X
A CALAMITOUS CONFERENCE
The prelate and his ward were met at the doors of Stolzenfels by theArchbishop of Treves in person, and the welcome they received leftnothing to be desired in point of cordiality. There were many servants,male and female, about the Castle, but no show of armed men.
The Countess was conducted to a room whose outlook fascinated her. Itoccupied one entire floor of a square tower, with windows facing thefour points of the compass, and from this height she could view theRhine up to the stern old Castle of Marksburg, and down past Coblentz toher own realm of Sayn, where it bordered the river, although thestronghold from which she ruled this domain was hidden by the hillsending in Ehrenbreitstein.
When she descended on being called to _mittagessen_, she was introducedto a sister of the Archbishop of Treves, a grave, elderly woman, and tothe Archbishop's niece, a lady about ten years older than Hildegunde.Neither of these grand dames had much to say, and the conversation atthe meal rested chiefly with the two Archbishops. Indeed, had theCountess but known it, her presence there was a great disappointment tothe two noblewomen, for the close relationship of the younger to theArchbishop of Treves rendered it impossible that she should be offeredthe honor about to be bestowed upon the younger and more beautifulCountess von Sayn.
The Archbishop of Mayence, although a resident of the Castle, partook ofrefreshment in the smallest room of the suite reserved for him, where hewas waited upon by his own servants and catered for by his own cook.
When the great Rhine salmon, smoking hot, was placed upon the table,Cologne was generous in his praise of it, and related again, for theinformation of his host and household, the story of the English Princesswho had partaken of a similar fish, doubtless in this same room. Despitethe historical bill of fare, and the mildly exhilarating qualities ofthe excellent Oberweseler wine, whose delicate reddish color thesentimental Archbishop compared to the blush on a bride's cheeks, thesocial aspect of the midday refection was overshadowed by an almostindefinable sense of impending danger. In the pseudogenial conversationof the two Archbishops there was something forced: the attitude of theelderly hostess was one of unrelieved gloom. After a few conventionalgreetings to her young guest, she spoke no more during the meal. Herdaughter, who sat beside the Countess on the opposite side of the tablefrom his Lordship of Cologne, merely answered "Yes" or "No" to thecomments of the lady of Sayn praising the romantic situation of theCastle, its unique qualities of architecture, and the splendid outlookfrom its battlements, eulogies which began enthusiastically enough, butfinally faded away into silence, chilled by a reception so unfriendly.
Thus cast back upon her own thoughts, the girl grew more and more uneasyas the peculiar features of the occasion became clearer in her own mind.Here was her revered, beloved friend forcing hilarity which she knew hecould not feel, breaking bread and drinking wine with a colleague whilethree thousand of his armed men peered down on the roof that shelteredhim, ready at a signal to pounce upon Stolzenfels like birds of prey,capturing, and if necessary, slaying. She remembered the hearty cheersthat welcomed them on their arrival at Coblentz, yet every man who thusboisterously greeted them, waving his bonnet in the air, was doubtlessan enemy. The very secrecy, the unknown nature of the danger, depressedher more and more as she thought of it; the fierce soldiers hidden inthe forest, ready to leap up, burn and kill at an unknown sign from aPrince of religion; the deadly weapons concealed in a Church of Christ:all this grim reality of a Faith she held dear had never been hinted atby the gentle nuns among whom she lived so happily for the greater partof her life.
At last her somber hostess rose, and Hildegunde, with a sigh of relief,followed her example. The Archbishop of Cologne gallantly held back thecurtain at the doorway, and bowed low when the three ladies passedthrough. The silent hostess conducted her guest to a parlor on the samefloor as the dining-room; a parlor from which opened another doorconnecting it with a small knights' hall; the _kleine Rittersaal_ inwhich the Court of the Archbishops was to be held.
The Archbishop's sister did not enter the parlor, but here took formalfarewell of Countess von Sayn, who turned to the sole occupant of theroom, her kinsman and counselor, Father Ambrose.
"Were you not asked to dine with us?" she inquired.
"Yes; but I thought it better to refuse. First, in case the threeArchbishops might have something confidential to say to you; and second,because at best I am poor company at a banquet."
"Indeed, you need not have been so thoughtful: first, as you say, therewere not three Archbishops present, but only two, and neither saidanything to me that all the world might not hear; second, the rest ofthe company, the sister and the niece of Treves, were so doleful thatyou would have proved a hilarious companion compared with them. Did myguardian make any statement to you yesterday afternoon that revealed theobject of this coming Court?"
"None whatever. Our conversation related entirely to your estate and mymanagement of it. We spoke of crops, of cultivation, and of vineyards."
"You have no knowledge, then, of the reason why we are summoned hither?"
