andreas hofer-第43部分

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they　asked　each　other。　〃A　leader　mounted　on　a　white　horse；　and
holding　in　his　hand　a　sword　flashing　like　a　sunbeam？　It　must　have
been　St。　James；　the　patron　of　the　city　of　Innspruck。　He　was　our
leader　yesterday。　Yes；　yes；　that　is　it！　St。　James　combated　at　our
head；　unknown　to　us；　but　he　showed　himself　to　the　enemy　and　defeated
him。　Did　you　not　hear；　brethren；　what　the　pious　priests　told　us　of
the　Spaniards　who　have　likewise　risen　to　fight　against　Bonaparte；
the　enemy　of　the　Pope　and　all　good　Christians？　St。　James　placed
himself　in　Spain　likewise　at　the　head　of　the　pious　peasants；　he　led
them　against　Bonaparte　and　the　French；　and　made　them　victorious　over
the　enemy；　who　was　bent　upon　stealing　their　country　and　their
liberties。　And　since　St。　James　got　through　with　the　Spaniards　in
Spain；　lie　has　come　to　the　Tyrol　to　lend　us　his　assistance。　St。
James；　our　patron　saint；　is　our　leader！　He　assists　us　and　combats　at
our　head！〃

And　the　Tyrolese；　regardless　of　the　colonel；　who　at　this　moment　was
writhing　in　the　last　convulsions　of　death；　rushed　out　of　the　room　to
communicate　the　miracle　to　their　brethren　outside。　The　news　spread
like　wildfire　from　house　to　house；　from　street　to　street；　all
shouted　joyously：　〃St。　James；　our　patron　saint；　is　our　leader。　He
assists　us　and　combats　at　our　head！〃　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　heroes：
Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。　41。＇

And　this　belief　enhanced　the　enthusiasm　of　the　Tyrolese；　and　with
the　most　intrepid　courage　they　looked　upon　the　enemy；　who　had　by
this　time　come　close　up　to　the　city；　and　was　forming　in　line　of
battle　on　the　plain　adjoining　the　village　of　Wiltau。　From　the　houses
in　the　neighborhood　of　the　triumphal　arch　the　Tyrolese　were　able　to
survey　the　whole　position　of　the　enemy；　they　could　discern　even　the
various　uniforms　of　the　French　and　Bavarian　soldiers。　Up　yonder；　on
the　roof　of　a　house；　stood　Speckbacher　and　Teimer；　and　with　their
eyes；　which　were　as　keen　and　flashing　as　those　of　the　eagle；　they
gazed　searchingly　upon　the　position　of　the　enemy　and　that　of　their
own　forces。　The　line　from　the　village　of　Wiltau　down　to　the　river
Sill　was　occupied　by　the　French　troops　under　General　Bisson；　on　the
right　side　of　Wiltau　to　the　Inn　stood　Lieutenant…Colonel　Wreden　with
the　Bavarians；　his　front　turned　toward　the　city。

〃Now　we　must　surround　them　as　in　a　mouse…trap；　and　leave　them　no
outlet　for　escape；〃　said　Major　Teimer；　with　a　shrewd　wink。　〃Is　not
that　your　opinion　too；　Speckbacher？〃

〃Certainly　it　is；〃　replied　Speckbacher。　〃Mount　Isel　yonder；　in　the
rear　of　the　Bavarians；　must　be　occupied　by　several　thousands　of　our
best　sharpshooters；　and　a　cloud　of　our　peasants　must　constantly
harass　their　rear　and　drive　them　toward　Innspruck。　Here　we　will
receive　them　in　fine　style；　and　chase　them　until　they　are　all　dead
or　lay　down　their　arms。　The　only　important　thing　for　us　is　to　cut
off　their　retreat　and　keep　them　between　two　fires。〃

〃You　are　right；　Speckbacher；　you　are　a　skilful　soldier；　and　are
better　able　to　be　a　general　than　many　an　officerfor　instance；
General　Kinkel。　Kinkel　is　an　old　woman；　he　wept　and　swore　in　one
breath　when　I　was　with　him　just　now；　he　says　all　the　time　that　he
will　commit　suicide；　and　yet　he　is　not　courageous　enough　to　do　it；
but　preferred　to　comply　with　my　demands。〃

