andreas hofer-第29节

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with　her　pretty　face　and　her　merry　laughter；　is　absent　from　me。　But
here；　Lizzie；　you　must　look　upon　me　with　due　awe　to…day；　for　to…day
I　am　not　only　your　friend　and　sister；　but　I　am　the　castellan！　My
father　will　be　absent　four　days；　and　I　represent　him　here。　He
delegated　his　whole　power　to　me；　and　intrusted　me　with　all　the　keys。
Treat　me；　therefore；　with　great　respect；　Lizzie。〃

〃That　is　what　I　always　do；　Elza；〃　said　Lizzie；　tenderly；　pressing
the　slender　white　hand　of　her　friend　to　her　lips。　〃You　are　always　my
better　self；　and　I　obey　you　because　I　love　you；　and　I　love　you
because　I　obey　you　so　gladly！〃

〃Well；　then；　I　command　you；　Lizzie；　to　be　our　guest　all　day　and　stay
with　us　until　nightfall。　Oh；　no　objections；　Lizzie；　if　you　love　me；
you　must　obey！〃

〃And　I　obey　you　willingly；　Elza；　only　when　my　father　sends　for　me；　I
must　go；　for　you　know　we　must　not　violate　the　fourth　commandment；
our　worthy　priest　would　never　forgive　us。〃

〃When　your　father　sends　for　you；　Eliza；　I　shall　myself　go　down　to
him　and　beg　him　to　leave　you　here。　Well；　then；　you　belong　to　us　for
the　whole　day；　and　we　will　consider　now　how　we　shall　spend　this　day。
Cousin；　do　not　stand　there　in　silence　all　the　time；　staring　at　the
glaciers；　but　look　at　us　and　propose　quickly　some　excursion　for　us
to　make　to…day。〃

〃What　could　I　propose？〃　asked　the　young　officer；　shrugging　his
shoulders。

〃I　submit　rather　silently　and　obediently　to　your　proposals；　for　Miss
Eliza　would　certainly　reject　all　my　proposals　merely　because　I　make
them。〃

Eliza　burst　into　merry　laughter。　〃Elza；　dearest　Elza；〃　she
exclaimed；〃　he　calls　me　'Miss　Eliza！'　No　sir；　let　me　tell　you；　a
poor　Tyrolese　girl　like　me　is　no　'miss；'　no　aristocratic　lady；
people　call　me　Lizzie；　only　Lizzie；　do　not　forget　that！〃

〃People　here　call　her　'beautiful　Lizzie；'〃　said　the　officer　in　a　low
voice；　casting　an　admiring　glance　on　the　young　girl。

〃That　does　not　concern　you；　sir；〃　she　replied；　blushing　like　a
crimson　rose；　〃you　do　not　belong　to　the　people　here；　and　you　must
not　call　me　anything　but　Lizzie；　do　you　hear？　I　think　the　notions
which　city　folks　entertain　about　beauty　are　different　from　those　of
peasants　like　us。　We　consider　the　daisy　and　the　Alpine　rose
beautiful；　though　they　are　but　small　flowers；　yet　they　suit　us。
However；　the　city　folks　laugh　at　our　taste；　and　step　recklessly　on
our　flowers。　They　consider　only　the　proud　white　lilies　and　the　large
gorgeous　roses　beautiful　flowers。　I　do　not　belong　to　them；　I　am　only
a　daisy；　but　my　Elza　likes　this　daisy　and　fastens　me　to　her　bosom；
and　I　rest　there　so　soft　and　sweetly。〃

She　encircled　Elza's　neck　with　her　arms；　leaned　her　head　against　her
breast；　and　looked　tenderly　up　to　her　with　her　hazel　gazelle　eyes。

Elza　bent　over　her　and　kissed　her　eyes　and　white　forehead。　Ulrich
von　Hohenberg　looked　at　them　both　with　a　tender；　ardent　glance；　then
he　averted　his　head　to　conceal　the　crimson　glow　suffusing　his
cheeks。

