andreas hofer-第18节

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Tyrol。　Above　all　things；　be　cautious。　Keep　in　check　not　only　your
tongues　but　your　faces；　especially　here　in　Vienna。　For　if　the
Bavarian　spies　here　ferret　out　that　Andreas　Hofer；　Speckbacher；　and
Wallner　are　in　Vienna；　and　that　I　have　had　an　interview　with　them；
their　keen　noses　will　scent　at　once　what　is　going　on；　and　they　will
send；　even　before　we　reach　the　Tyrol；　so　many　Bavarian　and　French
soldiers　into　your　country；　that　you　will　be　tied　hand　and　foot；　and
cannot　raise　your　arms　on　the　9th　of　April　to　seize　your　rifles。
Therefore；　I　repeat　it；　keep　your　faces　in　check；　and　do　not　allow
yourselves　to　be　seen　in　the　streets　of　Vienna　in　the　daytime。　Your
beard；　Andy；　especially　is　a　treacherous　thing；　and　it　would　really
be　best　for　the　Barbone　to　shave　off　his　long　mourning…flag。〃

Andreas　Hofer　seized　his　beard　with　both　his　hands；　almost　in
terror；　and　drew　it　caressingly　through　his　fingers。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃my　friends　and　countrymen　know　me　by　my　beard；　and
the　Barbone　is　a　welcome　guest　in　the　Italian　Tyrol。　They　would　not
recognize　me　if　I　should　appear　among　them　with　a　smooth　chin；　and
they　would　doubt　if　it　was　Andreas　Hofer　who　talked　with　them　about
the　great　conspiracy　and　insurrection　in　case　they　did　not　see　his
black　beard。〃

〃No；　archduke；〃　said　Speckbacher；　smiling　and　winking；　〃you　must　not
object　to　our　Andy's　beard；　for　it　is　the　flag　round　which　the
Tyrolese　will　rally；　and　with　which　the　Tyrol　will　adorn　itself　on
the　day　of　insurrection；　as　they　put　on　their　best　clothes　on　the
day　of　Assumption。　Moreover；　Andreas　Hofer　must　not　be　ungrateful；
and　he　would　be　ungrateful　if　he　should　cut　off　his　beard　and　throw
it　away；　for　his　beard　gained　him　one　day　a　couple　of　fat　oxen。〃

