andreas hofer-第129章

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adopted　daughter；　and　was　still　with　him　at　the　time　of　his　death；
which　took　place　in　1856；　at　Salzburg。See　Sehallhammer's　〃Joachim
Haspinger；〃　p。　184。＇




CHAPTER　XLIV。

ANDREAS　HOFER'S　DEATH。


The　court…martial　at　Mantua　had　passed　sentence　of　death　upon
Andreas　Hofer　for　fighting　against　the　French　after　the　last
proclamation　of　Eugene　Beauharnais　offering　a　general　amnesty。　But
the　court…martial　had　not　adopted　this　decision　unanimously；　several
members　had　voted　for　long　confinement；　and　two　had　had　the　courage
to　vote　for　his　entire　deliverance。　By　a　singular　revolution　of
fortune；　the　same　General　Bisson；　who　had　been　taken　prisoner　at
Innspruck　at　the　outbreak　of　the　insurrection；　and　with　whom　Major
Teimer　had　made　his　triumphal　entry　into　Innspruck；　was　now　governor
of　Mantua；　and　president　of　the　court…martial　which　tried　the
commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrolese。　The　general；　in　consideration　of
his　captivity　among　the　Tyrolese；　wished　to　act　mildly　and
impartially；　and　sent　a　telegraphic　dispatch　to　the　viceroy　at　Milan
to　inquire　what　was　to　be　done　with　Andreas　Hofer；　inasmuch　as　the
sentence　of　the　court…martial　had　not　been　passed　unanimously。　An
answer　was　returned　very　soon。　It　contained　the　categorical　order
that　Andreas　Hofer　should　be　shot　within　twenty…four　hours。

Commissioners　of　the　military　authorities；　therefore；　entered
Andreas　Hofer's　cell　on　the　21st　of　February；　and　informed　him　that
he　would　suffer　death　within　two　hours。

He　listened　to　them　standing；　and　with　unshaken　firmness。　〃I　shall
die；　then；　at　least　as　a　soldier；　and　not　as　a　criminal；〃　he　said；
nodding　his　head　gently。　〃I　am　not　afraid　of　bullets；　nor　of　the
good　God　either；　He　was　always　kind　to　me；　and　it　is　even　now　kind
in　Him　to　relieve　me　from　my　sufferings　here。　I　am　ready　to　appear
before　the　judgment…seat　of　God。〃

〃If　you　have　any　special　wishes　to　prefer；　communicate　them　to　us
now；　and　if　it　is　possible；　they　shall　be　granted；〃　said　one　of　the
officers；　profoundly　moved。

〃There　are　some　wishes　which　I　should　like　to　prefer；〃　replied
Hofer；　musingly。　〃In　the　first　place；　I　wish　to　see　once　more　my
dear　Cajetan　Doeninger；　who　was　separated　from　me　and　confined　in
another　cell；　and　then　I　wish　to　dictate　a　letter　and　my　last　will；
and　would　request　that　both　be　sent　to　my　dear　brother…in…law。〃

〃These　wishes　shall　be　complied　with；　I　promise　it　to　you　in　the
name　of　General　Bisson。　Do　you　desire　to　prefer　any　additional
requests？〃

〃I　wish　further　that　a　priest　be　sent　to　me；　that　he　may　receive　my
confession；　and　grant　me　absolution；　and　finally；　I　should　like　to
see　once　more　my　dear　countrymen；　who　are　imprisoned　in　the
casemates　here；　and　take　leave　of　them　in　a　few　words。〃

〃A　confessor　will　be　sent　to　you；　but　your　last　request　can　not　be
complied　with；〃　was　the　reply。　〃An　exciting　and　perhaps　disorderly
scene　would　ensue；　and　such　things　must　be　avoided。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Andreas；　sighing；　〃send　me　my　dear　secretary；　and
afterward　the　priest。〃

A　few　minutes　after　the　officers　had　withdrawn；　the　door　opened；　and
Cajetan　Doeninger　came　in。　He　burst　into　tears；　rushed　toward
Andreas　Hofer；　and　folding　him　to　his　heart；　exclaimed　mournfully：
〃Is　it　true；　then；　that　they　intend　to　kill　you？　Is　it　true　that
they　are　going　to　assassinate　the　noblest　and　best　man　like　a
criminal？〃

〃Hush；　hush；　Cajetan；〃　said　Andreas；　gently；　pressing　Doeninger
tenderly　to　his　heart；　〃do　not　scold；　but　submit　as　I　do。　I　die
gladly；　for　it　is　better　that　I　should　sacrifice　myself　for　my
native　country　than　that　others　should　die　for　my　sake；　or　for　the
fatherland。〃　＇Footnote：　Hofer's　own　wordsSee　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：
Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。　195。＇

〃Oh；　would　that　I　could　die　for　you！〃　sobbed　Doeninger；　〃my　life　is
worthless　without　you。　Is　it　possible　that　you　must　suffer　now　so
ignominious　a　punishment　for　all　your　noble　deeds　and　aspirations？〃

〃God　alone　knows　what　is　good；〃　said　Andreas；　mildly；　〃and　I　have
doubtless　committed　many　errors；　for　which　I　have　to　suffer　now。
But；　Cajetan；　will　you　fulfil　my　last　request？〃

