andreas hofer-第92节

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her　deceased　husband　was　head　over　ears　in　debt；　that　he　borrowed
one　thousand　florins　from　a　friend；　and　meanly　affixed　his　wife's
name　without　her　knowledge　to　the　note　which　he　gave　for　it？〃

〃But　that　is　just　the　trouble；　commander…in…chief；　not　only　did　she
know　it；　but　she　herself　put　her　name　under　the　note。　I　myself　asked
the　judges　about　it　yesterday。　They　say　that　the　woman　is　known　to
be　avaricious；　greedy；　and　mean；　and　they　would　not　have　given
judgment　against　her　if　there　had　not　been　sworn　evidence　to　the
effect　that　she　herself　signed　the　note。　They　add　that　she　is　rich
enough　to　pay　back　the　thousand　florins　which　her　husband　certainly
borrowed　from　his　friend。〃

〃I　cannot　believe　it；〃　exclaimed　Andreas。　〃She　wept　and　lamented　so
very　unaffectedly；　during　my　whole　wedded　life　I　have　not　seen　my
wife　weep　so　much　as　the　woman　wept　during　that　quarter　of　an　hour
yesterday；　and　I　think　one　that　can　weep　so　much　must　be　innocent。
Hence；　I　did　what　I　had　a　perfect　right　to　do；　I　wrote　to　the　judges
and　reversed　their　decision。〃

〃Well；　commander…in…chief；　if　you　think　you　were　justified　in　what
you　did；　why　does　it　disquiet　you？〃

〃It　does；〃　said　Andreas　Hofer；　〃because　I　think　now　that　the
plaintiff；　who　lost　his　suit；　may　feel　very　sore　over　it；　and　blame
me　for　depriving　him　of　what　he　thought　was　due　to　him；　and　I
shudder　to　think　he　maybe　in　the　other　room；　and　intend　to　reproach
me　with　ruining　him　and　taking　from　him　what　the　judges　had　already
awarded　to　him。〃

〃And；　Andy；　because　you　would　not　like　to　see　one　man；　you　keep　the
others　waiting　outside。〃

〃You　are　right；　Cajetan。　I　ought　not　to　do　that；　I　am　a　selfish；
cowardly　fellow；〃　cried　Andreas；　contritely。　〃I　will　no　longer　keep
them　waiting；　but　admit　them　at　once。〃

And　he　went　with　a　hasty　step　to　the　door　of　the　audience…room；
threw　it　open；　and　stepped　upon　the　threshold。　The　large　room　was
crowded　with　persons　of　every　age　and　rank；　all　thronged　toward　the
door；　and　every　one　was　desirous　of　being　the　first　to　greet　the
commander…in…chief；　and　to　be　invited　by　him　into　his　cabinet。

Andreas　Hofer　bowed　kindly　to　all；　his　eyes　fell　on　an　old　man　with
silver…white　hair；　who　was　striving　to　penetrate　to　him；　and　cast
beseeching　glances　on　him。

〃My　old　friend；〃　said　Andreas；　mildly；　〃it　is　true　you　are　not
nearest　to　the　door；　but　you　are　the　oldest　person　in　the　room；　and
therefore　it　is　right　for　me　to　listen　to　you　first。　Come　in；　then；
and　tell　me　what　you　want　of　me。〃

The　old　man；　leaning　on　his　cane；　hastened　forward　and　entered　the
cabinet；　the　door　of　which　Andreas　Hofer　himself　closed　behind　him。

〃Now　tell　me；　my　aged　friend；　who　are　you；　and　what　I　can　do　for
you。〃

〃Much；　very　much；　commander…in…chief；〃　replied　the　old　man；　in　a
tremulous　voice。　〃You　can　grant　me　justice。　My　name　is　Friedel
Hofmeier；　and　I　am　the　unfortunate　man　who　gained　his　lawsuit
yesterday；　and　who　was　to　get　his　thousand　florins　back；　but　from
whom　you　took　them　again　by　virtue　of　your　supreme　authority。〃

