Barbara Blomberg — Complete

by Georg Ebers

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  The Queen of Hungary had returned home the evening before, and on thefollowing morning summoned Barbara to the Golden Cross to sing with theboy choir.

  When the major-domo, Quijada, obedient to her command, entered the roomat eleven o'clock, she called to him: "Miracles, Luis, mighty miraclesin these godless times! I have just come from his Majesty, and in whatdid I find him occupied? Turning over music with Maestro Gombert--ofcourse, for a female voice. Besides, he looked as if he had justdefeated the Turks and Frenchmen at once. As for the gout, he'll bedancing the 'hoppedei' with the peasants presently."

  "Day before yesterday he surprised us by wearing satin shoes," remarkedQuijada. "May I congratulate you on the really magical effect of yourMajesty's prescription?"

  "Continue to think so, if it suits you," cried the Queen gaily. "Only afew powerful drops from elsewhere have probably fallen into the potion.But how stupidly artless you can look when you feign ignorance, Luis! Inthis case, however, you need not let your breathing be oppressed bythe mask. I bow to your masculine secrecy--but why did my worldly-wisebrother mingle a petticoat in this delicate business if he wishes tokeep it hidden?"

  "The Marquise Leria!" cried the major-domo, shrugging his shouldersangrily, as if against an inevitable misfortune.

  "My senior lady in waiting," said the regent in assent to thisconjecture. "Make haste to bestow a stately candle, because it is she,and no one else. You might spare yourself that smile; I know her betterthan you do. If she had as many teeth as she possesses vices, she mightbe happy; yet one admirable quality mingles with the evil traits in hercharacter."

  "And that?" asked Quijada, as if he deemed a satisfactory answerimpossible.

  "Secrecy," replied the Queen firmly. "She keeps what she has overheardto herself as closely as a miser guards his gold."

  "In order to turn it to account when the favourable moment comes,"remarked the major-domo. "Your Majesty will also permit me to observethat if the marquise has already betrayed what was intended to remainsecret----"

  "Her boasted reticence can not be very great, you think," interruptedthe Queen. "But justice for all, my handsome lord. At present she is inany service, and no other. Whose bread I eat, his song I sing--whichin this case means: His secret I keep, and to him I carry whatever Idiscover. Besides, this time even the person betrayed owes her a debtof gratitude, for you know how difficult it is for him to use his limbs,and she is most obligingly smoothing the path for him. I tell you, Luis,with all due respect for his Majesty as a general and a statesman, ina skirmish of intrigue this woman will outwit you all. The schemes heraged brain invents have neither fault nor flaw. The wheels work uponone another as they do in the Emperor's best Nuremberg clock. I want towatch their turning before I go, for, be it known to you, early tomorrowmorning--the saints be praised!--I start for Brussels."

  "Oh!" exclaimed Quijada with an expression of sincere regret; but theQueen gravely said: "There can be no further delay, Luis. It maysound improbable that there is something which draws me back to theNetherlands more strongly than the desire for freedom of movement, apleasant ride through the forest, and the excitement of the chase, whichlends spice to the insipidity of my life, yet you may believe it."

  "Business matters?" asked the nobleman anxiously.

  The Queen nodded assent, and then eagerly continued: "And importantones which his Majesty himself solemnly enjoined upon me to hasten mydeparture. His zeal resembled a rude gesture toward the door, as much asone rotten egg looks like another, for, under certain circumstances, theaffectionate brother prefers to have his beloved sister as far away aspossible. Had I been of a more obstinate nature, I would stay; but therereally are matters to be settled in the Netherlands which can not bedeferred, and the manner of his farewell showed plainly enough thathe no longer needed me. Merciful Heaven! When we parted yesterday, Idreaded his Majesty's anger. I had left him in the lurch to gratify myown love for copse and forest. I had remained beyond the allotted time,and had resolved, bend or break, to return to my post in Brussels. WhenI rode in here I really felt as though I was entering the lion's den.But then came miracle after miracle. Do you know something, Luis? Thebest results have often followed my most reckless acts."

