andreas hofer-第82节

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who　cast　threatening　glances　on　him。　But　he　did　not　see　that　one　of
the　officers　below　called　four　soldiers　to　him；　pointed　his　hand　at
the　top　of　the　rock；　and　gave　them　a　quick　order。　The　four　soldiers
sprang　at　once　from　the　ranks　and　disappeared　in　the　shrubbery
covering　the　base　of　the　rock。

The　sharpshooter　was　reloading　his　rifle；　when　the　shrubbery　behind
him　rustled；　and；　on　turning　hastily；　be　saw　one　of　the　soldiers
rushing　toward　him。　A　cry　of　rage　burst　from　the　lips　of　the
sharpshooter。　He　then　raised　his　rifle　and　fired。　The　soldier　fell；
but　at　the　same　moment　one　of　his　comrades　hastened　from　the　thicket
toward　the　top　of　the　rock。　Another　cry　burst　from　the
sharpshooter's　lips；　but　this　time　it　sounded　like　a　death…cry。　He
saw　that　he　was　lost；　for　already　the　uniforms　of　the　other　two
soldiers　were　glittering　among　the　trees；　and　the　second　soldier　was
only　a　few　steps　from　the　edge　of　the　rock　where　the　sharpshooter
was　standing。　The　Tyrolese　cast　a　last　despairing　glance　around　him；
as　if　to　take　leave　of　heaven　and　earth；　and　of　the　mountains　and
Valleys　of　his　beloved　Tyrol。　Then　he　threw　down　his　rifle　and
seized　the　soldier　furiously。　His　arms　encircled　the　body　of　his
enemy　like　iron　clasps；　and　he　forced　him　with　irresistible
impetuosity　toward　the　edge　of　the　rock。

〃In　God's　name；　then；〃　he　shouted　in　a　loud　voice　echoed　by　the
rocks　all　around。　〃In　God's　name；　then！〃

With　a　last　effort　he　threw　himself　with　the　soldier　into　the　depth；
and　both　disappeared　in　the　waters　of　the　Eisach。

Speckbacher's　servant　the　faithful　Zoppel；　had　seen　and　understood
everything；　and　when　the　two　sank　into　the　foaming　torrent；　he　wiped
a　tear　from　his　eyes。

〃He　died　like　a　brave　son　of　the　Tyrol；〃　he　murmured；　〃and　the　Holy
Virgin　will　assuredly　bid　him　kindly　welcome。　But　we；　Hisel；　will
avenge　his　death　on　the　accursed　enemy　below。〃

〃Yes；　we　will；〃　cried　the　peasant　grimly；　and　he　raised　his　hatchet
with　a　furious　gesture。

〃It　is　not　yet　time；〃　said　Zoppel　thoughtfully。　〃Just　wait　until　a
larger　body　of　troops　has　entered　the　defile。　See；　Hisel；　how
splendid　they　look　in　their　gorgeous　uniform；　and　how　proudly　they
are　marching　on！〃

The　Saxons　did　march　on　proudly；　but　not　with　drums　beating。　They
advanced　in　silence；　filled　with　misgivings　by　the　profound
stillness　which　surrounded　them　all　at　once；　listening　attentively
to　every　sound；　and　examining　anxiously　the　top　of　every　projecting
rock。

The　head　of　the　serried　column　had　arrived　now　directly　under　the
hanging　〃avalanche〃　in　the　middle　of　the　gloomy　defile。　The　silence
was　suddenly　broken　by　a　loud　angry　voice；　which　seemed　to　resound
in　the　air　like　the　croaking　of　the　death…angel。

This　voice　asked；　〃Zoppel；　shall　I　cut　the　rope　now？〃

〃Not　yet！　not　yet！〃　replied　another　voice；　and　the　precipitous　rocks
all　around　echoed　〃Not　yet！　not　yet！〃

