andreas hofer-第21章

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seemed　to　listen　intently　for　some　sound；　all　remaining　silent
outside；　he　commenced　again　striding　up　and　down；　and　whenever　he
approached　the　clock　on　the　mantelpiece　he　cast　an　anxious　glance　on
it。

〃I　am　afraid　Hormayr　was　not　at　home；〃　he　murmured　moodily　to
himself；　〃his　servants　did　not　know　where　he　was；　and　therefore　the
mischief　cannot　be　stopped。〃

He　drew　a　golden　snuff…box　from　his　pocket　and　took　a　large　pinch
from　it。　〃I　said　at　the　very　outset；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　we　ought　to
keep　aloof　from　these　stupid　peasants；　who　will　only　involve　us　in
trouble　and　mischief。　But　those　gentlemen　would　not　listen　to　me；
andReally；　I　believe　I　hear　footsteps　in　the　anteroom。　Yes；　yes；
somebody　is　coming！〃

Count　Stadion　was　not　mistaken。　The　door　opened；　and　a　footman
announced；　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Baron　von　Hormayr！〃

〃Let　him　come　in；　let　him　come　in；　quick！〃　said　Count　Stadion；
waving　his　hand　impatiently；　and　when　Hormayr　appeared　on　the
threshold　of　the　door；　he　hastily　went　to　meet　him。

〃In　truth；　it　took　my　servants　a　good　while　to　find　you！〃　exclaimed
the　minister；　angrily。　〃I　have　been　waiting　for　you　half　an　hour。〃

〃I　was　at　the　Archduke　John's　rooms；　with　whom　I　had　business　of
importance；　your　excellency；〃　said　Hormayr；　emphasizing　his　last
words。　〃Moreover；　I　could　not　guess　that　your　excellency　would　wish
to　grant　me　an　audience　at　so　unusual　an　hour；　and　without　my　asking
for　it。〃

〃At　so　unusual　an　hour！〃　cried　Count　Stadion；　putting　one　pinch　of
snuff　after　another　into　his　nose。　〃Yes；　yes；　at　so　unusual　an　hour！
It　would　have　been　more　agreeable　to　me；　too；　if　it　had　been
unnecessary　for　me　to　trouble　you　and　myself。　But　it　is　your　own
fault。　You　do　not　keep　your　word。〃

〃Your　excellency！〃　cried　Hormayr；　indignantly。

〃Bah！　it　is　true。　You　do　not　keep　your　word。　You　promised　me　that
your　Tyrolese　should　not　show　themselves；　lest　we　might　be　charged
with　fomenting　an　insurrection；　and　it　was　necessary；　also；　to
prevent　the　Bavarians　from　learning　prematurely　our　plans。　Can　you
deny　that　you　promised　this　to　me？　〃

〃No；　your　excellency；　I　do　not　deny　it　at　all。〃

〃Well；　your　Tyrolese　are　running　around　everywhere。〃

〃Pardon　me；　your　excellency；　that　cannot　be　true。　You　must　have　been
misinformed。〃

〃What！　misinformed？　How　dare　you　say　so　to　my　face；　sir？　Your
beardman；　or　bushman；　or　Sandwirth　Hofer　is　at　the　Karnthnerthor
Theatre；　and　is　the　observed　of　all　observers。　I　saw　him　with　my　own
eyes；　and　that　was　the　reason　why　I　left　the　theatre　and　sent　for
you。〃＇Footnote：　Count　Stadion's　own　words。See　Hormayr's　〃Andreas
Hofer；〃　vol　i。；　p。　209＇

〃Your　excellency　saw　him　with　your　own　eyes！　Then；　of　course；　it
must　be　true；　and　I　would　beg　leave　of　your　excellency　to　go
immediately　to　the　theatre　and　take　him　to　his　hotel。〃

〃That　was　just　what　I　wished　to　ask　you　to　do；　Baron　von　Hormayr。
Make　haste　and　induce　this　bushman　to　leave　Vienna　immediately。〃

〃He　will　leave　the　capital　early　in　the　morning。　Your　excellency
will　permit　me　now　to　withdraw。〃

Baron　von　Hormayr　hastened　down　stairs；　left　the　chancery　of　state；
and　crossed　the　Joseph's　Place。　On　reaching　the　Karnthnerthor
Theatre；　he　bought　a　ticket　at　the　office　and　entered　the　pit。

〃The　Marriage　of　Figaro；〃　by　Mozart；　was　performed　at　the
Karnthnerthor　Theatre　to…night；　and　this　favorite　opera　of　the
Viennese　had　attracted　so　large　an　audience　that　not　a　seat　was
vacant；　and　the　baron　had　to　elbow　his　way　with　no　little　difficulty
through　the　crowd　filling　the　pit；　in　order　to　reach　a　point　where
he　might　be　able　to　see　every　part　of　the　house；　and　discover　him
for　whose　sake　he　had　come。

At　length　he　had　succeeded　in　advancing　so　far　that；　leaning　against
one　of　the　pillars　supporting　the　upper　tiers　of　boxes；　he　was　able
to　survey　the　lower　part　of　the　house。　But　all　faces　were　averted
from　it；　all　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　stage。　The　opera　had　just
reached　the　scene　where　Count　Almaviva　lifts　the　carpet　from　the
chair　and　finds　Cherubino　under　it。　A　loud　outburst　of　laughter
resounded　from　the　pit　to　the　upper　gallery。　But　in　the　midst　of　the
din；　a　loud　and　angry　voice　exclaimed：　〃Ah；　you　young　good…for…
nothing；　if　I　had　you　here　I　would　show　you　how　to　behave！〃　And　a
threatening　fist　and　vigorous　arm　was　raised　in　the　midst　of　the
orchestra…stalls。

