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into the depth。 Eliza suddenly stood still and broke the silence for
the first time。
〃You must not go behind me here； sir；〃 she said； 〃for the loose
stones would not permit you to advance。 Come to me； and give me your
hand。 We must walk side by side。〃
He was immediately by her side； and took her hand。 〃May I speak now；
Eliza？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 she said； imperatively； 〃we have no time for chatting。
Forward！〃
And they continued ascending the mountain。 The valley； and even the
mountain…forest； lay already deep under them。 Only scattered and
stunted trees stood here and there； and finally even these
disappeared entirely。 The moon commenced paling in the heavens； and
yet it did not become darker； for the gray twilight was lit up at
times with a purple lustre； the small； scudding clouds began to turn
red； the pale； foggy mountain…peaks colored； and a strange
whispering passed through the air。
Now they had reached the summit； and the peak on which they were
standing afforded them a strikingly beautiful view。
〃This is the place where we may rest；〃 said Eliza； drawing a deep
breath。
〃And may I speak now； Eliza？〃 asked Ulrich。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃do you not see that God is speaking now？〃
And she pointed to the part of the horizon which； radiant in its
crimson lustre； lay at the end of the lovely valley opening before
them。 Gazing at it； Eliza sank noiselessly down on the fragment of a
rock； and clasping her hands on her knees； she contemplated the
glorious spectacle by which God speaks to man every morning。
The valley was still wrapped in the gloom of twilight； but behind
the flat and gently…rounded mountains yonder rose the flaming glow
of radiant crimson； and sent a few purple clouds as heralds of the
approaching majesty into the azure sky。 A rosy hue covered the
glaciers of the Venediger and Gross…Glockner； which looked down in
proud majesty on the mountains bordering the valley； and which had
hitherto wrapped their summits in veils of glistening silver。 On
beholding the divine majesty of the sun； they dropped their veils；
their summits crimsoned and loomed up to the sky in dazzling
splendor。 The rays gilding them shed a lustre on the lower wooded
mountains； greeted the spires of the churches rising amidst the
villages； dissipated the mist which had hitherto filled the valley；
and converted the waters of the foaming Isel； meandering through the
valley； into liquid gold。 The gloom entirely disappeared； and the
whole landscape was radiant in its morning beauty。 God had willed
that there should be light； and the earth lay smiling and
surpassingly beautiful under the first glowing rays of the sun。
Eliza gazed with a rapt smile upon the sublime scene； the clouds had
disappeared from her brow also； and the gloom had vanished from her
eyes。
〃Oh； how beautiful is the world！ how beautiful is my dear Tyrol！〃
she exclaimed； fervently。 〃I greet you； beloved mountains guarding
our frontiers！ I greet you； Gross…Glockner and Venediger！ Yes； gaze
upon the Tyrol； for now you may rejoice over it！ The enemy is no
longer in the country； and I am bringing you the last Bavarian who
is still here； that you may send him across the border。 Sir；〃 she
added； turning her face； illuminated by the sun； slowly to the young
man； who had not contemplated the sun； but only her face； 〃we must
part here。 I only intended to conduct you hither； to the Kalser
Thoerl。 You will now descend to the village of Kals； which you see
in the valley yonder。 Look； back there； its red roofs are rising out
of the green shrubbery。 You will go to the inn there； and give this
letter to Lebrecht Panzl； the innkeeper。 He is my mother's brother；
and she writes him in this letter to give you a reliable guide； who
is to conduct you over the Pruschler Thoerl and the Katzenstein to
Heiligenblut。 You will reach Heiligenblut in seven hours。 Its
inhabitants speak Bavarian German； your Bavarian dialect will not be
suspicious to them； and you will easily find there a guide to
conduct you wherever you wish to go。 You will find some food for to…
day in the haversack here； and also some money； and powder and lead。
Take it； sir； here is the rifle； and here the haversack。 Unless you
have them with you； no one will take you for a genuine Tyrolese。
There。 Put your clothes into the sack； you can carry them better
that way； hang the rifle round your shoulder； and then adieu？〃
〃And you think； Eliza； I can accept all this kindness and
magnanimity？〃 cried Ulrich； vehemently； 〃you think I can accept at
your hands food； moneynay； more； my life； my honor； and leave you
with a cold 'thank you；' after denying and insulting you in the
despair of my wounded military honor？ No； Eliza； you have mistaken
my character。 I will not go； I will not leave you。 I followed you
here to see how far your magnanimity and noble self…abnegation would
go； but now I shall return with you to Windisch…Matrey。 Your father
invited to the wedding the men who wished to kill me yesterday； they
will await us at the church at nine this morning； and they shall not
wait in vain。 Come； Eliza； let us return to Windisch…Matrey； for all
your kindness and magnanimity I shall give you the only thing I have
to give； my name。 You will； you shall become my wife！ Come； your
father and your friends await us at the church； I will conduct you
thither and to the altar。〃
〃I will not do it；〃 she exclaimed proudly； 〃for； as sure as there is
a God in heaven； I should say 'no' before the altar； and reject your
hand。〃
〃Well； then； do that；〃 he said； gently； 〃I have deserved this
humiliation； I owe you an opportunity to wreak your vengeance on
me。〃
〃I do not want to avenge myself。 I have sworn to myself and to my
dear Elza to save you； and I will。 Go； sir； time is fleeting； and
you have a march of seven hours before you。〃
〃No； I will not go；〃 cried Ulrich； vehemently； 〃I cannot go； for I
love you； Eliza； Oh； I have loved you a long while； but my haughty
heart revolted at this love； and would not yield to it； and yet I
was deeply； passionately enamoured of you。 But my heart did not know
itself； it believed at last that it might hate you； when all at once
your generosity； lenity； and magnanimity dissipated all mists
concealing my heart from my eyes； and I perceived how passionately I
loved you。 Oh； Eliza； beloved girl； do not turn from me！ Give me
your hand； let us go home； accept my hand； become my wife！ Love
beseeches of you now what pride refused to you before accept my
hand； my name！ Let us descend into the valley； go to the church； and
be married。〃
She shook her head slowly。 〃I have already told you；〃 she said；
〃that I should say 'no' before the altar。 We do not belong together。
You are a nobleman； and I； as you have often called me in your
anger； am a peasant girl； you are a Bavarian； and I； thank God； am
again an Austrian。 We do not belong together； and I believe it would
not behoove you to appear with me now before the altar and marry me。
For every one would think you took me only to save your life； and
your honor would be lost； not only in Bavaria； but also here among
us。 The brave men would despise you； and the temptI f