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and even now I have snot ceased going to Castle Weissenstein;
although it is garrisoned by a detachment of Bavarian soldiers。
Father himself wished me to go to the young lady as heretofore; for
he said it would look suspicious if I should stay away all of a
sudden。 Therefore I went to see my dear friend Eliza von Hohenberg
every day; and I always met there her cousin; the captain of the
Bavarian soldiers。 He is a very kind…hearted and merry gentleman;
mother; and it is no fault of his that he is a Bavarian。 His father;
our castellan's brother; has lived for thirty years past down at
Munich; and his son entered the Bavarian service long before he knew
that we people of Windisch…Matrey desire to become Austrian subjects
again。 Now his general sent him hither with his soldiers for the
purpose of helping the officers to collect the taxes and enroll the
names of our young men。 Is he to blame for the necessity he is under
of obeying the orders of his general?〃
〃No; he is not;〃 said her mother; gravely。
〃But when the Austrians come now; and my father and the other men
rise; and expel and kill the Bavarians; they will kill Ulrich von
Hohenberg too; although it is not his fault that he is a Bavarian。
Oh; dearest mamma; he is such a good; kind…hearted young man! he is
my dear Eliza's cousin and our castellan's nephew; and you know how
well Eliza and her father have treated me; and that they take care
of me; whenever I am at the castle; as though I were the castellan's
own child。 Dearest mamma; shall we permit our men to kill the nephew
of our excellent castellan?〃
〃No; we will not; Lizzie;〃 said her mother; resolutely。 〃Quick; run
up the footpath leading to the castle。 Tell the young officer that
the Tyrolese are going to deliver themselves from the Bavarian yoke;
and that he had better effect his escape while there is time。〃
〃Mother; he will not do it; for he is a brave young man!〃 sighed
Eliza; 〃and thenI cannot betray father's secret to him。 If the
Austrians did not come after all; and I had told Ulrich von
Hohenberg what father and the other Tyrolese intend to do; would I
not be a traitress; and would not father curse me?〃
〃True; true; that will not do;〃 said her mother musingly; 〃your
father would never forgive you。 But I know what you must do。 Just
run up to the castle and act as though you wished only to pay a
visit to your friend Eliza; no one knows as yet what is going to
occur。 None of your friends have disclosed the secret; and the
castellan too; though I think he is a good Austrian at heart; does
not yet know any thing about it。 Your father told me so this very
morning。 You will remain at the castle; and so soon as you hear the
report of a rifle on the market…place here; you will know that the
insurrection is breaking out。 There is father's rifle; when it is
time; I will step out of the back gate with it and shoot。 You will
hear the report; and tell the young officer that the Tyrolese are
going to rise; and that he had better conceal himself until the
first rage of the insurgents has blown over。〃
〃Yes; I will do so;〃 exclaimed Eliza; 〃I will run up to the castle
now。 Good…by; dearest mamma。〃
She imprinted a kiss on the hand of her mother; and then sped away
as gracefully as a young roe。
〃She is a very good girl;〃 said her mother; looking after her
smilingly; 〃and has a soft and compassionate heart。 She wishes to
save the castellan's nephew merely because she pities the young man
who is exposed to such imminent danger。 It is very kind of her! It
But; Holy Virgin! what is the matter outside? Is the outbreak to
commence already? I believe it is my Tony who is talking outside in
so loud a voice。 I must go and hear what is the matter。〃
She hastened through the bar…room to the street…door opening upon
the market place。
Yes; it was Anthony Wallner…Aichberger who was gesticulating so
violently yonder。 Round him stood the men of Windisch…Matrey;
looking with gloomy faces at the three Bavarian revenue officers who
were standing in front of Wallner。
〃I repeat; sir;〃 exclaimed Anthony Wallner at this moment with an
air of mock gravity; 〃that we are all very loyal and obedient
subjects; and that it is wrong in you。 Mr。 Tax…collector; to call us
stubborn; seditious fellows。 If we were such; would we not; being so
numerous here; punish you and your two officers for speaking of us
so contemptuously and disrespectfully?〃
〃You know full well that; at a wave of my hand; the company of
soldiers will rush down from Castle Weissenstein and shoot you all
as traitors and rebels;〃 said the tax…collector haughtily。
〃Well; Mr。 Tax…collector;〃 exclaimed Wallner; smilingly; 〃as for the
shooting; we are likewise well versed in that。 We are first…rate
marksmen; we Tyrolese!〃
〃What!〃 cried the tax…collector; furiously; 〃do you speak again of
Tyrolese? Did I not forbid you to call yourselves so? You are no
Tyrolese; but inhabitants of South…Bavaria; do you hear? His majesty
the King of Bavaria does not want any Tyrolese as subjects; but only
Southern Bavarians; as I have told you twice already。〃 'Footnote:
See 〃Gallery of Heroes; Life of Andreas Hofer;〃 p。 15。'
〃Very well; if his majesty does not want any Tyrolese as subjects;
you need not tell us so more than once;〃 exclaimed Anthony Wallner。
〃He prefers Southern Bavarians; does he? Bear that in mind;
Tyrolese; the King of Bavaria wants only Southern Bavarians。〃
〃We will bear that in mind;〃 shouted the Tyrolese; and loud;
scornful laughter rolled like threatening thunder across the market…
place。
〃You laugh;〃 exclaimed the tax…collector; endeavoring to stifle his
rage; 〃I am glad you are so merry。 To…morrow; perhaps; you will
laugh no longer; for I tell you; if you do not pay to…day the fine
imposed on you; I shall have it forcibly collected by the soldiers
at daybreak to…morrow morning。〃
〃We must really pay the fine; then?〃 asked Anthony Wallner; with
feigned timidity。 〃You will not relent; then; Mr。 Tax…collector? We
really must pay the heavy fine; because we had a little fun the
other day? For you must say yourself; sir; we really did no wrong。〃
〃You did no wrong? You were in open insurrection。 On the birthday of
your gracious master the king; instead of hanging out Bavarian
flags; as you had been ordered; you hung out Austrian flags
everywhere。〃
〃No; Mr。 Tax…collector; you did not see right; we hung out none but
Bavarian flags。〃
〃That is false! I myself walked through the whole place; and saw
every thing with my own eyes。 Your flags did not contain the
Bavarian colors; blue and white; but black and yellow; the Austrian
colors。〃
〃Possibly they may have looked so;〃 exclaimed Anthony Wallner; 〃but
that was not our fault。 The flags were our old Bavarian flags: but
they were already somewhat old; the blue was faded and looked like
yellow; and the white had become quite dirty and looked like black。〃
〃Thunder and lightning! Wallner is right;〃 exclaimed the Tyrolese;
bursting into loud laughter。 〃The flags were our old Bavarian flags;
but they were faded and dirty。〃
The young lads; who had hitherto stood in groups around the outer
edge of the market…pl