andreas hofer-第77节

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me；　if　I　wished　to　remain　in　the　Tyrol；　I　should　have　to　keep　very
quiet　and　allow　the　enemy　to　take　possession　of　the　province；　in
accordance　with　the　stipulations　of　the　armistice。　And　you　see；
Andy；　my　heart　revolted　at　that；　therefore　I　wished　to　get　away　and
remain　abroad　until　the　armistice　had　expired；　when　we　would　be　once
more　allowed　to　fight　bravely　for　our　country　and　our　emperor。〃

〃No　one　shall　prevent　us　from　doing　so　now；〃　said　Andreas；　calmly。
〃What　do　we　care　for　the　armistice？　The　emperor　concluded　it；　we　did
not；　and　I　believe　the　emperor　will　not　blame　us　for　disregarding　it
and　continuing　the　war　as　we　commenced　it。〃

〃You　are　right；　we　will　do　so；〃　exclaimed　Speckbacher；　joyfully。
〃And　now　I　will　communicate　to　you　some　important　news　which　the
Austrian　officers　received　only　this　morning。　Anthony　Wallner；　of
Windisch…Matrey　is　also　of　your　opinion；　he　refuses　likewise　to
acknowledge　the　armistice　and　make　peace　with　the　enemy。　When　the
Bavarians；　four　days　ago；　intended　to　cross　the　frontier　near
Windisch…Matrey；　Anthony　Wallner　and　John　Panzl　went　to　meet　them
with　four　hundred　sharpshooters　whom　they　had　gathered　in　great
haste。　They　took　position　at　the　bridge　of　Taxenbach　and　tried　to
prevent　the　Bavarians　from　crossing　it。　The　Bavarians　were　seven
thousand　strong；　and　Wallner　had　only　four　hundred　men；　but　our
friends；　nevertheless；　defended　the　bridge　for　seven　hours；　killed
and　wounded　over　three　hundred　Bavarians；　and　retreated　into　the
mountains　only　because　the　odds　were　too　great。〃　＇Footnote：
Peternader；　〃Die　Tyroler　Landesvertheidigung　im　Jahre　1809；〃　vol。
ii。；　p。　84。＇

　〃I　know　Anthony　Wallner；　and　was　convinced　that　he　would　not　submit
quietly；〃　said　Andreas；　joyfully。　〃And　we　will　follow　his　example；
Joseph。　The　good　God　has　imposed　on　us　the　task　of　defending　the
Tyrol；　and　we　will　fulfil　it　faithfully。〃

〃Yes；　we　will；　and　we　will　begin　this　very　hour。　We　must　find　out；
above　all　things；　if　all　of　our　countrymen　are　of　our　opinion；　and
if　they　are　courageous　enough　to　continue　the　struggle；　even　after
the　Austrians　have　left　us。〃

〃What　good　did　the　Austrians　do　us　while　they　were　here？〃　asked
Andreas；　indignantly。　〃Let　me　tell　you；　Joe；　on　the　whole　I　am　glad
that　the　Austrians　are　evacuating　the　province。　It　is　better　for　us
to　fight　alone；　and　trust　only　our　own　strength。　Regular　troops　and
insurgents　never　fight　well　together　in　the　end；　for　there　are
always　jealousies　between　them；　they　mutually　charge　each　other　with
the　blunders　committed　during　the　campaign；　and　grudge　each　other
the　glory　obtained　in　the　battles。　Hence；　it　is　better　for　us　to　be
alone　and　have　no　other　allies　than　the　good　God；　the　Holy　Virgin；
and　her　blessed　Son。〃　＇Footnote：　Andrew　Hofer's　own　words。See
Mayr's　〃Joseph　Speckbacher；〃　p。145。　22＇

