第28章

Theoldman，leaningonhiscane，hastenedforwardandenteredthecabinet，thedoorofwhichAndreasHoferhimselfclosedbehindhim。

"Nowtellme，myagedfriend，whoareyou，andwhatIcandoforyou。"

"Much，verymuch，commander—in—chief，"repliedtheoldman，inatremulousvoice。"Youcangrantmejustice。MynameisFriedelHofmeier，andIamtheunfortunatemanwhogainedhislawsuityesterday，andwhowastogethisthousandflorinsback，butfromwhomyoutookthemagainbyvirtueofyoursupremeauthority。"

"Cajetan，itisasIsaid，"sighedAndreas，turningwithadolefulairtoDoeninger，whosatatthedesk，peninhand，andbowedtothecommander—in—chiefwithashrug。

"Icometoyou，theemperor\'slieutenant，todemandjustice，"addedtheoldman。"Yourdecreewasunjustandcontrarytolaw。Thejudgeshaddecidedinmyfavor，andbyreversingtheirjudgment，youtreatwithharshnessandcrueltyanoldmanwhostandsonthebrinkofthegrave，anddeprivemypoorgrandchildofitswholeinheritance。"

"MayGodandtheHolyVirginpreservemefromcommittingsuchacrime，"murmuredAndreasHofer，crossinghimselfdevoutly。"Ah，myfriend，whydidyounotcometomeerethis，andtellmeallaboutit？Ishouldhavegladlyassistedyouinrecoveringwhatwasduetoyou。"

"AndyetitisyourfaultthatIcannotrecoverwhatisduetome。"

criedtheoldman，mournfully。"WhyshouldIhavecomehithererethis，androbbedyouofyourprecioustime？Iconfidedinmygoodandjustcause;IknewthatthegoodGodwouldnotabandonme，andthatHewouldnottakefromme，afterlosinginnocentlymostofmypropertybythecrueltyoftheenemy，whoburneddownmyhouseandoutbuildings，thelastremnantofmylittlefortune，thethousandflorinswhichIlenttomyfriend，andwhichhisrichwifeengagedinherownhandwritingtopaybacktenyearsafterdate。Thetenyearshadexpired;thegoodGoddidnotabandonme;forHecausedthejudgestograntmejusticeandadjudgethethousandflorinstome。"

"AndItookthemfromhimagain，"murmuredAndreasHofer，withtearsinhiseyes;"anditismyfaultthathewilldiewithagrief—

strickenheart。Cajetan，Ihaveruinedtheoldman;tellme，advisemehowtomakeamendsforit。"

"Youreversedthedecisionofthejudges，"saidDoeninger，slowly;

"youpossessthepowerofreversingalldecisions。"

AndreasHoferwassilentforamoment，andgazedthoughtfullyintovacancy，asiftofathomthemeaningofanobscureoracle;allatoncehisfacebrightened，andajoyoussmileplayedroundhislips。

"Iknowitnow，Cajetan，"heexclaimed。"Ihavethepowertoreversealldecisions，andthereforemyownalso。"

CajetanDoeningernoddedwithsilentsatisfaction。TheoldmanclaspedhishandsandgazedatHoferwithanexpressionofardentgratitude。

"Willyoureallydoso，AndreasHofer？"heaskedtremblingly。"Willyoureverseyourowndecreeforthesakeofjustice？"

"Yes，Iwill，"exclaimedHofer，joyfully;"andIwilldoitimmediately。Cajetan，takeupyourpenandwritewhatIamgoingtodictatetoyou。ThereInowwriteasfollows:\'I，theundersigned，confessbythesepresentsthatIcommittedamistakeyesterday，andviolatedthelaws。Toconfessmistakesandavowfaultsisnodisgrace;hence，Idosonow，andbegpardonofthegoodGodandthejudgesfordoingwrong。IherebyreversethedecisionwhichImadeyesterday。FriedelHofmeieristoreceivethethousandflorinswhichthesupremecourtadjudgedtohim，andthedecisionofthejudgesistobevalid，notwithstandingmydecreeissuedyesterday。\'Nowgivemethepenandletmesignthedocument。"

"Oh，dearcommander—in—chief，"exclaimedthedelightedoldman，"whatanobleandkind—heartedmanyouare，and——"

"Hush！"interruptedAndreas，lookingupfromthepaper;"ifImakeamistakenow，thewholedocumentwillbeinvalid，andwemustcommenceanew。NowItellyouitishardworktowriteone\'snamewithsuchapointedpenonthepaper，andmyname，moreover，hassuchalong—tailedtitle。Therefore，keepquietandletmewrite。

There，itisdonenow——\'AndreasHofer，commander—in—chiefoftheTyrol。\'Now，mydearoldfriend，yourdocumentisvalid。Takeittothecityhall，andpermitmetocongratulateyouonhavingrecoveredyourthousandflorins。Saynothingaboutitnow，buthastentothecityhall。Thereareoutsideagreatmanypersonswhowishtoseeme。"

Hehandedthepapertotheoldman，andconductedhimtothedoor，whichhehimselfopenedforhim。Hewasabouttofollowhim，whenhesuddenlydrewbackandclosedthedoorafterhim。

"Cajetan，"hewhispered，anxiously，"Isawsomethingdreadful！"

"Whatwasit，commander—in—chief？"

"Cajetan，IsawthewomanwhomFriedelHofmeiersued，andtowhomI

gavethedecreeyesterday。Cajetan，IwasnotafraidwhenwewereonMountIselandatBrixen，butIamafraidofthatwomanandherdreadfullamentations。Idonotknowwhattodo，Doeninger，ifsheshouldhavefoundoutwhatIhavedone，andcomeinheretoreproachmewithit。"

