andreas hofer-第123章

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houses；　and；　regardless　of　the　presence　of　their　cruel　enemies；
greeted　Andreas　Hofer　with　tears　and　loud　lamentations。

The　journey　was　continued　on　the　following　day　to　Botzen；　only　the
prisoners；　whose　bleeding　and　lacerated　feet　refused　to　carry　them
any　longer；　had　been　laid　on　a　common　farm…wagon；　and　some　clothing
had　been　thrown　over　them。

At　Botzen　Andreas　Hofer　received　cheering　news。　A　noble　German　lady；
the　wife　of　Baron　de　Giovanelli；　had　dared　to　implore　the　French
General　Baraguay　d'Hilliers　to　have　mercy　on　Hofer's　unfortunate　and
innocent　family；　to　save　them；　she　had　knelt　down　before　the　general
and　besought　him　with　heart…rending　lamentations。　Baraguay
d'Hilliers　had　been　unable　to　withstand　her　supplications；　and
consented　to　release　those　for　whom　she　pleaded。

〃The　viceroy's　orders；〃　he　said；　〃are　only　to　the　effect　that　the
Sandwirth　Hofer　be　conveyed　to　Mantua。　I　yield　to　your　prayers；
therefore；　madame；　his　companions　shall　be　released；　and　shall　not
be　molested　again。　His　wife　may　return　with　her　son　to　her　home；　and
carry　on　the　inn　as　heretofore；　but　she　must　be　cautious　and　not
expose　herself　to　new　dangers　by　imprudent　words。　The　young　man　may
go　wherever　he　pleases。〃

This　was　the　cheering　intelligence　which　Andreas　Hofer　received　on
the　third　day　of　his　captivity　in　the　jail　where　he　and　his　dear
ones　lay　on　wet　straw。

〃See；　Cajetan；〃　he　exclaimed；　joyfully；　〃it　turns　out　just　as　I
said。　My　seizure　releases　my　wife　and　my　child；　and　relieves　them
from　all　dangers。〃

〃But　I　will　not　leave　you；〃　cried　Anna　Gertrude；　embracing　him
tenderly；　〃I　will　stay　and　die　with　you。〃

〃And　is　our　son　yonder　to　die　too？〃　asked　Andreas；　pointing　to　his
boy。　〃And　our　three　little　girls；　are　they　to　become　entirely
helpless；　and　have　neither　father　nor　mother　to　protect　them？　Anna
Gertrude；　you　must　be　father　and　mother　to　them；　you　must　not　leave
them　and　our　boy。　You　must　preserve　their　small　inheritance　to　them；
bring　them　up　in　the　fear　of　the　Lord；　and　teach　them；　also；　to　love
their　poor　father　and　honor　his　memory。〃

〃Husband；　dear　husband；　I　cannot　leave　you；　I　cannot！〃　sobbed　the
poor　woman。　〃Do　not　thrust　me　from　your　heart；　do　not　leave　me
behind；　all　alone　and　without　consolation。〃

Andreas　lifted　his　arm　and　pointed　up　to　heaven。　〃There　is　our
Consoler；〃　he　said；　〃He　will　help　you。　Confide　in　Him；　Anna
Gertrude。　Go　to　your　children；　be　father　and　mother　to　them；　and
love　them　in　my　and　your　name。〃

At　this　moment　the　door　of　the　prison　opened；　and　the　jailer；
followed　by　soldiers；　came　in。

〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　said　the　jailer；　imperatively；　〃come！　The　wagon
which　is　to　convey　you　to　Mantua　is　in　readiness。　As　for　you　others；
begone；　you　have　no　longer　any　business　here。　Come；　Andreas　Hofer；
come！〃

〃Let　me　first　bless　my　wife　and　my　son；　my　friend；〃　said　Hofer；　and；
laying　his　hands　on　the　heads　of　his　wife　and　child；　he　blessed　them
in　a　loud　voice；　and　commended　them　to　the　protection　of　the　Lord。
Doeninger　knelt　behind　him；　and　Andreas　Hofer　laid　his　hand　on　his
head　also；　blessed　him；　and　thanked　him　for　his　love　and　fidelity。

〃Come　now；　come！〃　cried　the　soldiers；　and　they　seized　him　with　rude
violence　and　dragged　him　forward。

Anna　Gertrude　burst　into　loud　lamentations　in　her　grief　and　despair；
and　clung　to　Hofer　in　the　anguish　of　her　love。

〃Do　not　lament　any　longer；〃　said　Andreas；　mildly；　〃bring　your　grief
as　an　offering　to　the　crucified　Redeemer；　and　show　now　that　you　are
Hofer's　wife。　Farewell；　love！　Kiss　our　children！　Forward　now！〃

And　he　led　the　way　with　a　rapid　step。　Anna　Gertrude；　pale　as　a
corpse；　trembling　and　tottering；　seized　her　son's　hand　and　rushed
after　her　husband。　Cajetan　Doeninger　followed　them　resolutely　and
with　a　defiant　expression　of　countenance。

At　the　street…door　stood　the　farm…wagon；　covered　with　straw；　which
was　to　convey　Andreas　Hofer　to　Mantua。　Ten　soldiers　with　loaded
muskets　stood　upon　it；　and　a　crowd　of　soldiers　surrounded　it。

