andreas hofer-第49节

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and　in　front　of　Innspruck；　commenced　firing；　and　their　close
discharges；　admirably　directed；　thinned　the　ranks　of　the　French
grenadiers；　while　the　shouts　with　which　the　mountains　resounded　on
all　sides　were　so　tremendous　that　they　were　completely　panic…struck。

General　Bisson　saw　it；　and　a　deadly　pallor　overspread　his　face。
Teimer　stood　still　and　gazed　sneeringly　at　the　disheartened　and
terrified　soldiers；　and　then　glanced　at　their　general。

Bisson　caught　this　glance。　〃Sir；〃　he　cried；　and　his　cry　resembled
almost　an　outburst　of　despair；　〃pray　return　to　me。〃

〃Let　us　negotiate！〃

Teimer　did　not　approach　him；　he　only　stood　still。　〃Come　to　me；　if
you　have　any　thing　to　say　to　me；〃　he　shouted；　〃come；　and〃

The　rattle　of　musketry；　and　the　furious　shouts　of　the　Tyrolese；　now
pouring　down　from　all　the　mountains；　and　advancing　upon　the　French；
drowned　his　voice。

To　render　his　words　intelligible　to　Teimer；　and　to　hear　his　replies；
General　Bisson　was　obliged　to　approach　him；　and　he　stepped　up　to　him
with　his　staff…officers　in　greater　haste　perhaps　than　was　compatible
with　his　dignity。

〃What　else　do　you　demand？〃　he　asked；　in　a　tremulous　voice。

〃What　I　demanded　at　the　outset；〃　said　Teimer；　firmly。　〃I　want　your
troops　to　lay　down　their　arms　and　surrender　to　the　Tyrolese。　I　have
already　drawn　up　a　capitulation；　it　is　only　necessary　for　you　and
your　officers　to　sign　it。　The　capitulation　is　brief　and　to　the
point；　general。　It　consists　only　of　four　paragraphs。　But　just　listen
to　the　shouts　and　cheers　of　my　dear　Tyrolese；　and　see　what　excellent
marksmen　they　are！〃

Indeed；　the　bullets　of　the　Tyrolese　whistled　again　at　this　moment
through　the　ranks　of　the　enemy；　and　every　bullet　hit　its　man。　Loud
shouts　of　despair　burst　from　the　ranks　of　the　French　and　Bavarians；
who　were　in　the　wildest　confusion；　and　did　not　even　dare　to　flee；
because　they　knew　full　well　that　they　were　hemmed　in　on　all　sides。

General　Bisson　perceived　the　despair　of　his　troops；　and　a　groan
escaped　from　his　breast。　〃Read　the　capitulation　to　me；　sir；〃　he
said；　drying　the　cold　perspiration　on　his　forehead。

Teimer　drew　a　paper　from　his　bosom　and　unfolded　it。　He　then
commenced　reading；　in　a　loud；　ringing　voice；　which　drowned　even　the
rattle　of　musketry

〃In　the　name　of　his　majesty　the　Emperor　Francis　I。　of　Austria；　a
capitulation　is　entered　into　at　this　moment　with　the　French　and
Bavarian　troops　which　advanced　to…day　from　Steinach　to　Wiltau；　the
following　terms　were　accepted：〃

〃FIRST。　The　French　and　Bavarian　soldiers　lay　down　their　arms　on　the
spot　now　occupied　by　them。〃

〃SECONDLY。　The　members　of　the　whole　eighth　corps　are　prisoners　of
war；　and　will　be　delivered　as　such　to　the　Austrian　troops　at
Schwatz；　whither　they　will　be　conveyed　immediately。〃

〃THIRDLY。　The　Tyrolese　patriots　in　the　custody　of　these　troops　will
be　released　on　the　spot。〃

〃FOURTHLY。　The　field　and　staff…officers　of　the　French　and　Bavarian
troops　will　retain　their　baggage；　horses；　and　side…arms；　and　their
property　will　be　respected。〃

