andreas hofer-第116节

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incaricando　mi　dirigerla　a　V。　Sig。　Rio　M。Sono　con　perfetta　stima；
〃Di　V。　S。　Rio　M。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Divotissimo；〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃GIOV。　BATT。　（AROIPRETE）　MANIFESTI〃

〃MANTUA；　Feb。　21；　1810。Yesterday；　a　few　minutes　before　twelve；　Mr。
Andreas　Hofer；　late　commander　of　the　Tyrol；　was　shot　here。　The
military　commission　which　tried　him　requested　me　to　attend　him；　and
although　I　had　recovered　but　a　few　days　since　from　sickness；　I
gladly　complied　with　the　request；　and　admired；　to　my　consolation　and
edification；　a　man　who　went　to　death　as　a　Christian　hero；　and
suffered　it　as　an　intrepid　martyr。　Under　the　seal　of　profound
silence　he　intrusted　to　me　a　paper　of　the　highest　importance　to　his
family；〃　&c。See　Hormayr's　〃Lebensbilder；〃　vol。　i。　p。　224。＇

The　priest　thereupon　left　the　square；　while　twelve　men　and　a
corporal　stood　forth　with　loaded　muskets。　The　corporal　offered　Hofer
a　white　handkerchief　to　bandage　his　eyes。

〃No；〃　said　Hofer。　〃I　have　often　already　faced　death；　it　is　a　dear
friend　of　mine；　and　I　want　to　see　it；　therefore；　when　it　comes　to
me。〃

〃Kneel　down；　then；〃　said　the　corporal。

〃I　shall　not；〃　replied　Hofer；　gravely　and　almost　imperiously。　〃I　am
used　to　stand　upright　before　my　Creator；　and　in　that　posture　I　will
deliver　up　my　spirit　to　Him。　But　pray；〃　he　added　in　a　milder　voice；
〃aim　well。　Come；　corporal；　I　will　give　you　yet　a　souvenir；　it　is　my
whole　remaining　property。　Look　at　this　Zwanziger；　I　had　it　coined
when　I　was　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　and　it　reminds　me　now　of
my　beloved　country；　and　it　seems　to　me　as　though　its　snow…clad
mountains　were　looking　down　on　me　and　greeting　me。　There；　keep　it　as
a　remembrancer；　and　aim　well！〃

The　corporal　stepped　back　and　commanded　in　a　voice　tremulous　with
emotion；　〃Fire！〃

〃Fire！〃　shouted　Hofer。　〃Long　live　the　Tyrol！〃

Six　shots　rang　out；　but　Andreas　Hofer　was　not　dead；　he　had　sunk　only
on　one　knee　and　leaned　on　his　right　hand。

Six　shots　crashed　again。　They　struck　him　to　the　ground；　but　did　not
yet　kill　him。　He　raised　his　bleeding　head　once　more。

The　corporal；　filled　with　pity；　stepped　now　close　up　to　him；　put　his
musket　to　Hofer's　forehead；　and　fired。

This　thirteenth　shot　dispatched　him　at　length！

The　grenadiers　raised　the　corpse　and　carried　it　on　a　black　bier　to
St。　Michael's　church；　where　it　lay　in　state　during　the　requiem；　that
the　people　might　convince　themselves　of　the　death　of　the　beloved　and
feared　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　Le　General　Sanvird；　Andreas
Hofer；　the　Barbone；　and　of　the　final　subjugation　of　the　Tyrol。
＇Footnote：　Hofer's　remains　were　buried　in　Manifesti's　garden。　A
simple　slab　on　his　grave　bore　the　following　inscription：　〃Qui　giace
la　apoglia　del　fu　Andrea　Hofer；　detto　il　Generale　Barbone；
commandants　supremo　delle　milicie　del　Tirolo；　fucillato　in　questa
forterezza　nel　giorno　20　Febrajo　1810；　sepolto　in　questo　luogo。〃
（〃Here　rest　the　remains　of　the　late　Andreas　Hofer；　called　General
Barbone；　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrolese　militia；　shot　in　this
for　tress　on　the　20th　of　February；　1810；　and　buried　in　this　place。〃）
Fourteen　years　afterward　Hofer's　remains　were　disinterred　by　three
Austrian　officers；　who　had　obtained　Manifesti's　consent；　and
conveyed　to　Botzen。　The　Emperor　Francis　gave　orders　to　transfer　them
to　Innspruck；　where　they　were　buried　in　the　church　of　the
Franciscans　by　the　side　of　the　monument　of　the　Archduke　Ferdinand
and　his　beloved　Philippina　Welser。See　Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃
vol。　ii。；　p。　539。＇

This　occurred　on　the　20th　of　February；　1810；　and　on　the　same　day　on
which　Andreas　Hofer　was　shot　at　Mantua；　because　he　had　loved　his
country　and　his　Emperor　Francis　too　faithfully；　almost　at　the　very
hour　of　his　death；　the　booming　of　artillery　was　to　be　heard　on　the
ramparts　of　Vienna。

It　proclaimed　to　the　Viennese　the　joyful　news　that　the　Archduchess
Maria　Louisa；　the　emperor's　daughter；　was　the　affianced　bride　of　the
Emperor　Napoleon！







End