A religious discussion was being held in the new court of the Castle.
The Rector of the University, two Professors of theology and two
Jurists had entered into the Kurfuerst's study to consult as to the
advisability of receiving Erastus again as Church Counsellor and of
repealing the sentence of excommunication. After some time Erastus
himself was led out of his prison across the court. A deep-blue
September sky looked down on the beauteous square surrounded by
palaces. The lindens on the Bastion were already turning yellow, the
asters bloomed in the beds surrounding the spring, the sparrows were
besporting themselves in the trellis-work, and were fighting over the
ripening grapes. Erastus gazed long and joyously about him and drew in
long thirsty draughts the first delicious breath of freedom. Then he
cast an astonished look at the "new building," which owing to Felix's
art had attained a beauty which it had never possessed before. "A
worthy man," he said commendingly, "in spite of his brother." He then
calmly ascended the well-known staircase leading to the chambers of his
sovereign, where the discussion was to take place. Herr Bachmann
stepped up respectfully to the liberated court physician, Erastus
however held out his hand to the porter in his usual friendly manner.
Within the discussion was carried on long and eagerly, and Herr
Bachmann tired of standing sat down with a sigh on a bench, saying: "It
will be well when the old Counsellors once more meet together. The new
always remain three times as long," and he dozed off. The good fellow
was able to enjoy his nap thoroughly and then return to his waking
condition with a feeling of comfort, which is ever the best part of an
afternoon snooze. That day he had plenty of time to render his limbs
supple by pacing up and down, for the members did not seem to be able
to come to any decision. At last chairs and tables were pushed aside.
"God be praised," said Bachmann, "this time they set hard to work." At
the same moment the five professors appeared at the door; the Rector
Magnificus first with an air of importance suitable to his office, the
Jurists with a somewhat mocking look of malicious joy, the Theologians
with long faces and unusually green complexions. "The theological
faculty always precedes," said the Rector with sarcastic politeness.
The two men of God passed down the stairs before him without any
acknowledgement. "Is the discussion at an end?" asked Bachmann modestly
of the Rector. "At an end like my departed cousin," replied the jovial
gentleman.
"And Herr Erastus," inquired the servant.
"Is once more, privy Counsellor, court physician, Church Counsellor."
"The great God in Heaven be praised," cried Bachmann. "These Italians
were becoming unbearable. And the church discipline?" he added
inquisitively.
"Aha, you are thinking of your cards and beer at the Hirsch. Well, the
best of that bad joke is, that Herr Olevianus was obliged to mix much
water with his wine. But still I would not advise you to rattle the
dice in the Prince's antechamber."
Whilst the gentlemen were thus joking with the servant, the Prince
stood within with both his hands laid on Erastus' shoulders, saying to
him in a kindly voice: "Can you forgive me, Erastus, for having treated
you so badly?"
"Your Gracious Highness only fulfilled his duties as father of his
dominions," replied Erastus modestly. "I have nothing to forgive."
"Be assured that only within the last few days have I thoroughly
learned what a treasure I possessed in you. These religious men are all
false. However cast down they might seem to appear at your disgrace,
nevertheless a silent triumph shone through their ill-painted mask of
sorrow. It is not to them, but only to the poor Italian crippled by the
rack that we owe the solution of the game."
"To him," said Erastus astonished, "I always considered him to be the
traitor."
"He may have been so at first; but immediately on his first trial, he
told Pigavetta to his face, that he had compelled him as his Jesuit
superior to write that letter to Neuser which was laid among your
papers, and offered to immediately write such another which would
resemble your handwriting just as well. The proof was not thoroughly
convincing because the poor man's arm was swollen through his
sufferings and his hand trembled. Then it came to pass that they
tortured him to the fourth degree, to extract a confession from him,
that you had tried to talk him over to Arianism. He was also called
upon to acknowledge that he attended with your daughter the witches'
sabbath on the Holtermann, and executed his miracles and cures at
Schoenau by means of the black art. God knows, who instructed the old
witch, but she said exactly what your enemies desired. She had seen at
the last witches' sabbath on the Staffelstein near Bamberg a large
black he-goat with fiery eyes, which came flying through the air from
Heidelberg. A long broom stuck out of the animal's body behind, on
which all the opponents of the Church discipline were seated, Probus
and his wife, you and your fair child, Xylander and his maid and
Pithopoeus with his five lean daughters. Moreover she pretended to have
seen you on the Holtermann, near the Three Oaks, the hollow Chestnut,
the Linsenteich, and wherever the fiends besport themselves, where you
drank in the sensuous love of the Devil, and where you last Saint
John's day were baptized with blood, sulphur and salt, and after the
baptism the devil assumed the shape of a goat, on whom you all had to
jump in turn with out-stretched legs."
