andreas hofer-第81节

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were　still　traversing　the　country；　and　calling　upon　the　peasants　to
repair　to　Father　Red…beard's　camp　near　Brixen；　and　their　appeals
were　readily　complied　with。　The　brave　peasants　of　Rodeneck；
Weitenthal；　and　Schoneck；　led　by　their　courageous　pastor；　George
Schoneck；　came　into　camp；　and　so　did　Anthony　Wallner　with　the　four
hundred　men　who　had　followed　him　from　the　Puster　valley。

Father　Haspinger　received　these　brave　men　exultingly；　and　folded
their　leader；　Anthony　Wallner；　tenderly　to　his　heart。

〃You　have　fought　again　like　a　hero；〃　he　exclaimed；　patting　his
cheeks　affectionately；　〃the　whole　Tyrol　is　extolling　your　exploits
at　the　murderous　battle　of　Taxenbach；　and　they　are　telling　wonderful
stories　about　the　surpassing　heroism　and　bravery　you　displayed　on
that　occasion。〃

〃It　is　true；　we　fought　bravely；〃　said　Anthony　Wallner；　sighing；　〃but
it　did　not　do　much　good；　for　the　enemy　was　ten　to　one；　and　we　were
finally　unable　to　check　his　advance。　But　we　followed　him；　and　will
now　unite　with　you；　reverend　father；　in　order　to　expel　him　once　more
from　the　country。　I　believe　there　will　be　another　battle　on　Mount
Isel；　for　the　enemy　is　always　intent　on　forcing　his　way　to
Innspruck；　believing　that　the　whole　Tyrol　is　subjugated　so　soon　as
the　capital　has　fallen　into　his　hands。　We　must　strive；　therefore；　to
meet　him　there　once　more；　for　you　know　the　old　prophecy；　saying　that
Mount　Isel　will　be　a　lucky　place　for　the　Tyrolese。〃

〃I　do　know　it；〃　said　the　friar；　〃and　if　it　please　God　we　will　verify
it。　The　freedom　of　the　Tyrol　is　buried　on　Mount　Isel　near　Innspruck；
and　we　will　disinter　the　golden　treasure　there　and　cause　it　to　shed
its　lustre　once　more　on　our　mountains　and　valleys。　You　shall　help　me
to　do　it；　Anthony　Wallner；　you　and　your　famous　sharpshooters　of
Windisch…Matrey。　But　previously　I　think；　my　friend；　we　shall　have
something　to　do　here；　for　our　scouts　have　returned　with　the　news
that　the　enemy　is　approaching。　His　column　is　headed　by　Saxon　and
Bavarian　troops　under　the　French　general；　Royer；　his　forces　are
followed　by　the　main　army　under　the　commander…in…chief；　Marshal
Lefebvre；　or　as　he　proudly　call　himself；　the　Duke　of　Dantsic。
General　Royer　has　got　already　as　far　as　Sterzing；　and　if　we　do　not
interfere　the　Saxons　will　soon　reach　Brixen。〃

〃But　we　will　interfere；〃　cried　Anthony　Wallner；　〃we　will　not　allow
them　to　advance　to　Brixen；　and　I　will　occupy　immediately　with　my
sharpshooters　the　mountain…passes　on　the　route　of　the　enemy。　We　will
receive　the　Duke　of　Dantsic　with　fireworks　which　will　sadden　his
heart。〃

〃Do　so；　dear　Anthony；〃　exclaimed　Haspinger；　joyfully。　〃I　myself　will
first　go　to　Brixen　and　teach　the　members　of　the　municipality　better
manners。　Their　terror　and　anguish　have　rendered　them　quite　eloquent；
and　they　have　dissuaded　many　hundred　peasants；　who　were　passing
through　Brixen　to　join　my　command；　from　so　doing；　and　induced　them
to　return　to　their　homes。　I　shall　speak　a　serious　word　with　those
gentlemen；　and　teach　them　a　little　patriotism。〃

