andreas hofer-第24节

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best　of　your　power。　We　must　act　harmoniously；　and　strain　every　nerve
to　deliver　the　fatherland　and　restore　the　Tyrol　to　our　beloved
emperor。〃

〃We　are　resolved　to　do　so；〃　shouted　the　men；　with　one　accord。

〃I　know　it　full　well；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　joyously。　〃Let　us　go　to
work；　then。　and　circulate　throughout　the　Tyrol　the　message　that　the
Austrians　are　coming；　and　that　it　is　time。　Say；　Teimer；　did　yon　not
bring　a　written　message　with　you？〃

〃Here　is　a　letter　from　Hormayr；〃　said　Martin　Teimer；　drawing　a　large
sealed　paper　from　his　bosom。

Andreas　took　it　and　opened　it　quickly。　But　while　he　was　reading　it；
a　slight　cloud　overspread　his　countenance；　and　for　a　moment　he　cast
a　rapid；　searching　glance　on　Martin　Teimer's　bright；　keen　face；
however；　no　sooner　had　he　met　Teimer's　stealthy；　inquiring　glance；
than　he　quickly　turned　his　eyes　again　to　the　paper。

〃Well；〃　he　said　then；　striking　the　paper　with　his　right　hand；　〃the
statements　contained　in　this　letter　are　entirely　in　accordance　with
our　wishes。　We　are　to　rise　at　once；　for　already　tomorrow　the
Austrians　will　have　crossed　our　frontiers。　Marquis　von　Chasteler
will　march　from　Carinthia　into　the　Puster　valley；　General　Hiller　is
moving　from　Salzburg　toward　the　Lower　Inn　valley；　the　former　thinks
he　will　reach　Brixen　in　the　course　of　four　days；　the　latter　says　he
will　be　at　Innspruck　within　the　same　time。　I　and　Martin　Teimer　here；
who　no　longer　keeps　a　tobacco…shop　at　Klagenfurth；　but　is　again
Major　Teimer　as　he　was　four　years　agowe　are　to　direct　and　manage
every　thing　in　the　Tyrol；　and　are　intrusted　with　the　duty　of　seeing
to　it　that　the　flames　of　the　insurrection　burst　forth　now　as
speedily　as　possible　from　one　end　of　the　Tyrol　to　the　other；　and
that　it　shall　become　a　conflagration　that　will　burn　up　all　Frenchmen
and　Bavarians；　or　compel　them　to　escape　from　the　country。　Assist　us；
then；　my　men；　in　spreading　the　news　over　the　mountains　and　through
the　valleys；　that　all　may　rise　and　participate　in　the　great　work　of
deliverance。　Every　able…bodied　man　is　to　shoulder　his　rifle；　and　the
women　and　children　are　to　carry；　from　house　to　house；　little　balls
of　paper　on　which　are　written　the　words：　''Tis　time！'　as　we　have
agreed　at　our　meetings。　And　now；　in　compliance　with　the　promise　I
gave　Hormayr　in　Vienna；　I　will　issue　a　circular　to　all　our　friends
that　they　may　know　what　to　do　under　these　circumstances。　Is　there
among　you　any　one　who　can　write　well　and　correctly；　and　to　whom　I
may　dictate？　for　my　own　handwriting　is　none　of　the　best；　and
although　what　I　write　may　be　thought　correctly；　it　is　not　spelled　as
learned　men　tell　us　it　should　be。　If　there　is　among　you　one　who　can
write　nicely　and　correctly　what　I　wish　to　dictate；　let　him　come
forward。〃

〃I　can　do　it；〃　said　a　young　man；　stepping　forward。

〃It　is　Joseph　Ennemoser；　son　of　John　Ennemoser；　the　Seewirth；〃　said
Andreas　Hofer；　smiling。　〃Yes；　I　believe　you　are　a　good　scribe；　you
have　become　quite　a　scholar　and　an　aristocratic　gentleman；　and　are
studying　medicine　at　the　University　of　Innspruck。〃

