下载辰思小说免费APP
"Oh，Eliza，yourbeauty，yourangelicpurityandgoodnesswouldsurmounttheirresistance，fornoheartisabletowithstandyou;
andwhenmyparentsareonceacquaintedwithyou，whentheyhavesubmittedtosternnecessity，theywillsoonloveyou，andfoldyouasadaughtertotheirhearts。"
"Butfirsttheywouldhavetosubmittosternnecessity，andI
shouldhavetobeforceduponthem，thattheymightafterwardlearntoloveme。Muchobligedtoyou，sir;Iamonlyapeasant—girl，butIhavemypridetoo，andwillneverallowmyselftobeforceduponafamily，butwillonlytakeahusbandwhoseparentswouldcometomeetmeaffectionately，andgiveme，theirblessingonthethresholdofmynewhome。Andnowletusdropthesubject，andtellmewhathashappenedtoyouduringourseparation。"
"Yousee，Eliza，whathashappenedtome，"saidUlrich，mournfully。
"Afteryourdivinemagnanimityhadsetmefree，IsucceededinpassingthroughtheinsurgentcountrytotheBavarianlinesandre—
enteredtheservice。Wefoughtandsufferedagreatdeal，andatlength，onthe14thofAugust，IwasmadeprisonerbytheTyroleseatthebattleofMountIselandtakentoInnspruck。However，theydonotknowmyrealnamehere，forIdidnotwantthenewsofmycaptivitytoreachmyparents;Ipreferredthattheyshouldlamentmeaskilledinbattle，ratherthanasaprisonerinthehandsoftheinsurgents。Butfatedecreedthatitshouldbeotherwise;Iamnolongertobeallowedtokeepmymournfulincognito;IamtorepairtoMunichtonegotiatethereanexchangeoftheprisonersforthehostageswhomourtroopscarriedoff。"
"YouruncleandmyElzaareamongthehostages，"exclaimedEliza。
"Oh，sir，ifyoureallythinkthatyouareunderobligationstome，ifyouhavenotforgottenthatIsavedyourlife，prayprocurethereleaseofyourdearolduncle，andbringhimbackhither;forhehasindeedahardtimeofitinMunich，wheretheychargehimwithtreason，andwhereevenhisownrelativesinveighbitterlyagainsthim。Thisgnawsathisheart，and，unlessreleasedspeedily，hewilldieofgrief。"
"Ididnotknowthatsosadafatehadbefallenhim，"saidUlrich，gently;"Doeningerwasthefirsttotellmeofit，onbringingmethepapers，andconductingmehither。But，Iconfess，inmyintensejoyonmeetingyou，mydear，sweetEliza，myungratefulhearthadforgottenmyolduncle，whogavemesomanyproofsofhisloveandkindness，andtreatedmeformonthsasasonathishouse。Iwilltrytorewardhislovebyavailingmyselfofmyinfluentialconnectionsandmywholeeloquencetobringabouthisrelease;I
willgomyselftothekingtointercedeinhisbehalf。"
"ButyoumustbringmyElzawithyoutoo，sir，"exclaimedEliza。
"Oh，Iimploreyou，byallthatissacredanddeartoyou——"
"Thenimploremebyyourname，byyoursweetface，"heinterruptedher，enthusiastically。
"Iimploreyoufromthebottomofmyheart，"shecontinued，withouttakinganynoticeofhiswords，"bringmyElzabacktome。Sheisthebetterhalfofmysoul;wegrewuptogether，wesharedalljoysandafflictions，andhavesworntoshedourheart\'sbloodanddieforeachother，ifneedbe，andtostandbyeachotherinfaithfulfriendshiptothelastdayofourlives。Now，IamonlyhalfalivewhenmyElzaisnotwithme。Therefore，dearUlrich，restoremyElzatome，andIwillthankyou，andblessyou，andloveyouasabrother。"
"Asabrother！"hecriedmournfully。"ButIdonotwantyoutolovemeasabrother。Iwantyourheart，yourwholeheart，Eliza;anditismineinspiteofyou——mine！Butyouarevindictive，andcannotforgetandforgive;andbecauseIdeniedandmisunderstoodyouonceinmyblindstubbornness，youwishtowreakvengeanceonme，drivemetodespair，andmakemeunhappyformywholelife！"
"I！"sheexclaimed，mournfully;"Iwishtomakeyouunhappy？"
"Yes，you，"hesaidbitterly;"youseemysufferings，andgloatoverthem;youfeelthatIloveyouboundlessly，andwithcold，sneeringprideyoutrytoresentmyformercontemptiblehaughtiness。Youopposeyourpeasantpridetomyinsensatearistocraticpride;youwanttomakemegomadordieheart—broken，andyourcoolnessneverleavesyouforamoment，andmygriefmakesnoimpressiononyou;
for，whenIamdead，youwillbeabletoexclaim:\'IfoughtformycountryasabravedaughteroftheTyrol！IkilledaBavarian，I
brokehisheartlaughingly！\'"
