第24章

heliftedtherosaryhangingathisbelt，and，whileenteringthecitybythegate，hecommencedprayingaPater—nosterinanundertone。

Thecitymeanwhilewasalreadyingreatcommotion。Thebellshadbeguntoringtheirsolemnpeals，andalldevoutworshippers，consistingonthisoccasionofthewholepopulationofthecity，wereflockingtothecathedral。Allatoncethedoorsofthecathedralwerethrownopen，andunderagold—embroideredbaldachinbornebyfourpriestsappearedthepiousbishop，carryinginhisupliftedrighthandthecasketcontainingthebonesofSaintCassian。Behindthebishopcamethepriestsbearingwax—lights，andsingingsoul—stirringhymns。Nextfollowedthelonglineofacolyteswithsmokingcensers;andpiousworshippers，carryingtorches，andrepeatingthehymnsintonedbythepriests，closedtheprocession。

Thisprocessiongainedstrengthateverystepasitadvanced，andsoonithadbeenjoinedbythewholepopulationofthecityandthehundredsofpiouspilgrimswhohadflockedtoBrixentotakepartintheholyfestival。

Haspinger，theCapuchinfriar，waslikewiseintheprocession;hewalkedinthemidstofthebravepeasantswithwhomhehadconversed，singingwithheaderectandinatoneofsolemnearnestnessthehymnswithwhichtheholyrelicswerebeinginvoked。

OnlyitseemedtothepeasantswhoheardhispowerfulvoiceasthoughhesomewhatchangedthepassageimploringSaintCassiantogranttheTyrolesepeace，protection，andtranquillity，andprayedfortheveryreverse。Thepassagewasasfollows:"Havemercyuponourweakness，andgrantuspeaceandtranquillity。"ButFatherHaspinger，brandishinghisstaffwiththeimageofSaintFrancis，sanginatoneofferventpiety:"Havemercyuponourvalor，andgrantuswar！"Tothosewholookedathimwonderinglyonaccountofthischangeofthetext，henoddedwithashrewdtwinkleofhiseyes，andmurmured:"CometomorrowtothechurchofLatzfons。Wewillholdacouncilofwarthere！"

Theprocessionhadnotyetfinishedone—halfofitsroute，andhadjustreachedthemarket—placewhenahorsemangallopedupthestreetleadingfromthegatetothemarket—place。Itwasprobablyabelatedworshipper，whointendedtotakepartintheprocession。Healightedhurriedlyfromhishorse，andtiedittothebrassknobofastreet—door，andthenwalkedcloseuptotheprocession。However，hedidnotjoinit，butstoodstillandcontemplatedeverypasser—bywithpryingeyes。Nowheseemedtohavefoundhimwhomhesought，forasmileilluminatedhissunburntface，andheadvanceddirectlytowardFatherHaspinger，whowassingingagain:"Havemercyuponourvalor，andgrantuswar！"Butonperceivingtheyoungladwhowasapproachinghim，hepaused，andabrightgleamofjoyoverspreadhisfeatures。

"ItisAndreasHofer\'sservant，AnthonyWild，"murmuredFatherHaspinger，joyfully，holdingouthishandtothelad。"Say，Tony，doyoucometobringmeamessagefrombrotherAndreas？"

"Ido，reverendsir。TheSandwirthsendsmetoyou，andasIdidnotmeetyouatyourconventofSeebennearKlausen，IfollowedyoutoBrixen;formymasterinstructedmetodelivermymessageasquicklyaspossibleintoyourhandsandreturnwithyouranswer。"

"Whatmessagedoyoubringme，Tony？"

"Thisletter，reverendsir。"

Thefriartookitandputitquicklyintohisbelt。"WhereisbrotherAndreas？"heasked。

"Inthecavewhichisknownonlytohim，toyou，andtomyself，"

whisperedAnthonyWild，intothefriar\'sear。"Heawaitsyourreplythere，reverendsir。"

"Andyoushallhaveitthisveryday，Tony。Now，however，wewillnotforgetourdivineservice，butworshipGodwithsincerepiety。

