andreas hofer-第86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！


I　do　not　care　for　fame；　and　for　the　whole　world　I　would　not　be　an
aristocratic　or　famous　man　all　my　lifetime。　When　peace　has　been
restored　to　the　country；　and　there　is　no　longer　an　enemy　to　fight；
they　will　forget　my　humble　services；　and　I　shall　live　again　quietly
at　my　inn　in　the　Passeyr　valley。　No　one　will　then　run　after　the
Sandwirth　when　he　comes　to　Innspruck　to　sell　horses；　and　I　shall　sit
again　in　Niederkircher's　back　room；　eat　dumplings；　and　drink　native
wine。　Ah；　Holy　Virgin；　let　it　soon　be　so　again；　that　the　commander…
in…chief　may　be　again　Sandwirth　Andreas　Hofer。〃

〃Hurrah；　long　live　the　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol！〃　shouted　at
this　moment　some　men　who　had　recognized　him；　and　stood　still　to　do
homage　to　him　as　though　he　were　a　sovereign　prince。

Andreas　Hofer　accelerated　his　step；　and　was　very　glad　on　reaching
the　tavern　soon　afterward。




CHAPTER　XXXIII。

ANDREAS　HOFER；　THE　EMPEROR'S　LIEUTENANT。


Andreas　ascended　the　staircase　hastily；　and　entered　the　balcony…
room。

The　Capuchin　had　now　risen　from　the　carpet；　Joseph　Speckbacher　was
with　him；　and　both　hastened　to　meet　Andreas　Hofer。

〃You　have　kept　us　waiting　a　long　while；　brother；〃　said　the　Capuchin；
indignantly；　〃you　ought　to　have　borne　in　mind　that　we　have　not　eaten
any　thing；　and　are；　therefore；　very　hungry。〃

〃Yes；　Father　Andy；〃　exclaimed　Speckbacher；　smiling；　〃you　hung　our
bread…basket　very　high；　we　are　quite　weak　from　waiting　and　hunger。〃

〃Now　they　blame　ME　for　keeping　THEM　waiting；〃　said　Andreas　mildly。
〃And　yet　I　think　they　kept　me　waiting；　and　hunger　drove　me　to　the
church。　Well；　never　mind；　my　dear　friends　and　comrades；　we　are
together　now；　and　I　am　very　glad　of　it。　Look　at　Niederkircher　and
his　large　dish！　How　splendidly　it　smokes　and　smells；　and　how　good　it
will　be　to　eat！　Well；　Niederkircher；　put　the　dish　on　the　table　here；
and　sit　down　and　dine　with　us。〃

〃No；　no；　commander…in…chief；　it　is　my　duty　to…day　to　wait　on　you；
for　you　are　now　a　highly　distinguished　gentleman；　and　so　are　the
other　two；　hence；　it　would　not　behoove　me　to　dine　with　you。〃

〃If　you　refuse　to　do　so。　I　shall　not　eat　at　all；〃　cried　Andreas
Hofer。

〃And　I　shall　run　away；〃　said　Speckbacher；　jumping　up　from　his　chair。

〃I　shall　sit　still；〃　growled　the　Capuchin；　〃but　I　shall　henceforth
turn　my　back　upon　Neiderkircher　if　he　allows　our　soup　to　become　cold
instead　of　sitting　down　at　once　and　dining　with　us。〃

〃I　will　do　so；〃　cried　Niederkircher；　moving　a　chair　to　the　table；
and　seating　himself　on　it。　〃But　now　my　friends；　permit　me　at　least
to　fill　your　plates。〃

〃We　will　not　object　to　that！〃　exclaimed　the　three　friends；　laughing；
〃and　pray　fill　them　well；　Niederkircher。〃

There　was　a　long　pause　now；　nothing　was　heard　but　the　rattling　of
the　spoons　on　the　plates。　All　at　once　this　comfortable　silence　was
broken　by　deafening　cheers　and　shouts　uttered　on　the　street。

