登陆注册
15739100000020

第20章

"You see, my agents serve me very well, and I am aware of all that is going on," said Francis, gravely. "I know, too, that Baron von Hormayr has returned to Vienna not alone, but accompanied by some good friends. I believe you did not come here to give me your advice, but to beg permission to receive 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 are 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 beware 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 brave 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 keep 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 generalissimo has recovered from his fit. It would be bad, indeed, if these fits should befall him once in the midst of a battle. Well, 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 shaking off the foreign yoke.""Oh, my lord and emperor," exclaimed John, with a radiant 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 who wishes to make me happy, and knows how to do so. Yes, send me with a corps to the assistance 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. Farewell, 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, farewell!"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 beloved mountaineers," murmured Francis to himself--"to HISmountaineers! I believe he would be glad if they really were his, 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 them. 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 renowned 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."So saying, he took from the table the fly flap which had always to lie on it in readiness, and entered upon his favorite amusement, the pursuit of the flies on the wall and furniture, which his servants took good care not to drive from the emperor'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.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 三位复仇公主与王子

    三位复仇公主与王子

    她,冰冷,她,活泼,她,可爱。八年后的她们归来复仇,途中却遇到了他们。在经历了背叛后的公主们,能否与王子们在一起?而她们的心会被温暖吗?
  • 特种兵之狼王在都市

    特种兵之狼王在都市

    萧然是一名普通的大学生,在原始森林里一次危险的遭遇中偶然获得上古传承,被特种部队所看重。从此萧然建立科技公司,戏美女,当直升机掠过峰线萧然闪电般的登场,开始他牛x闪闪的人生。
  • 怪物大师同人致——千辰

    怪物大师同人致——千辰

    幽狸我的第二个坑,为啥要致“千辰”咧,因为本书是千辰给幽狸的意见,so幽狸这本书就致千辰拉~有想要幽狸开新坑就按照第一个坑的第十三站后面的“作者有话说”照做吧,前提是幽狸要把这一个坑填满再说。
  • 等待or守护

    等待or守护

    暖男校草碰上呆萌校花,宠溺十足,结果却出人意料
  • exo我们二见钟情

    exo我们二见钟情

    我们二见钟情,我们说好不分离,我们说好在一起,我们说好是十三个人,我们天堂地狱一起走。
  • 江户川柯南后传

    江户川柯南后传

    江户川柯南恢复了自己新一身份,故事却没有停止,继续发生着。。。。
  • 爱情算式

    爱情算式

    我希望可以呈现数字的永恒和人类的有限的对比。人类与永恒数字抗衡的短暂光芒,都凝聚在这八十分钟内。正因为只有八十分钟。所以,三个人相处的每个瞬间都显得十分珍贵。
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 英雄无敌之亡灵之王

    英雄无敌之亡灵之王

    曾何几时,那个最火的单机游戏——英雄无敌3,火遍全球。曾何几时,那个名为破天的神话,缔造了中国网游界的巅峰。曾何几时,那个熟悉的不能再熟悉的五星红旗,飘扬在英雄无敌3竞技台上总冠军的位置。王者回归,我会用我的鲜血,缔造中国人的荣耀。作者Q:2331378900已有完本书《碟中谍:核战危机》虽然不长……
  • 简易魔法原则

    简易魔法原则

    什么是魔法?单纯的数学特殊公式,加以固定的哲学观以及世界体系,所形成的非自然现象。什么是英雄?人类在滋生负面情绪时,所出现的,可以帮助或是拯救人的特殊信息形态。无论本质如何,只要人类自定义有底线存在,便依旧是英雄。我是朝暮思,这是她告诉我的,我把它们写在这。你看的见吗?