Andreas Hofer | Page 9

turning over the
leaves with a smile, a small piece of paper fluttered from between the
gilt-edged leaves and dropped to the floor.
"That is it," said John, smiling, picking up the paper, and fixing his
eyes on it. "There is nothing on it," he then exclaimed, contemplating
both sides of the paper. "There is not a word on it. It is only a
book-mark, that is all. But, perhaps, something is written in the book,
or there may be another paper."
"No, your imperial highness," whispered Nugent, stepping back a few
paces from the door. "The Princess Lichtenstein whispered to me
yesterday, at the court concert, that she had obtained an excellent way
of sending a written message to her friends and allies, and that, if we
received a piece of white paper from the ladies of our party, we had
better preserve it and read it afterward near the fireplace."
"Ah, sympathetic ink," exclaimed John; "well, we will see."
He hastily approached the fireplace, where a bright fire was burning,
and held the piece of paper close to the flames. Immediately a number
of black dots and lines appeared on the paper; these dots and lines

assumed gradually the shape of finely-written words.
The archduke followed with rapt attention every line, every letter that
appeared on the white paper, and now he read as follows:
"The French ambassador has requested the emperor to grant him an
audience at eleven o'clock this morning. A courier from Metternich in
Paris has arrived, and, I believe, brought important news. The decisive
hour is at hand. Hasten to the emperor; leave nothing undone to prevail
on him to take a bold stand. Send somebody to the Archduke Charles;
request him to repair likewise to the emperor and influence him in the
same direction. I have paved the way for you. I hope the French
ambassador will, in spite of himself, be our ally, and by his defiant and
arrogant bearing, attain for us the object which we have hitherto been
unable to accomplish by our persuasion and our arguments. Make haste!
Burn this paper."
The archduke signed to his two confidants to come to him, and pointed
to the paper. When they had hastily read the lines, he threw the paper
into the flames, and turned to the two gentlemen who stood behind him.
"Well, what do you think of it?" he inquired. "Shall I do what these
mysterious lines ask of me? Shall I go to the emperor without being
summoned to him?"
"The empress requests you to do so, and she is as prudent as she is
energetic," said Count Nugent.
"I say, like the empress, the decisive hour is at hand," exclaimed Baron
von Hormayr. "Hasten to the emperor; try once more to force the sword
into his hand, and to wrest at length the much-wished-for words, 'War
against France!' from his lips. The Tyrolese are only waiting for these
words, to rise for their emperor and become again his loving and
devoted subjects. All Austria, nay, all Germany, is longing for these
words, which will be the signal of the deliverance of the fatherland
from the French yoke. Oh, my lord and prince, hasten to the emperor;
speak to him with the impassioned eloquence of the cherubim, break
the fatal charm that holds Austria and the Tyrol enthralled!"
At this moment the large clock standing on the mantelpiece
commenced striking.
"Eleven o'clock," said the archduke--"the hour when the emperor is to
give an audience to the French ambassador. It is high time, therefore.
Nugent, hasten to my brother; implore him to repair forthwith to the

emperor, and to act this time at least in unison with me. Tell him that
everything is at stake, and that we must risk all to win all. But you,
Hormayr, go to my dear Tyrolese; tell them that I will receive them
here at twelve o'clock to-night, and conduct them to me at that hour,
my friend. We will hold a council of war at midnight."
"And your imperial highness does not forget that you promised to go to
the concert to-night?" asked Nugent. "Your highness is aware that our
friends not only intend to-night to give an ovation to the veteran master
of German art, Joseph Haydn, but wish also to profit by the German
music to make a political demonstration; and they long for the presence
of the imperial court, that the emperor and his brothers may witness the
patriotic enthusiasm of Vienna."
"I shall certainly be present," said the archduke, earnestly, "and I hope
the empress will succeed in prevailing on the emperor to go to the
concert.--Well, then, my friends, let us go to work, and nay God grant
success to our efforts!"

CHAPTER II
.
THE EMPEROR FRANCIS.