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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 emperor that I do it in spite of myself； and will march to
Presburg and Raab only if he approves of the generalissmo's orders。〃
〃That is to say； your imperial highness is going to declare openly
against the generalissimo？〃
〃No； it is to say that I am going to inform my sovereign of my
doubts and fears； and unbosom to him my wishes and convictions。 You
smile； my friend。 It is true； I am yet a poor dreamer； speculating
on the heart； and believing that the truth must triumph in the end。
I shall； however； at least be able to say that I have done my duty；
and had the courage to inform the emperor of the true state of
affairs。 I shall repair this very day to his majesty's headquarters
at Wolkersdorf。 I will dare once more to speak frankly and
fearlessly to him。 I will oppose my enemies at least with open
visor； and show to them that I am not afraid of them。 God knows； if
only my own personal honor and safety were at stake； I should
withdraw in silence； and shut up my grief and my apprehensions in my
b