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andreas hofer-第18部分
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Tyrol。 Above all things; be cautious。 Keep in check not only your
tongues but your faces; especially here in Vienna。 For if the
Bavarian spies here ferret out that Andreas Hofer; Speckbacher; and
Wallner are in Vienna; and that I have had an interview with them;
their keen noses will scent at once what is going on; and they will
send; even before we reach the Tyrol; so many Bavarian and French
soldiers into your country; that you will be tied hand and foot; and
cannot raise your arms on the 9th of April to seize your rifles。
Therefore; I repeat it; keep your faces in check; and do not allow
yourselves to be seen in the streets of Vienna in the daytime。 Your
beard; Andy; especially is a treacherous thing; and it would really
be best for the Barbone to shave off his long mourning…flag。〃
Andreas Hofer seized his beard with both his hands; almost in
terror; and drew it caressingly through his fingers。
〃No;〃 he said; 〃my friends and countrymen know me by my beard; and
the Barbone is a welcome guest in the Italian Tyrol。 They would not
recognize me if I should appear among them with a smooth chin; and
they would doubt if it was Andreas Hofer who talked with them about
the great conspiracy and insurrection in case they did not see his
black beard。〃
〃No; archduke;〃 said Speckbacher; smiling and winking; 〃you must not
object to our Andy's beard; for it is the flag round which the
Tyrolese will rally; and with which the Tyrol will adorn itself on
the day of insurrection; as they put on their best clothes on the
day of Assumption。 Moreover; Andreas Hofer must not be ungrateful;
and he would be ungrateful if he should cut off his beard and throw
it away; for his beard gained him one day a couple of fat oxen。〃
〃Is that true; Andy?〃 asked John; laughing。
〃It is;〃 said Andreas Hofer; gravely。 〃My beard did gain me two
oxen。 It happened as follows; archduke: I was quite a young man yet;
and had married my wife; Anna Gertrude Ladurner; only a year before。
I was very fond of my little wife; and did not like to sit for hours
in the tavern; as I had done heretofore。 I stayed at home often
enough instead of attending to my business; and going down to Italy
or Germany to carry on my traffic in corn; wine; horses; and oxen;
by which I had made a great deal of money。 My friends sneered at my
staying so much at home; and said: 'Andy Hofer; the Sandwirth; is a
henpecked husband; and his wife is master of the house。' This was
very disagreeable to me; for; although I love my Anna Gertrude from
the bottom of my heart; I have always been the master; and she has
been obedient to me; as the Bible says it should be between husband
and wife。 Well; one day I sat at home with a few friends; we were
drinking wine in the bar…room。 Suddenly there entered the room an
old beggar with a tremendous beard reaching down to his girdle。 I
laugh at the beard and rejoice over its enormous length。 One of my
friends; Anthony Waidlinger; the rich Amselwirth; asks me: 'Well;
Andy; would you like to wear as long a beard as that?' 'Why not?' I
reply merrily。 ' Ah;' exclaims Anthony; laughing; 'you must not talk
so saucily。 You must not wear so long a beard。 Your wife will not
permit it; Andy!' This makes me very angry; I start up; and hardly
know what I am doing。 'What!' I cry; ' my wife? She must obey me
whether she likes it or not。 What will you bet I will not shave my
beard for a whole year?' 'I will bet you two oxen;' says Anthony;
'but let me warn you; Andy; you will lose the oxen; for I stick to
it; your wife will never permit you to become the laughing…stock of
the children by appearing in the streets with such a lion's mane。
Therefore consider the matter well; Andy; for there is time yet。
Admit that you will not win the bet; for two oxen are at stake!' 'I
have already considered everything;' I say: 'and as for the two
oxen; they will be just what I want。 A year hence you will bring
them to me; Anthony Waidlinger。' And this prediction was fulfilled。
I did not shave my beard; and Anna Gertrude; my wife; rejoiced at
her Andy's beard instead of being angry at it; and thought it made
her husband look a great deal better。 When the year was up; Anthony
Waidlinger drove his two oxen with a sullen air into my stable; and
said: 'Now you may cut off your fur and have a pillow made from it
for your wife。' 'I need not cut off my beard for that purpose;' I
replied; 'it may be my wife's pillow even while it hangs down on my
breast。 For she is a good and dutiful wife; and I am fondly attached
