andreas hofer-第112节

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of　our　country；　and　now　they　call　us　criminals；　we　intended　to　save
the　fatherland；　and　now　they　call　us　rebels　and　traitors！　The
emperor　gives　us　away　like　a　piece　of　merchandise；　regardless　of　his
sacred　pledges；　and　the　French　are　chasing　us　as　though　we　were
thieves　and　murderers！　And　Thou　sufferest　it；　God　in　heaven？　Thou
Hark！　did　not　that　sound　like　a　shot？　Is　it　the　wind　that　is
knocking　so　loudly　at　my　door？〃

He　sprang　to　his　feet；　took　up　his　rifle；　cocked　it；　and　aimed　at
the　door。

There　was　another　knocking　at　the　door；　no；　it　was　assuredly　not　the
storm　that　was　rapping　and　hammering　at　it　so　regularly。　No；　no；　it
was　the　enemy！　He　had　spied　him　out；　he　had　discovered　his　track；　he
had　come　to　seize　him！

〃I　will　sell　my　life　dearly；〃　murmured　Anthony　Wallner；　grimly。　〃I
will　shoot　down　the　first　man　who　opens　the　door；　then　I　will　force
a　passage　through　the　ranks　with　the　butt…end　of　my　rifle；　and〃

〃Father；〃　cried　a　voice　outside；　〃father；　open　the　door！〃

〃Great　God！〃　murmured　Wallner；　〃did　not　that　sound　like　my　Lizzie
calling　me？　But　that　is　impossible；　it　cannot　be　she；　she　cannot
have　ascended　the　mountain…path；　the　storm　would　have　killed　her；
and〃

〃Father；　dear　father；　pray　open　the　door；〃　shouted　the　voice　again；
and　somebody　shook　the　door。

Wallner　laid　down　his　rifle　and　hastened　to　the　door。　〃May　God
protect　me　if　they　deceive　me；　but　I　believe　it　is　Lizzie。〃

He　threw　open　the　door；　the　little　Tyrolese　lad　rushed　in；　embraced
him　tenderly；　kissed　him　with　his　cold　lips；　and　whispered；　〃My
father！　thank　God；　I　am　with　you！〃

〃It　is　Lizzie！〃　cried　Wallner；　in　a　ringing　voice。　〃She　has　come
tome　through　night　and　storm！　It　is　my　daughter；　my　dear；　dear
daughter！　Oh；　joy　of　my　heart；　how　were　you　able　to　get　up　here　in
this　terrible　night？　No　man　would　have　dared　to　attempt　it。〃

〃But　I　dared　it；　father；　for　I　am　your　child；　and　love　you。〃

〃You　love　me；　and　I　thank　God！〃　he　exclaimed；　folding　her　tenderly
and　anxiously　to　his　heart；　〃I　thank　God　for　saving　you；　and〃

He　faltered　and　burst　into　tears；　which　he　did　not　try　to　conceal。
He　wept　aloud　and　bitterly；　and　Eliza　wept　with　him；　and　neither　of
them　knew　whether　they　wept　for　joy　or　grief。

Eliza　was　the　first　to　overcome　her　emotion。　〃Father；〃　she　said；
raising　her　head　quickly；　〃the　enemy　is　on　your　track；　and　early　to…
morrow　morning　the　French　are　going　to　occupy　the　mountain　in　order
to　arrest　you。　That　is　the　reason　why　I　have　come　up　to　you；　for　you
must　flee　this　very　hour。〃

〃Flee？〃　he　cried；　mournfully。　〃How　can　I？　The　first　Bavarian　or
French　gendarme　on　the　frontier；　who　meets　me　and　asks　me　for　my
passport；　will　arrest　me。　I　have　no　passport。〃

〃Here　is　a　passport；〃　said　Eliza；　joyfully；　handing　him　the　paper；
〃Siebermeier　sends　it　to　you。〃

〃The　faithful　friend！　Yes；　that　is　help　in　need。　Now　I　will　try　with
God's　aid　to　escape。　You；　Lizzie；　will　return　to　mother；　and　bring
her　a　thousand　greetings　from　me；　and　as　soon　as　I　am　across　the
frontier；　you　shall　hear　from　me。〃

