M \m m--i<>vi.'mi mm ■■y-:.ly''A>- L1BR^HV omvERSiTv OF cmmm RIVERSIOE I Copyright, 1868, 1893, By d. appleton and company. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.— 1809 ...... II, — The Emperor Francis . III. — The Courier and the Ambassador IV. — The Emperor and his Brothers . V. — The Performance of "The Creation". VI. — Anareas Hofer . . , , VII. — Andreas Hofer at the Theatre . VIII. — C^onsecration of the Flags, and Farewell IX.— 'Tis Time ! X. — Anthony Wallner of Windisch-Matre}' XI. — The Declaration of Love XII.— Farewell ! XIII. — The Bridegroom .... XIV. — The Bridge of St. Lawrence XV.— The Bridge of Laditch XVI. — On the Sterzinger Moos XVII.— The Hay- Wagons .... XVIII. — Capture of Innspriick . XIX.— The Capitulation of Wiltau XX. — Eliza Wallner's Return XXI. — The Catastrophe .... XXII.— Eliza and Ulrich .... XXIIl.— The Triumph ..f Death XXIV. — The Archduke .Inhu at Comorn. PAOK 1 i;i 20 39 ni 62 76 ft3 9C lOfc' 117 129 135 147 155 166 177 1H5 196 215 222 232 252 S6P IV CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAOB XXV.- —The Emperor Francis at Wolkersdorf , , . 278 XXVL- —The Reply of the King uf Prussia. . 293 XXVII.- —The Battle of Wagram . 304 XXVIII.- —The Armistice of Znaym . 311 XXIX.- — Hofer and Speckbacher . 332 XXX.- —The Capuchin's Oath .... . 331 XXXI.- -The First Battle . 344 XXXII.- —The Pifteentli of August at Innspruck . . 353 XXXIIL- —Andreas Hofer, the Emperor's Lieutenant . 367 XXXIV.- —The Fifteenth of August at Comoru . 375 XXXV. —A Day of the Emperor's Lieutenant . 390 XXXVL- —The Lovers . 401 XXXVIL- — Elza's Return . 413 VXXVIII.- -Tlio Wedding . . . . . 421 XXXIX.- —The Treaty of Peaes. 432 XL —Dreadful Tidings . 447 XLI. — Betrayal and Seizure of Hofer 458 XLTT. — The Warning . . • . . 472 XLTII. —The Flight . . 479 XLIV. — Andreas fiofer's Deatn .... , 492 ANDREAS HOFER. CHAPTER I. 1809. The year 1809 had come ; but the war against France, so intensely longed for by all Austria, had not yet broken out, and the people and the army were vainly waiting for the war- cry of their sovereign, the Emperor Francis. It is ti*ue, not a few great things had been accomplished in the course of the past year : Austria had armed, oi'ganized the militia, strength- ened her fortresses, and filled her magazines ; but the emperor still hesitated to take the last and most decisive step by crown- ing his military preparations with a formal declaration of "war. No one looked for this declaration of war more intensely than the emperor's second brother", the Archduke John, a young man of scarcely twenty-seven. He had been the soul of all the preparations which, since the summer of 1808, had been made throughout Austria ; he had. conceived the plan of organizing the militia and the reserves; and had drawn up the proclamation of the 12th of May, 1808, by which all able- bodied Austrians were called upon to take up arms. But this exhausted his powers; he could organize the army, but could not say to it, " Take the field against the enemy ! " The em- peror alone could utter this word, and he was silent. " And he will be silent until the favorable moment has passed," sighed the Archduke John, when, on returning from a very long interview with the emperor, he was alone with his friend, General Nugent, in his cabinet. He had communicated to this confidant the full details of his interview with the emperor, and concluded his report by (1) 2 ANDREAS HOFRR. saying, with a deep sigli, " The emperor will be silent until the favorable moment has passed ! " Count Nugent gazed with a look of heart-felt sympathy into the archduke's mournful face ; he saw the tears filling John's large blue eyes ; he saw that he firmly compressed his lips as if to stifle a cry of pain or rage, and that he clinched his hands in the agony of liis despair. Animated by tender compassion, the general approached the archduke, who had sunk into a chair, and laid his hand gently on his shoulder. " Courage, courage I " he whispered; "nothing is lost as yet, and your imperial highness^" "Ah, why do you address me with 'imperial highness'?" cried the archduke, almost indignantly. '' Do you not see, then, that this is a miserable title by which Fate seems lo mock me, and which it thunders constantly, and, as it were, sneeriugly into my ears, in order to remind me again and again of my deplorable powerlessness ? There is nothing ' im- perial ' about me but the yoke under which I am groaning ; and my ' highness' is to be compared only Avith the crumbs of Lazarus which fell from the rich man's table. And yet there are persons, Nugent, who envy me these crumbs — men who think it a brilliant and glorious lot to be an ' imperial high- ness,' the brother of a sovei*eign emperor I Ah, they do not know that this title means only that I am doomed to everlast- ing dependence and silence, and that the emperor's valet de chambre and his private secretary are more influential men than the Archduke John, who cannot do anything but submit, be silent, and look on in idleness." '' Now your imperial highness slanders yourself," exclaimed Count Nugent. " You have not been silent, you have not looked on in idleness, but have worked incessantly and cour- ageously for the salvation of your people and your country. Who drew up the original plan for the organization of the militia and the reserves ? Who elaborated its most minute details with admirable sagacity ? It was the Archduke John — the archduke in whom all Austria hopes, and who is the last refuge and comfort of all patriots ! " " Ah, how much all of you are to be pitied, my friend, if you hope in me ! " sighed John. " What am I, then ? A poor THE YEAR 1809. 3 atom which is allowed to move in the glare of the imperial sun, but which would be anniliilated so soon as it should pre- sume to be an independent luminary. Pray, Nugent, do not speak of such hopes ; for, if the emperor should hear of it, not only would my liberty be endangered, but also yours and that of all who are of your opinion. The emperor does not like to see the eyes of his subjects fixed upon me ; every kind word uttered about me sours him and increases the ill-will with which he regards me." " That is impossible, your highness," exclaimed the count. " How can our excellent emperor help loving his brother, who is so gifted, so high-minded and learned, and withal so modest and kind-hearted ? How can he help being happj' to see that others love and appreciate him too ? " " Does the em])eror love my brother Charles, who is much more gifted and high-minded tlian I am ? " asked John, shrug- giug his shoulders. " Did he not ai'rest his victorious career, and recall him from the army, although, or rather because, he knew that the army idolized him, and tliat all Austria loved him and hoped in him ? Ah, believe me. the emperor is di.s- trustful of all his brothers, and all our protestations of love and devotedness do uot touch him, but rebound powerlessly from the armor of jealousy with which he has steeled his heart against us. You see, I tell you all this with perfect composure, but I confess it cost me once many tears and in- ward struggles, and it was long before my heart became calm and resigned. My heart long yearned for love, confidence, and friendship. I have got over these yearnings now. and resigned myself to be lonely, and remain so all my life long. That is to say," added the archduke, with a gentle smile, holding out his hand to the count, " lonely, without a sister, without a brother — lonely in my family. However, I have found a most delightful compensation for this loneliness, for I call you and Hormayr friends ; I have my books, which always com- fort, divert, and amuse me ; and last, I have my great and glorious hopes regarding the future of the fatherland. Ah, how could I say that I was poor and lonely when I am so rich in hopes, and have two noble and faithful friends ? I am sure, Nugent, you will never desert me. but stand by me to the end 4 ANDREAS HOFER. — to the great day of victory, or to the end of our humiliation and disgrace ? " *' Your imperial highness knows full well that my heart ■will never turn from j'ou ; that I love and revere you ; that you are to me the embodiment of all that is noble, great, and beautiful ; that I would be joyfully ready at any hour to suf- fer death for you ; and that neither prosperity nor adversity could induce me to forsake you. You are the hope of my heart, you are the hope of my country— nay, the hope of all Germany. We all need your assistance, your heart, your arm ; for we expect that you will place yourself at the head of Germany, and lead us to glorious victories ! " " God grant that the hour when we shall take the field may soon come ! Then, my friend, I shall prove that I am ready, like all of you, to shed my heart's blood for the father- land, and conquer or die for the liberty of Austria, the liberty of Germany. For in the present state of aflPairs the fate of Germany, too, depends on the success of our arms. If we suc- cumb and have to submit to the same humiliations as Prussia, the whole of Germany will be but a French province, and the freedom and independence of our fatherland will be destroyed for long years to come. I am too weak to survive such a disgrace. If Austria falls, I shall fall too ; if German liberty dies, I shall die too.'' * " German liberty will not die ! " exclaimed Count Nugent, enthusiastically ; " it will take the field one day against all the powerful and petty tyrants of the fatherland. Then it will choose the Archduke John its general-in-chief, and he will lead it to victory ! " " No, no, my friend,'' said John, mournfully ; " Fate re- fuses to let me play a decisive part in the history of the world. My role will always be but a secondary one ; my will will al- ways be impeded, my arm will be paralyzed forever. You know it. You know that I am constantly surrounded by secret spies and eavesdroppers, who watch me with lynx-eyed vigilance, and misrepresent every step I take. It was always so, and will remain so until I die or become a decrepit old * The Archduke John's own words.— See " Forty-eiglit Letters from Archduke John of Austria to Johannes von Muller," p. 90. THE YEAR 1809. 5 man, whose arm is no longer able to wield the sword or even the pen. That I am young, that I have a heart for the suffer- ings of my country, a heart not only for the honor of Austria, but for that of Germany — that is what gives umbrage to them, what renders me suspicious in their eyes, and causes them to regard me as a revolutionist. I had to suffer a good deal for my convictions ; a great many obstacles were raised against all my plans ; and yet I desired only to contribute to the wel- fare of the whole ; I demanded nothing for myself, but every thing for the fatherland. To the fatherland I wished to de- vote my blood and my life ; for the fatherland T wished to conquer in the disastrous campaign of 1805. However, such were not the plans of my adversaries ; they did not wish to carry on the war with sufficient energy and pei'severance ; tliey would not give my brother Charles and me an oppor- tunity to distinguish ourselves and gain a popular name. Whenever I planned a vigorous attack, I was not permitted to carry it into effect. Whenever, with my corps, I might have exerted a decisive influence upon the fortunes of the war, I was ordered to retreat with my troops to some distant position of no importance whatever ; and when I remonstrated, they charged me with rebelling against the emperor's authority. Ah, I suffered a great deal in those days, and the wounds which my heart received at that juncture are bleeding yet. I had to succumb, when the men who had commenced the war at a highly unfavorable time, conducted it at an equally un- favorable moment, and made peace. And by that peace Aus- tria lost her most loyal province, the beautiful Tyrol, one of the oldest states of the Hapsburgs ; and her most fertile prov- ince, the territory of Yenetia and Dalmatia, for which I did not grieve so much, because it always was a source of political dissensions and quarrels for the hereditary provinces of Aus- tria. What afflicted me most sorely was the loss of the Tyrol, and even now I cannot think of it without the most profound emotion. It seemed as though Fate were bent on blotting out from our memory all that might remind us of our ancestors, their virtues, their patriotism, and their perseverance in the days of universal adversity ; and as though, in consequence of this, the spirit of the Hapsburgs had almost become extinct, 6 AiVDKEAS lIOKf'itt. and we were to lose all that they had gained in the days of their greatness.* But now Fate is willing to give us another opportunity to repair our faults and show that we are worthy of our ancestors. If we allow this to pass too, all is lost, not only the throne of the Hapsbargs, but also their honor ! " " This opportunity will not pass ! " exclairued the count. '■ The throne of the Hapsburgs will be preserved, for it is pro- tected by the Archdukes John and Charles, a brave army that is eager for a war with France, and a faithful, intrepid people, which is sincerely devoted to its imperial dynasty, which never will acknowledge another ruler, and which never will desert its Hapsburgs." , "Yes, the people will not desert us," said John, "but worse things may happen ; we may desert ourselves. Just look around, Nugent, and see how lame we have suddenly become again ; how we have all at once stopped half way, unable to decide whether it might not be better for us to lay down our arms again and surrender at discretion to the Emperor of the French." "Fortunately, it is too late now to take such a resolution ; for Austria has already gone so far that a hesitating policy at this juncture will no longer succeed in pacifying the Emperor of tlio French. And it is owing to the efforts of your imperial highness that it is so ; we are indeljted for it to your zeal, your energy, and your enthusiasm for the good cause, which is now no longer the cause of Austria, but that of Germany. And this cause will not succumb ; God will not allow a great and noble people to be trampled under foot by a foreign tyrant, who bids defiance to the most sacred treaties and the law of nations, and who would like to overthrow all thrones to con- vert the foreign kingdoms and empires into provinces of his empire, blot out the history of the nations and dynasties, and have all engulfed by his universal monarchy." "God may not decree this, but He may perhaps allow it if the will of the nations and the princes should not be strong enough to set bounds to such mischief. When the feeling of liberty and independence does not incite the nations to rise * Jolin's own words. — Sec " Forty-eight Letter.s from Archduke John to Johannes von MiiUer," p. 103. tHE YEAR 1809. ^ enthusiastically and defend their rights, God sends them a tj'rant as a scourge to chastise them. And such, I am afraid, is our case. Germany has lost faith in herself, in her honor ; she lies exhausted at the feet of the tyrant, and is ready to he trampled in the dust hy him. Just look around in our Ger- man fatherland. What do you see there ? All the sovereign princes have renounced their independence, and become Na- poleon's vassals ; they obey his will, they submit to his orders, and send their armies not against the enemy of Germany, but against the enemies of France, no matter vvhethei- those ene- mies are their German brethren or not. The German princes have formed the Confederation of the Ehiue, and the object of this confederation is not to preserve the frontier of the Rhine to Germany, but to secure the Rhine to France. The German princes are begging for honors and territories at the court of Napoleon ; they do not shrink from manifesting their fealty to their master, the Emperoi- of the French, by betraying the interests of Germany ; they are playing here at Vienna the part of the meanest spies ; they are watching all our steps, and are shameless enough to have the Emperor Napoleon reward their infamy by conferring royal titles on them, and to accept at his hands German territories which he took from German princes. Bavaria did not disdain to aggrandize her territories at our expense ; Wurtemberg accepts without blushing the territories of other German princes at the hands of Napoleon, who thus rewards her for the incessant warnings by which the King of Wurtemberg urges the Emperor of the French to be on his guard against Austria, and always distrust the inten- tions of the Emperor Francis * In the middle of the German empire we see a new French kingdom, Westphalia, established by Napoleon's orders ; it is formed of the spoils taken from Prussia and Hanover ; and the German princes suffer it, and the German people bow their heads, silently to the disgraceful foreign yoke ! Ah, Nugent, my heart is full of grief and anger, full of the bitterness of despair ; for I have lost faith in Germany, and see shudderingly that she will decay and die, as Poland died, of her own weakness. Ah, ii would be dreadful, dreadful, if we too, had to fall, as the unfortunate * Schlosser, " History cft'ie Eighteenth Century," vol. vii., p. 4b8. 