andreas hofer-第95部分

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King　of　Italy；　Protector　of　the　Confederation　of　the　Rhine；　my
august　father　and　sovereign；　and　his　majesty；　the　Emperor　of
Austria；　have　made　peace。　Peace；　therefore；　reigns　everywhere　around
you。　You　are　the　only　people　which　does　not　enjoy　its　blessings。
Seduced　by　foreign　instigations；　you　took　up　arms　against　your
government　and　overthrew　it。　The　melancholy　consequences　of　your
seditious　course　have　overtaken　you。　Terror　reigns　now　in　your
towns；　idleness　and　misery　in　your　fields；　and　discord　and　disorder
are　to　be　found　in　all　parts　of　the　country。　His　majesty　the　emperor
and　king；　profoundly　moved　by　your　wretched　condition；　and　the
proofs　of　repentance　which　some　of　you　have　manifested　to　him；　has
consented　in　the　treaty　to　forgive　your　errors。　I　bring　you　peace
and　forgiveness；　but　I　warn　you　of　the　fact；　that　you　will　be
forgiven　only　if　you　return　of　your　own　accord　to　law　and　order；　lay
down　your　arms；　and　offer　no　longer　any　resistance　whatever。　As
commander…in…chief　of　the　armies　surrounding　you；　I　shall　accept
your　submission　or　compel　you　to　surrender。　Commissioners　will
precede　the　armies；　they　have　been　instructed　to　listen　to　whatever
complaints　and　grievances　you　may　wish　to　prefer。　But；　do　not　forget
that　these　commissioners　are　authorized　to　listen　to　you　only　after
you　have　laid　down　your　arms。　Tyrolese！　I　promise　that　you　shall
obtain　justice　if　your　complaints　and　grievances　are　well…grounded。
Headquarters　at　Villach；　October　25；　1809。〃

〃EUGENE　NAPOLEON。〃　＇Footnote：　Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　1。；　p。
490。＇

Baron　von　Worndle　had　long　since　ceased　to　read；　and　still　Andreas
Hofer　stood　motionless；　his　hands　folded　on　his　breast；　his　head
thrown　back；　and　his　eyes　turned　toward　heaven。　All　gazed　in
respectful　silence　upon　that　tall；　imposing　form　which　seemed　frozen
by　grief；　and　at　that　pale；　mournful　face；　and　those　pious　eyes；
which　seemed　to　implore　consolation　and　salvation　from　heaven。

At　last　Doeninger　ventured　to　put　his　hand　softly　on　Hofer's　arm。
〃Awake；　dear　commander…in…chief；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃awake
from　your　grief。　These　gentlemen　here　are　waiting　for　an　answer。
Tell　them　what　you　think〃　〃What　I　think？〃　cried　Hofer；　giving　a
start　and　dropping　his　eyes　slowly。　〃What　I　think？　I　think　that　we
are　poor；　unhappy　men；　who　have　vainly　risked　our　property　and　our
blood；　our　liberty　and　our　lives。　Tell　me；　then；　my　friends；　is　it
possible　that　the　Emperor　Francis；　whom　we　all　loved　so　dearly；　and
who　pledged　us　his　word　so　solemnly　and　often；　has　abandoned　us
after　all？　Cajetan；　do　you　believe　it？〃

〃It　is　in　black　and　white　here；〃　said　Doeninger；　in　his　habitual
laconic　style；　pointing　to　the　proclamation　of　the　Archduke　John。
〃It　is　the　archduke's　handwriting；　I　am　familiar　with　it。　You　need
no　longer　question　its　authenticity。　Peace　has　been　concluded。〃

〃Peace　has　been　concluded；　the　emperor　has　abandoned　his　Tyrol；　the
Tyrol　is　lost！〃　cried　Andreas；　in　a　loud　outburst　of　grief；　and　his
long…restrained　tears　streamed　from　his　eyes。　Andreas　was　not
ashamed　of　them。　He　threw　himself　on　a　chair；　buried　his　face　in　his
hands；　and　wept　aloud。

