stayed on in the little town. But he had little good of it, for Zues
left him nothing to say, and ruled him strictly, never allowing him to
have his way in anything. On the contrary, she continued to consider
herself the sole source of all wisdom and success.
DIETEGEN
DIETEGEN
To the north of those hills and woods where Seldwyla nestles, there
flourished as late as the end of the fifteenth century the town of
Ruechenstein, lying in the cool shade, whereas her rival Seldwyla
basked in the full glare of the midday sun. Gray and forbidding looked
the massed body of its towers and strong walls, and upstanding and just
were its councilmen and citizens, but severe and morose also, and their
chief employment consisted in the execution of their prerogatives as an
independent city, in the exercise of law and justice, the issuing of
mandates and decrees, of impeachments and committals. The greatest
source of their pride was the fact that there had been conferred on
them the exercise and enforcement of the power over life and death of
all subject to their sway, and so eager and willing they were to
sacrifice for this power their all, their privileges and their
substance, as entrusted to them by Empire and supreme ruler, as other
commonwealths were to achieve their liberty of conscience and the
freedom of worship according to their faith.
On the rocky promontories all around their town wore conspicuous the
emblems of their dread sovereignty. Such as tall gallows and scaffolds,
sundry places of execution, showing the wheel where miscreants had
their limbs broken, the stake where heretics or other evildoers were
made to suffer, and their grim-faced town hall was hung full of iron
chains with neck rings; steel cages were exhibited on the towers of the
walls, and wooden drills wherein loose-tongued or wicked women were
being stretched and turned, could be seen at almost every corner. Even
by the shore of the dark-blue river which washed the walls of the town,
sundry stations had been erected where malefactors could be drowned or
ducked, with tied feet or in sacks, according to the finer
discriminations of the decree of judgment.
Now it need not be supposed that because of all this the
Ruechensteiners were iron men, robust and inspiring terror by their
looks, such as one would be inclined to think from their favorite
pastimes. That was indeed not the case. Rather were they people of
ordinary, philistine appearance, with thin shanks and pot-bellies,
their only distinctive mark being their yellow noses, the same noses
with which the year around they used to besniff and watch each other.
And nobody indeed would have guessed from the more than commonplace and
scanty semblance of their whole physical being that their nerves were
like ropes, such as were absolutely required not only to view all along
the grewsome sights offered to them by their authorities in the putting
to a shameful and lingering death of scores and scores of felons and
other poor wretches condemned by their councilmen, but actually to
enjoy the sight. These cruel instincts of theirs were not apparent on
their faces; they were hidden away in their hearts.
Thus they kept spread like a dense net their judiciary powers over the
dominion subject to their fierce rule, always eager for a chance to
apply it. And indeed nowhere were there such singular crimes to punish
as in this same Ruechenstein. Their inventive gift was fairly
inexhaustible. It seemed almost as though their talent for discovering
ever new and hitherto unheard-of crimes acted as a spur on sinners to
commit the latest delinquencies threatened with penalties of the
severest type. However, if despite all this at any time there was a
lack of evildoers, the people of the town knew how to help themselves.
For then they simply caught and punished the rascals of other towns.
And it was only a man with a clear conscience who had the hardihood to
cross at any time the territory of Ruechenstein. For when they heard of
a crime committed, even if done far away from their own area, they
would seize and hold the first landloper that came along, put him to
the torture and make him confess his guilt. Not infrequently it would
happen that such enforced confession related to a crime that, as later
turned out, had only been based on hearsay, and had really never been
done. But then it was too late. The supposed malefactor had been hung
in chains on the gallows or otherwise disposed of, and could not be
brought to life again. Of course, it was unavoidable that because of
this inclination of the people of Ruechenstein they would often get
into a more or less acrimonious controversy with other towns whose
citizens they had thus overzealously dispatched, and they even had
constantly pending a number of such cases before the Swiss federal
council, and had to be sharply reprimanded, but that did not cure them.
