A laugh broke from the Goshawk. "You thought the lady was locked up in the ghostly larder; eh!"
Dietrich seized his sword, and tightened his belt.
"The Club allows no jesting with the White Rose, Sir Stranger."
Margarita made peace. "I thank you all, good friends. But quarrel not, I pray you, with them that save me at the risk of their lives."
"Our service is equal," said the Goshawk, flourishing, "Only we happen to be beforehand with the Club, for which Farina and myself heartily beg pardon of the entire brotherhood."
"Farina!" exclaimed Dietrich. "Then we make a prisoner instead of uncaging a captive."
"What "s this?" said Guy.
"So much," responded Dietrich. "Yonder"s a runaway from two masters: the law of Cologne, and the conqueror of Satan; and all good citizens are empowered to bring him back, dead or alive."
"Dietrich! Dietrich! dare you talk thus of the man who saved me?" cried Margarita.
Dietrich sullenly persisted.
"Then, look!" said the White Rose, reddening under the pale dawn; "he shall not, he shall not go with you."
One of the Club was here on the point of speaking to the White Rose,-- a breach of the captain"s privilege. Dietrich felled him unresisting to earth, and resumed:
"It must be done, Beauty of Cologne! the monk, Father Gregory, is now enduring shame and scorn for lack of this truant witness."
"Enough! I go !" said Farina.
"You leave me?" Margarita looked tender reproach. Weariness and fierce excitement had given a liquid flame to her eyes and an endearing darkness round their circles that matched strangely with her plump youth. Her features had a soft white flush. She was less radiant, but never looked so bewitching. An aspect of sweet human languor caught at the heart of love, and raised tumults.
"It is a duty," said Farina.
"Then go," she beckoned, and held her hand for him to kiss. He raised it to his lips. This was seen of all the Club.
As they were departing with Farina, and Guy prepared to demand admittance into the convent, Dietrich chanced to ask how fared Dame Lisbeth.
Schwartz Thier was by, and answered, with a laugh, that he had quite forgotten the little lady.
"We took her in mistake for you, mistress! She was a one to scream! The moment she was kissed--mum as a cloister. We kissed her, all of us, for the fun of it. No harm--no harm! We should have dropped her when we found we had the old bird "stead of the young one, but reckoned ransom, ye see. She"s at the Eck, rattling, I"s wager, like last year"s nut in the sh.e.l.l!"
"Lisbeth! Lisbeth! poor Lisbeth; we will return to her. Instantly,"
cried Margarita.
"Not you," said Guy.
"Yes! I!"
"No!" said Guy.
"Gallant Goshawk! best of birds, let me go!"
"Without me or Farina, never! I see I shall have no chance with my lord now. Come, then, come, fair Irresistible! come, lads. Farina can journey back alone. You shall have the renown of rescuing Dame Lisbeth."
"Farina! forget not to comfort my father," said Margarita.
Between Margarita"s society and Farina"s, there was little dispute in the captain"s mind which choice to make. Farina was allowed to travel single to Cologne; and Dietrich, petted by Margarita, and gently jeered by Guy, headed the Club from Laach waters to the castle of the Robber Baron.
THE BACK-BLOWS OF SATHANAS
Monk Gregory was pacing the high road between the Imperial camp and suffering Cologne. The sun had risen through interminable distances of cloud that held him remote in a succession of receding mounds and thinner veils, realm beyond realm, till he showed fireless, like a phantom king in a phantom land. The lark was in the breast of morning. The field- mouse ran along the furrows. Dews hung red and grey on the weedy banks and wayside trees. At times the nostril of the good father was lifted, and he beat his breast, relapsing into sorrowful contemplation. Pa.s.sed- any citizen of Cologne, the ghostly head sunk into its cowl. "There"s a black raven!" said many. Monk Gregory heard them, and murmured, "Thou hast me, Evil one! thou hast me!"
It was noon when Farina came clattering down from the camp.
"Father," said he, "I have sought thee."
"My son!" exclaimed Monk Gregory with silencing hand, "thou didst not well to leave me contending against the tongues of doubt. Answer me not.
The maiden! and what weighed she in such a scale?--No more! I am punished. Well speaks the ancient proverb:
"Beware the back-blows of Sathanas!"
I, that thought to have vanquished him! Vanity has wrecked me, in this world and the next. I am the victim of self-incense. I hear the demons shouting their chorus--"Here comes Monk Gregory, who called himself Conqueror of Darkness!" In the camp I am discredited and a scoff; in the city I am spat upon, abhorred. Satan, my son, fights not with his fore- claws. "Tis with his tail he fights, O Farina!--Listen, my son! he entered to his kingdom below through Cologne, even under the stones of the Cathedral Square, and the stench of him abominably remaineth, challenging the nostrils of holy and unholy alike. The Kaiser cannot approach for him; the citizens are outraged. Oh! had I held my peace in humbleness, I had truly conquered him. But he gave me easy victory, to inflate me. I shall not last. Now this only is left, my son; that thou bear living testimony to the truth of my statement, as I bear it to the folly!"
Farina promised, in the face of all, he would proclaim and witness to his victory on Drachenfels.
"That I may not be ranked an impostor!" continued the Monk. "And how great must be the virtue of them that encounter that dark spirit! Valour availeth nought. But if virtue be not in" ye, soon will ye be puffed to bursting with that devil"s poison, self-incense. Surely, my son, thou art faithful; and for this service I can reward thee. Follow me yet again."
On the road they met Gottlieb Groschen, hastening to the camp. Dismay rumpled the old merchant"s honest jowl. Farina drew rein before him.
"Your daughter is safe, worthy Master Groschen," said he.
"Safe?" cried Gottlieb; "where is she, my Grete?"
Farina briefly explained. Gottlieb spread out his arms, and was going to thank the youth. He saw Father Gregory, and his whole frame narrowed with disgust.
"Are you in company with that pestilent animal, that curse of Cologne!"
"The good Monk--," said Farina.
"You are leagued with him, then, sirrah! Expect no thanks from me.
Cologne, I say, is cursed! Meddling wretches! could ye not leave Satan alone? He hurt us not. We were free of him. Cologne, I say, is cursed!
The enemy of mankind is brought by you to be the deadly foe of Cologne."
So saying, Gottlieb departed.
"Seest thou, my son," quoth the Monk, "they reason not!"
Farina was dejected. Willingly would he, for his part, have left the soul of Evil a loose rover for the sake of some brighter horizon to his hope.