"Madame, it is useless, we cannot get through them." Osra sprang from the carriage, and she said:
"You have two men with you, sir. For G.o.d"s sake, gentlemen, bring me through to the foot of the scaffold. I care not if it costs me my life."
"Nor we, madame, though it costs us ours, since it is your pleasure,"
they said, as every man in the city would have said for the Princess Osra. And the two men went ahead, while Osra followed with the officer; and pushing and struggling, and dodging in and out, aye, and when need was, hitting, and buffeting, and kicking, the three took her through into the square of the Cathedral. And the clock in the great tower struck noon.
As the bell boomed a cry went up from the thronged square; the body of a man shot from the scaffold to the top of the gibbet and hung there. The people cried aloud, some cheering, some also groaning and weeping.
"Who is it, who is it?" asked the Princess.
"It is Sigismund Kohl, madame," said the officer.
"Then on, on, on!" she commanded, and again they struggled forward. Now a louder and fiercer cry rang out as a man was brought forward on the scaffold, in his shirt and breeches. A priest was with him, holding a crucifix before his eyes. King Rudolf, who sat at a window of his palace, asked why they delayed to string the rascal up; and one of his gentlemen answered:
"Sire, the priest begged a few minutes" delay. For the obstinate rogue will not confess to the murder of the girl, and therefore cannot receive absolution, and the priest is loth to have him hanged without it."
"He shall be hanged without it, unless his conscience act quickly," said the King. But a moment later, he asked:
"What is the tumult in the corner of the square? There is a fight there.
Let it be seen to."
Indeed there was a fight; for the three with Osra were bent on getting through, and the crowd would not let them through; and they struck at the crowd, and the crowd at them. But suddenly some one, peering past the Guards, exclaimed: "The Princess Osra, the Princess!" Then the blows ceased, and the crowd began slowly to give back, making way for Osra.
And she walked between walls of people, yet did not seem to see or to take heed of any of them; her eyes were glued to the man on the scaffold. For even now the priest, who had held the crucifix, turned sorrowfully away, and signed with his hand to the hangman.
Again the people shouted fiercely for Christian"s death; and he, stepping forward, gave himself into the executioner"s hands. Those who were near him saw that there was a smile on his lips, and, as the hangman took hold of him, he kissed a little packet which he held in his right hand. But the people shrieked loudly: "Murderer, murderer! Where is the girl?" At this, stung beyond endurance, Christian cried, so loudly that his voice rose above the clamour:
"I am no murderer, I did not touch a hair of her head."
"Then where is she, where is she?" they shouted.
"I do not know," said he; and he added in a low tone, kissing his little packet again: "Wherever she is, G.o.d in his graciousness send her joy."
And he turned to the executioner, saying, "Get on, man." But then he looked as it were for the last time on the living sea of faces round him, and suddenly, out of all of them, he saw one.
What Christian saw the King saw also, and he rose from his chair with an oath and a laugh.
"This sister of mine is a wonderful wench," said he. "Come, let us see why she will not have this rascal hanged. Run, some one, and tell them not to string him up till I give the word."
The King walked out of the palace and came into the square, the Guard parting the people before him; and Osra, seeing him coming, stood now quite still, blushing and smiling, although she was very ashamed and panted sorely.
Then the King came and faced her, saying nothing, but lifting his eyebrows and smiling whimsically; but at last he whispered:
"What, was there a man in the forest, Osra?"
And she answered: "Do not ask me that, sire, but ask Christian Hantz what is in the packet which he kissed as the hangman took hold of him."
"He is not only a robber, but a murderer also, though he will not own to it."
"No, he is no murderer," said she. "Look in the packet."
"Then come and look with me," said the King, and taking her hand he led her up on to the scaffold in the sight of all the people, who wondered and laughed; for they always laughed at the ways of the Princess Osra.
But she flew straight across to Christian, who fell on one knee with the rope round his neck.
"Give me the packet," she cried, and she tore it open. And in it she found her order for a thousand crowns and the gem engraved with the Royal Arms. For an instant she looked at Christian, and then she said:
"You have not got money for the order? Yet my name is good for a thousand crowns."
"To me, madame, it was better than fifty thousand."
"But," she broke out eagerly; "you should have sent the ring. I could have saved you."
"But you would have kept it in return for the service, madame."
"Aye, sir, that was the bargain," said Osra, with a little low laugh.
"I knew it. And I preferred to die with it rather than live without it."
"Another foolish speech!"
"Yes, for the man is foolish, madame."
"And they cry to you, "Where is the girl?" And you do not answer, but die under a foul charge!"
To this Christian Hantz made no answer at all, unless it were one to murmur mournfully:
"And, madame, they have taken from me the red skirt and----"
The Princess Osra suddenly turned from him, and went to the King, who had stood regarding her; and she knelt down before him, saying:
"Sire and dear brother, pardon this man. He did but shelter his friend, and he will rob no more."
"I might forgive him his robberies, if he would take service in my army."
"Yes, in my regiment of Guards!" she cried.
"But how shall I forgive that foul murder, of which he is certainly guilty? For where, sister, is the pretty girl, of whom no traces can be found saving her dress, her red skirt, and----?"
"Sire, these things--I pray you, sire, let your gentlemen stand back a little."
"Stand back, then, gentlemen," said the King.
"These things, sire, were, by a strange chance, in the little parcel that the poor man kissed. Though why he kissed it, I do not know."
The King took Osra"s order for a thousand crowns, and also the gem engraved with the Royal Arms; he looked at them and at his sister.
"Therefore, sire," said she, "I ask life and pardon for the most courteous gentleman in your dominions. For he prized my ring above his life and my secret above his honour. Sire, such men should live and not die."
The King turned to his officers, and said: