IX
A SOLEMN PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE
When Roland wrapped his cloak about him, and lay down on the sward atsome distance from the spot where his officers already slept, he foundthat he could not follow their example. Although, he had remainedoutwardly calm when the attack was made upon him, his mind was greatlyperturbed over the outlook. He reviewed his own conduct, wonderingwhether it would be possible for him so to amend it that he couldacquire the respect and maintain the obedience of his men. If he couldnot accomplish this, then was his plan foredoomed to failure. Hiscogitations drove away sleep, and he called to mind the last occasion onwhich he made this same spot his bedroom. Then he had slumbereddreamlessly the night through. He was on the direct trail betweenEhrenfels Castle and the town of Wiesbaden, the route over whichsupplies had been carried to the Castle time and again when theperiodical barges from Mayence failed to arrive. It had been pointed outto him by the custodian of the Castle when the young man first becameirked by the confined limits of the Schloss, and frequently since thattime he had made his way through the forest to Wiesbaden and back.
Never before had he seen the little Walluf so boisterous, pretendingthat it was important, and he quite rightly surmised that the cause wasa sudden downpour in the mountains farther east. The distant mutteringsof thunder having long since ceased, he recognized that the volume ofthe stream was constantly lessening. As the brook gradually subsided toits customary level, the forest became more and more silent. The greaterhis endeavor to sleep, the less dormant Roland felt, and all his sensesseemed unduly quickened by this ineffectual beckoning to somnolence. Hejudged by the position of the stars, as he lay on his back, that it waspast midnight, when suddenly he became aware of a noise to the west ofhim, on the other side of the brook. Sitting up, and listening intently,he suspected, from the rustle of the underbrush, that some one wasfollowing the trail, and would presently come upon his sleeping men.
He rose stealthily, unsheathed his sword, leaped across the rivulet, andproceeded with caution up the acclivity, keeping on the trail as best hecould in the darkness. He was determined to learn the business of thewayfarer, without disturbing his men, so crept rapidly up the hill.Presently he saw the glimmer of a light, and conjectured that some onewas coming impetuously down, guided by a lanthorn swinging in his hand.Roland stood on guard with sword extended straight in front of him, andthe oncomer's breast was almost at the point of it when he hauledhimself up with a sudden cry of dismay, as the lanthorn revealed anarmed man holding the path.
"I have no money," were the first words of the stranger.
"Little matter for that," replied Roland. "'Tis information I wish, notgear. Why are you speeding through the forest at night, for no sane mantraverses this path in the darkness?"
"I could not wait for daylight," said the stranger, breathing heavily."I carry a message of the greatest importance. Do not delay me, I beg ofyou. I travel on affairs of State; Imperial matters, and it is necessaryI should reach Frankfort in time, or heads may fall."
"So serious as that?" asked Roland, lowering the point of his sword, forhe saw the messenger was unarmed. "Whom do you seek?"
"That I dare not tell you. The message concerns those of the highest,and I am pledged to secrecy. Be assured, sir, that I speak the truth."
"Your voice sounds honest. Hold up the lanthorn at arm's length, that Imay learn if your face corresponds with it. Ha, that is mostsatisfactory! And now, my hurrying youth, will you reveal your mission,or shall I be compelled to run my sword through your body?"
"You would not learn it even then," gasped the young man, shrinkingstill farther up the hill.
Roland laughed.
"That is true enough," he said, "therefore shall I not impale you, butwill instead relate to you the secret you carry. You are making not forFrankfort--"
"I assure you, sir, by the sacred Word, that I am, and grieve my oathdoes not allow me to do your bidding, even though you would kill me,which is easily done, since I am unarmed."
"You pass through Frankfort, I doubt not, but your goal is a certainsmall room in the neighboring suburb of Sachsenhausen, and he whom youseek is a youth of about your own age, named Roland. You travel on thebehest of your father, who was much agonized in mind when you left him,and he, I take it, is custodian of Ehrenfels Castle."
"In God's name!" cried the youth, aghast, "how did you guess all that?"
Again Roland laughed quietly.
