CHAPTER XXXII
THE WOLVES OF THE MARK
The Hirschgasse is a little inn across the river, well known to thewilder blades of Plassenburg. There they go to be outside the authorityof the city magistrates, to make rendezvous with maids more complaisantthan maidenly, to fight their duels, and generally to do those thingswithout remark which otherwise bring them under the eye of the Miller'sSon, as they one and all call (behind his back) the reigning Prince ofPlassenburg.
It was on the stroke of seven, and as fine an evening as ever failed totouch the soul of sinful man with a sense of its beauty, that I set outto fight the nephew of Duke Casimir. I had indeed ridden far and fast,and withal kept my head since I left the Red Tower a poor homelesswanderer, otherwise I had scarce found myself going out with HighCouncillor Leopold von Dessauer as my second to fight my late master'sheir, the proximate Duke of the Wolfmark.
What was my surprise to find the old man attired in the appropriatecostume for such an occasion, a close-fitting suit of dark gray, ofancient cut indeed, and without the fashionable slashes and scallops, butboth correct and practicable, either for the sword-play or the properordering of it in others.
Von Dessauer laughed a little dry laugh when I congratulated him on theyouthfulness of his appearance. Indeed, he seemed little grateful for myfelicitations. And if it had not been for the rheumatism which he hadinherited from his father's campaigns on the tented field, and theweakness which came from his own in other fields, he would yet haveproved as fit for the play of fence as any youngster of them all. So, atleast, he averred. And to-night the wind was southerly, and his old hurtsirked him not. Faith he was almost minded to try a ruffle with the cocksof the Mark on his own account.
"Mind you," he said, "guard low. The attack of the Mark ever comes fromthe right leg, half-way to the knee. But I forgot--what use is it totell you, that are born of the Mark, and have learned sword-cunning intheir schools?"
As we left the castle I looked about and secretly kissed a hand to thathigh window, where was the chamber of my Little Playmate, whose cause Iwas going out so gladly to champion.
Dessauer and I went quickly down through the lanes which led to the riveredge where the ferry was, and more than once with the comer of my eye Iseemed to see a man in a cloak and sword stealing after us. But as thesight of a man so attired going secretly in the direction of theHirschgasse was no uncommon one, I did not pay any particular attention.
We crossed over in the large flat-boat which plied constantly between thebanks before our fine new bridge was built. We found our enemies on theground before us, and they seemed more than a little surprised when theyperceived who my second was. For as we came up the bank I saw them goclose and whisper together like men who hastily alter their plans at thelast moment.
I presented my second in form.
"The High Councillor Leopold von Dessauer, Knight of the Empire!" said I,proudly enough.
Then the Count presented his, as the custom then was among us ofthe North:
"His Excellency Friedrich, Count of Cannstadt, Hereditary Cup-bearer ofthe Wolfmark."
Count Cannstadt was an impecunious old-young man, who, chiefly owing toaccumulated gaming-debts and a disagreement with Duke Casimir concerningthe payment of certain rents and duties, had sought the shelter of theCastle of Plassenburg--a refuge which the generous Prince Karl extendedto all exiles who were not proven criminals.
The seconds bowed first to each other, and then to their opposingprincipals. In those days, duels were mostly fought with the combatants'own swords. And now Von Dessauer took my blade, and, going forwardcourteously, handed the hilt to Count Cannstadt, receiving that of VonReuss in return. The seconds then compared the lengths, and found almosthalf an inch in favor of my opponent. Which being declared, and Ioffering no objection, the discrepancy was allowed and the swordsreturned us to fall to.
And this without further parley we did.
I was no ways afraid of my opponent. For though a pretty enough, trickyfighter, he had little practical experience. Also he had quite failed tostrengthen himself by daily custom, and especially by practice atoutrauce, with an enemy keen to run you through in front of you, and thenecessity of keeping a wary eye on half a dozen other conflicts on eitherhand, as has constantly to be done in war.
The place where we fought was on a level green platform a little wayabove the roofs of the inn of the Hirschgasse, where many a similarconflict has been fought, and on which many a good fellow has lain,panting like a grassed trout, with the gasps growing slower and deadlier,while his opponent wiped his blade on the trampled herbage, and theseconds looked on with folded arms. There were many bushes and rocksabout, and the place was very secluded to be so near a great city.
At first I did not trouble myself much, nor attempt to force thefighting. I was content to hold Von Reuss in play, and defend myself tillthe hunger edge of his attack was dulled. For I saw on his face a look ofvicious confidence that surprised me, considering his inexperience, andhe lunged with a venom and resolution which, to my mind, betokened adetermination to kill at all hazards.
I knew, however, that presently he must overreach himself, so of setpurpose I kept my blade short, and let him approach nearer. Immediatelyhe began to press, thinking that he had me at his mercy. We had foughtour way round to a spot on the upper side of the plateau, where for amoment Von Reuss had a momentary benefit from the nature of the ground.Here I felt that he gathered himself together, and, presently, as I hadsupposed he would, he centred his energy in a determined thrust at myleft breast. This was well enough timed, for my guard had been short anda little high on purpose to lead him on, and now it took me all my timeto turn his point aside. I saw the steel shoot past, grazing my left arm.Then with so long a recovery, and the loss of balance from lungingdownhill, he was at my mercy.
As I did not wish to kill him I chose my spot almost at my leisure, andpinked him two inches below the spring of the neck and close to thecollar-bone, which was running the thing as fine as I could allow myself.
What was my surprise to see my sword-blade arch itself as if it hadstricken a stone wall, and to hear the unmistakable ring of steelmeeting steel.
"Treachery!" cried Von Dessauer and I together; "you are villains both.He is wearing a shirt of mail!"