〃I　must　go　with　you；　father；〃　said　Eliza；　smiling。　〃The　passport　is
valid　for　Siebermeier；　the　carpet…dealer；　and　his　son。　Now　you　see；
dear　father；　I　am　your　son；　and　shall　flee　with　you。〃

〃No；〃　cried　her　father；　in　dismay；　〃no；　you　shall　never　do　so；
Lizzie。　I　must　journey　through　the　wildest　and　most　secluded　Alps；
and　you　would　die　in　the　attempt　to　follow　me；　Lizzie。〃

〃And　even　though　I　knew　that　I　should　die；　father；　I　should　go　with
you；〃　said　Lizzie；　joyfully。　〃You　cannot　flee　without　me；　and　I　do
not　love　my　life　very　dearly　if　it　cannot　be　useful　to　you；　dear
father。　Therefore；　say　no　more　about　it；　and　do　not　reject　my　offer
any　longer；　for　if　you　do；　it　will　be　in　vain；　because　I　shall
follow　you　for　all　that；　and　no　road　is　too　precipitous　for　me　when
I　see　you　before　the。　Therefore；　come；　dear　father；　do　not　hesitate
any　longer；　but　come　with　your　little　boy。　You　cannot　flee　without
me；　therefore；　let　us　try　it　courageously　together。〃

〃Well；　I　will　do　so；　my　brave　little　boy；　I　believe　I　must　comply
with　your　wish；〃　exclaimed　Wallner；　folding　her　tenderly　to　his
heart。　〃You　shall　accompany　me；　you　shall　save　your　father's　life。
Oh；　it　would　be　glorious　if　God　should　grant　me　the　satisfaction　of
being　indebted　for　my　life　to　my　dear　daughter　Lizzie！〃

〃Come；　now；　father；　come；　every　minute's　delay　increases　the
danger。〃

〃I　am　ready；　Lizzie。　Let　me　only　see　if　my　rifle　is　in　good　order
and　put　on　my　powder…pouch。〃

〃You　cannot　take　your　rifle　with　you；　nor　your　powder…pouch　either。
You　are　no　longer　the　brave　commander　of　the　sharpshooters　of
Windisch…Matrey；　but　Siebermeier；　the　carpet…dealer；　a　very
peaceable　man；　who　does　not　take　his　rifle　and　powder…pouch　with　him
on　his　travels。〃

〃You　are　right；　Lizzie。　But　it　is　hard　indeed　to　flee　without　arms；
and　to　be　defenceless　even　in　case　of　an　attack　by　the　enemy。　And　I
do　not　want　to　let　my　rifle　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　French　when
they　come　up　here。　I　know　a　hole　in　the　rock　close　by；　I　will　take
it　there　and　conceal　it　till　my　return。　Come；　now；　Lizzie；　and　let
us　attempt；　with　God's　aid；　to　escape　from　the　enemy。〃

He　wrapped　himself　in　his　cloak；　took　the　rifle；　and　both　left　the
hut。

Day　was　now　dawning：　some　rosy　streaks　appeared　already　in　the
eastern　horizon；　and　the　summits　of　the　glaciers　were　faintly
illuminated。　Eliza　saw　it；　but　she　did　not　rejoice　this　time　at　the
majestic　beauty　of　the　sunrise；　it　made　her　only　uneasy　and　sad；　and
while　her　father　concealed　his　rifle　carefully　in　the　hole　in　the
rock；　Eliza　glanced　around　anxiously；　murmuring　to　herself：　〃They
intend　to　start　at　daybreak。　It　is　now　after　daybreak；　the　sun　has
risen；　and　they　have　doubtless　set　out　already　to　arrest　him。〃

〃Now　come；〃　said　her　father；　returning　to　her；　〃we　have　a　long
journey　before　us　to…day；　for　we　must　pass　the　Alps　by　hunters'
paths　up　to　the　Isel…Tauerkamm。　We　shall　pass　the　night　at　the　inn
there：　in　the　morning　we　shall　continue　the　journey；　and；　if　it
please　God；　we　shall　reach　the　Austrian　frontier　within　three
hours。〃

