The day following the adventure which took place in front of the
Baptist's house in the Kreuzgrund, Magister Paul strode through the
woods as if in a dream, and lost himself among the trees. It was no
longer a gloomy conception but the pure naked truth; a just but coarse
hand had torn aside the veil from the well guarded secret of his inmost
self, and before the very people who looked on him as a saint, he had
stood a convicted criminal, a perverter of the young, a juggler who
mis-used the Holiest of Holies to indulge his passions. The fettered
witch, for whom the stake now waited, appeared to him worthy of envy in
comparison to the _role_ which he had played, and the outcast woman
had herself felt this, so joyously did her eyes sparkle, as she
shrieked out his secret to the world at large. The heretical Baptist
had treated him as a miserable sinner and he could give him no reply.
Moreover Erastus his benefactor had sunk down before him as if pierced
to the heart by the treacherous bullet which he had fired in ambush at
the man, who had ever done him kindness. "O my God!" stammered Paul as
he stumbled among the bushes and underwood, "that did I not will. Thou
art my witness; I wished to injure no one, it was some baneful spell,
which hurried her and me to destruction." As if to escape his own
thoughts he rushed breathless up the mountain. "A spell," whispered the
spirit of self extenuation to him. "Was it a spell?" Might not the
witch have kindled in his breast this sinful flame, in which all his
good resolutions were ever consumed. As if he had eaten mad-wort had he
hastened in blind rage to his own downfall. Or perhaps indeed this
beautiful child was herself a creation of Satan, who had staked his
honor, to seduce the _primus omnium_ of the college at Venice from the
right path? Who but Satan had prompted him to make an appointment with
Lydia on the most disreputable of the cross-roads, when hundreds of
less suspicious places might have been chosen.
But how, by all the Saints, did Lydia manage to comply with his
bidding? Was she in reality as well acquainted with the Holtermann, as
the witch asserted? "Whence moreover does she get this supernatural
beauty?" Oh, now was it clear to him why his heart burnt with those
flames. But suddenly he laughed ironically to himself: "And the fool's
daughter at the Hirsch was she also a witch? and how about the young
girls in the Chapel?" Buried in such thoughts he reached a solitary
footpath, and sank down wearily on the stump of a tree. With his head
in his hands in a profound melancholy he gazed about him. "I was
bewitched," he sighed aloud.
"Every man is tempted, when excited and allured by his own wicked
passions," said a grave voice near him. The timid fugitive jumped up
terrified; he feared for his own safety. But near him stood the
Baptist. The Priest thoroughly cowed gazed at the weather-beaten face
of the dread heretic. The latter continued calmly: "Nevertheless when
passion has conceived, it begets sin, and the wages of sin, is death."
The young man covered his pale face with his hands and sank down again
on his seat, bowing his head before the strange old man.
"I grieve for you, Magister Laurenzano," continued the Baptist. "I have
always looked on you as a brave man, who might do much good in the
service of our Lord God with the talents bestowed on him, if he would
only throw aside the cowl, which has encircled him, and if he only had
the courage to abjure the vows in which he has been ensnared. Bid
_valet_ to the papists, take a wife, as you have not the strength to
live as monk, and live well or ill from the labor of your hands, or the
productions of your brain."
Laurenzano shook his head sorrowfully, and a choked sob was his only
answer.
"I cannot tarry here longer," said the old man, "and wisdom does not
proceed from weeping men. The officers of justice, whom you have
brought on me, are now already perhaps at my heels, and my son is
waiting for me. But this I will say to you: In case that danger should
arise for Erastus' daughter, owing to the charge made by Sibylla, you
must surrender yourself and tell the judges, that the poor child was
not then seeking Satan, but you, her teacher, her priest, her pastor.
If you have not the courage to do this, the Lord will require this soul
of you on the day of Judgement. And secondly, we are all flesh and
blood and should therefore not judge one another, but if you remain in
that dress, recollect your duties better than you did in the Stift, and
when you again appear before the little ones, remember the words:
'Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me,
it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and
that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.' And now farewell."
When Paul raised his head he found himself sitting alone in the woods.
