andreas hofer-第44部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

the　keen　and　distrustful　eyes　of　shepherds'　dogs　the　soldiers
marching　in　their　midst。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

CAPTURE　OF　INNSPRUCK。


General　Kinkel；　governor　of　Innspruck；　had　just　finished　his　dinner；
and　repaired　to　his　cabinet；　whither　he　had　summoned　some　of　the
superior　officers　to　give　them　fresh　instructions。　To…day；　the　11th
of　April；　all　sorts　of　news　had　arrived　from　the　Tyrol；　and　although
this　news　did　not　alarm　the　Bavarian　general；　he　thought　it
nevertheless　somewhat　strange　and　unusual。　He　had　learned　that
Lieutenant…Colonel　von　Wreden；　despite　General　Kinkel's　express
orders；　had　rashly　evacuated　his　position　at　Brunecken　and　destroyed
the　bridge　of　Laditch。　Besides；　vague　rumors　had　reached　him　about
an　insurrection　among　the　peasants　in　the　neighborhood　of　Innspruck；
and　even　on　the　surrounding　mountains；　it　was　said；　bands　of　armed
insurgents　had　been　seen。

〃We　have　treated　these　miserable　peasants　by　far　too　leniently　and
kindly；〃　said　General　Kinkel；　with　a　shrug；　when　his　officer
communicated　this　intelligence　to　him。　〃We　shall　adopt　a　more
rigorous　course；　make　examples　of　a　few；　and　all　will　be　quiet　and
submissive　again。　What　do　these　peasants　want？　Are　they　already　so
arrogant　as　to　think　themselves　capable　of　coping　with　our　brave
regular　troops？〃

〃They　count　upon　the　assistance　of　Austria；〃　replied　Colonel
Dittfurt；　〃and　General　von　Chasteler　is　said　to　have　promised　the
peasants　that　he　will　invade　the　Tyrol　one　of　these　days。〃

〃It　is　a　miserable　lie！〃　cried　the　general；　with　a　disdainful　smile。
〃The　Austrians　will　not　be　so　bold　as　to　take　the　offensive；　for
they　know　full　well　that　the　great　Emperor　Napoleon　will　consider
every　invasion　of　Bavarian　territory　an　attack　upon　France　herself；
and　that　we　ourselves　should　drive　the　impudent　invaders　from　our
mountains。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　so　long　as　the　mountains　are　still　ours；　and　not
yet　occupied　by　the　peasants；　your　excellency；〃　said　Major　Beim；　who
entered　the　room　at　this　moment。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　general。

〃I　mean　that　larger　and　larger　bands　of　peasants　are　advancing　upon
Innspruck；　that　they　have　already　attacked　and　driven　in　our
pickets；　and　that　the　latter　have　just　escaped　from　them　into　the
city。〃

〃Then　it　is　time　for　us　to　resort　to　energetic　and　severe　steps；〃
cried　General　Kinkel；　angrily。　〃Colonel　Dittfurt；　send　immediately　a
dispatch　to　Lieutenant…Colonel　von　Wreden；　who　is　stationed　at
Brixen。　Write　to　him　in　my　name　that　I　am　highly　indignant　at　his
evacuating　his　position　at　Brunecken　and　destroying　the　bridge　of
Laditch。　Tell　him　I　order　him　to　act　with　the　utmost　energy；　every
peasant　arrested　with　arms　in　his　hands　is　to　be　shot；　every　village
participating　in　the　insurrection　is　to　be　burned　down；　and　he　is　to
advance　his　patrols　again　to　and　beyond　Brunecken。　These　patrols　are
to　ascertain　if　Austrian　troops　are　really　following　the　insurgent
peasants。　Bring　this　dispatch　to　me　that　I　may　sign　it；　and　then
immediately　send　off　a　courier　with　it　to　Lieutenant…Colonel　von
Wreden。〃　＇Footnote：　General　Kinkel　sent　of　this　dispatch　a　day　after
Wreden　had　been　defeated　by　the　Tyrolese；　and　after　the　Austrians
had　invaded　the　Tyrol。　The　Bavarian　authorities　at　Innspruck　were　in
complete　ignorance　of　all　these　events。＇

Colonel　Dittfurt　went　to　the　desk　and　commenced　writing　the
dispatch。　〃Miserable　peasants！〃　he　murmured；　on　handing　the　dispatch
to　the　general；　〃it　is　already　a　humiliation　that　we　must　devote
attention　to　them　and　occupy　ourselves　with　them。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　right；〃　sighed　the　general；　signing　the　dispatch；
〃these　people；　who　know　only　how　to　handle　the　flail；　become　every
day　more　impudent　and　intolerable；　and　I　am　really　glad　that　I　shall
now　at　length　have　an　opportunity　to　humiliate　them　and　reduce　them
to　obedience。　Henceforth　we　will　no　longer　spare　them。　No　quarter！
He　who　is　taken　sword　in　hand；　will　be　executed　on　the　spot。　We　must
nip　this　insurrection　in　the　bud；　and　chastise　the　traitors　with
inexorable　rigor。　Well；　what　is　it？〃　he　asked　vehemently；　turning　to
the　orderly　who　entered　the　room　at　this　moment。

〃Your　excellency；　I　have　to　inform　you　that　all　our　pickets　have
been　driven　into　the　city。　The　peasants　have　assembled　in　large
masses　on　the　neighboring　mountains　and　opened　thence　a　most
murderous　fire　upon　our　pickets。　Only　a　few　men　of　each　picket　have
returned；　the　others　lie　dead　outside　the　city。〃

〃Matters　seem　to　become　serious；〃　murmured　General　Kinkel。　〃All　our
pickets　driven　in！　That　is　to　say；　then；　the　peasants　are　in　the
immediate　neighborhood　of　the　city？〃

