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which he himself opened for him。 He was about to follow him； when he
suddenly drew back and closed the door after him。
〃Cajetan；〃 he whispered； anxiously； 〃I saw something dreadful！〃
〃What was it； commander…in…chief？〃
〃Cajetan； I saw the woman whom Friedel Hofmeier sued； and to whom I
gave the decree yesterday。 Cajetan； I was not afraid when we were on
Mount Isel and at Brixen； but I am afraid of that woman and her
dreadful lamentations。 I do not know what to do； Doeninger； if she
should have found out what I have done； and come in here to reproach
me with it。〃
〃We shall not admit her； commander…in…chief；〃 said Doeninger；
laughing。
〃But； Cajetan； I made a vow never to refuse admittance to any one；
and not； as many princes do； to allow distressed persons to wait in
my anteroom and send them away without listening to them and
comforting them。〃
〃But you heard； Andreas； that the woman is not in distress； for she
is rich and very avaricious。 She told you the most impudent
falsehoods； hence； she must not be admitted； for； if you allow her
to come in again； she would lie as she did yesterday。〃
〃You are right； Cajetan； she must not come in； and now； my friend；
pray go and admit the next applicant； but not that bad woman。〃
Doeninger went to the door； and； opening it； beckoned to the person
standing nearest to it。
A young woman； dressed plainly； but very neatly； came in； and
remained at the door； in visible confusion and grief。
〃Well； madame；〃 said Andreas to her； 〃do you come to tell me that
all is right； and that your husband and you； his pretty young wife；
live together in happiness and content？ Well； it was heavy work to
reconcile you two； and persuade you to remain together and love each
other； as it behooves a Christian couple。 It cost me a whole
forenoon； but I do not regret it； for I accomplished my task； and
reconciled you； and all was right again between you。 And I made you
promise to return in two weeks and tell me how you got along with
each other。 The two weeks are up to…day； and here comes the pretty
young wife to tell me that Andreas Hofer did his work well； and that
her husband is now faithful； tender； and good。 Is he not？〃
〃Alas； he is not！〃 sobbed the young wife； bursting into tears。
〃Tony； my husband； never stays at home in the evening； he returns
only late at night； scolds me for weeping and upbraiding him with
his bad conduct； and yesterdayyesterday he wanted even to beat
me！〃
〃What a bad man！〃 cried Andreas； vehemently。 〃Why did he want to
beat you； then？ What had you done？〃
〃I had locked the street…door； and would not let him have the key
when he wanted to leave the house。〃
〃H'em！ that was a little too severe；〃 said Hofer； hesitatingly。 〃Why
should a young man be prevented from going out a little？ He cannot
always stay at home。〃
〃But he shall not go out without me； and he would not take me with
him。 I had requested him to do so； and he had refused； therefore； I
locked the house and would not permit him to leave it。 He shall not
go out without me； for he is such a fine…looking man； that all the
pretty women of Innspruck admire him in his handsome national dress；
and ogle him when he passes by。〃
〃Well； let them admire and ogle him；〃 exclaimed Andreas； smiling。
〃What do you care for it； provided your husband does not ogle them？〃
〃But he does； commander…in…chief； he runs after the pretty women； he
goes to the theatre and the concerts to see them； and speak and
flirt with them。 Believe me； dearest commander…in…chief； he deserts
me； he is faithless； and all your fine and pious exhortations were
in vain。 He loves me no longer； and I love him so dearly； and would
like to be always with him and never desert him。 But he says it
would be inconvenient to him； and make him ridiculous； if he should
always appear together with his wife； like a convict with his
jailer。〃
〃What a bad； hard…hearted man！〃 cried Andreas； indignantly。
〃He is hard…hearted； indeed；〃 sobbed the young wife。 〃He scolds me
for my love； and when I like to be with him all the time； he says my
jealousy is disagreeable to him； and there is nothing more
abominable than a jealous wife！〃
〃Well； he may be right so far as that is concerned；〃 said Doeninger；
busily engaged in cutting his pen。
〃What did you say； Cajetan？〃 asked Hofer； turning to him。
〃I did not say anything； but thought aloud；〃 said Doeninger； trying
his pen。
Hofer was silent for a moment； and gazed into vacancy。 〃Yes； my dear
woman；〃 he then said boldly； 〃your husband may not be altogether
wrong in complaining of your jealousy。 I really believe that you are
a little jealous； and beg you to try to overcome your jealousy； for
jealousy is a grievous fault； and makes many husbands very
wretched。〃
〃But must I not be jealous？〃 she cried； vehemently； weeping
bitterly。 〃Do I not see that the women are trying to seduce him and
make him desert me？ Do I not see him at the theatre gazing at the
finely…dressed ladies and admiring their bare arms and shoulders？〃
〃What！〃 exclaimed Hofer。 〃Is it true； then； that the women here
appear in public with bare arms and shoulders？〃
〃Yes； sir； it is；〃 sobbed the young wife。 〃You can see it
everywhere； it is the new fashion which the French brought here； the
women wear low…necked dresses with very short sleeves； so that their
shoulders and arms are entirely bare。 All the aristocratic ladies of
Innspruck have already adopted this new fashion； and on seeing them
in their boxes at the theatre； you would believe they were in a
bath； precisely as the good God created them。 And it is owing only
to these bare arms and shoulders that my dear husband deserts me and
loves me no longer。 The aristocratic ladies； with their naked charms
have seduced him； and just think of it； he wants me to adopt the new
fashion too； and go as naked as the other women！〃
〃You must not do it；〃 said Hofer in dismay； 〃it is a shameless；
unchristian fashion； and no decent woman should adopt it。 This is
not the first complaint that I have heard in regard to the indecent
dress of the women here。 Some of my neighbors were at the theatre
yesterday； and were indignant at the indecent appearance of the
women there； they told me the women sat there dressed in the highest
fashion； their busts entirely bare and not covered with a
handkerchief such as every decent woman in the Passeyr valley wears；
and their arms adorned with all sorts of golden trinkets such as we
see only on those of strolling players who perform in barns。 But I
will put an end to it； I will preserve the good and virtuous men
from seduction； and will not suffer vice to dress up； and
shamelessness to stalk by the side of decency。 Just wait； my dear
woman； I will protect your husband and all other good men from the
seductive wiles of frivolous women； and issue a decree which will
tell all the beautiful women how to behave。 Sit down there and
listen to the decree which I shall dictate to Cajetan Doeninger。
Cajetan； take a large sheet of stamped paper and write what I shall
dictate to you。〃
And pacing the room。 and slowly stroking his fine black beard with
his right hand； Andreas Hofer di