andreas hofer-第94节

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〃God　bless　you；　dear；　great　father　and　liberator　of　the　people！〃　she
said；　in　a　silver　voice。

〃Lizzie　Wallner！〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　joyfully；　casting　aside　the
paper。　〃Yes；　by　the　Eternal；　it　is　she！　It　is　Lizzie；　the　dearest
child　of　my　best　friendthe　most　heroic　girl　in　the　Tyrol。　Come；
Lizzie；　embrace　your　second　father；　Andy；　and　give　me　a　kiss　for
father　and　mother；　and　one　for　yourself；　my　dear　girl。〃

Eliza　encircled　Hofer's　neck；　and　imprinted　a　tender　kiss　on　his
lips。　〃God　bless　you；　dear　father；　for　you　are　the　father　of　the
whole　Tyrol；〃　she　whispered；　〃and　must　not　scold　me　for　calling　you
my　father　too。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　it　gladdens　my　heart；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　folding
her　tenderly　to　his　breast。　〃It　seems　to　me　as　though　I　were　holding
one　of　my　own　girls　in　my　arms；　and　as　though　I　heard　her　dear　voice
calling　me　father。　Lizzie；　I　can　tell　you　I　often　long　for　my　pretty
daughters　and　their　mother；　Anna　Gertrude；　and　sometimes　I　feel　very
lonely　indeed。〃

〃And　why　do　you　not　send　for　your　wife　and　children；　father　Andy；
and　have　them　brought　here？　I　am　sure　there　is　room　enough　for　them
in　this　large　house。〃

〃　No；　they　shall　stay　at　home；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　vehemently。　〃The
mother　must　attend　to　household　affairs；　and　keep　every　thing　in
good　order；　and　the　girls　must　help　her　do　it。　Otherwise　all　would
go　amiss；　and　when　I　should　have　no　longer　to　work　for　the　emperor
here；　and　went　back　to　my　home；　the　inn　in　the　Passeyr　valley　would
be　worthless；　we　should　be　destitute；　and　become　beggars。　Besides；　I
do　not　want　my　girls　to　become　proud；　and　think　they　are
aristocratic　young　ladies　now；　because　their　father　is　commander…in…
chief　of　the　Tyrol；　and　the　emperor's　lieutenant。　We　are　peasants；
and　will　remain　peasants。　However；　let　us　speak　no　more　of　myself；
but　of　you；　Lizzie。　Where　do　you　come　from；　what　do　you　want　here；
and　how　did　you　get　into　the　midst　of　the　crowd　in　the　audience…
room？〃

〃I　came　to　see　you；　father　Andreas。　I　asked　the　sentinel　in　the
passage　outside　where　I　would　find　you；　as　I　had　to　see　you　on
important　business。　The　sentinel　told　me　to　enter　the　audience…room。
It　was　already　crowded　with　persons　who　wished　to　see　you；　and　who
told　me　that　one　was　admitted　to　you　after　another；　but；　on　hearing
that　I　had　come　all　the　way　from　Windisch…Matrey；　and　had　walked　two
days　and　two　nights　without　intermission；　they　took　pity　on　me；　and
would　not　let　me　wait　until　my　turn　came；　but　allowed　me　to　advance
close　to　the　door；　so　as　to　be　the　first　to　enter　your　room。〃

〃The　people　of　Innspruck　are　very　kind…hearted　indeed；〃　exclaimed
Andreas；　joyously。　〃Then　you　have　come　all　the　way　from　Windisch…
Matrey；　Lizzie？　And　where　is　your　father？〃

〃He　and　his　sharpshooters　joined　Joachim　Haspinger　and　Joseph
Speckbacher；　and　the　united　forces　of　the　three　commanders　marched
against　the　Bavarians。　Father　and　his　seven　hundred　sharpshooters
expelled　the　Bavarians　from　the　Unken　valley；　and　is　now　encamped
near　Berchtesgaden　and　Reichenhall。　Speckbacher　is　stationed　at
Neuhauser　and　Schwarzbach；　and　Haspinger　is　still　at　Werfen。　They
are　going　to　reunite　their　forces　and　advance　against　the　Bavarians；
in　order；　if　possible；　to　drive　them　from　the　pass　of　Lueg；　which
the　enemy　has　occupied　with　a　large　force。〃

