andreas hofer-第106节

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humble　and　submissive；　He　will　have　mercy　upon　us。　Sit　down；
Cajetan；　I　will　dictate　a　letter　to　you。　To　whom　must　I　write　on
behalf　of　my　beloved　country？〃

〃Write　to　General　Drouet；〃　said　Doeninger。　〃It　was　he　who　wrote　to
you　yesterday　from　Innspruck；　informing　you　of　the　conclusion　of
peace；　and　promising　that；　if　you　and　all　the　Tyrolese　would　submit；
no　harm　should　befall　any　one。　You　refused　to　answer　his　letter
because　you　did　not　believe　him。〃

〃I　did　not　believe　him；〃　said　Andreas；　gently；　〃for　I　still　believed
in　my　emperor。　But　I　see　now　that　General　Drouet　was　right；　I　will；
therefore；　write　to　him；　and　recommend　my　country　and　the　good　and
brave　Tyrolese　to　his　mercy。　Take　up　the　pen；　Cajetan；　and　write。〃

And　Andreas　Hofer　dictated　in　a　low；　tremulous　voice；　often
interrupted　by　sighs　which　issued　from　his　breast　like　the　groans　of
a　dying　man；　a　letter　to　General　Drouet；　in　which　he　promised　in
touching　words　that　the　Tyrolese　would　lay　down　their　arms；　and　said
they　would　trust；　for　pardon　and　oblivion　of　the　past；　to　the
magnanimity　of　Napoleon；　whose　footsteps　were　guided　by　a　superior
power；　which　it　was　no　longer　permitted　them　to　resist。

〃There；〃　he　said；　after　convincing　himself　that　Doeninger　had
written　exactly　what　be　had　dictated；　〃now　give　me　the　pen；　Cajetan。
I　will　sign　it　myself。〃

He　bent　over　the　table；　and　wrote　quickly　what　he　had　so　often
written　under　his　decrees；　〃Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of　the
Tyrol。〃

But　then　he　gave　a　start；　and　contemplated　his　signature　long　and
musingly。　Heaving　a　profound　sigh；　and　casting　a　mournful　glance
toward　heaven；　he　took　up　the　pen　a　second　time；　and　added　the　word
〃late；〃　slowly　and　with　a　trembling　hand；　to　his　title　〃commander…
in…chief　of　the　Tyrol。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas
Hofer；〃　p。　173。＇

〃Now　come；　Cajetan；〃　he　exclaimed；　throwing　down　the　pen；　as　if　it
was　a　viper　which　had　wounded　him；　〃come；　Cajetan。　I　will　go　to　my
sharpshooters　and　exhort　them　to　disband；　and　afterward　I　will
return　with　you　to　my　inn　in　the　Passeyr　valley；　in　order　to　set　a
good　example　to　all；　and　show　them　how　to　submit　quietly　and
patiently。〃

And　Andreas　Hofer　acted　accordingly。　He　ordered　his　men　to　disband；
and　after　they　had　obeyed　his　order　in　sullen　silence；　he　himself；
accompanied　only　by　his　faithful　Cajetan　Doeninger；　went　back　to　his
home。

But　neither　the　joyous　welcome；　with　which　his　wife；　faithful　Anna
Gertrude；　received　him；　nor　the　jubilant　shouts　of　his　children；
could　arouse　Andreas　Hofer　from　his　mournful　brooding；　or　bring　a
smile　to　his　lips。　He　did　not　rejoice　at　his　return　to　his　dear
ones；　he　paid　no　attention　to　his　business；　he　did　not　go　to　the
stables　and　barns　as　he　used　to　do；　but　he　sat　hanging　his　head；　his
hands　folded　on　his　knees；　staring　at　the　floor；　and　sighing　from
time　to　time；　〃My　poor　country！　How　could　the　emperor　abandon　us？〃

