andreas hofer-第85节

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〃You　cannot　get　around　it；　Andy；　you　must　step　out　on　the　balcony；〃
said　Niederkircher；　stepping　back　from　the　window。　〃The　people　are
perfectly　beside　themselves　with　love　and　enthusiasm；　and　will　not
keep　quiet　until　you　come　out　and　make　a　speech　to　them。　Do；　my
friend；　step　out　on　the　balcony！〃

〃Must　I　do　it？〃　asked　Andreas；　dolefully；　turning　to　the　Capuchin；
who　was　stretching　himself　comfortably　on　the　carpet。

〃You　must；　brother；〃　said　Haspinger；　gravely。　〃The　people　wish　to
see　their　beloved　leader；　and　it　would　be　ungrateful　not　to　accept
their　love。〃

Andreas　Hofer　sighed；　but　he　yielded　and　approached　the　balcony；　the
doors　of　which　were　thrown　open　by　the　innkeeper。

No　sooner　had　the　thousands　assembled　in　front　of　the　house　beheld
the　tall　form　of　their　favorite　leader；　than　thundering　cheers　rent
the　air；　all　waved　their　hats　and　shouted；　〃Long　live　Andreas　Hofer！
Long　live　the　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol！〃

And　now　a　feeling　of　profound　emotion　overcame　the　tender；　grateful
heart　of　Andreas　Hofer；　joy　and　ecstasy　filled　his　soul　in　the　face
of　so　much　love　and　enthusiasm；　and　tears　of　the　most　unalloyed
bliss　glistened　in　his　eyes；　which　greeted　the　jubilant　people　with
tender；　loving　glances。　He　was　anxious　to　thank　these　kind　people
and　give　utterance　to　his　love；　and　he　lifted　up　his　arm；　asking
them　to　be　quiet　that　he　might　address　them。

The　cheers　and　acclamations　ceased　immediately；　and　Hofer　spoke
amidst　the　breathless　silence　of　the　crowd　in　a　loud；　ringing　voice：

〃God　bless　you；　dear　people　of　Innspruck！　As　you　wanted　me　to　become
your　commander…in…chief；　I　am　now　in　your　midst。　But　there　are　many
other　Tyrolese　who　are　not　inhabitants　of　Innspruck。　All　who　wish　to
be　my　comrades　must　fight　as　brave　and　honest　Tyrolese　for　God；　the
emperor；　and　our　fatherland。　Those　who　are　unwilling　to　do　so　must
go　back　to　their　homes。　Those　who　wish　to　become　my　comrades　must
never　desert　me。　I　shall　not　desert　you　either；　as　sure　as　my　name
is　Andreas　Hofer！　You　have　seen　me　now；　and　heard　what　I　had　to　say
to　you；　therefore　good…by！〃　＇Footnote：　Hofer's　own　words。See
〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。126。＇

When　Hofer　had　concluded　his　speech；　thundering　cheers　rent　again
the　air；　they　continued　even　after　he　had　left　the　balcony；　closed
the　door　after　him；　and　stepped　back　into　the　room。

〃That　was　a　very　fine　speech；　Andy；〃　said　Niederkircher；　shaking
hands　with　him；　and　gazing　tenderly　into　his　flushed　face。　〃It　was
evident　that　your　words　were　not　learned　by　rote；　but　came　from　your
heart；　and　hence　they　could　not　but　make　a　profound　impression。　But
now；　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　dinner　is　ready。　The　soup　is
already　on　the　table；　and　I　myself　shall　have　the　honor　of　waiting
on　you。〃

〃But　Speckbacher　is　not　yet　here；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　〃and　we
cannot　dine　without　him。　We　fought　and　worked　together；　now　we　will
also　rest　and　attend　to　our　comforts　together。　Do　you　not　think　so
too；　brother　Red…beard？〃

But　the　Capuchin　made　no　reply；　or　rather　he　responded　only　by　a
loud　and　long　snore。

