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studying medicine at the University of Innspruck。〃
〃For all that; I have remained an honest mountaineer; and as for my
studies; I will not think of them until we have delivered the Tyrol
from the Bavarian yoke。 I shall keep only my pen; and act as Andreas
Hofer's obedient secretary。〃 'Footnote: Joseph Ennemoser; son of
John Ennemoser; the tailor and Seewirth of the Passeyrthal; was a
shepherd in his boyhood。 His father sent him to the gymnasium of
Innsbruck; and afterward to the university of the same city; where
he studied medicine。 In 1809 he was Hofer's secretary。 Afterward he
became a celebrated professor of medicine at the University of
Bonn。'
〃Sit down; then; my boy; and write。 You will find pen and ink in
the drawer of yonder table。 Take them; and I will dictate to you。〃
And amidst the respectful silence of the men; walking up and down
slowly; and stroking his long beard with his right hand; Andreas
Hofer commenced dictating his 〃open order;〃 which was as follows:
〃Early in the morning of the 9th of April General Hiller will march
from Salzburg to the Lower Inn valley; and General yon Chasteler
from Carinthia to the Puster valley。 On the 11th or 12th of April
the former will arrive at Innsbruck; and the latter at Brixen。 The
Archduke John orders that the Muhlbach pass be occupied by peasants
from the Puster valley; and the Kuntersweg by mounted men。 They are
to allow all forces of the enemy marching from Botzen to Brixen to
pass; and will cut off all communications only so soon as they
discover that the Bavarian civilians and soldiers are trying to
escape from Brixen to Botzen。 Not a man must be allowed to pass
then。〃
While Andreas Hofer was dictating his 〃open order〃 with a firm and
thoughtful air; the peasants stood dumfounded with admiration;
staring at him with a feeling of awe; and delighted with his
sagacity and understanding。 That Hofer cast from time to time a
searching glance at Hormayr's letter did not disturb the admiration
they felt for their chosen leader; and they were silent and stared
at him long after he was through。
〃So;〃 said Andreas when the writing was finished; 〃now Martin Teimer
and I will affix our names to this open order; Ennemoser will then
copy it half a dozen times; and six of you will carry the copies to
the other leaders who are already waiting for them; and who will
give the signal to their friends in the lower valley。 You; George
Lanthaler; will carry the order to Joseph Speckbacher at Kufstein;
you; Joseph Gufler; will take it to the farmer at the Schildhof;
you; George Steinhauferle; will go to Anthony Wallner; the
Aichberger at Windisch…Matrey。 Quick; quick; my friends; we have no
time to lose; you must walk night and day; you cannot rest on the
road; for we must strike the blow with lightning speed; and it must
be done at the same time all over the country。〃
〃And I will likewise set out again to spread the news throughout the
country;〃 said Martin Teimer。 〃For two weeks past I have been in all
parts of the Tyrol; and have worked everywhere for our cause; and
know now that we may count upon all our countrymen。 They are waiting
for the signal; and we must give it to them。 Here; take this
package; it contains a large number of those little paper balls upon
which are written the words ''Tis time!' Each of you can take a
handful of them and give them to your wives and children; that they
may carry them to the neighbors and distribute them everywhere。
Speckbacher and Wallner; too; have packages of such paper balls; and
so soon as our faithful messengers bring them our ‘open order;' they
will likewise send around their wives and children through the
neighborhood; and everywhere the cry will be; ''Tis time!' We must
expel the Bavarians! I will go now; for I must concentrate my men in
order to prevent the Bavarians from crossing the bridge of Laditch。
Farewell; then; and God grant that we may all meet again before long
as free and happy men at our good city of Innspruck!〃
〃We must go too;〃 exclaimed the Tyrolese when Martin Teimer had left
the house as quickly as he had entered it。 〃We must go into the
mountains and inform our friends that it is time。〃
〃But go through the kitchen; my dear messengers;〃 said Andreas
Hofer; 〃there is a bag of flour for each of you; take it on your
back; and on passing during your march a rivulet or a mountain
torrent; throw some of the flour into it; and wherever you find dry
brushwood on the road; pile it up and kindle it; that the bale…fires
may proclaim to the country; ''Tis time!〃
Half an hour afterward the large bar…room was deserted; and profound
silence reigned in the inn Zum Sand。 The servants and children of
the Sandwirth had gone to bed; only he himself and his faithful
wife; Anna Gertrude; were yet up。 Both had retired into the small
sitting…room adjoining the barroom。 Andreas Hofer was walking up and
down there silently and thoughtfully; his hands folded on his back;
Gertrude sat in the leather…covered arm…chair at the stove; and
looked at her husband。 Every thing was still around them; only the
slow; regular ticking of the clock broke the profound silence; and
outside was to be heard the wild roaring of the Passeyr; which
hurled its furious foaming waters not far from the inn over pebbles
and fragments of rocks。
Finally; after a long pause; Andreas stood still in front of his
wife; and gazed at her with a long; searching; and tender look。
Gertrude; as if lifted up by this glance; rose; encircled his neck
quickly with her arms; and looked with an expression of terror and
anxiety into his face。
〃Andy;〃 she exclaimed; mournfully; 〃my own; dearest Andy; I am
afraid harm will befall you!〃
〃That is what I expect;〃 he said; sighing; 〃and I am sorry for you;
my dearest wife。 I was just speaking with God and my conscience; and
asking them so fervently if it was not wrong in me not to think
above all things of my dear wife and my beloved children; and if I
ought not to live and die only for them。 For I tell you; and I know;
what I am going to do is dangerous; and may easily cost my life。 I
do not blind my eyes to it; I may lose my life in either of two
ways。 A bullet may strike me in battle; or; if my life should be
spared in the struggle; and if we should be defeated; the Bavarians
would treat me as a traitor; and then a bullet would strike me also;
for they would shoot me。〃
〃Oh; Jesus Maria! my Andy;〃 cried Gertrude; taking Hofer's head in
her hands; as if to protect it from the murderous bullets。
〃I do not say that this will occur; I say only that it may occur;〃
said Andreas; with a gentle smile。 〃I wish to tell you only that I
am fully alive to the dangers threatening me when I step to…morrow
morning out of my street…door; and enter upon the duties of the
position which they have conferred on me; for I am to command the
peasants of the Passeyr valley and direct the insurrection in all
this part of the country。 Therefore; I asked God and my conscience
whether or not I did right in taking upon myself so responsible a
task; and plunging my family; perhaps; into grief and distress。 But
do you know what both of them replie