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

  CHAPTER VI.

  When we two meet, we meet like rushing torrents; Like warring winds, like flames from various points, That mate each other's fury--there is naught Of elemental strife, were fiends to guide it, Can match the wrath of man. FRENAUD.

  The elder of our two travellers, though a strong man and familiar withfatigue, slept sounder and longer than usual on the morning which wasnow beginning to dawn, but his son Arthur had that upon his mind whichearly interrupted his repose.

  The encounter with the bold Switzer, a chosen man of a renowned raceof warriors, was an engagement which, in the opinion of the period inwhich he lived, was not to be delayed or broken. He left his father'sside, avoiding as much as possible the risk of disturbing him, thougheven in that case the circumstance would not have excited anyattention, as he was in the habit of rising early, in order to makepreparations for the day's journey, to see that the guide was on hisduty, and that the mule had his provender, and to discharge similaroffices which might otherwise have given trouble to his father. Theold man, however, fatigued with the exertions of the preceding day,slept, as we have said, more soundly than his wont, and Arthur, arminghimself with his good sword, sallied out to the lawn in front of theLandamman's dwelling, amid the magic dawn of a beautiful harvestmorning in the Swiss mountains.

  The sun was just about to kiss the top of the most gigantic of thatrace of Titans, though the long shadows still lay on the rough grass,which crisped under the young man's feet with a strong intimation offrost. But Arthur looked not round on the landscape, however lovely,which lay waiting one flash from the orb of day to start intobrilliant existence. He drew the belt of his trusty sword which he wasin the act of fastening when he left the house, and ere he had securedthe buckle he was many paces on his way towards the place where he wasto use it.

  It was still the custom of that military period to regard a summons tocombat as a sacred engagement, preferable to all others which could beformed; and stifling whatever inward feelings of reluctance Naturemight oppose to the dictates of fashion, the step of a gallant to theplace of encounter was required to be as free and ready as if he hadbeen going to a bridal. I do not know whether this alacrity wasaltogether real on the part of Arthur Philipson; but, if it wereotherwise, neither his look nor pace betrayed the secret.

  Having hastily traversed the fields and groves which separated theLandamman's residence from the old castle of Geierstein, he enteredthe courtyard from the side where the castle overlooked the land; andnearly in the same instant his almost gigantic antagonist, who lookedyet more tall and burly by the pale morning light than he had seemedthe preceding evening, appeared ascending from the precarious bridgebeside the torrent, having reached Geierstein by a different routefrom that pursued by the Englishman.

  The young champion of Berne had hanging along his back one of thosehuge two-handed swords, the blade of which measured five feet, andwhich were wielded with both hands. These were almost universally usedby the Swiss; for, besides the impression which such weapons werecalculated to make upon the array of the German men-at-arms, whosearmour was impenetrable to lighter swords, they were also wellcalculated to defend mountain passes, where the great bodily strengthand agility of those who bore them enabled the combatants, in spite oftheir weight and length, to use them with much address and effect. Oneof these gigantic swords hung round Rudolph Donnerhugel's neck, thepoint rattling against his heel, and the handle extending itself overhis left shoulder, considerably above his head. He carried another inhis hand.

  "Thou art punctual," he called out to Arthur Philipson, in a voicewhich was distinctly heard above the roar of the waterfall, which itseemed to rival in sullen force. "But I judged thou wouldst comewithout a two-handed sword. There is my kinsman Ernest's," he said,throwing on the ground the weapon which he carried, with the hilttowards the young Englishman. "Look, stranger, that thou disgrace itnot, for my kinsman will never forgive me if thou dost. Or thou maysthave mine if thou likest it better."

  The Englishman looked at the weapon with some surprise, to the use ofwhich he was totally unaccustomed.

  "The challenger," he said, "in all countries where honour is known,accepts the arms of the challenged."

  "He who fights on a Swiss mountain, fights with a Swiss brand,"answered Rudolph. "Think you our hands are made to handle penknives?"

  "Nor are ours made to wield scythes," said Arthur; and mutteredbetwixt his teeth, as he looked at the sword, which the Swisscontinued to offer him--"_Usum non habeo_ [_e_], I have not proved theweapon."

  "Do you repent the bargain you have made?" said the Swiss; "if so, crycraven, and return in safety. Speak plainly, instead of prattlingLatin like a clerk or a shaven monk."