"On that subject, Hildegunde, I am as ignorant as you."
"I don't think I am wholly in the dark," murmured the Countess,"although I know nothing definite."
"You surmise, in spite of your guardian's disclaimer, that thediscussion will pertain to your recovery of the town of Linz?"
"Perhaps; but not likely. Did you say anything of your journey toFrankfort?"
"Not a word. I understood from you that no mention should be made of myvisit unless his Lordship asked questions proving he was aware of it, inwhich case I was to tell the truth."
"You were quite right, Father. Did my guardian ask you to accompany usto Stolzenfels?"
"Assuredly, or I should not have ventured."
"What reason did he give, and what instructions did he lay upon you?"
"He thought you should have by your side some one akin to you. Hisinstructions were that in no circumstances was I to offer any remarkupon the proceedings. Indeed, I am not allowed to speak unless in answerto a question directly put to me, and then in the fewest possiblewords."
Hildegunde ceased her cross-examination, and seated herself by a windowwhich gave a view of the steep mountain-side behind the Castle, where,sheltered by the thick, dark forest, she knew that her guardian's menlay in ambush. She shuddered slightly, wondering what was the meaning ofthese preparations, and in the deep silence became aware of theaccelerated beating of her heart. She felt but little reassured by thepresence of her kinsman, whose lips moved without a murmur, and whosegrave eyes seemed fixed on futurity, meditating the mystery of the nextworld, and completely oblivious to the realities of the earth heinhabited.
She turned her troubled gaze once more to the green forest, and after along lapse of time the dual reveries were broken by the entrance of anofficial gorgeously appareled. This functionary bowed low, and said withgreat solemnity:
"Madam, the Court of my Lords the Archbishops awaits your presence."
* * * * *
The _kleine Rittersaal_ occupied a fine position on the river-side frontof Stolzenfels, its windows giving a view of the Rhine, with the strongCastle of Lahneck over-hanging the mouth of the Lahn, and the moreornamental Schloss Martinsburg at the upper end of Oberlahnstein. Thelatter edifice, built by a former Elector of Mayence, was rarelyoccupied by the present Archbishop, but, as he sat in the central chairof the Court, he had the advantage of being able to look across theriver at his own house should it please him to do so.
The three Archbishops were standing behind the long table when theCountess entered, thus acknowledging that she who came into theirpresence, young and beautiful, was a very great lady by right of descentand rank. She acknowledged their courtesy by a graceful inclination ofthe head, and the three Princes of the Church responded each with a bow,that of Mayence scarcely perceptible, that of Treves deferential andcourtly, that of Cologne with a friendly smile of e
ncouragement.
In the center of the hall opposite the long table had been placed animmense chair, taken from the grand _Rittersaal_, ornamented with gildedcarving, and covered in richly-colored Genoa velvet. It looked like athrone, which indeed it was, used only on occasions when Royalty visitedthe Castle. To this sumptuous seat the scarcely less gorgeousfunctionary conducted the girl, and when she had taken her place, thethree Archbishops seated themselves. The glorified menial then benthimself until his forehead nearly touched the floor, and silentlydeparted. Father Ambrose, his coarse, ill-cut clothes of somber color instriking contrast to the richness of costume worn by the others, stoodhumbly beside the chair that supported his kinswoman.
The Countess gave a quick glance at the Archbishop of Mayence, thenlowered her eyes. Cologne she had known all her life; Treves she had metthat day, and rather liked, although feeling she could not esteem him asshe did her guardian, but a thrill of fear followed her swift look atthe man in the center.
"A face of great strength," she said to herself, "but his thin, straightlips, tightly compressed, seemed cruel, as well as determined." With aflash of comprehension she understood now her guardian's warning not tothwart him. It was easy to credit the acknowledged fact that this mandominated the other two. Nevertheless, when he spoke his voice wassurprisingly mild.
"Madam," he said, "we are met here in an hour of grave anxiety. TheEmperor, who has been ill for some time, is now upon his death-bed, andthe physicians who attend him inform me that at any moment we may becalled upon to elect his successor. That successor has already beenchosen; chosen, I may add, in an informal manner, but his selection isnot likely to be canceled, unless by some act of his own which wouldcause us to reconsider our decision. Our adoption was made very recentlyin my castle of Ehrenfels, and we are come together again in the Castleof my brother Treves, not in our sacred office as Archbishops, but inour secular capacity as Electors of the Empire, to determine a matterwhich we consider of almost equal importance. It is our privilege tobestow upon you the highest honor that may be conferred on any woman inthe realm; the position of Empress.
"When you have signified your acceptance of this great elevation, I mustput to you several questions concerning your future duties to the State,and these are embodied in a document which you will be asked to sign."
