andreas hofer-第26节

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of　the　innkeeper　Anthony　Aichberger；　called　Wallner。　The　women；　too；
had　left　their　houses　and　huts；　and　hastened　to　the　market…place。
Their　faces　were　as　threatening　as　those　of　the　men；　their　eyes　shot
fire；　and　their　whole　bearing　betokened　unusual　excitement。
Everywhere　loud　and　vehement　words　were　uttered；　clinched　fists　were
raised　menacingly；　and　glances　of　secret　understanding　were
exchanged。

The　liveliest　scene；　however；　took　place　in　the　large　barroom　of　the
inn。　The　foremost　men　of　the　whole　district；　strong；　well…built
forms；　with　defiant　faces　and　courageous　bearing；　had　assembled
there　around　Anthony　Wallner…Aichberger。　They　spoke　but　little；　but
sat　on　the　benches　against　the　walls　of　the　room；　and　stared　into
their　glasses；　which　Eliza；　Wallner's　eldest　daughter；　filled　again
and　again　with　beer。　Even　the　young　girl；　who　was　usually　so　gay　and
spirited；　seemed　to…day　sad　and　dejected。　Formerly　her　merry
laughter　and　clear；　ringing　voice　were　heard　everywhere；　to…day　she
was　moody　and　taciturn。　Formerly　her　checks　glowed　like　purple
roses；　a　charming　arch　expression　played　around　her　beautiful　small
mouth；　and　the　fire　and　spirit　of　youth　beamed　from　her　large　black
eyes；　to…day；　only　a　faint　crimson　tinged　Eliza's　cheeks；　her　lips
were　firmly　compressed；　and　her　eyes　were　dim　and　lustreless。　From
time　to　time；　while　waiting　on　the　guests；　she　cast　an　anxious；
searching　glance　through　the　windows　over　the　market…place；　and
seemed　to　listen　to　the　hum　of　voices；　which　often　became　as
deafening　as　the　wild　roar　of　the　storm；　and　shook　the　window…panes。

Anthony　Wallner；　her　father；　was　likewise　grave　and　anxious；　and　in
walking　to　the　groups　of　guests　seated　on　the　benches　here　and
there；　he　glanced　uneasily　toward　the　windows。

〃It　may　be　that　they　will　not　come；　after　all；　Tony；　and　that　the
Viennese　have　fooled　you；〃　whispered　old　Thurnwalden　from　Meran　to
him。

〃I　cannot　comprehend　it；〃　sighed　Anthony　Wallner。　〃The　insurrection
was　to　break　out　on　the　9th　of　April；　and　the　Austrian　troops　were
to　cross　the　frontier　on　that　day；　and　this　was　the　reason　why　we
have　hitherto　resisted　the　conscription　and　refused　to　pay　the　new
taxes。　But　the　9th　of　April　has　come　now；　and　we　have　received　no
message　from　Hofer　or　the　Austrians。〃

〃And　to…day　the　time　which　the　Bavarians　have　given　us　is　up；〃
growled　George　Hinnthal；　〃if　our　young　lads　do　not　report
voluntarily　to　the　enrolling　officers　by　this　evening；　they　will　be
arrested　to…morrow。〃

〃They　shall　not　be　arrested；〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　Tyrolese；
striking　the　table　with　his　powerful　fist。

〃No；　they　shall　not　be　arrested；〃　echoed　all；　in　loud；　defiant
tones。

〃But　you　will　not　be　able　to　prevent　them；〃　said　old　Thurnwalden；
when　all　were　silent　again　and　had　drunk　a　long　draught　from　their
glasses　as　if　to　confirm　their　words。　〃You　know　there　is　a　whole
company　of　soldiers　at　Castle　Weissenstein；　and　Ulrich　von
Hohenberg；　the　castellan's　nephew；　is　their　captain。　He　is　a
Bavarian；　body　and　soul；　and；　if　we　resist　the　authorities；　he　will
lead　his　men　with　muskets　and　field…pieces　against　us。〃

