下载辰思小说免费APP
"ButItoldyou，brother，thatcouriershadarrivedfromthevalleyoftheAdige，andinformedmethattheprospectsofourcauseareverygloomythere。Thepeoplearesplitupintofactions，whichareengagedinbitterwranglings。HowcanIrejoiceattheextraordinaryhonorspaidtome，whentherearesuchdarkspotsinthecountry？"
[Footnote:AndreasHofer\'sownwords。——See"BilderundErinnerungenausTyrolsFreiheitskampfenvon1809，"byLoritza，p。13。]
"Donotthinkofthatnow，Andy。TheLordhashelpedushitherto，andHewillhelpushenceforward;forourcauseisjust，andnoenemyisabletostandupagainstit。"
"Anddoyouthink，brother，thatwhatwearegoingtodonowisalsogoodandjust？"askedHofer，hesitatingly。
"Yes，Ido，Barbone。LizzieWallnerisanoble，bravegirl，andthegoodGodandHisangelsloveher。"
"Well，ifyousayso，brotherCapuchin，itmustbeallright;foryouareapriestoftheLord，andwouldcertainlynotconsenttocheatGodinsoholyaplace。"
"Godcannotbecheated，"saidtheCapuchin，solemnly;"onlyshort—
sightedmancan。Now，LizzieWallnerhaskeeneyesandapureheart;
henceshelooksintothefuture，andseeswhattheshort—sightedBavariancannotsee，andhelpshimandherselftoescapefromtheabyssintowhichbothofthemwouldotherwisefall。Sheisagenuineheroine，andIamproudandfondofher。OtherwiseIshouldnothavecometoInnspruckto—day。Icameonlyforhersakeandatherurgentrequest。WeareexceedinglybusyattheearthworksnearthePassofLueg，andlookfromdaytodayfortheBavarianstoattackus。HenceImustreturntherethisverynight，thatImaybewithourmento—
morrowincasethereshouldbeafight。"
"Godgrantthatyoumaybevictorious！"sighedAndreas。
"Buthark！theclockstrikesnine，andthesextonisalreadylightingthecandlesonthealtar。"
"Buthehasbeeninstructedtolightonlytwoofthem，lestthereshouldbetoomuchlight，"saidtheCapuchin。"Letusgodownnow，brotherAndreas，anddonotforgetwhatyouhavetodo。Whenthebrideentersbythesmallside—door，yougotomeether，takeherhand，andconducthertothealtar。Aftertheyaremarried，youofferheryourhandagainandbegofherpermissiontoaccompanyhertothedoorofherroom。"
"Allright，Iwilldoso，"saidAndreas。"Come，letusgodowntothechapel。"
Adimtwilightreignedinthesmallchapel。Onlytwoofthetallwax—lightsburnedonthealtar，andshedtheirflickeringraysonthevigorousformoftheCapuchin，whowasstandinginfrontofit，andprayinginalowvoicewithclaspedhands。Closetohim，nearthestepsofthealtar，stoodAndreasHofer，hisheadbentdown，andhishandsclaspedonthesmallcrucifixwhichwastobeseenabouthisneckbythesideofthegoldmedalandchain。
Footstepswereheardnowintheaisleofthechapel，andatallmanindarkcivilian\'sdressapproachedthealtar。AndreasHoferdrewhimselfuptohisfullheightandwenttomeethim。
"Godblessyou，CaptainUlrich！"hesaid，kindly;"Ihopeyouwillacceptmeaswitnessofyourmarriage。"
"Ithankyou，commander—in—chief，forconsentingtobeourwitness，"
saidUlrich，cordially;"andIthankyoualso，FatherHaspinger，forcomingtoInnspruckfromsuchadistancetomarryus。"
"IcomewheneverElizaWallnercallsmeandneedsme，"saidtheCapuchin，solemnly。
Asmallside—doornowopened，andafemaleforminalongwhitesilkdresscamein。Herheadwascoveredandconcealedwithawhiteveil，whichsurroundedherwholeformlikeacloud，andfloweddowntotheground。Onherhead，overtheveil，sheworethediademofthevirginandbride，abloomingmyrtle—wreath。
WhileAndreasHoferwenttomeetherandtookherhandtoconducthertothealtar，Ulrichcontemplatedherwithathrobbingheart，andunutterableblissfilledhisbosom。
"Shehaskeptherword，"hethought;"shehasdoffedthecostumeoftheTyrolesegirlsandtherebydivestedherselfofherwholepast。
Oh，howsplendidherformlooksinthisdress;sheseemstallerandprouder，andyetsolovelyandsweet。"
Hegazedatherassheapproachedslowlywithalightspringingstep，leaningonAndreasHofer\'sarm;hesawonlyher！
Hedidnothearadooropeningsoftlyyonderinthevestry，whichcontainedseverallatticedwindows;hedidnotseethedarkfemaleformwhichapproachedthewindows，andwhosepalefacelookedoutforamomentandthendisappearedhastily。Hesawonlyher，hisbeloved，hisbride，whostoodnowbyhisside，whosehot，tremblinghandnowrestedinhisown，andwhoreturnedgentlythetenderpressureofhishand。
