第23章

You，Mr。Intendant，arethemantodoit。YouhaveoftenassuredusthatyouwereabraveandpatrioticsonoftheTyrol;provenowthatyoutoldusthetruth。InsteadofleavingtheTyrolatthishourofitsgreatestperil，andsurrenderingittotheenemy，placeyourselfatitshead，protectitagainsttheenemy，andpreserveittotheemperor。[Footnote:"GalleryofHeroes:AndreasHofer，"p。103。]

BecomeDukeofTyrol，takechargeofthegovernmentanddefenceofthecountry。Asprovisionalduke，calluponthefaithfulpeopletotakeuparms，andtheywillriseasonemananddefenditsfrontiersagainsteveryenemy。RuleovertheTyrolintheemperor\'splace，untilhehimselfisableagaintodosoandfoldusagaintohisheart。"

"Whatyousayisnonsense，Andy，"exclaimedHormayr，shrugginghisshoulders。"YouwantmetobecomeprovisionalDukeofTyrol？Why，thewholeworldwouldlaughatme，andtheemperorwouldpunishmeasarebel！"

"Well，then，"criedAndreasHofer，inapowerfulvoice，"ifyouwillnotdoit，Iwill！Ishalltakechargeofthegovernmentandcallmyself\'AndreasHofer，SandwirthofPasseyrandDukeofTyrol，\'aslongasitpleasesGod！"[Footnote:AndreasHofer\'sownwords。——SeeHormayr\'s"AndreasHofer，"vol。ii。，p。361。]

"No，youwillnot，Andy，"saidHormayr，gravely;"youwillbesensible，onthecontrary，andnot，fromworldlypride，endangeryourcountry，yourfriends，andyourself。Bearinmind，Andy，thatyouwouldberesponsibleforthebloodthatwouldbeshed，ifyoushouldincitethepeopletorebellion，andthatyouwouldbethemurdererofallthosewhoshouldfallinthestruggleprovokedbyyousorecklesslyandinopenoppositiontotheordersofyouremperor。Bowyourhead，Andy，andsubmitaswealldo。IntrustyourandourcausetoGod;asitisgoodandjust，Hewillnotforsakeit，butrenderitvictoriouswhenitistime。"

"Ibelieveyou，"sighedAndreas;"buthowcanIkeepquietwhen，asyouhaveoftentoldme，IamGod\'sinstrumentanddestinedbyHimtodeliverthedearTyrolfromtheenemy？Andwhatwouldmybravelieutenantssayiftheircommander—in—chief，AndreasHofer，weretoleavethecountryinitssoredistress，afterhehadtakenanoathtodefenditwhilehelived？Wouldtheynotpointtheirfingersatme，andcallmeatraitor，aJudasIscariotwhosoldhiscountryforthesakeofhisownsafety？"

"Youaremistaken，Andy。Youthinkyourfriends，thecaptainsandothercommanders，withwhomyoufoughtforthedeliveranceoftheTyrol，woulddespiseyouifyoufollowedtheAustriansnowandsavedyourlife？Nowlistentome，myfriend。Yourbestfriends，thebraveTyrolesecaptains，inwhomyoureposethegreatestconfidence，willleavetheTyrolthisverydayoftheirownaccordandaccompanyourAustriantroopstoCarinthia。"

"Thatisfalse，thatisimpossible！"criedAndreas，vehemently。

"Speckbacherwillneverdoso。"

"Yes，hewill，Andy。Isawhimthismorning。Hereresistedandfoughtaslongashecould;butsincethearmisticecompelshimtolaydownthesword，andsince，moreover，theFrenchandBavariansareenteringthecountryoncemore，hefeelsthatitisbetterforhimtosavehislifethanbecaughtandhungherebythevindictiveenemy。Hence，SpeckbacheracceptedtheofferoftheAustrianofficers，andwillaccompanythem。"

