At the little inn belonging to Faith, John had been waiting all day
for her return with Bertha, and trying his best to look after those
who came and went. Outside, people were waltzing and drinking and
making merry, for the inn was a favourite place for the townsmen of
Leyden to congregate.
"Sing and waltz; sing and waltz!" they cried, "all life is joy--and
three cheers for thee, John!"
"Hey! John, bring beer," a soldier called merrily. "Let us eat, drink
and--" At that moment Jonas, followed by the other Anabaptists,
appeared at the inn.
"John! who is John?" they inquired of the soldier.
"John! John!" first one, then another called. "Here are some gentlemen
who want beer--although they are very unlikely looking chaps," some
one added, under his breath, looking the three fellows over. John came
in to take orders, but his mind was elsewhere.
"It is near night--and they have not come," he kept thinking. "I
wonder if anything can have happened to them! Surely not! My mother is
old, but she is lively on her feet, and on her way home she would have
the attention of Bertha. Only I should feel better to see them just
now."
"Come, come, John! Beer!" the soldier interrupted, and John started
from his reverie. As he went to fetch the beer, Jonas too started.
Then he leaned toward Mathison.
"Do you notice anything extraordinary about that man--John of the
inn?" he asked. The two other Anabaptists regarded the innkeeper
closely.
"Yes! He is the image of David--the saint in Muenster, whose image is
so worshipped by the Westphalians. They believe that same saint has
worked great miracles among them," Zacharia answered, all the while
watching John as he moved about among the tables.
"Listen to this! Just such a man was needed to complete our success.
This man's strong, handsome appearance and his strange likeness to
that blessed image of those absurd Westphalians is enough to make him
a successful leader. We'll get hold of him, call him a prophet, and
the business is done. With him to lead and we to control him, we are
likely to own all Holland presently. He is a wonder!" And they put
their heads together and continued to talk among themselves. Then
Jonas turned to one of the guests.
"Say, friend, who is this man?"
"He is the keeper of this inn," was the answer. "He has an excellent
heart and a terrible arm."
"A fiery temper, I should say," the Anabaptist suggested.
"That he has, truly."
"He is brave?"
"Aye! and devoted. And he knows the whole Bible by heart," the peasant
declared, proud of his friend. At that the three looked meaningly at
one another. This certainly was the sort of man they needed.
"Come, friends, I want you to be going," John said at that moment, his
anxiety for his mother and Bertha becoming so great that he could no
longer bear the presence of the roistering crowd. "Besides it is going
to storm. Come. I must close up." They all rose good-naturedly and
one by one and in groups took themselves off--all but the three
Anabaptists, who lingered behind.
"What troubles thee, friend?" Jonas said sympathetically to John, when
all had gone, and he looked toward them inquiringly.
"The fact is, my mother was to have returned to Leyden with my fiancee
before this hour, and I am a little troubled to know they are so late
upon the road. I imagine I feel the more anxious because of some bad
dreams I have had lately--two nights." He added, trying to smile.
"Pray tell us what your dreams were. We can some of us interpret
dreams. Come! Perhaps they mean good rather than bad," Jonas urged.
"Why, I dreamed that I was standing in a beautiful temple, with
everything very splendid about me, while everybody was bowing down to
me----"
"Well, that is good!" Jonas interrupted.
"Ah! but wait! A crown was on my brow and a hidden choir were chanting
a sacred chant. They kept repeating: 'This is the new king! the king
whom heaven has given us.' And then upon a blazing marble tablet there
appeared the words 'Woe through thee! Woe through thee!' And as I was
about to draw my sword I was nearly drowned in a sea of blood. To
escape that I tried to mount the throne beside me. But I and the
throne were swept away by a frightful storm which rose. And at that
moment the Devil began to drag me down, while the people cried: 'Let
him be accursed!' But out of the sky came a voice and it cried
'Mercy--mercy to him!' and then I woke trembling with the vividness of
my dream. I have dreamed thus twice. It troubles me." And he paused
abstractedly, listening to the storm without, which seemed to grow
more boisterous.
