“By Saint Bacchus--if there be such a saint in the calendar, there is
stuff in the lad, my boy!” cried burly Uncle Christian Pfinzing, and
he thumped the table with his fists so that all the vessels rang. His
tongue was still somewhat heavy, but he had mended much in the three
weeks since Ann had departed, and it was hard enough by this time to get
him away from the wine-jug.
It was in the refectory of the forest lodge that he had thus delivered
himself to my Uncle Conrad and Jost Tetzel, Ursula’s father; and it was
of my brother Herdegen that he spoke.
Herdegen was healed of his bruises and his light limbs had never been
more nimble than now; still he bore his left arm in a sling, for there
it was, said he, that the horse’s hoof had hit him. Whither the horse
had fled none had ever heard; nor did any man enquire, inasmuch as it
was only Eppelein’s nag, and my granduncle had given him a better one.
My silly brain, from the first, had been puzzled to think wherefor my
brother should have taken that nag to ride to see his guardian, who
thought more than other men of a good horse. And in truth I was not far
from guessing rightly, so I will forthwith set down whither indeed my
dear brother’s horse had vanished, and by what chance and hap he had
fallen into so evil a plight.
He had aforetime met the young wench on his way from Padua to Nuremberg,
not far from Dachau and had then and there begun his tricks with her,
giving her to wit that she might find him again at the forest lodge
in the Lorenzer wall. Now when matters took so ill a turn, he pledged
himself to get her safe away from the dungeon cell. To this end he
feigned that he would ride into the town, after possessing himself of
the key of the black hole and after stowing a suit of his man’s apparel
and a loaf of bread into his saddle-poke. Then he wandered about the
wood for some time, and as soon as it fell dark he stole back to the
house again on foot. He had made a bold and well-devised plan, and yet
he might have come to a foul end; for, albeit the hounds, who knew him
well, let him pass into the cell, within he was so fiercely set upon
that it needed all his strength and swiftness to withstand it. The
froward wretches had plotted to fall upon him and to escape with the
wench from their prison, even if it were over his dead body.
One of the bear-leaders had made shift to strip the cords from his
hands, and when my brother entered into the dark place where the
prisoners lay, they flew at him to fell him. But even on the threshold
Herdegen saw through their purpose, and had no sooner shut the door
than he drew his hunting knife. Then the old beldame gripped him by the
throat and clawed him tooth and nail; one of the ruffians beat him with
a stave torn from the bedstead till he weened he had broken or bruised
all his limbs, while the other, whose hands were yet bound, pressed
between him and the door. In truth he would have come to a bad end, but
that the younger woman saved him at the risk of her own life. The man
who had rid himself of his bonds had raised the heavy earthen pitcher to
break Herdegen’s head withal, when the brave wench clutched the wretch
by the arm and hung on to him till Herdegen stuck him with his knife.
Thus the ringleader fell, and my brother pulled up his deliverer and
dragged her to the door. As he opened it the old woman and the other
prisoner put forth their last strength to force their way out, but with
his strong arm he thrust them back and locked the door upon them.
Thus he led the young woman, who had come off better than he had feared
in the fray, forth to freedom, to keep his word to her.
Out in the wood, in spite of thunder and lightning, he made her to put
on Eppelein’s weed and mount the nag. Thereafter he led her horse to the
brook, which floweth through the woods down to the meadow-land, and bid
her ride along in the water so far as she might, to put the hounds off
the scent. The bread in the saddle-bag would feed her for a few days,
and now it lay with her to escape pursuit. And this good deed of my
brother’s had smitten the lost creature to the heart; when he was about
to help her to mount he dropped down on the wet ground from loss of
blood, but as he opened his eyes again, behold, his head was resting on
her lap and she kissed his brow. Despite her own peril she had not left
him in such evil plight, but had done all she could to bring him to his
senses; nay, she had gathered leaves by the glare of the lightning to
staunch the blood which flowed freely from the worst of his wounds. Nor
was she to be moved to go on her way till he showed her that in truth he
could walk.
