andreas hofer-第19节

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deny　that　you　promised　this　to　me？　〃

〃No；　your　excellency；　I　do　not　deny　it　at　all。〃

〃Well；　your　Tyrolese　are　running　around　everywhere。〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　excellency；　that　cannot　be　true。　You　must　have　been
misinformed。〃

〃What！　misinformed？　How　dare　you　say　so　to　my　face；　sir？　Your
beardman；　or　bushman；　or　Sandwirth　Hofer　is　at　the　Karnthnerthor
Theatre；　and　is　the　observed　of　all　observers。　I　saw　him　with　my　own
eyes；　and　that　was　the　reason　why　I　left　the　theatre　and　sent　for
you。〃＇Footnote：　Count　Stadion's　own　words。See　Hormayr's　〃Andreas
Hofer；〃　vol　i。；　p。　209＇

〃Your　excellency　saw　him　with　your　own　eyes！　Then；　of　course；　it
must　be　true；　and　I　would　beg　leave　of　your　excellency　to　go
immediately　to　the　theatre　and　take　him　to　his　hotel。〃

〃That　was　just　what　I　wished　to　ask　you　to　do；　Baron　von　Hormayr。
Make　haste　and　induce　this　bushman　to　leave　Vienna　immediately。〃

〃He　will　leave　the　capital　early　in　the　morning。　Your　excellency
will　permit　me　now　to　withdraw。〃

Baron　von　Hormayr　hastened　down　stairs；　left　the　chancery　of　state；
and　crossed　the　Joseph's　Place。　On　reaching　the　Karnthnerthor
Theatre；　he　bought　a　ticket　at　the　office　and　entered　the　pit。

〃The　Marriage　of　Figaro；〃　by　Mozart；　was　performed　at　the
Karnthnerthor　Theatre　to…night；　and　this　favorite　opera　of　the
Viennese　had　attracted　so　large　an　audience　that　not　a　seat　was
vacant；　and　the　baron　had　to　elbow　his　way　with　no　little　difficulty
through　the　crowd　filling　the　pit；　in　order　to　reach　a　point　where
he　might　be　able　to　see　every　part　of　the　house；　and　discover　him
for　whose　sake　he　had　come。

At　length　he　had　succeeded　in　advancing　so　far　that；　leaning　against
one　of　the　pillars　supporting　the　upper　tiers　of　boxes；　he　was　able
to　survey　the　lower　part　of　the　house。　But　all　faces　were　averted
from　it；　all　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　stage。　The　opera　had　just
reached　the　scene　where　Count　Almaviva　lifts　the　carpet　from　the
chair　and　finds　Cherubino　under　it。　A　loud　outburst　of　laughter
resounded　from　the　pit　to　the　upper　gallery。　But　in　the　midst　of　the
din；　a　loud　and　angry　voice　exclaimed：　〃Ah；　you　young　good…for…
nothing；　if　I　had　you　here　I　would　show　you　how　to　behave！〃　And　a
threatening　fist　and　vigorous　arm　was　raised　in　the　midst　of　the
orchestra…stalls。

〃Good　heavens！　that　is　really　Andreas　Hofer；〃　murmured　Baron　von
Hormayr；　concealing　himself　anxiously　behind　the　pillar。　A　renewed
shout　of　laughter　greeted　Hofer's　words；　and　all　eyes　turned　toward
the　side　where　they　had　been　uttered。　And　there　sat　the　good　Andreas
Hofer；　in　his　handsome　national　costume；　with　his　long　black　beard；
and　his　florid；　kind…hearted　face。　There　he　sat；　quite　regardless　of
the　gaze　which　the　audience　fixed　upon　him；　utterly　unaware　of　the
fact　that　he　was　the　observed　of　all　observers；　and　quite　engrossed
in　looking　at　the　stage；　where　proceeded　the　well…known　scene
between　Cherubino；　the　count；　and　Figaro。　He　followed　the　progress
of　the　action　with　rapt　attention；　and　when　Cherubino　tried　to　prove
his　innocence　by　all　sorts　of　plausible　and　improbable　falsehoods；
Hofer's　brow　became　clouded。　He　averted　his　eyes　from　the　stage；　and
turned　to　his　neighbor。　〃Why；〃　he　said；　loudly　and　indignantly；
〃that　boy　is　as　great　a　liar　as　though　he　were　Bonaparte　himself！〃

