andreas hofer-第54节

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his　rage　and　grief。　Have　mercy　upon　him；　upon　me！　For　I　tell　you；
they　will　assassinate　him。　Oh；　see；　they　are　forming　a　circle　round
him；　and　dragging　him　down　the　aisle！　They　are　taking　him　out　to　the
public　place！　They　intend　to　shoot　him！　Save　him；　Eliza；　save　him！〃

Eliza　made　no　reply；　she　sprang　up　from　her　seat　and　hastened　down
the　aisle　after　the　men；　who　were　just　issuing　from　the　church…door；
and　in　whose　midst　was　walking　Captain　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg；
conducted　by　Anthony　Wallner；　and　his　servant；　lame　old　Schroepfel；
his　hands　tied　on　his　back；　and　a　gag　in　his　mouth。

But　the　sharpshooters　surrounded　the　prisoner　like　a　thick；
impenetrable　wall。　Vainly　did　Eliza　beg　and　implore　the　men　to　let
her　pass；　vainly　did　she　try　with　the　strength　of　despair　to　elbow
her　way　through　the　ranks。　The　men　pushed　her　back　impetuously。

〃You　shall　not　intercede。　in　behalf　of　the　infamous　villain；〃　they
said；　〃you　shall　not　save　the　life　of　the　mean　Bavarian　who　calls　us
rebels　and　traitors；　and　yet　did　not　keep　his　own　word。　He　shall　and
must　die；　he　has　forfeited　his　life。〃　And　their　strong　arms　pushed
her　from　the　circle　which　they　now　formed　on　the　large　place　in
front　of　the　church。　In　its　middle　stood　the　captain；　by　his　side
Anthony　Wallner；　and　behind　him　Schroepfel；　like　a　watch…dog　ready
at　any　moment　to　tear　his　enemy。

Anthony　lifted　his　arm　with　slow；　solemn　tranquillity；　and　dropped
it　heavily　on　the　captain's　shoulder。

〃Ulrich　von　Hohenberg；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　an　infamous　villain；　for
you　pledged　your　word　to　my　daughter　that　you　would　marry　her；　and
now　you　repudiate　her。　You　are　a　liar　and　a　slanderer；　for　you　call
us　infamous　rebels　and　traitors　merely　because　we　fought　for　our
country　and　our　emperor。　Therefore；　you　have　sinned　against　God；
man；　and　honor。　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg；　you　must　die！〃

〃Yes；　you　must　die！〃　shouted　the　men；　and　they　took　the　rifles　from
their　shoulders　and　loaded　them。

Anthony　Wallner　and　Schroepfel　stepped　back　from　the　prisoner；　and
the　men　who　had　stood　behind　him　moved　out　of　the　way。　Hence　the
circle；　which　had　hitherto　been　impenetrable；　now　opened。　Eliza　saw
it；　and　sprang　forward；　regardless　of　the　sharpshooters；　who　were
just　raising　their　muskets；　regardless　of　the　danger　menacing
herself。　Pale；　with　panting　breath；　her　hands　lifted　to　heaven；　she
sped　across　the　open　space　toward　the　captain；　and；　placing　herself
before　him；　exclaimed；　with　flashing　eyes；　and　in　an　exulting　voice：
〃Now　shoot；　men；　shoot！　For　I　tell　you　he　shall　not　die　alone；　and
if　you　shoot　him；　you　shall　kill　me　too。〃

〃Eliza！〃　cried　her　father；　beseechingly；　and　withal　angrily；　〃Eliza；
stand　back！　He　is　a　traitor；　and　must　die。〃

〃He　is　no　traitor；　nor　must　he　die；　and　if　you　assassinate　him　you
shall　assassinate　me　too；〃　cried　Eliza。

〃But；　Lizzie；　did　you　not　hear；　then；　how　he　repudiated　and　abused
you；　the　faithless　Bavarian？〃　asked　her　father。