"JosephSpeckbacherwillleavetheTyrol？"murmuredAndreasHofer，mournfully。

"Andheisnottheonlyone，Andreas:Aschbacher，Puechler，Sieberer，andmanyotherbravecaptainsoftheTyrolese，willlikewiseleavewiththeAustrians。Allhaveaskedmetoimploreyoutofollowtheirexample，andfleefromtheperilsmenacingyouall。

Oh，believethem，believeme，Andreas！Ifyoustayhere，theBavarianswillnotrestuntiltheyhavetakenyouprisoner——untiltheirhatedenemy，theformidableBarbone，hasfallenintotheirhands。DearAndy，thinkofyourwifeathome，thefaithfulAnnaGertrude，whopraysforyoumorningandevening，andbeseechestheAlmightytosparethelifeofherdearhusband;thinkofyourdearchildren，whoseonlyprotectorandsupporteryouare;donotmakeyourdearwifeawidow，noryoursweetchildrenorphans！AndreasHofer，youcannotnowbeusefultothefatherland;saveyourself，then，foryourwifeandchildren！"

"Mygoodwife，mydearchildren！"sighedAndreas，profoundlymoved;

"itistrue，theylovemedearly，andwouldbeverylonelyonearthiftheirfathershouldbetakenfromthem！"

"Preservetheirfathertothem，then，andpreserveyourselfalsotothefatherland！FollowtheexampleofyourbravefriendsSpeckbacher，Aschbacher，Sieberer，andalltheothers;accompanyus，leavetheTyrolforawhile，andwhenthetimehascome，returnwiththemandfightoncemoreforthedeliveranceofthecountry。"

"Speckbacherwillleave，andsowillalltheothers，"murmuredAndreastohimself。"TheTyrolwillfallagainintotheenemy\'shands，andallhasbeeninvain！"

Hehunghisheadandheavedadeepsigh。

"Come，Andreas，besensible;thinkofyourselfandyourfamily，"

saidHormayr，beseechingly。"Ihavecomehitherforthesolepurposeoftakingyouwithme;letmenothavetravelledinvainfromBrixentoLienz。Come，Andreas，come！Mycarriageisinreadinessatthedoor;letusridetogethertoMatrey。Speckbacher，theotherfriends，andtheAustriansarewaitingforusthere;weshallcrosstheTyrolesefrontierwiththemthisveryday，andyouandallyourfriendswillbesafe。Therefore，donothesitateanylonger，butcome！"

"Icannotmakeupmymindsosuddenly，"saidHofer，disengaginghimselfgentlyfromthehandofHormayr，whowastryingtodrawhimupfromhischair。"Itisagrave，momentousstepwhichyouaskmetotake，andbeforeIcandosoImustconsultGodandpraytohimfervently。Therefore，prayleavemealonealittlewhile，thatImayspeaktothegoodGodandconsulthimandmyconscience。"

"Verywell，Andy，Igiveyouaquarterofanhourtomakeupyourmind，"exclaimedHormayr，approachingthedoor。

"Aquarterofanhourisnotenough，"saidAndreas，shakinghishead。"Itislateatnight，andnightisthetimeforreposeandprayer。Therefore，stayhere，Mr。Intendant;sleepafewhours，andto—morrowmorning，atsunrise，cometomychamberandawakenme。I

willtellyouthenwhatGodinheavenhastoldmetodo。"

"Youpledgemeyourword，Andreas，thatyouwillnotleaveduringthepresentnight？"

"Ido。Ishallstayhere。Andnowgood—night。Myheartisprofoundlymoved，andIlongforrepose。Thisismychamber;IbeggedAnthonySteegertoletmehaveit;hehasfineroomsforaristocraticguestsup—stairs，andhewillgiveyouoneofthem。Nowgood—night，sir！"

Hebowedkindlytothebaron，shookhandswithhim，andconductedhimtothedoor。

CHAPTERXXIX。

HOFERANDSPECBBACHER。

ScarcelyhadthesunrisennextmorningwhenBaronvonHormayraroseandquicklypreparedeverythingfortheirdeparture。Afterseeingthathiscarriagewasatthestreetdoor，hedescendedthestaircaseinordertogotoAndreasHofer。

