andreas hofer-第32部分

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faithfully；　and　fight　with　you　for　the　fatherland　and　the　emperor！〃

〃That　is　right；　men；〃　cried　John　Panzl；　making　a　leap　which　drew
loud　exclamations　of　admiration　from　the　Tyrolese。　〃I　tell　you　it　is
right　in　you　to　think　so；　and　therefore　I　will　likewise　joyfully
accept　the　honor　which　you　have　offered　to　me；　I　will　be　your　second
commander；　will　always　obey　the　orders　of　our　brave　commander…in…
chief；　and　assist　him　and　you　in　driving　the　enemy　from　our　country；
for　the　glory　of　God　and　our　emperor。　Ah；　my　dear　Tyrolese；　I　would
we　could　catch　the　French　and　the　Boafoks　at　length；　take　them　by
the　neck；　and　hurl　them　out　of　the　country。　I　tell　you；　after　we
have　done　it；　I　shall　dance　so　merrily　with　Eliza　Wallner；　my　dear
cousin；　that　the　snowy　heads　of　the　Gross…Glockner　and　Venediger
will　become　warm　and　melt　with　delight。　Lizzie；　we　two；　the　most
celebrated　dancers　of　the　whole　Puster　valley；　will　perform　a　dance
in　honor　of　our　victory；　will　we　not？〃

〃We　will；　Cousin　Panzl；〃　said　Eliza；　smiling。　〃But　before　dancing；
we　must　march　on　and　never　run　back。〃

〃No；　never　run　back；〃　shouted　the　merry　and　courageous　Tyrolese。

〃Forward；　then；　forward！〃　commanded　Anthony　Wallner；　and　the　whole
force　set　out　again　and　marched　rapidly　across　the　mountains　and
through　the　valleys；　it　was　received　everywhere　with　deafening
cheers；　and　gained　at　every　step　fresh　accessions　of　men；　who　rushed
enthusiastically　out　of　their　buts；　armed　with　their　rifles；　or
other　weapons；　even　though　they　had　only　wooden　clubs；　and　bravely
joined　the　defenders　of　the　country。

Already　they　approached　their　destination；　in　the　expansive　valley
below；　yonder；　lay　the　town　of　Brunecken；　surmounted　by　Castle
Bruneck　and　other　ancient　and　decaying　feudal　castles；　and　behind
it；　on　the　way　down　toward　Brixen；　in　the　narrower　gorge；　bordered
on　both　sides　by　precipitous　mountains；　through　which　the　Rienz
hurls　its　foaming　waters；　they　beheld　already　the　small　town　of　St。
Lawrence。　After　reaching　St。　Lawrence　they　had　only　an　hour's　march
to　the　Muhlbach　pass；　which；　in　accordance　with　Andreas　Hofer's
orders；　the　brave　men　of　the　Puster　valley　were　to　occupy　and　defend
against　the　enemy　moving　up　from　Botzen。

But　all　at　once；　right　in　the　midst　of　the　march；　Anthony　Wallner
stood　still；　and；　turning　to　Panzl；　who　was　walking　by　the　side　of
the　column；　gave　him　a　sign　to　halt。　The　whole　column　stopped　and
listened。

Yes；　there　was　no　doubt　about　it；　that　was　the　rattle　of　musketry　at
a　distance！　And　now　they　heard　also　the　loud　booming　of　artillery；
and　the　ringing　of　the　tocsin　at　Brunecken　and　St。　Lawrence。

〃Now　forward；　Tyrolese；　forward！〃　shouted　Anthony　Wallner。　〃At　the
double…quick　down　to　Brunecken！〃

〃Forward！〃　shouted　the　men；　and　their　exclamations　were　echoed
joyously　by　the　women　who　had　courageously　accompanied　their
husbands；　and　who　were　ready；　like　them；　to　fight　for　their　country
and　their　emperor。

