登陆注册
5244000000090

第90章 Book III(23)

Majesty contemned, admitted not of any atonement; disobedience to its commands cancelled the most brilliant services. The Emperor required his services, and as emperor he demanded them. Whatever price Wallenstein might set upon them, the Emperor would readily agree to; but he demanded obedience, or the weight of his indignation should crush the refractory servant."Wallenstein, whose extensive possessions within the Austrian monarchy were momentarily exposed to the power of the Emperor, was keenly sensible that this was no idle threat; yet it was not fear that at last overcame his affected reluctance. This imperious tone of itself, was to his mind a plain proof of the weakness and despair which dictated it, while the Emperor's readiness to yield all his demands, convinced him that he had attained the summit of his wishes.

He now made a show of yielding to the persuasions of Eggenberg; and left him, in order to write down the conditions on which he accepted the command.

Not without apprehension, did the minister receive the writing, in which the proudest of subjects had prescribed laws to the proudest of sovereigns. But however little confidence he had in the moderation of his friend, the extravagant contents of his writing surpassed even his worst expectations. Wallenstein required the uncontrolled command over all the German armies of Austria and Spain, with unlimited powers to reward and punish. Neither the King of Hungary, nor the Emperor himself, were to appear in the army, still less to exercise any act of authority over it. No commission in the army, no pension or letter of grace, was to be granted by the Emperor without Wallenstein's approval.

All the conquests and confiscations that should take place, were to be placed entirely at Wallenstein's disposal, to the exclusion of every other tribunal.

For his ordinary pay, an imperial hereditary estate was to be assigned him, with another of the conquered estates within the empire for his extraordinary expenses. Every Austrian province was to be opened to him if he required it in case of retreat. He farther demanded the assurance of the possession of the Duchy of Mecklenburg, in the event of a future peace; and a formal and timely intimation, if it should be deemed necessary a second time to deprive him of the command.

In vain the minister entreated him to moderate his demands, which, if granted, would deprive the Emperor of all authority over his own troops, and make him absolutely dependent on his general. The value placed on his services had been too plainly manifested to prevent him dictating the price at which they were to be purchased. If the pressure of circumstances compelled the Emperor to grant these demands, it was more than a mere feeling of haughtiness and desire of revenge which induced the duke to make them. His plans of rebellion were formed, to their success, every one of the conditions for which Wallenstein stipulated in this treaty with the court, was indispensable. Those plans required that the Emperor should be deprived of all authority in Germany, and be placed at the mercy of his general; and this object would be attained, the moment Ferdinand subscribed the required conditions. The use which Wallenstein intended to make of his army, (widely different indeed from that for which it was entrusted to him,) brooked not of a divided power, and still less of an authority superior to his own. To be the sole master of the will of his troops, he must also be the sole master of their destinies;insensibly to supplant his sovereign, and to transfer permanently to his own person the rights of sovereignty, which were only lent to him for a time by a higher authority, he must cautiously keep the latter out of the view of the army. Hence his obstinate refusal to allow any prince of the house of Austria to be present with the army.

The liberty of free disposal of all the conquered and confiscated estates in the empire, would also afford him fearful means of purchasing dependents and instruments of his plans, and of acting the dictator in Germany more absolutely than ever any Emperor did in time of peace.

By the right to use any of the Austrian provinces as a place of refuge, in case of need, he had full power to hold the Emperor a prisoner by means of his own forces, and within his own dominions;to exhaust the strength and resources of these countries, and to undermine the power of Austria in its very foundation.

Whatever might be the issue, he had equally secured his own advantage, by the conditions he had extorted from the Emperor. If circumstances proved favourable to his daring project, this treaty with the Emperor facilitated its execution; if on the contrary, the course of things ran counter to it, it would at least afford him a brilliant compensation for the failure of his plans. But how could he consider an agreement valid, which was extorted from his sovereign, and based upon treason?

How could he hope to bind the Emperor by a written agreement, in the face of a law which condemned to death every one who should have the presumption to impose conditions upon him? But this criminal was the most indispensable man in the empire, and Ferdinand, well practised in dissimulation, granted him for the present all he required.

At last, then, the imperial army had found a commander-in-chief worthy of the name. Every other authority in the army, even that of the Emperor himself, ceased from the moment Wallenstein assumed the commander's baton, and every act was invalid which did not proceed from him. From the banks of the Danube, to those of the Weser and the Oder, was felt the life-giving dawning of this new star; a new spirit seemed to inspire the troops of the emperor, a new epoch of the war began.

The Papists form fresh hopes, the Protestant beholds with anxiety the changed course of affairs.