Thus it befel that I long after thought of her with kindness; and
indeed, she was not wholly vile; and every human soul hath in it
somewhat good which spurs forth to love, inasmuch as it is love which
can cast light on all, and that full brightly; and what is bright is
good; and that light dieth not till the last spark is dead.
As to Herdegen, verily I have never understood how he could find it
in his heart to peril his life for the sake of keeping his word to a
vagabond hussy while, at the same time, he was breaking troth with the
fairest and sweetest maid on earth. Yet I count it to him chiefly for
good that he could risk life and honor to hinder those who fell upon him
so foully from escaping the arm of justice; and it is this upholding of
the law which truly does more to lift men above us women-folk than any
other thing.
Well, by that evening when Uncle Christian thus pledged my brother,
Herdegen was quite himself again in mind and body. At first it had
seemed as though a wall had been raised up between us; but after that
I had told him that I had concealed from Ann all that I had seen by
ill-hap at the moss-hut, he was as kind and trusting as of old, and he
showed himself more ready to give Ann the pledge she required than I
had looked to find him, stiff-necked as he ever was. And he hearkened
unmoved when I told him what Ann had said: “That she was ready to follow
him to death, but not to shame.”
“That,” quoth he, “she need never fear from any true man, and with all
his wildness he might yet call himself that.” Then he stretched himself
at full length on his chair, and threw his arms in the air, and cried:
“Oh, Margery. If you could but slip for one half-hour into your mad
brother’s skin. In your own, which is so purely white, you can never,
till the day of doom, understand what I am. If ever I have seemed weary
it is but to keep up a mannerly appearance; verily I could break forth
ten times a day and shoot skywards like a rocket for sheer joy in life.
When that mood comes over me there is no holding me, and I should dare
swear that the whole fair earth had been made and created for my sole
and free use, with all that therein is--and above all other creatures
the dear, sweet daughters of Eve!--and I can tell you, Margery, the
women agree with me. I have only to open my arms and they flutter into
them, and not to close them tight--that, Margery, is too much to look
for; yet is there but one true bliss, and but one Ann, and the best
of all joys is to clasp her to my heart and kiss her lips. I will keep
faith with her; I will have nought to say to the rest. But how shall I
keep them away from me? Can I wish that those rascals had put my eyes
out, had crippled my limbs, had thrashed me to a scare-crow, to the
end that the maids should turn their backs on me? Nay, and even no
rain-torrent could cool the hot blood of the Schoppers; no oak staff nor
stone pitcher could kill the wild cravings within. There is nothing for
it but to cast my body among thorns like Saint Francis. But what would
even that profit me? You see yourself how well this skin heals of the
worst wounds!”
Hereupon I earnestly admonished him of his devoir to that lady who was
so truly his, and with whom he had exchanged rings. But he cried: “Do
you believe that I did not tell myself, every hour of the day, that she
was a thousand-fold more worth than all the rest put together? Never
could I deem any maid so sweet as she has been ever since we were
children together; nay, and if I lost her I should utterly perish, for
it is from her that I, a half-ruined wretch, get all that yet is best in
me!”
And many a time did I hear him utter the like; and when I saw his large
blue eyes flash as he spoke, while he pushed the golden curls back from
his brow, verily he was so goodly a youth to look upon that it was easy
to view that the daughters of Eve might be ready to cast themselves into
his arms.
This evening, as it fell, Aunt Jacoba was not with her guests, but
unwillingly, inasmuch as we were to depart homewards next morning, and
the gentlemen sat late over their farewell cups. It had become Cousin
Maud’s care to hinder Uncle Christian from drinking more freely than he
ought; but this evening he had made the task a hard one; nay, when she
steadfastly forbade him a third cup he got it by craft and in spite of
her, nor could she persuade him to forego the dangerous joy. When he had
cried, as has been told, that “there was stuff” in my brother, it was by
reason of his having perceived that Herdegen had already filled his cup
for the fourteenth time, and when the youth had drunk it off the old man
sang out in high glee:
“Der Eppela Gaila von Dramaus
Reit’ allezeit zu vierzeht aus!”
