andreas hofer-第40节

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trample　us　again　in　the　dust；　instead　of　lifting　our　heads　like
freemen；　and　fighting　for　our　rights。〃

〃We　have　gone　too　far；　we　can　no　longer　retrace　our　steps；〃　said
Andreas　Hofer；　shaking　his　head　gently；　and　lifting　his　eyes　to
heaven。　After　a　pause　he　added　in　a　loud；　strong　voice：　〃And　even
though　it　were　otherwise；　even　through　we　still　retrace　our　steps；　I
should　not　consent　to　it。　I　shall　never　repent　of　having　raised　my
voice　in　behalf　of　the　Tyrol　and　the　emperor；　nor　have　I　lost　my
courage；　as　you　seem　to　think；　brother　Sieberer。　I　know　full　well
that　we　owe　it　to　our　good　emperor　and　the　fatherland　to　defend　it
to　the　last　breath；　and　I　do　not　tremble　for　myself。　I　have
dedicated　my　life　to　the　dear　fatherland；　I　have　taken　leave　of　my
wife　and　my　children；　and　belong　now　only　to　the　Tyrol　and　the
emperor。　If　my　blood　were　sufficient　to　deliver　our　country；　I
should　joyously　and　with　a　grateful　prayer　throw　myself　down　from
this　peak　and　shatter　my　bones；　and　dying；　I　should　thank　God　for
vouchsafing　such　an　honor　to　me；　and　allowing　me　to　purchase　the
liberty　of　the　country　with　my　blood。　But　I　am　but　a　poor　and　humble
servant　and　soldier　of　the　Lord；　and　my　blood　will　not　be
sufficient；　but　many　will　have　to　spill　theirs　and　die；　that　the
rest　maybe　free　and　belong　again　to　our　dear　emperor。　And　this　is
the　reason　why；　on　contemplating　the　brave　men　and　courageous　lads
who　have　followed　my　call；　I　feel　pity；　and　ask　myself　again　and
again；　Had　I　a　right　to　call　them　away　from　their　homes；　their　wives
and　children；　and　lead　them；　perhaps；　into　the　jaws　of　death？　Will
not　the　Lord　curse　me　for　preaching　insurrection　and　war　instead　of
submissiveness　and　humility？〃

〃Well；　you　are　a　pious　man；　Andy；〃　said　Sieberer；　with　a　reproachful
glance；〃　and　yet　you　have　forgotten　what　our　Redeemer　said　to　the
Pharisees。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Anthony？　Tell　me；　if　it　will　comfort　me。〃

〃He　said；　‘Render　unto　Caesar　the　things　which　are　Caesar's；　and
unto　God　the　things　that　are　God's。'　Now；　I　think　that　our　Tyrol　is
the　emperor's；　and　that　the　Bavarians　and　French　have　nothing　to　do
with　it；　but　have　merely　stolen　it　from　the　emperor。　Therefore；　we
act　only　in　accordance　with　the　precepts　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；
if　we　stake　our　lives　and　fortunes　to　restore　to　the　emperor　that
which　is　the　emperor's。　And　I　think；　too；　that　the　churches　and
convents　are　the　houses　of　the　Lord　and　belong　to　Him　alone。　Now；
the　Bavarians　have　stolen　the　houses　of　the　Lord　in　the　Tyrol；　and
have　ignominiously　driven　out　His　servants。　Hence　we　act　again　in
accordance　with　the　precepts　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　if　we　stake
our　lives　and　fortunes　to　restore　to　God　that　which　is　God's；　and
if；　in　doing　so；　we　should　all　lose　our　lives；　we　should　die　in　the
holy　service　of　God　and　the　emperor！〃

〃You　are　right；　brother　Sieberer；〃　exclaimed　Hofer；　joyfully；　〃and　I
thank　you　for　comforting　and　strengthening　my　heart。　Yes；　we　are　in
the　service　of　God；　our　emperor；　and　the　beloved　Tyrol。〃

