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willyoufollowme，or——"
"Sire，thereisno\'or，\'"interruptedCountMetternich。"Itisyourmajesty\'sincontestablerighttoleadtheway，andindicatetomethecourseIamtopursue。"
"Thatisright;Iliketohearthatkindoflanguage！"exclaimedtheemperor，holdingouthishandkindlytothecount。"Youmaydependuponitnowthatwetwoshallremainyetalongwhiletogether，andthat，sincewearegoingtohavepeaceinthecountry，weshallruletogetherintranquillityandharmony。There，takethepapernowtoyourroom，andreaditattentively，thatyoumaybecomethoroughlyfamiliarwithit;aboveallthings，donotforgetthesecretarticles，foryouknowtheyarealwaysthemostimportantofall。
Prayreturntomeinanhourfromnow;wewillthenworktogether。"
"Sire，Ishallbeherepunctually，"saidCountMetternich，bowingdeeply，andwalkingbackwardtothedoor。
"IbelieveheWILLbeherepunctually，"saidtheemperor，smiling，afterMetternichhadlefttheroom。"Heisafraid，ifheshouldnotbepromptlyatmydoor，itmightneveropentohimagain。IwantthemalltofeelthatIamtheirmasterandemperor——Ialone！NowI
amthroughwithMetternich，anditismybrother\'sturn。Iwillgivehimto—dayalessonwhichhewillnotforgetallhislifelong。"
Theemperorrangthebell。"Hasmybrother，theArchdukeJohn，notyetarrived？"heaskedthefootmanwhoenteredtheroom。
"Yourmajesty，thearchdukehasjustarrived，andiswaitingforyourorders。"
"Irequestmybrothertocometomeimmediately，"saidtheemperor。
Afterthefootmanhadglidednoiselesslyoutoftheroom，Franciswalkedrepeatedlyupanddown，andhisfaceassumedagloomyexpression。"HeshalllearnnowthatIamhismaster，"hemurmured;
"Iwillbreakhishaughtyspirit，andhumiliatehimsodeeplythathewillneverthinkanymoreofplottingagainstme。"
Atthismomentthedooropened，andtheArchdukeJohn，whomthefootmanannounced，enteredtheroom。Helookedpaleandsad;thelastmonths，fullofcareandgrief，hadgnaweddeeplyintohissoul，anddeprivedhiseyesoftheirfire，andhisformofitsyouthfulfulness。
Theemperorsawit，andasardonicsmileilluminatedforamomenthisfeatures，which，however，quicklyresumedtheirgloomyexpression。"Ah，brother，"exclaimedtheemperor，greetingthearchdukewithaslightnodofhishead，"wehavenotseeneachotherforalongtime;hence，Isentforyou。Iwishtocommunicateimportantnewstoyou。Thewarisatanend。IhaveconcludedpeacewiththeEmperoroftheFrench。"
"Peace？"askedJohn，incredulously。"Yourmajestycondescendstojest，andthatisagoodsymptomofyourmajesty\'sexcellenthealth。"
"Ineverjestwithyou，"saidtheemperor，dryly。"Itellyouindeadearnest，IhaveconcludedpeacewithNapoleon。Austrialosesagreatdealbythispeace;shecedesone—thirdofherterritory，andpays，moreover，besidesthecontributionsimposedheretofore，thesumofeighty—sixmillionsoffranc。"[Footnote:NapoleonsignedthetreatyofSchoenbrunnonthe14thofOctober1809。]
"ButwhatoftheTyrol？"askedJohn。"IamsureyourmajestywillkeepthefaithfulTyrol？"
"No，"saidFrancis，lookinghisbrotherfullintheface，"theTyrolwillbedivided;onepartofitwillberestoredtoBavaria;theotherpartwillbegiventotheViceroyofItaly，andbecomeaprovinceofFrenchItaly。"
"Thatisimpossible！"criedJohn，indismay;"thatcannotbeyourwill——"
"Andwhynot？Whyisitimpossible？"askedtheemperor，sternly。
"Yourmajesty，"saidJohn，facinghisbrotherboldly，"youpledgedyourwordtotheTyrolesesolemnly，inthefaceofGodandthewholeworld，thatyouwouldnotconcludeapeacewhichwouldseparatetheTyrolfromyourmonarchy。"
"Ah，youdaretoremindmeofit？"criedFrancis，inathreateningtone。
"Yes，Ido，"saidJohn，vehemently;"andIhavearighttodoso，foritisIwhopledgedmyhonorthattheimperialpromisewouldberedeemed。ItwasIwhostirreduptheinsurrectionoftheTyrolese，whorepeatedthepromisesoftheirbelovedemperortothem;itwasI
whocalleduponthemintheemperor\'snametoorganizeaconspiracyandrebellion，andwhoinducedthemtodrawtheswordandfightfortheirliberty。Yourmajesty，thousandsofthenoblestTyrolesehavelosttheirlivesinthiscontest;thousandsliewoundedandingreatpain;thesoiloftheTyrol，formerlysotranquilandpeaceful，isreekingyetwithgore;thefieldsarenotcultivated;whereprosperityformerlyreigned，thereisnowdistressandstarvation;
wherepeaceandtranquillityprevailed，thereragesaninsurrection;
