andreas hofer-第56节

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to　save　your　life　than　that　of　saying　that　you　were　my　betrothed；
and　that　was　the　only　reason　why　I　said　so。　How。　ever；　I　had　no　idea
that　the　wedding　was　to　take　place　to…day；　for　my　dear　father　had
concealed　it　from　me；　and　wished　to　surprise　me；　because　he　really
believed　that　I　loved　you。　If　I　had　known　beforehand　what　father　had
in　view；　I　should　have　devised　some　way　of　preventing　him　from
carrying　his　plan　into　effect。　But　I　swear　to　you；　I　had　no　inkling
of　it。　Therefore；　I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　for　the　harsh　treatment
you　received　at　their　hands　for　my　sake。〃

〃Eliza；〃　he　said；　mournfully；　〃your　words　rend　my　heart。　Oh；　do　not
be　so　gentle　and　generous！　Be　angry　with　me；　call　me　an　infamous
villain；　who；　in　his　blindness；　did　not　penetrate　your　magnanimity
and　heroic　self…sacrifice；　do　not　treat　me　with　this　charming
mildness　which　crushes　me！　You　acted　like　an　angel　toward　me；　and　I
treated　you　like　a　heartless　barbarian。〃

〃I　forgive　you　with　all　my　heart；　and　therefore　you　may　forgive
yourself；〃　she　said；　with　a　gentle　smile。　〃But　let　us　speak　no
longer　of　the　past；　let　us　think　only　of　the　future。　You　heard　what
father　said：　'To…morrow　morning　there　will　be　a　wedding　or　an
execution。'〃

〃Well；　then；　there　will　be　a　wedding　to…morrow　morning；〃　exclaimed
Ulrich；　casting　an　ardent　glance　on　the　young　girl；　〃yes；　there　will
be　a　wedding　to…morrow　morning。　Pray；　Eliza；　save　my　life　a　third
time　to…morrow；　become　my　wife！〃

〃I　will　save　your　life；〃　she　said；　throwing　back　her　head；　proudly；
〃but　fortunately　it　is　unnecessary　for　me　to　become　your　wife　for
that　purpose。　I　have　come　here　only　to　save　you。　Sir；　you　must
escape　to…night。〃

〃Escape；〃　he　said；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃escape；　when　Schroepfel
is　guarding　my　door？〃

〃Hush！　do　not　speak　so　loud；　sir；　he　might　hear　you；　and　he　must
know　nothing　about　it。　Bend　your　head　closer　to　me　and　listen：　Go　to
bed　early　this　evening；　but　extinguish　your　light　beforehand；　lest
Schroepfel　should　see　any　thing。　My　mother　told　me　Schroepfel　had
bored　holes　in　the　door；　and　was　watching　you　all　the　time。
Therefore；　go　to　bed　early；　and　leave　your　window　open。　When　the
church…clock　strikes　two；　listen　for　any　noise；　and　hold　yourself　in
readiness。　That　is　all　I　have　to　say　to　you；　and　now　good…by。〃

She　nodded　to　him；　and　turned　to　the　door。

〃But　I。　ElizaI　have　to　tell　you　many　things　yet；〃　said　Ulrich；
detaining　her。　〃Pray；　stay　yet　awhile　and　listen　to　me！〃

〃No；　sir；　it　is　time　for　me　to　go；　my　mother　is　waiting　for　me；〃
replied　Eliza；　withdrawing　her　hand　from　his。　〃Good…by；　and　if　you
can　pray；　pray　to　God　to　protect　you　to…night！〃

She　opened　the　door　hastily　and　stepped　out；　and　smiled　at
Schroepfel；　but　the　old　servant　looked　at　her　gloomily。

〃You　stayed　a　long　while　with　the　Bavarian；〃　he　growled。

〃And　yet　you　did　not　eat　your　cake　nor　empty　your　glass　in　the　mean
time；〃　said　Eliza；　with　a　smile。　〃You　looked　again　through　the　hole
in　the　door；　did　you　not？　You　saw；　then；　Schroepfel；　that　we　stood
together　like　a　pair　of　sensible　lovers。〃

