andreas hofer-第12章

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！


silence　rests　like　a　nightmare　on　every　heart　and　every　bosom；　all
eyes　are　fixed　hopefully　on　your　majesty：　Oh；　my　lord　and　emperor；
one　word　from　your　lips；　and　this　nightmare　will　disappear；　all
hearts　will　rejoice　in　blissful　ecstasy；　and　every　bosom　will　expand
and　breathe　more　freely　when　your　majesty　shall　utter　this　word：
'War！　war！'　We　hold　the　sword　in　our　hands；　let　the　will　of　my
august　emperor　give　us　the　right　now　to　draw　the　sword　against　him
who；　for　years　past；　has　swept　like　a　destructive　hurricane　through
all　Germany；　all　Europe；　and　who　tramples　alike　on　princes　and
peoples；　on　liberty　and　law。　Your　majesty；　in　the　name　of　your
people；　in　the　name　of　all　German　patriots；　I　bend　my　knees　here
before　my　lord　and　emperor；　and　thus；　kneeling　and　full　of
reverence。　I　implore　your　majesty　to　let　the　hour　of　deliverance
strike　at　length；　let　us；　with　joyful　courage；　expel　the　enemy　who
has　already　so　long　been　threatening　our　frontiers　with　defiant
arrogance：　let　us　take　the　field　against　the　impudent　usurper；　and
wrest　from　him　the　laurels　which　he　gained　at　Austerlitz；　and　of
which　he　is　so　proud。　Your　majesty；　your　people　are　filled　with
warlike　ardor；　your　faithful　Tyrolese　are　waiting　only　for　a　signal
to　break　their　chains　and　rise　for　their　beloved　emperor。　Your
Italian　provinces　are　longing　for　the　day　when　war　shall　break　out；
in　order　to　avenge　themselves　on　the　tyrant　who　promised　them
liberty　and　brought　them　only　slavery。　The　hour　of　retribution　has
come　for　Napoleon；　may　your　majesty　consult　our　best　interests　by
saying　that　we　are　to　profit　by　this　hour；　and　that　war；　a　mortal
struggle；　is　to　begin　now　against　the　Emperor　of　the　French！〃

And；　still　bending　his　knees　before　the　emperor；　John　looked　up　to
him　with　longing；　beseeching　eyes。

Francis　looked　down　on　him　with　a　gloomy　air；　and　the　noble　and
enthusiastic　face　of　his　brother；　who　was　ten　years　younger；　and
much　stronger　and　better…looking；　made　a　disagreeable　impression　on
him。

〃Rise；　brother；〃　he　said；　coldly；　〃your　knees　must　ache；　and　I；　for
my　part；　do　not　like　such　theatrical　scenes　at　all；　and　such　fine
phrases　make　but　little　impression　on　my　cold　and　prosy　heart。　I　am
accustomed　to　follow　always　my　convictions；　and　when　I　advance　a
step；　I　must　be　sure　not　to　fall　to　an　abyss　which　some　poetical
hero　may　perhaps　have　merely　covered　for　me　with　his　flowery
phrases。　That　I　am　aware　of　the　dangers　threatening　us　on　the　part
of　France　I　have　proved　by　putting　the　army　on　the　war　footing；　by
intrusting　you；　Archduke　John；　with　organizing　the　militia　and　the
reserves　in　accordance　with　the　plan　you　drew　up　for　that　purpose；
and　by　placing　you；　Archduke　Charles；　at　the　head　of　my　army　and
appointing　you　generalissimo。〃

〃An　honor；　your　majesty；　which　I　accepted　with　reverent　gratitude；
although　it　almost　crushes　me　at　the　present　time；〃　said　the
Archduke　Charles；　with　a　sigh。　〃Permit　me　now；　your　majesty；　to　open
my　heart　to　you；　and　lay　my　innermost　thoughts　at　your　feet。　To　do
so；　I　accompanied　my　brother　John　to　you。　He　said　he　would　implore
your　majesty　once　more　to　postpone　the　declaration　of　war　no　longer；
but　utter　at　length　the　decisive　word。　I　implored　him　not　to　do　so；
and　not　to　force　us　to　engage　prematurely　in　a　war　that　could　not
but　bring　the　greatest　calamities　on　Austria。　But　my　dear　brother
would　not　listen　to　my　remonstrances　and　prayers；　he　called　me　a
secret　friend　and　admirer　of　Napoleon；　he　demanded　that　I　should　at
least　speak　out；　freely　and　openly　in　your　majesty's　presence；　and
refute　him　if　I　could；　or　yield　to　him　if　my　arguments　should　prove
untenable。　Your　majesty；　I　have　therefore　complied　with　the　wishes
of　my　brother；　the　Archduke　John；　I　have　come　to　you；　but　only　to
say　to　my　lord　and　emperor：　Your　majesty；　I　implore　you；　in　the　name
of　your　people　and　your　throne；　do　not　yet　unsheath　the　sword！　Wait
until　our　army　is　ready　for　the　contest；　and　until　our　armaments　are
completed。　Do　not　plunge　rashly　into　war；　lest　victory　escape　us。　A
great　deal　remains　to　be　done　yet　before　we　can　say　that　our
armaments　are　completed；　and　only　after　being　fully　prepared　can　we
dare　to　take　the　field　against　the　Emperor　Napoleon　and　his　hitherto
victorious　legions。〃

