andreas hofer-第37节

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reject　me；　dearest　father；　for　you　would　commit　wrong　against　the
poor　wounded　who　have　no　other　assistance　than　what　they　receive　at
my　hands　and　at　those　of　the　women　whom　I　beg　and　persuade　to　help
me。〃

〃You　are　right；　Lizzie；　it　would　be　wrong　in　me　to　send　you　home　and
not　permit　you　to　assist　and　nurse　the　wounded；〃　said　her　father；
gravely。　〃May　God　and　the　Holy　Virgin　help　and　protect　you！　I　devote
you　to　the　fatherland　to　which　I　devote　myself。〃

He　kissed　her　once　more；　and　then　turned　to　the　Tyrolese；　who；
encamped　in　groups　on　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　reposing　from　the
struggle；　were　partaking　of　the　bread　and　meat　which　they　had
brought　along　in　their　haversacks。

〃Brethren；〃　exclaimed　Anthony　Wallner；　in　a　powerful　voice；　〃now　let
us　be　up　and　doing！　We　must　cut　off　the　enemy's　retreat　to　Sterzing。
We　must　also　occupy　the　Muhlbach　pass；　as　Andreas　Hofer　ordered　us
to　do　in　the　Archduke　John's　name。　The　enemy　has　set　out　thither；
and　if　he　gets　before　us　through　the　gap　of　Brixen　and　reaches　the
bridge　of　Laditch；　we　shall　be　unable　to　prevent　him　from　passing
through　the　Muhlbach　pass　and　marching　to　Sterzing。　Hence；　we　are
not　at　liberty　to　repose　now；　but　must　advance　rapidly。　One
detachment　of　our　men；　commanded　by　my　Lieutenant　Panzl；　will　push
on　quickly　on　the　mountain…road　to　the　Muhlbach　pass。　The　rest　of　us
will　follow　you；　but　we　must　previously　detain　the　enemy　at　the　gap
of　Brixen；　and　while　we　are　doing　duty；　another　detachment　of　our
men　will　go　farther　down　to　the　bridge　of　Laditch　and　destroy　it　in
order　to　prevent　the　enemy　from　crossing　the　Eisach。　Forward；　my
friends！　Forward　to　the　gap　of　Brixen！　We　must　roll　down　trees；
detach　large　fragments　from　the　rocks；　and　hurl　them　down　on　the
enemy；　we　must　fire　at　them　from　the　heights　with　deadly　certainty；
and　every　bullet　must　hit　its　man。　Forward！　forward！　To　the　bridge
of　Laditch！〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　exclaimed　the　Tyrolese；　with　enthusiastic　courage。
〃Forward　to　the　bridge　of　Laditch！〃




CHAPTER　XV。

THE　BRIDGE　OF　LADITCH。


Night　had　at　length　brought　some　repose　to　the　exhausted　Bavarians。
At　no　great　distance　from　the　gap　of　Brixen　they　had　halted　late　in
the　evening；　and　encamped　on　the　bare　ground　in　the　valley　below。
The　green　turf　was　their　bed；　a　stone　their　pillow；　nevertheless；
they　had　been　able　to　enjoy　a　few　hours　of　peaceful　slumber；　for
they　were　familiar　with　the　habits　of　the　Tyrolese；　they　knew　that
they　never　undertook　any　thing；　not　even　a　hunting…excursion；　in　the
dead　of　night；　and　that　they　had　nothing　to　fear　from　them　until
sunrise。

But　now　the　first　streaks　of　dawn　illuminated　the　sky；　it　was　time；
therefore；　to　continue　the　march。　Lieutenant…Colonel　von　Wreden　rose
from　the　couch　which　the　soldiers　had　prepared　for　him　of　moss　and
branches；　and　reviewed；　accompanied　by　his　officers；　his　small
force；　which　began　sullenly　and　silently　to　form　in　line。　A　cloud
darkened　Wreden's　face　when；　marching　through　the　ranks；　he　counted
the　number　of　his　soldiers。　He　had　arrived　yesterday　at　the　bridge
of　St。　Lawrence　with　nearly　four　hundred　men；　scarcely　one…half　of
them　were　left　now；　the　other　half　lay　slain　at　the　bridge　of　St。
Lawrence；　or；　exhausted　by　the　loss　of　blood　and　by　the　pains　of
gaping　wounds；　had　sunk　down　on　the　road　and　been　unable　to　continue
the　march。

