andreas hofer-第75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！


sensible；　on　the　contrary；　and　not；　from　worldly　pride；　endanger
your　country；　your　friends；　and　yourself。　Bear　in　mind；　Andy；　that
you　would　be　responsible　for　the　blood　that　would　be　shed；　if　you
should　incite　the　people　to　rebellion；　and　that　you　would　be　the
murderer　of　all　those　who　should　fall　in　the　struggle　provoked　by
you　so　recklessly　and　in　open　opposition　to　the　orders　of　your
emperor。　Bow　your　head；　Andy；　and　submit　as　we　all　do。　Intrust　your
and　our　cause　to　God；　as　it　is　good　and　just；　He　will　not　forsake
it；　but　render　it　victorious　when　it　is　time。〃

〃I　believe　you；〃　sighed　Andreas；　〃but　how　can　I　keep　quiet　when；　as
you　have　often　told　me；　I　am　God's　instrument　and　destined　by　Him　to
deliver　the　dear　Tyrol　from　the　enemy？　And　what　would　my　brave
lieutenants　say　if　their　commander…in…chief；　Andreas　Hofer；　were　to
leave　the　country　in　its　sore　distress；　after　he　had　taken　an　oath
to　defend　it　while　he　lived？　Would　they　not　point　their　fingers　at
me；　and　call　me　a　traitor；　a　Judas　Iscariot　who　sold　his　country　for
the　sake　of　his　own　safety？〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　Andy。　You　think　your　friends；　the　captains　and
other　commanders；　with　whom　you　fought　for　the　deliverance　of　the
Tyrol；　would　despise　you　if　you　followed　the　Austrians　now　and　saved
your　life？　Now　listen　to　me；　my　friend。　Your　best　friends；　the　brave
Tyrolese　captains；　in　whom　you　repose　the　greatest　confidence；　will
leave　the　Tyrol　this　very　day　of　their　own　accord　and　accompany　our
Austrian　troops　to　Carinthia。〃

〃That　is　false；　that　is　impossible！〃　cried　Andreas；　vehemently。
〃Speckbacher　will　never　do　so。〃

〃Yes；　he　will；　Andy。　I　saw　him　this　morning。　Here　resisted　and
fought　as　long　as　he　could；　but　since　the　armistice　compels　him　to
lay　down　the　sword；　and　since；　moreover；　the　French　and　Bavarians
are　entering　the　country　once　more；　he　feels　that　it　is　better　for
him　to　save　his　life　than　be　caught　and　hung　here　by　the　vindictive
enemy。　Hence；　Speckbacher　accepted　the　offer　of　the　Austrian
officers；　and　will　accompany　them。〃

〃Joseph　Speckbacher　will　leave　the　Tyrol？〃　murmured　Andreas　Hofer；
mournfully。

〃And　he　is　not　the　only　one；　Andreas：　Aschbacher；　Puechler；
Sieberer；　and　many　other　brave　captains　of　the　Tyrolese；　will
likewise　leave　with　the　Austrians。　All　have　asked　me　to　implore　you
to　follow　their　example；　and　flee　from　the　perils　menacing　you　all。
Oh；　believe　them；　believe　me；　Andreas！　If　you　stay　here；　the
Bavarians　will　not　rest　until　they　have　taken　you　prisoneruntil
their　hated　enemy；　the　formidable　Barbone；　has　fallen　into　their
hands。　Dear　Andy；　think　of　your　wife　at　home；　the　faithful　Anna
Gertrude；　who　prays　for　you　morning　and　evening；　and　beseeches　the
Almighty　to　spare　the　life　of　her　dear　husband；　think　of　your　dear
children；　whose　only　protector　and　supporter　you　are；　do　not　make
your　dear　wife　a　widow；　nor　your　sweet　children　orphans！　Andreas
Hofer；　you　cannot　now　be　useful　to　the　fatherland；　save　yourself；
then；　for　your　wife　and　children！〃

〃My　good　wife；　my　dear　children！〃　sighed　Andreas；　profoundly　moved；
〃it　is　true；　they　love　me　dearly；　and　would　be　very　lonely　on　earth
if　their　father　should　be　taken　from　them！〃