8 ANDHEAS llOFER. Kosciusko did, with the despairing cry cf ''Finis Germa> nia',!'' " " No, that will never happen ! " cried Nugent. " No, Ger- many will never endure the disgrace and debasement of Po' land ; she will never sink to ruin and perish like Poland. It is true, a majority of the German princes bow to Napoleon's power, and we may charge them with infidelity and treason against Germany ; but we can not prefer the same charge against the German people and the subjects of the traitorous German princes. They have remained faithful, and have not yet lost faith in their fatherland. They are indignantly champing the bit with which their despots have shut their mouth ; and. in silence, harmony, and confidence in God, they are preparing for the great hour when they will I'ise, for the sacred dnj when they will break their shackles with the divine strength of a united and high-minded people. Everywhere the embers are smouldering under the ashes ; everywhere secret societies and leagues have been formed ; everywhere there are conspirators, depots of arms, and passwords ; everyw^here the people of Germany are waiting oiily for the moment when they are to strike the first blow, and for the signal to rise. And they are in hopes now that Austria will give the signal. Our preparations for war have been hailed with exultation through- out Germany : everywhere the people are ready to take up arms so soon as Austria draws the sword. The example of Spain and Portugal has taught the Germans how the arrogant conqueror must be met ; the example of Austria will fill them with bound- less enthusiasm, and lead them to the most glorious victories ! " '' And we are still temporizing and hesitating," exclaimed John, mournfully ; " we are not courageous enough to strike the first blow ! All is ready ; the emperor has only to utter the decisive word, but he refuses to do so ! " "The enthusiasm of his people will soon compel him and his advisers to utter that word," said Nugent. " Austria can no longer retrace her steps ; she must advance. Austria must lead Germany in the sacred struggle for liberty ; she can no longer retrace her steps." " God grant that your words may be verified ! " cried Joiai, lifting his tearful eyes to heaven ; " God grant that- --" THE VEaFL 18ny. Q A low rapping at the door leading to the small secret corri- dor caused the archduke to pause and turn his eyes with a searching expression to this door. The rapping was repeated, more rapidly than before. '' It is Hormayr," exclaimed the archduke, joyfully ; and he hastened to the secret door and opened it quickly. A tall young man, in the uniform of an Austrian superior officer, appeared in the open door. The archduke grasped botli his hands and drew him hastily into the cabinet. " Hormayr, my friend," he said, breathlessly, '' you have retui tied from the Tyrol ? You have succeeded in fulfilling' the mission with which I intrusted you ? You have carried my greetings to the Tyrolese ? Oh, speak, speak, my friend ! What do my poor, deserted Tyrolese say ? " Baron von Hormayr fixed his flashing dark eyes with an expression of joyful tenderness on the excited face of the ai'chduke. "The Tyrolese send greeting to the Archduke John," he said ; " the Tyrolese hope that the Archduke John will de- liver them from the hateful yoke of the Bavarians ; the Tyro- lese believe that the hour has arrived, when they may recover their liberty ; and to prove this — " " To prove this ? " asked the archduke, breathlessly, when Hormayr paused a moment. "To prove this," said Hormayr, in a lower voice, stepping up closer to the prince, "some of the most influential and respectable citizens of the Tyrol have accompanied me to Vienna ; they desire to assure your imperial highness of their loyal devotedness, and receive instructions from you." " Is Andreas Hofer, the landwirth, among them ? " asked the archduke, eagerly. " He is, and so are Wallner and Speckbacher. I bring to your imperial highness the leading men of the Tyrolese peas- ants, and w^ould like to know when I may introduce them to you, and at what hour you will grant a private audience to my Tyrolese friends ? " ^ " Oh, I will see them at once ! " exclaimed John, impa- tiently. " My heart longs to gaze into the faithful, beautiful eyes of the Tyrolese, and read in their honest faces if they 2 10 AiVDREAS HOFER. really are still devoted and attached to me. BriBg them to me, Hormayr ; make haste — but no, I forgot that it is broad daylight, and that the spies watching me have eyes to see, ears to hear, and tongues to report to the emperor as dreadful crimes all that they have seen and heard here. We must wait, therefore, until the spies have closed their eyes, until dai'k and reticent night has descended on earth, and — . Well, Coni'ad, what is it ? " the archduke interrupted himself, look- ing at his valet de chambre, who had just entered hastily by the door of the anteroom. "Pardon me, your imperial highness," said Conrad; "a messenger of her majesty the empress is in the anteroom. Her majesty has ordered him to deliver his message only to the archduke himself." " Let him come in," said the archduke. Conrad opened the door, and the imperial messenger ap- peared on the threshold. " Her majesty the Empress Ludovica sends her respects to the archduke," said the messenger, approaching the archduke respectfully. " Her majesty thanks your imperial highness for the book which you lent her ; and she returns it with sin- cere thanks. " An expression of astonishment overspread John's face, but it soon disappeared, and the archduke received with a calm smile the small sealed package which the messenger handed to him. " All right," he said ; " tell her majesty to accept my thanks." The messenger returned to the anteroom, and Conrad closed the door behind him. " Place yourself before the door, Nugent, that nobody may be able to look through the key-hole," whispered John, " for you know that I do not trust Conrad. And you, Hormayr, watch the secret door." The two gentlemen hastened noiselessly to obey. The archduke cast a searching glance around the walls, as if afraid that oven the silken hangings might contain somewhere an opening for the eyes of a spy, or serve as a cover to an ear of Dionysius. THE YliAR 1809. H " Something of importance mvist have occurred." whispered John ; " otherwise the empress would not have ventured to send me a direct message. I did not lend her a book, and you know we agreed with the ladies of our party to communicate direct news to each other only in cases of pressing necessity. Let us see now what it is." He hastily tore open the sealed package and drew from it a small prayer-book bound in black velvet. While he was turning over the leaves with a smile, a small piece of paper fluttered from between the gilt-edged leaves and dropped to the floor. " That is it," said John, smiling, picking up the paper, and fixing his eyes on it. '' There is nothing on it," he then ex- claimed, contemplating both sides of the paper. "There is not a word on it. It is only a book-mark, that is all. But, perhaps, something is written in the book, or there may be another paper." " No, your imperial highness," whispered Nugent, stepping back a few paces from the door. "The Princess Lichtenstein whispered to me yesterday, at the court < oncert. that she had obtained an excellent way of sending a written message to her friends and allies, and that, if we received a piece of white paper from the ladies of our party, we had better preserve it and read it afterward near the fireplace. " " Ah, sympathetic ink," exclaimed John ; " well, we will see." 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 gi'adually 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 an'ived. and, I believe, brought important news. The decisive hour is at hand. Hasten to the emperor ; leave nothing \indone to prevail on j2 ANDKEAS llOFEll. hii)i 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 w ill, in spite of him- self, be our ally, and by his defiant and arrogant bearing, at- tain for us the object which we have hitherto been unable to accomplish by our persuasion and our arguments. Make haste ! Buimi this paper." The archduke signed to his two confidants to come to him, and pointed to the paper. When they had hastily read tlie 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 T do what these mysterious lines ask of me ? Shall I go to the emperor without being summoned to him ? " " The emprecs 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." ex- claimed 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 I ' from his lips. The Tyrolese are only waiting for these words, to rise for their eniperor and become again his loving and do, voted 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 mantel- piece 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 ; im- plore 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 re- ceive them here at twelve o'clock to-night, and conduct them THE EMPEROR FRANCIS. 13 to me at that hour, my friend. We will hold a council of war ut 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, hut wish also to profit by the German music to make a political denionstration ; and they long for the pres- ence of the imperial court, that the emperor and his brothers may w^itness the patriotic enthusiasni 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 may 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 eyes 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 im- petuously close to the drawing on the table. '' I believe, forsooth, the cup is not straight," muimui*ed the emperor to himself, contemplating from all sides thcj diminu- tive object which had cost him so much laLc:'. '' 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 gi'ow crooked. But no matter — what God does is well done," added the emperor, crossing 14 ANDREAf^ HOFER. himself devoutly ; " even an emperor must not censure it, arid 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 comnienced industri- ously working at it with his sharp files, pointed knives, and gimlets. It was hard work : large drops of sweat stood on the empei'or s forehead ; his aniis ached, and his fingers became sore under the pressui-e of the knives and files ; but the em- peror did iiotniiud 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 em- peror'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 nnsealing these letters. The peach-stone had engrossed his attention this morning, and he had unsealed only one of the papers ; the emperor had i-ead only the report of the secret police on the events of the previous day. These reports of the secret jjolice and the Cldjf re-Cabinet were the favoi'ite 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 ma.iy important things to the emperor ; it had only informed him that, at daybreak, acourier from Paris had arrived at the house of the French ambassa- dor. Count Andreossi, and that there were good reasons to believe that he 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 had laid aside the report and recommenced his work on the cup ; and by this occupation he had succeeded in for- getting the burdensome duties of his imperial office. THE EMPEROR PRANCIS. 15 He was just trying very hard to jjlane one side of liis cup, when a low rap at the small door leading to the- naj-row corri- dor, and thence to the apartments of the empress, interrupted him. The emperor gave a start and looked toward the door, listening- and hoping, perhaps, tliat his ear might have de- ceived him. But no, the rapping was heard once more : there could no longer be a doubt of it — somebody sought admittance, and intended to disturb the peaceful solitude of the emperor. ''What does the empress want?'' murnutred Francis. "What does she come here for? I am afraid something un- pleasant lias happened again." He rose with a shrug from his chair, jnit his miniature cup hastily into the draAver 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 while 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 heav^' ringlets on both sides of her face, was adorned with a costly lace cap, from which wide ribbons of rose-colored satin flowed down on hei- shoulders. But the countenance of the empress did not correspond to this coquettish and 3'outhful dress. She was young and beautiful, but an expression of pro- found melancholy overspread her features. Her cheeks were transparently white, and a sad, touching smile quivered round her finely chiselled, narrow lips ; her high, expansive fore- head was shaded, as it were, by a cloud of sadness ; and her large black eyes shot, from time to time, gloomy flashes which seemed to issue from a gulf of fiery torture. But whatever passions might animate her delicate, ethereal form, the em- press had learned to cover her heart with a veil, and her lips never gave ixtterance to the suffe7*ings of her soul. Only her confidantes were allowed to divine them ; they alone knew that twofold tortures were racking Ludovica's fiery soul, those of hatred and wounded pride. Napoleon ! it was he whom the empress hated with indescribable bitterness ; and the neg- 16 ANDREAS HOFER. lect with which her consort, the Emperor Francis, treated her cut her proud heart to the quick. Thanks to the intrigues and immense riches of her mother, Beatrix of Este, Duchess of Mo- dena, she had become the wife of an emperor, and lierself an emp]-es3 ; but she had thereby obtained only an august posi- tion, not a liusbaud and partner. She was an empress in name only, but not in reality. Francis had given her his liand, but not his heart and his love. He disdained his beautiful, lovely wife ; he avoided any familiar intercourse with her with anxious timidity ; only in the presence of the court and the public did he treat the empress as his consort, and tolerate her near his person. At first Ludovica had submitted to this strange conduct on the part of her husband with proud indif- ference, and not the slightest murmur, not the mildest re- pi'oach, had escaped her lips. For it was not from love that she had chosen this husband, but from ambition and pride. She had told herself that it would be better for her to be Em- press of Austria than Princess of Modena and Este ; and even the prospect of being the third wife of Francis of Austria, and the stepmother of the ten children whom his second wife had borne to him, had not defended her. She meant to marry the emperor, and not the man ; she wished to play a prominent part, and exert a powerful influence on the destinies of the world. But these hopes were soon to prove utterly' futile. The emperor granted her publicly all the privileges of her ex- alted position by his side ; but in the privacy of herajiartments he never made her his confidante ; he refused to let her have any influence over his decisions ; he never consulted her as to the measures of his administration ; nay, he avoided alluding to such topics in her presence. Such was the grief that was gnawing at the heart of the young emi^ress — the wound from which her proud and lofty soul was bleeding. But for a few weeks past she had over- come her silent grief, and the presence of her mother, the shrewd and intriguing Duchess of Modena, seemed to have im- parted fresh strength to the empress, and confirmed her in her determination to conquer the heart and confidence of her bus band. Whereas she had hitherto met his indifference by proud retjcenoe, and feigned not to notice it, she was nci' THE EiirEROR FRANCIS. 