the love of ulrich nebendahl-第2部分

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so　they　parted。

Ulrich　did　not　return　to　Alt　Waldnitz；　that　lies　hidden　in　the　forest
beside　the　murmuring　Muhlde。　　They　would　think　he　had　gone　to　the　war；
he　would　let　them　think　so。　　He　was　too　great　a　coward　to　go　back　to
them　and　tell　them　that　he　no　longer　wanted　to　fight；　that　the　sound
of　the　drum　brought　to　him　only　the　thought　of　trampled　grass　where
dead　men　lay　with　curses　in　their　eyes。

So；　with　head　bowed　down　in　shame；　to　and　fro　about　the　moaning　land；
Ulrich　of　the　dreamy　eyes　came　and　went；　guiding　his　solitary
footsteps　by　the　sounds　of　sorrow；　driving　away　the　things　of　evil
where　they　crawled　among　the　wounded；　making　his　way　swiftly　to　the
side　of　pain；　heedless　of　the　uniform。

Thus　one　day　he　found　himself　by　chance　near　again　to　forest…girdled
Waldnitz。　　He　would　push　his　way　across　the　hills；　wander　through　its
quiet　ways　in　the　moonlight　while　the　good　folks　all　lay　sleeping。
His　foot…steps　quickened　as　he　drew　nearer。　　Where　the　trees　broke　he
would　be　able　to　look　down　upon　it；　see　every　roof　he　knew　so
wellthe　church；　the　mill；　the　winding　Muhldethe　green；　worn　grey
with　dancing　feet；　where；　when　the　hateful　war　was　over；　would　be
heard　again　the　Saxon　folk…songs。

Another　was　there；　where　the　forest　halts　on　the　brow　of　the　hilla
figure　kneeling　on　the　ground　with　his　face　towards　the　village。
Ulrich　stole　closer。　　It　was　the　Herr　Pfarrer；　praying　volubly　but
inaudibly。　　He　scrambled　to　his　feet　as　Ulrich　touched　him；　and　his
first　astonishment　over；　poured　forth　his　tale　of　woe。

There　had　been　trouble　since　Ulrich's　departure。　　A　French　corps　of
observation　had　been　camped　upon　the　hill；　and　twice　within　the　month
had　a　French　soldier　been　found　murdered　in　the　woods。　　Heavy　had　been
the　penalties　exacted　from　the　village；　and　terrible　had　been　the
Colonel's　threats　of　vengeance。　　Now；　for　a　third　time；　a　soldier
stabbed　in　the　back　had　been　borne　into　camp　by　his　raging　comrades；
and　this　very　afternoon　the　Colonel　had　sworn　that　if　the　murderer
were　not　handed　over　to　him　within　an　hour　from　dawn；　when　the　camp
was　to　break　up；　he　would　before　marching　burn　the　village　to　the
ground。　　The　Herr　Pfarrer　was　on　his　way　back　from　the　camp　where　he
had　been　to　plead　for　mercy；　but　it　had　been　in　vain。

〃Such　are　foul　deeds！〃　said　Ulrich。

〃The　people　are　mad　with　hatred　of　the　French；〃　answered　the　Herr
Pastor。　　〃It　may　be　one；　it　may　be　a　dozen　who　have　taken　vengeance
into　their　own　hands。　　May　God　forgive　them。〃

〃They　will　not　come　forwardnot　to　save　the　village？〃

〃Can　you　expect　it　of　them！　　There　is　no　hope　for　us；　the　village　will
burn　as　a　hundred　others　have　burned。〃

Aye；　that　was　true；　Ulrich　had　seen　their　blackened　ruins；　the　old
sitting　with　white　faces　among　the　wreckage　of　their　homes；　the　little
children　wailing　round　their　knees；　the　tiny　broods　burned　in　their
nests。　　He　had　picked　their　corpses　from　beneath　the　charred　trunks　of
the　dead　elms。

The　Herr　Pfarrer　had　gone　forward　on　his　melancholy　mission　to　prepare
the　people　for　their　doom。

Ulrich　stood　alone；　looking　down　upon　Alt　Waldnitz　bathed　in
moonlight。　　And　there　came　to　him　the　words　of　the　old　pastor：　　〃She
will　be　dearer　to　you　than　yourself。　　For　her　you　would　lay　down　your
life。〃　　And　Ulrich　knew　that　his　love　was　the　village　of　Alt　Waldnitz；
where　dwelt　his　people；　the　old　and　wrinkled；　the　laughing　〃little
ones；〃　where　dwelt　the　helpless　dumb　things　with　their　deep　pathetic
eyes；　where　the　bees　hummed　drowsily；　and　the　thousand　tiny　creatures
of　the　day。

They　hanged　him　high　upon　a　withered　elm；　with　his　face　towards　Alt
Waldnitz；　that　all　the　village；　old　and　young；　might　see；　and　then　to
the　beat　of　drum　and　scream　of　fife　they　marched　away；　and
forest…hidden　Waldnitz　gathered　up　once　more　its　many　threads　of　quiet
life　and　wove　them　into　homely　pattern。

They　talked　and　argued　many　a　time；　and　some　there　were　who　praised
and　some　who　blamed。　　But　the　Herr　Pfarrer　could　not　understand。

Until　years　later　a　dying　man　unburdened　his　soul　so　that　the　truth
became　known。

Then　they　raised　Ulrich's　coffin　reverently；　and　the　yonng　men　carried
it　into　the　village　and　laid　it　in　the　churchyard　that　it　might　always
be　among　them。　　They　reared　above　him　what　in　their　eyes　was　a　grand
monument；　and　carved　upon　it：

〃Greater　love　hath　no　man　than　this。〃






End