〃And　God　and　the　emperor　have　imposed　on　Andreas　Hofer　the　duty　of
acting　at　the　same　time　as　prophet　of　the　Lord　and　as　captain　of　the
emperor。　Go；　then；　Andreas；　and　do　your　duty！〃　said　Sieberer；
solemnly。

〃I　shall　do　my　duty　bravely　and　faithfully　to　the　last！〃　exclaimed
Hofer；　enthusiastically。　Then　he　raised　the　small　crucifix　from　his
breast；　kissed　it　devoutly；　and　prayed　in　a　low　voice。

A　sarcastic　smile　overspread　Anthony　Sieberer's　face；　but　it
disappeared　quickly　when　he　happened　to　turn　his　eyes　to　the
neighboring　mountains。　He　looked　keenly　and　searchingly　toward　the
mountain…path　leading　to　Mittewald。　He　saw　there　a　small　black　speck
which　was　advancing　with　great　rapidity。　Was　it　a　bird？　No；　the
speck　had　already　become　larger；　he　saw　it　was　a　human　beinga
woman　speeding　along　the　mountain…path。　Now　she　was　so　close　to　them
that　he　could　distinguish　her　face；　it　was　that　of　a　young　girl；　her
cheeks　flushed；　her　eyes　radiant；　bold　and　intrepid　as　a　chamois；
she　hastened　forward；　her　long；　black　tresses　were　waving　round　her
head；　and　her　bosom　heaved　violently　under　the　folds　of　her　white
corset。

Now；　she　stood　still　for　a　moment；　and　seemed　to　listen；　then　she
bent　far　over　the　precipice；　on　the　brink　of　which　she　was　standing；
and　below　which　the　Tyrolese　were　encamped。　No　sooner　had　she
perceived　them　than　she　uttered　a　loud　cry　of　exultation；　and
bounding　forward；　she　exclaimed　joyously：　〃There　are　the　men　of　the
Passeyr　valley！　Now　I　shall　find　their　leader；　Andreas　Hofer；　too！
Andreas　Hofer　where　are　you；　Andreas　Hofer？〃

〃Here　I　am！〃　shouted　Andreas　Hofer；　starting　up　from　his　fervent
prayer；　and　advancing　a　few　steps。

The　young　girl　gave　a　start　on　discovering　the　two　men；　who　had
hitherto　been　concealed　from　her　by　a　large　rock；　but　she　looked　at
them　searchingly；　and　did　not　seem　to　be　frightened　or　anxious。

〃Are　you　really　Andreas　Hofer〃　she　asked；　breathlessly。

〃Ask　him　if　I　am；〃　said　Hofer；　smiling　and　pointing　to　Sieberer。

〃That　is　unnecessary；〃　she　replied　calmly；　〃I　see　that　you　are
Andreas　Hofer。　You　look　precisely　as　my　father　described　you　to　me。
There　is　the　long　beard；　the　crucifix；　the　saint's　image　on　your
breast；　and　there　are　the　kind　eyes；　and　the　whole　dear　face。　God
bless　you；　Andreas　Hofer！　I　bring　you　many　cordial　greetings　from　my
father；　Anthony　Wallner…Aichberger。〃

〃God　bless　you；　maiden；〃　exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer；　holding　out　both
his　hands　to　her。　Eliza　took　them；　bent　over　Hofer's　right　hand；　and
imprinted　a　glowing　kiss　on　it。

〃Girl；　what　are　you　doing？〃　asked　Hofer；　blushing　with　confusion。

〃I　kiss　the　dear　hand　which　the　Lord　has　chosen　to　deliver　the
Tyrol；〃　she　said；　〃the　dear　hand　which　holds　the　rosary　so　piously
and　the　sword　so　bravely；　the　hand　into　which　my　father　laid　his
hand；　as　if　on　an　altar；　when　he　swore　to　God　that　he　would　assist
in　delivering　the　Tyrol　from　the　enemy　and　restoring　it　to　the
emperor。〃　〃Look　at　this　girl；　Sieberer；　how　well　she　knows　how　to
flatter　me；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　smilingly　patting　her　flushed　cheek。
〃And　you　say　your　father　sent　you　to　me？〃

