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she laid her hand on her bosom； as if to stifle the cry which her
lips were already about to utter； then she cast a beseeching glance
toward heaven； and； as if strengthened by this mute invocation； she
stepped forward。
〃Captain Ulrich von Hohenberg！〃 she said； in her sweet； melodious
voice。
He gave a start； dropped his hand from his face； and jumped up。
〃Eliza Wallner！〃 he said； breathlessly and in great confusion。
She only nodded her head； and fixed her clear； piercing eyes with a
proud； reproachful expression on his face； he dropped his eyes
before her gaze。 On seeing this； Eliza smiled； and； crossing the
room with a rapid step； went to the window。
〃Come here； sir； and look at that。 What do you see yonder？〃
Ulrich stepped to her and looked out。 〃I see the mountains and the
summits of the glaciers；〃 he said； 〃and in the direction in which
you are pointing your finger； I see also my uncle's castle。〃
〃Do you see also the balcony； Ulrich von Hohenberg？〃 she asked；
somewhat sarcastically。
〃I do；〃 he replied； almost timidly。
She looked at him with the proud and lofty air of a queen。
〃When we met last and spoke with each other； we stood on yonder
balcony；〃 added Eliza。 〃Do you remember what we said at the time；
sir？〃
〃Eliza；〃 he murmured
〃You remember it no longer；〃 she interrupted him； 〃but I do。 On
yonder balcony you swore to me that you loved me boundlessly； and
when I laughed at you； you invoked heaven and earth to bear witness
of your love。 Now； sir； heaven and earth gave you an opportunity to
prove your ardent love for Eliza Wallner。 Did you profit by that
opportunity？〃
〃No；〃 he said； in a low voice； 〃it is true； I acted harshly and
cruelly toward you； I occasioned you bitter grief； I〃
〃I do not complain；〃 she exclaimed； proudly。 〃I do not speak of
myself； but only of you。 You swore eternal love to me at that time；
but you did so as a mendacious Bavarian； I did not believe you； and
knew full well that you had no honest intentions toward me。 For this
reason I laughed at you； and said the peasant…girl was no suitable
match for you； and rejected all your oaths and protestations of
passionate love。〃
〃But afterwards； to punish me for venturing to speak of love to
you；〃 he exclaimed； impetuously； 〃you feigned to have believed my
protestations and oaths； and although you had previously laughed at
me； you wished now to become my wife。〃
〃No；〃 she said； with a fiery glance of disdain； 〃no； afterwards I
only wished to save your life。 You have utterly mistaken Eliza
Wallner's character； Ulrich von Hohenberg。 You thought Lizzie
Wallner would deem herself exceedingly fortunate to become the wife
of an aristocratic gentleman； even though he took her only by
compulsion： you thought she would be content to leave the Tyrol by
the side of the nobleman who disdained her； and go to the large
foreign city of Munich； where the aristocracy would scorn and mock
the poor Tyrolese girl。 No； sir； I tell you； you have utterly
mistaken my character。 I attach no value whatever to your
aristocratic name； nor to the distinguished position of your family；
when I marry； I shall choose a husband who loves me with all his
heart； and who does not wish to live without me； and takes me of his
own accord； and with the full enthusiasm of a noble heart。 But he
would have to remain in the mountains and be a son of the Tyrol； for
my heart is attached to the mountains； and never would I or could I
leave them to remove to a large city。 You see； therefore； Ulrich；
that a marriage with you would by no means appear to me a very
fortunate thing； and； moreover； if you had allowed yourself to be
compelled to marry me； had you not refused to do so； I should have
despised you all my life long as a miserable coward。 I thank you；
therefore； for resisting the men so bravely； for I should have been
sorry to be obliged to despise you； you are my dear Elza's cousin；
and I myself have always liked you so well。〃
〃Eliza；〃 he exclaimed； impetuously； 〃you are an angel of goodness
and lenity； and I stand before you filled with shame and grief。 You
say you always liked me so well； and I treated you with so much
ingratitude and disdain！ Oh； let me press this dear hand to my lips；
let me thank you for all that you have done for me！〃
He tried to seize her hand； but she withdrew it from him quickly。
〃Captain von Hohenberg；〃 she said； 〃we are no longer on the balcony
yonder； nor is it necessary that you should kiss my hand。 That may
be suitable when you have fair ladies from the city before you； but
not when you are speaking with a Tyrolese girl。 Besides； I did not
tell you all this to obtain praise and admiration from you； but to
prevent you from taking me for a mean…spirited girl； respecting
herself so little as to try to get a husband in so dishonorable a
manner。 No； by the Holy Virgin； I would rather die and be buried
under an avalanche than act so meanly and disgracefully。 But when
the peasants were going to kill you； there was no other way for me
to save your life than that of saying that you were my betrothed；
and that was the only reason why I said so。 How。 ever； I had no idea
that the wedding was to take place to…day； for my dear father had
concealed it from me； and wished to surprise me； because he really
believed that I loved you。 If I had known beforehand what father had
in view； I should have devised some way of preventing him from
carrying his plan into effect。 But I swear to you； I had no inkling
of it。 Therefore； I beg your pardon； sir； for the harsh treatment
you received at their hands for my sake。〃
〃Eliza；〃 he said； mournfully； 〃your words rend my heart。 Oh； do not
be so gentle and generous！ Be angry with me； call me an infamous
villain； who； in his blindness； did not penetrate your magnanimity
and heroic self…sacrifice； do not treat me with this charming
mildness which crushes me！ You acted like an angel toward me； and I
treated you like a heartless barbarian。〃
〃I forgive you with all my heart； and therefore you may forgive
yourself；〃 she said； with a gentle smile。 〃But let us speak no
longer of the past； let us think only of the future。 You heard what
father said： 'To…morrow morning there will be a wedding or an
execution。'〃
〃Well； then； there will be a wedding to…morrow morning；〃 exclaimed
Ulrich； casting an ardent glance on the young girl； 〃yes； there will
be a wedding to…morrow morning。 Pray； Eliza； save my life a third
time to…morrow； become my wife！〃
〃I will save your life；〃 she said； throwing back her head； proudly；
〃but fortunately it is unnecessary for me to become your wife for
that purpose。 I have come here only to save you。 Sir； you must
escape to…night。〃
〃Escape；〃 he said； shrugging his shoulders； 〃escape； when Schroepfel
is guarding my door？〃
〃Hush！ do not speak so loud； sir； he might hear you； and he must
know nothing about it。 Bend your head closer to me and listen： Go to
bed early this evening； but extinguish your light beforehand； lest
Schroepfel should see any thing。 My mother told me Schroepfel had
bored holes in the door； and was watching you all the time。
Therefore； go to bed early； and leave yo