minish the grief of the maidens. Whether it was that even that modified sentence was worthy of the utmost expression of grief that the human face divine can show, or that this, like all other secondary punishments, carried with it more terror from the certainty of its infliction, we need not stop to inquire. Certain it is the effect of it was that all the beauty of the unfortunate damsels could not save them from the roars of laughter of their former admirers, as with bare polls and disconsolate faces they sought their homes, and equally certain that no more sanguinary punishment could have been half so effectual. From that day forth not a petticoat was seen in Spechbacher's camp, both pretty and ugly agreeing in one point, that under present circumstances the adventure was too hazardous.

Spechbacher meantime finding his ammunition failing, his army dispersing, and feeling weary of the whole affair, determined on one great effort for terminating the siege. Alas! on the very day he completed his arrangements a courier arrived from Hofer with the following

missive.

66

"My dear brother in arms.

Again is the fortune of war in other countries doomed to affect the Tyrol. A battle has been fought at Wagram in which Austria has been worsted, and unmindful of the promises he has made, the hopes he has held out, and the peril to which he has led our unfortunate people, the Emperor has agreed to evacuate the Tyrol, and recommends us to trust to the tender mercies of Bavaria and its generals. Provide for thy safety. God protect thee. Farewell."

Within an hour of the receipt of this despatch, Spechbacher had dismissed his little army to their own homes, and retired to consult with his friends whether the future must be given up to hope or to despair.

Not so hasty in the dispersion of his forces was Andrew Hofer. He was at the time of sending the above letter to Spechbacher surrounded by a chosen band of friends in his own mountain fastnesses. His decision was therefore to be formed under very different circumstances from those of Spechbacher, who was separated from all assistance, on the very frontiers of the enemy, and liable to be overwhelmed by their armies at any moment. To the urgent advice of Austria, conveyed through general Hormayer, that he should lay down his arms, Hofer listened respectfully, but without any signs of assent. When however that general further represented to him that his personal safety might be compromised, and that his best hope for mercy lay in early submission, he replied,

"And what will become of the poor fellows who are now in arms in each valley that branches from hence? Will you guarantee them from the infliction of such cruelties as have been? Know you not that each hill-side bristles with armed men, and that my tongue would blister were I to cry submission where the very echo of more stirring appeals has not yet died away? Shall I then from base considerations of personal safety desert them? Never! No, Herr General, follow out the cautious policy of your Emperor and withdraw, if you will, but tempt me no more to save my own life at the expense of my honour!"

The tempter being thus foiled by the honest indignation of the

patriot, the only hope of success in extinguishing the flame of resistance that blazed in the Tyrol appeared to be to open communications with the other leaders before they should have consulted together, and thus by breaking their union destroy their strength.

It was at a moment when he was suffering under discouragement from the result of his abortive attempts against Kufstein that the Austrian generals Buol and Hormayer sought out Spechbacher. The failure of their plans for inducing Hofer to give up the contest had made them more cautious in the arguments they adopted, for in that instance they had found that to urge on a true patriot his own danger as a motive for laying down the sword, or to tempt him to inaction by any exclusive promises of safety for himself, was but to strengthen his resolution. And yet they had reason to think that the honour of their Emperor, nay perhaps the security of peace to Austria, depended upon the submission without further struggle of the Tyrolese to Bavarian rule.

To increase, by any considerations that suggested themselves, the despondency under which Spechbacher laboured was their first task. To depict to him in lively colours the misery which would be entailed on his countrymen by useless resistance was their next argument, and lastly to explain to him the intense anxiety which was felt by the Emperor to behold and load with honours one, of whose gallantry and daring he had heard so much. Were we to affirm that when once the impossibility of further resistance was obvious, the vanity of even the rough Spechbacher was untouched by the idea of being crowned with honours at Vienna rather than sinking into obscurity or being exposed to oppression under a Bavarian rule at home, it would be adding to his undaunted bravery a perfection of virtue which he did not possess. With the specious reasoning however which inclination is ever ready to furnish at a pinch, he persuaded himself that vague ideas of advantage to his country from his personal appearance in the Austrian court at such a moment were the acting motives for his decision. Certain it is that he promised the generals to join them at the moment of their departure, time being allowed him to take leave of his family. Bitter was that parting. His wife, ever accustomed to approve whatever her husband decided on, could only sigh over what he assured her should only be a short separation. Little Karl, who was trying to lift with feeble arm (his sling having been long discarded) the heavy rifle which his father took not with him on his present mission, cast on him looks of inquiry, and at length turning to his mother exclaimed, "Do not weep! there can be no danger or father would not leave us, and if there were, he would soon be back again."