By preference the people of Ruechenstein liked calm, sunny, pleasant
weather when indulging in their favorite amusement of holding penal
executions, burnings at the stake, and forcible drownings, and that is
why on fine summer days there was always something of the kind going on
there. The wanderer in a far-off field might then, keeping his eyes
fastened on the greyish rock buttress high up on the horizon, notice
not infrequently the flashing of the headsman's sword, the smoke pillar
of the stake, or in the bed of the river something like the glittering
leaping of a fish, which would usually mean the bobbing up and down of
a witch undergoing the solemn test. And the word of God on a Sunday
they would not have relished at all without at least one erring lovers'
couple with straw wreaths before the altar and without the reading out
of some sharpened moral mandates.
Other festivals, processions and public pleasures there were none; all
such were prohibited by numerous mandates or ordinances.
It may easily be supposed that a town of that stripe could have no more
distasteful neighbors than Seldwyla, and behind their woods, too, they
would forever think up new methods of interfering with and annoying
them. Any Seldwylian whom they caught on their own soil was seized and
tortured to get at the facts regarding the latest breach of the peace
or any other misdemeanor charged upon their neighbor's score. And on
their account, to get even, the Seldwyla people made fast every man of
Ruechenstein and, on their public market square, administered to him
six choice blows with the rod, on the spot which they deemed specially
adapted for that purpose. This, though, was as far as they ever went,
for they had a prejudice against bloody spectacles, and amongst
themselves never indulged in corporal punishments. But in addition to
this mild chastisement they would also blacken the long nose of the
culprit, and then they would let him run home. That was why there
always were in Ruechenstein several specially disgruntled persons with
noses dyed black that but slowly were recovering their pristine hue,
and these naturally were particularly zealous in trying to unearth
miscreants that could be dealt with severely and subjected to
castigation or torture.
The Seldwylians on their part kept this black paint constantly ready in
a huge iron pot, and upon this was limned the Ruechenstein town
escutcheon, and they denominated this pot the "friendly neighbor." This
and the huge paint brush belonging to it was always suspended under the
arch of the gate fronting towards Ruechenstein. When this tincture had
dried up or been used up it was renewed and the occasion utilized to
get up a frolicsome procession ending with a gay banquet, all with a
view to rendering the neighbor ridiculous. And because of this at one
time the latter became so wrathful that their whole town turned out,
banners flying, to inflict punishment on the Seldwylians.
But these, informed of this intention, quickly issued forth and waylaid
the Ruechenstein hosts, attacking them unawares. However, the
Ruechensteiners had marching at the head of their column a dozen of
graybearded and fierce-looking civic soldiers, with new ropes tied to
the handles of their long swords, and these wore such an unholy mien as
to scare the merry Seldwylian blades. The latter, in fact, began to
back out, and they were on the point of losing the fight if a clever
conceit had not saved them. For just for fun they had been carrying
along the punitive pot of paint, etc., "the friendly neighbor," and
instead of a banner the long paint brush. With quick intuition the
bearer of the latter dipped his brush deeply into the dark liquid,
bounded ahead of his comrades like a flash, and bedaubed the faces of
the leading rank of foes a sable hue before these knew what he was
about. So that all those in front, threatened immediately with this
indelible paint, turned and fled, and that nobody of them all further
felt like marching in the van of the host. With that the whole outfit
began to sway, and a strange terror fell on them all, whereas the
Seldwylians now, their courage restored, manfully went up against the
men of Ruechenstein, pressing them back towards the rear, in the
direction of their own town. With savage laughter the Seldwyla people
took advantage of the occasion, and wherever their foes dared to defend
themselves the dreaded paint brush came into instant action, handled
with supreme skill by means of its long shaft, and in the melee there
was indeed no lack of real heroism. For twice already the daring
painters had been pierced by arrows and fallen to rise no more. But
each time some other equally courageous fellow had sprung into the gap,
and had treated the foe in the same ignominious manner.
