andreas hofer-第39章

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to　you。〃

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

〃Yes；　he　did；　and　yet〃

〃And　he　denied　it　to…day　too；　when　the　lie　would　have　saved　him　at
once。　He　would　die　rather　than　be　a　peasant…girl's　bridegroom！　You
see；　therefore；　that　he　does　not　love　me；　Elza。　But　my　lie　saved　his
life；　and　no　one　must　find　out　that　Ulrich　is　not　my　bridegroom。　For
if　my　father　and　his　friends　should　discover　it；　they　would　kill
him；　because　he　insulted　them　too　deeply　to　be　forgiven。　He　must
remain　my　bridegroom　until　tranquillity　is　re…established　in　the
country。〃

〃Yes；　my　Lizzie；　my　darling！〃　exclaimed　Elza；　encircling　Eliza's
neck　with　her　arms；　〃yes；　let　him　remain　your　bridegroom；　my
sagacious；　brave　Tyrolese　girl。　I　always　said　and　knew　that　you
would　be　a　heroine　if　you　should　have　to　meet　a　great　danger；　and
to…day　you　WERE　a　heroine。〃

〃Not　yet　Elza；　but　I　shall　be　one。　I　am　going　to　prove　to　my　father
and　all　his　friends　that　I　am　a　true　daughter　of　the　Tyrol；　even
though　the　Bavarian　captain　is　my　bridegroom。　And　now；　farewell；
dearest　Elza；　I　must　go　down　again　to　my　father。　But　listen；　I　have
to　tell　you　something　else　yet。　I　shall　leave　our　village　with　my
father　to…day。　We　shall　march　with　our　friends　to　Andreas　Hofer；　for
the　Tyrolese　must　concentrate　their　whole　forces　in　order　to　be
strong　enough　when　they　have　to　meet　the　enemy。　Hence；　it　was
resolved　at　the　very　outset；　that；　so　soon　as　it　was　time　for　the
people　to　rise　against　the　Bavarians；　Speckbacher　and　his　friends；
and　my　father　with　the　peasants　of　the　Puster　valley；　should　join
the　men　of　the　Passeyr　valley　under　Hofer's　command。　I　know　that
father　will　set　out　to…day；　and　I　shall　accompany　him；　Elza。　I　am
not　afraid　of　death　and　the　enemy；　I　know　that　our　cause　is　just；
and　that　the　good　God　will　be　on　our　side。〃

〃But；　nevertheless；　many　noble　hearts　will　be　pierced　for　this　just
cause；　and　yours；　dearest　Lizzie；　may　be　among　them；〃　exclaimed
Elza；　tenderly　folding　her　friend　to　her　heart。　〃Oh；　stay　here；　my
darling；　let　the　men　fight　it　out　alone；　stay　here！〃

〃No；　Elza；　I　must　go　with　them。　My　honor　requires　it；　and　forbids　me
to　stay　at　our　house　with　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg；　for　whose　sake　my
father　called　me　publicly　to…day　a　recreant　daughter　of　the　Tyrol；
and　threatened　to　disown　me　forever。　I　must　prove　to　all　the　world
that　I　am　a　loyal　daughter　of　the　Tyrol；　and　I　feel；　Elza；　that　it
will　do　me　good　to　contribute　my　mite　to　the　deliverance　of　the
fatherland。　I　am　not　gentle　and　patient　enough　to　sit　quietly　at
home　and　wait　until　dear　Liberty　looks　into　my　door　and　says　to　me；
'God　bless　you；　Lizzie！　I　am　here　now。　and　you　also　may　profit　by
the　happiness　which　will　be　caused　by　my　arrival。'　No；　Elza；　I　must
go　with　my　father；　I　must　help　him　to　find　this　dear　Liberty　on　the
mountains　and　in　the　valleys；　and　must　say　to　her；　'God　bless　thee；
Liberty！　I　am　here　now；　and　thou　mayst　profit　by　my　strength；　and　I
will　help　thee　that　thou　mayst　rule　again　over　the　mountains　and
valleys　of　our　dear　Tyrol。'〃

〃Oh；　Lizzie；　you　are　a　genuine　heroine！〃　exclaimed　Elza；　〃I　blush　to
think　that　I　shall　not　accompany　you　and　fight　by　your　side　for
Liberty。〃

〃You　cannot；〃　said　Lizzie；　gravely。　〃You　have　an　aged　father　who
will　stay　at　home；　and　whom　you　must　take　care　of；　and　the　poor　and
sick　count　upon　you；　for　they　know　that　Elza　will　always　be　their
good　angel。　Stay　at　home　and　pray　for　me。　But　never　go　down　to　my
father's　house；　do　not　inquire　for　Ulrich；　and　do　not　try　to　have
him　brought　to　the　castle　here。　He　is　under　Schroepfel's
surveillance；　and　Schroepfel　would　shoot　him　if　he　should　suspect
that　all　is　not　as　it　should　be。　But　if　God　should　decree　my　death；
Elza；　Ulrich　would　be　free　at　once；　and　my　father　would　not　injure
him；　inasmuch　as　he　was　his　Lizzie's　affianced　bridegroom。　He　would
set　him　free。　Ulrich　would　then　come　to　you；　and；　Elza；　you　will
tell　him　not　to　think　that　Lizzie　Wallner　was　a　bad　girl；　and　that
she　was　intent　only　on　getting　an　aristocratic　husband。　You　will
tell　him　that　my　sole　object　was　to　save　his　life；　and　that　I　never
thought　of　marrying　him。　You　will　tell　him　also　that　I　forgave　him
the　injury　which　he　did　me　to…day；　and　that　I　shall　pray　to　God
Almighty　for　him。　And　when　you　stand　before　God's　altar；　and　the
priest　joins　your　hands；　think　of　me；　and　do　not　forget　that　I　loved
you；　dearest　Elza；　better　than　any　once　else　on　earth。　And　now；
farewell；　Elza；　I　shall　not　kiss　you　again；　for　it　makes　my　heart
heavy。〃

