andreas hofer-第51节

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ordered　his　wife　to　decorate　the　house　festively；　and　request　the
curate　to　repair　to　the　church　and　perform　the　marriage　rites。　The
returning　Tyrolese　were　to　march　to　the　church；　and；　after　thanking
God　for　the　deliverance　of　the　Tyrol；　the　curate　was　to　marry　Eliza
Wallner　and　her　lover　in　presence　of　the　whole　congregation。

Since　early　dawn；　therefore；　all　the　married　women　and　girls　of
Windisch…Matrey；　dressed　in　their　handsome　holiday　attire；　had　been
in　the　street；　and　had　decorated　the　route　which　the　returning　men
were　to　take；　and　adorned　the　church　with　wreaths　and　garlands　of
flowers。

Wallner's　wife　alone　had　remained　at　home；　for　she　had　to　attend　to
the　preparations　for　the　wedding…banquet；　with　which　she　and　her
servant…girls　had　been　occupied　during　the　whole　of　the　previous
day。　There　were　a　great　many　things　to　be　done　yet；　the　table　had　to
be　set　in　the　large　bar…room　for　the　wedding…guests；　the　roasts　had
to　be　looked　after　in　the　kitchen；　and　the　whole　house　had　to　be
decorated；　and　festoons　of　flowers　to　be　suspended　round　its
entrance。

〃Schroepfel　might　render　me　good　service　now；〃　said　Wallner's　wife；
eagerly。　〃I　have　so　many　things　to　attend　to；　and　he　does　not　move
his　hands；　but　sits　like　a　log　at　the　door　of　dear　Ulrich　von
Hohenberg；　and　cares　for　nothing　else。　Oh；　Schroepfel；　Schroepfel；
come　here！　I　want　to　see　you！〃

At　the　staircase　leading　down　into　the　hall　appeared　the　sunburnt；
furrowed　face　of　old　Schroepfel。

〃If　you　want　to　see　me；　you　must　come　up　here；〃　he　shouted。　〃I　have
been　told　to　stand　guard　here；　and　I　will　not　desert　my　post；　even
for　the　sake　of　Mrs。　Wallner；　until　I　am　relieved。〃

〃He　is　a　queer　fellow；〃　said　Mrs。　Wallner；　laughing；　〃but　I　must　do
what　he　says。〃

She　hastened　up…stairs。　At　the　door　of　the　room　where　the　prisoner
was　confined　stood　the　servant；　pressing　his　face　to　the　brown
panels　of　the　door。

〃Now；　Schroepfel；〃　asked　Mrs。　Wallner；　laughing；　〃can　you　see
through　the　boards？　For　you　put　your　eyes　to　the　door　as　though　it
were　a　window。〃

〃It　is　a　window；〃　said　Schroepfel；　in　a　low　voice；　limping　up　a　few
steps　to　his　mistress。　〃I　have　bored　four　small　holes　in　the　door；
and　through　them　I　am　able　to　see　the　whole　room　and　all　that　the
prisoner　is　doing。　Look；　Mrs。　Wallner！　the　hole　below　there　is　my
window　when　he　is　in　bed　and　asleep；　I　can　see　his　face　through　it。
The　hole　a　little　above　it　enables　me　to　watch　him　while　he　is
seated　at　the　table；　and　writing　or　reading；　and　through　the　hole　up
here　I　can　see　his　face　when　he　is　pacing　the　room。〃

〃You　are　a　strange　fellow；〃　said　Mrs。　Wallner；　shaking　her　head。
〃You　watch　the　poor　sick　prisoner　as　though　he　were　an　eagle；　always
ready　to　fly　from　the　nest。〃

〃He　is　about　what　you　say；〃　said　Schroepfel；　thoughtfully。　〃He　is　no
longer　sick；　and　his　wings　have　grown　a　great　deal　during　the　week
since　he　was　here；　I　believe　he　would　like　to　fly　from　here。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Mrs。　Wallner；　with　a　shrug。　〃He　loves　my　Lizzie；　and
I　do　not　believe　that　he　who　loves　that　girl　will　wish　to　fly　away
before　she　flies　with　him。〃

