andreas hofer-第74节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


not　allowed　to　fight　with　the　sword。〃

〃The　emperor　has　concluded　an　armistice？　Well；　then；　let　there　be　an
armistice。　But　you　will　not　confine　yourself　to　an　armisticeyou
intend　to　evacuate　the　Tyrol。　That　seems　to　me　no　fair　armistice；
and　therefore　I　shall　summon　old　Red…beard；　and　my　other　faithful
friends；　and　concert　with　them　measures　to　prevent　you　from
concluding　such　an　unfair　armistice；　and　forsaking　us。〃

〃And　Andy　is　right　in　doing　so！〃　exclaimed　Anthony　Steeger。　〃We　must
not　permit　the　Austrians　to　leave　the　province；　and　we　are　firmly
resolved　that　we　will　not。〃

〃You　are　fools；　both　of　you；〃　said　Hormayr；　shrugging　his　shoulders。
〃The　Emperor　Francis　agreed　positively　that　the　Austrian　troops
should　evacuate　the　Tyrol　during　the　armistice；　hence；　the　troops
must　leave；　lest　the　emperor　should　break　his　word。〃

〃But　if　they　do；　the　emperor　breaks　the　word　he　pledged　to　us；〃
cried　Anthony　Steeger；　vehemently。

〃Anthony　Steeger；〃　said　Hormayr；　sternly；　〃I　have　come　hither　to
have　an　interview　with　Andreas　Hofer；　to　whom　I　wish　to　communicate
something　of　great　importance。　Therefore；　be　so　kind　as　to　withdraw；
and　leave　me　alone　with　him。〃

〃I　believe　Andy　does　not　want　to　keep　any　thing　secret　from　me；　and
I　might；　therefore；　just　as　well　stay　here。　Say；　Andy；　is　it　not
so？〃

〃It　is。　Speak；　Mr。　Intendant；　Tony　may　hear　it　all。〃

〃No；　Andy；　I　shall　not　speak　unless　I　am　alone　with　you；　and　what　I
have　to　say　to　you　is　highly　important　to　the　Tyrol。　But　no　one　but
yourself　must　hear　it。〃

〃If　that　is　the　case；　go　out　and　leave　me　alone　with　the　intendant；〃
said　Hofer；　shaking　hands　with　his　friend。

Anthony　Steeger　cast　an　angry　glance　on　Hormayr；　and　left　the　room。
〃I　know　very　well　why　he　wanted　to　get　rid　of　me；〃　he　growled；　as
soon　as　he　was　out　in　the　hall。　〃He　intends　to　persuade　Andreas
Hofer　to　leave　with　the　Austrians　and　abandon　the　Tyrol。　He　thinks
when　he　is　alone　with　Hofer；　he　will　yield　sooner　because　he　is　a
weak　and　good…hearted　man；　who　would　like　to　comply　with　every　one's
wishes。　He　thinks　if　I　were　present　I　should　tell　Andy　the　truth；
and　not　permit　him　to　desert　our　cause；　and　set　a　bad　example　to　the
others。　Well；　I　will　keep　a　sharp　lookout；　and　if　the　intendant
really　tries　to　take　him　away　with　him；　I　will　endeavor　to　detain
him　forcibly。〃

When　the　door　had　closed　after　Anthony　Steeger；　Hormayr　nodded
kindly　to　Andreas　Hofer　and　shook　hands　with　him。

〃Now　we　are　alone；　Andy；〃　he　said；　〃and　will　speak　confidentially　a
word　which　no　one　is　to　hear　save　us　two。〃

〃But　you　should　always　bear　in　mind　that　God　Almighty　is　present；
and　listens　to　us；〃　said　Hofer；　lifting　his　eyes　devoutly　to　heaven。

〃We　shall　speak　nothing　that　can　offend　the　good　God！〃　exclaimed
Hormayr；　laughing。　〃We　shall　speak　of　you；　Andy；　and　the　Tyrol。　I
wish　to　pray　you；　Andy；　in　the　name　of　the　Archduke　John；　who　sent
me　to　you；　and　who　sent　his　kindest　greetings　with　me；　not　to　close
your　ears　against　good　and　well…meant　advice。〃

