XX
THE MYSTERY OF THE FOREST
Roland left the palace with a sense of elation he had never beforeexperienced, but this received a check as he saw standing in the middleof the square the Lieutenant of the night before. His first impulse wasto avoid the officer, yet almost instinctively he turned and walkeddirectly to him, which apparently nonplussed the brave emissary ofMayence.
"Good afternoon to you, sir," began Roland, as if overjoyed to see him."Will you permit me to speak to you, sir?"
"Well?" said the Lieutenant curtly.
"My forge, which has been black and cold for many a long day, will soonbe alight and warm again. What think you of this?" He handed to theLieutenant his order for a thousand swords, and the officer made amental note of the commission as an interesting point in armament thatwould be appreciated by his chief.
"You did not inform me last night who was the merchant you hoped wouldfinance your enterprise."
"Hoped?" echoed Roland, his eyes sparkling. "'Tis more than hope, HerrLieutenant. His name is Goebel, and he is one of the richest andchiefest traffickers of Frankfort. Why, my fortune is made! Read this,written in his own hand. I got it from him before midday, on my mereword that I was certain of an order from his Lordship."
"You are indeed much to be envied," said the Lieutenant coldly,returning the two documents.
"Ah, but I am just at the beginning. If _you_ would favor me bysmoothing the way to his Lordship, the Archbishop of Mayence, I inreturn--"
"Out upon you for a base-born, profit-mongering churl! Do you think thatI, an officer, would demean myself by partnering a bagman!"
The Lieutenant turned on his heel, strode away and left him. Rolandpursued his way with bowed head, as though stricken by the rebuff.Nearing the bridge, he saw a crowd around an empty cart, standing bywhich a man in rough clothing was cursing most vociferously.
At first he thought there had been an accident, but most of the peoplewere laughing loudly; so, halting in the outskirts, he asked the causeof the commotion.
"'Tis but a fool farmer," said a man, "who came from the country withhis load of vegetables. 'Tis safer to enter a lion's den unarmed than tocome into Frankfort with food while people are starving. He has beenplundered to the last leaf."
Roland shouldered his way through the crowd, and touched the frantic manon the shoulder.
"What was the value of your load?" he said.
"A misbegotten liar told me this morning that a market had opened inFrankfort, and that there was money to be had. No sooner am I in thetown than everything I brought in is stolen."
"Yes, yes; I know all about that. My question is, How much is yourmerchandise worth?"
"Worth? Thirty thalers I expected to get, and now--"
"Thirty thalers," interrupted the Prince. "Here is your money. Get yougone, and tell your neighbors there is prompt payment for all theprovender they can bring in."
The man calmed down as if a bucket of water had been thrown on him. Hecounted the payment with miserly care, testing each coin between histeeth, then mounted his cart without a word of thanks, and, to thedisappointment of the gathering mob, drove away. Roland, seething withanger, walked directly to the house of Herr Goebel, and found thatplacid old burgher seated at his table.
"Ten thousand curses on your indolence!" he cried. "Where are yourcommittee, and the emissaries empowered to carry out this scheme ofrelief I have ordered?"
"Committee? Emissaries?" cried the astonished man. "There has been notime!"
"Time, you thick-headed fool! I'll time you by hanging you to your ownfront door. There has been time for me to send my men out into thecountry; time for a farmer to come in with a cartload of produce, and berobbed here under your very nose! Maledictions on you, you sit here,well fed, and cry there is no time! If I had not paid the yeoman hewould have gone back into the country crying we were all thieves here inFrankfort. Now listen to me. I drew my sword once upon you in jest.Should I draw it a second time it will be to penetrate your lazy carcassby running you through. If within two hours there is not a paymaster atevery gate in Frankfort to buy and pay for each cartload of produce asit comes, and also a number of guides to tell that farmer where todeliver his goods, I'll give your town over to the military, and orderthe sacking of every merchant's house within its walls."
"It shall be done; it shall be done; it shall be done!" breathed themerchant, trembling as he rose, and he kept repeating the phrase withthe iteration of a parrot.
"You owe me thirty thalers," said the Prince calming down; "the firstpayment out of the relief fund. Give me the money."
With quivering hands Herr Goebel, seeing no humor in the application,handed over the money, which the Prince slipped into his wallet.
Dusk had fallen when at last he reached his room in Sachsenhausen, andthere he found awaiting him Joseph Greusel, in semi-darkness and intotal gloom.
"Your housekeeper let me in," said the visitor.
"Good! I did not expect you back so soon. Have the others returned?"
"I do not know. I came direct here. I carry very ominous news, Roland,of impending disaster in Frankfort."
"Greater than at present oppresses it?"
"Civil war, fire, and bloodshed. Close the door, Roland; I am tired out,and I do not wish to be overheard."
The Prince obeyed the request, locking the door. Going to a cupboard, heproduced a generous flagon of wine and a tankard, setting the same on asmall table before Greusel, then he threw himself down in the onearmchair the room possessed. Greusel filled the tankard, and emptied itwithout drawing breath. He plunged directly into his narrative.
