Taking the bucket, Roland mounted the steps, and strode out of the brilliant sunlight into the comparative gloom of the corridor that led to the kitchen. He had been two hours with the merchant, and it was now the time of midday eating. Every one was hurrying to and fro, with no time to heed anything that did not pertain to the business in hand, so placing the bucket in a darkened embrasure, the intruder flung off the gabardine beside it, and searching, found a back stair which he ascended.
Once in the upper regions, he knew his way about, and proceeded directly to his mother"s room, being sure at this hour to find her within. On his unannounced entrance the Empress gave utterance to an exclamation that indicated dismay rather than pleasure, but she hurried forward to meet and embrace him.
"Oh, Roland!" she cried, "what do you here? How came you to the Palace?"
"By way of the river. My boat is under the arch of the servants"
stairway, and I have not a moment to lose."
"How did you escape from Ehrenfels, and why have you come here? Surely you know the Palace will be the first place searched for you?"
"There will be no search, mother. Take my word for it that no one is aware of my absence from Ehrenfels but the custodian, and for the best of reasons he dare not say a word. Do not be alarmed, I beg of you. I am free by his permission, and shall return to the Castle before he needs me. Indeed, mother, so far from jeopardizing my own safety, I am here to preserve it."
He drew from under his belt Herr Goebel"s parchment, and handed it to her.
"In case it should occur to the good Archbishop, or any other n.o.ble, to hang me, I thought it best to get such a declaration signed by the Emperor, and decorated with the Great Seal of the Empire. Then, if any attempt is made on my life, as well as on my liberty, I may produce this Imperial decree, and bring my case to Frankfort."
"Surely, surely," exclaimed the agitated lady, her hands trembling as she held the doc.u.ment and tried to read it; "I can obtain your father"s signature, but the Great Seal must be attached by the Chamberlain."
"Very good, mother. The Chamberlain will do as his Majesty orders. The seal is even more important than the signature, if it comes to that, and I am sure the Chamberlain will make no objection when the instrument is for the protection of your son"s life. It is not necessary to say that I am here, or have anything to do with the matter. But lose not a moment, and give orders that no one shall enter this room."
The empress hastened away with the parchment, while the young man walked impatiently up and down the room. It seemed hours before she returned, but at last she came back with the doc.u.ment duly executed. Roland thrust it under his belt again, and rea.s.suring his mother, who was now weeping on his shoulder, he tried to tear himself away. The Empress detained him until, with fumbling hands, she unlocked a drawer in a cabinet, and took from it a bag that gave forth a c.h.i.n.k of metal as she pressed it on her son.
"I must not take it," he said. "I am quite well provided. The generous Archbishops allow me seven hundred thalers a month, which is paid with exemplary regularity."
"There are only five hundred thalers here," replied the Empress. "I wish there were more, but you must accept it, for I should feel easier in my mind to know that you possess even that much. Do they misuse you at Ehrenfels, my son?"
"Oh, no, no, no! I live like a burgomaster. You need feel no fear on my account, mother. Ehrenfels is a delightful spot, with old Bingen just across the water. I like it much better than I did Frankfort, with its howling mobs, and shall be very glad to get quit again of the city."
Then, with a hurried farewell, he left the weeping woman, and descending the back stair, secured the abandoned gabardine, put it on, and so came to the water"s edge, entering into possession of his boat again.
Returning the craft to its owner, he resumed sword and cloak once more, and found his way to a tavern, where he ordered a satisfactory meal.
In the evening he arrived at the Rheingold, and meeting the landlord in the large, empty, public cellar, asked that worthy if his friends had a.s.sembled yet, and was told they were all within the Kaiser cellar.
"Good!" he cried. "I said I would be gone a week, but here I am within a day. If that"s not justifying a man"s word, I should like to know what is. And now, landlord, set forth the best meal you can provide, with a double quant.i.ty of wine."
"For yourself, sir?"
"For all, landlord. What else? The lads have had no supper, I"ll warrant."
"A little black bread has gone the rounds."