"Why, Heinrich," he said, "your agitation causes you to forget oldfriends. Hold up your lanthorn again, and learn whether or not yourecognize me, as I recognized you."
"Heaven be praised! Prince Roland!"
"Yes; your journey is at an end, my good Heinrich, thank the fortunethat kept me awake this night. Do you know why you are sent on this longand breathless journey?"
"Yes, Highness. There has come to the Castle from the Archbishop ofMayence a lengthy document for you to sign, and you are informed thatthe day after to-morrow their Lordships of Mayence, Treves, and Cologne,meet together at the Castle to hold some conversation with you."
"By my sword, then, Heinrich, had you found me in Sachsenhausen we hadnever attained Ehrenfels in time."
"I think I could have accomplished it," replied the young man. "I shouldhave reached Wiesbaden before daybreak, and there bought the fastesthorse that could be found. My father told me to time myself, and if bysecuring another horse at Frankfort for you I could not make the returnjourney speedily enough, I was to engage a boat with twenty rowers, ifnecessary, and convey you to Ehrenfels before the Archbishops arrived."
"Then, Heinrich, you must have deluded me when you said you had nomoney."
"No, Highness, I have none, but I carry an order for plenty upon amerchant in Wiesbaden, who would also supply me with a horse."
"Heinrich, there are many stars burning above us to-night, and I havebeen watching them, but your star must be blazing the brightest of all.Sit you down and rest until I return. Make no noise, for there aretwenty others asleep by the stream. My cloak is at the bottom of thehill, and I must fetch it. I shall be with you shortly, so keep yourcandle alight, that I may not miss you."
With that Roland returned rapidly down the slope, untying his bag ofmoney as he descended. Cautiously he fastened it to the belt of Greusel,then, snatching his cloak from the ground, he sprang once more acrossthe stream, and climbed to the waiting Heinrich.
It was broad daylight before they saw the towers of Ehrenfels, and theyfound little difficulty in rousing Heinrich's father, for he had sleptas badly that night as Roland himself.
The caretaker flung his arms around the young prisoner.
"Oh, thank God, thank God!" was all he could cry, and "Thank God!" againhe repeated. "Never before have I felt my head so insecure upon myshoulders. Had you not been here when they came, Highness, theirLordships would have listened to no explanation."
"Really you were in little danger with such a clever son. TheArchbishops would never have suspected that he was not I, for none ofthe three has ever seen me. I am quite sure Heinrich would have effectedmy signature excellently, and answered to their satisfaction allquestions they might ask. So long as he complied with their wishes,there would be no inquiries set afoot, for none would suspect thechange. Indeed, custodian, you have missed the opportunity of your lifein not suppressing me, thus allowing your son to be elected Emperor."
"Your Highness forgets that my poor boy cannot write his own name, muchless yours. Besides, it would be a matter of high treason to forge yoursignature, so again I thank God you are here. Indeed, your Highness, Iam in great trouble about my son."
"Oh, the danger is not so serious as you think."
"'Tis not the danger, Highness. That it is his duty to face, but hetakes advantage of his position as prisoner. He knows I dare refuse himnothing, and he calls for wine, wine, wine, spending his days in revelryand his nights in stupor."
"You astonish me. Why not cudgel the nonsense out of him? Your arm isstrong enough."
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"I dare not lay stick on him, and I beg you to breathe nothing of what Ihave told you, for he holds us both in his grasp, and he knows it. If Icalled for help to put him in a real dungeon, he would blurt out thewhole secret."
"In that case you must even make terms with him. 'Twill be for but avery short time, and after that we will reform him. He was frightenedenough of my sword in the forest, and I shall make him dance to itspoint once this crisis is over."
"I shall do the best I can, Highness. But you must have been on your wayto Ehrenfels. Had you heard aught of what is afoot?"
"Nothing. 'Twas mere chance that Heinrich and I met in the forest, andhe was within a jot of impinging himself upon my sword in his hurry. Istood in the darkness, while he himself held a light for the betterconvenience of any chance marauder who wished to undo him."
"Unarmed, and without money," said the custodian, "I thought he wassafer than otherwise. But you are surely hungry, Highness. Advance thenwithin, and I will see to your needs."