AnthonySteegerfollowedhimwithagloomyface，andwatchedhiseverymovementattentively。"IfhetriestotakeAndywithhim，"hesaidtohimself，"Iwillstranglehim。Itistrue，hehastoldmealreadythatHoferwillaccompanyhim，butIdonotbelieveit，andheshallnotcoaxhimaway。ThistimeIshallbepresent，andseewhatheisafter。"

TheystoodnowinfrontofHofer\'sdoor，andHormayrputhishandontheknobtoopenit，butitwaslockedontheinside。

"AndreasHofer，AndreasHofer！"heshoutedoutalmostimperatively。

"Thetimeisup;cometome，AndreasHofer！"

Thedooropened，andthetall，powerfulformoftheSandwirthappearedinit。

"HereIam，"hesaid，smilingcalmly，"andyouseeIamreadytosetout。"

"Youwillaccompanymethen，Andy？"askedHormayr，joyfully。

"Youwillleaveus？"criedAnthonySteeger，indignantly。

"Iwaswaitingforyou，sir，"saidAndreas，quietly;"andifyouhadnotcomeofyourownaccord，Tony，Ishouldhavecalledyou，foryoushallhearwhatIhavegottosaytotheintendant。Comein，then，bothofyou，andletusspeakalastwordwitheachother。AnthonySteeger，BaronvonHormayr，ourcountryman，camehithertopersuademetoaccompanyhimandleavetheTyrol。Ourfriendswilldothesamething，fortheBavariansandFrencharealreadyenteringthecountry。Speckbacher，Sieberer，andothers，willsavetheirlivesforthisreason，andgowiththeAustrians;andtheintendantthinksIoughttodothesame，forthesakeofmywifeandchildren。

However，IwishedfirsttoconsultthegoodGod。Ididsoallnightlong。Iprayedandreflectedagreatdeal，anditseemedtomeasthoughtheLordspoketomeandenlightenedmysoultofindthetruepath。Listenthen，Mr。IntendantoftheTyrol，andyou，too，friendAnthonySteeger，towhatIhaveresolvedtodowithGod\'sassistance。ItookanoathtoservethefatherlandaslongasI

lived;asanhonestman，Imustkeepmyword，andstayintheTyrol。"

AnthonySteegerutteredaloudcryofjoy，butHormayr\'sfacegrewverysombre。"Youdonotsee，then，thatyouarerushinguponyourowndestruction？"heasked。"Youareintentonrenderingyourwifeandchildrenunhappy？Youarebentonincurringthemostimminentperil？"

"Iwillincuritcourageously，"saidHofer，kindly。"IknowverywellthatwhatIamabouttodoisnotprudent，butitisright。

WhenthetemptertookJesusupintoanexceedinghighmountain，showedhimallthekingdomsoftheworldandtheirglory，andsaid，`AllthesethingswillIgiveThee，ifthouwiltfalldownandworshipme，\'theSaviourdidnotaccepttheoffer，butremainedtruetoHimself，andsealedHisteachingswithhisdeath。IwillfollowtheSaviour\'sexample，andnever，whileIlive，proverecreanttothelovewhichIvowedtothedearTyrol;neverwillIleaveit，butIwillstandbyitandserveittothelast。Depart，then，BaronvonHormayr;Icannotaccompanyyou，forthecountrykeepsmehere，andneverwillIabandonitwhatevermayhappen！"[Footnote:"GalleryofHeroes:AndreasHofer，"vol。iii。，p。104。]"Isthatyourlastword，Andreas？"askedHormayr，gloomily。

"Itis，"saidHofer，gently。"Butpray，sir，donotbeangrywithmeforit。WereImoreprudentandsagacious，Ishouldcertainlyfollowyourad