同类推荐
  • 鲁班全书

    鲁班全书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 谤佛经

    谤佛经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 龙门心法

    龙门心法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上灵宝净明道元正印经

    太上灵宝净明道元正印经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Princess de Montpensier

    The Princess de Montpensier

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 你是我的软肋

    你是我的软肋

    一场意外,让柳元枫邂逅了,夏映秋和她相依为命的母亲。与江依白比起来,映秋显得平凡而带着淡淡的哀愁,但在柳元枫眼中,映秋的确隐含着动人的韵致。而身为富豪之子的元枫,他该如何让家人接受清寒家庭出身的映秋,并让大家坦然面对精神障碍的夏妈妈?
  • 甜吻99次:恶魔少爷宠翻天

    甜吻99次:恶魔少爷宠翻天

    被一只大灰狼捡回家后,江希妍开始过上了凄惨的生活,她不旦要暖床,还得陪睡。她千方百计的想要逃离,可他却开出了一个个诱人的条件。“嫁给我,我的一切都是你的。”江希妍犹豫了好久,“可他们都说你这颗大白菜被我这头猪给拱了,我配不上你。”男子沉思半晌,“确实是被你这头猪给嚯嚯了,所以你得负责。”江希妍,“……滚!!”
  • 五家语录

    五家语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太平天国战记

    太平天国战记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Enchantment

    Enchantment

    When Miles tells his fiancée, Monique, that they must keep their engagement a secret if she comes with him to live on Grand Cayman Island, she has misgivings. Once they reach the island, she realizes all her fears were right--and Miles breaks her heart.But then she meets Dirk Anderson, Miles' new employer. Handsome and domineering, Dirk couldn't be more different from Miles, and Monique finds herself strangely drawn to him. But he may be involved with another woman--the same one who came between her and Miles. Can she trust his love--or will her heart be broken once more?
  • 校园大侠

    校园大侠

    “我爸爸说,这次考试,要是我考了100分,放暑假就带我到北戴河玩。”“我妈妈答应我,如果我考了100分,就奖给我100块钱。”“我舅舅说,如果我这次考了100分,就送我一辆山地车。”“我要考了100分,我爷爷会带我去吃麦当劳。”“我只要考90分以上,我爸爸就会带我到哈哈游乐城玩。”
  • 秀丽江山如画

    秀丽江山如画

    怎么回事啊?她只是在好好品尝一顿美味的海鲜盛宴而已,居然就穿越了?!穿也就穿了呗,这个小小的萝莉身子是怎么一回事啊?那些只会发生在小说里,以及电视剧里的玄幻情节,难道真实发生了,还是在自己的身上?!OH,MYGOD!
  • 戏说红楼

    戏说红楼

    在潇湘看了许多红楼的书,不忍她为一个没担当的男人泪尽而死。妨不住也动笔写起了妹妹,当然也是要她幸福,当然这要靠她自己去争取,要她坚强一点,自主一点。初次写书,如有不妥之处,欢迎多多提建议!
  • 绝世邪帝

    绝世邪帝

    前世的前世,命运的无尽轮回。神王与命运的算计,蝼蚁与天神的对抗。之所以赢了世界,却无法胜过自己,是因为无论哪个“我”,都深爱着你。
  • 误入总裁房

    误入总裁房

    失恋的她,误打误撞进了他的房子,交了二千块钱的租钱与他‘同居’,闯入了他的生活,打乱了他的计划与步调。原来一切都是他设计的温柔陷阱和报复游戏他设计单纯的她,让她进了他的房他设计无辜的她,骗她上了他的床他设计善良的她,诱她坠入他的网他一步一步将她引入自己的天罗地网,让她成为恩怨的附属品俗不知这个爱情的圈套,伤害最深不只是善良无辜的她还有作茧自缚的——他当一切化为云烟,他才赫然发现,他步步经营的情网也网住了自己的心……【注:本文男主强,女主更强,大虐不多,小虐不断,虐男为主,口味独特,基调温馨】★☆☆★★☆☆★★☆☆★★☆☆★★☆☆没有激情四溢的文字,没有跌宕起伏的情节只想用平实的文字为相爱的人划一个美丽的符号,搭一道七色的彩虹。本文过程小虐,基调温馨,文笔轻快,结局团圆。此文是一个独立的故事,也可以看作是《总裁的弃爱》的第二部。宣传星辰的新——总裁的艳俘】【作品简介】五年的沉淀,原以为已经洗净铅华,不谙世事,却不曾想到一次意外的多管闲事却把自己推至了风口浪尖,成为了他的俘虏,陷入一场蓄意报复的游戏里……【片断一】“还以为真是什么冰清玉洁的公主,原来也不过残花败柳。”新婚之夜风流成性的他弯起嘴角,一脸的鄙夷与嘲讽。十根颤抖的手指拾起那散落在地上的衣襟,眼睛里依然是冰冷与漠然。从此他夜夜声歌,她独守空房,甚至还要为他收拾烂摊子……【片断二】他食指与中指间夹着烟,面上尽是揶揄:“想见弟弟,可以,那看你今天晚上能不能取悦于我。”“我不会。”她回答得干脆利落。“哼,不会。”他近到她跟前抬起她冰冷的脸:“有其母必有其女,我记得这可是你母亲的拿手好戏。”【片断三】他拿着化验单提起她的玉脖,恶狠狠的问道:“孩子呢,告诉我孩子呢?”“拿掉了。”她答得云淡风轻,心里却有血一般的液体在流……“没有我的允许你有什么资格自作主张?”他狂怒的嘶吼,眼睛里装着火焰,似乎要将她淹没。“我只不过是帮你减少了一道不必要的程序罢了。”她面无表情的拨开他扼在她脖子上的手。……【片断四】抱起弟弟的尸体,嘴角挽起一道绝望的笑,她知道从此没有人再能禁锢她的身体,曾经冰冻的心也开始发酵……“不许你走。”他横身拦在她的面前,眼睛里闪着灼痛她轻笑,没有回答,右手的尖刀划过左手的腕,殷红的血渍滴溅落在她白色的衣裙上,如她的笑容一样凄美而让人心慌……