CHAP. IV.
The party rode on for some time in silence and at an easy pace throughthe dusky forest. The elder sister sat with drooping head, and seemedlost in melancholy thought; but on reaching an open place in theforest, from whence they had an unclouded view of the star-lit heavens,she looked up, and the star-light seemed to be reflected in her softblue eye, while her countenance was irradiated by an expression of thatinward peace which springs from the stedfast hope of a blessedimmortality. "God's heaven is vast, and beautiful, and calm, indeed,"she exclaimed, in a gently tremulous tone. "In God's kingdom above noone is outlawed or persecuted."
"And no soul shut out from love and mercy," added the young Drost,painfully reminded of his separation from the church, which he feltbut too deeply; "yet, even here, noble lady!" he continued, withcalmness--"even here, God's kingdom can and will come to us--that wedaily pray for. But what avails it, that we look for the peace ofHeaven ere we have it within our own hearts! It is my belief that God'skingdom may be found every where."
"Assuredly you are right," said the gentle maiden, regarding him withfriendly sympathy; "you must likewise have known what sorrow is, nobleknight! but Christ and our blessed Lady have given you the grace toovercome evil with good. This I can see in your eyes, and hear in yourvoice, though you are a brave and redoubted knight."
"Would you were right touching _such_ victory, noble maiden!" answeredAage, "but evil is so mighty in the world, that no knight should vaunthimself of having overcome it; the noblest of monarchs overcomes notevil in his own kingdom, and scarcely even in his own heart."
"Yes, in his own heart he surely must!" said the maiden; "but you areright after all, the power belongs not to man." They rode on foranother hour in silence, and drew near to Esrom monastery.
"The young King Eric looked as though he were good," resumed the eldermaiden, at length; "sternly as he spoke to us, I still could not fearhim; and our just rights he would not deny us; only thus doth angerbeseem a king."
"My liege and sovereign is impetuous," said Aage; "he is strict, butjust; and there is assuredly no knight in Christendom who morefaithfully observes all the noble laws of chivalry."
"If that be true," exclaimed the maiden, with a suppressed sigh, "thenI am thankful even for the misfortune which now brings us this way; hadI even been myself the cause of our faithful foster-father's death,"she added, after a pause, "his blood will nevertheless not be upon myhead."
"How mean ye, noble maiden?" asked Aage, starting. "I understand younot."
"Had my father's faithful squire but hit the mark he aimed at,"answered the maiden, "you and all King Eric's faithful friends wouldnow have had more to sorrow for than we. His arrow never missed theeagle in his flight"--she paused, as if hesitating to say more: "yetyou shall know it," she continued--"had not my sister shrieked, had Inot clung to the archer's arm, he would surely have been alive and safeamong us at this moment, while ye wept the death of your liege andsovereign. But praised be St. Cecilia! it were better it chanced as itdid, were even King Eric not so good and just as you say he is."
"Assuredly, noble maiden!" exclaimed Aage, in astonishment, "you havebeen the means of averting the greatest misery: knew ye thatmiscreant's intention?"
"I knew he had sworn the king's death, for our father's sake, and thathe would keep his vow. He meant to flee with us out of the country; butwhen the hunting train approached, we hid ourselves: he recognised theking, and instantly seized the cross-bow"--she stopped and burst intotears.
"You have followed a fearful guide," said Aage, in a low voice; "weepnot for his death. Although you knew his fell purpose, your soul hathbeen rescued from sharing his crime, and the king hath to thank you forhis life. Yet would you had been ignorant of that madman's purpose!Such dangerous information you should never have confided to me."
"Why, then, did you question me of it, Sir Knight!"
The colour mounted to Aage's cheek, and he paused for a moment. "Acrazed murderer was, then, your only friend and protector," he resumed;"his accursed scheme of revenge could not have been frustrated had younot known it! Had you but other witnesses, besides yourself and yoursister, of your conduct towards him! yet, I dare confirm your testimonywith my blood, and with my sword: be comforted! With the Lord'sblessing, you shall never need to fly from Denmark;--instead of thecaptivity to which I am now forced to lead you, my just sovereign owesyou thanks and honour."