Had his guardian angel appeared to him in the garb of the heretic, or
had power been given to this child of the devil to read his heart and
to decipher his innermost thoughts? The evasions in which he had
concealed himself, the veil, with which he had wished to cover his
shame, the pretexts, with which he would clothe the abomination, had
all fallen before the heavy blow of this coarse peasant, he stood there
disclosed to himself the miserable sinner, that he was. Nothing more
remained to be said or to be excused. He was convicted. He rose up with
a sigh, wiped his eyes, so that none should see that he had wept, and
hastened in silent sorrow by the side of the lofty oaks and beeches of
the high-road which he now reached. What should he do? Should he again
appear among the people who now all knew his shame and would point
their fingers at him? Should he escape once more to Speyer and continue
in the crypt of the cathedral the _exercitia_ which had restored to him
his peace of mind for a couple of weeks? Then he found himself near the
deep pond at the entry of the place, out of which more than one young
creature had been drawn out, who preferred this humid death to sitting
on the stool of penitent sinners or to church discipline. "It were
better for him that he were drowned," the man had told him in the wood.
With fixed look he gazed at the deep dark surface. "It were better for
him," he murmured, "better, very much better." He would first let the
small girl approaching that way pass by, then he would follow the
advice of the Baptist, "New scandals must succeed this one, therefore
better is better."
The child whom he had noticed sprang joyfully towards him. "Ah!
Reverend Sir," it cried, "how well it is that I find you, mother has a
worse attack of fever and has wept and again begged that we should send
for the clergyman to pray with her." And the small child seized his
hand and dragged him towards the village. He followed her unwillingly
till she led him to a small low house. "Oh Herr Pfarrer," a voice said
from a narrow room, "things will now be better." And the tall pale man
knelt by the side of the sick woman and began a prayer. "The Lord wills
not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his
wickedness and live." His own sorrow did he lay before the Lord. He
whispered into the ear of the sick woman as if telling himself, that
God's Grace was boundless like the waters of the sea, and that he
sustaineth our feet even in the day of trouble when we think we are
sinking. When he had finished he felt more inwardly calm and he
remained for a while sitting in silence near the afflicted woman. Then
he shook himself together in order to fetch the necessary medicine from
the monastery, and to visit the other sick, and after that he had spent
many hours in heavy self sacrificing labor, the beauteous message of
peace was borne to him in the cool breezes of the evening wind whilst
the moon rose calm and tranquil above the pine forests, that we do not
atone for our sins by a few hours of repentance full of anguish and
sleepless nights, but in the real practice of works of charity and care
for the well-being of others, so that the wounds we have healed, are
greater in number than those we have caused.
Paul had spent several days in this earnest restless fulfilment of
duty, joyless but still more peaceful, when a message from the town
awoke once more all the terrors of his conscience. He received a
summons through the bailiffs of the place marked down for the first day
of the following week, in the which he was requested to testify before
the Amtmann in the Chancellory of the Palatinate, as a former friend of
Erastus' family, all he knew as regarded the relations of the former
Counsellor with Parson Neuser and the other Arians, moreover that he
should testify as to the belief and general habits of Lydia daughter of
Erastus, who was about to be placed on her trial _in crimine
malefacii_. The peace so laboriously acquired left him at once. The
brand of Cain burnt once more on his forehead, but he cared little for
any insult or disgrace which might accrue to him during these public
trials, in comparison with the horrible fear, that he might have been
the means of bringing to the most fearful of ends the pure young
creature, towards whom he had raised his sinful glance. He knew but too
exactly the procedure of the trial with which Lydia was threatened, it
haunted his mind at every instant. No sacrifice and self-negation, no
earnest prayer in the house of God, nor even in his own closet was able
to allay this spectre, and the altered appearance of the parson
attracted even the remarks of the plain country people, who up till
then had believed stedfastly in him. The report of the affair on the
Kreuzgrund spread, and when on the last Sunday of the time allotted for
his duties, he addressed as warm a farewell to his congregation as he
could in his frame of mind, the feeling of mistrust among his audience
was stronger than the recollection of the good which he had done them,
and on visiting at mid-day for the last time one or the other, he
reaped in many a house chilly thanks and a cold farewell, for the women
whispered among themselves, that he had performed his miracles in pact
with the Evil One, and that he was going about looking so miserable,
because the Devil had appeared to him on the previous night, to demand
his soul as the reward stipulated. A feeling of unspeakable bitterness
seized him. Had he not watched over these people as their guardian
angel, his wisdom had saved them when raging against one another, his
love had kept guard whilst they slept, his self-sacrifice had raised
them up when they wearied. And their gratitude consisted in whispering:
he is in league with the Evil One. But who indeed had bidden him
