My Lady Rotha: A Romance

by Stanley John Weyman

  CHAPTER VI.

  RUPERT THE GREAT.

  I have known a man very strong and very confident, whom the muzzle ofa loaded pistol, set fairly against his head, has reduced to reasonmarvellously. So it fared with Heritzburg on this occasion. My lady'scannon, which I went up to the roof at daybreak to see--and did see,to my great astonishment, trained one on the Market Square, and onedown the High Street--formed the pistol, under the cooling influenceof which the town had so far come to its senses, that the game was nowin my lady's hands. Peter assured me that the place was in a panic,that the Countess could hardly ask any amends that would not be made,and that as a preliminary the Burgomaster and Minister were to go tothe castle before noon to sue for pardon. He suggested that I and thegirl should accompany them.

  'But does Hofman know that we are here?' I asked.

  'Since yesterday morning,' the locksmith answered, with a grin. 'Andno one more pleased to hear it! If he had not you to present as apeace-offering, I doubt he would have fled the town before hewould have gone up. As it is, they had fine work with him at thetown-council yesterday.'

  'He is in a panic? Serve him right!' I said.

  'I am told that his cheeks shake like jelly,' Peter answered.

  'Two of the Waldgrave's men are dead, you know, and some say that theCountess will hang him out of hand. But you will go up with him?'

  'Yes,' I said. 'I see no objection.'

  Some one else objected, however. When the plan was broached to thegirl, she looked troubled. For a moment she did not speak, but stoodbefore us silent and confused. Then she pointed to Steve.

  'When is he going, if you please?' she asked, in a troubled voice.

  'He must go in a litter by the road,' I answered. 'Peter here will seeto it this morning.'

  'Could I not go with him?' she said.

  I looked at Peter, and he at me. He nodded.

  'I see no reason why you should not, if you prefer it,' I said.'Either way you will be safe.'

  'I should prefer it,' she muttered, in a low tone. And then she wentout to get something for Steve, and we saw her no more.

  'Drunken Steve is in luck,' Peter said, looking after her with asmile. 'She is wonderfully taken with him. She is a--she is a goodgirl, Papist or no Papist,' he added thoughtfully.

  I am not sure that he would have indorsed that later in the day. Atthe last moment, when I was about to leave the house to go up to thecastle my way, and Steve and his party were on the point of startingby the West Gate and the road, something happened which gave both ofus a kind of shock, though neither said a word to the other. Marie hadbrought down the little boy, a brave-eyed, fair-haired child aboutthree years old, and she was standing with us in the forge waitingwith the child clinging to her skirt, when on a sudden she turned toPeter and began to thank him. A word and she broke down.

  'Pooh, child!' Peter said kindly, patting her on the shoulder. 'It waslittle enough, and I am glad I did it. No thank's.'

  She answered between her sobs that it was beyond thanks, and called onHeaven to reward him.

  'If I had anything,' she continued, looking at him timidly, 'if I hadanything I could give you to prove my gratitude, I would so gladlygive it. But I am alone, and I have nothing worth your acceptance. Ihave nothing in the world, unless,' she added with an effort, 'youwould like my rosary.'

  'No,' Peter said almost roughly. I noticed that he avoided my eye. 'Ido not want it. It is not a thing I use.'

  She said she had nothing; and we knew she had that chain! Yet Heavenknows her face as she said it was fair enough to convert a Beza! Shesaid she had nothing; we knew she had. Yet if ever genuine gratitudeand thankfulness seemed to shine out of wet human eyes, they shone outof hers then.

  What I could not stomach was the ingratitude. The fraud was too gross,too gratuitous, since she need have offered nothing. I turned away andwent out of the forge without waiting for her to recover herself. Idreaded lest she should thank me in the same way.

  I knew Peter, and knew he could have no motive for traducing her. Hewas old enough to be her grandfather, and a quiet good man. ThereforeI was sure that she had the chain, three or four links of which shouldbe worth his shop of old iron.

  But besides I had the evidence of my own eyes. There was a crinkle, acrease in her kerchief, for which the presence of the necklace wouldaccount; it was such a crease as a necklace of that size would cause.I had marked it when she brought the child into the room in her arms.The boy's right arm had been round her neck, and I had seen him relaxhis hold of her hair and steady himself by placing his little palm onthat wrinkle, as on a sure and certain and familiar stay. So I knewthat she had the necklace, and that she had lied about it.

  But after all it was nothing to me. The girl was a Papist, a Bavarian,the daughter of a roistering freebooting rider, versed in camp life.If with a fair outside she proved to be at heart what every reasonableman would expect to find her, what then? I had no need to trouble myhead. I had affairs enough of my own on my hands.