〃You　are　right；　always　right；　Andy；〃　said　Speckbacher。　〃We　will　go
courageously　to　work；　then；　and　you　shall　see；　my　Andy；　that
Speckbacher　is　still　what　he　always　was；　and　that　he　will　henceforth
never　think　of　leaving　the　country；　but　will　stand　faithfully　by　it
and　fight　until　the　enemy　has　been　expelled　once　more；　and　we　are
free　again。　I　will　ride　now　through　the　whole　Puster　valley；　and
then　from　Brunecken　through　the　Dux　valley　to　my　home；　the　Rinn；　and
I　will　stir　up　the　people　everywhere；　and　call　upon　the　men　to
follow　me　and　fight　once　more　for　liberty　and　the　fatherland。〃

〃Do　so；　Joe；　and　I　will　follow　your　example。　I　will　return　to　the
Passeyr　valley；　you　shall　all　hear　from　me　before　long；　and　then　my
voice　shall　resound　throughout　the　Tyrol。　God　will　make　it　strong
enough　to　penetrate　to　every　ear；　and　fill　every　heart　with
enthusiastic　devotion　to　the　country　and　the　emperor。　Farewell；
then；　Joseph！　The　Tyrol　and　I　have　recovered　you；　and　my　heart
thanks　God　fervently　for　it。　Farewell；　you　shall　hear　from　me　before
long！〃

He　nodded　once　more　kindly　to　Joseph　Speckbacher　and　galloped　down
the　valley；　while　Speckbacher　trotted　up　the　mountain…path。

Andreas　Hofer　rode　all　day　long　through　the　country。　He　saw　the
people　everywhere　in　commotion　and　uproar；　they　greeted　him　with
jubilant　cheers；　and　the　men　swore　everywhere　that　they　would　not
allow　the　enemy　to　re…enter　the　country　without　resistance；　that
they　did　not　believe　in　the　pacific　assurances　of　the　proclamations
with　which　the　Bavarians　had　flooded　the　country；　that　they　were
satisfied；　on　the　contrary；　that　the　enemy　would　revenge　himself　as
cruelly　as　he　had　done　after　his　return　in　May；　and　that　they　were；
therefore；　firmly　resolved　to　fight　and　expel　the　enemy　once　more。

〃Get　your　rifles　and　ammunition；　then；　and　prepare　for　the
struggle；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer　everywhere　to　the　men　who　were　so　full
of　ardor。　〃You　shall　hear　from　me　soon；　and　learn　what　God　wants　us
to　do。〃

Andreas　Hofer　did　not　rest　even　at　night。　The　great　task　which　was
imposed　upon　him　urged　him　on　incessantly。　He　therefore　profited　by
the　clear　moonlight　to　ride　across　the　Janfen；　and　at　daybreak　his
horse　neighed　joyously　and　stopped　at　the　bank　of　the　foaming
Passeyr；　at　no　great　distance　from　the　white　house　of　the　Sandwirth；
the　home　which　contained　his　greatest　treasures　on　earth；　his　wife
and　children。

But　Andreas　Hofer　did　not　intend　to　return　to　them　now；　he　did　not
want　to　have　his　heart　softened　by　the　sight　of　his　wife；　who　would
certainly　weep　and　lament　on　learning　of　his　resolve　to　renew　the
war　against　the　Bavarians　and　French。　And　for　the　same　reason　he
wished　to　avoid　meeting　his　children；　whose　dear　faces　might　remind
him　that　he　was　about　to　endanger　the　life　of　their　father；　and　that
their　bright　eyes　might　soon　fill　with　tears　of　bitter　grief。　He
would　speak　only　to　God；　and　solitude　was　to　be　his　sole　adviser。
Andreas　Hofer　greeted　his　house　and　its　beloved　inmates　with　a　long；
tearful　look；　he　then　dried　his　eyes　and　alighted。　The　horse　neighed
joyously　and　sped　merrily　down　the　hill　toward　his　stable。　But
Andreas　Hofer　took　a　by…path　and　ascended　the　mountain　through　the
forest　and　shrubbery　to　the　Kellerlahn；　a　cave　known　only　to　him　and
some　of　his　intimate　friends；　where　his　faithful　servant　had
prepared　him　a　couch；　and　kept　always　in　readiness　for　him；　in　a
secret　cupboard　fixed　in　the　rock；　wine　and　food；　some　prayer…books；
and　writing　materials。

