andreas hofer-第95节

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at　liberty　to　go　wherever　he　pleases。　Go；　Cajetan；　say　that　to　the
captain；　and　give　him　the　papers；　and　repeat　to　him　once　more　all
that　he　is　to　do。　And　you；　Lizzie；　will　you　not　send　by　him　a　note
to　your　friend？　But　it　is　true；　you　have　not　yet　written　a　letter　to
her。　It　is　better　for　you　to　tell　him　what　he　is　to　say　in　your　name
to　your　friend。Go；　therefore；　Cajetan；　take　the　papers　to　the
captain；　and　conduct　him　to　Lizzie。　But　do　not　bring　him　in　here；
for　there　are　in　the　anteroom　still　a　great　many　persons　whom　I　must
see　before　I　can　converse　further　with　you。　Take　him；　therefore；
into　the　other　room；　and　when　he　is　there；　return　to　me；　Cajetan。
Lizzie　may　then　go　in　there　and　see　the　captain；　and　we　shall　speak
with　the　poor　people　in　the　audience…room　who　have　had　to　wait
already　so　long　to…day。But　I　shall　not　let　you　go　again；　my
Lizzie；〃　added　Hofer；　after　Doeninger　had　left　the　room；　〃no；　I
shall　not　let　you　go　again。　You　must　stay　with　me　at　the　palace
here；　and　be　my　dear　little　daughter　until　the　captain　returns　from
his　mission；　and　until　you　know　if　he　brings　your　friend　and　her
father　along　with　him。　Will　you　do　so；　Lizzie？〃

〃I　will；　dear　father　Andreas；　I　will　stay　with　you　until　then；　and
take　care　of　you　as　a　good　daughter；　until　my　dear　Elza；　if　it
please　God；　returns；　when　I　will　go　back　with　her　to　Windisch…
Matrey。〃

At　this　moment　Doeninger　re…entered　the　room。　〃The　captain　is　in　the
room　yonder；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　side…door；　〃he　awaits　you；　and
will　set　out　after　seeing　you。　The　carriage　is　already　at　the　door。
Go；　therefore；　Eliza　Wallner。〃

〃I　am　going　already；〃　said　Eliza。　She　nodded　to　Andreas　with　a　sweet
smile　and　opened　the　door　of　the　adjoining　room；　while　Doeninger
admitted　another　person　from　the　audience…room　into　Hofer's　cabinet。

The　room　which　Eliza　entered　was　one　of　the　large　state　apartments
of　the　palace；　which　Andreas　did　not　occupy；　and　which　he　used　only
on　rare　occasions。　It　was　a　wide　room　with　heavy　silken　hangings　on
the　walls；　curtains　of　the　same　description　covered　the　windows；　so
that　only　a　dim　twilight　reigned　in　the　large　apartment。　Magnificent
gilt　furniture　lined　the　walls；　between　the　windows　stood　large
Venetian　mirrors　in　broad　carved　golden　frames；　and　gorgeous　lustres
of　rock…crystal　were　suspended　from　the　ceiling。

Was　it　the　splendor　and　magnificence　surrounding　her　all　at　once
that　rendered　Eliza　so　timid　and　anxious？　She　leaned　for　a　moment　in
great　embarrassment　against　the　door；　as　if　she　could　not　venture　to
advance　on　the　glittering　floor。　Her　large；　bright　eyes　glanced
uneasily　around　the　great　room；　and　now　she　saw　in　the　window…niche
yonder　the　tall　form　of　a　gentleman；　his　head　was　averted　from　her；
and　he　seemed　to　be　looking　eagerly　out　of　the　window。

〃I　do　not　know　him；　surely；　I　do　not　know　him；〃　said　Eliza　to
herself。　〃It　is　foolish　in　me　to　think　so；　be　strong；　therefore；　my
heart；　strong　and　calm；　and　do　not　throb　so　very　impetuously！〃

And　overcoming　her　bashfulness　with　a　courageous　effort；　she
advanced　toward　the　officer；　who　was　still　turning　his　back　upon
her。

