andreas hofer-第63节

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impatience　till　Conrad's　return；　he　had　caused　Kate　to　conduct　him
to　his　piano。

〃I　will　play　my　imperial　hymn；〃　he　said；　hastily；　〃I　have　often
derived　comfort　and　relief　from　it　in　the　days　of　uneasiness　and
anxiety；　and　when　I　play；　it　my　heart　is　always　so　much　at　ease。　Its
strength　will　not　fail　me　to…day　either。〃　＇Footnote：　Haydn's　own
words。See　〃Zeitgonosson；〃　vol。　iv。；　third　series；　p。　36。＇

He　commenced　playing；　a　blissful　smile　illuminated　his　features；　he
lifted　his　radiant　eyes　to　heaven；　and　his　music　grew　louder　and
fierier；　and　his　fingers　glided　more　powerfully　over　the　keys　of　the
piano。　Suddenly　the　door　was　thrown　open；　and　Conrad　rushed　in；
panting　from　the　rapid　run；　flushed　with　excitement；　but　with　a
joyful　face。

〃Victory！〃　he　shouted。　〃Victory！〃　And　he　sank　down　at　Haydn's　feet。

〃Which　side　was　victorious？〃　asked　Haydn；　anxiously。

〃The　Austrians　were　victorious；〃　said　Conrad；　pantingly。　〃Our
Archduke　Charles　has　defeated　the　Emperor　Napoleon　at　Aspern；　the
whole　French　army　retreated　to　the　island　of　Lobau；　whence　it　can　no
longer　escape。　Thousands　of　French　corpses　are　floating　down　the
Danube；　and　proclaiming　to　the　world　that　Austria　has　conquered　the
French！　Hurrah！　hurrah！　Our　hero；　the　Archduke　Charles；　has　defeated
the　villainous　Bonaparte！　Hurrah！〃

〃Hurrah！　hurrah！〃　repeated　the　parrot　on　its　pole；　and　the　cat
raised　its　head　from　the　cushion　on　which　it　had　lain；　and　gazed
with　keen；　searching　eyes　at　the　parrot；　as　if　it　had　understood
Paperl's　jubilant　notes。

Joseph　Haydn　said　nothing；　but　clasped　his　hands　and　looked
rapturously　upward。　After　a　pause　he　exclaimed；　in　a　loud　and　joyous
voice：　〃Lord　God；　I　thank　Thee　for　not　disappointing　my　firm　trust；
but　protecting　Austria　and　helping　her　to　vanquish　her　foe。　I　knew
full　well　that　the　just　cause　would　triumph；　and　the　just　cause　is
that　of　Austria；　for　France；　hypocritical　France　alone　provoked　this
war；　and　Austria　drew　the　sword　only　to　defend　her　honor　and　her
frontiers。　The　just　cause　could　not　but　triumph；　and　hence　Austria
had　to　conquer；　and　France；　had　to　succumb　in　this　struggle。　God
protect　the　Emperor　Francis！　I　may　lay　down　now　and　die。　Austria　is
victorious！　That　is　the　last　joyful　greeting　which　the　world　sends
to　me。　With　this　greeting　I　will　dieay；　die！　Death　is　already
drawing　nigh。　But　Death　wears　a　laurel…wreath　on　its　head；　and　its
eye　is　radiant　with　triumphant　joy。　Glory　to　Austria！　Glory　to　the
German　fatherland！〃

These　were　Joseph　Haydn's　last　words。　He　fainted　away。　It　is　true
the　physicians　succeeded　in　restoring　him　to　life；　and　he　breathed
yet　for　six　days；　but　his　life　resembled　only　the　last　feeble
flicker　of　the　dying　flame；　and　in　the　night　of　the　30th　of　May
death　came　to　extinguish　this　flickering　flame。




