andreas hofer-第83部分

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defeat　upon　the　〃haughty　peasant…rabble。〃　Now　this　〃haughty　peasant…
rabble〃　had　defeated　him。

God　is　with　those　who　fight　for　the　rights　and　liberty　of　Germany。
God　is　with　those　who　rise　boldly　against　French　tyranny　and　French
arrogance！




CHAPTER　XXXII。

THE　FIFTEENTH　OF　AUGUST　AT　INNSPRUCK。


God　is　with　those　who　fight　for　the　rights　and　liberty　of　Germany。
He　had　granted　another　victory　to　the　Tyrolese。

Animated　by　their　brilliant　successes；　the　patriots　no　longer　stood
on　the　defensive；　but；　flocking　from　all　quarters　to　the　standard　of
Hofer；　assembled　in　great　multitudes　on　Mount　Isel；　the　scene　of
their　former　triumphs；　and　destined　to　be　immortalized　by　a　still
more　extraordinary　victory。　Lefebvre　had　collected　his　whole　force；
consisting　of　twenty…six　thousand　men；　of　whom　two　thousand　were
horse；　with　forty　pieces　of　cannon；　on　the　little　plain　which　lies
between　Innspruck　and　the　foot　of　the　mountains　on　the　southern　side
of　the　Inn。　They　were　far　from　being　animated；　however；　by　their
wonted　spirit；　the　repeated　defeats　they　had　experienced　had
inspired　them　with　that　mysterious　dread　of　the　mountaineers　with
which　regular　troops　are　so　often　seized；　when；　contrary　to
expectation；　they　have　been　worsted　by　undisciplined　bodies　of　men；
and　a　secret　feeling　of　the　injustice　of　their　cause；　and　the
heroism　with　which　they　had　been　resisted；　paralyzed　many　an　arm
which　had　never　trembled　before　a　regular　army。

The　Tyrolese　consisted　of　eighteen　thousand　men；　three　hundred　of
whom　were　Austrian　soldiers　who　had　refused　to　follow　their
officers；　and　remained　to　share　the　fate　of　the　inhabitants。　They
were　tolerably　supplied　with　ammunition；　but　had　little　provisions；
in　consequence　of　which　several　hundred　peasants　had　already　gone
back　to　their　homes。

Joseph　Speckbacher　commanded　the　right　wing；　whose　line　extended
from　the　heights　of　Passberg　to　the　bridges　of　Hall　and　Volders；
Hofer　was　with　the　centre；　and　had　his　headquarters　at　the　inn　of
Spade；　on　the　Schoenberg；　Haspinger　directed　the　left；　and　advanced
by　Mutters。

At　four　in　the　morning；　the　brave　Capuchin　roused　Hofer　from　sleep；
and；　having　first　united　with　him　in　fervent　prayer；　hurried　out　to
communicate　his　orders　to　the　outposts。

The　battle　commenced　at　six；　and　continued　without　intermission　till
midnight；　the　Bavarians　constantly　endeavoring　to　drive　the　Tyrolese
from　their　position　on　Mount　Isel；　and　they；　in　their　turn；　to　force
the　enemy　back　into　the　town　of　Innspruck。

For　a　long　time　the　contest　was　undecided；　the　superior　discipline
and　admirable　artillery　of　the　enemy　prevailing　over　the　impetuous
but　disorderly　assaults　and　deadly　aim　of　the　mountaineers；　but
toward　nightfall　the　bridge　of　the　Sill　was　carried　after　a
desperate　struggle；　and　their　left　flank　being　thus　turned；　the
French　and　Bavarians　gave　way　on　all　sides；　and　were　pursued　with
great　slaughter　into　the　city。　They　lost　six　thousand　men；　of　whom
seventeen　hundred　wounded　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Tyrolese；　while
on　the　side　of　the　latter　not　more　than　nine　hundred　had　fallen。
Lefebvre　had　to　retreat　hastily　toward　Salzburg；　where　his　whole
army　was　collected　on　the　20th。

