CHAPTER FOUR.
While he was speaking a large body of people, led on by a man onhorseback, and accompanied by several priests, were seen advancing atthe farther end of the square. Many of the people fled, but thepreacher boldly kept his ground, as did Moretz and Karl, who, indeed,scarcely heeded the movement of the people surrounding him. In anotherminute Moretz found himself dragged from his pack-saddle by a couple ofmen, and looking up, he saw Johann Herder frowning down upon him. Hestruggled to free himself, for his muscles were well-knit, and he hadlost but little of his vigour. He succeeded in getting near enough toKarl to whisper, "Fly away home and look after Meta. God will take careof me. Do not be afraid. Keep up your spirits, Karl. Off!--off!quick! quick!"
He had scarcely uttered these words before he was again seized by twoadditional men, who set on him, and he saw that to struggle further wasuseless.
"Bring him along," said Herder, "with the other prisoners. Themagistrates will quickly adjudge the case. I knew that I should someday have my revenge," he whispered into the old man's ear, "and I intendto make you feel it bitterly."
Moretz was thankful to see that Karl had made his escape, and withoutopposition followed his captors to the hall where the magistrates weresitting. They had resolved to prevent any public preaching in theirtown.
While the magistrates' officers were making prisoners, several menrallied round the preacher, and before he could be seized, got him downfrom the platform in their midst, and then retired down the street, noone venturing to attack them.
Moretz, with six or seven more prisoners, was placed before themagistrates, several priests being present, eager to obtain theircondemnation. Moretz was asked how he dared stop and listen to anheretical preacher, and whether he thought the preacher was speaking thetruth, or falsehood?
"Had I thought he had been speaking falsehood, I would not have stoppedto listen to him," answered the old man, boldly. "He spoke things, too,which I know are to be found in the word of God, and I am sure that allin that book is true."
"Evidently a fearful heretic!" exclaimed the magistrates. "We must makean example of him, and put a stop to this sort of thing. In themeantime, to prison with him!"
"Stay," said one. "Though guilty of listening, perchance he willrecant, and acknowledge himself in error."
"Indeed I will not," answered the old man. "I believe God rather thanman, and will not deny the truths He has taught me."
"Off with him!--off with him! You see there is no use discussingmatters with a heretic," exclaimed some of the other magistrates.
The other prisoners were now tried. Two or three only of them, were,however, committed to prison, the others acknowledging themselves inerror. Of these, however, several as they went away muttered wordscomplimentary neither to their judges nor to the Pope and his cardinals.
Moretz, with several other prisoners, was marched off under a strongguard to the prison. It was a dark, old, gloomy building, which hadbeen a castle, but having been partly dismantled, had been fitted upagain for its present purpose. It contained several long passages, bothabove ground and under ground, leading to arched cells with strong oakdoors plated with iron.
Into one of these dungeons Moretz was now thrust. There he was left insolitude. There was but little light, but he discovered a heap of strawin one corner, on which he sat himself down. "Well," he thought, "otherpeople have been shut up in prison cells worse than this, and Christianstoo." And then he thought of Paul and Silas in the prison at Philippi,and how they had spent their time in praying and singing praises to God."That is just what I ought to do," he said to himself; but he did notpray so much for himself as for his dear little Meta and Karl, that Godwould take care of them, and deliver him in His own good time, if it wasHis will to do so. Then he began to sing, for Spena had left a book ofhymns, the words of several of which he had already learned by heart."The feet of Paul and Silas were in the stocks," he said to himself,"then surely I am better off than they were; I ought to praise God forthat;" and so he sang on right cheerfully. However, not beingaccustomed to sit long, he soon got up and walked about his cell. Hecould make but few paces without turning. A gleam of light came throughan aperture in the upper part of the wall. "I am not much below ground,at all events," he observed; and it set him thinking, always lifting uphis heart in prayer to God.