Anne of Geierstein; Or, The Maiden of the Mist. Volume 1 (of 2) Read online

  CHAPTER XIII.

  The enmity and discord, which of late Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your Duke To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen,-- Who, wanting guilders to redeem their lives, Have seal'd his rigorous statutes with their bloods, Excludes all pity from our threat'ning looks. _Comedy of Errors._

  The dawn had scarce begun to touch the distant horizon, when ArthurPhilipson was on foot to prepare for his father's departure and hisown, which, as arranged on the preceding night, was to take place twohours before the Landamman and his attendants proposed to leave theruinous castle of Graffs-lust. It was no difficult matter for him toseparate the neatly arranged packages which contained his father'seffects from the clumsy bundles in which the baggage of the Swiss wasdeposited. The one set of mails was made up with the neatness of menaccustomed to long and perilous journeys; the other, with the rudecarelessness of those who rarely left their home, and who werealtogether inexperienced.

  A servant of the Landamman assisted Arthur in this task, and inplacing his father's baggage on the mule belonging to the beardeddeputy from Schwitz. From this man also he received instructionsconcerning the road from Graffs-lust to Brisach (the chief citadel ofLa Ferette), which was too plain and direct to render it likely thatthey should incur any risk of losing their way, as had befallen themwhen travelling on the Swiss mountains. Everything being now preparedfor their departure, the young Englishman awakened his father, andacquainted him that all was ready. He then retired towards thechimney, while his father, according to his daily custom, repeated theprayer of St. Julian, the patron of travellers, and adjusted his dressfor the journey.

  It will not be wondered at, that, while the father went through hisdevotions, and equipped himself for travel, Arthur, with his heartfull of what he had seen of Anne of Geierstein for some time before,and his brain dizzy with the recollection of the incidents of thepreceding night, should have kept his eyes riveted on the door of thesleeping-apartment at which he had last seen that young persondisappear; that is, unless the pale and seemingly fantastic form whichhad twice crossed him so strangely should prove no wandering spirit ofthe elements, but the living substance of the person whose appearanceit bore. So eager was his curiosity on this subject, that he strainedhis eyes to the utmost, as if it had been possible for them to havepenetrated through wood and walls into the chamber of the slumberingmaiden, in order to discover whether her eye or cheek bore any markthat she had last night been a watcher or a wanderer.

  "But that was the proof to which Rudolph appealed," he saidinternally, "and Rudolph alone will have the opportunity of remarkingthe result. Who knows what advantage my communication may give him inhis suit with yonder lovely creature? And what must she think of me,save as one light of thought and loose of tongue, to whom nothingextraordinary can chance, but he must hasten to babble it into theears of those who are nearest to him at the moment? I would my tonguehad been palsied ere I said a syllable to yonder proud yet wilyprize-fighter! I shall never see her more--that is to be counted forcertain. I shall never know the true interpretation of those mysterieswhich hang around her. But to think I may have prated somethingtending to throw her into the power of yonder ferocious boor will be asubject of remorse to me while I live."

  Here he was startled out of his reverie by the voice of his father."Why, how now, boy? Art thou waking, Arthur, or sleeping on thy feetfrom the fatigue of last night's service?"

  "Not so, my father," answered Arthur, at once recollecting himself."Somewhat drowsy, perhaps; but the fresh morning air will soon putthat to flight."

  Walking with precaution through the group of sleepers who lay around,the elder Philipson, when they had gained the door of the apartment,turned back, and, looking on the straw couch which the large form ofthe Landamman, and the silvery beard of his constant companion,touched by the earliest beams of light, distinguished as that ofArnold Biederman, he muttered between his lips an involuntary adieu.

  "Farewell, mirror of ancient faith and integrity,--farewell, nobleArnold,--farewell, soul of truth and candour--to whom cowardice,selfishness, and falsehood are alike unknown!"

  And farewell, thought his son, to the loveliest, and most candid, yetmost mysterious of maidens!--But the adieu, as may well be believed,was not, like that of his father, expressed in words.

  They were soon after on the outside of the gate. The Swiss domesticwas liberally recompensed, and charged with a thousand kind words offarewell and of remembrance to the Landamman from his English guests,mingled with hopes and wishes that they might soon meet again in theBurgundian territory. The young man then took the bridle of the mule,and led the animal forward on their journey at an easy pace, hisfather walking by his side.