This　great　victory　was　immediately　followed　by　the　liberation　of　the
whole　Tyrol；　and　when；　on　the　morning　of　the　15th　of　August；　the　sun
rose　over　Innspruck；　Andreas　Hofer　and　his　victorious　host　stood　on
Mount　Isel；　gazing　with　profound　emotion　on　the　reeking；　gory
battle…field；　on　which；　two　days　ago；　war　had　raged　with　all　its
horrors；　and　on　the　city　of　Innspruck；　whose　smoking　and　burning
houses　betokened　the　last　outburst　of　the　rage　of　the　fugitive
French　marshal。　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。
126。＇

〃See　how　much　blood　it　has　cost；　and　how　many　wrongs　had　to　be
committed；　that　we　might　obtain　our　rights！〃　sighed　Andreas　Hofer；
pointing　to　the　battle…field。　〃My　heart　overflows　with　pity　on
seeing　these　horrors；　and　I　implore　you　all　to　be　merciful　with　the
wounded　and　to　treat　the　prisoners　leniently。　Among　these　prisoners
are　about　one　thousand　Bavarians　and　Saxons。　See；　they　are　standing
down　yonder　in　dense　groups；　and　our　men　surround　them；　mocking　and
abusing　them。　Go　down　to　them；　dear　Secretary　Doeninger；　tell　them
to　be　merciful　and　compassionate；　and　to　bear　always　in　mind　that
the　prisoners　are　no　longer　their　enemies；　but　their　German
brethren；　that　they　are　Saxons　and　Bavarians；　speak　one　and　the　same
language　with　us；　and　are　our　countrymen。　Repeat　this　to　our　men；
Doeninger；　and　say　to　them　in　my　name；　'Do　not　injure　the　prisoners；
they　are　Saxons　and　Bavarians；　and　good　and　brave　men！'〃　＇Footnote：
Andreas　Hofer's　own　words。Ibid。；　p。　125。＇

〃They　are　not　exactly　good　men；〃　said　Speckbacher；　who　was　standing
on　the　right　side　of　Andreas　Hofer；　〃no；　they　are　not　exactly　good
men；　Andy；　otherwise　they　would　not　have　fought　against　us；　who　are
assuredly　good　men　and　have　done　nothing　but　defend　our　dear
country。〃

Instead　of　replying　to　him；　Andreas　Hofer　turned　smilingly　to　the
Capuchin；　who　was　standing　on　his　left　side。　〃Brother　Joachim；〃　he
said　gently；　〃you　ought　to　exhort　our　Joseph　here　a　little；　that　he
may　comply　with　the　Redeemer's　precept　and　forgive　his　enemies。　He
is　a　very　good；　but　very　stubborn　fellow；　a　brave　and　excellent
soldier；　but　it　would　do　him　no　harm　if　he　were　a　better　Christian。〃

〃If　we　had　been　good　Christians　latterly　we　should　never　have
defeated　the　enemy；〃　growled　the　Capuchin；　shaking　his　head。　〃If　we
were　good　Christians；　we　should　have　to　love　our　enemies；　do　good　to
them　that　hate　us；　and　pray　for　those　who　despitefully　use　us　and
persecute　us。　So　long　as　we　are　soldiers；　Andy；　we　cannot　be　good
Christians；　and　I　thank　God　for　it　that　we　fought　like　downright
brave　heathens。　But　after　the　enemy　has　been　expelled　from　the
country；　and　peace　prevails　again　everywhere；　and　I　have　returned　to
my　tedious　convent　at　Seeben；　I　will　become　again　a　pious　Capuchin；
and　exhort　our　dear　brave　Joseph　Speckbacher　to　become　as　good　a
Christian　as　our　Andreas　Hofer。〃