Spechbacher could contain his feelings no longer, but rushing from the house, he rejoined the Austrian generals, and entered their open carriage which was to convey him to Vienna.

After their first congratulations at the resolution he had taken, during the utterance of which he maintained a moody silence, they naturally turned to other topics, and while the mind of Spechbacher was still meditating on the new feature of difficulty which the artless speech of the young boy had presented to his mind, viz., the possibility of danger to those dear ones whom he was leaving, the Austrians had discussed Vienna gaieties, court balls, and new singers, as if nought of more importance existed in the world. Even when military events were

again mentioned, Spechbacher could not fail to remark that the projects of Bonaparte with respect to other nations, and his successes in other quarters of the world, seemed to engage their mind, to the exclusion of all thoughts about his unfortunate country. Its fortune indeed appeared to be looked upon as already settled, and other more important because more imminent events must be cared for.

It was while these considerations passing rapidly through his mind seemed to open his eyes to the false step he had taken, to the utter futility of any hopes of any advantage to the Tyrolese from it, nay to the premature obscurity in which it would involve himself, that the carriage, slowly winding round the brow of a hill, passed under a huge fragment of impending rock. His head was at this moment drooping over his breast, his arms folded, and his eyes fixed on vacancy, but the Austrian generals, more alive to what was going on, caught sight of a party of armed mountaineers congregated on the summit of the rock. Fearful of the effect such a sight might produce on the mind of Spechbacher, General Buol exclaimed in a voice of thunder to the postillion, "Vorwarts!" (forward!) happily too late, for the attention of their companion had been already aroused by far other words. Could he trust his ears as this fearful sentence, uttered in a deep, clear tone, seemed to pierce them, " Auch Du, Spechbacher, willst mich im Stiche lassen!" (And wilt thou too, Spechbacher, leave me in the lurch!) He raised his head. Were his eyes deceived, or was it indeed the figure of Andrew Hofer, surrounded by a band of patriots, who looked reproachfully down upon him from the height?

Another moment, and the order of the Austrian general was obeyed; the speed of their horses was quickened, and the vision vanished from his sight.

CHAP. VIII.

It was in truth Hofer, who, acting on the resolution announced by him to the Austrian generals, was consulting with a chosen band of patriots, at the moment when the carriage containing Spechbacher passed under their appointed place of meeting. The sight was one of disappointment and discouragement to all; it seemed as if not the head indeed, but the right hand of their strength had been removed. For a long time silence ensued, while each looked at the other in dismay. Hofer, unswayed by any feelings of petty jealousy, was loud and sincere in his expressions of regret.

"Who could have foreseen," he exclaimed, "that that gallant spirit would be led astray by the specious sophistry of those he despised! Who could have anticipated that he would desert his country, or leave it to be said after all his daring deeds, the man was noble! "Tis, alas! ever thus with the honest and high-spirited, they suspect not, and therefore guard not against treachery in others. But 'tis past and the ardent and bold patriot is lost for ever in the pensioner of Austria. Never again shall we behold the Spechbacher that once was!"

They descended from their eminence to the road, and proceeded on their return to Mount Brenner, unable to pursue for the moment the further discussion of their plans. They had already turned up a

mountain path, when the rapid galloping of a horse was heard in the distance, and at a pace which seemed all but madness over so rough a track, a single horseman was seen urging on his steed, as if in pursuit of them.

The little party had hardly time to recognise the honest features of Spechbacher, before he was in the midst of them. First waving his plumed hat over his head, then uttering a cry of joy, he bounded from his panting steed, and threw himself on Hofer's breast.

"Behold me yet again, thanks to Heaven!" he exclaimed, “the same happy being I was twelve hours ago: since that time I have not known a moment's peace. But you will receive me again, my brothers, I know you will admit me again into your holy band. Ah, Andrew!" he added, turning to Hofer," one look from thee had been enough, one look of reproach! But those words of contempt which accompanied it, fell on me like a death-stroke, and smote me to the heart. I mastered my feelings till we had wound down the hill to the posthouse, and then while my companions retired into the house, I seized one of their fresh horses, which the people there knew me too well to refuse. I spurred it up the mountain-side: I caught sight of your well known forms: I cleared, in my progress, bog, and brook, and rock, and at length I breathe again!"

