Barbarossa; An Historical Novel Of The XII Century Part 29

"Five!"--and a b.l.o.o.d.y hand fell at Erwin's feet.

"It will be labor in vain; you don't know these bandits; all they are fit for, is to lie and steal!--Seven!--And besides, it is too late now,--here is the last--Eight!--It is all over. Long live the Emperor!"

said Hesso.

Among the victims, some had fainted with pain, others had still strength enough to bind up their bleeding arms.

"Have you no orders to dress their wounds?" asked Erwin. "The Emperor has prescribed their punishment, but he does not wish the poor wretches to bleed to death."

"You are right," was the reply. "Where is that quack Lutold? Come here with your plasters, old man."

And while the surgeon, thanks to the interference of the young Count, discharged his duty, Rechberg and his squire took their way to the Imperial camp.

_CHAPTER XXVI_.

_TREACHERY_.

Events of great importance had attracted the attention of all the Court, and Erwin's prolonged and unusual absence had in consequence pa.s.sed unnoticed.

Influenced by their sincere admiration for the heroic resistance made by the citizens, and out of respect for the n.o.bility of the Guelphic faction, the Count Palatine Conrad, Count Ludwig, and the Duke of Bohemia, decided to employ all their influence in case the besieged should seek to negotiate terms of surrender. The Milanese Consuls were agreeably surprised by the proposal, and eagerly accepted the offered mediation.

A short time after Erwin's departure from the camp, the n.o.bles presented themselves in a body before the Emperor and made known their views on the subject. At first Frederic was astonished, and disposed to reject any arrangement, but the firmness of the princes finally persuaded him that some concession must be made to the chivalrous spirit of the age, and the Milanese were notified that His Majesty would deign to receive a flag of truce.

Barbarossa attached more importance to this step than it really merited; for, accustomed to look at everything from the standpoint of his pretensions to universal sovereignty, he thought himself aggrieved, not by the interference of his knights, but by what seemed an encouragement given to rebels. Besides, he was provoked at the opposition made by the Duke of Austria to the contemplated divorce between Clemence and Henry the Lion, and particularly by the conversation which Beatrice had repeated to him. Rinaldo, who was sent for, went still further, and loud words and threats were overheard in the Imperial chamber, which the Chancellor did not leave until after midnight. What pa.s.sed between the Emperor and his minister was never known, but the chronicles of the Court leave us in doubt whether the latter was ever informed of the efforts made by the princes in favor of the Milanese.

Such being the condition of affairs, it was not surprising that the absence of the Count and the lady pa.s.sed unnoticed, and that Erwin could quietly retire to his chamber and prepare for the combat which was to take place on the ensuing day.

At dawn everything was ready, for Gero had faithfully attended to his duty. Rechberg put on a shirt of fine chain-mail, with a hood for the neck and back of the head, and his arms and legs were protected with.

bra.s.sarts and greaves of linked steel. Above all this, he wore a suit of plate armor with gauntlets, and a polished helmet. A poniard and a long sword completed his equipment, while a page, according to the custom of that time, carried his lance and shield.

Preceded by a herald, Erwin left the camp and took his way towards the appointed place of meeting. What was his surprise to find the gates open and the garrison drawn up in line upon the towers and ramparts.

Entirely ignorant of the arrangement which had been made, he was at a loss to explain the situation. The noise of arms could be heard in that division of the camp occupied by the troops of the Archbishop of Cologne, and still there could be no mistake on the part of the besieged, whose movements were slow and precise, and among whom could be seen the consuls in their robes of ceremony, escorted by a showy retinue.

Whilst Rechberg was gazing with curiosity on the scene, the trumpets sounded, and the Cologne troops marched rapidly from their camp and charged the Milanese, who, unprepared for the attack, were unable, for some moments, to organize themselves. On all sides was heard the cry of "Treachery," and at the same time reinforcements issued from the city to the support of the a.s.sailed.

Rechberg felt the more surprised that he perceived the standard of the Duke of Bohemia in the midst of the Milanese. The strife became more deadly every moment, and Rinaldo was in serious danger, for the Duke of Bohemia, after endeavoring in vain to quell the trouble, had withdrawn from the _melee_. Erwin rode hastily towards Count Ludwig, and the other n.o.bles on whose faces he read an expression of settled anger.

"We are eternally disgraced!" said the Count Palatine Conrad.

"The villain! the treacherous villain!" said the Duke of Bohemia. "That infamous Chancellor! I will insult him to his face, when he returns."

