andreas hofer-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃But　why　do　you　want　to　take　me　away　from　here？　I　tell　you　I　like
the　play　very　well；　and　have　never　seen　any　thing　like　it。　It　is
true；　Cherubino；　the　boy；　is　an　arrant　liar；　but　he　is　a　jolly
fellow；　and　I　do　not　want　him　to　come　to　grief。　And　Figaro　is　a　sly
fox；　and　withal　a　brave　man。　I　should　like　to　make　his　acquaintance
and　ask　him　if　he　really　promised　old　Marielle　to　marry　her；　for　it
would　be　wrong　if　he　did　not　keep　his　word　now；　and　refused　to　make
her　his　wife　because　he　likes　the　young　woman　better　than　her。　If　I
knew　where　he　lives；　I　would　go　to　him　this　very　night　and　tell　him
what　he　ought　to　do。〃

〃Oh；　you　foolish　old　child　of　Nature！　what　you　saw　on　the　stage　was
nothing　but　a　play。　Figaro　never　existed；　and　even　though　he　did；
you　would　not　go　to　him；　but　accompany　me　and　take　supper　with　me。〃

〃I　am　sorry。〃　said　Andreas；　gravely；　〃I　cannot　do　so；　for；　in　the
first　place；　I　must　stay　here　and　wait　for　the　countryman　who　has
arrived　here　with　the　horses　and　wine。〃

〃Jesus　Maria！　what　do　you　say？　The　countryman？　Did　I　not　tell　you
that　it　is　I；　Andy？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　had　already　forgotten　it。　But；　second；　I　cannot　go
because　I　must　see　the　remainder　of　the　play。　Let　me；　therefore；
return　to　my　seat；　for　I　paid　for　the　whole　performance；　I　believe　I
have　already　missed　a　great　deal；　but　they　will　assuredly　not　return
to　me　at　the　office　a　penny　for　what　I　did　not　hear。〃　＇Footnote：
Hofer's　own　words。See　Hormayr；　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　810。＇

〃They　will　not；　and　shall　not　either；〃　cried　Hormayr；　angrily。　〃You
will　not　return　to　your　seat；　Andy；　but　go　and　take　supper　with　me。
For　you　know；　my　dear　fellow；　that　you　have　come　to　Vienna；　not　to
go　to　the　theatre；　but　to　ask　the　dear　Archduke　John's　assistance
and　succor　for　the　beloved　Tyrol；　and　inquire　of　the　emperor　if　he
will　not　aid　his　loyal　Tyrolese　in　their　attempt　to　become　his
subjects　once　more。　And　the　emperor　and　the　archduke　will　help　you；
they　promise　to　send　soldiers　and　guns　in　time　to　the　Tyrol。　But；　in
return；　you　must　do　what　the　archduke　asked　you　to　do；　you　must
carefully　conceal　yourself；　Andy；　in　order　to　prevent　the　Bavarians
from　learning　of　your　trip　to　Vienna；　otherwise　they　would　arrest
you　and　your　friends　after　your　return　to　the　Tyrol。　Hence　you　must
not　return　to　your　seat；　where　so　many　persons　would　see　you；　and
unfortunately　have　seen　you　already。〃

〃Well；　if　it　must　be　so；　let　us　go；　sir；〃　sighed　Andreas。　〃But　just
listen　how　they　are　singing；　shouting；　and　cheering　inside！　Jesus
Maria！　Figaro；　I　believe；　will　have　to　marry　old　Marielle　after　all；
and　give　up　pretty　little　Susanne。　Ah；　my　God！　she　will　die　heart…
broken；　for　she　loves　him　so　dearly。　Pray；　sir；　let　me　go　in　once
more；　that　I　may　see　whether　or　not　he　must　marry　old　Marielle。〃

