andreas hofer-第107节

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groaning　Tyrol；　and　pursued　relentlessly　all　who　had　dared　to　rise
against　him。　He　had　promised　oblivion　and　forgiveness　in　return　for
peaceful　submission；　but　as　the　Tyrolese　had　not　submitted；　but
continued　the　struggle；　the　enemy　now　threatened　to　revenge　himself
and　punish　the　vanquished。

A　furious　chase　now　commenced。　Every　one　who　had　been　seized　with
arms　in　hand　was　shot；　every　one　who　concealed　one　of　the　pursued
patriots　in　his　house　was　executed；　and　his　house　was　burned　down。

The　leaders　of　the　Tyrolese　had　fled　into　the　mountains；　but　the
French　generals　promised　large　rewards　for　the　heads　of　the　most
influential　patriots；　and　the　soldiers　traversed　the　country；
impelled　by　thirst　for　revenge　and　gain；　spying　everywhere　for　the
outlawed　mountaineers；　and　ascending　even　to　the　snow…clad　summits
of　the　mountains　in　order　to　obtain　the　large　rewards。　As　yet；
however；　they　had　not　succeeded　in　seizing　one　of　the　pursued
chiefs。　The　French　generals　had　vainly　promised　a　reward　of　ten
thousand　florins　for　the　apprehension　of　Andreas　Hofer；　and　rewards
of　five　thousand　florins　for　the　seizure　of　Joseph　Spechbacher；
Anthony　Wallner；　and　Joachim　Haspinger。　They　had　disappeared；　and
the　patrols　and　soldiers；　who　were　hunting　for　them；　had　not　yet
been　able　to　discover　the　hiding…place　of　any　of　the　four　great
chiefs　of　the　insurrection。　The　mountains；　those　natural　fortresses
of　the　Tyrol；　protected　the　outlawed　commanders；　and　in　the　Alpine
huts；　amidst　the　chamois　and　vultures；　which　alone　saw　and　knew
their　hiding…places；　there　were　no　traitors。

Retiring　to　his　native　valley；　Andreas　Hofer　long　eluded　the　search
of　the　victors。　His　place　of　concealment　was　a　solitary　Alpine　hut；
four　leagues　distant　from　his　home；　in　general　inaccessible　from　the
snow　which　surrounded　it。　Love　had　accompanied　Andreas　to　this
inhospitable　spot。　His　wife　and　his　son　John　were　with　him；　and　so
was　Cajetan　Doeninger；　his　faithful　secretary。　Love　had　accompanied
him　to　the　Alpine　hut　of　his　friend　Pfandler；　love　watched　over　him
in　the　valley　below。　Many　peasants　there　were　well　aware　of　Hofer's
place　of　concealment；　but　no　one　betrayed　him；　no　one　was　tempted　by
the　reward　of　ten　thousand　florins　which　Baraguay　d'Hilliers；　the
French　general；　offered　for　Hofer's　apprehension。　They　often　saw
Pfandler's　servants；　loaded　with　all　sorts　of　provisions；　wending
their　way　slowly　and　painfully　up　the　snow…clad　Alp；　but　they
averted　their　heads；　as　though　they　did　not　want　to　see　anything；
and　prayed　God　in　a　low　tone　to　protect　the　messengers　who　conveyed
food　to　Hofer　and　his　dear　ones。　The　peasants　in　the　valley　forbore
carefully　to　speak　among　each　other　of　what　they　knew；　only　they
treated　Pfandler　with　reverential　tenderness；　shook　hands　with　him
quietly；　and　whispered；　〃God　bless　you　and　him！〃　At　times；　on　a
clear　winter　day；　when　thin　smoke　curled　up　suddenly　from　the　Alp；
the　peasants　in　the　valley　looked　up　sighingly　and　whispered
compassionately；　〃They　have　built　a　fire　in　their　hut。　The　cold　is
so　severe。　God　bless　them！〃　But　whenever　one　whom　they　did　not　trust
stepped　up　to　them；　wondering　at　the　smoke；　and　saying　that　somebody
was　concealed　up　there；　and　had　built　a　fire　in　order　not　to　freeze
to　death；　the　others　laughed　at　him；　and　said　there　was　no　smoke　at
all；　but　only　snow　blown　up　by　the　storm。