So presently the errant Prince consumed an excellent, if earlybreakfast, and, without troubling to undress, flung himself upon acouch, sleeping dreamlessly through the time that Greusel and Ebearhardwere conjuring up motives for him, of which he was entirely innocent.
When Roland woke in the afternoon, he had quite forgotten that a scoreof men who, nominally, at least, acknowledged him master, were wonderingwhat had become of him. He called the custodian, and asked for a sightof the parchments that his Lordship of Mayence had sent across the riverfor his perusal. He found the documents to be a very carefully writtenseries of demands disguised under the form of requests.
The pledges which were asked of the young Prince were beautifullyengrossed on three parchments, each one a duplicate of the other two. IfRoland accepted them, they were to be signed next day, in presence ofthe three Archbishops. Two certainties were impressed upon him when hehad read the scroll: first, the Archbishops were determined to rule; andsecond, if he did not promise to obey they would elect some other thanhimself Emperor on the death or deposition of his father. The young manresolved to be acquiescent and allow the future to settle the questionwhether he or the Archbishops should be the head of the Empire. Astrange exultation filled him at the prospect, and all thought of otherthings vanished from his mind.
Leaving the parchments on the table in the knights' hall, where he hadexamined them, he mounted to the battlements to enjoy the fresh breezethat, no matter how warm the day, blows round the towers of Ehrenfels.Here a stone promenade, hung high above the Rhine, gave a wonderful viewup and down the river and along the opposite shore. From this elevated,paved plateau he could see down the river the strongholds of Rheinsteinand Falkenberg, and up the river almost as far as Mayence. He judged bythe altitude of the sun that it was about four o'clock in the afternoon.The sight of Rheinstein should have suggested to him his desertedcompany, for that was the first castle he intended to attack, but theprospect opened up to him by the communication of the Archbishops haddriven everything else from his mind.
Presently the cautious custodian joined him in his eyrie, and Rolandknew instinctively why he had come. The old man was wondering whether ornot he would make difficulties about signing the parchments. He fearedthe heedless impetuosity and conceit of youth; the natural dislike onthe part of a proud young prince to be restricted and bound down by hiselders, and the jailer could not conceal his gratification when theprisoner informed him that of course he would comply with the desires ofthe three prelates.
"You see," he continued, with a smile, "I must attach my signature tothose instruments in order to make good my promises to you."
He was interrupted by a cry of astonishment from his aged comrade.
"Will wonders never cease!" cried the old man. "Those merchants inFrankfort must be irredeemable fools. Look you there, Highness! Do yousee that barge coming down the river, heavily laden, as I am a sinner,for she lies low in the water. It is one of the largest of the Frankfortboats, and those hopeful simpletons doubtless imagine they can maketheir way through to Cologne with enough goods left to pay for thejourney. 'Tis madness! Why, the knights of Rheinstein and Falkenbergalone will loot them before they are out of our sight. If they think toavoid those rovers by hugging our shore, their mistake will be apparentbefore they have gone far."
Roland gazed at the approaching craft, and instantly remembered that hewas responsible for its appearance on the Rhine. He recognized HerrGoebel's great barge, with its thick mast in the prow, on which no sailwas hoisted because the wind blew upstream. On recollecting his desertedmen, he wondered whether or not Greusel had brought them across thehills to Assmannshausen. Had they yet discovered that Joseph carried thebag of gold? He laughed aloud as he thought of the scrimmage that wouldensue when this knowledge came to them. But little as he cared for theeighteen, he experienced a pang of regret as he estimated thepredicament in which both Greusel and Ebearhard had stood on learning hehad left them without a word. Still, even now he could not see how anyexplanation on his part was possible without revealing his identity, andthat he was determined not to do.
Turning round, he said abruptly to the custodian:
"Were the seven hundred thalers paid to you each month?"
"Of a surety," was the reply.
"That will be two thousand one hundred thalers altogether. Did you spendthe money?"
"I have not touched a single coin. That amount is yours, and yoursalone, Prince Roland. If I have been of service I am quite content towait for my reward, or should I not be here, I know you will remember myfamily."