17 kind aud even aif ectionate toward him ; and it often happened that, availing herself of the privilege of her position, she trav- ersed the private corridor separating her rooms from those of her husband, and, without being summoned to him, entered his cabinet to talk politics with him in spite of his undisguised aversion to doing so. The emperor hated these intei'views from the bottom of his heart; a shudder pervaded his soul, u;id a cloud covered his brow, whenever he heard the low rap of the empress at his private door. To-day, too, the dark cloud covered his fore- head even after the empress had entered his cabinet. Ludo- vica noticed it, and a mournful smile overspread her pale face for a moment. "As your majesty did not come to me to bid me good- morning, I have come to you," she said, in a gentle, kind voice, holding out her beautiful white hand to the emperor. Francis took it and pressed it to his lips. '"It is true," he said, evidently embarrassed, " I did not come this morning to pay my respects to you, but time was wanting to me. I had to go at once to my cabinet and work; I am very busy." "I see," said Ludovica; "your majesty's dress still bears the traces of your occupation." The emperor hastened to brush away with his hands the small particles of the peach-stone that had remained on his shirt-bosom and his sleeve; but while he was doing this his brow darkened still more, and he cast a gloomy and defiant glance on the empress. " Look, empress," he said ; " perhaps you belong to the secret police, and have been employed to watch me in order to find out what I am doing when I am alone in my cabinet. Why, if I found out that that was so, I should be obliged to be on my guard and have this door walled up, so that my esteemed consort might no longer be able to surprise and watch me." " Your majesty will a.ssuredly not do that," said Ludovica, whose voice was tremulous, and whose cheeks had turned even paler than before. "No, your majesty will not make Jiie undergo the humiliation of making known to the world the deplorable secret with which we alone have hitherto been acquainted. Your majesty will pot deprive me of the only 18 AXDREAS HOFER. privilege which I enjo}^ in conimoD with your former con- sorts, and thereby proclaim to the world that I am in this palace a stranger who has not even access to the rooms of her husband.'" " I do not say that I intend to do it," said Francis, shrug- ging his shoulders; "I say only that it is hi<^"lily repugnant to me to have my steps dogged and watched in any manner. It is true, my former consort had also the keys of this ])i'ivate corridor, but — pardon me for this remark, your majesty — the empress never used these keys, but always waited for me to open the door." "And she did not wait in vain," said the empress, quickly; " your majesty never failed to come, for you loved your con- sort, and I have been told you never suffered even a few hours to pass by without leaving your cabinet and crossing the secret corridor to repair to the rooms of the empress." '• But the good Ejupress Theresa," exclaimed the emperor, *' when I was with her, never endeavored to talk to me about politics and state affairs." " I understand that," said Ludovica ; " you had both so many mutual interests to converse about. You had your mutual love, your children, to talk about. I, who am so unhappy as not to be able to talk with you about such matters, how intensely so- ever my heart longs for it, must content myself with coversing with my husband on different subjects; and I desire to share at least his cares when I cannot share his love. My husband, I beseech you, do not disdain my friendship; accept a friend's hand, which I offer to you honestly and devotedly." "My God, that is precisely what I long for !" exclaimed the emperor fervently, again pressing to his lips the hand which the empress held out to him. " My fondest wish is ful- filled when your majesty will give me your friendship, and confide in me as your best, most devoted, and faithful friend ! " "But this confidence must be reciprocated, my dearest friend," said Ludovica, putting her hand on the emperor's shoulder, and gazing long and ardently into his eyes. " Your majesty must confide in me too, and count implicitly on my fidelity." " That is what I do," said Francis, hastily ; " never should THE EMPEROR FRANCIS. 19 t dare to doubt the fidelity of the purest, chastest, and most virtuous empress and lady — the fidelity of my wife." " I did not refer to the wife's fidelity," said Ludovica, sigh- ing, " but to the fidelity of my friendship, which is joyously ready to share all your cares and afflictions." " 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, liow happy you make me by these words ! " exclaimed Ludovica, and a faint blush beautified her noble face. "I will let you i)articipate 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 giv^e it to Maria Louisa, who delights in such things; but when I had nearly fin- ished 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 &x it. It would be an everlasting disgrace for an emperor to he 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, smil 20 ANDREAS HOFER. ing, " 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 yoiu'self said just now it would be an ev^erlasting dis- grace for an emperor to be unable to straighten anything which he 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 unwoi-tliy of his imperial dignity. If such is his duty in regard, to a thing so insignificant as a peach-stone, how much more ur- gent 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 aii'airs 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, he 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 tlie 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 when he has to deal with lambs, and 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 Auster- litz over us, and we had to submit to him, and accept the terms of peace wnich he imposed on us." "^es, your majesty had to svibinit to him." cried the ein- THE EMPEROR FRAxXClS. 21 press, ardenlly ; "you were oblij^ed 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 x'eople, and prevent all Austria from sinlcing 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.* Nevertheless, the truth cannot be gainsaid, and the truth is that the Emperor Na- poleon 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 piit an end to (his unnatural state of affairs," exclaimed the empress, ve- hemently ; " to strengthen the thrones, and restore at length tranquillity to Europe. And there is only one waj" of doing this, my lord and emperor, and that is war ! We must de- stroy 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 posi- tion of the King of Prussia is a pleasant and honoiable 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 I war ! ' and that that will be sufficient to conquer Bonaparte. But, empi'ess, a great deal more is required for that purpose than the fanatical war-clamor of the ai'istocratic saloons, and the scribblings of the journalists and patriotic poets ; in order to attain so grand an object, it is indispensable that all Ger- many should rise, take up arms, and attack the enemy with united forces." * The emperor's own words. — See " Lebensbilder aus dem BefreiungB- kriege," vol. i. 22 ANDREAS^ UOFEU. " It is as your majesty says," exclaimed Ludovica, enthusi- astically ; " all Germany is ready for the struggle against the enemy. The nation is only waiting for Austria to give the signal, draw the swoid, 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, tliey are phrases with very little sense in them. For just tell me. empress, where is the Germany which, you say, is only wait- ing for Austria to give the signal ? Where are the German armies which, you say, are only waiting- for Austria to ad- vance, 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, T 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 mai'ch against Austria and f.trive 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 blind- ed by brave words and bombastic phrases ; I know that Austria, in case a war shoiild 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 neu- trality 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, and Napoleon has numerous allies." •'But your majesty has a powerful ally in the universal enthusiasm of the Austrians and Germans, in the universal indignation of the nations against Napoleon. You have pub- lic opinion on your side, and that is the most powerful ally." THE EMPEROR FRANCIS. 23 " All, let me aloue with that abominable ally," cried the emperor, vehemently ; '' I do not want to hear of it nor to have anything to do with it. Public opinion is the hobby which my brother, the popular Archduke John, is riding all the time ; but it will throw liim one day into the mire, and then he will find out what it really amounts to. Pray, never speak to me again of public opinion, for I detest it. It smells of revolution and insui'rection, and, like a patient donkey, suffers itself to be led by whosoever offers it a thistle as a bait. I renounce once for all the alliance of public ojjinion, and I do not care whether it blesses or crucifies me, whether it calls me emperor or blockhead. You see now, empress, that I am entirely isolated, for the ally which you offer to me will do me no good ; I do not want it, and I have no other allies. I thought it necessary to arm, in view of the formidable arma- ments of France, and show our adversary that I am not afraid of him, but am prepared for every thing. I therefore put my army on the war footing, and showed Bonaparte that Austria is able to cope with him. and that money and well-disciplined armies are not wanting to her. But just now I shall not pro- ceed any further, and, unless something important .should occur, all this war-clamor and all importunities will make no impression on me. The important event to which I al hided would be Napoleon's defeat in Spain, whereby he would be compelled to keep his armies there. In that event, I should no longer be isolated, but Spain would be my ally, and I should probably declare war. But if matters should tiirn out otherwise, if fortune should favor Napoleon there as every V. liere else, necessity alone will determine my course. I shall not attack, and thereby challenge fate of my own accord ; but I shall wait, sword in hand, for Napoleon to attack me. If he does, God and my good right will be on my side, and what- ever may be the result of the struggle, people will be unable to say that I rashly plunged into war and broke the peace. If we succumb, it is the will of God and the Holy Virgin, and not, our fault. And now, empress," said the emperor, drawing a deep breath, " I have complied with your wishes and talked poli- tics with you. I think it will be enough once for all, and you and you political friends will perceive that you cannot do any 24: ANDREAS nOFER. tiling with me, and that it will be best for you to let n^e en- tirely alone ; for I am so stubborn as not to allow others to lead me, but pursue my own course. You have promised me, empress, to be a faithful friend to me. I ask you now to give me a proof of your friendship. Let us speak of something else than politics ; that is all that I ask of your friendship." " Well, then, let us drop the subject," said the empress, with a deep sigh. " Your majesty will be kind enough to permit me now to ask a favor of you ? " " Ah, you speak as if there were anything that I could refuse you," exclaimed the emperor, smiling. Ludovica bowed slightly. " I pray you, therefore," she said, " to be kind enough to accompany me to the concert which is to be given at the university hall. Haydn's ' Cre- ation' will be perfoi-med there, and I believe the old maestro himself will be present to receive the homage of his ad- mirers." " H'm, h'm ! I am afraid there is something else behind it," said the emperor, thoughtfully, "and the audience will fiiot content itself with merely offei-ing homage to old Haydn. But no matter, your majestj^ wishes to go to the concert, and it will afford me pleasure to accompany my empress." At this moment they heard a low I'ap at the door leading from the emperor's cabinet into the conference-room, where the officers of the private imperial chancery were working. " Well, what is it ? " exclaimed the emperor. " Come in ! " The emperor's private chamberlain slipped softly through the half-opened door, and, on beholding the empress, he stood still without uttering a word. " Never mind, the empress will excuse you," said Francis. "Just tell me what you have come in for." " Your majesty," said the chamberlain, " the French am- bassador. Count Andreossi, has just arrived, and requests your majesty to grant him an audience. He says he wishes to communicate information of great importance to you." " Why did he not apply to my minister of foreign affairs ? " asked the emperor, indignantly. " Your majesty, the ambassador begs your pardon, but he THE EMPKKOK FRANCIS. 25 says the Emperor Napoleon gave hini express orders to en- deavor if possible to speak with your majesty." " And he is already in the anteroom, and waits for an im- mediate audience ? " " Yes, your majesty." " Well, then, I will i*eceive him," said the emperor, rising. " Conduct the ambassador to the small audience-room. — Well ? " asked the emperor, wouderiugly, when the chamber- lain did not withdraw. " You do not go ? Do you wish to tell me any thing else ? " " I do, your majesty. A courier has just arrived from Paris with pressing dispatches from Count Metternich to your majesty." "Ah, that changes the matter!" exclaimed the emperor. " Tell the ambassador that I can not receive him now, but that he is to come back in an hour, at eleven precisely, when I shall be ready to receive him. Tell the courier to come to me at once." The chamberlain slipped noiselessly out of tbe door, and the emperor turned again to the empress "Empress," he said, "' do me the honor of permitting me to offer you my arm, and conduct you back to your rooms. You see I am a poor, tormented man, who is so overwhelmed with business that he cannot even chat an hour with his wife without being disturbed. Pity me a little, and prove it to me by permitting me henceforth to rest in your presence from the cai'es of business, and not talk politics." " The wish of my lord and emperor shall be fulfilled," said the empress, mournfully, taking the arm which the emperor offered to her to conduct her back to her rooms. Just as she crossed the threshold of the imperial cabinet, and stepped into the corridor, she heard the voice of the chamberlain, who announced : '" The courier fi-om Paris, Counsellor von Hudelist." " All right, I shall be back directly ! " exclaimed the em- poror, and he conducted the empress with a somewliat accel- erated step through the corridor. In front of the door at its end he stood still and bowed to the empress with a pleas- ant smile. 3 or, ANDREAS HOFER. " I have conducted you now to the frontier of your reahn," said Francis ; " permit me, therefore, to return to mine. Farewell ! We shall go to the concert to-night. Fare- well ! " Without waiting for the reply of the empress, he turned and hastily, re-entered his cabinet. Ludovica entered her room and locked the door behind her. " Closed forever ! " she said, with a sigh. " At least I shall not try again to avail myself of this door, and shall not expose myself again to the sneers of the emperor. I must, then, bear this disgrace ; I must submit to being disdained and repudiated by my husband ; I But hush ! " the empress interrupted herself, " this is no time for bewailing my per- sonal fate, for the fate of all Austria is at stake at this junc- ture Highly important events must have occurred at Paris, else Metternich would not have sent his confidant and assist- ant Hudelist, nor would Andreossi demand an audience in so impetuous a manner. Perhaps this intelligence may at length lead to a decision to-day, or we may at least contribute to such a result. I will write to the Archduke John, and ask him to see the emperor. Pei'haps he will succeed better than I did in persuading my husband to take a determined stand." She hastened to her writing-desk, and penned that mys- terious little note which she sent to the Archduke John in the book which she pretended he had lent to her. CHAPTER III. THE COURIER AND THE AMBASSADOR. The emperor, in returning to his ca])i!iet, like the empress, carefully locked the door behind him He then turned hastily to the courier, who was standing near the opposite door, and was just bowing most ceremoniously to his maj- esty. " Hudelist, it is really you, then ? " asked the emperor. *' You left your post by the side of Metternich without obtain- THE COURIER AND THE AMBASSADOR. 