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Francis； do you not？〃
〃We do； we do！〃 shouted the men； uttering deafening cheers。 〃Our
dear Francis is to become again our lord and emperor！ Long live the
Emperor Francis！〃
〃Silence！〃 cried the tax…collector； pale with rage and dismay；
〃silence； or I shall send for the soldiers and have every one of you
arrested； and〃
〃Be silent yourself！〃 said Anthony Wallner； seizing him violently by
the arm。 〃Sir； you are our prisoner； and so are the two bailiffs
yonder。 Seize them； my friends； and if they shout or resist； shoot
them down。 And if you utter a cry or a word； Mr。 Tax…collector； so
help me God if I do not kill you for a Boafok； as you are！ Keep
quiet； therefore； be a sensible man； and deliver your funds to us。
Come； men； we will accompany this gentleman to the tax…collector's
office； and now let us sing a good Tyrolese song：〃
〃D'Schoergen and d'Schreiber and d'Richter allsammt；
Sind'n Teufel auskomma； druck'n ueberall auf's Land；
Und schinden Bauern； es is kam zum sog'n；
Es waer ja koan Wunder； wir thaeten's allsammt erschlog'n。〃
＇Footnote： Song of the Tyrolese in 1809。See Mayr； 〃Joseph
Spechbacher；〃 p。 22。
〃The pushingthe writers； and magistrates all；
Possessed by the devil； our country enthrall；
And grind the poor peasants； alas； 'tis a shame！
No wonder if we too share ruin the same。〃＇
He concluded with a long and joyous Jodler； and shouted
triumphantly： 〃Dear brethren； Andreas Hofer sends you his greetings；
and informs you that the Austrians have invaded the Tyrol。 Hurrah；
'tis time！〃
〃Yes； 'tis time；〃 murmured Anna Maria； Anthony Wallner's wife； to
herself； 〃'tis time for me to give Lizzie the signal； for the
insurrection has broken out。〃 She hastened into the house； took her
husband's old rifle from the chamber； ran with it out of the back…
door of the house； and fired the signal for her daughter。
〃There；〃 she said； returning quietly into the house； 〃she will have
heard the report； and there is time yet to save him。 I will do now
what Tony asked me to do。 When he sings the song； I shall take the
paper…balls from the table…drawer in the back…room； give a package
to each of the two boys and two servant…girls； and tell them to go
with it into the mountains and circulate the paper…balls everywhere；
that the inhabitants of the whole Pusterthal； from one end to the
other； from the Gross…Glockner to the Venediger and Krimler Tauern；
may learn this very day that it is time； and that the Boafoks are to
be expelled from the country。 Halloo； boys； come here！ Halloo；
girls； your mistress wants to speak to you！〃
CHAPTER XI。
THE DECLARATION OF LOVE。
Eliza Wallner； after leaving her mother； had sped with the utmost
rapidity through the back…door； across the yard； through the garden；
out of the small gate leading to the meadow； down the foot…path； up
the mountain…road； jumping from stone to stone； courageous and
intrepid as a true daughter of the Tyrol。 Now she stood at the
portal of the castle； in front of which some of the Bavarian
soldiers were lying in idle repose on a bench； while others in the
side…wing of the castle allotted to them were looking out of the
windows； and dreamily humming a Bavarian song； frequently
interrupted by loud yawns。
Eliza walked past them with a slight greeting and entered the house。
The old footman sitting in the hall received her kindly； and told
her； in reply to her inquiry； that the castellan； old Baron von
Hohenberg； had set out early in the morning for Salzburg to attend
court； but that his daughter and her cousin； Captain Ulrich von
Hohenberg； were lunching in the small dining…room up…stairs。
This was all the information Eliza needed； she nodded to the
footman； and ascended the staircase quickly。 The old footman did not
follow her； he knew that it was unnecessary for him to announce
beautiful Lizzie to his mistress； but that she always was welcome to
her。 He therefore sat down again quietly； and took up the wood…work
with which he had been occupied before。
Eliza reached the dining…room and threw open the door with a hasty
hand； a blissful smile then overspread her flushed face； for on the
balcony yonder； behind the open glass door； she beheld the tall
slender form of Captain Ulrich von Hohenberg。 She heard him chatting
and laughing gayly； and through the door she also saw her friend
Elza von Hohenberg； who was listening to her cousin's words in
smiling repose。 Scarcely touching the floor with her feet； she
hastened through the room。
〃I assure you； cousin；〃 said Elza at this moment； in her clear；
distinct voice； 〃I believe at times that she is the resuscitated
Maid of Orleans； and that she will perform heroic deeds one day。 Oh；
I know my dear beautiful Eliza Wallner； and〃
〃Don not speak of me； for I am listening to you；〃 exclaimed Eliza；
entering the balcony。
〃Ah； my Lizzie；〃 exclaimed Elza； rising and tenderly embracing her
friend。 〃Have you come at length； my merry； beautiful lark？〃
〃Yes； I have； and I am glad that I am here；〃 said Eliza and her
large hazel eyes turned for a moment smilingly to the young officer；
who； like his cousin； had risen on beholding Eliza Wallner。 He did
not utter a word of salutation； nevertheless； Eliza blushed on
meeting his glance； and averted her eyes timidly from him； turning
them toward the distant summits of the glaciers which were
glittering around the horizon yonder in wonderful majesty。
〃You are glad that you are here； my sweet child？ Why did you not
come at an earlier hour？〃 asked Elza。 〃You are always expected。 My
dear silent cousin； she is always expected； is she not？ 〃
〃Most assuredly she is；〃 said the young captain； with a smile； 〃and
she is as welcome as the first rose of May。〃
〃How impudent you are！〃 exclaimed Miss Elza； laughing； 〃you bid my
Lizzie welcome as the first rose of May； and yet I was here before
her！〃
〃He means only the wild hedge…rose； Elza；〃 said Eliza； smiling
archly； 〃for you know very well that the beautiful and aristocratic
roses do not yet bloom in May。〃
〃Well； tell me； cousin； did you really intend to compare my darling
here with a wild hedge…rose？〃 asked Elza。
〃Do not answer； sir；〃 exclaimed Eliza； eagerly。 〃You have blundered
in trying to flatter me； and that is good。 You will see at length
that fine phrases amount to nothing； and that they are colors that
fade in the sunshine。 You had better speak frankly and honestly to
me； for I have often told you I am a stupid daughter of the Tyrol；
and do not know what to reply to such fine city phrases。〃
〃But for all that you are not stupid； my beautiful Eliza；〃 said
Ulrich von Hohenberg。 〃In truth； I who compare you with a rose am
not a liar； but he would be who should charge you with stupidity。〃
〃But if I should； nevertheless； assert that I am stupid； whom would
it concern？〃 asked Eliza； defiantly。
〃Ah； there they are quarrelling again；〃 exclaimed Elza； laughing。
〃Come to me； sweet Lizzie； sit down by my side on this bench and
give me your hand。 I am so glad that you are here； for it always
seems to me as though I were a lonely orphan when my dearest Lizzie；
with her pretty face and her merry laughter； is a