〃For　all　that；　I　have　remained　an　honest　mountaineer；　and　as　for　my
studies；　I　will　not　think　of　them　until　we　have　delivered　the　Tyrol
from　the　Bavarian　yoke。　I　shall　keep　only　my　pen；　and　act　as　Andreas
Hofer's　obedient　secretary。〃　＇Footnote：　Joseph　Ennemoser；　son　of
John　Ennemoser；　the　tailor　and　Seewirth　of　the　Passeyrthal；　was　a
shepherd　in　his　boyhood。　His　father　sent　him　to　the　gymnasium　of
Innsbruck；　and　afterward　to　the　university　of　the　same　city；　where
he　studied　medicine。　In　1809　he　was　Hofer's　secretary。　Afterward　he
became　a　celebrated　professor　of　medicine　at　the　University　of
Bonn。＇

　〃Sit　down；　then；　my　boy；　and　write。　You　will　find　pen　and　ink　in
the　drawer　of　yonder　table。　Take　them；　and　I　will　dictate　to　you。〃

And　amidst　the　respectful　silence　of　the　men；　walking　up　and　down
slowly；　and　stroking　his　long　beard　with　his　right　hand；　Andreas
Hofer　commenced　dictating　his　〃open　order；〃　which　was　as　follows：

〃Early　in　the　morning　of　the　9th　of　April　General　Hiller　will　march
from　Salzburg　to　the　Lower　Inn　valley；　and　General　yon　Chasteler
from　Carinthia　to　the　Puster　valley。　On　the　11th　or　12th　of　April
the　former　will　arrive　at　Innsbruck；　and　the　latter　at　Brixen。　The
Archduke　John　orders　that　the　Muhlbach　pass　be　occupied　by　peasants
from　the　Puster　valley；　and　the　Kuntersweg　by　mounted　men。　They　are
to　allow　all　forces　of　the　enemy　marching　from　Botzen　to　Brixen　to
pass；　and　will　cut　off　all　communications　only　so　soon　as　they
discover　that　the　Bavarian　civilians　and　soldiers　are　trying　to
escape　from　Brixen　to　Botzen。　Not　a　man　must　be　allowed　to　pass
then。〃

While　Andreas　Hofer　was　dictating　his　〃open　order〃　with　a　firm　and
thoughtful　air；　the　peasants　stood　dumfounded　with　admiration；
staring　at　him　with　a　feeling　of　awe；　and　delighted　with　his
sagacity　and　understanding。　That　Hofer　cast　from　time　to　time　a
searching　glance　at　Hormayr's　letter　did　not　disturb　the　admiration
they　felt　for　their　chosen　leader；　and　they　were　silent　and　stared
at　him　long　after　he　was　through。

〃So；〃　said　Andreas　when　the　writing　was　finished；　〃now　Martin　Teimer
and　I　will　affix　our　names　to　this　open　order；　Ennemoser　will　then
copy　it　half　a　dozen　times；　and　six　of　you　will　carry　the　copies　to
the　other　leaders　who　are　already　waiting　for　them；　and　who　will
give　the　signal　to　their　friends　in　the　lower　valley。　You；　George
Lanthaler；　will　carry　the　order　to　Joseph　Speckbacher　at　Kufstein；
you；　Joseph　Gufler；　will　take　it　to　the　farmer　at　the　Schildhof；
you；　George　Steinhauferle；　will　go　to　Anthony　Wallner；　the
Aichberger　at　Windisch…Matrey。　Quick；　quick；　my　friends；　we　have　no
time　to　lose；　you　must　walk　night　and　day；　you　cannot　rest　on　the
road；　for　we　must　strike　the　blow　with　lightning　speed；　and　it　must
be　done　at　the　same　time　all　over　the　country。〃

