andreas hofer-第41节

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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
below　in　the　plain。〃

〃See；　there　they　are　already！〃　exclaimed　Anthony　Sieberer；　who；
while　Eliza　was　speaking；　had　spied　with　his　keen　eyes　far　into　the
plain　called　the　Sterzinger　Moos。

In　fact；　a　large；　motley　mass　was　to　be　seen　moving　up　in　the
distance　yonder；　yes；　they　were　Bavarian　soldiers；　and　they　were
drawing　nearer　and　nearer。

〃Hurrah！　the　Bavarians　are　coming；　the　struggle　begins；〃　exclaimed
Anthony　Sieberer；　joyously；　and　the　Tyrolese　encamped　below　echoed
his　shout　with　loud　exultation：　〃The　Bavarians　are　coming！　The
struggle　begins！〃

〃The　struggle　begins；〃　said　Hofer；　〃and　God　grant；　in　His　mercy；
that　not　too　much　blood　may　be　shed；　and　that　we　may　be　victorious！
Come；　dear　girl；　I　will　take　you　under　my　protection；　for　you　cannot
immediately　set　out　for　home；　but　must　stay　here　with　me。　I　shall
see　to　it　that　no　harm　befalls　you；　and；　while　we　are　fighting；　we
will　try　to　find　a　cave　or　nook　in　the　rocks　where　we　may　conceal
you。〃

〃I　do　not　want　to　conceal　myself；　Andreas　Hofer；〃　said　Eliza；
proudly。　〃The　priests　and　women　have　likewise　to　perform　their　parts
in　war…times：　they　must　carry　the　wounded　out　of　the　range　of　the
enemy's　bullets　and　dress　their　wounds；　they　must　pray　with　the
dying；　and　nurse　those　whose　lives　are　spared。〃

〃You　are　a　brave　daughter　of　the　Tyrol；　I　like　to　listen　to　your
soul…stirring　words；〃　exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer。　〃Now　come；　we　will
speak　with　our　men。〃

He　grasped　Eliza's　hand；　beckoned　to　his　adjutant　Sieberer；　and
descended　with　them　the　path　toward　the　Tyrolese。

They　were　no　longer　reposing；　but　all　had　risen　and　were　looking
with　rapt　attention　in　the　direction　of　the　enemy。　On　beholding
Hofer；　they　burst　into　loud　cheers；　and　asked　him　enthusiastically
to　lead　them　against　the　enemy。

〃Let　us　ascertain　first　where　he　is　going；　and　what　his　intentions
are；〃　said　Hofer；　thoughtfully。　〃Perhaps　he　does　not　know　that　we
are　here；　and　intends　to　continue　his　march。　In　that　case　we　will
let　him　pass　us；　follow　him；　and　attack　him　only　after　he　has
entered　the　Muhlbach　pass。〃

〃No；　he　does　not　intend　to　continue　his　march；〃　exclaimed　Sieberer。
〃Look；　he　takes　position　in　the　plain　and　forms　in　squares　as　he　has
learned　to　do　from　Bonaparte。　Oh；　brethren；　let　us　attack　him　now。
Never　fear。　I　know　such　squares；　for；　in　1805；　I　often　attacked　them
with　our　men；　and　we　broke　them。　Forward；　then；　my　friends；　forward！
Now　let　us　fight　for　God　and　our　emperor！〃

〃For　God　and　our　emperor！〃　shouted　the　Tyrolese；　and　all　seized
their　arms　and　prepared　for　the　struggle。

〃Hold　on！〃　cried　Hofer；　in　a　powerful　voice。　〃As　you　have　elected　me
commander；　you　must　be　obedient　to　me　and　comply　with　my　orders。〃

〃We　will；　we　will！〃　shouted　the　Tyrolese。　〃Just　tell　us；　commander；
what　we　are　to　do；　and　we　shall　obey。〃

