The Sword Maker

llow's nest against the eastern end of Sayn Castle, a lovely girl of eighteen leaned, meditating, with arms resting on the balustrade, the harshness of whose stone surface was nullified by the soft t

e Castle, as if its cool shade was grateful to him. Belonging, as he did, to the very practical Order of the Benedictines, whose belief was in work sa

ttle dreaming of the frivolous mission she would propose, he waved

in Germany, and carefully as the pious Sisters of Nonnenwerth Convent may have concealed the fact from her, she was extremely beautiful, and knew it, and although the valley of the Saynbach w

ty; nevertheless she determined to learn from an authoritative source whether or not it was safe to take up

alley, half a league from the great river, the situation of his stronghold favored his depredations. He filled his warehousing rooms with merchandise from barges going down the river, and with gold seized from unhappy merchants on their way up. He thought no more of cutting a throat than of cutting a purse, and it was only when he became amazingly wealthy that the increase of years brought trouble to a conscience which all men thought had ceased to exist. Thereup

at no ordinary ghost could have emerged therefrom, but to be doubly sure a gigantic log was placed on top of it, strongly clamped down with concealed bands of iron, and, so t

of the floor. Replacing the statue, and watching by the tomb, was found to be of little use. The watchers invariably fell asleep, and the great wooden figure, which during their last waking momen

in the phenomena despite the assurances of the monks, and later on the simple brethren deeply regretted they had made any mention of the manifestations. The new Count himself took up the task of watching, and paced all night before the tomb of the third

ot accepted the offer of the monks to share his midnight surveillance. The courage of the House of Sayn is, however, a well-known quality, and, notwithstanding his piety, the new holder of the title was possessed of it, for although ad

s the heir to his titles and lands should take upon himself the sins Henry had committed during his life, while a youn

sanction of the Abbot and brethren of the Monastery of Sayn, hoping by a life of continuous rectitude to annul, in some measure at least, the evil

words complimented the nobleman on the sacrifice he made, predicting that it would redound greatly to his spiritual welfare. Speaking for himself, he ha

Sayn, deeply sighing as one accepting a burden almost too

be obliterated by the prayers of the younger member of my family who becomes a monk, but the accumulated gold carries with it a continual curse, which can be wiped off each coin only by that coin benefiting the merchants who have been robbed. The contamination of this metal, therefore, I must bear, for it adds to the agony of my ancestor that, little realizing what he was doing, he bequeathed this poisonous dross

themselves thus denuded of wealth they had hoped to enjoy, gave utterance to a groan doubtless much greater in volume than that emitted by the carven stat

r for the repose of the wicked Henry III. The gold which Henry's immediate successor so craftily deflected from the monks seemed to be blessed rather than cursed, for under the care of that subtle manager it multiplied greatly in Frankfort, and scandal-mongers

s, but he regarded her as a daughter, and her affection was g

er to that great prelate, the Archbishop of Cologne, and the Archbishop, being guardian of the Countess von Sayn, sent Father Ambrose to the castle of his ancestor to look after the affairs of Sayn, both re

tely buildings, as exhibiting a visible type of orderly government, as establishing the superiority of peace over war as the normal condition of life, as students in the library which the rule set up

*

roach from afar off. You walked with halting step, and shoulders increasingly bowed. You are we

ather than with fatigue. Indeed, it is others who do the harassing manual labor, while I simply direct

ng of it reminds me that I have poured out, with my own hand, a tankard of the choicest, oldest wi

his lips, but merely indulged in one sip of the delectable beverage. Then he seated himself, and loo

sparing neither yourself nor others, but there is danger that you grow

he productiveness of the land; than training men

well-doing becomes ultimately tedious. If the laborer is worthy of his hire, so, too, is the master

ted himself anothe

?" he

activities of your fellow-men. You have so long consorted with those inferior to you in intellect and learning that a meeting with your equals-though I d

se slowly sh

an inspiring town. In my day it was indeed a place of cheer,

y itself be doleful, which I doubt, there is sure to be light and ga

ith Court or palaces

ase, your sage advice might be of the greatest benefit. Prosperity seems to follow your footsteps, and, besi

ed features, and then he asked a question with that honest

egunde, what i

his castle oppresses me, and in its continuous dullness I grow old before my time. I wish to enjoy a month or

our petition to that Prince of the Church, th

thy Archbishop with my request, I must learn whether it is practicable or not. If the city is indeed in a state of turbulence, of course I s

came as near to lau

e. I will go where and when you command me, and report to you faithfully what I see and hear. Should the time s

do not lay this as

sufficient. To-morrow

ly that the old man's eyes twinkled at the ce

et I am Father Ambrose, a poor monk, remembering me only as Henry of the rich House of Sayn, and therefore hold me for ransom. I would not willingly be a cause of strif