At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　the　castellan's　overseer　entered
with　an　air　of　hurry　and　self…importance。

〃Miss　Elza；〃　he　said；　〃the　wood…cutters　have　brought　wood　and　are
waiting　for　a　receipt。　Besides；　the　head　dairy…woman　wishes　to　see
you　about　the　butter　which　she　is　to　send　to　town；　and　the　cattle…
dealer　has　arrived；　and〃

〃I　am　coming；　I　am　coming；〃　exclaimed　the　young　lady；　laughing。　〃Do
you　see；　Lizzie；　what　an　important　person　I　am？　But　for　me　the　whole
machine　would　stand　still　and　sink　in　ruins。　Fortunately；　I　am　equal
to　the　occasion；　and　set　the　wheels　in　motion；　and　the　machine　can
go　on。　You　may　stay　here　and　consider　how　we　are　to　amuse　ourselves
to…day。　In　the　mean　time　I　shall　regulate　our　domestic　affairs　a
little；　and　when　I　come　back；　you　will　inform　me　what　pleasure　you
have　devised　for　us　to…day。〃

〃No；　Elza；　let　me　go　with　you；〃　begged　Eliza；　almost　anxiously；　〃I
shall　assist　you〃

〃You　cannot　help　me　outside；　Lizzie；〃　said　Elza；　laughing；　〃but　here
you　can　take　my　place　and　be　my　cousin　Ulrich's　companion。　Be　merry；
my　dear　children；　until　I　come　back！〃

She　nodded　pleasantly　to　them；　took　the　large　bunch　of　keys　from　the
table；　and　swinging　it　noisily　in　her　hand；　skipped　through　the　room
and　out　of　the　door。

Lizzie　had　followed　her　a　few　steps；　then；　as　if　arrested　by　a
sudden　thought；　she　paused　and　returned　slowly　to　the　balcony。　She
cast　a　quick　glance　on　the　officer；　who　was　leaning　against　the　wall
on　one　side　of　the　balcony；　and；　with　his　arms　folded　on　his　breast；
did　not　avert　his　eyes　from　her。

Eliza　gave　a　start　and　withdrew　to　the　other　side　of　the　balcony。
There　she　sat　down　on　the　bench　like　a　timid　little　bird；　and
allowed　her　eyes　to　wander　dreamily　and　thoughtfully　over　the
landscape。　And；　indeed；　the　view　which　they　enjoyed　from　the；
balcony　was　wondrously　beautiful。　On　one　side　extended　the　splendid
valley；　with　its　meadows　clad　in　the　freshest　verdure　of　spring；　its
foaming　white　mountain…torrents；　its　houses　and　huts；　which
disappeared　gradually　in　the　violet　mists　bordering　the　horizon。　On
both　sides　of　the　valley　rose　the　green　wooded　heights；　interspersed
here　and　there　with　small　verdant　pastures　and　clearings；　on　which
handsome　red　cows　were　grazing　or　lying　in　majestic　repose。　Behind
the　clearings　black　pines　and　firs　dotted　the　slopes；　which；
however；　in　their　more　elevated　portions　became　more　and　more　bare；
where　the　trees　ceased；　appeared　here　and　there　again　green
pastures；　and　on　them；　gray　and　small；　like　birds'　nests；　the　huts
of　the　mountain　cow…keepers；　who；　the　most　advanced　sentinels；　as　it
were；　were　guarding　the　frontiers　where　the　war　between　nature　and
man　commences；　the　frontiers　of　the　snowy　region　and　the　world　of
glaciers。　Behind　the　cow…keepers'　huts　flashed　already　masses　of
snow　from　several　mountain…gorges；　farther　above；　the　snow　had
spread　its　white　silver　veils　far　and　wide　over　all　the　mountain…
peaks；　so　that　they　glittered　and　sparkled　with　indescribable　beauty
in　the　bright　morning　sun；　and　loomed　like　swans'　necks　up　to　the
azure　sky。