〃I　do　not　know　about　that；　I　have　my　own　notions　about　it；〃　said
Schroepfel。　〃He　is　a　Bavarian　for　all　that；　and　the　Bavarians　are
all　faithless　and　dishonest。　I　swore　to　watch　him　and　not　lose　sight
of　him；　and　I　must　keep　my　oath；　hence；　I　shall　not　leave　the　door
until　I　am　relieved。〃

〃Then　you　will　not　come　down…stairs　and　help　me　fix　the　wreaths　and
garlands；　set　the　table；　and　clean　the　knives？〃

〃No；　dear　Mrs。　Wallner；　I　am　not　allowed　to　do　so；　much　as　I　would
like　to　assist　you。　A　sentinel　must　never　leave　his　post；　or　he　will
be　called　a　deserter；　and　Mr。　Wallner　always　told　me　that　that　was　a
great　disgrace　for　an　honest　fellow。　Now；　as　I　am　an　honest　fellow；
and；　owing　to　my　lame　leg；　cannot　serve　the　country　in　any　other　way
than　watching　this　prisoner；　I　shall　stay　here　as　a　sentinel　and
take　good　care　not　to　desert。〃

〃Well；　do　so；　then；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Wallner；　half　angrily；　half
laughingly。　〃But　you　may　go　in　to　the　gentleman　and　tell　him　to　be
of　good　cheer；　for　Eliza　will　come　back　to…day；　and　the　wedding　will
take　place　immediately　after　her　return；　when　he　will　be　free。　Tell
him　to　prepare　for　the　ceremony；　for；　when　the　bells　commence
ringing　the　returning　defenders　of　the　country　will　have　reached　the
village；　and　we　are　to　go　with　him　to　the　church；　where　the　curate
will　await　us。〃

〃Of　course；　I　shall　tell　him　all　this；〃　growled　Schroepfel；　and　Mrs。
Wallner　hastened　down…stairs　again。

〃Yes；　I　shall　tell　him；〃　murmured　Schroepfel　to　himself；　〃but　I
wonder　if　it　will　gladden　his　heart？　During　the　first　few　days；　when
he　had　the　wound…fever；　he　talked　strange　things　in　his　delirium；
and　derided　and　scorned　our　beautiful　Lizzie；　who；　he　said；　was　bent
upon　becoming　an　aristocratic　lady。　Since　he　is　well　again；　he
abuses　her　no　longer；　but　he　looks　very　sombre；　and　during　the　whole
week　he　has　not　once　inquired　after　his　betrothed。　God　blast　the
accursed　Boafok　if　he　should　love　the　girl　no　longer；　and　if　he　did
not　honestly　intend　to　make　her　his　wife！　I　will　go　in　to　him　and
see　how　he　receives　the　news。〃

Ulrich　von　Hohenberg　was　seated　in　his　armchair；　and　gazing　musingly
out　of　the　window。　He　did　not　turn　when　the　old　servant　entered　his
room；　he　seemed　not　to　have　noticed　his　arrival；　but　continued
staring　at　the　sky　even　when　Schroepfel　stood　close　to　him。　The　face
of　the　young　man　was　still　pale　and　wan；　and　under　his　eyes；
formerly　so　clear　and　cheerful；　were　to　be　seen　those　bluish　circles
indicative　of　internal　sufferings　of　the　body　or　the　soul。　However；
since　the　wound…fever　had　left　him；　he　had　never　uttered　a
complaint；　and　the　wound；　which　was　not　very　severe；　had　already
closed　and　was　healing　rapidly。　Hence；　it　was　doubtless　grief　that
imparted　so　gloomy　and　sickly　an　appearance　to　Captain　Ulrich　von
Hohenberg；　and　it　was　this　very　suspicion　that　rendered　Schroepfel
distrustful；　and　caused　him　to　watch　his　prisoner　night　and　day　with
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