to her。' That; archduke; is the story of my beard; which I have worn
ever since; and which has often been a pillow when my little boy and
three girls fell asleep on my lap; and under which they have often
concealed their little heads when their mother was looking for them。
You will ask me no more to cut off my beardthe pillow and
plaything of my children。〃
〃No; Andreas;〃 said the archduke; kindly; 〃I will not。 Wear your
fine beard as you have done hitherto; may it be; notwithstanding its
black color; the victorious flag round which the royal Tyrolese
shall rally on rising for their lord and emperor! And now; farewell;
my friends; it is dawning; and it is time for us to repose a little。
Go home; therefore; and what remains to be settled you may talk over
to…morrow with Baron von Hormayr; who will give you money for
travelling expenses; and for distribution among the innkeepers。 Day
after to…morrow you will set out for home; and bring to all loyal
Tyrolese the joyful news that war will break out。〃
〃Yes; yes; war will break out!〃 exclaimed the three Tyrolese;
exultingly。
〃Hush; for God's sake; hush!〃 said John; laughing。 〃You must keep
quiet; and; instead of doing so; you shout as jubilantly as though
you were standing on a crest of the Brenner; and had just discovered
the hiding…place of a chamois。 Let me therefore tell you once more
it is necessary that the people of Vienna should not find out that
you are in the city。 Pledge me your word; then; that you will not go
into the street tomorrow in the daytime; nor allow any one to see
you。〃
〃We pledge you our word!〃 exclaimed the Tyrolese; with one accord;
〃we will not appear in the street to…morrow in the daytime; and day
after to…morrow we shall set out。〃
〃Yes; we shall set out then;〃 repeated Andreas Hofer; 〃and return to
our mountains and friends; and wait patiently and faithfully until
the day when we shall see the rising to the sky the signal which is
to tell us that our dear Archduke John sends us his soldiers to
assist us in delivering our country from the enemy; and restoring
it; with our mountains; our love; and our loyalty; to our dear
Emperor Francis。 God grant that we may succeed in so doing; and may
the Holy Virgin pray for us all; and restore the Tyrol to the
emperor!〃
CHAPTER VII。
ANDREAS HOFER AT THE THEATRE。
Count Stadion; the minister of foreign affairs; was pacing his
cabinet with a quick step and an anxious expression of countenance。
At times he stood still; and; bending his head toward the door;
seemed to listen intently for some sound; all remaining silent
outside; he commenced again striding up and down; and whenever he
approached the clock on the mantelpiece he cast an anxious glance on
it。
〃I am afraid Hormayr was not at home;〃 he murmured moodily to
himself; 〃his servants did not know where he was; and therefore the
mischief cannot be stopped。〃
He drew a golden snuff…box from his pocket and took a large pinch
from it。 〃I said at the very outset;〃 he murmured; 〃that we ought to
keep aloof from these stupid peasants; who will only involve us in
trouble and mischief。 But those gentlemen would not listen to me;
andReally; I believe I hear footsteps in the anteroom。 Yes; yes;
somebody is coming!〃
Count Stadion was not mistaken。 The door opened; and a footman
announced; in a loud voice; 〃Baron von Hormayr!〃
〃Let him come in; let him come in; quick!〃 said Count Stadion;
waving his hand impatiently; and when Hormayr appeared on the
threshold of the door; he hastily went to meet him。
〃In truth; it took my servants a good while to find you!〃 exclaimed
the minister; angrily。 〃I have been waiting for you half an hour。〃
〃I was at the Archduke John's rooms; with whom I had business of
importance; your excellency;〃 said Hormayr; emphasizing his last
words。 〃Moreover; I could not guess that your excellency would wish
to grant me an audience at so unusual an hour; and without my asking
for it。〃
〃At so unusual an hour!〃 cried Count Stadion; putting one pinch of
snuff after another into his nose。 〃Yes; yes; at so unusual an hour!
It would have been more agreeable to me; too; if it had been
unnecessary for me to trouble you and myself。 But it is your own
fault。 You do not keep your word。〃
〃Your excellency!〃 cried Hormayr; indignantly。
〃Bah! it is true。 You do not keep your word。 You promised me that
your Tyrolese should not show themselves; lest we might be charged
with fomenting an insurrection; and it was necessary; also; to
prevent the Bavarians from learning prematurely our plans。 Can you
deny that you promised this to me? 〃
〃No; your excellency; I do not de
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