andreas hofer-第128章

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shorter。　The　Bavarians；　provided　with　torches；　could　see　the　road
and　the　footsteps　of　the　fugitives　in　the　snow；　while　the　latter　had
to　run　blindly　into　the　night；　unable　to　see　whither　their　feet　were
carrying　them；　and　exhausted　by　the　long　journey　of　the　preceding
day。

The　distance　between　pursuers　and　pursued　rapidly　diminished；
scarcely　twenty　yards　now　lay　between　them；　and　the　soldiers
extended　their　hands　already　to　seize　them。　At　this　moment　of
extreme　peril　the　storm　came　up　howling　with　redoubled　fury　and
drove　whole　clouds　of　snow　before　it；　extinguished　the　torches　of
the　Bavarians；　and　shrouded　every　thing　in　utter　darkness。　The
joyful　cries　of　the　pursued　and　the　imprecations　of　their　pursuers
were　heard　at　the　same　time。

Wallner　and　Eliza；　whose　eyes　were　already　accustomed　to　the
darkness；　advanced　at　a　rapid　rate；　the　soldiers　followed　them；　but
blinded　by　the　darkness；　unable　to　see　the　road；　and　calling　each
other　in　order　to　remain　together。　These　calls　and　shouts　added　to
the　advantages　of　the　fugitives；　for　they　indicated　to　them　the
direction　which　they　had　to　take　in　order　to　avoid　the　enemy。
Finally；　the　shouts　became　weaker　and　weaker；　and　died　away
entirely。

The　fugitives　continued　their　flight　more　leisurely；　but　they　could
not　rest　and　stand　still　in　the　dark；　cold　night；　for　the　storm
would　have　frozen　them；　the　cold　would　have　killed　them。　They　did
not　speak；　but　advanced　breathlessly　and　hand　in　hand。　All　at　once
they　beheld　a　light　twinkling　in　the　distance　like　a　star。　There　was
a　house；　then；　and　men　also。　They　walked　on　briskly；　and　the　light
came　nearer　and　nearer。　Now　they　saw　already　the　house　through　whose
windows　it　gleamed。　In　a　few　minutes　they　were　close　to　the　house；
in　front　of　which　they　beheld　a　tall　post。

〃Great　God！〃　cried　Anthony　Wallner；　〃I　believe　that　is　a　boundary…
post；　and　we　are　now　on　Austrian　soil。〃

He　knocked　hastily　at　the　door；　it　opened；　and　the　two　wanderers
entered　the　small；　warm；　and　cozy　room；　where　they　were　received　by
a　man　in　uniform；　who　sat　at　the　table　eating　his　supper。

Anthony　Wallner　went　close　up　to　him　and　pointed　to　his　uniform。

〃You　wear　the　Austrian　uniform〃　he　asked。

〃I　do；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　smilingly。

〃And　we　are　here　on　Austrian　soil？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　The　boundary…post　is　in　front　of　this　house。　This　is　an
Austrian　custom…house。〃

Anthony　Wallner　threw　his　arm　around　Eliza's　neck　and　knelt　down。　He
burst　into　tears；　and　exclaimed　in　a　loud；　joyous　voice；　〃Lord　God
in　heaven；　I　thank　Thee！〃

Eliza　said　nothing；　but　her　tears　spoke　for　her；　and　so　did　the
smile　with　which　she　looked　up　to　heaven　and　then　at　her　father。

The　custom…house　officer　had　risen　and　stood　profoundly　moved　by　the
side　of　the　two。

〃Who　are　you；　my　friend？〃　he　asked；　〃and　why　do　you　weep　and　thank
God？〃

〃Who　am　I？〃　asked　Wallner；　rising　and　drawing　Eliza　up　with　him。　〃I
am　Anthony　Wallner；　and　this　is　my　daughter　Lizzie；　who　has　saved　me
from　the　Bavarians。　The　good　God〃

He　said　no　more；　but　leaned　totteringly　on　Eliza's　shoulder；　and
sank　senseless　to　the　ground。

Eliza　threw　herself　upon　him；　uttering　loud　cries　of　anguish。　〃He　is
dead；〃　she　cried；　despairingly；　〃he　is　dead！〃

〃No；　he　is　not　dead；〃　said　the　officer；　〃the　excitement　and　fatigue
have　produced　a　swoon。　He　will　soon　be　restored　to　consciousness　and
get　over　it。　Careful　nursing　shall　not　be　wanting　to　Anthony　Wallner
in　my　house。〃

He　had　prophesied　correctly。　Anthony　Wallner　awoke　again；　and　seemed
to　recover　rapidly　under　the　kind　nursing　of　his　host　and　his
daughter。

They　remained　two　days　at　the　custom…house　on　the　frontier。　The　news
of　Anthony　Wallner's　arrival　spread　like　wildfire　through　the　whole
neighborhood；　and　the　landed　proprietors　of　the　district　hastened　to
the　custom…house　to　see　the　heroic　Tyrolese　chief　and　his　intrepid
daughter；　and　offered　their　services　to　both　of　them。

It　was　no　longer　necessary　for　them　to　journey　on　foot。　Wherever
they　came；　the　carriages　of　the　wealthy　and　aristocratic　inhabitants
were　in　readiness　for　them；　and　they　were　greeted　everywhere　with
jubilant　acclamations。　Their　journey　to　Vienna　was　an　incessant
triumphal　procession；　a　continued　chain　of　demonstrations　of
enthusiasm　and　manifestations　of　love。

