CHAPTER XXIIPEACE
SLOWLY and painfully did Ebbo recover from his swoon, feeling as if themeans of revival were rending him away from his brother. He was socompletely spent that he was satisfied with a mere assurance that nothingwas amiss, and presently dropped into a profound slumber, whence he awoketo find it still broad daylight, and his mother sitting by the side ofhis bed, all looking so much as it had done for the last six weeks, thathis first inquiry was if all that had happened had been but a strangedream. His mother would scarcely answer till she had satisfied herselfthat his eye was clear, his voice steady, his hand cool, and that, as shesaid, “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. Liestill, 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 hecould 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 ofrestoring thee, and now has promised not to come near thee again withoutmy leave,” said the mother, quite as persuaded of her own rightful swayin her son’s sick chamber as ever Kunigunde had been of her dominion overthe castle.
“And is he displeased with me? Those cowardly vindictive rascals, tofall 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, notonly to me, but below stairs—both wise and true. Thou didst know himthen?”
“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; Inever guessed that your mind was running on Schlangenwald when we talkedat cross purposes last night.”
“Would that I had; but though I breathed no word openly, I encouragedHeinz’s precautions. My boy, I could not help it; my heart would tremblefor 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 likewiseMaster 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, yetevidently meant me to treat him as a private knight. But what broughtWildschloss here?”
“It seems,” said Christina, “that, on the return from Carinthia, theKaisar expressed his intention of slipping away from his army in his ownstrange fashion, and himself inquiring into the matter of the Ford. Sohe took with him his own personal followers, the new Graf vonSchlangenwald, Herr Kasimir, and Master Schleiermacher. The others hesent to Schlangenwald; he himself lodged at St. Ruprecht’s, appointingthat Sir Kasimir should meet him there this morning. From the convent hestarted on a chamois hunt, and made his way hither; but, when the snowcame on, and he returned not, his followers became uneasy, and came insearch of him.”
“Ah!” said Ebbo, “he meant to intercede for Wildschloss—it might be hewould have tried his power. No, for that he is too generous. How lookedWildschloss, mother?”
“How could I tell how any one looked save thee, my poor wan boy? Thouart paler than ever! I cannot have any king or kaisar of them all cometo trouble thee.”
“Nay, motherling, there is much more trouble and unrest to me in notknowing how my king will treat us after such a requital! Prithee let himknow that I am at his service.”
And, after having fed and refreshed her patient, the gentle potentate ofhis chamber consented to intimate her consent to admit the invader. Butnot till after delay enough to fret the impatient nerves of illness didMaximilian appear, handing her in, and saying, in the cheery voice thatwas one of his chief fascinations,
“Yea, truly, fair dame, I know thou wouldst sooner trust Schlangenwaldhimself 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 thanon my word?—I who reign over a set of kings, who brook no will but theirown.”
“And may we ask your pardon,” said Ebbo, “not only for ourselves, but forthe misguided men-at-arms?”
“What! the grewsome giant that was prepared with the axe, and the honestlad 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 betteroff 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 artsincere in desiring reconciliation with the house of Schlangenwald?”
“With all my heart,” said Ebbo, “do I loathe the miserable debt of bloodfor blood!”
“And,” said Maximilian, “Graf Dankwart is of like mind. Bred frompagedom in his Prussian commandery, he has never been exposed to theirritations that have fed the spirit of strife, and he will be thankfulto lay it aside. The question next is how to solemnize thisreconciliation, ere your retainers on one side or the other do somethingto set you by the ears together again, which, judging by this morning’swork, 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 mychapel. 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 himhere to-morrow; thy chaplain shall deck the altar here, the Father Abbotshall say mass, and ye shall swear peace and brotherhood before me.And,” he added, taking Ebbo’s hand, “I shall know how to trust thineoaths 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 thetwo houses an obligation that perhaps might override their ancienthatred; and the Baron and his mother gladly submitted to the arrangement.Maximilian withdrew to give directions for summoning the persons requiredand Christina was soon obliged to leave her son, while she provided forher influx of guests.
Ebbo was alone till nearly the end of the supper below stairs. He hadbeen dozing, when a cautious tread came up the turret steps, and hestarted, and called out, “Who goes there? I am not asleep.”
“It is your kinsman, Freiherr,” said a well-known voice; “I come by yourmother’s leave.”