〃By　the　Holy　Virgin！　Haspinger　has　fallen　asleep　on　the　floor
yonder；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　smiling。

〃Let　us　waken　him；　then；〃　said　Niederkircher；　turning　to　the
sleeper。

〃No；　my　friend；　no；　we　will　not　do　so；〃　whispered　Andreas；　drawing
him　back。　〃Our　faithful　and　brave　brother　Red…beard　has　been　so　long
awake　and　at　work　that　we　must　let　him　rest；　and　it　would　be　very
wrong　in　us　to　arouse　him　from　his　sleep。　Let　us　defer　dinner；
therefore；　until　Speckbacher　is　here；　and　until　Haspinger　has　slept
enough。〃

〃But　you　said　you　were　hungry；　AndreasWhy　do　you　want　to　wait；
then？　Why　do　you　not　dine　now　and　let　the　other　two　dine　afterward？
You　are　commander…in…chief；　the　highest　officer　of　all；　and　they
must　do　as　it　suits　you；　and　you　must　not　do　as　it　suits　them。〃

〃Do　not　repeat　such　nonsense；〃　cried　Andreas；　vehemently。

〃I　am　commander…in…chief　only　because　it　is　necessary　that　there
should　be　one　to　hold　the　whole　together　lest　it　should　fall
asunder。　That　is　what　Father　Haspinger　said；　and　it　is　true。　But
even　though　I　am　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　I　am　not
commander…in…chief　of　my　friends　in　my　intimate　intercourse　with
them。　All　three　of　us　have　worked　to　the　best　of　our　power　for　the
fatherland；　and　I　have　not　done　more　than　Speckbacher　or　the
Capuchin。　It　is　true；　I　am　hungry；　but　I　shall　not　go　to　dinner
without　my　friends；　moreover；　it　is　good　that　they　are　not　here　yet；
and　that　I　have　a　little　time　left。　The　cravings　of　my　stomach　made
me　almost　forget　my　duty　to　God；　and　by　the　absence　of　my　friends　He
reminds　me　that　I　owe　Him　something　and　must　come　to　Him。　Keep　your
fine　soup；　therefore；　a　little　while；　Niederkircher；　I　will；　in　the
mean　time；　go　to　the　church　of　the　Franciscans　to　report　there　to
the　Lord　as　His　faithful　servant　and　soldier。〃

He　took　his　black　Tyrolese　hat；　descended　hastily　the　staircase；　and
went　into　the　street。　He　had　not　noticed　the　dissatisfied　air　of
Niederkircher；　and　the　fact　that　the　innkeeper　had　not　even　thanked
him　for　his　greeting；　for　all　his　thoughts　were　now　fixed　upon　God；
and　he　reproached　himself　contritely　with　almost　forgetting　God；
owing　to　the　cravings　of　his　stomach。

〃Forgive　me；　my　Lord　and　God；〃　he　murmured；　on　entering　the　gloomy
nave　of　the　church；　〃for　not　coming　to　Thee　at　once！〃

He　walked　up　the　aisle　with　a　noiseless；　hurried　step；　in　order　not
to　disturb　the　worshippers；　to　one　of　the　small　altars；　before　which
he　knelt　down　devoutly。