〃The　Tyrol　is　lost；〃　he　sobbed；　〃all　my　dear　countrymen　are　in
profound　distress；　and；　moreover；　in　the　utmost　danger；　our　beloved；
beautiful　country　will　have　to　shed　rivers　of　blood；　and　nothing
will　be　heard　but　wails　and　lamentations。　For　the　emperor　has
abandoned　us；　the　enemy　will　re…enter　the　country；　kill　and　burn；
and　wreak　a　terrible　revenge　upon　our　people！　Lord　God；〃　he
exclaimed　all　at　once；　〃can　I　not　do　any　thing；　then；　for　my　dear
country？　Tell　me；　my　friends；　can　I　not　do　any　thing　to　avert　this
great　calamity　and　save　the　lives　of　my　dear　countrymen？〃

〃Yes；　Andreas；〃　said　Baron　von　Worndle；　〃you　can　do　a　great　deal　for
the　Tyrol　and　your　countrymen。　You　can　prevent　bloodshed；　soften　the
vindictiveness　of　the　enemy；　and　induce　him　to　spare　the　vanquished
and　wreak　no　revenge　on　the　disarmed。　Write　a　proclamation　to　the
Tyrolese；　admonish　them　to　keep　quiet；　and　order　them　to　lay　down
their　arms。　Return　yourself　to　your　home；　your　inn；　and　you　will
have　done　on　this　mournful　day　more　for　the　Tyrol　than　you　have　been
able　to　do　for　it　up　to　this　time；　for　you　will　thereby　save　the
Tyrol　from　untold　disasters；　which　will　surely　befall　the　country　if
you　resume　hostilities　against　enemies　who　are　a　hundred　times
superior　to　us。　It　is　impossible　for　us　to　withstand　them
successfully。　Their　columns；　well　provided　with　artillery；　are
moving　upon　all　sides；　and　the　whole　Tyrol；　as　the　Viceroy　of　Italy
writes；　is　surrounded。　We　have　no　course　left　but　submission。　Order
the　Tyrolese；　therefore；　to　submit；　set　a　good　example　to　them
yourself；　and　the　Tyrol　is　saved；　and　no　more　blood　will　be　shed。〃

〃No　more　blood　will　be　shed！〃　repeated　Andreas　Hofer；　joyously。
〃Well；　then；　I　see　that　you　are　right；　and　that　we　have　no　course
left　but　submission。　It　is　true；　the　emperor　has　abandoned　us；　but
the　good　God　will　still　stand　by　us；　and　on　seeing　that　we　are
humble　and　submissive；　He　will　have　mercy　upon　us。　Sit　down；
Cajetan；　I　will　dictate　a　letter　to　you。　To　whom　must　I　write　on
behalf　of　my　beloved　country？〃

〃Write　to　General　Drouet；〃　said　Doeninger。　〃It　was　he　who　wrote　to
you　yesterday　from　Innspruck；　informing　you　of　the　conclusion　of
peace；　and　promising　that；　if　you　and　all　the　Tyrolese　would　submit；
no　harm　should　befall　any　one。　You　refused　to　answer　his　letter
because　you　did　not　believe　him。〃

〃I　did　not　believe　him；〃　said　Andreas；　gently；　〃for　I　still　believed
in　my　emperor。　But　I　see　now　that　General　Drouet　was　right；　I　will；
therefore；　write　to　him；　and　recommend　my　country　and　the　good　and
brave　Tyrolese　to　his　mercy。　Take　up　the　pen；　Cajetan；　and　write。〃

And　Andreas　Hofer　dictated　in　a　low；　tremulous　voice；　often
interrupted　by　sighs　which　issued　from　his　breast　like　the　groans　of
a　dying　man；　a　letter　to　General　Drouet；　in　which　he　promised　in
touching　words　that　the　Tyrolese　would　lay　down　their　arms；　and　said
they　would　trust；　for　pardon　and　oblivion　of　the　past；　to　the
magnanimity　of　Napoleon；　whose　footsteps　were　guided　by　a　superior
power；　which　it　was　no　longer　permitted　them　to　resist。

〃There；〃　he　said；　after　convincing　himself　that　Doeninger　had
written　exactly　what　be　had　dictated；　〃now　give　me　the　pen；　Cajetan。
I　will　sign　it　myself。〃

He　bent　over　the　table；　and　wrote　quickly　what　he　had　so　often
written　under　his　decrees；　〃Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of　the
Tyrol。〃

But　then　he　gave　a　start；　and　contemplated　his　signature　long　and
musingly。　Heaving　a　profound　sigh；　and　casting　a　mournful　glance
toward　heaven；　he　took　up　the　pen　a　second　time；　and　added　the　word
〃late；〃　slowly　and　with　a　trembling　hand；　to　his　title　〃commander…
in…chief　of　the　Tyrol。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas
Hofer；〃　p。　173。＇

