andreas hofer-第87节

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〃They　are　fine；　dear　lads；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　looking　after　them
with　beaming　eyes；　〃strong　and　hearty　lads；　full　of　spirits　and
impetuosity；　but　on　the　other　hand　so　gentle　and　submissive！Well；
now；〃　he　exclaimed　joyfully；　stepping　back　into　the　room；　〃I　hope　we
shall　have　some　rest；　and　shall　be　able　to　finish　our　dinner　in
peace。〃

This　hope；　however；　was　not　to　be　fulfilled。　The　dinner　was　not　yet
over　by　any　means；　when　cheers　and　loud　noise　resounded　once　more　in
the　street；　and　another　solemn　procession　approached　the　tavern。
This　time；　however；　the　members　of　the　procession　did　not　remain　in
the　street；　but　entered　the　house；　and　the　landlord；　who　had　just
gone　down　stairs　to　fetch　some　more　bottles　of　wine　from　the　cellar；
hastened　back　to　the　balcony…room　and　announced　that　all　the
commanders　of　the　Landsturm；　and　the　municipal　officers　had　arrived
to　pay　their　respects　to　the　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol　and
communicate　a　request　to　him。

〃Well；　then；〃　sighed　Hofer；　rising；　〃let　them　come　in　here。　I　see
that　our　dinner　is　spoiled　anyhow。　Let　them　come　in　here；
Niederkircher。〃

〃God　forbid！　there　are　so　many　of　them　that　they　would　not　have　room
here；　besides；　it　would　not　be　becoming　for　you　to　receive　all　these
gentlemen　here　where　there　is　a　dinner…table。　I　have　conducted　them
all　to　the　large　ballroom；　they　await　you　there；　Andreas　Hofer。〃

〃I　would　I　knew　what　they　want　of　me；〃　sighed　Hofer；　stroking　his
long　beard。

〃　I　know　what　they　want；　Father　Andy；〃　said　Speckbacher；　smiling。　〃I
myself　suggested　to　the　commanders　of　the　Landsturm　the　plan　of
asking　of　you　what　they　are　going　to　communicate　to　you　now。　And　you
must　not　refuse　to　comply　with　their　request；　Father　Andy；　for　the
good　of　the　country　demands　that　you　should　yield；　and　the　emperor
himself　will　thank　you　for　so　doing。〃

〃I　know　likewise　what　these　gentlemen　want　of　you；　brother　Andy；〃
exclaimed　the　Capuchin；　filling　his　glass。　〃I　was　yesterday　already
in　Innspruck；　where　I　conferred　with　the　mayor　and　the　members　of
the　city　council；　and　they　will　tell　you　now　what　we　resolved　then。
You　must　not　resist；　brother；　you　must；　on　the　contrary；　comply　with
their　request；　for　it　is　God's　will　that　you　should；　and　therefore
you　must。　Now　go　to　the　ballroom；　dear　Andy。〃

〃I　shall　not；　unless　you　two　accompany　me　thither；〃　answered　Andreas
Hofer；　emphatically。　〃They　will　finally　believe　I　wish　to　monopolize
all　honors；　and　will　charge　me　with　forgetting　that　Haspinger　and
Speckbacher；　day　before　yesterday；　did　a　great　deal　more　than　myself
at　the　battle　of　Mount　Isel；　and　that　we　should　never　have　gained　a
victory　there　without　them。　Therefore；　you　must　walk　side　by　side
with　me；　one　on　my　right；　the　other　on　my　left　hand；　and　we　will
enter　the　ballroom　just　as　we　fought　in　battle。〃

On　entering　the　ballroom；　where　the　commanders　of　the　Landsturm　in
their　uniforms　and　the　officers　of　the　municipality　had　ranged
themselves　along　the　walls；　the　three　heroes　were　received　with
three　deafening　cheers；　and　this　time　Andreas　Hofer　was　not　bold
enough　to　tell　the　enthusiastic　gentlemen　to　be　silent；　but　he
looked　quite　respectfully　at　the　mayor　in　his　long　black　robe；　who
was　approaching　him　with　a　grave　step　between　two　members　of　the
city　council。

〃We　come；〃　he　said；　solemnly；　〃not　only　to　thank　you　for　the　heroic
deeds　which　you　have　performed；　but　to　pray　you　to　do　still　more　for
us　and　the　fatherland。　You　have　delivered　the　country　from　the
enemy；　but　there　is　lacking　to　it　a　head；　a　crown。　The　Bavarian
government　commission；　and　Count　Rechberg　the　king's　lieutenant；
have　escaped　from　Innspruck　with　the　French　forces。　We　are　free　from
the　Bavarian　yoke；　we　are　no　longer　governed　by　the　king's
lieutenant；　and　in　his　place　we　want　a　lieutenant　of　the　emperor。
There　must　be　one　in　whose　hands　all　power　is　concentrated；　and　who
rules　over　the　country　in　the　emperor's　name。　You　must　fill　this
position；　Andreas　Hofer。　The　authorities　and　the　people　of　Innspruck
elect　you　the　emperor's　lieutenant。　You　shall　govern　the　country　in
his　name；　and　we　will　all　swear　to　you　obedience；　fidelity；　and
love。〃

After　he　had　concluded　his　address；　Anthony　Wallner　stepped　forth
from　the　ranks　of　the　commanders　of　the　Landsturm。　〃Yes；〃　he
exclaimed。　〃you　shall　be　the　emperor's　lieutenant。　We　will　all　swear
to　you　obedience；　fidelity；　and　love。　We　commanders　of　the　Landsturm
wished　to　say　this　to　our　commander…in…chief；　and　this　was　the
reason　why　we　came　hither。　We　want　to　pray　you　to　govern　the　Tyrol
in　the　emperor's　name。　Your　consent　would　give　us　the　greatest
satisfaction。〃

