Alf was sitting in the twilight near the good Clara, narrating to her
at full length the singular proceedings at the cathedral, at which he
had been present, when his friend Hanslein entered in a state of great
excitement.
'How much can be made of a good-for-nothing fellow!' cried he. 'Would
you ever have thought, brother, that I was a block out of which a duke
could have been carved?'
'Duke!' asked Alf in astonishment, supposing that he must have heard
falsely.
'A duke! nothing less!' laughingly answered Hanslein. 'The king's
majesty has become a little anxious about his personal safety in the
midst of his trusty subjects; and he no longer considers his dear life
entirely secure among them. He has therefore divided Zion into twelve
districts and appointed a duke for each, from among his trustiest
supporters; and he, with an adequate military force, is to watch over
the order and repose of his district and smother every disturbance at
its birth. Having become such a thing, I beg of you to show me all
proper respect.'
'What new experiment will not this wicked king try in my poor native
city?' sighed Alf.
'This lamentation comes from sheer envy,' said Hanslein, jestingly,
'because you are not created a duke. Make yourself easy, however; for
you also are raised to high honors. The king has named you commander of
the life guards, and I bring you his gracious commands that you
forthwith appear before him. You will commence duty even to-day, that
the timid tailor may this night sleep under the safeguard of your good
sword.'
'I commander of the life guards!' repeated Alf, moodily. 'How can it
have happened that the king selected me?'
'That has happened as many other things do in this world,' answered
Hanslein, with a significant smile. 'I can explain all these things
satisfactorily to myself, and I consider that you, with the command of
the guards, have drawn a much better prize than I with my dukedom.
Enjoy your good fortune with circumspection.' So saying he departed.
'Strange!' said Alf, buckling on again his scarcely laid aside coat of
mail. 'Strange!' cried he again, as he girded on his sword, when his
eye fell upon a small fresh wine spot on the neck-piece of his armor.
The charming queen with the chalice instantly stood before his mind's
eye, and an obscure suspicion of a connection between the recent
occurrence and his present elevation sent a burning blush to his face.
To conceal it, he pressed the knight's helmet low down upon his
forehead, which he had sought out as becoming his new office, extended
his hand to the good Clara for a hasty farewell, and with winged
strides proceeded toward the royal palace.
A royal page conducted him immediately to the king, who advanced to
meet him as graciously as if he had been born to a throne.
'The affair of the bishop's camp has proved thee to be an able
warrior,' said the king, with a dignity becoming his station; 'I owe
thee some recompense for a great loss; and thou hast moreover been so
much commended on all sides, that I have determined to bring thee
nearer to my person. Thou shalt henceforth lead my body guard as its
commander; so that the head upon which the welfare of Zion depends may
at least sleep in safety.'
Alf suggested some doubts of his fitness for the office.
'No qualifications are needed,' replied the king, 'but watchfulness,
courage and truth. I desire no oath from you. Christ says, 'Let your
communication be yea, yea; nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these
cometh of evil.' Give me therefore the hand grip of an honest man, that
you will be my faithful guard.'
Alf reluctantly gave his right hand to the king, for he shuddered at
the idea of connecting himself personally with this man--he shuddered
at touching a hand that had shed so much blood.
'The yeomen of the guard are already assigned to you,' proceeded the
king; 'but now it is fitting that you be introduced to the first queen;
'and he signified to him by a gracious nod that the audience was over.
Alf proceeded with a beating heart towards the apartments of the queen.
'Walk in! walk in!' cried a silvery voice in the room, at the door of
which Alf's name and dignity had been announced by the lady in waiting.
He stepped in. Upon an elevated and gilded chair, in full dignity, sat
the queen. He was so much dazzled by her beauty that he scarcely
observed the other two queens, who were sitting upon less elevated
seats on each side of her.
'It is you, young man,' said the enchantress, in the sweetest tones,
'whom henceforth we shall have to thank for the safety of our days and
the tranquillity of our nights.'
Alf bowed in silence.
'Only be careful continued the queen, with an alluring smile, 'that you
do not rob the ladies of the palace of their repose, whom it is your
duty to guard.'
The embarrassed Alf could not find presence of mind to enable him to
answer, and queen Eliza sprang from her seat and hastened to the
window.
'You are already married?' asked the queen.
'Only engaged--I am--I was--and am half way so yet,' stammered Alf,
very unintelligibly.
'And the other half?' asked the queen, mischievously. Eliza turned her
burning glance upon the floor.
'Permit me to be silent upon that point,' said Alf, with becoming
modesty.
The charming woman extended her hand to him to kiss.
Alf seized it hastily, and impressed upon the warm, yielding, velvet
skin an almost endless kiss, believing at the same time that he felt a
slight pressure from her taper fingers. Heading the confirmation of his
suspicions, as he looked up, in the melting eyes of the lady, and
forgetting every thing in the momentary transport, he spread out his
arms as if he would have fallen upon her neck.
He was rebuked however by a severe look; but in contradiction to that
look, the queen said to him in the tenderest and most friendly manner,
'we shall see each other again soon,'--and dismissed him.
Intoxicated, confused, and entirely incapable of connected thought, the
youth withdrew.