"All the more reason that we should have a huge pasty, steaming hot, or two or three of them if necessary. And your best wine, landlord. That from the Rheingau."
But the landlord demurred.
"A meal for yourself, sir, as leader, I could venture upon, but feeding a score of hungry men is a different matter. Remember, sir, I have not seen the color of their silver for many a long day, and, since these evil times have set in, I am a poor man."
"Sordid silver? Out upon silver! unless it is some silvery fish from the river, fresh and firm; and that"s a good idea. We will begin with fish while you prepare the meat. "Tis gold I deal with to-night, and most of it is for your pouch. Run your hand in here and enjoy the thrill," and Roland held open the mouth of the bag which contained his treasure.
"Ah!" cried the inn-keeper, his face aglow. "No such meal is spread to-night in Frankfort as will be set before you."
There was a great shout as Roland entered the Kaiser cellar, and a hurrah of welcome.
"Ha, renegade!" cried one. "Have you shirked your task so soon?"
"Coward, coward, poltroon!" was the cry. "I see by his face he has failed. Never mind them, Roland. Your chair at the head of the table always awaits you. There is a piece of black bread left, and though the wine is thin, it quenches thirst."
Roland flung off his cloak, hung it and the sword on a peg, and took his seat at the head of the table. Pushing away the flagons that stood near him, he drew the leathern bag from his belt, and poured the shining yellow coins on the table, at the sight of which there arose such a yell that the stout beams above them seemed to quake.
"Apologize!" demanded Roland, when the clamor quieted down. "The man who refuses to apologize, and that abjectly, must take down his sword from the peg and settle with me!"
A shout of apology was the response.
"We grovel at your feet, High Mightiness!" cried the man who had called him poltroon.
"I have taken the liberty of ordering a fish and meat supper, with a double quant.i.ty of Rudesheimer wine. Again I offer to fight any man who resents this encroachment on my part."
"I could spit you with a hand tied behind my back," cried one, "but I am of a forgiving nature, and will wait instead for the spitted fowl."
"Most of this money," continued Roland quietly, "goes, I suspect, to the landlord, as a slight recognition of past kindness, but I am promised a further supply this evening, which will be divided equally among ourselves. I ask you, therefore, to be sparing of the wine." Here he was compelled to pause for some moments, and listen to groans, hoots, howls, and the rapping of empty flagons on the stout table.
The commotion was interrupted by the entrance of the landlord, who brought with him the promised Rhine wine; for, hearing the noise, he supposed it represented impatience of the company at the delay, a mistake which no one thought it worth while to rectify. He promised that the fish would follow in a very few minutes, and went out to see that his word was kept.
"Why should we be sparing of the wine?" asked a capable drinker, who had drained his flagon before asking the question. "With all that money on the table it seems to me a scandalous proviso."
""Tis not a command at all," replied Roland, "but merely a suggestion. I spoke in the interests of fair-play. An appointment was made by me for ten o"clock this evening, and I wish to keep it and remain uninfluenced by wine."
"What"s her name, Roland?" inquired the wine-bibber.
"I was about to divulge that secret when you interrupted me. The name is Herr Goebel."
"What! the cloth merchant on the Fahrga.s.se?"
"Is it cloth he deals in? I didn"t know the particulars of his occupation beyond the facts that he is a merchant, and lives in the Fahrga.s.se. This morning I enjoyed the privilege of presenting to Herr Goebel a mutually beneficial plan which would give us all something to do."
"Oh, is Goebel to be our employer? I"m a sword forger, and work for no puny cloth merchant," said Kurzbold.
"This appointment," continued Roland, unheeding, "is set for ten o"clock, and I expect to return here before half-past, therefore--"
"Therefore we"re not to drink all the wine."
"Exactly."
Their leader sat down as the landlord, followed by an a.s.sistant, entered, carrying the paraphernalia for the substantial repast, and proceeded to set the table.
When the hilarious meal was finished, the company sat for another half-hour over its wine, then Roland rose, buckled on his sword, and flung his cloak over his shoulders.
"Roland, I hope you have not sold your soul for this gold?"