  After a silence of some minutes, the elder Philipson addressed Arthur."I fear me," he said, "we shall see the worthy Landamman no more. Theyouths who attend him are bent upon taking offence--the Duke ofBurgundy will not fail, I fear, to give them ample occasion--and thepeace which the excellent man desires for the land of his fathers willbe shipwrecked ere they reach the Duke's presence; though, even wereit otherwise, how the proudest prince in Europe will brook the moodylooks of burgesses and peasants (so will Charles of Burgundy term thefriends we have parted from) is a question too easily answered. A war,fatal to the interests of all concerned, save Louis of France, willcertainly take place; and dreadful must be the contest, if the ranksof the Burgundian chivalry shall encounter those iron sons of themountains, before whom so many of the Austrian nobility have beenrepeatedly prostrated."

  "I am so much convinced of the truth of what you say, my father,"replied Arthur, "that I judge even this day will not pass over withouta breach of truce. I have already put on my shirt of mail, in case weshould meet bad company betwixt Graffs-lust and Brisach; and I wouldto Heaven that you would observe the same precaution. It will notdelay our journey; and I confess to you, that I, at least, will travelwith much greater consciousness of safety should you do so."

  "I understand you, my son," replied the elder Philipson. "But I am apeaceful traveller in the Duke of Burgundy's territories, and must notwillingly suppose that, while under the shadow of his banner, I mustguard myself against banditti, as if I were in the wilds of Palestine.As for the authority of his officers, and the extent of theirexactions, I need not tell you that they are, in our circumstances,things to be submitted to without grief or grudging."

  Leaving the two travellers to journey towards Brisach at theirleisure, I must transport my readers to the eastern gate of that smalltown, which, situated on an eminence, had a commanding prospect onevery side, but especially towards Bale. It did not properly make apart of the dominions of the Duke of Burgundy, but had been placed inhis hands in pawn, or in pledge, for the repayment of a considerablesum of money, due to Charles by the Emperor Sigismund of Austria, towhom the seigniory of the place belonged in property. But the town layso conveniently for distressing the commerce of the Swiss, andinflicting on that people, whom he at once hated and despised, similarmarks of his malevolence, as to encourage a general opinion, that theDuke of Burgundy, the implacable and unreasonable enemy of thesemountaineers, would never listen to any terms of redemption, howeverequitable or advantageous, which might have the effect of restoringto the Emperor an advanced post of such consequence to thegratification of his dislike as Brisach.

  The situation of the little town was in itself strong, but thefortifications which surrounded it were barely sufficient to repel anysudden attack, and not adequate to resist for any length of time aformal siege. The morning beams had shone on the spire of the churchfor more than an hour, when a tall, thin, elderly man, wrapped in amorning gown, over which was buckled a broad belt, supporting on theleft side a sword, on the right a dagger, approached the barbican ofthe eastern gate. His bonnet displayed a feather, which, or the tailof a fox in lieu of it, was the emblem of gentle blood throughout allGermany, and a badge highly prized by those who had a right to wearit.

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bsp; The small party of soldiers who had kept watch there during the courseof the preceding night, and supplied sentinels both for ward andoutlook, took arms on the appearance of this individual, and drewthemselves up in the form of a guard, which receives with militaryreverence an officer of importance. Archibald de Hagenbach'scountenance, for it was the Governor himself, expressed that settledpeevishness and ill temper which characterise the morning hours of avaletudinary debauchee. His head throbbed, his pulse was feverish, andhis cheek was pale--symptoms of his having spent the last night, aswas his usual custom, amid wine-stoups and flagons. Judging from thehaste with which his soldiers fell into their ranks, and the awe andsilence which reigned among them, it appeared that they wereaccustomed to expect and dread his ill humour on such occasions. Heglanced at them, accordingly, an inquisitive and dissatisfied look, asif he sought something on which to vent his peevishness, and thenasked for the "loitering dog Kilian."

  Kilian presently made his appearance, a stout hard-favouredman-at-arms, a Bavarian by birth, and by rank the personal squire ofthe Governor.

  "What news of the Swiss churls, Kilian?" demanded Archibald deHagenbach. "They should, by their thrifty habits, have been on theroad two hours since. Have the peasant-clods presumed to ape themanners of gentlemen, and stuck by the flask till cock-crow?"

