andreas hofer-第105节

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〃Do　you　sing　in　that　strain　too；　Mr。　Intendant？〃　asked　Andreas；　with
a　mournful　smile。　〃I　shall　never　believe　it　until　I　see　it　in　black
and　white；　and　until　the　emperor　or　the　dear　Archduke　John　informs
me　of　it。〃

〃I　bring　it　to　you　in　black　and　white；〃　exclaimed　Baron　von
Lichtenthurn；　drawing　a　paper　from　his　bosom　and　handing　it　to
Andreas。　〃Here　is　a　letter　from　the　Archduke　John；　which　I　am　to
deliver　to　you。〃

Hofer　hastily　seized　the　paper；　which　contained　that　proclamation
which　the　Archduke　John　had　written　at　Totis；　and　read　it　again　and
again　slowly　and　attentively。　While　he　was　doing　so；　his　cheeks
turned　pale；　his　breath　issued　heavily　and　painfully　from　his
breast；　and　the　paper　rustled　in　his　trembling　hands。

〃It　is　impossible！　I　cannot　believe　it！〃　he　exclaimed；　mournfully；
gazing　upon　the　paper。　〃The　Archduke　John　did　not　write　this。　Just
look　at　it；　his　seal　is　not　affixed　to　the　paper。　Sir；　how　can　you
say　that　this　letter　is　from　the　Archduke　John？　Where　is　the　seal？
Where　is　the　address？〃

〃Well；　it　is　no　private　letter；〃　said　Baron　von　Lichtenthurn；　〃it　is
an　open　letter；　a　proclamation；　which　I　am　instructed　to　show　to
everybody　in　the　Tyrol。　A　proclamation　cannot　contain　a　seal　and　an
address。　But　the　Archduke　John　sent　it；　he　himself　wrote　every　word
of　it。〃

〃I　do　not　believe　it！〃　cried　Andreas；　in　a　triumphant　voice；　〃no；　I
do　not　believe　it。　You　are　a　liar；　and　want　to　betray　us。　Look　at
him；　my　friends；　see　how　pale　he　turns；　and　how　he　trembles！　For　I
tell　you　he　has　a　bad　conscience。　Bring　me　the　Archduke　John's　seal；
and　then　I　will　believe　that　the　paper　is　from　him。　But；　as　it　is；　I
look　upon　it　as　a　cunning　device　got　up　by　the　enemy　to　entrap　me。
Arrest　him；　he　must　confess　all。　I　will　not　allow　myself　to　be
caught　by　cunning　and　treachery！〃　＇Footnote：　Andreas　Hofer's　own
words。See　Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　ii；　p。　490。＇

He　laid　his　heavy　hand　upon　the　shoulder　of　the　baron；　who　sank　to
the　floor；　uttering　a　loud　cry　of　distress；　and　fell　into　fearful
convulsions。

〃See！〃　cried　Andreas；　〃that　is　the　punishment　of　Heaven！　The　hand　of
God　has　struck　him。　He　is　a　traitor；　who　intended　to　sell　us　to　the
French。〃

〃No；　he　is　an　honorable　man；　and　has　told　you　the　truth；〃　said　Baron
von　Worndle；　gravely。　〃Your　violent　accusation　frightened　him；　and
he　fell　into　an　epileptic　fit。　He　is　affected　with　that　disease。〃
＇Footnote：　Ibid。＇

He　and　some　of　the　bystanders　raised　the　unfortunate　baron　from　the
ground；　and　carried　him　into　the　adjoining　room。　He　then　returned　to
Andreas；　who　was　walking　up　and　down　with　a　hasty　step；　and
murmuring　to　himself；　〃I　cannot　believe　it！　The　Archduke　John　did
not　write　it。　His　hand　would　have　withered　while　writing　it。　He　did
not　do　it。〃

〃Yes；　Andreas；　he　did；〃　said　Worndle；　gravely；　〃he　was　obliged　to
submit；　as　we　all　shall　have　to　do。　The　Archduke　John　was　obliged　to
yield　to　the　will　of　his　emperor　as　we　shall　have　to　do。　The　treaty
of　peace　has　been　concluded。　There　is　no　doubt　of　it。〃

