andreas hofer-第74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！


standards　to　fight　against　the　despot　who；　like　a　demon　of　terror；
tramples　the　peace　and　prosperity　of　all　Europe　under　his　bloody
feet。　No；　Bonaparte　can　no　longer　count　upon　the　sympathies　of　the
nations；　they　are　all　ready　to　rise　against　him；　and　in　the　end
hatred　will　accomplish　that　which　love　and　reason　were　unable　to
bring　about。　The　hatred　of　the　nations　will　crush　Bonaparte　and　hurl
him　from　his　throne。〃

〃Provided　the　princes　of　the　Rhenish　Confederation　do　not　support
him；　or　provided　the　Emperor　Alexander　of　Russia　does　not　catch　him
in　his　arms；〃　said　Francis；　shrugging　his　shoulders。〃　I　have　no
great　confidence　in　what　you　call　the　nations；　they　are　really
reckless　and　childish　people。　If　Bonaparte　is　lucky　again；　even　the
Germans　will　idolize　him　before　long；　but　if　he　is　unlucky；　they
will　stone　him。　Just　look　at　my　illustrious　brother；　the
generalissimo。　After　the　defeats　of　Landshut　and　Ratisbon；　and　the
humble　letter　which　he　wrote　to　Bonaparte；　you；　Count　Stadion；
thought　it　would　be　good　for　the　Archduke　Charles　if　we　gave　him　a
successor；　and　if　we　removed　him；　tormented　as　he　is　by　a　painful
disease；　from　the　command…in…chief　of　the　army。　We；　therefore；
suggested　to　the　archduke　quietly　to　present　his　resignation　which
would　be　promptly　accepted。　But　the　generalissimo　would　not　hear　of
it；　and　thought　he　would　have　first　to　make　amends　for　the　defeats
which　he　had　sustained　at　Landshut　and　Ratisbon。　Now　he　has　done　so；
he　has　avenged　his　former　defeats　and　achieved　a　victory　at　Aspern；
and　after　this　brilliant　victory　he　comes　and　offers　his
resignation；　stating　that　his　feeble　health　compels　him　to　lay　down
the　command　and　surrender　if　to　some　one　else。　But　all　at　once　my
minister　of　foreign　affairs　has　changed　his　mind：　the　victory　of
Aspern　has　converted　him；　and　he　thinks　now　that　the　generalissimo
must　remain　at　the　head　of　the　army。　If　so　sagacious　and　eminent　a
man　as　Count　Stadion　allows　success　to　mould　his　opinion；　am　I　not
right　in　not　believing　that　the　frivolous　fellows　whom　you　call　'the
nations'　have　no　well…settled　opinions　at　all？〃

〃Pardon　me；　sire；〃　said　Count　Stadion；　smiling；　〃your　majesty
commits　a　slight　error。　Your　majesty　confounds　principles　with
opinions。　An　honorable　man　and　an　honorable　nation　may　change　their
opinions；　but　never　will　they　change　their　principles。　Now　the
firmer　and　more　immovable　their　principles　are；　the　more　easily　they
may　come　to　change　their　opinions；　for　they　seek　for　instruments　to
carry　out　their　principles；　they　profit　to…day　by　the　cervices　of　a
tool　which　seems　to　them　sufficiently　sharp　to　perform　its　task；　and
they　cast　it　aside　to…morrow　because　it　has　become　blunt；　and　must
be　replaced　by　another。　This　is　what　happens　to　the　nations　and　to
myself　at　this　juncture。　The　nations　are　bitterly　opposed　to　France；
the　whole　German　people；　both　north　and　south；　is　unanimous　in　its
intense　hatred　against　Napoleon。　The　nations　do　not　allow　him　to
deceive　them；　they　see　through　the　Caesarean　mask；　and　perceive　the
face　of　the　tyrant；　despot；　and　intriguer；　lurking　behind　it。　They
do　not　believe　a　word　of　his　pacific　protestations　and　promises　of
freedom　and　liberal　reforms；　for　they　see　that　he　always　means　war
when　he　prates　about　peace；　that　he　means　tyranny　when　he　promises
liberty；　and　that　he　gives　Draconic　laws　instead　of　establishing
liberal　institutions。　The　nations　hate　Napoleon　and　abhor　his
despotic　system。　They　seek　for　means　to　annihilate　him　and　deliver
at　length　the　bloody　and　trembling　world　from　him。　If　the　princes
were　as　unanimous　in　their　hatred　as　the　nations　are；　Germany　would
stand　as　one　man；　sword　in　hand；　and　this　sublime　and　imposing
spectacle　would　cause　Napoleon　to　retreat　with　his　host　beyond　the
Rhine；　the　German　Rhine；　whose　banks　would　be　guarded　by　the　united
people　of　Germany。〃　〃You　speak　like　a　Utopian；　my　dear　count；〃　said
the　emperor；　with　a　shrug。　〃If　the　united　people　of　Germany　are
alone　able　to　defeat　and　expel　Bonaparte；　he　will　never　he　defeated
and　expelled；　for　Germany　will　never　be　united；　she　will　never　stand
up　as　one　man；　but　always　resemble　a　number　of　rats　grown　together
by　their　tails；　and　striving　to　move　in　opposite　directions。　Let　us
speak　no　more　of　a　united　Germany；　it　was　the　phantom　that　ruined　my
uncle；　the　Emperor　Joseph；　whom　enthusiasts　call　the　Great　Joseph。
But　I　do　not　want　to　be　ruined；　and　therefore　I　do　not　want　to　hear
any　thing　of　a　united　Germany。　Thank　God；　since　1806；　I　am　no　longer
Emperor　of　Germany；　but　only　Emperor　of　Austria；　and　that　is　enough
for　me。　I　do　not　care　what　the　princes　of　the　Confederation　of　the
Rhine　are　doing；　nor　what　intrigues　Prussia　is　entering　into　in
order　to　rise　from　its　humiliating　prostration；　I　fix　my　eyes　only
on　Austria；　and　think　only　whether　Austria　will　be　able　to　cope　with
Bonaparte；　or　whether　she　may　not　ultimately　fare　as　badly　as
Prussia　did。　We　have　unfortunately　experienced　already　one
Austerlitz；　if　we　should　suffer　another　defeat　like　it；　we　would　be
lost；　hence　we　must　be　cautious；　and　I　ask　you；　therefore；　why　you
do　not　want　me　now　to　accept　the　resignation　of　the　generalissimo；
when；　only　a　fortnight　ago；　you　advocated　his　removal　from　the
command…in…chief　of　the　army？〃

