PEACE
SLOWLY and painfully did Ebbo recover from his swoon, feeling as if the
means of revival were rending him away from his brother. He was so
completely spent that he was satisfied with a mere assurance that nothing
was amiss, and presently dropped into a profound slumber, whence he awoke
to find it still broad daylight, and his mother sitting by the side of
his bed, all looking so much as it had done for the last six weeks, that
his first inquiry was if all that had happened had been but a strange
dream. His mother would scarcely answer till she had satisfied herself
that his eye was clear, his voice steady, his hand cool, and that, as she
said, “That Kaisar had done him no harm.”
“Ah, then it was true! Where is he? Gone?” cried Ebbo, eagerly.
“No, in the hall below, busy with letters they have brought him. Lie
still, my boy; he has done thee quite enough damage for one day.”
“But, mother, what are you saying! Something disloyal, was it not?”
“Well, Ebbo, I was very angry that he should have half killed you when he
could so easily have spoken one word. Heaven forgive me if I did wrong,
but I could not help it.”
“Did _he_ forgive you, mother?” said Ebbo, anxiously.
“He—oh yes. To do him justice he was greatly concerned; devised ways of
restoring thee, and now has promised not to come near thee again without
my leave,” said the mother, quite as persuaded of her own rightful sway
in her son’s sick chamber as ever Kunigunde had been of her dominion over
the castle.
“And is he displeased with me? Those cowardly vindictive rascals, to
fall on him, and set me at nought! Before him, too!” exclaimed Ebbo,
bitterly.
“Nay, Ebbo, he thought thy part most gallant. I heard him say so, not
only to me, but below stairs—both wise and true. Thou didst know him
then?”
“From the first glance of his princely eye—the first of his keen smiles.
I had seen him disguised before. I thought you knew him too, mother; I
never guessed that your mind was running on Schlangenwald when we talked
at cross purposes last night.”
“Would that I had; but though I breathed no word openly, I encouraged
Heinz’s precautions. My boy, I could not help it; my heart would tremble
for my only one, and I saw he could not be what he seemed.”
“And what doth he here? Who were the men who were advancing?”
“They were the followers he had left at St. Ruprecht’s, and likewise
Master Schleiermacher and Sir Kasimir of Wildschloss.”
“Ha!”
“What—he had not told thee?”
“No. He knew that I knew him, was at no pains to disguise himself, yet
evidently meant me to treat him as a private knight. But what brought
Wildschloss here?”
“It seems,” said Christina, “that, on the return from Carinthia, the
Kaisar expressed his intention of slipping away from his army in his own
strange fashion, and himself inquiring into the matter of the Ford. So
he took with him his own personal followers, the new Graf von
Schlangenwald, Herr Kasimir, and Master Schleiermacher. The others he
sent to Schlangenwald; he himself lodged at St. Ruprecht’s, appointing
that Sir Kasimir should meet him there this morning. From the convent he
started on a chamois hunt, and made his way hither; but, when the snow
came on, and he returned not, his followers became uneasy, and came in
search of him.”
“Ah!” said Ebbo, “he meant to intercede for Wildschloss—it might be he
would have tried his power. No, for that he is too generous. How looked
Wildschloss, mother?”
“How could I tell how any one looked save thee, my poor wan boy? Thou
art paler than ever! I cannot have any king or kaisar of them all come
to trouble thee.”
“Nay, motherling, there is much more trouble and unrest to me in not
knowing how my king will treat us after such a requital! Prithee let him
know that I am at his service.”
And, after having fed and refreshed her patient, the gentle potentate of
his chamber consented to intimate her consent to admit the invader. But
not till after delay enough to fret the impatient nerves of illness did
Maximilian appear, handing her in, and saying, in the cheery voice that
was one of his chief fascinations,
“Yea, truly, fair dame, I know thou wouldst sooner trust Schlangenwald
himself than me alone with thy charge. How goes it, my true knight?”
“Well, right well, my liege,” said Ebbo, “save for my shame and grief.”
“Thou art the last to be ashamed for that,” said the good-natured prince.
“Have I never seen my faithful vassals more bent on their own feuds than
on my word?—I who reign over a set of kings, who brook no will but their
own.”
“And may we ask your pardon,” said Ebbo, “not only for ourselves, but for
the misguided men-at-arms?”
“What! the grewsome giant that was prepared with the axe, and the honest
lad that wanted to do his duty by his father? I honour that lad,
Freiherr; I would enrol him in my guard, but that probably he is better
off here than with _Massimiliano pochi danari_, as the Italians call me.
But what I came hither to say was this,” and he spoke gravely: “thou art
sincere in desiring reconciliation with the house of Schlangenwald?”