wheremerryandhappypeopleusedtolive，andwherenothingwasheardformerlybuttheringingnotesoftheRanzdesVachesandthemerryJodlersoftheherdsmen，therearetobeseennowonlypale，mournfulinvalids，totteringalongpainfully，andnothingisheardbuttheboomingofartilleryandthelamentationsoftheimpoverishedandstarvingmountaineers。Andyet，despitealltheirdisastersandprivations，thefaithfulTyrolesestandfirm，fortheirheartsarefullofhopeandlovefortheiremperor。TheyriskedallinordertobecomeAustriansagain;andevennow，whenthedeplorablearmisticehascompelledyourtroopstosheathetheirswords，thefaithfulandconfidingTyrolesecontinuetheirstrugglefortheiremperorandthelibertyoftheirbelovedcountry。AllEuropegazeswithastonishmentandadmirationuponthisheroicpeople，whichaloneisyetcourageousenoughtoresisttheFrenchdespot，whichalonedoesnotyetbowtohisdecrees，andstilldrawsitsswordagainsthim，whileallEuropeiscrouchingbeforehiminthedust。Oh，yourmajestycannotandwillnotabandonthisfaithfulpeople，whichlovesyouandbelievesinyou。Itwouldbehightreasontothinkyourmajestycapableofsuchastep，foryoupledgedyourwordtotheTyrolese，andneverwillanEmperorofAustriabreakhiswordandincurthedisgraceofperjuringhimself。"
Theemperorutteredacryofrage，and，entirelyforgetfulofhisassumedcalmness，rusheduponthearchdukewithflashingeyesandupliftedarm。
"Youdaretoinsultme！"hecried。"Youareimpudentenoughtochargemewithperjury！You——"
Thearchdukeonseeinghisbrothersoclosebeforehim，furiousandwithclinchedfist，startedbackafewsteps。"Yourmajesty，"hesaid，"Iamsureyoudonotintendtoinsultyourbrother。Praytakeyourhandaway，forifitshouldtouchmyface，myforehead，I
shouldbeobligedtoforgetthatyouaretheemperor，thatyouaremybrother，andshoulddemandsatisfactionofyou。"
"Theemperorwouldnotgivesatisfactiontoarebel，"saidFrancis，droppinghisarmslowly;"hewouldcrushtherebelbyaword，anddeliverthetraitorintothehandsofhisjudges。"
"Well，then，doso，"exclaimedJohn;"punishme，letmeexpiatewithmybloodtheboldnesswithwhichIremindedyouofthesacredpromisewhichyougavetotheTyrolese。Butdonotforgetyourword;
donotabandonthefaithfulTyrol;donotdestroytheonlyhopeofthesehonest，innocentchildrenofnature，whoconfidesotouchinglyintheiremperor！Oh，yourmajesty，letusbothforgetthevehementwordswhichangerandgriefcausedustoutterjustnow！Iimploreyourmajesty\'sforgiveness——IconfessthatIsinnedgrievouslyagainstmyemperor。Butnowhavemercyinyourturn！See，Ibowtoyou，Ikneeldownbeforeyou，andimploreyou，byyourimperialhonorandinthenameoftheTyrol，donotabandontheTyrolanditscommander—in—chief，AndreasHofer，anddonotforgetyoursolemnpromisethatyouwouldneverconsenttoatreatyofpeacethatwouldnotforeverincorporatetheTyrolwithyourstates。YouwanttomakepeacewithNapoleon;butthetreatyhasnotbeenproclaimedyet，theworlddoesnotknowofityet，anditisstillpossibleforyourmajestytobreakoffthenegotiations。Oh，doso，yourmajesty;
redeemthewordyoupledgedtotheTyrol，anddonotconcludeapeacewhichwillnotindissolublyunitetheTyrolwithyourmonarchy。PermittheTyroleseatleasttoconquertheirlibertyoncemore，and，aftertheyhavedoneso，protectit。SendmetotheTyrol，permitmetoplacemyselfattheheadofthebravemountaineers，andyoushallseethattheTyrolesewillriseasonemanandfightwiththecourageoflions。Oh，yourmajesty，sendmetotheTyrol，thattheTyroleseandthewholeworldmaylearnthattheemperorofAustriakeepshiswordanddoesnotabandonthem，andthathesendshisownbrothertotheminordertotellthemthathewillnotconsenttoanypeacewhichwillnotincorporatetheircountrywithAustria！"
Theemperorburstintoloudandscornfullaughter。"Ah，youareveryshrewd，brother，"hesaid;"youthinkImyselfshouldgiveyoupermissiontogototheTyrolandplaythere，withredoubledsplendor，yourpartassaviorandliberatoroftheprovince。YouthinkIamignorantofyournicelittleplan，anddonotknowwhyyouwishtogototheTyrol，andwhatintentionsyouentertaininregardtoit。Yes，sir，Iknowall！Iamawareofyourplans。Iknowthatyouarearevolutionistandrebel。YouwantedtomakeyourselfsovereignoftheTyrol。Thatisthereasonwhyyouincitedthepeopletorebellion，andintriguedandplotteduntilthepoorpeaceablepeasantsbecameinsurgentsandrebelsagainsttheirBavarianking，andunfurledthebannerofbloodwithfranticfanaticism。YousaythousandshavefallenintheTyrolinthestruggleforliberty;yousaythousandsliewoundedonthegorysoiloftheirnativecountry;thatprosperityhasdisappeared，andpovertyandstarvationreignintheTyrol？Well，then，allthisisyourwork;itisyourfault。Youstirreduptheinsurrection，andcommittedtheheavycrimeofincitingapeopletorevolution。TheTyrolbelongedtoBavaria;theTyroleseweresubjectsoftheKingofBavaria;nothinggavethemtherighttoshakeofftheruleoftheirkingandchooseanothersovereign。AndyouthinkIshouldbesoweakastoapproveofthebad