  "No, proud man," replied the Englishman, "I ask thee no forbearance. Ithought but of a combat between a shepherd and a giant, in which Godgave the victory to him who had worse odds of weapons than falls to mylot to-day. I will fight as I stand; my own good sword shall serve myneed now, as it has done before."

  "Content!--But blame not me who offered thee equality of weapons,"said the mountaineer. "And now hear me. This is a fight for life ordeath--yon waterfall sounds the alarum for our conflict.--Yes, oldbellower," he continued, looking back, "it is long since thou hastheard the noise of battle;--and look at it ere we begin, stranger, forif you fall, I will commit your body to its waters."

  "And if thou fall'st, proud Swiss," answered Arthur, "as well I trustthy presumption leads to destruction, I will have thee buried in thechurch at Einsiedlen, where the priests shall sing masses for thysoul--thy two-handed sword shall be displayed above thy grave, and ascroll shall tell the passenger, Here lies a bear's cub of Berne,slain by Arthur the Englishman."

  "The stone is not in Switzerland, rocky as it is," said Rudolph,scornfully, "that shall bear that inscription. Prepare thyself forbattle."

  The Englishman cast a calm and deliberate glance around the scene ofaction--a courtyard, partly open, partly encumbered with ruins, inless and larger masses.

  "Methinks," said he to himself, "a master of his weapon, with theinstructions of Bottaferma of Florence in his remembrance, a lightheart, a good blade, a firm hand, and a just cause, might make up aworse odds than two feet of steel."

  Thinking thus, and imprinting on his mind, as much as the time wouldpermit, every circumstance of the locality around him which promisedadvantage in the combat, and taking his station in the middle of thecourtyard where the ground was entirely clear, he flung his cloak fromhim, and drew his sword.

  Rudolph had at first believed that his foreign antagonist was aneffeminate youth, who would be swept from before him at the firstflourish of his tremendous weapon. But the firm and watchful attitudeassumed by the young man reminded the Swiss of the deficiencies of hisown unwieldy implement, and made him determine to avoid anyprecipitation which might give advantage to an enemy who seemed bothdaring and vigilant. He unsheathed his huge sword, by drawing it overthe left shoulder, an operation which required some little time, andmight have offered formidable advantage to his antagonist, hadArthur's sense of honour permitted him to begin the attack ere it wascompleted. The Englishman remained firm, however, until the Swiss,displaying his bright brand to the morning sun, made three or fourflourishes as if to prove its weight, and the facility with which hewielded it--then stood firm within sword-stroke of his adversary,grasping his weapon with both hands, and advancing it a little beforehis body, with the blade pointed straight upwards. The Englishman, onthe contrary, carried his sword in one hand, holding it across hisface in a horizontal position, so as to be at once ready to strike,thrust, or parry.

  "Strike, Englishman!" said the Switzer, after they had confronted eachother in this manner for about a minute.

  "The longest sword should strike first," said Arthur; and the wordshad not left his mouth when the Swiss sword rose, and descended with arapidity which, the weight and size of the weapon considered, appearedportentous. No parry,
however dexterously interposed, could havebaffled the ruinous descent of that dreadful weapon, by which thechampion of Berne had hoped at once to begin the battle and end it.But young Philipson had not over-estimated the justice of his own eye,or the activity of his limbs. Ere the blade descended, a sudden springto one side carried him from beneath its heavy sway, and before theSwiss could again raise his sword aloft he received a wound, though aslight one, upon the left arm. Irritated at the failure and at thewound, the Switzer heaved up his sword once more, and availing himselfof a strength corresponding to his size, he discharged towards hisadversary a succession of blows, downright, athwart, horizontal, andfrom left to right, with such surprising strength and velocity, thatit required all the address of the young Englishman, by parrying,shifting, eluding, or retreating, to evade a storm of which everyindividual blow seemed sufficient to cleave a solid rock. TheEnglishman was compelled to give ground, now backwards, now swervingto the one side or the other, now availing himself of the fragments ofthe ruins, but watching all the while, with the utmost composure, themoment when the strength of his enraged enemy might become somewhatexhausted, or when by some improvident or furious blow he might againlay himself open to a close attack. The latter of these advantages hadnearly occurred, for in the middle of his headlong charge the Switzerstumbled over a large stone concealed among the long grass, and ere hecould recover himself received a severe blow across the head from hisantagonist. It lighted upon his bonnet, the lining of which enclosed asmall steel cap, so that he escaped unwounded, and springing up,renewed the battle with unabated fury, though it seemed to the youngEnglishman with breath somewhat short, and blows dealt with morecaution.