〃Cajetan；　it　is　as　I　said；〃　sighed　Andreas；　turning　with　a　doleful
air　to　Doeninger；　who　sat　at　the　desk；　pen　in　hand；　and　bowed　to　the
commander…in…chief　with　a　shrug。

〃I　come　to　you；　the　emperor's　lieutenant；　to　demand　justice；〃　added
the　old　man。　〃Your　decree　was　unjust　and　contrary　to　law。　The　judges
had　decided　in　my　favor；　and　by　reversing　their　judgment；　you　treat
with　harshness　and　cruelty　an　old　man　who　stands　on　the　brink　of　the
grave；　and　deprive　my　poor　grandchild　of　its　whole　inheritance。〃

〃May　God　and　the　Holy　Virgin　preserve　me　from　committing　such　a
crime；〃　murmured　Andreas　Hofer；　crossing　himself　devoutly。　〃Ah；　my
friend；　why　did　you　not　come　to　me　ere　this；　and　tell　me　all　about
it？　I　should　have　gladly　assisted　you　in　recovering　what　was　due　to
you。〃

〃And　yet　it　is　your　fault　that　I　cannot　recover　what　is　due　to　me。〃
cried　the　old　man；　mournfully。　〃Why　should　I　have　come　hither　ere
this；　and　robbed　you　of　your　precious　time？　I　confided　in　my　good
and　just　cause；　I　knew　that　the　good　God　would　not　abandon　me；　and
that　He　would　not　take　from　me；　after　losing　innocently　most　of　my
property　by　the　cruelty　of　the　enemy；　who　burned　down　my　house　and
outbuildings；　the　last　remnant　of　my　little　fortune；　the　thousand
florins　which　I　lent　to　my　friend；　and　which　his　rich　wife　engaged
in　her　own　handwriting　to　pay　back　ten　years　after　date。　The　ten
years　had　expired；　the　good　God　did　not　abandon　me；　for　He　caused
the　judges　to　grant　me　justice　and　adjudge　the　thousand　florins　to
me。〃

〃And　I　took　them　from　him　again；〃　murmured　Andreas　Hofer；　with　tears
in　his　eyes；　〃and　it　is　my　fault　that　he　will　die　with　a　grief…
stricken　heart。　Cajetan；　I　have　ruined　the　old　man；　tell　me；　advise
me　how　to　make　amends　for　it。〃

〃You　reversed　the　decision　of　the　judges；〃　said　Doeninger；　slowly；
〃you　possess　the　power　of　reversing　all　decisions。〃

Andreas　Hofer　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　gazed　thoughtfully　into
vacancy；　as　if　to　fathom　the　meaning　of　an　obscure　oracle；　all　at
once　his　face　brightened；　and　a　joyous　smile　played　round　his　lips。

〃I　know　it　now；　Cajetan；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　have　the　power　to　reverse
all　decisions；　and　therefore　my　own　also。〃

Cajetan　Doeninger　nodded　with　silent　satisfaction。　The　old　man
clasped　his　hands　and　gazed　at　Hofer　with　an　expression　of　ardent
gratitude。

〃Will　you　really　do　so；　Andreas　Hofer？〃　he　asked　tremblingly。　〃Will
you　reverse　your　own　decree　for　the　sake　of　justice？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；〃　exclaimed　Hofer；　joyfully；　〃and　I　will　do　it
immediately。　Cajetan；　take　up　your　pen　and　write　what　I　am　going　to
dictate　to　you。　There　I　now　write　as　follows：　'I；　the　undersigned；
confess　by　these　presents　that　I　committed　a　mistake　yesterday；　and
violated　the　laws。　To　confess　mistakes　and　avow　faults　is　no
disgrace；　hence；　I　do　so　now；　and　beg　pardon　of　the　good　God　and　the
judges　for　doing　wrong。　I　hereby　reverse　the　decision　which　I　made
yesterday。　Friedel　Hofmeier　is　to　receive　the　thousand　florins　which
the　supreme　court　adjudged　to　him；　and　the　decision　of　the　judges　is
to　be　valid；　notwithstanding　my　decree　issued　yesterday。'　Now　give
me　the　pen　and　let　me　sign　the　document。〃

