andreas hofer-第4章

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He　hastily　approached　the　fireplace；　where　a　bright　fire　was
burning；　and　held　the　piece　of　paper　close　to　the　flames。
Immediately　a　number　of　black　dots　and　lines　appeared　on　the　paper；
these　dots　and　lines　assumed　gradually　the　shape　of　finely…written
words。

The　archduke　followed　with　rapt　attention　every　line；　every　letter
that　appeared　on　the　white　paper；　and　now　he　read　as　follows：

〃The　French　ambassador　has　requested　the　emperor　to　grant　him　an
audience　at　eleven　o'clock　this　morning。　A　courier　from　Metternich
in　Paris　has　arrived；　and；　I　believe；　brought　important　news。　The
decisive　hour　is　at　hand。　Hasten　to　the　emperor；　leave　nothing
undone　to　prevail　on　him　to　take　a　bold　stand。　Send　somebody　to　the
Archduke　Charles；　request　him　to　repair　likewise　to　the　emperor　and
influence　him　in　the　same　direction。　I　have　paved　the　way　for　you。　I
hope　the　French　ambassador　will；　in　spite　of　himself；　be　our　ally；
and　by　his　defiant　and　arrogant　bearing；　attain　for　us　the　object
which　we　have　hitherto　been　unable　to　accomplish　by　our　persuasion
and　our　arguments。　Make　haste！　Burn　this　paper。〃

The　archduke　signed　to　his　two　confidants　to　come　to　him；　and
pointed　to　the　paper。　When　they　had　hastily　read　the　lines；　he　threw
the　paper　into　the　flames；　and　turned　to　the　two　gentlemen　who　stood
behind　him。

〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　it？〃　he　inquired。　〃Shall　I　do　what　these
mysterious　lines　ask　of　me？　Shall　I　go　to　the　emperor　without　being
summoned　to　him？〃

〃The　empress　requests　you　to　do　so；　and　she　is　as　prudent　as　she　is
energetic；〃　said　Count　Nugent。

〃I　say；　like　the　empress；　the　decisive　hour　is　at　hand；〃　exclaimed
Baron　von　Hormayr。　〃Hasten　to　the　emperor；　try　once　more　to　force
the　sword　into　his　hand；　and　to　wrest　at　length　the　much…wished…for
words；　'War　against　France！'　from　his　lips。　The　Tyrolese　are　only
waiting　for　these　words；　to　rise　for　their　emperor　and　become　again
his　loving　and　devoted　subjects。　All　Austria；　nay；　all　Germany；　is
longing　for　these　words；　which　will　be　the　signal　of　the　deliverance
of　the　fatherland　from　the　French　yoke。　Oh；　my　lord　and　prince；
hasten　to　the　emperor；　speak　to　him　with　the　impassioned　eloquence
of　the　cherubim；　break　the　fatal　charm　that　holds　Austria　and　the
Tyrol　enthralled！〃

At　this　moment　the　large　clock　standing　on　the　mantelpiece　commenced
striking。

〃Eleven　o'clock；〃　said　the　archduke〃the　hour　when　the　emperor　is
to　give　an　audience　to　the　French　ambassador。　It　is　high　time；
therefore。　Nugent；　hasten　to　my　brother；　implore　him　to　repair
forthwith　to　the　emperor；　and　to　act　this　time　at　least　in　unison
with　me。　Tell　him　that　everything　is　at　stake；　and　that　we　must　risk
all　to　win　all。　But　you；　Hormayr；　go　to　my　dear　Tyrolese；　tell　them
that　I　will　receive　them　here　at　twelve　o'clock　to…night；　and
conduct　them　to　me　at　that　hour；　my　friend。　We　will　hold　a　council
of　war　at　midnight。〃

〃And　your　imperial　highness　does　not　forget　that　you　promised　to　go
to　the　concert　to…night？〃　asked　Nugent。　〃Your　highness　is　aware　that
our　friends　not　only　intend　to…night　to　give　an　ovation　to　the
veteran　master　of　German　art；　Joseph　Haydn；　but　wish　also　to　profit
by　the　German　music　to　make　a　political　demonstration；　and　they　long
for　the　presence　of　the　imperial　court；　that　the　emperor　and　his
brothers　may　witness　the　patriotic　enthusiasm　of　Vienna。〃

〃I　shall　certainly　be　present；〃　said　the　archduke；　earnestly；　〃and　I
hope　the　empress　will　succeed　in　prevailing　on　the　emperor　to　go　to
the　concert。Well；　then；　my　friends；　let　us　go　to　work；　and　nay　God
grant　success　to　our　efforts！〃




CHAPTER　II。

THE　EMPEROR　FRANCIS。


The　Emperor　Francis　had　to…day　entered　his　study　at　an　earlier　hour
than　usual；　and　was　industriously　engaged　there　in　finishing　a
miniature　cup　which　he　had　commenced　cutting　from　a　peach…stone
yesterday。　On　the　table　before　him　lay　the　drawing　of　the　model
after　which　he　was　shaping　the　cup；　and　Francis　lifted　his　eves　only
from　time　to　time　to　fix　them　on　the　drawing；　and　compare　it　with
his　own　work。　These　comparisons；　however；　apparently　did　not　lead　to
a　cheering　result；　for　the　emperor　frowned　and　put　the　cup　rather
impetuously　close　to　the　drawing　on　the　table。