"Weshallnotadmither，commander—in—chief，"saidDoeninger，laughing。

"But，Cajetan，Imadeavownevertorefuseadmittancetoanyone，andnot，asmanyprincesdo，toallowdistressedpersonstowaitinmyanteroomandsendthemawaywithoutlisteningtothemandcomfortingthem。"

"Butyouheard，Andreas，thatthewomanisnotindistress，forsheisrichandveryavaricious。Shetoldyouthemostimpudentfalsehoods;hence，shemustnotbeadmitted;for，ifyouallowhertocomeinagain，shewouldlieasshedidyesterday。"

"Youareright，Cajetan，shemustnotcomein;andnow，myfriend，praygoandadmitthenextapplicant，butnotthatbadwoman。"

Doeningerwenttothedoor，and，openingit，beckonedtothepersonstandingnearesttoit。

Ayoungwoman，dressedplainly，butveryneatly，camein，andremainedatthedoor，invisibleconfusionandgrief。

"Well，madame，"saidAndreastoher，"doyoucometotellmethatallisright，andthatyourhusbandandyou，hisprettyyoungwife，livetogetherinhappinessandcontent？Well，itwasheavyworktoreconcileyoutwo，andpersuadeyoutoremaintogetherandloveeachother，asitbehoovesaChristiancouple。Itcostmeawholeforenoon，butIdonotregretit，forIaccomplishedmytask，andreconciledyou，andallwasrightagainbetweenyou。AndImadeyoupromisetoreturnintwoweeksandtellmehowyougotalongwitheachother。Thetwoweeksareupto—day，andherecomestheprettyyoungwifetotellmethatAndreasHoferdidhisworkwell，andthatherhusbandisnowfaithful，tender，andgood。Ishenot？"

"Alas，heisnot！"sobbedtheyoungwife，burstingintotears。

"Tony，myhusband，neverstaysathomeintheevening;hereturnsonlylateatnight，scoldsmeforweepingandupbraidinghimwithhisbadconduct，andyesterday——yesterdayhewantedeventobeatme！"

"Whatabadman！"criedAndreas，vehemently。"Whydidhewanttobeatyou，then？Whathadyoudone？"

"Ihadlockedthestreet—door，andwouldnotlethimhavethekeywhenhewantedtoleavethehouse。"

"H\'em！thatwasalittletoosevere，"saidHofer，hesitatingly。"Whyshouldayoungmanbepreventedfromgoingoutalittle？Hecannotalwaysstayathome。"

"Butheshallnotgooutwithoutme，andhewouldnottakemewithhim。Ihadrequestedhimtodoso，andhehadrefused;therefore，I

lockedthehouseandwouldnotpermithimtoleaveit。Heshallnotgooutwithoutme，forheissuchafine—lookingman，thatalltheprettywomenofInnspruckadmirehiminhishandsomenationaldress，andoglehimwhenhepassesby。"

"Well，letthemadmireandoglehim，"exclaimedAndreas，smiling。

"Whatdoyoucareforit，providedyourhusbanddoesnotoglethem？"

"Buthedoes，commander—in—chief;herunsaftertheprettywomen，hegoestothetheatreandtheconcertstoseethem，andspeakandflirtwiththem。Believeme，dearestcommander—in—chief，hedesertsme，heisfaithless，andallyourfineandpiousexhortationswereinvain。Helovesmenolonger，andIlovehimsodearly，andwouldliketobealwayswithhimandneverdeserthim。Buthesaysitwouldbeinconvenienttohim，andmakehimridiculous，ifheshouldalwaysappeartogetherwithhiswife，likeaconvictwithhisjailer。"

"Whatabad，hard—heartedman！"criedAndreas，indignantly。

"Heishard—hearted，indeed，"sobbedtheyoungwife。"Hescoldsmeformylove，andwhenIliketobewithhimallthetime，hesaysmyjealousyisdisagreeabletohim，andthereisnothingmoreabominablethanajealouswife！"

"Well，hemayberightsofarasthatisconcerned，"saidDoeninger，busilyengagedincuttinghispen。

"Whatdidyousay，Cajetan？"askedHofer，turningtohim。

"Ididnotsayanything，butthoughtaloud，"saidDoeninger，tryinghispen。

Hoferwassilentforamoment，andgazedintovacancy。"Yes，mydearwoman，"hethensaidboldly，"yourhusbandmaynotbealtogetherwrongincomplainingofyourjealousy。Ireallybelievethatyouarealittlejealous，andbegyoutotrytoovercomeyourjealousy;forjealousyisagrievousfault，andmakesmanyhusbandsverywretched。"

"ButmustInotbejealous？"shecried，vehemently，weepingbitterly。"DoInotseethatthewomenaretryingtoseducehimandmakehimdesertme？DoInotseehimatthetheatregazingatthefinely—dressedladiesandadmiringtheirbarearmsandshoulders？"

"What！"exclaimedHofer。"Isittrue，then，thatthewomenhereappearinpublicwithbarearmsandshoulders？"

"Yes，sir，itis，"sobbedtheyoungwife。"Youcanseeiteverywhere;itisthenewfashionwhichtheFrenchbroughthere;thewomenwearlow—neckeddresseswithveryshortsleeves，sothattheirshouldersandarmsareentirelybare。AllthearistocraticladiesofInnspruckhavealreadyadoptedthisnewfashion;andonseeingthemintheirboxesatthetheatre，youwouldbelievetheywereinabath，preciselya