Klytia Part 1

Klytia.

by George Taylor.

CHAPTER I.

At a time when in our fatherland a cold raw wind made its presence felt, and the sharp frost at night checked the growth of the early bud, the Rhine valley between the Bergstra.s.se and Hardtgebirge had revelled for many weeks in the timely spring, the especial privilege of this garden of Germany. Even three hundred years ago at the time of our narrative the Neckar valley shimmered with the white and red blossoms of the various fruit-trees and yellow fields of rape, as if spring had wished to see how an illumination looked by day. The Jettenbuhl above Heidelberg which to-day resembles a green velvet pillow, on which the ruins of the castle stand out like an offering to some Deity, was at that date but a bare glacis, surmounted by ma.s.sive turrets and angular fortresses, the palace of the Kurfursts of the Palatinate looming out severe and threatening over the smiling valley of Heidelberg, as does at the present time the gloomy residence of the Popes over Avignon, or the menacing Ehrenbreitstein over the green Rhine. Between the octagonal belfry and the "thick Tower" of which at the present time only the inner walls are visible, the gorgeous palaces of Frederic IV.

and Frederic V. did not exist, but on the right the peaky gables of the Chapel and of the roof of the old castle reared above the scarped fortress wall; "the new court," erected by Frederic II., was built against the octagonal tower.

In the low but s.p.a.cious halls of the building which by its mixture of the Gothic and Renaissance schools recalls to the memory the Flemish architecture of the period, a numerous throng crowded together seeking an audience of the Kurfurst, in the latter part of a spring afternoon of the year 1570. Before the door of the Prince stood the portly court-servant Bachmann, attired in the resplendent livery of a Heiduck of the Pfalz, his jovial expression forming a pleasing contrast to the grim heraldic lions ornamenting his breast. Solemnly did he call out the names of those to whom an audience was granted. Huguenots from France begging for aid. Theologians warmly recommended to the notice of the Kurfurst, wandering Scots eager for service, Italian artists who had obtained commissions were received in order, and dismissed.

Finally, there remained but two couples, widely differing in appearance, representatives of the two cla.s.ses which everywhere throng the ante-chambers of sovereigns, resembling in their demeanour Grief and Hope.

The two "Hopefuls" paced up and down the now empty hall in lively discussion, whilst the two sorrowful guests sat sullenly in a corner.

One of these, addressed as Your Reverence, was an undersized well fed man with fresh ruddy complexion and coa.r.s.e features. His companion, on the other hand, was a small dwarf-like being, whose dark costume stood out in marked contrast to his fiery-red-face, one of those figures only to be met with at the interment of a circus-rider. With a deep sigh the dwarf addressed his reverend companion: "Yes, yes. Your Reverence. How often have I, as counsellor of our beloved ruler, shortened with my timely jokes the dreary hours of many awaiting an audience, who, even if not favourably received, nevertheless laughed at my excellent quibbles. At that time I little thought, that I myself should have to sit here and beg for a small pension."

"We both owe our misfortunes to that vagabond Olevia.n.u.s," said the Parson. "Because I defeated him in a public argument--he knows as much about theology as your cow does of a bag-pipe--and because he cannot bear to see how I filled my church, therefore has he deprived me of my position in the Church of St. Peter, leaving me only matins in the Holy Ghost, which no one ever attends. But that will help him little, let but the Heidelbergers have to choose between me and Olevia.n.u.s and we shall see who gets the most votes. That he well knows, and on that account am I stuck in the background. But I seek an audience and intend to speak out my mind to the Kurfurst, although he does not like to hear the truth."

"Our day is over, Herr Neuser," said the discharged Court-fool; "these are the people who now have full swing," and he grimly pointed to the other couple, a well dressed old Italian with a head like a fox, listening covertly to anything said in his neighbourhood, whilst at the same time he earnestly addressed a young man, who appeared from his long locks and Raphael-cap to be an artist. "There is another of those starvelings, which the Italian Doctor trots up and down. At the 'Stag'

where he has stopped a whole week, he has not as yet drunk a whole bottle of wine. That c.o.c.k-sparrow has most surely got in his pocket a letter from Herr Beza recommending him for a post as Privy, or Church Counsellor."