〃I　did　not　see　any　thing；〃　exclaimed　Schroepfel；　angrily；　〃for　you
placed　yourself　close　to　the　window；　and　my　hole　does　not　enable　me
to　look　around　the　corner；　nor　did　I　hear　any　thing；　for　you
whispered　as　softly　as　though　you　were　a　couple　of　sparrows　which
understand　each　other　when　billing　and　cooing。〃

〃Fie；　Schroepfel！　do　not　talk　such　nonsense；〃　cried　Eliza；　blushing
deeply。　〃Behave　yourself；　Schroepfel；　and　I　will　bring　you　another
bottle　of　wine　to…day；　and　beg　father　to　let　you　come　down　to　supper
to…night；　and　permit　you　to　sleep　in　your　bedchamber。〃

〃I　shall　take　good　care　to　do　no　such　thing；〃　growled　Schroepfel。　〃I
am　a　sentinel　here；　and　must　not　desert　my　post。〃

〃But　you　may　take　your　sentry…box　with　you；〃　said　Eliza；　pointing　to
his　settee。　〃When　a　soldier　remains　close　to　his　sentry…box；　he　does
not　desert　his　post。　Well；　good…by；　Schroepfel；　the　sentinel　will　be
relieved　to…night。〃

Eliza's　words　were　fulfilled。　Toward　nightfall　she　informed
Schroepfel　that　her　father　permitted　him　to　take　his　supper　at　the
table　down…stairs；　and　afterward　go　to　bed　in　his　own　chamber。

〃Well；　and　who　is　to　watch　the　prisoner　in　the　mean　time？〃　asked
Schroepfel。

〃You　yourself！　Look；　you　will　lock　the　door　and　put　the　key　in　your
pocket。　In　addition；　you　may　put　that　heavy　box　yonder　against　the
door；　then　you　will　be　sure　that　your　prisoner　cannot　get　out；　for　I
think　his　chamber　has　no　other　outlet。〃

〃Yes；　it　hasthe　window！〃

〃Do　you　think　the　Bavarian　has　wings　and　will　fly　out　of　the　window
to…night？〃

〃It　is　true　he　cannot　fly　out；　nor　can　he　jump　out；　for　he　would
simply　break　his　neck。　But；　nevertheless；　I　do　not　like　this
arrangement　at　all。　Something　tells　me　that　it　will　turn　out　wrong。
I　shall；　at　least；　unchain　the　watch…dog；　who　will　prevent　the
Bavarian　from　escaping　through　the　window。　For　the　rest；　I　feel　that
all　my　limbs　are　stiff；　and　that　I　have　at　length　deserved　some
repose。　As　it　is　your　father's　will；　I　will　go　down…stairs；　take
supper；　and　afterward　go　to　bed　in　my　chamber。　If　any　thing　happens；
I　shall　wash　my　hands　of　it。〃

〃Wash　them　as　much　as　you　please；　Schroepfel；　but　come　down　to
supper；〃　cried　Eliza；　hastening　down…stairs　with　the　agility　of　a
bird。

Schroepfel　looked　after　her；　shaking　his　head；　he　then　locked　the
door；　put　the　key　in　his　pocket；　and　placed　the　heavy　iron…bound　box
against　the　door。

〃And　before　going　to　bed　I　shall　unchain　Phylax；〃　he　said；　as　if　to
console　himself；　while　he　was　going　slowly　and　stiffly　down…stairs。

Schroepfel　kept　his　word。　Weary　and　exhausted　as　he　was；　he　waited
until　all　the　inmates　of　the　house　bad　gone　to　bed；　and　until　all
noise　had　died　away。　He　then　went　into　the　yard　and　unchained　the
formidable　and　ill…humored　watch…dog。　Phylax　howled　and　trembled
with　joy　and　delight　at　being　released；　but　Schroepfel　seized　his
ear　and　pointed　his　other　hand　at　the　prisoner's　window；　which　was
brightly　illuminated　by　the　moon。

