A LATE ARRIVAL AT NICHOLAS KRAFT'S.
In one of the old burgher palaces of Ratisbon, then the dwelling of
Nicholas Kraft, whose guest he was, the Elector Maximilian held a
reception after supper each evening in the manner of the French monarch.
At these the ladies and gentlemen of his own household, Ferdinand the
Archduke and his sister the Archduchess, with their suite, were expected
to attend, together with some of the great burghers and their wives,
who, whether they possessed patents of nobility or not, were in point of
wealth and culture noble, and had the right of entry. The ruling classes
of the great free cities had long been accustomed to exchange courtesies
on something like equal terms with the princes and nobles who happened
to be within their gates, but not to exhibit any undue servility in
their regard. Maximilian fully understood this. In Munich, his capital
city, there would be differences, but Ratisbon was Ratisbon. Ferdinand
the Archduke held himself much aloof. As the son of the Emperor, and
possibly his successor, if the Electors should again choose a Habsburg,
he possessed much of the Habsburg pride of demeanour and tendency to
self-isolation.
The guests had not all assembled. Maximilian himself, though talking
affably with the principal burghers, the few officers present, or some
of the ladies, looked gloomy. Indeed he had much to occupy his mind. The
latest advices from Ingolstadt told that the fortress town still held
out stoutly, and was still closely beset by Gustavus. Of movement
towards Ratisbon there were rumours enough, but Maximilian was being
well served with information, and these rumours did not trouble him so
much as they did the burghers. As in all the great free cities, there
was a party favouring Gustavus, another favouring the Emperor, a third
whose one desire was to maintain an exact neutrality. All wished the war
was at an end, because it interfered wofully with trade.
"I had thought to have seen the Archduchess here to-night!" said
Maximilian to the brother of the absent lady.
"In truth," said Ferdinand, "I cannot tell. She is accustomed to follow
her whims. I learned that she went out riding to-day. It may be that she
is late in returning, and is even now at supper."
Maximilian smiled sombrely and made some polite and meaningless reply,
but his manner suggested that he was not at his ease.
"At what hour, Burgomaster, do you close the city gates?" Maximilian
asked of his next fellow-guest.
"At eight, your Highness!"
"And the keys?"
"Are brought to my house, your Highness!"
"Ah! Very salutary! You have all things well-ordered in Ratisbon."
"Your Highness is good enough to commend us. Nevertheless, there are
many things that may well be improved."
An hour slipped by. Some of the party played _truc_, some _scat_. In a
corner some musicians discoursed on viols and lutes and a clavier. The
Archduke grew impatient and sent a page to the lodging of the
Archduchess, bidding her attendance. An answer came back that she was
indisposed, but that, if the Elector wished to see her particularly, she
would endeavour to throw off her migraine and come.
The Archduke sent a still more peremptory message. Maximilian looked
still more sombre.
This time he stopped to speak to an officer who had just come in. They
stood apart.
"The gates are shut?" was Maximilian's inquiry.
"Yes, your Highness!"
"Has the Archduchess in fact returned?"
"No, your Highness!"
"Have you had any message?"
"Her coach broke down at Obertraubling, three leagues from Ratisbon! She
is spending the night at a farmhouse!"
"Alone?" There was a perceptible quiver in his voice.
"The Scottish officer, General Charteris, is with her!"
"Ah! He has recovered from his wounds?"
"I should have thought not! I have been doing my best, your Highness.
Two days ago he was too weak to mount a horse. But the eyes of an
Archduchess, your Highness, are a very potent salve!"
Again the Elector frowned.
"Can you make anything of this escapade?"
The Jesuit returned the look in the Elector's eyes. Each seemed to
search the other's.
"Whatever it was meant to be it has been frustrated, and your Highness
will find her submissive enough to-morrow."
"But if she has given herself...."
"Your Highness need not fear. She has but walked into one mouse-trap and
the Scot into another."
Maximilian simply grumbled a dissatisfied "H'm!" His knowledge of the
Jesuits and their deep schemes was tempered by an insatiable jealousy
where the Archduchess was concerned, and a knowledge of the wiles of
women, which he deemed must be superior to that of any Jesuit but one,
that one being Father Lamormain.