〃Why；　you　have　become　greatly　discouraged；　Caspar　Thurnwalden；〃　said
Anthony　Wallner；　sneeringly；　〃and　one　would　almost　think　you　had
turned　a　friend　of　the　Bavarians。　We　have　got　as　good　muskets　as　the
Bavarians；　and　if　they　shoot　we　shall　shoot　back。　And　as　for　the
field…pieces；　why；　we　have　got　wheels　and　may　roll　down　cannon　from
Castle　Weissenstein　to　Windisch…Matrey。　But　come；　my　dear　friends；　I
see　the　Bavarian　tax…collectors　walking　across　the　market…place
yonder。　They　look　very　grim　and　stern；　as　if　they　meant　to　devour　us
all。　Let　us　go　out　and　see　what　is　going　on。〃

The　men　rose　as　if　obeying　a　military　order；　and　followed　Anthony
Wallner　from　the　room　to　the　market…place。　Eliza　Wallner　was　for　a
moment　alone　in　the　room；　and　now　that　she　had　no　longer　to　fear　the
eyes　of　the　guests；　she　sank　quite　exhausted　on　a　chair　and　buried
her　face　in　her　trembling　hands。

〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　she　murmured　in　a　low　voice。　〃Oh；　God　in　heaven；
would　I　could　die　this　very　hour！〃

〃Why　do　you　weep；　Lizzie？〃　asked　a　gentle　voice　by　her　side；　and；　on
looking　up；　Eliza　beheld　the　grave；　sympathetic　face　of　her　mother；
who　had　just　entered　the　room　without　being　heard　by　her。　Eliza
sprang　up　and　embraced　her　mother　with　passionate　tenderness。
〃Dearest　mamma；〃　she　whispered；　〃I　am　afraid。〃

〃Afraid　of　what？〃　asked　her　mother；　in　a　low　voice。　〃Are　you　afraid
the　Austrians　may　not　come；　and　the　Bavarians　may　then　imprison　your
dear　father；　because　they　have　found　out　that　he　has　instigated　the
people　to　disobey　their　behests？〃

〃No；〃　said　Eliza；　blushing　with　shame；　〃no；　that　is　not　what　I　am
afraid　of。　They　will　not　dare　to　arrest　my　dear　father；　for　they
know　full　well　that　the　people　of　the　whole　district　are　greatly
attached　to　him；　and　that　the　men　of　the　whole　Puster　valley　would
rise　to　deliver　Anthony　Wallner。　It　is　something　else；　dearest
mother；　come　with　me　into　the　chamber；　there　I　will　tell　you　all。〃

She　drew　her　mother　hastily　into　the　chamber　adjoining　the　bar…room
and　closed　the　door　after　her。

〃Mother；〃　she　said；　tremblingly　and　breathlessly；　〃listen　to　me　now。
I　am　sure　the　Austrians　are　coming；　and　if　the　men　outside　hear　of
it；　they　will　kill　all　the　Bavarians。〃

〃Let　them　do　it；〃　said　her　mother　composedly；　〃the　mean；　sneaking
Bavarians　have　certainly　deserved　to　be　killed　after　the　infamous
treatment　we　have　endured　at　their　hands。〃

