andreas hofer-第25部分
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the hat of the bailiff who had rebuked the young Tyrolese in so
overbearing a manner。 At a bound he was by his side; drove the
bailiff's round official hat with one blow of his fist over his
head; so that his whole face disappeared in the crown; and exclaimed
in a loud; ringing voice:
〃Villain! do you not see the Tyrolese?〃
A loud outburst of exultation greeted Wallner's bold deed; and all
the men crowded around him; ready to protect Anthony Wallner; and
looking at the tax…collector with flashing; threatening eyes。
The latter seemed as if stunned by the sudden change in Wallner's
demeanor; and he looked in dismay at the audacious innkeeper who was
standing close in front of him and staring at him with a laughing
face。
〃What does this mean?〃 he asked at length; in a tremulous voice。
〃It means that we want to be Tyrolese again;〃 shouted Anthony
Wallner; exultingly。 〃It means that we will no longer submit to
brutal treatment at the hands of your Bavarian bailiffs; and that we
will treat you now as you Boafoks have treated us for five years
past。〃 'Footnote: Boafok; the nickname which the Tyrolese gave to
the Bavarians at that time。 It signifies 〃Bavarian pigs。〃'
〃For God's sake; how have we treated you; then?〃 asked the tax…
collector; drawing back from the threatening face of Anthony Wallner
toward his bailiffs。
〃Listen to me; Tyrolese;〃 shouted Anthony Wallner; scornfully; 〃he
asks me how the Bavarians have treated us! Shall I tell it to him
once more!〃
〃Yes; yes; Tony; do so;〃 replied the Tyrolese on all sides。
〃Tell it to him; and if he refuses to listen; we will tie him hand
and foot; and compel him to hear what you say。〃
〃Well; Mr。 Tax…collector;〃 said Wallner; with mock politeness; 〃I
will tell you; then; how you Bavarians have treated us for four
years past; and only when you know all our grievances will we settle
our accounts。 Listen; then; to what you have done to us; and what we
complain of。 You have behaved toward us as perjured liars and
scoundrels; and I will prove it to you。 In the first place; then; in
1805; when; to our intense grief and regret; our emperor was obliged
to cede the Tyrol to Bavaria; the King of Bavaria; in a letter which
he wrote to us; solemnly guaranteed our constitution and our ancient
privileges and liberties。 That is what your king promised in 1805。
To be sure; we did not put much confidence in what he said; for we
well knew that when the big cat wants to devour the little mouse; it
treats the victim at first with great kindness and throws a small
bit of bacon to it; but no sooner does the mouse take it than the
cat pounces upon its unsuspecting victim and devours it。 And such
was our fate too; the cat Bavaria wanted to swallow the little mouse
Tyrol; not even our name was to be left to us; and we were to be
called Southern Bavarians instead of Tyrolese。 Besides; our ancient
Castle of Tyrol; the sacred symbol of our country; was dismantled
and destroyed。 You thought probably we would forget the past and the
history of the Tyrol; and all that we are; if we no longer saw the
Castle of Tyrol; where the dear Margaret Maultasch solemnly
guaranteed to her Tyrolese their liberties; great privileges; and
independence; for all time to come。 But all was written in our
hearts; and your infamous conduct engraved it only the more
lastingly thereon。 You took from us not only our name; but also our
constitution; which all Tyrolese love as their most precious
treasure。 The representative estates were suppressed; and the
provincial funds seized。 No less than eight new and oppressive taxes
were imposed; and levied with the utmost rigor; the very name of the
country; as I said before; was abolished; and; after the model of
revolutionary France; the Tyrol was divided into the departments of
the Inn; the Adige; and the Eisach; the passion plays; which formed
so large a part of the amusements of our people; were prohibited;
all pilgrimages to chapels or places of extraordinary sanctity were
forbidden。 The convents and monasteries were confiscated; and their
estates sold; the church plate and holy vessels were melted down and
disposed of; the royal property was all brought into the market。 New
imposts were daily exacted without any consultation with the estates
of our people; specie became scarce from the quantity of it which
was drawn off to the royal treasury; the Austrian notes were reduced
to half their value; and the feelings of our people irritated almost
to madness by the compulsory levy of our young men to serve in the
ranks of your army。 In this manner you tried to crush us to earth。
But I tell you; we shall rise again; the whole Tyrol will rise and
no longer allow itself to be trampled under foot。 You say the king
does not want any Tyrolese as subjects。 He shall not have any; for
the Tyrolese want to become again subjects of their dear Emperor
Francis of Austria。 Men of the Tyrol; from Pusterthal; Teffereck;
and Virgenthal; you wish to become again subjects of the Emperor
Francis; do you not?〃
〃We do; we do!〃 shouted the men; uttering deafening cheers。 〃Our
dear Francis is to become again our lord and emperor! Long live the
Emperor Francis!〃
〃Silence!〃 cried the tax…collector; pale with rage and dismay;
〃silence; or I shall send for the soldiers and have every one of you
arrested; and〃
〃Be silent yourself!〃 said Anthony Wallner; seizing him violently by
the arm。 〃Sir; you are our prisoner; and so are the two bailiffs
yonder。 Seize them; my friends; and if they shout or resist; shoot
them down。 And if you utter a cry or a word; Mr。 Tax…collector; so
help me God if I do not kill you for a Boafok; as you are! Keep
quiet; therefore; be a sensible man; and deliver your funds to us。
Come; men; we will accompany this gentleman to the tax…collector's
office; and now let us sing a good Tyrolese song:〃
〃D'Schoergen and d'Schreiber and d'Richter allsammt;
Sind'n Teufel auskomma; druck'n ueberall auf's Land;
Und schinden Bauern; es is kam zum sog'n;
Es waer ja koan Wunder; wir thaeten's allsammt erschlog'n。〃
'Footnote: Song of the Tyrolese in 1809。See Mayr; 〃Joseph
Spechbacher;〃 p。 22。
〃The pushingthe writers; and magistrates all;
Possessed by the devil; our country enthrall;
And grind the poor peasants; alas; 'tis a shame!
