The Woodcutter of Gutech
Page 9
CHAPTER NINE.
The band which set forth from the neighbourhood of Gutech was not moresuccessful than others. Although at first they captured and burned anumber of castles and entered several towns, in which they leviedcontributions from the inhabitants, they at length encountered theimperial forces. Not an instant could they withstand the well-trainedtroops of Germany, but fled before them like chaff before the wind. Onreaching the neighbourhood of their own homes they, gathering courage,showed a bolder front than before. It would have been happier for themisguided men had they continued their flight. Old Moretz would notconsent to eat the bread of idleness, and had declined the bounty freelyoffered him by the count. He and Karl had gone farther from home thanusual on their daily avocation, when their ears were attracted by whatappeared to be the din of battle in the distance. They climbed a heightin the neighbourhood, whence, from between the trees, they could lookdown on an open space in the distance, with a rapid stream on one side.Here a large body of peasants were collected, while another body infront were desperately engaged with some imperial troops, as theyappeared to be by their glittering arms and closely serried ranks.
"May God have mercy on them!--for they will have no mercy on eachother," exclaimed Moretz, as, leaning his hand on Karl's shoulder, hestood gazing eagerly down on the raging fight, and scarcely able toretain the young lad, who, had he been alone, would probably have rusheddown and joined it. The peasants who had hitherto borne the brunt ofthe battle--being evidently the best armed and bravest--were now drivenback on the main body. The latter, seized with a panic, gave way, theimperialists pursuing them, cutting to pieces with their sharp swords,or running through with their pikes, all they overtook. Moretz and hisgrandson watched the fugitives and their pursuers. The latter, like adevastating conflagration or a fierce torrent, swept all before them,till they disappeared in the distance.
"We may be able to help some of the unfortunate people who may yetsurvive," observed the old man.
"Oh, yes--yes. Let us hurry on, grandfather," exclaimed Karl. "I fancythat even at this distance I have seen more than one attempt to rise,and then fall back again to the ground."
Moretz and Karl soon reached the spot where the conflict began. Fromthence, far, far away, was one long broad road covered thickly with thedead and dying and badly wounded. The old man and boy moved among theghastly heaps, giving such assistance as they were able to those whomost needed it. Karl ran to the stream to bring water, for which manywere crying out, while Moretz, kneeling down, bound up the poor fellows'wounds. He had thus tended several of the unfortunate men, when he sawa person at a little distance trying to lift himself up on his arm. Hehad several times made the attempt, when he once more fell back with agroan. Moretz hurried towards him. In the features, pallid from lossof blood and racked with pain, he recognised those of Herr Herder.
"Ah, old man! have you come to mock at me?" exclaimed the latter, as hesaw Moretz approaching.
Moretz made no answer, but kneeling down, lifted up the farmer's head,and put the bowl of water he carried to his lips. Herder eagerly took adraught of the refreshing liquid.
"Where are you hurt?" asked Moretz, "that I may wash and bind up yourwounds."
Herder pointed to his side and then to one of his legs.
Aided by Karl, who now came up, Moretz took off Herder's clothes, andwith the linen which he had collected from the slain, having firstwashed his wounds, he bound them carefully up.
"We must carry you out of this, for the imperialists returning, will toolikely kill all they find alive," said Moretz.
"You cannot carry me," said Herder, faintly: "you would sink under myweight."
"I will try," answered Moretz. "Karl will help me."
With a strength of which the old man seemed incapable, he lifted thebulky form of the farmer on his shoulders, and telling Karl to supporthis wounded leg, he hurried towards the hill from which he had latelydescended.
"But you can never carry me up that hill," said Herder, as he gazed atthe height above their heads.
"No," answered Moretz; "but there is a cave near its foot. I can thereconceal you till your enemies have gone away; and I will then get somefriend to assist me in carrying you to my hut. You will be safe in thecave, at all events, for few know of it; and as soon as the soldiershave disappeared I will get the assistance of a friend to carry you on."
Old Moretz, as he staggered on, had several times to stop and recoverstrength, for the farmer's body was very heavy. At length, however, hereached the cavern he spoke of. Having deposited his burden, and leftKarl to watch him, he climbed the height, whence he could observe theproceedings of the imperialists. He had not long to wait. As he hadseen them advancing like a rushing torrent, now they returned like theebb of the ocean. As he had feared, they appeared to be slaughteringthose they found still stretched alive on the ground. On they went,till there were none to kill, and then, the trumpet collecting them inmore compact order, they marched onwards in the direction whence theyhad come. Moretz, having found a neighbour in whom he had confidence,he returned to the cavern, and together they carried Herder up to hiscottage.
"I have but poor fare to offer you, Herr Herder," he said, "but such asit is I freely present it to you."
"What makes you thus take care of me?" said Herder, scarcely noticingthe remark. "I never did you any good. I have been your enemy for manyyears."
"God's blessed word says--`Love your enemies, do good to them who hateand ill-use you.' If you had treated me far worse than you have done,still I should desire to help you."
"Ah! you conquer me, Moretz," said Herder, after a long silence. "Ihave no doubt that the Bible says as you tell me; but I did not thinkthat any one would thus act according to its commands."
"Nor would they," answered Moretz, "unless the Holy Spirit had changedtheir hearts. The natural man may read the commands over and overagain, but he takes no heed of them."
Thus Moretz frequently spoke to his guest. Karl also often read theBible to him. One day they received a visit from Gottlieb Spena. Hewas on his way to the castle of Furstenburg. Before he left thewoodcutter's hut Herder declared that he now understood how Christ haddied to save him from the just consequences of his sin.
Meta grew into a noble-looking young lady, and married a Protestantbaron, who ever stood up boldly for the faith. She never forgot herkind guardian nor her foster-brother--Karl. She provided a comfortablehouse for old Moretz, and watched over him affectionately till, inextreme old age, he quitted this world for one far better.
Karl became the head steward of her estates, and ever proved himself atrue and faithful man, as he had been an honest and good boy. Spena wasgreatly instrumental in spreading the glorious truths of the gospelthroughout the country, but at length, venturing into a part of Europewhere the papists were supreme, he was seized and accused of being arecreant monk. Refusing to abjure the faith, he--as were many others atthat time--was condemned to the flames, and became one of the noble armyof martyrs who will one day rise up in judgment against that fearfulsystem of imposture and tyranny which condemned them to suffering anddeath.
There was one district where the insurrection was put down withoutbloodshed. It was that of the truly pious and Protestant prince, theElector of Saxony. The power of the word there produced its effect.Luther, Friedrich Myconius, and others went boldly among them, and, bytheir eloquent arguments, induced them to abandon their designs. Thus,at length, peace was restored to the land of Luther, although theseproceedings of the misguided peasants for a time greatly impeded theprogress of the Reformation.
THE END.
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