〃And　these　poor　men　will　likewise　be　killed　to…day　unless　speedy
succor　comes；〃　murmured　the　Lieutenant…Colonel　to　himself；　〃we　are
all　lost　if　the　miserable　rabble　of　peasants　reach　the　gap　of　Brixen
before　us。　We　are　all　lost；　for　we　shall　be　entirely　cut　off　from
our　friends　and　surrounded　by　our　enemies；　who　are　able　to　avail
themselves　of　their　mountain　fastnesses　and　hiding…places；　while　we
must　march　through　the　valley　and　across　the　open　plain。　But　all
these　complaints　are　useless。　We　must　do　our　duty！　The　soldier's
life　belongs　to　his　oath　and　his　king；　and　if　he　falls　in　the
service；　he　has　done　his　duty。〃

And　with　strong　determination　and　bold　courage　the　lieutenant…
colonel　threw　back　his　head；　and　fixed　his　eye　steadfastly　on　his
soldiers。

〃Forward；〃　he　shouted；　〃forward；　boys！　Forward　against　these
miserable　peasants；　who　have　violated　the　faith　they　plighted　to　our
king。　Forward！　forward！〃

The　column；　headed　by　Lieutenant…Colonel　von　Wreden；　commenced
moving。　His　eyes　glanced　anxiously　over　the　plain　now　opening　before
them。　Suddenly　they　are　riveted　on　a　point　yonder　on　the　mountain…
road　leading　southward　to　Italy。　What　is　that？　Does　it　not　flash
there　like　a　mass　of　bayonets？　Does　it　not　look　as　though　a
brilliant　serpent；　glittering　in　blue；　red；　and　gold；　were　moving
along　the　road？　It　draws　nearer　and　nearer；　and　the　Lieutenant…
Colonel　is　able　to　distinguish　its　parts。　Yes；　these　parts　are
soldiers；　this　serpent　consists　of　regiments　marching　along　in
serried　ranks。

Lieutenant…Colonel　von　Wreden　uttered　a　cry　of　joy　and　galloped
forward。　Already　he　discerned　distinctly　the　uniforms　of　the　staff…
officers　riding　at　the　bead　of　the　column。　They　were　friends；　they
were　French　soldiers　headed　by　General　Bisson。

Wreden　galloped　forward　to　salute　the　general　and　communicate　to　him
in　brief；　winged　words　his　own　disaster　and　his　apprehensions
regarding　the　immediate　future。

〃Well；　you　have　nothing　to　fear　now；〃　said　General　Bisson；　with　a
pleasant　and　proud　smile。　〃It　was　no　accident；　but　a　decree　of　Fate；
that　caused　us　to　meet　here。　I　was　ordered　by　my　emperor　to　march
with　a　column　of　four　thousand　men　from　Mantua　to　Ratisbon；　and　I　am
now　on　the　road　to　the　latter　place。　Hence；　our　route　leads　us
through　the　gap　of　Brixen；　and　as　a　matter　of　course　you　will　join
us　with　your　troops。　I　hope　our　united　forces　will　succeed　in
routing　these　miserable　peasants！〃

〃Yes；　if　we　could　meet　them　in　the　open　plain；〃　sighed　Lieutenant…
Colonel　von　Wreden。　〃But　in　their　mountains　and　gorges　our　thousands
will　vainly　struggle　against　their　hundreds。　The　bulwarks　of　their
mountains　protect　them。〃