One　day；　however；　a　stranger　arrived　in　the　valley；　and　asked
whisperingly　for　Andreas　Hofer；　to　whom；　he　said；　he　would　bring
assistance　and　safety。　At　first　no　one　replied　to　him；　but　he　showed
them　a　paper；　bearing　the　name　and　seal　of　the　Archduke　John；　and
containing　the　following　words；　written　by　the　prince　himself：　〃Help
my　messenger　to　find　Andreas　Hofer；　and　bring　him　assistance　and
safety。〃

On　reading　this；　the　peasants　distrusted　him　no　longer。　They　glanced
furtively　up　to　the　Schneeberg；　pointed　to　the　two　wanderers；　loaded
with　baskets；　who　were　toiling　up　the　mountain　through　the　snow；　and
whispered　almost　inaudibly；　〃Follow　them！〃

The　messenger　did　so。　He　climbed　after　the　two　servants；　and
ascended　with　them　the　inhospitable；　dreary；　and　deserted　heights。
At　length　he　arrived　in　front　of　the　Alpine　hut；　he　knocked　at　the
door；　and　asked　admittance　in　the　name　of　God　and　the　Archduke　John。

The　door　opened　immediately；　and　on　the　threshold　appeared　Hofer's
tall；　bearded　form；　as　erect　and　vigorous　as　it　had　been　in　the　days
of　his　splendor；　and　his　mild；　honest　eye　greeted　the　new…comer。

〃He　who　comes　in　the　name　of　God　and　the　Archduke　John　will　not
deceive　me；〃　said　Andreas；　kindly。　〃Come　in；　therefore；　for　you　must
have　good　intentions　toward　me；　inasmuch　as　the　severe　cold　did　not
deter　you　from　coming　up　to　me。〃

〃Indeed　I　have　good　intentions　toward　you；〃　said　the　messenger。　〃Do
you　not　know　me；　then；　Andy？　I　am　Anthony　Steeger；　the　Archduke
John's　gunsmith。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　now　I　know　you！〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　joyfully。　〃I　saw　you
in　Vienna　at　the　time　we　were　there　to　devise　plans　for　the
deliverance　of　the　Tyrol。　Well；　come　in；　Anthony　Steeger；　come　in　to
my　wife；　my　son；　and　my　secretary。〃

He　conducted　Anthony　Steeger　into　the　room；　where　the　three　greeted
him；　and　made　room　for　him　in　front　of　the　hearth；　on　which　large
billets　of　wood　were　burning。　Anthony　Steeger　looked　around　in　this
wretched　room；　which　contained　nothing　but　a　few　rickety　wooden
chairs；　and　a　rough…hewn　pine　table；　and　the　walls　and　windows　of
which　were　protected　from　the　cold　by　thick　linings　of　hay　and
straw。

〃Yes；　you　may　well　look　around　in　my　palace；〃　said　Andreas；
smilingly；　〃it　is　not　very　gorgeous　here；　but　the　good　God　is　with
us；　and　He　will　help　us　to　get　along。〃

〃And　the　Archduke　John　will　help　you　also；〃　said　Anthony　Steeger。
〃Listen　to　me；　Andreas。　The　archduke　sends　me　to　you。　He　sends　you
his　greetings；　and　entreats　you　to　come　with　your　family　to　him　and
stay　with　him　all　your　life　long；　or；　if　you　should　not　like　to　do
that；　at　least　until　you　can　live　again　safely　in　the　Tyrol。　The
archduke　has　already　fitted　up　a　house　for　you　in　a　village　which
belongs　to　him；　you　shall　live　there　with　your　whole　family　as　the
beloved　and　honored　guests　of　the　archduke。　He　implores　you　to
accept　his　invitation。　I　have　with　me　every　thing　that　is　necessary
for　your　flight；　Andy。　The　archduke　has　given　me　money；　a　passport
for　you　and　your　family；　and　safeguards　issued　by　the　French
generals。　I　am　familiar　with　the　roads　and　by…paths　in　this
vicinity；　and　will　convey　you　safely　through　the　mountains。　The
archduke　has　thought　of　every　thing　and　provided　for　every　thing。〃