〃No；　Andy；〃　said　Hormayr；　smiling；　〃you　need　not　be　uneasy；　Figaro
will　not　marry　old　Marielle；　for　she　is　his　own　mother。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Andreas；　in　dismay；　〃she　his　mother；　and　he　has
promised　to　marry　her！　That　is　most　sinful　and　infamous！　No　good
Christian　should　listen　to　such　things。　Come　along；　sir。　I　do　not
want　to　hear　another　word　of　it。　Good　heavens！　what　will　Anna
Gertrude　say　when　I　tell　her　what　I　have　seen　here；　and　that　there
are　here　in　Vienna　men　infamous　enough　to　promise　to　marry　their
mothers？〃

〃But　they　never　do　so　in　reality；　Andy；　but　only　on　the　stage。
Otherwise　the　police　would　be　after　them　at　once。　For　the　emperor　is
a　very　pious　and　virtuous　gentleman；　and　he　does　not　permit　any
infractions　of　the　sacred　laws　of　God　and　the　Church　in　his
dominions。〃

〃Yes；　the　emperor　is　a　very　pious　and　virtuous　gentleman；〃　exclaimed
Andreas　Hofer；　enthusiastically；　〃and　that　is　the　reason　why　the
Tyrolese　love　him　and　wish　to　be　again　his　subjects　and　children。
Come；　I　will　go　home　with　you。　I　do　not　want　to　hear　any　more　of　the
theatrical　nonsense。　Let　us　speak　of　our　emperor　and　our　dear
Archduke　John。　God　grant　that　we　may　soon　be　able　to　say　he　is　our
emperor　again；　and　the　archduke　is　our　John；　and　his　Tyrolese　are
again　his　subjects；　because　they　fought　well　for　their　liberty；　and
because　God　blessed　their　efforts　and　crowned　them　with　victory。
Come；　we　will　go　home；　and　to…morrow　I　shall　return　to　the　Tyrol；　to
my　wife　and　children；　and　mountain　and　valley　shall　know　that　the
time　has　come；　and　that　we　shall　become　Austrians　again。　May　the
Holy　Virgin　protect　us　and　grant　us　a　safe　return；　may　she　prevent
the　Bavarians　from　waylaying　us　and　frustrating　our　great　and　noble
purpose！〃　＇Footnote：　The　delegates　of　the　Tyrolese　left　Vienna　on
the　following　morning；　their　presence　there；　however；　had　been
reported　to　the　Bavarian　officers；　who；　during　their　homeward
journey；　almost　succeeded　in　arresting　them。　John　von　Graff；　a
banker　of　Botzen；　was　apprised　of　their　arrival　in　Vienna　by　his
correspondent　in　that　city　and　informed　the　commissary…general　at
Brixen　of　what　he　had　learned。　A　warrant　for　the　arrest　of　the　three
delegates　was　issued；　but　they　escaped　in　time　into　the　mountains。
Hormayr；　vol。　i。；　p。　191。＇




CHAPTER　VIII。

CONSECRATION　OF　THE　FLAGS；　AND　FAREWELL。


The　die　was　cast；　then。　The　war　with　France　was　to　break　out　again。
There　was　to　be　no　more　procrastination　and　hesitation。　The　time　for
action　was　at　hand。

　Already　the　French　ambassador；　Andreossi；　had　left　Vienna；　and　all
the　members　of　the　legation　had　followed　him。　Already　Clement　Count
Metternich　had　arrived　at　Vienna　but　he　had　not　left　Paris　as　Count
Andreossi　had　left　Vienna；　quietly　and　unmolested；　but　Napoleon　had
caused　him　to　be　escorted　to　the　French　frontier　by　a　detachment　of
gens　d'armes。

And　to…day；　on　the　9th　of　March；　Austria　was　to　proclaim　to　all
Germany；　by　means　of　a　public　festival；　that　she　was　resolved　to
renew　the　struggle　with　France　and　risk　once　more　the　blood　of　her
people　and　the　existence　of　her　imperial　dynasty　in　order　to　deliver
Germany　from　the　usurper　who　was　intent　on　crushing　in　his　iron
hands　the　liberty　and　independance　of　the　German　nation。