"That we can never look for from King Eric," answered Margaretha; "alldoors and all hearts here are now shut against Marsk Stig's children;if the king will but grant us permission to quit the country, we willthank him, and pray for him in our exile. The world is wide, and thereare Christian souls in other lands also."
"Courage, Margaretha!" exclaimed the youngest sister, who had listenedwith eager interest and sparkling eyes. "If King Eric be as just andchivalrous a prince as he looks to be, and as this good knight says heis, there cannot be the least doubt that he must acquit us, and restoreto us our inheritance, with royal compensation for all we have lost."
"Alas, dear sister!" answered Margaretha, in a melancholy andbeseeching tone, "gold and lands cannot replace what we have lost. Thehappiness and honour which this world and its rulers can give us weshould no longer seek, but rather aspire to higher blessings."
"You hear, Sir Knight! that my pious sister is already half nun andsaint," said the younger sister, gaily playing with a sparkling rosaryof rubies and diamonds, which she had until now concealed under herneck-kerchief. "If you will defend our cause like a brave knight, shewill assuredly pray piously for you in a nunnery; but if I ever come,by your help, to the station which is my birthright, I will not forgetyou either in my prosperity."
Drost Aage was startled; he bowed courteously, in answer to thisaddress, while he turned his horse aside in silence, leaving thesisters to ride side by side.
"Hush, hush, good Ulrica!" whispered Margaretha, who glowed crimson ather sister's speech; "thou knowest not thyself what thou sayest, but itdoth disgrace us in the eyes of the stranger knight."
"I know well enough what I say," answered the capricious maiden, with ascornful toss of the head, "and if _thou_ wilt not vaunt thyself of ourhigh descent, depend on it, _I_ will; charity begins at home, and Ihave often heard that no knight's daughter in Denmark's kingdom hathever had a greater man for a father."
"Alas! that greatness is our misfortune," said Margaretha, with a sigh;"dearest sister, repeat not to any human being what you have just nowsaid! Ask not my reasons! I can never tell them thee; but thank Godthou knowest not all!"
"Art thou beginning with thy riddles again?" said her sister,pettishly, as she looked inquisitively at her; "what in all the worldcanst _thou_ know, which _I_ know not. If thou wilt not confide everything to me, when we two are alone, I will never more be so foolishlyfond of thee. Thou art, indeed, quite insufferable at times, howeverpious and excellent thou may'st be."
While this little dispute was passing between the sisters, Aage'sattention was diverted from them by the sound of the tramping ofhorses' hoofs, and of loud talk. They were just then passing the gateof Esrom monastery, from whence a party of richly attired knights rodeforth, with some ecclesiastics among them. It was Prince Christopherand the Margrave of Brandenborg, with the Swedish Drost Bruncke and theAbbot of Esrom, who, with several priests and knights, accompanied atall ecclesiastic of foreign appearance, and wearing the red hat of acardinal. Aage instantly recognised the papal nuncio, Cardinal Isarnus.The sight of this powerful prelate inspired Aage with a feeling akin todread, and with a presentiment of coming evil, he was, besides,ill-pleased to see him in Prince Christopher's company; he desired notto encounter them, and would have hastily turned into a bye-road, butthe unusual sight of two peasant girls on horseback, accompanied by aknight and two of the king's huntsmen, had already attracted theprince's attention; he hastily rode up, followed by two knights, toascertain who they were.
"Ha! indeed! Drost Aage," said the prince,
in a scornful tone, "thepreacher of our strict laws of chivalry, are ye carrying off _two_pretty maidens at once? I think you might content yourself with one--ifI see aright, these fair ones are of a somewhat higher class than theycare to pass for; speak, who are they?"
"The unfortunate daughters of Marsk Stig, noble junker!" answered Aage;"I am escorting them, by the king's orders, as state prisoners, toKallundborg."
"The viper brood of the regicide!" exclaimed the prince, while a darkcrimson hue suddenly overspread his countenance. "Well! this is anexcellent capture. Throw them into the subterranean dungeon; they shallnever more see the light of day."
