登陆注册
5426900000172

第172章

THE WEDDING.

Night had come, and the people of Innspruck had not yet set bounds to their rejoicings. All the streets were brilliantly illuminated; a festive performance was played at the theatre, and the apartments at the imperial palace began to fill with the guests who had been invited to the ball.

But while the palace was shining with splendid lustre for the first and last time during the reign of Andreas Hofer, one of its wings had remained gloomy and silent. It seemed as though the loud voices of the world shrank from penetrating hither. Even the sentinel pacing the long, deserted corridor, trod more softly and crossed himself every time he reached the end of the passage. For the imperial chapel lay at the end of the corridor in this wing of the palace, and through the high windows there one could look down upon the altar and the holy lamp.

The sentinel had just walked up the corridor once more slowly and dreamily, when he suddenly saw two men coming along. He stood still respectfully and presented arms. These two men were Andreas Hofer, the commander-in-chief, and Old Red-beard, Joachim Haspinger, who was walking by his side, in his brown cowl and his heavy leather shoes. On approaching the sentinel, Andreas Hofer stood still and nodded kindly to him. "It is not necessary for you, Joe, to stand here all alone and present arms. I know you are one of the best dancers in the Passeyr valley, and as there is a ball at the palace, you had better go there and dance. I believe the good God Himself will watch over His chapel here.""Much obliged to you, commander-in-chief--much obliged to you!"exclaimed the soldier, joyfully; and he ran down the corridor as fast as his feet would carry him. "How gay and high-spirited these young folks are!" sighed Hofer.

"And why are you not merry too, brother Andy?" asked the Capuchin.

"A great honor was conferred upon you to-day; they paid you homage and cheered you as though you were the Messiah. The whole city is illuminated for your sake to-night; at the theatre, the orchestra played flourishes three times, and the whole audience rose the moment the commander-in-chief entered the house. But scarcely had the morose hero been there a quarter of an hour when he sneaked off again. I followed him stealthily, and found him at last in his office; and while the whole city is rejoicing, he sits at the table covered with papers, and weeps big tears into his beard!""But I told you, brother, that couriers had arrived from the valley of the Adige, and informed me that the prospects of our cause are very gloomy there. The people are split up into factions, which are engaged in bitter wranglings. How can I rejoice at the extraordinary honors paid to me, when there are such dark spots in the country?"[Footnote: Andreas Hofer's own words.--See "Bilder und Erinnerungen aus Tyrols Freiheitskampfen von 1809," by Loritza, p. 13.]

"Do not think of that now, Andy. The Lord has helped us hitherto, and He will help us henceforward; for our cause is just, and no enemy is able to stand up against it.""And do you think, brother, that what we are going to do now is also good and just?" asked Hofer, hesitatingly.

"Yes, I do, Barbone. Lizzie Wallner is a noble, brave girl, and the good God and His angels love her.""Well, if you say so, brother Capuchin, it must be all right; for you are a priest of the Lord, and would certainly not consent to cheat God in so holy a place.""God cannot be cheated," said the Capuchin, solemnly; "only short-sighted man can. Now, Lizzie Wallner has keen eyes and a pure heart;hence she looks into the future, and sees what the short-sighted Bavarian cannot see, and helps him and herself to escape from the abyss into which both of them would otherwise fall. She is a genuine heroine, and I am proud and fond of her. Otherwise I should not have come to Innspruck to-day. I came only for her sake and at her urgent request. We are exceedingly busy at the earthworks near the Pass of Lueg, and look from day to day for the Bavarians to attack us. Hence I must return there this very night, that I may be with our men to-morrow in case there should be a fight."

"God grant that you may be victorious!" sighed Andreas.

"But hark! the clock strikes nine, and the sexton is already lighting the candles on the altar.""But he has been instructed to light only two of them, lest there should be too much light," said the Capuchin. "Let us go down now, brother Andreas, and do not forget what you have to do. When the bride enters by the small side-door, you go to meet her, take her hand, and conduct her to the altar. After they are married, you offer her your hand again and beg of her permission to accompany her to the door of her room.""All right, I will do so," said Andreas. "Come, let us go down to the chapel."A dim twilight reigned in the small chapel. Only two of the tall wax-lights burned on the altar, and shed their flickering rays on the vigorous form of the Capuchin, who was standing in front of it, and praying in a low voice with clasped hands. Close to him, near the steps of the altar, stood Andreas Hofer, his head bent down, and his hands clasped on the small crucifix which was to be seen about his neck by the side of the gold medal and chain.

Footsteps were heard now in the aisle of the chapel, and a tall man in dark civilian's dress approached the altar. Andreas Hofer drew himself up to his full height and went to meet him.