Now　the　merriment　of　the　audience　knew　no　longer　any　bounds。　They
applauded；　they　shouted；　〃Bravo！　bravo！〃　They　forgot　the　scene　on
the　stage　entirely；　and　devoted　their　exclusive　attention　to　the
queer；　bearded　stranger　in　the　orchestra…stall；　on　whom　all　eyes　and
opera…glasses　were　fixed。

Baron　von　Hormayr　behind　his　pillar　wiped　the　perspiration　from　his
forehead；　and　cast　furious　glances　on　Andreas　Hofer；　who；　however；
was　utterly　unaware　of　his　presence；　and　from　whose　breast；
protected　as　it　was　by　his　beard　and　crucifix；　rebounded　all　such
glances　like　blunted　arrows。

The　actors；　who；　interrupted　by　the　unexpected　cheers；　and　the
incident　in　the　audience；　had　paused　a　few　minutes；　and　had
themselves　hardly　been　able　to　refrain　from　bursting　into　laughter；
now　continued　their　scene；　and　the　charms　of　the　music　and　the
interesting　character　of　the　action　soon　succeeded　again　in　riveting
the　attention　of　the　audience。

Andreas　Hofer；　who　had　in　the　mean　time　relapsed　into　his　silent
astonishment；　gazed　fixedly　upon　the　stage。　Baron　von　Hormayr　left
his　place　quietly　and　walked　to　the　entrance。　He　slipped　a　florin
into　the　hand　of　the　doorkeeper；　who　was　leaning　against　the　wall。
〃Say；〃　he　whispered　to　him　hastily；　〃as　soon　as　the　curtain　drops；
go　to　the　giant　with　the　long　beard；　who　sits　in　the　orchestra…stall
yonder；　and　whose　words　amused　the　audience　just　now。　He　is　a
cattle…dealer　from　Hungary；　and　I　must　see　him　at　once。　Just　whisper
in　his　ear　that　his　countryman　with　the　wine　and　horses　has　arrived；
and　it　is　necessary　he　should　come　and　see　him　right　away。Thank
God；　the　curtain　falls！　Now　make　haste。　If　you　bring　the　cattle…
dealer　with　you　into　the　corridor；　I　will　give　you　another　florin。〃

The　doorkeeper's　face　beamed　with　satisfaction；　he　elbowed　himself
courageously　through　the　crowd；　and　succeeded。　in　reaching　the
〃cattle…dealer　from　Hungary；〃　who　sat　absorbed　in　his　reflections；
with　his　head　bent　on　his　breast。　He　touched　his　shoulder　softly　and
whispered　his　message　into　his　ear。

Andreas　Hofer　gave　a　start　and　stared　at　the　doorkeeper。　〃What
countrymen？〃　he　asked；　〃and　how　can　he　bring　to　me　wine　and　horses
here　as〃

〃I　do　not　know　anything　about　it；〃　whispered　the　door…keeper；　〃I
know　only　that　your　countryman　with　the　wine　and　the　horses　is
waiting　for　you；　and　that　he　says　he　must　see　you　right　away。〃

〃　Well；　then；　come；　conduct　me　to　him；〃　said　Andreas；　rising　from
his　chair；　and　drawing　up　his　colossal　form　to　its　full　height。　〃I
should　like　to　know　who　this　countryman　is。　Lead　the　way；　sir；　I
will　follow　you。〃

The　doorkeeper　retraced　his　steps　through　the　crowd；　Andreas　Hofer
followed　him；　greeting　kindly　and　pleasantly　in　all　directions；　and
pushing　aside　the　men　like　flies　whenever　they　stood　in　his　way。

