Baron von Hormayr behind his pillar wiped the perspiration from his
forehead, and cast furious glances on Andreas Hofer, who, however,
was utterly unaware of his presence, and from whose breast,
protected as it was by his beard and crucifix, rebounded all such
glances like blunted arrows.

The actors, who, interrupted by the unexpected cheers, and the
incident in the audience, had paused a few minutes, and had
themselves hardly been able to refrain from bursting into laughter,
now continued their scene, and the charms of the music and the
interesting character of the action soon succeeded again in riveting
the attention of the audience.

Andreas Hofer, who had in the mean time relapsed into his silent
astonishment, gazed fixedly upon the stage. Baron von Hormayr left
his place quietly and walked to the entrance. He slipped a florin
into the hand of the doorkeeper, who was leaning against the wall.
"Say," he whispered to him hastily, "as soon as the curtain drops,
go to the giant with the long beard, who sits in the orchestra-stall
yonder, and whose words amused the audience just now. He is a
cattle-dealer from Hungary, and I must see him at once. Just whisper
in his ear that his countryman with the wine and horses has arrived,
and it is necessary he should come and see him right away.--Thank
God, the curtain falls! Now make haste. If you bring the cattle-
dealer with you into the corridor, I will give you another florin."

The doorkeeper's face beamed with satisfaction; he elbowed himself
courageously through the crowd, and succeeded. in reaching the
"cattle-dealer from Hungary," who sat absorbed in his reflections,