〃Lizzie；　Lizzie！〃　shouted　a　powerful　voice　outside　at　this　moment；
〃Lizzie；　where　are　you？　'Tis　time　to　set　out！〃

〃Here　I　am；　dear　father！〃　exclaimed　Lizzie；　stepping　quickly　out　on
the　balcony。　〃I　shall　come　down　to　you　now。　I　was　only　taking　leave
of　Elza。　Now　I　am　ready　to　set　out　and　fight　for　the　dear　Tyrol　and
the　dear　Emperor　Francis！〃

〃Hurrah；　we　will　do　so！〃　cried　the　Tyrolese。　〃We　will　fight　for　the
dear　Tyrol　and　the　dear　Emperor　Francis！　Hurrah！　We　will　expel　the
Bavarians！　Hurrah！　the　Austrians　are　coming！　Hurrah！　the　Tyrol　will
be　free　again！〃




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　BRIDGE　OF　ST。　LAWRENCE。


Anthony　Wallner　and　his　men　marched　all　day　and　all　night　through
the　Puster　valley；　along　the　road　to　the　Muhlbach　pass。　His　daughter
Eliza；　and　young　John　Panzl；　his　friend　and　sympathizer；　walked　by
his　side；　and　behind　him　marched　the　brave　Tyrolese；　whose　force
gained　strength　at　every　step　as　it　advanced；　and　who；　amidst　the
most　enthusiastic　acclamations；　appointed　Anthony　Wallner　commander…
in…chief　of　the　men　of　the　Puster　Valley；　and　John　Panzl　his
lieutenant　and　assistant。

〃I　accept　the　position；　my　friends；〃　said　Wallner；　taking　off　his
hat　and　kindly　greeting　the　men；　〃yes；　I　accept　the　position；　and
will　be　your　commander；　and　will　always　lead　you　faithfully　and
honestly　against　the　enemy。　But　will　you　always　follow　me？　Will　you
not　be　afraid　of　the　enemy's　fire；　and　take　to　your　heels　before　his
artillery？〃

〃No；　we　will　not；〃　shouted　the　brave　men；　〃we　will　stand　by　you
faithfully；　and　fight　with　you　for　the　fatherland　and　the　emperor！〃

〃That　is　right；　men；〃　cried　John　Panzl；　making　a　leap　which　drew
loud　exclamations　of　admiration　from　the　Tyrolese。　〃I　tell　you　it　is
right　in　you　to　think　so；　and　therefore　I　will　likewise　joyfully
accept　the　honor　which　you　have　offered　to　me；　I　will　be　your　second
commander；　will　always　obey　the　orders　of　our　brave　commander…in…
chief；　and　assist　him　and　you　in　driving　the　enemy　from　our　country；
for　the　glory　of　God　and　our　emperor。　Ah；　my　dear　Tyrolese；　I　would
we　could　catch　the　French　and　the　Boafoks　at　length；　take　them　by
the　neck；　and　hurl　them　out　of　the　country。　I　tell　you；　after　we
have　done　it；　I　shall　dance　so　merrily　with　Eliza　Wallner；　my　dear
cousin；　that　the　snowy　heads　of　the　Gross…Glockner　and　Venediger
will　become　warm　and　melt　with　delight。　Lizzie；　we　two；　the　most
celebrated　dancers　of　the　whole　Puster　valley；　will　perform　a　dance
in　honor　of　our　victory；　will　we　not？〃

〃We　will；　Cousin　Panzl；〃　said　Eliza；　smiling。　〃But　before　dancing；
we　must　march　on　and　never　run　back。〃

〃No；　never　run　back；〃　shouted　the　merry　and　courageous　Tyrolese。

〃Forward；　then；　forward！〃　commanded　Anthony　Wallner；　and　the　whole
force　set　out　again　and　marched　rapidly　across　the　mountains　and
through　the　valleys；　it　was　received　everywhere　with　deafening
cheers；　and　gained　at　every　step　fresh　accessions　of　men；　who　rushed
enthusiastically　out　of　their　buts；　armed　with　their　rifles；　or
other　weapons；　even　though　they　had　only　wooden　clubs；　and　bravely
joined　the　defenders　of　the　country。

Already　they　approached　their　destination；　in　the　expansive　valley
below；　yonder；　lay　the　town　of　Brunecken；　surmounted　by　Castle
Bruneck　and　other　ancient　and　decaying　feudal　castles；　and　behind
it；　on　the　way　down　toward　Brixen；　in　the　narrower　gorge；　bordered
on　both　sides　by　precipitous　mountains；　through　which　the　Rienz
hurls　its　foaming　waters；　they　beheld　already　the　small　town　of　St。
Lawrence。　After　reaching　St。　Lawrence　they　had　only　an　hour's　march
to　the　Muhlbach　pass；　which；　in　accordance　with　Andreas　Hofer's
orders；　the　brav