andreas hofer-第90部分

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knows　that　I　would　give　up　my　heart's　blood　to　spare　you　an　hour　of
suffering。〃

He　burst　into　scornful　laughter。　〃And　yet　you　have　treated　me　so
infamously？　You　have　played　a　miserable　comedy　with　me；　and　perjured
yourself？〃

〃Sir；　I　have　not　perjured　myself；〃　cried　Eliza。　〃I　have　fulfilled
faithfully　the　oath　I　swore　to　you　when　you　took　leave　of　me　and
went　to　procure　my　Elza's　release。〃

〃You　have　fulfilled　it？　False　girl！　repeat　your　oath　to　me；　that　I
may　convict　you　of　perjury。〃

〃I　said　that　if　you　would　bring　back　Elza；　you　should　receive　your
bride；　who　loved　you　with　infinite　tenderness；　at　the　hands　of　the
priest；　whether　it　was　early　in　the　morning　or　late　at　night！〃

〃Well；　then；　have　you　fulfilled　your　oath？　Have　you　not　perjured
yourself？〃

〃I　have　fulfilled　my　oath；　I　have　not　perjured　myself。　Elza　loves
you；　sir；　she　loves　you　with　infinite　tenderness。〃

〃Oh；　what　miserable；　insidious　sophistry！〃　cried　Ulrich；　sinking
despairingly　on　a　chair。　〃Your　words　were　as　full　of　duplicity　as
your　heart　is；　and　I；　poor；　short…sighted　dupe；　believed　your　words！
And　not　you　alone；　but　Elza；　too；　has　cheated　meshe　whom　I　loved
as　a　sister；　and　whom　I　should　have　loved　even　better；　if　you　had
not　stepped　in　between　us；　if　I　had　not　seen　you。　Elza　has　betrayed
me　too；　she　did　not　shrink　from　playing　so　unworthy　a　part！　Oh；　it
will　break　my　heart；　it　will　break　my　heart；　I　lose　in　this　hour　all
that　I　loved！　Nothing　remains　to　me　but　contempt；　scorn；　and
dreadful　loneliness！〃

He　buried　his　face　in　his　hands　and　wept　bitterly。

〃Sir；〃　exclaimed　Eliza；　with　a　cry　of　despair；　kneeling　down　before
him；　〃you　weep？〃

〃Yes；　I　weep；〃　he　sobbed；　〃I　weep　for　my　fallen　angels；　my　lost
paradise！　I　am　a　man；　therefore　I　am　not　ashamed　of　my　tears。〃

Eliza　lifted　her　eyes　and　clasped　hands　to　heaven。　〃Holy　Virgin；〃
she　exclaimed；　〃give　strength　to　my　words；　that　he　may　hear　and
understand　me！〃

She　rose　from　her　knees；　stepped　close　up　to　Ulrich；　and　laid　her
hand　on　his　shoulder。　〃Sir；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　remember　yet　what　I
said　to　you　on　taking　leave　of　you　on　the　mountain？　I　reminded　you
of　it　the　other　day；　but　you　forgot　it　again。　I　said　to　you：　'You
are　a　nobleman；　and　I　am　a　peasant…girl；　you　are　a　Bavarian；　and　I；
thank　God；　am　again　an　Austrian。　We　do　not　suit　each　other；　and　can
never　become　husband　and　wife。'　That　is　what　I　said　to　you；　and　I
repeated　it　to　you　the　other　day；　but　you　would　not　understand　it。〃

〃Because　I　loved　you；　Eliza；　because　I　felt　that　my　love　would　be
strong　enough　to　surmount　all　obstacles！〃

〃Was　your　love　strong　enough　to　prevail　on　you；　sir；　to　go　to　my
father；　Anthony　Wallner；　and　ask　him　to　bless　you；　his　son…in…law？
See；　I　asked　you　to　do　so；　because　I　knew　that　you　would　refuse；　and
because　I　thought　it　would　convince　you　that　we　could　never　become
man　and　wife　and　ought　to　part。　For　without　the　blessing　of　my
parents　I　could　never　follow　a　husband　into　the　world；　nor　would　you
want　a　wife　who　did　not　bring　with　her　either　the　blessing　of　her
parents　or　that　of　your　own；　for　you　are　a　good　and　excellent　man。
That　was　the　reason；　sir；　why　we　could　not　become　man　and　wife；　even
though　it　should　break　our　hearts。〃

〃Our　hearts？〃　he　cried；　impetuously。　〃Do　not　speak　of　your　heart；　it
is　cold　and　hard。〃

