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frantic women within them boiled oil and water which they intended
to pour on the heads of the soldiers in case they should succeed in
forcing their way into the city； bullets were made and stones were
carried to the roofs； whence they were to be hurled on the enemy。
Meanwhile the tocsin resounded incessantly； as if to invite the
Tyrolese to redoubled efforts and increased vigilance。
The tocsin； however； had aroused not only the Tyrolese； but also the
Bavarians who were locked up in the barracks； the prisoners
understood full well what the bells were proclaiming。 To the
Tyrolese they said： 〃The enemy； your enemy； is approaching。 He will
attack you。 Be on your guard！〃 To the prisoners they proclaimed：
〃Your friends are approaching。 They will deliver you。 Be ready for
them！〃 And now the Bavarians began to become excited； their eyes
flashed again； the clouds disappeared from their humiliated brows；
and with loud； scornful cheers and fists clinched menacingly； they
stepped before their Tyrolese guards and cried： 〃Our friends are
coming。 They will deliver us and punish you； and we shall wreak
bloody vengeance on you for the disgrace you have heaped upon us。
Hurrah； our friends are coming！ We shall soon be free again！〃
〃No； you will not；〃 shouted a loud； thundering voice； and in the
middle of the large dormitory occupied by the Bavarians appeared
suddenly the tall； herculean form of Joseph Speckbacher。 On passing
the barracks； he happened to hear the cheers of the prisoners and
had entered in order to learn what was the matter。 〃No；〃 he said
once more； 〃you will not； yon must not suppose that we shall be so
stupid as to allow you to escape。 Do not rejoice therefore at the
approach of the French and your countrymen for I tell you； and I
swear by the Holy Mother of God； if the French should enter the city
victoriously； our last step before evacuating it would be to kill
every one of you。 Do you hear； Tyrolese guards？ If the prisoners do
not keep quiet； if they make any noise； or even threaten you； shoot
down the ringleaders！ But if the enemy penetrates into the city；
then shoot them all； and do not spare a single one of them。
＇Footnote： Hormayr's 〃History of Andreas Hofer；〃 vol。 i。； p。 258。 ＇
We will not incur the disgrace of re…enforcing the enemy by several
thousand men。 The guards at all doors here must be quadrupled； and
at the first symptom of mischief among the prisoners； you will fire
at them。 Now you know； Bavarians； what is going to be done。 Beware；
therefore！〃
And Joseph Speckbacher left the hall with a proud nod of the head。
The listening Bavarians heard him repeating his rigorous
instructions to the sentinels outside； they heard also the
acclamations with which the Tyrolese responded to him。 The
prisoners； therefore； became silent； they forced back their hopes
and wishes into the depths of their hearts； and only prayed inwardly
for their approaching friends； and cursed in the same manner their
enemies； the ragged mob of the peasants。
The tocsin was still ringing； and its sinister notes penetrated
likewise into the large guard…house； and spoke to the prisoners
confined there。 One of these prisoners was a gloomy； broken…down old
man； General Kinkel； the other was a youth； mortally wounded and
violently delirious。 It was Colonel Dittfurt。 The bullet of the
Tyrolese had not killed him； he still lived； a prisoner of the
peasants； and； amidst his delirium and his agony； he was fully
conscious of his disgrace。 This consciousness rendered him raving
mad； it brought words of wild imprecation to his cold； bloodless
lips； he howled with rage and pain； he called down the vengeance of
Heaven upon 〃the ragged mob；〃 the peasants； who had dared to lay
hands upon him； the proud； aristocratic colonel； and rob him not
only of his life； but also of his honor。 All the night long he had
raved in this manner； and it was truly horrible to hear these words；
full of contempt； hatred； and fury； in the mouth of a dying man； it
was dreadful to see this scarred form on the bloody couch； writhing
in the convulsions of death； and yet unable to die； because anger
and rage revived it again and again。 At day…break Major Teimer had
entered the guard…house with a detachment of Tyrolese； and while he
repaired with some of them to General Kinkel； the other Tyrolese had
entered Colonel Dittfurt's room； to see the miracle of a man whose
head had been pierced by a bullet having vitality enough left to
rave； swear； and curse； for twenty…four hours。
Gradually the whole room became crowded with Tyrolese； who yesterday
had been the mortal foes of the colonel； but who gazed to…day with
profound compassion and conciliated hearts at the poor； mutilated
being that disdained even on the brink of the grave to consider a
peasant as entitled to equal rights and as a brother of the
nobleman。
Colonel Dittfurt lay on his couch with his eyes distended to their
utmost； and stared at the Tyrolese assembled round him。 For some
minutes the curses and invectives had died away on his lips； and he
seemed to listen attentively to the sinister notes of the alarm…
bells which were calling incessantly upon the Tyrolese to prepare
for the struggle。
〃Is that my death…knell？〃 he asked wearily。 〃Have I； then； died
already； and is it death that is lying so heavily on my breast？〃
〃No； sir； you still live；〃 said one of the Tyrolese； in a low；
gentle voice。 〃You still live； the bells you hear are ringing the
tocsin； they aroused us because the French and Bavarians are
advancing upon the city。〃
〃The Bavarians are coming！ Our men are coming！〃 cried Dittfurt
exultingly； and be lifted his head as if to rise from his couch。 But
the iron hand of death had already touched him and kept him
enthralled。 His head sank heavily back upon the pillow； and his eyes
became more lustreless and fixed。
〃They vanquished me；〃 he said； after a pause； 〃I know I am a
prisoner of the peasants； and it is they who keep me chained to this
couch and prevent me from going out to participate in the contest。
Oh； oh； how it grieves me！ A prisoner of the peasants！ But they
fought like men； and their leader must be an able and brave officer。
Who was the leader of the peasants？〃
〃No one； sir；〃 said the Tyrolese； on whom the dying officer fixed
his eyes。 〃We had no leader； we fought equally for God； the emperor；
and our native country。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Dittfurt； 〃that is false； I know better； for I saw
the leader of the peasants pass me often。 He was mounted on a white
horse； his face was as radiant as heaven； his eyes twinkled like
stars； and in his hand he held a sword flashing like a sunbeam。 I
saw the leader of the peasants； he always rode at their head； he led
them into battle； I〃
He paused； the expression of his eyes became more fixed； the shades
of death descended deeper and deeper on his forehead； which was
covered with cold perspiration。
The Tyrolese minded him no longer。 They looked at each other with
exultant and enthusiastic glances。 〃He saw a leader at our head？〃
they asked each other。 〃A leader mounted on a white horse； and
holding in his hand a sword flashing like a sunbeam？ It must hav