The younger sister shrieked in alarm at this wild threat, but the eldermade a sign to her to be silent, and endeavoured to tranquillize herfears.
"They are to be treated with justice, and with all chivalrous deferenceand honour," answered Aage, calmly; "such is my sovereign's will andexpress command, which I shall punctually obey."
"_I_ am governor of Kallundborg, Drost!" called the prince, in wrath;"the state prisoners sent thither are under my control. Ride with them,Palle! give my orders to the jailor! you are answerable for their beingobeyed!" He now said a few words to one of his train, but in so low atone as to be unheard by every one else, and then turned his horse, androde back to his party. Each now pursued their separate road, but theknight who had received the prince's private orders joined Drost Aageand his prisoners.
This unwelcome companion was a fat, short-necked personage, with arepulsive expression in his crimson-coloured full-moon visage. He wasgenerally called the rich Sir Palle, and made himself conspicuous bythe costly, but not tasteful, splendour of his dress and ridingaccoutrements, which he prided himself on being able to compare invalue with the king's. He sought by an affectation of youthful gaietyto conceal his age, which very closely bordered on fifty. He was stilla bachelor, but was an unwearied wooer, and greatly desired to passfor a doughty knight, and an irresistible invader of the hearts of thefair of every rank. He was not liked by the king, but was a hanger-onof Prince Christopher, to whom he was appointed gentleman of thebed-chamber. He was in bad repute among the lower class, on account ofseveral adventures, little creditable to himself, which were circulatedthroughout the country in satirical ballads. He rode for some time insilence by Drost Aage's side, apparently annoyed at being despatched onthis unlooked-for errand. Aage was silent also, and pursued the journeywithout noticing him.
"My presence is troublesome to you, perhaps, Sir Drost!" exclaimedPalle, at last breaking silence. "This mission is not to my tasteeither. The prince was in his stern mood to-day; when that is the casehe will not bear contradiction, or I should gladly have begged todecline the journey. Where _you_ act in the king's name, I well knowthat _I_, as the junker's deputy, might just as well be absent."
"Truly, I think so likewise, Sir Palle!" answered Aage, in a tone ofindifference, as he quickened his horse's pace.
"It is all one to me whether your captives receive hard or gentletreatment," continued Sir Palle; "but if I bring not my lord's commandsto the jailor at Kallundborg, you see yourself, I shall draw down thejunker's wrath upon me, and that I have no mind to do for the sake of acouple of vagabonds."
"Perhaps you heard not what I told the prince of the name and rank ofthese ladies?" asked Aage, measuring his rude companion with a look ofdefiance, while he slackened his horse's pace; "even without regard totheir birth, you owe them respect, as honourable Danish maidens, andfor the present moment I am their protector against every insult."
"Ho, ho! you are somewhat hasty, Sir Drost!" answered Palle, "whothinks of insulting the pretty maidens? what though they may havescoured the country round, without stockings and shoes, they should notbe thought the less of for that; they are now going to be led,according to their rank, to an honourable state prison. I perceive thefair prisoners have already captured our chivalrous Drost, by way ofreprisal."
Drost Aage coloured deeply at this jeering speech. "By your leave, SirPalle!" he said, with suppressed wrath, "here lies the road toKallundborg; it is long and broad enough for us all, and we need not betroublesome to each other; if ye will ride on before or follow behind,we will accommodate ourselves accordingly; but if you desire to honourus any longer with your company, you must behave courteously, or youunderstand me----." He struck on the hilt of his sword, and was silent.
"Well, well, either before or behind, or courteously in the middle--orfighting? These, are indeed four pleasant alternatives," answeredPalle. "With your permission, I choose the third, as the happy medium,and purpose, in all peace and courtesy, to remain in such fair company.I have hardly seen the ladies as yet;" so saying, he rode up betweenthe sisters, whom he greeted with a bold and scrutinizing stare. "Whatin all the world is this?" he suddenly exclaimed, in the greatestastonishment, as he looked at the youngest sister; "Gundelille! do Isee _you_ here? Mean you to befool the Drost also? Would you now giveyourself out to be Marsk Stig's daughter? The other day you were butthe farmer's daughter at Hedegaard."
