andreas hofer-第16节

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visit　to　me！　You　know　that　I　have　never　ceased　to　love　you；　and　that
when；　in　the　year　1805；I　had　to　bid　farewell　to　Andreas　Hofer　and
the　dear　Tyrol；　my　heart　almost　broke　with　grief　and　despair。〃

〃Look；　look！〃　exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer；　turning　with　a　radiant　smile
to　his　two　friends；　〃he　is　indeed　the　same　man　who　bade　us　farewell
at　that　time　in　Brunecken；　and　was　not　ashamed　of　embracing　Andreas
Hofer　and　shedding　tears　on　his　shoulder　for　the　poor　sacrificed
Tyrol。〃

〃And　who　is　glad　to…day　to　be　able　to　embrace　Andreas　Hofer　again；〃
said　the　archduke；　encircling　the　Herculean　form　of　the　Tyrolese
innkeeper　with　his　arms。　〃But　I　will　shed　no　tears　to…day；　Andreas；
for　I　hope　the　time　of　tears　is　over；　and　you　have　come　to　tell　me
so；　to　bring　me　love…greetings　from　the　Tyrolese；　and　the　hope　of
better　times。　Say；　you　three　brave　men　from　the　Tyrol；　Andreas
Hofer；　Joseph　Speckbacher；　Anthony　Wallner；　is　it　not　so？　Have　you
not　come　to　tell　me　that　the　Tyrol　is　longing　for　her　emperor　and
desirous　of　getting　rid　of　the　Bavarians？〃

〃Yes；　we　have　come　to　say　this　to　our　dear　John；〃　exclaimed　Andreas
Hofer。

〃We　have　come　to　ask　if　Austria　does　not　intend　to　call　upon　her
Tyrol　to　rise　and　fight　under　her　banners；〃　said　Joseph　Speckbacher。

〃We　have　come　to　ask　our　Archduke　John　if　he　will　help　us　with　his
troops　and　cannon　in　case　we　Tyrolese　should　rise　now　to　expel　the
Bavarians　from　the　country；〃　said　Anthony　Wallner；　with　flashing
eyes。

〃We　have　come　to　ask　our　John；　Is　it　time？〃　exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer。

The　archduke　held　out　his　hand　to　him　with　a　firm　and　resolute
glance。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃yes；　Andreas　Hofer；　it　is　time！　Yes；
Anthony　Wallner；　Austria　will　assist　the　Tyrolese　with　her　troops
and　cannon　in　expelling　the　Bavarians　and　French　from　their　country。
Yes；　Joseph　Speckbacher；　Austria　intends　to　call　upon　her　faithful
Tyrol　to　rise　and　fight　under　her　banners；　she　will　engage　in　a
mortal　contest　for　you　and　with　you！〃

〃God　grant　success　to　our　united　efforts！〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；
folding　his　hands　over　the　crucifix　on　his　breast。　〃During　all　these
years　I　have　prayed　every　day　to　the　Holy　Virgin　to　let　me　live　and
see　the　day　when　the　Austrian　eagle　shall　once　more　adorn　our
boundary…posts；　and　when　we　may　again　fondly　and　faithfully　love　our
Emperor　Francis　as　our　legitimate　sovereign。　The　good　God　in　heaven；
I　hope；　will　forgive　me　for　having　been　a　very　bad　and　obstinate
subject　of　the　King　of　Bavaria。　I　would　never　submit　to　the　new
laws；　and　could　not　discover　in　my　old　Austrian　heart　a　bit　of
loyalty　or　love　for　the　ruler　who　was　forced　upon　us。〃

〃No；　you　were　a　stubborn　disloyalist；　Andy。〃　said　Hormayr；　〃and；　as
spokesman　of　your　whole　district；　you　raised　your　voice　against
every　new　law　which　the　Bavarian　government　promulgated　in　your
country。　But；　it　is　true　the　Tyrolese　love　their　Andy　for　this；　and
say　that　he　is　the　most　honest；　faithful；　and　reliable　man　in　the
whole　valley　of　the　Adige。〃

