Anne of Geierstein

rWhilst some deriding, “How he turns the bow!Some other like it sure the man must know:Or else would copy &mda

sustained the loss of more than one battle. But we met them at Buttisholz, and mingled the blood of many a rider (noble as they were called and esteemed) with that of their horses. The huge mound that covers the bones of man and steed is still called the English Barrow.”Philipson was silent for a minute or two, and then replied, “Then let them sleep in peace. If they did wrong, they paid for it with their lives; and that is all the ransom that mortal man can render for his transgressions. — Heaven pardon their souls!”“Amen,” replied the Landamman, “and those of all brave men! — My grandsire was at the battle, and was held to have demeaned himself like a good soldier; and this bow has been ever since carefully preserved in our family. There is a prophecy about it, but I hold it not worthy of remark.”Philipson was about to inquire farther, but was interrupted by a loud cry of surprise and astonishment from without.“I must out,” said Biederman, “and see what these wild lads are doing. It is not now as formerly in thk land, when the young dared not judge for themselves, till the old man’s voice had been heard.”He went forth from the lodge, followed by his guest. The company who had witnessed the games were all talking, shouting, and disputing in the same breath; while Arthur Philipson stood a little apart from the rest, leaning on the unbent bow with apparent indifference. At the sight of the Landamman all were silent.“What means this unwonted clamor?” he said, raising a voice to which all were accustomed to listen with reverence. — “Rudiger,” addressing the eldest of his sons, “has the young stranger bent the bow?”“He has, father,” said Rudiger “and he has hit the mark. Three such shots were never shot by William Tell.”“It was chance — pure chance,” said the young Swiss from Berne. No human skill could have done it, much less a puny lad, baffled in all besides that he attempted among us.”“But what has been done?” said the Landamman. — “Nay, speak not all at once! — Anne of Geierstein, thou hast more sense and breeding than these boys — tell me how the game has gone.” The maiden seemed a little confused at this appeal, but answered with a composed and downcast look — “The mark was, as usual, a pigeon to a pole. All the young men, except the stranger, had practised at it with the cross-bow and long-bow without hitting it. When I brought out the bow of Buttisholz, I offered it first to my kinsmen. None would accept of it, saying, respected uncle, that a task too great for you, must be far too difficult for them.”“They said well,” answered Arnold Biederman; “and the stranger, did he string the bow?”“He did, my uncle; but first he wrote something on a piece of paper, and placed it in my hands.”“And did he shoot and hit the mark?” continued the surprised Switzer.“He first,” said the maiden, “removed the pole a hundred yards farther than the post where it stood.”“Singular!” said the Landamman, “that is double the usual distance.”“He then drew the bow,” continued the maiden, “and shot off, one after another, with incredible rapidity, the three arrows which he had stuck into his belt. The first cleft the pole, the second cut the string, the third killed the poor bird as it rose into the air.”“By Saint Mary of Einsiedlen,” said the old man, looking up in amaze, “if your eyes really saw this, they saw such archery as was never before witnessed in the Forest States!”“I say nay to that, my revered kinsman,” replied Rudolph Donnerhugel, whose vexation was apparent; “it was mere chance, if not illusion or witchery.”“What say’st thou of it thyself, Arthur?” said his father, half smiling; “was thy success by chance or skill?”“My father,” said the young man, “I need not tell you that I have done but an ordinary feat for an English bowman. Nor do I speak to gratify that misproud and ignorant young man. But to our worthy host and his family I make answer. This youth charges me with having deluded men’s eyes, or hit the mark by chance. For illusion, yonder is the pierced pole, the severed string, and the slain bird, they will endure sight and handling; and, besides, if that fair maiden will open the note which I put into her hand, she will find evidence to assure you that even before I drew the bow I had fixed upon the three marks which I designed to aim at.”“Produce the scroll, good niece,” said her uncle, “and end the controversy.”“Nay, under your favor, my worthy host,” said Arthur, “it is but some foolish rhymes addressed to the maiden’s own eye.”“And under your favor, sir,” said the Landamman, “whatsoever is fit for my niece’s eyes may greet my ears.”He took the scroll from the maiden, who blushed deeply when she resigned it. The character in which it was written was so fine, that the Landamman in surprise exclaimed, “No clerk of Saint Gall could have written more fairly. Strange,” he again repeated, “that a band which could draw so true