perform miracles? The means had been efficacious, but with the
effectiveness of the first impression he had had his reward. Such were
the thoughts that passed through his restless and aching heart, as he
tossed that last night sleepless on his bed, and even before break of
day he arose, and without any companion began his wearied way towards
Heidelberg. He found himself deceived in thinking that he would be able
to get over the distance in silent solitude. Groups of country people
passed him in the wood; they were all pressing towards the town. Some
sight was evidently to be seen there, for the peasants were hurrying as
if to pass one another, and from their conversation Laurenzano made out
that they were disputing among themselves, from what place one could
best look on at the proceedings so well worth seeing. An uncertain fear
overwhelmed him, they might be alluding to Lydia's execution. Tortured
by evil presentiments he likewise hastened his pace, and yet he dared
not ask any of the numerous excursionists, what was taking place in
Heidelberg, for he feared that they would laugh in his face and answer:
"Who should know that better than thou, devilish Priest?" Then he
became aware that a tall figure dressed in black was dogging his
footsteps and remained close to him. Did he walk fast so did the
stranger likewise, did he slow his pace his pursuer broke into a slower
step. Paul looked back several times at the stranger who followed him
and beheld a man of military bearing dressed in black velvet, wearing a
black biretta and a full black beard. Was this an emissary of
Pigavetta, or had the magistrate sent this soldier after him to watch
that he did not escape? The thought aroused his pride, he raised his
head on high and proceeded with measured tread towards Heidelberg whose
towers already loomed before him from the bend of the road. On arriving
at the road by the river, Laurenzano noticed that the crowd of country
people increased, and as his pursuer did not let him out of his sight,
his annoyance over-mastered him, and stopping he asked the stranger in
as indifferent a voice as he could assume: "Is the witch to be burnt in
the town to-day, that the people thus flock thither?" A look from under
the bushy black brows of the soldier, familiar and yet not recognized
by him, met his own, as the latter answered with scorn: "You must have
a good conscience, young man, that you carry your head higher than most
people dare do. I am glad of it. As regards the witch, she is to-day to
be racked and to-morrow burnt; to-day only a heretic is to be executed,
the Inspector Sylvanus, who has blasphemed against God and Christ....
but you turn pale, young man, is anything the matter?"
"Nothing, nothing," stammered Paul, "it will pass over."
"Well, there are some sorrows which do not pass over, a worm which
dieth not, and a fire which is not quenched. The clergyman at Ladenburg
was a bold sinner and a weak man, but nevertheless I would rather
exchange with him than with the man who delivered him up to the
scaffold and forestalled the Judge, before giving the man an
opportunity for repentance or conversion. What think you?"
Paul walked as in a dream; the ground seemed to roll and undulate under
his feet, as if he were treading on clouds, he saw the Stift on the
left and the Schloss on his right dancing before him, there was a
murmuring, buzzing and singing in his ears, as if he were in the depths
of the sea. "I know not," he whispered, as an eagle glance from his
companion imperiously seemed to demand an answer.
"You know not, in that case I can aid you," replied the stranger. "The
man who is to be executed to-day, laid bare his thoughts to some boon
companions in a tavern and in their intoxication they said things which
they did not mean. Near them however sat a disguised Jesuit, who had
listened to them, and reported to the Kurfuerst, so as to find favor in
the eyes of the Sovereign. The Counsellor Erastus, who had had nothing
to do with these offences, they managed to involve by means of a forged
letter introduced among Neuser's papers, which he had never written.
Thus half a dozen men with their wives and children have been hurried
to destruction. What think you of the spy?"
"He will repent," stammered Paul.
"Repent," answered the other. "To make amends is the only repentance.
But the traitor seems far from doing this for he carries his head high,
and yet has another burden to bear, compared to which his betrayal of
the clergy is but child's play. Did anything of this sort ever happen
to your knowledge, young man?" and again a withering glance was cast at
the young Priest who tottered at his side as if in a dream. "The Jesuit
whom you know not, played the part of a protestant clergyman; he stole
away the heart of a young inexperienced child, and enticed her to meet
him at night on a cross-road. She was seized in this disreputable
place, set down for a witch, and now awaits torture and death. He, the
wretch, however instead of obtaining an audience from the Prince and
saying, 'the child is innocent, I am the traitor, I enticed her
thither, not the devil, I only am Satan, torture me, burn me'--instead
of doing what conscience and honor required, goes about with uplifted
head, and merely asks the first-comer, with an indifferent look: is the
witch to be burnt to-day?"
Paul reeled like one drunk. "I will indeed, I was on my way" ... he
stuttered.
"You will, you are on your way," rejoined the other, "then is the case
altered. No one would think so who heard your inquiry; but I forgot,
that from your earliest youth you have been taught, how one should go
about dissembling. I thought you might be on the road to Speyer as
formerly." Paul looked up terrified at the stranger.
