Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/229

 pride, longing, and melancholy. What a glorious, brilliant dream would it be for the nephew of Hapsburg of Austria, to draw the sword of Ferdinand to reconquer his crown!'

These few words help to explain the painful uncertainty, and the deep anguish to which Maximilian's ambition was a prey, during his stay at the Hacienda la Jalapilla.

The following letter was written when he was under the impression produced by the disaster suffered by the Austrians, whose valour had been so unfortunate: in it, too, he generously forgets his causes of complaint against the Belgians. It sufficiently testifies that even now, when he had determined in his mind on abdication, he was still desirous of making a last attempt before he finally let drop the sceptre which was costing his heart and his pride so much pain.

Orizaba, October 31, 1866. My dear Marshal,—In the difficult circumstances in which I am placed, which also, if the negotiations I have just entered upon do not produce a happy result, will force me to resign the powers with which the nation has entrusted me, the matter I first lay to heart is to settle the destiny of the Austrian and Belgian volunteers, and to guarantee the full accomplishment of the conditions entered into with these corps.

For this purpose, I send to you my aide-de-camp, Colonel de Kodolich, to whom I have given the command of the Austrian volunteers, and have provided with full powers for settling this question, which interests me more than any other.

This officer enjoys my entire confidence, and when I place in your hands—that is, in the hands of France, so susceptible to a feeling of devotion—the lot of these brave and faithful men, I feel that I may expect with entire security the satisfactory issue of this matter.

Receive, my dear marshal, the assurance of my feelings of sincere friendship, with which I am your very affectionate,