27 ing my permission to come to Vienna ? Could you not find any other man to bring your dispatches ? I had commis- sioned you to remain always by the side of Metternich, watch him carefully, and inform me of what he was doing and thinking." " Your majesty, I have brought my report with me," said Hudelist ; " and as for your majesty's order that I should always remain by the side of Count Metternich, I have hard- ly violated it by coming to Vienna, for I believe the Count will follow me in the course of a few days. Unless your maj- esty recalls him to Vienna, the Emperor Napoleon, I think, will expel him from Paris." " You do not say so ! " exclaimed Francis, slu-ugging his shoulders. '' You think he will issue a manifesto against Metternich, as he did against the Prussian minister Von Stein ? Well, let me hear the news. What have you to tell me?" " So many important things, your majesty, that the count and myself deemed it expedient to report to your majesty verbally, rather than send a dispatch which might give you only an unsatisfactory idea of what has occurred. Hence I came post-haste to Vienna, and arrived here only a quarter of an hour since ; I pray your majesty therefore to pardon me for appearing before you in my travelling- dress." "Sit down, you must be tired," said the emperor, good-na- turedly, seating himself in an arm-chair, and pointing to the opposite chair. " Now tell me all ! " "Your majesty," said Hudelist. mysteriously, while a strange expression of mischievous joy overspread his ugly, pale face, " the Emperor Napoleon has returned from Spain to France. " The Emperor Francis gave a start and frowned. " Why ?" he asked. " Because he intends to declare war against Austria," said Hudelist, whose face brightened more and more. " Because Napoleon is distrustful of us, and convinced that Austria is intent on attacking him. Besides, he felt no longer at ease in Spain, and all sorts of conspiracies had been entered into in 2g ANDREAS HOFER. Paris, whereby liis return might have been rendered impossi- ble if he had hesitated any longer." " Who were the conspirators ? " "Talleyrand and Fouche, the dear friends and obedient servants of the Emperor Napoleon. He knows full well what their friendship and devotedness amount to. Hence he had the two gentlemen well watched, and it seems his spies sent him correct reports, for, after returning from Spain, he re- buked them unmercifully ; he told them, with the rage of a true Corsican, and regardless of etiquette, what miserable fellows they were, and how high he stood above them." " And yet he would like so much to be an emperor in strict accordance with court etiquette," said the emperor, laughing. " He is anxious to have such a court about him as Louis XIV. had. But the lawyer's son always reappears in the emperor, and, if it please God, He will one day deprive him of all his power and splendor." "And, if it please God, your majesty will be His in- strument in putting an end to Napoleon's power and splen- dor," cried Hudelist, with a smile which distorted his face strangely, and caused two rows of large yellow teeth to appear between the pale lips of his enormous mouth. "It is true he stands firm as yet, and rebukes his ministers as Nero did his freedmen. Talleyrand was still thunderstruck at what the emperor had told him, when he had an interview with Count Metternich and myself in Fouche's green-house. To be sure, the phrases which he repeated to us were well calculated to make even the blood of a patient minister boil. Napoleon sent for the two ministers immediateh' after his arrival ; when they came to him, he let them stand at the door of his cabinet like humble suppliants, and, running up and down before them, and casting fiery glances of anger upon them, he up- braided them with their conduct, and told them he was aware of all their intrigues, and knew that they were conspiring with Austria, Spain, and, throu^^h Spain, with England. Then he suddenly stood still in front of them, his hands folded on his back, and his glances would have crushed the two minis- ters if they had not had such a thick skin ' You are imjnident enough to conspire against me ! ' he shouted, in a thundering THE COURIER AND THE AMBASSADOR. 29 voice. ' To whom are you indebted foi' every tiling — for your honors, rank, and wealth ? To me alone ! How can you pre- serve them ? By me alone ! Look backward, examine your past. If the Bourbons had reascended the throne, both of you would have been hanged as regicides and traitors. And you plot against me ? You must be as stupid as you are ungrate- ful, if you believe that anybody else could promote your in- terest as well as I have done. Had another revolution broken out, on whatever side you might have placed your- selves, you would certainly have been the first to be ci'ushed by if"* " That is very plain talk, indeed,'' said Francis, laughing. " But Talleyrand and Fouche have sound stomachs ; they will digest it, and not get congestions in consequence of it pro- vided the emperor does not punLsh them in a different man- ner." " For the time being, he only punished Talleyrand, whom he deprived of the position and salary of lord chamberlain. Fouche remained police minister, but both are closely watched by Napoleon's secret police. Nevertheless, they succeeded in holdiag a few unobserved interviews with us. Count Metter- nich learned also from another very well-informed quarter, many accurate details regarding the plans and intentions of the Emperor Napoleon." '' What do you mean ? What well-informed quarter do you refer to ? " asked the emperor. "Your majesty," said Hudelist, with a significant grin, *' Count Metternich is a very fine-looking man ; now, Queen Caroline of Naples, Mui'afs wife, and Napoleon's favorite sis- ter, is by no means insensible to manly beauty, and she ac- cepted with evident satisfaction the homage which the count offered to her. For the rest, Napoleon winked at and encour- aged this flirtation ; for, previous to his departure for Spain, he said to his sister loud enough to be overheard by some of our friends, '' Aviusez-nous ce niais. Monsieur de Metternich. Nous en avons besoin a present .' ' " f Madame Caroline * Napoleon's own words.— See Schlosser, "History of the Eisrhteenth Cen- tury," vol, ^iii., p. 488 t Hormayr, •' The Emperor l''ranci.s and Metternich, a Fragment, p. 55, 30 ANDREAS HOFER. Murat told Count Metternich, for instance, that it is the Kings of Bavaria and Wiirtembxirg that keep their spies for Napo- leon here in Vienna, and that tliey urged Napoleon vehemently to return from Spain in order to declare war against Austria. And Napoleon is determined to comply with their wishes. He travelled with extraordinary expedition from Madrid to Paris, stopping only at Valladolid, where he shut himself u}) for two days with Maret, his minister of foreign aflPairs, and dispatched eighty -four messages in difiPerent directions, with orders to concentrate his forces in Germany, and call out the full contingents of the Rhenish Confederacy. His own troops and these German Contingents are to form an army to which he intends to give the name of ' the German Army of the Em- peror Napoleon.' Although Count Metternich was aware of all this, he hastened to attend the great reception which took plaitli the hollow cheeks ; the dim eyes deeply imbedded in their sockets, and the clouded bi*ow, on which thin tufts of hair hung down, was not the face of a bold captain, confident of achieving brilliant triumphs by his heroic deeds, and deserv- ing of the name of the hope and consolation of Austria. But the Austrians did call him by that name, and the glory of his military achievements, which tilled not only Austria but the THE EMPEROR AND HIS BROTHERS. 41 whole of Germany, caused them really to build their hopes on the Archduke Charles, despite his very feeble heaUh. The Emperor Francis was aware of this ; he knew that the Arch- dukes Chai'les and John were by far more popular than he was ; lience he was jealous of and angry with then; — nay, he almost hated them. "You look very pale and sick to-day, my dear Archduke Charles," said the emperor, after a pause, during- wliicli he had contemplated the ai'chduke with a searching expie^^siuu. " I am very feeble and unwell, your majesty," sighed Charles ; " and but for the special request of my brother, the Ai'chduke John, I ►shotild not have dared to come here this morning. Howevei', I am afraid that I can do but little to comply with his wishes, and that my brothei' John will soon think it would have been better for him not to ask nie to ac- company him to your majesty." " Ah, then, you are after all not so harmonious as I thought when I saw you entering here together!" exclaimed the emperor, laughing. "There are still differences of opin- ion, then, between the two pillars of my throne, and were I to lean on one, the otlier would totter and give way. Well, what do you want ? What brought you here ? " " Your majesty, only the intense desire to dedicate our services to Austria and our emperor ! " exclaimed John, en- thusiastically. "We wished to implore your majesty to utter at length the word that will deliver Austria and all Germany. Your majesty, this hesitation and silence rests like a night- mare on every heart and every bosom ; all eyes are fixed hopefully on your majesty. Oh, my lord and emperor, one word from your lips, and this nightmare will disap])ear ; all hearts will rejoice in blissful ecstasy, and every bosom will expand and breathe more freeh^ when your majesty shall utter this word: 'War! war!' We hold the sword in oui- hands ; let the will of my august emperor give us the right now to draw the sw^ord against him who, for years past, has swept like a destructive hurricane through all Germany, all Europe, and who tramples alike on princes and peoples, on liberty and law. Your majesty, in the name of your people, in the name of all German patriots, I bend my knees here be- 42 ANDREAS HOFER. fore my lord and emperor, and thus, kneeling and full of rev- erence, I inaploi'e your majesty to let the hour of deliverance sti'ike at length ; let us, with joyful courage, expel the enemy who has already so long been threatening our frontiers with defiant arrogance : let us take the field against the impudent usurper, and wrest from him the laurels which he gained at Austerlitz, and of which he is so proud. Your majesty, your people are filled with warlike ardor ; your faithful Tyrolese are w^aitiug only for a signal to break their chains and rise for their beloved emperor. Your Italian provinces are long- ing for the day when war shall break out, in order to avenge themselves on the tyrant who promised them liberty and brought them only slavery. The hour of retribution has come for Napoleon ; may your majesty consult our best inter- ests by saying that we are to profit by this hour, and that war, a mortal struggle, is to begin now against the Emperor of the French ! " And, still bending his knees before the emperor, John looked up to him with longing, beseeching eyes. Francis looked down on him with a gloomy air, and the noble and enthusiastic face of his brother, who was ten years younger, and much stronger and better-looking, made a dis- agreeable impression on him. " Rise, brother," he said, coldly ; " your knees must ache, and I, for my part, do not like such theatrical scenes at all, and such fine phrases make but little impression on my cold and prosy heart. I am accustomed to follow always my con- victions, and when I advance a step, I must be sure not to fall into an abyss which some poetical hero may perhaps have merely covered for me with his flowery phrases. That I am aware of the dangers threatening us on the part of France I have proved by putting the army on the war footing, by in- trusting you. Archduke John, with organizing the militia and the reserves in accordance with the plan you drew up for that purpose ; and by placing you. Archduke Charles, at the head of my army and appointing you generalissimo. " "An honor, \our majesty, which I accepted with reverent gratitude, althougli it almost ciushes me at the present time," said the Archduke Charles, with a sigh, " Permit we now, THE EMPEROR AND HIS BROTHERS. 43 your majesty, to open my heart to you, and lay my innermost thoughts at your feet. To do so, I accompanied my brother John to you. He said he would implore your majesty once more to postpone the declaration of war no longer, but utter at length the decisive Avord. I implored him not to do so, aud not to force us to engage prematurely in a war that could not but bring the greatest calamities on Austria. But my dea)- brother would not listen to my remonstrances and prayers : he called me a secret friend and admirer of Napoleon ; he de- manded that I should at least speak out freely aud openly in your majesty's presence, and refute him if I could, or yield to him if my arguments should prove untenable. Your majesty, I have therefore complied with the wishes of my brother, the Archduke John ; I have come to you, but only to say to my lord and emperor : Your majesty, I implore you, in the name of your people and your throne, do not yet uusheath the sword ! Wait until our army is ready for the contest, and until our armaments are completed. Do not plunge rash- ly into war, lest victoi'y escape us. A great deal remains to be done yet before we can say that our armaments aie completed ; and only after being fully prepared can w^e dare to take the field against the Emperor Napoleon and his hither- to victorious legions." "Ah, do you hear our Fabius Cunctator, brother John, the Lion-hearted ! " exclaimed the emperor, sarcastically. " Which of you is right, and whose wise advice shall I follow now — I, the poor emperor, who is not strong and sagacious enough to be his own adviser and advance a step without liis brothers ? John, the learned soldier, beseeches me to declare war, and Chai'les, the intrepid hero, implores me not to do so. What am I, the poor emperor, who cannot advise himself, and who receives too much advice from otliers, to do under such circumstances ? Whose will must I siibmit to ? " " Your majesty," cried John, in dismay, " it is we that must submit ; it is your Avill on which depends the decision. I im- plore your majesty to declare war, because I deem it necessary ; but, if your majesty should take a different i*esolution, I shall submit silently and obediently." *'A»d I," said Charles, "requested you to postpone the 44 ANDREAS nOFRR. declaration of war, because I do not believe that we are suffi- ciently prepared for the contest ; but, like my brother, I shall submit silently if your majesty should take a different resolu- tion." '• Indeed, will you do so, archdukes ? " asked the empei-or, in a scornful tone. " Will you be mindful of your duties a& subjects, and, instead of giving- me unnecessary advice, obey me silently ? " Tbe two archdukes bowed to indicate their submissiveness The emperor advanced a few steps, and proudly raising- ills head, he looked at his tA\ o brothers with a stern and imperious expression. "Let me tell yoii, then, archdukes, what I, your lord and emperor, have resolved,'" fti;id Francis, sternly. " I have re solved to declare war ! '" Two loud cries resounded with one accord ; a cry of J05 burst from John's lips, a ci-y of dismay from those of Chai'les. Pale, reeling like a drunken man, the generalissimo ap- proached the emperor and held out his hands to him with u beseeching expression. ''Your majesty," he said, ''you have resolved to declare war, but you do not mean to say that it is to commence im- mediately ? " " That is what I mean to say," replied the emperor, sarcas- tically. The Archduke Charles turned still paler than before ; a strange tremor passed through his frame, his head dropped on his bosom, and a deep groan issued from his breast. The Archduke John, forgetful of his quarrel with his brother Charles, at the sight of the latter's profound grief, hastened to him, and tenderly grasped both his hands. " Brother," he asked, anxiously, " what is the matter ? Are you unwell ?" ' " I am," said Charles, wiping from his forehead the large drops of sweat standing on it. " I am unwell, but I must say a few additional words to the emperor. I must dischwe to him a melancholy secret of which I heard only an hour ago. — Your majesty, I implore you once more, postpone the war as long as possible ; for — hear my terrible secret — we have THE EMPEROR AND HIS BROTHERS. 45 been infamously defrauded by Commissary-General von Fass- bender.'' "Your intimate friend?" interposed the emperor, with a scornful luug-h. "Yes, my intimate friend," exclaimed the archduke, in a loud, shrill voice; "he deceived me most shamefully. All the army contracts had been intrusted to him, and he assured me he had filled them in the most conscientious manner. I believed him, and it is only now that I find out that he has shamefully deceived me and his emperor. All his bills for the supplies which he pretended to have furnished are in my hands, but the troops did not get the supplies. The scoundrel sent only sour flour, bad linen, and moth-eaten uniform clotlj to the regiments, and yet he drew enormous sums of money for the full amount of his contracts." "We shall compel the thief to disgorge his ill-gotten gains," cried the emperor. " No, your majesty," said Charles, with a groan ; and leaii- ing more firmly on his brother's arm, in order not to sink to the floor, he added : " no, your majesty, the criminal is be- yond the reach of your power. He escaped from human justice by committing suicide an hour ago. The criminal has fled from his judges, but his crimes remain, and our army sufl'ers in consequence of them. Now your majesty knows all, you will take back your word, and say no longer that you will declare war. You will be gracious enough to give me time to repair the injury resulting from the crimes of the commissary-general, and to provide the army with all that is unfortunately wanting to it as yet." "No," cried the emperor vehemently, "I will not I I will not take back my word, and I had already made up my mind before you, my brothers, entered here to assist me so generous- ly by your wisdom. War Avill be declared immediately ; my resolution is irrevocable. I have ah*eady informed the French ambassador of it, and ordered him to leave Vienna this very day. Your warnings come just as much too late as did John's entreaties. I did what I myself deemed best ; and I deemed it best to declare war against Bonaparte, in reply to his in- tolerable arrogance. Every thing is fixed and settled ; war 4ti ANDREAS HOFRU. will comiiionce williout delay : and you, Archduke Charles, arc the generalissimo of my army." The Archduke Charles made no reply ; he uttered a pain- ful groan and sank to the floor by John's side. All his limbs trembled and quivered ; his pale face became distorted, he clinched his lists, and his eyes were glassy as though he were dying. " He has one of his fits," said the emperor calmly, looking down on his brother. "Call his servants anci his doctor. Archduke John, that thoy may remove the generalissimo to another room and admini«ter medicine to him." John rushed to the door, and soon the servants and the idiysician, who always accompanied the Archduke Charles, hastened into the room. They lifted with practised hands the archduke, who was still writhing in convulsions, and carried him tenderly out of the room. .John, who, vpith touching solicitude, had remained near the suflPerer, would have accompanied him ; but a word from the emperor called him back. '' Stay a moment, archduke," said Francis ; " the Archduke l^harles only has his fits, and his servants will take care of liini. I have yet to speak a few words with you. This will i)C a formidable war, brother, and we must see to it that it breaks out at the same time in all quarters of our em])irc, and that the people rise with one accord and take up arms. We have made our preparations everywhere, and our emissaries have done their duty ; they have everywhere enlisted friends of our cause, and established committees which have mado all necessary dispositions for the defence of the country. Yon yourself sent your emissary. Baron von Hormayr, to yonr beloved Tyrol ; if I am correctly informed, he has already returned to Vienna." "Your majesty, he arrived here this morning," said John, looking at his brother with an ah- of surprise and even ter- ror. This did not escape the emperor, and a smile of satisfaction lit up his face. " You see, my agents serve me very well, and I am aware of all that is going on," said Francis, gravely. " I know, too, THE EMPEROR AND HIS BROTHERS. 