andreas hofer-第48部分

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General　Kinkel。　Kinkel　is　an　old　woman；　he　wept　and　swore　in　one
breath　when　I　was　with　him　just　now；　he　says　all　the　time　that　he
will　commit　suicide；　and　yet　he　is　not　courageous　enough　to　do　it；
but　preferred　to　comply　with　my　demands。〃

〃And　what　were　your　demands；　Teimer？〃

〃I　demanded　that　he　should　give　me　an　open　letter　to　General　Bisson；
urging　him　to　send　some　confidential　person　into　the　town　who　might
report　the　state　of　affairs；　and　convince　him　of　the　immense
superiority　and　enthusiasm　of　the　Tyrolese；　and　of　the　impossibility
of　defeating　us　or　forcing　his　way　through　our　ranks。〃

〃And　did　old　General　Kinkel　give　you　such　a　letter？〃

〃He　did；　and　I　will　send　it　out　now　to　the　French　camp。　We　must　make
all　necessary　dispositions；　that　when　the　general　sends　a
confidential　envoy　into　the　town　he　may　become　fully　alive　to　the
fact　that　it　is　impossible　for　him　to　defeat　us。　Above　all　things；
we　must　send　several　thousand　sharp…shooters　to　Mount　Isel　and　the
adjoining　heights；　in　order　to　cut　off　the　enemy's　retreat。〃

The　letter　which　Major　Teimer　had　extorted　from　General　Kinkel　had
really　the　effect　which　he　had　expected　from　it。　General　Bisson　sent
to　Innspruck　one　of　his　staff…officers；　accompanied　by　Lieutenant…
Colonel　von　Wreden；　the　commander　of　the　Bavarians。　A　few　other
officers　followed　these　two；　and　repaired　with　them　to　Major　Teimer；
who　received　them　at　the　principal　guard…house　in　the　presence　of
the　most　prominent　Tyrolese。

Meanwhile　General　Bisson　awaited　with　painful　impatience　the　return
of　the　two　ambassadors　whom　he　had　sent　into　the　town；　and；　his　eyes
constantly　fixed　on　Innspruck；　he　walked　uneasily　up　and　down。　But
already　upward　of　an　hour　had　elapsed；　and　the　ambassadors　had　not
yet　made　their　appearance。　He　had　good　reason　to　be　uneasy　and
anxious；　for　the　situation　of　the　French　and　Bavarians　was　now
almost　desperate。　He　had　found　out　at　the　bridge　of　the　Eisach；　on
the　plain　of　the　Sterzinger　Moos；　and　at　the　Muhlbacher　Klause；　that
the　French　had　to　deal　with　an　enemy　who　was　terribly　in　earnest；
that　the　whole　Tyrol　was　in　insurrection；　that　Chasteler；　with　a
body　of　armed　peasants；　as　well　as　a　few　regular　troops；　was
descending　the　Brenner；　and　already　menacing　his　rear；　while　the
rocks　and　thickets　in　his　front　and　flanks　were　bristling　with　the
peasants　of　the　Innthal；　whoin　great　strengthobstructed　his
advance。

〃We　shall　die　here；　for　we　are　hemmed　in　on　all　sides；〃　said　General
Bisson；　gloomily；　to　himself。　〃There　is　no　hope　left；　and　in　the　end
we　may　be　obliged　to　submit　to　the　disgrace　of　surrendering　to　the
mob　of　peasants。　But　what　on　earth　prevents　the　officers　from
returning　to　me？〃

And　Bisson　turned　his　searching　eyes　again　toward　Innspruck。　Now　he
perceived　two　men　approaching　at　a　run。

He　recognized　them；　they　were　the　companions　of　his　staff…officer
and　Lieutenant…Colonel　Von　Wreden；　and　their　pale；　dismayed　faces
told　him　that　they　were　bearers　of　bad　tidings。