"Friend, let me interpret that dream as it should be understood. It
means that you are born to reign over the people. You may go through
difficulties to reach your throne, but you shall reign over the
people."
"Humph!" he answered, smiling incredulously, "I may reign, but it
shall be a reign of love over this little domestic world of mine. I
want my mother and my sweetheart, and want no more. Let them arrive
safely this night, and I'll hand over that dream-throne to you!" he
answered, going to the door.
"Listen again!" Jonas persisted. "You do not know us but you have
heard of us. We are those holy men who have been travelling through
Holland, telling people their sacred rights as human beings; and
pointing out to them that God never meant them for slaves. Join us,
and that throne you dreamed of shall become a real one, and thine!
Come! Consent, and you go with us. That kingdom shall be yours. You
have the head and heart and the behaviour of a brave and good man."
Thus they urged him, but John only put them aside. He listened to them
half in derision.
"Wait till I get my Bertha and my mother safe into this house this
night, then we'll think of that fine kingdom ye are planning for me,"
he said. The Anabaptists seeing that his mind was too troubled with
his own affairs, got up and went out.
"Well, thank heaven!" John cried when they had gone. "What queer
fellows, to be sure! I wish it were not so late----" At that moment a
great noise arose outside the inn. "What can that mean?" he said to
himself, standing in the middle of the floor, hardly daring to look
out, he was so disturbed. The noise became greater.
"It is the galloping of soldiers, by my faith!" he cried, and was
starting toward the door when it was burst open and Bertha threw
herself into his arms.
"What is this! What has happened? Good heaven! you are all torn
and----"
"Save me, save and hide me!" she cried. "Thy mother is coming. The
soldiers are after us--look!" And glancing toward the window he saw
Oberthal coming near with his soldiers. He hastily hid Bertha behind
some curtains in one part of the room, just as Oberthal rushed in.
He demanded Bertha, telling John how he had taken the two women and
was carrying them to Haarlem when Bertha got away. Now he had Faith,
the mother, and would keep her as hostage, unless Bertha was instantly
given into his hands. Upon hearing that, John was distracted with
grief.
"Give her up, or I'll kill this old woman before thy eyes!" he
declared brutally. John was torn between love for his old mother and
for his sweetheart, and while he stood staring wildly at Oberthal the
soldiers brought his mother in and were about to cleave her head in
twain when Bertha tore the curtains apart. She could not let John
sacrifice his mother for her. Oberthal fairly threw her into the arms
of his soldiers, while the old mother stretched her arms toward John,
who fell upon a seat with his head in his hands. Then, after the
soldiers and Oberthal had gone, the poor old woman tried to comfort
him, but his grief was so tragic that he could not endure it, and he
begged her to go to her room and leave him alone for a time. Soon
after she had gone out, John heard the strange chant of the
Anabaptists. He raised his head and listened--that was like his
dream--the sacred chant!
"It is my dream," he said. Then he started up furiously. "It is my
revenge. If those strange men should come again and ask----" And at
that very moment they summoned him to the door. They knew what had
passed, and believed it a good time to persuade him to join them.
"Enter, enter, enter!" he cried, half beside himself with his grief;
and the three strange creatures came in.
"John of Leyden, we come to offer you a throne once more, and with it
your revenge for what has happened here this night."
"I will join thee for my revenge. I need no throne--but my revenge! I
must have my revenge!"
"Come, and thou shalt have it. Work henceforth as we direct, and as
that sainted figure of David, beloved by those of Westphalia, and we
promise you revenge against the whole nobility of Holland. Come!"
"Aye--thou shalt be to Holland what Jeanne d'Arc was to France!"
John went softly, yet quivering with hate and sorrow, to his mother's
door.
"She mutters a prayer in her sleep," he said, hesitating what to do,
yet overwhelmed with misfortune and fury.
"Thy revenge!" whispered Zacharia in his ear. John of Leyden looked at
him darkly a moment, then:
"Let us go," he said, and the four conspirators went softly from the
old inn.