over her husband； and Count Stadion is no more influential than her
majesty。 His generous enthusiasm and fiery impetuosity are repugnant
to the emperor； who will remove him so soon as he has discovered a
more submissive and obsequious successor who has as much work in him
as Stadion。 But there is one point as to which these incessantly
quarrelling parties are agreed and join hands； and that is their
common hostility against the arch…dukes； the emperor's brothers； so
virulent is this hatred； that the peace…party deserts its leader in
order to operate with the war…party against him and his interests。
The Austrian nobility has always claimed the privilege of filling
all superior offices； and it is furious at seeing the archdukes
animated with the desire of dedicating their abilities to their
fatherland and their emperor。 Hence； the nobility is decidedly
opposed to the success of the archdukes； which might set bounds to
its oligarchy。 It opposes me as well as the other archdukes； whether
this opposition may endanger the interests of the fatherland； and
even the emperor； or not。 Things would be even more prosperous in
this campaign； if the generals serving under the archdukes had
carried out the orders of their superiors with greater zeal；
promptness； and willingness。 But they have been intentionally slow；
they have often hesitated； misunderstood； or purposely forgotten
their orders。 They are intent on proving the incapacity of the
archdukes in order to overthrow them； and they well know that they
are rendering a service to the emperor by doing so； for they are
aware that the emperor does not love his brothers。〃
〃No； your imperial highness；〃 exclaimed Nugent； when the archduke
paused with a sigh。 〃I hope that this is going too far； and that you
are likewise mistaken about it。 It is impossible that the emperor
should not love his brothers； who are doing so much honor to the
imperial house by their surpassing accomplishments； virtues； and
talents。〃
〃My friend； you speak like a courtier；〃 said John； shaking his head；
〃and you exaggerate as a friend。 But even though you were right；
those qualities would not be calculated to render the emperor's
heart more attached to us。 He wants the emperor alone to shed lustre
on； and do honor to the imperial house； and not the archdukes； his
father's younger sons； whom he hates。〃
〃No； no； your imperial highness； it is impossible that the emperor
should hate his brothers！〃
〃And why impossible？〃 asked John； shrugging his shoulders。 〃Do not
his brothers； the archdukes； hate each other？ Or do you believe；
perhaps； that the Archduke Charles； our generalissimo； loves me； or
even wishes me well？ I was so unfortunate as to be twice victorious
during the present campaign； while he was twice defeated； I beat the
French at Sacile and St。 Boniface； while he lost the battles of
Landshut and Ratisbon。 This is a crime which the archduke will never
forgive me； and for which he will revenge himself。〃
〃Perhaps he thinks that he took a noble and glorious revenge at the
battle of Aspern？〃
〃Oh； my friend； you forgot that our mother was a daughter of Italy；
and that we； therefore； do not care for a noble and glorious
revenge； but long for an Italian vendetta。 The generalissimo will
not content himself with having obtained glory； but I must suffer a
defeat； a disgrace； which will neutralize what few laurels I
gathered at Sacile and St。 Boniface。 Oh； I know my brother the
generalissimo； I see all the little threads which he is spinning
around me； and which； as soon as they are strong enough； he will
convert into a net； in which he will catch me； in order to exhibit
me to the world as an ignoramus and dreamer； destitute both of
ability and luck as a general。 Do not tell me that I am mistaken； my
friend； I have hitherto observed every thing with close attention；
and my observations unfortunately do not deceive me。 The
generalissimo is desirous of punishing me for my victories at Sacile
and St。 Boniface； and for advocating a declaration of war when he
pronounced three times against it。 He has already several times told
the emperor that I am self…willed； disobedient； and always inclined
to oppose his orders by words or even deeds； and the emperor always
takes pleasure in informing me of the generalissimo's complaints。〃
〃It is true；〃 sighed Count Nugent； 〃this aversion of the
generalissimo to your imperial highness unfortunately cannot be
denied； and you yourself have to suffer by it。〃
〃Oh；〃 cried John； impetuously； 〃if that were all； I should not
complain； I should add it to the many other pin…pricks of my fate；
and strive to bear it without murmuring。 But my soldiers and the
glory of the Austrian arms suffer by it； and it will destroy the
liberty of the Tyrol。 It is well known that this is my most
vulnerable point； that I love the Tyrol； and am determined to leave
nothing undone in order to redeem the emperor's pledges to preserve
the Tyrol to the imperial house； and restore its ancient privileges
and liberties。 It is known； too； that I long intensely to live in