47 that Baron von Hormayr has returned to Vienna Jiot alone, btxt accompanied by some good friends. I believe you did not come here to give me your advice, but to beg xjermirssion to re- ceive your Tyrolese friends at your palace to-night." " What ! '' asked John, surprised ; '' your majesty is aware of this, too ? " " I have told you already that my agents serve me very well. Let this be a warning to you not to do or undertake any thing that you would like to conceal from me. I know that Andreas Hofer is here, to concert with you some sort of plan for the insurrection of the Tyrol. Under the present circumstances I permit you to do so, for it is really important that the German and Italian Tyrol should rise ; and as we arc going to have war, we will strive to recover our Tyrol. But we must proceed cautiously, and the world must not find out that we instigated the Tyrolese to rise in arms. That would be setting a bad example to the other nations of our empire. We may at times profit by popular insurrections, but must be- ware of letting the world know that we ourselves brought them about. Hence, I do not want to know any thing of your Tyrolese, and shall not grant them an audience. But I permit you to do so, and you may tell these bi'ave Tyrolese, too, that I should be glad if they would become again my dear subjects." " Your majesty,'' exclaimed John, joyously, "these words of their emperor will be the signal for them to rise as one man, take their rifles, and expel the Evil One. that is to say, the Bavarians." " I shall be glad to see the Tyrolese do so, and, moreover, do it in time," said the emperor, nodding his head. " Repeat my words to Andreas Hofer, brother John, and pledge him my word that, if we recover the Tyrol this time, we shall never give it up again. But Andreas Hofer must behave with great prudence, and not show himself to the public here, but keej) in the background, that the police may wink at his presence in Vienna, and act as though they did not see him and his friends. And now, brother, farewell, and inquire if the gen- eralissimo has recovered from his fit. It would be bad, in- deed, if these fits should befall him once in the midst of a bat- 48 ANDREAS HOFER. tie. Wei], let us hope for the best for us all, and especially for the Tyrol. You have now a great task before you, John, for you will receive a command ; you shall assist the Tyrolese in shakinfr off tlie foreign voke." " Oh, my lord and emperor," exclaimed John, with a radi- ant face and fiery glance, '' how kind and gracious you are to-day ! It is the heart of a brother that speaks out of your mouth — of a brother w^ho wishes to make me happy, and knows how to do so. Yes, send me with a corps to the assist- ance of the Tyrolese ; let me bring freedom and salvation to my beloved mountaineers. That is a task which fills me with boundless ecstasy, and for which I shall always be grateful and devoted to you, brother." " Be devoted to your emperor, archduke," said Francis, smiling; "the brothers will get along well enough ; they have nothing to do with politics and public affairs. Fare- well, John. But, remember, we shall meet again to-day, for I shall summon the ministers and generals to a consultation, and you will, of course, be present. Once more, then, fare- well !" He nodded repeatedly to the archduke and left the room with unusual quickness. The emperor walked hastily and with a gloomy face through the adjoining room, and entered his cabinet, the door of which he closed rather noisily. " I am to let him bring freedom and salvation to his be- loved mountaineers," murmured Francis to himself — " to his mountaineers ! I believe he would be glad if they really were hi.s, and if he could become King of the Tyrol. Well, we shall see. I have lulled his suspicion by permitting him to hold intercourse with the Tyrolese, and concert plans with then). We shall .see how far my brother will go, and what his gratitude and devotion will amount to. It is a troublesome burden for me to have such dangerously ambitious and re- nowned brothers, against whom I must be constantly on my guard. I would I could pick them off as quickly as I remove the flies from this wall." Bo saying, he took from the table the fly flap which had al- ways to lie on it in readiness, and entered upon bis favorite amusement, the pursuit of the flies on the wall and furniture, THE KilPEROR AND HIS BROTH EUS. 49 which his servants took good care not to drive from the em- peror's cabinet, because Francis would never have pardoned them for spoiling his sport. Walking along the walls with a rapid step, the emperor commenced killing the flies. " Ha ! " he exclaimed, striking a fly, " ha ! brother Charles, this stroke is intended for you. Reall3% there lies the fly writhing, as the generalissimo did, on the floor. But he has a tougher life than (he fly ; for the fly will writhe until it is eror, who was standing smilingly in his box, and the empress, from whose eyes two large tears rolled down her pale cheeks ; and with one accord the vast crowd commenced singing : " Gott erhalte Franz ilcii Kaiser, Unserii guteii Kaiser Frniiz ! Langc, iehe Fran/, der Kaiser In dos Gliiclies lielleni Kranz ! Ihra erbliihcTi Tjorbeerreiser, Wo er geht, zuiii Ehrenkranz. Gott erhalte—" * * "God preserve the emperor, Franci.s, our itnoiX emperor! Loiicr live P^riiiicis, hritjlitest gem In fiiir Fortune's iliMiloni ! O'er iiiiii scf^ tin; laurel wave, lidii'iriiii.' tlic true, the brave I God preserve — " THE rr.KFOllMANCE OF "THK CREATION." 59 Haydn's Lauds dropped exhausted from the keys ; his form rocked to aud fro, and, half fainting, he sank back into the ai'ms of Salieri and Kreutzer. The audience paused ; all forgot the imperial hymn, and looked only at the venerable old maestro, whom Salieri and Kreutzer lowered now softly into the easy-chair, which had been brought to them. "Take me home, dear ones," he said, faintly, "sing on, my ' Ci-eation ' ; my soul will remain with you, but my body can no longer stay. Old age has broken its strength. Farewell, farewell, all of you ! My soul will always be among you when you sing my music ; my body will go, but the soul will re- main. Fai-ewell ! " And the votaries of art Avho had conveyed him to the hall now placed the maestro's chair again on their shouldei's, and carried it slowly through the hall toward the entrance. The audience stood in silent reverence and looked up to Haydn's passing form, and durst not break this profound still- ness by uttering a sound. They bade fai*e\vell to the univer- sally beloved and revered maestro oialy by bowing their beads to liira and shedding tears of emotion — farewell for evermore ! The solemn procession had now arrived at the door. Jo- seph Haydn lifted his weary head once more ; his spirit gleamed once more in his eyes ; an expression of unutterable love beamed from his mild face ; he stretched out his arms toward the orchestra as if to bless it, and greeted it with his smile, with the nodding of his head, and the tears which filled his eyes.* A low rustling and sobbing ])assed through the hall ; no one was courageous enough to clap his hands ; all hearts were profoundly moved, all eyes filled with tears. But now he disappeared, and the door closed behind Josei)h Haydn. The German maestro had to-da^' celebrated his apo- theosis amidst the enthusiastic people of Vienna. Life had dedicated to him the laurel-wreath which usually only death grants to poets and artists. The audience was still silent, when all at once a powerful voice exclaimed ; " Tjet us sing the second verse of Haydn's * " Zeitgenossen," third series, vol. iv., p. 33. (50 ANDREAS HOFER. favorite Lymn — the second verse of ' Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser ! ' " " Yes, yes," shouted all, enthusiastically, " the second verse ! the second verse ! " And hundreds of voices sliouted to the oi'chestra beseech- ingly, imperiously, thunderiugly, that it should play the ac- companiment ; and the musicians complied with this tumultu- ous request. The audience expressed their gratitude by an outburst of applause, and sang thereupon the second verse : " Lass von seiner Fahiio Spitzon Strahlen Sicg und Furchtbarkcit ! Lass in seinem Rathe sitzen Weisheit, Khigheit, Redlichkeit, Und mit seiner Hoheit Blitzen Schalten nur Gerechtigkeit. Grott erhalte Franz den Kaiser, Unsern guten Kaiser Franz ! " * The emperor bowed his thanks to the audience, the orches- tra commenced again playing the air, and the audience sang anew : " Lass von seiner Fahne Spitzen Strahlen Sieg und Furchtbarkeit ! " And arms and hands were hfted here and there beseech- ingly towai'd the emperor ; in vain the orchestra tried to play on ; the audience, with rare unanimity, as if seized with one sentiment and one wish, sang again and again : " Lass von seiner Fahne Spitzen Strahlen Sieg und Furchtbarkeit ! " And then all shouted loudly, beseechingly, and withal an- * " Before his banner floatin will not aid his loyal Tyrolese in their attempt to becoiue his subjects once more. And the emperor and the archduke will help you ; they prom- ise to send soldiers and guns in time to the Tyrol. But, in return, you must do what the archduke asked you to do ; you must carefully conceal yourself, Andy, in order to prevent the Bavarians from learning of your ti-ip to Vienna ; other- wise they would arrest you and yo\ir friends after your return to the Tyrol. Hence you must not i-eturn to your seat, where so many persons would see you, and unfortunately have seen you already." " Well, if it must be so, let us go, sir," sighed Andreas. '• But just listen how they are singing, shouting, and cheering inside ! Jesus Maria ! Figaro. I believe, will have to marry old Marielle after all, and give up pretty little Susan ne. Ah, my God I she will die heart-broken, for she loves him so dearly. Pray, sir, let me go in once more, that I may see whether or not he must marry old Marielle." '• No, Andy," said Hormayr, smiling, " you need not be un- easy ; Figaro will not marry old Marielle, for she is his own mother." " What !" cried Andreas, in dismay ; " she his mother, and he has promised to marry her ? That is most sinful and in- famous ! No good Christian should listen to such things. Come along, sir. I do not want to hear another word of it. * H»fer's own words. — See Hormayr, " Andreas Hofer," vol. i., p. 310. CONSEClLVnoN Ol' TlIK FI.ACiS, AXI) FAliEWF.LL. 83 Good heavens ! what will Anna Gertrude say when I tell her what I have seen hei'e, and that there are here in Vienna men infamous enough to promise to marry their mothers ? '" " But they never do so in reality, Andy, but only on the stage. Otherwise the police would be after them at once. For the empei'or is a very pious and virtuous gentleman, and he does not permit any infractions of the sacred laws of God and the Church in his dominions." '* Yes, the emperor is a very pious and virtuous gentleman," exclaimed Andreas Hofer, enthusiastically, '" and that is the reason why the Tyrolese love him and wish to be again his subjects and children. Come, I will go home u ith you. I do not want to hear any more of the theatrical non.seuse. Let VIS speak of our emperor and our dear Archduke John. God grant that we may soon be able to say he is our emperor again, and the archduke is our John, and his Tyrolese are again his subjects, because they fought well for tlaeir liberty, and because God blessed their efforts and crowned them with victory. Come, we will go home, and to-morrow I shall re- turn to the Tyrol, to my wife and children, and mountain and valley shall know that the time has come, and that we shall become Austrians again. May the Holy Virgin protect us and grant us a safe return ; may she prevent the Bavarians from Avaylaying us and f lustrating our great and noble pur- pose ! " * CHAPTER Vni. CONSECRATION OF THE FLAGS, AND FAREWELL. The die was cast, then. The war with France was to break out again. There was to be no more procrastination and hesi- tation. The time for action was at hand. * The delegates of the Tyrolese left Vienna on the following morning ; their presence there, however, had been reported to the Bavarian officers, who, ilurintc their hoinew.ard journey, almost succeeded in arresting them. John von Gratf, a banker of Botzen, was apprised of their arrival in Vienna by his correspondent in that city and informed the commissary-general at Brixen 84 ANDREAS nOFER. Already the French ambassador, Andreossi, had left Vien na, and all the members of the legation had, followed him. Already Clement Covmt Metternich had arrived at Vienna •. but he had not left Paris as Count Andreossi had left Vienna, quietly and unmolested, but Napoleon had caused him to be escorted to the Fi'ench frontier by a detachment of gens d'armes. And to-day, on the 9th of March, Austria was to proclaim to all Germany, by means of a public festival, that she was re- solved to renew the struggle with France and risk once more the blood of her people and the existence of her imperial dy- nasty in order to deliver Germany from the usurper who was intent on crushing in his iron hands the liberty and independ- ence of the German nation. A solemn ceremony was to take place to-day on the Glacis of Vienna. The flags of the militia were to be consecrated by the Archbishop of Vienna, and the whole imperial family was to be present at the solemnity. Hence, all Vienna presented a festive appearance ; all stores were closed, and no one was seen following his every-day avocations. The Viennese had made a holiday ; no one would toil for liis daily bread ; all wished to refresh themselves only with mental food, and gi-eet with their glances and acclamations the noble men who were to take the field for the salvation of the fatherland. The people were surging in dense masses toward the glacis, rushing with iri'e.sistible impetuosity into the empty ditches, and climbing the trees on their edges, or gaining some other standpoint whence they could survey the solemnity which was to take place on the broad promenade of the glacis. On the large rondel of the glacis had been erected a tribune whose golden-broidered velvet canopy was surmounted by a very large imperial crown ; four golden double-headed eagles adorned the four corners of the canopy, and held in their beaks the colors of Austria and Hungary. Under the canopy stood gilt arm-chairs, with cushions of purple velvet. This was the tribune destined for the emperor and his family ; of what }ie had leurned. A warrant for tlie arrest of tlie three delegates was i.ssued, but they escaped in time into the mountains.