〃You　see；　sir；　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　sign　this；〃　cried　General
Bisson。　〃You　cannot　expect　me　to　subscribe　my　own　disgrace。〃

〃If　you　refuse　to　subscribe　the　capitulation；　you　sign　thereby　not
only　your　own　death…warrant；　but　that　of　all　your　soldiers；〃　said
Teimer　calmly。　〃See；　general；　here　is　fortunately　a　table；　for　this
is　the　place　where　the　people　of　Wiltau　assemble　on　Sundays；　and
dance　and　drink。　Fate　placed　this　table　here　for　us　that　we　might
use　it　for　signing　the　capitulation。　There　is　the　capitulation；　I
have　already　affixed　to　it　my　name　and　title　as　commissioner　of　the
Emperor　Francis。　I　have　also　brought　pen　and　ink　with　me；　that　you
might　have　no　trouble　in　signing　the　document。　Subscribe　it；
therefore；　general；　and　let　your　staff…officers　do　so　too。　Spare　the
lives　of　your　poor　soldiers　for　you　see　every　minute's　delay　costs
you　additional　losses。〃

〃I　cannot　sign　it；　I　cannot！〃　cried　Bisson；　despairingly。　He　burst
into　tears；　and　in　his　boundless　grief　he　struck　his　forehead　with
his　fist　and　tore　out　his　thin　gray　hair　with　his　trembling　hands。
＇Footnote：　Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　1；　p。　257。＇　〃I　cannot
sign　it；〃　he　wailed　loudly。

〃Sign　it；〃　cried　his　officers；　thronging　round　the　table。

〃You　must　refuse　no　longer；　for　the　lives　of　all　our　soldiers　are　at
stake。〃

〃But　my　honor　and　good　name　are　likewise　at　stake；〃　groaned　Bisson；
〃and　if　I　sign　the　capitulation；　I　shall　lose　both　forever。〃

〃But　you　will　thereby　preserve　to　the　emperor　the　lives　of　upward　of
three　thousand　of　his　soldiers；〃　exclaimed　the　officers；　urgently。

〃Never　will　the　emperor　believe　that　this　disaster　might　not　have
been　averted；〃　wailed　General　Bisson。　〃Even　were　I　merely
unfortunate；　he　would　impute　it　to　me　as　a　crime。　He　will　forgive　me
no　more　than　Villeneuve　and　Dupont。　His　anger　is　inexorable；　and　it
will　crush　me。〃

〃Then　let　it　crush　you；　general；〃　said　Teimer；　calmly。　〃It　is　better
that　you　should　be　crushed　than　that　several　thousand　men　should　now
be　crushed　by　the　Tyrolese。〃

〃Sign；　sign！〃　cried　the　French　officers；　stepping　close　up　to　the
table；　taking　up　the　pen；　and　presenting　it　to　the　general。

〃Then　you　are　all　determined　to　sign　the　capitulation　after　I　have
done　so？〃　asked　General　Bisson；　still　hesitating。

〃We　are；〃　cried　the　officers。

〃We　are　ready　to　do　so；〃　said　Major　Armance；　〃and　in　proof　hereof　I
affix　my　name　to　the　capitulation　before　you　have　signed　it；
general。〃

He　subscribed　the　paper　with　a　quick　but　steady　hand。

Another　staff…officer　stepped　up；　took　the　pen；　and　also　wrote　his
name；　〃Varin。〃

〃Now；　general；〃　he　said；　presenting　the　pen　to　Bisson。

The　general　took　the　pen；　cast　a　last　despairing　glance　toward
heaven　and　then　toward　his　soldiers；　bent　over　the　paper　to　sign　it。

The　pen　dropped　from　his　hand；　and　he　had　to　lean　against　the　table
in　order　not　to　sink　to　the　ground。　Major　Teimer　drew　a　white
handkerchief　from　his　pocket　and　waved　it　in　the　air。　The　Tyrolese
ceased　firing　immediately；　and　deafening　cheers　burst　forth　on　all
sides。