〃And　you　are　not　with　your　father；　Lizzie；　nor　with　your　friend　the
Capuchin；　who　speaks　of　you　only　as　a　heroine？　You　no　longer　carry
the　wounded　out　of　the　thickest　of　the　fight；　to　dress　their　wounds
and　nurse　them？〃

〃I　have　another　duty　to　fulfil　now；　and　my　father　has　permitted　me
to　come　to　you　in　regard　to　it；　dear　father　Andreas　Hofer。　I　am　in
great　distress；　and　you　alone；　dear；　all…powerful　commander…in…chief
of　the　Tyrol；　are　able　to　help　me。〃

〃Tell　me　quick；　Lizzie；　what　can　I　do　for　you　？〃　asked　Andreas；
eagerly。　〃I　owe　you　yet　a　reward　for　your　heroic　deed　on　the　day　of
the　hay…wagons；　and　I　should　like　to　discharge　this　debt　of　the
fatherland。　Tell　me；　therefore；　dear　girl　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃

〃You　can　restore　to　me　the　dearest　friend　I　have　on　earth；〃　said
Eliza；　beseechingly。　〃You　can　deliver　a　patriotic　girl　from　Bavarian
captivity；　and　an　excellent　nobleman；　who　has　done　no　other　wrong
than　that　he　possesses　a　loyal　Tyrolese　heart；　from　grief　and
despair。〃

〃I　will　do　so　with　all　my　heart；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　〃only　tell　me；
Lizzie；　whom　you　refer　to。〃

〃I　refer　to　Baron　von　Hohenberg；　who　lived　at　the　castle　of
Windisch…Matrey；　and　his　daughter；　my　dear　and　only　friend　Elza。　The
old　baron　was　always　a　very　pious　and　affable　gentleman；　a
benefactor　and　father　of　the　poor；　and　not　a　poor　man；　not　a　woman
in　distress　applied　to　him；　but　whom　he　willingly　relieved　and
assisted。　He　lived　for　twenty　years　in　the　Tyrol；　at　his　castle　at
Windisch…Matrey；　and　became　in　this　manner　an　ardent　son　of　the
Tyrol；　although　he　is　a　native　of　Bavaria；　and　his　whole
aristocratic　family　lives　in　Munich。　His　daughter　Elza　is　my　dearest
friend；　we　grew　up　together；　and　I　am　so　fond　of　her　that　I　would
readily　give　up　my　heart's　blood　for　her。　Now；　think　of　it；　dear
Andy！　the　Bavarians；　on　returning　to　the　Tyrol　two　months　ago；　made
the　two　prisoners；　the　dear　old　baron　and　my　Elza；　and　carried　them
as　hostages　to　Munich；　they　charged　them　there　with　high…treason；
because　they　stood　faithfully　by　the　Tyrol；　and　because；　at　the　very
outset　of　the　insurrection；　the　Bavarian　soldiers　and　their　captain
were　surrounded　at　their　castle　and　compelled　to　lay　down　their
arms。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know　the　story；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　gayly；　〃it　was　an
heroic　deed　by　which　Anthony　Wallner　inaugurated　our　glorious　war　of
liberation。　And　now　the　mean　Bavarians　call　the　good　Baron　von
Hohenberg　a　traitor；　when　he　was　quite　innocent　of　the　whole　affair；
and　was　not　even　at　home　when　it　took　place。　They　say　he　left　his
castle　at　the　time　in　order　not　to　prevent　the　Tyrolese　from
capturing　the　Bavarians；　and　that　he　was　aware　of　the　plans　of　the
Tyrolese；　and　should　have　warned　the　Bavarians。　But　I　say　that　he
acted　like　a　good　patriot；　and　they　ought　neither　to　charge　him　with
treason　nor　imprison　him　and　his　daughter。〃

