of sunshine。 Now you are mine； Eliza； and nothing on earth must or
shall separate us any longer。 No； do not try to disengage yourself
from my arms； my beautiful； sweet； affianced bride！ I shall not
leave you； even though the whole world should come to take you from
me； I should not leave youno； not for the whole world and all its
treasures！〃
〃The whole world will not come；〃 said Eliza； disengaging herself
gently from his arms； 〃the world does not concern itself in the
affairs of a poor peasant…girl like me。 But I myself intend to leave
you； sir； you must let me go； that we may converse in a sensible
manner； as it behooves two decent young persons。 Take your arms
away； Captain von Hohenberg； it is not right in you to embrace me
here while we are all alone。 You would certainly be ashamed of it if
any one should see you folding the peasant…girl to your heart。〃
〃No； Eliza； I would not； I should fold you only the more tenderly to
my heart； and exclaim proudly in the face of the whole world： 'Eliza
Wallner； the peasant…girl； is my affianced bride； I love and adore
her as the most faithful； noble； and generous heart； she is to
become my wife； and I will love and cherish her all my life！'〃
〃And if you said so； the world would laugh at you； but your parents
and my dear Elza would weep for you。 Now； my Elza shall never weep
on my account； and never shall your aristocratic parents be obliged
to blush for the daughter…in…law whom you bring into their house。 As
a daughter…in…law I can never be welcome to them； hence； they could
never be welcome to me as parents…in…law。〃
〃Oh； Eliza； your beauty； your angelic purity and goodness would
surmount their resistance； for no heart is able to withstand you；
and when my parents are once acquainted with you； when they have
submitted to stern necessity； they will soon love you； and fold you
as a daughter to their hearts。〃
〃But first they would have to submit to stern necessity； and I
should have to be forced upon them； that they might afterward learn
to love me。 Much obliged to you； sir； I am only a peasant…girl； but
I have my pride too； and will never allow myself to be forced upon a
family； but will only take a husband whose parents would come to
meet me affectionately； and give me； their blessing on the threshold
of my new home。 And now let us drop the subject； and tell me what
has happened to you during our separation。〃
〃You see； Eliza； what has happened to me；〃 said Ulrich； mournfully。
〃After your divine magnanimity had set me free； I succeeded in
passing through the insurgent country to the Bavarian lines and re…
entered the service。 We fought and suffered a great deal； and at
length； on the 14th of August； I was made prisoner by the Tyrolese
at the battle of Mount Isel and taken to Innspruck。 However； they do
not know my real name here； for I did not want the news of my
captivity to reach my parents； I preferred that they should lament
me as killed in battle； rather than as a prisoner in the hands of
the insurgents。 But fate decreed that it should be otherwise； I am
no longer to be allowed to keep my mournful incognito； I am to
repair to Munich to negotiate there an exchange of the prisoners for
the hostages whom our troops carried off。〃
〃Your uncle and my Elza are among the hostages；〃 exclaimed Eliza。
〃Oh； sir； if you really think that you are under obligations to me；
if you have not forgotten that I saved your life； pray procure the
release of your dear old uncle； and bring him back hither； for he
has indeed a hard time of it in Munich； where they charge him with
treason； and where even his own relatives inveigh bitterly against
him。 This gnaws at his heart； and； unless released speedily； he will
die of grief。〃
〃I did not know that so sad a fate had befallen him；〃 said Ulrich；
gently； 〃Doeninger was the first to tell me of it； on bringing me
the papers； and conducting me hither。 But； I confess； in my intense
joy on meeting you； my dear； sweet Eliza； my ungrateful heart had
forgotten my old uncle； who gave me so many proofs of his love and
kindness； and treated me for months as a son at his house。 I will
try to reward his love by availing myself of my influential
connections and my whole eloquence to bring about his release； I
will go myself to the king to intercede in his behalf。〃
〃But you must bring my Elza with you too； sir；〃 exclaimed Eliza。
〃Oh； I implore you； by all that is sacred and dear to you〃
〃Then implore me by your name； by your sweet face；〃 he interrupted
her； enthusiastically。
〃I implore you from the bottom of my heart；〃 she continued； without
taking any notice of his words； 〃bring my Elza back to me。 She is
the better half of my soul； we grew up together； we shared all joys
and afflictions； and have sworn to shed our heart's blood and die
for each other； if need be； and to stand by each other in faithful
friendship to the last day of our lives。 Now； I am only half alive
when my Elza is not with me。 Therefore； dear Ulrich； restore my Elza
to me； and I will thank you； and bless you； and love you as a
brother。〃
