andreas hofer-第33章

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my　dear　children；　until　I　come　back！〃

She　nodded　pleasantly　to　them；　took　the　large　bunch　of　keys　from　the
table；　and　swinging　it　noisily　in　her　hand；　skipped　through　the　room
and　out　of　the　door。

Lizzie　had　followed　her　a　few　steps；　then；　as　if　arrested　by　a
sudden　thought；　she　paused　and　returned　slowly　to　the　balcony。　She
cast　a　quick　glance　on　the　officer；　who　was　leaning　against　the　wall
on　one　side　of　the　balcony；　and；　with　his　arms　folded　on　his　breast；
did　not　avert　his　eyes　from　her。

Eliza　gave　a　start　and　withdrew　to　the　other　side　of　the　balcony。
There　she　sat　down　on　the　bench　like　a　timid　little　bird；　and
allowed　her　eyes　to　wander　dreamily　and　thoughtfully　over　the
landscape。　And；　indeed；　the　view　which　they　enjoyed　from　the；
balcony　was　wondrously　beautiful。　On　one　side　extended　the　splendid
valley；　with　its　meadows　clad　in　the　freshest　verdure　of　spring；　its
foaming　white　mountain…torrents；　its　houses　and　huts；　which
disappeared　gradually　in　the　violet　mists　bordering　the　horizon。　On
both　sides　of　the　valley　rose　the　green　wooded　heights；　interspersed
here　and　there　with　small　verdant　pastures　and　clearings；　on　which
handsome　red　cows　were　grazing　or　lying　in　majestic　repose。　Behind
the　clearings　black　pines　and　firs　dotted　the　slopes；　which；
however；　in　their　more　elevated　portions　became　more　and　more　bare；
where　the　trees　ceased；　appeared　here　and　there　again　green
pastures；　and　on　them；　gray　and　small；　like　birds'　nests；　the　huts
of　the　mountain　cow…keepers；　who；　the　most　advanced　sentinels；　as　it
were；　were　guarding　the　frontiers　where　the　war　between　nature　and
man　commences；　the　frontiers　of　the　snowy　region　and　the　world　of
glaciers。　Behind　the　cow…keepers'　huts　flashed　already　masses　of
snow　from　several　mountain…gorges；　farther　above；　the　snow　had
spread　its　white　silver　veils　far　and　wide　over　all　the　mountain…
peaks；　so　that　they　glittered　and　sparkled　with　indescribable　beauty
in　the　bright　morning　sun；　and　loomed　like　swans'　necks　up　to　the
azure　sky。

Below；　in　the　foreground　of　the　valley；　at　the　foot　of　Castle
Weissenstein；　lay　the　village　of　Windisch…Matrey；　with　its
scattering　groups　of　handsome　houses；　from　whose　midst　arose　the
church；　with　its　tall；　pointed　steeple。　From　the　standpoint　which
she　occupied；　Eliza　was　able　to　distinctly　survey　the　market…place
and　its　crowds　of　men；　which；　in　the　distance；　resembled　busy　black
ant…hills。　She　gazed　upon　them　fixedly；　and　the　small　specks　seemed
to　her　practised　eye　like　human　forms；　she　thought　she　could
distinguish　several　of　them；　and；　among　others；　the　tall　and
powerful　form　of　her　father；　she　thought

〃Eliza；〃　said　all　at　once　a　low　voice　by　her　side〃Eliza；　you　do
not　want　to　see　me；　then？　You　are　still　angry　with　me？〃

She　gave　a　start；　and　crimsoned；　when；　on　looking　up；　she　saw　young
Ulrich　von　Hohenberg　standing　close　in　front　of　her；　and　gazing　at
her　with　ardent　and　beseeching　eyes。

〃No；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃I　really　did　not　see　you。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　Eliza；　you　are　still　angry　with　me？〃　he　asked；
eagerly。　〃You　are　silent；　you　avert　your　head。　My　God！　Eliza；　what
did　I　do；　then；　to　incur　your　anger？〃

〃Not　much；　perhaps；　for　city　folks；　but　by　far　too　much　for　a　poor
peasant…girl；〃　she　said；　with　eyes　flashing　proudly。　〃You　told　me
you　loved　me；　you　tried　forcibly　to　embrace　and　kiss　me；　and　begged
me　to　go　up　early　in　the　morning　to　the　yellow　grotto；　where　you
would　wait　for　me。　You　told　me　further　not　to　say　a　word　about　it　to
anybody；　it　should　remain　a　secret　between　you　and　me；　and　I　should
not　even　mention　it　to　the　priest　at　the　confessional。　That　was　not
honest　of　you；　sir；　nay；　it　was　bad　of　you　to　try　and　persuade　me　to
such　mean　things。　It　showed　me　that　you　cannot　be　a　good　man；　and
that　your　friendship　for　me　is　prompted　by　evil　intentions。〃

〃I　do　not　feel　any　friendship　for　you；　none　whatever；〃　said　the
young　man　ardently；　seating　himself　by　her　side；　seizing　her　hand　in
spite　of　her　resistance；　and　pressing　it　to　his　heart。　〃I　do　not
want　to　be　your　friend；　my　sweet；　beautiful；　wild　Alpine　rose；　no；
not　your　friend；　but　your　lover。　And　I　commence　by　loving　you　with
intense　ardor；　by　desiring　and　longing　for　nothing；　and　thinking　of
nothing　but　you　alone。　Oh；　Eliza；　believe　me；　I　love　you　intensely
by　far　more　than　Elza；　more　than　your　parents；　more　than　all　your
friends　together。〃