〃Now　come；　Cajetan；〃　he　exclaimed；　throwing　down　the　pen；　as　if　it
was　a　viper　which　had　wounded　him；　〃come；　Cajetan。　I　will　go　to　my
sharpshooters　and　exhort　them　to　disband；　and　afterward　I　will
return　with　you　to　my　inn　in　the　Passeyr　valley；　in　order　to　set　a
good　example　to　all；　and　show　them　how　to　submit　quietly　and
patiently。〃

And　Andreas　Hofer　acted　accordingly。　He　ordered　his　men　to　disband；
and　after　they　had　obeyed　his　order　in　sullen　silence；　he　himself；
accompanied　only　by　his　faithful　Cajetan　Doeninger；　went　back　to　his
home。

But　neither　the　joyous　welcome；　with　which　his　wife；　faithful　Anna
Gertrude；　received　him；　nor　the　jubilant　shouts　of　his　children；
could　arouse　Andreas　Hofer　from　his　mournful　brooding；　or　bring　a
smile　to　his　lips。　He　did　not　rejoice　at　his　return　to　his　dear
ones；　he　paid　no　attention　to　his　business；　he　did　not　go　to　the
stables　and　barns　as　he　used　to　do；　but　he　sat　hanging　his　head；　his
hands　folded　on　his　knees；　staring　at　the　floor；　and　sighing　from
time　to　time；　〃My　poor　country！　How　could　the　emperor　abandon　us？〃

Only　when　Cajetan　Doeninger　was　not　with　him；　Andreas　Hofer　became
uneasy；　he　glanced　around　anxiously　and　called　for　his　secretary；
when　the　latter　hastened　to　him；　he　held　out　his　hand　and　said　in　a
low；　tremulous　voice；　〃Cajetan；　do　not　leave　me。　I　always　think　I
may　have　something　to　write　yet；　and　it　seems　to　me　as　though　what　I
dictated　to　you　at　Steinach；　declaring　my　readiness　to　submit；　were
not　the　last　of　my　official　papers。　Something　else　must　come　yet；
yes；　something　else。　I　know　it；　for　this　state　of　affairs　cannot
last。　Therefore；　Cajetan；　stay　with　me　that　you　may　be　ready　and
able　to　write　when　the　hour　has　come。〃

Cajetan　stayed　with　him；　both　sat　together　in　silence；　and　absorbed
in　their　gloomy　reflections；　and　the　days　passed　slowly　and
mournfully。

It　was　on　the　afternoon　of　the　fifth　day；　and　Andreas　Hofer　sat　in
silence；　as　usual；　in　the　gloomy　room。　Every　thing　was　still
without。　All　at　once　this　profound　silence　was　broken　by　a　hum　of
many　voices　and　loud　noise。

Hofer　looked　up　and　listened。　〃That　sounds　as　if　we　were　still　at
war；　and　as　if　my　sharpshooters　were　marching　up；〃　he　said。

〃Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol！〃　shouted　loud
voices　under　the　windows。

Hofer　jumped　up。　〃Who　calls　me？〃　he　shouted；　in　a　powerful　voice。

At　this　moment　the　door　was　thrown　open　violently；　and　four
mountaineers；　armed　with　their　rifles；　came　in。　Hofer　saw　through
the　open　door　that　the　yard　in　front　of　the　house　was　thronged　with
peasants；　and　all　looked　with　flashing　eyes　through　the　door　at
Hofer；　and　they　shouted　now；　〃Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of
the　Tyrol；　come　with　us；　come！〃

Andreas　Hofer　seemed　all　at　once　animated　by　new　life；　his　eyes　shot
fire；　his　form　was　drawn　up　to　its　full　height；　and　his　head　rose
again　proudly　between　his　powerful　shoulders。

〃What　do　you　want　of　me；　my　dear　countrymen？〃　he　asked；　going　to
meet　them。

One　of　the　four　sharpshooters　who　had　entered　the　room　now　came
forward；　and　placed　himself　with　a　defiant　face　in　front　of　Hofer。

〃We　want　you；〃　he　said。　〃Three　thousand　French　soldiers　are　marching
across　the　Janfen。　There　is　great　excitement　in　the　Puster　valley；
and　some　fighting　has　taken　place。