In the end the Ruechensteiners were totally defeated, and they fled
with their banner towards the clump of woods which led to their town,
with the Seldwyla people on their heels. Barely were they able to find
refuge in their town, and to close the gate thereof, and the latter,
too, was painted all over by the pursuing foe with the black paint,
together with its drawbridge, until the Ruechensteiners, somewhat
recovered and collected again, threw potfuls of whitewash upon the
heads of the uproarious painters.
But because a few Seldwylians of note who in the heat of combat had
penetrated into the town and there been taken prisoner, and also about
a dozen of the Ruechensteiners had likewise been seized and held by the
victors, there was effected an armistice after the lapse of a few days.
The prisoners were exchanged on both sides, and a regular peace was
concluded, in which both sides gave way a bit. There had been fighting
enough to suit them for a spell, and there was a desire for a mutual
adjustment. So it came to pass that both sides made fair promises of
future good behavior. The Seldwyla people bound themselves to give up
the iron paint pot, and to abolish it forever, and the people of
Ruechenstein solemnly relinquished all rights of seizure against
Seldwylians out walking or strolling in the Ruechenstein territory, and
all other privileges and prerogatives on either side were carefully
weighed and mostly abolished.
To confirm this agreement a day was appointed, and as place of meeting
was chosen the mountain clearing where the chief fight had occurred.
From Ruechenstein came a few of the younger councilmen; for their
elders had not succeeded in overcoming their strong feelings of
reluctance to consort with their ancient foes on terms of quasi
friendship. The Seldwyla people on their part showed up in goodly
numbers, brought the "friendly neighbor," the heraldic paint pot, as
well as a small cask of their choicest and oldest wine, grown on the
municipal vineyards, with them, and also a number of their finest
silver or gilt tankards and trenchers which belonged to their municipal
treasure. In this way they nicely befooled the delegates from
Ruechenstein, glad to escape for even a short spell the rigid regimen
of their own town, and they were so charmed at this reception that
they, instead of immediately returning after the consummation of their
errand, allowed themselves to be inveigled in following the tempters to
Seldwyla itself. There they were escorted to the town hall, where a
grand feast was awaiting them. Beautiful ladies and maidens attended
the occasion, and more and more tankards, beakers, and flagons were set
up on the banqueting board, so that with the glitter and sheen of all
this precious metal and the gleaming of all these bewitching eyes the
poor Ruechensteiners clean forgot their original mission and became as
gay as larks. They sang, since they knew no other tunes, one Latin
psalm after another, while the Seldwylians on their part hummed wicked
drinking songs, and finally they wound up in the midst of the noise by
inviting their new Seldwyla friends to make a return visit to their own
town, being most particular to include the Seldwyla ladies in the
invitation, and promising them the most hospitable reception.
This invitation was accepted unanimously, amidst great enthusiasm on
both sides, and when the delegates from Ruechenstein at last departed,
they did so under the happiest auspices, smiling blissfully from all
the choice wine under their belts, and deeming themselves conquerors of
the handsome Seldwyla ladies besides, since a number of these, laughing
and in rosy humor, gave them safe conduct as far as the gates of the
city.
Of course, things took on a somewhat different hue when these jolly
young councilmen of Ruechenstein on the following day awoke in their
stern city and had to give an account of their stewardship and of the
whole proceedings on the day previous. Little was wanting indeed, and
they would have been incarcerated and subjected to ardent tests on the
charge of having been bewitched. However, they themselves had also a
right to speak with authority, and notwithstanding that the whole
matter already seemed to them a mistake on their part, they
nevertheless stuck to their bargain, and strongly represented to their
elder colleagues that the very honor of the city demanded a resplendent
reception of the Seldwylian folks. Their views gained acceptance among
a section of the citizens, especially when they described the
magnificent table silver that had been brought out to honor them, and
when they spoke of the handsome Seldwyla ladies and their gracefulness
and beautiful attire. The men were of opinion that such ostentatious
hospitality must not go unrebuked and unrivaled, and that it was
necessary to reciprocate at the coming return visit of their ancient
foes by a display of their own wealth, jeweled and precious tableware
glittering in their own iron safes aplenty. The women again were
itching to circumvent on such a favorable occasion the strict decrees
against too profuse finery from which they had been suffering so long,
and under the guise of civic patriotism to make a gaudy display of all
their hidden trinkets and gorgeous silks. For in their coffers and
lockers there was slumbering enough of costly stuffs to outshine the
Seldwyla ladies tenfold, they thought. If that had not been the case
they would surely long ago have rebelled against the severe sumptuary
decrees in vogue and brought the regiment in power to its fall.