〃But；　mother；　there　are　also　good　men　among　them；〃　exclaimed　Eliza。
〃You　know　very　well　I　am　a　loyal　Tyrolese　girl；　and　love　my　emperor
dearly；　for　you　have　taught　me　from　my　earliest　youth　that　it　was
incumbent　on　me　to　do　so。　But；　mother；　there　are　also　good　men　among
the　Bavarians。　There　is；　for　instance；　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg　up　at
Castle　Weissenstein。　You　know　his　cousin　has　always　treated　me　as　a
sister；　we　have　grown　up　together；　and　I　was　allowed　to　participate
in　her　lessons　and　learn　what　she　learned。　We　were　always　together；
and　even　now　I　have　snot　ceased　going　to　Castle　Weissenstein；
although　it　is　garrisoned　by　a　detachment　of　Bavarian　soldiers。
Father　himself　wished　me　to　go　to　the　young　lady　as　heretofore；　for
he　said　it　would　look　suspicious　if　I　should　stay　away　all　of　a
sudden。　Therefore　I　went　to　see　my　dear　friend　Eliza　von　Hohenberg
every　day；　and　I　always　met　there　her　cousin；　the　captain　of　the
Bavarian　soldiers。　He　is　a　very　kind…hearted　and　merry　gentleman；
mother；　and　it　is　no　fault　of　his　that　he　is　a　Bavarian。　His　father；
our　castellan's　brother；　has　lived　for　thirty　years　past　down　at
Munich；　and　his　son　entered　the　Bavarian　service　long　before　he　knew
that　we　people　of　Windisch…Matrey　desire　to　become　Austrian　subjects
again。　Now　his　general　sent　him　hither　with　his　soldiers　for　the
purpose　of　helping　the　officers　to　collect　the　taxes　and　enroll　the
names　of　our　young　men。　Is　he　to　blame　for　the　necessity　he　is　under
of　obeying　the　orders　of　his　general？〃

〃No；　he　is　not；〃　said　her　mother；　gravely。

〃But　when　the　Austrians　come　now；　and　my　father　and　the　other　men
rise；　and　expel　and　kill　the　Bavarians；　they　will　kill　Ulrich　von
Hohenberg　too；　although　it　is　not　his　fault　that　he　is　a　Bavarian。
Oh；　dearest　mamma；　he　is　such　a　good；　kind…hearted　young　man！　he　is
my　dear　Eliza's　cousin　and　our　castellan's　nephew；　and　you　know　how
well　Eliza　and　her　father　have　treated　me；　and　that　they　take　care
of　me；　whenever　I　am　at　the　castle；　as　though　I　were　the　castellan's
own　child。　Dearest　mamma；　shall　we　permit　our　men　to　kill　the　nephew
of　our　excellent　castellan？〃

〃No；　we　will　not；　Lizzie；〃　said　her　mother；　resolutely。　〃Quick；　run
up　the　footpath　leading　to　the　castle。　Tell　the　young　officer　that
the　Tyrolese　are　going　to　deliver　themselves　from　the　Bavarian　yoke；
and　that　he　had　better　effect　his　escape　while　there　is　time。〃

〃Mother；　he　will　not　do　it；　for　he　is　a　brave　young　man！〃　sighed
Eliza；　〃and　thenI　cannot　betray　father's　secret　to　him。　If　the
Austrians　did　not　come　after　all；　and　I　had　told　Ulrich　von
Hohenberg　what　father　and　the　other　Tyrolese　intend　to　do；　would　I
not　be　a　traitress；　and　would　not　father　curse　me？〃

〃True；　true；　that　will　not　do；〃　said　her　mother　musingly；　〃your
father　would　never　forgive　you。　But　I　know　what　you　must　do。　Just
run　up　to　the　castle　and　act　as　though　you　wished　only　to　pay　a
visit　to　your　friend　Eliza；　no　one　knows　as　yet　what　is　going　to
occur。　None　of　your　friends　have　disclosed　the　secret；　and　the
castellan　too；　though　I　think　he　is　a　good　Austrian　at　heart；　does
not　yet　know　any　thing　about　it。　Your　father　told　me　so　this　very
morning。　You　will　remain　at　the　castle；　and　so　soon　as　you　hear　the
report　of　a　rifle　on　the　market…place　here；　you　will　know　that　the
insurrection　is　breaking　out。　There　is　father's　rifle；　when　it　is
time；　I　will　step　out　of　the　back　gate　with　it　and　shoot。　You　will
hear　the　report；　and　tell　the　young　officer　that　the　Tyrolese　are
going　to　rise；　and　that　he　had　better　conceal　himself　until　the
first　rage　of　the　insurgents　has　blown　over。〃

〃Yes；　I　will　do　so；〃　exclaimed　Eliza；　〃I