Andreas Hofer: An Historical NovelMühlbach, L. (Luise)
History
Andreas Hofer: An Historical Novel
Mühlbach, L. (Luise)
Hofer, Andreas, 1767-1810 -- Fiction; Tyrol (Austria) -- History -- Uprising of 1809 -- Fiction
"Your majesty, the facts will unfortunately soon convince the
Tyrolese that they must not look for the fulfilment of these
promises," said the archduke, sighing. "At the very moment when the
Tyrol is being threatened by two hostile armies, those of the
Viceroy of Italy and the Duke of Dantzic, and when the Tyrol,
therefore, if it is not to succumb again to such enormous odds,
urgently needs assistance and succor, I receive orders to leave the
Tyrol and march to Hungary. That is to say, I am to give up
Salzburg, which is occupied by the French; I am not to succor
Innspruck, which is menaced by Baraguay d'Hilliers. Not only am I
not to lend any assistance to the Tyrolese, but I am to break their
moral courage and paralyze their energy, by showing to them by my
retreat that the emperor's promises will not be fulfilled, and that
the army of Upper Austria abandons the Tyrol to succor Hungary."
"Well, the Tyrol is not yet abandoned, even though the Archduke John
is no longer there," said the emperor, shrugging his shoulders. "We
have two generals with corps there, have we not? Are not the Marquis
of Chasteler and Count Buol there?"
"They are, your majesty; but the Marquis of Chasteler is morally
paralyzed by the sentence of outlawry which Napoleon has issued
against him, and Count Buol has too few troops to oppose the enemy's
operations, which are not checked by any corps outside the Tyrol."
"Ah, you wish to give me another proof of the fraternal love
reigning between you and the Archduke Charles?" asked the emperor
sarcastically. "You wish to oppose the orders of your
generalissimo?"
"I wish to ask the emperor, my sovereign, whether I am to give up
the Tyrol or not; I wish to ask him if he orders me to march my army
to Presburg, unite with the insurgent forces, and operate there
against the enemy."
"Are these the generalissimo's orders?"
"They are, your majesty."
"And what else does he command?"
"He commands me, further, to make myself master of the two islands
of Schutt in front of Presburg, take Altenburg by a coup de main,
and garrison, supply, and provision the two fortresses of Raab and
Comorn for six months."
A sarcastic expression overspread the emperor's face.
"Well, these are excellent and most energetic orders," he said.
"Carry them out, therefore."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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