"Then ought he to have risen earlier," said the Parson, "the martyrs from Treves, Paris and Prague have long since snapped up those dainty morsels."

"Then in that case he will be paid, so that wolves may not gobble the moon, nor the people of Heilbronn set fire to the Neckar; bread and places are always to be found by the Italians."

"This way, gentlemen, this way most honoured sc.u.m!" said the Priest in the tone of a showman. "Here may you see Boquin, Ramus, Du Jon, Tremelli and Sanchi, Ursinus and the Bohemian Zuleger, Olevia.n.u.s from the lower Rhine, van Keulen, Pithopous, Dathan, Marnix, and others whatever may be their names. For an honest Swabian there is no place, we may as well quit."

The expressions of the worthy couple would have in no wise lighted up, had they understood the advice which Professor Pigavetta, the hospital surgeon, strove to impress upon the young Felice Laurenzano, cautiously making use, however, of the Italian language. "Remember what you owe to the Society," said he earnestly, "it paid for your education, it sent you to Flanders, in order that you might acquire another style than that of Rome and Florence, it referred you to Master Colins, whose letter of recommendation brings you here under such creditable circ.u.mstances."

"Excellency," replied the young architect, "even without this reminder, I can never forget what the reverend Fathers have done for me and my brother. Show me how I can prove my grat.i.tude to the College for its kindness? I am unfortunately so distracted, so accustomed to dream along as I go, that I fear to let a timely opportunity escape unseen, although ingrat.i.tude was never a sin of mine."

"That is very simple, my son," answered the older man. "You should look out for an occasion to introduce one of our party into this Court. You should inform us, should you think that anyone has the interest of the Holy Church at heart, and if affairs of any importance come under your hand, let me know at once, so that I can advise you how they are to be carried out. The Church does not consider her cause here as lost.

Prince Ludwig is in no wise satisfied with his father's innovations. So soon as the old gentleman is dead, Calvinism will be as carefully rooted out, as it is now implanted, and then much depends on our having here a party, on which we can reckon. I have fought the cause of the Church on much more dangerous ground. If we succeed not in the immediate restoration of her rights, nevertheless we are contented if the excrescence of the adversary does not increase in growth. 'Trim the sails according to the wind,' said the holy father Ignatius. The Kurfurst intends introducing here the Calvinistic dogma, but he will find it difficult to accustom the population of this great vineyard as the Pfalz is called, to drink water and sing Calvin's psalms. To be inside the house an hour after sun-down, not to tipple, play, or swear, to sit on Sundays teaching children, instead of bowling and dancing, will not be easily forced into the crania of these bullet-headed Pfalzers. The dyspeptic Olevia.n.u.s and our honest Ursinus will live to learn that it is easier to write a catechism, than to accustom the Heidelbergers to drink water. So soon as the Church Council obtains the signature of the Kurfurst, our time begins. I must myself be off to the Reichstag at Speyer, in the meantime do you reconnoitre the field of battle, support the opponents of church-discipline in their opposition, and throw as many difficulties in its way as you possibly can. For the moment to impede definite situations it is sufficient to back up the weak against the strong. When the heretics find that the heads of their party can never remain at peace, they will seize the first opportunity to re-enter the flock of the Holy Father, where only they can find rest."

The young Italian had been carefully scanning the face of his patron thus addressing him. But his eyes only had followed the play of the characteristic features, had observed the remarkable head of the eager man, noted his every twist and turn, his own fingers meanwhile moving as if he were kneading a lump of clay, endeavouring to retain the expression in this plastic material. "What a model," thought he, "for my picture of Ca.s.sius winning Brutus over to the idea of murdering Caesar. This eloquence, this fanatical look, the cunning insinuating actor!" The latter looked up inquiringly at him, as if expecting an a.s.sentient answer. "Certainly, certainly," quickly replied the young artist, a deep blush rising to his face. He endeavoured to collect himself, but became the more absentminded as the wily politician continued to disclose to him the praiseworthy intentions of the Society of Jesus in regard to the Palatinate. An event of his early childhood came back to him, how when once his grandmother in Naples praised him for listening with profound attention to a long scolding, he very inopportunely pointed with his little finger to her meagre throat, and said: "Granny, when thou speakest such a funny little ball goes up and down;" for saying which his enraged grandmother gave him his first box on the ear. He could not help smiling as he thought how little he had improved since then. His ill.u.s.trious patron ceased and the young man replied: "I am but an artist, seeing nought but colour, form and line, I do not behold with the eyes of a politician."