〃Preserve　their　father　to　them；　then；　and　preserve　yourself　also　to
the　fatherland！　Follow　the　example　of　your　brave　friends
Speckbacher；　Aschbacher；　Sieberer；　and　all　the　others；　accompany　us；
leave　the　Tyrol　for　a　while；　and　when　the　time　has　come；　return　with
them　and　fight　once　more　for　the　deliverance　of　the　country。〃

〃Speckbacher　will　leave；　and　so　will　all　the　others；〃　murmured
Andreas　to　himself。　〃The　Tyrol　will　fall　again　into　the　enemy's
hands；　and　all　has　been　in　vain！〃

He　hung　his　head　and　heaved　a　deep　sigh。

〃Come；　Andreas；　be　sensible；　think　of　yourself　and　your　family；〃
said　Hormayr；　beseechingly。　〃I　have　come　hither　for　the　sole　purpose
of　taking　you　with　me；　let　me　not　have　travelled　in　vain　from　Brixen
to　Lienz。　Come；　Andreas；　come！　My　carriage　is　in　readiness　at　the
door；　let　us　ride　together　to　Matrey。　Speckbacher；　the　other
friends；　and　the　Austrians　are　waiting　for　us　there；　we　shall　cross
the　Tyrolese　frontier　with　them　this　very　day；　and　you　and　all　your
friends　will　be　safe。　Therefore；　do　not　hesitate　any　longer；　but
come！〃

〃I　cannot　make　up　my　mind　so　suddenly；〃　said　Hofer；　disengaging
himself　gently　from　the　hand　of　Hormayr；　who　was　trying　to　draw　him
up　from　his　chair。　〃It　is　a　grave；　momentous　step　which　you　ask　me
to　take；　and　before　I　can　do　so　I　must　consult　God　and　pray　to　him
fervently。　Therefore；　pray　leave　me　alone　a　little　while；　that　I　may
speak　to　the　good　God　and　consult　him　and　my　conscience。〃

〃Very　well；　Andy；　I　give　you　a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　make　up　your
mind；〃　exclaimed　Hormayr；　approaching　the　door。

〃A　quarter　of　an　hour　is　not　enough；〃　said　Andreas；　shaking　his
head。　〃It　is　late　at　night；　and　night　is　the　time　for　repose　and
prayer。　Therefore；　stay　here；　Mr。　Intendant；　sleep　a　few　hours；　and
to…morrow　morning；　at　sunrise；　come　to　my　chamber　and　awaken　me。　I
will　tell　you　then　what　God　in　heaven　has　told　me　to　do。〃

〃You　pledge　me　your　word；　Andreas；　that　you　will　not　leave　during
the　present　night？〃

〃I　do。　I　shall　stay　here。　And　now　good…night。　My　heart　is　profoundly
moved；　and　I　long　for　repose。　This　is　my　chamber；　I　begged　Anthony
Steeger　to　let　me　have　it；　he　has　fine　rooms　for　aristocratic　guests
up…stairs；　and　he　will　give　you　one　of　them。　Now　good…night；　sir！〃

He　bowed　kindly　to　the　baron；　shook　hands　with　him；　and　conducted
him　to　the　door。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

HOFER　AND　SPECBBACHER。


Scarcely　had　the　sun　risen　next　morning　when　Baron　von　Hormayr　arose
and　quickly　prepared　every　thing　for　their　departure。　After　seeing
that　his　carriage　was　at　the　street　door；　he　descended　the　staircase
in　order　to　go　to　Andreas　Hofer。

Anthony　Steeger　followed　him　with　a　gloomy　face；　and　watched　his
every　movement　attentively。　〃If　he　tries　to　take　Andy　with　him；〃　he
said　to　himself；　〃I　will　strangle　him。　It　is　true；　he　has　told　me
already　that　Hofer　will　accompany　him；　but　I　do　not　believe　it；　and
he　shall　not　coax　him　away。　This　time　I　shall　be　present；　and　see
what　he　is　after。〃

