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Updated: May 18, 2025
The silence was suddenly broken by a loud angry voice, which seemed to resound in the air like the croaking of the death-angel. This voice asked, "Zoppel, shall I cut the rope now?" "Not yet! not yet!" replied another voice; and the precipitous rocks all around echoed "Not yet! not yet!" The Saxons gave a start and looked up. Whence came these voices?
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.
Bavarians were quartered in the house, and the only place of refuge open to him was the cow-shed, where his faithful servant Zoppel dug for him a hole beneath the bed of one of the cows, and daily supplied him with food. His wife had returned to the house, but the danger of discovery was so great that even she was not told of his propinquity.
Suffering unspeakable anguish, he crept to the nearest hut, where he found two men, who carried him to his own house at Rinn, whither his wife had returned. But Bavarians were quartered in the house, and his only place of refuge was the cow-shed, where Zoppel, his faithful servant, dug for him a hole beneath the bed of one of the cows, and daily brought him food.
All at once a loud, shrill whistle resounded in front of the entrance to the defile; it was repeated all around the gloomy gorge. "That is the signal that the enemy has passed the inn am Sack and is entering the defile of the Eisach," murmured Zoppel, examining once more the edge of his hatchet with his hand.
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.
With a last effort he threw himself with the soldier into the depth, and both disappeared in the waters of the Eisach. Speckbacher's servant the faithful Zoppel, had seen and understood everything; and when the two sank into the foaming torrent, he wiped a tear from his eyes. "He died like a brave son of the Tyrol," he murmured, "and the Holy Virgin will assuredly bid him kindly welcome.
Then they threw huge masses of rock and heaps of rubbish on these hanging scaffolds; and after the "avalanches" had thus been completed, they withdrew cautiously and rapidly into the mountain-gorges. Only Zoppel, Joseph Speckbacher's servant, and an old peasant remained near the "avalanches."
But we, Hisel, will avenge his death on the accursed enemy below." "Yes, we will," cried the peasant grimly; and he raised his hatchet with a furious gesture. "It is not yet time," said Zoppel thoughtfully. "Just wait until a larger body of troops has entered the defile. See, Hisel, how splendid they look in their gorgeous uniform, and how proudly they are marching on!"
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