"May the Lord forget me if I don't. Still, the twenty-one hundredthalers are all yours, remember, but I beg of you to lend me a thousand,for I possess not a single gold piece in my bag. Indeed, if it comes tothat, I do not possess even a bag. I had two yesterday, but one I gaveaway and the other I threw away."
The old man hurried down, and presently returned with the bag of moneythat Roland had asked of him. Before this happened, however, Roland,watching the barge, saw it round to, and tie up at the shore somedistance above Assmannshausen. He took the gold, and passed down thestone stair to the courtyard.
"I shall return," he said, "before the sun sets," and without more ado,this extraordinary captive left his prison, and descended the hill inthe direction of the barge.
After greeting Captain Blumenfels, he learned that the boat had beendelayed by running on a sandbank in the Main during the night, but theyhad got it off at daybreak, and here they were. As, standing on theshore, Roland talked with the captain on the barge, he saw approachingfrom Assmannshausen two men whom he recognized. Telling the captain hemight not be ready for several days, he walked along the shore to meethis astonished friends, who, as was usual with them, jumped at anerroneous conclusion, and supposed that he arrived on the barge whichthey had seen rounding to for the purpose of taking up her berth by theriver-bank.
Greusel and Ebearhard stood still until he came up to them.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. Are you here alone, or have you brought themob with you?"
"Your capable lieutenant, sir," said Ebearhard, before his slowercompanion could begin to frame a sentence, "allowed the men to thinkthey were having their own way, but in reality diverted them into his,so they are now enjoying a credit of one liter each at the tavern of theGolden Anker."
"That," said Roland, "is but as a drop of water in a parched desert.Have they discovered you hold the money, Greusel?"
"No, not yet; but I fear they will begin to suspect by and by. I supposeyou went down the valley of the brook to the Rhine, and overhauled thebarge there?"
"I suppose so," said Roland. "What else did you think I could do?"
"I was sure you had done that, but I feared you would turn the bargeback to Frankfort."
"I never thought of such a thing. Indeed, the captain told me he metdifficulty enough navigating the shallow Main, and I think he prefersthe deeper Rhine. Of course, you know why I left you."
The men looked
at each other without reply, and Roland laughed.
"I see you have been harboring dark suspicions, but the case is verysimple. The pious monks tell us that the Scriptures say if a man asks usto go one league with him, we should go two. My good friends of theguild last night made a most reasonable request, namely, that I shouldbestow upon them three thalers each, and surely, to quote the monksagain, the laborer is worthy of his hire."
"Oh, that is the way you look upon it, then," said Greusel.
"From a scriptural point of view, yes; and I am going to better theteachings of my young days by giving each of the men ten times theamount he desired. Thirty thalers each are waiting in this bag forthem."
"By my sword!" cried Ebearhard, "if that isn't setting a premium onmutiny it comes perilously close."
"Not so, Ebearhard; not so. You and Greusel did not mutiny, therefore toeach of you I give a hundred and thirty thalers, which is the thirtythalers the mutineers receive, and a hundred thalers extra, as a rewardof virtue because you did not join them. After all, there is much to besaid for the men's point of view. I had led them ruthlessly under aburning July sun, along a rough and shadeless road, then dragged themaway from the ample wine-vaults of Sonnenberg; next guided them onthrough brambles, over streams, into bogs and out again; and lastly,when they were dog-tired, hungry and ill-tempered, I carelessly pointedto a section of the landscape, and said, 'There, my dear chaps, is yourbedroom'; lads who had never before slept without blankets and a roof.No wonder they mutinied; but even then, by the love of God for Hiscreatures, they did not actually attack me when I stood up with drawnsword in my hand."
"Of course you have that at least to be thankful for," said Ebearhard."Eighteen to one was foul odds."
"I be thankful! Surely you are dreaming, Ebearhard. Why should I bethankful, except that I escaped the remorse for at least killing a dozenof them!"
Ebearhard laughed heartily.
"Oh, if so sure of yourself as all that, you need no sympathy from me."
"You thought I would be outmatched? By the Three Kings! do you imagineme such a fool as to teach you artisans the higher qualities of thesword? There would have been a woeful surprise for the eighteen had theyventured another step farther. However, that's all past and done with,and we'll say no more about it. Let us sit down here on the sward, andindulge in the more agreeable recreation of counting money."
