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humble and submissive； He will have mercy upon us。 Sit down；
Cajetan； I will dictate a letter to you。 To whom must I write on
behalf of my beloved country？〃
〃Write to General Drouet；〃 said Doeninger。 〃It was he who wrote to
you yesterday from Innspruck； informing you of the conclusion of
peace； and promising that； if you and all the Tyrolese would submit；
no harm should befall any one。 You refused to answer his letter
because you did not believe him。〃
〃I did not believe him；〃 said Andreas； gently； 〃for I still believed
in my emperor。 But I see now that General Drouet was right； I will；
therefore； write to him； and recommend my country and the good and
brave Tyrolese to his mercy。 Take up the pen； Cajetan； and write。〃
And Andreas Hofer dictated in a low； tremulous voice； often
interrupted by sighs which issued from his breast like the groans of
a dying man； a letter to General Drouet； in which he promised in
touching words that the Tyrolese would lay down their arms； and said
they would trust； for pardon and oblivion of the past； to the
magnanimity of Napoleon； whose footsteps were guided by a superior
power； which it was no longer permitted them to resist。
〃There；〃 he said； after convincing himself that Doeninger had
written exactly what be had dictated； 〃now give me the pen； Cajetan。
I will sign it myself。〃
He bent over the table； and wrote quickly what he had so often
written under his decrees； 〃Andreas Hofer； commander…in…chief of the
Tyrol。〃
But then he gave a start； and contemplated his signature long and
musingly。 Heaving a profound sigh； and casting a mournful glance
toward heaven； he took up the pen a second time； and added the word
〃late；〃 slowly and with a trembling hand； to his title 〃commander…
in…chief of the Tyrol。〃 ＇Footnote： 〃Gallery of Heroes： Andreas
Hofer；〃 p。 173。＇
〃Now come； Cajetan；〃 he exclaimed； throwing down the pen； as if it
was a viper which had wounded him； 〃come； Cajetan。 I will go to my
sharpshooters and exhort them to disband； and afterward I will
return with you to my inn in the Passeyr valley； in order to set a
good example to all； and show them how to submit quietly and
patiently。〃
And Andreas Hofer acted accordingly。 He ordered his men to disband；
and after they had obeyed his order in sullen silence； he himself；
accompanied only by his faithful Cajetan Doeninger； went back to his
home。
But neither the joyous welcome； with which his wife； faithful Anna
Gertrude； received him； nor the jubilant shouts of his children；
could arouse Andreas Hofer from his mournful brooding； or bring a
smile to his lips。 He did not rejoice at his return to his dear
ones； he paid no attention to his business； he did not go to the
stables and barns as he used to do； but he sat hanging his head； his
hands folded on his knees； staring at the floor； and sighing from
time to time； 〃My poor country！ How could the emperor abandon us？〃
Only when Cajetan Doeninger was not with him； Andreas Hofer became
uneasy； he glanced around anxiously and called for his secretary；
when the latter hastened to him； he held out his hand and said in a
low； tremulous voice； 〃Cajetan； do not leave me。 I always think I
may have something to write yet； and it seems to me as though what I
dictated to you at Steinach； declaring my readiness to submit； were
not the last of my official papers。 Something else must come yet；
yes； something else。 I know it； for this state of affairs cannot
last。 Therefore； Cajetan； stay with me that you may be ready and
able to write when the hour has come。〃
Cajetan stayed with him； both sat together in silence； and absorbed
in their gloomy reflections； and the days passed slowly and
mournfully。
It was on the afternoon of the fifth day； and Andreas Hofer sat in
silence； as usual； in the gloomy room。 Every thing was still
without。 All at once this profound silence was broken by a hum of
many voices and loud noise。
Hofer looked up and listened。 〃That sounds as if we were still at
war； and as if my sharpshooters were marching up；〃 he said。
〃Andreas Hofer； commander…in…chief of the Tyrol！〃 shouted loud
voices under the windows。
Hofer jumped up。 〃Who calls me？〃 he shouted； in a powerful voice。
At this moment the door was thrown open violently； and four
mountaineers； armed with their rifles； came in。 Hofer saw through
the open door that the yard in front of the house was thronged with
peasants； and all looked with flashing eyes through the door at
Hofer； and they shouted now； 〃Andreas Hofer； commander…in…chief of
the Tyrol； come with us； come！〃
Andreas Hofer seemed all at once animated by new life； his eyes shot
fire； his form was drawn up to its full height； and his head rose
again proudly between his powerful shoulders。
〃What do you want of me； my dear countrymen？〃 he asked； going to
meet them。
One of the four sharpshooters who had entered the room now came
forward； and placed himself with a defiant face in front of Hofer。
〃We want you；〃 he said。 〃Three thousand French soldiers are marching
across the Janfen。 There is great excitement in the Puster valley；
and some fighting has taken place。 Anthony Wallner has driven the
Bavarians long since across the frontier； and Speckbacher and the
Capuchin have marched to the Muhlbach Pass in order to attack Rusca。
And why are we to keep quiet； then？ Why are we to allow the French
to enter the Passeyr valley？〃
〃We will not allow them to do it！〃 shouted the peasants outside。
〃No； we will not allow the French to enter the Passeyr valley。〃
〃You hear it； commander…in…chief；〃 said the first speaker。 〃We are
all ready and determined。 Now say what we are to do with the French。
Will you do any thing or not？〃
〃Yes； will you do any thing or not？〃 repeated the peasants；
penetrating with furious gestures into the room。
〃If you do not want to do any thing；〃 cried the peasant； raising his
rifle menacingly； 〃my rifle is loaded for you as well as for any
Frenchman。 You commenced the insurrection； now put it through。〃
＇Footnote： Loritza； 〃Bilder and Erinnerungen aus Tyrol's
Freiheitskampfen von 1809；〃 p。 14。＇
〃But you know； countrymen； that I cannot！〃 cried Hofer。 〃The emperor
has made peace with Bonaparte and abandoned us。 What course have we
left but that of submission？ We must yield； or the Tyrol will be
ruined entirely。〃
〃But we do not want to submit；〃 shouted the peasants； furiously。
〃And the whole country is of our opinion； no one is willing to
submit。 We will die rather than submit。〃
〃Issue another proclamation calling out the able…bodied men！〃 said
the first speaker。
〃Yes； issue another proclamation； commander…in…chief；〃 shouted the
crowd。 〃We will fight； we must fight！〃
〃And you shall and must be our leader！〃 exclaimed the peasant；
laying his heavy hand on Hofer's shoulder。 〃We will compel you to go
with us or kill you as a traitor。 Issue another proclamation。 We men
are still the same as before； and so is our cause； now you must
likewise be the same Andreas Hofer； commander…in…chief of the
Tyrol！〃
〃Yes；〃 exclaimed Andreas； with a radiant face； drawing a deep
breath； as if relieved from an oppressive burden； 〃yes； I wi