〃Is　that　true；　Andy？〃　asked　John；　laughing。

〃It　is；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　gravely。　〃My　beard　did　gain　me　two
oxen。　It　happened　as　follows；　archduke：　I　was　quite　a　young　man　yet；
and　had　married　my　wife；　Anna　Gertrude　Ladurner；　only　a　year　before。
I　was　very　fond　of　my　little　wife；　and　did　not　like　to　sit　for　hours
in　the　tavern；　as　I　had　done　heretofore。　I　stayed　at　home　often
enough　instead　of　attending　to　my　business；　and　going　down　to　Italy
or　Germany　to　carry　on　my　traffic　in　corn；　wine；　horses；　and　oxen；
by　which　I　had　made　a　great　deal　of　money。　My　friends　sneered　at　my
staying　so　much　at　home；　and　said：　'Andy　Hofer；　the　Sandwirth；　is　a
henpecked　husband；　and　his　wife　is　master　of　the　house。'　This　was
very　disagreeable　to　me；　for；　although　I　love　my　Anna　Gertrude　from
the　bottom　of　my　heart；　I　have　always　been　the　master；　and　she　has
been　obedient　to　me；　as　the　Bible　says　it　should　be　between　husband
and　wife。　Well；　one　day　I　sat　at　home　with　a　few　friends；　we　were
drinking　wine　in　the　bar…room。　Suddenly　there　entered　the　room　an
old　beggar　with　a　tremendous　beard　reaching　down　to　his　girdle。　I
laugh　at　the　beard　and　rejoice　over　its　enormous　length。　One　of　my
friends；　Anthony　Waidlinger；　the　rich　Amselwirth；　asks　me：　'Well；
Andy；　would　you　like　to　wear　as　long　a　beard　as　that？'　'Why　not？'　I
reply　merrily。　'　Ah；'　exclaims　Anthony；　laughing；　'you　must　not　talk
so　saucily。　You　must　not　wear　so　long　a　beard。　Your　wife　will　not
permit　it；　Andy！'　This　makes　me　very　angry；　I　start　up；　and　hardly
know　what　I　am　doing。　'What！'　I　cry；　'　my　wife？　She　must　obey　me
whether　she　likes　it　or　not。　What　will　you　bet　I　will　not　shave　my
beard　for　a　whole　year？'　'I　will　bet　you　two　oxen；'　says　Anthony；
'but　let　me　warn　you；　Andy；　you　will　lose　the　oxen；　for　I　stick　to
it；　your　wife　will　never　permit　you　to　become　the　laughing…stock　of
the　children　by　appearing　in　the　streets　with　such　a　lion's　mane。
Therefore　consider　the　matter　well；　Andy；　for　there　is　time　yet。
Admit　that　you　will　not　win　the　bet；　for　two　oxen　are　at　stake！'　'I
have　already　considered　everything；'　I　say：　'and　as　for　the　two
oxen；　they　will　be　just　what　I　want。　A　year　hence　you　will　bring
them　to　me；　Anthony　Waidlinger。'　And　this　prediction　was　fulfilled。
I　did　not　shave　my　beard；　and　Anna　Gertrude；　my　wife；　rejoiced　at
her　Andy's　beard　instead　of　being　angry　at　it；　and　thought　it　made
her　husband　look　a　great　deal　better。　When　the　year　was　up；　Anthony
Waidlinger　drove　his　two　oxen　with　a　sullen　air　into　my　stable；　and
said：　'Now　you　may　cut　off　your　fur　and　have　a　pillow　made　from　it
for　your　wife。'　'I　need　not　cut　off　my　beard　for　that　purpose；'　I
replied；　'it　may　be　my　wife's　pillow　even　while　it　hangs　down　on　my
breast。　For　she　is　a　good　and　dutiful　wife；　and　I　am　fondly　attached
to　her。'　That；　archduke；　is　the　story　of　my　beard；　which　I　have　worn
ever　since；　and　which　has　often　been　a　pillow　when　my　little　boy　and
three　girls　fell　asleep　on　my　lap；　and　under　which　they　have　often
concealed　their　little　heads　when　their　mother　was　looking　for　them。
You　will　ask　me　no　more　to　cut　off　my　beardthe　pillow　and
plaything　of　my　children。〃

〃No；　Andreas；〃　said　the　archduke；　kindly；　〃I　will　not。　Wear　your
fine　beard　as　you　have　done　hitherto；　may　it　be；　notwithstanding　its
black　color；　the　victorious　flag　round　which　the　royal　Tyrolese
shall　rally　on　rising　for　their　lord　and　emperor！　And　now；　farewell；
my　friends；　it　is　dawning；　and　it　is　time　for　us　to　repose　a　little。
Go　home；　therefore；　and　what　remains　to　be　settled　you　may　talk　over
to…morrow　with　Baron　von　Hormayr；　who　will　give　you　money　for
travelling　expenses；　and　for　distribution　among　the　innkeepers。　Day
after　to…morrow　you　will　set　out　for　home；　and　bring　to　all　loyal
Tyrolese　the　joyful　news　that　war　will　break　out。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　war　will　break　out！〃　exclaimed　the　three　Tyrolese；
exultingly。

〃Hush；　for　God's　sake；　hush！〃　said　John；　laughing。　〃You　must　keep
quiet；　and；　instead　of　doing　so；　you　shout　as　jubilantly　as　though
you　were　standing　on　a　crest　of　the　Brenner；　and　had　just　discovered
the　hiding…place　of　a　chamois。　Let　me　therefore　tell　you　once　more
it　is　necessary　that　the　people　of　Vienna　should　not　find　out　that
you　are　in　the　city。　Pledge　me　your　word；　then；　that　you　will　not　go
into　the　street　tomorrow　in　the　daytime；　nor　allow　any　one　to　see
you。〃