〃Where　are　the　two　gentlemen　whom　I　sent　to　Innspruck？〃　he　asked；
advancing　rapidly　toward　them。

〃They　were　taken　into　custody　at　Innspruck；〃　faltered　out　one　of
them。

〃Major　Teimer　said　he　had　taken　upon　himself　no　obligation　in　regard
to　these　officers；　and　would　retain　them　as　hostages；〃　panted　the
other。　〃He　then　caused　us　to　be　conducted　through　the　whole　city；
that　we　might　satisfy　ourselves　of　the　tremendous　strength　of　the
Tyrolese　and　their　formidable　preparations。　Oh；　your　excellency；　the
peasants　are　much　superior　to　us　in　strength；　for　there　are　at　least
twenty　thousand　able…bodied　men　in　their　ranks；　they　are　well　armed；
and　the　most　celebrated　marksmen　and　the　most　daring　leaders　of　the
Tyrol　are　among　them。〃

〃Bah！　it　would　make　no　difference；　even　though　they　were　ten　to
one！〃　cried　General　Bisson；　〃for　ten　peasants　cannot　have　as　much
courage　as　one　soldier　of　the　grand　army　of　my　glorious　emperor。　We
will　prove　to　them　that　we　are　not　afraid　of　them。　We　will　attack
them。　A　detachment　of　Tyrolese　yonder　has　ventured　to　leave　the
city。　Fire　at　them！　Shoot　them　down　until　not　one　of　them　is　left！〃

The　shots　crashed；　the　artillery　boomed；　but　not　a　Tyrolese　had
fallen；　they　had　thrown　themselves　on　the　ground；　so　that　the
bullets　and　balls　had　whistled　harmlessly　over　their　heads。　But　now
they　jumped　up　and　responded　to　the　shots　of　the　enemy；　and　not　one
of　their　bullets　missed　its　aim；　but　all　carried　death　into　the
ranks　of　the　French。　At　the　same　time　the　sharpshooters　posted　on
Mount　Isel；　in　the　rear　of　the　French　and　Bavarians；　commenced
firing；　and　mowed　down　whole　ranks　of　the　soldiers。

General　Bisson　turned　in　dismay　toward　this　new　enemy；　covered　by
the　thicket；　which；　rising　almost　to　the　summit　of　Mount　Isel；　made
the　Tyrolese　invisible；　and　protected　them　from　the　missiles　of　the
soldiers。

〃We　are　between　two　fires；〃　he　murmured　to　himself；　in　dismay。　〃We
are　caught；　as　it　were；　in　a　net；　and　will　be　annihilated　to　the
last　man。〃

And　this　conviction　seized　all　the　soldiers；　as　was　plainly　to　be
seen　from　their　pale　faces　and　terror…stricken　looks。

There　was　a　sudden　lull　in　the　fire　of　the　Tyrolese；　which　had
already　struck　down　several　hundred　French　soldiers；　and　from　the
triumphal　arch　of　Innspruck　issued　several　men；　waving　white
handkerchiefs；　and　advancing　directly　toward　the　French。　It　was
Major　Teimer；　accompanied　by　some　officers　and　citizens　of
Innspruck。　He　sent　one　of　them　to　General　Bisson　to　invite　him　to　an
interview　to　be　held　on　the　public　square　of　the　village　of　Wiltau。

General　Bisson　accepted　the　invitation；　and　repaired　with　his　staff
and　some　Bavarian　officers　to　the　designated　place。

Major　Teimer　and　his　companions　were　already　there。　Teimer　received
the　general　and　his　distinguished　companions　with　a　proud；
condescending　nod。

〃General；〃　he　said；　without　waiting　for　the　eminent　officer　to
address　him；　〃I　have　come　here　to　ask　you　to　surrender；　and　order
your　soldiers　to　lay　down　their　arms。〃