In　this　cave　Andreas　Hofer　intended　to　pass　a　few　days　in　prayer　and
solitude。




CHAPTER　XXX。

THE　CAPUCHIN'S　OATH。


A　great　festival　was　to　be　celebrated　at　Brixen　today。　It　was　the
2nd　of　August；　the　day　of　St。　Cassian；　and　not　only　were　the　bones
of　this　saint；　which　reposed　in　the　cathedral　adorned　with　two
splendid　towers　to　be　exhibited　as　they　were　every　year　to　the
devout　pilgrims；　but　the　pious　bishop　had　resolved　that　these　sacred
relics　should　be　carried　in　solemn　procession　through　the　whole
city；　that　all　might　have　an　opportunity　to　see　the　saint's　remains
and　implore　the　assistance　of　God　in　the　sore　distress　which　bad
befallen　the　Tyrol　again。　Therefore；　since　early　this　morning　the
peasantry　had　been　flocking　from　all　sides　toward　the　gates　of
Brixen。　Women　and　children；　young　and　old　men；　came　from　all　parts
of　the　country　to　take　part　in　the　solemn　procession　and　the　devout
prayers　for　the　welfare　of　the　country。

Among　those　who　were　wandering　along　the　road　to　Brixen；　was　a　monk
of　strikingly　bold　and　martial　appearance。　His　tall；　broad…
shouldered　form　was　remarkable　for　its　military　bearing；　his　long；
well…kept　red　whiskers　and　mustache　did　not　correspond　to　the
tonsure　on　his　head；　which　was　covered　with　thin　reddish　ringlets；
and　in　striking　contrast　with　it　were　likewise　the　broad　red　scar　on
his　healthy　sunburnt　countenance；　and　the　bright；　defiant　glance　of
his　eyes；　which　indicated　boldness　and　intrepidity　rather　than　piety
and　humility。　He　had　tucked　up　his　brown　robe；　and　thus　exhibited
his　stout　legs；　which　seemed　to　mock　the　soft　sandals　encasing　his
broad；　powerful　feet。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　long　brown　staff；
terminating　at　its　upper　end　in　a　carved　image　of　St。　Francis；　and
the　Capuchin　did　not　carry　this　staff　in　order　to　lean　upon　it；　but
he　brandished　it　in　the　air　like　a　sword；　or　held　it　up　triumphantly
as　though　it　were　a　victorious　banner。

But　however　strange　and　unusual　the　Capuchin's　appearance　might　be；
no　one　laughed　at　him；　but　he　was　greeted　everywhere　with
demonstrations　of　love　and　reverence；　and　when　he　passed　some　slow
wanderers　with　his　rapid　step；　they　looked　after　him　with　joyful
surprise；　and　said　to　each　other；　〃Look　at　old　Red…beard；　look　at
brave　Father　Haspinger！　He　has　fought　often　enough　for　the
fatherland。　Now　he　is　going　to　pray　for　the　Tyrol。〃

〃Pray；　and　fight　again；　if　need　be；〃　said　the　friar；　turning　to　the
speakers。

〃You　think；　then；　reverend　father；　that　there　will　be　war　again？〃
asked　many　voices；　and　dense　groups　surrounded　the　friar；　and　asked
him　anxiously　if　he　advised　them　to　allow　the　enemy　to　re…enter　the
country；　if　it　would　not　be　better　to　drive　him　back　forcibly；　or　if
be　thought　it　would　be　preferable　for　them　to　keep　quiet　and　submit
to　stern　necessity？

〃I　think　there　is　a　time　for　every　thingfor　ke