"Good," replied Pigavetta quite satisfied, "but your brother Paolo, Signor Felice, for that very reason is better informed in political matters. Tell him all that your falcon eye discovers, he will soon draw his conclusions and let me know. My address in Speyer is known to him."

The Prince's usher now stepped up to them, saying: "His Gracious Highness has ordered me to admit you two gentlemen, the audience will then be at an end."

"Come," said the physician to the young man, "answer boldly. The Prince likes straightforward people." They entered the audience chamber, leaving the Parson and his companion to retire grumbling.

CHAPTER II.

In a room of moderate height, panelled in oak, but with broad round-paned windows, stood the Kurfurst Frederic III. near an open writing-table ornamented with inlaid work and richly adorned with appropriate mottoes and allegorical figures. A Dutch stove of coa.r.s.e German manufacture, representing the world's history from the time of Adam and Eve to that of the Emperor Charles V. and Francis I., offered a solid support to that stout gentleman. Pigavetta bowed deeply and said to the Prince: "I introduce to Your Highness the young artist, whom Your Highness empowered me to invite."

A short, thick-set asthmatic figure stept forward towards the young man. A plate-like ruffle surrounded that part of the body known in other men as the neck, but out of this arose a firm, honest face with a fair beard. The smallish features were enlivened by a pair of clear blue eyes, whose gaze a man willingly met. Honesty, truth, and a clear conscience were all more plainly expressed on the features of this short st.u.r.dy man than mental apt.i.tude or quickness of thought.

Near the window stood, attired in a dark Spanish costume, the court physician Thomas Liebler, surnamed Erastus, at that time the most influential man in the Palatinate, whose intervention in church matters was not welcomed by the theologians of the town.

"You are well recommended to me, Master Laurenzano," said the Count Palatine in a kindly tone to the young man, pointing at the same time to plans, accounts, and statements piled up before him. "Master Colins considers you in the light of a second Michel Angelo. You are an artist, sculptor and architect, and your black eyes tell me that you are also a poet."

"He who will build, most gracious Lord," answered the young man in broken German, to the evident amus.e.m.e.nt of the Prince, "must also be able to draw and chisel. In my own country I should not consider myself an architect, did I not understand both."

"Well spoken, young man, and you shall have an opportunity here of doing both. When I succeeded to the throne, I found empty coffers, and instead of money the newly begun gorgeous structure outside there, which robbed me of my rest by night and day, as I knew not how I could manage to finish it without neglecting something more important. That building was a misfortune for the country. Look out into this open court. The homes of my ancestors resemble old barns, in comparison with this glittering Italian mansion, erected by Count Palatine Otto Heinrich, to whose soul may G.o.d grant eternal rest. Who for the future will be contented to live in the Ruprecht castle, or in that of Ludwig V., or here in the new court, when at every turn this magic castle meets his eye?"

Without much respect for the growlings of the old Prince, the young man gazed with unconcealed delight through the open window at the beautiful picture which lay spread before him. The sun-shine streamed into the open court, which resembled an enclosed Piazzetta. Gloomy and low castellated buildings stood in irregular confusion on the South and West sides, but as the fairy castle of some fair dream, rose on the Eastern side, bathed in the rays of the setting sun, the building of Count Otto Heinrich, and the dark blue sky caused the red sand-stone to glow, as if all these pillars, pilasters, consoles, shafts and statues had been carved out of some wondrous precious stone, half ruby, half jasper.

"What a material!" said the young artist in an entranced tone.

"It is the same with this confounded castle," continued the Prince, "as with every unsuitable gift. Once my wife sent a Turkish carpet and embroidered curtains, presented to her by the Woywode, to the chamber where sit the Ladies of the Court. Very soon the old furniture no longer contented these Dames, they wanted Flemish hangings, then new chairs and tables, and finally the new carpet kicked out of the door all the old household goods. So will it soon be with this new castle.