"Who are you, who know everything?" he asked as a shudder of
superstition passed over him.
"I will prove to you, that I believe in your resolutions to lead a
better life. Perhaps your determination will be steeled by the
confidence I repose in you." The biretta was removed, the black beard
was held in the hand, the Baptist Werner stood before Laurenzano, in
whose eyes stood tears.
"Do not weep, young friend," said the old man in a milder tone. "To do
what is demanded of you, requires you to become hard as iron. And to
prove to you that I only encourage you to do what I am ready myself to
perform, call on me, should my testimony be of any use to the poor
girl. You have only to send the watch word to old Else on the
haymarket: 'He who testifies in water requires him,' she will send for
me and I will come, even should my head be endangered." Paul reached
out his hand to this singular man. "Pardon me that I attacked you so
harshly. Sir, but your question cut me to the quick. Now I know, that
you will not sacrifice Lydia."
"You also have I driven from house and home," stammered Laurenzano.
"Do not let that distress you. Whosoever is homeless finds a home
everywhere, and the harder it rains the sooner it leaves off. For the
present I am going to the brethren across the Rhine, but think that by
the time the grapes are ripe, I shall be once more within my own
walls." Paul warmly pressed the horny hand of the old man, who pointed
to the bridge, whilst he himself continued the road along the side of
the river.
Paul had scarcely crossed the bridge-gate, when a bell began to toll
from the tower of the Heiligengeist. It had a curious dull sound as if
cracked, and yet could be heard at a great distance; it did not
announce God's greeting of peace in mild accents, but rather cut
through to the heart like a knife, and the young Priest covered his
ears with his hands, so as not to hear it, for he recognized the knell
of criminals, announcing Sylvanus' last pilgrimage on this earth. Then
he composed himself and deadly pale strode on towards the marketplace,
which he had to pass to reach the Castle, before the proceedings
against Lydia began. But once at the marketplace it was no use thinking
of further progress. Endeavouring to force his way Paul found himself
in the midst of the throng, and was pushed on forward nearer and nearer
to the block between the Church and the town-hall; there the peasantry
of the surrounding villages had been massed under the guidance of their
clergymen, and a company of infantry kept the ground; he could no
longer retrace his steps, there was no escape. He must look on at the
horrible spectacle, of which he himself was the prime mover. The
deafening noise of drums and the shrill notes of the fife, announced
the arrival of the criminal. "Is that long haggard figure in penitent's
dress who stands next to the stout Parson, the handsome man, the jovial
inspector of Ladenburg, and by all the saints, why is that child, that
nine-year old boy there?" The persons between whom Paul stood wedged
looked in astonishment at the rapidly speaking Priest who raised his
arms in despair towards the scaffold, as if he would render aid.
"Well Sir," answered one of the townspeople. "Nothing will be done to
the boy, but as he was permitted to keep company with his heretic
father to the last, the members of the Council have ordered, that he
shall attend the execution so as to see, to where false doctrine leads,
in case he should be secretly inoculated with it." Paul would have
returned an answer, but the band played a sacred tune and the
congregations led by their clergy began the hymn: "Now pray we to the
Holy Ghost to grant us true belief." Then the loud tones of the
clergyman were heard, beseeching God, to maintain his congregations in
the veritable doctrine. "Your veritable doctrine," hissed the Italian.
Moreover the spiritual gentleman testified to the fact that Sylvanus
repented his blasphemies and died as a good Christian, to avenge with
his blood the honor of God, which he, tempted by Satan, had trodden
under foot. It was to be hoped that God would forgive him his sins, and
as he had already here below atoned in the flesh, that his soul would
be saved on the Day of Judgement.
"Judge not, judge not," murmured Laurenzano talking to himself like one
possessed.
He next saw Sylvanus led forward to acknowledge before all the people
his repentance, but the once so powerful speaker spoke to-day in a weak
intelligible voice; then he kissed his boy who clung despairingly to
him. The clergyman now pulled the child towards him, the executioner
forced Sylvanus down on the block--Paul shut his eyes. He could no
longer witness the horrible spectacle. "I have robbed this child of its
father," he cried aloud, "I have slain this child." A cry from the
crowd, a murmur among the thousands announced that the blow had fallen.
When Laurenzano looked up, he saw only the fainting child being carried
from the scaffold. At the same moment the band burst out anew. "Thou
blessed light shine down," sang the peasants lustily. Laurenzano
remained in sheer despair. "Thou, thou alone art guilty of this,"
resounded in his ears. "Cain, Cain," reechoed the tiles on the roofs.