Below；　in　the　foreground　of　the　valley；　at　the　foot　of　Castle
Weissenstein；　lay　the　village　of　Windisch…Matrey；　with　its
scattering　groups　of　handsome　houses；　from　whose　midst　arose　the
church；　with　its　tall；　pointed　steeple。　From　the　standpoint　which
she　occupied；　Eliza　was　able　to　distinctly　survey　the　market…place
and　its　crowds　of　men；　which；　in　the　distance；　resembled　busy　black
ant…hills。　She　gazed　upon　them　fixedly；　and　the　small　specks　seemed
to　her　practised　eye　like　human　forms；　she　thought　she　could
distinguish　several　of　them；　and；　among　others；　the　tall　and
powerful　form　of　her　father；　she　thought

〃Eliza；〃　said　all　at　once　a　low　voice　by　her　side〃Eliza；　you　do
not　want　to　see　me；　then？　You　are　still　angry　with　me？〃

She　gave　a　start；　and　crimsoned；　when；　on　looking　up；　she　saw　young
Ulrich　von　Hohenberg　standing　close　in　front　of　her；　and　gazing　at
her　with　ardent　and　beseeching　eyes。

〃No；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃I　really　did　not　see　you。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　Eliza；　you　are　still　angry　with　me？〃　he　asked；
eagerly。　〃You　are　silent；　you　avert　your　head。　My　God！　Eliza；　what
did　I　do；　then；　to　incur　your　anger？〃

〃Not　much；　perhaps；　for　city　folks；　but　by　far　too　much　for　a　poor
peasant…girl；〃　she　said；　with　eyes　flashing　proudly。　〃You　told　me
you　loved　me；　you　tried　forcibly　to　embrace　and　kiss　me；　and　begged
me　to　go　up　early　in　the　morning　to　the　yellow　grotto；　where　you
would　wait　for　me。　You　told　me　further　not　to　say　a　word　about　it　to
anybody；　it　should　remain　a　secret　between　you　and　me；　and　I　should
not　even　mention　it　to　the　priest　at　the　confessional。　That　was　not
honest　of　you；　sir；　nay；　it　was　bad　of　you　to　try　and　persuade　me　to
such　mean　things。　It　showed　me　that　you　cannot　be　a　good　man；　and
that　your　friendship　for　me　is　prompted　by　evil　intentions。〃

〃I　do　not　feel　any　friendship　for　you；　none　whatever；〃　said　the
young　man　ardently；　seating　himself　by　her　side；　seizing　her　hand　in
spite　of　her　resistance；　and　pressing　it　to　his　heart。　〃I　do　not
want　to　be　your　friend；　my　sweet；　beautiful；　wild　Alpine　rose；　no；
not　your　friend；　but　your　lover。　And　I　commence　by　loving　you　with
intense　ardor；　by　desiring　and　longing　for　nothing；　and　thinking　of
nothing　but　you　alone。　Oh；　Eliza；　believe　me；　I　love　you　intensely
by　far　more　than　Elza；　more　than　your　parents；　more　than　all　your
friends　together。〃

〃More；　perhaps；　but　not　better；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head；　and
gently　withdrawing　her　hand　from　him。

〃No；　let　me　keep　your　hand！〃　he　exclaimed　hastily；　seizing　it　again；
〃let　me　keep　it；　Eliza；　for　I　tell　you　I　love　you　better　too　than
all　the　others；　I　love　you　with　my　soul；　with　my　heart；　with　my
blood；　with　my　life！　Oh；　believe　me；　sweet；　lovely　child；　believe　me
and　give　me　your　heart；　follow　me；　and　be　minemine　forevermore！　I
will　give　you　a　happy；　brilliant；　and　beautiful　existence；　I　will
lay　at　your　feet　all　the　pleasures；　enjoyments；　and　charms　of　this
world〃

〃Sir；〃　interrupted　Eliza；　hastily；　jumping　up；　and　fixing　her　eyes
upon　him　with　a　strange；　ardent　expression；　〃I　hope　I　understand　you
right；　and　my　ears　do　not　deceive　me？　You　offer　me