My wife already finds the old chapel too gloomy and heavy as compared with the new building. Perhaps you will live to see, that my son instead of worshipping in the House of G.o.d used by my ancestors, will build here one of those new heathen temples with gable-ends and cupolas; then the palace of the Emperor Ruprecht will find no grace in the eyes of the grandson and will have to give place to some new edifice, in short this building of my predecessor will suck the marrow out of the country; in regal palaces the Counts Palatine and their wives will dream of kings' crowns, and thus bring misfortune to our Pfalz. For the happiness of this country consisted in that the Princes knew their limits. That is the cause of my hating the building, and were I a conscientious man I would myself quietly set fire to it some night, and let the chiselled casket burn to the very ground."

Pigavetta listened to the outspoken statements made by the German Prince with a sarcastic smile, and then asked with a tinge of irony: "Then the business of this young man will be to pull down the new building?"

"No," replied the Kurfurst, with a severe glance from under his bushy eyebrows at the impudent Italian. "As we have kept our thumbs on our purse-strings, we have come to such a pa.s.s as enables us to finish the building, for _connoisseurs_ tell me that something must be done, or the beauteous work will suffer. For this reason has Master Alexander Colins recommended you to me; for he himself has promised our most gracious Sovereign the Emperor, not to undertake any work till he has erected the monument to the Emperor Max at Innsbruck. You have worked under his orders, and will therefore best carry out his designs."

"It will be a high honour for me," modestly answered the young man, "to work at a building, whose facade the immortal Michel Angelo helped to trace, as I am told, and whose sculptures were chiselled by my master, Colins."

"Yes, yes! these sculptures," puffed out the Prince, throwing himself back in an arm-chair. "Yesterday I had a discussion about them with my Council. A beginning must be made with them. The gentlemen tell me plainly that I am placing heathen Deities on my roof, and that the planetary G.o.ds watch me through my windows, and as the severe Olevia.n.u.s has heard through you, Herr Pigavetta, that the work is to be begun again, they insist on these idols being removed."

"An impudent set," murmured Pigavetta.

"Not so," answered the Kurfurst, "we will have in the Palatinate no watch-dogs around G.o.d's house who cannot bark. Even our predecessor caused his monument to be removed from the Holy Ghost, because Deacon Klebitz told him, he could not permit naked figures, together with the wise Virgins of the Gospels cut in marble, in his church. I will not be more obstinate than my n.o.ble cousin. The affair was thus," continued he turning towards the architect: "The Theologians in Jena are now very eagerly exposing the errors of Master Philip Melanchthon, and justly complain, that this pious man laid too much importance on Astrology, a heathen and Jewish science as well as a blasphemous inquisitiveness.

Both Luther and Master Calvin reproached him for this very reason. Our great Genevese teacher does not hold images in any esteem, and thus the statues of the planets which you see there, are doubly objectionable to my Church Council."

Felice impatiently shrugged his shoulders, and for a moment it seemed as if the wrath of the hot-blooded Neapolitan must explode.

"I do not mean," said the Kurfurst kindly, "that we must remove all the statues. The male deities and ancient heroes below there can possibly disturb no one, and even if the heathen Hercules looks rather remarkable standing between Samson and King David, he has such a kind genial expression that I cannot help every morning being amused at him.

He is also a fitting companion to Samson, who holds the jaw-bone of the a.s.s in his right hand, and has the dead lion at his left side, and was himself the Hercules of the people of Israel. Above them you see the five virtues: strength breaking pillars, justice with sword and balance, faith, hope and charity; charity is the best of them, therefore is she placed over the portal. Against these even Olevia.n.u.s can say nothing. In the third row higher up are the planetary deities: Saturn, wishing to eat up the child. Mars, Venus, Mercury and Diana, the G.o.ddess of the moon, but above them all, there where dwells my physician Erastus and his daughter, who has just withdrawn her pretty fair head from the window, is Jupiter and the Sun-G.o.d Serapis with his radiant crown. Against these the spiritual gentlemen are especially spiteful."