The Countess did not raise her eyes. While the Archbishop was speakingthe color flamed up in her cheeks, but faded away again, and herguardian, who watched her very intently across the table, saw her facebecome so pale that he feared she was about to faint. However, sherallied, and at last looked up, not at her dark-browed questioner, butat the Archbishop of Cologne.
"May I not know," she said, in a voice scarcely audible, "who is myfuture husband?"
"Surely, surely," replied her guardian soothingly, "but the Elector ofMayence is our spokesman here, and you must address your question to hisLordship."
She now turned her frightened eyes upon Mayence, whose brow had becomeslightly ruffled at this interruption, and whose lips were more firmlyclosed. He sat there imperturbable, refusing the beseechment of hereyes, and thus forced her to repeat her question, though to him it tookanother form.
"My Lord, who is to be the next Emperor?"
"Countess von Sayn, I fear that in modifying my opening address toaccord with the comprehension of a girl but recently emerged fromconvent life, I have led you into an error. The Court of Electors is notconvened for the purpose of securing your consent, but with the duty ofimposing upon you a command. It is not for you to ask questions, but toanswer them."
"You mean that I am to marry this unknown man, whether I will or no?"
"That is my meaning."
The girl sat back in her chair, and the moisture that had gathered inher eyes disappeared as if licked up by the little flame that burned intheir depths.
"Very well," she said. "Ask your questions, and I will answer them."
"Before I put any question, I must have your consent to my firstproposition."
"That is quite unnecessary, my Lord. When you hear my answer to yourquestions, you will very speedily withdraw your first proposition."
The Elector of Treves, who had been shifting uneasily in his chair, nowleaned forward, and spoke in an ingratiating manner.
"Countess, you are a neighbor of mine, although you live on the oppositeside of the river, and I am honored in receiving you as my guest. Asguest and neighbor, I appeal to you on our behalf: be assured that wewish nothing but your very greatest good and happiness." The spark inher eyes died down, and they beamed kindly on the courtier Elector. "Yousee before you three old bachelors, quite unversed in the ways of women.If anything that has been said offends you, pray overlook our default,for I assure you, on behalf of my colleagues and myself, that any one ofus would bitterly regret uttering a single word to cause youdisquietude."
"My disquietude, my Lord, is caused by the refusal to utter the singlename I have asked for. Am I a peasant girl to be handed over to the hindthat makes the highest offer?"
"Not so. No such thought entered our minds. The name is, of course, asecret at the present moment, and I quite appreciate the reluctance ofmy Lord of Mayence to mention it, but I think in this instance anexception may safely be made, and I now appeal to his Lordship toenlighten the Countess."
Mayence answered indifferently:
"I do not agree with you, but we are here three Electors of equal power,and two can always outvote one."
The Elector of Cologne smiled slightly; he had seen this comedy enactedbefore, and never objected to it. The carrying of some unimportant pointin opposition to their chief always gave Treves a certain sense ofindependence.
"My Lord of Cologne," said the latter, bending forward and addressingthe man at the other end of the table "do you not agree with me?"
"Certainly," replied Cologne, with some curtness.
"In that case," continued Treves, "I take it upon myself to announce toyou, Madam, that the young man chosen for our future ruler is PrinceRoland, only son of the dying Emperor."
The hands of the Countess nervously clutched the soft velvet on the armsof her chair.
"I thank you," she said, addressing Treves, and speaking as calmly asthough she were Mayence himself. "May I ask you if this marriage wasproposed to the young man?"
Treves looked up nervously at the stern face of Mayence, who nodded tohim, as much as to say:
"You are doing well; go on."
"Yes," replied Treves.
"Was my name concealed from him?"
"No."
"Had he ever heard of me before?"
"Surely," replied the diplomatic Treves, "for the fame of the Countessvon Sayn has traveled farther than her modesty will admit."
"Did he agree?"
"Instantly; joyfully, it seemed to me."
"In any case, he has never seen me," continued the Countess. "Did hemake any inquiry, whether I was tall or short, old or young, rich orpoor, beautiful or ugly?"
"He seemed very well satisfied with our choice."
Treves had his elbows on the table, leaning forward with open palmssupporting his chin. He had spoken throughout in the most ingratiatingmanner, his tones soft and honeyed. He was so evidently pleased with hisown diplomacy that even the eye of the stern Mayence twinkledmaliciously when the girl turned impulsively toward the other end of thetable, and cried:
"Guardian, tell me the truth! I know this young man accepted me as if Iwere a sack of grain, his whole mind intent on one thing only: to securefor himself the position of Emperor. Is it not so?"
"It is not so, Countess," said Cologne solemnly.
"Prince Roland, it is true, made no stipulation regarding you."
