Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/55

Rh in its engagements by withdrawing its troops all at once, and before the fixed time had elapsed, in consequence of the threats of the United States: they thus left Maximilian suddenly disarmed. Our government committed an error in promising any prolongation of its intervention, which was to have ceased after our occupation of Mexico: but it committed another error in not keeping its word. In spite of this, the marshal would have deserved well of Europe if he had adopted on his own responsibility a measure of exceptional determination, which might perhaps have raised a clamour, but would have been justified by reason and humanity. When Maximilian, half distracted, came to Orizaba on his return to Europe, thus obeying the suppliant appeal of the now undeceived empress, he threw himself back into the melee because the clerical party offered him their fallacious succour in the shape of soldiers and money. At this momentous juncture, when the noble-minded prince was allowing his honour to force him over the precipice which lay open before him and manifest enough to all eyes, it would have been generous to have carried away even by force the companion of our evil fortunes and to have restored him (even against his will) to his fatherland, and to a princess well worthy of the respect due to great misfortune. A lamentable catastrophe would have been thus averted both from Juarez and Europe, a catastrophe which has thrilled through every human fibre, so as almost to put to silence the sober voice of cool reason. A sad conclusion to this great drama, every page of which is written in blood! On June 19, at seven o'clock in the morning, on the cerro de la campana which hangs over Queretaro, Maximilian fell before the bullets which at the same time struck down his generals: Miramon, the former president of