〃Watch　that　window　well；　Phylax；〃　he　said；　〃watch　it　well；　and　if
you　see　anything　suspicious；　call　me　at　once。　I　shall　not　sleep　so
fast　as　not　to　hear　your　basking。　Watch　it　well；　Phylax。〃

The　dog　looked　up　to　the　window　as　if　he　had　understood　the　order；
he　then　fixed　his　clear；　lustrous　eyes　on　Schroepfel；　and　uttered　a
threatening　growl。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Schroepfel；　〃you　have　understood　me。　You　will
watch　him；　and　I　may　go　to　bed。〃

He　dropped　the　ear　of　the　dog；　who　thereupon　bounded　wildly　through
the　yard；　while　Schroepfel　limped　back　into　the　house。　He　was　heard
slowly　ascending　the　staircase　and　opening　the　creaking　door　of　his
bed…chamber；　and　then　all　became　silent。

Night　spread　its　pall　over　the　weary；　the　sleepers；　and　the　weeping；
the　moon　stood　with　silvery　lustre　high　in　the　heavens；　and
illuminated　the　snow…clad　summits　of　the　mountains　rising　in　the
rear　of　the　outbuildings　in　Wallner's　yard。　Hour　after　hour　passed
by；　and　all　remained　silent；　not　a　sound　broke　the　holy　stillness　of
night。

Hour　after　hour　passed　by；　nothing　stirred　in　the　yard；　the　dog　sat；
as　if　he　had　really　understood　Schroepfel's　words；　in　the　middle　of
the　yard；　and　stared　steadfastly　at　the　prisoner's　window。　Phylax
watched；　as　Schroepfel　had　gone　to　bed；　Phylax　watched；　and　did　not
avert　his　eyes　from　the　window　on　which　his　whole　attention　seemed
to　be　concentrated；　for　he　did　not　stir；　he　did　not　even　disturb　the
flies　buzzing　round　his　ears；　be　was　all　attention　and　vigilance。
All　at　once　something　occurred　that　had　never　happened　to　him　during
his　nocturnal　service；　a　wondrous；　appetizing　scent　was　wafted　to
him　on　the　wings　of　the　night…breeze。　Phylax　averted　his　eyes　for　a
moment　from　the　window　and　glanced　searchingly　round　the　yard。
Nothing　stirred　in　it；　but　this　wonderful　scent　of　a　roast　sausage
still　impregnated　the　air；　and　seemed　to　grow　even　stronger　and　more
tempting；　for　Phylax　pricked　up　his　ears；　raised　his　nose；　snuffing
eagerly　to　inhale　the　scent；　and　rose　from　the　ground。　He　glanced
again　round　the　yard；　and　then　advanced　a　few　steps　toward　the
window　yonder　on　the　side　of　the　house。　This　window　was　open；　and
the　keen　nose　of　the　dog　told　him　that　the　appetizing　scent　had　come
from　it。　All　at　once；　however；　Phylax　stood　still；　as　if　remembering
his　master's　orders；　and　looked　again　toward　the　prisoner's　window。

At　this　moment　a　low　voice　called　him：　〃Phylax！　come　here；　Phylax！〃

The　dog　hesitated　no　longer；　he　had　recognized　the　voice　of　his
friend　and　playmate；　Eliza　Wallner。　With　two　tremendous　bounds　he
was　at　the　window；　and；　raising　himself　up；　laid　his　forepaws　on　the
window…sill；　and　stretched　out　his　head；　waiting　longingly　for　the
appetizing　sausage。

〃Come；　Phylax；　come；〃　whispered　Eliza；　and　she　stepped　back　with　the
sausage　into　the　interior　of　the　room。　〃Come　to　me；　Phylax；　come　to
me。〃

The　temptation　was　too　strong。　Phylax　hesitated　no　longer；　he　moved
back　a　step；　and　leaped　through　the　window　into　the　room。

The　window　was　closed　behind　him　immediately；　and　the　four…footed
custodian　of　the　prisoner　was　now　a　prisoner　himself。