Taketheplacebehindmeintheprocession;andwhenwereturntothecathedral，followmewhere—everImaygo。"

Andthefriarcommencedsingingagain;hishand，however，nolongerheldtherosary，butheputitfirmlyontheletterwhichwasconcealedinhisbelt，andwhosecontentsengrossedhisthoughts:

Atlengththeprocessionhadreturnedtotheportalsofthecathedral。FatherHaspingersignedtotheSandwirth\'sservant，whowaswalkingbehindhim，andinsteadofaccompanyingtheotherworshippersintothechurch，hewalkedalongtheprocessionuntilhereachedatall，slenderyoungman，withwhomhehadalreadyexchangedmanyaglance。"MartinSchenk，"saidthefriartohim，"willyougohomenow？"

"Iwill，andIrequestyou，reverendsir，toaccompanyme，"saidtheyoungman，hastily。"Ibelieveyouwillfindanumberoffriendsatmyhouse。PeterKemnater，theinnkeeperofSchabs，andPeterMayer，theinnkeeperofMahr，willbethere。Iinvitedthem，andhadI

knownthatyouwouldbehere，Ishouldhaveinvitedyoutoo。"

"YouseethatIcomewithoutbeinginvited，forIthinkthefatherlandhasinvitedusall;andIbelievewewillnotpartakeofanepicureanbreakfastatyourtavernto—day，butconferastotheterriblecalamitiesofourcountry。WearethecooksthatwillprepareaveryspicyandunhealthybreakfastfortheFrenchandBavarians，andIbelieveIamthebearerofsomesaltandpepperfromAndreasHoferforthispurpose。See，MartinSchenck，inmybelthere，bythesideoftherosary，isaletterfromourdearbrotherAndreasHofer。"

"Andwhatdoeshewritetoyou？Ihopehedoesnotwantustokeepquietandpermittheenemytore—enterthecountry，asallprudentandcautiouspeopleadviseustodo？"

"Hush，hush，Martin！donotinsultourcommander—in—chiefbysuchasupposition。Ihavenotreadtheletteryet，butIbelieveIknowitscontents，andcouldtellyoubeforehandeverywordthatthegoodandfaithfulAndreashaswrittentous。Ah，hereisyourtavern，andletmeaskafavorofyounow。TheladwhoisfollowingusisAndreasHofer\'sfaithfulservant，AnthonyWild，whobroughtmetheletterfromhismaster，andwhomustwaitformyanswer。Givehimaplacewherehemayrest，andagoodbreakfast，forhemustsetoutforhomethisveryday。"

"Comein，AnthonyWild;youarewelcome，"saidtheyounginnkeeper，shakinghandswithHofer\'sservant。

"Thankyou，butImustfirstfetchmyhorsewhichItiedtoapolesomewheredownthestreet。Irodeveryfast，andmustfirstattendtotheHorse，afterwardIwillrequestyoutoletmehavesomebreakfast。"

AndHofer\'sservanthasteneddownthestreet。Theinnkeeperandthefriarenteredthehouseandsteppedintothelargebar—room。Twomencametomeetthemthere。

Oneofthem，amanaboutforty—fiveyearsold，dressedinthesimplecostumeoftheTyrolese，andofatall，powerfulform，wasPeterMayer，knownthroughouttheTyrolasoneofthemostardentandfaithfulpatriots，andamanofextraordinaryintrepidity，firmness，andenergy。

Theother，ayoungmanofscarcelytwenty—two，slenderyetwellbuilt，andfar—famedforhisfineappearance，boldness，andwealth，wasPeterKemnater，themostfaithfulanddevotedfriendofthefine—lookingandpatrioticyounginnkeeper，MartinSchenk。

Thetwomenshookhandswiththenew—comersandbowedtothem，buttheirfacesweregloomy，andnotthefaintestgleamofasmileilluminatedthem。

"Haveyoucomehither，FatherJoachimHaspinger，onlytojoininthepeace—prayers？"askedPeterMayerinhislaconicstyle，fixinghisdark，piercingeyesonthefriar\'sface。