  "Probably because even your Majesty's least prudent deeds merit a modestreward," replied Quijada, "and because, besides the heavenly powers,there are also less estimable ones that meddle with the affairs of thisworld."

  "Perhaps so!" exclaimed the Queen, astonished at this idea. "Perhaps thePrince of Darkness finds pleasure in this affair, and, as a fair-mindeddevil, is grateful to me. One thing is certain: What a woman of my agecould not tell her daughter or--if she has none--her young niece, sheshould not meddle with. All this is by no means pleasing to me, andyet, Luis, yet We ought to rejoice in this love affair, not only forourselves, but for his Majesty. De Soto, too, I know, is satisfied;nay, it seems as if he saw a special act of divine favour in this lateblazing of the flames of love in a heart whose fires had apparentlyburned out."

  "Wherever this passion originates," observed Quijada, "it seems to havehad a good influence upon his Majesty's mood. It is said that Satanoften designs evil and yet works good, and if this late and very tenderemotion is a gift of hell, it nevertheless affords our sovereign lordunexpected and therefore all the more exquisite joys."

  "In whose behalf it may also be said that they are numbered amongthose which can hardly be approved, or even forbidden ones," the regenteagerly interrupted. "But no matter! Happy is he whose pathway at thebeginning of life's evening is once more so brilliantly illumined by thesun of love. In my devotion to the duties of government and the chase,I have not yet wholly forgotten enthusiasm. Whoever has once been reallyyoung retains this advantage, and I have, Luis. Therefore I could envymy beloved brother to-day no less sincerely than I pitied him yesterday.Joy is the best thing in life, and who bestows it more certainly andlavishly than the little winged god? It is fortunate for my Charles thathe is again permitted to quaff the beaker of happiness! Only too soon--Iknow it--he will again withdraw it from his lips with his own hand, ifit were only because the inclination to self-torture which he inherits,the ascetic instinct, that constantly increases in strength, destroysand stamps as sinful forgetfulness of duty every pleasure which heenjoys for any length of time. We will hope that he will not retain thisnew happiness too briefly. It would be of service to us all. What hemight possibly have granted me after long hesitation and consideration,and with many a delay, he yielded after mass this morning with smilinglips. Love expands the heart, and at the same time enlarges the views,especially if it is not an unfortunate one; but this Barbara Blomberg isa genuine daughter of Eve, over whom the mother of nations, if she mether by chance, would rejoice. A German Venus, whom I would gladly sendto Titian for a model. And her voice and the unexpected good fortuneof finding such a teacher here! Appenzelder and Gombert are full of herpraises. Good heavens! How she sang yesterday evening! It was enough tostir the dead. Afterward I drew her aside for a short time."

  "And your Majesty did her the honour to feel her teeth?"--[A Germanphrase meaning to sound a person's intentions.--TR.]--queried Quijada.

  "Feel her teeth?" replied the Queen. "It might have been worth while,for those that glitter between her rosy lips are white and beautifullyformed. But I did even more--I tested the girl's heart and mind."

  "And the result?"

  "H'm!" said the Queen. "Very favourable. Yet no. If I must be honest,that is saying too little. She stood it very, surprisingly well. Herintellect is anything but limited; nay, her comprehension is so swiftthat she can be sure of not trying his Majesty's patience unduly.Her manners, too, are not amiss for a German; but what is the mainpoint--she is pious, firm in the faith, and ardent in her hatred of thefoes of the Holy Church. My life upon it! all this is as genuine as thediamond in my ring, and so the white raven is complete. That she hasreturned the Emperor Charles love for love by no means sullies herplumage. In my eyes, it only shines th
e more brightly, since one sogreat as he permits her, though only for a short distance, to sharehis glorious flight. This Barbara is certainly a rare bird. But in thechase, and as regent of a restless nation, one's sight becomes keen--"

  "And now," cried Quijada, "comes the 'but.'"

  "It does come," replied the regent firmly, "and I will point it out toyou. I only found the trail; but you, Luis, as a good sportsman and aloyal friend of his Majesty, will keep a sharp watch upon it. This girlis obstinate to the verge of defiance, vain, and unusually ambitious."

