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so full of snow that they are utterly impassable for women and
children。〃
〃And you would advise me to leave them here？〃 asked Andreas； Hofer；
reproachfully。 〃I am to leave here my most precious treasures merely
to save my miserable life？ No； my friend； I shall stay here with my
wife and child and Doeninger there。 But you must go now and save
yourself； for； if the enemy should really come； it would be bad for
you to be found here。〃
〃I will go； Andy； not to save myself； however； but to convey your
message speedily to the archduke； that he may save you in another
way by the emperor's intercession。 In the valley I shall tell every
one that you are no longer in this Alpine hut； but have already
succeeded in escaping to Vienna； so that it will be unnecessary for
the enemy to pursue you any longer。〃
〃Do so； Anthony Steeger； and if they believe you； I shall be glad of
it。 But go now； I am anxious on your account； and think something
might happen to you here。 Go； my dear friend。〃
He drew Steeger to the door； and； not permitting him to take a long
leave of the others； conducted him out of the hut； and then embraced
him tenderly。 〃Now listen to what I wish to tell you；〃 he whispered；
in a low voice。 〃I must stay here to save my wife and my boy。 The
two cannot flee now； as you yourself admitted to me。 If I should
escape now； and leave them here； the enemy would spy out their place
of concealment and revenge himself upon them； he would torture and
kill them in his rage at not having captured me。 But if I stay； and
the French should find me； I believe they would release my wife and
my son and do no harm to them； for then they would have got me； and
they are entirely innocent。 Go； then； my dear friend； tell the
archduke all I have said to you； and greet him a thousand times from
his faithful Andy。 Now farewell； and go with God's blessing！〃
He nodded once more kindly to Anthony Steeger。 and returned quickly
into the Alpine hut。 He found his wife in tears； little John； her
son； was kneeling before her； with his head against his mother's
knees； and weeping also。 Doeninger stood at the hearth and stared
into the fire。
Andreas Hofer went to him and laid his hand gently on his shoulder。
〃Cajetan；〃 he asked； mildly； 〃did I do right？〃
〃Yes； commander…in…chief； you did；〃 said Doeninger； solemnly。
〃I want to tell you something more； Cajetan；〃 added Andreas。 〃What
Steeger said about Rafel and Donay may be true； the French may have
discovered my place of concealment； and may come up here。 Hence；
dear Cajetan； you must leave me and escape； lest they should seize
you； too。〃
〃A good servant leaves his master no more than a captain deserts his
shipwrecked vessel；〃 said Doeninger； firmly。 〃You refuse to leave
your native country in its adversity because you love it。 I refuse；
likewise； to leave you in the days of your adversity； because I love
you。 I shall stay here。〃
Andreas Hofer encircled Doeninger with his arms and folded him
tenderly to his heart。 〃Stay with me； then； my Cajetan；〃 he said；
affectionately。 〃God knows my heart would have grieved had you
consented to leave me。 And now； Anna Gertrude； do not weep any
longer。 Make haste； dear wife； pack up all your things； and let us
go early to bed。 For early in the morning we will leave this hut。 I
know another Alpine hut at no great distance from here； I believe we
will be able to get thither； and we will take with us as many things
as we can carry。 Make haste； therefore； dear Anna Gertrude！〃
Anna Gertrude dried her tears； and； flushed with new hope； packed up
their things in four small bundles； so that each might carry one
according to his strength。
Night came at lastthe last night which they were to pass at this
hut。 At the break of day they were to set out for their new place of
concealment。
They went to bed at an early hour。 Andreas Hofer had sent the two
servants down to Brandach； where they were to get some articles
necessary for the trip on the morrow。 Hofer and his wife slept in
the room below。 Cajetan Doeninger and little John Hofer lay in the
small hay…loft； to which a ladder led up from the room。
But Doeninger did not sleep。 He thought all the while of Raffel； who
had come up there three days ago and seen Andreas； he thought of
Donay； the priest； to whom Raffel had betrayed Hofer's place of
concealment。 He knew that Donay； who； up to the days of adversity；
had always professed to be Hofer's friend and an extreme partisan of
the insurrection； had suddenly； since the enemy had reoccupied the
Tyrol； changed his colors； become a preacher of peace and
submission； and an ardent adherent of the French； with whose
officers he held a great deal of intercourse。 He knew Donay's
avaricious and treacherous character； and； therefore； he trembled
for Andreas Hofer's safety。 He lay uneasy and full of anxiety on his
couch； listening all the while for suspicious sounds。 But nothing
was heard but the storm howling and whistling about the hut； and the
regular respirations of the two sleepers in the room below。
Hour passed after hour； all remained silent； and Doeninger felt
somewhat relieved； for day would soon dawn； when the hour of flight
would be at hand。 Doeninger dropped his head slowly on the hay to
sleep an hour and invigorate himself for to…morrow's trip。 However；
no sooner had he done so than he gave a start； lifted up his head
again； and listened。 He had heard a sound outside。 The sound； as it
were； of many approaching footsteps which creaked on the frozen
snow。
Doeninger crept cautiously to the small hole in the roof and looked
out。 The moon shed her pale light on the white snowfield around the
hut； and Doeninger could see and recognize everything。 He saw a
detachment of soldiers coming up yonder。 He saw them halt at a short
distance from the hut。 He then saw two forms approaching the hut。
Now they stood still in front of it。 The moon shone brightly into
the face of one of them； Doeninger recognized him at once； it was
Raffel； the betrayer。 The other was a French officer。 The latter
stood still at a distance of some steps from the hut； but Raffel
went close up to the door； applied his ear to it and listened。
〃They are here；〃 he then said to the officer in a low voice。 The
officer immediately lifted up his arm and shouted 〃Forward！〃 The
soldiers advanced and surrounded the hut。 All was lost！
Doeninger awakened the sleeping boy。 〃John；〃 he said in a low voice；
〃let us go down to father。 The French have come。〃
The boy uttered a loud cry。 〃The French have come！〃 he exclaimed；
despairingly； 〃they want to arrest my father！〃
〃Come；〃 said Doeninger； imperatively； and he took the boy in his
arms； and hastened with him down the ladder into the room below。
〃Awake；〃 he said； bending over Andreas Hofer； 〃the enemy has come。〃
Andreas started up and stared incredulously at Doeninger； but his
wife rose； uttering low lamentations； and dressed herself hurriedly。
〃Let us flee；〃 she murmured； 〃quick； quick； let us escape by the
back door。〃
〃The hut is surrounded；〃 said Doeninger； assisting Hofer in
dressing。 〃We can no longer flee。〃
〃Is that true？〃 asked Andreas； c