Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/204

 themselves compelled to give up generously a portion of their pay to assist their mutilated comrades. It must, however, be stated, in justification of the court of Mexico, that the civil list itself, which at first took away every morning 27,500 francs in gold from the daily receipts of the capital, was now much diminished owing to the financial crisis, which was afflicting the whole empire, so that the court was often powerless to render assistance, although actuated by the most generous intentions. As to the regular and auxiliary Mexican army, of which the ministry had the sole management, it was dwindling away to nothing. Maximilian now learnt, through the medium of the United States, the failure of the interview at St. Cloud: he kept this news secret until he heard the result of the empress's negotiation with the Holy See, whose moral support might, he thought, counterbalance the gradual withdrawal of our troops. But from this moment he quietly began to make his preparations for departure; and to make sure beforehand of an escort, he sent the following letter to the commander-in-chief, who had just arrived at Puebla, having marched to the assistance of an Austrian column which was in serious danger:—

Palais de Mexico, September 26, 1866. My dear Marshal,—I send you annexed some documents as to the invasion of Llanos de Apam by the rebels; and you will have the kindness to adopt the necessary measures with all the haste that the state of things requires, so as to prevent the rebels from taking complete possession of these points so rich and so important.

You will also have the goodness to give orders that the three squadrons of Austrian hussars should be summoned to Mexico in order to get remounts and to recover from the fatigues of the long and rough campaign which they have just made.