CHAPTER　XXIV。

THE　ARCHDUKE　JOHN　AT　COMORN。


The　unheard…of　event；　then；　had　taken　place。　Napoleon　had　been
defeated　by　the　Austrians。　The　Archduke　Charles　had　gained　a
brilliant　victory；　Napoleon　had　transferred　his　whole　army　to　the
island　of　Lobau；　he　himself　passed　his　time　in　moody　broodings　at
the　castle　of　Ebersberg；　and　the　unexpected　disaster　which　had
befallen　him　and　which　at　the　same　time　had　brought　about　the　death
of　one　of　his　favorites；　Marshal　Lannes；　seemed　to　have　suddenly
deprived　the　emperor　of　all　his　energy。　He　did　not　speak；　he　did　not
eat；　he　sat　for　whole　days　in　his　cabinet；　staring　at　the　maps
spread　out　before　him　on　his　table；　and　yet　forgetting　to　cover
them；　as　he　used　to　do　on　conceiving　the　plans　of　his　campaigns；
with　the　colored　pins　which　represented　the　different　armies。
Victory　had　no　longer　been　able　to　soften　this　marble　Caesarean
face；　but　defeat　caused　his　features　now　to　wear　an　expression　of
profound　anger　and　grief。　Nevertheless；　he　did　not　complain；　and
never　did　he　confess　even　to　his　confidants　that　he　was　suffering。
Only　once；　for　a　brief　moment；　he　lifted　the　veil　concealing　his
feelings；　and　permitted　his　marshals　to　see　into　the　innermost
recesses　of　his　soul。　Marmont　had　dared　to　pray　the　emperor；　in　the
name　of　all　the　marshals；　to　yield　no　longer　to　his　grief　at　what
had　occurred；　but　bear　in　mind　that　it　was　incumbent　on　him　to
preserve　himself　for　the　welfare　of　his　subjects　and　the　glory　of
his　future。　Napoleon　had　answered　with　a　faint　smile：　〃You　think　I
am　sitting　here　to　brood　over　my　misfortune？　It　is　true；　I　am
burying　my　dead；　and；　as　there　are　unfortunately　a　great　many　of
them；　it　takes　me　a　long　time　to　do　it。　But　over　the　tomb　of　the
dead　of　Essling　I　am　going　to　erect　a　monument　which　will　be　radiant
with　the　splendor　of　victory；　and　on　its　frontispiece　shall　be　read
the　word　'Vengeance！'　The　Emperor　of　Austria　is　lost。　Had　I　defeated
him　in　this　battle；　I　should；　perhaps；　have　forgiven　his　arrogance
and　perfidy；　but　as　he　defeated　me；　I　must　and　shall　annihilate　him
and　his　army。〃

While　Napoleon　was　thus　burying　his　dead；　and　reflecting　on　his
〃monument　of　vengeance；〃　the　utmost　rejoicings　reigned　at　the
headquarters　of　the　Archduke　Charles；　the　victor　of　Aspern；　and　all
Austria；　all　Germany　joined　in　these　rejoicings；　and　blessed　the
glorious　day　of　Bonaparte's　first　humiliation。

And　this　victory　was　soon　followed　by　the　news　of　a　triumph　hardly
less　glorious　than　the　battle　of　Aspern。　The　Tyrolese；　those
despised　peasants；　had　gained　a　brilliant　victory　over　the　French
veterans；　and　their　Bavarian　auxiliaries；　on　the　21st　of　May；　on
Mount　Isel；　near　the　city　of　Innspruck。　Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…
chief　of　the　united　forces　of　the　Tyrolese；　jointly　with
Speckbacher；　Wallner；　and　the　Capuchin　Haspinger；　had　again　defeated
the　Bavarians　and　French；　who　had　re…entered　the　Tyrol；　and
delivered　the　province　a　second　time　from　the　enemy。