〃I　believe；　forsooth；　the　cup　is　not　straight；〃　murmured　the　emperor
to　himself；　contemplating　from　all　sides　the　diminutive　object　which
had　cost　him　so　much　labor。　〃Sure　enough；　it　is　not　straight；　it　has
a　hump　on　one　side。　Yes；　yes；　nothing　is　straight；　nowadays；　and
even　God　in　heaven　creates　His　things　no　longer　straight；　and　does
not　shrink　from　letting　the　peach…stones　grow　crooked。　But　no
matterwhat　God　does　is　well　done；〃　added　the　emperor；　crossing
himself　devoutly；　〃even　an　emperor　must　not　censure　it；　and　must　not
grumble　when　his　cup　is　not　straight　because　God　gave　the　peach…
stone　a　hump。　Well；　perhaps；　I　may　change　it　yet；　and　make　the　cup
straight。〃

He　again　took　up　the　little　cup；　and　commenced　industriously　working
at　it　with　his　sharp　files；　pointed　knives；　and　gimlets。　It　was　hard
work；　large　drops　of　sweat　stood　on　the　emperor's　forehead；　his　arms
ached；　and　his　fingers　became　sore　under　the　pressure　of　the　knives
and　files；　but　the　emperor　did　not　mind　it；　only　from　time　to　time
wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow；　and　then　continuing　his　labor　with
renewed　zeal。

Close　to　the　small　table　containing　the　tools　stood　the　emperor's
large　writing…table。　Large　piles　of　documents　and　papers　lay　on　this
table；　and　among　them　were　scattered　also　many　letters　and
dispatches　with　broad　official　seals。　But　the　emperor　had　not　yet
thought　of　opening　these　dispatches　or　unsealing　these　letters。　The
peach…stone　had　engrossed　his　attention　this　morning；　and　he　had
unsealed　only　one　of　the　papers；　the　emperor　had　read　only　the
report　of　the　secret　police　on　the　events　of　the　previous　day。　These
reports　of　the　secret　police　and　the　Chiffre…Cabinet　were　the
favorite　reading　matter　of　the　Emperor　Francis；　and　he　would　have
flown　into　a　towering　passion　if　he　had　not　found　them　on　his
writing…table　early　every　morning。

Thanks　to　these　reports；　the　emperor　knew　every　morning　all　that　had
occurred　in　Vienna　during　the　previous　day；　what　the　foreign
ambassadors　had　done；　and；　above　all　things；　what　his　brothers；　the
Archdukes　Charles；　Ferdinand；　Joseph；　and　John；　had　said；　done；　and
perhaps　only　thought。　To…day's　report　had　not　communicated　many
important　things　to　the　emperor；　it　had　only　informed　him　that；　at
daybreak；　a　courier　from　Paris　had　arrived　at　the　house　of　the
French　ambassador；　Count　Andreossi；　and　that　there　were　good　reasons
to　believe　that　be　had　brought　highly　important　news。

It　was　exactly　for　the　purpose　of　dispelling　the　anxiety　with　which
this　unpleasant　intelligence　had　filled　him；　that。　Francis　bad　laid
aside　the　report　and　recommenced　his　work　on　the　cup；　and　by　this
occupation　he　bad　succeeded　in　forgetting　the　burdensome　duties　of
his　imperial　office。

He　was　just　trying　very　hard　to　plane　one　side　of　his　cup；　when　a
low　rap　at　the　small　door　leading　to　the　narrow　corridor；　and　thence
to　the　apartments　of　the　empress；　interrupted　him。　The　emperor　gave
a　start　and　looked　toward　the　door；　listening　and　hoping；　perhaps；
that　his　ear　might　have　deceived　him。　But　no；　the　rapping　was　heard
once　more：　there　could　no　longer　be　a　doubt　of　itsomebody　sought
admittance；　and　intended　to　disturb　the　peaceful　solitude　of　the
emperor。

〃What　does　the　empress　want？〃　murmured　Francis。　〃What　does　she　come
here　for？　I　am　afraid　something　unpleasant　has　happened　again。〃

He　rose　with　a　shrug　from　his　chair；　put　his　miniature　cup　hastily
into　the　drawer　of　his　table；　and　hurried　to　open　the　door。

Francis　had　not　been　mistaken。　It　really　was　the　Empress　Ludovica；
the　third　consort　of　the　emperor；　who　had　married　her　only　a　few
months　ago。　She　wore　a　handsome　dishabille　of　embroidered　white
muslin；　closely　surrounding　her　delicate　and　slender　form；　and
trimmed　with　beautiful　laces。　The　white　dress　reached　up　to　the
neck；　where　a　rose…colored　tie　fastened　it。　Her　beautiful　black
hair；　which　fell　down　in　heavy　ringlets　on　both　sides　of　her　face；
was　ado