andreas hofer-第73节

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will　see　that　the　whole　blame　for　the　loss　of　the　battle　will　be
laid　at　our　door；　and　we　shall　be　charged　with　undue　tardiness。　This
pretended　tardiness　will　be　welcome　to　many　a　one。　A　scapegoat　is
needed；　and　I　shall　have　to　be　this　scapegoat！〃　＇Footnote：　The
archduke's　own　words。See　Hormayr's　work　on　〃The　Campaign　of　1809；〃
p。　286。＇

The　Archduke　John　was　not　mistaken；　he　had　predicted　his　fate。　He
was　really　to　be　the　scapegoat　for　the　loss　of　the　battle。　In　the
proclamation　which　the　Archduke　Charles　issued　to　his　army　a　few
days　afterward　at　Znaym；　and　in　which　he　informed　it　that　he　had
concluded　an　armistice　with　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　he　deplored　that；
owing　to　the　too　late　arrival　of　the　Archduke　John；　the　battle　had
not　been　won；　despite　the　admirable　bravery　which　the　troops　had
displayed　at　Wagram；　and　that　the　generalissimo　had　been　compelled
thereby　to　retreat。

The　Archduke　John　did　not　defend　himself。　He　lifted　his　tearful　eyes
to　heaven　and　sighed：　〃Another　battle　lost；　and　this　battle　decides
the　fate　of　Austria！　Now　Prussia　will　not　ally　herself　with　us；　for
we　did　not　strike　the　second　blow　which　the　king　demanded；　and　she
will　look　on　quietly　while　Austria　is　being　humiliated！　O　God；　God；
protect　Austria！　Protect　Germany！　save　us　from　utter　ruin！〃




CHAPTER　XXVIII

THE　ARMISTICE　OF　ZNAYM


The　guests　of　Anthony　Steeger；　the　innkeeper　of　Lienz；　had　been
greatly　excited　to…day；　they　had　talked；　debated；　lamented；　and
sworn　a　great　deal。　In　accordance　with　the　request　of　Andreas　Hofer；
the　most　influential　leaders　of　the　Tyrolese　had　met　there　and　drawn
up；　as　Hofer　proposed；　a　petition　to　the　Emperor　Francis；　who　was
now　in　Hungary　at　one　of　the　palaces　belonging　to　the　Prince　of
Lichtenstein。　The　disastrous　tidings　of　the　battle　of　Wagram　had
been　followed　a　few　days　afterward　by　news　fully　as　disheartening。
The　Archduke　Charles　had　concluded　an　armistice　with　the　Emperor
Napoleon　at　Znaym；　on　the　12th　of　July；　1809。　By　this　armistice
hostilities　were　to　be　suspended　till　the　20th　of　August；　but　in　the
mean　time　the　Austrians　were　to　evacuate　the　Tyrol；　Styria；　and
Carinthia　entirely；　and　restore　to　the　Bavarians　and　French　the
fortified　cities　which　they　had　occupied。

These　calamitous　terms　of　the　armistice　had　induced　Andreas　Hofer　to
summon　some　of　his　friends　to　Lienz；　and　draw　up　with　them　a
petition　to　the　emperor；　in　which　they　implored　him　with　touching
humility　to　have　mercy　upon　them　in　their　distress；　and　not　to
forsake　his　faithful　Tyrol。　They　stated　that　they　had　been　told　that
the　Austrian　troops；　in　accordance　with　the　stipulations　of　the
armistice；　were　to　evacuate　the　Tyrol；　but　this　did　not　confer　upon
the　French　and　Bavarians　the　right　of　occupying　the　Tyrol。　They
besought　the　emperor　to　prevent　this；　and　not　to　permit　the　enemy　to
occupy　the　country。

Such　were　the　contents　of　the　petition　which　Andreas　Hofer　and　the
other　leaders　of　the　Tyrolese　had　signed　to…day　at　the　inn　of
Anthony　Steeger；　at　Lienz；　and　which　Jacob　Sieberer　was　to　convey　as
the　last　cry　of　the　despairing　Tyrol　to　the　headquarters　of　the
emperor　at　Totis；　while　Eisenstecken　was　to　deliver　a　copy　of　the
petition　to　General　Buol；　commander…in…chief　of　the　Austrian　troops。