  "She has already shown us the obstinacy," observed the Castilian.

  "When she wheeled her horse to escape you?" asked the Queen.

  "But there she was perfectly right. What a heedless, inconsideratemasculine idea, to usher a woman directly from a horseback ride into acompany of gentlemen to sing before the Emperor! As to the vanity, I donot find much fault with that. It would be far worse if she lacked it.One can not imagine a genuine woman without it. It has been called pridein charms which we do not possess, but it also serves to place actualcharms in a brighter light, and that I expect from this fair one. If sheknows how to avoid extravagance, it will willingly be indulged. But herambition, Luis; perils may arise from that. If it begins to stir toocovetously, remember your duty as watcher--sound the horn and set thepacks upon her."

  "For the sake of our sovereign lord, I will not fail," replied Quijada."So far as she herself is concerned, she is one of those women whosebeauty I acknowledge, but to whom I am indifferent. More modest mannersplease me better."

  "You are thinking of Dona Magdalena de Ulloa," observed the Queen, "youpoor loyal widower, while the loveliest of wives still lives. Certainlythis German bears so little resemblance to her----"

  "That I most humbly entreat your Majesty," interposed Quijada withhaughty decision, "not to compare these two women, even by way ofcontrast."

  "B-r-r!" said the regent, extending her hands toward him as if torepel an assault. "Yet I like you in this mood, Luis. You are a trueCastilian! So we will leave Dona Magdalena in her Villagarcia, andonly permit myself to admire the self-sacrifice of a woman who grantsa husband like you so long a leave of absence. As to the Ratisbonmaiden----"

  "I should be very glad to know," Quijada began, this time in asubmissive tone, "by what sign your Majesty's penetration discoveredthis young creature's ambition."

  "That is soon told," replied the regent kindly. "She specially mentionedher distinguished relatives in the city and in Landshut, and whenI advised her to show due respect to the marquise, who, in spite ofeverything, is a woman of high rank and certainly an old lady, beforewhose gray hairs Scripture commands us to rise, something hovered aroundher lips--they are ripe for kisses--something which it is not easy tofind exactly the right words to describe: a blending of repugnance,self-assertion, and resistance. She suffered it to remain on herbeautiful face only a few minutes, but it gave me reason enough to urgeyou to sound a warning if his Majesty's late love should render him moreyielding than is desirable."

  "The warned man will heed what prescient wisdom enjoins upon him," themajor-domo protested, with his hand upon his heart. "But if I know hisMajesty, his strong and well-warranted sense of imperial dignity willrender my attentive solicitude needless. The moment that the singerassails it will put a speedy end to my royal master's love."

  The Queen shook her head, and answered doubtfully: "If only you do notundervalue the blind boy-god's power! Yet it must be owned that yourtheory has a certain degree of justification." She went to the windowas she spoke, and added: "Karlowitz, the minister of Duke Maurice ofSaxony, is leaving the house. He looks pleased, and if he has come toan agreement with the Bishop of Arras, that will also help to put theEmperor in a pleasant mood--"

  "And all of us!" exclaimed Quijada, grasping his sword hilt. "If thisenergetic young prince, with his military ability and his army, joinsus, why, then----"

  "Then there will be war," interrupted the Queen, completing thesentence; "then there will be great joy among you younger, belligerentCastilians! What do you care for the tears of mothers and the bloodof husbands and sons? Both will flow in streams, and, even if we werecertain of victory--which we are not--what will the gain be?"

  "Triumph, the restored unity of Holy Church!" cried Quijadaenthusiastically.

  "For which I daily pray," said the regent. "But even if you succeededin gaining a complete victory, if every church in city and country againbelonged to the only faith by which we can obtain salvation, I shallstill see them deprived of their holy vocation, for they will standempty, because then the men who would rather die than abjure theirdelusion will be lying silent upon battlefields."

  "May they rot there!" cried the Spaniard. "But we are not fighting onlyfor to-day and tomorrow. New generations will again fill churches andchapels. We will shed the last drops of our blood to accomplish it, andevery true Castilian thinks as I do."

