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compulsory levies are held among our young men； who are to serve in
the ranks of our oppressors！ No； we must break the yoke weighing us
downwe will become freemen againas freemen we will live and die…
…as freemen we will belong again to our beloved Emperor Francis；
whose ancestors have ruled over us for so many centuries past。〃
〃If all the Tyrolese think and feel as you three do；〃 said the
Archduke John； with sparkling eyes； 〃you will recover your liberty
and your emperor； despite the Bavarians and French。〃
〃All feel and think as we do；〃 said Hofer； thoughtfully； 〃we have
all vowed to God and the Holy Virgin that we will deliver the Tyrol
from the enemy； and every man； every lad in our mountains and
valleys； is ready to take up his rifle and fight for his dear
Emperor Francis。〃
〃We are here as delegates of the whole Tyrol；〃 said Anthony Wallner；
〃to ascertain the wishes and intentions of the emperor and his
government； prefer our bitter complaints； and declare the firm
resolution of the Tyrolese to shrink from no sacrifice in order to
be reunited with Austria and to reconquer our ancient rights and
liberties。〃
〃But we need assistance for this purpose；〃 added Joseph Speckbacher；
〃speedy and vigorous assistance； above all； we need troops； money；
ammunition； and supplies。 Will Austria give them to us？〃
〃She will；〃 said the archduke。 〃She will send you a corps d'armee；
money； ammunition； and supplies。 Only you must be ready and prepared
to rise as one man when we give you the signal of insurrection。〃
〃We are ready！〃 exclaimed Andreas Hofer； nodding joyously。 〃But you
must not delay the signal very long； for delays are highly
dangerous under the present circumstances。 We and our friends have
prepared the insurrection； and it is as if a large torrent of fire
were flowing secretly under the surface of the Tyrol； if some shrewd
Bavarian should scratch away some of the earth； he would discover
the fire； fetch water； and extinguish the flames； before the
Austrians reach the country and prevent him from so doing。 A secret
known to a great many is seldom well kept； it is； as it were； a ripe
fruit which must fall from the tree； even though it should hit and
crush the head of the owner of the tree。〃
〃Yes； what is to be done must be done soon；〃 said Anthony Wallner。
〃The men of Passeyr； Meran； Mays； and Algund； are ready； and have
entered into a secret league with the whole valley of the Inn。 The
district of the Adige； too； has joined us； and the German and
Italian Tyrolese； who formerly never liked each other； have now
agreed to stand shoulder to shoulder and rise on one day and as one
man； in order to drive the Bavarians and French from their
mountains。〃
〃We are waiting only for Austria to give the signal； pray do not
keep us waiting too long； for we men of the Lower Innthal； too； are
all ready and armed。 An enormous worm of insurrection； as it were；
is creeping through the Lower Inn valley； and the worm has four
heads； which look toward all quarters of the world。 One head is
Rupert Wintersteller； of Kirchdorf； the second is Jacob Sieberer； of
Thiersen； the third is Antony Aschbacher； of Achenthal； and the
fourth is I； Joseph Speckbacher； of Kufstein。〃
〃In the Puster valley； too； a storm is brewing； and all are ready
and impatient to rise in insurrection；〃 said Hofer。 〃Therefore； dear
brother of our emperor； give us good news； that we may take it home
to the men of the Tyrol； for their hearts are longing and crying for
their sovereign the emperor。〃
〃And the emperor； on his part； is longing for his Tyrolese；〃 said
the archduke。 〃The time has come when that which belongs together is
to be reunited。 Let us consult and deliberate； then； my friends；
what we should do in order to attain our great object； and reunite
the Tyrolese with their emperor。〃
〃Yes； let us； consult；〃 said Hofer； solemnly； 〃and let us pray God
and the Holy Virgin to enlighten our minds。〃
He raised the crucifix from his breast to his face and bent over it；
muttering a prayer。
〃Now I am ready；〃 he said； slowly dropping the crucifix； 〃let us
deliberate。 But I tell you beforehand； I am no military hero； nor a
wise man in council。 I am resolved to do all that is necessary to
deliver my dear Tyrol from the enemy； and to strike and fire at the
Bavarians and French until they run away terror…stricken； and
restore us to our dear Emperor Francis。 But I am unversed in
negotiations and devising shrewd tricks and stratagems。 I am only a
plain peasant； who has a great deal of love and fidelity in his
heart； but only few thoughts in his head。 Baron von Hormayr and the
archduke may do the thinking for me。 They shall be the head； and I
the arm and heart。 Speckbacher and Wallner yonder have good heads
too； though I do not wish to say that their hearts are not also in
the right place； on the contrary； I know that they are。 Let us
consult； then； and bear in mind that God hears us； and that the
Tyrolese are waiting for us。〃
〃You are an excellent man； Andy；〃 exclaimed John； holding out his
hand to Hofer with a tender glance〃 a childlike soul； full of
love； fidelity； and tenderness； and； in gazing at you； it seems as
if the whole dear Tyrol； with its mountains and valleys； its Alpine
huts and chapels； its merry singers and pious prayers； were present
before me。 Come； then； Andy； and you other dear friends； come； let
us be seated and hold a council of war。〃
They seated themselves around the table standing in the middle of
the room。
Day was already dawning； the candles had burned down very low； the
streets began to become lively； and still the Tyrolese remained in
the archduke's cabinet； their faces glowing with defiance and
resolution； and their eyes flashing with boldness and enthusiasm。
For every thing was settled and decided now； each of them had
received his instructions and been informed of the part which he was
to play in the struggle。 War with the Bavarians and French； and
liberty for the Tyrol； was the battle…cry and goal。
〃The plan is settled； then；〃 said the Archduke John； nodding kindly
to the Tyrolese。 〃Eleven points； especially； have been agreed upon；
after mature deliberation； and it would be good for us to repeat
them briefly。〃
〃Let us do so；〃 said Andreas Hofer。 〃First； then： The Tyrolese will
rise against the Bavarians； in order to be reunited with Austria。 We
shall enlist as many soldiers for the insurgent army as possible；
and try to make all Tyrolese our fellow…conspirators。 They will meet
on Sundays at the taverns； and the innkeepers in the valleys and
mountains are the leaders of the conspiracy； they will call the
meetings and facilitate the intercourse of the conspirators with
each other。 If it please God； the insurrection will break out on the
9th of April； when the Austrian troops will cross the frontier of
the Tyrol and hasten to our assistance。 This is the best point； and
God grant that it may be well executed！〃
〃The second point；〃 said Joseph Speckbacher； 〃is as follows： No
written communication whatever shall be permitted among the
conspirators； and those who violate this order shall be severely
punished。 The secret messa