“Welcome, Sir Cousin,” said Ebbo, holding out his hand. “You come tofind 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 bethankful,” said Wildschloss gravely; “yet it is no small thing to losethe hope of so many years! However, young Baron, I have grave matter foryour consideration. Know you the service on which I am to be sent? TheKaisar deems that the Armenians or some of the Christian nations on theskirts of the Ottoman empire might be made our allies, and attack theTurk in his rear. I am chosen as his envoy, and shall sail so soon as Ican make my way to Venice. I only knew of the appointment since I camehither, he having been led thereto by letters brought him this day; andmayhap by the downfall of my hopes. He was peremptory, as his mood is,and seemed to think it no small favour,” added Wildschloss, with someannoyance. “And meantime, what of my poor child? There she is in thecloister at Ulm, but an inheritance is a very mill-stone round the neckof an orphan maid. That insolent fellow, Lassla von Trautbach, hathalready demanded to espouse the poor babe; he—a blood-stained, dicing,drunken rover, with whom I would not trust a dog that I lo
ved! Yet mydeath would place her at the disposal of his father, who would give herat once to him. Nay, even his aunt, the abbess, will believe nothingagainst 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, andthen 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 anundertone, “he may well have won your heart. As friend, when one is athis side, none can be so winning, or so sincere as he; but with all hisbrilliant gifts, he says truly of himself that he is a mere recklesshuntsman. To-day, while I am with him, he would give me half Austria, orfight single-handed in my cause or Thekla’s. Next month, when I am outof sight, comes Trautbach, just when his head is full of keeping theFrench out of Italy, or reforming the Church, or beating the Turk, orparcelling the empire into circles, or, maybe, of a new touch-hole for acannon—nay, of a flower-garden, or of walking into a lion’s den. He justsays, ‘Yea, well,’ to be rid of the importunity, and all is over with mypoor little maiden. Hare-brained and bewildered with schemes has he beenas Romish King—how will it be with him as Kaisar? It is but of hiswonted madness that he is here at all, when his Austrian states must beall astray for want of him. No, no; I would rather make a weathercockguardian to my daughter. You yourself are the only guard to whom I cansafely intrust her.”
“My sword as knight and kinsman—” began Ebbo.
“No, no; ’tis no matter of errant knight or distressed damsel. That isKing Max’s own line!” said Wildschloss, with a little of the irony thatused 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 witha gesture that bade him listen ere he spoke. “My first wish for mychild,” he said, “was to see her brought up by that peerless lady belowstairs. The saints—in pity to one so like themselves—spared her thedistress our union would have brought her. Now, it would be vain toplace my little Thekla in her care, for Trautbach would easily feign mydeath, and claim his niece, nor are you of age to be made her guardian ashead of our house. But, if this marriage rite were solemnized, thenwould her person and lands alike be yours, and I could leave her with aneasy heart.”
“But,” said the confused, surprised Ebbo, “what can I do? They say Ishall not walk for many weeks to come. And, even if I could, I am soyoung—I have so blundered in my dealings with my own mountaineers, andwith this fatal bridge—how should I manage such estates as yours? Somebetter—”
“Look you, Ebbo,” said Wildschloss; “you have erred—you have been hasty;but tell me where to find another youth, whose strongest purpose was aswise as your errors, or who cared for others’ good more than for his ownviolence and vainglory? Brief as your time has been, one knows when oneis on your bounds by the aspect of your serfs, the soundness of theirdwellings, the prosperity of their crops and cattle above all, by theirface 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, youare 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, butthere are domains since granted that will cause intolerable trouble andstrife, 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 thelittle one a blooming bride when your first deeds in arms have beenfought out.”
“And, if my mother trains her up,” said Ebbo, thoughtfully, “she will beall the better daughter to her. But, Sir Cousin, you know I too must begoing. So soon as I can brook the saddle, I must seek out and ransom myfather.”
“That is like to be a far shorter and safer journey than mine. TheGenoese and Venetians understand traffic with the infidels for theircaptives, and only by your own fault could you get into danger. Even atthe worst, should mishap befall you, you could so order matters as toleave your girl-widow in your mother’s charge.”
“Then,” added Ebbo, “she would still have one left to love and cherishher. 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? Mytime is short.”
“What would you have me do? Shall I send the little one a betrothalring, and ride to Ulm to wed and fetch her home in spring?”
“That may hardly serve. These kinsmen would have seized on her and thecastle long ere that time. The only safety is the making wedlock as fastas it can be made with a child of such tender years. Mine is the onlypower that can make the abbess give her up, and therefore will I ridethis moonlight night to Ulm, bring the little one back with me by thetime the reconciliation be concluded, and then shall ye be wed by theAbbot of St. Ruprecht’s, with the Kaisar for a witness, and thus will theknot be too strong for the Trautbachs to untie.”
Ebbo looked disconcerted, and gasped, as if this were over-quickwork.—“To-morrow!” he said. “Knows my mother?”
“I go to speak with her at once. The Kaisar’s consent I have, as hesays, ‘If we have one vassal who has common sense and honesty, let usmake the most of him.’ Ah! my son, I shall return to see you hiscounsellor 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 exceededthose of the elder branch that it would have been presumptuous onEberhard’s part to have made the proposal. It was more a treaty than anaffair of hearts, and Sir Kasimir had not even gone through the form ofinquiring if Ebbo were fancy-free. It was true, indeed, that he wasstill a boy, with no passion for any one but his mother; but had he evenformed a dream of a ladye love, it would scarcely have been deemed arational objection. The days of romance were no days of romance inmarriage.