Now　she　was　close　behind　him；　and　said　in　a　low；　bashful　voice：
〃Captain；　I〃

He　turned　quickly；　and　gazed　at　her　with　eyes　radiant　with　joy　and
intense　love。

Eliza　uttered　a　cry；　she　raised　her　hands　involuntarily；　made　a　step
forward；　and　lay　in　his　arms　before　knowing　it；　she　felt　his　burning
kisses　on　her　lips；　in　her　heart；　and　thought　and　knew　nothing　but
〃It　is　he！　It　is　he！　I　see　him　again！　He　still　loves　me！〃

〃See；　dearest　Eliza；〃　whispered　Ulrich；　drawing　her　close　to　his
heart；　〃I　had　to　act　thus　in　order　to　elicit　your　heavenly　secret
from　you。　I　knew　it　was　you　who　wished　to　see　me；　I　wanted　to　take
you　by　surprise；　and　I　succeeded。　Your　surprise　betrayed　what　the
timid　and　chaste　lips　of　my　Eliza　would　not　confess　to　me。　Yes；　you
love　me！　Oh；　deny　it　no　longer；　for　your　heart　betrayed　you　when　you
recognized　me；　and　when　joy　illuminated　your　face　like　a　bright　ray
of　sunshine。　Now　you　are　mine；　Eliza；　and　nothing　on　earth　must　or
shall　separate　us　any　longer。　No；　do　not　try　to　disengage　yourself
from　my　arms；　my　beautiful；　sweet；　affianced　bride！　I　shall　not
leave　you；　even　though　the　whole　world　should　come　to　take　you　from
me；　I　should　not　leave　youno；　not　for　the　whole　world　and　all　its
treasures！〃

〃The　whole　world　will　not　come；〃　said　Eliza；　disengaging　herself
gently　from　his　arms；　〃the　world　does　not　concern　itself　in　the
affairs　of　a　poor　peasant…girl　like　me。　But　I　myself　intend　to　leave
you；　sir；　you　must　let　me　go；　that　we　may　converse　in　a　sensible
manner；　as　it　behooves　two　decent　young　persons。　Take　your　arms
away；　Captain　von　Hohenberg；　it　is　not　right　in　you　to　embrace　me
here　while　we　are　all　alone。　You　would　certainly　be　ashamed　of　it　if
any　one　should　see　you　folding　the　peasant…girl　to　your　heart。〃

〃No；　Eliza；　I　would　not；　I　should　fold　you　only　the　more　tenderly　to
my　heart；　and　exclaim　proudly　in　the　face　of　the　whole　world：　'Eliza
Wallner；　the　peasant…girl；　is　my　affianced　bride；　I　love　and　adore
her　as　the　most　faithful；　noble；　and　generous　heart；　she　is　to
become　my　wife；　and　I　will　love　and　cherish　her　all　my　life！'〃

〃And　if　you　said　so；　the　world　would　laugh　at　you；　but　your　parents
and　my　dear　Elza　would　weep　for　you。　Now；　my　Elza　shall　never　weep
on　my　account；　and　never　shall　your　aristocratic　parents　be　obliged
to　blush　for　the　daughter…in…law　whom　you　bring　into　their　house。　As
a　daughter…in…law　I　can　never　be　welcome　to　them；　hence；　they　could
never　be　welcome　to　me　as　parents…in…law。〃

〃Oh；　Eliza；　your　beauty；　your　angelic　purity　and　goodness　would
surmount　their　resistance；　for　no　heart　is　able　to　withstand　you；
and　when　my　parents　are　once　acquainted　with　you；　when　they　have
submitted　to　stern　necessity；　they　will　soon　love　you；　and　fold　you
as　a　daughter　to　their　hearts。〃