Hofer　dropped　his　spoon；　frowned；　and　listened。　〃I　believe　they　are
calling　me　again；〃　he　sighed；　dolefully。

He　was　not　mistaken。　Hundreds　of　youthful　voices　were　heard　shouting
Andreas　Hofer's　name；　and　their　cheers　were　followed　by　a　loud；
ringing　flourish　of　violins；　fifes；　bugles；　and　trumpets。

〃They　have　musicians　with　them；〃　exclaimed　Hofer；　anxiously。　〃Holy
Virgin；　just　listen　how　they　are　roaring！　It　seems　as　if　they　were
intent　on　upsetting　the　house。〃

〃They　are　calling　you；　they　want　to　see　you；〃　said　Niederkircher；
who　had　stepped　to　the　window。　〃They　are　the　students　of　the
university；　they　have　come　in　their　holiday　attire　to　serenade　you。〃

〃And　why　do　they　want　to　serenade　ME？〃　asked　Andreas　Hofer；　almost
indignantly。　〃Why　not　Speckbacher；　or　the　Capuchin；　or　Peter　Mayer；
or　Anthony　Wallner？　They　all　did　just　as　much　as　I　did；　and　perhaps
even　more。〃

〃But　you　are　the　people's　favorite；　brother；〃　said　the　Capuchin；
smiling；　〃the　people　believe　in　you；　and　it　would　be　cruel　and
short…sighted　in　us　to　shake　their　faith　in　you。　Every　thing　must
come　from　you；　you　must　have　done　and　accomplished　every　thing。〃

〃And　what　we　others　did；　we　did　only　in　your　name；　Father　Andy！〃
exclaimed　Speckbacher；　〃the　people　and　the　sharpshooters　would　not
have　obeyed　us　so　well；　had　they　not　believed　that　you　had　issued
all　the　orders　and　instructions　which　we　gave　them。　On　hearing　your
name　they　obeyed；　fought　well；　and　were　confident　that　we　should
succeed。　And　for　this　reason　they　are　justified　in　coupling　your
name　with　the　celebration　of　the　victory。　Just　listen　how　they　are
shouting　your　name！　It　is　true；　the　dear　boys　have　tremendous　lungs；
and　if　you　do　not　comply　with　their　wishes；　and　show　yourself　on　the
balcony；　I　am　afraid　they　will　make　us　deaf　and　themselves　quite
hoarse。〃

〃Well；　I　do　not　care；〃　sighed　Andreas；　〃open　the　door　again；
Niederkircher；　I　must　step　out　on　the　balcony。〃

〃And　make　another　fine　speech　as　before；〃　said　the　innkeeper；
throwing　open　the　folding…doors。

Andreas　made　no　reply；　but　went　to　the　balcony　with　a　grave　and
almost　angry　face。　Deafening　cheers　greeted　him；　and　the　dense　crowd
assembled　in　the　street　shouted：　〃Long　live　Andreas　Hofer；　the
commander…in…chief！　Long　live　Andreas　Hofer；　the　liberator！〃

〃My　brave　son；　Joseph　Speckbacher；〃　said　the　Capuchin；　filling　his
glass；　〃you　see　every　one　gets　his　due　in　the　end。　Day　before
yesterday；　while　we　were　fighting　in　the　sweat　of　our　brows　on　Mount
Isel；　my　dear　brother　Andreas　Hofer　sat　up　at　his　friend　Etschmann's
tavern。　A　bottle　of　wine　stood　before　him；　and　his　rosary　lay　on　the
table；　and　while　we　were　fighting；　he　prayed　and　drank；　and　sent　us
from　time　to　time　his　orders；　which　sounded　like　oracles；　which　no
one　understood；　and　which　every　one　interpreted　as　he　deemed
prudent。　Now　he　must　toil　in　his　turn　and　fight　with　his　tongue；
while　we　are　sitting　here　snugly　and　drinking　our　wine。　There　is
another　flourish　outside！　Trara！　trara！〃

And　the　Capuchin　waved　his　glass　and　emptied　it　at　one　draught。

Suddenly　the　crowd　in　the　street　became　silent；　a　student　came
forward　and　advanced　several　steps　toward　the　balcony。