  "By my faith, it may well be," answered Kilian; "the burghers of Balegave them full means of carousal."

  "How, Kilian?--They dared not offer hospitality to the Swiss drove ofbullocks, after the charge we sent them to the contrary?"

  "Nay, the Balese received them not into the town," replied the squire;"but I learned, by sure espial, that they afforded them means ofquartering at Graffs-lust, which was furnished with many a fair gammonand pasty, to speak naught of flasks of Rhine-wine, barrels of beer,and stoups of strong waters."

  "The Balese shall answer this, Kilian," said the Governor. "Do theythink I am for ever to be thrusting myself between the Duke and hispleasure on their behalf?--The fat porkers have presumed too muchsince we accepted some trifling gifts at their hands, more for gracingof them, than for any advantage we could make of their paltrydonations. Was it not the wine from Bale which we were obliged todrink out in pint goblets, lest it should become sour before morning?"

  "It was drunk out, and in pint goblets too," said Kilian; "so much Ican well remember."

  "Why, go to, then," said the Governor; "they shall know, these beastsof Bale, that I hold myself no way obliged by such donations as these,and that my remembrance of the wines which I carouse rests no longerthan the headache which the mixtures they drug me with never fail oflate years to leave behind, for the next morning's pastime."

  "Your excellency," replied the squire, "will make it, then, a quarrelbetween the Duke of Burgundy and the city of Bale, that they gave thisindirect degree of comfort and assistance to the Swiss deputation?"

  "Ay, marry will I," said De Hagenbach, "unless there be wise men amongthem, who shall show me good reasons for protecting them. Oh, theBalese do not know our Noble Duke, nor the gift he hath for chastisingthe gutter-blooded citizens of a free town. Thou canst tell them,Kilian, as well as any man, how he dealt with the villains of Liege,when they would needs be pragmatical."

  "I will apprise them of the matter," said Kilian, "when opportunityshall serve, and I trust I shall find them in a temper disposed tocultivate your honourable friendship."

  "Nay, if it is the same to them, it is quite indifferent to me,Kilian," continued the Governor; "but, methinks, whole and soundthroats are worth some purchase, were it only to swallowblack-puddings and schwarz-beer, to say nothing of Westphalian hamsand Nierensteiner--I say, a slashed throat is a useless thing,Kilian."

  "I will make the fat citizens to understand their danger, and thenecessity of making interest," answered Kilian. "Sure, I am not now tolearn how to turn the ball into your excellency's lap."

  "You speak well," said Sir Archibald;--"but how chanced it thou hastso little to say to the Switzers' leaguer? I should have thought anold trooper like thee would have made their pinions flutter amidst thegood cheer thou tellest me of."

  "I might as well have annoyed an angry hedgehog with my bare finger,"said Kilian. "I surveyed Graffs-lust myself;--there were sentinels onthe castle walls, a sentinel on the bridge, besides a regular patrolof these Swiss fellows who kept strict watch. So that there wasnothing to be done, otherwise, knowing your excellency's ancientquarrel, I would have had a hit at them, when they should never haveknown who hurt them. I will tell you, however, fairly, that thesechurls are acquiring better knowledge in the art of war than the bestRitter knight."

  "Well, they will be the better worth the looking after when theyarrive," said De Hagenbach; "they come forth in state doubtless, withall their finery, their wives' chains of silver, their own medals, andrings of lead and copper.--Ah, the base hinds, they are unworthy thata man of noble blood should ease them of their trash!"

  "There is better ware among them, if my intelligence hath not deceivedme," replied Kilian; "there are merchants"----

  "Pshaw! the packhorses of Berne and Soleure," said the Governor, "withtheir paltry lumber, cloth too coarse to make covers for horses ofany breeding, and linen that is more like hair-cloth than anycomposition of flax. I will strip them, however, were it but to vexthe knaves. What! not content with claiming to be treated like anindependent people, and sending forth deputies and embassies forsooth,they expect, I warrant, to make the indemnities of ambassadors coverthe introduction of a cargo of their contraband commodities, and thusinsult the noble Duke of Burgundy, and cheat him at the same time? ButDe Hagenbach is neither knight nor gentleman if he allow them to passunchallenged."