Therefore, everything considered, the promise made by the Ruechenstein
emissaries was formally approved, to the great grief of the elder and
sterner members of the council.
To offset this piece of laxity they were unable to hinder these latter,
the graybeards of the city, resolved, however, to enjoy another kind of
spectacle on their own account, and thus they began to make their
arrangements to have an execution performed on the very day when the
Seldwyla people were to dwell within their walls, and thus to dampen at
least, so far as they could, the unseemly spirit of merriment which
otherwise would go unchecked. And so while the younger members of the
council were busy with their preparations for the feast, the others
quietly made arrangements for another show after their own heart, and
for that purpose they selected a young, fatherless boy who was just
then caught in the net of their barbarous laws. It was a very handsome
boy of eleven, whose parents had both been engulfed in the recent wars,
and who was being educated and taken care of by the town. That is to
say, he had been put to board with the parish beadle, a conscienceless
and pitiless scoundrel, and there the little fellow--a slender,
vigorous and well-formed child enough--had been treated just like a
domestic animal, the wife aiding her husband in the task. The boy had
been named Dietegen, and this his baptismal name was all he really
owned in the world. It was his sole piece of property, his past and his
future. He was dressed in rags, and had never even had a holiday
garment, so that if it had not been for his good looks he would have
presented a miserable appearance. He had to sweep and dust, and to do
all the tasks that usually fall to a maid servant, and whenever the
beadle's wife did not happen to have anything to do for him in her own
house she lent him out to women neighbors for a trifle, there to do
anything that might be asked of him. They all thought him, in spite of
his strength and skill to do any work demanded of him, a stupid fellow,
and this because he obeyed silently all the orders he received and
because he never remonstrated. Yet it was the truth that none of the
women was able to look him in his fiery eyes for long, and these eyes
would often wander about as keen as an eagle's.
Now several days before Dietegen had been sent on an errand to the
cooper in order to fetch some vinegar for a lettuce salad that his
foster parents wanted to prepare. Their vinegar the couple had been
keeping for a long time customarily in a small jug, and this was almost
black with age and had always been deemed cheap tin, having been bought
many years ago by the mother of the beadle's wife for a couple of
pennies from a peddler. But in reality the little jug was of silver.
The cooper of whom the vinegar was to be purchased dwelt rather far, in
a lonesome place near the city wall. As now the boy came walking along
with his small vessel, an ancient Hebrew came past him with his bag,
and threw a rapid glance at the curiously fashioned little jug, and
stopped the boy with the request to be allowed to examine this vessel
more closely. Dietegen handed it to him, and the Jew quickly and
secretly scratched the surface of the vessel with his thumb nail,
offering then to the astonished boy a pretty crossbow in exchange, and
this he produced at once out of a bag made of moth-eaten otterskin,
with a few bolts to boot. Boy-like, Dietegen at once seized the weapon
and relinquished his small jug to the Jew, who then at once
disappeared. Rejoicing in his good fortune the boy now began to aim and
shoot at the small gate of the near-by door of a tower, and without
being at all disturbed he continued this enticing sport, forgetting
everything else, until dusk came and then moonlight, improving his aim
steadily, and shooting by the bright light of the orb.