They　marched　with　great　speed　down　the　Brunecken。　The　whole　town　was
in　the　utmost　commotion。　Young　and　old　men；　women；　childrenall
were　hurrying　toward　the　gate　leading　to　St。　Lawrence。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　shouted　Anthony　Wallner；　grasping　the　arm　of
an　old　man；　who；　armed　with　a　pitchfork；　was　speeding　along　at　a
furious　rate。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　echoed　the　old　man；　endeavoring　to　disengage
his　arm　from　Wallner's　powerful　grasp。　〃The　matter　is；　that　the
insurrection　has　broken　out　at　length。　The　Bavarians　are　bent　on
destroying　the　bridge　of　St。　Lawrence；　in　order　to　prevent　the
Austrians　from　crossing　it。　The　whole　military　detachment　left　our
place　some　time　ago　for　the　bridge；　and　sappers　and　miners；　who　are
to　blow　it　up；　have　arrived　this　morning　from　Brixen。　But　we　will
not　allow　them　to　do　it。　They　must　shoot　us　all　before　we　permit
them　to　destroy　the　bridge。〃

〃No；　we　will　not！〃　cried　Anthony　Wallner。　〃Forward；　men　of　the
Puster　valley；　forward　to　the　bridge　of　St。　Lawrence！〃

They　continued　their　march　through　the　valley　at　the　double…quick。
They　heard　the　rattle　of　musketry　and　the　booming　of　artillery　more
and　more　distinctly；　and　now；　at　a　bend　in　the　valley；　the　most
wonderful　and　striking　spectacle　presented　itself　to　their　eyes。

Yonder　at　a　distance　lay　the　well…known　bridge；　composed　of　a　single
arch；　between　tremendous　rocks；　by　its　side　stood　two　battalions　of
Bavarian　infantry　in　serried　ranks；　and　on　a　knoll；　close　to　the
bank　of　the　river　Rienz；　had　been　planted　three　cannon　pointed
menacingly　both　against　the　bridge　and　the　people　who　were　moving　up
to　it　in　denser　and　denser　masses。　Captains　and　other　officers　were
galloping　up　and　down　in　front　of　the　Bavarians；　and　encouraging
their　men　to　attack　these　insurgents　who　were　coming　up　behind；　in
front；　and　on　both　sides　of　them。　The　courageous　sons　of　the　Tyrol
rushed　down　from　all　the　heights；　the　tocsin　of　Brunecken　and　St。
Lawrence　had　not　called　them　in　vain。　They　came　down　the　mountains
and　up　the　valley；　they　came；　men　and　women；　old　men　and　children；
and　all　were　armed：　he　who　did　not　possess　a　gun　had　a　flail；　a
pitchfork；　or　a　club。　Like　a　broad；　motley　river；　the　crowd　was
surging　up　from　all　sides；　and　at　the　head　and　in　the　midst　of　the
war…like　groups　were　to　be　seen　priests　in　holy　vestments；　holding
aloft　the　crucifix；　blessing　the　defenders　of　the　country　with
fervent；　pious　words；　and　uttering　scathing　imprecations　against　the
enemy。

And　amidst　this　commotion　thundered　the　field…pieces；　whose　balls
crashed　again　and　again　against　the　bridge；　the　bells　were　tolled　in
the　church…steeples；　and　the　musketry　of　the　Bavarians　rattled
incessantly。　But　few　of　their　bullets　hit　their　aim。　The　Tyrolese
were　too　remote　from　them；　and　only　occasionally　a　loud　scream
indicated　that　a　half…spent　bullet　had　found　its　way　into　the　breast
of　a　Tyrolese。

More　fatal　and　unerring　were　the　bullets　of　the　Tyrolese
sharpshooters；　who　bad　concealed　themselves　on　the　heights　on　both
sides　of　the　valley；　and　fired　from　their　hiding…places　at　the
Bavarians；　never　missing　their　aim　and　picking　off　a　soldier　by
every　shot　they　discharged。

Anthony　Wallner　comprehended　the　whole　situation　at　a　glance。
〃Boys！〃　he　shouted；　in　a　ringing　voice；　〃we　must　take　the　cannon。　We
must　not　permit　the　enemy　to　destroy　the　bridge　which　the　Austrians
are　to　cross。　Let　us　attack　the　Bavarians！　We　must　take　the　cannon！〃

〃Yes！〃　shouted　the　men；　〃we　must　take　the　cannon！〃

And　the　shouts　reached　another　troop　of　armed　peasants；　who　repeated
it　with　tumultuous　enthusiasm；　and　soon　the　men　on　the　heights　and
in　the　valley　cried；　〃We　must　take　the　cannon！〃