Night　had　now　come；　the　friends　and　comrades　had　long　since　left
Anthony　Steeger's　house；　and　Andreas　Hofer　alone　remained　with　him
to　talk　with　his　faithful　friend　about　the　disastrous　change　in
their　affairs；　and　the　gloomy　prospects　of　the　future。

〃I　cannot　believe　that　all　is　as　they　say；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　with
a　sigh。　〃The　emperor　promised　us　solemnly　never　to　give　up　or
forsake　again　his　faithful　Tyrol；　and　it　would　be　high…treason　to
suppose　that　the　emperor　will　not　honestly　redeem　his　pledges。　No；
no；　I　tell　you；　Anthony；　the　emperor　and　our　dear　Archduke　John
certainly　do　not　intend　to　abandon　us；　only　the　Austrian　generals
are　opposed　to　the　continuance　of　the　war；　and　long　to　get　away　from
our　mountains；　because　they　are　afraid　of　Bonaparte；　and　think　he
would　punish　them　if　they　should　stay　here　any　longer　and　refuse　to
deliver　the　province　to　his　tender　mercies。〃

〃I　am　likewise　loth　to　believe　that　the　Emperor　Francis　would
forsake　us；〃　said　Anthony　Steeger；　nodding　his　head　approvingly。
〃For　the　emperor　loves　us；　and　will　not　allow　us　to　fall　into　the
hands　of　the　infidel　Bonaparte；　who　has　just　committed　another
outrage　by　arresting　the　Holy　Father　in　Rome　and　dragging　him　away
from　his　capital。〃

〃Well；　the　Holy　Father　excommunicated　him　for　this　outrage；〃　cried
Andreas　Hofer；　with　flashing　eyes；　〃he　called　down　the　wrath　of　God
and　man　on　the　head　of　the　Anti…christ；　and　rendered　it　incumbent　on
every　pious　Christian　to　wage　war　against　the　criminal　who　laid　his
ruthless　hands　even　upon　the　holy　Church；　and　trampled　under　foot
him　whom　the　Almighty　has　anointed。　Anthony　Steeger；　let　me　tell
you；　I　will　not　allow　the　French　to　return　to　our　country；　and　never
will　I　permit　the　Austrians　to　evacuate　the　Tyrol。〃

〃And　how　will　you　prevent　them　from　so　doing？〃　asked　Anthony
Steeger；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

〃I　said　to…day　how　I　and　all　of　us　are　going　to　prevent　it。　We　shall
not　suffer　the　Austrians　to　depart；　we　shall　keep　them　here　by
prayers；　stratagems；　or　force。　I　have　given　instructions　to　all　the
commanders　to　do　so；　I　have　given　them　written　orders　which　they　are
to　communicate　to　our　other　friends；　and　in　which　I　command　them　not
to　permit　the　departure　of　the　Austrians。　I　believe　I　am　commander…
in…chief　as　yet；　and　they　will　obey　my　bidding。〃

〃If　they　can　do　it；　Andy；　they　certainly　will；　but　what　if　they
cannot？　What　if　the　Austrians　cannot　be　kept　here　by　prayers　or
stratagem？〃

