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deliverance of the Tyrol。 Well； come in； Anthony Steeger； come in to
my wife； my son； and my secretary。〃
He conducted Anthony Steeger into the room； where the three greeted
him； and made room for him in front of the hearth； on which large
billets of wood were burning。 Anthony Steeger looked around in this
wretched room； which contained nothing but a few rickety wooden
chairs； and a rough…hewn pine table； and the walls and windows of
which were protected from the cold by thick linings of hay and
straw。
〃Yes； you may well look around in my palace；〃 said Andreas；
smilingly； 〃it is not very gorgeous here； but the good God is with
us； and He will help us to get along。〃
〃And the Archduke John will help you also；〃 said Anthony Steeger。
〃Listen to me； Andreas。 The archduke sends me to you。 He sends you
his greetings； and entreats you to come with your family to him and
stay with him all your life long； or； if you should not like to do
that； at least until you can live again safely in the Tyrol。 The
archduke has already fitted up a house for you in a village which
belongs to him； you shall live there with your whole family as the
beloved and honored guests of the archduke。 He implores you to
accept his invitation。 I have with me every thing that is necessary
for your flight； Andy。 The archduke has given me money； a passport
for you and your family； and safeguards issued by the French
generals。 I am familiar with the roads and by…paths in this
vicinity； and will convey you safely through the mountains。 The
archduke has thought of every thing and provided for every thing。〃
〃It is very kind in the dear Archduke John not to have forgotten
me；〃 said Andreas； deeply moved； 〃it is honest and faithful that he
should like to take care of me and reward my love。 And it is very
kind in you； too； Anthony Steeger； to have acted in this spirit of
self…denial。 You have come from a great distance to save us； and are
not afraid of venturing with us upon this most dangerous flight。〃
〃And you accept my offer； Andy； and consent to accompany me； do you
not？〃
〃And what of them？〃 asked Andreas； casting a tender glance on his
wife and his son。 〃The route across the glaciers is impassable for a
woman and a child。〃
〃First save yourself； my Andy；〃 exclaimed Anna Gertrude； 〃save
yourself for us and the country。 After you are gone and have arrived
at a place of safety； the enemy will hardly trouble us any more； and
I will follow you then with the children。〃
〃You need not be anxious； so far as your wife and children are
concerned；〃 said Doeninger。 〃I will not leave them； but bring them
to you。〃
〃Pray do not hesitate； Andy；〃 said Anthony Steeger； urgently。 〃The
archduke implores you not to grieve him by rejecting his offer； but
to relieve his conscience from the heavy debt which he has hitherto
been unable to discharge to the Tyrol。 You shall escape for his sake
and for the good of the fatherland； and save your life for better
times； which will surely dawn upon the Tyrol。 Do it； Andreas。 Let us
go to work immediately。 See； I have with me all that you need； and
wear two suits of clothes； one is destined for you； and you will put
it on。 And here is the razor； with which we shall shave off your
beard； and when it is gone； and you have put on the new clothes； no
one will scent the Barbone in the man with a foreign dress and a
smooth chin。 Come； now； Andy； and do not hesitate。〃
〃I am to make quite another man of myself；〃 said Andreas； shaking
his head； 〃merely to save my miserable life？ I am to deny my dear
Passeyr？ I am to shave off my beard； which I have worn so long in an
honorable manner； and by which everyone knows me throughout the
Tyrol？ No； Anthony Steeger； I will never do that！〃
〃If you do not； Andreas； you are lost；〃 said Anthony Steeger。 〃I am
afraid the French are already on your track。 A peasant said he had
seen you up here the other day。〃
〃Yes； it was Raffel。 He came up here to look for his cow； and met me
here。 But I gave him money not to betray my secret； and he promised
me solemnly that be would not。〃
〃He must have violated his pledge already； Andy； for he told Donay；
the priest； about it； and the latter boasted publicly yesterday that
he was aware of Andreas Hofer's place of concealment。〃
〃It is true； Donay is a bad and mean man；〃 said Andreas Hofer；
musingly； 〃but I do not believe he will be so mean as to betray me；
whom he always called his best commander…in…chief and dearest
friend。〃
〃He is mean enough to do it；〃 murmured Doeninger。 〃The magnitude of
the price set on your head will induce him to betray his
benefactor。〃
〃Andy；〃 cried Anna Gertrude； bursting into tears； and clinging to
her husband； 〃save yourself！ If you love me and the children； save
yourself； cut off your beard； put on the new suit of clothes； and
escape from your bloodthirsty enemies。 Save yourself； for the sake
of your wife and your poor children！〃
〃I cannot；〃 said Andreas； mournfully； embracing his wife tenderly；
〃no； so help me God； I cannot leave my dear； unhappy country。 I know
full well that I shall not avert any calamities from the Tyrol by
staying here； but I will at least share its misfortunes。 I was
unable to save my native country； I will therefore suffer with it。 A
good captain does not desert his shipwrecked vessel； but dies with
it； and thus I will not desert my country either； but die with it。 I
will do all I can to save myself； but I will not leave the Tyrol； I
will not cut off my beard nor put on other clothes。 I will not mask
and disguise myself； but will remain in adversity what I was in the
days of prosperity； Andreas Hofer； the Barbone。 State that to the
dear archduke； Anthony Steeger； and tell him also that I am very
grateful to him for wishing to save me in his way； and that I hope
he will not be angry with me for being unable to accept his kind
offer； or for wishing to live and die with my country。 If he wishes
to do any thing for me； let him go to the Emperor Francis； and tell
him I am well aware that he himself would never have forgotten us；
but that his bad ministers did it all； and betrayed the poor Tyrol
so perfidiously。 Let him beseech the emperor to intercede vigorously
in behalf of the Tyrol and of myself； but not to separate me from
the Tyrol。〃 ＇Footnote： 〃Gallery of Heroes： Andreas Hofer；〃 p。 188。＇
〃Andreas；〃 cried his wife； despairingly； 〃you are lostI feel it
here in my heartyou are lost； if you do not flee with Steeger this
very night。〃
〃And I feel it here in my heart that I must stay here； even though I
should be lost；〃 said Andreas； firmly。 〃Well； you must weep no more；
Anna Gertrude； and you； Anthony Steeger； accept my cordial thanks
for your kind and generous intentions。〃
〃Then you have made up your mind； Andy； not to go with me？〃
〃I have； Anthony。 But if you will do me a great favor； take my wife
and my boy with you； for the enemy threatens them as well as me。
Take them with you； Anthony； convey them across the mountains； and
conduct them to the Archduke John。〃
〃It is impossible；〃 said Anthony Steeger； mournfully； 〃the roads are
so full of snow that they are utterly impassable for women an