The Red Axe
Page 54
CHAPTER LV
THE LADY YSOLINDE SAVES HER SOUL
The Duke's body sank down upon that of the soldier, still furtherblocking the passage. And as for his head, I know not where that went to.But the rush of his followers was utterly checked by the barrier of dead.With a wild cry, "The Duke is dead! Duke Otho is slain!" they rushed downand out of the Red Tower, eager at once to escape unharmed, and to carryto their companions in the Wolfsberg the startling news.
Nevertheless, I cleared my arm, wiped my axe, and again stood ready.
"Come!" I cried--"come all of you. You desire to kill me? Well, I amstill waiting!"
But not a man answered. The stairway was clear, save of the headlessdead. And then, sudden as summer thunder, through the dumb and emptysilence, I heard clear and loud the clanging of the hammers of PrinceKarl upon the gates of Thorn.
At that I felt that I must roar aloud in my fierce joy. I shouted angrilyfor more and more assailants to come up the stair, that I might kill themall. I yearned to be first at the gate, to see the men whom I had ledbreak their way in to deliver the city. I, more than any other, hadbrought them there. I had trained them for that work. Best of all, acrossthe stairway beneath me lay dead Otho, Duke of the Wolfmark, beheaded bythe Red Axe of his own Justicer.
"Husband! Hugo! Are you wounded?" said a voice behind me, a voicewhich in a moment recalled me from my bloody imaginings and baresarkfury of fighting.
"Helene!" I cried.
She approached, and would have thrown her arms about me. But I held outmy hand to keep her off.
"Not now, child," I said; "touch me not. I am unwounded, but wet!"
And so I was, wet with that which had spouted from the neck of Otho vonReuss, as his trunk stood a moment headless in the stairway ere it fellprone--a hideous thing to see.
"Come, Helene," I said, "we must away. There is other work for yourhusband to-night. You I will place with the Bishop Peter. But my place iswith the men of Plassenburg and with Karl, my noble Prince."
And I took her by the hand to lead her out.
"Not that way!" she cried, shrinking back.
For the bodies of the two slain men lay there. And the stairs ran redfrom step to step in red drips and lappering pools.
So I bethought me of what we should do, and ran forthwith for my father'scord, with which he was used to bind the malefactors upon the wheel.
"Come, Helene," said I, and straightway fastened the rope to the iron barfrom which I had made so many descents to the pavement in the old days ofthe White Wolves.
I let myself down, and there in the angle of the tower wall, I waited tocatch my wife. She delayed somewhat, and I could not think wherefore.
But at last she came, bringing the Red Axe in her hand.
"Go not weaponless!" she said, and I reached up and took from her handthat which had already served me so well. The Red Axe had done its worknow, and she was grateful.
Then full lightly she descended to my side, and we went down the streetsof Thorn, which were filled with hurrying burgesses, all with weapons intheir hands, rushing to discover the cause of the clamor. I took Helenehastily to the palace of the Bishop. And when I arrived there I saw Peterhimself with his head out of a window.
"I come to claim your protection for my wife!" I cried.
He came down immediately with an attendant.
"Fear not," I said, "you will never be called in question for this kindlydeed. The Duke Otho is slain, and the army of Prince Karl of Plassenburgis already at the gates."
"The Duke is dead!" he gasped. "Who slew him?"
"Who but the Hereditary Justicer of the Wolfmark should slay a traitor?"said I, smiling at his astonishment. And I held up the Red Axe, on whichthere was now no crystal-clear rim of shining steel. All was crimson fromhaft to edge--red as blood.
"Here, for an hour, Helene, little wife, I must leave you!" I said.But now she sobbed and clung to me as she had not done before, even inthe dungeon.
"Stay with me," she said. "I need you, Hugo!"
I took her by the hand.
"Little one," I whispered, as tenderly as I could, "I would not beworthily your husband if I went not to meet those who are fighting tosave us all this night. They have come from far to deliver us. I werefalse and recreant if I went not to their assistance."
"I know--I know," she said. "Go!"
And with that she gave a hand to the good Bishop and went quietly within,with no more than a smile over her shoulder, like a watery Aprilsun-glint.
Then I betook me with all speed to the Weiss Thor, where I judged thechief struggle would take place. And as I came I heard the rattle ofshot and the jarring thunder of the forehammers. The soldiers withoutshouted, and the men within more feebly replied.
I came in sight of the gate. There on my left hand was the house ofMaster Gerard von Sturm.
A fire was still flickering upon the tower of it.
Without I could hear the cheering and clamoring of the besiegers. But thegates remained obstinately shut. They were stronger than the Prince hadanticipated.
As _I_ stood, uncertain what to do, I saw a slim white figure, the figureof a woman, flash across the open space towards the gate. The men whodefended the gate towers were all upon the top of the wall. Before anycould stop her she had thrown herself upon the wheel by which the barswere unfastened, and with a few turns had drawn them as deftly as evilDuke Casimir had been wont to remove the teeth of the rich Hebrew folkwhen he wanted supplies.
The White Gate slowly opened upon creaking hinges. The faces of thesoldiers of Plassenburg were seen without, the weapons gleamed in theirhands as they came on shouting fiercely. The guards of the Duke rushedforward to close the gate. But the woman had clamped the wheel and stoodholding the bar.
It was the Lady Ysolinde. She saw me as the soldiers of Duke Otho closedthreateningly upon her. She waved her hand to me almost happily.
"_I have saved my soul, Hugo Gottfried_!" she cried. "_I have savedmy soul_!"
At that moment a soldier of the Black Riders struck her fiercely with hislance. I saw the white bosom of her dress redden as he plucked his weaponto him again. I was in time to catch her in my arms as the soldiers ofPlassenburg, with Prince Karl at their head, came through the White Gatelike a spring-tide, carrying all before them.
The Prince stayed at his wife's side.
"Ysolinde!" cried the Prince, aghast, bending over her--not heeding, norindeed, as I think, even seeing me.
"Karl!" she said, looking gently at him, "try and forgive me all therest. But be glad that I opened the White Gate for yon. I, Ysolinde, yourwife, did it for your sake."
I put her into her husband's arms. I saw at a glance that there was nohope. She could not live many moments with that lance-thrust throughher breast.
She looked at him again.
"Karl--say 'Ysolinde, I love you!'" she whispered, almost shyly.
He looked down, and a rush of unwonted tears came to the eyes of thePrince of Plassenburg.
"Ysolinde, I love you!" he made answer, in a broken voice.
She smiled, and then looked over his shoulder up at me.
_"Hugo Gottfried, have I not saved my soul?"_ she cried.
And so passed.