andreas hofer-第102章

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Stadion　and　Metternich；　to　Altenburg；　to　negotiate　there　with
Bonaparte's　minister　Champagny。　I　shall　not　recall　them；　but　allow
them　to　continue　the　negotiations。　They　are　skilled　diplomatists；
and　men　of　great　sagacity。　The　labors　of　diplomatists　generally　make
slow　headway；　hence；　it　will　be　good　for　us　to　lend　them　a　little
secret　assistance。　While　the　plenipotentiaries　are　negotiating
publicly　at　Altenburg　in　Hungary；　I　will　secretly　begin　to　negotiate
with　the　emperor　himself；　and　you；　Count　Bubna；　shall　be　my　agent
for　this　purpose。〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　exclaimed　Count　Bubna；　in　a　tone　of　surprise　rather
than　joy；　〃your　majesty　reposes　in　me　so　much　confidence〃

〃Which；　I　hope；　you　will　appreciate；　and　strive　to　render　yourself
worthy　of；〃　interrupted　the　emperor。　〃I　count　on　your　skill；　your
zeal；　and；　above　all；　your　discretion。　You　will　take　new　proposals
of　peace　to…morrow；　on　my　part；　to　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperor
Napoleon；　at　Schoenbrunn。　But　no　one　must　learn　of　your　mission；
and；　least　of　all；　my　two　ministers　who　are　negotiating　at
Altenburg。〃

〃Sire；　I　shall　keep　as　silent　as　the　grave。〃

〃A　bad　comparison；　Bubna；　for　new　life　is　to　blossom　for　Austria
from　your　secret　negotiations。　Well；　go　now　and　repose；　we　will
afterward　confer　again　in　regard　to　this　matter；　and　I　will　explain
my　views　to　you。　But　say；　Bubna；　do　you　really　think　that　Bonaparte
was　in　earnest　about　his　dreams；　and　that；　in　case　he　should　defeat
us　again；　he　would　seriously　think　of　carrying　into　effect　his　plans
regarding　the　Archdukes　Ferdinand　and　John？〃

〃I　am　afraid；　your　majesty；　he　was　in　earnest。〃

〃The　Emperor　Napoleon；　then；　hates　me　intensely？〃

〃He　believes　that　your　majesty　hates　him　intensely。　He　told　me　once
frankly　that　only　your　majesty's　personal　hatred　had　brought　about
this　war；　and　that　he　was　afraid　this　hatred　would　frustrate　all
peace　negotiations。　I　ventured　to　contradict　him；　but　be　shook　his
head　vehemently　and　exclaimed；　'The　Emperor　Francis　hates　me　so
intensely；　that　I　believe　he　would　lose　his　crown　and　empire　sooner
than　ally　himself　with　me　in　a　cordial　manner；　even　though　he　should
derive　the　greatest　advantages　therefrom。　Do　you　think；　for
instance；　that　the　Emperor　Francis；　if　I　wished　to　become　his　son…
in…law；　would　give　me　the　hand　of　his　daughter；　even　though　I　should
relinquish　half　the　war　contribution；　and　restore　to　him　all　the
provinces　occupied　by　my　armies？'〃

〃What？　Did　Napoleon　really　say　that？〃　asked　the　emperor；　with
unusual；　almost　joyful　vivacity。　〃But；〃　he　added；　gloomily；　〃this　is
nothing　but　one　of　Napoleon's　dreams。　He　has　a　wife；　and　the　Empress
Josephine　is　so　young　and　gay　yet　that　she　does　not　think　of　dying。〃

〃But　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　I　have　been　told；　thinks　a　great　deal　of
getting　a　divorce　from　her。〃

〃The　pope；　whom　he　keeps　imprisoned；　will　never　grant　it　to　him；〃
exclaimed　the　emperor。

〃I　think　he　will　not　even　apply　to　him　for　it；　your　majesty。　The
Emperor　Napoleon　never　had　his　union　with　the　Empress　Josephine
consecrated　by　the　Church；　and　the　dissolution　of　a　civil　marriage
does　not　require　the　pope's　consent。　The　emperor　can　dissolve　it　by
virtue　of　his　own　authority。〃

〃That　is　a　very　convenient　arrangement　for　M。　Bonaparte；〃　said
Francis；　smiling。　〃Well；　go　now；　count；　and　repose。　I　am　very
content　with　your　services；　and　I　think　I　shall　be　so　hereafter
also。　Adieu。　I　shall　send　for　you　again。〃

He　nodded　kindly　to　the　count；　and　stood　still　smilingly　at　his
writing…table　in　the　middle　of　the　cabinet；　until　the　door　of　the
anteroom　closed　behind　Count　Bubna。　But　thereupon　his　face　assumed　a
gloomy；　bitter　expression；　and　he　lifted　up　his　clinched　fist　with　a
menacing　gesture。

