andreas hofer-第79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！



〃Come　in；　Anthony　Wild；　you　are　welcome；〃　said　the　young　innkeeper；
shaking　hands　with　Hofer's　servant。

〃Thank　you；　but　I　must　first　fetch　my　horse　which　I　tied　to　a　pole
somewhere　down　the　street。　I　rode　very　fast；　and　must　first　attend
to　the　Horse；　afterward　I　will　request　you　to　let　me　have　some
breakfast。〃

And　Hofer's　servant　hastened　down　the　street。　The　innkeeper　and　the
friar　entered　the　house　and　stepped　into　the　large　bar…room。　Two　men
came　to　meet　them　there。

One　of　them；　a　man　about　forty…five　years　old；　dressed　in　the　simple
costume　of　the　Tyrolese；　and　of　a　tall；　powerful　form；　was　Peter
Mayer；　known　throughout　the　Tyrol　as　one　of　the　most　ardent　and
faithful　patriots；　and　a　man　of　extraordinary　intrepidity；　firmness；
and　energy。

The　other；　a　young　man　of　scarcely　twenty…two；　slender　yet　well
built；　and　far…famed　for　his　fine　appearance；　boldness；　and　wealth；
was　Peter　Kemnater；　the　most　faithful　and　devoted　friend　of　the
fine…looking　and　patriotic　young　innkeeper；　Martin　Schenk。

The　two　men　shook　hands　with　the　new…comers　and　bowed　to　them；　but
their　faces　were　gloomy；　and　not　the　faintest　gleam　of　a　smile
illuminated　them。

〃Have　you　come　hither；　Father　Joachim　Haspinger；　only　to　join　in　the
peace…prayers？〃　asked　Peter　Mayer　in　his　laconic　style；　fixing　his
dark；　piercing　eyes　on　the　friar's　face。

〃No；　Peter　Mayer；〃　said　the　Capuchin；　gravely；　〃I　have　come　hither
because　I　wanted　to　see　you　three；　and　because　I　have　to　say　many
things　to　you。　But　previously　let　me　read　what　our　pious　and
patriotic　brother　Andreas　Hofer　has　written　to　me。〃

〃You　have　a　letter　from　Andreas　Hofer！〃　exclaimed　Mayer　and
Kemnater；　joyfully。

〃Here　it　is；〃　said　the　friar；　drawing　it　from　his　belt。　〃Now　give　me
a　moment's　time　to　read　the　letter；　and　then　we　will　confer　upon　the
matter　that　brought　us　here。〃

He　stepped　to　the　window　and　unfolded　the　letter。　While　he　was
reading　it；　the　three　men　looked　at　him　with　rapt　suspense；　seeking
to　read　in　his　features　the　impression　produced　by　Andreas　Hofer's
words　on　the　heart　of　the　brave　Capuchin。　Indeed；　the　friar's
features　brightened　more　and　more；　his　forehead　and　face　colored；
and　a　smile　illuminated　his　hard　features。

〃Listen；　men；〃　he　exclaimed　triumphantly；　waving　the　paper　as　though
it　were　a　flag；　〃listen　to　what　Andreas　writes　to　me！〃　And　the　friar
read　in　a　clarion　voice：

