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he shall not coax him away。 This time I shall be present； and see
what he is after。〃
They stood now in front of Hofer's door； and Hormayr put his hand on
the knob to open it； but it was locked on the inside。
〃Andreas Hofer； Andreas Hofer！〃 he shouted out almost imperatively。
〃The time is up； come to me； Andreas Hofer！〃
The door opened； and the tall； powerful form of the Sandwirth
appeared in it。
〃Here I am；〃 he said； smiling calmly； 〃and you see I am ready to set
out。〃
〃You will accompany me then； Andy？〃 asked Hormayr； joyfully。
〃You will leave us？〃 cried Anthony Steeger； indignantly。
〃I was waiting for you； sir；〃 said Andreas； quietly； 〃and if you had
not come of your own accord； Tony； I should have called you； for you
shall hear what I have got to say to the intendant。 Come in； then；
both of you； and let us speak a last word with each other。 Anthony
Steeger； Baron von Hormayr； our countryman； came hither to persuade
me to accompany him and leave the Tyrol。 Our friends will do the
same thing； for the Bavarians and French are already entering the
country。 Speckbacher； Sieberer； and others； will save their lives
for this reason； and go with the Austrians； and the intendant thinks
I ought to do the same； for the sake of my wife and children。
However； I wished first to consult the good God。 I did so all night
long。 I prayed and reflected a great deal； and it seemed to me as
though the Lord spoke to me and enlightened my soul to find the true
path。 Listen then； Mr。 Intendant of the Tyrol； and you； too； friend
Anthony Steeger； to what I have resolved to do with God's
assistance。 I took an oath to serve the fatherland as long as I
lived； as an honest man； I must keep my word； and stay in the
Tyrol。〃
Anthony Steeger uttered a loud cry of joy； but Hormayr's face grew
very sombre。 〃You do not see； then； that you are rushing upon your
own destruction？〃 he asked。 〃You are intent on rendering your wife
and children unhappy？ You are bent on incurring the most imminent
peril？〃
〃I will incur it courageously；〃 said Hofer； kindly。 〃I know very
well that what I am about to do is not prudent； but it is right。
When the tempter took Jesus up into an exceeding high mountain；
showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory； and said；
‘All these things will I give Thee； if thou wilt fall down and
worship me；' the Saviour did not accept the offer； but remained true
to Himself； and sealed His teachings with his death。 I will follow
the Saviour's example； and never； while I live； prove recreant to
the love which I vowed to the dear Tyrol； never will I leave it； but
I will stand by it and serve it to the last。 Depart； then； Baron von
Hormayr； I cannot accompany you； for the country keeps me here； and
never will I abandon it whatever may happen！〃 ＇Footnote： 〃Gallery of
Heroes： Andreas Hofer；〃 vol。 iii。； p。 104。＇ 〃Is that your last word；
Andreas？〃 asked Hormayr； gloomily。
〃It is；〃 said Hofer； gently。 〃But pray； sir； do not be angry with me
for it。 Were I more prudent and sagacious； I should certainly follow
your advice； but I am only a plain peasant； and cannot but obey the
promptings of my heart。 Let the Austrians leave the Tyrol。 Andreas
Hofer cannot accompany them； nor can he look on quietly while the
enemy is re…entering the country。 Many brave men； many excellent
sharpshooters will remain in the Tyrol； and I shall call upon them
to rally round me。 We have twice delivered the country from the
enemy without any outside assistance； and we shall； perhaps； succeed
a third time。〃
〃But if you should fail；〃 cried Hormayr； 〃if the seduced Tyrolese
should curse you； if the tears and lamentations of your family
should accuse you； if you ruin yourself and your country； then
remember this hour； and the warning I gave you in order to save
you！〃
〃I will； Mr。 Intendant；〃 said Andreas； calmly。 〃Every one must do
his duty after his own fashion。 You think you are doing yours by
leaving the Tyrol； I think I do mine by staying in the country。 God
will decide which did right。 And now； God bless you； sir！ Greet
Speckbacher and all the others； and when you see the Archduke John；
tell him that my heart has not lost faith in him； and that I know
full well he would never have given up the poor Tyrol if he could
have helped it。 And now； sir； do not look at me so indignantly；
shake hands with me； and let us part in peace。〃
He held out his hand； but Hormayr； overcome by his emotion； spread
out his arms and threw them around Hofer's neck with an air of
impassioned tenderness。
〃Farewell； Andy； farewell；〃 he said； in a low voice。 〃I cannot
approve of what you are doing； but I must love and admire you for
all that。 Farewell； farewell！〃
He disengaged himself quickly； hastened out of the room； and walked
hurriedly through the hall。 A few minutes afterward his carriage
rolled away with thundering noise。
〃He is gone！〃 cried Anthony Steeger； joyously； 〃the tempter has left
us； and you have remained firm； Andy； you did not allow yourself to
be seduced by his blandishments。 The Tyrol will reward you and love
you for it for evermore！〃
〃If you speak the truth； it is well； if you do not； it is well too；〃
said Andreas； calmly。 〃I remain because it is my duty； and because I
feel that the Tyrol needs me。 Anthony； the enemy is re…entering the
country； we must drive him out a third time； that is my opinion。〃
〃It is mine； too；〃 replied Anthony Steeger； exultingly。 〃After
succeeding twice in so doing； we shall expel him a third time also。〃
〃It is true； it is a bad and mournful thing that Speckbacher is
going to desert us；〃 said Andreas； musingly； 〃but Anthony Wallner
and the Capuchin will surely stand by us； and Peter Mayer will not
leave us either。 Besides； you are here； and so am I； and we five men
will raise our voices and call upon the people to rise and expel the
enemy once more。 I believe the brave men will listen to our voices；
and not one of them will stay at home； all will come to us； bring
their rifles with them； and fight the French and Bavarians。〃
〃I think so too； Andy。 When the brave Tyrolese bear your voice； they
will come to a man； and we will achieve another Innspruck triumph；
and gain another victory on Mount Isel。〃
〃God grant it in His mercy；〃 exclaimed Andreas； touching the
crucifix on his breast。 〃But I must set out now； my friend。 So long
as we are unable to cope with the enemy； we must avoid meeting him；
conceal our forces； and prepare actively for the struggle。 Hence； I
shall not tell you where I am going； and no one shall learn of my
whereabouts until the time has come for me to appear once more at
the head of a strong and brave army。 Do your duty here； Tony； and
enlist courageous sharpshooters for the fatherland。 Inform all the
patriots secretly of my plan； and tell them that we must not heed
the armistice concluded by Austria； but must fight on for our
liberty and our emperor。 Have my horse brought to the door； my
friend； the sun is already over the mountains； and it is time for me
to start。〃
Anthony Steeger hastened away； he saddled his friend's horse with
his own hands and brought him to the door。 Andreas vault