He scarcely noticed, how the ranks around him broke up. Without
knowing it, he stood alone before the block which was being cleansed
of the blood, in the midst of a group of the most villainous, and
blood-thirsty ruffians. A feeling of dumb despondency deprived his
limbs of their use. Crime had heaped itself mountain high over his
head, whilst he had only thought to serve God. Who had spilt this
blood, which the executioner was washing away? Who had driven Erastus
to jail? Who had hurried Klytia to the witches' tower? He and he alone.
Wherever he might turn, this Medusa grinned at him. To whatever he
listened, he heard only of the misery which he had caused. The whole
town spake of nothing but of himself and of his dues. Alas, why had he
not had the courage that day to drown himself at Schoenau.--He again
heard the knell of the bell of the penitent sinners tolling in his ear,
the words of the Baptist came thronging uppermost to his mind ... now,
in the Hirsch yonder they are playing the beauteous Gabrielle. "Down,
down to the Neckar, there is peace," he cried to himself But the shout
of a drunken lout that reached his ear roused him like a clap of
thunder out of his gloomy brooding.
"Come, Maier, let us go and hear the witch sing out."
"What next," replied the other, a red-haired repulsive looking ruffian,
"that's not worth the trouble."
"Yes indeed it's fine when they laugh and squeal through agony."
The young Priest shook himself together, he cast a wild despairing look
towards heaven, then he followed the hard-hearted youth, who quickly
chose the shortest path leading to the witches' tower. A small alley
led up to the old town wall, the so-called Zwinger, in which behind the
Augustine monastery rose high the Witches' Tower. In front of this Paul
saw various groups of people assembled who were gazing up at a window
in the Tower. A shriek like that of some wild beast was heard followed
by a piteous whimpering. "O, can the angelic child have come to this,
to this," Paul's conscience spake in despairing tones.
"Hear how she sings," Maier said coarsely joking, and his companions
laughed; the rough blackguards felt themselves suddenly pushed and
jostled aside by a furious thrust, a tall man dressed in black rushes
up the steps of the Tower, and shoves past the guards placed at the
door with the strength of a madman. He presses forwards guided by the
dolorous cry which pealed down from above. He has reached the door. All
is now deadly still. He knocks--no answer,--he shakes the lock with
violence. "Immediately, immediately," says a coarse voice from within.
Finally the door is opened. Paul made out in the semi-dark room the
half-naked figure of the executioner and his assistants. "She is
innocent, I will testify in her favor, where are the judges?" stammered
the breathless young man.
"Then you come too late, the Devil has just taken the witch to
himself," answered Master Ulrich with a coarse laugh, and pushing the
shutters open Paul was enabled to see stretched on the bench of torture
a shrivelled brown corpse. The executioner roughly seized the head and
turned the face towards him, Paul recognized the pale contracted
features of the herb picker on the crossroads.
"Where is Lydia?" he stammered.
"She sits in the Castle near her father," said the executioner
grinning. "She was too fine a tit-bit for us. The members of the
commission on witchcraft are now at lunch. It is paid for out of the
witches' money. If you think of testifying in favor of that bread and
butter miss, wait an hour or two and then lay your deposition before
them."
At that moment the door opened and Pigavetta walked in. He looked in
astonishment at Laurenzano. "You here, Magister," he said with quick
composure. "I waited for you in the Castle. So much the better," and
then he whispered approaching close to him: "I will tell you in a few
words what you have to say, and if necessary swear to."
"Get thee behind me, Satan," cried Paul aiming a violent blow at the
traitor's breast. But the active Italian moved to one side, and Paul
himself tumbled up against the wall.
"Are matters thus!" muttered Pigavetta. "Master Ulrich, place this man
at once in the press and take care, that no one gains admittance to
him."
"What, traitor!" cried out Paul, madly rushing at Pigavetta. But at
that instant he felt himself seized from behind, Pigavetta himself
closing his mouth with his hand. He was pulled across a beam, his feet
thrust into two slits and imprisoned by another beam, which fell
across. Then his arms were pressed down in a similar beam, which
likewise closed of itself. "Good, now gaze at the witch there," said
Pigavetta with a cold intonation, "and the various agreeable
instruments round about here and consider what the consequences of your
witchcraft and jugglery at Schoenau will be, if you do not become more
reasonable." Then he coldly turned his back on him. The executioner
closed the blinds of the witches' prison and left Paul alone with the
body of the old woman.