  They were still contending with equal fortune, when a stern voice,rising over the clash of swords, as well as the roar of waters, calledout in a commanding tone, "On your lives, forbear!"

  The two combatants sank the points of their swords, not very sorryperhaps for the interruption of a strife which must otherwise have hada deadly termination. They looked round, and the Landamman stoodbefore them, with anger frowning on his broad and expressive forehead.

  "How now, boys?" he said. "Are you guests of Arnold Biederman, and doyou dishonour his house by acts of violence more becoming the wolvesof the mountains, than beings to whom the great Creator has given aform after His own likeness, and an immortal soul to be saved bypenance and repentance?"

  "Arthur," said the elder Philipson, who had come up at the same timewith their host, "what frenzy is this? Are your duties of so light andheedless a nature, as to give time and place for quarrels and combatswith every idle boor who chances to be boastful at once andbull-headed?"

  The young men, whose strife had ceased at the entrance of theseunexpected spectators, stood looking at each other, and resting ontheir swords.

  "Rudolph Donnerhugel," said the Landamman, "give thy sword to me--tome, the owner of this ground, the master of this family, andmagistrate of the canton."

  "And which is more," answered Rudolph, submissively, "to you who areArnold Biederman, at whose command every native of these mountainsdraws his sword or sheathes it."

  He gave his two-handed sword to the Landamman.

  "Now, by my honest word," said Biederman, "it is the same with whichthy father Stephen fought so gloriously at Sempach, abreast with thefamous De Winkelried! Shame it is, that it should be drawn on ahelpless stranger.--And you, young sir," continued the Swiss,addressing Arthur, while his father said at the same time, "Young man,yield up your sword to the Landamman."

  "It shall not need, sir," replied the young Englishman, "since, for mypart, I hold our strife at an end. This gallant gentleman called mehither, on a trial, as I conceive, of courage: I can give myunqualified testimony to his gallantry and swordmanship; and as Itrust he will say nothing to the shame of my manhood, I think ourstrife has lasted long enough for the purpose which gave rise to it."

  "Too long for me," said Rudolph, frankly; "the green sleeve of mydoublet, which I wore of that colour out of my love to the ForestCantons, is now stained into as dirty a crimson as could have beendone by any dyer in Ypres or Ghent. But I heartily forgive the bravestranger who has spoiled my jerkin, and given its master a lesson hewill not soon forget. Had all Englishmen been like your guest, worthykinsman, methinks the mound at Buttisholz had hardly risen so high."

  "Cousin Rudolph," said the Landamman, smoothing his brow as hiskinsman spoke, "I have ever thought thee as generous as thou artharebrained and quarrelsome; and you, my young guest, may rely, thatwhen a Swiss says the quarrel is over, there is no chance of its beingrenewed. We are not like the men of the valleys to the eastward, whonurse revenge as if it were a favourite child. And now, join hands, mychildren, and let us forget this foolish feud."

  "Here is my hand, brave stranger," said Donnerhugel; "thou hast taughtme a trick of fence, and when we have broken our fast we will, by yourleave, to the forest, where I will teach you a trick of woodcraft inreturn. When your foot hath half the experience of your hand, and youreye hath gained a portion of the steadiness of your heart, you willnot find many hunters to match you."

  Arthur, with all the ready confidence of youth, readily embraced aproposition so frankly made, and before they reached the house varioussubjects of sport were eagerly discussed between them, with as muchcordiality as if no disturbance of their concord had taken place.

  "Now this," said the Landamman, "is as it should be. I am ever readyto forgive the headlong impetuosity of our youth, if they will be butmanly and open in their reconciliation, and bear their heart on theirtongue, as a true Swiss should."

  "These two youths had made but wild work of it, however," saidPhilipson, "had not your care, my worthy host, learned of theirrendezvous, and called me to assist in breaking their purpose. May Iask how it came to your knowledge so opportunely?"