the future days of peace as the emperor's lieutenant in the Tyrol；
to live； far from the noisy bustle of the capital； in the peaceful
seclusion of the mountain country； for myself； my studies； and the
men whom I love； and who love me。 Oh； my poor； unfortunate Tyrol
will grievously suffer for the love which I bear it； Austria will
lose it a second time； and now； perhaps； forever。〃
〃Does your imperial highness believe so？〃 cried Nugent； in dismay。
〃You believe so； even after communicating to me the letter in which
the emperor promises to the Tyrolese never to sign a peace that will
not indissolubly incorporate the Tyrol and Vorarlberg with his
monarchy； and in which he announces the speedy arrival of his
beloved brother John； who is to put himself at the head of the
Tyrolese？〃
〃My friend； these numerous and liberal promises are the very things
that make me distrustful； and convince me that they are not meant
seriously。 If the emperor had the preservation of the Tyrol really
at heart； and intended earnestly that my army should succor and save
the Tyrolese； would he not have left me at liberty to operate
according to the dictates of my own judgment and in full harmony
with the Tyrolese； instead of tying my hands； and regarding and
employing my force only as a secondary and entirely dependent corps
of the generalissimo's army？ Look into the past； Nugent； bear in
mind all that has happened since we took the field； and tell me then
whether I am right or not？〃
〃Unfortunately you are；〃 sighed Nugent； 〃I can no longer contradict
your imperial highness； I cannot deny that many a wrong has been
inflicted on you and us； that you have have always been prevented
from taking the initiative in a vigorous manner； that you and your
army have constantly been kept in a secondary and dependent
position； that your plans have incessantly been frustrated； and that
your superiors have often done the reverse of what you wished and
deemed prudent and advisable。〃
〃My friend at they will hereafter say that I was alone to blame for
the failure of my plans；〃 cried the archduke； with a mournful smile；
〃they will charge me with having been unable to carry out the
grandiloquent promises which I made to the emperor and the Tyrolese；
and the emperor will exult at the discomfiture of the boastful
archduke who took it upon himself to call out the whole people of
the Tyrol； put himself at their head； and successfully defend
against all enemies this fortress which God and Nature erected for
Austria。 The faithful Tyrolese have taken up arms； I am ready to put
myself at their head； but already I have been removed from the
Tyrol； and my arm is paralyzed so that I can no longer stretch it
out to take the hand which the Tyrol is holding out to me
beseechingly。 If I had been permitted to advance after the victories
which my army gained over the Viceroy of Italy and Marmont； I should
probably now already have expelled the enemy from Upper Italy and
the Southern Tyrol。 But I was not allowed to follow up my successes；
I was stopped in the midst of my victorious career。 Because the
generalissimo's army had been defeated at Ratisbon； I was compelled；
instead of pursuing the enemy energetically and obliging him to keep
on the defensive； to retreat myself； and； instead of being the
pursuer； be pursued by the forces of the viceroy。 Instead of going
to the Tyrol； I was ordered by the generalissimo to turn toward
Hungary and unite with the volunteers in that country。 No sooner had
I done so； than I was ordered to advance again toward the Southern
Tyrol； march upon Villach and Salzburg； unite with Jellachich； form
a connection with Field…Marshal Giulay； and operate with them in the
rear of the enemy； who was already in the immediate neighborhood of
Vienna。 And he who gave me these orders did not know that Jellachich
had in the meantime been beaten at Wurzl； that Villach had been
occupied by the French； that I was not in the rear of the enemy； but
that the enemy was in my rear； be did not or would not know that the
Viceroy of Italy was in my rear with thirty…six thousand men； and
that the Duke of Dantzic was in front of my position at Salzburg。
Since then we have been moving about amidst incessant skirmishes and
incessant losses； and scarcely had we reached Comorn to re…organize
and re…enforce my little army； when we received orders to march to
the island of Schutt and toward Presburg。 I vainly tried to
remonstrate and point to the weakness and exhaustion of my troops； I
vainly asked for time to reorganize my forces； when I would attack
Macdonald and prevent him from uniting with Napoleon。 I vainly
proved that this was his intention； and that no one could hinder him
from carrying it into effect； so soon as I had to turn toward
Presburg and open to Macdonald the road to Vienna。 My remonstrances
were disregarded； pains were taken to prove to me that I was but a
tool； a wheel in the great machine of state； and the orders were
renewed for me to march into Hungary。 Well； I will submit againI
will obey again； but I will not do so in silence； I will； at least；
tell the