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Updated: June 8, 2025
He burst into tears, rushed toward Andreas Hofer, and folding him to his heart, exclaimed mournfully: "Is it true, then, that they intend to kill you? Is it true that they are going to assassinate the noblest and best man like a criminal?" "Hush, hush, Cajetan," said Andreas, gently, pressing Doeninger tenderly to his heart; "do not scold, but submit as I do.
"In the first place, I wish to see once more my dear Cajetan Doeninger, who was separated from me and confined in another cell; and then I wish to dictate a letter and my last will, and would request that both be sent to my dear brother-in-law." "These wishes shall be complied with; I promise it to you in the name of General Bisson. Do you desire to prefer any additional requests?"
Cajetan Doeninger and little John Hofer lay in the small hay-loft, to which a ladder led up from the room. But Doeninger did not sleep. He thought all the while of Raffel, who had come up there three days ago and seen Andreas; he thought of Donay, the priest, to whom Raffel had betrayed Hofer's place of concealment.
"There," he said, after convincing himself that Doeninger had written exactly what be had dictated, "now give me the pen, Cajetan. I will sign it myself." He bent over the table, and wrote quickly what he had so often written under his decrees, "Andreas Hofer, commander-in-chief of the Tyrol." But then he gave a start, and contemplated his signature long and musingly.
"Yes, commander-in-chief, you did," said Doeninger, solemnly. "I want to tell you something more, Cajetan," added Andreas. "What Steeger said about Rafel and Donay may be true; the French may have discovered my place of concealment, and may come up here. Hence, dear Cajetan, you must leave me and escape, lest they should seize you, too."
"May God and the Holy Virgin have mercy on us!" sighed the woman, going to the door; "for I shall not bear it if my dear husband ogles other women, and something dreadful will happen if he does not mend his ways." "God be praised!" said Doeninger, with a deep sigh, when the woman had left the room. "Why do you say 'God be praised'?" asked Andreas, in surprise.
"A good servant leaves his master no more than a captain deserts his shipwrecked vessel," said Doeninger, firmly. "You refuse to leave your native country in its adversity because you love it. I refuse, likewise, to leave you in the days of your adversity, because I love you. I shall stay here." Andreas Hofer encircled Doeninger with his arms and folded him tenderly to his heart.
"Cajetan, it is as I said," sighed Andreas, turning with a doleful air to Doeninger, who sat at the desk, pen in hand, and bowed to the commander-in-chief with a shrug. "I come to you, the emperor's lieutenant, to demand justice," added the old man. "Your decree was unjust and contrary to law.
"He is mean enough to do it," murmured Doeninger. "The magnitude of the price set on your head will induce him to betray his benefactor." "Andy," cried Anna Gertrude, bursting into tears, and clinging to her husband, "save yourself! If you love me and the children, save yourself; cut off your beard, put on the new suit of clothes, and escape from your bloodthirsty enemies.
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.
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