〃Oh；　dear　commander…in…chief；〃　exclaimed　the　delighted　old　man；
〃what　a　noble　and　kind…hearted　man　you　are；　and〃

〃Hush！〃　interrupted　Andreas；　looking　up　from　the　paper；　〃if　I　make　a
mistake　now；　the　whole　document　will　be　invalid；　and　we　must
commence　anew。　Now　I　tell　you　it　is　hard　work　to　write　one's　name
with　such　a　pointed　pen　on　the　paper；　and　my　name；　moreover；　has
such　a　long…tailed　title。　Therefore；　keep　quiet　and　let　me　write。
There；　it　is　done　now'Andreas　Hofer；　commander…in…chief　of　the
Tyrol。'　Now；　my　dear　old　friend；　your　document　is　valid。　Take　it　to
the　city　hall；　and　permit　me　to　congratulate　you　on　having　recovered
your　thousand　florins。　Say　nothing　about　it　now；　but　hasten　to　the
city　hall。　There　are　outside　a　great　many　persons　who　wish　to　see
me。〃

He　handed　the　paper　to　the　old　man；　and　conducted　him　to　the　door；
which　he　himself　opened　for　him。　He　was　about　to　follow　him；　when　he
suddenly　drew　back　and　closed　the　door　after　him。

〃Cajetan；〃　he　whispered；　anxiously；　〃I　saw　something　dreadful！〃

〃What　was　it；　commander…in…chief？〃

〃Cajetan；　I　saw　the　woman　whom　Friedel　Hofmeier　sued；　and　to　whom　I
gave　the　decree　yesterday。　Cajetan；　I　was　not　afraid　when　we　were　on
Mount　Isel　and　at　Brixen；　but　I　am　afraid　of　that　woman　and　her
dreadful　lamentations。　I　do　not　know　what　to　do；　Doeninger；　if　she
should　have　found　out　what　I　have　done；　and　come　in　here　to　reproach
me　with　it。〃

〃We　shall　not　admit　her；　commander…in…chief；〃　said　Doeninger；
laughing。

〃But；　Cajetan；　I　made　a　vow　never　to　refuse　admittance　to　any　one；
and　not；　as　many　princes　do；　to　allow　distressed　persons　to　wait　in
my　anteroom　and　send　them　away　without　listening　to　them　and
comforting　them。〃

〃But　you　heard；　Andreas；　that　the　woman　is　not　in　distress；　for　she
is　rich　and　very　avaricious。　She　told　you　the　most　impudent
falsehoods；　hence；　she　must　not　be　admitted；　for；　if　you　allow　her
to　come　in　again；　she　would　lie　as　she　did　yesterday。〃

〃You　are　right；　Cajetan；　she　must　not　come　in；　and　now；　my　friend；
pray　go　and　admit　the　next　applicant；　but　not　that　bad　woman。〃

Doeninger　went　to　the　door；　and；　opening　it；　beckoned　to　the　person
standing　nearest　to　it。

A　young　woman；　dressed　plainly；　but　very　neatly；　came　in；　and
remained　at　the　door；　in　visible　confusion　and　grief。

〃Well；　madame；〃　said　Andreas　to　her；　〃do　you　come　to　tell　me　that
all　is　right；　and　that　your　husband　and　you；　his　pretty　young　wife；
live　together　in　happiness　and　content？　Well；　it　was　heavy　work　to
reconcile　you　two；　and　persuade　you　to　remain　together　and　love　each
other；　as　it　behooves　a　Christian　couple。　It　cost　me　a　whole
forenoon；　but　I　do　not　regret　it；　for　I　accomplished　my　task；　and
reconciled　you；　and　all　was　right　again　between　you。　And　I　made　you
promise　to　return　in　two　weeks　and　tell　me　how　you　got　along　with
each　other。　The　two　weeks　are　up　to…day；　and　here　comes　the　pretty
young　wife　to　tell　me　that　Andreas　Hofer　did