— Ilorm ay r, vol. i,, p. 191. COKSECRATION OF THE FLAGS, AND FAREWKLL. % all eyes were riveted upon it, and all hearts longed to greet the sovereign, and thank him for the proud happiness of this hour. Further on rose other and no less splendidly decorated tribunes, the seats of which had been sold at enormous rates to the aristocracy and wealthj' citizens of Vienna for the bene- fit of the militia ; and thousands had found seats on the trees siu'roundiug the broad promenade and the rondel, and paid for their airy perches only with some pains and bruises. Since early dawn this pilgrimage to the glacis had been going on ; by ten o'clock all seats, roads, tribunes, trees, ditches, and bridges, were occupied by a dense crowd ; and, in order to prevent accidents, the authorities had already ordered all approaches to the glacis to be closed. On the broad promenade, too. matters assumed a very lively aspect. The militia marched up with banners unfurled and drums beating. They drew up in line on both sides of the road, and their officers and standard-bearers repaired to the large rondel where another had been constructed in face of the imperial tribune. They ranged themselves around the altar, on whose steps priests in full vestments were kneel- ing, and which was surmounted by a gigantic crucifix, visible to all spectators far and near, and waving to all its hlessings and love-greetings. And now all the church-steeples commenced ringing their peals ; the iron tongues of their bells proclaimed to the in- habitants of Vienna, and to the many thousands of strangers who had come to witness the solemnity, that the emperor with his consort and his children had left the Hofburg, and was approaching the glacis, followed by his suite. The militia as- sumed a stiff military attitude, the drums rolled, the cannon boomed, the bugles sounded merry notes, and the emperor, leading his consort by the hand, entered the tribune. He looked pale ; his form was bent, and trembling as if shaken by an inward fever ; and even more singular appeared his down- hanging under-lip and the gloomy, morose expression of his lustreless blue eyes. But the people did not see this ; they saw only that their emperor had arrived — their emperor, who had resolved to deliver Austria from the ignominious foreign yoke ; 88 ANDREAS HOKEPv. who wtnild die with his subjects rather than longer bear the arrogance of France ; and who boldly and courageously staked all in order to win all, to restore at length a lasting peace to Austria and Germany, and vindicate their honor and independence. For this reason all hearts greeted the Eni})er(ti" Francis with love and exultation, and he was received with deafening and constautly-i'enewed cheers. The emperor I'eceived with a foi-ced smile right flamets throughout Austria and Germany ; the war was hijiled with rapturous enthusiasm, and every heart longed to take part in this struggle, which seemed to all a war of holy vengeance and retribution. For the first time in long years Austria felt again thoroughly identified with Germany, while the other Germans were looking upon Austria as a Ger- man state and holding out their hands to their Austrian brethren, telling them that they sympathized most vividly with the ends which they w^ere trying to attain. But while the vitmost exultation was reigning among the people and the soldiers on this joyful day, a gloomy silence prevailed in the imperial palace. The joyous mask with which the generalissimo, the Archduke Charles, had covered his face while on the glacis, had disappeared from it so soon as he had returned to his rooms. Pale and faint, he rested in an easy- chair, and, fixing his sombre eyes on his quartermaster-gener- al, Count Griinne, he said : " My friend, listen to that which I am going to say to you now, and which you will remember one day. I have objected three times in the most emphatic 00 AKDREAS noFER. manner to this declaration of war, for I know that our prep- arations ai'e not sulliciently matured, and I know also that I have here in Austria powerful enemies who are intent on im- peding all my efforts, and who will shrink from nothing in order to ruin mc, and with me you too, my poor friend. The whole aristocracy is hostile to me, and will never allow the emperor's brothers to set bounds to its oligarchy by their mer- its and influence ; it will always oppose us, even though it should, endanger thereby the power and honor of the father- land. I know all the perils and intrigues surrounding me, and because I know them I tried to avoid them, opposed the war, and strove to get rid at least of the command-in-chief. But the emperor would not allow me to do so ; he ordered me to accept the arduous position of generalissimo of his forces, and, as his subject, I had to obey him. But I repeat it, this will be a disastrous war for Austria, and I look with gloomy forebodings into the future." And as gloomy as the generalissimo's face was that of his brothex', the Emperor Francis. He had retired into his cabi- net, and strode growlingly up and down, holding the fly-flap in his hand, and striking savagely at the flies which his search- ing eyes discovered hei*e and there on the wall. Suddenly the door opened, and the footman announced the Archduke John. The emperor's face became even more mo- rose. He cast the fly-flap aside, and murmured to himself, " My brothers never leave me any rest." He then said in a loud voice, " Let him come in." A minute afterward the archduke entered the cabinet. His face was still joyously lit up by the soul-stirring solemnity in which he had participated in the morning ; his eye was yet radiant with noble enthusiasm and exultation, and a serene smile played around his lips. Thus he appeared before his brother, whose face seemed doubly gloomy in the presence of his own. " I come to take leave of your majesty and bid farewell to my brother Francis," he said, in a mild, tender voice. "I in- tend to set out to-night for Gratz, and organize my staff there." " God bless you, commander of the Southern army ! " said Consecration of tiik t'LAGs, anI) farewell. 91 the emperor, dryly ; " God bless you, brother. You were all eager for war ; now you have it ! " " And your majesty has witnessed the enthusiasm with which the Austrian people hailed the declaration of war. And not only the people of Austria, but all Germany, looks now with joy, hope, and pride toward Austria, and participates most cordially in our warlike enthusiasm." "I do not care for that," said the emperor, dryl}-. " Thank God, I cast off the crown of Germany three years ago, and am no longer Emperor of Germany." " But one day, when your armies have conquered France and delivered the world from the insatiable usurper, Germany will gratefully lie down at your majesty's feet and beseech you to accept the imperial crown again at her hands." " Much obliged, sir, but I would not take it," exclaimed the emperor, with a shrug. " But say, brother, are you really con- vinced that we can and shall conquer Bonaparte ? " "I am. We shall conquer, if — " "Well, if — " asked the emperor, when the archduke hesi- tated. "If we are really determined to do so," said John, looking the emperor full in the face ; " if we act harmoniously, if we do not impede each other, if no petty jealousies favor the ef- forts of one and frustrate those of the other. Oh, brother, permit me at this farewell hour to utter a few frank and truth- ful words, and I beg your majesty to forgive me if my heart opens to you in unreserved confidence. Brother, I confess fi^ankly all is not as it should be here. Where concord should reign, there is discord ; where all should have their eyes fixed only on the great goal, and avail themselves of all means and forces, they are split up into factions bitterly hostile to each other. Oh, my gracious emperor, 1 beseech you, do not listen to these factions, do not confide in those who would like to arouse your suspicion against your brothers. Believe me, you have no more loyal, devoted, and obedient subject than I am -, therefore, confide in me, who wish only to contribute to the greatness, honor, and glory of my country and my emperor, to the best of my power, however insignificant it may be. My brother, there has long been a gulf between us ; God knows 92 ANDREAS HOFER. that I did not dig it. But let us fill it up forever at this fare- Avell hour. I implore you, believe in my love, my devoted loyalty ; take nie by the hand and say, ' John, I trust you ! I believe in you I ' See, I am waiting for these words as for the blessing which is fo accompany me into battle, and rest on my heart like a tali.->mau. Brother, speak these, words of love and confidence ! Give me your hand— open your arms to your l)rother ! '' " Why should we enact here a sentimental scene ? " asked the emperor, harshly. " I do not like such things, and want to see family dramas only perfoi-med on the stage. Thank God, I am not a theatrical emperor, but a real one, and will have nothing to do with scenes fi'om plays. Nor do I know of any gulfs existing between you and me. I never perceived them, and was never disturbed thereby. But why do you pro- test your love and loyalty in so passionate a manner to me ? Who tells you, then, that I suspect them ? That would be equivalent to considering my brother a traitor, and it would be very unfortunate for him ; for toward traitors I shall al- ways be inexorable, whosover they may be, and whether they be persons of high or low I'ank. Let us speak no longer of it. But. l^esides, you have again advised me, without being re- (juested to do so, and demand that I should not listen to any factions. I never do, brother. I never listen to any factions, neither to yours, nor to that of the others. I listen only to myself, and require submissiveness and obedience of my serv- ants. You are one of the latter ; go, thei], and obey me. I have resolved on war ; go, then, to your corps and fight, as you are in duty bound, for your emperor and for Austria. Defeat Napoleon if you can. You are playing a game which may easily Ijecome dangerous to ourselves. You have stirred up an insurrection in the Tyrol ; you will have to bear the re- sponsibility if this insurrection shall be unsuccessful." " I will bear it, and God will forgive what I have done ! " said John, solemnly. '' Your majesty, you would not listen to the bi-other who offered you his love frankly and honestly. T have notliiiig to add to what T have said, nor shall I ever make another attempt to gain your confidence." " Is that intended as a threat ? " asked the emperor, angrily. CONSECRATION OF THE FLAGS, AND FAREWELL. 93 "No," said Joliu, mournfully, "I do not threaten you. I shall always bear in mind that I loved you, and that you are not only my lord and emperor, but also the son of my mother." '' And I," cried the emperor, vehemently, " shall always bear in mind that you were the head of the faction which, by its insensate clamor for war, first aroused Napoleon's anger, brought about demonstrations and armaments on our part, anil finally obliged me to resolve on war, although I know full , well that this i-esolutiou will inevitably involve Austria in great disaster. Let me likewise speak a farewell word to you, brother. We shall succumb again, although my wise and learned brothers are at the head of the army. I consulted the most experienced and sagacious men. I myself paid a visit to Count Cobenzl, who is lying at the point of death, and asked his opinion. He hates Napoleon as aidently as any one, and yet he is in favor of peace. I consulted the Prince de Ligne and Minister Thugut ; one is an ambitious captain, the other a vindictive diplomatist, who would like to overthrow Napo- leon ; and yet both were for peace with France, and I will tell you the reason why : because they know that among all my captains and generals there is not one determined and able enough to cope with Napoleon and his marshals : because they knew that even my brother Charles, the generalissimo, is vacillating and irresolute ; and because they do not know what an eminent captain the Archduke John would be, if he only had a chance to show his military talents. If, despite all this, I resolved on war, it was because circumstances, and not my convictions, obliged me to do it— cii'cumstances which were mostly brought about by you and your friends." '' Your majesty," said John, in a grave and dignified man- ner, " permit me to say a few words in reply to what you have just said. You allude to my military talents, which you say I have not had a chance to show. Well, give me such a chance ; deliver me from the surveillance tying my hands ; let me pursue my ]iath as your general freely and without restrictions, and I pledge you my word that I will reconquer the Tyrol and your Italian provinces." " See, see, what a nice plan ! " exclaimed the emperor. 94: ANDREAS HOFER. laughing. "You wish to be another generalissimo, and inde- pendent of any other commander's will ? " '' No, your majesty ; I wish to obtain only equal rights and authority to deliberate and decide jointly with my brother Charles.'' " It is very bold in you, sir, thus to oppose your generalis- simo,'' said the emperor, sternly. '' To-day you will no longer obey the generalissimo — to-morrow you will perhaps refuse to obey the emperor. Not another word about itl Go and do your duty. The Archduke Charles is generalissimo, and you will submit to his orders and instructions. Farewell, brother ; may God and the Holy Virgin bless you and your army ! " " Farewell, your majesty," said the archduke, bowing cere- moniously to the emperor. He then turned hastily and left the room. The emperor looked after him with an angry air. " 1 be- lieve the two archdukes will thwart each other on all occa- sions," he said, in a low voice. "There will not only be war with France, but also war between the factions in Austria, and the consequence will be, that my brothers will gain but very few laurels." The Archduke John returned slowly to his rooms. After entering his cabinet, he sank on the divan, as if crushed and heart-broken. He sat a long time in silence, his head bent on his breast, and uttering from time to time heart-rending groans. After a long pause, he slowly lifted his tearful eyes to heaven. "Thou knowest, my God," he said, in a low voice, "that my intentions are good and pure, and that I desire nothing but to serve my country and deliver it from the disgrace which it has had to submit to for so many years past. Tliou knowest that I wish nothing for myself, but all for the father- land. Help me, my God, help our poor, unfortunate Austria! Let us not succumb and perish I Grant victory to our arms! O Austria, O Germany, why can I not purchase liberty and independence for you with my blood ? But I can at least fight and die for you ! I shall welcome death, if my dying eyes can behold liberty dawning upon Germany I " 'TIS TIME! 95 CHAPTER IX. 'tis teme ! It was late in the afternoon of the 8th of April. The set- ting sun was shedding his last red rays on the distant moun- tain-crests of the Janfeii and the Timbler Toch, whose blood- red summits contrasted wonderfully with the deep azure of tlie clear sky. On the lower slopes of the mountains twiliglit had set in ; the pines, the daring chamois of the vegetable kingdom, which had climbed up to the highest pai-ts of the mountains, cast the gray veil of dusk over these lower slopes. Below, in the Passeyr valley, however, night already pre- vailed, for the mountains looming up on both sides of the valley filled it with darkness even before sundown ; and only the wild, roaring Passeyr, which rushes from the mountain through the valley, glistened like a silver belt in the gloom. The church- bells of the villages of St. Leonard and St. Martin, lying on both sides of the valley, tolled a solemn curfew, awakening here and there a low, sleepy echo ; and from time to time was heard from a mountain-peak a loud, joyous Jodler, by which a Tyrolese hunter, perhaps, announced his speedy return to his family in the valley. The gloom in the narrow Passeyrthal became deeper and deeper, and, like bright glow- worms, the lights in the houses of St. Leonard and St. Martin glistened now in the darkness. Lights appeared not only in the valley below, but also here and there on the mountain-slopes ; and especially in the soli- tary house on the knoll situated half-way between the two villages, was seen the bright glare of many candles, and the persons passing on the road in the valley looked up and whis- pered to each other : " Andreas Hofer is at home, and, it seems, has a great many guests at his house, for all the windows of his handsome inn are illuminated." The solitary house on the knoll, then, belonged to Andreas Hofer. It was the Gasthaus zum Sand, far famed through- out the Tyrol. And the passers-by were not mistaken. An- dreas Hofer was at home, and had a great many guests at his 9fl ANOKKAS HOKKR. house. On the benches of the large bar-room sat his guests, handsome Tyrolese, with flashing eyes and animated faces, which were all turned toward the Sandvvirth,* who was sit- ting on the small table jonder, and conversing in a low tone with his friends Eisenstecken and Sieberer. All the guests seemed excited and anxious ; no one opened his mouth to utter merry jests ; none of the gay songs so popular among the Tyrolese resounded : and the guests did not even venture to address playful remarks to Hofer's pretty daughters, who were gliding noiselessly through the room to fill the empty beer-glasses. " It seems," murmured Anthony Sieberer, '* that the Aus- trian government has again postponed the matter, and we shall vainly look for the arrival of the message. This new delay puts an end to the whole movement." "I do not think so,'' said Hofer, gravely, and loud enough to be heard by all. " Do not despond, my dear friends! The Austrian government will assuredly keep its word, for the dear brave Archduke John promised me in the emperor's name that Austria would succor the Tyrolese, and send troops into our country, if we would be in readiness on the 9th of April to rise against the Bavarians. ]My dear friends, do you put no confidence, then, in the word of our excellent emperor and the good archduke, who has always loved us so dearly ?" ''No, no, we put implicit confidence in their word!" shouted the Tyrolese, with one accord. '• The messenger will surely come, just have a little pa- tience," added Hofer, with a pleasant nod ; '' the day is not yet at an end, and until midnight we may smoke yet many a pipe and di'ink many a glass of beer. — Anna Gertrude, see to it that the glasses of the guests are always well filled." Anna Gertrude, a fine-looking matron of thirty -six, with florid cheeks and flashing hazel eyes, had just placed before her husband another jug, filled with foaming beer, and she nodded now to her Andy with a smile, showing two rows of faultless white teeth. "I and the girls will attend to the guests," she said, "but * The natiie usually given to Jlof'er--Satulwiitii, laiidlunl of tlie iiia " Zum Sand." 