andreas hofer-第76部分

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musingly。　〃Tell　me；　Joachim；　is　it　necessary　for　me　to　assume　that
title？〃

〃Yes；　it　is。　There　must　be　a　head　of　the　state；　a　man　to　whom　the
people　may　look　up　as　its　star；　and　to　whom　it　may　apply　as　its
comfort；　support；　and　judge。　And　as　the　people　have　confidence　in
you　and　love　you；　you　must　be　the　man　to　hold　the　whole　together；
lest　it　should　fall　asunder。　You　shall　be　the　head；　and　we　others
will　be　your　hands　and　thoughts；　and　will　work　and　fight；　and　think
for　you　and　the　Tyrol。　We　must　have　a　leader；　a　commander…in…chief
of　the　Tyrol；　and　you　are　the　man；　Andy。〃

〃If　you　say　so；　it　must　be　so；〃　said　Andreas；　nodding　his　head
gently。　〃Well；　then；　I　shall　be　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol
until　order　and　peace　are　restored；　and　until　the　enemy　has　been
expelled　from　the　country　for　evermore。　But　see；　we　have　arrived　in
front　of　Niederkircher's　tavern；　and　there　is　Niederkircher　himself
with　his　dear　round　face。　God　bless　you；　Niederkircher；　why　do　you
look　at　me　so　solemnly；　and　why　have　you　dressed　up　so　nicely？　Why；
you　wear　your　holiday　clothes；　and　yet　I　think　this　is　neither
Sunday　nor　a　holiday。〃

〃It　is　a　great　holiday；〃　exclaimed　Niederkircher；　〃the　commander…in…
chief　of　the　Tyrol；　the　great　Andreas　Hofer；　is　making　his　triumphal
entry　into　the　city。　That　is　why　I　have　put　on　my　Sunday　clothes　and
look　so　solemn；　for　it　would　not　be　becoming　for　me　to　embrace　the
distinguished　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　as　I　should　like　to
do　under　other　circumstances。〃

〃You　are　a　fool；　old　fellow！〃　said　Andreas；　encircling　his　friend's
neck　with　his　arm；　〃if　I　am　commander…in…chief　before　the　world；　I
am；　before　my　friends；　always　Andreas　Hofer；　the　Sandwirth　and
humble　peasant。　Let　us　go　into　the　house；　my　dear　friend；　and　you
Joachim；　come　with　us。　There！　Take　me　to　the　small　back　room　which　I
always　occupy　during　my　stay　in　the　city。〃

〃God　forbid！〃　exclaimed　the　innkeeper；　〃you　never　must　occupy　the
back　room　again；　that　would　not　be　becoming　for　the　commander…in…
chief　of　the　Tyrol。　You　must　take　my　best　room　with　the　balcony
opening　on　the　street；　besides；　all　is　there　in　readiness　for　your
reception。〃

〃Must　I　take　it；　Joachim？〃　said　Andreas　to　the　Capuchin；　almost
anxiously。

〃Yes；　Andy；　you　must；〃　replied　the　friar。　〃You　must　do　honor　to　your
new　dignity；　and　to　us　all。〃

〃It　is　a　pity　that　I　must　do　so；〃　sighed　Andreas。　〃I　was　so　glad
that　I　should　soon　be　in　the　old　back　room；　where　it　is　so　cozy　and
quiet；　and　where　you　do　not　hear　any　thing　of　the　noise　and　shouting
outside。　But；　if　it　cannot　be　helped；　let　us　go　to　the　best　room；
but　pray；　if　it　is　possible；　give　us　something　to　eat　there。　Some
sound　dumplings　and　a　glass　of　native　wine；　friend　Niederkircher。〃

〃No；　no；　Andreas　Hofer；　that　will　not　do　today；〃　replied　the
innkeeper；　〃I　have　had　all　my　servants　at　work　in　the　kitchen　ever
since　sunrise；　and　you　will　have　a　dinner　suitable　for　the
commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol。〃

〃I　should　have　preferred　dumplings　and　native　wine　in　the　small　back
room；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　dolefully；　while　he　ascended　with　the
innkeeper　and　the　Capuchin　to　the　best　room　on　the　first　floor。