General　Bisson　looked　with　a　smile　of　amazement　at　the　peasant　who
dared　to　address　to　him　so　unheard…of　a　demand　with　so　much　calmness
and　composure。

〃My　dear　sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　convinced　that　you　are　not　in　earnest；
but　know　full　well　that　we　never　can　or　will　comply　with　such　a
demand。　Moreover；　our　situation　does　not　by　any　means　compel　us　to
allow　conditions　to　be　dictated　to　us。　Nevertheless；　I　am　ready　to
make　some　concessions　to　you。　Hence；　I　will　pledge　you　my　word　of
honor　that　I　will　neither　attack　you；　nor　injure　the　city　of
Innspruck　in　the　least。　But　in　return　I　demand　that　you　allow　us　to
pass　without　molestation　through　Innspruck；　that　we　may　march　to
Augsburg　in　obedience　to　the　orders　of　my　emperor。〃

〃And　you　believe　we　can　be　so　stupid　as　to　grant　this　demand；
general？〃　asked　Teimer；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃I　do　not　want　to
be　beaten　down；　but　stick　to　my　first　demand。　Either　you　order　your
troops　to　lay　down　their　arms；　or　you　will　all　be　put　to　the　sword。〃

〃No；　so　help　me　God！　never　will　I　accept　so　arrogant　a　demand；〃
cried　the　general；　indignantly；　〃never　will　I　incur　the　disgrace　of
signing　so　ignominious　a　capitulation。〃

〃Then；　general；　you　will　appear　this　very　day　before　the　throne　of
God　to　account　for　the　lives　of　the　thousands　whom　you　devote　to　an
unnecessary　death。　For　all　of　you　will　and　must　die；　there　is　no
escape　for　you。　You　know　it　full　well；　general；　for　otherwise　you；
the　proud　general　of　Monsieur　Bonaparte；　and　commander　of　several
thousand　splendid　French　soldiers；　would　not　have　come　to　negotiate
here　with　the　leader　of　the　peasants；　who　knows　nothing　of　tactics
and　strategy。　You　know　that　there　are　enemies　both　in　your　front　and
rear。　Our　men　occupy　Mount　Isel；　and　the　whole　country　back　of　Mount
Isel　is　in　insurrection。　You　cannot　retrace　your　steps；　nor　can　you
advance；　for　you　will　never　get　to　Innspruck；　and　there　is　no　other
road　to　Augsburg。　We　have　barricaded　the　city；　and　have　nearly
twenty　thousand　men　in　and　around　Innspruck。〃

〃But　I　pledged　you　my　word　that　I　would　not　attack　you；　nor　take　any
hostile　steps　whatever。　All　I　want　is　to　march　peaceably　through　the
city；　and；　in　order　to　convince　you　of　my　pacific　intentions；　I
promise　to　continue　my　march　with　flints　unscrewed　from　our　muskets；
and　without　ammunition。〃

〃I　do　not　accept　your　promises；　they　are　not　sufficient；〃　said
Teimer；　coldly。

〃Well；　then；〃　cried　General　Bisson；　in　a　tremulous　voice；　〃hear　my
last　words。　I　will　march　on　with　my　troops　without　arms；　our　arms
and　ammunition　may　be　sent　after　us　on　wagons。〃

〃If　that　is　your　last　word；　general；　our　negotiations　are　at　an
end；〃　replied　Teimer；　with　perfect　sang…froid。　〃You　have　rejected　my
well…meaning　solicitude　for　your　safety；　nothing　remains　for　me　now
but　to　surrender　you　and　your　troops　to　the　tender　mercies　of　our
infuriated　people。　Farewell；　general。〃

He　turned　his　back　on　him　and　advanced　several　steps　toward
Innspruck。　At　the　same　time　he　waved　his　arm　three　times。
Immediately；　as　had　been　agreed　upon；　the　Tyrolese　on　Mount　Isel；
and　in　front　of　Innspruck；　commenced　firing；　and　their　close
discharges；