〃We　pledge　you　our　word！〃　exclaimed　the　Tyrolese；　with　one　accord；
〃we　will　not　appear　in　the　street　to…morrow　in　the　daytime；　and　day
after　to…morrow　we　shall　set　out。〃

〃Yes；　we　shall　set　out　then；〃　repeated　Andreas　Hofer；　〃and　return　to
our　mountains　and　friends；　and　wait　patiently　and　faithfully　until
the　day　when　we　shall　see　the　rising　to　the　sky　the　signal　which　is
to　tell　us　that　our　dear　Archduke　John　sends　us　his　soldiers　to
assist　us　in　delivering　our　country　from　the　enemy；　and　restoring
it；　with　our　mountains；　our　love；　and　our　loyalty；　to　our　dear
Emperor　Francis。　God　grant　that　we　may　succeed　in　so　doing；　and　may
the　Holy　Virgin　pray　for　us　all；　and　restore　the　Tyrol　to　the
emperor！〃




CHAPTER　VII。

ANDREAS　HOFER　AT　THE　THEATRE。


Count　Stadion；　the　minister　of　foreign　affairs；　was　pacing　his
cabinet　with　a　quick　step　and　an　anxious　expression　of　countenance。
At　times　he　stood　still；　and；　bending　his　head　toward　the　door；
seemed　to　listen　intently　for　some　sound；　all　remaining　silent
outside；　he　commenced　again　striding　up　and　down；　and　whenever　he
approached　the　clock　on　the　mantelpiece　he　cast　an　anxious　glance　on
it。

〃I　am　afraid　Hormayr　was　not　at　home；〃　he　murmured　moodily　to
himself；　〃his　servants　did　not　know　where　he　was；　and　therefore　the
mischief　cannot　be　stopped。〃

He　drew　a　golden　snuff…box　from　his　pocket　and　took　a　large　pinch
from　it。　〃I　said　at　the　very　outset；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　we　ought　to
keep　aloof　from　these　stupid　peasants；　who　will　only　involve　us　in
trouble　and　mischief。　But　those　gentlemen　would　not　listen　to　me；
andReally；　I　believe　I　hear　footsteps　in　the　anteroom。　Yes；　yes；
somebody　is　coming！〃

Count　Stadion　was　not　mistaken。　The　door　opened；　and　a　footman
announced；　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Baron　von　Hormayr！〃

〃Let　him　come　in；　let　him　come　in；　quick！〃　said　Count　Stadion；
waving　his　hand　impatiently；　and　when　Hormayr　appeared　on　the
threshold　of　the　door；　he　hastily　went　to　meet　him。

〃In　truth；　it　took　my　servants　a　good　while　to　find　you！〃　exclaimed
the　minister；　angrily。　〃I　have　been　waiting　for　you　half　an　hour。〃

〃I　was　at　the　Archduke　John's　rooms；　with　whom　I　had　business　of
importance；　your　excellency；〃　said　Hormayr；　emphasizing　his　last
words。　〃Moreover；　I　could　not　guess　that　your　excellency　would　wish
to　grant　me　an　audience　at　so　unusual　an　hour；　and　without　my　asking
for　it。〃

〃At　so　unusual　an　hour！〃　cried　Count　Stadion；　putting　one　pinch　of
snuff　after　another　into　his　nose。　〃Yes；　yes；　at　so　unusual　an　hour！
It　would　have　been　more　agreeable　to　me；　too；　if　it　had　been
unnecessary　for　me　to　trouble　you　and　myself。　But　it　is　your　own
fault。　You　do　not　keep　your　word。〃

〃Your　excellency！〃　cried　Hormayr；　indignantly。

〃Bah！　it　is　true。　You　do　not　keep　your　word。　You　promised　me　that
your　Tyrolese　should　not　show　themselves；　lest　we　might　be　charged
with　fomenting　an　insurrection；　and　it　was　necessary；　also；　to
prevent　the　Bavarians　from　learning　prematurely　our　plans。　Can　you
deny　that　you　promised　this　to　me？　〃

〃No；　your　excellency；　I　do　not　de