CHAPTER I
[The Knighted Knave of Bergen]
One day it occurred to me that it had been many years since the worldhad been afforded the spectacle of a man adventurous enough to undertakea journey through Europe on foot. After much thought, I decided thatI was a person fitted to furnish to mankind this spectacle. So Idetermined to do it. This was in March, 1878.
I looked about me for the right sort of person to accompany me in thecapacity of agent, and finally hired a Mr. Harris for this service.
It was also my purpose to study art while in Europe. Mr. Harris was insympathy with me in this. He was as much of an enthusiast in art asI was, and not less anxious to learn to paint. I desired to learn theGerman language; so did Harris.
Toward the middle of April we sailed in the _Holsatia_, Captain Brandt,and had a very pleasant trip, indeed.
After a brief rest at Hamburg, we made preparations for a longpedestrian trip southward in the soft spring weather, but at thelast moment we changed the program, for private reasons, and took theexpress-train.
We made a short halt at Frankfort-on-the-Main, and found it aninteresting city. I would have liked to visit the birthplace ofGutenburg, but it could not be done, as no memorandum of the site of thehouse has been kept. So we spent an hour in the Goethe mansion instead.The city permits this house to belong to private parties, insteadof gracing and dignifying herself with the honor of possessing andprotecting it.
Frankfort is one of the sixteen cities which have the distinction ofbeing the place where the following incident occurred. Charlemagne,while chasing the Saxons (as _he_ said), or being chased by them (as_they_ said), arrived at the bank of the river at dawn, in a fog. Theenemy were either before him or behind him; but in any case he wantedto get across, very badly. He would have given anything for a guide,but none was to be had. Presently he saw a deer, followed by her young,approach the water. He watched her, judging that she would seek a ford,and he was right. She waded over, and the army followed. So a greatFrankish victory or defeat was gained or avoided; and in order tocommemorate the episode, Charlemagne commanded a city to be built there,which he named Frankfort--the ford of the Franks. None of the othercities where this event happened were named for it. This is goodevidence that Frankfort was the first place it occurred at.
Frankfort has another distinction--it is the birthplace of the Germanalphabet; or at least of the German word for alphabet--_buchstaben_.They say that the first movable types were made on birchsticks--_buchstabe_--hence the name.
I was taught a lesson in political economy in Frankfort. I had broughtfrom home a box containing a thousand very cheap cigars. By way ofexperiment, I stepped into a little shop in a queer old back street,took four gaily decorated boxes of wax matches and three cigars, andlaid down a silver piece worth 48 cents. The man gave me 43 centschange.
In Frankfort everybody wears clean clothes, and I think we noticed thatthis strange thing was the case in Hamburg, too, and in the villagesalong the road. Even in the narrowest and poorest and most ancientquarters of Frankfort neat and clean clothes were the rule. The littlechildren of both sexes were nearly always nice enough to take into abody's lap. And as for the uniforms of the soldiers, they were newnessand brightness carried to perfection. One could never detect a smirchor a grain of dust upon them. The street-car conductors and drivers worepretty uniforms which seemed to be just out of the bandbox, and theirmanners were as fine as their clothes.
In one of the shops I had the luck to stumble upon a book which hascharmed me nearly to death. It is entitled _The Legends Of The RhineFrom Basle To Rotterdam_, by F. J. Kiefer; translated by L. W. Garnham,B.A.
All tourists _mention_ the Rhine legends--in that sort of way whichquietly pretends that the mentioner has been familiar with them all hislife, and that the reader cannot possibly be ignorant of them--but notourist ever _tells_ them. So this little book fed me in a very hungryplace; and I, in my turn, intend to feed my reader, with one ortwo little lunches from the same larder. I shall not mar Garnham'stranslation by meddling with its English; for the most toothsome thingabout it is its quaint fashion of building English sentences on theGerman plan--and punctuating them accordingly to no plan at all.
In the chapter devoted to "Legends of Frankfort," I find the following:
"THE KNAVE OF BERGEN"
"In Frankfort at the Romer was a great mask-ball, at the coronationfestival, and in the illuminated saloon, the clanging music invitedto dance, and splendidly appeared the rich toilets and charms of theladies, and the festively costumed Princes and Knights. All seemedpleasure, joy, and roguish gaiety, only one of the numerous guests hada gloomy exterior; but exactly the black armor in which he walked aboutexcited general attention, and his tall figure, as well as the noblepropriety of his movements, attracted especially the regards of theladies.
Who the Knight was? Nobody could guess, for his Vizier was well closed,and nothing made him recognizable. Proud and yet modest he advanced tothe Empress; bowed on one knee before her seat, and begged for the favorof a waltz with the Queen of the festival. And she allowed his request.With light and graceful steps he danced through the long saloon, withthe sovereign who thought never to have found a more dexterous andexcellent dancer. But also by the grace of his manner, and fineconversation he knew to win the Queen, and she graciously accorded hima second dance for which he begged, a third, and a fourth, as well asothers were not refused him. How all regarded the happy dancer, howmany envied him the high favor; how increased curiosity, who the maskedknight could be.
"Also the Emperor became more and more excited with curiosity, and withgreat suspense one awaited the hour, when according to mask-law, eachmasked guest must make himself known. This moment came, but although allother unmasked; the secret knight still refused to allow his featuresto be seen, till at last the Queen driven by curiosity, and vexed at theobstinate refusal; commanded him to open his Vizier.
He opened it, and none of the high ladies and knights knew him. But fromthe crowded spectators, 2 officials advanced, who recognized the blackdancer, and horror and terror spread in the saloon, as they said who thesupposed knight was. It was the executioner of Bergen. But glowing withrage, the King commanded to seize the criminal and lead him to death,who had ventured to dance, with the queen; so disgraced the Empress,and insulted the crown. The culpable threw himself at the Emperor, andsaid--
"'Indeed I have heavily sinned against all noble guests assembled here,but most heavily against you my sovereign and my queen. The Queen isinsulted by my haughtiness equal to treason, but no punishment evenblood, will not be able to wash out the disgrace, which you havesuffered by me. Therefore oh King! allow me to propose a remedy, toefface the shame, and to render it as if not done. Draw your sword andknight me, then I will throw down my gauntlet, to everyone who dares tospeak disrespectfully of my king.'
"The Emperor was surprised at this bold proposal, however it appearedthe wisest to him; 'You are a knave,' he replied after a moment'sconsideration, 'however your advice is good, and displays prudence, asyour offense shows adventurous courage. Well then,' and gave him theknight-stroke 'so I raise you to nobility, who begged for grace for youroffense now kneels before me, rise as knight; knavish you have acted,and Knave of Bergen shall you be called henceforth,' and gladly theBlack knight rose; three cheers were given in honor of the Emperor, andloud cries of joy testified the approbation with which the Queen dancedstill once with the Knave of Bergen."