〃As a brother！〃 he cried mournfully。 〃But I do not want you to love
me as a brother。 I want your heart； your whole heart； Eliza； and it
is mine in spite of youmine！ But you are vindictive； and cannot
forget and forgive； and because I denied and misunderstood you once
in my blind stubbornness； you wish to wreak vengeance on me； drive
me to despair； and make me unhappy for my whole life！〃
〃I！〃 she exclaimed； mournfully； 〃I wish to make you unhappy？〃
〃Yes； you；〃 he said bitterly； 〃you see my sufferings； and gloat over
them； you feel that I love you boundlessly； and with cold； sneering
pride you try to resent my former contemptible haughtiness。 You
oppose your peasant pride to my insensate aristocratic pride； you
want to make me go mad or die heart…broken； and your coolness never
leaves you for a moment； and my grief makes no impression on you；
for； when I am dead； you will be able to exclaim： 'I fought for my
country as a brave daughter of the Tyrol！ I killed a Bavarian； I
broke his heart laughingly！'〃
〃You lie； I shall never say so！〃 cried Eliza； in an outburst of
generous indignation； 〃you lie if you think me capable of so
miserable a revenge； you lie if you believe that I have a cold and
cruel heart。 I wish I had； for then I should not suffer what I am
suffering now； and I should at least be able to forget you。 You
really charge me with having a cold heart； with hating and despising
you？ Do you not see； do you not even suspect what I am suffering for
your sake？ Look at me； then； see how pale my cheeks are； see how dim
my eyes are！ I do not take any notice of it； I do not look at myself
in the mirrorwhy should I； and for whom？but mother tells me so
every day； and weeps for me。 And why am I so pale and thin； and why
are my eyes so dim？ Because my heart is full of grief； because I
have no rest day or night； because there is in my heart a voice
which I can never silence； not even when I am praying or kneeling in
the confessional。 Do you think I am grieving for the sake of the
country or the bloody war？ What does the country concern me？ I think
no longer of it； and yet every battle makes me tremble； and on
nearing the booming of artillery； I kneel down and pray with tears
of anguish to the Holy Virgin。 Oh； may God forgive me！ I do not pray
for my father； nor for our soldiers； I pray for a Bavarian； I pray
for you！〃
〃Eliza！〃 exclaimed Ulrich； radiant with joy； and stretching out his
arms toward her； 〃Eliza！〃
〃Hush！〃 she said； stepping back proudly； 〃do not speak。 I have told
you the truth； for I do not want you to accuse and curse me； when I
am blessing you every day。 But now go； sir； forget what I have said；
but remember me always as one who never hated you； and never thought
of revenging herself upon you。〃
〃Eliza；〃 said Ulrich； gravely； taking her hand； and gazing deeply
into her eyes； 〃let us now be honest and frank toward each other。
Our hearts have spoken with each other； and God has heard them。 You
love me； and I love you。 Do you remember what I said to you； when
taking leave of you on the mountain？〃
〃I do not； sir；〃 she whispered； dropping her eyes。
〃But I do；〃 he continued； gravely and firmly。 〃I said to you： 'I
will go now； but I shall return and ask you： 〃Do you remember me？
Will you become my wife？'〃 Now； Eliza； I have returned； and ask you
as I asked you on the mountain； Eliza； will you become my wife？〃
〃And I reply as I replied to you on the mountain；〃 she said
solemnly。 〃We can never belong to each other as husband and wife；
but we can remember each other as good friends。 And so； sir； I will
always remember you； and it will always gladden my heart to hear
that you are well and happy。〃
〃Is that your last word？〃 asked Ulrich； angrily。
〃Yes； sir； it is my last word。〃
〃Then you are intent on making us unhappy？〃 he cried； mournfully。
〃Oh； you crystal…heart； so transparent and clear； so hard； so hard！
Will you never； then； allow yourself to be softened by the sunbeams
of love？ Will they always only harden your heart？〃
〃I cannot act otherwise； sir； I assure you I cannot；〃 she said；
beseechingly。
〃Well； then； I cannot act otherwise either；〃 he cried。 〃I shall not
accept this mission； I shall not go to Munich； I shall stay here。〃
〃No； no； I implore you to go！〃 exclaimed Eliza。 〃Save my imprisoned
countrymen； save； above all； my Elza and her father！ Oh； she is
unhappy； she longs for her home； she is weeping for me； for you；
sir！ Make haste； make haste； have mercy upon Elza and myself！〃
〃Why should I have mercy when you have none？〃 he asked； quickly。
〃Let the prisoners die of grief； I am a prisoner too； and shall know
also how to die。 I shall not leave Innspruck unless you promise me
that you will become my wife on my return； and plight me your faith
before the altar of God。 I swear by all that is sacred to me； I will
not leave this city unless I take with me your solemn pledge that
you will overcome your pride and become my wife。〃
〃Well； then；〃 she said； blushing deeply； 〃go； then。 Procure my
Elza's release； bring her home； and then〃
〃And then？〃 he asked； as she hesitated。