CHAPTER XLV
THE MESSAGE FROM THE WHITE GATE
I rushed out into the street, distract and insensate with grief andmadness. I found the city seething with sullen unrest--not yet openlyhostile to the powers that abode in the Castle of the Wolfsberg--too longcowed and down-trodden for that, but angry with the anger which one daywould of a certainty break out and be pitiless.
The Black Horsemen of the Duke pricked a way with their lances here andthere through the people, driving them into the narrow lanes, in jets andspurts of fleeing humanity, only once more to reunite as soon as theHussars of Death had passed. Pikemen cried "Make way!" and the regularguard of the city paraded in strong companies.
A soldier wantonly thrust me in the back with his spear, and I sprangtowards him fiercely, glad to strike home at something. But as quickly aman of the crowd pulled me back.
"Be wise!" he said; "not for your own sake alone, but for the sake of allthese women and children. The Black Riders seek only an excuse to sweepthe city from end to end with the besom of fire and blood."
Then came my master out of the Hall of Judgment, his head hangingdejectedly down. As soon as he was observed the people crowded about,shaking him by the hand, thanking him for that which he had done fortheir maid, their holy Saint Helena of the plague.
"We will not suffer her to be put to death, not even if they of theWolfsberg raze our city to the ground!"
"Make way there!" cried the Black Horsemen--"way, in the name ofDuke Otho!"
"Who is Duke Otho?" cried a voice. "We do not know Duke Otho."
"He is not crowned yet! Why should he take so much upon him?"shouted another.
"We are free burgesses of Thorn, and no man's bond-slaves!" said a third.Such were the shouts that hurtled through the streets and were bandiedfiercely from man to man, betraying in tone more than in word theintensity of the hatred which existed between the ducal towers of theWolfsberg and the city which lay beneath them.
In my boyish days I had laughed at the assemblies of the Swan--the WhiteWolves and Free Companies. But, perhaps, those who had thus played atrevolt were wiser than I. For of a surety these associations wereyielding their fruits now in a harvest of hate against the gloomy pilethat had so long dominated the town, choked its liberties, and shut itoff from the new, free, thriving world of the northern seaboardcommonwealths to which of right it belonged.
So soon as Dessauer and I were alone in my master's room at BishopPeter's I tried to stammer some sort of thanks, but I could do no morethan hold out a hand to him. The old man clasped it.
"It was wholly useless from the first," he said; "they had their purposefixed and their course laid out, so that there was no turning of them.All was a mockery, so clear that even the ignorant men of the streetswere not deceived. Accusation, evidence, pleadings, condemnation,sentence--all were ready before the maid was taken; aye, and, I think,before Duke Casimir was dead.
"Also there is no court in the Wolfmark higher than the mockery we haveseen to-day. The arms of the soldiers of Plassenburg are our only courtof appeal."
"It is two days before they can come," I answered. "I fear me all will beover before then."
"Be not so sure," said Dessauer. "There is at present no Justicer in theMark capable of carrying out the sentence, so long as your father lies onhis bed of mortal weakness."
"Duke Otho will not let that stand in his way--or I am the moredeceived," said I, with a heavy heart.
At this moment there came an interruption. I heard a loud argumentoutside in the court-yard.
"Tell me what you want with the servant of the most learned Doctor!"cried a voice.
"That is his business, and mine--not yours, rusty son of astable-sweeper!" was the answer.
I went out immediately, and there, facing each other in a position ofmutual defiance, I saw Peter of the Pigs and the decent legal domestic ofMaster Gerard von Sturm.
"Get out of my wind, old Muck-to-the-Eyes!" said the servitor,offensively; "you poison the good, wholesome air that is needed formen's breath."
"Go back to your murderer of the saints," responded Peter of the Pigs,valiantly. "Your master and you will swing in effigy to-night in everystreet in Thorn. Some day before long you will both swing in the body--ifa hair of this angel's head be harmed."
"I must see this learned Doctor's servant!" persisted the man of law,avoiding the personal question.
"Here he is," said I; "and now what would you with him?"
"I am sent to invite you to come to the Weiss Thor immediately, onbusiness which deeply concerns you."
"That is not enough for me," said I. "Who sends for me?"
"Let me come in out of the hearing of this moon-faced idiot," said he,pointing contumeliously to Peter of the Pigs, "and I will tell you. I amnot bidden to proclaim my business in the market sties and citycattlepens!"
"You do well, Parchment Knave," cried Peter; "for it is such blackbusiness that if you proclaimed a syllable of it there you would betorn to pieces of honest folk. Thank God there are still some such inthe world!"
"Aye, many," quoth the servitor, "and we all know they are to be found inthe dwellings of priestlings!"
I walked with the man to the gate, for I did not care to take him towhere Dessauer was sitting. I feared that it might be some ill news fromthe Lubber Fiend, who, though I had seen him clear of the gate, mightvery well have returned and told my message to Master Gerard.
"Well," said I, brusquely, for I had no love for the Sir RustyRespectable, "out with it--who sends you?"
"It is not my master," answered the man, "but one other."
"What other?" said I.
"The one," he said, cunningly, "with whom on a former occasion you rodeout at the White Gate."
Then I saw that he knew me.
"The Princess--" I began.
"Hush," he said, touching my arm; "that is not a word to be whispered inthe streets of Thorn--the Lady Ysolinde is at her father's house, andwould see you--on a matter of life or death--so she bade me tell you."
"I will go with you," I said, instantly.
"Nay," he said, smirking secretly, "not now, but at nine of the clock,when the city ways shall be dark, you must come--you know the road.And then you two can confer together safely, and eke, an it pleaseyou, jocosely, when Master Gerard will be safe in his study, with thelamp lit."
I went back to Dessauer, who during my absence had kept his head in hishand, as if deeply absorbed in thought.
"The Princess is in Thorn!" said I, as a startling piece of news.
"Ah, the Princess!" he muttered, abstractedly; "truly she is thePrincess, but yet that will not advantage her a whit."
I saw that he was thinking of our little Helene.
"Nay," I said, taking him by the arm to secure his attention, as indeedabout this time I had often to do. "I mean the Lady Ysolinde, the wife ofour good Prince."
"In Thorn?" said Dessauer. "Ah, I am little surprised. Twice when I wasspeaking to-day I saw a face I knew well look through a lattice in thewall at me. But being intent upon my words I did not think of it, norindeed recognize it till it had disappeared. Now the picture comes backto me curiously clear. It was the face of the Princess Ysolinde."
"I am to see her at nine o'clock to-night in the house of theWeiss Thor."
"Do not go, I pray you!" he said; "it is certainly a trap."
"Go I must, and will," I replied; "for it may be to the good of ourmaiden. I will risk all for that!"
"I dare say," said he; "so should I, if I saw any advantage, such asindeed I hoped for to-day. But if I be not mistaken, our Princess is deepin this plot."
"And why?" said I. "Helene never harmed her."
"Helene is your betrothed wife, is she not?" he said. He asked as if hedid not know.
"Surely!" said I.
"Well!" he replied, sententiously, and so went out.