They　stood　now　in　front　of　Hofer's　door；　and　Hormayr　put　his　hand　on
the　knob　to　open　it；　but　it　was　locked　on　the　inside。

〃Andreas　Hofer；　Andreas　Hofer！〃　he　shouted　out　almost　imperatively。
〃The　time　is　up；　come　to　me；　Andreas　Hofer！〃

The　door　opened；　and　the　tall；　powerful　form　of　the　Sandwirth
appeared　in　it。

〃Here　I　am；〃　he　said；　smiling　calmly；　〃and　you　see　I　am　ready　to　set
out。〃

〃You　will　accompany　me　then；　Andy？〃　asked　Hormayr；　joyfully。

〃You　will　leave　us？〃　cried　Anthony　Steeger；　indignantly。

〃I　was　waiting　for　you；　sir；〃　said　Andreas；　quietly；　〃and　if　you　had
not　come　of　your　own　accord；　Tony；　I　should　have　called　you；　for　you
shall　hear　what　I　have　got　to　say　to　the　intendant。　Come　in；　then；
both　of　you；　and　let　us　speak　a　last　word　with　each　other。　Anthony
Steeger；　Baron　von　Hormayr；　our　countryman；　came　hither　to　persuade
me　to　accompany　him　and　leave　the　Tyrol。　Our　friends　will　do　the
same　thing；　for　the　Bavarians　and　French　are　already　entering　the
country。　Speckbacher；　Sieberer；　and　others；　will　save　their　lives
for　this　reason；　and　go　with　the　Austrians；　and　the　intendant　thinks
I　ought　to　do　the　same；　for　the　sake　of　my　wife　and　children。
However；　I　wished　first　to　consult　the　good　God。　I　did　so　all　night
long。　I　prayed　and　reflected　a　great　deal；　and　it　seemed　to　me　as
though　the　Lord　spoke　to　me　and　enlightened　my　soul　to　find　the　true
path。　Listen　then；　Mr。　Intendant　of　the　Tyrol；　and　you；　too；　friend
Anthony　Steeger；　to　what　I　have　resolved　to　do　with　God's
assistance。　I　took　an　oath　to　serve　the　fatherland　as　long　as　I
lived；　as　an　honest　man；　I　must　keep　my　word；　and　stay　in　the
Tyrol。〃

Anthony　Steeger　uttered　a　loud　cry　of　joy；　but　Hormayr's　face　grew
very　sombre。　〃You　do　not　see；　then；　that　you　are　rushing　upon　your
own　destruction？〃　he　asked。　〃You　are　intent　on　rendering　your　wife
and　children　unhappy？　You　are　bent　on　incurring　the　most　imminent
peril？〃

〃I　will　incur　it　courageously；〃　said　Hofer；　kindly。　〃I　know　very
well　that　what　I　am　about　to　do　is　not　prudent；　but　it　is　right。
When　the　tempter　took　Jesus　up　into　an　exceeding　high　mountain；
showed　him　all　the　kingdoms　of　the　world　and　their　glory；　and　said；
‘All　these　things　will　I　give　Thee；　if　thou　wilt　fall　down　and
worship　me；'　the　Saviour　did　not　accept　the　offer；　but　remained　true
to　Himself；　and　sealed　His　teachings　with　his　death。　I　will　follow
the　Saviour's　example；　and　never；　while　I　live；　prove　recreant　to
the　love　which　I　vowed　to　the　dear　Tyrol；　never　will　I　leave　it；　but
I　will　stand　by　it　and　serve　it　to　the　last。　Depart；　then；　Baron　von
Hormayr；　I　cannot　accompany　you；　for　the　country　keeps　me　here；　and
never　will　I　abandon　it　whatever　may　happen！〃　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of
Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　iii。；　p。　104。＇　〃Is　that　your　last　word；
Andreas？〃　asked　Hormayr；　gloomily。

〃It　is；〃　said　Hofer；　gently。　〃But　pray；　sir；　do　not　be　angry　with　me
for　it。　Were　I　more　prudent　and　sagacious；　I　should　certainly　follow
your