Furious with rage at this taunt, the headsman gave the gibbering witch such a blow on the head, with the leaden k.n.o.b of his scourge, that she never spoke another word on this earth; then, rushing to the edge of the scaffold, he stretched out his arm and pointed his whip at Valentine.
The town-councilors sprang to their feet with a shudder.
Then Valentine said in a calm voice: "It is so--it is true!"
Augustus Zwirina immediately turned toward him and said: "Then, Mr.
Valentine Kalondai, the time has come for you to lay down the sheriff"s staff!"
Valentine surrendered his staff, descended from the tribune, and went straight home. He went quite alone. Not a soul accompanied him.
When he got home, pretty Michal could read from his face that misfortune had overtaken him.
"It"s all up. We are betrayed and openly accused."
Pretty Michal was not dismayed by this intelligence, she was prepared for it.
"I only ask one thing of you," said she to Valentine, "and as you love me, you must grant it. Our sole defense is that Henry Catsrider, when he married me, gave himself out to my father as a different person from what he really was. That is an impediment which nullifies the marriage. We might, therefore, defend ourselves by contending that I was not his true and lawful wife, that he married me under false pretenses, and kept me in his house by force. I pray and beseech you not to offer any such defense. My poor father knows not what has befallen me, and I wish him never to know it."
"But I have a mother."
"Her heart will break for your sake. I know it. But then she will live forever among the choirs of angels. She has nothing to reproach herself with. Her inward monitor does not accuse her. But it is my father"s own fault that I came into this terrible situation. If he ever learns that he is the sole cause of all this sorrow and shame, it will not only be the death of him, but it will make him lose his hopes of heaven."
Valentine kissed his pretty Michal.
"You are right. We will not defend ourselves."
At that moment worthy Simplex appeared.
"Quick, comrade! Take horse! The gates are not yet closed. Twelve of your trusty friends have banded to a.s.sist your flight. There is no time for reflection. The town council is at this moment deciding your fate."
But Valentine answered: "If I alone were concerned, I do not say that I would not attempt to escape. But there are two of us, and rather let my head be thrown into the dust along with the head of my Michal than her name and mine should be written over the pillory to our eternal shame. Here we remain, come what may."
"Good! Be it so!" said Simplex. "But, at least, defend yourself. You know the rule: "Si fecisti, nega!" We will give the accusers enough to do. I will swear that I saw with my own eyes the wife of Henry, the hangman, perish in the flames. I don"t care very much whether I am a cell higher or lower in h.e.l.l. I know the commandment says: "Thou must not bear false witness against thy neighbor." But there is nothing said about bearing false witness to befriend thy neighbor."
"No, my good Simplex! we don"t do that. If my Michal were to say that she had never been Henry"s wife, but was another person, she would next be asked who she really was then, and who her father was.
But this she never will say. Do you understand why?"
"Yes, comrade, I do understand. She would spare the white hairs of her father."
"And if she would not answer this question, would you like them to lay upon the rack her whom I adore?"
Valentine, in his anguish, pressed the trembling creature to his breast, while Simplex gnashed his teeth, and struck his forehead with his fist.
"And finally," said Valentine, proudly raising his head, "I would rather die one hundred times over, and see my wife die before my eyes, than let a single lie cross my lips, which would make me blush when I stood face to face with the knacker of Zeb. Rather let my blood trickle to the ground than stream into my face for shame!
What! would you have me lie to this man, and then turn my face away from him? I will oppose him boldly, tell him the truth, and then spit in his face."
"Right, Valentine, right! You are acting like a true man," said Simplex, while pretty Michal fell at her husband"s feet and kissed his hands. "Then you must accept our last offer. If you will neither fly nor lie, our twelve trusty friends will give good bail to the city magistrates to prevent you from being put in fetters."
"I will accept that offer thankfully, and make bold to say that they will lose nothing by it."
Simplex had no sooner departed than a message came from the town council, summoning Valentine and his wife to appear before it.
Dame Sarah now learnt for the first time whereof her children were accused, and was terribly enraged thereat.
Dressed just as she used to be indoors (she did not even throw her fur mantle over her shoulders), she rushed after her children. She would like to see who would dare to rob her of them.
She followed the accused into the council-chamber. The halberdiers would have kept her back, but she sent them spinning to the left and right against the doorposts, and forced her way up to the green table itself. She could scarcely restrain herself while the syndic read out the accusation, according to which Valentine had abducted the wife of Henry Catsrider, and unlawfully cohabited with her. Then Dame Sarah could contain herself no longer.
"The whole thing is a lie, a shameless, scandalous calumny! What! my daughter-in-law, Milly, the wife of the headsman of Zeb! Step forth, you scarlet juggler! Produce the marriage certificate which can show that my daughter-in-law, Milly, was ever married to the knacker of Zeb! Your wife, forsooth, you red dog! This gentle, pious creature, who is a veritable angel! Or name, if you can, the clergyman who united you at the altar, you sp.a.w.n of h.e.l.l, you flayer of men, you scarecrow, with this angelic creature!"
Henry was terribly alarmed. His teeth chattered and his chin waggled, beard and all, at this woman"s onslaught, for he could not have proved that Michal had been married to him, the hangman. He had married her as a clergyman. He had obtained her hand by subtlety.
And all this would now come out. He did not know what to say. Words failed him.
But still more frightened was Michal. Full of terror she pressed her husband"s hand.
Then Valentine turned to Henry Catsrider and said:
"I forbid you to answer that question. It has no bearing on the case. I acknowledge and confess that my consort was this man"s wife.
I took her from him because it was better for her to die with me than to live with him, and I am responsible for it to G.o.d alone and his avenging cherubim."
"But here below you are also responsible to the high tribunal of the worshipful city of Ka.s.sa," said the presiding superrector.
"You know the law. You know that death is the penalty for such a transgression."
"I await death."
"You shall not be disappointed."
Pretty Michal crossed her arms over her breast, and turning her martyr-like face to heaven, looked up as if transfigured, while Valentine supported her with his stalwart arm.
A solemn pause ensued, and then the silence was broken by the heartrending cry of Dame Sarah:
"I appeal!"
"To whom?" inquired the cruelly cold voice of the superrector.
"To the Prince."
"He lies in a Polish dungeon."
"To the Kaiser, then."
"He died last week."
"Then I appeal to G.o.d!" cried the mother, in her bitter agony.
"He"s napping!" answered a deep, hollow voice, which seemed to come from the very bowels of the earth. It was the headsman who had spoken.
But the dean there and then arose from his place at the green table, and gave the speaker such a buffet in the face that the blood flowed in streams from his mouth and nose.