"I was sure of it. Any Gretchen in Germany would have done just as well.I was merely part of the bargain he was compelled to make with you, andnow I announce to the Court that no power on earth will induce me tomarry Prince Roland. I claim the right of my womanhood to wed only theman whom I love, and who loves me!"
Mayence gave utterance to an exclamation that might be coarselydescribed as a snort of contempt. The Elector of Treves was leaning backin his chair discomfited by her abrupt desertion of him. The Elector ofCologne now leaned forward, dismayed at the turn affairs had taken, deepanxiety visible on his brow.
"Countess von Sayn," he began, and thus his ward realized how deeply shehad offended, "in all my life I never met any young man who impressed meso favorably as Prince Roland of Germany. If I possessed a daughter whomI dearly loved, I could wish her no better fortune than to marry sohonest a youth as he. The very point you make against him should havetold most strongly in his favor with a young girl. My reading of hischaracter is that so far as concerns the love you spoke of, he knows aslittle of it as yourself, and thus he agreed to our proposal with aseeming indifference which you entirely misjudge. If you, then, have anybelief in my goodwill towards you, in my deep anxiety for your welfareand happiness, I implore you to agree to the suggestion my Lord ofMayence has made. You speak of love knowing nothing concerning it. Icall to your remembrance the fact that one noble lady of your race mayhave foregone the happiness that love perhaps brings, in her desire forthe advancement of one whom she loved so truly that she chose for herguide the more subdued but steadier star of duty. The case is presentedto you, my dear, in different form, and I feel assured that duty andlove will shine together."
As the venerable Archbishop spoke with such deep earnestness, in a voiceshe loved so well, the girl buried her face in her hands, and he couldsee the tears trickle between her fingers. A silence followed herguardian's appeal, disturbed only by the agitated breathing ofHildegunde.
The cold voice of the Elector of Mayence broke the stillness, like abreath from a glazier:
"Do you consent, Madam?"
"Yes," gasped the girl, her shoulders quivering with emotion, but shedid not look up.
"I fear that the object of this convocation was like to be forgotten inthe gush of sentiment issuing from both sides of me. This is a businessmeeting, and not a love-feast. Will you do me the courtesy, Madam, ofraising your head and answering my question?"
The girl dashed the tears from her eyes, and sat up straight, graspingwith nervous hands the arms of the throne, as if to steady herselfagainst the coming ordeal.
"I scarcely heard what you said. Do you consent to marry Prince Rolandof Germany?"
"I have consented," she replied firmly.
"Will you use your influence with him that he may carry out the behestsof the three Archbishops?"
"Yes, if the behests are for the good of the country."
"I cannot accept any qualifications, therefore I repeat my question.Will you use your influence with him that he may carry out the behestsof the three Archbishops?"
"I can have no influence with such a man."
"Answer my question, Madam."
"Say yes, Hildegunde," pleaded Cologne.
She turned to him swimming eyes.
"Oh, Guardian, Guardian!" she cried, "I have done everything I can, andall for you; all for you. I cannot stand any more. This is torture tome. Let me go home, and another day when I am calmer I will answer yourquestions!"
The perturbed Archbishop sat back again with a deep sigh. The ignoranceof women with which his colleague of Treves had credited all three wasbeing amazingly dispelled. He could not understand why this girl shouldshow such emotion at the thought of marrying the heir to the throne,when assured the young man was all that any reasonable woman coulddesire.
"Madam, I pray you give your attention to me," said the unimpassionedvoice of Mayence. "I have listened to your conversation with mycolleagues, and the patience I exhibited will, I hope, be credited tome. This matter of business"--he emphasized the word--"must be settledto-day, and to clear away all misapprehension, I desire to say that yourguardian has really no influence on this matter. It was settled beforeyou came into the room. You are merely allowed a choice of two outcomes:first, marriage with Prince Roland; second, imprisonment in PfalzCastle, situated in the middle of the Rhine."
"What is that?" demanded the Countess.
"I am tired of repeating my statements."
"You would imprison me--me, a Countess of Sayn?"
Again the tears evaporated, and in their place came the smoldering firebequeathed to her by the Crusaders, and, if the truth must be known, byRhine robbers as well.
"Yes, Madam. A predecessor of mine once hanged one of your ancestors."
"It is not true," cried the girl, in blazing wrath. "'Twas the EmperorRudolph who hanged him; the same Emperor that chastised an Archbishop ofMayence, and brought him, cringing, to his knees, begging for pardon,which the Emperor contemptuously flung to him. You dare not imprisonme!"
"Refuse to marry Prince Roland, and learn," said the Archbishop veryquietly.
The girl sprang to her feet, a-quiver with anger.