"It is time to apprise the Archduke Ferdinand that he is being fooled by
her women." Then he left the Jesuit abruptly and crossed over to
Ferdinand.
"Our dear Stephanie will not, I fear, be here to-night!"
"Why not, cousin?" was Ferdinand's somewhat petulant query. He was not
at all gratified at having come to Ratisbon, only to find that
Maximilian was once again defeated. He would almost have preferred him
to have taken up the position of the neutral. He was angry with the
Archduchess for her persistent opposition to his father's wish for the
match with Maximilian: annoyed with Maximilian for his continual
fidgeting about her absence, to which Ferdinand attached no importance.
"Because she is not in Ratisbon!"
"But I have had messages from her!"
"From her women, who are doubtless in league to deceive you!"
Ferdinand looked much that he did not utter.
He looked at the clock that stood in one corner of the apartment.
"Ten o'clock, and not returned. You must lend me a troop of your hussars
to scour the roads!"
"With pleasure! But I beg that you will use discretion. The name of a
princess that will one day be Electress of Bavaria may not be lightly
bandied. May I suggest Captain von Grätz?"
"As you will, cousin!"
They had just signed to the Jesuit when the door opened, and the
servants announced--
"Her Imperial Highness, the Archduchess Stephanie!"
The faces of the three men turned towards the door in amazement and
expectation.
It was the Archduchess. She came clad in amber silk, heavy with the
richest embroidered work of raised flowers, a high stiff collar, her
round neck and swelling bosom bare, save for the velvet of darker hue
than the stuff which framed them, and a necklace of rare pearls. Her
train was upheld by two of the fairest dames of her company, and these
and two others and two pages were all attired as richly, yet served as a
foil nevertheless to her supreme dark beauty. In her eyes was the
lurking light of laughter, though her lip had more than usual of its
proud upward curl. Her eyes danced as with her quick gaze they lit upon
the three astounded faces of her suitor, her brother, and the officer
they called von Grätz.
Nicholas Kraft and his wife hastened forward and bent the knee before
her. To them all graciousness she said--
"It is to seem an unwilling guest to arrive at your hospitable house so
late, but you must please excuse me for the chapter of accidents that
has done nothing but beset me this day."
The Elector strode forward, his eyes roving over her as if they would
devour her, for he ever found fresh enchantment and delight in her
beauty, fain though he was not to betray himself too much.
The Archduke followed, but not too eagerly. Captain von Grätz alone
remained where he was, prey to a hundred vexations, but showing nothing
in his calm face.
"So eager yet, cousin Maximilian!"
"Say rather anxious, dear Stephanie! I have done my best to have the
roads patrolled, but I fear your horse or your escort must have been
indifferent that you have been so delayed."
"I am afraid it was my own fault, cousin, that I went too far and forgot
that my Scottish gentleman equerry for the day was but lately wounded in
your service and could ill bear the saddle. As it is, I have left him
behind me, and I fear that he will be but a fit subject for his bed for
some days to come! How triumphantly your music sounds!"
"It should ring twice as bravely from thrice as many trumpets as we have
viols, would you but give me leave, Stephanie, and bid me don a bridal
suit. You are vastly goddess-like to-night?"
"Because I am happy, despite the war that makes you all so gloomy!"
"If I could think your happiness was in being here in Ratisbon with me,
then should not war last a week. I would even make terms and bid
Gustavus to our nuptials."
"And sacrifice the future of Wallenstein?" she asked with a pretty
malice.
"Why? What of Wallenstein?"
"Wallenstein's army grows greater every day!"
"'Tis well! We could make the better bargain with Gustavus."
"And the Emperor?"
"Would console himself for the loss of glory in finding a son-in-law who
would adventure the care of his rebellious Stephanie."
The Elector's brow had cleared. He was enraptured to find her in so
winning a mood that he proposed a pavane. And in a few minutes dancing
was the order of the evening.
The Jesuit watched and noticed how the Elector surrendered to his
passion, confident at last that he had virtually won the hand of the
princess. At last he left the court circle alone and quietly, and went
to the lodging he shared with Nigel. There another surprise awaited
him, for Nigel lay asleep in his bed. The Jesuit examined the bandages,
saw that they had been freshly put on, and that tied in the final knot
was a single long black hair.