〃Ah；　and　both　long　so　intensely　to　return　to　their　dear　Tyrol　and
their　castle！　Elza　wrote　me　a　letter　which　I　received　a　week　ago；
and　tears　had　blotted　out　half　of　its　contents。　Both　feel　so
wretched　in　the　large　city　of　Munich；　their　aristocratic　relatives
upbraid　them　constantly　for　their　hostility　to　the　Bavarians；　the
confinement　and　prison…air　have　already　made　the　old　baron　quite
sick；　and　Elza　thinks　he　will　surely　die　of　grief　if　he　is　not　soon
released　and　allowed　to　go　home。　Therefore；　I　implore　you；　dear；
all…powerful　commander…in…chief　of　the　Tyrol；　save　the　old　baron's
life；　restore　my　Elza　to　me；　and　release　them　both　from　their
captivity。　This　is　what　I　came　for；　father　Andy；　and　if　you　think
that　I　have　ever　done　any　thing　for　the　fatherland　that　deserves
thanks　and　a　reward；　thank　and　reward　me　by　releasing　Elza　and　her
father　from　their　captivity　and　allowing　them　to　return　to　their
home。〃

〃I　will　do　all　I　can；〃　exclaimed　Andreas；　profoundly　moved；　〃and　the
good　God　sent　you　to　me　to…day；　for　to…day　I　can　help　you。Can　I
not；　Doeninger？〃

〃You　refer　to　the　Bavarian　officer　whom　you　are　going　to　send　to
Munich？〃　asked　Doeninger。

〃Yes；　the　Bavarian　officer　is　to　procure　their　release；〃　exclaimed
Andreas。　〃Look　at　the　fortunate　coincidence；　Lizzie！　Among　the
prisoners　we　took　on　Mount　Isel　was　a　Bavarian　captain；　a　sensible；
excellent　man；　who；　it　seems　to　me；　sympathizes　cordially　with　the
cause　of　the　Tyrolese。　We　resolved　to　release　him　on　parole　and　send
him　to　Munich；　where　he　was　to　negotiate　an　exchange　of　prisoners；
and　maybe　bring　about　an　amicable　understanding　between　us　and　the
King　of　Bavaria。　The　Bavarian　captainI　believe　his　name　is　Ulrich…
…〃

〃Ulrich？〃　asked　Eliza；　trembling；　and　blushing　deeply。

〃I　believe　that　is　his　name；〃　said　Hofer；　quietly；　〃his　other　name　I
have　forgotten；　we　call　him　only　Captain　Ulrich；　as　you　call　me
Andreas。　Well；　Captain　Ulrich　has　already　received　his　instructions
and　the　list　of　prisoners　whose　release　he　is　to　advocate。　It　will
only　remain　for　us　to　add　Hohenberg's　name　to　the　list；　and　you
yourself；　my　Lizzie；　shall　urge　Captain　Ulrich　to　restore　to　you　the
old　baron　and　your　friend　Elza。Pray；　dearest　Cajetan；　go　and　fetch
the　captain；　he　was　to　set　out　in　an　hour；　and　he　must；　therefore；
be　here　yet。〃

〃He　is　certainly　here　yet；　for　there　are　his　papers；　which　I
intended　to　take　to　him；　and　without　which　he　cannot　depart；〃　said
Doeninger。　〃And　here　is　the　list　of　the　prisoners　whose　release　he
is　to　procure。〃

〃Add　to　it　the　names　of　the　old　baron　and　his　daughter；　Cajetan；　and
state　that　their　release　is　urgently　desired。〃

〃But　for　whom　are　they　to　be　exchanged？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　for　whom？　Well；　for　Captain　Ulrich　himself。　If　he
procures　their　release；　and　returns　hither；　as　he　solemnly　swore　be
would；　with　the　reply　of　the　Bavarian　government；　and；　perhaps；
brings　the　old　baron　and　his　daughter　with　him；　he　shall　be　free　and
at　liberty　to　go　wherever　he　pleases。　Go；　Cajet