  "And they are better worth being stopped," said Kilian, "than yourexcellency supposes; for they have English merchants along with them,and under their protection."

  "English merchants!" exclaimed De Hagenbach, his eyes sparkling withjoy; "English merchants, Kilian! Men talk of Cathay and Ind, wherethere are mines of silver, and gold, and diamonds; but, on the faithof a gentleman, I believe these brutish Islanders have the caves oftreasure wholly within their own foggy land! And then the variety oftheir rich merchandise,--Ha, Kilian! is it a long train of mules--ajolly tinkling team?--By Our Lady's glove! the sound of it is alreadyjingling in my ears, more musically than all the harps of all theminne-singers at Heilbron!"

  "Nay, my lord, there is no great train," replied the squire;--"onlytwo men, as I am given to understand, with scarce so much baggage asloads a mule; but, it is said, of infinite value, silk and samite,lace and furs, pearls and jewellery-work--perfumes from the East, andgold-work from Venice."

  "Raptures and paradise! say not a word more," exclaimed the rapaciousknight of Hagenbach; "they are all our own, Kilian! Why, these are thevery men I have dreamed of twice a week for this month past--ay, twomen of middle stature, or somewhat under it--with smooth, round, fair,comely visages, having stomachs as plump as partridges, and purses asplump as their stomachs--Ha, what say'st thou to my dream, Kilian?"

  "Only, that, to be quite soothfast," answered the squire, "it shouldhave included the presence of a score, or thereabouts, of sturdy younggiants as ever climbed cliff, or carried bolt to whistle at achamois--a lusty plump of clubs, bills, and partisans, such as makeshields crack like oaten cakes, and helmets ring like church-bells."

  "The better, knave, the better!" exclaimed the Governor, rubbing hishands. "English pedlars to plunder! Swiss bullies to beat intosubmission! I wot well, we can have nothing of the Helvetian swinesave their beastly bristles--it is lucky they bring these two islandsheep along with them. But we must get ready our boar-spears, andclear the clipping-pens for exercise of our craft.--Here, LieutenantSchonfeldt!"

  An officer stepped forth.

  "How many men are here on duty?"

  "About sixty," replied the officer. "Twenty out on parties indifferent directions, and there may be forty or fifty in theirquarters."

  "Order them all under arms instantly;--hark y
e, not by trumpet orbugle, but by warning them individually in their quarters, to draw toarms as quietly as possible, and rendezvous here at the eastern gate.Tell the villains there is booty to be gained, and they shall havetheir share."

  "On these terms," said Schonfeldt, "they will walk over a spider's webwithout startling the insect that wove it. I will collect them withoutloss of an instant."

  "I tell thee, Kilian," continued the exulting commandant, againspeaking apart with his confidential attendant, "nothing could come soluckily as the chance of this onslaught. Duke Charles desires toaffront the Swiss,--not, look you, that he cares to act towards themby his own direct orders, in such a manner as might be termed a breachof public faith towards a peaceful embassy; but the gallant followerwho shall save his prince the scandal of such an affair, and whoseactions may be termed a mistake or misapprehension, shall, I warrantyou, be accounted to have done knightly service. Perchance a frown maybe passed upon him in public, but in private the Duke will know how toesteem him.--Why standest thou so silent, man, and what ails thy uglyill-looking aspect? Thou art not afraid of twenty Switzer boys, and weat the head of such a band of spears?"

  "The Swiss," answered Kilian, "will give and take good blows, yet Ihave no fear of them. But I like not that we should trust too much toDuke Charles. That he would be, in the first instance, pleased withany dishonour done the Swiss is likely enough; but if, as yourexcellency hints, he finds it afterwards convenient to disown theaction, he is a prince likely to give a lively colour to his disavowalby hanging up the actors."

  "Pshaw!" said the commandant, "I know where I stand. Such a trick werelike enough to be played by Louis of France, but it is foreign to theblunt character of our Bold one of Burgundy.--Why the devil stand'stthou still, man, simpering like an ape at a roasted chestnut, which hethinks too warm for his fingers?"

