andreas hofer-第66章

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And　so；　sir；　I　will　always　remember　you；　and　shall　be　glad　to　hear
that　you　are　well　and　happy。　But　let　us　say　no　more　about　it；　and
go。　You　have　a　march　of　seven　hours　before　you；　I　must　be　at　home
again　by　eight　o'clock；　in　order　not　to　keep　the　men　waiting。　Let　us
part；　therefore。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　sighed　Ulrich；　〃it　is　your　will；　and　we　must　part；　but
not　forever。　I　swear；　by　God　Almighty　and　my　love；　I　shall　return
when　the　war　is　over；　and　when　the　quarrels　of　the　nations　are
settled。　I　shall　return　to　ask　you　if　you　will　be　mine；　my　beloved
wife；　and　if　you　will　at　last　crown　my　love　with　happiness。　Hush；　do
not　contradict　me；　and　do　not　tell　me　again　that　you　do　not　love　me。
I　hope　in　the　future；　and　we　shall　see　whether　it　will　bring　me
happiness　or　doom　me　to　despair。　Farewell；　then；　Eliza；　and　if　you
will　yet　give　to　the　poor　wanderer；　to　whom　you　have　given　life；
food；　money；　and　clothes；　a　priceless　treasure；　a　talisman　that　will
shield　him　from　all　temptations　of　the　world；　then　give　me　a　kiss！〃

〃No；　sir；　an　honest　Tyrolese　girl　never　kisses　any　man　but　the　one
whose　wife　she　is　to　be。　You　see；　therefore；　that　I　cannot　give　you
a　kiss。　Go；　sir。　But　have　you　no　commissions　to　give　me　for　your
uncle　and　my　dear　Elza？〃

〃Greet　them　both；　tell　them　that　I　love　you；　Eliza；　and　that　you
rejected　my　proposals。〃

〃That　does　not　concern　anybody；　and　only　we　two　and　the　good　God
shall　know　it；　but　no　one　else。　But；　sir；　give　me　a　souvenir　for
Elza；　it　will　gladden　her　heart。〃

〃I　have　nothing　to　give　her；〃　he　said；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

She　pointed　to　the　crimson　Alpine　roses　blooming　at　their　feet
amidst　the　grass　and　moss。

〃Gather　some　of　these　flowers；　and　give　them　to　me；〃　she　said；　〃I
will　take　them　to　Elza；　and　tell　her　that　you　gathered　the　flowers
for　her。〃

He　knelt　down；　gathered　a　handful　of　Alpine　roses；　and　tied　them
together　with　a　few　blades　of　grass。　〃I　would；〃　he　said；　still
kneeling　in　the　grass；　〃they　were　myrtles　that　I　was　gathering　for
you；　Eliza；　for　you；　my　affianced　bride；　and　that　you　would　accept
them　at　my　hands　as　the　sacred　gift　of　love。　There；　take　the　bouquet
for　Elza；　and　give　it　to　her　with　my　greetings。〃

She　stretched　out　her　hand　to　take　it；　but　Ulrich；　instead　of　giving
it　to　her；　pressed　the　bouquet　to　his　lips；　and　imprinted　an　ardent
kiss　on　the　flowers；　then　only　did　he　hand　it　to　Eliza。〃Now；
Eliza；〃　he　said；　〃take　it。　You　refused　me　a　kiss；　but　you　will　carry
my　glowing　kiss　home　with　you；　and　with　it　also　my　heart。　I　shall
come　back　one　day　to　demand　of　you　your　heart　and　my　kiss。　Farewell！
It　is　your　will；　and　so　I　must　go。　I　do　not　say；　forget　me　not；　but
I　shall　return；　and　ask　you　then：　‘Have　you　forgotten　me？　Will　you
become　my　wife？'　Until　then；　farewell！〃

He　gazed　at　her　with　a　long　look　of　love　and　tenderness；　she　avoided
meeting　his　look；　and　when　he　saw　this；　a　smile；　radiant　as　sunshine
and　bliss；　illuminated　his　features。

〃Go；　sir；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice；　averting　her　face。

〃I　am　going；　Eliza；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Farewell！〃

He　seized　her　hand　impetuously；　imprinted　on　it　a　burning　kiss
before　she　was　able　to　prevent　him；　dropped　it；　and　turned　to
descend　the　slope　with　a　slow　step。

Eliza　stood　motionless；　and　as　if　fascinated；　she　gazed　after　him；
and　followed　with　an　absorbed　look　his　tall；　noble　form；　descending
the　mountain；　surrounded　by　a　halo　of　sunshine。

All　at　once　Ulrich　stood　still　and　turned　to　her。　〃Eliza；〃　he
shouted；　〃did　you　call　me？　Shall　I　return　to　you？〃

She　shook　her　head　and　made　a　violent　gesture　indicating　that　he
should　not　return；　but　said　nothing；　the　words　choked　in　her　breast。

He　waved　his　hand　to　her；　turned　again；　and　continued　descending　the
slope。

Eliza　looked　after　him；　her　face　turned　paler　and　paler；　and　her
lips　quivered　more　painfully。　Once　they　opened　as　if　to　call　him
back　with　a　cry　of　anguish　and　love；　but　Eliza；　pressing　her　hand
violently　upon　her　mouth；　forced　the　cry　back　into　her　heart；　and
gazed　down　on　Ulrich's　receding　form。