  Yet the affair did trouble me. The false innocence of the child's facehaunted and perplexed me, and would not leave me, though I tried tothink of other things and had other things to think of. I was to meetthe Burgomaster in the market-place, and go thence with him, and I hadpromised myself that I would make good use of my opportunities; that Iwould lose no point of the town's behaviour, that not a lowering faceshould escape me, nor a quarter whence danger might arise in thefuture. But the girl's eyes made havoc of all my resolutions, and Ihad fairly reached the market-place before I remembered what I wasdoing.

  There indeed a sight, which in a moment swept the cobwebs from mybrain, awaited me. The square was full of people, not closely packed,but standing in loose groups, and all talking in voices so low as toproduce a dull sullen sound more striking than silence. The Mayor andfour or five Councillors occupied the steps of the market-house.Raised a head and shoulders above the throng, and glancing at itaskance from time to time with scarcely disguised apprehension, theywore an air of irresolution it was impossible to mistake. Hofman inparticular looked like a man with the rope already round his neck. Hisface was pale, his fat cheeks hung pendulous, his eyes never rested onanything for more than a second. They presently lit on me, and then iffarther proof of the state of his mind was needed, I found it in therelief with which he hailed my appearance; relief, not the lessgenuine because he hastened to veil it from the jealous eyes that fromevery part of the square watched his proceedings.

  The crowd made way for me silently. One in every two, perhaps, greetedme, and some who did not greet me, smiled at me fatuously. On theother hand, I was struck by the air of gloomy expectation whichprevailed. I discerned that a very little would turn it intodesperation, and saw, or thought I saw, that cannon, or no cannon,this was a case for delicate and skilful handling. The town waspanic-stricken, partly at the thought of what it had done, partlyat the sight of the danger which threatened it. But panic is adouble-edged weapon. It takes little to turn it into fury.

  I made for the opening into the High Street, and the Burgomaster,coming down the steps, passed through the crowd and met me there.

  'This is a bad business, Master Martin,' he said, facing me with anodd mixture of shamefacedness and bravado. 'We must do our best topatch it up.'

  'You had your warning,' I answered coldly, turning with him up thestreet, every window and doorway in which had its occupant. Dietz andtwo or three Councillors followed us, the Minister's face lookingflushed and angry, and as spiteful as a cat's. 'Two lives have beenlost,' I continued, 'and some one must pay for them.'

  Hofman mopped his face. 'Surely,' he said, 'the three lead on ourside, Master Martin----'

  'I do not see what they have to do with it,' I answered, maintaining acold and uninterested air, which was torture to him. 'It is youraffair, however, not mine.'

  'But, my dear friend--Martin,' he stammered, plucking my sleeve, 'youare not revengeful. You will not make i
t worse? You won't do that?'

  'Worse?' I retorted. 'It is bad enough already. And I am afraid youwill find it so.'

  He winced and looked at me askance, his eyes rolling in a fever ofapprehension. For a moment I really thought that he would turn and goback. But the crowd was behind; he was on the horns of a dilemma, andwith a groan of misery he moved on, looking from time to time at theterrace above us. 'Those cursed cannon,' I heard him mutter, as hewiped his brow.

  'Ay,' I said, sharply, 'if it had not been for the cannon you wouldhave seen our throats cut before you would have moved. I quiteunderstand that. But you see it is our turn now.'

  We were on the steps and he did not answer. I looked up, expecting tosee the wall by the wicket-gate well-manned; but I was mistaken. Norow of faces looked down from it. All was silent. A single man, onguard at the wicket, alone appeared. He bade us stand, and passed theword to another. He in his turn disappeared and presently old Jacob,with a half-pike on his shoulder, and a couple of men at his back,came stiffly out to receive us with all the formality and disciplineof a garrison in time of war. He acknowledged my presence by a wink,but saluted my companions in the coldest manner possible, proceedingat once to march us without a word spoken to the door of the house,where we were again bidden to stand.

  All this filled me with satisfaction. I knew what effect it would haveon Hofman, and how it would send his soul into his shoes. At the sametime my satisfaction was not unmixed. I felt a degree of strangenessmyself. The place seemed changed, the men, moving stiffly, had anunfamiliar air. I missed the respect I had enjoyed in the house. Forthe moment I was nobody; a prisoner, an alien person admittedgrudgingly, and on sufferance.