"I had penetrated less than half a league into the forest when I wasstopped by an armed man who stepped out from behind a tree. He wore theuniform of Mayence, and proclaimed me a prisoner. I explained mymission, but this had no effect upon him. He asked if I would go withhim quietly, or compel him to call assistance. Being helpless, I said Iwould go quietly. Notwithstanding this, he bound my wrists behind me,then with a strip of cloth blindfolded me. Taking me by the arm, he ledme through the forest for a distance impossible to calculate. I think,however, we walked not more than ten minutes. There was a stop and awhispered parley; a pause of a few minutes, and a further conference,which I partially heard. The commander before whom I must be taken wasnot ready to receive me. I should be placed in a tent, and a guard setover me.
"This was done. I asked that the cord, which hurt my wrists, might beremoved, but instead, my ankles were tied together, and I sat there onthe ground, leaning against a pole at the back of the tent. Here myconductor left me, and I heard him give orders to those without tomaintain a strict watch, but to hold no communication with me.
"I imagine that the tent I occupied stood back to back with the tent ofthe commander, for after some time I heard the sound of voices, and itseemed to me voices of two men in authority. They had come to the backpart of their tent, as if to speak confidentially, and their voices werelow, yet I could hear them quite distinctly, being separated from themmerely by two thicknesses of cloth. What I learned was this. There isconcealed in the forest, within half an hour's quick march of thesouthern gate, a force of seven thousand soldiers. These soldiers belongto the Archbishop of Mayence, who commands an additional three thousandwithin the walls of Frankfort. Mayence holds the southern gate, asTreves holds the western and Cologne the northern. You see at once whatthat implies. Mayence can pour his troops into Frankfort, say, atmidnight, and in the morning he has ten thousand soldiers as comparedwith the three thousand each commanded by the Archbishops of Treves andCologne. That means civil war, and the complete crushing of the twonorthern Archbishops."
"I think you take too serious a view of the matter," commented Roland."Mayence is undoubtedly a subtle man, who takes every precaution that heshall have his own way. The reason that there will be no civil war isthis. I happen to know on very excellent authority that so far as theElectoral Court goes, Mayence is paramount. He does not need to conquerCol
ogne and Treves by force, because he is already supreme by his geniusfor intrigue. He is a born ruler, and his methods are all those ofdiplomacy as against those of arms. I dare say if occasion demanded ithe would strike quick and strike effectually, but occasion does notdemand. I am rather sure of my facts, and I know that the threeArchbishops, together with the Count Palatine of the Rhine, are inagreement to elect my namesake, Prince Roland, Emperor of Germany."
"Yes," said Greusel, "I heard that rumor, and it is generally believedin Frankfort. Rumor, however, as usual, speaks falsely."
The Prince smiled at his pessimistic colleague, for that colleague wastalking to the man who knew; nevertheless, he listened patiently, for ofcourse he could not yet reveal himself to his somber lieutenant, whocontinued his narrative:
"The two men spoke of the unfortunate Prince, who is, I understand,still a prisoner in Ehrenfels."
Here Roland laughed outright.
"My dear Greusel, you are entirely mistaken. The Prince was never reallya prisoner, and is at this moment in Frankfort, as free to do what helikes as I am."
"I am sorry," said Greusel, "that you do not grasp the seriousness ofthe situation, but I have not yet come to the vital part of it, althoughI thought the very fact that seven thousand men threatened Frankfortwould impress you."
"It does, Greusel," said Roland, remembering the distrust in which boththe Countess and her guardian held Mayence, and also the close watch hisLordship was keeping over Frankfort, as evidenced by the domiciliaryvisit paid to himself by an officer of that potentate. "Go on, Greusel,"he said more soberly, "I shall not interrupt you again."
"I gathered that Prince Roland actually had been chosen, butcomplications arose which I do not altogether understand. Thesecomplications relate to a woman, or two women; both of them equallyobjectionable to the Archbishop of Mayence. One of these two women wasto marry the new Emperor, but rather than have this happen, Mayencedetermined that another than Prince Roland should be elected, the reasonbeing that Mayence feared one Empress would be entirely under theinfluence of Cologne, if chosen, and the other under the influence ofTreves. So his subtle Lordship is deluding both of these Electors.Cologne has been asked to bring to Frankfort the woman he controls,therefore he harbors the illusion that Mayence is reconciled to her.Treves also has been requested to bring the lady who is his relative;thus she, too, is in Frankfort, and Treves blindly believes Mayence isfavorable to her cause.
"As a matter of fact Mayence will have neither, but has resolved tospring upon the Electoral Court at the last moment the name of the GrandDuke Karl of Hesse, a middle-aged man already married, and entirelyunder the dominance of his Lordship of Mayence."
"Pardon me, Greusel, I must interrupt, in spite of my disclaimer. Whatyou say sounds very ingenious, but it cannot be carried out. Treves,Cologne, and the Count Palatine are already pledged to vote for PrinceRoland, so is Mayence himself, and to change front at the last momentwould be to forswear himself, and act as traitor to his colleagues. Now,he cannot afford to lose even one vote, and I believe that theArchbishop of Cologne will vote for Prince Roland through thick andthin. I think the same of the Count Palatine. Treves, of course, isalways doubtful and wavering, but you see that the negative vote of theArchbishop of Cologne would render Mayence powerless and an Electionimpossible."