〃Lord　God！　the　treaty　of　peace　has　been　concluded；　and　the　emperor
abandons　us？〃　cried　Andreas。

〃The　emperor；　it　seems；　was　unable　to　do　any　thing　for　the　Tyrol；〃
said　Worndle　in　a　low　voice。　〃He　had　to　consent　that　the　Tyrol
should　be　restored　to　the　French　and　Bavarians。〃

〃But　that　is　impossible！〃　cried　Andreas；　despairingly。　〃He　pledged
us　his　word；　his　sacred　word；　that　he　would　never　consent　to　a　peace
that　would　detach　the　Tyrol　from　Austria。　How　can　you　now　insult　the
dear　emperor　by　saying　that　he　has　broken　his　word？〃

〃He　has　not　broken　his　word；　but　he　was　unable　to　keep　it。　Look；
commander…in…chief；　I　bring　you　another　letter；　to　which；　as　you
see；　is　affixed　a　large　imperial　seal；　the　seal　of　the　Viceroy　of
Italy；　who　wrote　the　letter　to　you　and　all　the　Tyrolese。〃

〃Read　it；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　mournfully；　〃I　cannot；　my　eyes　are
filled　with　tears。　Read　it　to　me；　sir。〃

Worndle　read　as　follows：

〃To　the　people　of　the　Tyrol：　His　majesty　the　Emperor　of　the　French；
King　of　Italy；　Protector　of　the　Confederation　of　the　Rhine；　my
august　father　and　sovereign；　and　his　majesty；　the　Emperor　of
Austria；　have　made　peace。　Peace；　therefore；　reigns　everywhere　around
you。　You　are　the　only　people　which　does　not　enjoy　its　blessings。
Seduced　by　foreign　instigations；　you　took　up　arms　against　your
government　and　overthrew　it。　The　melancholy　consequences　of　your
seditious　course　have　overtaken　you。　Terror　reigns　now　in　your
towns；　idleness　and　misery　in　your　fields；　and　discord　and　disorder
are　to　be　found　in　all　parts　of　the　country。　His　majesty　the　emperor
and　king；　profoundly　moved　by　your　wretched　condition；　and　the
proofs　of　repentance　which　some　of　you　have　manifested　to　him；　has
consented　in　the　treaty　to　forgive　your　errors。　I　bring　you　peace
and　forgiveness；　but　I　warn　you　of　the　fact；　that　you　will　be
forgiven　only　if　you　return　of　your　own　accord　to　law　and　order；　lay
down　your　arms；　and　offer　no　longer　any　resistance　whatever。　As
commander…in…chief　of　the　armies　surrounding　you；　I　shall　accept
your　submission　or　compel　you　to　surrender。　Commissioners　will
precede　the　armies；　they　have　been　instructed　to　listen　to　whatever
complaints　and　grievances　you　may　wish　to　prefer。　But；　do　not　forget
that　these　commissioners　are　authorized　to　listen　to　you　only　after
you　have　laid　down　your　arms。　Tyrolese！　I　promise　that　you　shall
obtain　justice　if　your　complaints　and　grievances　are　well…grounded。
Headquarters　at　Villach；　October　25；　1809。〃

〃EUGENE　NAPOLEON。〃　＇Footnote：　Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　1。；　p。
490。＇

Baron　von　Worndle　had　long　since　ceased　to　read；　and　still　Andreas
Hofer　stood　motionless；　his　hands　folded　on　his　breast；　his　head
thrown　back；　and　his　eyes　turned　toward　heaven。　All　gazed　in
respectful　silence　upon　that　tall；　imposing　form　which　seemed　frozen
by　grief；　and　at　that　pale；　mournful　face；　and　those　pious　eyes；
which　seemed　to　implore　consolation　and　salvation　from　heaven。