〃You　shall　not　descend　into　the　plain；　nor　attack　the　enemy　on　all
sides。　For　you　see；　the　squares　are　ready　to　shoot　in　all
directions；　and　if　you　attack　them　on　all　sides　in　the　open　plain；
you　will　be　exposed　to　their　most　destructive　fire；　moreover；　as
they　are　by　far　better　armed　than　we；　and　have　cannon；　many　of　our
men　would　be　uselessly　sacrificed　in　such　an　attack。〃

〃What　the　commander　says　is　true；〃　growled　the　Tyrolese。　〃It　is　by
far　better　for　us　to　attack　the　enemy　from　a　covered　position；　and
have　our　rear　protected　by　the　mountains。〃

〃And　I　will　show　you　now　such　a　covered　position　from　which　you　are
to　attack　the　enemy；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　with　impressive　calmness。
〃Look　there；　to　the　left。　Do　you　see　the　ravine　leading　into　the
mountains　yonder？　Well；　we　will　now　ascend　the　mountain…path
rapidly；　descend　into　the　ravine；　and　thence　rush　upon　the　enemy。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　right！　We　will　do　so。　Andreas　Hofer　is　a　good
captain！〃　said　the　Tyrolese　to　each　other。

Hofer　waved　his　hand　imperatively　toward　them。　〃Now　keep　very
quiet；〃　he　said；　〃that　we　may　not　attract　the　attention　of　the　enemy
prematurely；　and　thereby　cause　him　to　occupy　the　ravine　before　we
have　reached　it。　Forward；　then；　quickly　through　the　forest；　and　then
descend　noiselessly　into　the　valley。　But　before　setting　out；　we　will
pray　two　rosaries。　If　we　long　for　success　in　battle；　we　must　invoke
God's　assistance。〃

He　took　his　rosary　and　prayed；　and　the　Tyrolese　bent　their　heads
devoutly；　and　prayed　like　their　commander。　Then　they　glided　quickly
and　noiselessly　through　the　thick　forest；　headed　by　Andreas　Hofer；
who　led　Eliza　Wallner　with　tender　solicitude　by　the　hand。　At　length
they　reached　the　gorge；　and　Andreas　Hofer　was　just　about　entering　it
with　the　others；　when　Anthony　Sieberer；　Jacob　Eisenstocken；　and　a
few　other　prominent　Tyrolese；　stepped　to　him　and　kept　him　back　with
tender　violence。

〃A　general　does　not　accompany　his　soldiers　into　the　thickest　of　the
fight；〃　said　Eisenstocken。　〃That　is　not　his　province。　He　has　to
direct　the　battle　with　his　head；　but　not　to　fight　it　out　with　his
arm。〃

〃But　bear　in　mind　that　Bonaparte　does　not　leave　his　soldiers　even　in
battle；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　trying　to　push　them　aside　and　advance。

〃No；　dearest　commander；〃　exclaimed　Anthony　Sieberer；　〃you　must　not
go　down　with　the　men。　Think　of　it；　what　would　become　of　us　and　our
cause　if　an　accident　befell　our　commander　and　a　bullet　shattered　his
beloved　head！　Our　friends　and　sharpshooters　would　feel　as　though
that　bullet　had　shattered　all　their　beads；　they　would　be　discouraged
and　give　up　our　cause　as　lost。　No；　no；　Andreas　Hofer；　you　owe　it　to
your　fatherland；　your　emperor；　and　your　Tyrolese；　not　to　expose
yourself　to　too　great　dangers；　for　your　life　is　necessary　to　us；　and
you　are　the　standard　which　the　Tyrolese　are　following。　If　our
standard　sinks　to　the　ground；　our　Tyrolese　will　be　panic…stricken
and　run　away。　Consequently　you　must　not　go　into　battle；　either　to…
day　or　at　any　time　hereafter。〃　〃You　are　right；　I　see　it；〃　said
Hofer；　mournfully。　〃They　would　be　thunderstruck　if　a　bullet　should
hit　their　commander；　hence　I　submit；　and　shall　stay　here。　You　will
stay　with　me；　Lizzie　Wallner；　and　Ennemoser；　my　secretary；　shall　do
so　too。　Now　go；　all　of　you；　and　God　grant　that　we　may　all　meet
again。　I　shall　stay　at　this　very　spot；　and　he　who　wants　to　see　me
must　come　hither。　I　can　survey　from　here　the　whole　plain　of　the
Sterzinger　Moos。　Now；　my　dear　friends　and　brethren；〃　he　shouted　in　a
loud；　ringing　voice；　〃for　God；　the　fatherland；　and　your　emperor！〃