"And those gentlemen could believe all that nonsense!" replied Erastus
with a sad bend of his head.
"They believed it so firmly that nothing but the martyr-courage of the
young Jesuit could save you. A veritable hero! The protocol of which I
will however spare you the perusal seems to be describing the
sufferings of some martyr. I am an old man, but I wept like a child,
when I read here, what the poor man endured. Though they poured
aquavitae on his back, which they then lit, and wrenched his limbs out
of their sockets, he maintained his account that the old witch had
recanted to him all that she had stated before her death. She had only
accused you all to please the members of the Commission. He moreover
stated that the executioner entered the room in the middle of the night
and twisted the head of the old woman quite round, so as to be able to
say that the Devil killed her. He however had recognized Master Ulrich
and distinctly heard the wrenching of the bones. The Theologians were
so check-mated that they wished to torture him still more, but finally
the order of trial occurred to the Jurists and they declared that he
should not be tortured any further till new evidence should be brought
against him, I then heard for the first time how the matter stood. I
naturally at once deprived Hartmann of his office and ordered
Pigavetta's arrest. The officers caught the Italian in his room as he
was packing up. He must have remarked that there was an end to his
latin. But they foolishly permitted him to change his clothes in a
neighboring room. He very naturally did not return, and in his room
they discovered a shaft with a pulley, which let him down in a moment
to the lowest flight nearest to the front door. He is said to have
played all sorts of pranks by means of this pulley, moreover the
officers found other secret apparatus and magic books. If he be caught
let him look out for the stake. He will not have tortured Laurenzano to
pieces in vain if I can only lay my hand on him."
"The poor young man," sighed Erastus.
"There is something I wished to beg of you. The young Lazarus still
lies in the Tower, as the physician of the hospital whom I sent to him,
declared, that he must not be moved. You are master of your art. My
conscience would be much relieved if you could only manage to cobble
him up again. I will look after his future welfare."
Erastus consented. He then begged that his daughter might be allowed to
return to her home.
"That is a matter of course," answered the Kurfuerst. "She is acquitted
and need fear no further prosecution. The Theologians said something
indeed about doing penance for going to the Holtermann at night, but
the others maintained that if Lydia had thrown herself into the breach
to save her father, she deserved praise from the pulpit, if however the
young Parson had turned her head for one day, she had been more than
sufficiently punished by the fright she had experienced."
"I should feel however much better satisfied," replied Erastus, "if
Your Highness would distinctly tell the judges, that Lydia was no
longer to be watched as a suspect, which generally happens after such
an unfortunate charge."
"That I will," said the Kurfuerst. "Your child shall be as free as the
roe in the wood."
"I thank Your Grace. Now I may thoroughly rejoice in my freedom."
Soon after this father and daughter came out hand in hand from under
the darksome portal of the Great Tower, and crossed the sunny court of
the new building. Klytia saw with pride what Felix had done here, and
when she found that her room had been aired and adorned with fresh
flowers, she asked herself, why her thoughts remained so fixed on the
prison of the priest, who after all had brought his fate upon himself,
while tokens of Felix's love accompanied her wherever she went, even
through the walls of the Great Tower. Had he not even risked his life
in an attempt to set her free, as Frau Belier had once whispered to
her? Nevertheless the look she gave the flowers was cold and inanimate,
whilst she asked: "Where will you take him to?"
"Ah, the Magister meanest thou? I think Belier will not refuse to play
the Samaritan's part. The patient can easily endure the short journey,
and he will find no better care than there anywhere."
"Well, then I will run round to Frau Belier and prepare everything."
She was already down the stairs, and with a shake of his head the
physician made ready to visit the sick man, who according to the
Prince's account had been both his traitor and saviour. The poor man
had been terribly punished, but Erastus could not yet pardon him for
the danger into which he had brought Lydia.