andreas hofer-第91节

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intensely；　that　I　believe　he　would　lose　his　crown　and　empire　sooner
than　ally　himself　with　me　in　a　cordial　manner；　even　though　he　should
derive　the　greatest　advantages　therefrom。　Do　you　think；　for
instance；　that　the　Emperor　Francis；　if　I　wished　to　become　his　son…
in…law；　would　give　me　the　hand　of　his　daughter；　even　though　I　should
relinquish　half　the　war　contribution；　and　restore　to　him　all　the
provinces　occupied　by　my　armies？'〃

〃What？　Did　Napoleon　really　say　that？〃　asked　the　emperor；　with
unusual；　almost　joyful　vivacity。　〃But；〃　he　added；　gloomily；　〃this　is
nothing　but　one　of　Napoleon's　dreams。　He　has　a　wife；　and　the　Empress
Josephine　is　so　young　and　gay　yet　that　she　does　not　think　of　dying。〃

〃But　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　I　have　been　told；　thinks　a　great　deal　of
getting　a　divorce　from　her。〃

〃The　pope；　whom　he　keeps　imprisoned；　will　never　grant　it　to　him；〃
exclaimed　the　emperor。

〃I　think　he　will　not　even　apply　to　him　for　it；　your　majesty。　The
Emperor　Napoleon　never　had　his　union　with　the　Empress　Josephine
consecrated　by　the　Church；　and　the　dissolution　of　a　civil　marriage
does　not　require　the　pope's　consent。　The　emperor　can　dissolve　it　by
virtue　of　his　own　authority。〃

〃That　is　a　very　convenient　arrangement　for　M。　Bonaparte；〃　said
Francis；　smiling。　〃Well；　go　now；　count；　and　repose。　I　am　very
content　with　your　services；　and　I　think　I　shall　be　so　hereafter
also。　Adieu。　I　shall　send　for　you　again。〃

He　nodded　kindly　to　the　count；　and　stood　still　smilingly　at　his
writing…table　in　the　middle　of　the　cabinet；　until　the　door　of　the
anteroom　closed　behind　Count　Bubna。　But　thereupon　his　face　assumed　a
gloomy；　bitter　expression；　and　he　lifted　up　his　clinched　fist　with　a
menacing　gesture。

〃My　brothers！〃　he　cried；　in　an　angry　voice；　〃always　my　brothers！
They　are　always　eager　to　push　me　aside。　I　am　always　to　be　kept　in
the　shade；　that　their　light　may　shine　more　brightly。　Ah；　we　shall
see　who　is　Emperor　of　Austria；　and　to　whom　the　Tyrol　belongs；　we
shall　see　who　is　the　master；　and　who　has　to　obey。　As　yet　I　am
emperor；　as　yet　I　have　to　decide　on　war　and　peace。　And　I　will
decide。　I　will　humiliate　them　and　compel　them　to　be　obedient；　these
boastful　archdukes；　who　always　preach　war　and　are　worsted　in　every
battle！　Oh；　they　are　stirring　up　rebellion；　and　stretching　out　their
hands　for　my　property！　But　one　stroke　of　my　pen　will　shatter　their
crowns；　stifle　their　rebellion；　and　reduce　them　to　submissiveness。　I
will　make　peace　with　Napoleon；　and　the　seditious　Tyrol　shall　be
quieted　without　being　bestowed　upon　the　Archduke　John。　I　would
rather　have　it　restored　to　Bavaria　than　that　it　should　be　conferred
on　my　brother。　That　would　be　a　just　retribution　for　the　seditious
peasants；　they　have　set　a　bad　example；　and　should　be　punished　for
it。　I　do　not　want　any　conspirators　among　my　subjects。　Let　Bavaria
see　how　she　will　get　along　with　the　rebellious　Tyrolese！　I　shall
withdraw　my　hand　from　them。　I　want　peace。　I　will　remain　Emperor　of
Austria　despite　all　my　brothers！〃