Andreas　Hofer　walked　calmly　and　with　head　erect　through　their　ranks
to　the　wagon。　His　wife　had　knelt　down；　she　wept　and　sobbed　bitterly；
and　embraced　convulsively　her　son；　who　gazed　in　dismay　at　his
father。

Andreas　Hofer　had　now　ascended　the　wagon。　The　soldiers　stepped　back；
and　the　driver　whipped　up　the　horses。

Suddenly；　Cajetan　Doeninger　elbowed　his　way　to　the　wagon；　and　signed
to　the　driver　to　stop。

〃I　shall　accompany　Hofer；〃　he　said；　grasping　the　side…railing　of　the
wagon　in　order　to　mount　it。

〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　jailer；　hastening　to　him。　〃You　are　mistaken；　you
are　free。〃

Doeninger；　still　clinging　to　the　railing　of　the　wagon；　turned　to
him。　〃What　said　the　general's　order？〃　he　asked。

〃It　said；　'the　young　man　is　free；　and　can　go　wherever　he　pleases。'〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Doeninger；　mounting　the　wagon；　quickly；　〃the
young　man　will　accompany　Andreas　Hofer　to　Mantua。　Forward；　driver；
forward！〃

The　driver　whipped　up　the　horses；　and　the　wagon　started　for　Mantua。
＇Footnote：　Donay；　the　priest　who　betrayed　Andreas　Hofer；　according
to　the　general　belief　of　the　Tyrolese；　was　soon　afterwards　appointed
imperial　chaplain　at　the　chapel　of　Loretto；　by　a　special　decree　of
the　Emperor　Napoleon；　and　received；　besides；　large　donations　in
lands　and　money。See　Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　507。
The　peasant　Francis　Joseph　Raffel；　who　had　betrayed　Hofer's　place　of
concealment　to　Donay；　was　afterward　called　Judas　Iscariot　throughout
the　Tyrol。　Every　one　turned　his　back　upon　him　with　the　utmost
horror；　and　the　men　of　the　Passeyr　valley　told　him　they　would　shoot
him　if　he　did　not　hang　himself　within　a　week。　Raffel　fled　in　great
dismay　to　Bavaria；　where　the　government　gave　him　a　small　office　in
the　revenue　departmentSee　〃Gallery　of　Heroes；　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。
191。＇




CHAPTER　XLII。

THE　WARNING。


The　French　hunted　throughout　the　Tyrol　for　the　unfortunate　men　who
had　hitherto　been　the　heroes　of　the　fatherland；　but　who；　since　their
cause　had　succumbed；　were　called　rebels　and　traitors。　The　soldiers
who　were　in　search　of　this　noble　game；　for　which　large　rewards　were
offered　to　them；　had　already　succeeded　in　arresting　one　of　the
heroes　of　the　Tyrol：　Peter　Mayer　had　fallen　into　their　hands；　and；
having　been　tried　by　a　military　commission　at　Botzen；　was　shot。　But
they　had　been　unable　as　yet　to　discover　the　hiding…places　of　the
other　insurgent　leaders；　despite　the　large　prices　which　the
government　had　set　upon　their　heads。　Joseph　Speckbacher；　for　whom
the　soldiers　were　hunting　most　eagerly；　had　disappeared。　The　French
and　Bavarians　ransacked　every　house　where　they　suspected　he　might　be
concealed；　they　inflicted　the　heaviest　fines　and　most　cruel　tortures
on　the　friends　of　the　fugitive　chief；　because　they　would　not　betray
the　place　where　their　beloved　commander　was　concealed；　but　all　was
in　vain。　Joseph　Speckbacher　had　disappeared；　and　so　had　Father
Haspinger　and　Anthony　Wallner。　＇Footnote：　Speckbacher　had　fled　to
the　higher　mountains；　where；　on　one　of　the　summits　of　the
Eisgletscher；　in　a　cavern　discovered　by　him　in　former　times　when
pursuing　the　chamois；　he　lay　for　several　weeks　in　the　depth　of
winter；　supported　by　salt　provisions；　eaten　raw；　lest　the　smoke　of　a
fire　should　betray　his　place　of　concealment　to　his　pursuers。
Happening　one　day；　in　the　beginning　of　March；　to　walk　to　the
entrance　for　a　few　minutes　to　enjoy　the　ascending　sun；　an　avalanche；
descending　from　the　summit　of　the　mountain　above；　swept　him　along
with　it；　down　to　the　distance　of　half　a　mile　on　the　slope　beneath；
and　dislocated　his　hip…bone　in　the　fall。　Unable　now　to　stand；
surrounded　only　by　ice　and　snow；　tracked　on　every　side　by　ruthless
pursuers；　his　situation　was；　to　all　appearance；　desperate；　but　even
then　the　unconquerable　energy　of　his　mind　and　the　incorruptible
fidelity　of　his　friends　saved　him　from　destruction。　Summoning　up　all
his　courage；　he　contrived　to　drag　himself　along　the　snow　for　several
leagues；　during　the　night；　to　the　village　of　Volderberg；　where；　to
avoid　discovery；　he　crept　into　the　stable。　His　faithful　friend　gave
him　a　kind　reception；　and　carried　him　on　his　back　to　Rinn；　where　his
wife　and　children　were；　a