andreas hofer-第32节

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and　intrepid　than　the　others；　was　the　first　to　jump　down。　Scarcely
had　his　feet　touched　the　ground；　when　a　rifle　crashed　and　a　cloud　of
white　smoke　enveloped　every　thing　for　a　moment。　When　it　disappeared；
the　Bavarian　soldier　was　seen　to　writhe　on　the　ground　in　the　agony
of　death；　while　one　of　the　Tyrolese　sharpshooters　was　quietly
reloading　his　rifle。

But　now　crashed　another　shot；　and　the　Tyrolese　rifleman；　pierced
through　the　heart；　reeled　back　into　the　arms　of　his　friends　with　the
last　groan　of　death。

〃Soldiers；〃　cried　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg；　raising　his　discharged　gun
triumphantly；　〃I　have　avenged　the　death　of　your　comrade。　Now
forward；　jump　down！　Forward　for　your　honor　and　your　king！〃

〃Yes；　forward　for　our　honor　and　our　king！〃　shouted　the　soldiers；　and
one　of　them　jumped　out　of　each　of　the　windows。

Another　shot　was　fired　from　the　balcony；　and　wounded　one　of　the
Tyrolese　sharpshooters。

Wild　cries　of　rage　filled　the　court…yard；　all　eyes　turned　menacingly
to　the　balcony。　But　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg　had　stepped　back　into　the
room；　and　nobody　saw　that　he　was　reloading　his　fowling…piece；　which；
with　his　hunting…pouch　and　powder…horn；　had　hung　in　the　dining…room。

〃I　shall　defend　myself　until　my　soldiers　come　to　deliver　me；〃　he
said　courageously　to　himself。　Thereupon　he　moved　the　large　table
from　the　room　to　the　balcony；　placed　it　on　its　side；　and　leaned　it
against　the　railing；　on　the　other　side　of　the　balcony　he　placed　the
bench　in　the　same　manner；　and；　protected　behind　this　three…cornered
barricade　from　the　bullets　of　the　Tyrolese；　he　pushed　his　gun　into
the　aperture　between　the　bench　and　the　table；　and　fired　again。

Furious　cries　again　filled　the　court…yard；　for　the　captain's　shot
had　disabled　another　Tyrolese。　The　women　wailed　and　lamented　loudly；
the　men　uttered　fierce　imprecations；　and　lifted　their　clinched　fists
menacingly　toward　the　balcony。　The　soldiers　had　withdrawn　from　the
windows；　and　were　deliberating　with　their　officers　as　to　the　course
which　they　were　to　adopt。　A　defence　was　almost　impossible；　for；
although　they　had　their　side…arms　and　carbines；　they　could　not　do
any　thing　with　the　former　before　reaching　the　ground　and　engaging　in
a　hand…to…hand　fight　with　the　peasants；　and　the　carbines　were
utterly　useless；　as　no　ammunition　had　been　distributed　among　them；
the　cartridges　being　in　the　captain's　room　in　the　main　part　of　the
castle。

〃Ten　of　you　will　enter　the　castle；〃　commanded　Anthony　Wallner　now。
〃You　will　take　the　captain　prisoner；　and　if　he　refuses　to　surrender；
shoot　him　down　as　he　has　shot　three　of　our　brethren。〃

Ten　of　the　most　courageous　sharpshooters　stepped　from　the　ranks　and
rushed　into　the　castle。

〃He　is　lost！〃　murmured　Eliza　Wallner；　with　pale　lips；　and　she　sank
on　her　knees　by　the　side　of　her　friend　Elza。

Now　were　heard　resounding　in　the　castle　the　thundering　blows　which
the　Tyrolese　struck　with　the　butt…ends　of　their　rides　against　the
door　of　the　room　where　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg　was　locked　up。

〃The　door　is　old　and　worm…eaten；　it　will　give　way；〃　sighed　Elza；　and
she　hastened　resolutely　toward　Anthony　Wallner；　who　was　just　calling
again　on　the　soldiers　with　cool　intrepidity　to　surrender　to　him。

