\"AndI，\"saidCharles，\"requestedyoutopostponethedeclarationofwar，becauseIdonotbelievethatwearesufficientlypreparedforthecontest;but，likemybrother，Ishallsubmitsilentlyifyourmajestyshouldtakeadifferentresolution。\"
\"Indeed，willyoudoso，archdukes？\"askedtheemperor，inascornfultone。\"Willyoubemindfulofyourdutiesassubjects，and，insteadofgivingmeunnecessaryadvice，obeymesilently？\"
Thetwoarchdukesbowedtoindicatetheirsubmissiveness。Theemperoradvancedafewsteps，andproudlyraisinghishead，helookedathistwobrotherswithasternandimperiousexpression。
\"Letmetellyou，then，archdukes，whatI，yourlordandemperor，haveresolved，\"saidFrancis，sternly。\"Ihaveresolvedtodeclarewar！\"
Twoloudcriesresoundedwithoneaccord;acryofjoyburstfromJohn\'slips，acryofdismayfromthoseofCharles。Pale，reelinglikeadrunkenman，thegeneralissimoapproachedtheemperorandheldouthishandstohimwithabeseechingexpression。