[An old popular rhyme in Nuremberg. “Eppela (Apollonius) Gaila of
Dramaus--or Drameysr--could always go as far as fourteen cups.”
Apollonius von Gailingen was a brigand chief who brought much damage
and vexation on the town. Drameysel, in popular form Dramaus, was
his stronghold near Muggendorf in Swiss Franconia.]
“Now, if the boy can drink three times the mystic seven, he will do what
I could do at his age.”
And presently Herdegen did indeed drink his one and twenty cups, and
when at last he paced the whole length of the great dining hall on one
seam of the flooring the old man was greatly pleased, and rewarded him
with the gift of a noble tankard which he himself had won of yore at
a drinking bout. All this made good sport for us, save only for Jost
Tetzel, who was himself a right moderate man; indeed, in aftertimes,
when at Venice I saw how that wealthy and noble gentlemen drank but
sparingly of the juice of the grape, I marvelled wherefor we Germans are
ever proud of a man who is able to drink deep, and apt to look askance
at such as fear to see the bottom of the cup. And if I had an answer
ready, that likewise I owed to my uncle Christian; inasmuch as that very
eve, when I would fain have warned Herdegen against the good liquor, my
uncle put in his word and said it was every man’s duty to follow in
the ways of Saint George the dragon-killer, and to quell and kill every
fiend; be it what it might. “Now in the wine cup, quoth he, there lurks
a dragon named drunkenness, and it beseemeth German valor and strength
not merely to vanquish it, but even to make it do good service: The
fiend of the grape, like the serpent killed by the saint, has two wide
pinions, and the true German drinker must make use of them to soar up to
the seventh heaven.”
And as concerns my Herdegen, I must confess that when he had well drunk
his spirits were higher, his mind clearer, and his song more glad; and
this is not so save in those dragon-slayers who have been blessed with a
fine temper and a strong brain inherited from their parents.
Every evening had there been the like mirthful doings over their wine;
but Sir Franz had been ever absent. He was even now forced to remain in
his chamber, albeit Master Ulsenius had declared that his life was out
of danger. The damage done to his lungs he must to be sure carry to his
grave, nor could he be able to follow us for some weeks yet. He was not
to think of making the journey to his own home in Bohemia during this
winter season, and at this farewell drinking bout we held council as to
whose roof he might find lodging under. He, for his part, would soonest
have found shelter with us; but Cousin Maud refused it, and with good
reason, inasmuch as I had freely told her that never in this world would
I hearken to his suit.
At last it seemed plain that it was Jost Tetzel’s part to offer him a
home in his great house; nor did he refuse, by reason that Sir Franz von
Welemisl was a man of birth and wealth, and his Bohemian and Hungarian
kin stood high at the Imperial court.
Next morning, as we drank the stirrup cup, my eyes filled with tears,
and it was with a sad heart that I bid farewell to the woods, to my
uncle, and to Aunt Jacoba, whom I had during my sojourn learnt to love
as was her due. I, like Ann, rode home in a more sober mood than I had
come in; for I was no more a child and an end must ever come to wild
mirth.
My new squire Akusch rode behind me, and thus, on a fine November day,
we made our way back to Nuremberg, in good health and spirits. The
camels, the bear, and the monkeys, which had been taken from the
vagabonds, were safely cared for in the Hallergarden, and the rogues
themselves had been hanged God have mercy on their souls!
Ann had had tidings of our home-coming, yet I found her not at our
house, and when I had waited for her till evening, and in vain, I sought
her in her own dwelling. But no sooner had I crossed the threshold of
the Venice house than I was aware that all was not well; inasmuch as
that here, where there were ever half a dozen pairs of little feet
hopping up and down, and no end of music and singing from morning till
night, all was strangely silent. I stood to hearken, and I now perceived
that the metal plate whereon the knocker fell was wrapped in felt.