〃Your　majesty；　because　a　fortnight　ago　he　had　been　repeatedly
defeated；　and　because　he　has　now　gained　a　brilliant　victory。　This
shows　your　majesty　again　the　difference　between　opinions　and
principles。　Opinions　change　and　are　influenced　by　success。　After　the
battle　of　Ratisbon；　the　generalissimo　was　looked　upon　with　distrust
and　anxiety　by　his　army；　nay；　by　the　whole　people　of　Austria；　who
turned　their　eyes　to　the　Archduke　John；　the　victor　of　Sacile　and　St。
Boniface；　and　wanted　to　see　at　the　head　of　the　army　a　victorious
general；　instead　of　the　defeated　Archduke　Charles；　but　the　latter
has　acted　the　hero；　and　been　victorious　at　Aspern；　and　the　love　and
confidence　of　the　army　and　people　are　restored　to　him；　all　look　upon
him　as　the　liberator　of　the　fatherland；　and　will　stand　by　him　until…
…〃

〃Until　he　loses　another　battle；〃　interrupted　the　emperor；
sneeringly。　〃My　dear　count；　one　swallow　does　not　make　a　summer；　and…
…Well；　what　is　it；　Leonard？〃　said　the　emperor；　turning　quickly　to
his　footman；　who　entered　the　room　at　this　moment。

〃Your　majesty；　his　imperial　highness　the　Archduke　John　has　just
arrived；　and　requests　an　audience。〃

〃Let　the　archduke　come　in；〃　said　the　emperor；　and　when　the　footman
had　withdrawn；　Francis　turned　again　to　the　minister。　〃He　is　the
second　swallow　in　which　the　childish　people　here　are　hoping；〃　he
said。　〃But　two　swallows　do　not　make　a　summer　either；　there　may　still
be　a　frost　under　which　John's　young　laurels　of　Sacile　and　St。
Boniface　will　wither。Ah；　here　is　my　brother。〃

The　emperor　advanced　a　few　steps　to　meet　the　Archduke　John；　who　had
just　crossed　the　threshold；　and　stood　still　at　the　door　to　bow
deeply　and　reverentially　to　his　imperial　brother。

〃No　ceremonies；　brother；　no　ceremonies；〃　said　the　emperor；　smiling；
〃we　are　here　not　in　the　imperial　palace；　but　in　the　camp；　my　crown
is　in　Vienna；　and　my　head　is　therefore　bare；　while　yours　is　wreathed
with　laurels。〃

The　emperor　said　this　in　so　sarcastic　a　tone　that　the　archduke　gave
a　start；　and　his　cheeks　crimsoned　with　indignation。　But　he
restrained　his　anger；　and　fixed　his　eyes　calmly　on　the　sneering　face
of　the　emperor。

〃Your　majesty　condescends　to　jest；〃　he　said；　composedly；　〃and　I　am
glad　to　see　from　this　that　my　brother；　the　victor　of　Aspern；　has
gladdened　your　majesty's　heart。〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　said　Count　Stadion；　in　a　low；　pressing　tone；　〃will
you　not　graciously　permit　me　to　withdraw？〃

〃Ah；　you　think　your　presence　would　be　inconvenient　during　our
interview；　and　might　hinder　the　free　exchange　of　our　confidential
communications？　But　I　do　not　believe　that　I　and　my　brother　have　any
special　secrets　to　communicate　to　each　other；　so　that　the　presence
of　my　minister　would　be　inconvenient　to　us。　However；　let　the
archduke　decide　this　point。　Tell　me　therefore；　brother；　is　it
necessary　that　you　should　see　me　alone　and　without　witnesses？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　y