Haspinger　nodded　kindly　to　Anthony　Wallner；　and　calling　ten　of　his
best　sharpshooters　to　him　repaired　to　the　city　hall　of　Brixen；　where
the　members　of　the　municipality　were　assembled。　He　made　them　a
furious　speech；　which；　however；　did　not　impress　the　gentlemen　as
forcibly　as　the　threats　which　he　added　to　it。　He　swore　that；　if　the
members　of　the　municipality　would　not　have　the　tocsin　sounded
immediately　and　send　out　mounted　messengers　to　call　out　the　peasants
and　send　them　to　him；　he　would　cause　every　one　of　them　to　be　hanged
or　shot　in　the　morning！　And　this　oath　was　effectual　enough；　for　the
terrified　gentlemen　knew　full　well　that　Father　Haspinger　had　the
power　and　the　will　to　fulfil　his　oaths。　Hence；　the　tocsin　was
sounded；　mounted　messengers　were　Neat　out　in　all　directions；　and　on
the　following　morning　upward　of　two　thousand　able…bodied　men　arrived
at　Haspinger's　camp。　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃
p。　110。＇

〃All　right；〃　said　the　friar；　〃if　Andreas　Hofer　and　Speckbacher　join
us　with　their　forces；　I　believe　we　shall　succeed；　and　St。　Cassian
will　have　understood　our　prayers。〃

While　Anthony　Wallner　and　his　sharpshooters　occupied　the　mountain…
gorges　this　side　of　Brixen　on　the　road　to　Mittewald；　Joseph
Speckbacher　and　his　men　had　penetrated　far　beyond　Mittewald　toward
Sterzing；　and　had　learned　that　the　Saxons；　under　General　Royer；　were
resting　at　Sterzing　with　the　intention　of　advancing　in　the　morning
through　the　wild　valley　of　the　Eisach　toward　Brixen。

〃Well；　if　the　Saxons　are　resting　we　must　work　in　order　to　prepare
eternal　repose　for　them；〃　said　Joseph　Speckbacher；　gayly。　〃Now　come；
my　brave　lads；　we　must　take　the　Saxons　between　two　fires。　They　are
miserable　scoundrels　and　traitors。　Ah；　they　do　not　shrink　from
serving　the　rapacious　conqueror　Bonaparte；　and　turning　their　arms
against　their　German　countrymen；　merely　because　the　French　emperor
orders　them　to　do　so；　and　because　we　refuse　to　submit　to　the　foreign
yoke。　and　are　determined　to　preserve　our　German　tongue　and　our
German　rights！　How　disgraceful　it　is　that　Germans　should　attack
Germans　at　the　bidding　of　the　foreign　oppressor！　Therefore；　we　will
punish　the　Saxons　and　Bavarians　in　the　name　of　God　and　the　Holy
Virgin。　We　will　let　them　advance　down　the　defile；　and　attack　them
only　after　they　are　in　it。　They　cannot　retrace　their　steps；　for　we
are　behind　them；　nor　can　they　advance　very　far；　for　Father　Red…beard
will　meet　them　in　front。　Now　come　and　let　us　make　festive
preparations；　as　it　behooves　those　who　are　expecting　distinguished
guests。　We　will　erect　a　few　triumphal　arches　to　them；　and　show　them
how　avalanches　roll　down　our　mountains。　Ah；　we　will　build　up　for
them　artificial　ruins　which　will　excite　their　sincere　admiration！〃