〃What　do　you　know　of　my　heart？〃　she　asked。　〃I　do　not　bear　it　on　my
lips；　nor　in　my　eyes　either。　It　rests　deep　in　my　bosom；　and　God
alone　sees　and　knows　it。　But　I；　sir；　know　another　heart；　I　gazed
deeply　into　it；　and　discovered　in　it　the　most　fervent　love　for　you；
sir。　This　other　heart　is　that　of　my　Elza：　Elza　loves　you！　And　you
know　that　I　love　Elza；　and　therefore　you　must　believe　me；　even
though　you　distrust　me　in　other　respects。　I　shall　love　my　Elza　as
long　as　I　live；　and　I　swore　to　her　never　to　abandon　her；　never　to
deceive　her。　She　confides　in　me；　sir；　she　did　not　conceal　from　me　a
single　fold　of　her　heart。　Should　I　have　told　her；　'Captain　Ulrich；
whom　you　love；　and　whom　your　father　wants　to　become　your　husband；
loves　me；　and　I；　whom　you　call　your　best　friend；　although　she　is　but
a　peasant…girl；　while　you　are　the　daughter　of　a　nobleman；　will　take
your　lover　from　you　and　make　him　my　husband？'　No；　sir；　never　could　I
have　said　so；　never　should　I　have　been　capable　of　breaking　Elza's
heart：　I　preferred　to　break　my　own！〃

〃She　does　not　know　that　I　love　you？　She　ought　to　have　known　it；
inasmuch　as　she　consented　to　play　this　unworthy　part　and　take　your
place　before　the　altar。〃

〃She　did　not　know　any　thing　about　it；　I　deceived　her。　I　told　her　you
sent　me　as　a　love…messenger　to　her；　and　that　I　had　taken　it　upon
myself　to　obtain　her　consent　to　a　clandestine　marriage　with　you；
because　you　were　obliged　to　set　out　for　Munich　this　very　night；　and
because　you　wished　to　take　with　you　the　certainty　that　she　would　be
yours　forever；　and　that　you　might　have　the　right　of　protecting　her
after　God　had　taken　her　father　from　her　and　made　her　an　orphan。　Sir；
Elza　loves　you；　and　therefore　she　consented；　and　became　your　wife。〃

〃And　her　father？　Did　he；　too；　consent　to　the　deception？〃

〃Her　father；　sir；　is　very　sick；　and　I　believe　he　is　on　his　death…
bed。　Elza　told　him　nothing　of　it；　for　the　excitement；　the　joy　might
have　killed　him。　I　told　her　it　was　your　will　that　she　should　be
silent；　and　because　she　loves　you　and　would　comply　with　all　your
wishes；　she　was　silent；　obeyed　your　call；　and　came　all　alone　to　the
altar　to　become　your　wife。〃

〃My　wife！　she　is　not　my　wife！　The　marriage　is　null　and　void；　and　I
shall　never　acknowledge　it。〃

〃Elza　is　your　wife；　sir；　your　wife　before　God　and　man。　A　priest
married　you；　and　you　swore　before　the　altar　to　love　and　cherish　her。
Oh；　sir；　I　beseech　you；　do　not　repudiate　my　Elza；　for　she　loves　you；
and　by　repudiating　Elza　you　will　repudiate　me；　for　Elza　is　the
better　half　of　my　heart。　In　making　her　happy；　think　that　you　make　me
happy；　and　in　loving　her；　think　I　feel　that　you　love　one　me！〃

〃Oh；　Eliza；〃　cried　Ulrich；　gazing　at　her　as　she　stood　before　him
with　a　glowing　countenance；　〃Eliza；　you　angel；　why　can　I　not　possess
you？〃

〃Because　it　is　not　God's　will；　sir！　'The　blessing　of　the　parents
builds　houses　for　the　children；'　says　the　proverb；　hence　we　could
not　build　a　house；　sir；　for　we　had　not　the　blessing　of　our　parents。
Now　you　have　it；　Elza　brings　it　to　you；　and　she　brings　you　love；
sir；　and　happiness。　No；　do　not　shake　your　head；　she　brings　you
happiness。　You　do　not　believe　it　now；　for　your　heart　grieves；　and　he
who　has　such　a　wound　thinks　that　it　never　will　heal。　But　love　is　a
good　surgeon。　Elza　will　dress　your　heart　and　heal　it。〃

〃And　your　heart；　Eliza；　will　it　heal；　too？　For　your　heart　has
likewise　a　wound；　and；　whatever　you　may　say　to　the　contrary；　you
loved　me。〃