At　last　Doeninger　ventured　to　put　his　hand　softly　on　Hofer's　arm。
〃Awake；　dear　commander…in…chief；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃awake
from　your　grief。　These　gentlemen　here　are　waiting　for　an　answer。
Tell　them　what　you　think〃　〃What　I　think？〃　cried　Hofer；　giving　a
start　and　dropping　his　eyes　slowly。　〃What　I　think？　I　think　that　we
are　poor；　unhappy　men；　who　have　vainly　risked　our　property　and　our
blood；　our　liberty　and　our　lives。　Tell　me；　then；　my　friends；　is　it
possible　that　the　Emperor　Francis；　whom　we　all　loved　so　dearly；　and
who　pledged　us　his　word　so　solemnly　and　often；　has　abandoned　us
after　all？　Cajetan；　do　you　believe　it？〃

〃It　is　in　black　and　white　here；〃　said　Doeninger；　in　his　habitual
laconic　style；　pointing　to　the　proclamation　of　the　Archduke　John。
〃It　is　the　archduke's　handwriting；　I　am　familiar　with　it。　You　need
no　longer　question　its　authenticity。　Peace　has　been　concluded。〃

〃Peace　has　been　concluded；　the　emperor　has　abandoned　his　Tyrol；　the
Tyrol　is　lost！〃　cried　Andreas；　in　a　loud　outburst　of　grief；　and　his
long…restrained　tears　streamed　from　his　eyes。　Andreas　was　not
ashamed　of　them。　He　threw　himself　on　a　chair；　buried　his　face　in　his
hands；　and　wept　aloud。

〃The　Tyrol　is　lost；〃　he　sobbed；　〃all　my　dear　countrymen　are　in
profound　distress；　and；　moreover；　in　the　utmost　danger；　our　beloved；
beautiful　country　will　have　to　shed　rivers　of　blood；　and　nothing
will　be　heard　but　wails　and　lamentations。　For　the　emperor　has
abandoned　us；　the　enemy　will　re…enter　the　country；　kill　and　burn；
and　wreak　a　terrible　revenge　upon　our　people！　Lord　God；〃　he
exclaimed　all　at　once；　〃can　I　not　do　any　thing；　then；　for　my　dear
country？　Tell　me；　my　friends；　can　I　not　do　any　thing　to　avert　this
great　calamity　and　save　the　lives　of　my　dear　countrymen？〃

〃Yes；　Andreas；〃　said　Baron　von　Worndle；　〃you　can　do　a　great　deal　for
the　Tyrol　and　your　countrymen。　You　can　prevent　bloodshed；　soften　the
vindictiveness　of　the　enemy；　and　induce　him　to　spare　the　vanquished
and　wreak　no　revenge　on　the　disarmed。　Write　a　proclamation　to　the
Tyrolese；　admonish　them　to　keep　quiet；　and　order　them　to　lay　down
their　arms。　Return　yourself　to　your　home；　your　inn；　and　you　will
have　done　on　this　mournful　day　more　for　the　Tyrol　than　you　have　been
able　to　do　for　it　up　to　this　time；　for　you　will　thereby　save　the
Tyrol　from　untold　disasters；　which　will　surely　befall　the　country　if
you　resume　hostilities　against　enemies　who　are　a　hundred　times
superior　to　us。　It　is　impossible　for　us　to　withstand　them
successfully。　Their　columns；　well　provided　with　artillery；　are
moving　upon　all　sides；　and　the　whole　Tyrol；　as　the　Viceroy　of　Italy
writes；　is　surrounded。　We　have　no　course　left　but　submission。　Order
the　Tyrolese；　therefore；　to　submit；　set　a　good　example　to　them
yourself；　and　the　Tyrol　is　saved；　and　no　more　blood　will　be　shed。〃

〃No　more　blood　will　be　shed！〃　repeated　Andreas　Hofer；　joyously。
〃Well；　then；　I　see　that　you　are　right；　and　that　we　have　no　course
left　but　submission。　It　is　true；　the　emperor　has　abandoned　us；　but
the　good　God　will　still　stand　by　us；　and　on　seeing　that　we　are
humble　and　submissive；　He　will　have　mercy　upon　us。　Sit　down；
Cajetan；　I　will　dictate　a　letter　to