〃No；　no；　brother　Joachim；　we　will　not　wait　until　then　to　show　to　the
world　that　we　are　good　Christians；〃　exclaimed　Andreas。　〃God　stood　by
us　in　the　battle　of　Mount　Isel　and　made　us　victorious　over　our
enemies。　Let　us　thank　Him；　therefore；　for　His　surpassing　goodness
and　mercy；　let　us　pray　Him　to　bless　our　victory　and　grant　a　glorious
resurrection　to　those　who　had　to　sacrifice　their　lives　for　it。〃

He　drew　his　large　rosary　from　his　bosom；　and；　lifting　his　eyes
devoutly　to　heaven；　sank　down　on　his　knees。

〃Yes；　let　us　pray　God　to　bless　our　victory；〃　said　Father　Haspinger；
bending　his　knees　like　Andreas　Hofer；　and　Joseph　Speckbacher
followed　his　example。

And　the　pious　Tyrolese；　seeing　their　leaders　kneeling　on　the　height
above；　were　filled　with　devout　emotion；　they　knelt　likewise；　their
cheers　and　Jodlers；　their　shouts　and　laughter　died　away；　only
prayers　were　heard　from　their　lips；　and；　as　an　accompaniment　to
them；　the　melodious　peals　of　the　bells；　with　which　the　people　of
Innspruck　were　celebrating　the　departure　of　the　French　marshals；　and
the　approach　of　the　defenders　of　the　country。

At　this　moment　the　sun　burst　forth　from　the　clouds；　and　shed　a
radiant　lustre　on　this　whole　sublime　scenethe　three　kneeling
heroes　on　the　height　above；　and　all　around　the　Tyrolese；　clad　in
their　picturesque　national　costume；　kneeling　and　thanking　God；　with
tears　in　their　eyes；　for　the　victory　He　had　vouchsafed　to　them。

The　Bavarian　and　Saxon　prisoners；　carried　away　by　this　spectacle；
knelt　down　like　the　Tyrolese；　and　prayed　to　God；　like　their　enemies…
…not　thanking　Him；　as　the　latter　did；　for　the　victory；　but　for
having　made　them　prisoners；　of　good　and　pious　victors。　＇Footnote：
Mayer's　〃Joseph　Speckbacher；〃　p。　196。＇

All　at　once　this　pious　scene　was　interrupted　by　loud　cheers；　shouts；
and　Jodlers；　and　a　long；　imposing　procession　of　singing；　jubilant
men　ascended　the　mountain。　The　new…comers　were　the　students　of
Innspruck；　who　came　to　congratulate　Andreas　Hofer　on　his　brilliant
victory；　and　accompany　him　on　his　triumphal　entry　into　the　city。
Many　persons　followed　them；　and　all　shouted　exultingly；　〃Where　is
Andreas　Hofer；　the　savior　of　the　country？　Where　is　Andreas　Hofer；
the　liberator？〃

The　band　heading　the　procession　of　the　students；　struck　up　a　ringing
flourish　on　beholding　Andrews；　who　had　risen　from　his　knees　at　their
approach。　But　he　raised　his　arm　imperatively；　the　band　ceased
playing　immediately；　and　the　cheers　died　away　on　the　lips　of　the
students；　who　bowed　respectfully　to　the　tall；　imposing　form　of　the
Barbone。

〃Hush；　hush；〃　said　Andreas；　gravely；　〃pray！　No　cheers；　no　music！
Neither　I　nor　any　of　us　did　it；　all　the　glory　is　due　to　Him　above！〃
＇Footnote：　Andreas　Hofer's　own　words；　Ibid。；　p。　197。＇

〃But　you　helped　the　good　God　a　little；〃　said　the　speaker　of　the
students；　〃and　therefore　you　must　submit　to　accept　the　thanks　of　the
whole　Tyrol；　and　to　being　called　the　savior　and　liberator　of　the
country。　We　come　to　you　as　messengers　of　the　capital　of　the　Tyrol；
and　are　instructed　to　request　you　to　tarry　no　longer；　but　make　yo