'TIS TIME1 97 the men do not drink any thing. The glasses and jugs ai-e all filled, but they do not empty them, and — Look! who comes there ? " Andreas Hofer turned his head toward the door ; tlim suddenly he uttered a cry of surprise and jumped up. "Halloo!" he exclaimed, "I believe this is the messenger whom we are looking for." And he pointed his outstretched arm at the small, dark form entering the room at this moment. "It is Major Teimer," he continued, joyfully ; "I suppose you know yet our dear major of 1805 ? " "Hurrah! Mai-tin Teimer is there," shouted the Tyrolese, rising from their seats, and hastening to the new-comer to shake hands with him and bid him heartily welcome. Martin Teimer thanked them warmly for this kind recep- tion, and a flash of sincere gratification burst from his shrewd blue eyes. " I thought I should meet all the brave men of the Passeyr valley at Andy's house to-night," he said, " and I therefore gi^eet you all at once, my dear comrades of 1805. That year was disastrous to us, but I think the year ]809 will be a better one, and we shall regain to-day what we lost at that time." "Yes, we shall, as sure as there is a God," shouted the Tyrolese ; and Andreas Hofer laid his arm on Teimer's shoulder and gazed deeply into his eyes. " Say, Martin Teimer, are all things in readiness, and do you bring us word to rise ? " " I do, all tilings are in readiness," said Teimer, solemnly. " Our countryman. Baron von Hormayr, wlioni the Austrian government appointed governor and intendant of the Austrian forces which are to co-operate with us, sends me to Andreas Hofer, whom I am to inform that the Austrian troops, com- manded by Marquis von Chasteler and General Hiller, will cross the Tyrolese frontier to-night." " Hurrah, hurrah ! the Austrians are coming ! " shouted the Tyrolese, jubilantly, swinging their pointed hats in the air. " The war has broken out. the Austrians are coming, and we will expel the Bavarians from the country ! " Andreas Hofer's face, too, was radiant with joy ; but, in 98 ANDREAS HOFER. stead of singing' and shouting, ho was sikMit, lifted liis eves slowly to heaven, and seized with both his hands the crucifix resting on his breast. " Let us pray, my friends," he said in a loud and solemn voice ; " let us thank our Lord God and our pation saint in the stillness of our hearts." The men paused ; like Andreas Hofcu*, they clasped their hands, bent their heads, and muttered fervent prayers. After a long pause Hofer raised his head again. "And now, men, listen to what I have to say to you," he exclninied, cheerfully. " I have invited you all because you are the niost influential and respectable men in this part of the country, and because the fatherland has need of you and counts upon you and me. The sharpshooters of the Passeyrthal told me, if war should break out, I must be their captain ; and I ac- cepted the position because I think that every one is in duty bound to risk his limbs and life for the sake of the fatherland, and place himself just where he can serve it best. But if I am to be your captain, you must all assist me to the best of yonr power. We must act harmoniously, and strain every nerve to deliver the fatherland and restore the Tyrol to our beloved emperor." " We are resolved to do so," shouted the men, with one accord. '' I know it full well," said Andreas Hofer, joyously. " Let us go to work, then, and circulate throughout the Tyrol the message that the Austrians are coming, and that it is time. Say, Teimer, did you not bring a written message with you ? " "Here is a letter from Hormayr," said Martin Teimer, drawing a large sealed paper from his bosom. Andreas took it and opened it quicklj'. But while he was reading it, a slight cloud overspread his countenance, and for a moment he cast a rapid, searching glance on Martin Teiiii- er's bright, keen face ; however, no sooner had he met Teim- er's stealthy, inquiring glance, than he quickly turned his eyes again to the paper. " Well," lie said then, striking the paper with his right hand, " the statements contained in this letter are entirely in accord- 'TIS TIME! 99 ance with /^iir wishes. We are to rise at once, for already to- morrow the Austrians will have crossed our frontiers. Marquis von Chasteler will march from Carinthia into the Puster val- ley ; General Hiller is moving from Salzburg toward the Lower Inn valley ; the former thinks he will reach Brixen in the course of four days ; the latter says he will be at Innspruck •within the same time. I and Martin Teimer here, who no longer keeps a tobacco-shop at Klagenfurth, but is again Major Teimer as he was four years ago — we are to direct and man- age every thing in the Tyi'ol, and ai*e intrusted with the duty of seeing to it that the flames of the insurrection burst forth now as speedily as possible from one end of the Tyrol to the other, and that it shall become a conflagration that will burn up all Frenchmen and Bavarians, or compel them to escape from the country. Assist us, then, my men, in spread- ing the news over the mountains and through the valleys, that all may rise and particijjate in the great work of deliver- ance. Every able-bodied man is to shoulder his rifle, and the women and children are to carry, from house to liouse, little balls of paper on which are written the words : ' 'Tis time ! ' as we have agreed at oui" meetings. And now, in compliance with the promise I gave Hormayr in Vienna. I will issue a circular to all our friends that they maA^ know what to do under these circumstances. Is there among you any one who can write well and correctly, and to whom I may dictate ? for my own handwriting is none of the best, and although what I write may be thought coi-rectly, it is not spelled as learned men tell us it should be. If there is among you one who can write nicely "and correctly what I wush to dictate, let him come forwai-d." "I can do it,'' said a young man, stepping forward. '' It is Joseph Ennemoser, son of John Ennemoser, the Seewirth," said Andreas Hofer, smiling. " Yes, I believe you are a good scribe ; you have become quite a scholar and an aristocratic gentleman, and are studying medicine at the Uni- versit^y of Innspruck." "For all that, I have remained an honest mountaineer; and as for my studies. I will not think of them until we have delivered the Tyrol from the Bavarian yoke. I shall keep lOU AND1{EAS ilOt'M. only my pen, and act as Andreas Hofer's obedient secre- tary."* "Sit down, then, my boy, and write. You will find pen aud ink in the drawer of yonder table. Take them, and I will dictate to you." And amidst the respectful silence of tbe men, walking up and down slowly, and stroking- his long beard with his right hand, Andreas Hofer commenced dictating his " open order," which was as follows : " Early in the morning of the 9th of April General Hiller will march from Salzburg to the Lower Inn valley, and General von Chasteler from Carinthia to the Puster valley. On the 11th or 12th of April the former will arrive at Inns- pruck, and the latter at Brixen. The Archduke John orders tliat the Miihlbach pass be occupied by peasants from the Puster valley, and the Kuntersweg by mounted men. They are to allow all forces of the enemy marching from Botzen to Brixen to pass, and will cut off all conmiunications only so soon as they discover that the Bavarian civilians and soldiei-s are trying to escape from Brixen to Botzen. Not a man must be allowed to pass then." While Andreas Hofer was dictating his ''open order" with a firm and thoughtful air, the peasants stood dum- founded with admiration, .staring at him with a feeling of awe. and delighted with his sagacity and understanding. That Hofer cast from time to time a searching glance at Hor- mayr's letter did not disturb the admiration they felt for their chosen leader, and they were silent and stared at him long after he was through. "So," said Andreas when the writing was finished, " now Martin Teimer and I will athx our names to this open order ; Ennemoser will then copy it half a dozen times, and six of you will carry the copies to the other leaders who are already waiting for them, and who will give the signal to their friends * Joseph Ennemoser, son of Jolm Ennemosier, the tailor and Seewirth of tlie Pas.seyrthal, was a she]ili(;rd in his boyhood. His father sent him to the gymnasium of Iimspruck, ami afterward to the university of the same city, where he studied medicine. In 1809 he was Hofer's secretary. After- ward he became a celebrated professor of medicine at the University of Bonn. 'TIS TIME! 101 in the lower valley. You, George Lanthaler, will carry the ordei' to Joseph Speckhacher at Kufsteiu ; you, Joseph Guflei-. will take it to the farmer at the Schildhof ; you, George Steiu- hauferle, will go to Anthony Wallner, the Aichberger at Win ■ disch-Matrey. Quick, quick, my friends, we have no time to lose ; you must walk night and day ; you cannot rest on the road, for we must strike the blow with lightning speed, and it must be done at the same time all over the country." ■' And 1 will likewise set out again to spread the news throughout the country," said Martin Teimer. "For tw() weeks past I have been in all parts of the Tyrol, and have worked everywhere for our cause, and know now that we may count upon all our countrymen. They are waiting for the signal, and we must give it to them. Here, take this package ; it contains a large number of those little paper balls upon which are written the words ' "Tis time 1 ' Each of you can take a handful of them and give them to your wives and chil- dren, that they may carry them to the neighbors and disti-ib- ute them everywhere. Speckbacher and Wallner, too, have packages of such paper balls, and so soon as our faithful mes- sengei's bring them our 'open order,' they will likewise send ai-ound their wives and children through the neighborhood ; and everywhere the cry will be, ' Tis time ! ' We must expel the Bavarians I I will go now, for I must concentrate my men in order to prevent the Bavarians from crossing the bridge of Laditch. Farewell, then, and God grant that we may all meet again before long as free and happy men at our good city of Innspruck ! " '* We must go too," exclaimed the Tyrolese when Martin Teimer had left the house as quickly as he had entered it. " We m\ist go into the mountains and inform our friends that it is time." '* But go through the kitchen, my dear messengers," said Andreas Hofer ; " there is a bag of flour for each of you ; take it on your back, and on passing during your march a rivulet or a mountain torrent, throw some of the flour into it ; and wherever you find dry brvishwood on the road, pile it up and kindle it, that the bale-fires may proclaim to the. country, * 'Tis time ! ' " 102 ANDREAS HOFER. Half an hour afterward the large bar-room was deserted, and profound silence reigned in the inn Zum Sand. The serv- ants and children of the Sandwirth had gone to bed ; only- he himself and his faithful wife, Anna Gertrude, wei-e yet up. Both had retired into the small sitting-room adjoining the bar- room. xVndreas Hofer was walking up and down there silently and thoughtfully, his hands folded on his back ; Ger- trude sat in the leather-covered arm-chair at the stove, and looked at her husband. Every thing was still around them ; only the slow, regular ticking of the clock broke the profound silence, and outside was to be heard the wild roaring of the Passeyr, w^hich hurled its furious foaming waters not far from the inn over pebbles and fragments of rocks. Finally, after a long pause, Andreas stood still in front of his wife, and gazed at her with a long, searching, and tender look. Gertrude, as if lifted up by this glance, rose, encircled his neck quickly with her arms, and looked with an expression of terror and anxiety into his face. " Andy^," she exclaimed, mournfully, " my own, dearest Andy, I am afraid harm will befall you ! " '' That is what I expect," he said, sighing, "' and I am sorry for you, my dearest wife. I was just speaking with God and my conscience, and asking them so fervently if it was not wrong in me not to think above all things of my dear wife and my be- loved children, and if I ought not to live and die only for them. For I tell you, and I know, what I am going to do is dangerous, and may easily cost my life. I do not blind my eyes to it ; I niay lose my life in either of two ways. A bullet may strike me in battle ; or, if my life should be spared in the struggle, and if we should be defeated, the Bavarians would treat me as a traitor ; and then a bullet would strike me also, for they would shoot me." " Oh, Jesus Maria ! my Andy." cried Gertrude, taking Hofer's head in her hands, as if to protect it from the murder- ous bullets. " I do not say that this will occur ; I say only that it may occur," said Andreas, with a gentle smile. '" I wish to tell you only that I am fully alive to the dangers threatening me when I step to-morrow morning out of my street-door, and eiUer 'TIS TIME! 103 upon the duties of the position which they have conferred on nie ; for I am to command the peasants of the Passeyr valley and direct the iusui'rection in all this part of the country. Therefore, I asked God and my conscience whether or not I did right in taking upon myself so responsible a task, and plunging mv family, perhaps, into grief and distress. But do you know what both of them replied to me ? They said : ' It is your duty to love your wife and your children ; but you must also love your emperor and your coxinti'y ; and when the latter call you and say, "Come, we need your arm and assistance," you must, as an honest man, obey the call, go to them, and leave your family ; for lo love the fatherland is every man's highest honor, and to be loyal and devoted to the emperor is the first duty of every Tyrolese.' God and my conscience spoke to me thus in my breast, and now I ask you too, dear wife — I ask you before God and your conscience — would you like your husband not to obey the emperor's call, but stay at home, while his brave brethren and friends ai'e taking the field to defend the country and expel the Bavarians ? '' " No, indeed, Andy, I would not," cried Gertrude, in dis- may ; " I should never dare again to lift my eyes before any- body ; I should not even venture to pray to the Holy Virgin and to God, for, as both gave up their divine Son, so an honest woman must give up her husband for the sake of the father- land." Andreas laid his hand on his wife's head as if to bless her. " It is as you say, Gertrude,'' he said, solemnly. " For the sake of the fatherland and the eniijeror you must give up your hus- band, and your children their father ; and we are not allowed to shut our ears in order not to hear that the dear Tyrol and the good Emperor Francis have called me. I have heard the call, and must obey it. I shall do so joyously and readily, and yet my heart grieves, and there is in my breast here something telling me that our happiness is at an end, that our sun has set, and — Gertrude, I am not ashamed of it — I weep ! " He leaned his head against his wife's shoulder, and. folding her to his heart, sobbed aloud. But this lasted only a short time ; then he raised himself again, and drew his hand quickly^ across his eyes. 104 AN'DREAS HOFER. "There," he said, " it is all over now. I wept as a good Christian is surely allowed to do when he takes leave of his wife and his children, and gives them up for the sake of his country. Did not Abraham weep too, and beg God for mercy, when he was to sacrifice his sou to the Almighty ? But he nevertheless was j-eady to make the sacrifice. And, like Abra- ham, I have wept and lamented now, but I shall make the sacrifice.