〃And　what　were　your　demands；　Teimer？〃

〃I　demanded　that　he　should　give　me　an　open　letter　to　General　Bisson；
urging　him　to　send　some　confidential　person　into　the　town　who　might
report　the　state　of　affairs；　and　convince　him　of　the　immense
superiority　and　enthusiasm　of　the　Tyrolese；　and　of　the　impossibility
of　defeating　us　or　forcing　his　way　through　our　ranks。〃

〃And　did　old　General　Kinkel　give　you　such　a　letter？〃

〃He　did；　and　I　will　send　it　out　now　to　the　French　camp。　We　must　make
all　necessary　dispositions；　that　when　the　general　sends　a
confidential　envoy　into　the　town　he　may　become　fully　alive　to　the
fact　that　it　is　impossible　for　him　to　defeat　us。　Above　all　things；
we　must　send　several　thousand　sharp…shooters　to　Mount　Isel　and　the
adjoining　heights；　in　order　to　cut　off　the　enemy's　retreat。〃

The　letter　which　Major　Teimer　had　extorted　from　General　Kinkel　had
really　the　effect　which　he　had　expected　from　it。　General　Bisson　sent
to　Innspruck　one　of　his　staff…officers；　accompanied　by　Lieutenant…
Colonel　von　Wreden；　the　commander　of　the　Bavarians。　A　few　other
officers　followed　these　two；　and　repaired　with　them　to　Major　Teimer；
who　received　them　at　the　principal　guard…house　in　the　presence　of
the　most　prominent　Tyrolese。

Meanwhile　General　Bisson　awaited　with　painful　impatience　the　return
of　the　two　ambassadors　whom　he　had　sent　into　the　town；　and；　his　eyes
constantly　fixed　on　Innspruck；　he　walked　uneasily　up　and　down。　But
already　upward　of　an　hour　had　elapsed；　and　the　ambassadors　had　not
yet　made　their　appearance。　He　had　good　reason　to　be　uneasy　and
anxious；　for　the　situation　of　the　French　and　Bavarians　was　now
almost　desperate。　He　had　found　out　at　the　bridge　of　the　Eisach；　on
the　plain　of　the　Sterzinger　Moos；　and　at　the　Muhlbacher　Klause；　that
the　French　had　to　deal　with　an　enemy　who　was　terribly　in　earnest；
that　the　whole　Tyrol　was　in　insurrection；　that　Chasteler；　with　a
body　of　armed　peasants；　as　well　as　a　few　regular　troops；　was
descending　the　Brenner；　and　already　menacing　his　rear；　while　the
rocks　and　thickets　in　his　front　and　flanks　were　bristling　with　the
peasants　of　the　Innthal；　whoin　great　strengthobstructed　his
advance。

〃We　shall　die　here；　for　we　are　hemmed　in　on　all　sides；〃　said　General
Bisson；　gloomily；　to　himself。　〃There　is　no　hope　left；　and　in　the　end
we　may　be　obliged　to　submit　to　the　disgrace　of　surrendering　to　the
mob　of　peasants。　But　what　on　earth　prevents　the　officers　from
returning　to　me？〃

And　Bisson　turned　his　searching　eyes　again　toward　Innspruck。　Now　he
perceived　two　men　approaching　at　a　run。

He　recognized　them；　they　were　the　companions　of　his　staff…officer
and　Lieutenant…Colonel　Von　Wreden；　and　their　pale；　dismayed　faces
told　him　that　they　were　bearers　of　bad　tidings。

〃Where　are　the　two　gentlemen　whom　I　sent　to　Innspruck？〃　he　asked；
advancing　rapidly　toward　them。

〃They　were　taken　into　custody　at　Innspruck；〃　faltered　out　one　of
them。

〃Major　Teimer　said　he　had　taken　upon　himself　no　obligation　in　regard
to　these　officers；　and　would　retain　them　as　hostages；〃　panted　the
other。　〃He　then　caused　us　to　be　conducted　through　the　whole　city；
that　we　might　satisfy　ourselves　of　the　tremendous　strength　of　the
Tyrolese　and　their　formidable　preparations。　Oh；　your　excellency；　the
peasants　are　much　superior　to　us　in　strength；　for　there　are　at　least
twenty　thousand　able…bodied　men　in　their　ranks；　they　are　well　armed；
and　the　most　celebrated　marksmen　and　the　most　daring　leaders　of　the
Tyrol　are　among　them。〃

