andreas hofer-第122章

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son；　was　kneeling　before　her；　with　his　head　against　his　mother's
knees；　and　weeping　also。　Doeninger　stood　at　the　hearth　and　stared
into　the　fire。

Andreas　Hofer　went　to　him　and　laid　his　hand　gently　on　his　shoulder。
〃Cajetan；〃　he　asked；　mildly；　〃did　I　do　right？〃

〃Yes；　commander…in…chief；　you　did；〃　said　Doeninger；　solemnly。

〃I　want　to　tell　you　something　more；　Cajetan；〃　added　Andreas。　〃What
Steeger　said　about　Rafel　and　Donay　may　be　true；　the　French　may　have
discovered　my　place　of　concealment；　and　may　come　up　here。　Hence；
dear　Cajetan；　you　must　leave　me　and　escape；　lest　they　should　seize
you；　too。〃

〃A　good　servant　leaves　his　master　no　more　than　a　captain　deserts　his
shipwrecked　vessel；〃　said　Doeninger；　firmly。　〃You　refuse　to　leave
your　native　country　in　its　adversity　because　you　love　it。　I　refuse；
likewise；　to　leave　you　in　the　days　of　your　adversity；　because　I　love
you。　I　shall　stay　here。〃

Andreas　Hofer　encircled　Doeninger　with　his　arms　and　folded　him
tenderly　to　his　heart。　〃Stay　with　me；　then；　my　Cajetan；〃　he　said；
affectionately。　〃God　knows　my　heart　would　have　grieved　had　you
consented　to　leave　me。　And　now；　Anna　Gertrude；　do　not　weep　any
longer。　Make　haste；　dear　wife；　pack　up　all　your　things；　and　let　us
go　early　to　bed。　For　early　in　the　morning　we　will　leave　this　hut。　I
know　another　Alpine　hut　at　no　great　distance　from　here；　I　believe　we
will　be　able　to　get　thither；　and　we　will　take　with　us　as　many　things
as　we　can　carry。　Make　haste；　therefore；　dear　Anna　Gertrude！〃

Anna　Gertrude　dried　her　tears；　and；　flushed　with　new　hope；　packed　up
their　things　in　four　small　bundles；　so　that　each　might　carry　one
according　to　his　strength。

Night　came　at　lastthe　last　night　which　they　were　to　pass　at　this
hut。　At　the　break　of　day　they　were　to　set　out　for　their　new　place　of
concealment。

They　went　to　bed　at　an　early　hour。　Andreas　Hofer　had　sent　the　two
servants　down　to　Brandach；　where　they　were　to　get　some　articles
necessary　for　the　trip　on　the　morrow。　Hofer　and　his　wife　slept　in
the　room　below。　Cajetan　Doeninger　and　little　John　Hofer　lay　in　the
small　hay…loft；　to　which　a　ladder　led　up　from　the　room。

But　Doeninger　did　not　sleep。　He　thought　all　the　while　of　Raffel；　who
had　come　up　there　three　days　ago　and　seen　Andreas；　he　thought　of
Donay；　the　priest；　to　whom　Raffel　had　betrayed　Hofer's　place　of
concealment。　He　knew　that　Donay；　who；　up　to　the　days　of　adversity；
had　always　professed　to　be　Hofer's　friend　and　an　extreme　partisan　of
the　insurrection；　had　suddenly；　since　the　enemy　had　reoccupied　the
Tyrol；　changed　his　colors；　become　a　preacher　of　peace　and
submission；　and　an　ardent　adherent　of　the　French；　with　whose
officers　he　held　a　great　deal　of　intercourse。　He　knew　Donay's
avaricious　and　treacherous　character；　and；　therefore；　he　trembled
for　Andreas　Hofer's　safety。　He　lay　uneasy　and　full　of　anxiety　on　his
couch；　listening　all　the　while　for　suspicious　sounds。　But　nothing
was　heard　but　the　storm　howling　and　whistling　about　the　hut；　and　the
regular　respirations　of　the　two　sleepers　in　the　room　below。

Hour　passed　after　hour；　all　remained　silent；　and　Doeninger　felt
somewhat　relieved；　for　day　would　soon　dawn；　when　the　hour　of　flight
would　be　at　hand。　Doeninger　dropped　his　head　slowly　on　the　hay　to
sleep　an　hour　and　invigorate　himself　for　to…morrow's　trip。　However；
no　sooner　had　he　done　so　than　he　gave　a　start；　lifted　up　his　head
again；　and　listened。　He　had　heard　a　sound　outside。　The　sound；　as　it
were；　of　many　approaching　footsteps　which　creaked　on　the　frozen
snow。

Doeninger　crept　cautiously　to　the　small　hole　in　the　roof　and　looked
out。　The　moon　shed　her　pale　light　on　the　white　snowfield　around　the
hut；　and　Doeninger　could　see　and　recognize　everything。　He　saw　a
detachment　of　soldiers　coming　up　yonder。　He　saw　them　halt　at　a　short
distance　from　the　hut。　He　then　saw　two　forms　approaching　the　hut。
Now　they　stood　still　in　front　of　it。　The　moon　shone　brightly　into
the　face　of　one　of　them；　Doeninger　recognized　him　at　once；　it　was
Raffel；　the　betrayer。　The　other　was　a　French　officer。　The　latter
stood　still　at　a　distance　of　some　steps　from　the　hut；　but　Raffel
went　close　up　to　the　door；　applied　his　ear　to　it　and　listened。