The　Saxons　gave　a　start　and　looked　up。　Whence　came　these　voices？
What　meant　that　huge　black　mass　suspended　on　the　precipitous　side　of
the　mountain　right　over　their　heads？

Thus　they　asked　each　other　shudderingly　and　stood　still；　fixing
their　eyes　on　the　black　mass　of　rock　and　rubbish；　which　filled　their
hearts　with　wonder　and　dismay。

〃Let　us　retrace　our　steps！　Let　us　not　penetrate　farther　into　the
defile；〃　murmured　the　soldiers　with　trembling　lips；　but　in　so　low　a
tone　that　the　officers　marching　by　their　sides　could　not　hear　them。

But　the　officers；　too；　were　filled　with　strange　misgivings；　they
ordered　the　soldiers　to　halt；　and　hastened　back　to　General　Royer　to
report　to　him　the　mysterious　words　which　they　had　heard；　and　to　ask
him　whether　they　were　to　halt　or　retrace　their　steps。

〃Advance　at　the　double…quick！〃　commanded　the　general；　sternly。

〃Advance　at　the　double…quick！〃　they　repeated　to　their　soldiers　along
the　whole　line；　the　latter；　in　obedience　to　this　order；　hurried　on
under　the　black　mass　which　still　hung　threateningly　over　their
heads。

All　at　once　a　powerful　voice　above　shouted　out：　〃Now；　Hisel；　in　the
name　of　the　Holy　Trinity；　cut　the　ropes！〃　Thereupon　they　heard　the
strokes　of　two　hatchets。

The　soldiers；　who　were　rushing　forward　in　serried　ranks；　looked　up
again；　and　indescribable　horror　seized　them。　The　black　mass　of　rock
and　rubbish　which　had　hitherto　hung　over　them；　commenced　moving　and
rolling　down　with　a　terrible　crash。　A　cloud　of　dust　rose　and　filled
the　gloomy　defile　as　with　the　smoke　of　powder。　At　the　same　time　a
heavy　fire　burst　forth　on　all　sides；　and　from　amid　the　leafy　screen
the　deadly　bullets　of　the　sharpshooters　brought　death　with　every
discharge　into　the　allied　ranks。　A　death…like　silence　then　ensued
for　a　moment；　for　out　of　the　depths　rose　the　wails　and　lamentations
of　the　hundreds　of　soldiers　who　had　been　crushed　and　mutilated　by
the　〃avalanche。〃　The　Tyrolese；　filled　with　curiosity　and　compassion；
looked　down　into　the　defile。　The　smoke　and　dust　had　disappeared；　and
they　could　distinctly　survey　the　scene　of　horror；　devastation；　and
death；　in　the　gorge。

Happy　those　whom　the　falling　〃avalanche〃　had　hurled　from　the　narrow
footpath　into　the　foaming　torrent！　It　is　true；　death　had　been　in
store　for　them　there；　but　it　had　quickly　put　an　end　to　their
sufferings。　But　what　was　the　agony　of　those　who　lay　buried　under　the
fragments　of　the　rocks；　their　limbs　fearfully　mutilated！　What　were
the　sufferings　of　the　hundreds　of　soldiers　lying　on　the　road；　on
this　narrow；　gory　path；　upon　which　the　〃avalanche〃　had　thundered
down！

It　was　a　horrible　sight；　even　the　Tyrolese　trembled　on　beholding
this　rubbish；　these　fragments；　whence　large　numbers　of　bloody
corpses　protruded；　and　amidst　which　torn；　mutilated　limbs　were
moving；　while　here　and　there　soldiers；　covered　all　over　with　dust；
and　bleeding　from　fearful　wounds；　tried　painfully　to　raise
themselves　from　the　ground。

Those　of　the　Saxons　who　had　not　been　struck　by　the　terrible
avalanche；　fell　back　shuddering。　When　the　Tyrolese　saw　this；　their
compassion　at　the　cruel　fate　of　the　dead　gave　way；　and　with
deafening　shouts　they　burst　forth　from　their　concealment；　and；
mingling　with　the　enemy；　a　frightful　slaughter　took　place。

