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nurse my bridegroom and speak with him of love and marriage； but I
will go and fight with you for our Tyrol and our emperor。 I will
fight with my father and my countrymen； and prove that I am a true
daughter of the Tyrol。 When you have nothing to eat； I will cook for
you； and when you go to fight the Bavarians； I will fight with you。
My father's lame porter； our faithful Schroepfel； shall have my
bridegroom in his custody； and protect him until we return to our
homes。 But we shall not return before our dear Tyrol is free and
restored to the Emperor Francis； and then； father； when your Lizzie
has bravely fought for our dear Tyrol； you will permit her to marry
the man whom she loves； and you will no longer say that she is not
your daughter； will you？〃 〃No； Lizzie； then I shall no longer say or
think so；〃 cried Wallner； folding his daughter to his heart；
overcome by his emotion。 〃Yes； you are a brave child of the Tyrol；
you shall march to the field with us； and when we return to our
homes； you shall marry your Bavarian。 Say； my dear friends； shall it
be so？〃
〃Yes； it shall；〃 shouted the Tyrolese。 〃Her wedding shall take place
when we return to our homes； and when the Tyrol is free。〃
〃No； no；〃 cried Ulrich； raising himself up with a last effort：
〃never will my father's son dishonor himself so deeply as to marry a
peasant…girl〃
He said no more； a stream of blood rushed from his mouth； a mortal
pallor overspread his cheeks； his eyes closed； and he sank to the
ground with a groan of pain。
〃He is dying！ he is dying！〃 cried Eliza； despairingly。 She rushed to
him； knelt down by his side； and encircled him firmly with both her
arms； so that his head reposed on her breast。
A cry； a loud； painful cry； resounded above her in the air； all eyes
turned toward the balcony； but no one was there； only for a moment
it seemed to them as though a female form glided through the dining…
room。
〃Elza； it was Elza！〃 murmured Eliza。 〃Why does she not come to me？
why〃 At this moment Ulrich opened his eyes again； and fixed a look
of proud hatred full upon Eliza's face； which was tenderly bent over
him。
〃I do not love you； I detest you！〃 he hissed； between his firmly…
compressed teeth。
〃He lives； thank God； he lives！〃 cried Eliza； 〃now all is well； and
I am no longer afraid of anything。 Schroepfel； come here； take him
on your shoulders； dear Schroepfel； or let John help you to carry
him to my chamber； where you will lay him on my bed。 You swear to me
by the Holy Virgin that you will watch over him faithfully？〃
〃I swear by the Holy Virgin；〃 said Schroepfel； lifting his heavy
fists to heaven； and then fixing his small； flashing eyes on Ulrich；
as a watch…dog eyes the bone he fears may be taken from him。
〃And now let us settle that affair with the soldiers yonder；〃 said
Anthony Wallner； going to the windows； in front of which the
sharpshooters were still drawn up in line。
〃Soldiers in the rooms；〃 he shouted in a powerful voice； 〃surrender！
The fight is at an end； your captain is our prisoner。 Surrender； or
you are lost； we will set fire to the house； and shoot down
whosoever jumps out of the windows。 if you wish to save your lives；
surrender。〃
One of the sergeants appeared at the window。
〃We are locked up and surrounded；〃 he said； 〃we have no ammunition；
and our captain is a prisoner。 Therefore； we will surrender if you
will allow us to evacuate the castle。〃
〃Yes； but without arms；〃 said Anthony Wallner； imperatively。 〃You
will all come in squads of four to the windows and hand out your
carbines and side…arms。 There are yet a hundred of you in the rooms。
As soon as we have got a hundred carbines and a hundred sabres we
shall open the portal and let you out。 You may return then to
Bavaria； and tell your government that no Southern Bavarians； but
true Tyrolese； live in the Pusterthal； the Vintschgau； and the
Passeyrthal。〃
〃We accept your terms；〃 replied the sergeant； 〃come； therefore； and
receive our arms。〃
The Tyrolese stepped up to the windows； at each of which squads of
four soldiers made their appearance； and silently and sullenly
handed out their arms； which the Tyrolese took and stacked in the
middle of the court…yard。
〃Now I will go and see where my Elza has concealed herself；〃
murmured Eliza to herself； and she glided hastily through the ranks
of the Tyrolese into the castle。
No one was to be seen in the large hall； and； unnoticed by anybody；
Eliza ascended the staircase； hastened down the corridor； and
entered the dining…room。
The instinct of her heart had guided her rightly； yonder； in the
most remote corner of the room； sat Elza； groaning aloud in bitter
woe； her hands clasped on her knees； her head bent on her breast；
and not perceiving in her agony that Eliza came in； that she
hastened rapidly； yet noiselessly and on tiptoe through the room；
and stood still now close in front of her。
〃Why do you weep； dearest Elza？〃 asked Eliza； kneeling down before
her friend。
Elza gave a start； and quickly raised her face； over which were
rolling rivers of scalding tears。 〃I do not weep at all； Eliza；〃 she
said； in a low voice。
〃Eliza？〃 she asked； wonderingly。 〃You call me Eliza？ Then I am no
longer your darling； your Lizzie？ You did not assist me when I had
to save your cousin Ulrich below in the court…yard？ You uttered a
loud cry when he lay more dead than alive in my lap； and you did not
come to help him and me？ And now you call me Eliza？〃
〃What should I have done there？〃 asked Elza； in a bitter； mournful
tone。 〃He reposed well on your breast； he did not need me。 I am only
his cousin； but you； you are his affianced bride。〃
〃But formerly； I suppose； Elza； he was to be your affianced
bridegroom？〃 asked Eliza； in a low； tremulous voice。 〃Oh； I always
thought so； I knew it all the time； although you never told me so。 I
always thought Elza and Ulrich would be a good match； they are
suited to each other； and will love each other and be happy。 Elza；
Ulrich was to be your bridegroom； was he not？〃
〃What is the use of talking about it now？〃 asked Elza； vehemently。
〃He is YOUR bridegroom； he has sworn eternal fidelity to you； and I
shall not dispute him with you。 Marry him and be happy。〃
〃And would your Lizzie be happy if her Elza were not content with
her？〃 asked Eliza； tenderly。 〃Tell me only this： your father and his
parents thought you were a good matchdid they not？〃
〃Yes； they did；〃 whispered Elza； bursting again into tears。
〃My father told me yesterday that it was his wish； as well as that
of Ulrich's parents。〃
〃And Ulrich told you； too； that he loved you and would marry you？
Tell me the truth； Elza。 Never mind what I said in the court yard
about Ulrich being my bridegroom。 Remember only that I am your
Lizzie； who loves you better than she can tell you； but who will
prove it to you if the good God will permit her to do so。 Tell me
therefore； my darling； Ulrich said to you he loved you and wished to
marry you？〃
〃No； he did not say so； Lizzie； butbut I thought so； I believe；
and he thought so； too； and； O God！ I believe I love him。 It seemed
to me as though a dagger pierced my heart when you sai