〃I　did；　and　I　forgive　him；〃　she　said　gently；　〃for　I　know　full　well
that　he　does　not　mean　what　he　says。　Are　you　so　stupid；　men；　as　not
to　comprehend　that　he　cannot　act　otherwise；　and　that　he　must　speak
thus　and　not　otherwise？　Father；　you　said　I　was　a　true　daughter　of
the　Tyrol；　and　that　you　loved　me　and　were　content　with　me。　I　pray
you；　then；　dearest　father；　spare　the　life　of　my　betrothed　until　to…
morrow　morning；　and　have　him　taken　back　as　a　prisoner　to　our　house
until　then。　Schroepfel　may　watch　him；　and　not　take　his　eyes　from
him。　Oh；　dear；　kind　friends；　brave　men；　have　mercy　upon　me！　Bear　in
mind　that　we　fought　together　for　our　beloved　country；　and　that　you
told　me　you　would　never　forget　me；　and　would　comply　with　my　wishes
whenever　you　could。　I　wish　now　that　you　spare　the　life　of　my
betrothed　only　until　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃He　says　he　is　not　your　betrothed；　Lizzie；　and　will　never　marry
you！〃　exclaimed　the　men；　with　irresolute　faces；　and　already　half
softened　by　the　beseeching；　touching　expression　of　Eliza's
countenance。

〃He　says　so；〃　she　said；　casting　a　fiery　glance　on　the　captain；　who
stood　pale　and　motionless；　heard　every　word；　and　was　unable　to　make
a　reply；　〃he　says　so；　but　I　know　that　he　loves　me；　and　will　be
joyously　ready　to…morrow　morning　to　do　what　I　ask　of　him。　Father；〃
she　added；　in　a　low　voice；　seizing　Anthony　Wallner's　arm；　and
drawing　him　aside　quickly；　〃do　you　not　comprehend；　then；　that　Ulrich
cannot　speak　differently？　Would　not　his　king；　after　his　return　to
Bavaria；　pronounce　him　a　traitor；　and　charge　him　with　having　joined
us　and　the　Austrians；　and　with　having　convicted　himself　by　marrying
a　Tyrolese　girl？　Be　wise；　dearest　father；　and　see　how　shrewdly
Ulrich　manages　every　thing；　and　that　he　acts　precisely　as　I　told
him。　It　must　look　as　though　he　did　not　marry　me　of　his　own　accord；
but　compelled　by　you；　otherwise　his　king　and　his　father；　who　is　a
very　proud　man；　would　never　forgive　him。　But　when　they　hear　what　has
occurred　here；　and　that　you　threatened　to　shoot　Ulrich　because　he
would　not　marry　me；　the　gentlemen　at　Munich　will　understand　that
Ulrich　had　to　take　me　in　order　to　save　his　life。〃

〃And　are　you　satisfied　to　have　it　look　as　though　he　married　you　only
under　compulsion？〃　asked　her　father；　gloomily。

〃I　am；　father；〃　she　said；　〃for　I　love　my　betrothed；　and　he　shall　not
become　unhappy　for　my　sake　and　forfeit　the　good　graces　of　his　king
and　his　father。　State　all　this　to　your　friends；　dear　father；　and
tell　them　to　let　Ulrich　and　me　alone　for　to…day；　but　ask　them　all　to
come　to　our　house　to…morrow　morning　and　accompany　the　bride　and
bridegroom　to　the　church；　for　Ulrich　will　marry　me　at　nine　to…morrow
morning。〃

〃But；　Lizzie；　why　not　to…day？〃　asked　her　father。　〃Why　not　at　this
hour？〃

〃It　will　not　do；　father。　If　you　had　told　me　beforehand　what　was　to
be　done　here；　I　should　have　told　you　at　once　what　I　am　telling　you
now：　it　will　not　do　for　a　young　girl　to　appear　before　God's　altar
without　due　preparation；　and　as　though　she　were　going　to　a　dance。
What　I　am　going　to　do　is　something　very　serious；　and　I　will　do　it
seriously。　I　will　pray　to　God　to…day；　go　to　confession；　and　have　a
great　many　things　to　talk　over　with　Ulrich；　for　I　know　he　wants　me
to　set　out　with　him　immediately　after　we　have　been　married；　and　that
it　may　not　look　as　though　he　had　stayed　voluntarily　with　you　in　our
valley。　I　must；　therefore；　pack　up　my　things　and　prepare　for
departing　as　soon　as　we　have　been　married。　Let　us　alone；　then；　dear
father；　to…day；　and　invite　the　men　to　come　to…morrow　morning　and
attend　my　marriage　with　Captain　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg。〃