  "It was e'en through means of my domestic fairy," answered ArnoldBiederman, "who seems born for the good luck of my family,--I mean myniece, Anne, who had observed a glove exchanged betwixt the two youngbraggadocios, and heard them mention Geierstein and break of day. Oh,sir, it is much to see a woman's sharpness of wit! It would have beenlong enough ere any of my thick-headed sons had shown themselves soapprehensive."

  "I think I see our propitious protectress peeping at us from yonderhigh ground," said Philipson; "but it seems as if she would willinglyobserve us without being seen in return."

  "Ay," said the Landamman, "she has been looking out to see that therehas been no hurt done; and now, I warrant me, the foolish girl isashamed of having shown such a laudable degree of interest in a matterof the kind."

  "Methinks," said the Englishman, "I would willingly return my thanks,in your presence, to the fair maiden to whom I have been so highlyindebted."

  "There can be no better time than the present," said the Landamman;and he sent through the groves the maiden's name, in one of thoseshrilly accented tones which we have already noticed.

  Anne of Geierstein, as Philipson had before observed, was stationedupon a knoll at some distance, and concealed, as she thought, fromnotice, by a screen of brushwood. She started at her uncle's summons,therefore, but presently obeyed it; and avoiding the young men, whopassed on foremost, she joined the Landamman and Philipson, by acircuitous path through the woods.

  "My worthy friend and guest would speak with you, Anne," said theLandamman, so soon as the morning greeting had been exchanged. TheSwiss maiden coloured over brow as well as cheek, when Philipson, witha grace which seemed beyond his calling, addressed her in thesewords:--

  "It happens sometimes to us merchants, my fair young friend, that weare unlucky enough not to possess means for the instant defraying ofour debts; but he is justly held amongst us as the meanest of mankindwho does not acknowledge them. Accept, therefore, the thanks of afather, whose son your courage, only yesterday, saved fromdestruction, and whom your prudence has, this very morning, rescuedfrom a great danger. And grieve me not, by refusing to wear theseearrings," he added, producing a small jewel-case, w
hich he opened ashe spoke: "they are, it is true, only of pearls, but they have notbeen thought unworthy the ears of a countess"----

  "And must, therefore," said the old Landamman, "show misplaced on theperson of a Swiss maiden of Unterwalden; for such and no more is myniece Anne while she resides in my solitude. Methinks, good MasterPhilipson, you display less than your usual judgment in matching thequality of your gifts with the rank of her on whom they arebestowed--as a merchant, too, you should remember that large guerdonswill lighten your gains."

  "Let me crave your pardon, my good host," answered the Englishman,"while I reply, that at least I have consulted my own sense of theobligation under which I labour, and have chosen, out of what I haveat my free disposal, that which I thought might best express it. Itrust the host whom I have found hitherto so kind will not preventthis young maiden from accepting what is at least not unbecoming therank she is born to; and you will judge me unjustly if you think mecapable of doing either myself or you the wrong, of offering any tokenof a value beyond what I can well spare."

  The Landamman took the jewel-case into his own hand.

  "I have ever set my countenance," he said, "against gaudy gems, whichare leading us daily further astray from the simplicity of our fathersand mothers.--And yet," he added, with a good-humoured smile, andholding one of the earrings close to his relation's face, "theornaments do set off the wench rarely, and they say girls have morepleasure in wearing such toys than grey-haired men can comprehend.Wherefore, dear Anne, as thou hast deserved a dearer trust in agreater matter, I refer thee entirely to thine own wisdom, to acceptof our good friend's costly present, and wear it or not as thouthinkest fit."

  "Since such is your pleasure, my best friend and kinsman," said theyoung maiden, blushing as she spoke, "I will not give pain to ourvalued guest, by refusing what he desires so earnestly that I shouldaccept; but, by his leave, good uncle, and yours, I will bestow thesesplendid earrings on the shrine of Our Lady of Einsiedlen, to expressour general gratitude to her protecting favour, which has been aroundus in the terrors of yesterday's storm, and the alarms of thismorning's discord."

  "By Our Lady, the wench speaks sensibly!" said the Landamman; "and herwisdom has applied the bounty well, my good guest, to bespeak prayersfor thy family and mine, and for the general peace of Unterwalden.--Goto, Anne, thou shalt have a necklace of jet at next shearing-feast, ifour fleeces bear any price in the market."