This foreboded evil, and a vision rose before me of two biers; on one
lay Ann, pale and dumb, and on the other my Cousin Gotz’s sweetheart,
fair Gertrude, the copper-smith’s daughter. Then I heard steps on
the stair and the vision faded; and I breathed once more, for Ann’s
grandfather, the old lute-player Gottlieb Spiesz, came towards me, with
deep lines of sorrow on his kind face and a finger on his lips; and he
told me that his son was lying sick of a violent brain fever, and that
Master Ulsenius had feared the worst since yestereve.
His voice broke with sheer grief; nevertheless his serving lad was
carrying his lute after him, and as he gave me his hand to bid me
good-day he told me that Ann was above tending her father. “And
I,” quoth he, and his voice was weary but not bitter, “I must go to
work--there is so much needed here, and food drops into no man’s lap!
First to the Tetzels to teach the young ones a madrigal to sing for
Master Jost’s fiftieth birthday. And they count on your help and your
brother’s, sweet Mistress.--Well, children, be happy while it is yet
time!”
He passed his hand across his eyes, and glanced up at the top room where
his son lay with aching head, and so went forth to teach light-hearted
young creatures to sing festal rounds and catches.
In a minute I had Ann in my arms; yea, and she was as sweet and bright
as ever. The stern duty she had had to do had been healthful, albeit
she had good cause to fear for the future; for, with her father, the
household would lose the bread-winner.
It was an unspeakable joy to me to be able to assure her of Herdegen’s
faithful love, and to repeat to her the many kind words he had spoken
concerning her. And she was right glad to hear them; and whereas true
love is a flower which, when it droops, needs but a little drop of dew
to uplift it again, hers had already raised its head somewhat after my
last letter.
And at this, the time of the worst sorrow she had known, another great
comfort had been vouchsafed to her: Master Ulsenius and his good wife,
having had her to lodge with them the night of her return from the
forest, had taken much fancy to her, and the goodhearted leech, a man
of great learning, had been fain to admit her to the use of his fine
library. Thus I found Ann of brave cheer notwithstanding her woe; and if
heartfelt prayers for a sick man might have availed him, it was no blame
to me when her father made a sad and painful end on the fifth day after
my home-coming. When I heard the tidings meseemed that a cold hand
had been laid on my glad faith; for it was hard indeed for a poor,
short-sighted human soul to see to what end and purpose this man should
have been snatched away in the prime of age and strength.
To keep his large family, to free the little house from debt, and to lay
aside a small sum, he had undertaken, besides the duties of his place,
the stewardship of certain private properties; thus he had many a time
turned night into day, and finally, albeit a stalwart man, he had fallen
ill of the brain fever which had carried him off. It seemed, then, that
honest toil and brave diligence had but earned the heaviest dole that
could befall a man in his state of life; namely: to depart from those he
loved or ever he could provide for their future living.
We all followed him to the grave, and it was by the bier of her worthy
father that Ann for the first time met my brother once more. There was
a great throng present, and he could do no more than press her hand with
silent ardor; yet, at the same time he met her eye with such a truthful
gaze that it was as a promise, a solemn pledge of faithfulness.
The prebendary of Saint Laurence, Master von Hellfeld, spoke the
funeral sermon, and that in a right edifying manner; and whereas he
took occasion to say that our Lord and Redeemer would bid all to be his
guests and hold Himself their debtor who should show true Christian love
towards these who henceforth had no father, Herdegen privily clasped my
hand tightly.
Kunz likewise was present, and standing by the body of the man who had
ever loved him best of us three, he wept as sorely as though he had lost
his own father.
The gentlemen of the council were all assembled to do the last honors
to one whose office had brought them closely together, and I marked that
more than one nudged his neighbor to note Ann’s more than common beauty,
who in her black weed stood among her young brethren and sisters as
a consoling angel, who weepeth with them that weep and comforteth the
sorrowing. And so it came about that I heard many a father of fair
daughters confess that this maid had not her like for beauty in all
Nuremberg. And this came to Herdegen’s ears, and I could see that it
uplifted his spirit and confirmed him in good purpose.
