andreas hofer-第38章

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why〃　At　this　moment　Ulrich　opened　his　eyes　again；　and　fixed　a　look
of　proud　hatred　full　upon　Eliza's　face；　which　was　tenderly　bent　over
him。

〃I　do　not　love　you；　I　detest　you！〃　he　hissed；　between　his　firmly…
compressed　teeth。

〃He　lives；　thank　God；　he　lives！〃　cried　Eliza；　〃now　all　is　well；　and
I　am　no　longer　afraid　of　anything。　Schroepfel；　come　here；　take　him
on　your　shoulders；　dear　Schroepfel；　or　let　John　help　you　to　carry
him　to　my　chamber；　where　you　will　lay　him　on　my　bed。　You　swear　to　me
by　the　Holy　Virgin　that　you　will　watch　over　him　faithfully？〃

〃I　swear　by　the　Holy　Virgin；〃　said　Schroepfel；　lifting　his　heavy
fists　to　heaven；　and　then　fixing　his　small；　flashing　eyes　on　Ulrich；
as　a　watch…dog　eyes　the　bone　he　fears　may　be　taken　from　him。

〃And　now　let　us　settle　that　affair　with　the　soldiers　yonder；〃　said
Anthony　Wallner；　going　to　the　windows；　in　front　of　which　the
sharpshooters　were　still　drawn　up　in　line。

〃Soldiers　in　the　rooms；〃　he　shouted　in　a　powerful　voice；　〃surrender！
The　fight　is　at　an　end；　your　captain　is　our　prisoner。　Surrender；　or
you　are　lost；　we　will　set　fire　to　the　house；　and　shoot　down
whosoever　jumps　out　of　the　windows。　if　you　wish　to　save　your　lives；
surrender。〃

One　of　the　sergeants　appeared　at　the　window。

〃We　are　locked　up　and　surrounded；〃　he　said；　〃we　have　no　ammunition；
and　our　captain　is　a　prisoner。　Therefore；　we　will　surrender　if　you
will　allow　us　to　evacuate　the　castle。〃

〃Yes；　but　without　arms；〃　said　Anthony　Wallner；　imperatively。　〃You
will　all　come　in　squads　of　four　to　the　windows　and　hand　out　your
carbines　and　side…arms。　There　are　yet　a　hundred　of　you　in　the　rooms。
As　soon　as　we　have　got　a　hundred　carbines　and　a　hundred　sabres　we
shall　open　the　portal　and　let　you　out。　You　may　return　then　to
Bavaria；　and　tell　your　government　that　no　Southern　Bavarians；　but
true　Tyrolese；　live　in　the　Pusterthal；　the　Vintschgau；　and　the
Passeyrthal。〃

〃We　accept　your　terms；〃　replied　the　sergeant；　〃come；　therefore；　and
receive　our　arms。〃

The　Tyrolese　stepped　up　to　the　windows；　at　each　of　which　squads　of
four　soldiers　made　their　appearance；　and　silently　and　sullenly
handed　out　their　arms；　which　the　Tyrolese　took　and　stacked　in　the
middle　of　the　court…yard。

〃Now　I　will　go　and　see　where　my　Elza　has　concealed　herself；〃
murmured　Eliza　to　herself；　and　she　glided　hastily　through　the　ranks
of　the　Tyrolese　into　the　castle。

No　one　was　to　be　seen　in　the　large　hall；　and；　unnoticed　by　anybody；
Eliza　ascended　the　staircase；　hastened　down　the　corridor；　and
entered　the　dining…room。

The　instinct　of　her　heart　had　guided　her　rightly；　yonder；　in　the
most　remote　corner　of　the　room；　sat　Elza；　groaning　aloud　in　bitter
woe；　her　hands　clasped　on　her　knees；　her　head　bent　on　her　breast；
and　not　perceiving　in　her　agony　that　Eliza　came　in；　that　she
hastened　rapidly；　yet　noiselessly　and　on　tiptoe　through　the　room；
and　stood　still　now　close　in　front　of　her。

〃Why　do　you　weep；　dearest　Elza？〃　asked　Eliza；　kneeling　down　before
her　friend。

Elza　gave　a　start；　and　quickly　raised　her　face；　over　which　were
rolling　rivers　of　scalding　tears。　〃I　do　not　weep　at　all；　Eliza；〃　she
said；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Eliza？〃　she　asked；　wonderingly。　〃You　call　me　Eliza？　Then　I　am　no
longer　your　darling；　your　Lizzie？　You　did　not　assist　me　when　I　had
to　save　your　cousin　Ulrich　below　in　the　court…yard？　You　uttered　a
loud　cry　when　he　lay　more　dead　than　alive　in　my　lap；　and　you　did　not
come　to　help　him　and　me？　And　now　you　call　me　Eliza？〃

〃What　should　I　have　done　there？〃　asked　Elza；　in　a　bitter；　mournful
tone。　〃He　reposed　well　on　your　breast；　he　did　not　need　me。　I　am　only
his　cousin；　but　you；　you　are　his　affianced　bride。〃

〃But　formerly；　I　suppose；　Elza；　he　was　to　be　your　affianced
bridegroom？〃　asked　Eliza；　in　a　low；　tremulous　voice。　〃Oh；　I　always
thought　so；　I　knew　it　all　the　time；　although　you　never　told　me　so。　I
always　thought　Elza　and　Ulrich　would　be　a　good　match；　they　are
suited　to　each　other；　and　will　love　each　other　and　be　happy。　Elza；
Ulrich　was　to　be　your　bridegroom；　was　he　not？〃