"I also," said Erastus for the first time joining in the conversation, "am no friend of astrology, and have, as Your Highness knows, written a book against it. That which makes me however especially take offence at the opinion of my colleagues, is the way in which the gentlemen composing the Church Council, go about Your Highness' Land, spying about with a telescope seeking for some ground of complaint. The figures are so high, that they can scarce be plainly seen with the naked eye, and no straightforward Christian knows that they represent sun, moon and planets, from which constellations the deceased Count Palatine traced all the good or evil fortunes of man, and therefore placed his home under their protection. Were it not known, that Master Philip advised the deceased Count in his choice of the figures, it would never have occurred to the theologians to trouble their heads about the matter. Thus they wish to offer a sacrifice to their hatred of images, and render themselves of importance to their brethren in Geneva and Scotland, as they rule over their princely sovereign and introduce their church regimen even in his household."

Master Felix had not only listened to the speaker with sympathy, but had also taken the opportunity to examine more closely the statesman so well known in the Palatinate. He saw a tall stately man of an energetic commanding appearance. Even outwardly the scholar formed a wonderful contrast to the true-hearted, undersized, strong-built Kurfurst, and this contrast would have been entirely in Erastus' favour, had not nature herself spoilt this her masterpiece of mankind. Erastus' right arm hung dead and stiff at his side. He had been thus crippled from birth, and still more remarkable and singular was the fact that the physician's hair was lighter than the swarthy face which it surrounded, so that he resembled a black man turned gray. His friends called him the Moor, his opponents, of whom he had many, the black devil. "The Almighty writes a plain hand," said his enemy Olevia.n.u.s, if he even saw him from afar. "Yes, yes," replied the more gentle Ursinus, "he has been marked by G.o.d."

The Prince heard smilingly his friend's speech, then said good-naturedly: "You are angry with the Church Council, Erastus, because you lay under the ban. I have however always heard Otto Heinrich praised for altering his tomb-stone, when it became a rock of offence, as he did not wish these theological gentlemen to fight over his grave. I will not be behind him in forbearance for weaknesses. Let us take away the figures, Master Felix," turning towards Laurenzano.

"Methought we could insert in the empty niches our heraldic quartering, the Lion of the Palatinate." The young Italian crossed himself and murmured something between his teeth which sounded like "Gesummaria."

The stout gentleman however continued quite unconcerned. "I meant something in this style, you stick in the first niche the Lion of the Palatinate holding a sword, as protector of the land, in the second the same animal as if reading an open book, as it is very necessary that the inhabitants of the Pfalz should study their Catechism more, which is so richly supplied with arguments taken from Holy Scripture that no sophistry of the papists has been able to prove any error in its contents." Again the catholic artist crossed himself. "In the third niche he might be holding a tumbler as a remembrance of the most n.o.ble production of this land." "Dio mio!" shrieked the Italian in dire indignation. "It is all the same to me should Your Highness wish to set fire to the Otto Heinrich Castle, but I will rather hack off my own hand than thus disgrace the creations of Michel Angelo and Colins."

"Respect, young man," said the Kurfurst knitting his brows, "you speak to a Prince."

"Oh! most gracious Prince," said the Italian, "respect for a Prince, when speaking of the realm of the Beautiful. Do you know why I left Rome? The Pope had been told that the naked figures carved on the great Altar in his private chapel shocked all pious women, and the Pope believing this caused all the beautiful bodies in Michel Angelo's great picture to be fitted out with ap.r.o.ns and breeches. The man who gave himself up to this is known to the present day in Italy as _il bracatore_, the breeches painter. I turned my back at the time in a rage with the Holy city, therefore all the less do I thirst for the fame to be known as the cat-painter of the Palatinate."

"The young man is right," said Erastus. "I warn Your Highness most earnestly not to give way to these theological gentlemen. They begin with the outside wall of the house, as they cannot permit what they term 'a public scandal,' then come the private scandals within the house, and finally they will stick their noses in every pot or kettle as did the gentlemen of the Consistorium at Geneva, so as to prescribe what people should eat or drink. This pretended scandal has no other object. These images are no idols, no one worships them, no one has ever taken offence at them. They stand within the enclosed court of my most gracious Lord, and only Olevia.n.u.s' parson's love of meddling dictated the unseemly representation on the part of the Church Council, so that he might essay the Church regimen on the sovereign's own household."