〃What　did　the　archduke　say？　What　does　he　want　of　me？〃　asked　Andreas；
quickly。

〃He　wishes　Andreas　Hofer；　like　himself；　to　submit　to　the　emperor's
orders　quietly　and　patiently；　he　wishes　Andreas　Hofer　to　yield　to
stern　necessity；　and　no　longer　sow　the　seeds　of　hatred　and　discord；
but　obey　the　will　of　his　master　with　Christian　humility　and
resignation。　He　wishes　Andreas　Hofer　to　set　a　good　example　to　all
the　Tyrolese；　and　undertake　nothing　in　opposition　to　the
stipulations　of　the　armistice；　and　the　Archduke　John　finally　wishes
his　beloved　Andreas　Hofer　to　secure　his　life　and　liberty　by　leaving
the　Tyrol　with　the　Austrian　troops；　and　remaining　for　some　time
under　the　protection　of　the　imperial　army。〃

〃Never；　never　will　I　do　that！〃　cried　Andreas；　vehemently；　〃never
will　I　leave　my　beloved　country！　I　swore　to　the　priest；　and　in　my
own　heart；　that；　while　I　lived；　I　would　be　faithful　to　my　God；　my
emperor；　and　my　country；　and　that　I　would　spill　the　last　drop　of
blood　for　our　liberty；　our　constitution；　and　our　emperor；　and　never
will　I　break　my　oath；　never　will　I　desert　my　flag　like　a　faithless
soldier！〃

〃But；　Andy；　you　are　not　to　desert　it；　but　only　convey　it　to　a　place
of　safety　for　a　short　time。　Listen　to　me；　Andy；　and　let　me　tell　you
all　about　it。　You　think　all　may　be　changed　yet；　and　you　may　prevent
the　Austrians　from　leaving　your　mountains。　But　unfortunately　it　is
already　too　late。　Already　the　Austrian　general…in…chief；　Baron　von
Buol；　has　concentrated　his　scattered　forces；　and　marched　them　to…
night　from　Brixen　to　Schabs。　There　you　can　do　nothing　against　him；
his　artillery　and　ammunition　are　safe　there；　and　you　cannot　hinder
him　from　marching　with　his　troops　this　very　day　into　Carinthia。〃

〃But　we　can　prevent　General　Schmidt　from　surrendering　the　fortress
of　Sachsenburg　to　General　Rusca；〃　cried　Andreas；　triumphantly。

〃Do　you　think　Commander　Joseph　Turk；　in　Upper　Carinthia；　surprised
and　occupied　the　fortress　of　Sachsenburg　immediately；　because　you
wrote　to　him　to　do　so　previous　to　Rusca's　arrival？　You　look　at　me　so
wonderingly；　you　big　child？　See；　here　is　your　letter　to　Joseph　Turk！
Our　men　intercepted　it；　hence；　Joseph　Turk　did　not　occupy　the
fortress；　and　General　Rusca　has　arrived　there　already。〃

〃It　is　my　letter；　indeed；〃　sighed　Andreas　Hofer；　staring　at　the
paper　which　Hormayr　had　handed　to　him。　〃They　did　not　allow　it　to
reach　Joseph　Turk；　they　no　longer　respect　what　I　say　and　do。〃

〃They　cannot；　Andy；　for　your　and　their　superior；　the　emperor；　has
ordered　the　soldiers　to　evacuate　the　Tyrol。　It　was　surely　most
repugnant　to　the　emperor　to　do　so；　and　I　know　that　the　Archduke　John
shed　tears　of　grief　and　rage　on　being　obliged　to　instruct　General
Buol　to　evacuate　the　Tyrol。　But　he　submitted　to　stern　necessity；　and
you　will　do　so　too；　Andy。〃

〃What　am　I　to　do；　then？　What　do　you　want　of　me？〃　asked　Andreas；　with
tears　in　his　eyes。