〃Well；　then；　Lizzie；　I　will　comply　with　your　wishes；〃　said　Wallner；
after　a　short　reflection。　〃I　will　give　you　and　him　time　until　to…
morrow　morning；　but　I　tell　you；　my　daughter；　if　he　continues　the
same　game　to…morrow；　and　talks　then　in　the　same　strain　as　to…day；　I
shall　take　the　jest　in　dead　earnest；　and　will　not　believe　a　word　of
all　you　say　to　excuse　him：　and　then　his　life　is　forfeited；　and　he
must　die。No；　Schroepfel；　come　here；　take　the　prisoner　back　to　my
house；　and　confine　him　where　you　have　kept　him　for　a　week　past。　But
I　tell　you；　watch　him　well；　and　admit　no　one　to　him　except　Lizzie；
and　prevent　him　from　talking　with　anybody　but　his　betrothed。〃

〃I　will　do　so；　and　watch　him　as　I　have　done　up　to　this　time；〃　said
Schroepfel；　gloomily。　〃He　shall　not　talk　with　anybody；　and　I　should
like　it　best　if　he　were　not　permitted　either　to　speak　with　Lizzie；
for　I　do　not　believe　at　all　that　she　is　his　betrothed。〃

〃We　shall　see　to…morrow　morning；　when　the　marriage　is　to　take
place；〃　said　Anthony　Wallner。〃Take　the　prisoner　away。〃

〃You　let　him　go？〃　exclaimed　the　men。　〃You　spare　his　life？〃

〃Only　until　to…morrow　morning；　because　Lizzie　begged　me　to　do　so；〃
said　Anthony　Wallner。　〃The　wedding　will　take　place　at　nine　to…morrow
morning；　I　invite　you　all　to　attend　it；　men；　and　we　shall　see　then。
To…morrow　morning　there　will　be　a　wedding　or　an　execution。　Now　let
us　speak　no　more　of　it　to…day；　let　us　forget　what　has　happened　to
Anthony　Wallner　and　his　daughter；　and　let　us　bear　in　mind　only　that
we　have　returned　after　delivering　our　dear　Tyrol　from　the　French　and
Bavarians。　Let　us　go　now　to　my　house；　where　my　wife　awaits　us　with　a
keg　of　excellent　wine。　Come；　we　will　drink　to　the　welfare　of　our
fatherland；　and　to　the　health　of　our　dear　Emperor　Francis！〃




CHAPTER　XXII。

ELIZA　AND　ULRICH


Schroepfel；　the　faithful　servant；　had　taken　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg；　in
obedience　to　Anthony　Wallner's　order；　back　to　the　small　room　where
he　had　passed　the　last　eight　days　as　a　prisoner。　Since　he　had　him
again　in　his　custody；　no　additional　precautions　were　necessary；　for
Schroepfel　knew　that　he　could　rely　on　his　own　vigilance；　and　that
the　prisoner　surely　would　never　escape　from　him。　Hence；　he　loosened
the　cords　with　which　he　had　been　tied；　and　removed　the　handkerchief
with　which　he　had　been　gagged。

〃If　it　affords　you　pleasure；〃　said　Schroepfel；　〃you　may　use　your
mouth　and　inveigh　against　Lizzie　Wallner；　who　has　saved　your　life
to…day　a　second　time；　and　whom　you　rewarded　like　a　genuine　Bavarian；
that　is　to　say；　with　black　ingratitude　and　treachery。　But　I　advise
you　not　to　abuse　her　loud　e