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to the wagon。 His wife had knelt down； she wept and sobbed bitterly；
and embraced convulsively her son； who gazed in dismay at his
father。
Andreas Hofer had now ascended the wagon。 The soldiers stepped back；
and the driver whipped up the horses。
Suddenly； Cajetan Doeninger elbowed his way to the wagon； and signed
to the driver to stop。
〃I shall accompany Hofer；〃 he said； grasping the side…railing of the
wagon in order to mount it。
〃No； no；〃 cried the jailer； hastening to him。 〃You are mistaken； you
are free。〃
Doeninger； still clinging to the railing of the wagon； turned to
him。 〃What said the general's order？〃 he asked。
〃It said； 'the young man is free； and can go wherever he pleases。'〃
〃Well； then；〃 said Doeninger； mounting the wagon； quickly； 〃the
young man will accompany Andreas Hofer to Mantua。 Forward； driver；
forward！〃
The driver whipped up the horses； and the wagon started for Mantua。
＇Footnote： Donay； the priest who betrayed Andreas Hofer； according
to the general belief of the Tyrolese； was soon afterwards appointed
imperial chaplain at the chapel of Loretto； by a special decree of
the Emperor Napoleon； and received； besides； large donations in
lands and money。See Hormayr's 〃Andreas Hofer；〃 vol。 ii。； p。 507。
The peasant Francis Joseph Raffel； who had betrayed Hofer's place of
concealment to Donay； was afterward called Judas Iscariot throughout
the Tyrol。 Every one turned his back upon him with the utmost
horror； and the men of the Passeyr valley told him they would shoot
him if he did not hang himself within a week。 Raffel fled in great
dismay to Bavaria； where the government gave him a small office in
the revenue departmentSee 〃Gallery of Heroes； Andreas Hofer；〃 p。
191。＇
CHAPTER XLII。
THE WARNING。
The French hunted throughout the Tyrol for the unfortunate men who
had hitherto been the heroes of the fatherland； but who； since their
cause had succumbed； were called rebels and traitors。 The soldiers
who were in search of this noble game； for which large rewards were
offered to them； had already succeeded in arresting one of the
heroes of the Tyrol： Peter Mayer had fallen into their hands； and；
having been tried by a military commission at Botzen； was shot。 But
they had been unable as yet to discover the hiding…places of the
other insurgent leaders； despite the large prices which the
government had set upon their heads。 Joseph Speckbacher； for whom
the soldiers were hunting most eagerly； had disappeared。 The French
and Bavarians ransacked every house where they suspected he might be
concealed； they inflicted the heaviest fines and most cruel tortures
on the friends of the fugitive chief； because they would not betray
the place where their beloved commander was concealed； but all was
in vain。 Joseph Speckbacher had disappeared； and so had Father
Haspinger and Anthony Wallner。 ＇Footnote： Speckbacher had fled to
the higher mountains； where； on one of the summits of the
Eisgletscher； in a cavern discovered by him in former times when
pursuing the chamois； he lay for several weeks in the depth of
winter； supported by salt provisions； eaten raw； lest the smoke of a
fire should betray his place of concealment to his pursuers。
Happening one day； in the beginning of March； to walk to the
entrance for a few minutes to enjoy the ascending sun； an avalanche；
descending from the summit of the mountain above； swept him along
with it； down to the distance of half a mile on the slope beneath；
and dislocated his hip…bone in the fall。 Unable now to stand；
surrounded only by ice and snow； tracked on every side by ruthless
pursuers； his situation was； to all appearance； desperate； but even
then the unconquerable energy of his mind and the incorruptible
fidelity of his friends saved him from destruction。 Summoning up all
his courage； he contrived to drag himself along the snow for several
leagues； during the night； to the village of Volderberg； where； to
avoid discovery； he crept into the stable。 His faithful friend gave
him a kind reception； and carried him on his back to Rinn； where his
wife and children were； and where Zoppel； his devoted domestic；
concealed him in a hole in the cowhouse； beneath where the cattle
stood； though beyond the reach of their feet； where he was covered
up with cow…dung and fodder； and remained for two months； till his
leg was set and he was able to walk。 The town was full of Bavarian
troops； but this extraordinary place of concealment was never
discovered； even when the Bavarian dragoons； as was frequently the
case； were in the stable looking after their horses。 Zoppel did not
even inform Speckbacher's wife of her Husband's return； lest her
emotions or visits to the place might betray his place of
concealment。 At length； in the beginning of May； the Bavarian
soldiers having left the house； Speckbacher was lifted from his
living grave and restored to his wife and children。 As soon as he
was able to walk； he set out； and； journeying chiefly in the night；
through the wildest and most secluded Alps； by Dux and the sources
of the Salza； he passed the Styrian Alps； where he crossed the
frontier and reached Vienna in safety。 There he was soon after
joined by his family and liberally provided for。
Haspinger succeeded in escaping into Switzerland； whence he
travelled by cross…paths through Friuli and Carinthia to Vienna；
where he received protection from the emperor。＇
General Broussier was especially exasperated at the last named； the
valiant commander of Windisch…Matrey； and he had promised a reward
of one thousand ducats to him who would arrest 〃that dangerous
demagogue and bandit…chief； Anthony Aichberger…Wallner；〃 and deliver
him to the French authorities。 But Wallner and his two sons； who；
although hardly above the age of boyhood； had seemed to the French
authorities so dangerous that they had set prices upon their heads；
were not to be found anywhere。 Schroepfel； Wallner's faithful
servant； had taken the boys into the mountains； where he stayed with
them； after nightfall he went down to Matrey to fetch provisions for
the lonely fugitives。
Anthony Wallner's fine house was silent and deserted now。 Only his
wife and his daughter Eliza lived in it； and they passed their days
in dreary loneliness and incessant fear and anguish。 Eliza Wallner
was alone； all alone and joyless。 She had not seen her beloved Elza
since the day when she was married。 She herself had started the same
night with Haspinger for her father's headquarters。 Elza had
remained with her young husband in Innspruck； where her father died
on the following day； and after the old Baron had been buried； Elza
had accompanied her husband to Munich。 From thence she wrote from
time to time letters overflowing with fervent tenderness to her
beloved friend； and these letters were the only sunbeams which
illuminated Eliza's cheerless life； these letters told her of her
friend's happiness； of her attachment to her young husband； who
treated her with the utmost kindness and tenderness。
Eliza had received this afternoon another letter from her friend；
with a melancholy smile she read Elza's description of her domestic
hap