〃You　see；　general；　you　have　saved　the　lives　of　your　soldiers；〃　said
Teimer。

Bisson　only　sighed；　and　turned　to　his　officers。　〃Now；　gentlemen；〃　he
faltered　out；　〃give　orders　to　the　troops　to　lay　down　their　arms　on
the　spot　now　occupied　by　them。〃

The　officers　hastened　away；　and　General　Bisson　started　to　leave
likewise；　when　Teimer　quickly　laid　his　hand　on　his　arm　and　detained
him。

〃General；〃　he　said；　〃pray　issue　still　another　order。〃

〃What　order；　sir？〃

〃You　have　of　course　brought　your　carriage　with　you；　order　your
coachman　to　drive　up　with　it；　and　permit　me　and　these　gentlemen　here
to　enter　it　with　you；　and　ride　to　Innspruck。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　I　am　your　prisoner；　and　you　wish　to　make　your
triumphal　entrance　into　the　city　with　me？〃

〃That　is　about　my　intention。　I　should　like　to　return　to　the　city
seated　by　your　side；　and　as　the　good　inhabitants　of　Innspruck　are
very　anxious　to　see　a　French　general；　one　of　Bonaparte's　generals；
who　does　not　come　with　his　troops　to　devastate　the　city；　to　rob　and
plunder；　I　request　you　to　let　us　make　our　entrance　in　an　open；
uncovered　carriage。〃

〃We　will　do　so；〃　said　Bisson；　casting　a　sombre　glance　on　Teimer's
shrewd　face。　〃You　are　merciless　to…day；　sir。　What　is　your　name？〃

〃My　name　is　Martin　Teimer；　I　hold　the　rank　of　major　in　the　Austrian
army；　and　Archduke　John　has　appointed　me　commissioner　for　the
Tyrol。〃

〃Ah；　one　of　the　two　commissioners　who　signed　the　‘open　order；'　with
which　the　country　was　instigated　to　rise　in　insurrection？〃

〃Yes；　general。〃

〃And　Andreas　Hofer　the　Barbone；　is　the　other　commissioner；　is　he
not？　I　will　remember　it　in　case　we　should　meet　again。〃

〃You　will　then　take　your　revenge；　that　is　quite　natural。　But　to…day
WE　take　our　revenge　for　the　long　oppressions　and　insults　which　we
have　endured　at　the　hands　of　the　French。　Come；　general；　let　us　ride
to　Innspruck。〃

An　hour　afterward　a　long　and　brilliant　procession　moved　through　the
triumphal　arch。　It　was　headed　by　the　band　of　the　captured　Bavarian
regiment；　which　had　to　play　to　glorify　its　own　disgrace　to…day；　next
came　an　open　carriage　in　which　Martin　Teimer　sat　with　a　radiant
face；　and　by　his　side　General　Bisson；　pale；　and　hanging　his　head。　In
another　carriage　followed　the　staff…officers；　escorted　by　the
municipal　authorities　and　clergy　of　Innspruck；　and　afterward
appeared　the　whole　enormous　force　of　the　Tyrolese　conducting　the
disarmed　prisoners　in　their　midst。　＇Footnote：　Hormayr's　〃Life　of
Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　259。＇

All　Innspruck　had　put　on　its　holiday　attire；　at　all　the　windows　were
to　be　seen　gayly…dressed　ladies　and　rejoicing　girls；　holding　in
their　hands　wreaths；　which　they　threw　down　on　the　victors。　The　bells
of　all　the　churches　were　ringing；　not　the　tocsin；　but　peals　of　joy
and　thanksgiving。

For　the　task　was　accomplished；　the　Tyrol　was　free！　In　three　days
after　the　insurrection　broke　out；　the　Tyrolese；　by　means　solely　of
their　own　valor　and　patriotism；　aided　by　the　natural　strength　of　the
country；　had　entirely　delivered　the　province　from　the　enemy。　The
capitulation　of　Wiltau　cr