frontiers。 The just cause could not but triumph； and hence Austria
had to conquer； and France； had to succumb in this struggle。 God
protect the Emperor Francis！ I may lay down now and die。 Austria is
victorious！ That is the last joyful greeting which the world sends
to me。 With this greeting I will dieay； die！ Death is already
drawing nigh。 But Death wears a laurel…wreath on its head； and its
eye is radiant with triumphant joy。 Glory to Austria！ Glory to the
German fatherland！〃
These were Joseph Haydn's last words。 He fainted away。 It is true
the physicians succeeded in restoring him to life； and he breathed
yet for six days； but his life resembled only the last feeble
flicker of the dying flame； and in the night of the 30th of May
death came to extinguish this flickering flame。
CHAPTER XXIV。
THE ARCHDUKE JOHN AT COMORN。
The unheard…of event； then； had taken place。 Napoleon had been
defeated by the Austrians。 The Archduke Charles had gained a
brilliant victory； Napoleon had transferred his whole army to the
island of Lobau； he himself passed his time in moody broodings at
the castle of Ebersberg； and the unexpected disaster which had
befallen him and which at the same time had brought about the death
of one of his favorites； Marshal Lannes； seemed to have suddenly
deprived the emperor of all his energy。 He did not speak； he did not
eat； he sat for whole days in his cabinet； staring at the maps
spread out before him on his table； and yet forgetting to cover
them； as he used to do on conceiving the plans of his campaigns；
with the colored pins which represented the different armies。
Victory had no longer been able to soften this marble Caesarean
face； but defeat caused his features now to wear an expression of
profound anger and grief。 Nevertheless； he did not complain； and
never did he confess even to his confidants that he was suffering。
Only once； for a brief moment； he lifted the veil concealing his
feelings； and permitted his marshals to see into the innermost
recesses of his soul。 Marmont had dared to pray the emperor； in the
name of all the marshals； to yield no longer to his grief at what
had occurred； but bear in mind that it was incumbent on him to
preserve himself for the welfare of his subjects and the glory of
his future。 Napoleon had answered with a faint smile： 〃You think I
am sitting here to brood over my misfortune？ It is true； I am
burying my dead； and； as there are unfortunately a great many of
them； it takes me a long time to do it。 But over the tomb of the
dead of Essling I am going to erect a monument which will be radiant
with the splendor of victory； and on its frontispiece shall be read
the word 'Vengeance！' The Emperor of Austria is lost。 Had I defeated
him in this battle； I should； perhaps； have forgiven his arrogance
and perfidy； but as he defeated me； I must and shall annihilate him
and his army。〃
While Napoleon was thus burying his dead； and reflecting on his
〃monument of vengeance；〃 the utmost rejoicings reigned at the
headquarters of the Archduke Charles； the victor of Aspern； and all
Austria； all Germany joined in these rejoicings； and blessed the
glorious day of Bonaparte's first humiliation。
And this victory was soon followed by the news of a triumph hardly
less glorious than the battle of Aspern。 The Tyrolese； those
despised peasants； had gained a brilliant victory over the French
veterans； and their Bavarian auxiliaries； on the 21st of May； on
Mount Isel； near the city of Innspruck。 Andreas Hofer； commander…in…
chief of the united forces of the Tyrolese； jointly with
Speckbacher； Wallner； and the Capuchin Haspinger； had again defeated
the Bavarians and French； who had re…entered the Tyrol； and
delivered the province a second time from the enemy。
Count Nugent； quartermaster…general of the Archduke John； had
entered the latter's room with this joyful news； and told him with
sparkling eyes of the heroic deeds of the Tyrolese； of Hofer's pious
zeal； of the bold exploits of Wallner and Speckbacher； whose deeds
recalled the ancient heroes of Homer； of the intrepid Capuchin
friar； Haspinger； who； with a huge wooden cross in his hand； led on
the attack； and animated his followers not less by his example than
the assurances of Divine protection which he held forth。 Count
Nugent had related all these heroic deeds with fervid eloquence to
the archduke； and yet； to his utter astonishment； the latter's face
had remained gloomy； and not a ray of joy had illuminated it。
〃Your imperial highness； then； does not share my exultation？〃 he
asked； mournfully。 〃You receive the news quite coldly and
indifferently； and yet I am speaking of your beloved Tyrolese； of
your heroes； Andreas Hofer； Joseph Speckbacher； and Anthony Wallner？
They and their heroic men have delivered the Tyrol a second time
from the enemy； and your imperial highness does not rejoice at it？〃
〃No； my dear Count；〃 said the archduke； sighing； 〃for they will lose
it again。 All this blood will have been shed in vain； and my poor
Tyrol will be lost in spite of it。〃
〃You believe so？you who called upon the Tyrolese to take up arms；