“With all my heart,” said Ebbo, “do I loathe the miserable debt of blood
for blood!”
“And,” said Maximilian, “Graf Dankwart is of like mind. Bred from
pagedom in his Prussian commandery, he has never been exposed to the
irritations that have fed the spirit of strife, and he will be thankful
to lay it aside. The question next is how to solemnize this
reconciliation, ere your retainers on one side or the other do something
to set you by the ears together again, which, judging by this morning’s
work, is not improbable.”
“Alas! no,” said Ebbo, “while I am laid by.”
“Had you both been in our camp, you should have sworn friendship in my
chapel. Now must Dankwart come hither to thee, as I trow he had best do,
while I am here to keep the peace. See, friend Ebbo, we will have him
here to-morrow; thy chaplain shall deck the altar here, the Father Abbot
shall say mass, and ye shall swear peace and brotherhood before me.
And,” he added, taking Ebbo’s hand, “I shall know how to trust thine
oaths as of one who sets the fear of God above that of his king.”
This was truly the only chance of impressing on the wild vassals of the
two houses an obligation that perhaps might override their ancient
hatred; and the Baron and his mother gladly submitted to the arrangement.
Maximilian withdrew to give directions for summoning the persons required
and Christina was soon obliged to leave her son, while she provided for
her influx of guests.
Ebbo was alone till nearly the end of the supper below stairs. He had
been dozing, when a cautious tread came up the turret steps, and he
started, and called out, “Who goes there? I am not asleep.”
“It is your kinsman, Freiherr,” said a well-known voice; “I come by your
mother’s leave.”
“Welcome, Sir Cousin,” said Ebbo, holding out his hand. “You come to
find everything changed.”
“I have knelt in the chapel,” said Wildschloss, gravely.
“And he loved you better than I!” said Ebbo.
“Your jealousy of me was a providential thing, for which all may be
thankful,” said Wildschloss gravely; “yet it is no small thing to lose
the hope of so many years! However, young Baron, I have grave matter for
your consideration. Know you the service on which I am to be sent? The
Kaisar deems that the Armenians or some of the Christian nations on the
skirts of the Ottoman empire might be made our allies, and attack the
Turk in his rear. I am chosen as his envoy, and shall sail so soon as I
can make my way to Venice. I only knew of the appointment since I came
hither, he having been led thereto by letters brought him this day; and
mayhap by the downfall of my hopes. He was peremptory, as his mood is,
and seemed to think it no small favour,” added Wildschloss, with some
annoyance. “And meantime, what of my poor child? There she is in the
cloister at Ulm, but an inheritance is a very mill-stone round the neck
of an orphan maid. That insolent fellow, Lassla von Trautbach, hath
already demanded to espouse the poor babe; he—a blood-stained, dicing,
drunken rover, with whom I would not trust a dog that I loved! Yet my
death would place her at the disposal of his father, who would give her
at once to him. Nay, even his aunt, the abbess, will believe nothing
against him, and hath even striven with me to have her betrothed at once.
On the barest rumour of my death will they wed the poor little thing, and
then woe to her, and woe to my vassals!”
“The King,” suggested Ebbo. “Surely she might be made his ward.”
“Young man,” said Sir Kasimir, bending over him, and speaking in an
undertone, “he may well have won your heart. As friend, when one is at
his side, none can be so winning, or so sincere as he; but with all his
brilliant gifts, he says truly of himself that he is a mere reckless
huntsman. To-day, while I am with him, he would give me half Austria, or
fight single-handed in my cause or Thekla’s. Next month, when I am out
of sight, comes Trautbach, just when his head is full of keeping the
French out of Italy, or reforming the Church, or beating the Turk, or
parcelling the empire into circles, or, maybe, of a new touch-hole for a
cannon—nay, of a flower-garden, or of walking into a lion’s den. He just
says, ‘Yea, well,’ to be rid of the importunity, and all is over with my
poor little maiden. Hare-brained and bewildered with schemes has he been
as Romish King—how will it be with him as Kaisar? It is but of his
wonted madness that he is here at all, when his Austrian states must be
all astray for want of him. No, no; I would rather make a weathercock
guardian to my daughter. You yourself are the only guard to whom I can
safely intrust her.”
“My sword as knight and kinsman—” began Ebbo.
“No, no; ’tis no matter of errant knight or distressed damsel. That is
King Max’s own line!” said Wildschloss, with a little of the irony that
used to nettle Ebbo. “There is only one way in which you can save her,
and that is as her husband.”