Meanwhile the beadle had also made a last inspection tour around the
inside of the town walls, and had met with and held the Jew with his
bag. Examining the latter he had with amazement recognized his own
vinegar jug, and questioning the Jew the latter, in fear of his own
neck, owned at once that it was of silver, and pretended that a young
boy had forced it on him in lieu of a fine crossbow. Now the beadle ran
and consulted a goldsmith, who on testing the vessel likewise
pronounced it fine pure silver and of rarest workmanship. Thereupon the
beadle and his wife, the latter now having joined him, became
exceedingly angry, not only because they had had, without knowing it,
for so many years such a valuable piece of property, but also because
they had almost lost it.
The world to them seemed to be full of the grossest wrong; the child
now appeared to them as their archenemy who had almost cheated them out
of their eternal reward, the reward for their infinite merits and
frugality. They suddenly pretended to have known for a long time that
the small jug was of silver, and that it had always been so considered
in their house. Cursing him bitterly they clamorously charged the
little fellow with larceny, and while he, entirely unconscious of all
this, was still engaged with his crossbow practice, and was hitting his
goal more and more often, two groups of searchers were already out
looking for him. At the head of the one party was the beadle, while the
woman, his wife, was heading the other. Thus they soon found him, still
busily engaged with his bow and bolts, and unpleasantly wakened from
his occupation when surrounded by the thief-takers. And now only he
remembered his errand and at the same time the loss of the small
vessel. But he believed he had made a good bargain, and handed the
beadle smilingly his crossbow, in order to pacify him. Notwithstanding
this he was instantly bound and gagged, carried off to jail, and then
examined. He admitted at once having exchanged the little pitcher for
the Jew's crossbow, and did not even attempt to defend himself.
The poor little child was condemned to the gallows, and the time of his
death set for the very day when the Seldwylians were to visit the
people of Ruechenstein.
And indeed they did appear on the appointed day, making a gorgeous
procession, in luminous colors and rich finery, with their town
trumpeter to lead them. They were, however, all armed with swords and
daggers, although that did not hinder them from bringing along a dozen
of their most fearless ladies. These rode in the centre of the
cavalcade, charming and richly attired, and even a number of pretty
children were with them, costumed in the colors of Seldwyla and bearing
gifts.
The young councilmen of Ruechenstein, their new-won friends, rode out
some little distance without the city gates to welcome them, and led
them a bit crestfallen within. The strong entrance gate had had that
ominous black paint scratched off as much as had been found feasible,
had then been plentifully whitewashed and decorated with wreaths. But
just within this gate the guests found the whole contingent of
Ruechenstein's town mercenaries in rank and file, clad in full armor
and looking like brawny warriors indeed. These escorted the guests,
rattling and clanging in their iron harness, through the shady and
rather dark streets, with fierce mien. The people of the town peered
mute but curious out of their windows, as though their guests had been
beings from another world. When one of the gay Seldwylians gazed
upwards at the ladies leaning out of their windows, these would at once
duck and disappear. Their menfolk, though, flattened the tips of their
long noses against the greenish window panes, in order to observe as
closely as possible the spectacle of bare female necks, such as the
Seldwyla ladies offered.
Thus, then, the whole cavalcade finally reached the huge hall inside
the town house, and that looked ornate but forbiddingly austere. Walls
and ceiling were decorated entirely with black-tinted oak, here and
there gilt. A long, long banqueting board was covered with beautiful
linen, and woven into it were foliage, stags, huntsmen and dogs of
green silk picked out with thin gold wire. Above this were further
spread dainty napkins of snowy white damask, and these again on nearer
sight exhibited patterns woven into them representing rather broadly
joyous scenes from Roman and Greek mythology, such as would have been
least expected in this grave concourse. Thickly grouped there stood on
this festal table everything which at that time belonged to a gala
meal, and what particularly claimed the attention of the Seldwyla
observers was a number of truly magnificent pieces of tableware--some
of them being in repousse work, some round and some in relief, a
glittering world of nymphs, fauns, nude demigods and heroes, with
lovely feminine forms intermingled. Even the chief table ornament, a
warship in solid silver, with sails spread and bellying in the breeze,
otherwise very respectable and officially stiff, showed as its emblem a
Galathea of the most opulent forms.