"I do refuse! Prince Roland has hoodwinked the three of you! He is alibertine and a brawler, consorting with the lowest in the cellars ofFrankfort; a liar and a thief, and not a brave thief at that, but acutthroat who holds his sword to the breast of an unarmed merchant whilehe filches from him his gold. Added to that, a drunkard as his fatheris; and, above all, a hypocrite, as his father is not, yet cleverenough, with all his vices, to cozen three men whose vile rule hasruined Frankfort, and left the broad Rhine empty of its life-givingcommerce;" she waved her hand toward the vacant river.
The Archbishop of Cologne was the first to rise, horror-stricken.
"The girl is mad!" he murmured.
Treves rose also, but Mayence sat still, a sour smile on his lips, yet atwinkle of admiration in his eyes.
"No, my poor Guardian, I am not mad," she cried, regarding him with asmile, her wrath subsiding as quickly as it had risen. "What I say istrue, and it may be that our meeting, turbulent as it has been, willprevent you from making a great mistake. He whom you would put on thethrone is not the man you think."
"My dear ward!" cried Cologne, "how can you make such accusationsagainst him? What should a girl living in seclusion as you live, know ofwhat is passing in Frankfort."
"It seems strange, Guardian, but it is true, nevertheless. Sit downagain, I beg of you, and you, my Lord of Treves. Even my Lord of Mayencewill, I think, comprehend my abhorrence when such a proposal was made tome, and I hope, my Lord, you will forgive my outburst of anger justnow."
She heard the trembling Treves mutter:
"Mayence never forgives."
"Now, Father Ambrose, come forward."
"Why?" asked Ambrose, waking from his reverie.
"Tell them your experiences in Frankfort."
"I am not allowed to speak," objected the monk.
"Speak, speak!" cried Cologne. "What, sir, have you had to do with thisgirl's misleading?"
"I thought," he said wistfully to his kinswoman, "that I was not tomention my visit to Frankfort unless my Lord the Archbishop brought upthe subject."
"Have you not been listening to these proceedings?" cried the girlimpatiently. "The subject is brought up before three Archbishops,instead of before one. Tell their Lordships what you know of PrinceRoland."
Father Ambrose, with a deep sigh, began his recital, to which Treves andCologne listened with ever-increasing amazement, while the sullenMayence sat back in his chair, face imperturbable, but the thin lipsclosing firmer and firmer as the narrative went on.
When the monologue ended, his Reverence of Cologne was the first tospeak:
"In the name of Heaven, why did you not tell me all this yesterday?"
Father Ambrose looked helplessly at his kinswoman, but made no reply.
"I forbade him, my Lord," said the girl proudly, and for the first timeaddressing him by a formal title, as if from now on he was to bereckoned with her enemies. "I alone am responsible for the journey toFrankfort and its consequences, whatever they may be. You invoked thename of Heaven just now, my Lord, and I would have you know that I amconvinced Heaven itself intervened on my behalf to exp
ose the realcharacter of Prince Roland, who has successfully deluded three men likeyourselves, supposed to be astute!"
The Archbishop turned upon her sorrowful eyes, troubled yet kindly.
"My dear Countess," he said, "I have not ventured to censure you;nevertheless I am, or have been, your guardian, and should, I think,have been consulted before you committed yourself to an action thatthreatens disaster to our plans."
The girl replied, still with the hauteur so lately assumed:
"I do not dispute my wardship, and have more than once thanked you foryour care of me, but at this crisis of my life--a crisis transforming meinstantly from a girl to a woman--you fail me, seeing me here at bay. Iwished to spend a month or two at the capital city, but before troublingyou with such a request I determined to learn whether or not the stateof Frankfort was as disturbed as rumor alleged. Finding matters there tobe hopeless, the project of a visit was at once abandoned, and knowingnothing of the honor about to be conferred on Prince Roland, I thoughtit best to keep what had been discovered regarding his character asecret between the Reverend Father and myself. I dare say an attemptwill be made to cast doubt on the Reverend Father's story, and perhapsmy three judges may convince themselves of its falseness, but theycannot convince me, and I tell you finally and formally that no power onearth will induce me to marry a marauder and a thief!"
This announcement effectually silenced the one friend she possessedamong the three. Mayence slowly turned his head, and looked upon thecolleague at his right, as much as to say, "Do you wish to add yourquota to this inconsequential talk?"
Treves, at this silent appeal, leaned forward, and spoke to theperturbed monk, who knew that, in some way he did not quite understand,affairs were drifting towards a catastrophe.
"Father Ambrose," began the Elector of Treves, "would you kindly tell usthe exact date when this encounter on the bridge took place?"
"Saint Cyrille's Day," replied Father Ambrose.