"Doubtless what you say is true, and now you have put your finger on thedanger spot. Why has the Election been delayed beyond all precedent?"
"That I do not know," replied Roland.
"Then I will tell you. The Archbishop of Mayence has sent peremptoryorders to the other three Electors, who are reported to be careless sofar as Imperial affairs are concerned, and quite indifferent regardingthe personality of the future Emperor. No one of these three Electors,however, dares offend so powerful a man as Mayence. If the Archbishopcan overawe his colleagues nominally equal to him in position, eachcommanding an army, how think you can three small nobles, with nosoldiers at their beck, withstand his requests, suavely given, no doubt,but with an iron menace behind them?"
"True, true," muttered Roland.
"Two of these nobles have already arrived, and are housed with theArchbishop of Mayence. The third is expected here within three days;four days at the farthest. Mayence will immediately convene theElectoral Court, when the Count Palatine, with the two Archbishops, maybe astonished to find that for the first time in history, the wholeseven are present in the Wahlzimmer. Mayence will ask Cologne to makethe nomination, and he will put forward the name of Prince Roland. On avote being taken the Prince will be in a minority of one. Mayence thenshows his hand, nominating the Grand Duke Karl, who will be elected by amajority of one. Then may ensue a commotion in the Wahlzimmer, andaccusations of bad faith, but remember that Cologne and Treves are takencompletely by surprise. They cannot communicate with their commanders,for the three thousand troops which Mayence already has within Frankfortwill have quietly surrounded the Town Hall that contains the ElectionChamber, and Mayence's seven thousand men from the forest are pouringthrough the southern gate into the city, making straight for the Romer.Meanwhile the Grand Duke Karl, a man well known to the populace ofFrankfort, appears on the balcony of the Kaisersaal, and is loudlyacclaimed the new Emperor."
"Ah, Greusel, forgive my attitude of doubt. It is all as plain now asthe Cathedral tower. Still, there will be no civil war. Treves andCologne will gather up their troops and go home, once more defeated by aman cleverer and more unscrupulous than both of them put together. Theyare but infants in his hands."
"Have you any suggestion to make?" asked Greusel.
"No; there is nothing to be done. You see, the young Prince has nofollowing. He is quite unknown in Frankfort. His name can arouse noenthusiasm, and, all in all, that strikes me as a very good thing. TheGrand Duke Karl is popular, and I believe he will make a very goodEmperor."
"You mean, Roland, that the Archbishop of Mayence will make a very goodruler, for he will be the real king."
"Well, after all, Joseph, there is much to be said in favor of Mayence.He is a man who knows what he wants, and, what is more, gets it, andthat, after all is the main thing in life. If any one could sway theArchbishop so that he put his great talents to the benefit of hiscountry, instead of thinking only of himself, what a triumph ofinfluence that would be! By the Three Kings, I'd like to do it! I admirehim. If I found opportunity and could persuade him to join us in therelief of Frankfort, and in opening the Rhine to commerce, we would givethese inane merchants a lesson in organization."
Greusel rose from his chair, poured out another tankard full from theflagon, and drank it off.
"I must go down now and meet the guild," he said. "I have eaten nothingall day, and am as hungry as a wolf from the Taunus."
"Oh, how did you escape, by the way?"
"I didn't escape. I was led blindfolded into a tent, where my bandagewas removed, and here a man in ordinary dress questioned me concerningmy object in entering the forest. I told him exactly the truth, andexplained what we were trying to do in Frankfort. I dare say I lookedhonest and rather stupid. He asked when I set out; in what direction Icame; questioning me with a great affectation of indifference; wanted toknow if I had met many persons, and I told him quite truthfully I met noone but the man I understood was a forester; a keeper, I supposed."
"'There are a number of us,' he said, 'hunting the wild boar, and we donot wish the animal life of these woods to be disturbed. We shall not behere longer than a week, but I advise you to seek another spot for whattimber you require.'
"He asked me, finally, if any one in Frankfort knew I had come to theforest, and I answered that the guild of twenty knew, and that we wereall to meet to-night at the Rheingold tavern to report. He pondered fora while on this statement, and I suppose reached the conclusion that ifI did not return to Frankfort, this score of men might set out in themorning to search for me, it being well known that the forest isdangerous on account of wild boars. So, as if it were of no consequence,he blindfolded me again, a
pologizing privately for doing so, saying itwas quite unnecessary in the first instance, but as the guard had doneso, he did not wish to censure him by implication.
"I answered that it did not matter at all, but desired him to order mywrists released, which was done."
"I must say," commented Roland, "that the Archbishop of Mayence is wellserved by his officers. Your examiner was a wise man."
"Yes," replied Greusel, "but nevertheless, I am telling my story here inFrankfort."
"No difference for that, because, as I have said, we can do nothing.Still, it is a blessing your examiner could not guess what you overheardin the other tent. He let you go thinking you had seen and learnednothing, and in doing so warded off a search party to-morrow."