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〃That is to say； Eliza； you are still angry with me？〃 he asked；
eagerly。 〃You are silent； you avert your head。 My God！ Eliza； what
did I do； then； to incur your anger？〃
〃Not much； perhaps； for city folks； but by far too much for a poor
peasant…girl；〃 she said； with eyes flashing proudly。 〃You told me
you loved me； you tried forcibly to embrace and kiss me； and begged
me to go up early in the morning to the yellow grotto； where you
would wait for me。 You told me further not to say a word about it to
anybody； it should remain a secret between you and me； and I should
not even mention it to the priest at the confessional。 That was not
honest of you； sir； nay； it was bad of you to try and persuade me to
such mean things。 It showed me that you cannot be a good man； and
that your friendship for me is prompted by evil intentions。〃
〃I do not feel any friendship for you； none whatever；〃 said the
young man ardently； seating himself by her side； seizing her hand in
spite of her resistance； and pressing it to his heart。 〃I do not
want to be your friend； my sweet； beautiful； wild Alpine rose； no；
not your friend； but your lover。 And I commence by loving you with
intense ardor； by desiring and longing for nothing； and thinking of
nothing but you alone。 Oh； Eliza； believe me； I love you intensely
by far more than Elza； more than your parents； more than all your
friends together。〃
〃More； perhaps； but not better；〃 she said； shaking her head； and
gently withdrawing her hand from him。
〃No； let me keep your hand！〃 he exclaimed hastily； seizing it again；
〃let me keep it； Eliza； for I tell you I love you better too than
all the others； I love you with my soul； with my heart； with my
blood； with my life！ Oh； believe me； sweet； lovely child； believe me
and give me your heart； follow me； and be minemine forevermore！ I
will give you a happy； brilliant； and beautiful existence； I will
lay at your feet all the pleasures； enjoyments； and charms of this
world〃
〃Sir；〃 interrupted Eliza； hastily； jumping up； and fixing her eyes
upon him with a strange； ardent expression； 〃I hope I understand you
right； and my ears do not deceive me？ You offer me your hand？ You
want to marry me and make me your wife？〃
The young man gave a slight start and dropped his eyes。 Eliza saw
it； and a sarcastic smile played round her lips。 〃Why do you not
speak？〃 she said。 〃Reply to me。 Did I understand you？ Did you make
serious proposals of marriage to me？ Will you go down to my father
this very day and say to him： 'Listen； sir。 I； the aristocratic
gentleman； I； Captain Ulrich von Hohenberg； want to marry your
daughter Lizzie。 I think this country girl； with her manners； her
language and bearing； is well fitted to associate with my
aristocratic and distinguished family； and my parents in Munich
would be overjoyed if I should bring to them this Tyrolese girl as
their daughter…in…law； and a brown cow and a white goat as her
dower。' Tell me； sir； will you go down to my dear father； the
innkeeper of Windisch…Matrey； and say that to him？〃
〃But； Eliza；〃 sighed the young man； mournfully； 〃if you loved me
only a little； you would not immediately think of marriage； but
would forget every thing else； allow your whole past to sink into
oblivion behind you； and think of nothing but the fact that I love
you intensely； and that you return my love。〃
〃But I do not admit at all that I love you；〃 said Eliza； proudly；
〃on the contrary； you alone say and swear that you love me； and I
reply that I do not believe you。〃
〃And why do you not believe me； cruel； beautiful girl？〃
〃Because you utter so many fine phrases which amount to nothing at
all。 You tell me that you are very fond of me； but I think if you
love any body with all your heart； you must be anxious to preserve
him from misfortune； and do all you can to make him happy； even
though it were at the expense of your own happiness。 But you； sir；
do not intend to make me happy； on the contrary； you are bent on
plunging me into misery and disgrace； and that is the reason why I
contend that you do not love me。〃
〃Then you have a heart of stone；〃 cried Ulrich von Hohenberg；
despairingly； 〃you will not see what I am suffering； nor how
intensely I love you。〃
〃Sir；〃 said she； smiling； 〃if I cannot comprehend it； pray explain
to me how you love me。〃
〃I love you as the most beautiful； lovely； and charming creature I
have ever known and admired。 I love you as a girl whose innocence；
naturalness； and goodness； fill my heart with ecstasy and profound
emotion； by whose side I should like to spend my whole life； and
united with whom I should wish to seek for a lonely island of
happiness to dream thereremote from the world； its prejudices and
folliesa sweet； blissful love…life； from which only death would
arouse us。〃
〃Sir； if you really love me in this manner； you need not run away
with me to seek elsewhere in foreign lands the 'lonely island of
happiness；' as you call it； for in that case you would have it round
you wherever we might be； and； above all things； here in our
mountains。 But； look； it is just as I said； you are desirous to find
a 'lonely island of happiness'that is to say； nobody is to find
out that the aristocratic gentleman loves the poor Tyrolese girl；
and that is the reason why you want us to hide in the mountains or
elsewhere； and see if we can be happy without the blessing of the
priest； our dear parents； and all other good men。〃
〃Oh； Eliza； have mercy on me。 I swear to you that I love you
intensely； that I would be the happiest of men if I could marry you
publicly and make you my wife in the face of the whole world； that
〃
Eliza interrupted him by singing with a smiling air； and in a merry；
ringing voice：
〃Und a Bisserle Lieb' und a Bisserle Treu'
Und a Bisserle Falschheit ist all'zeit dabei！〃
＇Footnote：
〃And a bit of love； and a bit of truth；
And a bit of falsehood； make life； forsooth！〃＇
〃No； no falsehood；〃 cried Ulrich； 〃only the irksome； terrible
necessity； the〃
The loud crash of a rifle； finding an oft…repeated echo in the
mountains； interrupted him。 Eliza uttered a cry of dismay and jumped
up。
〃Jesus Maria！〃 she murmured in a low voice； 〃it is the signal。 It
has commenced！〃
〃What！ What has commenced？〃 asked the young man； in surprise。
Eliza looked at him with confused and anxious eyes。 〃Nothing； oh；
nothing at all；〃 she said； in a tremulous voice。 〃OnlyI mean〃she
paused and looked with fixed attention down on the large place。 She
distinctly saw the groups moving rapidly to and fro； and then
pouring with furious haste through the streets。
〃They are coming up here；〃 she murmured； and her eyes turned toward
the wing of the castle on the side of the balcony； where the
Bavarian soldiers had their quarters。 The latter； however；
apparently did not suspect the imminent danger。 They were sitting at
the windows and smoking or cleaning their muskets and uniforms。
Eliza could hear them chatting and laughing in perfect tranquillity。
〃Well； Eliza； beautiful； cruel girl；〃 asked Ulrich von Hohenberg；
〃will you tell me what has suddenly excited you so strangely？〃
〃Nothing； sir； oh； n