〃Good　heavens！　that　is　really　Andreas　Hofer；〃　murmured　Baron　von
Hormayr；　concealing　himself　anxiously　behind　the　pillar。　A　renewed
shout　of　laughter　greeted　Hofer's　words；　and　all　eyes　turned　toward
the　side　where　they　had　been　uttered。　And　there　sat　the　good　Andreas
Hofer；　in　his　handsome　national　costume；　with　his　long　black　beard；
and　his　florid；　kind…hearted　face。　There　he　sat；　quite　regardless　of
the　gaze　which　the　audience　fixed　upon　him；　utterly　unaware　of　the
fact　that　he　was　the　observed　of　all　observers；　and　quite　engrossed
in　looking　at　the　stage；　where　proceeded　the　well…known　scene
between　Cherubino；　the　count；　and　Figaro。　He　followed　the　progress
of　the　action　with　rapt　attention；　and　when　Cherubino　tried　to　prove
his　innocence　by　all　sorts　of　plausible　and　improbable　falsehoods；
Hofer's　brow　became　clouded。　He　averted　his　eyes　from　the　stage；　and
turned　to　his　neighbor。　〃Why；〃　he　said；　loudly　and　indignantly；
〃that　boy　is　as　great　a　liar　as　though　he　were　Bonaparte　himself！〃

Now　the　merriment　of　the　audience　knew　no　longer　any　bounds。　They
applauded；　they　shouted；　〃Bravo！　bravo！〃　They　forgot　the　scene　on
the　stage　entirely；　and　devoted　their　exclusive　attention　to　the
queer；　bearded　stranger　in　the　orchestra…stall；　on　whom　all　eyes　and
opera…glasses　were　fixed。

Baron　von　Hormayr　behind　his　pillar　wiped　the　perspiration　from　his
forehead；　and　cast　furious　glances　on　Andreas　Hofer；　who；　however；
was　utterly　unaware　of　his　presence；　and　from　whose　breast；
protected　as　it　was　by　his　beard　and　crucifix；　rebounded　all　such
glances　like　blunted　arrows。

The　actors；　who；　interrupted　by　the　unexpected　cheers；　and　the
incident　in　the　audience；　had　paused　a　few　minutes；　and　had
themselves　hardly　been　able　to　refrain　from　bursting　into　laughter；
now　continued　their　scene；　and　the　charms　of　the　music　and　the
interesting　character　of　the　action　soon　succeeded　again　in　riveting
the　attention　of　the　audience。

Andreas　Hofer；　who　had　in　the　mean　time　relapsed　into　his　silent
astonishment；　gazed　fixedly　upon　the　stage。　Baron　von　Hormayr　left
his　place　quietly　and　walked　to　the　entrance。　He　slipped　a　florin
into　the　hand　of　the　doorkeeper；　who　was　leaning　against　the　wall。
〃Say；〃　he　whispered　to　him　hastily；　〃as　soon　as　the　curtain　drops；
go　to　the　giant　with　the　long　beard；　who　sits　in　the　orchestra…stall
yonder；　and　whose　words　amused　the　audience　just　now。　He　is　a
cattle…dealer　from　Hungary；　and　I　must　see　him　at　once。　Just　whisper
in　his　ear　that　his　countryman　with　the　wine　and　horses　has　arrived；
and　it　is　necessary　he　should　come　and　see　him　right　away。Thank
God；　the　curtain　falls！　Now　make　haste。　If　you　bring　the　cattle…
dealer　with　you　into　the　corridor；　I　will　give　you　another　florin。〃

The　doorkeeper's　face　beamed　with　satisfaction；　he　elbowed　himself
courageously　through　the　crowd；　and　succeeded。　in　reaching　the
〃cattle…dealer　from　Hungary；〃　who　sat　absorbed　in　his　reflections；
with　his　head　bent　on　his　breast。　He　touched　his　shoulder　softly　and
whispered　his　message　into　his　ear。

Andreas　Hofer　gave　a　start　and　stared　at　the　doorkeeper。　〃What
countrymen？〃　he　asked；　〃and　how　can　he　bring　to　me　wine　and　horses
here　as〃

〃I　do　not　know　anything　about　it；〃　whispered　the　door…keeper；　〃I
know　only　that　your　countryman　with　the　wine　and　the　horses　is
waiting　for　you；　and　that　he　says　he　must　see　you　right　away。〃

〃　Well；　then；　come；　conduct　me　to　him；〃　said　Andreas；　rising　from
his　chair；　and　drawing　up　his　colossal　form　to　its　full　height。　〃I
should　like　to　know　who　this　countryman　is。　Lead　the　way；　sir；　I
will　follow　you。〃

The　doorkeeper　retraced　his　steps　through　the　crowd；　Andreas　Hofer
followed　him；　greeting　kindly　and　pleasantly　in　all　directions；　and
pushing　aside　the　men　like　flies　whenever　they　stood　in　his　way。

At　length　they　reache