〃To　be　courageous　is　not　so　difficult　if　the　cause　which　you　fight
for　is　a　good　one；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　calmly。　〃God　Himself
engraved　on　my　heart　the　commandment　to　be　loyal　to　my　emperor；　my
country；　and　its　laws；　and　if　you　call　me　reliable；　dear　friend；　you
merely　say　that　I　do　my　duty　as　a　Christian；　for　the　Bible　says；
'Let　your　communication　be　Yea；　yea；　nay；　nay；　for　whatsoever　is
more　than　these　cometh　of　sin。'　Therefore；　do　not　praise　me　for　that
which　is　only　my　duty；　and　which　Speckbacher　and　Wallner；　and　all
our　dear　friends　in　the　valley　of　the　Adige；　do　just　as　well　as　I。
For　the　rest；　I　must　tell　you；　gentlemen；　it　is　not　so　strange　that
we　should　be　attached　to　the　emperor；　for　the　Bavarians　are
governing　our　country　in　such　a　manner　as　if　they　were　intent　only
on　making　us　love　our　emperor　every　day　more　and　more；　and　long　for
him　more　intensely。〃

〃It　is　true；　Andy　is　right；〃　exclaimed　Anthony　Wallner；　〃the
Bavarians　oppress　us　fearfully；　and　we　will　not　stand　it　any　longer；
we　will　become　Austrians　again；　as　our　fathers　were；　and　will　fight
for　our　liberty　and　our　old　privileges　which　Bavaria　solemnly
guaranteed；　and　which　her　authorities　basely　intend　to　overthrow。〃

〃Which　they　have　already　overthrown；〃　cried　Joseph　Speckbacher；　his
eyes　flashing　with　anger。　〃The　court　of　Munich　seems　intent　only　on
making　the　utmost　of　their　new　acquisition。　Our　old　constitution　has
been　overthrown　by　a　royal　edict；　the　representative　estates　have
been　suppressed；　and　the　provincial　funds　seized。　No　less　than　eight
new　and　oppressive　taxes　have　been　imposed　and　are　being　levied　with
the　utmost　rigor；　the　very　name　of　our　country　has　been　abolished；
the　royal　property　has　all　been　brought　into　the　market；　new　imports
are　daily　exacted　without　any　consultation　with　the　estates　of　the
people；　specie　has　become　scarce；　from　the　quantity　of　it　which　is
being　drawn　off　to　the　Bavarian　treasury；　the　Austrian　notes　have
been　reduced　to　half　their　value；　and；　to　crown　all　these　wrongs；
compulsory　levies　are　held　among　our　young　men；　who　are　to　serve　in
the　ranks　of　our　oppressors！　No；　we　must　break　the　yoke　weighing　us
downwe　will　become　freemen　againas　freemen　we　will　live　and　die…
…as　freemen　we　will　belong　again　to　our　beloved　Emperor　Francis；
whose　ancestors　have　ruled　over　us　for　so　many　centuries　past。〃

〃If　all　the　Tyrolese　think　and　feel　as　you　three　do；〃　said　the
Archduke　John；　with　sparkling　eyes；　〃you　will　recover　your　liberty
and　your　emperor；　despite　the　Bavarians　and　French。〃

〃All　feel　and　think　as　we　do；〃　said　Hofer；　thoughtfully；　〃we　have
all　vowed　to　God　and　the　Holy　Virgin　that　we　will　deliver　the　Tyrol
from　the　enemy；　and　every　man；　every　lad　in　our　mountains　and
valleys；　is　ready　to　take　up　his　rifle　and　fight　for　his　dear
Emperor　Francis。〃

〃We　are　here　as　delegates　of　the　whole　Tyrol；〃　said　Anthony　Wallner；
〃to　ascertain　the　wishes　and　intentions　of　the　emperor　and　his
government；　prefer　our　bitter　complaints；　and　declare　the　firm
resolution　of　the　Tyrolese　to　shrink　from　no　sacrifice　in　order　to
be　reunited　with　Austria　and　to　reconquer　our　ancient　rights　and
liberties。〃

