andreas hofer-第103章

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signed。

Andreas　Hofer　gave　public　audiences　every　morning　like　a　real
prince；　and　the　sentinels　placed　in　front　of　the　imperial　palace　and
at　the　door　of　the　commander…in…chief　had　received　stringent　orders
not　to　refuse　admittance　to　the　audience…room　to　any　one；　but　allow
all　to　come　in；　how　poorly　soever　they　might　be　dressed。　Andreas
listened　to　every　one　with　kind　patience　and　cordial　sympathy；　and
always　took　care　to　help　console　the　distressed；　make　peace；　and
conciliate；　and　every　one　who　needed　comfort　and　assistance　hastened
to　apply　to　the　always　helpful　commander…in…chief。

To…day　again　many　persons　were　in　the　audience…room；　waiting
impatiently　for　the　moment　when　the　door　should　open；　and　when
Andreas　Hofer　should　make　his　appearance　on　the　threshold；　greet　all
with　a　pleasant　nod　of　his　head；　and　then　beckon　to　him　who　was
nearest　to　the　door　to　enter　his　cabinet。

But　the　hour　fixed　for　the　audience　had　struck　long　ago；　and　the
commander…in…chief；　who　was　usually　so　punctual　and　conscientious；
had　not　yet　opened　the　door　of　his　audience…room。　He　had　already
been　half　an　hour　in　his　cabinet；　and　Doeninger　sat　at　the　desk；
ready　to　write　down　the　names　of　all　applicants　for　audience；　and
add　a　brief　statement　of　their　wishes　and　petitions。　But　Andreas　was
still　pacing　the　room；　his　hands　behind　his　back；　and　although　he
had　already　laid　his　hand　twice　on　the　door…knob；　he　had　stepped
back　as　if　in　terror；　and　continued　striding　up　and　down。

〃Commander…in…chief；〃　said　Doeninger；　after　a　long　pause；　during
which　he　had　watched　Hofer's　irresolute　bearing　smilingly；　〃there　is
something　that　disquiets　you；　is　there　not？〃

〃Yes；　Cajetan；〃　sighed　Andreas。　〃As　you　have　found　it　out；　I　will　no
longer　deny　that　there　is　something　that　disquiets　me。〃

〃And　what　is　it；　commander…in…chief？　Will　you　not　communicate　it　to
your　faithful　and　discreet　Cajetan？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；　my　dear　Cajetan；〃　said　Hofer。　〃I　am　afraid　I　did
something　very　stupid　yesterday；　and　I　am　ashamed　of　it。〃

〃Ah；　you　allude　to　the　lawsuit　which　you　decided　yesterday；〃
exclaimed　Doeninger。

〃You　see；　no　sooner　did　I　say　that　I　did　something　very　stupid；　than
you　at　once　knew　what　I　meant；　what　I　did　must；　therefore；　have　been
very　stupid　indeed。　Yes；　I　alluded　to　the　lawsuit；　Cajetan；　for　I　am
afraid　I　did　not　decide　it；　but　made　it　only　more　complicated。〃

〃On　the　whole；　there　was　nothing　to　be　decided；〃　said　Doeninger；
dryly。　〃The　lawsuit　was　already　decided；　the　supreme　court　had　given
judgment　in　favor　of　the　plaintiff　and　awarded　to　him　the　sum　of　one
thousand　florins；　which　was　at　issue；　and　sentenced　the　defendant　to
pay　that　sum　and　the　costs。　But　the　defendant〃

〃It　was　no　man；　Cajetan；〃　interrupted　Andreas；　〃it　was　a　woman；　and
that　was　the　worst　of　it。　I　cannot　bear　to　see　women　weep。　They　know
so　well　how　to　touch　my　heart　by　their　tears　and　lamentations；　that
I　long　to　help　them。　Lord　Jesus；　how　that　woman；　the　defendant　in
the　lawsuit；　wept！　And　was　it　the　poor　woman's　fault；　Cajetan；　that
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。