who invited its heroes and champions to such daring efforts； who are
ready yourself to fight for the courageous mountaineers to the last
extremity？〃
〃Yes； I am always ready to do so；〃 cried John； laughing bitterly；
〃but what good will it do？ They will wind cunning shackles enough
round my feet to make me fall to the ground； they will manacle my
hands again； and put my will into the strait…jacket of loyalty and
obedience。 I cannot do what I want to； I am only a tool in the hands
of others； and this will cause both my ruin and that of the Tyrol。 I
am willing to sacrifice my life for the Tyrol； and yet I shall be
unable to save it。 For the rest； my friend； I knew already all these
particulars of the battle on Mount Isel。 A courier from Hormayr had
just reached me and brought me full details。 I was able to send back
by the courier a fine reward for the brave Tyrolese； a letter from
the emperor； my august brother； which I received this morning with
the order to forward it to them。 I kept a copy of the imperial
letter； for there may be a day when it will be necessary for me to
remind the emperor of this letter。 Here is the copy。 Read it aloud；
that I may hear； too； how fine the imperial words sound。〃
The archduke handed a paper to Count Nugent； who read as follows：
〃After our arms had suffered heavy reverses； and after the enemy had
captured even the capital of the empire； my army succeeded in
defeating the French army under Napoleon on the 21st and 22d of May；
on the Marshfield； and driving it in disorder across the Danube。 The
army and people of Austria are animated with greater enthusiasm than
ever； every thing justifies the most sanguine hopes。 Trusting in God
and my just cause； I declare to my loyal provinces of the Tyrol and
Vorarlberg； that they shall never again be separated from the
Austrian empire； and that I will sign no peace but one which will
indissolubly incorporate these provinces with my other states。 Your
noble conduct has sunk deep into my heart； I will never abandon you。
My beloved brother； the Archduke John； will speedily be among you；
and put himself at your head。 FRANCIS。〃
＇Footnote： Hormayr； 〃Das Heer von Inner…Oesterreich unter den
Befehlen des Erzherzogs Johann；〃 p。 189。＇
〃And your imperial highness doubts； even after this solemn promise
given to the Tyrolese by his majesty the emperor？〃
〃My friend；〃 said the archduke； casting a long； searching look round
the room； 〃we are alone； no one watches； and； I trust； no one hears
us。 Let me； therefore； for once； speak frankly with you； let me
unbosom to you； my friend； what I have hitherto said to God alone；
let me forget for a quarter of an hour that I am a subject of the
emperor； and that his majesty is my brother； permit me to examine
the situation with the eyes of an impartial observer； and to judge
of men as a man。 Well； then； I must confess to you that I cannot
share the universal joy at the recent events； andmay God forgive
me！I do not believe even in the promises which the emperor makes
to the Tyrolese。 He himself may at the present hour be firmly
resolved to fulfil them； he may have made up his mind never to sign
any peace but one which will indissolubly incorporate the Tyrol with
his empire； but the events； and especially men； will assuredly
compel him to consent to another treaty of peace。 You know full well
that there are two parties about the emperor； and that there is a
constant feud between these two parties。 One wants war； the other
wants peace； and the peace…party is unfortunately headed by the
Archduke Charles； the generalissimo of our army。 You know the
fawning and submissive letter which the generalissimo addressed to
Napoleon after the defeat of Ratisbon； and which Napoleon disdained
to answer。 ＇Footnote： The Archduke Charles wrote to Napoleon on the
30th of April； 1809： 〃Your Majesty announced your arrival by a salvo
of artillery； I had no time to reply to it。 But； though hardly
informed of your presence； I speedily discovered it by the losses
which I experienced。 You have taken many prisoners from me； sire；
and I have taken some thousands from you in quarters where you were
not personally present。 I propose to your majesty to exchange them；
man for man； rank for rank； and； if that proposal proves agreeable
to you； point out the place where it may be possible to carry it
into effect。 I feel flattered； sire； in combating the greatest
captain of the age； but I should esteem myself much happier if
Heaven had chosen me to be the instrument of procuring for my
country a durable peace。 Whatever may be the events of war； or the
chances of an accommodation； I pray your majesty to believe that my
desires will always outstrip your wishes； and that I am equally
honored by meeting your majesty either with the sword or the olive…
branch in your hand。〃＇ The war…party is headed by the empress and
Count Stadion。 But the empress has unfortunately little influence
over her husband； and Count Stadion is no more influential than her
majesty。 His generous enthusiasm and fiery impetuo