andreas hofer-第47节

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stepped　before　their　Tyrolese　guards　and　cried：　〃Our　friends　are
coming。　They　will　deliver　us　and　punish　you；　and　we　shall　wreak
bloody　vengeance　on　you　for　the　disgrace　you　have　heaped　upon　us。
Hurrah；　our　friends　are　coming！　We　shall　soon　be　free　again！〃

〃No；　you　will　not；〃　shouted　a　loud；　thundering　voice；　and　in　the
middle　of　the　large　dormitory　occupied　by　the　Bavarians　appeared
suddenly　the　tall；　herculean　form　of　Joseph　Speckbacher。　On　passing
the　barracks；　he　happened　to　hear　the　cheers　of　the　prisoners　and
had　entered　in　order　to　learn　what　was　the　matter。　〃No；〃　he　said
once　more；　〃you　will　not；　yon　must　not　suppose　that　we　shall　be　so
stupid　as　to　allow　you　to　escape。　Do　not　rejoice　therefore　at　the
approach　of　the　French　and　your　countrymen　for　I　tell　you；　and　I
swear　by　the　Holy　Mother　of　God；　if　the　French　should　enter　the　city
victoriously；　our　last　step　before　evacuating　it　would　be　to　kill
every　one　of　you。　Do　you　hear；　Tyrolese　guards？　If　the　prisoners　do
not　keep　quiet；　if　they　make　any　noise；　or　even　threaten　you；　shoot
down　the　ringleaders！　But　if　the　enemy　penetrates　into　the　city；
then　shoot　them　all；　and　do　not　spare　a　single　one　of　them。
＇Footnote：　Hormayr's　〃History　of　Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　258。　＇
We　will　not　incur　the　disgrace　of　re…enforcing　the　enemy　by　several
thousand　men。　The　guards　at　all　doors　here　must　be　quadrupled；　and
at　the　first　symptom　of　mischief　among　the　prisoners；　you　will　fire
at　them。　Now　you　know；　Bavarians；　what　is　going　to　be　done。　Beware；
therefore！〃

And　Joseph　Speckbacher　left　the　hall　with　a　proud　nod　of　the　head。
The　listening　Bavarians　heard　him　repeating　his　rigorous
instructions　to　the　sentinels　outside；　they　heard　also　the
acclamations　with　which　the　Tyrolese　responded　to　him。　The
prisoners；　therefore；　became　silent；　they　forced　back　their　hopes
and　wishes　into　the　depths　of　their　hearts；　and　only　prayed　inwardly
for　their　approaching　friends；　and　cursed　in　the　same　manner　their
enemies；　the　ragged　mob　of　the　peasants。

The　tocsin　was　still　ringing；　and　its　sinister　notes　penetrated
likewise　into　the　large　guard…house；　and　spoke　to　the　prisoners
confined　there。　One　of　these　prisoners　was　a　gloomy；　broken…down　old
man；　General　Kinkel；　the　other　was　a　youth；　mortally　wounded　and
violently　delirious。　It　was　Colonel　Dittfurt。　The　bullet　of　the
Tyrolese　had　not　killed　him；　he　still　lived；　a　prisoner　of　the
peasants；　and；　amidst　his　delirium　and　his　agony；　he　was　fully
conscious　of　his　disgrace。　This　consciousness　rendered　him　raving
mad；　it　brought　words　of　wild　imprecation　to　his　cold；　bloodless
lips；　he　howled　with　rage　and　pain；　he　called　down　the　vengeance　of
Heaven　upon　〃the　ragged　mob；〃　the　peasants；　who　had　dared　to　lay
hands　upon　him；　the　proud；　aristocratic　colonel；　and　rob　him　not
only　of　his　life；　but　also　of　his　honor。　All　the　night　long　he　had
raved　in　this　manner；　and　it　was　truly　horrible　to　hear　these　words；
full　of　contempt；　hatred；　and　fury；　in　the　mouth　of　a　dying　man；　it
was　dreadful　to　see　this　scarred　form　on　the　bloody　couch；　writhing
in　the　convulsions　of　death；　and　yet　unable　to　die；　because　anger
and　rage　revived　it　again　and　again。　At　day…break　Major　Teimer　had
entered　the　guard…house　with　a　detachment　of　Tyrolese；　and　while　he
repaired　with　some　of　them　to　General　Kinkel；　the　other　Tyrolese　had
entered　Colonel　Dittfurt's　room；　to　see　the　miracle　of　a　man　whose
head　had　been　pierced　by　a　bullet　having　vitality　enough　left　to
rave；　swear；　and　curse；　for　twenty…four　hours。

