CHAPTER XVII
THE RED AXE IS LEFT ALONE
Gottfried Gottfried bowed to the guest of his house with the noble mannerwhich comes to every serious-minded man who deals habitually in the highmatters of life and death. I made his introductions to the Lady Ysolinde,and as readily and gracefully he returned his acknowledgments. For therest I allowed Master Gerard's daughter to develop her own projects tohim, which, indeed, she was no long time in doing.
As she proceeded I saw my father change color and become as to his facealmost as white as the Friesland cloth in which he was dressed.Presently, however, as if struck with the sound of a well-known name, helooked up quickly.
"Plassenburg, said you, my lady?" he inquired.
The Lady Ysolinde nodded.
"Yes, to Plassenburg, where the Princess has great need of a maidof honor."
"Her Highness is often upon her travels, I hear it reported," said myfather, "while the Prince keeps himself much at home."
"He esteems his armies more than all the marvels of strange countries,"replied Ysolinde, "and thus he holds the land and folk in great quiet."
"And your father, Master Gerard, would have my son engage with thisPrince Karl for a space. Well, I think it may be good for the lad. For Iknow well that the shadow of the Red Tower stalks after him through thiscity of Thorn, and there is no need that he should lie down under it toosoon. But this of my little maid is a matter apart, and means a longerand a sorer parting."
"Fear not, my father," cried the Playmate, eagerly, "I would not leaveyou alone, even to be the Princess of Plassenburg herself."
My father took another strange look from one to the other of the twowomen, the import of which I understood not then.
"I know not," said he; "I think this thing also might be for the best. AsI see it, there are strange times coming upon us in Thorn. And the townof Plassenburg under Karl the Prince is a defenced city, set in a strongprovince, content and united. It might be wisest that you also should go,little one."
"I cannot go," said Helene, "and leave you alone."
Gottfried Gottfried smiled a sad smile, wistfully pleasant.
"Already I am wellnigh an old man, and it is the nature of my professionthat I should be alone. I work among the issues of life and death. Everyman must be lonely when he dies, and I, who have lived most with dyingmen, am perforce already lonely while I live. It is well--a clearer airfor the young bird! But yet it will be lonesome to miss you when I comein--the empty pot wanting the flower; the case without the jewel; silenceabove and below; your voice and Hugo's, that have changed the sombre RedTower with your young folks' pleasantries, heard no more. Ah, God wot, Ihad thought--I had dreamed far other things."
He stopped and looked from one to the other of us, and I saw thatYsolinde of the White Gate read his thought. Whereat right suddenly theLittle Playmate blushed, and as for me I kept watching the dull goldflash on the spangles of our guest's waist-belt, which was in form likea live serpent, with changeful scales and eyes of ruby red.
My father went over to where Helene sat. She rose to meet him and casther arms about his neck. He laid his right hand on her head--thatterrible hand that was yet not dreadful to us-who loved him.
"Little flower," he said, in his simple way, "God be good to you in thetransplanting! It is not fair to your young life that my red stain shouldlie upon your lot. I have given you a quiet hermitage while you neededit. But now it is right that my house should again be left unto medesolate. It is already late summer with Gottfried Gottfried, and hightime that the young brood should fly away."
He turned to me.
"With you, Hugo, it is a thing different; you were born to that to whichyou are born. And to that, as I read your horoscope, you must one dayreturn. But in the mean time care well for the maid. I lend her to you. Igive her into your hand. Cherish her as your chiefest treasure. Let herenemies be yours, and if harm come to her through your neglect, slayyourself ere you come again before me. For, by the Lord God of allRighteous Judgment, I will have no mercy!"
I saw the eyes of the Lady Ysolinde glitter like those of the snake inher belt as thus my father delivered Helene over to me.
But my father had yet more to say.
"And if any," he went on, in a deep, still voice, keeping his hand uponthe downcast head of the Little Playmate--"if any, great or small,prince or pauper, harm so much as a hair of this fair head, by the greatGod who wields His Axe over the universe and sits in the highest Halls ofJudgment, whose servant I am--I, Gottfried Gottfried, swear that he shalltaste the vengeance of the Red Axe and drink to the dregs the cup ofagony in his own blood!"
So saying, he kissed Helene and stalked out without turning his head ormaking any further obeisance or farewell.
We sat mazed and confounded after his departure.
The Lady Ysolinde it was who first recovered herself. She put out akindly hand to Helene, who stood wet-eyed and drooping by the window,looking out upon the roofs of Thorn, though well I wot she saw nothing ofspire, roof, or pinnacle.
"God do so to me and more also," she said, in a low, solemn voice, "if Itoo keep not this charge."
And I think for the moment she meant it. The trouble was that the LadyYsolinde could not mean one thing for very long at a time. As, indeed,shall afterwards appear.
So it was arranged that within the week Helene and I should say ourfarewells to the Red Tower which had sheltered us so long, as well as toGottfried Gottfried, who had ever been my kind father, and to the littleHelene more than any father.
But in spite of all we wearied day by day to be gone. For, indeed,Gottfried Gottfried said right. The shadow of the Red Tower, the stain ofthe Red Axe, was over us both so long as we abode on the Wolfsberg. Yetwhat it cost us to depart--at least till we were out of the gates of thecity--I cannot write down, for to both of us the first waygoing seemedbitter as death.
I remember it well. My father had been busy all the morning with his grimwork on the day when we were to ride away. A gang of malefactors who hadwasted a whole country-side with their cruelty had been brought in. And,as it was suspected that other more important villains were yet to becaught, there had been the repeated pain of the Extreme Question, and nowthere remained but the falling of the Red Axe to settle all accounts. Sothat when he came to bid us farewell he had but brief time to spare. Andof necessity he wore the fearful crimson, which fitted his tall, sparefigure like a glove.
"Fare thee well, little one!" he said, first to Helene. "Not thus, hadthe choice lain with me, would I have bidden thee farewell. But when itshall be that I meet you again I will surely wear the white of the festaday. I commit you to Him whose mistakes are better than our good deeds,whose judgments are kinder than our tenderest mercies."
So he kissed her, and reached a hand over her shoulder to me.
"Son Hugo," he said, "go in peace. You must return to succeed me. I seeit like a picture--on the day when I lie dead you shall stand with theRed Axe in your hand waiting to do judgment. It is well. Keep this maidmore sacred than your life--and, meantime, fare you well!"
So saying he left us abruptly.
Our horses were saddled in the court-yard, and as I rode last through therarely opened gateway, I saw Duke Casimir looking out from his windowupon the lower enclosure, as was his pleasure upon the days of execution.I heard the dull thud, which was the meeting of the Red Axe and theredder block as that which had been between fell apart. And for the lasttime I heard the blood-hounds leap and the pattering of their eager feetupon the barriers as they leaped up scenting the Duke's carrion.
Thus the latest I heard of the place of my nativity was fitting anddreadful. I was mortally glad to ride away into the clear air and theinvigorating silence. But on my heart there still lay heavy thetwice-repeated prediction of my father and of the Lady Ysolinde, that Ishould yet return and hold the Red Axe in his place.
But I resolved rather to die in the honest front of battle.Nevertheless, had I known the future, I would have seen that
they and notI were right.
I was indeed fated to return and stand ready to execute doom, with theRed Axe in my hand and my father lying dead near by.