〃For　God；　the　fatherland；　and　our　emperor！〃　shouted　the　Tyrolese；
rushing　down　the　mountain…path　into　the　ravine　whence　they　were　to
attack　the　enemy。

But　the　Bavarians　had　been　on　their　guard；　and　their　commander；
Colonel　Baerenklau；　divining　the　tactics　of　the　Tyrolese；　had
ordered　his　two　guns　to　be　pointed　against　the　ravine。

Now　the　first　shots　thundered　from　their　mouths；　and　volleys　of
musketry　were　discharged　from　all　the　squares　at　the　same　time；　at
the　advancing　column　of　the　Tyrolese。　The　Tyrolese；　not　prepared　for
so　sudden　and　violent　an　attack；　dismayed　at　the　havoc　produced　in
their　ranks　by　the　balls　and　bullets　of　the　Bavarians；　gave　way　and
ran　over　the　corpses　of　their　brethren　back　to　the　ravine。　But　there
stood　the　crowd　of　women　who　had　accompanied　the　column；　who　had
hastened　up　from　Sterzing；　and　the　whole　neighborhood；　and　had
advanced　with　the　Tyrolese　out　of　the　ravine　almost　close　to　the
squares　of　the　enemy。　They　received　the　fugitives　with　invectives
and　angry　glances；　they　strove　to　kindle　their　courage；　they　went
and　begged　them　with　clasped　hands　and　tearful　eyes　not　to　desert
the　cause　of　the　fatherland；　become　discouraged　in　so　disgraceful　a
manner　in　the　very　first　battle；　and　thereby　make　themselves　the
laughing…stock　of　the　hateful　Bavarians　and　French。

And　the　men　listened　to　these　voices；　they　drank　courage　from　the
wine　which　the　women　handed　to　them；　and　rushed　forward　a　second
time。　Their　rifles　crashed　and　mowed　down　the　front　ranks　of　the
Bavarians；　but　behind　the　corpses　stood　the　rear　ranks；　and　their
volleys　responded　to　the　Tyrolese；　and　the　cannon　thundered　across
the　plain　reeking　with　gore　and　powder。

The　Tyrolese　gave　way　a　second　time；　for　the　murderous　fire　of　the
Bavarians　filled　them　with　stupor　and　dismay

〃In　this　manner　we　shall　never　gain　a　victory；　and　our　men　will　be
uselessly　slaughtered；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　who　was　watching　the
struggle　with　breathless　suspense。　〃But　we　must　not　incur　the
disgrace　of　losing　the　first　battle；　for　that　would　discourage　our
men　for　all　time　to　come。　Come；　Ennemoser；　run　down　to　them　and　tell
them　to　try　a　third　time。　If　they　do　not；　Andreas　Hofer　will　rush
ail　alone　upon　the　enemy　and　wait　for　a　bullet　to　shatter　his　head。〃

Young　Ennemoser；　the　secretary；　sped　down　the　ravine；　Hofer　pressed
his　crucifix　to　his　lips　and　prayed；　Eliza　Wallner　advanced　close　to
the　edge　of　the　precipice；　and　peered　down　into　the　plain。　Her　eyes
filled　with　tears　when　she　perceived　the　many　corpses　piled　up　on
both　sides　of　the　ravine；　but　the　squares　of　the　enemy　likewise　had
been　considerably　thin