"His return will be a difficult matter," added Goswin; "see how he is surrounded; and how his men are falling! Look there, that lance-thrust will hurl him from his saddle!"

Count Da.s.sel, in truth, was in mortal danger, hemmed in on all sides by the enraged Milanese. At this moment the Emperor and his knights, in full armor, rode up.

"How is this, my lords? What means this combat? How! Cologne is in peril, and you remain idle?"

"Pardon, Sire," answered Count Ludwig; "the Chancellor has, treacherously, attacked the Milanese, who, confiding in our word, had left the city. He is justly suffering the punishment of his treason."

"It is possible that the Chancellor may have erred, but you are equally guilty if you allow our Germans to be crushed!" replied Frederic. "Ride to the camp, Goswin! and bring up your men; and you, Erwin, take this troop, and charge the enemy on the flank."

Whilst Rechberg, in the execution of the order, put himself at the head of the column, Barbarossa turned to the princes and n.o.bles, and with prayers and threats endeavored to force them to take part in the combat; but it was in vain he spoke.

"It has never been our duty, Sire, to defend traitors!" said the Count Palatine Conrad.

"Take care, sir," replied the Emperor, menacingly; "you may have cause to repent your conduct." He spurred to the head of a small body of men-at-arms who had a.s.sembled in the mean time.

"Courage, my faithful knights!" he cried, couching his lance; "think of German glory!--a German flag is in danger! Charge to its rescue!" and with levelled lances, the men-at-arms hurled themselves upon the foe.

Rechberg was already in the thickest of the fight, sowing death and destruction around him, in his efforts to relieve the Chancellor; but it was in vain that he sought the Unknown, whom he was to recognize by the glove upon his helmet.

The fresh troops from the camp and the Milanese were now engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand conflict. The confusion was immense; without order or preconcerted plan, each man attacked his adversary wherever he could find him. The ground trembled under the hoofs of the charging horses, swords clashed, and lances rose and fell; and the shrill blasts of the trumpets, and the cries of rage and agony, formed a fitting accompaniment to the sombre tragedy. Erwin pressed forward to where the consuls stood, unable either to advance or retreat; but before he could accomplish his object, a loud shout was heard on the left, where the Emperor was fighting. Rechberg looked around; the Emperor had disappeared, but a fierce struggle was going on, and the cry "the Emperor is down!" ran through the ranks; and then the Germans, with a wild yell, began to drive back the enemy, who were giving way on all sides; and at this moment the Emperor regained his saddle and charged forward.

Erwin had finally reached the consuls, while the Milanese were breaking in great confusion.

"Surrender!" he shouted, placing his sword's point on the breast of Gherardo Nigri.

"I yield," replied the Italian, "on the usual terms of chivalry."

The Count confided the prisoner to one of his companions.

"Friend Berthold," he said, "accompany this gentleman to your tent, and remain with him until my return."

The rout had now become general, and the Germans pursued the fugitives to the very gates of the city. Eighty men-at-arms and two hundred and sixty-six infantry, who had left the town to aid the Consuls, were prisoners, while heaps of dead and wounded covered the field of battle.

Before taking off his armor, our hero repaired to the tent where he had placed his prisoner.

Nigri looked up with an air of reproach, as Rechberg entered.

"I beg you to accept my excuses, my lord, for the unfortunate events which have occurred this morning, whose cause I entirely ignore, but in which my honor compelled me to engage."

"My lord Count," replied Gherardo, "I can find no fault with your explanation; the Chancellor's hatred for my country is such, that to gratify it, he considers himself at liberty to use even disloyal weapons against us."

"No apology can be made for Da.s.sel's conduct; but Milan also counts among her citizens some whose loyalty is most questionable," replied Erwin.

"I understand you," said Nigri: "you allude to a matter which interests you personally--and me also. The capture of Hermengarde is a most reprehensible action."

Rechberg was surprised, but his astonishment increased when the Consul, after a brief pause, continued.

"My son's act is very reprehensible, it is true; but perhaps under similar circ.u.mstances you would have done the same. Pietro is not yet formally betrothed to Hermengarde, but their marriage has been in contemplation for many years.--Put yourself in Pietro's place and tell me if his conduct does not seem less culpable?"

The Count was thunderstruck; he looked wildly at the Consul, and then paced the room in great agitation.

"Indeed?" said he, "I was not aware of this."