"No，PeterMayer，"saidtheCapuchin，gravely;"IhavecomehitherbecauseIwantedtoseeyouthree，andbecauseIhavetosaymanythingstoyou。ButpreviouslyletmereadwhatourpiousandpatrioticbrotherAndreasHoferhaswrittentome。"

"YouhavealetterfromAndreasHofer！"exclaimedMayerandKemnater，joyfully。

"Hereitis，"saidthefriar，drawingitfromhisbelt。"Nowgivemeamoment\'stimetoreadtheletter，andthenwewillconferuponthematterthatbroughtushere。"

Hesteppedtothewindowandunfoldedtheletter。Whilehewasreadingit，thethreemenlookedathimwithraptsuspense，seekingtoreadinhisfeaturestheimpressionproducedbyAndreasHofer\'swordsontheheartofthebraveCapuchin。Indeed，thefriar\'sfeaturesbrightenedmoreandmore，hisforeheadandfacecolored，andasmileilluminatedhishardfeatures。

"Listen，men，"heexclaimedtriumphantly，wavingthepaperasthoughitwereaflag;"listentowhatAndreaswritestome！"Andthefriarreadinaclarionvoice:

"DearbrotherRed—beard！BelovedFatherJoachimHaspinger:Youknow，brother，thatallhasbeeninvain;theAustriansareevacuatingthecountry，andtheemperor，orrathernottheemperor，buthisministersandsecretaries，stipulatedinthearmisticeconcludedwithBonaparte，thattheFrenchandBavariansshouldre—entertheTyrolandrecommencetheinfamousoldsystem。ButIthink，eventhoughtheemperorhasabandonedus，GodAlmightywillnotdoso;

andeventhoughtheAustriansoldiersarecrossingourfrontiers，ourmountainsandglaciersremaintous;Godplacedthemtheretoprotectourfrontiers，andHegaveusstrongarmsandgoodriflesandkeeneyestodiscerntheenemyandhithim。WearetheinhabitantsoftheTyrol，andtheAustriansoldiersarenot，henceitisincumbentonustoprotectourfrontiers，andpreventtheenemyfrominvadingourterritory。Ifyouareofmyopinion，gatheraboutyouasmanybravesharpshootersasyoucan，callouttheLandsturmwhereitispossible，telltheothercommanderstodothesame，andadvance，ifpossible，atoncetowardtheBrenner，whereI

hopeyouwillmeetmeorhearfurthernewsfromme。JosephSpeckbacherdidnotleavethecountryeither;heisenlistingsharpshootersandcallingouttheLandsturminhisdistrict。ItistheLord\'swillthattheTyrolbehenceforthprotectedonlybytheTyrolese。Bearthisinmind，andgotowork。——YourfaithfulAndreasHofer，atpresentnotknowingwhereheis。"[Footnote:AndreasHofersignedallhislettersandordersinthisstrangemannerwhilehewasconcealedinhiscave。]

"Well，"askedthefriar，exultingly，"doyouthinkthatAndreasHoferisright，andthatweoughtnottoallowtheenemytore—enterthecountry？"

"Ithinkheis，"saidPeterKemnater，joyously。"IthinkitwillbegloriousforustoexpeltheFrenchandBavariansoncemorefromourfrontiers。"

"Or，iftheyhavealreadycrossedthem，drivethemignominiouslyfromthecountry，"addedPeterMayer。

"Ihavepassed，duringthelastfewdays，throughthewholeofPustervalley，"saidMartinSchenk。"EverywhereIfoundthemendeterminedtodie，rifleinhand，onthefieldofbattle，ratherthanstaypeaceablyathomeandbendtheirnecksbeforetheenemy。

\'Itisamisfortune，\'saidthemen，\'thattheAustriansareabandoningusatthiscriticaljuncture;butitwouldbeagreatermisfortunestillforustoabandonourselvesandconsenttosurrenderatdiscretion。\'"

"AndIsayitisnomisfortuneatallthattheAustrianshaveleftus，"criedtheCapuchin，vehemently。"ThecauseofthefatherlandhasnotsufferedmuchbytheretreatoftheAustrians。WhoassistedusatthebattleofMountIsel？Who