〃We　shall　drive　them　from　these　bulwarks。〃　said　General　Bisson；
haughtily。　〃But　I　believe　the　rabble　will　not　even　wait　for　this；
but　take　to　their　heels　as　soon　as　they　see　the　head　of　my　column。
Therefore；　join　my　regiments；　lieutenant…colonel；　and　let　us　march
fearlessly　through　the　gap　of　Brixen。〃

Half　an　hour　afterward　they　had　reached　the　dark　and　awe…inspiring
gap　of　Brixen；　and　the　united　Bavarian　and　French　troops　marched
with　a　measured　step　along　the　narrow　road；　on　both　sides　of　which
rose　steep　gray　rocks；　covered　here　and　there　with　small　pine
forests；　and　then　again　exhibiting　their　naked；　moss…grown　walls；
crowned　above　with　their　snowy　summits　glistening　like　burnished
silver　in　the　morning　sun。

The　column　under　General　Bisson　penetrated　deeper　and　deeper　into
the　gorge。　Enormous　rocks　now　closed　the　road　in　their　front　and
rear。　A　profound；　awful　stillness　surrounded　them；　only　here　and
there　they　heard　the　rustling　of　a　cascade　falling　down　from　the
mountains　with　silvery　spray；　and　flowing　finally　as　a　murmuring
rivulet　through　the　valley；　now　and　then　they　heard　also　the　hoarse
croaking　of　some　bird　of　prey　soaring　in　the　air；　otherwise；　all　was
still。

General　Bisson；　who　was　riding　in　the　middle　of　his　column；　turned
smilingly　to　Lieutenant…Colonel　Wreden　〃Did　I　not　tell　you；　my　dear
Lieutenant…Colonel　；〃　he　said；　〃that　these　miserable　peasants　would
take　to　their　heels　so　soon　as　our　column　came　in　sight？　They　were；
perhaps；　able　to　cope　with　your　few　hundred　men；　but　my　four
thousand　men〃

The　loud　crash　of　a　rifle　interrupted　his　sentence；　a　second；　third；
and　fourth　report　followed　in　rapid　succession。　The　heights　seemed
all　at　once　to　bristle　with　enemies。　Like　an　enormous　man…of…war；
lying　at　first　calm　and　peaceful；　and　then　opening　her　port…holes；
these　gray　rocks　seemed　suddenly　to　open　all　their　port…holes　and
pour　out　death　and　destruction。

From　the　rock　in　front　yonder；　from　the　steep　mountains　on　both
sides；　from　the　precipitous　hill　jutting　out　in　their　rear　and
closing　the　gloomy　gorge；　rifle　shots　rattled　down　with　unerring
aim；　every　bullet　hit　its　man；　every　bullet　struck　down　a　soldier　in
the　ranks　of　the　Bavarians　and　French；　then　were　heard　the
triumphant　cheers　of　the　Tyrolese；　who；　for　a　moment；　stepped　forth
from　their　safe　hiding…places；　danced　on　the　rocks；　jeered　at　the
enemy　with　loud；　scornful　words；　and　disappeared　again　so　quickly；
that　the　bullets　which　the　soldiers　fired　at　them　glanced　harmlessly
from　the　flanks　of　the　rocks。

But　the　Tyrolese　fought　not　with　their　rifles　alone　against　the
enemy　marching　through　the　deep　and　awful　gorge。　Nature　had　prepared
other　means　of　defence　for　them；　it　had　given　them　trees　and　rocks。
They　hurled　the　trees；　which　the　storms　had　felled　years　ago；　and
which　fragments　of　rock　had　held　on　the　brink　of　the　precipice；　into
the　depth　of　the　gorge；　they　detached　large　fragments　from　the
rocks；　and　rolled　them　down　on　the　soldiers；　many　of　whom　were
crushed　by　these　terrible　missiles。　And　when　these　trees　and　rocks
fell　into　the　depth；　and　spread　death　and　confusion　in　the　ranks　of
the　soldiers；　the　Tyr