〃I　loved　you！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃No；　say　rather　I　still　love　you！　If　I
had　not　loved　you；　should　I　have　been　strong　enough　to　withstand
your　supplications　and　resist　my　own　heart　in　order　to　secure　your
happiness？　Oh；　be　happy；　then；be　happy　through　me　and　for　my　sake！
Fold　Elza　to　your　heart；　love　her　and　let　her　love　you；　and　when　in
future　days；　happy　in　Elza's　arms；　and　surrounded　by　her　sweet
children；　you　remember　the　past　and　its　grief　smilingly；　do　not
forget　me；　but　say；　'Lizzie　was　right　after　all！　She　loved　me
faithfully！'〃

〃Faithfully？〃　he　asked；　bursting　into　tears。　〃Your　heart　will　heal
likewise；　Eliza；　you　will　forget　me　in　the　arms　of　another　husband。〃

〃No；　sir！　My　heart　I　hope；　will　heal；　but　God　alone　will　heal　it；
and　no　other　husband。　I　am　not　able　to　love　another　man；　and　I
believe；　moreover；　I　have　something　else　to　do。　The　fatherland　needs
brave　hands；　and　I　belong　to　my　fatherland　and　my　father。　We　shall
have　war　again；　sir；　war　with　the　Bavarians。　Thank　God；　you　will　not
be　among　our　enemies！　I　shall　carry　our　wounded　out　of　the　thickest
of　the　fight；　and　nurse　them；　and　if　a　bullet　hits　me；　well；　then；　I
shall　die　for　the　fatherland；　and　it　will　gladden　your　heart；　also；
to　hear　that　Lizzie　Wallner　died　as　a　brave　daughter　of　the　Tyrol。　I
pray　God　to　let　me　die　in　this　manner。　Amen！　But　now；　sir；　go　to
your　young　bride。　She　will　be　wondering　already　at　your　long
absence。　Oh；　go　to　her；　sir；　and　be　kind　and　loving　to　her；　let　her
never　suspect　what　has　taken　place　between　us；　and　that　you　did　not
marry　her　of　your　own　accord。〃

〃I　cannot　dissemble；　Eliza；　I　cannot　turn　my　heart　like　a　glove。〃

〃Do　I　ask　you　to　do　so？　Have　you　not　always　loved　Elza？　Love　her
now；　then；　love　her　for　my　sake；　love　me　in　her！　Go；　sir；　Elza　is
waiting　for　you。　I　shall　go　too。　Our　good　Haspinger　is　waiting　for
me；　and　I　shall　go　with　him　to　my　father。　We　shall　never　meet　again；
and　therefore　I　will　give　you　now　my　wedding…present。　You　asked　me
for　it　this　morning；　and　I　refused；　but　now　I　will　give　it　to　you
voluntarily。　Close　your　eyes；　sir；　for　you　must　not　see　what　I　give
you；　and　do　not　open　them　until　I　tell　you　to。〃

〃I　will　close　my　eyes；　Eliza；　but　I　shall　see　you　nevertheless　in　my
heart。〃

She　glided　up　to　him　with　a　noiseless　step。　Faithful　to　his　word；　he
had　closed　his　eyes　firmly。　She　gazed　at　him　long　and　tenderly；　as
if　to　engrave　his　features　deeply　on　her　heart；　then　she　bent　over
him　and　imprinted　a　kiss　on　his　forehead。

〃God　bless　you；　Ulrich；〃　she　whispered；　and　kissed　his　forehead　once
more。　〃Farewell！〃

And　before　he　was　able　to　prevent　it；　or　even　know　it；　she　glided　to
the　small　door　leading　from　the　vestry　into　the　street。

Ulrich　heard　the　jar　of　the　door；　and　opened　his　eyes。　Eliza　stood
in　the　open　door；　and　cast　a　last；　parting　glance　on　him。　Joachim
Haspinger　stood　behind　her。

〃Eliza；〃　cried　Ulrich；　hastening　to　her；　〃you　will　leave　me？〃

He　would　have　seized　her　hand；　but　Haspinger　stepped　between　them。
〃Go　to　your　bride；　sir；〃　he　said；　imperatively。

〃Eliza　will　accompany　me　and　go　to　her　father！〃




CHAPTER　XXXIX。

THE　TREATY　OF　PEACE。


The　Emperor　Francis　was　still　at　Prince　Lichtenstein's　castle　of
Totis；　in　Hungary；　but　for　some　days　past　there　had　no　longer
reigned　there　the　profound　silence　and　calm　monotony　which　had
prevailed　during　the　first　days　of　the　imperial　sojourn。　Couriers
c