〃But　first　they　would　have　to　submit　to　stern　necessity；　and　I
should　have　to　be　forced　upon　them；　that　they　might　afterward　learn
to　love　me。　Much　obliged　to　you；　sir；　I　am　only　a　peasant…girl；　but
I　have　my　pride　too；　and　will　never　allow　myself　to　be　forced　upon　a
family；　but　will　only　take　a　husband　whose　parents　would　come　to
meet　me　affectionately；　and　give　me；　their　blessing　on　the　threshold
of　my　new　home。　And　now　let　us　drop　the　subject；　and　tell　me　what
has　happened　to　you　during　our　separation。〃

〃You　see；　Eliza；　what　has　happened　to　me；〃　said　Ulrich；　mournfully。
〃After　your　divine　magnanimity　had　set　me　free；　I　succeeded　in
passing　through　the　insurgent　country　to　the　Bavarian　lines　and　re…
entered　the　service。　We　fought　and　suffered　a　great　deal；　and　at
length；　on　the　14th　of　August；　I　was　made　prisoner　by　the　Tyrolese
at　the　battle　of　Mount　Isel　and　taken　to　Innspruck。　However；　they　do
not　know　my　real　name　here；　for　I　did　not　want　the　news　of　my
captivity　to　reach　my　parents；　I　preferred　that　they　should　lament
me　as　killed　in　battle；　rather　than　as　a　prisoner　in　the　hands　of
the　insurgents。　But　fate　decreed　that　it　should　be　otherwise；　I　am
no　longer　to　be　allowed　to　keep　my　mournful　incognito；　I　am　to
repair　to　Munich　to　negotiate　there　an　exchange　of　the　prisoners　for
the　hostages　whom　our　troops　carried　off。〃

〃Your　uncle　and　my　Elza　are　among　the　hostages；〃　exclaimed　Eliza。
〃Oh；　sir；　if　you　really　think　that　you　are　under　obligations　to　me；
if　you　have　not　forgotten　that　I　saved　your　life；　pray　procure　the
release　of　your　dear　old　uncle；　and　bring　him　back　hither；　for　he
has　indeed　a　hard　time　of　it　in　Munich；　where　they　charge　him　with
treason；　and　where　even　his　own　relatives　inveigh　bitterly　against
him。　This　gnaws　at　his　heart；　and；　unless　released　speedily；　he　will
die　of　grief。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　so　sad　a　fate　had　befallen　him；〃　said　Ulrich；
gently；　〃Doeninger　was　the　first　to　tell　me　of　it；　on　bringing　me
the　papers；　and　conducting　me　hither。　But；　I　confess；　in　my　intense
joy　on　meeting　you；　my　dear；　sweet　Eliza；　my　ungrateful　heart　had
forgotten　my　old　uncle；　who　gave　me　so　many　proofs　of　his　love　and
kindness；　and　treated　me　for　months　as　a　son　at　his　house。　I　will
try　to　reward　his　love　by　availing　myself　of　my　influential
connections　and　my　whole　eloquence　to　bring　about　his　release；　I
will　go　myself　to　the　king　to　intercede　in　his　behalf。〃

〃But　you　must　bring　my　Elza　with　you　too；　sir；〃　exclaimed　Eliza。
〃Oh；　I　implore　you；　by　all　that　is　sacred　and　dear　to　you〃

〃Then　implore　me　by　your　name；　by　your　sweet　face；〃　he　interrupted
her；　enthusiastically。

〃I　implore　you　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；〃　she　continued；　without
taking　any　notice　of　his　words；　〃bring　my　Elza　back　to　me。　She　is
the　better　half　of　my　soul；　we　grew　up　together；　we　shared　all　joys
and　afflictions；　and　have　sworn　to　shed　our　heart's　blood　and　die
for　each　other；　if　need　be；　and　to　stand　by　each　other　in　faithful
friendship　to　the　last　day　of　our　lives。　Now；　I　am　only　half　alive
when　my　Elza　is　not　with　me。　Therefore；　dear　Ulrich；　restore　my　Elza
to　me；　and　I　will　thank　you；　and　bless　you；　and　love　you　as　a
brother。〃

〃As　a　brother！〃　he　cried　mournfully。　〃But　I　do　not　want　you　to　love
me