〃Andreas　Hofer；　beloved　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；〃　he　said；
in　a　loud；　solemn　voice；　〃our　hearts　are　full　of　love　for　you　and
praise　of　your　heroic　deeds；　and　our　lips；　too；　would　like　to
overflow。　Permit　us；　therefore；　noble；　hero；　beloved　liberator；　to
sing　before　you　a　song　glorifying　your　exploits；　a　song　praising
your　struggles　and　victories；　a　song　which　will　henceforth　be　sung
by　every　man；　woman；　and　child；　throughout　the　Tyrol。　We　students
wrote　the　song；　for　your　heroic　deeds　filled　our　hearts　with
enthusiasm；　and　our　attachment　to　you　taught　us　the　finest　music　for
it；　Permit　us；　therefore；　to　sing　before　you　the　song　of　the
victorious　hero　Andreas　Hofer。〃

〃No；　no；　my　dear　friends；　do　not　sing；〃　exclaimed　Hofer；　gravely　and
almost　angrily。　〃Do　not　sing；　and　do　not　play　any　longer　on　your
fifes　and　violins。　We　did　not　take　the　field　to　sing　and　dance；　and
I　did　not　leave　my　wife　and　children　at　home　with　a　light　heart；　but
with　tears　and　anxiety。　But　I　did　it　because　it　was　the　Lord's　will；
and　as　He　accompanied　me　into　battle　we　succeeded　in　defeating　the
enemy。　But　it　was　a　hard　and　mournful　task；　many　brave　and　excellent
men　lost　their　limbs　or　even　their　lives；　and　many　wounded　patriots
are　yet　imploring　God　to　relieve　them　of　their　terrible　agony。　And
while　they　are　groaning　and　wailing；　can　you　wish　to　sing？　While　so
many　fathers　and　mothers　are　lamenting　their　fallen　sons；　can　you
wish　to　exult　here　and　make　music？　No；　my　dear　friends；　that　would
not　be　becoming　for　a　Christian　and　charitable　people。　You　had
better　lay　your　violins　aside　and　take　up　your　rosaries。　Do　not
sing；　but　pray。　Pray　aloud　and　fervently　for　our　beloved　emperor；
and；　if　you　like；　you　may　add　a　low　prayer　for　poor　Andreas　Hofer。
But　you　shall　not　sing　any　songs　in　his　honor；　for　God　alone
accomplished　it　all；　and　homage　should　be　rendered　to　none　but　Him。
Therefore；　do　not　sing；　but　pray。　Pray　in　my　name；　too；　for　I　have
not　much　time　now；　and　cannot　pray　as　much　as　I　should　like　to　do。
Say　to　the　good　God　that　we　toiled　honestly　and　bravely；　say　to　Him
that　we　suffered　privations；　watched；　fought；　and　conquered；　for　the
fatherland；　and　pray　to　Him　for　the　brave　men　who　accompanied　us　to
the　holy　struggle；　and　who　will　never　return；　but　have　succumbed　to
their　mortal　wounds。　Do　not　sing；　but　pray　for　their　poor　souls。
Play　your　merry　melodies　no　longer；　but　go　home　quietly　and　pray　God
to　protect　us　henceforth　as　He　has　heretofore。　That　is　what　I　wish
to　tell　you；　my　dear　friends。　And　now　God　bless　you；　and　accept　my
heart…felt　thanks　for　your　love　and　attachment。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery
of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。　130。＇

The　students；　seized　with　profound　emotion；　and　deeply　impressed　by
the　simple　yet　soul…stirring　words　of　Andreas　Hofer；　complied
quietly　and　willingly　with　his　request。　Their　fifes；　violins；　and
bugles　became　silent；　and　the　crowd　dispersed　noiselessly；　without
uttering　any　more　cheers　and　acclamations。

〃They　are　fine；　dear　lads；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　looking　after　them
with　beaming　eyes；　〃strong　and　hearty　lads；　full　of　spirits　an