〃In　that　case　we　must　resort　to　force；〃　cried　Hofer　impetuously。　〃We
must　compel　them　to　stay　here；　the　whole　Tyrol　must　rise　as　one　man
and　with　its　strong　arms　keep　the　Austrians　in　the　country。　Yes；
yes；　Anthony；　we　must　do　it；　it　will　be　best　for　us　all。　It　must
look　as　though　we　detain　the　Austrians　by　force；　and　this　will　be
most　agreeable　to　the　Emperor　Francis；　for　what　fault　of　his　is　it
that　the　Tyrolese　prevent　him　from　carrying　out　what　he　promised　to
Bonaparte　in　the　armistice？　It　is　not　his　fault；　then；　if　the
Austrians　stay　here；　and　if　we　prevent　them　from　leaving　our
mountains。　We　must　detain　them；　we　must。　And　I　will　write
immediately　to　old　Red…beard；　Father　Haspinger；　Joseph　Speckbacher；
and　Anthony　Wallner。　I　will　summon　them　to　a　conference　with　me；　and
we　will　concert　measures　for　a　renewed　rising　of　the　Tyrol。　Give　me
pen　and　ink；　Tony；　I　will　write　in　the　first　place　to　old　Red…beard；
and　your　Joe　shall　take　the　letter　this　very　night　to　his　convent。〃

Anthony　Steeger　hastened　to　bring　him　what　he　wanted；　and　while
Hofer　scrawled　the　letter；　his　friend　stood　behind　him；　and　followed
with　attentive　eyes　every　word　which　Andreas　finished　with
considerable　difficulty。

Both　were　so　much　absorbed　in　the　letter　that　they　did　not　perceive
that　the　door　opened　behind　them；　and　that　Baron　von　Hormayr；　in　a
dusty　travelling…dress；　entered　the　room。　For　a　moment　he　stood
still　at　the　door　and　cast　a　searching　glance　on　the　two　men；　he
then　advanced　quickly　toward　Andreas　Hofer；　and；　laying　his　hand　on
his　shoulder；　he　said：　〃Well；　Andy；　what　are　you　writing　there？〃

Andreas　looked　up；　but　the　unexpected　arrival　of　the　baron　did　not
seem　to　excite　his　surprise。　〃I　am　writing　to　old　Red…beard；〃　he
said；　〃I　am　writing　to　him　that　he　is　to　come　to　me　immediately。　And
after　finishing　the　letter　to　old　Red…beard；　I　will　write　the　same
thing　to　Speckbacher　and　Anthony　Wallner；　Mr。　Intendant　of　the
Tyrol。〃

〃Do　not　apply　that　title　to　me　any　longer；　Andy；〃　said　Hormayr；　with
a　slight　frown。　〃I　am　no　longer　intendant　of　the　Tyrol；　for　you　know
that　we　must　leave　the　Tyrol　and　restore　it　to　the　French　and
Bavarians。〃

〃I　for　one　do　not　know　it；　Mr。　Intendant　of　the　Tyrol；〃　cried
Andreas；　with　an　angry　glance。　〃I　know　only　that　the　Archduke　John
appointed　you　military　intendant　of　the　Tyrol；　and　that　you　took　a
solemn　oath　to　aid　us　in　becoming　once　more；　and　remaining；
Austrians。〃

〃I　think；　Andy；　I　have　honestly　redeemed　my　pledges；〃　said　Hormayr。
〃I　assisted　you　everywhere　to　the　best　of　my　power；　was　always　in
your　midst；　encouraging；　organizing；　fighting；　and　mediating；　and　I
think　you　will　admit　that　I　had　likewise　my　little　share　in　the
deliverance　of　the　Tyrol；　and　proved　myself　one　of　its　good　and
faithful　sons。〃

〃Well；　yes；　it　is　true；〃　murmured　Hofer；　〃you　did　a　great　deal　of
good；　and；　above　all　things；　you　gained　over　to　our　side　the
Austrian　generals；　who　would　not　have　anything　to　do　with　us
peasants；　and　refused　to　make　common　cause　with　us；　for　you　possess
a　very　eloquent　tongue；　and　what　can　be　accomplished　by　means　of　the
tongue　you　do　accomplish。　But　now；　sir；　the　tongue　will　no　longer
suffice；　and　we　must　fight　also　with　the　sword。〃

〃God　forbid；　Andy！〃　exclaimed　Hormayr；　〃you　know　that　the　emperor
has　concluded　an　armistice　with　Bonaparte；　and　while　it　lasts　we　are
not　allowed　to　fight　with　the　sword。〃

〃The　emperor　has　concluded　an　armistice？　Well；