  "Your excellency is wise as well as warlike," said the esquire, "andit is not for me to contest your pleasure. But this peacefulembassy--these English merchants--if Charles goes to war with Louis,as the rumour is current, what he should most of all desire is theneutrality of Switzerland, and the assistance of England, whose Kingis crossing the sea with a great army. Now you, Sir Archibald ofHagenbach, may well do that in the course of this very morning whichwill put the Confederated Cantons in arms against Charles, and turnthe English from allies into enemies."

  "I care not," said the commandant; "I know the Duke's humour well, andif he, the master of so many provinces, is willing to risk them in aself-willed frolic, what is it to Archibald de Hagenbach, who has nota foot of land to lose in the cause?"

  "But you have life, my lord," said the esquire.

  "Ay, life!" replied the knight; "a paltry right to exist, which I havebeen ready to stake every day of my life for dollars--ay, and forkreutzers--and think you I will hesitate to pledge it forbroad-pieces, jewels of the East, and goldsmith's work of Venice? No,Kilian; these English must be eased of their bales, that Archibald deHagenbach may drink a purer flask than their thin Moselle, and wear abrocade doublet instead of greasy velvet. Nor is it less necessarythat Kilian should have a seemly new jerkin, with a purse of ducats tojingle at his girdle."

  "By my faith," said Kilian, "that last argument hath disarmed myscruples, and I give up the point, since it ill befits me to disputewith your excellency."

  "To the work then," said his leader. "But stay--we must first take thechurch along with us. The Priest of St. Paul's hath been moody oflate, and spread abroad strange things from the pulpit, as if we werelittle better than common pillagers and robbers. Nay, he hath had theinsolence to warn me, as he termed it, twice, in strange form. It werewell to break the growling mastiff's bald head; but since that mightbe ill taken by the Duke, the next point of wisdom is to fling him abone."

  "He may be a dangerous enemy," said the squire dubiously; "his poweris great with the people."

  "Tush!" replied Hagenbach, "I know how to disarm the shaveling. Sendto him, and tell him to come hither to speak with me. Meanwhile haveall our force under arms; let the barbican and barrier be well mannedwith archers; station spearmen in the houses on each hand of thegateway; and let the street be barricaded with carts, well boundtogether, but placed as if they had been there by accident--place abody of determined fellows in these carts, and behind them. So soon asthe merchants and their mules enter (for that is the main point), upwith your drawbridge, down with the portcullis, send a volley ofarrows among those who are without, if they make any scuffle; disarmand secure those who have entered, and are cooped up between thebarricade before, and the ambush behind and around them--And _then_,Kilian"----

  "And then," said his esquire, "shall we, like merry Free Companions,be knuckle deep in the English budgets"----

  "And, like jovial hunters," replied the knight, "elbow-deep in Swissblood."

  "The game will stand at bay though," answered Kilian. "They are led bythat Donnerhugel whom we have heard of, whom they call the Young Bearof Berne. They will turn to their defence."

  "The better, man--wouldst thou kill sheep rather than hunt wolves?Besides, our toils are set, and the whole garrison shall assist. Shameon thee, Kilian, thou wert not wont to have so many scruples!"

  "Nor have I now," said Kilian. "But these Swiss bills, and two-handedswords of the breadth of four inches, are no child's play.--And thenif you call all our garrison to the attack, to whom will yourexcellency intrust the defence of the other gates, and the circuit ofthe walls?"

  "Lock, bolt, and chain up the gates," replied the Governor, "and bringthe keys hither. There shall no one leave the place till this affairis over. Let some score of the citizens take arms for the duty ofguarding the walls; and look they discharge it well, or I will lay afine on them which they shall discharge to purpose."

  "They will grumble," said Kilian. "They say, that not being the Duke'ssubjects, though the place is impledged to his Grace, they are notliable to military service."

  "They lie! the cowardly slaves," answered De Hagenbach. "If I have notemployed them much hitherto, it is because I scorn their assistance;nor would I now use their help, were it for anything save to keep awatch, by looking out straight before them. Let them obey, as theyrespect their property, persons, and families."

  A deep voice behind them repeated the emphatic language ofScripture,--"I have seen the wicked man flourish in his power evenlike unto a laurel, but I returned and he was not--yea, I sought him,but he was not to be found."

  Sir Archibald de Hagenbach turned sternly, and encountered the darkand ominous looks of the Priest of St. Paul's, dressed in thevestments of his order.

  "We are busy, father," said the Governor, "and will hear yourpreachment another time."

