CHAPTER VII.

THE TRUCE OF ZNAIM.

ONCE more Tyrol was free; the work finally done, as the thankful peasants believed, and it only remained to send the glorious news to the Emperor. The joy rose to its highest pitch when, crossing the despatch from Innsbruck, and before he could have heard of the victory gained by his faithful people, there arrived a letter from the beloved 'Franz' himself, bearing the lucky date of May 29th. The precious letter contained this promise:

'Full of confidence in God and my right, I hereby declare to my faithful country of Tyrol that she shall never more be separated from the empire of Austria, and that I will

sign no peace but one which shall reunite the country to my monarchy.'

These were brave words, golden words to the loyal Tyrolese; every fear vanishednothing could now separate them from

their Kaiser. The Archduke Charles also wrote to General Chasteler (not knowing that he had left the country), 'Animate the courage of the brave Tyrolese. If they remain united, they are invincible.'

All this was conclusive. Never for a moment did it occur to the simple-hearted mountaineers that anything could come between the word of a king and its fulfilment. In this case, alas! came the defeat of the Emperor by the French at Wagram on 6th July, and the armistice of Znaim, signed on the 12th. In this armistice was not one word about Tyrol, and the unhappy country was simply left a prey to Buonaparte's anger, and its people to be treated as rebels. The remaining Austrian troops were recalled, and

that very fine gentleman, Baron Hormayer, also found it a favourable moment for leaving the sinking ship.

For a long time the peasants could not and would not believe that their Kaiser had really forsaken them. Was there not Franzl's' own letter, promising to sign no treaty which did not secure the reunion of Tyrol to Austria? It could not be.

It was, however, and the fact had at last to be realized, with what despair and grief you can well imagine.

The bands of peasants dispersed, and Andreas Hofer took refuge on the Schneeberg, a mountain gorge not far from the Passeyr, having first prevailed on Spechbacher to pause before giving up all hope and leaving the country. The Danziger and his troops were hovering like vultures on the eastern frontier, and soon came swooping up the Inn Valley, making vigorous inquiry as to the state of the country and the fate of the

Tyrolese army. The inhabitants, however, had, with one accord, become suddenly so entirely stupid that not one word of information could be gleaned from any of them. On came Lefebvre, burning and pillaging, much as Wrede had done two months before, and on reaching Hall he sacked the house of Joseph Straub, and announced that if the owner did not at once give himself up, he would, if caught, be hanged without mercy. Straub, safe in the mountains with his men, wrote to his wife that, on the 15th of August next, the peasants would re-enter Hall and Innsbruck as conquerors.

It did not look much like it when the Danziger marched into Innsbruck, calling on the Tyrolese chiefs to surrender themselves and on the peasants to bring in their arms. No one brought in any arms, and only one chief gave himself up; his motive was certainly not one of self-preservation. Straub, in his hiding-place on the Volderberg Mountain,

received a letter from his wife, written just before the sacking of their house, telling him that a gallows was to be set up on the ruins of their home, on which one inhabitant of Hall was to be hanged each day till Straub gave himself up. On this the brave fellow came into Innsbruck and surrendered himself to General Lefebvre, who kept him prisoner probably for the reason that he might prove a valuable hostage. Things were in this state when, to add to the general despondency, there came a letter from the Archduke John entreating the Tyrolese to lay down their arms.

From his refuge on the Schneeberg the Sandwirth watched the course of affairs in an anguish of sorrow, sore beset by doubts and fears as to the right thing to be done, and it is told that he spent days of fasting and prayer on the lonely mountain-side ere he could make up his mind. After that he took his resolution and, once resolved, nothing could move him he made his declaration

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