andreas hofer-第67部分

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〃What　did　the　archduke　say？　What　does　he　want　of　me？〃　asked　Andreas；
quickly。

〃He　wishes　Andreas　Hofer；　like　himself；　to　submit　to　the　emperor's
orders　quietly　and　patiently；　he　wishes　Andreas　Hofer　to　yield　to
stern　necessity；　and　no　longer　sow　the　seeds　of　hatred　and　discord；
but　obey　the　will　of　his　master　with　Christian　humility　and
resignation。　He　wishes　Andreas　Hofer　to　set　a　good　example　to　all
the　Tyrolese；　and　undertake　nothing　in　opposition　to　the
stipulations　of　the　armistice；　and　the　Archduke　John　finally　wishes
his　beloved　Andreas　Hofer　to　secure　his　life　and　liberty　by　leaving
the　Tyrol　with　the　Austrian　troops；　and　remaining　for　some　time
under　the　protection　of　the　imperial　army。〃

〃Never；　never　will　I　do　that！〃　cried　Andreas；　vehemently；　〃never
will　I　leave　my　beloved　country！　I　swore　to　the　priest；　and　in　my
own　heart；　that；　while　I　lived；　I　would　be　faithful　to　my　God；　my
emperor；　and　my　country；　and　that　I　would　spill　the　last　drop　of
blood　for　our　liberty；　our　constitution；　and　our　emperor；　and　never
will　I　break　my　oath；　never　will　I　desert　my　flag　like　a　faithless
soldier！〃

〃But；　Andy；　you　are　not　to　desert　it；　but　only　convey　it　to　a　place
of　safety　for　a　short　time。　Listen　to　me；　Andy；　and　let　me　tell　you
all　about　it。　You　think　all　may　be　changed　yet；　and　you　may　prevent
the　Austrians　from　leaving　your　mountains。　But　unfortunately　it　is
already　too　late。　Already　the　Austrian　general…in…chief；　Baron　von
Buol；　has　concentrated　his　scattered　forces；　and　marched　them　to…
night　from　Brixen　to　Schabs。　There　you　can　do　nothing　against　him；
his　artillery　and　ammunition　are　safe　there；　and　you　cannot　hinder
him　from　marching　with　his　troops　this　very　day　into　Carinthia。〃

〃But　we　can　prevent　General　Schmidt　from　surrendering　the　fortress
of　Sachsenburg　to　General　Rusca；〃　cried　Andreas；　triumphantly。

〃Do　you　think　Commander　Joseph　Turk；　in　Upper　Carinthia；　surprised
and　occupied　the　fortress　of　Sachsenburg　immediately；　because　you
wrote　to　him　to　do　so　previous　to　Rusca's　arrival？　You　look　at　me　so
wonderingly；　you　big　child？　See；　here　is　your　letter　to　Joseph　Turk！
Our　men　intercepted　it；　hence；　Joseph　Turk　did　not　occupy　the
fortress；　and　General　Rusca　has　arrived　there　already。〃

〃It　is　my　letter；　indeed；〃　sighed　Andreas　Hofer；　staring　at　the
paper　which　Hormayr　had　handed　to　him。　〃They　did　not　allow　it　to
reach　Joseph　Turk；　they　no　longer　respect　what　I　say　and　do。〃

〃They　cannot；　Andy；　for　your　and　their　superior；　the　emperor；　has
ordered　the　soldiers　to　evacuate　the　Tyrol。　It　was　surely　most
repugnant　to　the　emperor　to　do　so；　and　I　know　that　the　Archduke　John
shed　tears　of　grief　and　rage　on　being　obliged　to　instruct　General
Buol　to　evacuate　the　Tyrol。　But　he　submitted　to　stern　necessity；　and
you　will　do　so　too；　Andy。〃

〃What　am　I　to　do；　then？　What　do　you　want　of　me？〃　asked　Andreas；　with
tears　in　his　eyes。

〃The　Archduke　John　wants　you　to　preserve　yourself　for　better　times；
Andy。　He　implores　you　to　repair　to　a　place　of　safety；　not　only　for
the　sake　of　your　wife　and　children；　but　also　for　that　of　your
fatherland。　Believe　me；　Andreas；　a　gloomy　time　is　dawning　upon　the
Tyrol。　The　enemy　is　approaching　on　all　sides；　and　the　French　and
Bavarians　have　already　crossed　the　frontiers　of　the　Tyrol　in　order
to　occupy　it　again。〃