This　was　a　very　fine　room　indeed；　and　even　though　it　was　not　as　cozy
as　the　back　room　for　which　Hofer　bad　longed；　it　was　at　all　events
very　agreeable　to　him　to　be　once　more　under　a　hospitable　roof；　and
enjoy　a　little　rest　and　tranquillity。　In　the　middle　of　the　room
stood　a　table　handsomely　festooned　with　flowers；　and　covered　with
bottles　of　wine；　cake；　and　all　sorts　of　fruit。

〃Now；　my　distinguished　friends；　make　yourselves　as　comfortable　as
possible；〃　said　Niederkircher；　cheerfully；　〃lie　down　awhile　on　the
silken　divan　and　repose。　Meanwhile　I　will　go　to　the　kitchen　and
order　dinner　to　be　served　to　the　commander…in…chief　and　his　two
generals；　Haspinger　and　Speckbacher。〃

〃I　shall　comply　with　your　request；〃　growled　the　Capuchin；　〃and　make
myself　as　comfortable　as　possible。〃

He　burled　his　heavy；　dusty　leathern　shoes　quickly　from　his　feet　into
a　corner　of　the　room；　he　then　lay　down　on　the　carpet　in　front　of　the
divan；　and　stretching　his　limbs；　exclaimed；　〃Forsooth；　I　have　not
been　able　for　a　long　while　to　make　myself　as　comfortable　as　to…day！〃

〃But　you；　commander…in…chief；〃　said　Niederkircher；　beseechingly；　〃I
hope；　will　not　disdain　my　divan？　Rest　there　a　little；　Andy；　until
the　waiters　bring　you　your　dinner。〃

〃God　forbid！　I　must　first　attend　to　my　horses；〃　exclaimed　Andreas。
〃I　suppose；　Niederkircher；　you　saw　my　four　splendid　white　horses？
They　are　honest　war…spoils；　I　will　keep　them　forever　and　never　sell
them；　although　I　could　get　a　round　sum　for　them；　for　they　are　fine
animals；　only　the　first　horse　on　the　right…hand　side；　I　believe；　is
a　little　weak　in　the　chest；　and　ought　not　to　be　overworked。　Before
going　to　dinner　and　making　myself　comfortable；　I　must　go　and　feed
the　horses　and　see　if　they　are　comfortable。　You　know；　Niederkircher；
I　have　always　fed　my　horses　myself；　and　will　do　so　to…day　also。〃

And　he　hastened　toward　the　door；　but　Niederkircher　ran　after　him　and
kept　him　back。

〃For　God's　sake。　Hofer；〃　he　cried　in　dismay；　〃what　are　you　going　to
do？　Why；　you　are　not　a　horse…trader　nor　the　Sandwirth　to…day；　but
commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol。〃

〃It　is　true；　I　forgot　it；〃　sighed　Andreas。　〃Go；　then；　dear　friend；
get　us　our　dinner；　and　have　a　large　bundle　of　hay　put　into　the
manger　of　the　horses。But；　great　God！　what　dreadful　noise　is　that
in　the　street？　Why；　those　men　are　shouting　so　loudly　that　the　walls
are　shaking　and　the　windows　rattling！　What　do　they　want？　Why　do　they
always　repeat　my　name？　Look　out；　Niederkircher；　and　see　what　is　the
matter。〃

Niederkircher　hastened　to　the　window　and　drew　the　curtain　aside　in
order　to　look　out　into　the　street。　A　dense　crowd　was　assembled　in
front　of　the　tavern；　it　was　incessantly　cheering　and　shouting：
〃Andreas　Hofer！　Come　out！　Long　live　the　commander…in…chief　of　the
Tyrol；　the　liberator！　We　want　to　see　him；　we　must　thank　him　for
delivering　us　from　the　enemy。　Andreas　Hofer！　Andreas　Hofer！〃

〃You　cannot　get　around　it；　Andy；　you　must　step　out　on　the　balcony；〃
said　Niederkircher；　stepping　back　from　the　window。　〃The　people　are
perfectly　beside　themselves　with　love　and　enthusiasm；　and　will　not
keep　quiet　until　you　come　out　and　make　a　speech　to　them。　Do；　my
friend；　step　out　on　the　balcony！〃

〃Must　I　do　it？〃　asked　Andreas；　dolefully；　turning　to　the　Capuchin；
who　was　stretching　himself　comfortably　on　the　carpet。

〃You　must；　brother；〃　said　Haspinger；　gravely。　〃The　people　wish　to
see　their　beloved　leader；　and　it　would　be　ungrateful　not　to　accept
their　love。〃