Ebbo started, as well he might, but Sir Kasimir laid his hand on him with
a gesture that bade him listen ere he spoke. “My first wish for my
child,” he said, “was to see her brought up by that peerless lady below
stairs. The saints—in pity to one so like themselves—spared her the
distress our union would have brought her. Now, it would be vain to
place my little Thekla in her care, for Trautbach would easily feign my
death, and claim his niece, nor are you of age to be made her guardian as
head of our house. But, if this marriage rite were solemnized, then
would her person and lands alike be yours, and I could leave her with an
easy heart.”
“But,” said the confused, surprised Ebbo, “what can I do? They say I
shall not walk for many weeks to come. And, even if I could, I am so
young—I have so blundered in my dealings with my own mountaineers, and
with this fatal bridge—how should I manage such estates as yours? Some
better—”
“Look you, Ebbo,” said Wildschloss; “you have erred—you have been hasty;
but tell me where to find another youth, whose strongest purpose was as
wise as your errors, or who cared for others’ good more than for his own
violence and vainglory? Brief as your time has been, one knows when one
is on your bounds by the aspect of your serfs, the soundness of their
dwellings, the prosperity of their crops and cattle above all, by their
face and tone if one asks for their lord.”
“Ah! it was Friedel they loved. They scarce knew me from Friedel.”
“Such as you are, with all the blunders you have made and will make, you
are the only youth I know to whom I could intrust my child or my lands.
The old Wildschloss castle is a male fief, and would return to you, but
there are domains since granted that will cause intolerable trouble and
strife, unless you and my poor little heiress are united. As for age,
you are—?”
“Eighteen next Easter.”
“Then there are scarce eleven years between you. You will find the
little one a blooming bride when your first deeds in arms have been
fought out.”
“And, if my mother trains her up,” said Ebbo, thoughtfully, “she will be
all the better daughter to her. But, Sir Cousin, you know I too must be
going. So soon as I can brook the saddle, I must seek out and ransom my
father.”
“That is like to be a far shorter and safer journey than mine. The
Genoese and Venetians understand traffic with the infidels for their
captives, and only by your own fault could you get into danger. Even at
the worst, should mishap befall you, you could so order matters as to
leave your girl-widow in your mother’s charge.”
“Then,” added Ebbo, “she would still have one left to love and cherish
her. Sir Kasimir, it is well; though, if you knew me without my Friedel,
you would repent of your bargain.”
“Thanks from my heart,” said Wildschloss, “but you need not be concerned.
You have never been over-friendly with me even with Friedel at your side.
But to business, my son. You will endure that title from me now? My
time is short.”
“What would you have me do? Shall I send the little one a betrothal
ring, and ride to Ulm to wed and fetch her home in spring?”
“That may hardly serve. These kinsmen would have seized on her and the
castle long ere that time. The only safety is the making wedlock as fast
as it can be made with a child of such tender years. Mine is the only
power that can make the abbess give her up, and therefore will I ride
this moonlight night to Ulm, bring the little one back with me by the
time the reconciliation be concluded, and then shall ye be wed by the
Abbot of St. Ruprecht’s, with the Kaisar for a witness, and thus will the
knot be too strong for the Trautbachs to untie.”
Ebbo looked disconcerted, and gasped, as if this were over-quick
work.—“To-morrow!” he said. “Knows my mother?”
“I go to speak with her at once. The Kaisar’s consent I have, as he
says, ‘If we have one vassal who has common sense and honesty, let us
make the most of him.’ Ah! my son, I shall return to see you his
counsellor and friend.”
Those days had no delicacies as to the lady’s side taking the initiative:
and, in effect, the wealth and power of Wildschloss so much exceeded
those of the elder branch that it would have been presumptuous on
Eberhard’s part to have made the proposal. It was more a treaty than an
affair of hearts, and Sir Kasimir had not even gone through the form of
inquiring if Ebbo were fancy-free. It was true, indeed, that he was
still a boy, with no passion for any one but his mother; but had he even
formed a dream of a ladye love, it would scarcely have been deemed a
rational objection. The days of romance were no days of romance in
marriage.
Yet Christina, wedded herself for pure love, felt this obstacle strongly.
The scheme was propounded to her over the hall fire by no less a person
than Maximilian himself, and he, whose perceptions were extremely keen
when he was not too much engrossed to use them, observed her reluctance
through all her timid deference, and probed her reasons so successfully
that she owned at last that, though it might sound like folly, she could
scarce endure to see her son so bind himself that the romance of his life
could hardly be innocent.
“Nay, lady,” was the answer, in a tone of deep feeling. “Neither lands
nor honours can weigh down the up-springing of true love;” and he bowed
his head between his hands.
Verily, all the Low Countries had not impeded the true-hearted affection
of Maximilian and Mary; and, though since her death his want of
self-restraint had marred his personal character and morals, and though
he was now on the point of concluding a most loveless political marriage,
yet still Mary was—as he shows her as the Beatrice of both his strange
autobiographical allegories—the guiding star of his fitful life; and in
heart his fidelity was so unbroken that, when after a long pause he again
looked up to Christina, he spoke as well understanding her feelings.
