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〃will you tell me what has suddenly excited you so strangely？〃
〃Nothing； sir； oh； nothing；〃 she said； but then she leaned far over
the railing of the balcony and stared down； she beheld four young
Tyrolese sharpshooters running up the castle…hill at a furious rate；
and the host of their comrades following them。 The four who led the
way now entered the court…yard； and reached with wild bounds the
large door forming the entrance of the wing of the building occupied
by the soldiers。 With thundering noise they shut it； turned the
large key which was in the lock； and drew it immediately out。
Two sharpshooters now ran up from the opposite side。
〃We have locked the back…gate；〃 they shouted exultingly。
〃That door is locked too；〃 replied the others； jubilantly。 〃They are
all prisoners in the castle！〃
〃Sir；〃 cried Eliza； drawing Ulrich von Hohenberg back from the
balcony； 〃you may come with me into the dining…room； I must tell you
something。〃
〃No；〃 he said； 〃I shall stay here and see what is the matter。〃
〃What does this mean？ More than fifty Tyrolese are entering the
court…yard； and why did those mad young fellows lock the door upon
my soldiers？〃
〃I suppose it is some mad freak of theirs； that is all；〃 said Eliza；
trembling。 〃Come； dear sir； leave the balcony and follow me into the
room。 I wish to tell you somethingquite secretly； sir；oh； come！
I do not want heaven and God and the snow…clad mountains yonder to
hear a word of it。〃
〃Eliza；〃 he exclaimed； transported； 〃how you smile； how you blush！
Oh； my God； what do you wish to say to me？〃
She encircled his arm with her hands and drew him into the room。
〃Listen；〃 she said； looking at him with imploring eyes； 〃if it is
true that you love me give me a proof of it and swear that you will
do what I shall request of you！〃
〃I love you； Eliza； and will prove it to you。 I swear； therefore； to
do what you shall request of me。〃
〃Thank you； thank you；〃 she exclaimed； joyfully。 〃Now come with me；
I will conduct you under the roof； I know of a hiding…place there
where no one will find you； and you will swear to me to stay there
until I come to you with a suit of clothes which you will put on。
Thereupon I shall conduct you in the dead of night into the
mountains； and thus you will escape。〃
〃Escape？ Never！ And why； then？〃
〃Sir； because the peasants will assassinate you if you remain。〃
The young officer burst into loud laughter。 〃They will assassinate
me？ Ah； I have my soldiers and my own arms； and am not afraid of the
peasants。 My soldiers would soon put down the insurgents if they
should really rebel to…morrow。〃
〃Sir； they will not wait until to…morrow； they have already risen；
the insurrection has commenced this very hour。 Oh； thank God； you
did not find out what was going on； you felt so secure in your pride
and despised the Tyrolese so much that you did not fear them。
＇Footnote： The Tyrolese kept the secret of their intended
insurrection so well； and the Bavarians were so overbearing and
careless； that they did not know anything about the plans of the
insurgents until the day of the rising； and on that day they tried
to levy contributions by force of arms。See 〃Gallery of Heroes：
Andreas Hofer；〃 p。 50。＇ But I tell you now； the insurrection has
broken out； the whole Tyrol is rising； all our people are in
commotion from Innspruck down to Salzburg。 You can no longer prevent
or stifle it。 You must submit。 Save yourself； then； sir； you have
sworn to grant my request； and you must keep your word。〃
〃No； I cannot and will not！ I must do my duty。 Let me go； Eliza！ I
must go！ I must go to my soldiers！〃
〃You can no longer reach them； for they have locked them up。 Come；
you must save yourself！〃
She seized his arm with superhuman strength； and tried to draw him
away； but he disengaged himself and rushed toward the door。 But
Eliza was quicker than he； she bounded forward like an angry
lioness； and just as Ulrich was about to seize the knob； she stood
before the door and pushed him back。
〃I shall not permit you to leave the room；〃 she cried。 〃You must
kill me first； then you may go。〃
〃Eliza； I cannot stay。 I implore you； let me go out。 My honor； my
good name； are at stake。 You say the peasants have risen in
insurrection； my soldiers are locked up； and you think I could be
cowardly and miserable enough to conceal myself and surrender my
name to well…deserved disgrace？ Let me go out； Eliza； have mercy
upon me！ Do not compel me to remove you forcibly from the door！〃
〃Ah；〃 cried Eliza； with scornful laughter； 〃you think I will step
back from the door and let you go to kill my father and my brothers？
Listen； sir； you said you loved me。 Give me a proof of it。 Let me go
out first； let me speak with my father only three words！ Perhaps I
may persuade him to release your soldiers and go home with his
friends。〃
〃Very well； I will prove to you that I love you。 Go down； Eliza；
speak with your father。 I give you ten minutes' time； that is to
say； I sacrifice to you ten minutes of my honor。〃
Eliza uttered a cry of joy； she encircled Ulrich's neck impetuously
with her arms and imprinted a glowing kiss on his forehead。
〃Farewell； sir；〃 she whispered； 〃farewell； and God bless you！〃
Then she pushed him back； hastened to the door； threw it open； and
sprang out。 She closed the door carefully behind her； locked it with
a firm and quick hand； drew the key from the lock； and concealed it
in her bosom。
〃Holy Virgin； I thank Thee！〃 she exclaimed； joyfully。 〃He is saved；
for the room has no other outlet； and the balcony is too high for
him to jump down。〃
CHAPTER XII。
FAREWELL！
She sped as gracefully and quickly as a gazelle down the corridor。
In the large hall into which it led stood Elza； surrounded by more
than twenty Tyrolese sharpshooters； with whom she was talking in a
loud； animated voice。 Her cheeks were very pale； her lips were
quivering； but her eyes flashed courageously； and； notwithstanding
the paleness of her face； it did not betray the least anxiety or
terror。
〃Have you considered well what you are going to do； men of the
Puster valley？〃 she asked； in a clear； full voice。 〃Do you know that
you are about to rebel against your government and your king； and
that the rebels will be judged and punished with the full rigor of
the law？ 〃
〃But the Bavarians will not judge us； for we shall drive them from
the country；〃 shouted the Tyrolese。 〃We do not want a king nor a
Bavarian government； we want to get back our Emperor Francis and our
old constitution。〃
〃But you will not succeed；〃 said Elza； 〃you are too weak against
them。 There are too many of them and too few of you； they have
cannon； and you have nothing but your rifles； and there are many of
you who have not even a rifle。〃
〃But we have our God and our emperor； and those two will help us。
The Austrians； as Andreas Hofer has written to us； are already in
the country； and all the people are rising to drive the French and
Bavarians from the country。〃
〃It is so； Elza；〃 said Eliza； encircling her friend's neck with her
arm。 〃I know youI know that you are a loyal daughter of the Tyrol；
and you