〃Ah；　do　you　hear　our　Fabius　Cunctator；　brother　John；　the　Lion…
hearted！〃　exclaimed　the　emperor；　sarcastically。　〃Which　of　you　is
right；　and　whose　wise　advice　shall　I　follow　nowI；　the　poor
emperor；　who　is　not　strong　and　sagacious　enough　to　be　his　own
adviser　and　advance　a　step　without　his　brothers？　John；　the　learned
soldier；　beseeches　me　to　declare　war；　and　Charles；　the　intrepid
hero；　implores　me　not　to　do　so。　What　am　I；　the　poor　emperor；　who
cannot　advise　himself；　and　who　receives　too　much　advice　from　others；
to　do　under　such　circumstances？　Whose　will　must　I　submit　to？〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　cried　John；　in　dismay；　〃it　is　we　that　must　submit；
it　is　your　will　on　which　depends　the　decision。　I　implore　your
majesty　to　declare　war；　because　I　deem　it　necessary；　but；　if　your
majesty　should　take　a　different　resolution；　I　shall　submit　silently
and　obediently。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Charles；　〃requested　you　to　postpone　the　declaration　of
war；　because　I　do　not　believe　that　we　are　sufficiently　prepared　for
the　contest；　but；　like　my　brother；　I　shall　submit　silently　if　your
majesty　should　take　a　different　resolution。〃

〃Indeed；　will　you　do　so；　archdukes？〃　asked　the　emperor；　in　a
scornful　tone。　〃Will　you　be　mindful　of　your　duties　as　subjects；　and；
instead　of　giving　me　unnecessary　advice；　obey　me　silently？〃

The　two　archdukes　bowed　to　indicate　their　submissiveness。　The
emperor　advanced　a　few　steps；　and　proudly　raising　his　head；　he
looked　at　his　two　brothers　with　a　stern　and　imperious　expression。

〃Let　me　tell　you；　then；　archdukes；　what　I；　your　lord　and　emperor；
have　resolved；〃　said　Francis；　sternly。　〃I　have　resolved　to　declare
war！〃

Two　loud　cries　resounded　with　one　accord；　a　cry　of　joy　burst　from
John's　lips；　a　cry　of　dismay　from　those　of　Charles。　Pale；　reeling
like　a　drunken　man；　the　generalissimo　approached　the　emperor　and
held　out　his　hands　to　him　with　a　beseeching　expression。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　resolved　to　declare　war；　but　you
do　not　mean　to　say　that　it　is　to　commence　immediately？〃

〃That　is　what　I　mean　to　say；〃　replied　the　emperor；　sarcastically。

The　Archduke　Charles　turned　still　paler　than　before；　a　strange
tremor　passed　through　his　frame；　his　head　dropped　on　his　bosom；　and
a　deep　groan　issued　from　his　breast。

The　Archduke　John；　forgetful　of　his　quarrel　with　his　brother
Charles；　at　the　sight　of　the　latter's　profound　grief；　hastened　to
him；　and　tenderly　grasped　both　his　hands。

〃Brother；〃　he　asked；　anxiously；　〃what　is　the　matter？　Are　you
unwell？〃

〃I　am；〃　said　Charles；　wiping　from　his　forehead　the　large　drops　of
sweat　standing　on　it。　〃I　am　unwell；　but　I　must　say　a　few　additional
words　to　the　emperor。　I　must　disclose　to　him　a　melancholy　secret　of
which　I　heard　only　an　hour　ago。Your　majesty；　I　implore　you　once
more；　postpone　the　war　as　long　as　possible；　forhear　my　terrible
secretwe　have　been　infamously　defrauded　by　Commissary…General　von
Fassbender。〃

〃Your　intimate　friend？〃　interposed　the　emperor；　with　a　scornful
laugh。

〃Yes；　my　intimate　friend；〃　exclaimed　the　archduke；　in　a　loud；　shrill
voice；　〃he　deceived　me　most　shamefully。　All　the　army　contracts　had
been　intrusted　to　him；　and　he　assured　me　he　had　filled　them　in　the
most　conscientious　manner。　I　believed　him；　and　it　is　only　now　that　I
find　out　that　he　has　shamefully　deceived　me　and　his　emperor。　All　his
bills　for　the　supplies　which　he　pretended　to　have　furnished　are　in
my　hands；　but　the　troops　did　not　get　the　supplies。　The　scoundrel
sent　only　sour　flour；　bad　linen；　and　moth…eaten　uniform　cloth　to　the
regiments；　and　yet　he　drew　enormous　sums　of　money　for　the　full
amount　of　his　contracts。〃

〃We　shall　compel　the　thief　to　disgorge　his　ill…gotten　gains；〃　cried
the　emperor。

〃No；　your　majesty；〃　said　Charles；　with　a　groan；　and　leaning　more
firmly　on　his　brother's　arm；　in　order　not　to　sink　to　the　floor；　he
added：　〃no；　your　majesty；　the　criminal　is　beyond　the　reach　of　your
po