"Youlie，Ishallneversayso！"criedEliza，inanoutburstofgenerousindignation;"youlieifyouthinkmecapableofsomiserablearevenge;youlieifyoubelievethatIhaveacoldandcruelheart。IwishIhad，forthenIshouldnotsufferwhatIamsufferingnow，andIshouldatleastbeabletoforgetyou。Youreallychargemewithhavingacoldheart，withhatinganddespisingyou？Doyounotsee，doyounotevensuspectwhatIamsufferingforyoursake？Lookatme，then;seehowpalemycheeksare;seehowdimmyeyesare！Idonottakeanynoticeofit，Idonotlookatmyselfinthemirror——whyshouldI，andforwhom？——butmothertellsmesoeveryday，andweepsforme。AndwhyamIsopaleandthin，andwhyaremyeyessodim？Becausemyheartisfullofgrief;becauseI
havenorestdayornight;becausethereisinmyheartavoicewhichIcanneversilence，notevenwhenIamprayingorkneelingintheconfessional。DoyouthinkIamgrievingforthesakeofthecountryorthebloodywar？Whatdoesthecountryconcernme？Ithinknolongerofit，andyeteverybattlemakesmetremble;andonnearingtheboomingofartillery，IkneeldownandpraywithtearsofanguishtotheHolyVirgin。Oh，mayGodforgiveme！Idonotprayformyfather，norforoursoldiers;IprayforaBavarian，Iprayforyou！"
"Eliza！"exclaimedUlrich，radiantwithjoy，andstretchingouthisarmstowardher，"Eliza！"
"Hush！"shesaid，steppingbackproudly，"donotspeak。Ihavetoldyouthetruth，forIdonotwantyoutoaccuseandcurseme，whenI
amblessingyoueveryday。Butnowgo，sir;forgetwhatIhavesaid，butremembermealwaysasonewhoneverhatedyou，andneverthoughtofrevengingherselfuponyou。"
"Eliza，"saidUlrich，gravely，takingherhand，andgazingdeeplyintohereyes，"letusnowbehonestandfranktowardeachother。
Ourheartshavespokenwitheachother，andGodhasheardthem。Youloveme，andIloveyou。DoyourememberwhatIsaidtoyou;whentakingleaveofyouonthemountain？"
"Idonot，sir，"shewhispered，droppinghereyes。
"ButIdo，"hecontinued，gravelyandfirmly。"Isaidtoyou:\'I
willgonow，butIshallreturnandaskyou:"Doyourememberme？
Willyoubecomemywife？\'"Now，Eliza，Ihavereturned，andaskyouasIaskedyouonthemountain，Eliza，willyoubecomemywife？"
"AndIreplyasIrepliedtoyouonthemountain，"shesaidsolemnly。"Wecanneverbelongtoeachotherashusbandandwife，butwecanremembereachotherasgoodfriends。Andso，sir，Iwillalwaysrememberyou，anditwillalwaysgladdenmyhearttohearthatyouarewellandhappy。"
"Isthatyourlastword？"askedUlrich，angrily。
"Yes，sir，itismylastword。"
"Thenyouareintentonmakingusunhappy？"hecried，mournfully。
"Oh，youcrystal—heart，sotransparentandclear，sohard，sohard！
Willyounever，then，allowyourselftobesoftenedbythesunbeamsoflove？Willtheyalwaysonlyhardenyourheart？"
"Icannotactotherwise，sir，IassureyouIcannot，"shesaid，beseechingly。
"Well，then，Icannotactotherwiseeither，"hecried。"Ishallnotacceptthismission，IshallnotgotoMunich，Ishallstayhere。"
"No，no，Iimploreyoutogo！"exclaimedEliza。"Savemyimprisonedcountrymen;save，aboveall，myElzaandherfather！Oh，sheisunhappy，shelongsforherhome;sheisweepingforme，foryou，sir！Makehaste，makehaste;havemercyuponElzaandmyself！"
"WhyshouldIhavemercywhenyouhavenone？"heasked，quickly。
"Lettheprisonersdieofgrief;Iamaprisonertoo，andshallknowalsohowtodie。IshallnotleaveInnspruckunlessyoupromisemethatyouwillbecomemywifeonmyreturn，andplightmeyourfaithbeforethealtarofGod。Iswearbyallthatissacredtome，IwillnotleavethiscityunlessItakewithmeyoursolemnpledgethatyouwillovercomeyourprideandbecomemywife。"
"Well，then，"shesaid，blushingdeeply，"go，then。ProcuremyElza\'srelease，bringherhome，andthen——"
"Andthen？"heasked，asshehesitated。
"Thenyoushallreceiveatthehandsofthepriestabridewholovesyou，lovesyouwithinfinitetenderness，"shesaid，inalowvoice。
Heutteredacryofjoy，andfoldedhertohisheart。Butshedisengagedherselfgently。"Makehastenow，"shesaid;"forthesooneryondepart，thesooneryouwillreturn。"
"Iwillsetoutimmediately，"hecried，radiantwithjoy。"Butsweartome，Eliza，thatIshallreceive，immediatelyonmyreturn，eventhoughitshouldbeearlyinthemorning，atthehandsofthepriest，mybride——thebridewholovesmewithinfinitetenderness。"
"IswearbytheHolyVirgin，"saidEliza，solemnly，"thatifyoubringmyElzatomehere，youshallreceiveyourbrideatthehandsofthepriestonthedayofyourreturn，whetheritbeearlyinthemorningorlateatnight。"
"CaptainUlrich，"shoutedCajetanDoeninger，openingthedoor，"itishightimeforyoutosetout。Thecarriagehasbeenatthedoorforupwardofanhour。"
"Iamready，"sai