He spread his cloak on the grass, and poured out the gold upon it.
"I am keeping two hundred thalers for myself, as leader of theexpedition, and covetous. Here are your hundred and thirty thalers,Greusel, and yours, Ebearhard. You will find remaining five hundred andforty, which, if divided with reasonable accuracy, should afford thirtythalers to each of our precious eighteen."
"Aren't you coming with us to Assmannshausen, that you may give thismoney to the men yourself?" asked Greusel.
"No; that pleasure falls to my lieutenants, first and second. One maydivide the money while the other delivers the moral lecture againstmutiny, illustrated by the amount that good behavior gains. Say nothingto the men about the barge being here, merely telling them to preparefor action. Now that you are in funds, engage a large room, exclusivelyfor yourselves, at the Golden Anker. Thus you will be the better able tokeep the men from talking with strangers, and so prevent any news of ourintentions drifting across the river to Rheinstein or Falkenberg. Youmight put it to them, should they object to the special room, that youare reconstituting, as it were, the Kaiser cellar of Frankfort in thevillage of Assmannshausen. Go forward, therefore, with your usualmeetings of the guild, as it was before I lowered its tone by becoming amember. Knowing the lads as I do, I suggest that you make your bargainwith them before you deliver the money. No promise; no thirty thalers.And now, good-by. I shall be exceedingly busy for some days arrangingfor a further supply of money, so do not seek me out no matter whathappens."
With this Roland shook hands, and returned to Ehrenfels Castle.
* * * * *
The three sumptuous barges of the Archbishops hove in sight at midday,two coming up the river and one floating down. They maneuvered to thelanding so that all reached it at the same time, and thus the threeArchbishops were enabled to set foot simultaneously on the firm ground,as was right and proper, no one of them obtaining precedence over theother two. On entering the Castle of Ehrenfels in state, they proceededto the large hall of the knights, and seated themselves in three equalchairs that were set along the solid table. Here a repast was spreadbefore them, accompanied by the finest wine the Rheingau produced, andalthough the grand prelates ate lustily, they were most sparing in theirdrink, for when they acted in concert none dared risk putting himself ata disadvantage with the others. They would make up for their abstinencewhen each rested in the security of his own castle.
The board being cleared, Roland was summoned, and bowing deeply to eachof the three he took his place, modestly standing on the opposite sideof the table. The Archbishop of Mayence, as the oldest of the trio,occupied the middle chair; Treves, the next in age, at his right hand,and Cologne at his left. A keen observer might have noticed that thedeferential, yet dignified, bearing of the young Prince made a favorableimpression upon these rulers who, when they acted together, formed apower that only nominally was second in the realm.
It was Mayence who broke the silence.
"Prince Roland, some months ago turbulence in the State rendered itadvisable that you, as a probable nominee to the throne, should bewithdrawn from the capital to the greater safety which this houseaffords. I hope it has never been suggested to you that this unavoidabledetention merited the harsh name of imprisonment?"
"Never, your Lordships," said Roland, with perfect truth.
The three slightly inclined their heads, and Mayence continued:
"I trust that in the carrying out of our behests you have been put to noinconvenience during your residence in my Castle of Ehrenfels, but ifyou find cause for complaint I shall see to it that the transgressor issharply punished."
"My Lord, had such been the case I should at once have communicated withyour Lordship at Mayence. The fact that you have received no suchprotest from me answers your question, but I should like to add emphasisto this reply by saying I have met with the greatest courtesy andkindness within these walls."
"I speak for my brothers and myself when I assert we are all gratifiedto hear the expression that has fallen from your lips. There was sentfor your perusal a document in triplicate. Have you found time to readit?"
"Yes, my Lord, and I beg to state at once that I will sign it with thegreater pleasure since in any case, if called to the high position youpropose, I should have consulted your Lordships on every matter that Ideemed important enough to be worthy of your attention, and in noinstance could I think of setting up my own opinion against the unitedwisdom of your Lordships."