Already　he　had　descended　half　the　slope；　now　he　reached　the　edge　of
the　forest；　and　alas！　disappeared　in　the　thicket。

Eliza；　uttering　a　loud　cry；　knelt　down；　and　tears；　her　long…
restrained；　scalding　tears；　streamed　like　rivers　down　her　cheeks。
She　lifted　her　arms；　her　clasped　bands；　to　heaven；　and　murmured　with
quivering　lips：　〃Protect　him；　my　God；　for　Thou　knowest　how　intensely
I　love　him！〃

She　remained　a　long　time　on　her　knees；　weeping；　praying；　struggling
with　her　grief　and　her　love。　But　then　all　at　once　she　sprang　to　her
feet；　brushed　the　tears　from　her　eyes；　and　drew　a　deep　breath。

〃I　must　and　will　no　longer　weep；〃　she　said　to　herself　in　a　loud；
imperative　voice。　〃Otherwise　they　would　see　that　I　had　been　weeping；
and　no　one　must　know　that。　I　must　descend　in　order　to　be　at　home　in
time；　and　then　I　will　tell　father　and　the　other　men　that　Ulrich
never　was　my　betrothed；　and　that　I　said　so　only　to　save　his　life。
They　will　forgive　me　for　helping　him　to　escape　when　I　tell　them　that
I　never　loved　him　nor　would　have　taken　him；　because　he　is　a
Bavarian；　but　that　I　saved　him　because　he　is　a　near　relative　of　my
dear　Elza。　And　after　telling　and　explaining　all　this　to　the　men；　I
shall　go　to　Elza；　give　her　the　flowers；　and　tell　her　that　Ulrich
sent　them　to　her；　and　that　his　last　word　was　a　love…greeting　for
her。　God；　forgive　me　this　falsehood！　But　Elza　loves　him；　and　it　will
gladden　her　heart。　She　will　preserve　this　bouquet　to　her　wedding…
day；　and　she　will　not　notice　that　I　kept　one　flower　from　it　for
myself。　It　is　the　flower　which　he　kissed；　it　shall　be　mine。　I
suppose；　good　God；　that　I　may　take　it；　and　that　it　is　no　theft　for
me　to　do　so？〃

She　looked　up　to　heaven　with　a　beseeching　glance；　then　she　softly
drew　one　of　the　flowers　from　the　bouquet；　pressed　it　to　her　lips；
and　concealed　it　in　her　bosom。

〃I　will　preserve　this　flower　while　I　live；〃　she　exclaimed。　〃God
strengthened　my　heart　so　that　I　was　able　to　reject　him；　but　I　shall
love　him　forever；　and　this　flower　is　my　wedding…bouquet。　I　shall
never　wear　another！〃

She　extended　her　arms　in　the　direction　where　Ulrich　had　disappeared。
〃Farewell！〃　she　cried。　〃I　greet　you　a　thousand　times；　and　my　heart
goes　with　you！〃

Then　she　turned　and　hastily　descended　the　path　which　she　had
ascended　with　Ulrich　von　Hohenberg。




CHAPTER　XXIII

THE　TRIUMPH　OF　DEATH


It　was　a　wondrously　beautiful　morning　in　May；　the　sun　shone　clear
and　bright；　the　birds　sang　in　all　the　shrubs　and　trees；　and　the　gay
spring　flowers　exhaled　their　fragrant　odors　in　all　the　gardens。
Nature　had　donned　its　holiday　attire；　and　yet　humanity　was　in
mourning；　the　sun　shone　clear　and　bright；　and　yet　the　eyes　of　men
were　sombre　and　lustreless；　and　instead　of　rejoicing　over　the　fresh
verdure　and　the　blossoms　of　spring；　they　grieved；　and　their　hearts
were　frozen　with　care　and　pain。

For　the　Emperor　Napoleon　had　raised　his　proud　hand　again　against
Germany；　he　had　defeated　the　Austrians　at　Ratisbon　and　Landshut；　and
made　his　triumphant　entrance　into　Vienna　on　the　12th　of　May；　1809。

For　the　second　time　the　imperial　family；　fleeing　from　the　victorious
Napoleon；　had　been　compelled　to　leave　the　capital；　for　the　second
time　the　foreign　emperor　occupied　the　palace　of　Schoenbrunn；　and
Vienna　had　to　bow　again　to　the　will　of　the　all…powerful　conqueror。
The　Emperor　Francis　had　escaped　with　his　wife　and　children　to
Hungary；　and　Vienna；　whose　inhabitants　had　at　first　sworn
enthusiastically　to　defend　their　city　to　the　last　man；　and　lay　it　in
ashes　rather　than　surrender　it　to　the　French；　had　nevertheless
opened　its　gates　already　on　the　12th　of　May　to　the　Emperor　Napoleon
and　his　army。　It　had　to　bow　to　stern　necessity；　for　during　the
previous　night　the　Archduke　Maximilian；　with　the　weak　forces　with
which　he　had　been　ordered　to　defend　Vienna；　had　evacuated　the　city；
had　burned　the　great　bridge　of　Thabor　to　prevent　Napoleon　from
pursuing　him；　and　had　succeeded　in　escaping；　leaving　it　to　the
Viennese　to　make　terms　with　the　conqueror　and　invoke　his　clemency
and　generosity。　They　had　thus　been　obliged　to　conceal　their　rage　and
exasperation　in　their