andreas hofer-第62章

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utterly　dishonest；　and　who　treated　our　beautiful；　noble　Lizzie　in　so
infamous　a　manner！　Well；　if　I　were　in　the　girl's　place；　I　would　not
take　the　perfidious　wretch　who　has　denied　her　twice　already。　Oh；　how
merry　they　are　down…stairs！　No　one　thinks　of　me　and　gives　me　a　drop
of　wine　that　I　may　likewise　drink　to　the　welfare　of　the　fatherland。〃

But　Schroepfel　was　mistaken　for　once；　for　quick　footsteps　ascended
the　staircase　at　this　moment；　and　now　appeared　the　lovely　head　of
Eliza　Wallner　above　the　railing；　then　her　whole　form；　and　a　second
afterward　she　stood　in　the　passage　close　before　Schroepfel。　In　her
hands　she　held　a　plate　with　a　large　piece　of　the　fine　cake　which　her
mother　herself　had　baked；　and　a　large　glass　of　excellent　red　wine。

〃There；　good；　faithful　Schroepfel；〃　she　said　in　her　gentle　voice；
nodding　to　him　pleasantly；　and　handing　the　plate　to　him；　〃eat　and
drink；　and　let　me　in　the　mean　time　go　and　see　your　prisoner。〃

〃What　do　you　want　of　him？〃　asked　Schroepfel；　moodily。

〃I　want　to　see　him　about　our　wedding　to…morrow；〃　said　Eliza　calmly；
〃and　you　know　father　has　given　me　permission　to　go　to　him　and　speak
with　him。〃

〃Yes；　he　did；　and　I　cannot　prevent　you　from　entering；　which　I　would
do　otherwise；〃　growled　Schroepfel。　〃Go　in；　then；　but　do　not　stay　too
long；　and　if　he　should　abuse　you　again；　pray　call　me；　and　I　will
assist　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　dear　Schroepfel；〃　said　Eliza；　〃but　pray　admit　me　now。〃

Schroepfel　withdrew　his　settee　from　the　door　and　allowed　Eliza　to
open　it；　and；　entering　to　the　prisoner；　closed　it　again　behind　her。

Ulrich　von　Hohenberg　still　sat；　as　Schroepfel　had　seen　him；　at　the
table；　leaning　his　head　on　his　hand；　only　he　had　now　covered　his
eyes　with　his　hands；　and　long　sighs　issued　from　his　breast。　He
seemed　not　to　know　that　the　door　had　opened　and　some　one　had
entered；　or　rather　perhaps　he　thought　it　was　only　Schroepfel；　and　he
did　not　wish　to　take　any　notice　of　him。

Eliza　Wallner　stood　leaning　against　the　wall；　and　gazed　at　him　a
long　time　with　a　wondrous　expression　of　love　and　grief；　for　a　moment
she　laid　her　hand　on　her　bosom；　as　if　to　stifle　the　cry　which　her
lips　were　already　about　to　utter；　then　she　cast　a　beseeching　glance
toward　heaven；　and；　as　if　strengthened　by　this　mute　invocation；　she
stepped　forward。

〃Captain　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg！〃　she　said；　in　her　sweet；　melodious
voice。

He　gave　a　start；　dropped　his　hand　from　his　face；　and　jumped　up。

〃Eliza　Wallner！〃　he　said；　breathlessly　and　in　great　confusion。

She　only　nodded　her　head；　and　fixed　her　clear；　piercing　eyes　with　a
proud；　reproachful　expression　on　his　face；　he　dropped　his　eyes
before　her　gaze。　On　seeing　this；　Eliza　smiled；　and；　crossing　the
room　with　a　rapid　step；　went　to　the　window。

〃Come　here；　sir；　and　look　at　that。　What　do　you　see　yonder？〃

Ulrich　stepped　to　her　and　looked　out。　〃I　see　the　mountains　and　the
summits　of　the　glaciers；〃　he　said；　〃and　in　the　direction　in　which
you　are　pointing　your　finger；　I　see　also　my　uncle's　castle。〃

〃Do　you　see　also　the　balcony；　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg？〃　she　asked；
somewhat　sarcastically。

〃I　do；〃　he　replied；　almost　timidly。

She　looked　at　him　with　the　proud　and　lofty　air　of　a　queen。

〃When　we　met　last　and　spoke　with　each　other；　we　stood　on　yonder
balcony；〃　added　Eliza。　〃Do　you　remember　what　we　said　at　the　time；
sir？〃

〃Eliza；〃　he　murmured

〃You　remember　it　no　longer；〃　she　interrupted　him；　〃but　I　do。　On
yonder　balcony　you　swore　to　me　that　you　loved　me　boundlessly；　and
when　I　laughed　at　you；　you　invoked　heaven　and　earth　to　bear　witness
of　your　love。　Now；　sir；　heaven　and　earth　gave　you　an　opportunity　to
prove　your　ardent　love　for　Eliza　Wallner。　Did　you　profit　by　that
opportunity？〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃it　is　true；　I　acted　harshly　and
cruelly　toward　you；　I　occasioned　you　bitter　grief；　I〃

