andreas hofer-第6章

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〃Well　then；〃　said　the　emperor；　nodding　to　her　smilingly；　〃I　will
give　you　a　proof　of　my　faith　in　your　friendship。　Yes；　you　shall
share　my　cares　and　afflictions。〃

〃Oh；　my　husband；　how　happy　you　make　me　by　these　words！〃　exclaimed
Ludovica；　and　a　faint　blush　beautified　her　noble　face。

〃I　will　let　you　participate　in　my　work　to…day；　and　you　shall　give　me
your　advice；〃　said　the　emperor；　nodding　to　the　empress；　and　stepping
to　the　writing…table；　from　whose　drawer　he　took　the　little　cup。
〃Look；　my　dear　friend；〃　added　the　emperor；　handing　the　cup　to　his
consort；　〃I　wished　to　make　a　little　cup　from　this　peach…stone　and
give　it　to　Maria　Louisa；　who　delights　in　such　things；　but　when　I　had
nearly　finished　it；　I　discovered　suddenly　that　the　peach…stone　was
crooked　and　not　equally　round　on　both　sides。　Now　give　me　your
advice；　my　fair　friend；　tell　me　what　I　am　to　do　in　order　to
straighten　the　cup。　Look　at　it；　and　tell　me　how　to　fix　it。　It　would
be　an　everlasting　disgrace　for　an　emperor　to　be　unable　to　straighten
a　thing　which　he　himself　made　crooked。〃

The　empress　had　turned　pale　again；　her　dark　eyes　shot　fire　for　a
moment；　and　she　compressed　her　lips　as　if　to　stifle　a　cry　of
indignation。　But　she　overcame　her　agitation　quickly；　and　hastily
took　the　little　cup　which　the　emperor　still　held　out　to　her。

〃Your　majesty　is　right；〃　she　said；　the　〃cup　is　really　crooked；　and
will　not　stand　erect　when　you　put　it　on　the　table。　As　your　majesty
has　asked　me　what　ought　to　be　done　about　it；　I　advise　you　to　get　rid
of　the　thing；　declare　war　against　the　little　cup；　and　remove　it
forever　by　touching　it　in　this　manner　with　your　little　finger。〃

She　upset　the　miniature　cup　with　her　slender　little　finger；　so　that
it　rolled　to　the　other　end　of　the　table。

〃That　is　very　energetic　advice；　indeed；〃　said　Francis；　smiling；　〃but
I　do　not　like　it。　To　upset　a　thing　that　is　not　well　done　is　no　way
of　improving　it。〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　to　destroy　what　is　not　well　done　is　paving　the
way　for　something　better；〃　exclaimed　Ludovica。

〃You　yourself　said　just　now　it　would　be　an　everlasting　disgrace　for
an　emperor　to　be　unable　to　straighten　anything　which　lie　himself
made　crooked。　It　seems　to　me；　now；　an　emperor　should　extricate
himself　from　any　position　imposing　on　him　the　necessity　of　doing
anything　crooked　and　unworthy　of　his　imperial　dignity。　If　such　is
his　duty　in　regard　to　a　thing　so　insignificant　as　a　peach…stone；　how
much　more　urgent　is　this　duty；　when　there　is　at　stake　something　so
great　and　sacred　as　the　independence　and　honor　of　your　empire　and
policy！〃

〃See；　see！〃　said　the　emperor；　scratching　his　head　with　an　expression
of　ludicrous　surprise；　〃then　we　have　really　got　back　from　the　peach…
stone　to　political　affairs　and　the　war…question。　Now；　this　war…
question　is　a　hard　peach…stone　to　crack；　and　the　mere　thought　of　it
sets　my　teeth　on　edge。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Ludovica；　〃your　teeth　are　firm　and　strong；　for　they　are
composed　of　three　hundred　thousand　swords；　and　thousands　of　cannon
and　muskets。　If　the　lion　is　determined　to　use　his　teeth；　lie　will
easily　succeed　in　destroying　the　were…wolf；　for　this　rapacious　and
bloodthirsty　were…wolf　is　brave　and　invincible　only　when　he　has　to
deal　with　lambs；　only　the　feeble　and　disarmed　have　reason　to　fear
him。〃

〃In　speaking　of　a　were…wolf；　I　suppose　you　refer　to　the　Emperor
Napoleon？〃　asked　the　emperor；　smiling。　〃I　must　tell　you；　however；
that；　in　your　warlike　enthusiasm；　you　do　him　injustice。　It　seems　to
me　he　is　brave　not　alone　where　he　has　to　deal　with　lambs；　arid　not
alone　the　feeble　and　disarmed　have　reason　to　fear　him。　I　think　I　did
not　march　lambs　against　him　at　Austerlitz；　but　brave　men；　who　were
not　feeble　and　disarmed；　but　strong　and　well…armed。　Nevertheless；
Bonaparte　overpowered　them；　he　gained　the　battle　of　Austerlitz　over
us；　and　we　had　to　submit　to　him；　and　accept　the　terms　of　peace　which
he　imposed　on　us。〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty　had　to　submit　to　him。〃　cried　the　empress；
ardently；　〃you　were　obliged　to　repair　to　the　proud　usurper's　camp
and　beseech　him　to　grant　you　peace！〃