Anthony　Wallner；　however；　remained　silent；　gloomy；　and　downcast；
amid　all　these　triumphs；　and　on　arousing　himself　sometimes　from　his
sombre　broodings；　and　seeing　the　painful　expression　with　which
Eliza's　eyes　rested　on　him；　he　tried　to　smile；　but　the　smile　died
away　on　his　trembling　lips。

〃I　believe　I　shall　be　taken　very　sick；〃　he　said；　faintly。　〃My　head
aches　dreadfully；　and　all　my　limbs　are　trembling。　I　was　too　long　in
the　Alpine　hut；　and　the　numerous　previous　fatigues。　The　excitement；
grief；　cold；　and　hunger；　and　last；　the　long　journey　on　foot；　have
been　too　much　for　me。　Ah；　Lizzie；　Lizzie；　I　shall　be　taken　sick。
Great　God！　it　would　be　dreadful　if　I　should　die　now　and　leave　you
all　alone　in　this　foreign　country！　No；　no；　I　do　not　want　to　be　taken
sick；　I　have　no　time　for　it。　Oh；　listen　to　me；　my　God！　I　do　not　want
to　be　taken　sick；　for　Lizzie　must　not　be　left　an　orphan　here。　No；
no；　no！〃

And　he　lifted　his　clinched　fist　to　heaven；　screamed；　and　wept；　and
uttered　senseless　and　incoherent　words。

〃I　am　afraid　he　has　got　the　nervous　fever；〃　said　Baron　Engenberg；
who　was　conveying　Wallner　and　Eliza　in　his　carriage　from　the　last
station　to　Vienna。　〃It　will　be　necessary　for　us　to　take　him　at　once
to　a　hospital。〃

〃Can　I　stay　with　him　there　and　nurse　him？〃　asked　Eliza；　repressing
her　tears。

〃Of　course　you　can。〃

〃Then　let　us　take　him　to　a　hospital；〃　she　said；　calmly。　〃He　will
die；　but　I　shall　be　there　to　close　his　eyes。〃

And　it　was　Eliza　that　closed　her　father's　eyes。　The　violent　nervous
fever　which　had　seized　Anthony　Wallner　was　too　much　for　his
exhausted　body。　He　died　five　days　after　his　arrival　at　Vienna；　on
the　15th　of　February；　1810；　at　the　city　hospital。

Many　persons　attended　his　funeral；　many　persons　came　to　see　Eliza
Wallner；　the　young　heroine　of　the　Tyrol。　But　Eliza　would　not　see
anybody。　She　remained　in　the　room　which　had　been　assigned　to　her　at
the　hospital；　and　she　spoke　and　prayed　only　with　the　priest　who　had
administered　the　last　unction　to　her　father。

On　the　day　after　the　funeral　the　Emperor　Francis　sent　one　of　his
chamberlains　to　Eliza；　to　induce　her　to　remain　in　Vienna。　He　would
provide　for　her　bountifully；　and　reward　her　for　what　her　father　had
done。　The　chamberlain　was　also　instructed　to　conduct　Eliza　to　the
emperor；　that　he　might　thank　and　console　her　personally。

Eliza　shook　her　head；　gravely。　〃The　emperor　need　not　thank　me；〃　she
said；　〃for　I　did　no　more　for　him　than　he　did　for　the　Tyrol。　He　is
unable　to　console　me；　God　alone　can　do　that；　and　He　will　also
provide　for　me。　I　cannot　see　the　emperor；　for　my　heart　is　too　deeply
afflicted。　But　if　you　will　give　me　money　enough；　sir；　to　return
quickly　to　my　dear　Tyrol　and　my　beloved　mother；　I　shall　accept　it
and　be　grateful　to　you。　I　must　return　to　my　mother　and　weep　with
her；　and　my　dear　home；　my　dear　mountains　will　console　me。〃

〃You　can　set　out　as　soon　as　you　please；〃　said　the　chamberlain。　〃The
emperor　has　interceded　in　your　behalf　and　obtained　this　safeguard
for　you　in　case　you　wished　to　return　to　your　native　country。　No　one
will　molest　you；　and　you　and　your　family　can　live　quietly　at　your
home。〃

〃If　the　emperor　had　done　as　much　for　my　father　as　he　does　for　me；　my
father　would　not　have　died；〃　said　Eliza；　gravely；　accepting　the
paper。　〃Now　he　has　no　longer　need　of　an　emperor。　He　is　with　God；　and
I　would　I　were　with　him　above！　But　I　must　not　leave　my　mother。　I
must　console　her　and　stay　with　her　as　long　as　it　pleases　God。〃
＇Footnote：　Eliza　Wallner　returned　to　Windisch…Matrey；　and　lived
there　in　quiet　retirement。　She　never　married。　After　the　death　of　her
mother　she　yielded　to　Joachim　Haspinger's　entreaties　and　went　to
live　at　his　house。　The　Capuchin　was　ordained　and　appointed　pastor　of
Jotelsee；　and　afterward　of　Traunfeld。　Eliza　lived　with　him　as　his
adopted　daughter；　and　was　still　with　him　at　the　time　of　his　death；
which