〃More；　perhaps；　but　not　better；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head；　and
gently　withdrawing　her　hand　from　him。

〃No；　let　me　keep　your　hand！〃　he　exclaimed　hastily；　seizing　it　again；
〃let　me　keep　it；　Eliza；　for　I　tell　you　I　love　you　better　too　than
all　the　others；　I　love　you　with　my　soul；　with　my　heart；　with　my
blood；　with　my　life！　Oh；　believe　me；　sweet；　lovely　child；　believe　me
and　give　me　your　heart；　follow　me；　and　be　minemine　forevermore！　I
will　give　you　a　happy；　brilliant；　and　beautiful　existence；　I　will
lay　at　your　feet　all　the　pleasures；　enjoyments；　and　charms　of　this
world〃

〃Sir；〃　interrupted　Eliza；　hastily；　jumping　up；　and　fixing　her　eyes
upon　him　with　a　strange；　ardent　expression；　〃I　hope　I　understand　you
right；　and　my　ears　do　not　deceive　me？　You　offer　me　your　hand？　You
want　to　marry　me　and　make　me　your　wife？〃

The　young　man　gave　a　slight　start　and　dropped　his　eyes。　Eliza　saw
it；　and　a　sarcastic　smile　played　round　her　lips。　〃Why　do　you　not
speak？〃　she　said。　〃Reply　to　me。　Did　I　understand　you？　Did　you　make
serious　proposals　of　marriage　to　me？　Will　you　go　down　to　my　father
this　very　day　and　say　to　him：　'Listen；　sir。　I；　the　aristocratic
gentleman；　I；　Captain　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg；　want　to　marry　your
daughter　Lizzie。　I　think　this　country　girl；　with　her　manners；　her
language　and　bearing；　is　well　fitted　to　associate　with　my
aristocratic　and　distinguished　family；　and　my　parents　in　Munich
would　be　overjoyed　if　I　should　bring　to　them　this　Tyrolese　girl　as
their　daughter…in…law；　and　a　brown　cow　and　a　white　goat　as　her
dower。'　Tell　me；　sir；　will　you　go　down　to　my　dear　father；　the
innkeeper　of　Windisch…Matrey；　and　say　that　to　him？〃

〃But；　Eliza；〃　sighed　the　young　man；　mournfully；　〃if　you　loved　me
only　a　little；　you　would　not　immediately　think　of　marriage；　but
would　forget　every　thing　else；　allow　your　whole　past　to　sink　into
oblivion　behind　you；　and　think　of　nothing　but　the　fact　that　I　love
you　intensely；　and　that　you　return　my　love。〃

〃But　I　do　not　admit　at　all　that　I　love　you；〃　said　Eliza；　proudly；
〃on　the　contrary；　you　alone　say　and　swear　that　you　love　me；　and　I
reply　that　I　do　not　believe　you。〃

〃And　why　do　you　not　believe　me；　cruel；　beautiful　girl？〃

〃Because　you　utter　so　many　fine　phrases　which　amount　to　nothing　at
all。　You　tell　me　that　you　are　very　fond　of　me；　but　I　think　if　you
love　any　body　with　all　your　heart；　you　must　be　anxious　to　preserve
him　from　misfortune；　and　do　all　you　can　to　make　him　happy；　even
though　it　were　at　the　expense　of　your　own　happiness。　But　you；　sir；
do　not　intend　to　make　me　happy；　on　the　contrary；　you　are　bent　on
plunging　me　into　misery　and　disgrace；　and　that　is　the　reason　why　I
contend　that　you　do　not　love　me。〃

〃Then　you　have　a　heart　of　stone；〃　cried　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg；
despairingly；　〃you　will　not　see　what　I　am　suffering；　nor　how
intensely　I　love　you。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　she；　smiling；　〃if　I　cannot　comprehend　it；　pray　explain
to　me　how　you　love　me。〃

〃I　love　you　as　the　most　beautiful；　lovely；　and　charming　creature　I
have　ever　known　and　admired。　I　love　you　as　a　girl　whose　innocence；
naturalness；　and　goodness；　fill　my　heart　with　ecstasy　and　profound
emotion；　by　whose　side　I　should　like　to　spend　my　whole　life；　and
united　with　whom　I　should　wish　to　seek　for　a　lonely　island　of
happiness　to　dream　thereremote　from　the　world；　its　prejudices　and
folliesa　sweet；　blissful　love…life；　from　which　only　death　would
arouse　us。〃

〃Sir；　if　you　really　love　me　in　this　manner；　you　need　not　run　away
with　me　to　seek　elsewhere　in　foreign　lands　the　'lonely　island　of
happiness；'　as　you　call　it；　for　in　that　case　you　would　have　it　round
you　wherever　we　might　be；　and；　above　all　things；　here　in　our
mountains。　But；　look；　it　is　just　as　I　said；　you　are　desirous　to　find
a　'lonely　island　of　happiness'that　is　to　say；