"And during the night of that day you were incarcerated in the cellaramong the wine-casks?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Would it surprise you to know, Father Ambrose, that during SaintCyrille's Day, and for many days previous to that date, Prince Rolandwas a close prisoner in his Lordship of Mayence's strong Castle ofEhrenfels, and that it was quite impossible for you to have met him inFrankfort, or anywhere else?"
"Nevertheless, I did meet him," persisted Father Ambrose, with the quietobstinacy of a mild man.
Treves smiled.
"Where did you lodge in Frankfort, Father?"
"At the Benedictine Monastery in Sachsenhausen."
"Do the good brethren supply their guests with a potent wine? Frankfortis, and always has been, the chief market of that exhilarating butillusion-creating beverage."
The cheeks of the Countess flushed crimson at this insinuation on herkinsman's sobriety. The old monk's hand rested on the arm of her throne,and she placed her own hand upon his as if to encourage him to resentthe implied slander. After all, they were two Sayns hard pressed bythese ruthless potentates. But Ambrose answered mildly:
"It may be that the monastery contains wine, my Lord, and doubtless thewine is good, but during my visit I did not taste it."
Cross-examination at an end, the Lord of Mayence spoke scarcely above awhisper, a trace of weariness in his manner.
"My Lords," he said, "we have wandered from the subject. The romance byFather Ambrose is but indifferently interesting, and nothing at all tothe point. Even a child may understand what has happened, for it ismerely a case of mistaken identity, and my sympathy goes out entirelytowards the unknown; a man who knew his own mind, and being naturallyindignant at an interference both persistent and uncalled for, quiterightly immured the meddler among the casks, probably shrewd enough tosee that this practicer of temperance would not interfere with theirintegrity.
"Madam, stand up!"
The Countess seemed inclined to disobey this curt order, but abeseeching look from her now thoroughly frightened guardian changed herintention, and she rose to her feet.
"Madam, the greatest honor which it is in the power of this Empire tobestow upon a woman has been proffered to you, and rejected withunnecessary heat. I beg therefore, to inform you, that in the judgmentof this Court you are considered unworthy of the exalted position which,before knowing your true character, it was intended you should fill. Thevarious calumnies you have poured upon the innocent head of PrinceRoland amount in effect to high treason."
"Pardon, my Lord!" cried the Archbishop of Cologne, "your contentionwill hold neither in law nor in fact. High treason is an offense thatcan be committed only against the realm as a whole, or against its rulerin person. Prince Roland is not yet Emperor of Germany, and however muchwe may regret the language used in his disparagement, it has arisenthrough a misunderstanding quite patent to us all. A good but dreamy manmade a mistake, which, however deplorable, has been put forward with asincerity that none of us can question; indeed, it was the intention ofFather Ambrose to keep his supposed knowledge a secret, and you both sawwith what evident reluctance he spoke when commanded to do so by mycolleague of Treves. Whatever justice there may be in discipliningFather Ambrose, there is none at all for exaggerated censure upon mylady, the Countess of Sayn, and before pronouncing a further censure Ibeg your Lordship to take into consideration the circumstances of thecase, by which a young girl, without any previous warning orpreparation, is called upon suddenly to make the most momentous decisionof her life. I say it is to her ladyship's credit that she refused thehighest station in the land in the interests of what she supposes to be,however erroneously, the cause of honesty, sobriety, and, I may add, ofChristianity; qualities for which we three men should stand."
"My Lord," objected Treves, "we meet here as temporal Princes, and notas Archbishops of the Church."
"I know that, my brother of Treves, and my appeal is to the temporallaw. Prince Roland, despite his high lineage, is merely a citizen of theEmpire, and a subject of his Majesty, the Emperor. It is thereforeimpossible that the crime of treason can be committed against him."
During this protest and discussion the Elector of Mayence had leanedback again in his usual attitude of tired indifference; his keen eyesalmost closed. When he spoke he made no reference to what either of histwo confreres had said.
"Madam," he began, without raising his voice, "it is the sentence ofthis Court that you shall be imprisoned during its pleasure in theCastle of Pfalzgrafenstein, which stands on a rock in the middle of theRhine. Under the guardianship of the Pfalzgraf von Stahleck, who will beresponsible for your safe keeping, I hope you will listen to the devoutcounsel of his excellent wife to such effect that when next you areprivileged to meet a Court so highly constituted as this you may bebetter instructed regarding the language with which it should beaddressed. You are permitted to take with you two waiting-women, chosenby yourself from your own household, but all communication with theoutside world is forbidden. You said something to the effect that thisCourt dared not pronounce such sentence against you, but if youpossessed that wisdom you so conspicuously lack, you might have surmisedthat a power which ventured to imprison the future Emperor of this landwould not hesitate to place in durance a mere Countess von Sayn."
