Andreas Hofer: An Historical NovelMühlbach, L. (Luise)
History
Andreas Hofer: An Historical Novel
Mühlbach, L. (Luise)
Hofer, Andreas, 1767-1810 -- Fiction; Tyrol (Austria) -- History -- Uprising of 1809 -- Fiction
She imprinted a kiss on her mother's lips, and hastened into the
yard. The door was closed softly. At this moment the church-clock
struck two.
Eliza glided noiselessly across the yard toward the large ladder
leaning against the stable. She lifted it up with vigorous hands,
carried it across the yard, and placed it against the dwelling-
house, so that its top reached the open window of the prisoner. She
examined if the ladder stood firm, laid a few stones at its foot, to
prevent it from sliding, and then ascended it with cat-like agility,
carrying a small bundle on her arm, while she had put down another
in the yard.
Now she had reached the captain's window.
"Are you awake, sir?" she asked, in a low voice.
"I am, Eliza," whispered a voice inside. "I have been awake and
waiting for you an hour."
"Take this, sir," she said, handing the bundle into the window. "It
is a suit of clothes which you must put on. It is my father's
holiday dress, for you must not wear the Bavarian uniform now. You
must put up for a few days with being disguised as a Tyrolese. Put
it on quickly, and then wrap up your uniform in the blanket in which
I brought the suit of clothes. But make haste, and when you are
ready, descend the ladder, and come down into the yard, where I
shall await you. Bring the package with the uniform with you, and,
above all things, make haste."
She gave the captain no time for reply, but glided rapidly and
noiselessly down the ladder. On arriving in the yard, she took the
haversack which she had left there, hung it over her shoulder, and
took up the rifle. Then she seated herself quietly on a large log
close to the ladder, and looked up to the moon, which illuminated
her face and her whole form. Her face wore a wonderfully calm
expression; only round her crimson lips quivered at times something
like hidden grief, and a tear glistened in her large, dark eyes. But
when this tear rolled down her cheek slowly, Eliza shook her head
indignantly, and brushed it away with her hand.
"Foolish girl!" she murmured, "how can you weep now? You must
bravely take your heart in your hands now, and hold it so firmly
that it can neither cry nor tremble. You must be proud and stiff,
and never forget what is due to your honor, and what you owe to your
friend Elza. Therefore, do not weep, but be a brave Tyrolese girl.
To-morrow night you may weep in your chamber, for nobody will see
you there; but not to-night-no, no, not to-night!"
She shook her head violently, forced herself to smile, and gazed
pleasantly up to the moon. "God bless thee, golden, rapid wanderer!"
she said. "Thou shalt accompany us to-night, and pray, dear moon,
send all clouds home, and remain as bright and clear as now; for our
route is a dangerous one, and if thou dost not help us, we may
easily fall into an abyss, and--Hush, hush, he is coming."
She rose and looked up to the window, whence the captain emerged at
this moment, and appeared on the ladder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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