〃Dear　brother　Red…beard！　Beloved　Father　Joachim　Haspinger：　You　know；
brother；　that　all　has　been　in　vain；　the　Austrians　are　evacuating　the
country；　and　the　emperor；　or　rather　not　the　emperor；　but　his
ministers　and　secretaries；　stipulated　in　the　armistice　concluded
with　Bonaparte；　that　the　French　and　Bavarians　should　re…enter　the
Tyrol　and　recommence　the　infamous　old　system。　But　I　think；　even
though　the　emperor　has　abandoned　us；　God　Almighty　will　not　do　so；
and　even　though　the　Austrian　soldiers　are　crossing　our　frontiers；
our　mountains　and　glaciers　remain　to　us；　God　placed　them　there　to
protect　our　frontiers；　and　He　gave　us　strong　arms　and　good　rifles
and　keen　eyes　to　discern　the　enemy　and　hit　him。　We　are　the
inhabitants　of　the　Tyrol；　and　the　Austrian　soldiers　are　not；　hence
it　is　incumbent　on　us　to　protect　our　frontiers；　and　prevent　the
enemy　from　invading　our　territory。　If　you　are　of　my　opinion；　gather
about　you　as　many　brave　sharpshooters　as　you　can；　call　out　the
Landsturm　where　it　is　possible；　tell　the　other　commanders　to　do　the
same；　and　advance；　if　possible；　at　once　toward　the　Brenner；　where　I
hope　you　will　meet　me　or　hear　further　news　from　me。　Joseph
Speckbacher　did　not　leave　the　country　either；　he　is　enlisting
sharpshooters　and　calling　out　the　Landsturm　in　his　district。　It　is
the　Lord's　will　that　the　Tyrol　be　henceforth　protected　only　by　the
Tyrolese。　Bear　this　in　mind；　and　go　to　work。Your　faithful　Andreas
Hofer；　at　present　not　knowing　where　he　is。〃　＇Footnote：　Andreas　Hofer
signed　all　his　letters　and　orders　in　this　strange　manner　while　he
was　concealed　in　his　cave。＇

〃Well；〃　asked　the　friar；　exultingly；　〃do　you　think　that　Andreas
Hofer　is　right；　and　that　we　ought　not　to　allow　the　enemy　to　re…enter
the　country？〃

〃I　think　he　is；〃　said　Peter　Kemnater；　joyously。　〃I　think　it　will　be
glorious　for　us　to　expel　the　French　and　Bavarians　once　more　from　our
frontiers。〃

〃Or；　if　they　have　already　crossed　them；　drive　them　ignominiously
from　the　country；〃　added　Peter　Mayer。

〃I　have　passed；　during　the　last　few　days；　through　the　whole　of
Puster　valley；〃　said　Martin　Schenk。　〃Everywhere　I　found　the　men
determined　to　die；　rifle　in　hand；　on　the　field　of　battle；　rather
than　stay　peaceably　at　home　and　bend　their　necks　before　the　enemy。
'It　is　a　misfortune；'　said　the　men；　'that　the　Austrians　are
abandoning　us　at　this　critical　juncture；　but　it　would　be　a　greater
misfortune　still　for　us　to　abandon　ourselves　and　consent　to
surrender　at　discretion。'〃