  "I come by your summons, Sir Governor," said the priest, "or I had notintruded myself where I well knew my preachments, if you term them so,will do no good."

  "Oh, I crave your mercy, reverend father," said De Hagenbach. "Yes, itis true that I did send for you, to desire your prayers and kindintercession with Our Lady and St. Paul, in some transactions whichare likely to occur this morning, and in which, as the Lombard says, Ido espy _roba di guadagno_."

  "Sir Archibald," answered the priest calmly, "I well hope and trustthat you do not forget the nature of the glorified Saints so far as toask them for their blessing upon such exploits as you have been toooft engaged in since your arrival amongst us--an event which of itselfgave token of the divine anger. Nay, let me say, humble as I am, thatdecency to a servant of the altar should check you from proposing tome to put up prayers for the success of pillage and robbery."

  "I understand you, father," said the rapacious Governor, "and youshall see I do. While you are the Duke's subject, you must by youroffice put up your prayers for his success in matters that are fairlymanaged. You acknowledge this with a graceful bend of your reverendhead? Well, then, I will be as reasonable as you are. Say we desirethe intercession of the good Saints, and of you, their pious orator,in something a little out of the ordinary path, and, if you will,somewhat o
f a doubtful complexion,--are we entitled to ask you or themfor their pains and trouble without a just consideration? Surely no.Therefore I vow and solemnly promise, that if I have good fortune inthis morning's adventure, St. Paul shall have an altar-cloth and abasin of silver, large or little, as my booty will permit--Our Lady aweb of satin for a full suit, with a necklace of pearl forholidays--and thou, priest, some twenty pieces of broad English gold,for acting as go-between betwixt ourselves and the blessed Apostles,whom we acknowledge ourselves unworthy to negotiate with in ourprofane person. And now, Sir Priest, do we understand each other, forI have little time to lose? I know you have hard thoughts of me, butyou see the devil is not quite so horrible as he is painted."

  "Do we understand each other?" answered the Black Priest of St.Paul's, repeating the Governor's question--"Alas, no! and I fear me wenever shall. Hast thou never heard the words spoken by the holyhermit, Berchtold of Offringen, to the implacable Queen Agnes, who hadrevenged with such dreadful severity the assassination of her father,the Emperor Albert?"

  "Not I," returned the knight; "I have neither studied the chroniclesof emperors, nor the legends of hermits; and therefore, Sir Priest, anyou like not my proposal, let us have no further words on the matter.I am unwont to press my favours, or to deal with priests who requireentreaty, when gifts are held out to them."

  "Hear yet the words of the holy man," said the priest. "The time maycome, and that shortly, when you would gladly desire to hear what youscornfully reject."

  "Speak on, but be brief," said Archibald de Hagenbach; "and know,though thou mayst terrify or cajole the multitude, thou now speakestto one whose resolution is fixed far beyond the power of thy eloquenceto melt."

  "Know, then," said the Priest of St. Paul's, "that Agnes, daughter ofthe murdered Albert, after shedding oceans of blood in avenging hisbloody death, founded at length the rich abbey of Koenigsfeldt; and,that it might have a superior claim to renowned sanctity, made apilgrimage in person to the cell of the holy hermit, and besought ofhim to honour her abbey by taking up his residence there. But what washis reply?--Mark it and tremble. 'Begone, ruthless woman,' said theholy man; 'God will not be served with blood-guiltiness, and rejectsthe gifts which are obtained by violence and robbery. The Almightyloves mercy, justice, and humanity, and by the lovers of these onlywill He be worshipped.' And now, Archibald of Hagenbach, once, twice,thrice, hast thou had warning. Live as becomes a man on whom sentenceis passed, and who must expect execution."

  Having spoken these words with a menacing tone and frowning aspect,the Priest of St. Paul's turned away from the Governor, whose firstimpulse was to command him to be arrested. But when he recollected theserious consequences which attached to the laying violent hands on apriest, he suffered him to depart in peace, conscious that his ownunpopularity might render any attempt to revenge himself an act ofgreat rashness. He called, therefore, for a beaker of Burgundy, inwhich he swallowed down his displeasure, and had just returned toKilian the cup, which he had drained to the bottom, when the wardenwinded a blast from the watch-tower, which betokened the arrival ofstrangers at the gate of the city.