〃All　the　environs　of　Innspruck　are　in　full　insurrection；　your
excellency；　and　the　citizens　of　Innspruck　seem　likewise　strongly
inclined　to　join　the　insurrection。　There　are　riotous　groups　in　the
streets；　and　on　my　way　hither　I　heard　all　sorts　of　menacing　phrases；
and　met　everywhere　with　sullen；　defiant　faces。〃

〃Ah；　I　will　silence　this　seditious　rabble　and　make　their　faces　mild
and　modest！〃　cried　the　general；　in　a　threatening　voice。　〃Let　all　the
public　places　in　the　city　be　occupied　by　troops；　and　field…pieces　be
placed　on　the　bridges　of　the　Inn。　Let　patrols　march　through　the
streets　all　night；　and　every　citizen　who　is　found　in　the　street
after　nine　o'clock；　or　keeps　his　house　lighted　up　after　that　hour；
shall　be　shot。　Make　haste；　gentlemen；　and　carry　my　orders　literally
into　execution。　Have　the　patrols　call　upon　all　citizens　to　keep
quiet　and　not　appear　in　the　streets　after　nine　o'clock。　Sentence　of
death　will　be　passed　upon　those　who　violate　this　order。〃

Owing　to　these　orders　issued　by　the　general；　a　profound　stillness
reigned　at　night　in　the　streets　of　Innspruck；　no　one　was　to　be　seen
in　the　streets；　and　on　marching　through　them　the　patrols　did　not
find　a　single　offender　whom　they　might　have　subjected　to　the
inexorable　rigor　of　martial　law。　But　no　sooner　had　the　patrols
turned　round　a　corner　than　dark　forms　emerged　here　and　there　from
behind　the　pillars　of　the　houses；　the　wells；　and　the　crucifixes；
glided　with　the　noiseless　agility　of　cats　along　the　houses；　and
knocked　here　and　there　at　the　window…panes。　The　windows　opened
softly；　whispers　were　heard　and　the　rustling　of　paper；　and　the　forms
glided　on　to　commence　the　same　working　and　whispering　at　the　next
house。

The　Bavarian　patrols　had　no　inkling　of　these　dark　ravens　flitting
everywhere　behind　them；　as　if　scenting　in　them　already　the　prey　of
death；　but　the　citizens　of　Innspruck　considered　these　birds　of　the
night；　who　knocked　at　their　windows；　auspicious　doves；　even　though；
instead　of　the　olive…branch；　they　brought　only　a　sheet　of　paper　with
them。　But　this　sheet　of　paper　contained　words　that　thrilled　all
hearts　with　joy　and　happiness；　it　announced　that　the　Austrians　had
already　invaded　the　Tyrol；　that　General　von　Chasteler　was　already
advancing　upon　Innspruck；　that　the　Emperor　Francis　sent　the　Tyrolese
the　greetings　of　his　love；　and　that　the　Archduke　John　was　preventing
the　French　troops　in　Italy　from　succoring　the　Bavarians　in　the
Tyrol；　nay；　that　he　and　his　army　would　deliver　and　protect　the
Tyrol。　Some　of　the　brave　sharp…shooters　of　the　Passeyr　valley　had
been　bold　enough　to　steal　into　the　city　of　Innspruck　despite　the
presence　of　the　Bavarian　troops；　and　the　patrols　could　not　prevent
the　citizens　from　receiving　the　joyful　tidings　of　the　approach　of
the　Austrians；　nor　the　Tyrolese　sharpshooters　from　whispering　to
them：　〃Be　ready　early　tomorrow　morning。　Tomorrow　we　shall　attack　the
city；　assist　us　then；　hurl　down　from　the　roofs　of　your　houses　on　the
Bavarians　stones；　jars；　and　whatever　you　may　have　at　hand；　keep　your
doors　open；　that　we　may　get　in；　and　hold　food　and　refreshments　in
readiness。　We　shall　come　to…morrow。　Innspruck　must　be　delivered　from
the　Bavarians　to…morrow！〃

The　morrow　came　at　last。　The　12th　of　April　dawned　upon　the　city　of
Innspruck。

The　Bavarians　had　carried　out　the　orders　of　General　Kinkel；　they　had
occupied　all　the　public　places；　and　planted　batteries　on　the　bridges
of　the　Inn。

But　so　ardent　was　the　enthusiasm　of　the　Tyrolese；　that　these
batteries　did　not　deter　them。　They　rushed　forward　with　loud　shouts；
using　their　spears；　halberds；　and　the　butt…ends　of　their　muskets；
they　fell　with　resistless　impetuosity　upon　the　Bavarians；　drove　them
back；　shot　the　gunners　at　the　guns；　and　carried　the　important　bridge
of　Muhlau。

Tremendous　cheers　announced　this　first　victory　to　the　inhabitants　of
Innspruck。　The　Tyrolese　then　rushed　forward　over　the　bridge　and
penetrated　into　the　streets　of　the　Hottinger　suburb。　The　street…
doors　of　the　houses　opened　to　them；　they　entered　them；　or　took
position　behind　the　pillars；　and　fired　from　the　windows　and　their
hiding…places；　at　the　Bavarians　who　were　stationed　on　the　upper
bridge　of　the　Inn；　and　were　firing　thence　at　the　Tyrolese。　The
Bavarian　bullets；　however；　whistled　harmlessly　through　the　streets；
the　alert　Tyrolese　concealing　themselves；　before　every　volley；　in
the　houses　or　behind　the　walls。　But　no　sooner　had　the　bullets
dropped　than　they　stepped　forward；　sang；　and　laughed；　and　discharged
their　rifles；　until　the　exasperated　Bavarians　fired　at