〃Yes；　yes；　we　will！〃　shouted　the　peasants；　who　went　to　work；　singing
and　laughing。　In　the　first　place；　they　erected　〃triumphal　arches〃　to
the　enemy；　that　is　to　say；　they　obstructed　the　road　by　raising　a
number　of　abatis；　besmeared　with　pitch　the　wooden　railing　of　the
bridge　built　across　the　Eisach　near　the　village　of　Pleis；　loosened
the　planks　of　the　bridge；　and　began　to　build　〃avalanches。〃　They
felled　a　considerable　number　of　tall　larches；　tied　ropes　to　both
ends　of　them；　lowered　them　half…way　down　the　precipitous　side　of　the
mountain；　and　fastened　the　ropes　above　to　the　strong　branches　of
trees　firmly　rooted　in　the　soil　of　the　crest。　Then　they　threw　huge
masses　of　rock　and　heaps　of　rubbish　on　these　hanging　scaffolds；　and
after　the　〃avalanches〃　had　thus　been　completed；　they　withdrew
cautiously　and　rapidly　into　the　mountain…gorges。　Only　Zoppel；　Joseph
Speckbacher's　servant；　and　an　old　peasant　remained　near　the
〃avalanches。〃　They　stood　on　both　sides　of　the　ropes；　hatchet　in
hand；　casting　fiery　glances　into　the　defile　on　the　bank　of　the
Eisach；　and　between　overhanging　wood…clad　precipices。

Profound　silence　reigned　all　around；　only　from　time　to　time　a
rustling　noise　was　heard　in　the　shrubbery；　the　flashing　barrel　of　a
rifle　was　then　seen；　and　it　seemed　as　though　the　fleet…footed
chamois　appeared　on　the　heights　above。　But　they　were　Tyrolese
sharpshooters　who　had　climbed　up　to　the　watch…towers　of　their
natural　fortresses　to　espy　the　enemy　and　on　his　appearance　to
welcome　him　with　the　bullets　of　their　rifles。

Profound　silence　reigned　all　around；　and　the　two　men　were　still
standing；　hatchet　in　hand；　by　the　side　of　the　ropes　holding　the
artificial　avalanches。

All　at　once　a　loud；　shrill　whistle　resounded　in　front　of　the
entrance　to　the　defile；　it　was　repeated　all　around　the　gloomy　gorge。

〃That　is　the　signal　that　the　enemy　has　passed　the　inn　am　Sack　and　is
entering　the　defile　of　the　Eisach；〃　murmured　Zoppel；　examining　once
more　the　edge　of　his　hatchet　with　his　hand。　Then　he　looked　down
attentively　into　the　depth；　where　only　a　footpath　meandered　close
along　the　bank　of　the　foaming　Eisach。

A　few　soldiers　were　now　seen　entering　the　defile　yonder；　where　the
road　projected　between　two　jutting　rocks　forming　the　background　of
the　gorge。

The　form　of　a　Tyrolese　sharpshooter　appeared　at　the　same　moment　on
the　top　of　the　precipitous　rock。　He　stepped　close　to　the　edge　of　the
rock；　allowed　the　soldiers；　who　looked　around　slowly　and
distrustfully；　to　advance　a　few　steps；　and　then　raised　his　rifle。　He
fired；　one　of　the　soldiers　fell　immediately　to　the　ground；　and　the
Tyrolese　sharpshooter　reloaded　his　rifle。　He　fired　again；　and　laid
another　soldier　prostrate。

The　two　reports　had　accelerated　the　march　of　the　enemy。　The　soldiers
entered　the　defile　with　a　hasty　step；　in　order　to　advance；　they　had
to　remove　the　two　soldiers　who　were　writhing　in　the　agony　of　death
and　obstructing　the　narrow　path；　and　throw　them　into　the　waters　of
the　Eisach；　which　received　with　a　wild　roar　the　two　corpses；　the
first　victims　of　the　reopening　struggle。

Meanwhile　the　Tyrolese　sharpshooter　on　the　height　above　had　reloaded
his　rifle　and　shot　another　soldier。　On　seeing　this；　he　uttered　a
loud　Jodler；　made　a　leap　of　joy；　and　nodded　laughingly　to　the　enemy；
who　cast　threatening　glances　on　him。　But　he　did　not　see　that　one　of
the　officers　below　called　four　soldiers　to　him；　pointed　hi