  I comforted myself with the reflection that all would be well when Ireached the presence. But I was mistaken. I saw indeed my lady'scolour come and go when I entered, and her eyes fell. But she kepther seat, she looked no more at me than at my companions, she utteredno greeting or word of acknowledgment. It was the Waldgrave whospoke--the Waldgrave who acted. In a second there came over me abitter feeling that all was changed; that the old state of things atHeritzburg was past, and a rule to which I was a stranger set in itsplace.

  Three or four of my lady's women were grouped behind her, while Franzand Ernst stood like statues at the farther door. Fraulein Anna sat ona stool in the window-bay, and my lady's own presence was, as at alltimes, marked by a stateliness and dignity which seemed to render itimpossible that she should pass for second in any company. But for allthat the Waldgrave, standing up straight and tall behind her, with hiscomeliness, his youth, and his manhood and the red light from the coatof arms in the stained window just touching his fair hair, did seem tome to efface her. It was he who stood there to pardon or punish,praise or blame, and not my lady. And I resented it.

  Not that his first words to me were not words of kindness.

  'Ha, Martin,' he cried, his face lighting up, 'I hear you fought likean ancient Trojan, and broke as many heads as Hector. And that yourown proved too hard for them! Welcome back. In a moment I may want aword with you; but you must wait.'

  I stood aside, obeying his gesture; and he apologised, but with a verystern aspect, to Hofman and his companions for addressing me first.

  'The Countess Rotha, however, Master Burgomaster,' he continued, withgrim suavity, 'much as she desires to treat your office with respect,cannot but discern between the innocent and the guilty.'

  'The guilty, my lord?' Hofman cried, in such a hurry and trepidation,I could have laughed. 'I trust that there are none here.'

  'At any rate you represent them,' the Waldgrave retorted.

  'I, my lord?' The Mayor's hair almost stood on end at the thought.

  'Ay, you; or why are you here?' the Waldgrave answered. 'I understoodthat you came to offer such amends as the town can make, and your ladyaccept.'

  Poor Hofman's jaw fell at this statement of his position, and he stoodthe picture of dismay and misery. The Waldgrave's peremptory manner,which shook him out of the rut of his slow wits, and upset hisbalanced periods, left him prostrate without a word to say. Hegasped and remained silent. He was one of those people whose dullself-importance is always thrusting them into positions which they arenot intended to fill.

  'Well?' the Waldgrave said, after a pause, 'as you seem to havenothing to say, and judgment must ultimately come from your lady, Iwill proceed at once to declare it. And firstly, it is her will,Master Burgomaster, that within forty-eight hours you present to heron behalf of the town a humble petition and apology, acknowledgingyour fault; and that the same be entered on the town records.'

  'It shall be done,' Master Hofman cried. His eagerness to assent waslaughable.

  'Secondly, that you pay a fine of a hundred gold ducats for thebenefit of the children of the men wantonly killed in the riot.'

  'It shall be done,' Master Hofman said,--but this time not so readily.

  'And lastly,' the Waldgrave continued in a very clear voice,' that youdeliver up for execution two in the marketplace, one at the foot ofthe castle steps, and one at the West Gate, for a warning to all whomay be disposed to offend again--four of the principal offenders inthe late riot.'

  'My lord!' the Mayor cried, aghast.

  'My lord, if you please,' the Waldgrave answered coldly. 'But do youconsent?'

  Hofman looked blanker than ever. 'Four?' he stammered.

  'Precisely; four,' the young lord answered.

  'But who? I do not know them,' the Mayor faltered.

  The Waldgrave shook his head gently. 'That is your concern,Burgomaster,' he said, with a smile. 'In forty-eight hours much may bedone.'

  Hofman's hair stood fairly on end. Craven as he was, the thought ofthe crowd in the market-place, the thought of the reception he wouldhave, if he assented to such terms, gave him courage.

  'I will consult with my colleagues,' he said with a great gulp.

  'I am afraid that you will not have the opportunity,' the Waldgraverejoined, in a peculiarly suave tone. 'Until the four are given up tous, we prefer to take care of you and the learned Minister. I see thatyou have brought two or three friends with you; they will serve toconvey what has passed to the town. And I doubt not that within a fewhours we shall be able to release you.'

  Master Hofman fell a trembling.

  'My lord,' he cried, between tears and rage, 'my privileges!'

  'Master Mayor,' the Waldgrave answered, with a sudden snap and snarl,which showed his strong white teeth, '_my dead servants_.'

  After that there was no more to be said. The Burgomaster shrank backwith a white face, and though Dietz, with rage burning in his sallowcheeks, cried 'woe to him' who separated the shepherd from the sheep,and would have added half-a-dozen like texts, old Jacob cut him shortby dropping his halberd on his toes and promptly removed him and thequavering Burgomaster to strong quarters in the tower. Meanwhile theother members of the party were marched nothing loth to the steps, anddespatched through the gate with the same formality which hadsurprised us on our arrival.