"God bless you, Captain Ulrich!" he said, kindly; "I hope you will accept me as witness of your marriage.""I thank you, commander-in-chief, for consenting to be our witness,"said Ulrich, cordially; "and I thank you also, Father Haspinger, for coming to Innspruck from such a distance to marry us.""I come whenever Eliza Wallner calls me and needs me," said the Capuchin, solemnly.

同类推荐
  • 金光明经玄义拾遗记

    金光明经玄义拾遗记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天请问经

    天请问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 二度梅全传

    二度梅全传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Tom Swift & his Big Tunnel

    Tom Swift & his Big Tunnel

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 平书订

    平书订

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 问麒麟

    问麒麟

    天地苍茫,宇宙洪荒,若有极善,必生极恶(wu)。恶灭天地,善化四方。若要平顺,善困于恶,若得安康,恶囚于善。善恶和,诞祥瑞,为麒麟,长者麒,幼者麟。神魔帝,莫掏心,麟无心,乃晋神。麒化魔,惑三千。问君何时还,麒麟何处归。万物从心始,麒麟得心归。麒麟归天地,万物得祥瑞。
  • 玉景九天金霄威神王祝太元上经

    玉景九天金霄威神王祝太元上经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 留守:守望的天空

    留守:守望的天空

    本书作者深各地乡村,全面采访众多的留守儿童及“留守群体”(如留守妇幼、老幼),采访当地政府、学校为留守儿童所做的大量细致扎实的工作,见证新形势下人们对生活的不屈探索,新一代少年儿童所展示的顽强生命活力,对生活的热爱与创造。全方位展现别样风采的“小鬼当家”。
  • 玩转幽默英语

    玩转幽默英语

    搜集西方流传的九类笑话:女人与男人、童真童趣、雇主与雇员、律师与警察等,结合实用情景,逐一指点,保证读者活学活用,幽默中玩转英语。
  • 自信的树立(优秀人才成长方案)

    自信的树立(优秀人才成长方案)

    此套书撷英采华,精心分类,不但为处于青少年时期的孩子创造了一个欢乐、轻松的成长环境,而且更陶冶了青少年的情操,可以说是一套让青少年全面提高、全面发展的青春励志经典读物。
  • 秦谋天下

    秦谋天下

    他奋六世之余烈,囊括四海,并吞八荒,开创中国历史上第一个统一帝国,然而:他的生父是吕不韦还是异人?他为何终生未立皇后和太子?他为何要焚书坑儒?秦始皇陵和阿房宫又是何等巍峨的工程?一朝穿越,她一步一步解开历史的疑团,却发现……(欢迎加入书氏的读者群:99701105)
  • 极光下的爱丽丝

    极光下的爱丽丝

    《极光下的爱丽丝》的女主人公是个擅长泰拳,也狂爱绘画的多面美少女,为了一个梦境预言,她坚持不懈追寻着命中注定的丈夫,而一次假扮歌迷,却让那梦境预言产生无法成真的危险。现实中的感情线,是否能如梦中预言那般清晰浪漫?故事背景从校园到社会,从梦幻到疼痛,从青春蜕变为成熟,文字纯熟,充满梦幻色彩。如果手中缘分红线的另一端没有被你爱的人牵起,你是否会不顾一切与命运抗争到底……
  • 随身空间之鸳鸯玉

    随身空间之鸳鸯玉

    好心之下得到的半块玉佩,居然是与自己外祖父家的祖传玉佩是一对的鸳鸯玉,而且玉里面还有一个神奇的空间,从此刚刚上完大学出来闯荡的庄茶茶小姑娘的人生发生了翻天覆地的变化,空间所带来的各种各样的利益让茶茶的世界观、人生观、价值观全部与之颠倒。茶茶手握鸳鸯玉,种种蔬菜水果,阳阳鱼虾鸡鸭,日子过得美滋滋的,金钱、爱情全部都在茶茶的掌握之中,打造一个不一样的绚烂人生。
  • 愤怒的公牛也会笑:罗伯特·德尼罗传

    愤怒的公牛也会笑:罗伯特·德尼罗传

    罗伯特·德尼罗(1943-)是20世纪最伟大的电影演员之一,他所塑造的一系列银幕形象不仅成为世界电影史的不朽经典,也让更多的人喜爱并迷恋上了电影。秉承方法派体系的德尼罗独创了“获得授权”的表演理论,以改头换面的方式挑战不同的角色,其间缔造了一个又一个传奇故事,使他当之无愧地得到同行的尊敬和钦佩。
  • 太上三天正法经

    太上三天正法经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。