Gradually　the　whole　room　became　crowded　with　Tyrolese；　who　yesterday
had　been　the　mortal　foes　of　the　colonel；　but　who　gazed　to…day　with
profound　compassion　and　conciliated　hearts　at　the　poor；　mutilated
being　that　disdained　even　on　the　brink　of　the　grave　to　consider　a
peasant　as　entitled　to　equal　rights　and　as　a　brother　of　the
nobleman。

Colonel　Dittfurt　lay　on　his　couch　with　his　eyes　distended　to　their
utmost；　and　stared　at　the　Tyrolese　assembled　round　him。　For　some
minutes　the　curses　and　invectives　had　died　away　on　his　lips；　and　he
seemed　to　listen　attentively　to　the　sinister　notes　of　the　alarm…
bells　which　were　calling　incessantly　upon　the　Tyrolese　to　prepare
for　the　struggle。

〃Is　that　my　death…knell？〃　he　asked　wearily。　〃Have　I；　then；　died
already；　and　is　it　death　that　is　lying　so　heavily　on　my　breast？〃

〃No；　sir；　you　still　live；〃　said　one　of　the　Tyrolese；　in　a　low；
gentle　voice。　〃You　still　live；　the　bells　you　hear　are　ringing　the
tocsin；　they　aroused　us　because　the　French　and　Bavarians　are
advancing　upon　the　city。〃

〃The　Bavarians　are　coming！　Our　men　are　coming！〃　cried　Dittfurt
exultingly；　and　be　lifted　his　head　as　if　to　rise　from　his　couch。　But
the　iron　hand　of　death　had　already　touched　him　and　kept　him
enthralled。　His　head　sank　heavily　back　upon　the　pillow；　and　his　eyes
became　more　lustreless　and　fixed。

〃They　vanquished　me；〃　he　said；　after　a　pause；　〃I　know　I　am　a
prisoner　of　the　peasants；　and　it　is　they　who　keep　me　chained　to　this
couch　and　prevent　me　from　going　out　to　participate　in　the　contest。
Oh；　oh；　how　it　grieves　me！　A　prisoner　of　the　peasants！　But　they
fought　like　men；　and　their　leader　must　be　an　able　and　brave　officer。
Who　was　the　leader　of　the　peasants？〃

〃No　one；　sir；〃　said　the　Tyrolese；　on　whom　the　dying　officer　fixed
his　eyes。　〃We　had　no　leader；　we　fought　equally　for　God；　the　emperor；
and　our　native　country。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Dittfurt；　〃that　is　false；　I　know　better；　for　I　saw
the　leader　of　the　peasants　pass　me　often。　He　was　mounted　on　a　white
horse；　his　face　was　as　radiant　as　heaven；　his　eyes　twinkled　like
stars；　and　in　his　hand　he　held　a　sword　flashing　like　a　sunbeam。　I
saw　the　leader　of　the　peasants；　he　always　rode　at　their　head；　he　led
them　into　battle；　I〃

He　paused；　the　expression　of　his　eyes　became　more　fixed；　the　shades
of　death　descended　deeper　and　deeper　on　his　forehead；　which　was
covered　with　cold　perspiration。