〃I　was　not　obliged　to　go　to　him；　but　I　did　so　in　order　to　restore
peace　to　my　people；　and　prevent　all　Austria　from　sinking　into　ruin。
It　is　true；　it　was　a　dreadful　walk　for　me；　and　when　I　saw　the
Emperor　of　the　French　at　his　camp…fire；　he　became　utterly
distasteful　to　me。　＇Footnote：　The　emperor's　own　words。See
〃Lebensbilder　aus　dem　Befreiungekriege；〃　vol。　i。＇　Nevertheless；　the
truth　cannot　be　gainsaid；　and　the　truth　is　that　the　Emperor　Napoleon
is　more　than　a　were…wolf　killing　only　lambs；　he　is　a　lion　whose
furious　roar　causes　all　thrones　to　tremble；　and　who；　when　he　shakes
his　mane；　shakes　all　Europe　to　its　foundations。〃

〃The　more　is　it　incumbent　on　us　then　to　put　an　end　to　this　unnatural
state　of　affairs；〃　exclaimed　the　empress；　vehemently；　〃to　strengthen
the　thrones；　and　restore　at　length　tranquillity　to　Europe。　And　there
is　only　one　way　of　doing　this；　my　lord　and　emperor；　and　that　is　war！
We　must　destroy　the　lion　in　order　to　restore　tranquillity　to　the
peaceable　nations。〃

〃But　what　if；　instead　of　destroying　the　lion；　we　should　be　destroyed
by　him？〃　asked　the　emperor；　with　a　shrug。　〃What　if　the　lion　should　a
second　time　place　his　foot　on　our　neck；　trample　us　in　the　dust；　and
dictate　to　us　again　a　disgraceful　and　humiliating　peace？　Do　you
think　that　the　present　position　of　the　King　of　Prussia　is　a　pleasant
and　honorable　one；　and　that　I　am　anxious　to　incur　a　similar　fate？
No；　madame！　I　am　by　no　means　eager　to　wear　a　martyr's　crown　instead
of　my　imperial　crown；　and　I　will　rather　strive　to　keep　my　crown　on
my　head；　regardless　of　the　clamor　of　the　German　war…party。　These
German　shriekers　are　nice　fellows。　They　refuse　to　do　any　thing；　but
think　it　is　enough　for　them　to　cry；　'War！　war！'　and　that　that　will
be　sufficient　to　conquer　Bonaparte。　But；　empress；　a　great　deal　more
is　required　for　that　purpose　than　the　fanatical　war…clamor　of　the
aristocratic　saloons；　and　the　scribblings　of　the　journalists　and
patriotic　poets；　in　order　to　attain　so　grand　an　object；　it　is
indispensable　that　all　Germany　should　rise；　take　up　arms；　and　attack
the　enemy　with　united　forces。〃

〃It　is　as　your　majesty　says；〃　exclaimed　Ludovica；　enthusiastically；
〃all　Germany　is　ready　for　the　struggle　against　the　enemy。　The　nation
is　only　waiting　for　Austria　to　give　the　signal；　draw　the　sword；　and
advance　upon　France；　when　all　Germany　will　follow　her。〃

〃I　know　these　fine　phrases；〃　said　Francis；　shrugging　his　shoulders；
〃I　hear　them　every　day　from　my　brothers；　who　are　eager　for　war；　and
who　manage　to　gain　a　great　deal　of　popularity　in　so　comfortable　a
manner。　But　after　all；　they　are　phrases　with　very　little　sense　in
them。　For　just　tell　me；　empress；　where　is　the　Germany　which；　you
say；　is　only　waiting　for　Austria　to　give　the　signal？　Where　are　the
German　armies　which；　you　say；　are　only　waiting　for　Austria　to
advance；　when　they　will　follow　her？　I　have　good　sound　eyes；　but　I
cannot　see　such　armies　anywhere。　I　am　quite　familiar　with　the
geography　of　Germany；　I　know　all　the　states　that　belong　to　it；　but
among　them　I　vainly　look　for　those　which　are　waiting　for　us　to　give
such　a　signal。　Prussia　is　utterly　powerless；　and　cannot　do　any
thing。　The　princes　of　the　Rhenish　Confederacy；　it　is　true；　are
waiting　for　the　signal；　but　Bonaparte　will　give　it　to　them；　and　when
they　march；　they　will　march　against　Austria　and　strive　to　fight　us
bravely　in　order　to　obtain　from　the　French　Emperor　praise；　honors；
titles；　and　grants　of　additional　territories。　No；　no；　I　cannot　be
blinded　by　brave　words　and　bombastic　phrases；　I　know　that　Austria；
in　case　a　war　should　break　out；　would　stand　all　alone；　and　that　she
must　either　conquer　or　be　ruined。　In　1805；　when；　in　consequence　of
the　disastrous　battle　of　Austerlitz；　I　lost　half　my　states；　I　was
not　alone；　Russia　was　my　ally。　But　Russia　has　recently　declared
that；　in　case　a　war　should　break　out；　she　would　not　assist　us
against　Napoleon；　but　observe　a　strict　neutrality　as　long　as
possible；　if　she　should；　however；　be　obliged　to　take　a　decided
stand；　she　would　be　on　the　side　of　France　and　against　us。
Consequently；　I　am　entirely　isolated；　an