andreas hofer-第113节

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the　fugitives　filled　the　cavity。

〃There　is　no　one　in　there；　for　the　altar　is　not　hollow；〃　said　one　of
the　soldiers。　The　footsteps　thereupon　moved　away　from　the　altar；　and
soon　all　was　silent　in　the　chapel。　Wallner　and　Lizzie　heard　only
footsteps　and　voices　outside；　they　moved　away　farther　and　farther；
and　after　a　few　seconds　not　a　sound　broke　the　silence。

The　fugitives　lay　still　behind　the　altar；　motionless；　listening；
with　hearts　throbbing　impetuously。　Could　they　dare　to　leave　their
place　of　concealment？　Was　it　not；　perhaps；　a　mere　stratagem　of　the
enemy　to　keep　silent？　Had　the　soldiers　surrounded　the　chapel；　and
were　they　waiting　merely　for　them　to　come　out？　They　waited　and
listened　for　hours；　but　their　cowering　position　benumbed　their
blood；　it　stiffened　their　limbs　and　made　their　heads　ache。　〃Father；
I　can　no　longer　stand　it；〃　murmured　Eliza；　〃I　will　die　rather　than
stay　here　any　longer。〃

〃Come；　Lizzie；〃　said　Wallner；　raising　himself　up　and　jumping　over
the　altar；　〃come！　I；　too；　think　it　is　better　for　us　to　die　than　hide
thus　like　thieves。〃

They　joined　hands　and　left　the　chapel；　looking　anxiously　in　all
directions。　But　every　thing　remained　silent；　and　not　a　Bavarian
soldier　made　his　appearance。

〃They　are　gone；　indeed　they　are　gone；〃　said　Wallner；　triumphantly。
〃Now　we　must　make　haste；　my　girl；　we　shall　ascend　the　height；　the
footpath　leads　up　here　in　the　rear　of　the　chapel；　within　two　hours
we　shall　reach　the　summit；　and；　if　our　feet　do　not　slip；　if　we　do
not　fall　into　the　depth；　if　no　avalanche　overwhelms　us；　and　if　the
storm　does　not　freeze　us；　I　think　we　shall　reach　the　Isel…Tauerkamm
to…night；　and　sleep　at　the　inn　there。　May　the　Holy　Virgin　protect
us！〃

And　the　Holy　Virgin　did　seem　to　guard　the　intrepid　wanderersto
enable　them　to　cross　abysses　on　frail　bridges；　to　prevent　them　from
sinking　into　invisible　clefts　and　pits　covered　with　snow；　to　make
them　safely　escape　the　avalanches　falling　down　here　and　there；　and
protect　them　from　freezing　to　death。

Toward　dusk　they　reached　at　length　the　inn　on　the　Isel…Tauerkamm；
utterly　exhausted　by　fatigue；　hunger；　and　frost；　and　entered　the
bar…room　on　the　ground…floor。　Nobody　was　there　but　the　landlord；　a
gloomy；　morose…looking　man；　who　eyed　the　new…comers　with　evident
distrust。

When　the　two　wanderers；　scarcely　able　to　utter　a　word；　seated
themselves　on　the　bench　at　the　narrow　table；　the　land…lord　stepped
up　to　them。

〃I　am　not　allowed　to　harbor　any　one　without　seeing　his　passport；〃　he
said。　〃There　are　all　sorts　of　fugitive　vagabonds　prowling　around
here　to　hide　from　the　Bavarians；　who　are　searching　the　whole
district　to…day。　Give　me　your　passport；　therefore。〃

Wallner　handed　him　the　paper　in　silence。　The　landlord　read　it
attentively；　and　seemed　to　compare　the　two　with　the　description　in
the　passport。　〃H'm！〃　he　said；　〃the　carpet…dealer　and　his　sonthat
corresponds　to　what　the　passport　says；　but　where　is　the　bundle　of
carpets？〃

Anthony　Wallner　gave　a　slight　start；　he　recovered　his　presence　of
mind　immediately；　however；　and　said　calmly；