AndnowFatherHaspingerraisedhisvoiceandspokeindevoutandimpressivewordstothebrideandbridegroomofthesolemnityofthissacredhour，oftheimportanceoftheunionwhichtheywereabouttoenteruponbeforeGod，andofthesacreddutiesthefulfilmentofwhichtheyweretovowbeforethealtar。
"AndnowIaskyou，CaptainUlrichvonHohenberg，"hesaid，inaloudvoice，"willyoutakeyourbetrothedhereforyourwife，andloveandcherishherallyourlifelong？"
Herepliedinaloud，joyousvoice，"Yes。"
"Andyou，youngmaiden，"addedtheCapuchin，"willyoutakeyourbetrothedhereforyourhusband，andloveandcherishhimallyourlifelong？"
Alow，timid"Yes"fellfromherlips。Stifledsobsandgroansresoundedinthedirectionofthevestry。
"Joinhands，then。"saidtheCapuchin，solemnly，"andletmeexchangeyourringsintokenofyourunion。ImarryyounowinthenameofGod，andhenceforthyouaremanandwife。WhatGodhathjoinedtogether，letnotmanputasunder。Kneeldownnowandreceivethebenediction。"
Thebrideandbridegroomkneltdownhand—in—handbeforethealtar;
theconcealedwomankneltdowninthevestryalone，tremblingandquiveringwithanguish。
Whenthebenedictionhadbeengivenandthebrideandbridegroomarose，sheroselikewisefromherknees。"HolyVirgin，"sheprayedinalowvoice，"givemestrengthnow！Thoubeholdestmyheart，andseestwhatIamsuffering！Oh，bewithmeinThymercy，andgivemestrengthandconstancy！"
Theceremonywasovernow，andAndreasHoferapproachedthebride。
"Asyourfatherwaspreventedfrombeingpresent，"hesaid，"permitmetotakehisplaceandconductyoutoyourroom。Isupposeyoudonotobjecttoit，CaptainUlrich！"
"Onthecontrary，Iamobligedtoyoufortakingtheplaceofmysweetbride\'sfather。Leadtheway，Iwillfollowyou。"
"No，sir，waitamoment，"exclaimedFatherHaspinger，solemnly。"I
mustspeakafewwordswithyouprivately。"
"AndIhavetothankyouforyourkindnessincomingtoourwedding，"saidUlrich，standingstillinfrontofthealterandfollowingonlywithhiseyeshisbride，whowasjustleavingthechapelwithAndreasHoferbytheside—door。
"CaptainUlrich，"saidtheCapuchin，afterthedoorhadclosedbehindthetwo，"IhavecompliedwithElizaWallner\'srequest，andmarriedyoutoyourbetrothed。Youarenowmanandwife，andnothingbutdeathcanseparateyoufromyourwife。Donotforgetthis，sir。
ButwillyoualsodowhatIamnowabouttoaskofyou？"
"Ipromisetodoit，ifitbeinmypower。"
"Inthevestryyonderisonewhowishestoseeyou。Gotoher。Butpromisemebyallthatissacredtoyouthatyouwilllistentohercalmly;that，whatevershemaysaytoyou，youwillnotinveighagainsther;andthatyouwillovercomeyourheartandsubmitlikeabravemantothatwhichcannotbehelped。"
"Idonotcomprehendwhatyoumean，"saidUlrich，smilingly，"butI
promisetosubmitlikeabravemantothatwhichcannotbehelped。"
"Go，then，tothevestry，"saidFatherHaspinger;"Iwillleavethechapel，fornooneexceptGodshouldhearwhatshehastosaytoyou。"
HebowedtoUlrich，andquicklywalkeddownthepassagetothelargedoorofthechapel。Ulrichhastenedtothevestry，and，openingthedoor，murmuredtohimself:"Whatastrangemystery！Whocanawaitmehere？"
"Iawaityouhere，sir，"saidalow，tremulousvoice。
Ulrichlookedup，andstaredatherwhostoodbeforehimwithclaspedhandsandgazedathimwithbeseechingeyes。
"Eliza！"heexclaimed，startingbackwithacryofhorror;"Eliza，youarehere？"
"Yes，Iamhere，"shesaid;"Iamheretoimploreyourforgiveness。"
"Myforgiveness？"heasked，trembling，andpressingbothhishandstohistemples。"MyGod！myheadswims——IbelieveIshallgomad！
Elizaishere，shestandsbeforemeinherpeasantcostume，andsheleftmeonlyafewmomentsagoinawhitebridaldress，andwithamyrtle—wreathonherhead。Whatdoesthisquicktransformationmean，andhowwasitpossible？"
"Itisnotransformation，sir，"saidEliza，bashfully。"IamElizaWallner，thepeasant—girl，andshewholeftyouinthechapelisyourweddedwife，theyoungBaronessvonHohenberg——"
"Youaremyweddedwife，youalone？"hecried，impetuously。
"No，sir，Iamnot！"
"Youarenot？"hecried，vehemently。"Andwhoisshewhowentfrommethere？"
"Sheisyourwife，wholovesyouwithallherheart，"saidEliza，solemnly;"sheisthewifewhomyourparentsselectedforyoufromyourearliestyouth;sheisElzavonHohenberg。"
Ulrichutteredacryofrageanddespair，andrusheduponElizawithupliftedhand，paleasacorpse，andwithflashingeyes。
Shebentherheadandwholeformbeforehim。"Strikeme，Ideserveyouranger，"shesaid，humbly。
Ulrichdroppedhisarmwithagroan。"Thenyouhavecheatedme，wretchedgirl！"hecried，furiously。"Y