〃I　do　not　complain；〃　she　exclaimed；　proudly。　〃I　do　not　speak　of
myself；　but　only　of　you。　You　swore　eternal　love　to　me　at　that　time；
but　you　did　so　as　a　mendacious　Bavarian；　I　did　not　believe　you；　and
knew　full　well　that　you　had　no　honest　intentions　toward　me。　For　this
reason　I　laughed　at　you；　and　said　the　peasant…girl　was　no　suitable
match　for　you；　and　rejected　all　your　oaths　and　protestations　of
passionate　love。〃

〃But　afterwards；　to　punish　me　for　venturing　to　speak　of　love　to
you；〃　he　exclaimed；　impetuously；　〃you　feigned　to　have　believed　my
protestations　and　oaths；　and　although　you　had　previously　laughed　at
me；　you　wished　now　to　become　my　wife。〃

〃No；〃　she　said；　with　a　fiery　glance　of　disdain；　〃no；　afterwards　I
only　wished　to　save　your　life。　You　have　utterly　mistaken　Eliza
Wallner's　character；　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg。　You　thought　Lizzie
Wallner　would　deem　herself　exceedingly　fortunate　to　become　the　wife
of　an　aristocratic　gentleman；　even　though　he　took　her　only　by
compulsion：　you　thought　she　would　be　content　to　leave　the　Tyrol　by
the　side　of　the　nobleman　who　disdained　her；　and　go　to　the　large
foreign　city　of　Munich；　where　the　aristocracy　would　scorn　and　mock
the　poor　Tyrolese　girl。　No；　sir；　I　tell　you；　you　have　utterly
mistaken　my　character。　I　attach　no　value　whatever　to　your
aristocratic　name；　nor　to　the　distinguished　position　of　your　family；
when　I　marry；　I　shall　choose　a　husband　who　loves　me　with　all　his
heart；　and　who　does　not　wish　to　live　without　me；　and　takes　me　of　his
own　accord；　and　with　the　full　enthusiasm　of　a　noble　heart。　But　he
would　have　to　remain　in　the　mountains　and　be　a　son　of　the　Tyrol；　for
my　heart　is　attached　to　the　mountains；　and　never　would　I　or　could　I
leave　them　to　remove　to　a　large　city。　You　see；　therefore；　Ulrich；
that　a　marriage　with　you　would　by　no　means　appear　to　me　a　very
fortunate　thing；　and；　moreover；　if　you　had　allowed　yourself　to　be
compelled　to　marry　me；　had　you　not　refused　to　do　so；　I　should　have
despised　you　all　my　life　long　as　a　miserable　coward。　I　thank　you；
therefore；　for　resisting　the　men　so　bravely；　for　I　should　have　been
sorry　to　be　obliged　to　despise　you；　you　are　my　dear　Elza's　cousin；
and　I　myself　have　always　liked　you　so　well。〃

〃Eliza；〃　he　exclaimed；　impetuously；　〃you　are　an　angel　of　goodness
and　lenity；　and　I　stand　before　you　filled　with　shame　and　grief。　You
say　you　always　liked　me　so　well；　and　I　treated　you　with　so　much
ingratitude　and　disdain！　Oh；　let　me　press　this　dear　hand　to　my　lips；
let　me　thank　you　for　all　that　you　have　done　for　me！〃

He　tried　to　seize　her　hand；　but　she　withdrew　it　from　him　quickly。

〃Captain　von　Hohenberg；〃　she　said；　〃we　are　no　longer　on　the　balcony
yonder；　nor　is　it　necessary　that　you　should　kiss　my　hand。　That　may
be　suitable　when　you　have　fair　ladies　from　the　city　before　you；　but
not　when　you　are　speaking　with　a　Tyrolese　girl。　Besides；　I　did　not
tell　you　all　this　to　obtain　praise　and　admiration　from　you；　but　to
prevent　you　from　taking　me　for　a　mean…spirited　girl；　respecting
herself　so　little　as　to　try　to　get　a　husband　in　so　dishonorable　a
manner。　No；　by　the　Holy　Virgin；　I　would　rather　die　and　be　buried
under　an　avalanche　than　act　so　meanly　and　disgracefully。　But　when
the　peasants　were　going　to　kill　you；　there　was　no　other　way　for　me
to　save　your　life　than　that　of　saying　that　you　were　my　betrothed；
and　that　was　the　only　reason　why　I　said　so。　How。　ever；　I　had　no　idea
that　the　wedding　was　to　take　place　to…day；　for　my　dear　father　had
concealed　it　from　me；　and　wished　to　surprise　me；　because　he　really
believed　that　I　loved　you。　If　I　had　known　beforehand　what　father　had
in　view；　I　should　have　devised　some　way　of　preventing　him　from
carrying　his　plan　into　effect。　But　I　swear　to　you；　I　had　no　inkling
of　it。　Therefore；　I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　for　the　harsh　treatment
you　received　at　their　hands　for　my　sake。〃

〃Eliza；〃　he　said；　mournfully；　〃your　words　rend　my　heart。　Oh；　do　not
be　so　gentle　and　generous！　Be　angry　with　me；　call　me　an　infamous
villain；　who；　in　his　blindness；　did　not　penetrate　your　magnanimity
and　heroic　self…sacrifice；　do　not　treat　me　with　this　charming
mildness　which　crushes　me！　You　acted　like　an　angel　toward　me；　and　I
treated　you　like　a　heartless　barbarian。〃

〃I　forgive　you　with　all　my　heart；　and　therefore　you　may　forgive
yourself；〃　she　said；　with　a　gentle　smile。　〃But　let　us　spea