And the old man rushed forward with his sword bare in his hand and alla-tremble with indignation.
I heard the shrill "purl" of a silver call, and, turning me about, therewas the gambler Cannstadt with a whistle at his lips. I dared not turn myhead, for I had still to guard myself against the traitor Von Reuss'sattack, but with the tail of my eye I could see two or three men risefrom behind bushes and rocks, and come running as fast as they couldtowards us. Then I knew that Dessauer and I were doomed men unlesssomething turned up that we wotted not of. For with an old man, and oneso stiff as the High Councillor, for my only ally, it was impossible forme to hold my own against more than double our numbers.
Nevertheless, Von Dessauer attacked Cannstadt with surprising fury anddetermination, anger glittering in his eye, and resolution to punishtreachery lending vigor to his thrust. I had not time to observe hismethod save unconsciously, for I had to change my position momentarilythat I might take the points of the two men who came down the hill atspeed, sword in hand.
But all this foul play among high-born folk gave me a kind of mortalsickness. To die in battle is one thing, but over against the very roofsof your home to find yourself brought to death's door by murderoustreachery is quite another.
At this moment there came news of a diversion. From below was heard thecrying of a stormy voice.
"Halt! I command you! Halt!"
And wheeling sufficiently to see, I observed through the twilight thefigure of a stout man, who came leaping heavily up the hill towards us,waving a sword as he came. Well, thought I, the more there are of themthe quicker it will be over, and the more credit for us in keeping up ourend so long. Better die in a good fight than live with a bad conscien
ce.
With which admirable reflection I sent my sword through Von Reuss'ssword-arm, in the fleshy part, severing the muscle and causing him todrop his blade. I had him then at my mercy, and experienced a greatdesire to push my blade down his throat, for a treacherous cowardlyhound as he had proved himself to me. But instead of this I had to turntowards the other two who came at the charge down the hill and were nowclose upon us.
I had just time to leap aside from the first and let him overrun himselfwhen he shot almost upon the sword of the thick-set man, who came up thehill shouting to us to stop. The second man I engaged, and a stanch bladeI found him, though fighting for as dirty a cause as ever man crossedswords in.
"Halt!" came the voice of command again--the voice I knew so well--"inthe name of the State I bid you cease!"
It was the voice of Karl, Prince of Plassenburg.
"We must take the rough with the smooth now. We must kill them, everyone, like stanch men of the Mark!" cried Von Reuss. "There is no safetyfor any of us else." And in a moment we were at it, the Prince furiouslyassaulting the second of the bravoes who came down the hill. More coollythan I had given him credit for, Von Reuss stuffed a silken kerchief intothe hole in his shoulder, and repossessed himself of his weapon in hisother hand.
It was the briskest kind of a bicker that ensued for a little while thereon the bosky, broomy hill-side in the evening light. Ah, Dessauer wasdown at last and Cannstadt at his throat! I went about with a whirl,leaving my own man for the moment, and rushed upon the Count's falsesecond. He turned to receive me, but not quite quick enough, for I gothim two inches below where I had pinked his principal's ring-mail, andthat made all the difference. Cannstadt did not immediately drop hissword. But his limbs weakened, and he fell forward without a sound.
Then as I looked about, there was the Prince manfully crossing swordswith two, and the cowardly Von Reuss creeping up with his sword shortenedin his left hand with intent to slay him from behind.
Whereat I gave a furious cry of anguish, that I should have been themeans of bringing my noble master into such peril. The Prince Karl had atthe same moment some intuition of the treacherous foe behind him, for heleaped aside with more agility than I had ever seen him display before onfoot, and Von Reuss was too sorely wounded to follow.
Presently I was at my first bravo again, and the Prince being left withbut one, Von Reuss took the opportunity to slip away over the hill.
The rest of the conflict was not long a-settling. There were loud voicesfrom the stream beneath. The combat had been observed, and half a scoreof the Prince's guard were already swimming, wading, and leaping intosmall boats in their haste to be first to our assistance.
But we did not need their aid. I passed my blade through and through myassailant, almost at the same moment that the Prince spiked his man sodirectly in the throat, so that the red point stood out in the hollow ofhis neck behind.
Both went down simultaneously, and there was Von Reuss on horseback, justdisappearing over the ridge. Prince Karl wiped his brow.
"What devil's traitors!" he cried. "Poor Dessauer, I wonder what he hasgotten? Let us go to him."
We went across the plateau together, and knelt by the side of the oldman. At first I could not find the wound, though there was blood enoughupon his face and fencing-habit. But presently I discovered that hisscalp had been cut from above the eye backwards to the crown of hishead--a shallow, ploughing scratch, no more, though it had effectuallystunned the old man.
Even as I held him in my arms, he came to and looked about him.
"Are they all dead?" he said, feeling about for his sword.
"You were nearly dead, dearest of friends," said my master. "But becontent. You have done very well for so young a fighter. An you behaveyourself, and keep from such brawling in the future, I declare I willgive you a company!"
Dessauer smiled.
"All dead?" he asked, trying still to look about him.
"Your man is dead, or the next thing to it, two other rascals grievouslywounded, and the scoundrel Von Reuss fled, as well he might. But myarchers are already on his track."
Up the hill came Jorian and Boris leading the rout.
"Is the Prince safe?" cried Jorian.
"The Prince is safe," said Karl, answering for himself.
"Good!" chorussed Jorian, Boris, and all the archers together.
"Catch me that man on horseback there!" cried the Prince. "Take him orkill him, but if you can help it do not let him escape. He is the Countvon Reuss, and a double traitor."
"Good!" cried the pair, and set off after him, all dripping as they werefrom their abrupt passage of the river.