At the close of day, at the foot of an ice-covered mountain, forests
on every side, the Anabaptists were encamped in Westphalia. John of
Leyden had gone to that part of Germany under the direction of Jonas,
Mathison, and Zacharia, and being introduced to the people as a
sainted man, all had fallen down and worshipped him and he had become
a great power. So many had rallied round him that his army had become
very large, and the nobles and their families were fleeing from it in
consternation.
Just before nightfall, while all seemed quiet in camp, a noise of
battle was heard far off, which grew louder and louder, telling of the
approach of the fighters. Finally, the noise of combat was right at
hand, and when the soldiers rushed into the camp there was great
confusion. Among the prisoners were men and women richly dressed,
little children, and old people, all prisoners, or flying on every
side. The Anabaptists were ferocious in their joy over every success,
and since John of Leyden had joined and led them they had been most
successful.
Peasants came into camp with baskets and loads of food, while those
things were bought by giving in exchange many spoils of war--rich
vases and fine stuffs of all sorts. Then the soldiers fell to eating
and drinking, being served by their women and children while there was
dancing and general rejoicing.
Many of the girls who had brought provisions into camp had skated over
miles of frozen waterway, thinking little of such a performance in
that country, and all was gaiety and expectation. It was known that
the Emperor was marching against the Anabaptist army, and while John
of Leyden had been very successful, he had as yet no stronghold; so he
decided, after talking with Jonas and the other two seditionists, to
attack the city of Muenster itself. That city was held by the father of
the Count Oberthal, who had carried off Bertha.
Then, when the rout and camp gaiety were at their height, a stranger
who had been seen wandering about the camp was brought in. He was
looked upon with suspicion, and it was decided that he must
immediately take an oath to belong to the Anabaptists. He agreed to do
so and then, while every one was talking about the Prophet, the
stranger was brought before Jonas.
"Who is it?" he asked, for outside the rays of the camp lights the
wood was dark.
"One who is ready to take the oath and join us," was the answer.
"Very well, but in this dense wood who can see anything at this time
of the night? Strike a light there."
"Yes, have a care, brother," said Zacharia. "Let us be certain the man
is sincere in his purpose to join us."
"To-morrow we go to take Muenster, which is in the hands of that
traitor Oberthal," Mathison said.
The stranger started violently.
"We shall massacre the wretch and his people," Jonas continued.
"Massacre!" the stranger exclaimed, then aside he murmured "my
father!" because in truth the stranger who had been caught near the
camp was none other than the Oberthal who had carried away Bertha.
The three Anabaptists continued to speak in so blood-thirsty a manner
of their exploits that Oberthal was horrified by the thought that it
was his father who was to fall into their hands on the morrow. More
than that, they expected him to swear to join their expedition.
"Well, here we stand, talking in the darkness still. Let us get out of
it," Jonas cried, and they moved toward the light of the camp, taking
Oberthal with them. Suddenly when in the bright light, Jonas
recognized his old master who had sent him away and punished him for
stealing.
"Heaven! Well, I have you now!" he cried, wickedly. "Now I'll make
short work of you!" and he called the guard. "Here! surround him. Lead
him instantly to execution."
"Without consulting the Prophet?" all cried in amazement. That was
high-handed work, indeed.
"Wait for nothing. Kill him," Jonas cried, going excitedly by one
path, as John the Prophet came upon the scene by another. He was sad
and cast down, and Zacharia spoke to him. "What is wrong with you?"
"I get small joy from all this," he answered. "Jeanne d'Arc was born
to such affairs, but I was better off in my inn, serving my people. It
is a bad business," and he was very melancholy.
"What is this you say?"
"I say that I think of my Bertha and my mother. I wish I were with
them, while others were reforming Holland."
"But thy mother and thy sweetheart, since they got into the hands of
Oberthal, are doubtless dead."
"Then there is little for me to fight for. I shall stop now; do you
carry on your schemes as best you may. Who is that prisoner?" he
asked, as Oberthal was brought back by the soldiers.
"It is a man who is about to be executed."
"Oh--he is? Who says so, since I say otherwise?" John replied, looking
at Zacharia contemptuously. "I am thy Prophet," he declared with
hardly less contempt in his tone than before. "I am thy Prophet and
settle these matters of life and death. I settle this one. Yonder man
shall not die. I am in a humane mood." He motioned the guard to bring
Oberthal, whom he had not yet seen, before him. When face to face,
John of Leyden lifted his eyes and looked again upon the man who had
brought all his woes upon him; who had so persecuted him that he had
in a mad moment left his peaceful inn, and undertaken to change the
face of Germany. He had already wrought untold pain and suffering.
"Oberthal!" he said, hardly able to speak because of his emotion.
"Ah! thou wilt still treat him tenderly, I doubt not!" Zacharia cried,
sneeringly. For a moment John of Leyden could not speak; then he said:
"Leave us!" His tone was awful, yet showed great self-repression.
"So!" he said, after gazing at Oberthal a moment. "Heaven has
delivered thee into my hands!"
"It is just. My crime merits my punishment," Oberthal said in a low
voice. "But I will tell thee one thing which is thy due and may save
my soul from damnation: thy Bertha, to save herself from my hands,
threw herself into the sea, and thus escaped me."
"Dead, dead!" John of Leyden said, bowing his head a moment upon his
hands.
"No! there is more. Touched with remorse, I saved her."
"And then,--speak!"
"She fled to Muenster, and I was on my way there to find her and to try
to restore her to thee, when I was arrested."
"Oberthal, thy fate shall rest with her. I spare thee till she shall
pronounce sentence upon thee." He had no sooner spoken than Mathison
rushed in and cried that the troops had rebelled, and that John alone
could stop the riot and stay the ruin. "The gates of Muenster have
been thrown open, its army has marched upon us, and our men are
fleeing."
"Run! run!" John of Leyden shouted. "After them, and turn them back.
Muenster must be ours!" And he rushed off, the Anabaptists following.
When he managed to rally the soldiers, they turned upon him and
accused him of being a false Prophet.
"Ye promised us to take Muenster; thy dallying has lost it to us. We
shall no longer tolerate a rule like thine. Thou art no Prophet." But
since learning that Bertha was within the city of Muenster, John of
Leyden's purpose had become fixed. If he entered that city at all, it
must be as a conqueror; because as a seditionist his head was wanted
there. Yet if he did not enter he could not find Bertha.
When they had cried death to the Prophet, John of Leyden calmly, with
great impressiveness, made them cower before his rage.
"I punish rebellion like this. If you have come to grief--or if the
cause shall--it is because you have offended God by your haste, and by
your disobedience to me," he cried, while the soldiers shouted:
"He speaks like a holy man! We have done wrong."
"Get to your knees, you impious men!" he cried, seeing his advantage
over them, and they all fell upon their knees. His personality had
gained the control over a great people once again. With this spirit of
enthusiasm aroused, the city of Muenster was soon taken, and a great
hymn of triumph went up. All the people likened John of Leyden to
David, and rallied round him, proclaiming him king.