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 mouthof 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 HIS
mountaineers！ 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。
〃Ha！〃 he exclaimed； striking a fly； 〃ha！ brother Charles； this
stroke is intended for you。 Really； there lies the fly writhing； as
the generalissimo did； on the floor。 But he has a tougher life than
the fly； for the fly will writhe until it is dead； but the
generalissimo always revives； and when he has no fits； he is a very
brave and illustrious man； before whom his emperor must humbly stand
aside。 I cannot take the fly…flap and strike his writhing limbs as I
do this miserable fly； the little Archduke Charles； that is writhing
on the floor there。 So； now you are dead； confounded little brother
Charles； and we will hunt for your brother John。 See； see； there he
sits on the wall； cleaning his wings and making himself tidy and
pretty。 There！ There is an affectionate blow from your imperial
brother； and you are done for。 Now you will never fly to YOUR
mountaineers and BRING them freedom and salvation。 You will； on the
contrary； stick to the wall of your emperor's room； and learn that
your brother is your master。 Why； this is most amusing sport to day！
I shall not stop before killing a dozen Archdukes Charles and John！〃
And Francis hunted eagerly on the walls and the furniture for other
flies； which he pursued and killed with his fly…flap； always
applying the name of Charles to one； and that of John to the next。
In the excitement of this strange sport he had not noticed that；
soon after he entered the cabinet； the door had opened； and
Counsellor von Hudelist had come in。 Francis did not remember at
that moment that he had given express orders to Hudelist to re…enter
the cabinet as soon as he heard the emperor return to it； he had
fixed his thoughts exclusively on the cruel pleasure of killing the
flies Charles and John； and Hudelist took good care not to disturb
him in this pleasant pastime。 He stood leaning against the wall
close to the door； his small； flashing eyes followed every motion of
the emperor with rapt attention； and whenever Francis； on killing a
fly； pronounced the name of either of his brothers in a triumphant
tone； a malicious smile overspread the pale and ugly face of the
counsellor。
Now； however； Francis； in hunting for flies； had arrived at the
extreme end of the room。 Until then； his back had been turned to
Hudelist。 If he should turn now and continue his sport on the other
side of the room； he would discover him； and be disagreeably
surprised at his presence。 Therefore； before the emperor turned；
Hudelist opened once more the door near which he was standing； and
closed it rather noisily。
The emperor turned and asked gayly： 〃Well； what is it； Mr。
Counsellor？〃
〃Your Majesty ordered me to return to the cabinet as soon as you
should be back。〃
〃But I returned some time ago；〃 said Francis； casting a distrustful；
searching glance on Hudelist。
〃Pardon me； your majesty； I believed I heard you only just now close
the door； and had until then vainly waited for some sound in the
cabinet；〃 replied Hudelist； with a perfectly innocent expression of
countenance。 〃The second door separating the conference…room from
your majesty's cabinet is so heavily lined with cushions as to
render it almost impervious to sound； and I beg your pardon again
for not having heard despite the most eager attention。〃
The emperor's face had again entirely cleared up。 〃Never mind；〃 he
said； 〃I am glad that those in the adjoining room cannot hear what
is going on here。 I like to have ears for all； but do not like
anybody to have ears for me。 Now let me hear what you have brought
for me from Paris。〃
〃Above all things； your majesty； I succeeded in obtaining for a
considerable sum of money； the receipt for making Spanish sealing…
wax； from a Spanish refugee； who was formerly employed at the royal
sealing…wax factory of Madrid； and was perfectly familiar with the
formula for making it。 Your majesty knows that this receipt is a
secret； and that the officers and workmen employed at the factory
must even swear an oath not to divulge it。〃
〃And you obtained the receipt nevertheless； and brought it with
you？〃 inquired the emperor。
〃Here it is； your majesty。〃
Francis hastily seized the paper which Hudelist handed to him with a
respectful bow。
〃See； see； this is a very kind service which you have rendered me；
and I shall be grateful for it！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You shall test the
receipt with me alone； we will try it right away。 But hold on； I
must first tell you some grave news。 We shall declare war。 I have
already told the French ambassador to leave Vienna to…day； and
Metternich can come home too。 I will hold a council of the ministers
and generals to…day。 Tell the functionaries at the chancery to
inform the ministers； archdukes； and generals that I wish to see
them in the conference…room at four。 Make haste； and then come to my
laboratory。 We will try the Spanish receipt。〃
CHAPTER V。
THE PERFORMANCE OF 〃THE CREATION。〃
A brilliant festival was to take place to…night in the large aula of
the Vienna University。 All the composers； musicians； dilettanti； and
amateurs of Vienna； had joyously consented to participate in it。 The
most distinguished names of the aristocracy and the artistic circles
of Vienna were at the head of the committee of arrangements。 Among
those names were those of the Princes Lichnowsky and Lichtenstein；
the Countesses Kaunitz and Spielmann； of Beethoven and Salieri；
Kreutzer and Clementi； and finally； those of the poets Collin and
Carpani。
Every one wished to participate in this festival； which was to
render homage to the veteran German composer； the great Joseph
Haydn； on the occasion of the twenty…fifth performance of the
maestro's great work； 〃The Creation。〃 Ten years had elapsed since
the first performance of 〃The Creation〃 at Vienna； and already the
sublime composition had made the tour of Europe； and had been
performed amid the most enthusiastic applause in London and Paris；
in Amsterdam and St。 Petersburg； in Berlin； and all the large and
small cities of Germany。 Everywhere it had excited transports of
admiration； everywhere delighted audiences had greeted with
rapturous enthusiasm this beautiful music； so full of holy ardor and
childlike piety； this great work of the German composer； Joseph
Haydn。
To…day the twenty…fifth performance of 〃The Creation〃 was to take
place at Vienna； and Joseph Haydn himself was to be present at the
concert。 The committee of arrangements had invited him； and he had
accep