Anthony　Wallner　gave　the　signal　to　his　sharpshooters；　and　moved　with
them　into　a　small　forest　extending　up　the　mountain　near　the　cannon。
The　courageous　men　disappeared　soon　in　the　thicket；　and；　as　if　in
accordance　with　a　general　agreement；　the　other　Tyrolese　likewise
entered　the　forest。　Below；　in　the　valley；　knelt　the　women　and
children；　and　before　them　stood　the　priests　with　their　crucifixes；
protecting　them　therewith；　as　it　were；　from　the　enemy　who　was　posted
on　the　other　side　of　the　valley；　and　whose　ranks　were　thinned　more
and　more　by　the　bullets　of　the　Tyrolese。

All　at　once；　on　the　height　above　the　cannon；　where　there　was　a
clearing；　and　where　the　rocks　were　moss…grown　and　bare；　the　Tyrolese
were　seen　rushing　in　dense　masses　from　the　forest。　They　were　headed
by　Anthony　Wallner　and　John　Panzl。　Each　of　them　jumped　on　a
projection　of　the　rocks　and　raised　his　rifle。　They　fired；　and　two
gunners　fell　mortally　wounded　near　the　cannon。

The　Tyrolese　greeted　this　exploit　of　their　leaders　with　loud　cheers；
but　up　from　the　Bavarians　resounded　the　commands　of　the　officers；　a
whole　volley　crashed；　the　bullets　whistled　round　the　ears　of　Wallner
and　Panzl；　but　none　hit　them；　and　hen　the　smoke　cleared　away；　John
Panzl　was　seen　to　make　a　triumphant　leap　in　the　air；　which　he
accompanied　with　a　shout　of　victory；　while　Anthony　Wallner　calmly
raised　his　rifle　again。　He　fired；　and　the　gunner　at　the　third　field…
piece　fell　dead。

〃Now；　boys；　at　them；　we　must　take　the　cannon！〃　shouted　Wallner；
jumping　forward；　and　the　Tyrolese　followed　him　down　the　slope　with
furious　shouts。

〃Forward；　forward！〃　shouted　the　Lieutenant…Colonel　in　the　valley　to
his　Bavarians；　〃forward！　the　cannon　must　not　fall　into　the　hands　of
the　peasants；　we　must　defend　them　to　the　last　man。　Therefore；
forward　at　the　double…quick！〃

And　the　Bavarians　rushed　forward　up　the　slope。

But　the　Tyrolese　had　already　succeeded　in　shooting　or　knocking　down
all　the　gunners；　and　taken　possession　of　the　cannon。　While　Anthony
Wallner；　at　the　head　of　a　furious　detachment　of　his　men；　hastened　to
meet　the　approaching　Bavarians；　and　hurled　death　and　destruction
into　their　ranks；　John　Panzl　remained　with　the　others　to　defend　the
guns。

A　furious　hand…to…hand　fight　now　arose；　the　Bavarians　were　repulsed
again　and　again　by　the　Tyrolese；　and　the　sharp…shooters；　posted
behind　the　trees　and　rocks；　assisted　their　fighting　brethren　with
their　rifles；　which；　aimed　steadily；　never　missed　their　man。　But　the
Bavarians。　who　were　drawn　up　farther　down　in　the　valley；　likewise
endeavored　to　assist　their　struggling　comrades：　but　the　bullets
which　they　fired　up　the　hill　frequently　struck　into　the　ranks　of
their　countrymen；　and　not　into　those　of　the　Tyrolese。　Often；　on　the
other　hand；　these　bullets　did　not　miss　their　aim；　but　carried　wounds
and　death　into　the　midst　of　the　insurgents。　Whenever　this　occurred　a
young　woman　was　seen　to　rush　amidst　the　deadliest　shower　of　bullets
into　the　ranks　of　the　fighting　men；　lift　up　the　fallen　brave；　and
carry　him　in　her　strong　arms　out　of　the　thickest　of　the　fight　to　the
quiet　spot　on　the　edge　of　the　forest；　which　a　protruding　rock
protected　from　the　bullets　of　the　enemy。

This　young　woman　was　Eliza　Wallner。　Behind　the　rock　she　had
established　a　sort　of　field　hospital；　a　few　women　and　girls　had
assembled　around　her　there；　and　taken　upon　themselves　the　sacred
care　for　the　wounded；　while　two　priests　had　joined　them　to
administer　extreme　unction　to　the　dying。　But　Eliza　Wallner　had
reserved　the　most　difficult　and　dangero