CHAPTER　XXXV。

A　DAY　OF　THE　EMPEROR'S　LIEUTENANT。


The　imperial　palace　at　Innspruck　was　still　the　residence　of
Sandwirth　Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　and
lieutenant　of　the　Emperor　Francis。　He　had　lived　there　since　the　15th
of　August；　but　as　simply；　quietly；　and　modestly　as　he　had　lived　when
he　was　a　horse…dealer　and　innkeeper；　so　he　lived　now　when　he　was
ruler　of　the　Tyrol；　and　the　emperor's　lieutenant。　Instead　of
occupying　the　large　state　apartments　of　the　imperial　palace；　as　his
friends　had　often　asked　him　to　do；　Andreas　had　selected　the　plainest
and　humblest　rooms　for　his　quarters；　and　his　style　of　living　was　as
simple　and　modest　as　his　dwelling…place。　Vainly　his　suite　tried　to
persuade　him　to　hold　levees　and　receive　guests　at　his　festive　table。
Andreas　rejected　all　such　suggestions　with　proud　and　withal　humble
indignation。

〃Do　you　think　I　took　this　arduous　task　upon　myself　to　play　the
aristocratic　gentleman；　and　revel　in　luxury？〃　he　replied　to　those
who　asked　him　to　adopt　such　a　course。　〃I　did　not　become　the
emperor's　lieutenant　to　display　vain　and　empty　splendor；　but　to
serve　my　dear　Tyrol　and　preserve　it　to　the　emperor。　I　am　only　a
simple　peasant；　and　do　not　want　to　live　like　a　prince。　I　am
accustomed　to　have　bread；　butter；　and　cheese　for　breakfast；　and　I　do
not　know　why　I　should　change　this　now；　merely　because　I　am　no　longer
at　home　with　my　dear　wife；　but　here　at　Innspruck　at　the　emperor's
palace。　I　am　also　accustomed　to　dine　very　plainly；　and　am　therefore
opposed　to　any　expensive　repasts　being　got　up　for　me　here。　I　do　not
like　the　meats　prepared　by　the　cooks　of　the　aristocracy；　and　while　I
do　not　want　anything　but　bread；　butter；　cheese；　and　wine；　I　shall
send　to　Niederkircher's　tavern　for　my　dinner。　But　it　must　never　cost
more　than　half　a　florin。　I　will　invite　guests；　for　I　like　to　have
merry　people　about　me；　but　the　guests　must　not　come　for　the　sake　of
the　repast；　but　for　that　of　our　pleasant　conversation。　I　shall　send
to　Niederkircher　for　the　dinner　of　all　my　guests；　and　he　must　send
enough；　lest　any　of　them　should　remain　hungry。　But　there　must　never
be　more　than　six　guests；　for　it　would　be　too　bad　if　I；　who　intend　to
preserve　the　Tyrol　to　the　emperor；　were　to　cost　him　a　great　deal　of
money　here。　In　order　to　prevent　mistake；　Niederkircher　must　send　in
his　bill　every　morning　for　me　to　examine；　the　financial　secretary
shall　pay　it　every　week；　and　send　me　the　receipt。〃　＇Footnote：　The
expenses　of　Hofer　and　his　whole　suite；　during　their　six　weeks'
sojourn　in　the　city　of　Innspruck；　cost　the　public　exchequer　only
five　hundred　florins。＇

Andreas　Hofer　remained　in　these　days　of　his　splendor　as　active；
industrious；　and　simple　as　he　always　had　been。　The　welfare　of　his
beloved　country　engrossed　all　his　thoughts；　and　he　was　desirous　of
devoting　his　whole　strength　to　it。　He　issued　a　number　of　useful　and
liberal　decrees；　which；　it　is　true；　Ennemoser；　Doeninger；　Kolb；　or
other　friends　of　his　had　drawn　up；　but　which　he　had　approved　and
signed。