〃Bah！　it　would　make　no　difference；　even　though　they　were　ten　to
one！〃　cried　General　Bisson；　〃for　ten　peasants　cannot　have　as　much
courage　as　one　soldier　of　the　grand　army　of　my　glorious　emperor。　We
will　prove　to　them　that　we　are　not　afraid　of　them。　We　will　attack
them。　A　detachment　of　Tyrolese　yonder　has　ventured　to　leave　the
city。　Fire　at　them！　Shoot　them　down　until　not　one　of　them　is　left！〃

The　shots　crashed；　the　artillery　boomed；　but　not　a　Tyrolese　had
fallen；　they　had　thrown　themselves　on　the　ground；　so　that　the
bullets　and　balls　had　whistled　harmlessly　over　their　heads。　But　now
they　jumped　up　and　responded　to　the　shots　of　the　enemy；　and　not　one
of　their　bullets　missed　its　aim；　but　all　carried　death　into　the
ranks　of　the　French。　At　the　same　time　the　sharpshooters　posted　on
Mount　Isel；　in　the　rear　of　the　French　and　Bavarians；　commenced
firing；　and　mowed　down　whole　ranks　of　the　soldiers。

General　Bisson　turned　in　dismay　toward　this　new　enemy；　covered　by
the　thicket；　which；　rising　almost　to　the　summit　of　Mount　Isel；　made
the　Tyrolese　invisible；　and　protected　them　from　the　missiles　of　the
soldiers。

〃We　are　between　two　fires；〃　he　murmured　to　himself；　in　dismay。　〃We
are　caught；　as　it　were；　in　a　net；　and　will　be　annihilated　to　the
last　man。〃

And　this　conviction　seized　all　the　soldiers；　as　was　plainly　to　be
seen　from　their　pale　faces　and　terror…stricken　looks。

There　was　a　sudden　lull　in　the　fire　of　the　Tyrolese；　which　had
already　struck　down　several　hundred　French　soldiers；　and　from　the
triumphal　arch　of　Innspruck　issued　several　men；　waving　white
handkerchiefs；　and　advancing　directly　toward　the　French。　It　was
Major　Teimer；　accompanied　by　some　officers　and　citizens　of
Innspruck。　He　sent　one　of　them　to　General　Bisson　to　invite　him　to　an
interview　to　be　held　on　the　public　square　of　the　village　of　Wiltau。

General　Bisson　accepted　the　invitation；　and　repaired　with　his　staff
and　some　Bavarian　officers　to　the　designated　place。

Major　Teimer　and　his　companions　were　already　there。　Teimer　received
the　general　and　his　distinguished　companions　with　a　proud；
condescending　nod。

〃General；〃　he　said；　without　waiting　for　the　eminent　officer　to
address　him；　〃I　have　come　here　to　ask　you　to　surrender；　and　order
your　soldiers　to　lay　down　their　arms。〃

General　Bisson　looked　with　a　smile　of　amazement　at　the　peasant　who
dared　to　address　to　him　so　unheard…of　a　demand　with　so　much　calmness
and　composure。

〃My　dear　sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　convinced　that　you　are　not　in　earnest；
but　know　full　well　that　we　never　can　or　will　comply　with　such　a
demand。　Moreover；　our　situation　does　not　by　any　means　compel　us　to
allow　conditions　to　be　dictated　to　us。　Nevertheless；　I　am　ready　to
make　some　concessions　to　you。　Hence；　I　will　pledge　you　my　word　of
honor　that　I　will　neither　attack　you；　nor　injure　the　city　of
Innspruck　in　the　least。　But　in　return　I　demand　that　you　allow　us　to
pass　without　molestation　through　Innspruck；　that　we　may　march　to
Augsburg　in　obedience　to　the　orders　of　my　emperor。〃

〃And　you　believe　we　can　be　so　stupid　as　to　grant　this　demand；
general？〃　asked　Teimer；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃I　do　not　want　to
be　beaten　down；　but　stick　to　my　first　demand。　Either　you　order　your
troops　to　lay　down　their　arms；　or　you　will　all　be　put　to　the　sword。〃

〃No；　so　help　me　God！　never　will　I　accept　so　arrogant　a　demand；〃
cried　the　general；　indignantly；　〃never　will　I　incur　the　disgrace　of
s