  "I know it," sighed the regent, "and it is not my business to preachto deaf ears. But one thing more: Do you know that his Majesty has justaccepted the Marquise de Leria's offer?"

  "No; but I should be greatly indebted to your royal----"

  "Then listen," the Queen hastily interrupted. "In the suburb ofPrebrunn, in a large garden, stands the pretty little castle of thePrince Prior of Berchtesgaden--I don't mean the one belonging to theworthy Trainer, on whose preserves we hunted once in April, and whichis erroneously called here the 'cassl.' The reverend owner offered itto his Majesty to shelter a guest of high rank. Now the marquise isto occupy it, because country air would benefit her. The singer willestablish herself under the noblewoman's maternal care. You know theMarquise de Leria's huge litter, which was borne here by twostrong mules that Ruy Gomez--what will not people do to find outsomething?--gave her. The black ark, with the coats-of-arms of the DeLerias and the Duke of Rency on the back, the front, and both sides, isprobably well known here. At first the boys ran after the monster;now they are used to the thing, and no longer notice it. But it iscomfortable, and it can be opened. When the old woman uses the litterthe cover will be removed and people will see her; when it is closed,the most sharp-sighted can not discover who is within. If his Majestydesires to go out to Prebrunn and return here, he will take it, and,even if his foot pains him, will reach his fair goal unseen. The younggirl consented yesterday to move there with the marquise, and directlyafter it will be your duty, aided by Master Adrian, to attend to thefurnishing of the little castle. I will aid you. You will hear theparticulars from his Majesty. The marquise will take Barbara directly tothe chapel, where the choir is to sing. People must become accustomed tosee and speak of the two together. What would you think of an alliancebetween Leria and Blomberg? If I see correctly, the old woman will trainthe girl to be a useful tool."

  "And if the tool cuts her fingers in the process," said Quijada, "Ishall be glad."

  "So shall I!" assented the Queen, laughing. Then she dismissed themajor-domo, and a short time later singing was heard in the chapel.

  The Emperor, after he had finished his meal, heard it also, and listenedto Barbara as if enraptured when, in Hobrecht's motet for five voices,Salve crux arbor vitae, in the sublime O crux lignum triumphale, sheraised her voice with a power, a wealth of pious devotion which he hadnever before heard in the execution of this forceful composition.

  The little Maltese Hannibal again acquitted himself admirably, and inone of the duets in the second part Johannes of Cologne could prove thathe had recovered.

  His young companion in illness had also escaped lasting injury.

  Appenzelder, too, showed himself fully satisfied with Barbara'sexecution. Something new and powerful, rising from the inmost depth ofthe soul, a passion of devout exaltation, rang in her voice which he hadnot perceived during the first rehearsals. Her art seemed to him togrow under his eyes like a wonderful plant, and the quiet, reserved manexpressed his delight so unequivocally that the Emperor beckoned to himand asked his opinion of the singer's performance.

 
; The musician expressed with unreserved warmth the emotions that filledhis honest heart; but the monarch listened approvingly, and drew fromhis finger a costly ring to bestow it upon the discoverer of thisglorious jewel.

  The leader of the choir, it is true, declined this title of honour toaward it to Sir Wolf Hartschwert; but the Emperor asserted that hewas grateful to him also for many a service, and then ordered the goldchain, which had long been intended for him, to be brought for MaestroGombert.

  After these tokens of favour, which awakened the utmost surprise inthose who were present, as the Emperor very rarely yielded to suchimpulses of generosity, the monarch's eyes sought Barbara's, and hisglance seemed to say: "For your sake, love. Thus shall those who havedeserved it from you be rewarded."

  Finally he accosted her, intentionally raising his voice as he did so.

  Word for word was intended to be heard by every one, even the remarkthat he wished to make the acquaintance of her father, whom heremembered as a brave comrade. Barbara would oblige him if she wouldrequest him to call upon him that afternoon. It was his duty to thankthe man through whose daughter he enjoyed such lofty pleasure.