〃The　Archduke　John　wants　you　to　preserve　yourself　for　better　times；
Andy。　He　implores　you　to　repair　to　a　place　of　safety；　not　only　for
the　sake　of　your　wife　and　children；　but　also　for　that　of　your
fatherland。　Believe　me；　Andreas；　a　gloomy　time　is　dawning　upon　the
Tyrol。　The　enemy　is　approaching　on　all　sides；　and　the　French　and
Bavarians　have　already　crossed　the　frontiers　of　the　Tyrol　in　order
to　occupy　it　again。〃

〃And　all　our　blood　has　been　shed　in　vain！〃　cried　Hofer；　bursting
into　tears。　〃All　the　faithful　Tyrolese　who　have　fallen　in　battle
gave　up　their　lives　for　nothing。　We　fought　bravely；　the　good　God
helped　us　in　battle；　but　men　deserted　us；　and　even　the　emperor；　for
whom　we　fought；　will　not　redeem　the　pledges　he　gave　us；　nor　help　us
in　our　sore　distress。〃

〃The　emperor　will　never　abandon　his　faithful　Tyrolese；〃　said
Hormayr；　〃only　you　must　be　patient。　He　cannot　do　any　thing　now；　he
can　not　endanger　his　whole　empire　to　serve　the　small　province　of　the
Tyrol。　For　the　time　being；　further　resistance　is　out　of　the
question；　but　the　emperor　profits　by　the　armistice　to　concentrate　a
new　army；　and　when　hostilities　are　resumed；　he　will　first　think　of
the　Tyrol；　and　deliver　it　from　the　enemy。〃

〃But　until　then　the　Tyrol　itself　ought　to　maintain　its　liberty！〃
exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer；　with　flashing　eyes。　〃Listen　to　what　I　wish
to　say　to　you；　Mr。　Intendant；　and　what　God　Himself　prompts　me　to
tell　you。　I　see　full　well　that　the　emperor　himself　is　unable　to
speak　for　the　Tyrol；　and　cannot　order　his　troops　to　remain　in　the
country；　I　see　full　well　that　the　emperor；　sorely　pressed　as　he　is
by　Bonaparte；　cannot　do　any　thing　for　us。　But　until　he　is　ready
again；　someone　ought　to　be　courageous　enough　to　take　his　place　and；
as　the　emperor's　lieutenant；　defend　the　Tyrol　against　the　enemy。
You；　Mr。　Intendant；　are　the　man　to　do　it。　You　have　often　assured　us
that　you　were　a　brave　and　patriotic　son　of　the　Tyrol；　prove　now　that
you　told　us　the　truth。　Instead　of　leaving　the　Tyrol　at　this　hour　of
its　greatest　peril；　and　surrendering　it　to　the　enemy；　place　yourself
at　its　head；　protect　it　against　the　enemy；　and　preserve　it　to　the
emperor。　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。　103。＇
Become　Duke　of　Tyrol；　take　charge　of　the　government　and　defence　of
the　country。　As　provisional　duke；　call　upon　the　faithful　people　to
take　up　arms；　and　they　will　rise　as　one　man　and　defend　its　frontiers
against　every　enemy。　Rule　over　the　Tyrol　in　the　emperor's　place；
until　he　himself　is　able　again　to　do　so　and　fold　us　again　to　his
heart。〃

〃What　you　say　is　nonsense；　Andy；〃　exclaimed　Hormayr；　shrugging　his
shoulders。　〃You　want　me　to　become　provisional　Duke　of　Tyrol？　Why；
the　whole　world　would　laugh　at　me；　and　the　emperor　would　punish　me
as　a　rebel！〃

〃Well；　then；〃　cried　Andreas　Hofer；　in　a　powerful　voice；　〃if　you　will
not　do　it；　I　will！　I　shall　take　charge　of　the　government　and　call
myself　'Andreas　Hofer；　Sandwirth　of　Passeyr　and　Duke　of　Tyrol；'　as
long　as　it　pleases　God！〃　＇Footnote：　Andreas　Hofer's　own　words。See
Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　361。＇

〃No；　you　will　not；　Andy；〃　said　Hormayr；　gravely；　〃you　will　be
sensible；　on　the　contrary；　and　not；　from　worldly　pride；　endanger
your　country；　your　friends；　and　yourself。　Bear　in　mind