〃Name　it；　and　I　will　comply　with　it。〃

〃Then　weep　no　more；　my　dear　friend；　for　your　tears　give　me　pain。　Be；
as　formerly；　manful　and　firm。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Doeninger；　and　he　dried　his　tears　and　forced　himself
to　be　calm　and　composed。

〃And　now；　Cajetan；　be　my　secretary　for　the　last　time；〃　said　Andreas；
gently。　〃I　will　dictate　to　you　a　letter　to　my　brother…in…law　Pohler；
at　Neustadt。　The　jailer　has　already　laid　paper；　pen；　and　ink　on　the
table。　Sit　down；　therefore；　and　write。〃

Cajetan　went　to　the　table　and　seated　himself。　〃I　am　ready；
commander…in…chief；〃　he　said；　〃dictate　to　me　now。〃

Andreas　walked　up　and　down　several　times　musingly；　he　then　stood
still　near　the　table；　a　wondrous　expression　of　serene　calmness　and
peace　beamed　from　his　face；　and　he　dictated　in　a　clear；　quiet　voice
which　did　not　once　tremble　with　emotion。

〃Dearest　brother…in…law：　It　was　God's　will　that　I　should　exchange
here　at　Mantua　my　earthly　life　for　a　better　one。　ButGod　be　praised
for　his　divine　mercy！it　seems　to　me　as　little　painful　as　if　I　were
to　be　led　out　for　another　purpose。　God　in　His　mercy　will　doubtless
be　with　me　to　the　last　moment；　when　I　shall　ascend　to　that　eternal
dwelling…place　where　my　soul　will　rejoice　for　evermore　with　all　the
chosen　spirit！　and　where　I　shall　pray　for　all；　and　particularly　for
those　to　whom　I　owe　my　intercession；　above　all；　for　you；　too；　and
your　dear　wife；　on　account　of　the　book　which　you　presented　to　me。
and　of　other　kind　acts。　Let　all　my　dear　friends　and　acquaintances
pray　for　me　too；　and　help　me　to　rise　from　the　devouring　flames；　when
I　have　to　expiate　my　sins　in　purgatory。　My　beloved　wife；　Anna
Gertrude；　is　to　have　masses　read　for　me　at　St。　Martin's　Zum
rosenfarbnen　Blut。　She　shall　have　prayers　read　in　both　of　the
parish…churches；　and　treat　my　friends　at　the　lower　inn　to　soup　and
meat；　and　give　every　one　half　a　bottle　of　wine。　The　money　I　had
about　me　will　be　distributed　among　the　poor　of　this　city；　for　the
rest；　settle　with　my　debtors　and　creditors　as　honestly　as　you　can；
lest　I　should　have　to　atone　for　it　also。　Farewell；　all　of　you；　for
this　world；　until　we　shall　meet　in　heaven　and　praise　God　for
evermore。　Dearest　brother…in…law；　repair　to　the　Passeyr　valley；　and
inform　the　landlord　of　the　lower　inn　of　my　instructions。　He　will
make　all　necessary　dispositions。　Let　all　the　inhabitants　of　Passeyr；
and　all　my　acquaintances　remember　me　in　their　prayers。　Dearest
brother…in…law；　tell　my　wife；　Anna　Gertrude；　not　to　grieve　for　me。　I
shall　pray　to　God　for　her　and　for　all。　Adieu；　beautiful　world！　Dying
seems　to　me　so　easy　that　there　are　not　even　tears　in　my　eyes。〃

〃Written　at　nine　o'clock；　at　ten　I　shall　ascend　to　God　with　the　aid
of　all　the　saints。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Your。〃

　〃Mantua；　February　20；　1810。〃
＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。　197。＇

〃I　will　write　the　signature　as　I　always　did；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；
and；　taking　up　the　pen　quickly；　he　wrote：

〃Your　Andreas　Hofer；　from　Sand　in　Passeyr；　whom　you　loved　in　this
life。　I　will　set　out　on　my　last　journey　in　the　Lord's　name。〃
＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　Heroes。〃＇

〃I　thank　you；　Cajetan；　for　rendering　me　this　last　service；〃　said
Andreas；　kindly。　〃And　now；　my　dear　friend；　let　us　take　leave　of　each
other。　The　confessor　will　be　here　soon；　and　then　I　must　no　longer
speak　to　any　one　but　God。〃

Cajetan　came　to　him　with　a　tottering　step；　and　leaned　his　head
silently　on　Hofer's　shoulder。　He　did　not　speak；　he　wanted　to　be
firm；　but　he　was　unable　to　restrain　the　sobs　and　sighs　which　issued
from　his　breast。

〃My　dear　Cajetan；　why　do　you　weep？〃　asked　Hofer；　pressing
Doeninger's　head　gently　to　his　heart。　〃Did　you　weep　when　I　went　into
battle；　where　the　enemy's　bullets　might　have　hit　me　at　any　second？
You　did　not　weep　then。　Think；　therefore；　that　I　am　going　into　battle
to…day　too；　and　that　it　is　better　for　me　to　be　hit　by　the　bullets
than　suffer　any　longer　in　this　manner。〃

At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　the　priest；　Giovanni　Giacomo
Manifesti；　dressed　in　full　vestments；　came　in。　The　guards　who
followed　h