The Countess bowed her head slightly, and without protest sat downagain. The Elector of Cologne arose.
"My Lord, I raised a point of law which has been ignored."
"This is the proper time to raise it," replied Mayence, "and you shallbe instantly satisfied. This Court is competent to give its decisionupon any point of law. If my Lord of Treves agrees with me, yourobjection is disallowed."
"I agree," said the Elector of Treves.
"My Lord of Cologne," said Mayence, turning towards the personaddressed, "the decision of the Court is against you."
Hildegunde was already learning a lesson. Although dazed by the verdict,she could not but admire the quiet, conversational tone adopted by thethree men before her, as compared with her own l
ate vehemence.
"The decision of the Court is not unexpected," said Cologne, "and Iregret that I am compelled to appeal."
"To whom will you appeal?" inquired Mayence mildly, "The Emperor, as youknow, is quite unfit for the transaction of public business, and even ifsuch were not the case, would hesitate to overturn a decision given by amajority of this Court."
"I appeal," replied Cologne, "to a power that even Emperors must obey;the power of physical force."
"You mean," said Mayence sadly, "to the three thousand men concealed inthe forest behind this house in which you are an honored guest?"
The Elector of Cologne was so taken aback by this almost whisperedremark that he was momentarily struck speechless. A sudden pallor sweptthe usual ruddiness from his face. The Lord of Mayence gently inclinedhis head as if awaiting an answer, and when it did not come, went onimpassively:
"I may inform you, my Lord, that my army occupies the capital city ofFrankfort, able and ready to quell any disturbance that may be caused bythe announcement of the Emperor's death, but there are still plenty ofseasoned troops ready to uphold the decisions of this Court. When yourspies scoured the country in the forests, and along the river almost tothe gates of my city of Mayence, they appeared to labor under theillusion that I could move my soldiers only overland. Naturally, theymet no sign of such an incursion, because I had requisitioned a hundredbarges which I found empty in the river Main by Frankfort. These werefloated down the Main to Mayence, and there received their quota of ahundred men each. The night being dark they came down the Rhine, itseems, quite unobserved, and are now concealed in the mouth of the riverLahn directly opposite this Castle.
"When my flag is hoisted on the staff of the main tower this flotillawill be at the landing below us within half an hour. You doubtless havemade similar arrangements for bringing your three thousand down uponStolzenfels, but the gates of this Castle are now closed. Indeed,Stolzenfels was put in condition to withstand a siege very shortly afteryou and your ward entered it, and it is garrisoned by two hundredfighting men, kindly provided at my suggestion by my brother of Treves.I doubt if its capture is possible, even though you gave the signal,which we will not allow. Of course, your plan of capturing Treves andmyself was a good one could it be carried out, for a man in jeopardywill always compromise, and as I estimate you are in that position Ishould be glad to know what arrangement you propose."
The Archbishop of Cologne did not reply, but stood with bent head andfrowning brow. It was the Countess von Sayn who, rising, spoke:
"My Lord Archbishop of Mayence," she said, "I could never forgive myselfif through action of mine a fatal struggle took place between mycountrymen. I have no desire to enact the part of Helen of Troy. I amtherefore ready and willing to be imprisoned, or to marry Prince Rolandof Frankfort, whichever alternative you command, so long as nodisadvantage comes to my friend, his Lordship of Cologne."
"Madam," said Mayence suavely, "there are not _now_ two alternatives, asyou suppose."
"In such case, your Highness, I betake myself instantly to Pfalz Castle,and I ask that my guardian be allowed to escort me on the journey."
"Madam, your determination is approved, and your request granted, but,as the business for which the three Electors were convened is not yetaccomplished, I request you to withdraw until such time as an agreementhas been arrived at. Father Ambrose is permitted to accompany you."
The gallant Elector of Treves sprang at once to his feet, pleading forthe privilege of conducting the Countess to the apartments of his sisterand her daughter. As the door to the ante-room opened the Elector ofCologne, whose eyes followed his departing ward, did not fail to observethat the lobby was thronged with armed men, and he realized now, if hehad not done so from Mayence's observation, how completely he wastrapped. Even had a hundred thousand of his soldiers stood in readinesson the hills, it was impossible for him to give the signal bringing themto his rescue.
A few minutes later the Elector of Treves returned, and took his placeat Mayence's right hand. The latter spoke as though the conference hadbeen unanimous and amiable.