〃It　is　very　kind　in　the　dear　Archduke　John　not　to　have　forgotten
me；〃　said　Andreas；　deeply　moved；　〃it　is　honest　and　faithful　that　he
should　like　to　take　care　of　me　and　reward　my　love。　And　it　is　very
kind　in　you；　too；　Anthony　Steeger；　to　have　acted　in　this　spirit　of
self…denial。　You　have　come　from　a　great　distance　to　save　us；　and　are
not　afraid　of　venturing　with　us　upon　this　most　dangerous　flight。〃

〃And　you　accept　my　offer；　Andy；　and　consent　to　accompany　me；　do　you
not？〃

〃And　what　of　them？〃　asked　Andreas；　casting　a　tender　glance　on　his
wife　and　his　son。　〃The　route　across　the　glaciers　is　impassable　for　a
woman　and　a　child。〃

〃First　save　yourself；　my　Andy；〃　exclaimed　Anna　Gertrude；　〃save
yourself　for　us　and　the　country。　After　you　are　gone　and　have　arrived
at　a　place　of　safety；　the　enemy　will　hardly　trouble　us　any　more；　and
I　will　follow　you　then　with　the　children。〃

〃You　need　not　be　anxious；　so　far　as　your　wife　and　children　are
concerned；〃　said　Doeninger。　〃I　will　not　leave　them；　but　bring　them
to　you。〃

〃Pray　do　not　hesitate；　Andy；〃　said　Anthony　Steeger；　urgently。　〃The
archduke　implores　you　not　to　grieve　him　by　rejecting　his　offer；　but
to　relieve　his　conscience　from　the　heavy　debt　which　he　has　hitherto
been　unable　to　discharge　to　the　Tyrol。　You　shall　escape　for　his　sake
and　for　the　good　of　the　fatherland；　and　save　your　life　for　better
times；　which　will　surely　dawn　upon　the　Tyrol。　Do　it；　Andreas。　Let　us
go　to　work　immediately。　See；　I　have　with　me　all　that　you　need；　and
wear　two　suits　of　clothes；　one　is　destined　for　you；　and　you　will　put
it　on。　And　here　is　the　razor；　with　which　we　shall　shave　off　your
beard；　and　when　it　is　gone；　and　you　have　put　on　the　new　clothes；　no
one　will　scent　the　Barbone　in　the　man　with　a　foreign　dress　and　a
smooth　chin。　Come；　now；　Andy；　and　do　not　hesitate。〃

〃I　am　to　make　quite　another　man　of　myself；〃　said　Andreas；　shaking
his　head；　〃merely　to　save　my　miserable　life？　I　am　to　deny　my　dear
Passeyr？　I　am　to　shave　off　my　beard；　which　I　have　worn　so　long　in　an
honorable　manner；　and　by　which　everyone　knows　me　throughout　the
Tyrol？　No；　Anthony　Steeger；　I　will　never　do　that！〃

〃If　you　do　not；　Andreas；　you　are　lost；〃　said　Anthony　Steeger。　〃I　am
afraid　the　French　are　already　on　your　track。　A　peasant　said　he　had
seen　you　up　here　the　other　day。〃

〃Yes；　it　was　Raffel。　He　came　up　here　to　look　for　his　cow；　and　met　me
here。　But　I　gave　him　money　not　to　betray　my　secret；　and　he　promised
me　solemnly　that　be　would　not。〃

〃He　must　have　violated　his　pledge　already；　Andy；　for　he　told　Donay；
the　priest；　about　it；