— Here I am, my God," he added, lifting his eyes and hands to Heaven ; " here I am, for Thou hast called me. Do with me as thou deemest best. I am nothing but Thy faith- ful servant ; hut if Tluni wishest to use me for Thy great pur- poses, do so I 1 ofi'er Thee my arms, my body, and my life ! Take them ! " "But thou, Holy Virgin," murmured Gertrude, "and thou Saint George, our patron saint, stretch out your arms over him graciously and protect my Andy. Bear in mind that he is my most precious treasure on earth ! Preserve my dear husband to me, and to my children the father whom they love so ardently 1 " " Amen ! " exclaimed Andreas. " And now, dearest wife, come and give me a kiss, a parting kiss ! " "You do not intend to set out this very night?" asked Gertrude, anxiously. " No, Gertrude, but still it is a parting kiss. For hence- forth I nmst become another man— a hard man, who will no longer think of his family, but only of the fatherland and the emperor. I wept a few minutes ago as a good father and husband, but now I must become as hard as a good soldier ought to be. Until the Bavarians have been expelled from the country, I shall no longei- think of you and the children, but shall be only a brave and intrepid soldier of my lord and emperor, and the commander of the Passeyr militia. Kiss me, tlierefore, a last time, Anna Gertrude ! There ! Give me another kiss ! Who knows but it may be the last time you will ever kiss me, dear Gertrude ? And here is still another kiss for our gii-ls. Now it is enough. Go to bed now, Ger- trude, and pray for me." " You will not go to bed, Aody ? " asked Gertrude, anx- iously, 'TIS TIME! 105 " No, I will not, Anna Gertrude. I have business to attend to in the yard with Joe, our laborer. We will kill the brin- dled cow." " What ? This very night ? "' ''This very nig-ht. We need the blood and meat. We shall pour the blood into the Passeyr, and you will see to-mor- row that we need the meat, for I believe we shall have a great many guests in the morning." Andreas Hofer's prophecy was fulfilled. Already early in the morning a great many men assembled in front of tlie inn Zinti Sand. They were the sharpshooters of the Passeyr val- ley, who were flocking from all parts of the district to Hofer's house to report to the beloved commander of Passeyr. They came down from the mountains and up from the valleys. They wore their holiday dresses, and their yellow Sunday hats were decorated with bouquets of rosemary and handsome rib- bons. They were merry and in the best of spirits, as if they were going to the dance ; only instead of their rosy-cheeked girls, thej' held their trusty rifles in their arms. Nevertheless, they smacked their lips, uttered loud exclamations of joy, and shouted as merrily as larks — *' 'Tis time I The Bavarians must leave the country ! Long live the emperor I Long live the Archduke John I " And echo seemed to answer, " The Bavarians must leave the country ! " But it was not echo that had repeated these words. They proceeded from the throats of merry men, and a gay procession descended now from the mountain- path. It consisted of the sharpshooters and peasants of Meran and Algund, who were marching up in the beautiful costumes of the Adige valley. Oh, how their eyes flashed, and the rifles in their arms also. And with what juV)ilant Jodlers the men of Passeyr receive ANDKEAS IIOFER. Eliza "rave a start and withdrew to the other side of the lialcony. There she sat down on the bench like a tianid little bird, and allowed her ej'es to wander dreamily and thought- fully over the landscape. And, indeed, the view which they enjoyed from the balcony was wondrously beautiful. On one side extended the splendid valley, with its meadows clad in tiie freshest verdure of spring-, its foaming white mountain- torrents, its houses and huts, which disappeared gradually in the violet mists bordering the horizon. On both sides of the valley rose the green wooded heights, interspersed here and there with small verdant pastures and clearings, on which handsome red cows were grazing or lying in majestic repose. Behind the clearings black pines and firs dotted the slopes, which, however, in their more elevated portions became more and more bare ; where the trees ceased, appeared here and there again green pastures, and on them, gray and small, like birds' nests, the huts of the mountain cow-keepers, who, the most advanced sentinels, as it were, were guarding the fron- tiers where the war between nature and man commences, the frontiers of the snowy region and the world of glaciers. Be- ll ind the cow-keepers' huts flashed f.lrendy masses of snow from several mountain-gorges ; farther ;ibov<>, the snow had spread its white silver veils far and wide over all the moun- tain-peaks, so that they glittered and sparkled with indescrib- able beauty in the bright morning sun, and loomed like swans' necks up to the azure sky. Below, in the foreground of the valley, at the foot of Castle Weissenstein, lay the village of Windisch-Matrey, with its scattering groups of handsome houses, from whose midst arose the chiu'ch. with its tall, pointed steeple. From the standpoint which she occupied, Eliza was able to distinctly survey the iiiarket-place and its crowds of men, Avhich, in the distance, resembled busy black ant-hills. She gazed upon them fixedly, and the small specks seemed to her practised eye like human forms ; she thought she could distinguish several of them, and, among others, the tall and powerful form of her father ; she thought — " Eliza," said all at once a low voice by her side — " Eliza, you do not want to see me, then ? You are still angry with me ? " TliE DECLARATION OF LOVE. 123 She gave a start, and crimsoned, when, on looking up, she saw young Uh-ich von Hohenherg standing close in fi'ont of her, and gazing at her with ardent and beseeching eyes. '' No, sir," she said, " I really did not see you." "That is to say, Eliza, you are still angry with me?" he asked, eagerly. "You are silent, you avert your head. My God ! Eliza, what did I do, then, to incur your anger ? " " Not much, perhaps, for city folks, but by far too much for a poor peasant-girl," she said, with eyes flashing proudly. "You told me you loved me, you tried forcibly to embrace and kiss me, and begged me to go up early in the morning to the yellow grotto, where you would wait for me. You told me further not to say a word about it to anybody ; it should remain a secret between you and me, and I should not even mention it to the priest at the confessional. That was not honest of you, sir ; nay, it was bad of you to try and persuade me to such mean things. It showed me that you cannot be a good man, and that your friendship for me is prompted by evil intentions." " I do not feel any friendship for you, none whatever," said the young man ardently, seating himself by her side, seizing her hand in spite of her resistance, and pressing it to his heart. "I do not want to be your friend, my sweet, beautiful, wild Alpine rose ; no. not your friend, but your lover. And I com- mence by loving you with intense ardor, by desiring and long- ing for nothing, and thinking of nothing but you alone. Oh. Eliza, believe me, I love you intensely — by far more than Elza, more than your parents, more than all your friends to- gether." " More, perhaps, but not better." she said, shaking her head, and gently withdrawing her hand from him. "No, let me keep 3'our hand !" he exclaimed hastily, seiz- ing it again ; " let me keep it, Eliza, for I tell you I love you better too than all the others ; I love you wdth my soul, with my heart, with my blood, with my life ! Oh, believe me, sweet, lovely child ; believe me and give me your heart ; fol- low me. and be mine — mine forevermore ! I will give you a liappy, brilliant, and beautiful existence ; I will lay at your feet all the pleasures, enjoyments, and charms of this world — " 124 akdkEas hofeR. " Sir," interrupted Eliza, hastily, jumping' up, and fixing her eyes upon him with a strange, ardent expression, " I hope I understand you right, and my ears do not deceive me ? You offer me your hand ? You want to marry me and make me your wife ? " The youug man gave a slight start and dropped his eyes. Eliza saw it, and a sarcastic smile played round her lips. " Why do you not speak ? " she said. " Reply to me.' Did I understand you ? Did you make serious proposals of marriage to me ? Will you go down to my father this very day and say to him : " Listen, sir. I, the ai'istocratic gentleman, I, Cap- tain Ulrich von Hohenberg, want to marry your daughter Lizzie. I think this country girl, with her manners, her lan- guage, and bearing, is well fitted to associate with my aris- toci'atic and distinguished family, and my parents in Munich wovxld be overjoyed if I should bring to them this Tyrolese girl as their daughter-in-law, and a bi'own cow and a white goat as her dower.' Tell me, sir, will you go down to my dear father, the innkeeper of Windisch-Matrey, and say that to him ? " " But, Eliza," sighed the young man, mournfully, " if you loved me only a little, you would not immediately think of marriage, but would forget every thing else, allow your whole past to sink into oblivion behind you, and think of nothing but the fact that I love you intensely, and that you return my love." "But I do not admit at all that I love you," said Eliza, proudly ; " on the contrary, you alone say and swear that you love me, and I I'eply that I do not believe you." " And why do you not believe me, cruel, beautiful girl ? " "Because you utter so many fine phrases which amount to nothing at all. You tell me that you are very fond of me, but I think if you love any body with all your heart, you must be anxious to preserve him from misfortune, and do all you can to make him happy, even though it wei'e at the ex- pense of your own happiness. But you, sir, do not intend to make me happy ; on the contrary, you are bent on plunging me into misery and disgrace, and that is the reason why I contend that you do not love me." THE DECLARATION OF LOVE. 125 " Then j'ou have a heart of stone," cried Ulrich von IIo- henberg-, despairingly ; " you will not see what I am suffer- ing, nor how intensely I love you." " Sir," said she, smiling, " if I cannot comprehend it, pray explain to me how you love me." " I love you as the most beautiful, lovely, and charming creature I have ever known and admired. I love you as a girl whose innocence, naturalness, aud goodness, fill my heart with ecstasy and profound emotion ; by whose side I should like to spend my whole life, and united with whom I should wish to seek for a lonely island of happiness to dream there — remote from the world, its prejudices and follies— a sweet, blissful love-life, from which only death would arouse us." '' Sir, if you really love me in this manner, you need not run away with me to seek elsewhere in foreign lands the ' lonely island of happiness,' as you call it. for in that case you would have it roxmd you wherever we might be, and, above all things, here in our mountains. But, look, it is just as I said ; you are desirous to find a ' lonely island of happiness ' — that is to say, nobody is to find out that the aristoci-atic gentleman loves the poor Tyrolese girl, and that is the reason why you want us to hide in the mountains or elsewhere, and see if we can be happy without the blessing of the priest, our dear parents, and all other good men." " Oh, Eliza, have mercy on me. I swear to you that I love you intensely ; that I would be the happiest of men if I could marry you publicly and make you mj^ wife in the face of the whole world, that — " Eliza interrupted him by singing with a smiling air, and in a merry, ringing voice : " Und a Bi'^serle Lieb' und a Bisserle Treu' Und a Bisserle Falschheit ist alTzeit dabei ! " * "No, no falsehood," cried Ulrich. "only the irksome, ter- rible necessity, the — " The loud crash of a rifle, fiLnding an oft-repeated echo in * " And a bit of love, and a bit of truth. And a bit of falsehood, make life, forsooth ! " 126 ANDREAS llOFEU. the mountains, interrupted him. Eliza uttered a cry of dis- may and jumped up. '* Jesus Maria I " she murmured in a low voice, " it is the signal. It has commenced ! " " What ! What has commenced ? '' asked the young man, in surprise. Eliza looked at him with confused and anxious eyes. " Nothing, oh, nothing at all." she said, in a trenmlous voice. " Only — I mean " — she paused and looked with fixed attention down on the large place. She distinctly saw the groups mov- ing rapidly to and fro, and then pouring with furious haste through the streets. "They are coming up here," she nmrmured ; and her eyes turned toward the vfing of the castle on the side of the bal- cony, where the Bavarian soldiers had their quarters. The latter, however, apparently did not suspect the imminent danger. They were sitting at the windo^vs and smoking or cleaning their muskets and uniforms. Eliza could hear them chatting and laughing in perfect tranquillity. " Well, Eliza, beautiful, cruel girl,'' asked Ulrich von Ho- henberg, " will you tell me what has suddenly excited you so strangely ? " " Nothing, sir, oh, nothing," she said ; but then she leaned far over the railing of the balcony and stared down ; she be- held four young Tyrolese .sharpshooters running up the castle- hill at a furious rate, and the host of their comrades following them. The four who led the way now entered the court-yard, and reached with wild bounds the large door forming the en- trance of the wing of the building occupied by the soldiers. With thundering noise they shut it, turned the large key which was in the lock, and drew it immediately out. Two shar]ishooters now i*an up from the opposite side. "We have locked the back-gate," they shouted exultingly. "That door is locked too." replied the others, jubilantly. ''They are all prisoners in the castle ! " "Sir," cried Eliza, drawing Ulrich von Hohenberg back from the balcony, "you may come with me into the dining- room ; I must tell you something." " No," he said, " I shall stay here and see what is the mat- TUE DECLARATION OF LOVE. I07 ler. What does this mean ? More than fifty T\'rolese are entering' the court-yard ; and why did those mad young- fel- lows lock the door upon my soldiers ? '' "I suppose it is some mad freak of theirs, that is all, "said Eliza, trembling-. "' Come, dear sir, leave the balcony and follow me into the room. I wish to tell you something- — quite secretly, sir, — oh, come I I do not want heaven and God and the snow-clad mountains yonder to hear a word of it." "Eliza," he exclaimed, ti-ansported, " how yovi smile, how you blush ! Oh, my God, what do you wish to say to me ? " She encircled his arm with her hands and drew him into the room. " Listen,"' she said, looking- at him with imploring- eyes, "if it is true that you lo\e me give me, a proof of it and swear that you will do what i shall request of you I " ' I love you, Eliza, and will prove it to you. I swear, therefore, to do what you shall request of me." "Thank you, thank you," she exclaimed, joyfully. "Now come with me ; I will conduct yf)u under the roof ; I know of a hiding-place there where no one will find you, and you will swear to me to stay there until I come to you with a suit of clothes which you will put on. Thereupon I shall conduct you in the dead of night into the mountains, and thus you will escape." " Escape ? Never ! And why. then ? " " Sir, because the peasants will assassinate you if you re main." The young officer burst into loud laughter. " They will assassinate me ? Ah, I have my soldiers and my own arms, and am not afraid of the peasants. My soldiei'S would soon put down the insurgents if they should really rebel to-mor- row." "Sir, they will not wait until to-morrow; they have al ready risen ; the insurrection has commenced this very hour. Oh, thank God, you did not find out what was going on . you felt so secure in your pride and despised the Tyrolese so much that you did not fear them.* But I tell you now. the * The Tyrolese kept the secret of their intended insurrection so well. :iii.l the Bavarians were so overbearing and careless, that they did not know any 12S ANDREAS IIOFER. insurrection has broken out ; the Avhole Tyrol is rising ; all our people are in commotion from lunspruck down to Salz- burg. You can no longer prevent or stifle it. You must submit. Save yourself, then, sir ; you have sworn to grant my request, and you must keep your word." •' No, I cannot and will not ! I nuist dt) my duty. Let me go, Eliza ! I must go ! I must go to my soldiers ! " " You can no longer reach them, for they have locked them vip. Come, you must save yourself ! " She seized his arm with superhuman strengtli, and tried to draw him away, but he disengaged himself and rushed towar