〃But　we　need　assistance　for　this　purpose；〃　added　Joseph　Speckbacher；
〃speedy　and　vigorous　assistance；　above　all；　we　need　troops；　money；
ammunition；　and　supplies。　Will　Austria　give　them　to　us？〃

〃She　will；〃　said　the　archduke。　〃She　will　send　you　a　corps　d'armee；
money；　ammunition；　and　supplies。　Only　you　must　be　ready　and　prepared
to　rise　as　one　man　when　we　give　you　the　signal　of　insurrection。〃

〃We　are　ready！〃　exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer；　nodding　joyously。　〃But　you
must　not　delay　the　signal　very　long；　for　delays　are　highly
dangerous　under　the　present　circumstances。　We　and　our　friends　have
prepared　the　insurrection；　and　it　is　as　if　a　large　torrent　of　fire
were　flowing　secretly　under　the　surface　of　the　Tyrol；　if　some　shrewd
Bavarian　should　scratch　away　some　of　the　earth；　he　would　discover
the　fire；　fetch　water；　and　extinguish　the　flames；　before　the
Austrians　reach　the　country　and　prevent　him　from　so　doing。　A　secret
known　to　a　great　many　is　seldom　well　kept；　it　is；　as　it　were；　a　ripe
fruit　which　must　fall　from　the　tree；　even　though　it　should　hit　and
crush　the　head　of　the　owner　of　the　tree。〃

〃Yes；　what　is　to　be　done　must　be　done　soon；〃　said　Anthony　Wallner。
〃The　men　of　Passeyr；　Meran；　Mays；　and　Algund；　are　ready；　and　have
entered　into　a　secret　league　with　the　whole　valley　of　the　Inn。　The
district　of　the　Adige；　too；　has　joined　us；　and　the　German　and
Italian　Tyrolese；　who　formerly　never　liked　each　other；　have　now
agreed　to　stand　shoulder　to　shoulder　and　rise　on　one　day　and　as　one
man；　in　order　to　drive　the　Bavarians　and　French　from　their
mountains。〃

〃We　are　waiting　only　for　Austria　to　give　the　signal；　pray　do　not
keep　us　waiting　too　long；　for　we　men　of　the　Lower　Innthal；　too；　are
all　ready　and　armed。　An　enormous　worm　of　insurrection；　as　it　were；
is　creeping　through　the　Lower　Inn　valley；　and　the　worm　has　four
heads；　which　look　toward　all　quarters　of　the　world。　One　head　is
Rupert　Wintersteller；　of　Kirchdorf；　the　second　is　Jacob　Sieberer；　of
Thiersen；　the　third　is　Antony　Aschbacher；　of　Achenthal；　and　the
fourth　is　I；　Joseph　Speckbacher；　of　Kufstein。〃

〃In　the　Puster　valley；　too；　a　storm　is　brewing；　and　all　are　ready
and　impatient　to　rise　in　insurrection；〃　said　Hofer。　〃Therefore；　dear
brother　of　our　emperor；　give　us　good　news；　that　we　may　take　it　home
to　the　men　of　the　Tyrol；　for　their　hearts　are　longing　and　crying　for
their　sovereign　the　emperor。〃

〃And　the　emperor；　on　his　part；　is　longing　for　his　Tyrolese；〃　said
the　archduke。　〃The　time　has　come　when　that　which　belongs　together　is
to　be　reunited。　Let　us　consult　and　deliberate；　then；　my　friends；
what　we　should　do　in　order　to　attain　our　great　object；　and　reunite
the　Tyrolese　with　their　emperor。〃

〃Yes；　let　us；　consult；〃　said　Hofer；　solemnly；　〃and　let　us　pray　God
and　the　Holy　Virgin　to　enlighten　our　minds。〃

He　raised　the　crucifix　from　his　breast　to　his　face　and　bent　over　it；
muttering　a　prayer。

〃Now　I　am　ready；〃　he　said；　slowly　dropping　the　crucifix；　〃let　us
deliberate。　But　I　tell　you　beforehand；　I　am　no　military　hero；　nor　a