andreas hofer-第93节

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each　other。　The　two　weeks　are　up　to…day；　and　here　comes　the　pretty
young　wife　to　tell　me　that　Andreas　Hofer　did　his　work　well；　and　that
her　husband　is　now　faithful；　tender；　and　good。　Is　he　not？〃

〃Alas；　he　is　not！〃　sobbed　the　young　wife；　bursting　into　tears。
〃Tony；　my　husband；　never　stays　at　home　in　the　evening；　he　returns
only　late　at　night；　scolds　me　for　weeping　and　upbraiding　him　with
his　bad　conduct；　and　yesterdayyesterday　he　wanted　even　to　beat
me！〃

〃What　a　bad　man！〃　cried　Andreas；　vehemently。　〃Why　did　he　want　to
beat　you；　then？　What　had　you　done？〃

〃I　had　locked　the　street…door；　and　would　not　let　him　have　the　key
when　he　wanted　to　leave　the　house。〃

〃H'em！　that　was　a　little　too　severe；〃　said　Hofer；　hesitatingly。　〃Why
should　a　young　man　be　prevented　from　going　out　a　little？　He　cannot
always　stay　at　home。〃

〃But　he　shall　not　go　out　without　me；　and　he　would　not　take　me　with
him。　I　had　requested　him　to　do　so；　and　he　had　refused；　therefore；　I
locked　the　house　and　would　not　permit　him　to　leave　it。　He　shall　not
go　out　without　me；　for　he　is　such　a　fine…looking　man；　that　all　the
pretty　women　of　Innspruck　admire　him　in　his　handsome　national　dress；
and　ogle　him　when　he　passes　by。〃

〃Well；　let　them　admire　and　ogle　him；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　smiling。
〃What　do　you　care　for　it；　provided　your　husband　does　not　ogle　them？〃

〃But　he　does；　commander…in…chief；　he　runs　after　the　pretty　women；　he
goes　to　the　theatre　and　the　concerts　to　see　them；　and　speak　and
flirt　with　them。　Believe　me；　dearest　commander…in…chief；　he　deserts
me；　he　is　faithless；　and　all　your　fine　and　pious　exhortations　were
in　vain。　He　loves　me　no　longer；　and　I　love　him　so　dearly；　and　would
like　to　be　always　with　him　and　never　desert　him。　But　he　says　it
would　be　inconvenient　to　him；　and　make　him　ridiculous；　if　he　should
always　appear　together　with　his　wife；　like　a　convict　with　his
jailer。〃

〃What　a　bad；　hard…hearted　man！〃　cried　Andreas；　indignantly。

〃He　is　hard…hearted；　indeed；〃　sobbed　the　young　wife。　〃He　scolds　me
for　my　love；　and　when　I　like　to　be　with　him　all　the　time；　he　says　my
jealousy　is　disagreeable　to　him；　and　there　is　nothing　more
abominable　than　a　jealous　wife！〃

〃Well；　he　may　be　right　so　far　as　that　is　concerned；〃　said　Doeninger；
busily　engaged　in　cutting　his　pen。

〃What　did　you　say；　Cajetan？〃　asked　Hofer；　turning　to　him。

〃I　did　not　say　anything；　but　thought　aloud；〃　said　Doeninger；　trying
his　pen。

Hofer　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　gazed　into　vacancy。　〃Yes；　my　dear
woman；〃　he　then　said　boldly；　〃your　husband　may　not　be　altogether
wrong　in　complaining　of　your　jealousy。　I　really　believe　that　you　are
a　little　jealous；　and　beg　you　to　try　to　overcome　your　jealousy；　for
jealousy　is　a　grievous　fault；　and　makes　many　husbands　very
wretched。〃