Andreas　Hofer　sighed；　but　he　yielded　and　approached　the　balcony；　the
doors　of　which　were　thrown　open　by　the　innkeeper。

No　sooner　had　the　thousands　assembled　in　front　of　the　house　beheld
the　tall　form　of　their　favorite　leader；　than　thundering　cheers　rent
the　air；　all　waved　their　hats　and　shouted；　〃Long　live　Andreas　Hofer！
Long　live　the　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol！〃

And　now　a　feeling　of　profound　emotion　overcame　the　tender；　grateful
heart　of　Andreas　Hofer；　joy　and　ecstasy　filled　his　soul　in　the　face
of　so　much　love　and　enthusiasm；　and　tears　of　the　most　unalloyed
bliss　glistened　in　his　eyes；　which　greeted　the　jubilant　people　with
tender；　loving　glances。　He　was　anxious　to　thank　these　kind　people
and　give　utterance　to　his　love；　and　he　lifted　up　his　arm；　asking
them　to　be　quiet　that　he　might　address　them。

The　cheers　and　acclamations　ceased　immediately；　and　Hofer　spoke
amidst　the　breathless　silence　of　the　crowd　in　a　loud；　ringing　voice：

〃God　bless　you；　dear　people　of　Innspruck！　As　you　wanted　me　to　become
your　commander…in…chief；　I　am　now　in　your　midst。　But　there　are　many
other　Tyrolese　who　are　not　inhabitants　of　Innspruck。　All　who　wish　to
be　my　comrades　must　fight　as　brave　and　honest　Tyrolese　for　God；　the
emperor；　and　our　fatherland。　Those　who　are　unwilling　to　do　so　must
go　back　to　their　homes。　Those　who　wish　to　become　my　comrades　must
never　desert　me。　I　shall　not　desert　you　either；　as　sure　as　my　name
is　Andreas　Hofer！　You　have　seen　me　now；　and　heard　what　I　had　to　say
to　you；　therefore　good…by！〃　＇Footnote：　Hofer's　own　words。See
〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。126。＇

When　Hofer　had　concluded　his　speech；　thundering　cheers　rent　again
the　air；　they　continued　even　after　he　had　left　the　balcony；　closed
the　door　after　him；　and　stepped　back　into　the　room。

〃That　was　a　very　fine　speech；　Andy；〃　said　Niederkircher；　shaking
hands　with　him；　and　gazing　tenderly　into　his　flushed　face。　〃It　was
evident　that　your　words　were　not　learned　by　rote；　but　came　from　your
heart；　and　hence　they　could　not　but　make　a　profound　impression。　But
now；　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　dinner　is　ready。　The　soup　is
already　on　the　table；　and　I　myself　shall　have　the　honor　of　waiting
on　you。〃

〃But　Speckbacher　is　not　yet　here；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　〃and　we
cannot　dine　without　him。　We　fought　and　worked　together；　now　we　will
also　rest　and　attend　to　our　comforts　together。　Do　you　not　think　so
too；　brother　Red…beard？〃

But　the　Capuchin　made　no　reply；　or　rather　he　responded　only　by　a
loud　and　long　snore。

〃By　the　Holy　Virgin！　Haspinger　has　fallen　asleep　on　the　floor
yonder；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　smiling。

〃Let　us　waken　him；　then；〃　said　Niederkircher；　turning　to　the
sleeper。

〃No；　my　friend；　no；　we　will　not　do　so；〃　whispered　Andreas；　drawing
him　back。　〃Our　faithful　and　brave　brother　Red…beard　has　been　so　long
awake　and　at　work　that　we　must　let　him　rest；　and　it　would　be　very
wrong　in　us　to　arouse　him　from　his　sleep。　Let　us　defer　dinner；
therefore；　until　Speckbacher　is　here；　and　until　Haspinger　has　slept
enough。〃

〃But　you　said　you　were　hungry；　AndreasWhy　do　you　want　to　wait；
then？　Why　do　you　not　dine　now　and　let　the　other　two　dine　afterward？
You　are　commander…in…chief；　the　highest　officer　of　all；　and　they
must　do　as　it　suits　you；　and　you　must　not　do　as　it　suits　them。〃

〃Do　not　repeat　such　nonsense；〃　cried　Andreas；　vehemently。

〃I　am　commander…in…chief　only　because　it　is　necessary　that　there
should　be　one　to　hold　the　whole　together　lest　it　should　fall
asunder。　That　is　what　Father　Haspinger　said；　and　it