〃Anthony　Wallner；〃　she　said；　in　a　soft；　suppliant　voice；　〃you　will
not　stain　your　great　and　sacred　cause　by　cowardly　murder。　You　will
never　think　of　killing　in　my　father's　own　house　his　relative　and
guest？〃

〃Let　him　surrender：　no　harm　will　befall　him　then；〃　cried　Anthony
Wallner；　in　a　harsh；　stern　voice。　〃He　has　shed　the　blood　of　our　men；
and　if　he　is　killed；　it　will　be　done　in　a　fair　fight。　Leave　us　now；
miss；　the　struggle　between　the　Tyrolese　and　the　Boafoks　has
commenced；　look　at　the　corpses　yonder；　and　say　for　yourself　whether
we　can　retrace　our　steps；　and〃

A　loud；　thundering　crash；　followed　by　triumphant　cheers；　resounded
in　the　castle。

〃They　have　opened　the　door；〃　murmured　Eliza；　still　on　her　knees。
〃Holy　Virgin；　protect　him；　or　he　is　lost！〃

A　shot　crashed　in　the　dining…room；　a　cloud　of　white　smoke　issued
from　the　open　balcony　doors；　and　a　loud　cry；　accompanied　by　wild
imprecations；　was　heard。

〃He　has　shot　another　Tyrolese；　you　will　see　that　he　has！〃　shouted
Wallner；　raising　his　clinched　fists　menacingly　toward　the　balcony。

The　cries　drew　nearer　and　nearer；　and　now　Captain　Ulrich　von
Hohenberg；　his　features　pale　and　distorted　with　rage；　rushed　out　on
the　balcony。

〃Surrender！〃　shouted　the　Tyrolese；　pursuing　him。

〃Never！〃　he　cried。　〃I　will　die　sooner　than　surrender　to　a　rabble　of
peasants　like　you。〃

And　forgetful　of　the　dangers　besetting　him；　and　in　the　despair　of
his　rage　and　grief；　the　captain　jumped　from　the　balcony　into　the
midst　of　the　crowd　in　the　court…yard。




CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　BRIDEGROOM。


Wild　shouts　were　heard　now；　and　a　great　commotion　arose　among　the
Tyrolese。　The　bold　deed　of　the　Bavarian　had　surprised　and　confused
them；　they　had　forgot　the　soldiers　for　a　moment；　and　riveted　their
whole　attention　on　the　captain。

He　was　uninjured；　for；　in　jumping　down；　he　had　fallen　on　the　backs
of　two　Tyrolese；　dragged　them　down　with　him；　and　thus　broken　the
violence　of　the　fall。

Before　the　two　men；　stunned　by　their　sudden　fall；　had　recovered　from
their　surprise；　Ulrich　was　again　on　his　feet；　and；　drawing　his
sword；　cleared　himself　a　passage　through　the　quickly…receding　crowd。

〃Come　to　me；　my　soldiers；　come　to　me！〃　he　shouted；　in　a　panting
voice。

〃Here　we　are；　captain；〃　cried　twenty　soldiers；　driving　the　crowd
back　with　powerful　strokes。　They　had　profited　by　the　favorable
moment　when　the　windows　had　not　been　watched；　and　had　jumped　to　the
ground。

Now　followed　a　hand…to…hand　struggle　of　indescribable　fury。　Nothing
was　heard　but　the　wild　imprecations　and　shouts　of　the　fighting；　the
shrieks　and　groans　of　the　wounded　and　the　screams　of　the　women　and
children。

But　amidst　the　struggle　and　the　general　confusion　Anthony　Wallner
did　not　lose　his　presence　of　mind。　He　had　posted　twenty
sharpshooters　in　front　of　the　windows；　behind　which　the　soldiers
were　standing；　and；　with　rifles　raised；　they　threatened　death　to　all
who　should　dare　to　approach　the　windows。　Hence；　the　soldiers　bad
retired　into　the　back　part　of　the　rooms；　and　were　deliberating　on
the　course　which　they　were　to　pursue。　But　their　faces　were　anxious
and　irresolute；　and　they　whispered　to　each　other：　〃If　our　captain
should　fall；　nothing　remains　for　us　but　to　surrender。〃