〃And　I　say　it　is　no　misfortune　at　all　that　the　Austrians　have　left
us；〃　cried　the　Capuchin；　vehemently。　〃The　cause　of　the　fatherland
has　not　suffered　much　by　the　retreat　of　the　Austrians。　Who　assisted
us　at　the　battle　of　Mount　Isel？　Who　helped　us　to　drive　the　enemy
twice　from　the　country？　Not　an　Austrian　did！　We　accomplished　all
that　was　great　and　glorious　in　the　short　and　decisive　struggle。　Let
us　not　complain；　then；　that　no　one　stands　by　us　now；　and　that　we
know　that　no　one　will　help　us　but　God　and　we　ourselves。　But　we　must
not　plunge　blindly　and　furiously　into　the　struggle；　on　the　contrary；
we　must　consider　whether　we　are　able　to　defeat　the　enemy。　The　French
and　Bavarians　are　sending　large　forces　on　all　sides　to　the　poor
Tyrol。　I　cannot　conceal　from　you　that　the　enterprise　which　we　are
going　to　undertake；　and　to　which　Andreas　Hofer　invites　us；　is　a
dangerous　one。　Let　me　tell　you　that　that　miserable　assassin　and
ruffian　Lefebre；　whom　they　call　the　Duke　of　Dantsic；　is　approaching
from　the　north　with　twenty…five　thousand　men；　and　is　already　close
to　Innspruck。　General　Deroi；　too；　is　coming；　he　intends　to　march
through　the　whole　Vintschgau；　and　force　his　way　over　the　Gerlos
Mountains　to　the　district　of　Innspruck。　Rusca's　wild　legions　are
already　near　Lienz；　General　Pery　is　moving　up　from　the　south　with
his　Italian　troops；　and　the　exasperated　Bavarians；　under　Generals
Wreden　and　Arco；　are　already　at　Salzburg。　In　short；　more　than　fifty
thousand　men　are　coming　up　from　all　sides　to　trample　the　poor　Tyrol
under　foot。　They　are　veteran　soldiers；　they　have　got　artillery　and
better　arms　than　we；　and　are　superior　to　us　in　numbers；　equipments；
and　strength。　Consider；　therefore；　whether　you　are　willing　to
undertake　the　heavy　task　nevertheless；　consider　that　you　risk　your
property；　your　blood；　and　your　lives；　and　that；　if　you　should　be　so
unfortunate　as　to　fall　into　the　enemy's　hands；　he　would　perhaps
punish　you　as　criminals　and　rebels。　It　is　true；　you　are　ready　to
risk　your　property；　your　blood；　and　your　lives；　for　the　fatherland
and　the　liberty　of　the　Tyrol；　but　then　you　have　also　duties　to　your
families；　your　parents；　your　brides；　you　have　a　duty　to　yourselves
that　of　not　endangering　your　lives　recklessly。　It　is　true；　even
though　the　enemy　should　punish　you　as　rebels；　you　would　die　the
beautiful　death　of　martyrs　for　your　fatherland；　and　the　halo　of　your
virtue　and　love　of　country　will　immortalize　your　names；　but　you　must
consider；　also；　whether　your　death　will　be　useful　to　the　country；
and　whether　you　will　not　shed　your　blood　in　vain。　Ask　your　hearts；
my　friends；　whether　they　will　be　courageous　and　strong　enough　to
brave　cheerfully　whatever　reverses　and　calamities　may　befall　us；　and
whether　they　really　will　risk　death；　imprisonment；　and　the　scaffold；
without　flinching　and　trembling？　That　is　what　I　wished　to　say　to　you
before　concerting　measures　with　you　and　sending　an　answer　to　Andreas
Hofer。　Consider　it　all；　my　friends；　and　then　speak。〃

〃We　are　to　ask　our　hearts　if　they　will　not　flinch　and　tremble？〃　said
Peter　Mayer；　almost　contemptuously。　〃When　the　enemy　returned　to　the
Tyrol　last　May；　he　burned　down　eight　houses　which　belonged　to　me；
and　for　some　time　I　did　not　know　but　that　my　wife　and　children　had
perished　in　the　conflagration。　Did　you　see　me　trembledid　you　hear
me　complain　at　that　time？　Did　I　not　stand　up　cheerfully　in　the
battle　on　Mount　Isel；　without　weeping　or　murmuring；　and　bearing　in
mind　only　that　I　was　fighting　for　liberty；　the　fatherland；　and　the
emperor？　It　was　not　until　we　had　gained　the　victory；　and　obtained
our　freedom；　that　I　went　home　to　mourn　and　weep　on　the　smoking　ruins
of　my　houses。　But　I　found　my　wife　and　my　children　alive　and　well；　a
friend　had　concealed　them　and　taken　care　of　them；　and　after　thanking
God　for　our　victory；　I　thanked　Him　for　preserving　my　wife　and
children；　and　only　now；　when　we　were　happy　and　free；　did　I　shed
tears。　But　since　the　enemy　is　re…entering　the　country；　and　fresh
misfortunes　are　to　befall　us；　my　tears　are　dried　again；　my　heart　is
full　of　courage　and　constancy；　and　I　believe　we　must　risk　all；
because　otherwise　every　thing　that　we　have　done　hitherto　will　be　in
vain。　I　love　my　wife　dearly；　but；　if　she　came　now　to　dissuade　me
from　taking　part　in　the　struggle；　and　if　I　felt　that　my　hea