No wonder if we too share ruin the same。〃'
He concluded with a long and joyous Jodler; and shouted
triumphantly: 〃Dear brethren; Andreas Hofer sends you his greetings;
and informs you that the Austrians have invaded the Tyrol。 Hurrah;
'tis time!〃
〃Yes; 'tis time;〃 murmured Anna Maria; Anthony Wallner's wife; to
herself; 〃'tis time for me to give Lizzie the signal; for the
insurrection has broken out。〃 She hastened into the house; took her
husband's old rifle from the chamber; ran with it out of the back…
door of the house; and fired the signal for her daughter。
〃There;〃 she said; returning quietly into the house; 〃she will have
heard the report; and there is time yet to save him。 I will do now
what Tony asked me to do。 When he sings the song; I shall take the
paper…balls from the table…drawer in the back…room; give a package
to each of the two boys and two servant…girls; and tell them to go
with it into the mountains and circulate the paper…balls everywhere;
that the inhabitants of the whole Pusterthal; from one end to the
other; from the Gross…Glockner to the Venediger and Krimler Tauern;
may learn this very day that it is time; and that the Boafoks are to
be expelled from the country。 Halloo; boys; come here! Halloo;
girls; your mistress wants to speak to you!〃
CHAPTER XI。
THE DECLARATION OF LOVE。
Eliza Wallner; after leaving her mother; had sped with the utmost
rapidity through the back…door; across the yard; through the garden;
out of the small gate leading to the meadow; down the foot…path; up
the mountain…road; jumping from stone to stone; courageous and
intrepid as a true daughter of the Tyrol。 Now she stood at the
portal of the castle; in front of which some of the Bavarian
soldiers were lying in idle repose on a bench; while others in the
side…wing of the castle allotted to them were looking out of the
windows; and dreamily humming a Bavarian song; frequently
interrupted by loud yawns。
Eliza walked past them with a slight greeting and entered the house。
The old footman sitting in the hall received her kindly; and told
her; in reply to her inquiry; that the castellan; old Baron von
Hohenberg; had set out early in the morning for Salzburg to attend
court; but that his daughter and her cousin; Captain Ulrich von
Hohenberg; were lunching in the small dining…room up…stairs。
This was all the information Eliza needed; she nodded to the
footman; and ascended the staircase quickly。 The old footman did not
follow her; he knew that it was unnecessary for him to announce
beautiful Lizzie to his mistress; but that she always was welcome to
her。 He therefore sat down again quietly; and took up the wood…work
with which he had been occupied before。
Eliza reached the dining…room and threw open the door with a hasty
hand; a blissful smile then overspread her flushed face; for on the
balcony yonder; behind the open glass door; she beheld the tall
slender form of Captain Ulrich von Hohenberg。 She heard him chatting
and laughing gayly; and through the door she also saw her friend
Elza von Hohenberg; who was listening to her cousin's words in
smiling repose。 Scarcely touching the floor with her feet; she
hastened through the room。
〃I assure you; cousin;〃 said Elza at this moment; in her clear;
distinct voice; 〃I believe at times that she is the resuscitated
Maid of Orleans; and that she will perform heroic deeds one day。 Oh;
I know my dear beautiful Eliza Wallner; and〃
〃Don not speak of me; for I am listening to you;〃 exclaimed Eliza;
entering the balcony。
〃Ah; my Lizzie;〃 exclaimed Elza; rising and tenderly embracing her
friend。 〃Have you come at length; my merry; beautiful lark?〃
〃Yes; I have; and I am glad that I am here;〃 said Eliza and her
large hazel eyes turned for a moment smilingly to the young officer;
who; like his cousin; had risen on beholding Eliza Wallner。 He did
not utter