Father Ambrose to undertake the quest she had outlined without the consent of his overlord the Archbishop, a feeling of compunction swe

n-waiting to request the presence of Father Ambro

he Castle at daybreak this morning, taking wit

n did he go?" aske

ey, after making inquiries about

terday of taking such a journey, but I

y-a way that he was certain to lose many times before he reached the capital city. An ordinary messenger might have been overtaken, but the meditative Father would go whither his horse carried him, and when he

mmunication which added to her already painful apprehension. It was a letter from her gu

oblentz. From the moment we enter that palace-fortress, I shall, temporarily, at least, cease to be your guardian, and become merely one of your three overlords. But however frowningly I may sit in the throne of an

ven when his travels were taken on account of the Archbishop, and not, as in this case, on her own. She experienced the darkest forebodings from this incredible silence. Imagine, then, her re

e flew down the stairway, and ran

haggard, and the smile he called u

you? I have been nearly distraught with doubt and fear,

utside my cell. 'Tis a long and sad story, and, worse than all one that bodes ill for the Em

ignantly, "and you spare

eft hand affectiona

up at him with a sweet smile. They were kin, and if she censured

Father Ambrose received peremptory command to rest for three full hours, the lady of the Castle saying it was impossible for her to receive him until that time had elapsed. The order was w

e, he found a dainty meal awaiting him, flanked by a

seems at an end. The nobles have fled to their country estates, for defense in the city is impossible should once a universal riot break out, and thinking men look for an insurrection when continued hunger has worn down the patience of the people. Up to the present sporadic outbreaks have been cruelly suppressed, starving men falling mutilated before the sword-cuts of the soldiers; but now dis

the Countess. "What of him? Is there

th a long-drawn sigh, do

a lad, almost as a young man. I have h

ed my life with his sword, and finally flung me

presumptive came from so mild and gentle a critic as Father Ambrose, then surel

hat else was to be expected? Go on," sh

that seemed familiar, and as he drew nearer I recognized Prince Roland, son of the Emperor, despite the fac

firmness, I saw that I was not mistaken in so accosting him. He threw a quick glance from side to side, but the bridge, like the silent streets, was

re address me b

e Roland, son o

oint pressed

od, you will pay the penalty instantly with your life, d

then, sir,

ker, a maker of swords, and if you desire a taste of my handiwork, you have but to persist in your questioning. I lodge in the laboring quarte

e the honor to be chaplain at Court, where frequently I saw the young Prince in comp

l, he winced perceptibly, and I thought I saw a gleam of recognition in his e

cloth you wear, and would not willingly offer it violence. We are all liable to make mis

d his hat, and left

nterested in the recital, "so far as

speech never came from t

vinced he wa

e instant did

rter of Sachsenhausen, if he finds it interesting to do so? Is it not his right to wear a sword, and go where he lists; and is it such a very

did not waste time in offer

because darkness had set in, but even in daylight my course would have been safe enough, for never onc

s in his favor," p

him, and the rattle of tankards on a table, as he joined what was evidently his coterie. Standing outside, I heard song and ribaldry within.

dmitted. Along the first-floor front were three lighted windows, and I saw his form pass the first two of these, but from my station in the street could not witness what was going on within. Looki

e at the Prince's entrance. His Highness sat with his back towards me, and for a time it seemed that nothing was going forward but an amiabl

g hand, pushed across the table to his assailant a well-filled bag, which the Prince at once untied. Pouring out a heap of yellow gold, he began with great deliberation to count the money, which, when

him, and once more he led me to the Rheingold cellar. On this occasion, however, I took step by step with him until we entered the large wineroom at the foot of the stairs, he less than

egan, touching him li

ge oath, grasped me by the throat, and f

'In spite of my warning you h

rance. There now approached us, with alarm in his wine-colored face, a gross, corpule

comrades and myself. Earlier in the evening he accosted on the bridge, but I spared him, hoping never to see his monkish costume again. You may judge the state of

of his fingers upon my throat prevented me, and even when

ent accorded her kinsman, a luminant of danger transmitted to her down the ages from ancestors equally ready to fight for the Sepulcher in Palestine or for the gold on the borders of the Rhine. In the pause, d

t be Prince Roland. He was indeed the rude mechanic he proc

umed Father Ambrose. "Turning t

our establishment where I could bestow

erneath this drinking cella

ter that vault e

o o

the priest, seeing that he co

urety, C

y you well, and t

the Prince," interrupt

e, and my next sentence will co

he is a monk in good standing with the Benedictine Order. If he finds you care little for that, he may indeed pretend he is of noble origin himself; that he is

king for an aristocrat as for a monk, so you may depend th

listened to my discourses, yet all the time he knew me, and now, with an effrontery that seems incredible, he showed no hesitation in proving me right when I accosted him as son of the Emperor. I must in ju

nce, in his talk with the landlord, 'for by

thrust into a dark and damp cellar, partially filled with casks o

h was not the case. Any one man is little missed in this world, and my comrades supposed that I was invited to the Court, and had forgotten t

s silence between the tw

y action regarding your u

plied the fo

s dissolute young man w

elihood, but no

land than the continuance of the present regime, for this young man adds to his father's vice of drunkenness the ev

is my opini

ree Archbishops with what you have already told me,

ing my journey thither, and I also invoked the a

conclusion

atever about my exper

hy

Princes of the Church, the Archbishops. In effect they rule the country, and it is possible that they prefer to place on the throne a drunken

ive would actuate the

and Mayence, so you may be sure that if these two wish to elect Prince Roland Em

reminds me his Highness of Cologne will visit us to-morrow, and he especially wishes to see you. You

inkling a perplexed brow. "I wonder what for. Can

could

nt that we wot not of. If he charges me with be

as he arrives; your journey was entirely d

slowly sho

answer truthfully any question asked me, but I hope

girl

Father, even if you tr

nothing. On the rare

th me, I have always ma

fail in th

re watching his retreat and disappearance, her dainty little fist clenched, and her eyebrows came together, bringing to her handsom

she said to herself, "I will make him regret his treatme