〃And　all　our　blood　has　been　shed　in　vain！〃　cried　Hofer；　bursting
into　tears。　〃All　the　faithful　Tyrolese　who　have　fallen　in　battle
gave　up　their　lives　for　nothing。　We　fought　bravely；　the　good　God
helped　us　in　battle；　but　men　deserted　us；　and　even　the　emperor；　for
whom　we　fought；　will　not　redeem　the　pledges　he　gave　us；　nor　help　us
in　our　sore　distress。〃

〃The　emperor　will　never　abandon　his　faithful　Tyrolese；〃　said
Hormayr；　〃only　you　must　be　patient。　He　cannot　do　any　thing　now；　he
can　not　endanger　his　whole　empire　to　serve　the　small　province　of　the
Tyrol。　For　the　time　being；　further　resistance　is　out　of　the
question；　but　the　emperor　profits　by　the　armistice　to　concentrate　a
new　army；　and　when　hostilities　are　resumed；　he　will　first　think　of
the　Tyrol；　and　deliver　it　from　the　enemy。〃

〃But　until　then　the　Tyrol　itself　ought　to　maintain　its　liberty！〃
exclaimed　Andreas　Hofer；　with　flashing　eyes。　〃Listen　to　what　I　wish
to　say　to　you；　Mr。　Intendant；　and　what　God　Himself　prompts　me　to
tell　you。　I　see　full　well　that　the　emperor　himself　is　unable　to
speak　for　the　Tyrol；　and　cannot　order　his　troops　to　remain　in　the
country；　I　see　full　well　that　the　emperor；　sorely　pressed　as　he　is
by　Bonaparte；　cannot　do　any　thing　for　us。　But　until　he　is　ready
again；　someone　ought　to　be　courageous　enough　to　take　his　place　and；
as　the　emperor's　lieutenant；　defend　the　Tyrol　against　the　enemy。
You；　Mr。　Intendant；　are　the　man　to　do　it。　You　have　often　assured　us
that　you　were　a　brave　and　patriotic　son　of　the　Tyrol；　prove　now　that
you　told　us　the　truth。　Instead　of　leaving　the　Tyrol　at　this　hour　of
its　greatest　peril；　and　surrendering　it　to　the　enemy；　place　yourself
at　its　head；　protect　it　against　the　enemy；　and　preserve　it　to　the
emperor。　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。　103。＇
Become　Duke　of　Tyrol；　take　charge　of　the　government　and　defence　of
the　country。　As　provisional　duke；　call　upon　the　faithful　people　to
take　up　arms；　and　they　will　rise　as　one　man　and　defend　its　frontiers
against　every　enemy。　Rule　over　the　Tyrol　in　the　emperor's　place；
until　he　himself　is　able　again　to　do　so　and　fold　us　again　to　his
heart。〃

〃What　you　say　is　nonsense；　Andy；〃　exclaimed　Hormayr；　shrugging　his
shoulders。　〃You　want　me　to　become　provisional　Duke　of　Tyrol？　Why；
the　whole　world　would　laugh　at　me；　and　the　emperor　would　punish　me
as　a　rebel！〃

〃Well；　then；〃　cried　Andreas　Hofer；　in　a　powerful　voice；　〃if　you　will
not　do　it；　I　will！　I　shall　take　charge　of　the　government　and　call
myself　'Andreas　Hofer；　Sandwirth　of　Passeyr　and　Duke　of　Tyrol；'　as
long　as　it　pleases　God！〃　＇Footnote：　Andreas　Hofer's　own　words。See
Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　361。＇

〃No；　you　will　not；　Andy；〃　said　Hormayr；　gravely；　〃you　will　be
sensible；　on　the　contrary；　and　not；　from　worldly　pride；　endanger
your　country；　your　friends；　and　yourself。　Bear　in　mind；　Andy；　that
you　would　be　responsible　for　the　blood　that　would　be　shed；　if　you
should　incite　the　people　to　rebellion；　and　that　you　would　be　the
murderer　of　all　those　who　should　fall　in　the　struggle　provoked　by
you　so　recklessly　and　in　open　opposition　to　the　orders　of　your
emperor。　Bow　your　head；　Andy；　and　submit　as　we　all　do。　Intrust　your
and　our　cause　to　God；　as　it　is　good　and　just；　He　will　not　forsake
it；　but　render　it　victorious　when　it　is　time。〃