The　Saxons　rallied；　however；　courageous　discipline　presided　over
unskilled　valor；　and　the　column　advanced　slowly　and　painfully　in　the
direction　of　the　bridge；　through　a　murderous　fire；　and　surmounting
the　ruins　which　obstructed　the　road　and　covered　the　bodies　of　their
comrades。

All　at　once　exultant　shouts　and　cheers　resounded　at　the　entrance　of
the　defile；　and　the　clarion…notes　of　martial　music　joined　in　these
stirring　acclamations。　Fresh　troops；　re…enforcements　of　the　Saxons；
were　coming　up　from　the　rear。　The　Bavarians　had　arrived　with　their
artillery；　which　they　had　placed　in　a　very　favorable　position；　they
had　already　taken　the　two　farm…houses　at　the　entrance　of　the　gorge
where　the　Tyrolese　had　taken　position；　and　were　now　rushing　into　the
defile。　The　Tyrolese；　dismayed　at　this　impetuous　advance；　retreated
into　the　mountains。

For　two　days　the　struggle　was　continued　in　these　gorges　near
Mittewald。　For　two　days　Saxons　and　Tyrolese　opposed　each　other　in
this　fratricidal　contest；　in　which　Germans　fought　against　Germans　in
obedience　to　the　behests　of　the　tyrant　who　had　subjugated　all
Germany；　and　to　whom　only　the　undaunted　Tyrol　still　offered　a
stubborn　resistance。

The　victory　was　long　undecided。　Once　the　forces　of　the　Duke　of
Dantsic　succeeded　at　one　extremity　of　the　defile　in　driving　back　the
sharpshooters　under　Joachim　Haspinger；　the　Capuchin；　and　clearing　a
passage　for　the　Saxons　struggling　in　the　gorge。　But　the　Capuchin　had
retreated　only　to　bring　up　fresh　forces；　dispatch　messengers　to
Speckbacher；　Peter　Mayer；　Andreas　Hofer；　and　Anthony　Wallner；　sound
the　tocsin；　and　concentrate　more　armed　peasants。　And　Speckbacher
came　up　with　his　brave　sharpshooters　in　the　rear　of　the　Saxons：
Anthony　Wallner　and　his　men　made　their　appearance　like…wise；　Peter
Mayer　brought　up　fresh　forces；　and　Andreas　Hofer　sent　word　that　he
would　be　on　hand　speedily。　But　the　Saxons　were　likewise　re…enforced；
both　by　the　French；　who　moved　up　from　Brixen；　and　the　Bavarians；　who
approached　from　Sterzing。

The　contest　was　continued　with　unabated　violence；　and　both　sides
struggled　obstinately　for　the　victory。　But　the　Tyrolese　fought　for
their　rights；　their　liberty；　their　German　country；　the　Saxons　and
Bavarians　fought　for　tyranny；　for　the　foreign　oppressor；　and　the
subjugation　of　their　countrymen。　God　granted　victory　to　the
Tyrolese；　and　in　the　defile　of　Mittewald　upward　of　a　thousand　Saxons
had　to　atone　by　their　death　for　having　fought　at　the　bidding　of　the
French　conqueror　on　German　soil　against　their　German　countrymen。

The　Tyrolese　fought　for　their　rights；　their　liberty；　their　German
country；　and　the　Duke　of　Dantsic；　the　proud　marshal　of　France；　was
defeated　by　the　despised　peasants；　he　had　to　flee　from　their　wrath；
and　arrived　without　his　cloak　and　hat；　trembling　and　deathly　pale；
on　his　foaming　horse　at　Sterzing；　which　he　had　left　a　few　hours
previously　with　the　firm　conviction　that　he　would　inflict　a　crushing
defeat　upon　the　〃haughty　peasant…rabble。〃　Now　this　〃haughty　peasant…
rabble〃