〃But　must　I　not　be　jealous？〃　she　cried；　vehemently；　weeping
bitterly。　〃Do　I　not　see　that　the　women　are　trying　to　seduce　him　and
make　him　desert　me？　Do　I　not　see　him　at　the　theatre　gazing　at　the
finely…dressed　ladies　and　admiring　their　bare　arms　and　shoulders？〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Hofer。　〃Is　it　true；　then；　that　the　women　here
appear　in　public　with　bare　arms　and　shoulders？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　it　is；〃　sobbed　the　young　wife。　〃You　can　see　it
everywhere；　it　is　the　new　fashion　which　the　French　brought　here；　the
women　wear　low…necked　dresses　with　very　short　sleeves；　so　that　their
shoulders　and　arms　are　entirely　bare。　All　the　aristocratic　ladies　of
Innspruck　have　already　adopted　this　new　fashion；　and　on　seeing　them
in　their　boxes　at　the　theatre；　you　would　believe　they　were　in　a
bath；　precisely　as　the　good　God　created　them。　And　it　is　owing　only
to　these　bare　arms　and　shoulders　that　my　dear　husband　deserts　me　and
loves　me　no　longer。　The　aristocratic　ladies；　with　their　naked　charms
have　seduced　him；　and　just　think　of　it；　he　wants　me　to　adopt　the　new
fashion　too；　and　go　as　naked　as　the　other　women！〃

〃You　must　not　do　it；〃　said　Hofer　in　dismay；　〃it　is　a　shameless；
unchristian　fashion；　and　no　decent　woman　should　adopt　it。　This　is
not　the　first　complaint　that　I　have　heard　in　regard　to　the　indecent
dress　of　the　women　here。　Some　of　my　neighbors　were　at　the　theatre
yesterday；　and　were　indignant　at　the　indecent　appearance　of　the
women　there；　they　told　me　the　women　sat　there　dressed　in　the　highest
fashion；　their　busts　entirely　bare　and　not　covered　with　a
handkerchief　such　as　every　decent　woman　in　the　Passeyr　valley　wears；
and　their　arms　adorned　with　all　sorts　of　golden　trinkets　such　as　we
see　only　on　those　of　strolling　players　who　perform　in　barns。　But　I
will　put　an　end　to　it；　I　will　preserve　the　good　and　virtuous　men
from　seduction；　and　will　not　suffer　vice　to　dress　up；　and
shamelessness　to　stalk　by　the　side　of　decency。　Just　wait；　my　dear
woman；　I　will　protect　your　husband　and　all　other　good　men　from　the
seductive　wiles　of　frivolous　women；　and　issue　a　decree　which　will
tell　all　the　beautiful　women　how　to　behave。　Sit　down　there　and
listen　to　the　decree　which　I　shall　dictate　to　Cajetan　Doeninger。
Cajetan；　take　a　large　sheet　of　stamped　paper　and　write　what　I　shall
dictate　to　you。〃

And　pacing　the　room。　and　slowly　stroking　his　fine　black　beard　with
his　right　hand；　Andreas　Hofer　dictated　as　follows：

〃Every　one　will　perceive　that　we　have　good　reason　to　thank　the　kind
and　almighty　God　for　helping　us　so　signally　to　deliver　the
fatherland　from　a　powerful　and　cruel　enemy；　and　every　one　will
desire　that　we　should　henceforth　remain　free　from　this　scourge；　with
which　the　Lord；　as　He　punished　His　chosen　people　often　in　the　Old
and　New　Testament；　visited　and　chastised　our　fatherland；　that　we
might　turn　to　Him　and　mend　our　ways。　We　will；　therefore；　turn　to　God
with　heartfelt　thanks　for　his　great　mercy；　and　with　the　sincere
purpose　of　improving　our　morals；　and　pray　Him　to　protect　us　from
further　persecution。　We　must　try　to　gain　His　paternal　love　by　a
devout；　chaste；　and　virtuous　life；　and　discard　hatred；　envy；
covetousness；　and　all　vices；　obey　our　superiors；　lend　as　much
assistance　as　possible　to　our　fellow…citizens；　and　avoid　everything
that　might　give　offence　to　God　and　man。　Now；　many　of　my　excellent
comrades　and　defenders　of　the　country　have　been　scandalized　at　the
neglect　of　many　women　to　cover　their　arms　and　breasts；　whereby　they
give　rise　to　sinful　desires　which　must　be　highly　offensive　to　God
and　all　good　Christians。　It　is　to　be　hoped　that　they　will　repent；
lest　God　should　punish　them；　but　if　they　do　not；　it　will　be　their
own　fault　if　they　should　be　covered　with　mire　in　an　unpleasant
manner。〃　＇Footnote：　See　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。　135；
and　Hormayr's　〃Hofer；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　445。＇