For a few minutes there ensued a whispered conversation among the three,then Mayence spoke again:
"Once more I voice the sentiments of my colleagues, Prince Roland, whenI assure you that the words you have just spoken give us the utmostsatisfaction. In the whole world to-day there is no prouder honor thanthat which it is in the Electors' power to bestow upon you, and it is ablessed augury for the welfare of our country when the energy andaspiration of youth in this high place associates itself with theexperience of age."
Here he made a signal, and the aged custodian, who had been standingwith his back against the door, well out of earshot, for theconversation was carried on in the most subdued and gentle tones,hurried forward, and Mayence requested him to produce the documentsentrusted to his care. These were spread out before the young man, whosigned each of them amidst a deep silence, broken only by the scratchingof the quill.
Up to this point Roland had been merely a Prince of the Empire; now, toall practical purposes, he was heir-apparent to the throne. Thisdistinction was delicately indicated by Mayence, who asked the attendantto bring forward a chair, and then requested t
he young man to seathimself. Roland had supposed the ceremonies at an end, but it was soonevident that something further remained, for the three venerable headswere again in juxtaposition, and apparently there was some whispereddifference as to the manner of procedure. Then Cologne, as the youngestof the three, was prevailed upon to act as spokesman, and with a smilehe regarded the young man before he began.
"I reside farther than my two colleagues from your fair, if turbulent,city of Frankfort, and perhaps that is one reason why I know little ofthe town and its ways from personal observation. You are a young manwho, I may say, has greatly commended himself to us all, and so inwhatever questions I may put, you will not, I hope, imagine that thereis anything underneath them which does not appear on the surface."
Roland drew a long breath, and some of the color left his face.
"What in the name of Heaven is coming now," he said to himself, "thatcalls for so ominous a prelude? It must be something more than usuallyserious. May the good Lord give me courage to face it!"
But outwardly he merely inclined his head.
"We have all been young ourselves, and I trust none of us forget thetemptations, and perhaps the dangers, that surround youth, especiallywhen highly placed. I am told that Frankfort is a gay city, anddoubtless you have mixed, to some extent at least, in its society." Herethe Archbishop paused, and, as he evidently expected a reply, Rolandspoke:
"I regret to say, my Lord, that my opportunities for social intercoursehave hitherto been somewhat limited. Greatly absorbed in study, therehas been little time for me to acquire companions, much less friends."
"What your Highness says, so far from being a drawback, as you seem toimagine, is all to the good. It leaves the future clear of complicationsthat might otherwise cause you embarrassment." Here the Archbishopsmiled again, and Roland found himself liking the august prelate. "Itwas not, however, of men that I desired to speak, but of women."
"Oh, is that all?" cried the impetuous youth. "I feared, my Lord, thatyou were about to treat of some serious subject. So far as women areconcerned, I am unacquainted with any, excepting only my mother."
At this the three prelates smiled in differing degrees; even the sternlips of Mayence relaxing at the young man's confident assumption thatconsideration of women was not a matter of importance.
"Your Highness clears the ground admirably for me," continued Cologne,"and takes a great weight from my mind, because I am entrusted by mybrethren with a proposal which I have found some difficulty in settingforth. It is this. The choice of an Empress is one of the most momentousquestions that an Emperor is called upon to decide. In all except thehighest rank personal preference has much to do with the selection of awife, but in the case of a king do you agree with me that Stateconsiderations must be kept in view?"
"Undoubtedly, my Lord."
"This is a matter to which we three Electors have given the weightiestconsideration, finally agreeing on one whom we believe to possess thenecessary qualifications; a lady highly born, deeply religious,enormously wealthy, and exceedingly beautiful. She is related to themost noble in the land. I refer to Hildegunde Lauretta Priscilla Agnes,Countess of Sayn. If there is any reason why your preference should notcoincide with ours, I beg you quite frankly to state it."
"There is no reason at all, your Lordships," cried Roland, with a deepsigh of relief on learning that his fears were so unfounded. "I shall bemost happy and honored to wed the lady at any time your Lordships andshe may select."
"Then," said the Archbishop of Mayence, rising to his feet and speakingwith great solemnity, "you are chosen as the future Emperor of ourland."