"I repeat, sir," exclaimed Anthony Wallner at this moment with an air of mock gravity, "that we are all very loyal and obedient subjects, and that it is wrong in you. Mr. Tax-collector, to call us stubborn, seditious fellows. If we were such, would we not, being so numerous here, punish you and your two officers for speaking of us so contemptuously and disrespectfully?"
"You know full well that, at a wave of my hand, the company of soldiers will rush down from Castle Weissenstein and shoot you all as traitors and rebels," said the tax-collector haughtily.
"Well, Mr. Tax-collector," exclaimed Wallner, smilingly, "as for the shooting, we are likewise well versed in that. We are first-rate marksmen, we Tyrolese!"
"What!" cried the tax-collector, furiously, "do you speak again of
Tyrolese? Did I not forbid you to call yourselves so? You are no
Tyrolese, but inhabitants of South-Bavaria, do you hear? His majesty
the King of Bavaria does not want any Tyrolese as subjects, but only
Southern Bavarians, as I have told you twice already." [Footnote:
See "Gallery of Heroes; Life of Andreas Hofer," p. 15.]
"Very well; if his majesty does not want any Tyrolese as subjects,
you need not tell us so more than once," exclaimed Anthony Wallner.
"He prefers Southern Bavarians, does he? Bear that in mind,
Tyrolese; the King of Bavaria wants only Southern Bavarians."
"We will bear that in mind," shouted the Tyrolese; and loud, scornful laughter rolled like threatening thunder across the market- place.
"You laugh," exclaimed the tax-collector, endeavoring to stifle his rage; "I am glad you are so merry. To-morrow, perhaps, you will laugh no longer; for I tell you, if you do not pay to-day the fine imposed on you, I shall have it forcibly collected by the soldiers at daybreak to-morrow morning."
"We must really pay the fine, then?" asked Anthony Wallner, with feigned timidity. "You will not relent, then, Mr. Tax-collector? We really must pay the heavy fine, because we had a little fun the other day? For you must say yourself, sir, we really did no wrong."
"You did no wrong? You were in open insurrection. On the birthday of your gracious master the king, instead of hanging out Bavarian flags, as you had been ordered, you hung out Austrian flags everywhere."
"No, Mr. Tax-collector, you did not see right; we hung out none but
Bavarian flags."