〃Shall　I　really　write　that？〃　asked　Doeninger；　looking　up　from　his
paper。

〃Yes；　you　shall；　and　you　shall　not　omit　a　word　of　it；〃　exclaimed
Andreas　Hofer。　〃Give　me　the　paper；　Cajetan；　I　want　to　see　if　you
have　not　scratched　out　the　last　words。　No；　there　it　is：　'But　if　they
do　not；　it　will　be　their　own　fault　if　they　should　be　covered　with
mire　in　an　unpleasant　manner。'　That　is　rightnow　give　me　the　pen；
Cajetan；　that　I　may　sign　the　document。　Then　seal　it　up　and　send　it
to　the　Official　Journal　and　the　Gazette；　they　are　to　publish　it　at
once；　that　all　the　women　of　Innspruck　may　read　it　to…morrow　and　know
what　to　do。　Now；　my　dear　woman；　I　hope　you　will　have　some　rest；　and
need　not　be　afraid　of　the　seductive　wiles　of　those　ladies。　Go　home；
then；　and　if　you　will　permit　me　to　give　you　good　advice；　be　very
gentle　and　kind　toward　your　husband；　and　for　God's　sake　do　not
torment　him　with　jealousy；　for　that　is　a　bitter　herb　which　even　the
best　husband　cannot　digest；　and　which　renders　him　morose　and　angry。
Go；　then；　with　God's　blessing；　and　come　back　a　week　hence；　and　tell
me　whether　my　decree　has　been　effectual；　and　whether　your　husband
goes　any　longer　to　the　theatre　and　ogles　the　women　there。〃

〃May　God　and　the　Holy　Virgin　have　mercy　on　us！〃　sighed　the　woman；
going　to　the　door；　〃for　I　shall　not　bear　it　if　my　dear　husband　ogles
other　women；　and　something　dreadful　will　happen　if　he　does　not　mend
his　ways。〃

〃God　be　praised！〃　said　Doeninger；　with　a　deep　sigh；　when　the　woman
had　left　the　room。

〃Why　do　you　say　'God　be　praised'？〃　asked　Andreas；　in　surprise。

〃God　be　praised　that　I　am　not　the　husband　of　this　jealous　woman。　She
will　torment　her　husband　to　death；　and　leave　him　not　a　moment's
repose　before　be　dies。〃

〃It　is　true；　she　does　not　seem　to　be　very　gentle；〃　said　Andreas；
smiling。　〃But　then；　Cajetan；　she　loves　her　husband　dearly；　is
doubtless　a　virtuous　woman；　and　will　never　sin　against　the　seventh
commandment。　Well；　my　friend；　do　not　grumble　so　much；　but　go　and
admit　another　person。〃




CHAPTER　XXXVI。

THE　LOVERS。


Doeninger　went　to　the　door　and　opened　it；　and　a　beautiful　young　girl
slipped　immediately　into　the　room。　〃Hush；　hush；〃　she　whispered　to
Doeninger；　〃do　not　say　anything　to　him。〃　And　she　hastened　on　tiptoe
to　Andreas　Hofer；　who　was　reading　once　more　with　close　attention　the
proclamation　which　he　had　dictated　to　Doeninger。

She　bent　down　and　kissed　the　hand　in　which　Hofer　held　the　paper。
〃God　bless　you；　dear；　great　father　and　liberator　of　the　people！〃　she
said；　in　a　silver　voice。

〃Lizzie　Wallner！〃　exclaimed　Andr