“I know what you would say, lady; your son hardly knows as yet how much
is asked of him, and the little maid, to whom he vows his heart, is
over-young to secure it. But, lady, I have often observed that men,
whose family affections are as deep and fervent as your son’s are for you
and his brother, seldom have wandering passions, but that their love
flows deep and steady in the channels prepared for it. Let your young
Freiherr regard this damsel as his own, and you will see he will love her
as such.”
“I trust so, my liege.”
“Moreover, if she turn out like the spiteful Trautbach folk,” said
Maximilian, rather wickedly, “plenty of holes can be picked in a
baby-wedding. No fear of its over-firmness. I never saw one come to
good; only he must keep firm hold on the lands.”
This was not easy to answer, coming from a prince who had no small
experience in premature bridals coming to nothing, and Christina felt
that the matter was taken out of her hands, and that she had no more to
do but to enjoy the warm-hearted Kaisar’s praises of her son.
In fact, the general run of nobles were then so boorish and violent
compared with the citizens, that a nobleman who possessed intellect,
loyalty, and conscience was so valuable to the sovereign that Maximilian
was rejoiced to do all that either could bind him to his service or
increase his power. The true history of this expedition on the Emperor’s
part was this—that he had consulted Kasimir upon the question of the
Debateable Ford and the feud of Adlerstein and Schlangenwald, asking
further how his friend had sped in the wooing of the fair widow, to which
he remembered having given his consent at Ulm.
Wildschloss replied that, though backed up by her kindred at Ulm, he had
made no progress in consequence of the determined opposition of her two
sons, and he had therefore resolved to wait a while, and let her and the
young Baron feel their inability to extricate themselves from the
difficulties that were sure to beset them, without his authority,
influence, and experience—fully believing that some predicament might
arise that would bring the mother to terms, if not the sons.
This disaster did seem to have fallen out, and he had meant at once to
offer himself to the lady as her supporter and advocate, able to bring
about all her son could desire; though he owned that his hopes would have
been higher if the survivor had been the gentle, friendly Friedmund,
rather than the hot and imperious Eberhard, who he knew must be brought
very low ere his objections would be withdrawn.
The touch of romance had quite fascinated Maximilian. He would see the
lady and her son. He would make all things easy by the personal
influence that he so well knew how to exert, backed by his imperial
authority; and both should see cause to be thankful to purchase consent
to the bridge-building, and pardon for the fray, by the marriage between
the widow and Sir Kasimir.
But the Last of the Knights was a gentleman, and the meek dignity of his
hostess had hindered him from pressing on her any distasteful subject
until her son’s explanation of the uncertainty of her husband’s death had
precluded all mention of this intention. Besides, Maximilian was himself
greatly charmed by Ebbo’s own qualities—partly perhaps as an intelligent
auditor, but also by his good sense, high spirit, and, above all, by the
ready and delicate tact that had both penetrated and respected the
disguise. Moreover, Maximilian, though a faulty, was a devout man, and
could appreciate the youth’s unswerving truth, under circumstances that
did, in effect, imperil him more really than his guest. In this mood,
Maximilian felt disposed to be rid to the very utmost of poor Sir
Kasimir’s unlucky attachment to a wedded lady; and receiving letters
suggestive of the Eastern mission, instantly decided that it would only
be doing as he would be done by instantly to order the disappointed
suitor off to the utmost parts of the earth, where he would much have
liked to go himself, save for the unlucky clog of all the realm of
Germany. That Sir Kasimir had any tie to home he had for the moment
entirely forgotten; and, had he remembered it, the knight was so
eminently fitted to fulfil his purpose, that it could hardly have been
regarded. But, when Wildschloss himself devised his little heiress’s
union with the head of the direct line, it was a most acceptable proposal
to the Emperor, who set himself to forward it at once, out of policy, and
as compensation to all parties.
And so Christina’s gentle remonstrance was passed by. Yet, with all her
sense of the venture, it was thankworthy to look back on the trembling
anxiety with which she had watched her boy’s childhood, and all his
temptations and perils, and compare her fears with his present position:
his alliance courted, his wisdom honoured, the child of the proud,
contemned outlaw received as the favourite of the Emperor, and the valued
ally of her own honoured burgher world. Yet he was still a mere lad.
How would it be for the future?
Would he be unspoiled? Yes, even as she already viewed one of her twins
as the star on high—nay, when kneeling in the chapel, her dazzling tears
made stars of the glint of the light reflected in his bright helmet—might
she not trust that the other would yet run his course to and fro, as the
spark in the stubble?