A　solemn　ceremony　was　to　take　place　to…day　on　the　Glacis　of　Vienna。
The　flags　of　the　militia　were　to　be　consecrated　by　the　Archbishop　of
Vienna；　and　the　whole　imperial　family　was　to　be　present　at　the
solemnity。　Hence；　all　Vienna　presented　a　festive　appearance；　all
stores　were　closed；　and　no　one　was　seen　following　his　every…day
avocations。　The　Viennese　had　made　a　holiday；　no　one　would　toil　for
his　daily　bread；　all　wished　to　refresh　themselves　only　with　mental
food；　and　greet　with　their　glances　and　acclamations　the　noble　men
who　were　to　take　the　field　for　the　salvation　of　the　fatherland。

The　people　were　surging　in　dense　masses　toward　the　glacis；　rushing
with　irresistible　impetuosity　into　the　empty　ditches；　and　climbing
the　trees　on　their　edges；　or　gaining　some　other　standpoint　whence
they　could　survey　the　solemnity　which　was　to　take　place　on　the　broad
promenade　of　the　glacis。　On　the　large　rondel　of　the　glacis　had　been
erected　a　tribune　whose　golden…broidered　velvet　canopy　was
surmounted　by　a　very　large　imperial　crown；　four　golden　double…headed
eagles　adorned　the　four　corners　of　the　canopy；　and　held　in　their
beaks　the　colors　of　Austria　and　Hungary。　Under　the　canopy　stood　gilt
arm…chairs；　with　cushions　of　purple　velvet。　This　was　the　tribune
destined　for　the　emperor　and　his　family；　all　eyes　were　riveted　upon
it；　and　all　hearts　longed　to　greet　the　sovereign；　and　thank　him　for
the　proud　happiness　of　this　hour。

Further　on　rose　other　and　no　less　splendidly　decorated　tribunes；　the
seats　of　which　had　been　sold　at　enormous　rates　to　the　aristocracy
and　wealthy　citizens　of　Vienna　for　the　benefit　of　the　militia；　and
thousands　had　found　seats　on　the　trees　surrounding　the　broad
promenade　and　the　rondel；　and　paid　for　their　airy　perches　only　with
some　pains　and　bruises。

Since　early　dawn　this　pilgrimage　to　the　glacis　had　been　going　on；　by
ten　o'clock　all　seats；　roads；　tribunes；　trees；　ditches；　and　bridges；
were　occupied　by　a　dense　crowd；　and；　in　order　to　prevent　accidents；
the　authorities　had　already　ordered　all　approaches　to　the　glacis　to
be　closed。

On　the　broad　promenade；　too；　matters　assumed　a　very　lively　aspect。
The　militia　marched　up　with　banners　unfurled　and　drums　beating。　They
drew　up　in　line　on　both　sides　of　the　road；　and　their　officers　and
standard…bearers　repaired　to　the　large　rondel　where　another　had　been
constructed　in　face　of　the　imperial　tribune。　They　ranged　themselves
around　the　altar；　on　whose　steps　priests　in　full　vestments　were
kneeling；　and　which　was　surmounted　by　a　gigantic　crucifix；　visible
to　all　spectators　far　and　near；　and　waving　to　all　its　blessings　and
love…greetings。

And　now　all　the　church…steeples　commenced　ringing　their　peals；　the
iron　tongues　of　their　bells　proclaimed　to　the　inhabitants　of　Vienna；
and　to　the　many　thousands　of　strangers　who　had　come　to　witness　the
solemnity；　that　the　emperor　with　his　con…art　and　his　children　had
left　the　Hofburg；　and　was　approaching　the　glacis；　followed　by　his
suite。　The　militia　assumed　a　stiff　military　attitude；　the　drums
rolled；　the　cannon　boomed；　the　bugles　sounded　merry　notes；　and　the
emperor；　leading　his