  Then for a few moments I was happy, in spite of doubts andforebodings; for the moment the room was cleared of servants, my ladycame down from her place, and with tears in her eyes, laid her hand onmy rough shoulder, and thanked me, saying such things to me, and sosweetly, that though many a silken fool has laughed at me, as a clownknowing no knee service, I knelt there and then before her, and rosetenfold more her servant than before. For of this I am sure, that ifthe great knew their power, we should hear no more of peasants' warsand Rainbow banners. A smile buys for them what gold will not foranother. A word from their lips stands guerdon for a life, and a lookfor the service of the heart.

  However, few die of happiness, and almost before I was off my knees Ifound a little bitter in the cup.

  'Well, well,' the Waldgrave said, with a comical laugh, and I saw mylady blush, 'these are fine doings. But next time you go to battle,Martin, remember, more haste less speed. Where would you have beennow, I should like to know, without my cannon?'

>   'Perhaps still in Peter's forge,' I answered bluntly. 'But thatpuzzles me less, my lord,' I continued, 'than where you found yourcannon.'

  He laughed in high good humour. 'So you are bit, are you?' he said. 'Iwarrant you thought we could do nothing without you. But the cannon,where do you think we did find them? You should know your own house.'

  'I know of none here,' I answered slowly, 'except the old crackedpieces the Landgrave Philip left.'

  'Well?' he retorted, smiling. 'And what if these be they?'

  'But they are cracked and foundered!' I cried warmly. 'You could nomore fire powder in them, my lord, than in the Countess's comfit-box!'

  'But if you do not want to burn powder?' he replied. 'If the sight ofthe muzzles be enough? What then, Master Wiseacre?'

  'Why, then, my lord,' I answered, drily, after a pause ofastonishment,' I think that the game is a risky one.'

  'Chut, you are jealous!' he said, laughing.

  'And should be played very moderately.'

  'Chut,' he said again, 'you are jealous! Is he not, Rotha? He isjealous.'

  My lady looked at me laughing.

  'I think he is a little,' she said. 'You must acknowledge, Martin,'she continued, pleasantly, 'that the Waldgrave has managed very well?'

  I must have assented, however loth; but he saved me the trouble. Hedid not want to hear my opinion.

  'Very well?' he exclaimed, with a laugh of pleasure; 'I should think Ihave. Why, I have so brightened up your old serving-men that they makequite a tolerable garrison--mount guard, relieve, give the word andall, like so many Swedes. Oh, I can tell you a little briskness and afew new fashions do no harm. But now,' he continued, complacently,'since you are so clever, my friend, where is the risk?'

  'If it becomes known in the town,' I said, 'that the cannon aredummies----'

  'It is not known,' he answered peremptorily.

  'Still, under the circumstances,' I persisted, 'I should withsubmission have imposed terms less stringent. Especially I should nothave detained Master Hofman, my lord, who is a timid man, making forpeace. He has influence. Shut up here he cannot use it.'

  'But our terms will show that we are not afraid,' the Waldgraveanswered. 'And that is everything.'

  I shrugged my shoulders.

  'Chut!' he said, half in annoyance and half in good humour. 'Dependupon it, there is nothing like putting a bold face on things. That ismy policy. But the truth is you are jealous, my friend--jealous of myexcellent generalship; but for which I verily believe you would bedecorating a gallows in the market-place at this moment. Come, faircousin,' he added, gleefully, turning from me and snatching up mylady's gloves and handing them to her, 'let us out. Let us go and lookdown at our conquest, and leave this green-eyed fellow to rub hisbruises.'

  My lady looked at me kindly and laughed. Still she assented, and mychance was gone. It was my place now to hold the door with loweredhead, not to argue. And I did so. After all I had been well treated; Ihad spoken boldly and been heard.

  For a time after the sound of their voices had died away on thestairs, I stood still. The room was quiet and I felt blank andpurposeless. In the first moments of return every-day duties had anair of dulness and staleness. I thought of one after another, but hadnot yet brought myself to the point of moving, when a hand, raisingthe latch of one of the inner doors, effectually roused me. I turnedand saw Fraulein Anna gliding in. She did not speak at once, but cametowards me as she had a way of coming--close up before she spoke. Ithad more than once disturbed me. It did so now.

  'Well, Master Martin,' she said at last, in her mild spiteful tone, 'Ihope you are satisfied with your work; I hope my lord's service maysuit you as well as my lady's.'