〃They　are　here；〃　he　then　said　to　the　officer　in　a　low　voice。　The
officer　immediately　lifted　up　his　arm　and　shouted　〃Forward！〃　The
soldiers　advanced　and　surrounded　the　hut。　All　was　lost！

Doeninger　awakened　the　sleeping　boy。　〃John；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；
〃let　us　go　down　to　father。　The　French　have　come。〃

The　boy　uttered　a　loud　cry。　〃The　French　have　come！〃　he　exclaimed；
despairingly；　〃they　want　to　arrest　my　father！〃

〃Come；〃　said　Doeninger；　imperatively；　and　he　took　the　boy　in　his
arms；　and　hastened　with　him　down　the　ladder　into　the　room　below。

〃Awake；〃　he　said；　bending　over　Andreas　Hofer；　〃the　enemy　has　come。〃

Andreas　started　up　and　stared　incredulously　at　Doeninger；　but　his
wife　rose；　uttering　low　lamentations；　and　dressed　herself　hurriedly。

〃Let　us　flee；〃　she　murmured；　〃quick；　quick；　let　us　escape　by　the
back　door。〃

〃The　hut　is　surrounded；〃　said　Doeninger；　assisting　Hofer　in
dressing。　〃We　can　no　longer　flee。〃

〃Is　that　true？〃　asked　Andreas；　calmly。

〃It　is；　commander…in…chief。〃

〃Well；　then；　as　it　pleases　God；〃　said　Hofer；　crossing　himself；　and；
traversing　the　room　quickly；　he　opened　the　front　door。

The　soldiers　stood　four　files　deep；　shouldering　their　muskets。
Andreas　advanced　fearlessly　close　up　to　the　enemy。

〃Is　there　one　of　you；　gentlemen；　who　speaks　German？〃　he　asked；　with
entire　calmness。

〃I　do；〃　said　the　officer；　stepping　rapidly　forward。

Andreas　greeted　him　with　a　proud　nod　of　the　head。　〃Well；　then；〃　he
said；　〃I　am　Andreas　Hofer；　late　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrolese。
I　ask　for　quarter　and　good　treatment。〃

〃I　cannot　promise　any　thing　to　a　rebel；〃　replied　the　officer；
contemptuously。

〃But　you　have　come　to　seize　me；　and　none　but　me；〃　continued　Andreas；
in　a　gentle　voice。　〃Well；　then；　here　I　am；　do　with　me　as　you　please。
But　I　ask　you　to　have　mercy　upon　my　wife　and　my　son；　and　this　young
man；　for　they　are　entirely　innocent。〃　＇Footnote：　Andreas　Hofer's　own
words。　See　〃Gallery　of　Heroes。〃＇

The　officer　made　no　reply。　He　signed　to　his　soldiers；　and　ordered
them　to　bind　Andreas　Hofer　and　the　others　in　such　a　manner　as　to
render　it　utterly　impossible　for　them　to　escape。

The　soldiers　rushed　furiously　upon　the　defenseless　captives；　tied
their　hands　on　their　backs；　and　wound　the　ropes　round　their　necks；
so　that　they　could　drag　them　forward　like　oxen。　And　after　binding
Andreas　Hofer；　so　that　they　were　no　longer　afraid　of　his　strong
arms；　they　surrounded　him　with　scornful　laughter；　tore　handfuls　of
hair　from　his　beard；　and　said　they　would　keep　them　〃as　souvenirs　of
General　Barbone。〃　Blood　streamed　from　his　lacerated　face；　but　the
cold　froze　it　and　transformed　the　gory　beard　into　a　blood　red
icicle；　which　pricked　the　numerous　wounds　in　his　chin　every　moment；
and　inflicted　intense　pain。

Andreas　did　not　complain；　he　looked　only　at　his　wife；　his　son；　and
his　friend；　who；　bound　like　himself；　scantily　dressed　and　barefooted
like　himself；　were　dragged　down　the　mountain；　which　was　covered　with
snow　and　ice；　into　the　plain　below。　His　hands；　into　which　the　rope
was　cutting　all　the　while；　were　very　sore；　his　bare　feet　swelled
from　walking　on　the　snow　and　were　torn　by　the　icicles。　Still　Andreas
did　not　complain；　but　on　hearing　the　low　wails　of　his　son；　on　seeing
that　every　footstep　of　his　wife；　who　was　dragged　along　before　him；
left　a　bloody　spot　in　the　snow；　he　burst　into　loud　sobs；　and　two
tears　rolled　slowly　down　his　cheeks　into　his　beard；　where　they　froze
in　the　blood。

The　dreadful　march　was　continued　to　Meran。　French　generals；　staff…
officers；　and　soldiers　awaited　the　tottering　prisoners　at　the　gate。
The　soldiers　greeted　the　captured　〃bandit　chief　Barbone〃　with　loud
cheers　and　scornful　laughter；　and　Andreas　Hofer　and　the　others
entered　the　city；　preceded　by　a　band　which　played　a　ringing　march。
The　French　were　overjoyed；　but　the　citizens　stood　in　front　of　their
houses；　and；　regardless　of　the　presence　of　their　cruel　enemies；
greeted　Andreas　Hofer　with　tears　and　loud　lamentations。