〃What　is　the　use　of　talking　about　it　now？〃　asked　Elza；　vehemently。
〃He　is　YOUR　bridegroom；　he　has　sworn　eternal　fidelity　to　you；　and　I
shall　not　dispute　him　with　you。　Marry　him　and　be　happy。〃

〃And　would　your　Lizzie　be　happy　if　her　Elza　were　not　content　with
her？〃　asked　Eliza；　tenderly。　〃Tell　me　only　this：　your　father　and　his
parents　thought　you　were　a　good　matchdid　they　not？〃

〃Yes；　they　did；〃　whispered　Elza；　bursting　again　into　tears。

〃My　father　told　me　yesterday　that　it　was　his　wish；　as　well　as　that
of　Ulrich's　parents。〃

〃And　Ulrich　told　you；　too；　that　he　loved　you　and　would　marry　you？
Tell　me　the　truth；　Elza。　Never　mind　what　I　said　in　the　court　yard
about　Ulrich　being　my　bridegroom。　Remember　only　that　I　am　your
Lizzie；　who　loves　you　better　than　she　can　tell　you；　but　who　will
prove　it　to　you　if　the　good　God　will　permit　her　to　do　so。　Tell　me
therefore；　my　darling；　Ulrich　said　to　you　he　loved　you　and　wished　to
marry　you？〃

〃No；　he　did　not　say　so；　Lizzie；　butbut　I　thought　so；　I　believe；
and　he　thought　so；　too；　and；　O　God！　I　believe　I　love　him。　It　seemed
to　me　as　though　a　dagger　pierced　my　heart　when　you　said　that　he　was
your　bridegroom。　I　could　not　hear　it；　and　hastened　into　the　house　in
order　not　to　see　and　hear　any　thing　further。　I　meant　to　seat　myself
quietly　in　the　dining…room　here　and　submit　to　all　that　might　happen；
and　yet　I　was　drawn　irresistibly　toward　the　balcony；　and　orb　rushing
out　I　saw　you　holding　him　in　your　lap　and　pressing　his　dear　pale
head　to　your　bosom。　I　felt　as　though　the　heavens　were　falling　down
on　me；　I　had　to　cry　out　aloud　in　my　anguish　and　despair。　I　hurried
back　into　the　room；　fell　on　my　knees；　and　prayed　that　death　might
deliver　me　from　my　pains。　O　God；　God！　it　did　not；　I　must　carry　on
life's　dreary　burden　and　cannot　die！〃

She　buried　her　face　in　her　hands　and　sobbed　aloud。

While　Elza　was　speaking；　Eliza　had　turned　paler　and　paler；　a　slight
tremor　passed　through　her　whole　frame；　and　she　compressed　her　lips
firmly；　as　if　to　restrain　the　cry　oppressing　her　bosom。

Now　she　laid　her　hand　gently　on　Elza's　head。　〃You　love　him；　Elza；〃
she　said　mildly。　〃I　understand　your　heart；　dearest　Elza；　you　love
him。　And　now　dry　your　tears　and　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。
But　first　you　must　look　at　me；　Elza；　and　you　must　show　me　your　dear
face；　otherwise　I　won't　tell　you　the　good　news　I　have　got　for　you。〃

Elza　dropped　her　hands　from　her　face；　and　looked；　smiling　amid　her
tears；　into　Eliza's　countenance；　which　seemed　now　again　entirely
calm　and　serene。

〃Now　listen；　Elza；〃　she　whispered；　hurriedly；　〃Ulrich　is　not　my
bridegroom；　and　he　never　told　me　that　he　loved　me。〃

Elza　uttered　a　cry　of　joy；　and　a　sunbeam　seemed　to　illuminate　her
face。

〃I　merely　said　so　in　order　to　save　him；〃　added　Lizzie；　〃that　was　the
reason　why　I　uttered　that　impudent　lie；　which　God　Almighty；　I　hope；
will　forgive　me。　I　saw　that　my　father　was　just　about　to　hill　him　and
my　heart　told　me　I　ought　to　save　him　at　all　hazards。　I　hastened　to
my　father；　and　the　words　escaped　my　lips；　I　myself　do　not　know　how。
I　said　I　loved　him；　he　would　marry　me；　and　was　my　affianced　bride…
groom；　and　this　saved　him；　for　he　was　intent　on　dying　rather　than
fall　alive；　as　he　said；　into　the　hands　of　the　peasant…rabble。　That
was　the　reason　why　he　was　so　bold；　abused　the　Tyrolese　so　violently；
and　would　not　cease　resisting　them。　Therefore；　I　had　to　save　him　not
only　from　my　father；　but　from　his　own　rage；　and　I　did　it。〃

〃But　do　you　not　love　him？〃　asked　Elza　smiling。

〃Do　you　not　know　that　Joseph　Thurmwalder　has　been　courting　me　for　a
year　past？　My　father　will　be　glad　to　have　me　marry　him；　for　he　is
the　son　of　rich　parents　and　the　most　skillful　and　handsome　hunter　in
the　whole　Puster　valley。〃

〃But　you　have　often　told　me　that　you　did　not　love　him？〃

〃Have　you　not　often　told　me　likewise　that　you　did　not　love　Ulrich；
Elza？　We　girls　are　queer　beings；　and　never　say　whom　we　love！〃

〃But　Ulrich！　He　loves　you！　Yes；　yes；　I　know　he　loves　you。　I　have
suspected　it　a　long　time；　and　always　teased　him　with　his　attachment
to　you。〃

〃And　he　always　denied　it；　did　he　not？〃

〃Yes