Count　Nugent；　quartermaster…general　of　the　Archduke　John；　had
entered　the　latter's　room　with　this　joyful　news；　and　told　him　with
sparkling　eyes　of　the　heroic　deeds　of　the　Tyrolese；　of　Hofer's　pious
zeal；　of　the　bold　exploits　of　Wallner　and　Speckbacher；　whose　deeds
recalled　the　ancient　heroes　of　Homer；　of　the　intrepid　Capuchin
friar；　Haspinger；　who；　with　a　huge　wooden　cross　in　his　hand；　led　on
the　attack；　and　animated　his　followers　not　less　by　his　example　than
the　assurances　of　Divine　protection　which　he　held　forth。　Count
Nugent　had　related　all　these　heroic　deeds　with　fervid　eloquence　to
the　archduke；　and　yet；　to　his　utter　astonishment；　the　latter's　face
had　remained　gloomy；　and　not　a　ray　of　joy　had　illuminated　it。

〃Your　imperial　highness；　then；　does　not　share　my　exultation？〃　he
asked；　mournfully。　〃You　receive　the　news　quite　coldly　and
indifferently；　and　yet　I　am　speaking　of　your　beloved　Tyrolese；　of
your　heroes；　Andreas　Hofer；　Joseph　Speckbacher；　and　Anthony　Wallner？
They　and　their　heroic　men　have　delivered　the　Tyrol　a　second　time
from　the　enemy；　and　your　imperial　highness　does　not　rejoice　at　it？〃

〃No；　my　dear　Count；〃　said　the　archduke；　sighing；　〃for　they　will　lose
it　again。　All　this　blood　will　have　been　shed　in　vain；　and　my　poor
Tyrol　will　be　lost　in　spite　of　it。〃

〃You　believe　so？you　who　called　upon　the　Tyrolese　to　take　up　arms；
who　invited　its　heroes　and　champions　to　such　daring　efforts；　who　are
ready　yourself　to　fight　for　the　courageous　mountaineers　to　the　last
extremity？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　always　ready　to　do　so；〃　cried　John；　laughing　bitterly；
〃but　what　good　will　it　do？　They　will　wind　cunning　shackles　enough
round　my　feet　to　make　me　fall　to　the　ground；　they　will　manacle　my
hands　again；　and　put　my　will　into　the　strait…jacket　of　loyalty　and
obedience。　I　cannot　do　what　I　want　to；　I　am　only　a　tool　in　the　hands
of　others；　and　this　will　cause　both　my　ruin　and　that　of　the　Tyrol。　I
am　willing　to　sacrifice　my　life　for　the　Tyrol；　and　yet　I　shall　be
unable　to　save　it。　For　the　rest；　my　friend；　I　knew　already　all　these
particulars　of　the　battle　on　Mount　Isel。　A　courier　from　Hormayr　had
just　reached　me　and　brought　me　full　details。　I　was　able　to　send　back
by　the　courier　a　fine　reward　for　the　brave　Tyrolese；　a　letter　from
the　emperor；　my　august　brother；　which　I　received　this　morning　with
the　order　to　forward　it　to　them。　I　kept　a　copy　of　the　imperial
letter；　for　there　may　be　a　day　when　it　will　be　necessary　for　me　to
remind　the　emperor　of　this　letter。　Here　is　the　copy。　Read　it　aloud；
that　I　may　hear；　too；　how　fine　the　imperial　words　sound。〃

The　archduke　handed　a　paper　to　Count　Nugent；　who　read　as　follows：

〃After　our　arms　had　suffered　heavy　reverses；　and　after　the　enemy　had
captured　even　the　capital　of　the　empire；　my　army　succeeded　in
defeating　the　French　army　under　Napoleon　on　the　21st　and　22d　of　May；
on　the　Marshfield；　and　driving　it　in　disorder　across　the　Danube。　The
army　and　people　of　Austria　are　animated　with　greater　enthusiasm　than
ever；　every　thing　justifies　the　most　sanguine　hopes。　Trusting　in　God
and　my　just　cause；　I　declare　to　my　loyal　provinces　of　the　Tyrol　and
Vorarlberg；　that　they　shall　never　again　be　separated　from　the
Austrian　empire；　and　that　I　will　sign　no　peace　but　one　which　will
indissolubly　incorporate　these　provinces　with　my　other　states。　Your
noble　conduct　has　sunk　deep　into　my　heart；　I　will　never　abandon　you。
My　beloved　brother