下载辰思小说免费APP
Thesharpshooterwasreloadinghisrifle，whentheshrubberybehindhimrustled，and，onturninghastily，besawoneofthesoldiersrushingtowardhim。Acryofrageburstfromthelipsofthesharpshooter。Hethenraisedhisrifleandfired。Thesoldierfell，butatthesamemomentoneofhiscomradeshastenedfromthethickettowardthetopoftherock。Anothercryburstfromthesharpshooter\'slips，butthistimeitsoundedlikeadeath—cry。Hesawthathewaslost，foralreadytheuniformsoftheothertwosoldierswereglitteringamongthetrees，andthesecondsoldierwasonlyafewstepsfromtheedgeoftherockwherethesharpshooterwasstanding。TheTyrolesecastalastdespairingglancearoundhim，asiftotakeleaveofheavenandearth，andofthemountainsandValleysofhisbelovedTyrol。Thenhethrewdownhisrifleandseizedthesoldierfuriously。Hisarmsencircledthebodyofhisenemylikeironclasps，andheforcedhimwithirresistibleimpetuositytowardtheedgeoftherock。
"InGod\'sname，then，"heshoutedinaloudvoiceechoedbytherocksallaround。"InGod\'sname，then！"
Withalastefforthethrewhimselfwiththesoldierintothedepth，andbothdisappearedinthewatersoftheEisach。
Speckbacher\'sservantthefaithfulZoppel，hadseenandunderstoodeverything;andwhenthetwosankintothefoamingtorrent，hewipedatearfromhiseyes。
"HediedlikeabravesonoftheTyrol，"hemurmured，"andtheHolyVirginwillassuredlybidhimkindlywelcome。Butwe，Hisel，willavengehisdeathontheaccursedenemybelow。"
"Yes，wewill，"criedthepeasantgrimly;andheraisedhishatchetwithafuriousgesture。
"Itisnotyettime，"saidZoppelthoughtfully。"Justwaituntilalargerbodyoftroopshasenteredthedefile。See，Hisel，howsplendidtheylookintheirgorgeousuniform，andhowproudlytheyaremarchingon！"
TheSaxonsdidmarchonproudly，butnotwithdrumsbeating。Theyadvancedinsilence，filledwithmisgivingsbytheprofoundstillnesswhichsurroundedthemallatonce，listeningattentivelytoeverysound，andexamininganxiouslythetopofeveryprojectingrock。
Theheadoftheserriedcolumnhadarrivednowdirectlyunderthehanging"avalanche"inthemiddleofthegloomydefile。Thesilencewassuddenlybrokenbyaloudangryvoice，whichseemedtoresoundintheairlikethecroakingofthedeath—angel。
Thisvoiceasked，"Zoppel，shallIcuttheropenow？"
"Notyet！notyet！"repliedanothervoice;andtheprecipitousrocksallaroundechoed"Notyet！notyet！"
TheSaxonsgaveastartandlookedup。Whencecamethesevoices？
Whatmeantthathugeblackmasssuspendedontheprecipitoussideofthemountainrightovertheirheads？
Thustheyaskedeachothershudderinglyandstoodstill，fixingtheireyesontheblackmassofrockandrubbish，whichfilledtheirheartswithwonderanddismay。
"Letusretraceoursteps！Letusnotpenetratefartherintothedefile，"murmuredthesoldierswithtremblinglips，butinsolowatonethattheofficersmarchingbytheirsidescouldnothearthem。
Buttheofficers，too，werefilledwithstrangemisgivings;theyorderedthesoldierstohalt，andhastenedbacktoGeneralRoyertoreporttohimthemysteriouswordswhichtheyhadheard，andtoaskhimwhethertheyweretohaltorretracetheirsteps。
"Advanceatthedouble—quick！"commandedthegeneral，sternly。
"Advanceatthedouble—quick！"theyrepeatedtotheirsoldiersalongthewholeline;thelatter，inobediencetothisorder，hurriedonundertheblackmasswhichstillhungthreateninglyovertheirheads。
Allatonceapowerfulvoiceaboveshoutedout:"Now，Hisel，inthenameoftheHolyTrinity，cuttheropes！"Thereupontheyheardthestrokesoftwohatchets。
Thesoldiers，whowererushingforwardinserriedranks，lookedupagain，andindescribablehorrorseizedthem。Theblackmassofrockandrubbishwhichhadhithertohungoverthem，commencedmovingandrollingdownwithaterriblecrash。Acloudofdustroseandfilledthegloomydefileaswiththesmokeofpowder。Atthesametimeaheavyfireburstforthonallsides，andfromamidtheleafyscreenthedeadlybulletsofthesharpshootersbroughtdeathwitheverydischargeintothealliedranks。Adeath—likesilencethenensuedforamoment，foroutofthedepthsrosethewailsandlamentationsofthehundredsofsoldierswhohadbeencrushedandmutilatedbythe"avalanche。"TheTyrolese，filledwithcuriosityandcompassion，lookeddownintothedefile。Thesmokeanddusthaddisappeared，andtheycoulddistinctlysurveythesceneofhorror，devastation，anddeath，inthegorge。
Happythosewhomthefalling"avalanche"hadhurledfromthenarrowfootpathintothefoamingtorrent！Itistrue，deathhadbeeninstoreforthemthere，butithadquicklyputanendtotheirsufferings。Butwhatwastheagonyofthosewholayburiedunderthefragmentsoftherocks，theirlimbsfearfullymutilated！Whatwerethesufferingsofthehundredsofsoldierslyingontheroad，onthisnarrow，gorypath，uponwhichthe"avalanche"hadthundereddown！