Only　when　Cajetan　Doeninger　was　not　with　him；　Andreas　Hofer　became
uneasy；　he　glanced　around　anxiously　and　called　for　his　secretary；
when　the　latter　hastened　to　him；　he　held　out　his　hand　and　said　in　a
low；　tremulous　voice；　〃Cajetan；　do　not　leave　me。　I　always　think　I
may　have　something　to　write　yet；　and　it　seems　to　me　as　though　what　I
dictated　to　you　at　Steinach；　declaring　my　readiness　to　submit；　were
not　the　last　of　my　official　papers。　Something　else　must　come　yet；
yes；　something　else。　I　know　it；　for　this　state　of　affairs　cannot
last。　Therefore；　Cajetan；　stay　with　me　that　you　may　be　ready　and
able　to　write　when　the　hour　has　come。〃

Cajetan　stayed　with　him；　both　sat　together　in　silence；　and　absorbed
in　their　gloomy　reflections；　and　the　days　passed　slowly　and
mournfully。

It　was　on　the　afternoon　of　the　fifth　day；　and　Andreas　Hofer　sat　in
silence；　as　usual；　in　the　gloomy　room。　Every　thing　was　still
without。　All　at　once　this　profound　silence　was　broken　by　a　hum　of
many　voices　and　loud　noise。

Hofer　looked　up　and　listened。　〃That　sounds　as　if　we　were　still　at
war；　and　as　if　my　sharpshooters　were　marching　up；〃　he　said。

〃Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol！〃　shouted　loud
voices　under　the　windows。

Hofer　jumped　up。　〃Who　calls　me？〃　he　shouted；　in　a　powerful　voice。

At　this　moment　the　door　was　thrown　open　violently；　and　four
mountaineers；　armed　with　their　rifles；　came　in。　Hofer　saw　through
the　open　door　that　the　yard　in　front　of　the　house　was　thronged　with
peasants；　and　all　looked　with　flashing　eyes　through　the　door　at
Hofer；　and　they　shouted　now；　〃Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of
the　Tyrol；　come　with　us；　come！〃

Andreas　Hofer　seemed　all　at　once　animated　by　new　life；　his　eyes　shot
fire；　his　form　was　drawn　up　to　its　full　height；　and　his　head　rose
again　proudly　between　his　powerful　shoulders。

〃What　do　you　want　of　me；　my　dear　countrymen？〃　he　asked；　going　to
meet　them。

One　of　the　four　sharpshooters　who　had　entered　the　room　now　came
forward；　and　placed　himself　with　a　defiant　face　in　front　of　Hofer。

〃We　want　you；〃　he　said。　〃Three　thousand　French　soldiers　are　marching
across　the　Janfen。　There　is　great　excitement　in　the　Puster　valley；
and　some　fighting　has　taken　place。　Anthony　Wallner　has　driven　the
Bavarians　long　since　across　the　frontier；　and　Speckbacher　and　the
Capuchin　have　marched　to　the　Muhlbach　Pass　in　order　to　attack　Rusca。
And　why　are　we　to　keep　quiet；　then？　Why　are　we　to　allow　the　French
to　enter　the　Passeyr　valley？〃

〃We　will　not　allow　them　to　do　it！〃　shouted　the　peasants　outside。
〃No；　we　will　not　allow　the　French　to　enter　the　Passeyr　valley。〃

〃You　hear　it；　commander…in…chief；〃　said　the　first　speaker。　〃We　are
all　ready　and　determined。　Now　say　what　we　are　to　do　with　the　French。
Will　you　do　any　thing　or　not？〃

〃Yes；　will　you　do　any　thing　or　not？〃　repeated　the　peasants；
penetrating　with　furious　gestures　into　the　room。

〃If　you　do　not　want　to　do　any　thing；〃　cried　the　peasant；　raising　his
rifle　menacingly；　〃my　rifle　is　loaded　for　you　as　well　as　for　any
Frenchman。　You　commenced　the　insurrection；　now　put　it　through。〃
＇Footnote：　Loritza；　〃Bilder　and　Erinnerungen　aus　Tyrol's
Freiheitskampfen　von　1809；〃　p。　14。＇