A universal shout of welcome from his brothers in arms awoke the silent echoes, and served to convince the now joyous Spechbacher that his momentary lapse was forgotten in joy at his return.

Again did one heart animate the whole Tyrolese body, and amply did they require the strength which union can alone afford, for two armies were menacing them in different quarters.

The one under Marshal Wrede, was fortunately detained by the wounds which that gallant soldier had received at Wagram, and from which he was not sufficiently recovered to leave Vienna, while the Bavarians, and their allies under the Duke of Dantzic, had already advanced from Schwatz (the first scene of their devastations on taking possession of the Tyrol) and entered Inspruck.

The proclamation issued by the Austrians and addressed to the whole Tyrolese people, in order to induce them to submission had declared the continued interest of the Emperor in their welfare; that the generals of the invading army would be specially urged to treat them mildly, but that such treatment must necessarily depend on their own behaviour-it concluded by recommending them to submit to the will of Providence, and put their trust in Heaven.

Whether swayed by this, or by the impossibility of opposing so large a force, the inhabitants of Schwatz offered no resistance to the Duke of Dantzic's troops, a large party of the inhabitants flying in their terror to the mountains; so that high mass was said in an empty church. So far, however, from the expectation held out by the Austrians being realised, cruelty, exaction, and oppression in every shape, marked the conduct of the invaders; and such was the waste and prodigal luxury in which they indulged, that even before they moved on to Inspruck, every kind of food which the town of Schwatz could afford was exhausted, and the army was without provisions, while the unfortunate citizens were left in a state of starvation. Having thus succeeded in

exciting the hatred of the inhabitants, and driving them to desperation, the Duke of Dantzic proceeded to Inspruck.

Nor was this the only error committed by that commander before he could be joined by General Wrede: he was guilty of a succession of blunders which, combined with the non-arrival of the other general, afforded to the Tyrolese their only chance of success. His first and most fatal error was the loss of much precious time while he summoned to submission, by a three days' proclamation, those leaders of the peasantry, who had already announced their intention of never yielding. Instead of following the retreating Austrians, step by step, by which means he would have got into the centre of the enemy's country without striking a blow, he permitted such delays in their evacuation of the Tyrol, and such an interval to elapse after their departure, as allowed resistance time to gain strength and organization. In the progress of his march from Inspruck, he was continually detaching parties to attack isolated bands in remote valleys, which were either unsuccessful in finding those they were sent against, or were surprised and beaten. He kept up the most relaxed discipline on his march, so that the outrages committed by his soldiery excited the hatred and confirmed the determination of inhabitants. In short, by the time he had reached the wild districts beyond Mount Brenner, he was at the head of an army that had been frequently beaten in detail, and opposed to a people who, though as yet hardly prepared for combined resistance, were irritated and excited to oppose and avenge.

Nor were the means of opposition, which a connected plan directed by competent leaders could furnish, long wanting.

Haspinger, the Capuchin, having after his short stay at Wilten returned to his own monastery at Clausen, was about this time summoned to preside at the procession of St. Cassian. After the holy ceremony was over, he called aside three bold men on whose fidelity he could rely, Kemenater, Mayer, and Schenk, and after consulting them on the present aspect of affairs, and obtaining the promise of their cooperation, he addressed the assembled multitude with such stirring words, as made them promise that though their country was betrayed by its natural protector, and sold to the oppressor, they, and they alone, unaided and unsupported, would raise the banner of freedom, and fight for it to the last. They were at once joined by Spechbacher and their plan of operation no sooner settled than acted on.

Spechbacher with the few troops he could hastily collect, undertook the arduous duty of keeping in check the Bavarians, so as to prevent any sudden attack on the Capuchin--that leader being anxious to concentrate his troops near Neustift. This was a point which, as commanding the entrances of the three great valleys of the Innthal, Pusterthal, and Etchthal, it was the object of the Tyrolese to protect, and of the Duke of Dantzic to gain.

Spechbacher therefore first erected barricades in Mittewald, and then seizing upon the men who had assisted him in this work, he converted them into soldiers, and joined them to his little army, exerting himself indefatigably to keep them together in some sort of discipline, to explain to them his plans of resistance, and to imbue them with his own spirit. Nor were these operations very easy, for