〃We　want　to　pray　you；〃　said　one　of　the　members　of　the　city　council；
coming　forward　from　the　midst　of　his　colleagues；　〃to　take　up　your
residence　as　the　emperor's　lieutenant　in　the　imperial　palace　on　the
Remplatz。〃

〃That　will　never　do；〃　cried　Andreas　Hofer；　in　dismay。　〃How　could　I
be　so　impudent　as　to　reside　in　the　palace　of　his　majesty　the
emperor？　No；　no；　that　will　never　do；　I　cannot　consent　to　it。〃

〃It　will　do　very　well；　and　you　must　consent　to　it；〃　said　Haspinger；
solemnly。　〃You　shall　reside　in　the　imperial　palace；　not　to　gratify
your　own　vanity；　but　to　reassure　the　people；　and　show　them　that　they
are　not　entirely　destitute　of　a　ruler　and　protector。　You　shall
govern　the　country　for　God　and　the　emperor　until　all　our　enemies　are
worsted　and　the　war　is　at　an　end。　The　emperor　has　not　time　at　this
juncture　to　take　care　of　us：　he　must　devote　his　whole　attention　to
the　reorganization　of　his　army　and　prepare　for　the　resumption　of
hostilities。　The　armistice　expires　at　the　end　of　this　month；　and　war
will　then；　of　course；　break　out　once　more；　for　the　French　emperor
will　not　keep　quiet　and　submit　before　he　is　worsted　and　crushed
entirely；　and　we　have　still　a　great　deal　to　do；　a　great　deal　to
fight；　and　much　more　blood　will　have　to　be　shed；　before　we　have
delivered　the　whole　Southern　Tyrol；　Carinthia；　and　Carniola；　from
the　yoke　of　the　tyrant。　In　order　to　do　so；　Speckbacher；　Wallner；　and
I；　will　lead　the　brave　Tyrolese　against　the　enemy。　Now；　if　the
country　is　to　be　governed　properly　while　we　are　fighting；　a　man　in
whom　both　the　people　and　the　authorities　have　confidence　must　be　at
the　head　of　the　government。　You　are　this　man；　Andreas　Hofer。　The
people；　the　authorities；　and　the　defenders　of　the　country；　pray　you
to　consent　to　it；　but　God　commands　you　through　my　mouth　to　accept
the　position。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　enthusiastically；　lifting　his　eyes
devoutly　to　heaven；　〃I　will　do　joyfully　what　God　commands；　and　what
you　request　me　to　do。　I　will　take　upon　myself　this　arduous　duty；　I
will　comply　with　your　wishes。　You　say　it　is　necessary　for　the　good
of　the　country　and　the　emperor　that　there　should　be　a　lieutenant　of
the　emperor；　and　if　there　is　no　other　and　better　man　than　I；　and　if
you　have　confidence　in　me；　I　will　accept　the　position。　I　am　nothing
but　an　instrument　in　the　hand　of　God　my　Lord；　and　I　do　what　He　wants
me　to　do；　even　though　it　should　cost　my　life。　My　life　is　in　His
hand；　and　what　I　am；　and　have；　and　can　be；　belongs　to　my　emperor　and
my　country。　I　will　be；　then；　the　emperor's　lieutenant　in　the　Tyrol
until　the　emperor　issues　orders　to　the　contrary；　or　until　peace　is
restored　to　the　country；　and　the　emperor　is　able　again　to　take
charge　of　the　government。　Let　us　pray　God　and　the　Holy　Virgin　that
that　day　may　soon　dawn　upon　us！〃

〃Long　live　the　emperor's　lieutenant！〃　shouted　the　whole　assembly；
joyously。

〃Now；〃　exclaimed　the　mayor；　〃give　me　your　hand；　Andreas　Hofer；
lieutenant　of　the　emperor；　and　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol。　We
will　conduct　you　in　solemn　procession　to　the　imperial　palace；　for
the　lieutenant　must　take　up　his　residence　there。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　let　us　accompany　Andreas　Hofer　to　the　imperial　palace；〃
exclaimed　all；　in　joyful　excitement。

〃Well；　if　it　please　God。　I　will　take　up　my　residence　in　the　imperial
palace；〃　exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer；　solemnly；　giving　his　hand　to　the
mayor　and　stepping　with　him　to　the　door　of　the　ballroom。

He　was　followed　by　the　Capuchin；　Joseph　Speckbacher；　Anthony
Wallner；　the　other　commanders　of　the　Landsturm；　and　the　municipal
authorities。　On　stepping　into　the　street；　they　were　received　with
thundering　cheers　by　the　people　who　thronged　the　street　and　the
neighboring　place；　and　amid　singing　and　deafening　acclamations；　and
the　ringing　of　all　the　church…bells；　the　emperor's　lieutenant　and
commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　Andreas　Hofer；　was　conducted　to　the
magnificent　imperial　palace；　where　the　Sandwirth　was　to　take　up　his
residence。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

THE　FIFTEENTH　OF　AUGUST　AT　COMORN。


While　the　people　of　Innspruck　set　no　bounds　to　their　rejoicings　on
the　15th　of　August；　and　accompanied　Andreas　Hofer；　the　emperor's
lieutenant；　amid　the　most　rapturous　manifestations　of　enthusiasm；　to
the　imperial　palace；　while　the　Emperor　Napoleon　was　celebrating　the
15th　of　August；　his　birthday；　by　a　great　parade　at　Schoenbrunn；　and
the　bestowal　of　orders　and　rewards　on　many　distinguished　persons；
the　Emperor　Francis　was　at　the　fortress　of　Comorn。　Only　a　few　of　his
faithful　adherents　had　followed　him　thithe