〃The　carpets　are　all　sold　already；　we　are　on　our　return　to　Windisch…
Matrey。〃

〃See；　see　how　lucky　you　have　been；〃　said　the　landlord；　laughing；
〃the　passport　says　you　started　only　yesterday　morning；　and　to…day
you　have　already　sold　all　your　carpets。　Well；　in　that　case；　you　are
certainly　justified　in　returning　to　your　home。　Your　passport　is　in
good　order；　and　the　Bavarians；　therefore；　will　not　molest　you。〃

〃As　my　passport　is　in　good　order；　I　suppose　you　will　give　us　beds；
and；　above　all　things；　something　to　eat　and　drink。〃

〃You　shall　have　everything；　that　is　to　say；　every　thing　that　I　can
give　you。　I　am　all　alone　here；　and　have　nothing　but　a　piece　of　ham；
bread；　and　cheese；　and　a　glass　of　wine。　As　for　beds；　I　have　not　got
any；　you　must　sleep　on　the　bench　here。〃

〃Well；　we　will　do　so；　but　give　us　something　to　eat　now；〃　said
Wallner；　〃and　add　a　little　fuel　to　the　fire；　that　we　may　warm
ourselves。〃

The　landlord　added　some　brushwood　and　a　few　billets　to　the　fire；
fetched　the　provisions；　and　looked　on　while　the　wanderers　were
partaking　of　the　food　with　eager　appetite。　All　at　once　he　stepped
quickly　up　to　them；　seated　himself　on　the　bench　opposite　them；　and
drew　a　paper　from　his　pocket。　〃I　will　read　something　to　you　now；〃　he
said。　〃There　were　Bavarian　soldiers　here　to…day；　they　gave　me　a　new
decree；　and　ordered　me　to　obey　it　under　pain　of　death。　Listen　to
me。〃

And　he　read；　in　a　loud；　scornful　voice

〃Know　all　men　by　these　presents；　that　any　inhabitant　of　the　German
or　Italian　Tyrol；　who　dares　to　harbor　Anthony　Wallner；　called
Aichberger；　late　commander　of　the　sharp…shooters　of　Windisch…Matrey；
or　his　two　sons；　shall　lose　his　whole　property　by　confiscation；　and
his　house　shall　be　burned　down。〃　＇Footnote：　Loritza；　p。　130。＇

〃Did　you　hear　it？〃　asked　the　landlord；　after　reading　the
proclamation。

〃I　did；〃　said　Wallner；　with　perfect　composure；　〃but　it　does　not
concern　us。〃

〃Yes；　it　does。　I　believe　you　are　Anthony　Wallner；　and　the　lad　there
is　one　of　your　sons。〃

Anthony　Wallner　laughed。　〃Forsooth；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　were　Wallner　I
should　not　be　so　stupid　as　to　show　myself。　I　believe　he　is　hiding
somewhere　in　the　mountains　near　Windisch…Matrey。　But　I　think　I
resemble　him　a　little；　for　you　are　not　the　first　man　who　has　taken
me　for　Anthony　Wallner。　And　that　the　lad　there　is　not　one　of　Anthony
Wallner's　sons；　I　will　swear　on　the　crucifix；　if　you　want　me　to　do
so。〃

〃Well；　well；　it　is　all　right；　I　believe　you；〃　growled　the　landlord。
〃Now　lie　down　and　sleep；　there　is　a　pillow　for　each　of　you；　and　now
good…night；　I　will　go　to　my　chamber　and　sleep　too。〃

He　nodded　to　them　morosely；　and　left　the　room。

〃Lizzie；　do　you　think　we　can　trust　him？〃　asked　Wallner；　in　a　low
voice。

Eliza　made　no　reply；　she　only　beckoned　to　her　father；　slipped　on
tiptoe　across　the　room　to　the。　door；　and　applied　her　ear　to　it。