〃Here　I　am；　my　Lord　and　God；〃　he　murmured；　clasping　his　hands；　〃to
render　homage　to　Thee　and　thank　Thee　for　delivering　us　from　the
enemy　and　granting　victory　to　us。　I　thank　Thee　for　it　from　the
bottom　of　my　heart；　for　Thy　mercy　was　with　us；　and　Thou　didst　lead
us　as　a　true　general。　Guide　us　henceforth　likewise；　my　Lord　and　God；
and　stand　by　Thy　faithful　servant；　that　he　may　not　fail　in　the
difficult　task　which　he　has　now　taken　upon　himself。　Lord；　Thou
knowest　that　vanity　and　pride　do　not　prompt　me　to　become　more　than　I
ought　to　be；　Thou　knowest　that　I　would　rather　be　quietly　at　home
with　my　wife　and　children；　than　play　the　distinguished　gentleman
here　and　assume　an　aristocratic　title。　But　the　Capuchin；　who　is
wiser　than　I；　says　it　must　be　so；　and　I　must　be　commander…in…chief。
Hence；　I　submit　patiently；　and　consent　to　play　the　ruler　here　until
Thou；　my　Lord　and　God；　allowest　me　again　to　be　Thy　humble　and　simple
servant；　and　to　return　to　my　beloved　Anna　Gertrude；　my　three　little
daughters；　and　my　dear　little　boy。　O　Holy　Virgin；　watch　with
maternal　care　over　my　dear　ones　at　home；　protect　them；　and　grant
peace　to　their　hearts；　that　they　may　not　tremble　for　my　safety。
Grant　peace　to　us　all；　Holy　Mother　of　God；　and〃

〃Look；　look；　there　he　is！〃　shouted　a　loud　voice　behind　him；
interrupting　him　in　his　prayer。　〃See；　there　is　the　great　hero！　How
humbly　he　is　kneeling　before　the　altar！　Look　at　Andreas　Hofer。〃

Andreas　Hofer　turned；　indignant　at　the　interruption　and　the　words　so
loudly　uttered　in　that　sacred　place。　He　saw　several　hundred　persons
thronging　the　aisle　and　fixing　their　eyes　upon　him。　All　crowded
forward　and　raised　their　heads　to　see　Andreas　Hofer；　admire　his　fine
beard；　and　examine　his　whole　appearance。　They　bad　followed　him
quietly；　and　as　the　news　that　Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of
the　Tyrol；　had　gone　to　the　church　of　the　Franciscans；　spread
rapidly；　all　had　hastened　thither　to　see　him　and　render　him　homage。

But　Andreas　Hofer　thought　this　homage　decidedly　irksome；　and　he　was
angry　that　the　spectators　had　disturbed　his　prayer。　He；　therefore；
made　a　bitter…sweet　face　in　response　to　the　enthusiastic
demonstrations　and　affectionate　greetings　of　the　people；　and　elbowed
his　way　hastily　toward　the　door。

〃I　thank　you　for　your　attachment；〃　he　said　to　those　who　were　close
to　him；　〃but　I　should　have　been　better　pleased　if　you　had　allowed　me
quietly　to　pursue　my　way；　and　had　not　interrupted　my　prayer。　But　now
pray　let　me　go　home　alone；　and　do　not　follow　me。　It　may　be　becoming
for　aristocratic　gentlemen　to　have　a　large　suite　behind　them；　but　I
am　only　a　simple　Tyrolese　like　you　all；　and　do　not　want　to　be　any
thing　else。　Moreover；　I　am　a　very　ordinary…looking　man；　and　there　is
no　reason　whatever　why　you　should　stare　at　me　in　this　manner。　Pray；
therefore；　do　not　go　with　me；　but　let　the　return　quietly　to
Niederkircher's　tavern；　where　I　am　going　to　dine。〃

They　obeyed；　of　course；　and　opened　a　passage　for　him　to　step　out　of
the　church　door。　But　thereupon　they　rushed　out　to　look　after　him　and
shout；　〃Long　live　Andreas　Hofer；　the　pious　commander…in…chief　of　the
Tyrol！〃　But　no　one　ventured　to　follow　him；　all　gazed　affectionately
and　reverentially　after　his　tall　form；　as　he　walked　with　a　slow　and
dignified　step　down　the　street。

〃There　are　strange　people　in　these　cities；〃　murmured　Hofer　to
himself；　while　walking　along；　〃they　do　not　even　let　me　pray　quietly；
and　are　as　curious　as　swallows。　They　follow　me　everywhere；　and　stare
at　me　as　though　I　were　a　wild　beast。　If　that　is　being　a　famous　man；
I　do　not　care　for　fame；　and　for　the　whole　world　I　would　no