〃I　believe　you；〃　sighed　Andreas；　〃but　how　can　I　keep　quiet　when；　as
you　have　often　told　me；　I　am　God's　instrument　and　destined　by　Him　to
deliver　the　dear　Tyrol　from　the　enemy？　And　what　would　my　brave
lieutenants　say　if　their　commander…in…chief；　Andreas　Hofer；　were　to
leave　the　country　in　its　sore　distress；　after　he　had　taken　an　oath
to　defend　it　while　he　lived？　Would　they　not　point　their　fingers　at
me；　and　call　me　a　traitor；　a　Judas　Iscariot　who　sold　his　country　for
the　sake　of　his　own　safety？〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　Andy。　You　think　your　friends；　the　captains　and
other　commanders；　with　whom　you　fought　for　the　deliverance　of　the
Tyrol；　would　despise　you　if　you　followed　the　Austrians　now　and　saved
your　life？　Now　listen　to　me；　my　friend。　Your　best　friends；　the　brave
Tyrolese　captains；　in　whom　you　repose　the　greatest　confidence；　will
leave　the　Tyrol　this　very　day　of　their　own　accord　and　accompany　our
Austrian　troops　to　Carinthia。〃

〃That　is　false；　that　is　impossible！〃　cried　Andreas；　vehemently。
〃Speckbacher　will　never　do　so。〃

〃Yes；　he　will；　Andy。　I　saw　him　this　morning。　Here　resisted　and
fought　as　long　as　he　could；　but　since　the　armistice　compels　him　to
lay　down　the　sword；　and　since；　moreover；　the　French　and　Bavarians
are　entering　the　country　once　more；　he　feels　that　it　is　better　for
him　to　save　his　life　than　be　caught　and　hung　here　by　the　vindictive
enemy。　Hence；　Speckbacher　accepted　the　offer　of　the　Austrian
officers；　and　will　accompany　them。〃

〃Joseph　Speckbacher　will　leave　the　Tyrol？〃　murmured　Andreas　Hofer；
mournfully。

〃And　he　is　not　the　only　one；　Andreas：　Aschbacher；　Puechler；
Sieberer；　and　many　other　brave　captains　of　the　Tyrolese；　will
likewise　leave　with　the　Austrians。　All　have　asked　me　to　implore　you
to　follow　their　example；　and　flee　from　the　perils　menacing　you　all。
Oh；　believe　them；　believe　me；　Andreas！　If　you　stay　here；　the
Bavarians　will　not　rest　until　they　have　taken　you　prisoneruntil
their　hated　enemy；　the　formidable　Barbone；　has　fallen　into　their
hands。　Dear　Andy；　think　of　your　wife　at　home；　the　faithful　Anna
Gertrude；　who　prays　for　you　morning　and　evening；　and　beseeches　the
Almighty　to　spare　the　life　of　her　dear　husband；　think　of　your　dear
children；　whose　only　protector　and　supporter　you　are；　do　not　make
your　dear　wife　a　widow；　nor　your　sweet　children　orphans！　Andreas
Hofer；　you　cannot　now　be　useful　to　the　fatherland；　save　yourself；
then；　for　your　wife　and　children！〃

〃My　good　wife；　my　dear　children！〃　sighed　Andreas；　profoundly　moved；
〃it　is　true；　they　love　me　dearly；　and　would　be　very　lonely　on　earth
if　their　father　should　be　taken　from　them！〃

〃Preserve　their　father　to　them；　then；　and　preserve　yourself　also　to
the　fatherland！　Follow　the　example　of　your　brave　friends
Speckbacher；　Aschbacher；　Sieberer；　and　all　the　others；　accompany　us；
leave　the　Tyrol　for　a　while；　and　when　the　time　has　come；　return　with
them　and　fight　once　more　for　the　deliverance　of　the　country。〃

〃Speckbacher　will　leave；　and　so　will　all　the　others；〃　murmured
Andreas　to　himself。　〃The　Tyrol　will　fall　again　into　the　enemy's
hands；　and　all　has　been　in　vain！〃

He　hung　his　head　and　heaved　a　deep　sigh。

〃Come；　Andreas；　be　sensible；　think　of　yourself　and　your　family；〃
said　Hormayr；　beseechingly。　〃I　have　come　hither　for　the　sole　purpose
of　taking　you　with　me；　let　me　not　have　travelled　in　vain　from　Brixen
to　Lienz。　Come；　Andreas；　come！　My　carriage　is　in　readiness　at　the
door；　let　us　ride　together　to　Matrey。　Speckbacher；　the　other
friends；　and　the　Austrians　are　waiting　for　us　there；　we　shall　cross
the　Tyrolese　front