"Yes, I was so _then_," answered Ulrica, laughing; "Gundelille is myname still in the ballad of 'Sir Palle wooing the driver.' Perhaps youhave not heard it, Sir Palle? I will gladly sing it you; it is vastlyentertaining."
If any part of Sir Palle's visage was before wanting in a crimson hue,the deficiency was now fully remedied; he seemed highly enraged; butthe sight of Ulrica's arch little face appeared to produce such aneffect upon him that he could not give vent to his anger. He spurredhis horse, and had nearly pushed the ladies into the ditch, as hesuddenly dashed past them.
"Know ye this knight, noble lady?" asked Aage, in surprise.
"Oh yes! tolerably well," answered Ulrica, laughing. "I once played offa little joke upon him."
"It was indeed a daring frolic of my sister's, Sir Knight!" interruptedMargaretha. "Sir Palle had long plagued her, and she thought she couldnot in any other way get rid of his importunity; but it was wrong, nodoubt; he became a laughing stock, and an object of general ridicule inconsequence; and if you do not now prevent it, he bids fair to avengehimself."
"But what was it you did?" asked Aage. Ulrica laughed, and would havetold the story, but her sister laid hold of her arm. "Silence, dearUlrica! here we have him again," she whispered, and Ulrica was silent.Sir Palle had checked his horse, and joined them again. He seemedperfectly to have recovered his self-possession. He assured Drost Aagethat he was so far from desiring such captives should be harshlytreated, that he even wished it were possible entirely to free themfrom imprisonment. "I have seen them before," he added, "and had Iknown who they were, they should not now have been on their way toprison." Shortly afterwards he again rode in between the maidens.
"Pitiless Gundelille," he whispered, "speak no more of that cruelstory. I meant not to wrong you; had I known you were the daughter of anoble knight, I would have proffered hand and heart, in all reverenceand honour, and even now were I so fortunate as to find favour in yourlovely eyes----"
Without looking at him, Ulrica began to sing,
"List ye then, Sir Palle! No wrong do ye to me, When mass is sung and ended, In my car shall ye seated be."
"Sing not that accursed song, fairest of maidens!" interrupted SirPalle; "I will not offend you; but believe me, loveliest of thelovely----"
Without heeding him, she now sang aloud,
"And then she clad her driver lad In purple robe so rare; In the driver's suit was quickly clad Gundelill', that maiden fair."
"Hush! I will not say a word more," interrupted Sir Palle again. "Butif you knew how greatly I love and honour you----"
The sportive maiden set up a loud laugh, and continued to sing,
"Sir Palle then, the wealthy knight, Enters the car full bold, Salutes the driver with delight And in his arms doth fold.
"It was the lady Gundelille Who drove into the yard;
She laughed, I tell ye, heartily At the jest he deemed so hard."
"Ha!~ that jest you shall dearly rue," whispered Palle, in a rage. "Yousing sweetly," he said aloud; "remember you the whole ballad, fairlady? If you sing another verse," he whispered, "it shall cost youdear."
"Hush, dearest sister!" said Margaretha, in a tone of earnest entreaty;and Ulrica was silent.
Sir Palle now rode round to Drost Aage's side, and did not againaddress himself to the captive maiden. He was silent and gloomy. He hadobserved with great wrath a repressed smile on the Drost's countenance;and the huntsmen who followed them laughed, and whispered together in amanner which too plainly indicated that Sir Palle and his unfortunatelove adventure were the subject of their ridicule. The two youngerhuntsmen were strongly, attached to Aage; they had remarked how littleacceptable Sir Palle's company was to him; and they now, as if tobeguile the time, began to hum the well-known ballad of the braveknight Helmer Blaa. In one of the many scenes of violence which werethe consequences of the proscription of the outlawed regicides, HelmerBlaa had slain Sir Palle's uncle. On this account he had for a longtime been barbarously persecuted by Sir Palle and his six brothers,until he at last vanquished all the six in honourable self-defence, andcompelled Palle to give him his sister in marriage, who, before thisfeud, had been betrothed to the gallant knight. This occurrence (soderogatory to Sir Palle's reputation) had attracted general attention,and almost every young fellow in the country could repeat a ballad inhonour of the bold Helmer Blaa, who had not only been acquitted by theking and whole body of knighthood, but stood also high in favour withEric. The burden of the song,--
"In the saddle he rides so free,"
fell on Sir Palle's ear.