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 personthan Maximilian himself, and he, whose perceptions were extremely keenwhen he was not too much engrossed to use them, observed her reluctancethrough all her timid deference, and probed her reasons so successfullythat she owned at last that, though it might sound like folly, she couldscarce endure to see her son so bind himself that the romance of his lifecould hardly be innocent.
“Nay, lady,” was the answer, in a tone of deep feeling. “Neither landsnor honours can weigh down the up-springing of true love;” and he bowedhis head between his hands.
Verily, all the Low Countries had not impeded the true-hearted affectionof Maximilian and Mary; and, though since her death his want ofself-restraint had marred his personal character and morals, and thoughhe 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 strangeautobiographical allegories—the guiding star of his fitful life; and inheart his fidelity was so unbroken that, when after a long pause he againlooked up to Christina, he spoke as well understanding her feelings.
“I know what you would say, lady; your son hardly knows as yet how muchis asked of him, and the little maid, to whom he vows his heart, isover-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 youand his brother, seldom have wandering passions, but that their loveflows deep and steady in the channels prepared for it. Let your youngFreiherr regard this damsel as his own, and you will see he will love heras such.”
“I trust so, my liege.”
“Moreover, if she turn out like the spiteful Trautbach folk,” saidMaximilian, ra
ther wickedly, “plenty of holes can be picked in ababy-wedding. No fear of its over-firmness. I never saw one come togood; only he must keep firm hold on the lands.”
This was not easy to answer, coming from a prince who had no smallexperience in premature bridals coming to nothing, and Christina feltthat the matter was taken out of her hands, and that she had no more todo but to enjoy the warm-hearted Kaisar’s praises of her son.
In fact, the general run of nobles were then so boorish and violentcompared with the citizens, that a nobleman who possessed intellect,loyalty, and conscience was so valuable to the sovereign that Maximilianwas rejoiced to do all that either could bind him to his service orincrease his power. The true history of this expedition on the Emperor’spart was this—that he had consulted Kasimir upon the question of theDebateable Ford and the feud of Adlerstein and Schlangenwald, askingfurther how his friend had sped in the wooing of the fair widow, to whichhe remembered having given his consent at Ulm.
Wildschloss replied that, though backed up by her kindred at Ulm, he hadmade no progress in consequence of the determined opposition of her twosons, and he had therefore resolved to wait a while, and let her and theyoung Baron feel their inability to extricate themselves from thedifficulties that were sure to beset them, without his authority,influence, and experience—fully believing that some predicament mightarise 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 tooffer himself to the lady as her supporter and advocate, able to bringabout all her son could desire; though he owned that his hopes would havebeen higher if the survivor had been the gentle, friendly Friedmund,rather than the hot and imperious Eberhard, who he knew must be broughtvery low ere his objections would be withdrawn.
The touch of romance had quite fascinated Maximilian. He would see thelady and her son. He would make all things easy by the personalinfluence that he so well knew how to exert, backed by his imperialauthority; and both should see cause to be thankful to purchase consentto the bridge-building, and pardon for the fray, by the marriage betweenthe widow and Sir Kasimir.
But the Last of the Knights was a gentleman, and the meek dignity of hishostess had hindered him from pressing on her any distasteful subjectuntil her son’s explanation of the uncertainty of her husband’s death hadprecluded all mention of this intention. Besides, Maximilian was himselfgreatly charmed by Ebbo’s own qualities—partly perhaps as an intelligentauditor, but also by his good sense, high spirit, and, above all, by theready and delicate tact that had both penetrated and respected thedisguise. Moreover, Maximilian, though a faulty, was a devout man, andcould appreciate the youth’s unswerving truth, under circumstances thatdid, in effect, imperil him more really than his guest. In this mood,Maximilian felt disposed to be rid to the very utmost of poor SirKasimir’s unlucky attachment to a wedded lady; and receiving letterssuggestive of the Eastern mission, instantly decided that it would onlybe doing as he would be done by instantly to order the disappointedsuitor off to the utmost parts of the earth, where he would much haveliked to go himself, save for the unlucky clog of all the realm ofGermany. That Sir Kasimir had any tie to home he had for the momententirely forgotten; and, had he remembered it, the knight was soeminently fitted to fulfil his purpose, that it could hardly have beenregarded. But, when Wildschloss himself devised his little heiress’sunion with the head of the direct line, it was a most acceptable proposalto the Emperor, who set himself to forward it at once, out of policy, andas compensation to all parties.
And so Christina’s gentle remonstrance was passed by. Yet, with all hersense of the venture, it was thankworthy to look back on the tremblinganxiety with which she had watched her boy’s childhood, and all histemptations 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 valuedally 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 twinsas the star on high—nay, when kneeling in the chapel, her dazzling tearsmade stars of the glint of the light reflected in his bright helmet—mightshe not trust that the other would yet run his course to and fro, as thespark in the stubble?