But　their　captain　had　not　yet　fallen；　he　still　lived　and　defended
himself　courageously；　surrounded　by　his　soldiers；　against　the
Tyrolese；　who　attacked　him　furiously　and　parried　the　sabre…strokes
with　the　butt…ends　of　their　rifles；　but　had　no　room；　and　did　not
dare　to　shoot　at　him；　for　fear　of　hitting　in　the　wild　melee　one　of
their　own　men　instead　of　their　enemy。

But　the　odds　were　too　great；　six　of　the　soldiers　had　already　been
knocked　down　by　the　butt…ends　of　the　Tyrolese　rifles。　The　Tyrolese
had　wrested　the　sabres　from　the　hands　of　the　fallen　soldiers；　and
had　rushed　with　them　upon　their　comrades。　Then　followed　a　furious
hand…to…hand　struggle。　The　fumes　of　the　blood　flowing　on　the　ground；
the　shouts　of　the　combatants；　the　hatred　and　fury　with　which　the
enemies　stood　face　to　face；　had　filled　their　hearts　with　boundless
ferocity。　Nobody　gave；　nobody　asked　quarter。　Under　the　butt…end
blows　of　the　Tyrolese；　the　Bavarians　sank　to　the　ground　with　a
glance　of　hatred；　pierced　by　the　swords　of　the　Bavarians；　the
Tyrolese　fell；　with　an　imprecation　on　their　lips。

Ulrich　von　Hohenberg　was　still　holding　his　ground；　his　sword　had
spread　destruction　and　death　around　him；　he　was　still　encouraging
his　soldiers　with　loud　shouts；　but　his　voice　was　beginning　to　grow
faint；　and　his　blood　was　running　from　a　terrible　wound　in　his
shoulder。

〃To　the　rescue；　soldiers？〃　he　shouted　now　with　a　last　effort；　〃do
not　suffer　your　captain　to　be　slain　by　miserable　peasants。　To　the
rescue！　help　me　or　shoot　me；　that　I　may　die　an　honorable　death；　and
not　be　assassinated　by　the　traitors。〃

〃I　will　comply　with　your　wishes；〃　cried　Anthony　Wallner；　rushing
into　the　midst　of　the　bloody　melee　close　up　to　the　captain；　〃yes；
you　shall　die；　I　will　put　an　end　to　your　life！〃

And　his　arm；　brandishing　the　sword　of　a　fallen　Bavarian；　rose
threateningly　above　Ulrich's　head；　while　two　other　Tyrolese　rushed
upon　him　from　behind　with　furious　shouts。

At　this　moment　two　hands　clutched　Wallner's　arm　convulsively；　and　a
loud；　anxious　voice　exclaimed：

〃Father；　do　not　kill　him！　He　is　my　bridegroom！〃

〃Her　bridegroom！〃　echoed　the　Tyrolese；　starting　back　in　surprise。

〃Your　bridegroom？〃　asked　Anthony　Wallner；　casting　a　look　of　dismay
on　his　daughter　Eliza；　who　was　standing　in　front　of　her　father；
pale；　with　flashing　eyes；　encircling　Ulrich's　neck　with　one　arm；
lifting　up　the　other　menacingly；　and　staring　at　her　father　with　a
resolute　and　defiant　expression。

〃Away　from　him；　Lizzie！〃　cried　Wallner；　furiously；　〃I　cannot　believe
that　my　child　will　inflict　on　me　the　disgrace　of　loving　a　Bavarian。〃

〃Yes；　I　love　him；〃　exclaimed　Eliza；　with　glowing　cheeks。　〃If　you
wish　to　kill　him；　you　must　kill　me　first；　for　we　have　sworn　to　live
and　die　together