At　length　they　reached　the　door；　and　stepped　into　the　corridor。
Baron　von　Hormayr；　like　a　tiger　pouncing　upon　his　prey；　rushed　upon
Andreas　Hofer；　seized　his　arm；　and　drew　him　down　the　corridor　into
the　outer　hall；　which　was　so　deserted　and　silent　that　there　was　no
danger　of　their　conversation　being　overheard　by　an　eavesdropper。

Here　at　length　Hormayr　stood　still　and　dropped　the　arm　of　Andreas
Hofer；　who　had　followed　him；　dumfounded　with　astonishment；　and
glancing　around　as　if　looking　for　somebody　else。

〃Andy；〃　exclaimed　Hormayr；　vehemently；　〃what　am　I　to　think　of　you？
The　Tyrolese　always　keep　their　promises；　and　to　think　that　our
honest　Sandwirth　alone　should　not　do　so！　You　pledged　me　your　word
that　you　would　conceal　your　presence　here　in　Vienna　as　much　as
possible；　and　now　you　are　running　about　the　city　in　your　national
costume　and　with　your　bearded　face　to　hear　the　opera…trills　and　see
how　the　ballet…dancers　stretch　their　legs！〃　＇Footnote：　Hormayr's　own
words。See　Hormayr's　〃Andreas　Hofer；〃　vol。　i。；　p。　209。＇

〃Andreas　Hofer　never　breaks　his　word；〃　said　Hofer；　gravely。　〃I
promised　not　to　appear　in　the　streets　in　the　day…time；　and　I　have
faithfully　kept　my　word。　I　stayed　at　home　all　day；　and　it　was　only
after　nightfall　that　we　three　went　together　into　the　street。
Speckbacher　and　Wallner　went　to　the　Archduke　John's　gunsmith；
Anthony　Steger；　to　take　leave　of　him；　and　I　intended　to　go　to　St。
Stephen's　Cathedral　to　attend　vespers。　But　I　am　a　stranger　in　the
city；　and　happened　to　lose　my　way。　All　at　once　I　got　into　a　dense
crowd；　and　thought　I　had　arrived　at　St。　Stephen's　Cathedral；　and
that　the　crowd　consisted　of　pious　Christians　going　to　vespers；
hence；　I　allowed　myself　to　be　drawn　along　into　the　door；　because　I
thought　it　was　the　church。〃

〃And　on　buying　a　ticket。　Andy；　you　supposed　you　purchased
indulgence；　did　you　not？　〃

〃No；　I　did　not；〃　said　Andreas　in　a　tone　of　embarrassment。　〃But；　on
seeing　all　those　persons　step　to　the　office　and　get　tickets；　I
thought　there　were　Christian　passion…plays　performed　there；　as　at
Innspruck　in　Lent；　and　on　hearing　the　man　standing　before　me
shouting；　'Ticket　for　an　orchestra…stall；'　I　shouted；　also；　'Ticket
for　an　orchestra…stall；'　and　threw　a　florin　on　the　table。　Thereupon
they　handed　me　a　ticket；　and　I　followed　the　others　into　the　hall。
The　performance　commenced　almost　at　the　same　moment；　the　curtain
rose；　and　the　actors　began　to　sing。　It　is　true；　it　is　not　a　passion…
play；　and　there　is　nothing　from　the　Bible　in　it；　but　then　it　is　a
nice　play。　I　believe　the　curtain　will　rise　again　immediately；　and　it
is　time　for　me　to　return　to　my　seat。　But　I　should　like　to　know　where
my　countryman　with　the　horses　and　wine　is。　He　insisted　on　seeing　me；
sent　for　me；　and　does　not　come　now。〃

〃But；　Andy；　do　you　not　yet　know　that　it　was　I　who　sent　for　you？〃
asked　Hormayr。　〃Why；　it　was　only　a　stratagem　of　mine　to　get　the
Barbone　out　of　the　theatre　and　take　him　away　from　here。〃

〃But　why　do　you　want　to　take　me　away　from　here？　I　tell　you　I　like
the　play　very　well；　and　have　never　seen　any　thing　li