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said； 〃and none of us will ever forget what you have done to…day；
and the whole Tyrol shall learn what a splendid and intrepid girl
you are。 But I wish to confer a special reward on you； Lizzie； I
wish to appoint you captain of a company； and your company is to
consist of all those women。〃
〃And what does the commander…in…chief order me to do with my company
of women？〃 asked Eliza Wallner。
〃Captain Lizzie； you are to escort with your company and thirty
Tyrolese sharpshooters the three hundred and eighty Bavarians to
Castle Steinach。 Your arms you will take from the wagon yonder；
which Captain Lizzie drove so heroically toward the enemy。 Will you
undertake to escort the prisoners safely to Steinach？〃
〃I will； commander。 But after that I should like to return to my
father。 He must be uneasy about me by this time； acid he would like
also to know how the Tyrolese have succeeded on this side。 Oh！ he
will be exceedingly glad when I bring him greetings from his beloved
Andreas Hofer。〃
〃Go； then； my dear child；〃 said Andreas Hofer； nodding to her
tenderly； and laying his hand on her beautiful head。
〃Go； with God's blessing； and greet your father in my name。 Tell him
that God and the Holy Virgin are with us and have blessed our cause；
therefore we will never despond； but always fight bravely and
cheerfully for our liberty and our dear emperor。 Go； Lizzie； escort
the prisoners to Steinach； and then return to your father。〃
Eliza kissed his hand； then left him and communicated Andreas
Hofer's order to the women。 They received it joyously； and hastened
to the wagon to get the arms。
Half an hour afterward a strange procession was seen moving along
the road leading to Castle Steinach。 A long column of soldiers；
without arms； with heads bent down and gloomy faces； marched on the
road。 On both sides of them walked the women； with heads erect； and
proud； triumphant faces； each shouldering a musket or a sword。 Here
and there marched two Tyrolese sharpshooters； who were watching with
the keen and distrustful eyes of shepherds' dogs the soldiers
marching in their midst。
CHAPTER XVIII。
CAPTURE OF INNSPRUCK。
General Kinkel； governor of Innspruck； had just finished his dinner；
and repaired to his cabinet； whither he had summoned some of the
superior officers to give them fresh instructions。 To…day； the 11th
of April； all sorts of news had arrived from the Tyrol； and although
this news did not alarm the Bavarian general； he thought it
nevertheless somewhat strange and unusual。 He had learned that
Lieutenant…Colonel von Wreden； despite General Kinkel's express
orders； had rashly evacuated his position at Brunecken and destroyed
the bridge of Laditch。 Besides； vague rumors had reached him about
an insurrection among the peasants in the neighborhood of Innspruck；
and even on the surrounding mountains； it was said； bands of armed
insurgents had been seen。
〃We have treated these miserable peasants by far too leniently and
kindly；〃 said General Kinkel； with a shrug； when his officer
communicated this intelligence to him。 〃We shall adopt a more
rigorous course； make examples of a few； and all will be quiet and
submissive again。 What do these peasants want？ Are they already so
arrogant as to think themselves capable of coping with our brave
regular troops？〃
〃They count upon the assistance of Austria；〃 replied Colonel
Dittfurt； 〃and General von Chasteler is said to have promised the
peasants that he will invade the Tyrol one of these days。〃
〃It is a miserable lie！〃 cried the general； with a disdainful smile。
〃The Austrians will not be so bold as to take the offensive； for
they know full well that the great Emperor Napoleon will consider
every invasion of Bavarian territory an attack upon France herself；
and that we ourselves should drive the impudent invaders from our
mountains。〃
〃That is to say； so long as the mountains are still ours； and not
yet occupied by the peasants； your excellency；〃 said Major Beim； who
entered the room at this moment。
〃What do you mean？〃 asked the general。
〃I mean that larger and larger bands of peasants are advancing upon
Innspruck； that they have already attacked and driven in our
pickets； and that the latter have just escaped from them into the
city。〃
〃Then it is time for us to resort to energetic and severe steps；〃
cried General Kinkel； angrily。 〃Colonel Dittfurt； send immediately a
dispatch to Lieutenant…Colonel von Wreden； who is stationed at
Brixen。 Write to him in my name that I am highly indignant at his
evacuating his position at Brunecken and destroying the bridge of
Laditch。 Tell him I order him to act with the utmost energy； every
peasant arrested with arms in his hands is to be shot； every village
participating in the insurrection is to be burned down； and he is to
advance his patrols again to and beyond Brunecken。 These patrols are
to ascertain if Austrian troops are really following the insurgent
peasants。 Bring this dispatch to me that I may sign it； and then
immediately send off a courier with it to Lieutenant…Colonel von
Wreden。〃 ＇Footnote： General Kinkel sent of this dispatch a day after
Wreden had been defeated by the Tyrolese； and after the Austrians
had invaded the Tyrol。 The Bavarian authorities at Innspruck were in
complete ignorance of all these events。＇
Colonel Dittfurt went to the desk and commenced writing the
dispatch。 〃Miserable peasants！〃 he murmured； on handing the dispatch
to the general； 〃it is already a humiliation that we must devote
attention to them and occupy ourselves with them。〃
〃Yes； you are right；〃 sighed the general； signing the dispatch；
〃these people； who know only how to handle the flail； become every
day more impudent and intolerable； and I am really glad that I shall
now at length have an opportunity to humiliate them and reduce them
to obedience。 Henceforth we will no longer spare them。 No quarter！
He who is taken sword in hand； will be executed on the spot。 We must
nip this insurrection in the bud； and chastise the traitors with
inexorable rigor。 Well； what is it？〃 he asked vehemently； turning to
the orderly who entered the room at this moment。
〃Your excellency； I have to inform you that all our pickets have
been driven into the city。 The peasants have assembled in large
masses on the neighboring mountains and opened thence a most
murderous fire upon our pickets。 Only a few men of each picket have
returned； the others lie dead outside the city。〃
〃Matters seem to become serious；〃 murmured General Kinkel。 〃All our
pickets driven in！ That is to say； then； the peasants are in the
immediate neighborhood of the city？〃
〃All the environs of Innspruck are in full insurrection； your
excellency； and the citizens of Innspruck seem likewise strongly
inclined to join the insurrection。 There are riotous groups in the
streets； and on my way hither I heard all sorts of menacing phrases；
and met everywhere with sullen； defiant faces。〃
〃Ah； I will silence this seditious rabble and make their faces mild
and modest！〃 cried the general； in a threatening voice。 〃Let all the
public places in the city be occupied by troops； and field…pieces be