〃But　you　know；　countrymen；　that　I　cannot！〃　cried　Hofer。　〃The　emperor
has　made　peace　with　Bonaparte　and　abandoned　us。　What　course　have　we
left　but　that　of　submission？　We　must　yield；　or　the　Tyrol　will　be
ruined　entirely。〃

〃But　we　do　not　want　to　submit；〃　shouted　the　peasants；　furiously。
〃And　the　whole　country　is　of　our　opinion；　no　one　is　willing　to
submit。　We　will　die　rather　than　submit。〃

〃Issue　another　proclamation　calling　out　the　able…bodied　men！〃　said
the　first　speaker。

〃Yes；　issue　another　proclamation；　commander…in…chief；〃　shouted　the
crowd。　〃We　will　fight；　we　must　fight！〃

〃And　you　shall　and　must　be　our　leader！〃　exclaimed　the　peasant；
laying　his　heavy　hand　on　Hofer's　shoulder。　〃We　will　compel　you　to　go
with　us　or　kill　you　as　a　traitor。　Issue　another　proclamation。　We　men
are　still　the　same　as　before；　and　so　is　our　cause；　now　you　must
likewise　be　the　same　Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of　the
Tyrol！〃

〃Yes；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　with　a　radiant　face；　drawing　a　deep
breath；　as　if　relieved　from　an　oppressive　burden；　〃yes；　I　will　be
the　same　as　before。　This　state　of　affairs　cannot　continue。　We　must
fight；　we　had　better　die　than　lead　such　a　life。　Go；　Doeninger；　go；
write　a　proclamation！〃

〃Hurrah！　Long　live　our　commander…in…chief；〃　shouted　the　peasants；
triumphantly；　〃long　live　our　dear　faithful　Andreas　Hofer！〃

〃I　thank　you；　my　dear　countrymen；〃　said　Andreas；　〃I　am　your　leader
now；　and　we　will　fight　again。　But　do　not　hold　me　responsible　for　the
events　of　the　future。　You　must　never　forget　that　you　compelled　me　to
resume　war。　I　intended　to　submit　humbly　and　patiently；　but　you　would
not　allow　me　to　do　so；　and　dragged　me　forcibly　from　my　retirement。
The　bloody　struggle　will　commence　againGod　grant　us　protection；
and　further　victories！　We　are　not　going　to　fight　from　motives　of
pride　and　arrogance；　but　only　for　the　sake　of　our　countrybecause
we　want　to　remain　Germans；　and　do　not　want　to　become　French
subjects；　and　because　we　want　to　keep　our　God；　our　liberty；　and　our
constitution。　Amen！〃




CHAPTER　XLI。

BETRAYAL　AND　SEIZURE　OF　HOFER。


War　was　now　resumed　at　all　points；　but　the　forces　brought　from　all
sides　against　the　Tyrol　were　so　immense　that　no　hope　remained　to　the
inhabitants　but　by　deeds　of　glory　to　throw　a　last　radiance　around
their　fall。　The　Tyrolese　fought　with　desperate　valor；　but　their
heroism　was　unavailing。　The　superior　forces　of　the　enemy　were
everywhere　victorious。　The　artillery　of　the　Bavarians　and　French
thinned　the　ranks　of　the　mountaineers　from　day　to　day；　whole　ranks
of　the　Tyrolese　being　mowed　down　by　the　balls　of　the　enemy。　They
fled　panic…struck　into　the　mountains。　The　victorious　invaders
penetrated　farther　and　farther　into　the　interior　of　the　country；
burning　towns　and　villages　marked　the　route　which　they　followed；　and
wails　and　lamentations　rent　the　air　wherever　they　made　their
appearance。

Before　the　middle　of　December　all　resistance　had　been　overpowered。
The　enemy　stalked　in　a　merciless　manner　over　the　gory；　reeking；
groaning　Tyrol；　and　pursued　relentlessly　all　who　had