Itwasahorriblesight;eventheTyrolesetrembledonbeholdingthisrubbish，thesefragments，whencelargenumbersofbloodycorpsesprotruded，andamidstwhichtorn，mutilatedlimbsweremoving，whilehereandtheresoldiers，coveredalloverwithdust，andbleedingfromfearfulwounds，triedpainfullytoraisethemselvesfromtheground。
ThoseoftheSaxonswhohadnotbeenstruckbytheterribleavalanche，fellbackshuddering。WhentheTyrolesesawthis，theircompassionatthecruelfateofthedeadgaveway，andwithdeafeningshoutstheyburstforthfromtheirconcealment，and，minglingwiththeenemy，afrightfulslaughtertookplace。
TheSaxonsrallied，however;courageousdisciplinepresidedoverunskilledvalor，andthecolumnadvancedslowlyandpainfullyinthedirectionofthebridge，throughamurderousfire，andsurmountingtheruinswhichobstructedtheroadandcoveredthebodiesoftheircomrades。
Allatonceexultantshoutsandcheersresoundedattheentranceofthedefile，andtheclarion—notesofmartialmusicjoinedinthesestirringacclamations。Freshtroops，re—enforcementsoftheSaxons，werecomingupfromtherear。TheBavarianshadarrivedwiththeirartillery，whichtheyhadplacedinaveryfavorableposition;theyhadalreadytakenthetwofarm—housesattheentranceofthegorgewheretheTyrolesehadtakenposition，andwerenowrushingintothedefile。TheTyrolese，dismayedatthisimpetuousadvance，retreatedintothemountains。
FortwodaysthestrugglewascontinuedinthesegorgesnearMittewald。FortwodaysSaxonsandTyroleseopposedeachotherinthisfratricidalcontest，inwhichGermansfoughtagainstGermansinobediencetothebehestsofthetyrantwhohadsubjugatedallGermany，andtowhomonlytheundauntedTyrolstillofferedastubbornresistance。
Thevictorywaslongundecided。OncetheforcesoftheDukeofDantsicsucceededatoneextremityofthedefileindrivingbackthesharpshootersunderJoachimHaspinger，theCapuchin，andclearingapassagefortheSaxonsstrugglinginthegorge。ButtheCapuchinhadretreatedonlytobringupfreshforces，dispatchmessengerstoSpeckbacher，PeterMayer，AndreasHofer，andAnthonyWallner，soundthetocsin，andconcentratemorearmedpeasants。AndSpeckbachercameupwithhisbravesharpshootersintherearoftheSaxons:
AnthonyWallnerandhismenmadetheirappearancelike—wise;PeterMayerbroughtupfreshforces;andAndreasHofersentwordthathewouldbeonhandspeedily。ButtheSaxonswerelikewisere—enforced，bothbytheFrench，whomovedupfromBrixen，andtheBavarians，whoapproachedfromSterzing。
Thecontestwascontinuedwithunabatedviolence，andbothsidesstruggledobstinatelyforthevictory。ButtheTyrolesefoughtfortheirrights，theirliberty，theirGermancountry;theSaxonsandBavariansfoughtfortyranny，fortheforeignoppressor，andthesubjugationoftheircountrymen。GodgrantedvictorytotheTyrolese，andinthedefileofMittewaldupwardofathousandSaxonshadtoatonebytheirdeathforhavingfoughtatthebiddingoftheFrenchconqueroronGermansoilagainsttheirGermancountrymen。
TheTyrolesefoughtfortheirrights，theirliberty，theirGermancountry;andtheDukeofDantsic，theproudmarshalofFrance，wasdefeatedbythedespisedpeasants;hehadtofleefromtheirwrath，andarrivedwithouthiscloakandhat，tremblinganddeathlypale，onhisfoaminghorseatSterzing，whichhehadleftafewhourspreviouslywiththefirmconvictionthathewouldinflictacrushingdefeatuponthe"haughtypeasant—rabble。"Nowthis"haughtypeasant—
rabble"haddefeatedhim。
GodiswiththosewhofightfortherightsandlibertyofGermany。
GodiswiththosewhoriseboldlyagainstFrenchtyrannyandFrencharrogance！
CHAPTERXXXII。
THEFIFTEENTHOFAUGUSTATINNSPRUCK。
GodiswiththosewhofightfortherightsandlibertyofGermany。
HehadgrantedanothervictorytotheTyrolese。
Animatedbytheirbrilliantsuccesses，thepatriotsnolongerstoodonthedefensive，but，flockingfromallquarterstothestandardofHofer，assembledingreatmultitudesonMountIsel，thesceneoftheirformertriumphs，anddestinedtobeimmortalizedbyastillmoreextraordinaryvictory。Lefebvrehadcollectedhiswholeforce，consistingoftwenty—sixthousandmen，ofwhomtwothousandwerehorse，withfortypiecesofcannon，onthelittleplainwhichliesbetweenInnspruckandthefootofthemountainsonthesouthernsideoftheInn。Theywerefarfrombeinganimated，however，bytheirwontedspirit;therepeateddefeatstheyhadexperiencedhadinspiredthemwiththatmysteriousdreadofthemountaineerswithwhichregulartroopsaresooftenseized，when，contrarytoexpectation，theyhavebee