〃Yes；　he　did；　Andreas　Hofer。　I　ran　all　day　yesterday；　and　this
morning　I　rose　with　the　sun　and　continued　my　trip　in　order　to　reach
you　as　soon　as　possible；　and　deliver　my　father's　message　to　you。〃

〃You　must　be　tired；　poor　little　girl！〃　said　Hofer；　compassionately。
〃Sit　down　on　the　rock　yonder。　There！　And　now　speak！〃

〃In　the　first　place；　Anthony　Wallner　sends　greeting；　and　informs　you
that　he　has　kept　his　word　faithfully。　The　whole　Puster　valley　has
already　risen　in　insurrection；　all　the　men　followed　him；　and　were
ready　and　eager　to　fight　for　the　Tyrol　and　the　dear　Emperor　Francis。
We　have　fought　already　a　bloody　battle　at　the　bridge　of　St。
Lawrence；　and　another　at　the　bridge　of　Laditch。　Many　soldiers　of　the
enemy　were　killed　in　the　gap　of　Brixen；　and　many　French　and
Bavarians　fell　at　the　bridge　of　Laditch；　but　we　also　lost　a　great
many　men　there。　Our　men　fought　bravely；　but　there　were　too　many　of
the　Bavarians　and　French；　and　so　they　finally　succeeded　in　breaking
through　our　ranks　and　continued　their　march　toward　Sterzing。　Hence；
my　father　sent　me　to　you　in　the　greatest　haste　to　inform　you　of　what
has　occurred；　and　tell　you　to　be　on　your　guard。　There　are　several
thousand　Bavarians　and　French　on　the　march　to　Sterzing。　It　is　true；
our　men　have　occupied　the　Muhlbach　pass；　but　the　enemy　is　too
strong；　our　men　will　not　be　able　to　annihilate　him　entirely。〃

〃Then　he　will　come　hither；〃　exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer。

〃Yes；　and　we　shall　have　a　fight　at　length；〃　said　Anthony　Sieberer；
joyously。　〃I　am　glad　that　our　men　will　at　length　be　face　to　face
with　the　enemy　and　see　bloodshed。〃

〃And　the　Austrians　are　not　coming　yet；〃　sighed　Andreas　Hofer。

〃Yes！　they　are！〃　exclaimed　Eliza。　〃Anthony　Wallner　instructed　me　to
tell　you　that　too。　Several　hundred　Austrians　joined　us　already　at
the　bridge　of　Laditch。　It　was　their　advanced　guard；　and　they　said
that　all　the　others　would　follow　them　soon。〃

〃It　is　General　Hiller　with　the　troops　moving　up　from　Salzburg；〃　said
Hofer。　〃But　where　are　Chasteler　and　Hormayr；　who　were　to　join　us
from　Carinthia？　I　think　they　are　tarrying　too　long。〃

〃But　the　Bavarians　do　not　tarry；〃　said　Eliza；　〃and　they　are　savage
and　cruel　men。　I　did　not　enter　the　town　of　Sterzing；　but　the　people
on　the　road　told　me　how　the　Bavarians　killed；　burned；　and　plundered
there　yesterday；　and　those　who　told　me　cried　with　rage　and　grief。
The　whole　town　is　in　insurrection；　all　have　armed　for　the　Emperor
Francis；　and　will　die　rather　than　longer　obey　the　Bavarians　and
French。　Major　von　Baerenklau；　the　commander　of　the　Bavarians　in
Sterzing；　finally　got　frightened；　and　on　being　informed　that　Andreas
Hofer　moving　against　him　on　one　side　with　the　men　of　the　Passeyr
valley；　and　that　Anthony　Wallner　with　the　men　of　the　Puster　valley；
on　the　other　side；　had　occupied　the　bridge　of　Laditch；　he　deemed　it
prudent　to　evacuate　Sterzing　and　await　our　men　in　the　open　plain。　I
saw　his　troops　marching　through　the　valley　while　I　was　walking　on
the　heights；　and　I　think　it　will　not　be　long　until　we　can　see　them