〃And　I　will　likewise　set　out　again　to　spread　the　news　throughout　the
country；〃　said　Martin　Teimer。　〃For　two　weeks　past　I　have　been　in　all
parts　of　the　Tyrol；　and　have　worked　everywhere　for　our　cause；　and
know　now　that　we　may　count　upon　all　our　countrymen。　They　are　waiting
for　the　signal；　and　we　must　give　it　to　them。　Here；　take　this
package；　it　contains　a　large　number　of　those　little　paper　balls　upon
which　are　written　the　words　''Tis　time！'　Each　of　you　can　take　a
handful　of　them　and　give　them　to　your　wives　and　children；　that　they
may　carry　them　to　the　neighbors　and　distribute　them　everywhere。
Speckbacher　and　Wallner；　too；　have　packages　of　such　paper　balls；　and
so　soon　as　our　faithful　messengers　bring　them　our　‘open　order；'　they
will　likewise　send　around　their　wives　and　children　through　the
neighborhood；　and　everywhere　the　cry　will　be；　''Tis　time！'　We　must
expel　the　Bavarians！　I　will　go　now；　for　I　must　concentrate　my　men　in
order　to　prevent　the　Bavarians　from　crossing　the　bridge　of　Laditch。
Farewell；　then；　and　God　grant　that　we　may　all　meet　again　before　long
as　free　and　happy　men　at　our　good　city　of　Innspruck！〃

〃We　must　go　too；〃　exclaimed　the　Tyrolese　when　Martin　Teimer　had　left
the　house　as　quickly　as　he　had　entered　it。　〃We　must　go　into　the
mountains　and　inform　our　friends　that　it　is　time。〃

〃But　go　through　the　kitchen；　my　dear　messengers；〃　said　Andreas
Hofer；　〃there　is　a　bag　of　flour　for　each　of　you；　take　it　on　your
back；　and　on　passing　during　your　march　a　rivulet　or　a　mountain
torrent；　throw　some　of　the　flour　into　it；　and　wherever　you　find　dry
brushwood　on　the　road；　pile　it　up　and　kindle　it；　that　the　bale…fires
may　proclaim　to　the　country；　''Tis　time！〃

Half　an　hour　afterward　the　large　bar…room　was　deserted；　and　profound
silence　reigned　in　the　inn　Zum　Sand。　The　servants　and　children　of
the　Sandwirth　had　gone　to　bed；　only　he　himself　and　his　faithful
wife；　Anna　Gertrude；　were　yet　up。　Both　had　retired　into　the　small
sitting…room　adjoining　the　barroom。　Andreas　Hofer　was　walking　up　and
down　there　silently　and　thoughtfully；　his　hands　folded　on　his　back；
Gertrude　sat　in　the　leather…covered　arm…chair　at　the　stove；　and
looked　at　her　husband。　Every　thing　was　still　around　them；　only　the
slow；　regular　ticking　of　the　clock　broke　the　profound　silence；　and
outside　was　to　be　heard　the　wild　roaring　of　the　Passeyr；　which
hurled　its　furious　foaming　waters　not　far　from　the　inn　over　pebbles
and　fragments　of　rocks。

Finally；　after　a　long　pause；　Andreas　stood　still　in　front　of　his
wife；　and　gazed　at　her　with　a　long；　searching；　and　tender　look。
Gertrude；　as　if　lifted　up　by　this　glance；　rose；　encircled　his　neck
quickly　with　her　arms；　and　looked　with　an　expression　of　terror　and
anxiety　into　his　face。

〃Andy；〃　she　exclaimed；　mournfully；　〃my　own；　dearest　Andy；　I　am
afraid　harm　will　befall　you！〃

〃That　is　what　I　expect；〃　he　said；　sighing；　〃and　I　am　sorry　for　you；
my　dearest　wife。　I　was　just　speaking　with　God　and　my　conscience；　and
asking　them　so　fervently　if　it　was　not　wrong　in　me　not　to　think
above　all　things　of　my　dear　wife　and　my　beloved　children；　and　if　I
ought　not　to　live　and　die　only　for　them。　For　I　tell　you；　and　I　know；
what　I　am　going　to　do　is　dangerous；　and　may　easily　cost　my　life。　I
do　not　blind　my　eyes　to　it；　I　may　lose　my　life　in　either　of　two
ways。　A　bulle