The　Tyrolese　minded　him　no　longer。　They　looked　at　each　other　with
exultant　and　enthusiastic　glances。　〃He　saw　a　leader　at　our　head？〃
they　asked　each　other。　〃A　leader　mounted　on　a　white　horse；　and
holding　in　his　hand　a　sword　flashing　like　a　sunbeam？　It　must　have
been　St。　James；　the　patron　of　the　city　of　Innspruck。　He　was　our
leader　yesterday。　Yes；　yes；　that　is　it！　St。　James　combated　at　our
head；　unknown　to　us；　but　he　showed　himself　to　the　enemy　and　defeated
him。　Did　you　not　hear；　brethren；　what　the　pious　priests　told　us　of
the　Spaniards　who　have　likewise　risen　to　fight　against　Bonaparte；
the　enemy　of　the　Pope　and　all　good　Christians？　St。　James　placed
himself　in　Spain　likewise　at　the　head　of　the　pious　peasants；　he　led
them　against　Bonaparte　and　the　French；　and　made　them　victorious　over
the　enemy；　who　was　bent　upon　stealing　their　country　and　their
liberties。　And　since　St。　James　got　through　with　the　Spaniards　in
Spain；　lie　has　come　to　the　Tyrol　to　lend　us　his　assistance。　St。
James；　our　patron　saint；　is　our　leader！　He　assists　us　and　combats　at
our　head！〃

And　the　Tyrolese；　regardless　of　the　colonel；　who　at　this　moment　was
writhing　in　the　last　convulsions　of　death；　rushed　out　of　the　room　to
communicate　the　miracle　to　their　brethren　outside。　The　news　spread
like　wildfire　from　house　to　house；　from　street　to　street；　all
shouted　joyously：　〃St。　James；　our　patron　saint；　is　our　leader。　He
assists　us　and　combats　at　our　head！〃　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　heroes：
Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。　41。＇

And　this　belief　enhanced　the　enthusiasm　of　the　Tyrolese；　and　with
the　most　intrepid　courage　they　looked　upon　the　enemy；　who　had　by
this　time　come　close　up　to　the　city；　and　was　forming　in　line　of
battle　on　the　plain　adjoining　the　village　of　Wiltau。　From　the　houses
in　the　neighborhood　of　the　triumphal　arch　the　Tyrolese　were　able　to
survey　the　whole　position　of　the　enemy；　they　could　discern　even　the
various　uniforms　of　the　French　and　Bavarian　soldiers。　Up　yonder；　on
the　roof　of　a　house；　stood　Speckbacher　and　Teimer；　and　with　their
eyes；　which　were　as　keen　and　flashing　as　those　of　the　eagle；　they
gazed　searchingly　upon　the　position　of　the　enemy　and　that　of　their
own　forces。　The　line　from　the　village　of　Wiltau　down　to　the　river
Sill　was　occupied　by　the　French　troops　under　General　Bisson；　on　the
right　side　of　Wiltau　to　the　Inn　stood　Lieutenant…Colonel　Wreden　with
the　Bavarians；　his　front　turned　toward　the　city。

〃Now　we　must　surround　them　as　in　a　mouse…trap；　and　leave　them　no
outlet　for　escape；〃　said　Major　Teimer；　with　a　shrewd　wink。　〃Is　not
that　your　opinion　too；　Speckbacher？〃

〃Certainly　it　is；〃　replied　Speckbacher。　〃Mount　Isel　yonder；　in　the
rear　of　the　Bavarians；　must　be　occupied　by　several　thousands　of　our
best　sharpshooters；　and　a　cloud　of　our　peasants　must　constantly
harass　their　rear　and　drive　them　toward　Innspruck。　Here　we　will
receive　them　in　fine　style；　and　chase　them　until　they　are　all　dead
or　lay　down　their　arms。　The　only　important　thing　for　us　is　to　cut
off　their　retreat　and　keep　them　between　two　fires。〃

〃You　are　right；　Speckbacher；　you　are　a　skilful　soldier；　and　are
better　able　to　be　a　general　than　many　an　officerfor　instance；
General　Kinkel。　Kinkel　is　an　old　woman；　he　wept　and　swore　in　one
breath　when　I　was　with　him