〃My　brothers！〃　he　cried；　in　an　angry　voice；　〃always　my　brothers！
They　are　always　eager　to　push　me　aside。　I　am　always　to　be　kept　in
the　shade；　that　their　light　may　shine　more　brightly。　Ah；　we　shall
see　who　is　Emperor　of　Austria；　and　to　whom　the　Tyrol　belongs；　we
shall　see　who　is　the　master；　and　who　has　to　obey。　As　yet　I　am
emperor；　as　yet　I　have　to　decide　on　war　and　peace。　And　I　will
decide。　I　will　humiliate　them　and　compel　them　to　be　obedient；　these
boastful　archdukes；　who　always　preach　war　and　are　worsted　in　every
battle！　Oh；　they　are　stirring　up　rebellion；　and　stretching　out　their
hands　for　my　property！　But　one　stroke　of　my　pen　will　shatter　their
crowns；　stifle　their　rebellion；　and　reduce　them　to　submissiveness。　I
will　make　peace　with　Napoleon；　and　the　seditious　Tyrol　shall　be
quieted　without　being　bestowed　upon　the　Archduke　John。　I　would
rather　have　it　restored　to　Bavaria　than　that　it　should　be　conferred
on　my　brother。　That　would　be　a　just　retribution　for　the　seditious
peasants；　they　have　set　a　bad　example；　and　should　be　punished　for
it。　I　do　not　want　any　conspirators　among　my　subjects。　Let　Bavaria
see　how　she　will　get　along　with　the　rebellious　Tyrolese！　I　shall
withdraw　my　hand　from　them。　I　want　peace。　I　will　remain　Emperor　of
Austria　despite　all　my　brothers！〃




CHAPTER　XXXV。

A　DAY　OF　THE　EMPEROR'S　LIEUTENANT。


The　imperial　palace　at　Innspruck　was　still　the　residence　of
Sandwirth　Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　and
lieutenant　of　the　Emperor　Francis。　He　had　lived　there　since　the　15th
of　August；　but　as　simply；　quietly；　and　modestly　as　he　had　lived　when
he　was　a　horse…dealer　and　innkeeper；　so　he　lived　now　when　he　was
ruler　of　the　Tyrol；　and　the　emperor's　lieutenant。　Instead　of
occupying　the　large　state　apartments　of　the　imperial　palace；　as　his
friends　had　often　asked　him　to　do；　Andreas　had　selected　the　plainest
and　humblest　rooms　for　his　quarters；　and　his　style　of　living　was　as
simple　and　modest　as　his　dwelling…place。　Vainly　his　suite　tried　to
persuade　him　to　hold　levees　and　receive　guests　at　his　festive　table。
Andreas　rejected　all　such　suggestions　with　proud　and　withal　humble
indignation。

〃Do　you　think　I　took　this　arduous　task　upon　myself　to　play　the
aristocratic　gentleman；　and　revel　in　luxury？〃　he　replied　to　those
who　asked　him　to　adopt　such　a　course。　〃I　did　not　become　the
emperor's　lieutenant　to　display　vain　and　empty　splendor；　but　to
serve　my　dear　Tyrol　and　preserve　it　to　the　emperor。　I　am　only　a
simple　peasant；　and　do　not　want　to　live　like　a　prince。　I　am
accustomed　to　have　bread；　butter；　and　cheese　for　breakfast；　and　I　do
not　know　why　I　should　change　this　now；　merely　because　I　am　no　longer
at　home　with　my　dear　wife；　but　here　at　Innspruck　at　the　emperor's
palace。　I　am　also　accustomed　to　dine　very　plainly；　and　am　therefore
opposed　to　any　expensive　repasts　being　got　up　for　me　here。　I　do　not
like　the　meats　prepared　by　the　cooks　of　the　aristocracy；　and　while　I
do　not　want　anything　but　bread；　butter；　cheese；　and　wine；　I　shall
send　to　Niederkircher's　tavern　for　my　dinner。　But　it　must　never　cost
more　than　half　a　florin。　I　will　invite　guests；　for　I　like　to　have
merry　people　about　me；　but　the　guests　must　not　come　for　the　sake　of
the　repast；　but　for　that　of　our　pleasant　conversation。　I　shall　send
to　Niederkircher　for　the　dinner　of　all　my　guests；　and　he　must　send
enough；　lest　any　of　them　should　remain　hungry。　But　there　must　never
be　more　than　six　guests；　for　it　would　be　too　bad　if　I；　who　intend　to
preserve　the　Tyrol　to　the　emperor；　were　to　cost　him　a　great　deal　of
money　here。　In　order　to　prevent　mistake；　Niederkircher　must　send　in
his　bill　every　morning　for　me　to　examine；　the　financial　secretary
shall　pay　it　every　week；　and　send　me　the　receipt。〃　＇Footnote：　The
expenses　of　Hofer　and　his　whole　suite；　during　their　six　weeks'
sojourn　in　the　city　of　Innspruck；　cost　the　public　exchequer　only
five　hundred　florins。＇

Andreas　Hofer　remained　in　these　days　of　his　splendor　as　active；
industrious；　and　simple　as　he　always　had　been。　The　welfare　of　his
beloved　country　engrossed　all　his　thoughts；　and　he　was　desirous　of
devoting　his　whole　strength　to　it。　He　issued　a　number　of　useful　and
liberal　decrees；　which；　it　is　true；　Ennemoser；　Doeninger；　Kolb；　or
other　friends　of　his　had　drawn　up；　but　which　he　had　approved　and
signed。

Andreas　Hofer　gave　public　audiences　every　morning　like　a　real
prince；　and　the　sentinels　placed　in　front　of　the　imperial　pala