andreas hofer-第58章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
sombre vigilance。
He stood a few minutes patiently； and waited for the captain to
address him； but Hohenberg continuing to take no notice of him； he
resolutely laid his hand on his shoulder。
〃Sir； awake！〃 he exclaimed sullenly。
The captain gave a slight start； and pushed the servant's hand with
an angry gesture from his shoulder。
〃I am awake；〃 he said； 〃it is therefore quite unnecessary for you to
lay hands on me。 What is it？ What do you want of me？〃
〃I want to tell you only that our men will return this morning； and
that this will be a great holiday in Windisch…Matrey。 For our men
are victorious； and the country is delivered from the enemy。 Mr。
Wallner has written to us that the brave Tyrolese delivered the
whole country in three days； that they have taken prisoners eight
thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry； and captured eight guns；
two stands of colors； and two French eagles。 Besides； several
thousand French and Bavarians have perished in the gorges and on the
battle…fields。 Very few of our own men have been killed； and not one
of them made prisoner。 Now the whole country is free； and our
victorious men are coming home。〃
Not a muscle in the captain's face had betrayed that he had heard
Schroepfel's report。 He still stared quietly at the sky； and his
features expressed neither grief nor surprise at the astounding
news。
〃You do not ask at all； sir； if Eliza Wallner will return with the
men？〃 asked Schroepfel； angrily。 〃I should think you ought to take
some interest in that； for Lizzie is your betrothed。〃
〃She is not！〃 cried the captain； starting up indignantly； with
flushed cheeks and flashing eyes。
〃Yes； she is；〃 said Schroepfel； composedly。 〃I myself heard the girl
say to her father and the men of Windisch…Matrey： 'He is my
bridegroom； I love him； and you must not kill him。' And because she
said so； the men spared your life； although Anthony Wallner…
Aichberger was very angry； and would not forgive his daughter for
having given her heart to an enemy of her country； a Bavarian； and；
moreover； a nobleman； and not to an honest peasant。 But Lizzie
begged and wailed so much that her father could not but yield； and
promised her to forgive all if she proved that she was no traitoress
to her country； but a true and brave daughter of the Tyrol； after
doing so； he would permit her to marry her Bavarian betrothed。 And
now she has proved that she is a true and brave daughter of the
Tyrol； and the whole country is full of the heroic deeds performed
by Lizzie Wallner； and of the intrepidity which she displayed under
the most trying circumstances。 And to…day； captain； you will meet
again your betrothed； who saved your life； and who went with the men
only to perform heroic deeds that would induce her father to consent
to her union with you。 I tell you； sir； beautiful Lizzie Wallner；
your betrothed； will return in an hour or two。〃
The young man's face crimsoned for a moment； and when the color
disappeared from his cheeks； their pallor was even more striking and
ghastly than before。
〃Eliza Wallner fought； then； very bravely againstagainst my
countrymen？〃 he asked； pantingly。
〃No； she did not fight； sir； but she went into the thickest shower
of bullets to carry away the wounded Tyrolese； and attend to their
injuries； and she drove a hay…wagon directly toward the enemy； and
our men were concealed behind the hay； and she brought a keg of wine
to our men while the bullets were whistling round her； and； finally；
she and the other women escorted the Bavarian prisoners to Castle
Steinach。〃
The young man uttered a cry； and buried his face in his hands。
〃What a disgrace； oh； what a disgrace！〃 he groaned； despairingly；
and in his grief he seemed to have entirely forgotten the presence
of the servant； for he wept； wept so bitterly that large scalding
tears trickled down between his fingers。 〃Our brave soldiers were
defeated by miserable peasants；〃 he wailed。 〃The Bavarian prisoners
were marched off under an escort of women！〃
Schroepfel stood as if petrified； and this outburst of the grief of
the usually haughty and laconic young man filled him with the utmost
surprise and confusion。
However； the captain suddenly dried his tears and dropped his hands
from his face。
〃And Eliza Wallner； you say； led the women who escorted the Bavarian
prisoners？〃 he asked； in a firm； almost menacing voice。
〃Yes； sir； she did；〃 said Schroepfel。 〃And now her father is
reconciled with her； and； to prove it； he will marry his daughter to
you to…day。〃
The captain said nothing； only a proud； scornful smile played around
his lips for a moment。
〃Yes；〃 added Schroepfel； 〃the wedding will come off to…day。
Immediately after their return the procession will move to the
church； where a thanksgiving service will be held； it will be
followed by the marriage ceremony。 Mr。 Wallner wrote to his wife to
send you to the church as soon as the bells commenced ringing； and
to keep you in the vestry until you were sent for。 Remember；
therefore； as soon as the bells commence ringing； I shall call for
you and take you to the vestry。〃
The young man was silent； and gazed thoughtfully before him； be then
threw back his head with an air of bold resolution。
〃All right；〃 he said； 〃I shall accompany you。 Did you not say that
my baggage had been sent hither from the castle？〃
〃Yes； yes； Miss Elza sent every thing hither by her servants； and
she herself came with them。 And during the first days； when you had
the wound…fever； she came here at least three times a day and asked
how you were； and cried and lamented； and entreated me for God's
sake to admit her to your room only for a brief moment。 But I had
sworn not to admit any one to my prisoner； nor to permit him to
speak with any one； hence； I could not make an exception even in
favor of the kind…hearted young lady。 She comes nevertheless every
day and inquires about you； and she begged hard and long until Mrs。
Wallner permitted her to send your dinner always from the castle。 As
you will be free to…day； I may tell you all this； for it will no
longer do any harm。〃
〃No； it will no longer do any harm；〃 said the captain； with a
peculiar smile。 〃Listen； I wish to dress up for to…day's ceremony；
and don my gala uniform。 Therefore be so kind as to fetch it。〃
〃I will； captain； I will fetch the uniform and be back directly；〃
said Schroepfel； cheerfully； limping hastily toward the door。 But
outside he stood still and pressed his finger thoughtfully to his
nose。 〃I do not know exactly what to think of it；〃 he murmured to
himself。 〃At first he uttered a loud cry and said Lizzie Wallner was
not his betrothed； afterward he lamented piteously because Lizzie
Wallner escorted the Bavarian prisoners； and finally he asked for
his gala uniform in order to dress up for the ceremony。 Well； we
shall see very soon if he has honest intentions toward Lizzie and
really loves her。 If he thinks he can play her a trick； he had
better； beware； for I shall never lose sight of him； I shall always
be behind him； and if he does not treat the girl as he ought to； I
will strike him down with my fists like a mad bull！ I will do it； so
help me God！〃
CHAPTER XXI。
THE CATASTROPHE。
The bells were ringing； the men were rejoicing； and the girls of
Windisch…Matrey and its environs took position with baskets of
flowers on both sides of the street。 For the victorious defenders of
the country were approaching； their cheers were already heard at a
distance； and they already saw the merry boys who had gone out to
meet them； and who now headed the procession amid manifestations of
the liveliest delight。 Yes； they were coming； they were coming！
Yonder； down the mountain…slope； moved the motley procession of the
Tyrolese； resembling a glittering serpent of gigantic proportions。
How their rifles flashed in the sun！ How beautifully the bouquets
adorned their pointed green hats！ And now they were already able to
distinguish the faces and the individual forms。 Immediately behind
the boys； at the head of the procession； walked Anthony Wallner…
Aichberger。 How splendid the commander…in…chief looked； and how
beautiful wa
