　am　ready　to　die　for　you；　and　that　I
should　shed　my　blood　for　you　unhesitatingly　and　joyously；〃　exclaimed
Hudelist；　enthusiastically。　〃It　was；　therefore；　only　my　intense　love
and　veneration　which　made　me　venture　to　communicate　my　views　freely
and　openly　to　your　majesty；　but　I　shall　never　do　so　again；　for　I　was
unfortunate　enough　to　displease　your　majesty　thereby。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　you　shall　always　do　so；　you　shall　always　tell　me
your　opinion　freely　and　openly；〃　cried　the　emperor