And　they　descended　the　mountain；　hand　in　hand　and　with　firm　steps；
and　entered　the　forest。

Nothing　was　to　be　heard　all　around；　not　a　sound　broke　the　peaceful
stillness　of　awaking　nature；　only　the　wind　howled　and　whistled；　and
caused　the　branches　of　the　trees　to　creak。　The　sun　had　risen　higher
and　higher；　and　shed　already　its　golden　rays　through　the　forest。

〃I　would　we　had　passed　through　the　thicket　and　reached　the　heights
again；〃　said　Anthony　Wallner；　in　a　low　voice。　〃We　were　obliged　to
descend　in　order　to　pass　round　the　precipice　and　the　steep　slope；　we
shall　afterwards　ascend　the　mountain　again　and　remain　on　the
heights。　But　if　the　soldiers　from　Windisch…Matrey　meet　us　here；　we
are　lost；　for　they　know　me　and　will　not　pay　any　attention　to　my
passport。〃

〃God　will　not　permit　them　to　meet　us；〃　sighed　Lizzie；　accelerating
her　steps。　They　kept　silent　a　long　while；　and　not　a　sound　was　to　be
heard　around　them。　All　at　once　both　gave　a　start；　for　they　had　heard
the　noise　of　heavy　footsteps　and　the　clang　of　arms。　They　had　just
passed　through　the　clearing　in　the　forest　and　were　now　again　close
to　the　thicket；　by　the　side　of　which　there　was　a　small　chapel　with　a
large　crucifix。　They　turned　and　looked　back。

〃The　enemy！　the　enemy！〃　cried　Anthony　Wallner；　pointing　to　the
soldiers　who　were　just　stepping　from　the　other　side　of　the　forest。
〃Lizzie；　we　are　lost！　Ah；　and　I　have　not　even　got　my　rifle！　I　must
allow　myself　to　be　seized　without　resistance！〃

〃No；　we　are　not　yet　lost；　father；　look　at　the　chapel。　Maybe　they
leave　not　yet　seen　us。　Let　us　enter　the　chapel　quickly。　There　is
room　enough　for　us　two　under　the　altar。〃

Without　giving　her　father　time　to　reply；　Eliza　hastened　into　the
chapel　and　disappeared　behind　the　altar。　In　a　second　Wallner　was
with　her；　and；　clinging　close　to　each　other　and　with　stifled　breath；
they　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　enemy。

Now　they　heard　footsteps　approaching　rapidly　and　voices　shouting　out
aloud。　They　came　nearer　and　nearer；　and　were　now　close　to　the
chapel。　It　was　a　Bavarian　patrol；　and　the　two；　therefore；　could
understand　every　word　they　spoke；　and　every　word　froze　their　hearts。
The　Bavarians　had　seen　them　they　were　convinced　that　they　must　be
close　by；　they　exhorted　each　other　to　look　diligently　for　the
fugitives；　and　alluded　to　the　reward　which　awaited　them　in　case　they
should　arrest　Anthony　Wallner。

Both　lay　under　the　altar　with　hearts　throbbing　impetuously；　and
almost　senseless　from　fear　and　anguish；　Eliza　murmuring　a　prayer
with　quivering　lips；　Anthony　Wallner　clinching　his　fists；　and　firmly
resolved　to　sell　his　life　dearly　and　defend　himself　and　his　child　to
the　last　drop　of　blood。

The　enemies　were　now　close　to　them；　they　entered　the　chapel　and
advanced　to　the　altar。　Eliza；　pale　and　almost　fainting　from　terror；
leaned　her　head　on　her　father's　shoulder。

The　Bavarians　struck　now　with　the　butt…ends　of　their　muskets　against
the　closed　front…side　of　the　altar；　it　gave　a　dull；　hard　sound；　for
the　fugitives　filled　the　cavity。

〃There　is　no　one　in　there；　for　the　altar