There　was　a　pause。　Then　they　heard　the　front　door　jar。

〃Father；〃　whispered　Eliza；　hastening　to　Wallner；　〃he　has　left　the
house　to　fetch　the　soldiers。　I　heard　him　walk　through　the　hall　to
the　front　door　and　open　it。　He　has　left；　and　locked　us　up。〃

〃Locked　us　up？〃　cried　Wallner；　and　hastened　to　the　door。　He　shook　it
with　the　strength　of　a　giant；　but　the　lock　did　not　yield；　the　bolts
did　not　give　way。

〃It　is　in　vain；　in　vain！〃　cried　Wallner；　stamping　the　floor
furiously；　〃the　door　does　not　yield；　we　are　caught　in　the　trap；　for
there　is　no　other　outlet。〃

〃Yes；　father；　there　is；　there　is　the　window；〃　said　Eliza。　〃Come；　we
must　jump　out　of　the　window。〃

〃But　did　you　not　see；　Lizzie；　that　the　house　stands　on　a　slope；　and
that　a　staircase　leads　outside　to　the　front　door？　If　we　jump　out　of
the　window；　we　shall　fall　at　least　twenty　feet。〃

〃But　there　is　a　great　deal　of　snow　on　the　ground；　and　we　shall　fall
softly。　I　will　jump　out　first；　father；　and　you　must　follow　me
immediately。〃

And　Eliza　disappeared　out　of　the　window。　Wallner　waited　a　few
seconds　and　then　followed　her。　They　reached　the　ground　safely；　the
deep　snow　prevented　the　leap　from　being　dangerous；　they　sprang
quickly　to　their　feet；　and　hastened　on　as　fast　as　their　weary　limbs
would　carry　them。

It　was　a　cold；　dark　night。　The　moon；　which　shone　so　brightly　during
the　previous　night；　was　covered　with　heavy　clouds；　the　storm　swept
clouds　of　snow　before　it；　and　whistled　and　howled　across　the
extensive　snow…fields。　But　the　wanderers　continued　their　journey
with　undaunted　hearts。

All　at　once　something　stirred　behind　them；　they　saw　torches　gleaming
up；　and　Bavarian　soldiers　accompanying　the　bearers　of　the　torches。
The　soldiers；　headed　by　the　landlord　who　had　fetched　them；　rushed
forward　with　wild　shouts　and　imprecations。　But　Wallner　and　Eliza
likewise　rushed　forward　like　roes　hunted　down。　They　panted　heavily；
the　piercing　storm　almost　froze　their　faces；　their　feet　bled；　but
they　continued　their　flight　at　a　rapid　rate。　Nevertheless；　the
distance　separating　them　from　their　pursuers　became　shorter　and
shorter。　The　Bavarians；　provided　with　torches；　could　see　the　road
and　the　footsteps　of　the　fugitives　in　the　snow；　while　the　latter　had
to　run　blindly　into　the　night；　unable　to　see　whither　their　feet　were
carrying　them；　and　exhausted　by　the　long　journey　of　the　preceding
day。

The　distance　between　pursuers　and　pursued　rapidly　diminished；
scarcely　twenty　yards　now　lay　between　them；　and　the　soldiers
extended　their　hands　already　to　seize　them。　At　this　moment　of
extreme　peril　the　storm　came　up　howling　with　redoubled　fury　and
drove　whole　clouds　of　snow　before　it；　extinguished　the　torches　of
the　Bavarians；　and　shrouded　every　thing　in　utter　darkness。　The
joyful　cries　of　the　pursued　and　the　imprecations　of　their　pursuers
were　heard　at　the　same　time。

Wallner　and　Eliza；　whose　eyes　were　already　accustomed　to　the
darkness；　advanced　at　a　rapid　rate；　the　soldiers　followed　them；　but
blinded　by　the　darkness；　unable　to　see　the　road；　and　calling　each
other　in　order　to　remain　together。　These　calls　and　shouts　added　to
the　advantages　of　the　fugitives；　for　they　indicated　to　them　the
direction　which　they　had　to　take　in　order　to　avoid　the　enemy。
Finally；　the　shou