"Now that we three are alone together, I think we shall discuss ourproblems under a feeling of less apprehension if the small army in theforest is bade God-speed on its way to Cologne. Such being the case," hewent on, turning to Cologne, "would you kindly write an order to thateffect to your commander. Inform him that we three Electors wish toreview your troops from the northern balcony, and bid them file pastfrom the hills to the river road. They are to cross the Moselle by theold bridge, and so return to your city. You will perhaps pledge faiththat no signal will be made to your officers as they pass us. I makethis appeal with the greater confidence since you are well aware threethousand men would but destroy themselves in any attempt to capture thisCastle, with an army of ten thousand on their flank to annihilate them.Do you agree?"
"I agree," replied Cologne.
He wrote out the order required, and handed it to Mayence, whoscrutinized the document with some care before passing it on to Treves.Mayence addressed Cologne in his blandest tones:
"Would you kindly instruct our colleague how to get that message safelyinto the hands of your commander."
"If he will have it sent to the head of my small escort, ordering him totake it directly up the hill behind this Castle until he comes to mysentinels, whom he knows personally, they will allow him to passthrough, and deliver my written command to the officer in charge."
This being done, and Treves once more returned, Mayence said:
"I am sure we all realize that the Countess von Sayn, however admirablein other respects, possesses an independent mind and a determined willrendering her quite unsuited for the station we intended her to occupy.I think her guardian must be convinced now, even though he had littlesuspicion of it before, that this lady would not easily be influenced byany considerations we might place before her. The regrettable incidentsof this conference have probably instilled into her mind a certainprejudice against us."
Here, for the first time, the Elector of Cologne laughed.
"It is highly probable, my Lord," he said, "and, indeed, your moderateway of putting the case is unanswerable. Her ladyship as an Empressunder our influence is out of the question. I therefore make a proposalwith some confidence, quite certain it will please you both. I ventureto nominate for the position of Empress that very demure and silent ladywho is niece of my brother the Elector of Treves."
Treves strangled a gasp in its birth, but could not suppress the lightof ambition that suddenly leaped into his eyes. The elevation of hiswidowed sister's child to the Imperial throne was an advantage sotremendous, and came about so unexpectedly, that for the moment his slowbrain was numbed by the glorious prospect. It seemed incredible thatCologne had actually put forward such a proposition.
The eyes of Mayence veiled themselves almost to shutting point, but inno other manner did emotion show. Like a flash his alert mind saw thefull purport of the bombshell Cologne had so carelessly tossed betweenhimself and his henchman. Cologne, having lost everything, had nowproved clever enough to set by the ears those who overruled him by theirunited vote. If this girl were made Empress she would be entirely underthe influence of her uncle, of whose household she had been a pliantmember ever since childhood. Yet what was Mayence to do? Should heobject to the nomination, he would at once obliterate the unswervingloyalty of Treves, and if this happened, Treves and Cologne, joining,would outvote him, and his objection would prove futile. He would enrageTreves without carrying his own point, and he knew that he held hisposition only because of the dog-like fidelity of the weaker man. Slowanger rose in his heart as he pictured the conditions of the future.Whatever influence he sought to exert upon the Emperor by the indirectassistance of the Empress, must be got at through the complacency ofTreves, who would gradually come to appreciate his own increasedimportance.
All this passed through the mind of Mayence, and his decision had beenarrived at before Treves recovered his composure. br />
"It gives me great pleasure," said the Elector of Mayence, firmlysuppressing the malignancy of his glance towards the man seated on hisleft,--"it gives me very great pleasure indeed to second so admirable anomination, the more so that I am thus permitted to offer mycongratulations to an esteemed colleague and a valued friend. My Lord ofTreves, I trust that you will make this nomination unanimous, for, to mydelight, his Lordship of Cologne anticipated, by a few moments theproposal I was about to submit to you."
"My Lord," stammered Treves, finding his voice with difficulty,"I--I--of course will agree to whatever the Court decides. I--I thankyou, my Lord, and you too, my brother of Cologne."
"Then," cried Mayence, almost joyfully, "the task for which we areconvened is accomplished, and I declare this Court adjourned."
He rose from his chair. The overjoyed Prince at his right took nothought of the fact that their chairman had not called upon the ladythat she might receive the decision of the conclave and answer thequestions to be put to her, but Cologne perceived the omission, and knewthat from that moment Mayence would set his subtility at work to nullifythe nomination. Even though his bombshell had not exploded, and the twoother Electors were apparently greater friends than ever, Cologne hadachieved his immediate object, and was satisfied.
Through the open windows came the sound of the steady tramping ofdisciplined men, and the metallic clash of armor and arms in transit.
"Ah, now," cried Mayence, "we will enjoy the advantage of reviewing thebrave troops of Cologne. Lead the way, my Lord of Treves. You know theCastle better than we do."
The proud Treves, treading on air, guided his guests to the northernbalcony.