He looked back towards the huntsmen, with a face glowing with rage, butthey appeared not to notice it; and one of them sang aloud,--
"Better I cannot counsel thee, That thou tarry not, but hence should'st flee, In the saddle he rides so free."
"Your huntsmen, Sir Drost, would drive me hence with vile songs, Iperceive," said Sir Palle, turning to Aage. "Is it you, or yonderpretty maiden, who have inspired them with this pleasant conceit?"
"You are perhaps not a lover of song, Sir Palle?" answered Aage; "thatis unfortunate: the merry fellows wish to beguile the time for us onthe road."
"If I hear aright," growled Palle, "that song may perhaps shorten theroad to heaven for both of them if it is not presently ended."
"Think you so?" answered Aage carelessly. "If you will give us yourcompany you must reconcile yourself to our merriment. Haste to sing thesong to the end," he called to the huntsmen, "or Sir Palle will bewroth;" and the huntsmen sang gaily,--
"In the town my true love shall ne'er hear it said That I before her brothers have fled.
"Full boldly rode Helmer her brothers to meet, His courage was equal to every feat.
"First Ove, then Lang, his eye did survey, And then did his sword come quick into play."
"S'death!" shouted Sir Palle, and his sword flew from the scabbard. "Ifye _will_ have the sword come into play, you shall feel it too." Sosaying, he turned his horse, and rushed like a madman upon thehuntsmen, who had not time to prepare for defence, ere his sword hadcut through their jerkins, and inflicted one or two wounds. But thehuntsmen, enraged at this sudden onset, drew their long hunting-knives,and threatened a bloody revenge. Ulrica shrieked on hearing the affray,and the elder sister turned pale. "Stop, knaves!" cried Aage, riding inbetween Palle and his antagonists: "two against one is not fair play. Iwill decide this matter alone with Sir Palle." The Drost had drawn hissword, and was expecting his opponent to turn towards him, but SirPalle's horse seemed to have become suddenly skittish and unruly: itgalloped off, on the road to Esrom, with its enraged master, whosespurs stuck in its sides, while he swore and brandished his sword overhis head. The huntsmen laughed loudly at this sight. Ulrica joined inthe laugh; and as soon as the slight wounds of the huntsmen had beenbound up, the party pursued their journey, though in a differentdirection from that in which they had set out.
"I must have been mistaken," said Drost Aage to the huntsmen. "It couldhardly have been to Kallundborg, but rather to Vordingborg, that theking commanded me to accompany these ladies; there he, and not PrinceChristopher, is ruler. If there was other meaning in his words, I willbe answerable for it." As they turned into a bye road, a tall man in apeasant's dress, mounted on a small peasant's horse, without a saddle,started out of the thicket by the road side, and suddenly disappearedagain among the bushes. "Kagge!" exclaimed Ulrica, with involuntarydelight, and seized her sister's arm. Margaretha gave her a significantlook, and she was silent, but often gazed restlessly around.
Drost Aage had heard the exclamation, and started. The name of Kaggewas but too familiar to him. A squire of noble birth of this name hadbeen among Eric Glipping's murderers at Finnerup; he had fled with theother outlaws to Norway, and was prohibited, on pain of death, fromsetting foot on Danish ground; had he, notwithstanding, been in thetrain of the captive maidens, their connection with so dangerous atraitor might operate greatly against them. This incident obliged theDrost to be on the watch over the security of his captives. Silent andanxious he pursued the journey.
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