It soon befell that he might show by deed of what mind he was. Master
Holzschuher, the notary, who was near of kin and a right good friend of
Cousin Maud’s, had been named guardian of his children by the deceased
Master Spiesz, and he it was who, in our house one day, said that the
widow and orphans were in better care than he had looked for, and could
keep their little house over their heads if wealthy neighbors could be
moved to open their purses and pay off a debt that was upon it. Then
my brother sprang up and declared that the family of an upright and
faithful servant of the State, and of a friend of the Schoppers, should
have some better and more honorable means of living than beggars’ pence.
He was not yet of full age, but it was his intent to demand forthwith
of our guardian Im Hoff so much of that which would be his, as might be
needed to release the house from the burden of debt; and albeit Master
Holzschuher shook his head thereat, and this was no light thing that
Herdegen had undertaken, he departed at once to seek his granduncle.
From him indeed he met with rougher treatment than he had looked for;
for the old man made the diligent stewardship of these trust-moneys a
point of honor, to the end that when he should give an account of them
before the city council it might be seen, by the greatness of the sum,
how wise and well advised he had been in getting increase. What my
brother called “beggars’ pence,” he said, was a well-earned guerdon
which did the dead clerk’s family an honor and was no disgrace; he was
indeed minded to pay one-third of the whole sum at his own charges. As
to the moneys left to us three by our parents, not a penny thereof
would he ever part with. Moreover, Ann’s rare charm had touched even my
grand-uncle’s heart, and he must have been dull-witted indeed if he had
not hit on Herdegen’s true reasons; and these in his eyes would be the
worst of the matter, forasmuch as he was firmly bent on bringing Ursula
Tetzel and Herdegen together so soon as my brother should have won his
doctor’s hood.
Thus it came to pass that, for the first time, our grand-uncle parted
from his favorite nephew in wrath, and when Herdegen came home with
crimson cheeks and almost beside himself, he confessed to me that for
the present he had not yet been so bold as to tell the old man how
deeply he was pledged to Ann, but in all else had told him the plain
truth.
At supper Herdegen scarce ate a morsel, for he could not bring himself
to endure that his betrothed should sink so low as to receive an alms.
He rose from table sullen and grieved, and whereas Cousin Maud could not
endure to see her favorite go to rest in so much distress of mind, she
led him aside, and inasmuch as she had already guessed how matters stood
betwixt him and Ann, not without some fears, she spoke to him kindly,
and declared herself ready to free the Spiesz household from debt
without any help of strangers. To see him and her dear Ann happy she
would gladly make far greater sacrifices, for indeed she did not at all
times know what she might do with her own money.
No later than next morning the matter was privily settled by our notary;
and albeit Master Holzschuher did so dispose things as though the
deceased had left money to pay the debt withal, Ann saw through this,
whereas her beautiful mother did but thoughtlessly rejoice over such
good fortune.
Henceforth it was Ann’s little hand which ruled the fatherless household
with steadfast thrift, while Mistress Giovanna, as had ever been her
wont, lived only to take care of the children’s garments, that they
should be neat and clean, of the flowers in the window and the beautiful
needlework, and to fondle the little ones, so soon as she had got
through her light toil in the kitchen.
It was granted to her and hers that they should dwell henceforth forever
in the house by the Pegnitz, humbly indeed, but honorably and without
the aid of strangers. One alms to be sure was bestowed on them soon
after the first day of each month, and that right privily; for at that
time without fail a little packet in which were two Hungarian ducats was
found on the threshold of the hall. And who was the giver of this kind
token would have remained secret till doomsday had not Susan by chance,
and to his great vexation, betrayed my brother Kunz. My grand-uncle had
granted him three ducats a month since he had left school, and of these
he ever privily gave two to help the household ruled over by Ann. Our
old Susan it was who aided him in the matter, so, when he was by any
means hindered from laying the little packet on the threshold, she had
to find an excuse for going to the little house by the river.
The worshipful council and many friends whose good-will the deceased
scribe had won, got the orphans into the best schools in the town, and
what Ann had learned as head of the school at the Carthusian convent she
now handed down to her younger sisters by diligent teaching; and, as of
yore, she gave her most loving care to her little deaf and dumb brother.