THE CHARM OF THE OLD WORLD ROMANCES – Premium 10 Book Collection. Robert Barr
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"Do not cheapen your advice, archer, by tendering it unasked," said Rodolph, somewhat sternly, "and avoid comment until you have made the acquaintance of the Count."
"Indeed there is wisdom in that," replied the archer, unabashed, "and I would that his Lordship showed greater anxiety to receive us suitably, for then the sooner would come a taste of his hospitality, the which I am already anxious to pass opinion on."
Further conversation was prevented by the return of the Captain, who curtly informed Rodolph that Count Heinrich commanded the whole party to be brought before him, adding with a malicious leer that he had not found his Lordship so anxious for the meeting as the words spoken by the river bank had led him to suppose.
"You will remain in your saddles until further orders," said the Captain to his men, a behest that did little to reassure the Emperor.
The Countess spoke no word, although her pale face showed that this reception was scarcely to her liking. They all followed the Captain, who led them along a hall, up a broad stair, and through a doorway into a large and lofty room, where half-a-dozen men sat at a table with drinking flagons before them, while one strode angrily back and forward across the floor; his place at the head of the table was empty thus indicating that he was the Count, although Rodolph needed no such token to aid recognition.
Count Heinrich was more than six feet high, and strongly built. His massive head was covered with a shock of jet black hair; his beard and fierce moustache were of the same sombre colour, while his face was so swarthy that at first sight one doubted if the man had a drop of Saxon blood in him. He seemed more like the king of some heathen African domain, than a nobleman in a Christian land. His piercing eyes lit up his dark face, and a glance from them reminded Rodolph of a flash of lightning athwart a black cloud. He stopped abruptly in his march as those summoned into his presence entered, and roared rather than spoke:
"Well, madame, what do you here in Thuron?"
The Countess had taken a step or two in advance of her comrades, but paused dumbfounded at the thunder in his tone and the savagery of the face turned upon her.
"My Lord—uncle," she faltered at last, "I am here to implore your protection."
"Protection?" shouted Heinrich. "Is not the Lion of Treves able to protect you? It is his duty, not mine. Why does he send you journeying with such a scurvy escort?"
"My Lord, if you will permit me to address you in private I will inform you why——"
"You will inform me here. Have you, as I suspect, left Treves without sanction of the Archbishop?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Of all reckless fools a woman—Are your horsemen still in saddle?" he cried, abruptly, to Captain Steinmetz.
"They are, my Lord."
"Well, madame, we shall repair the mischief you have done as speedily as horseflesh may. You shall have escort to do you honour, but must make your peace with the Archbishop as best you can. Take her to Cochem, and there present her to the Archbishop, or, in his absence, to the officer in charge."
"Oh, uncle, uncle," cried the girl, throwing herself at his feet, "you cannot commit such a crime. Remember, I am the daughter of your only sister. The Archbishop commands me to marry the Count Bertrich——"
"And a most proper union. It is his right to marry you to whomsoever pleases him. You cannot gainsay that. Am I to engage in war with Treves merely because you do not fancy Count Bertrich? It is enough that one of my line is a fool. I am none such."
"If you will not shelter me, let me, I beseech you, pass on to Frankfort to beg protection from the Emperor. Although you have the right to refuse hospitality you have no right to take me prisoner and send me back to Cochem."
"That shows you to be doubly a fool. The Emperor has gone to the Holy Land, where God protect him, and were he at Frankfort he would send you back to Treves, for he must uphold the Feudal law. The Archbishop's will elected him, and if his will is to be void regarding a fire-brand like you, it would also be void regarding the Emperor's own elevation. As for my right to prison you, I have what rights I take, which even the Archbishop will hesitate to question."
"My Lord, touching the Emperor," began Rodolph, stepping forward, then checking himself, hardly knowing how to continue.
"Yes? Touching the Emperor? Are you empowered to speak for him? Who are you, sir, and what is your share in this business?"
Black Heinrich had calmed perceptibly as the colloquy between him and his niece went on, but the interpolation of Rodolph at once roused him to fury again, and caused him to turn on the young man with blazing eyes.
"I am a namesake of the Emperor, Lord Rodolph of Frankfort, and I am further his most intimate friend."
"Are you so? Then I am glad to hear it. You will thus make all the more acceptable a sacrifice to Arnold von Isenberg, who likes interference as little as do I, whether from Emperor or serf. Captain Steinmetz, get hither your hangman, reeve a rope through a ring on the river front of the castle, and hang me this fellow so that the Archbishop's emissaries will see him dangling as they come up to inquire respecting this enterprise."
"My Lord, I would like a word with you in private before you proceed to this extremity."
"I transact my business publicly, that all the world may see."
"The more fool you," returned Rodolph, stoutly. "You have already bandied the epithet, therefore I use it. The Archbishop, who is no such ranter, but who acts while you sleep, has had secret spies here to note your weakness. His army is doubtless now on its way to Thuron. If you send back your niece he will think you to be a coward; he already holds you to be a liar, and will believe nothing you say anent this affair, though you hang your whole garrison outside the walls. While you stand babbling there, gloriously frightening women and threatening defenceless men, he, like a sane warrior, is surrounding you. What the Archbishop thinks of your innocence in this matter is shown by the fact that Count Bertrich was sent directly to Thuron, and met us almost at your gates. Blood has already been shed, and two of the Archbishop's men lie dead within sight of your towers. Judge, then, of your childish paltry scheme of returning the Countess Tekla to Cochem. He knows you to be a knave, and will think you poltroon as well, and is doubtless right in both estimates."
Something almost resembling a ruddy colour came into the atramentous face of Black Heinrich as he listened to this rating of himself in his own hall. His jaws came together with a snap, and as the tirade went on, his bearded lips parted and showed his teeth like a white line across his face, giving him an expression that might well be called diabolical. His eyes nearly closed, and his breath came and went with a hissing sound. He stood rigid and motionless, while on the faces of all present was mute amazement at this temerity on the part of one virtually a prisoner. When Heinrich spoke, however, his former loudness was gone, and his words came quiet and measured.
"You are not wanting in courage, therefore will I countermand the order for your hanging, and cause your head to be struck off instead."
"Oh, uncle, uncle!" cried the horrified girl. "Do as you will with me, but he is guiltless even of previous knowledge regarding my escape from Treves. It is his misfortune, not his fault, that he is here. I implore you——"
"Steinmetz, let two of your men conduct this fellow to the courtyard, and there behead him."
The captain was about to move when a new voice from the corner of the apartment broke in upon the discussion.
"May I ask your Blackness," said the archer, "to turn your mind from the seeming peril of my Lord, to the much more certain jeopardy which confronts yourself, and charge the heathen who obeys you to make no motion, otherwise shall you instantly die. Without boasting, Henry Schwart, I beg to acquaint you with the fact that not all your men nor the surrounding of your strong castle can save your life if this string but slip my finger. I have killed two better men than you to-day when they were charging upon me at full speed, and well protected with armour; judge then what chance you have, standing there a rank temptation to an honest archer. My sure arrow cares