Andreas　Hofer　gave　public　audiences　every　morning　like　a　real
prince；　and　the　sentinels　placed　in　front　of　the　imperial　palace　and
at　the　door　of　the　commander…in…chief　had　received　stringent　orders
not　to　refuse　admittance　to　the　audience…room　to　any　one；　but　allow
all　to　come　in；　how　poorly　soever　they　might　be　dressed。　Andreas
listened　to　every　one　with　kind　patience　and　cordial　sympathy；　and
always　took　care　to　help　console　the　distressed；　make　peace；　and
conciliate；　and　every　one　who　needed　comfort　and　assistance　hastened
to　apply　to　the　always　helpful　commander…in…chief。

To…day　again　many　persons　were　in　the　audience…room；　waiting
impatiently　for　the　moment　when　the　door　should　open；　and　when
Andreas　Hofer　should　make　his　appearance　on　the　threshold；　greet　all
with　a　pleasant　nod　of　his　head；　and　then　beckon　to　him　who　was
nearest　to　the　door　to　enter　his　cabinet。

But　the　hour　fixed　for　the　audience　had　struck　long　ago；　and　the
commander…in…chief；　who　was　usually　so　punctual　and　conscientious；
had　not　yet　opened　the　door　of　his　audience…room。　He　had　already
been　half　an　hour　in　his　cabinet；　and　Doeninger　sat　at　the　desk；
ready　to　write　down　the　names　of　all　applicants　for　audience；　and
add　a　brief　statement　of　their　wishes　and　petitions。　But　Andreas　was
still　pacing　the　room；　his　hands　behind　his　back；　and　although　he
had　already　laid　his　hand　twice　on　the　door…knob；　he　had　stepped
back　as　if　in　terror；　and　continued　striding　up　and　down。

〃Commander…in…chief；〃　said　Doeninger；　after　a　long　pause；　during
which　he　had　watched　Hofer's　irresolute　bearing　smilingly；　〃there　is
something　that　disquiets　you；　is　there　not？〃

〃Yes；　Cajetan；〃　sighed　Andreas。　〃As　you　have　found　it　out；　I　will　no
longer　deny　that　there　is　something　that　disquiets　me。〃

〃And　what　is　it；　commander…in…chief？　Will　you　not　communicate　it　to
your　faithful　and　discreet　Cajetan？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；　my　dear　Cajetan；〃　said　Hofer。　〃I　am　afraid　I　did
something　very　stupid　yesterday；　and　I　am　ashamed　of　it。〃

〃Ah；　you　allude　to　the　lawsuit　which　you　decided　yesterday；〃
exclaimed　Doeninger。

〃You　see；　no　sooner　did　I　say　that　I　did　something　very　stupid；　than
you　at　once　knew　what　I　meant；　what　I　did　must；　therefore；　have　been
very　stupid　indeed。　Yes；　I　alluded　to　the　lawsuit；　Cajetan；　for　I　am
afraid　I　did　not　decide　it；　but　made　it　only　more　complicated。〃

〃On　the　whole；　there　was　nothing　to　be　decided；〃　said　Doeninger；
dryly。　〃The　lawsuit　was　already　decided；　the　supreme　court　had　given
judgment　in　favor　of　the　plaintiff　and　awarded　to　him　the　sum　of　one
thousand　florins；　which　was　at　issue；　and　sentenced　the　defendant　to
pay　that　sum　and　the　costs。　But　the　defendant〃

〃It　was　no　man；　Cajetan；〃　interrupted　Andreas；　〃it　was　a　woman；　and
that　was　the　worst　of　it。　I　cannot　bear　to　see　women　weep。　They　know
so　well　how　to　touch　my　heart　by　their　tears　and　lamentations；　that
I　long　to　help　them。　Lord　Jesus；　how　that　woman；　the　defendant　in
the　lawsuit；　wept！　And　was　it　the　poor　woman's　fault；　Cajetan；　that
her　deceased　husband　was　head　over　ears　in　debt；　that　he　borrowed
one　thousand　florins　from　a　friend；　and　meanly　a