Klytia Part 9

"See how wise the maidens in the Palatinate are," rejoined Erast smiling, stretching out his hand to wish Felix farewell. Klytia felt very pleased at having given so good an answer and singing gleefully sprang up the steps to the portal of the Castle.

CHAPTER X.

Master Paolo had indeed noticed his beloved pupil attending the evening service, and though the experienced orator had in no way broken down but let his pulpit eloquence roll on in the usual track, nevertheless his thoughts from the moment he became aware of her presence, did not remain earnestly fixed on the eternal pains of h.e.l.l of which he was speaking. This was certainly improper, but whilst causing the bird to pick away the iron mountain, he thought: "she has forgiven thee;" and whilst his congregation was adding up the thousands of years, he said to himself: "she cannot tear herself away from thee." As he stood after the sermon in the lofty Chapter hall, adjoining the Chapel, and beheld through the high windows the sweet maiden standing in the court yard in eager converse with his brother and her father, he felt much inclined to join them, but the days of deep mortification through which he had pa.s.sed were still present before him and he escaped through the hall of the Castle to the Burgweg.

The _primus omnium_ of the College at Venice had felt himself thoroughly humbled under the cold look of the Countess at Neuburg, and the same sensation crept over him which he had formerly experienced when convicted of a gross grammatical error by the Jesuit fathers during his school days. Whilst teaching in the children's cla.s.ses he often made a hasty motion, stamped with his feet, or bit his lips till they bled. The pa.s.sionate excitable Neapolitan nature now rose uppermost. He was to be seen talking rapidly to himself in the woods, angrily striking the bushes with his stick, and the children were once much amused at seeing Magister Laurenzano seated on a bench near the convent pond, violently boxing his own ears and crying out repeatedly _pazzo_, _pazzo_! But only because he had acted as a fool, he said within himself, not because he was a sinner, and when he made in the Hirsch the great discovery of the d.a.m.nable heresy of the parsons, his dogmatic indignation at these blasphemers against G.o.d helped to banish from his memory his own moral discomfiture. For a few days he was filled with the remembrance of the disgraceful Arian conspiracy. He had done with Lydia as he imagined. The heedless child now crossed his path once more of her own accord. Buried in thought he made his way down the Schlossberg, often pausing as if wishing to be overtaken, often standing still, as if wishing to climb up once again and seek Lydia in her own home. As he finally composed himself and was hastening in a resolute manner to his apartment, he met at the gate of the bridge the very person whom he now desired to escape. Erast had patients in the next village and his daughter willingly accompanied him. The physician addressed Paul in a kindly manner, whilst Lydia walked before them with bowed head listening attentively to what was said. On the father being stopped by one of his patients, the two young people were compelled to join one another, but to-day words seemed to fail the ready-witted Italian. He changed color and kept catching his breath. To break the painful silence Lydia praised the clear hue of the river flowing past them.

"The Neckar has become a friend to me," replied Paolo, "since I lived at the Stift; a friend about whose humor I inquire daily. If when awake I hear its restless moan prolonged during the whole night, and behold it the next morning gloomy and troubled, and the mountain above casting over it a deep shadow I feel as if I ought to console it. But another day its rippling sounds joyfully, it looks at me with thousand clear eyes and changing wanton lights, like the laugh of a child. In winter often does it seethe in its hasty pa.s.sion and smoke like boiling water, being warmer than the chilled world around. To-day it is transparent and pure, like a young man with an easy conscience, but I have seen it looking quite differently," added the Preacher with a slight tremor in his voice, "troubled by evil storms and tempests and red with shame at what it had done." Saying this Paul attempted to look into the maiden's face, but immediately cast down his eyes. His first words had struck a sympathetic cord in Lydia's breast, but the direct acknowledgement of his sins embarra.s.sed her. "How unhappy must he be when he confesses to me," thought she, and the pity of her heart shone out of the innocent eyes which gazed earnestly at him. The approach of her father put an end to all further explanations. They separated, as Erast wished to go to Neuenheim, Paul to the Stift. The good child felt now lighter at heart since the first dreaded interview with her former teacher was over, and the terrible remembrance buried. Mechanically, as if it must be so, did she reach out her hand to the man whose mental confusion she increased. Paul now knew, that he would daily find at this same hour the punctual physician on his visit to his sick patient, and thus accident often brought it about that their ways met. Erast liked to speak about Italy; Paolo knew how to relate; one always saw everything clearly represented when he depicted his home, the shimmering red over Vesuvius, as well as the ripples of the ca.n.a.l which splashed up against the marble steps in Venice. He understood moreover the gracious art of listening respectfully to the old man, and when Lydia perceived, what a high opinion her father had of Paul, she soon came under the spell of his appearance more helplessly than ever. Her hopes returned. Even should the good Abbess be in the right and he had been a zealous papist, why should he not shake off the secret bonds and as a free man ask her hand of her father, who would never refuse it! Was she less worthy than others, that a man should perpetrate this sacrifice for her. As day after day Paul sought her company in the presence of her father, and paid his silent homage, she began once more to believe in the sincerity of his wooing. That Love which believes all, and hopes all, told her, that he had cast away the old Faith for her sake, and with a ready confidence did she give herself up to this new belief. One evening he had again joined them, and whilst her father entered into his patient's house, Lydia found herself once more alone with the Magister, He immediately took her hand and said: "Lydia, have you forgiven me?" And the same sensation came over her that she ever had when near him, a tightening of the heart, a numbness of the will, and an undefined fear of being forced to do what he wished, against her own will, a blissful torture. He wound his arm around her waist, and kissed and kissed her over and over again. No explanation, no requests, no words, only kisses, burning kisses. And she stood there tremblingly resistless. But her heart did not feel the same happiness, that it had felt the first time she leant on his breast. Then like an angel of G.o.d had he gently drawn her to him, today he seized her as if committing a sin, his eyes rolled about restlessly to see whether they were alone, and hearing Erastus approaching, quickly did he hasten towards a field, where he pulled up a few plants and placing their blossoms within the lining of his hat, cleverly engaged the physician even from afar in a conversation about his patient, before that he could come up to where the excited child stood. Lydia soon came back to her senses. Her maiden pride revolted against such a treatment. His kisses burnt like spots upon her glowing cheeks, and as they pa.s.sed a farm, where a clear cold water poured from two pipes, she felt as if she wished to enter, and wash away the impure taint. Ashamed and sad she walked on before them, thinking to herself how she could best make him declare his veritable intentions. But now an event occurred which plainly showed her the abyss round which she trod. A cloud of dust arose on the road leading to Ladenburg. On approaching, the three discerned a cart surrounded by mounted men accompanying two prisoners. Erastus pained at such a sight looked away. On this one of the prisoners, a long tall figure arose and cried out to the physician: "Friend, appeal on our behalf to the Kurfurst. We were not in earnest, and did not intend to emigrate."

Struck by the well known sound of this voice Erastus stared at the afflicted dust-covered man and recognized with horror Inspector Sylvan whose guest he had frequently been in Ladenburg.

"There stands the traitor," now cried with furious gestures the other prisoner. Deacon Vehe, "he overheard us in the Hirsch," A cold smile pa.s.sed over Paul's pale face.

"Take heed of him," now cried Sylvan, "and warn Neuser." With that the sad cavalcade pa.s.sed on, as the riders whipped up the horses, so as to prevent any further remarks being exchanged. Horrified Erastus gazed at Laurenzano's cold stony face, whilst Lydia burst into tears. It suddenly became clear to her that the Magister was still treading the same dark paths, and as he had hurried to their destruction these men, friends of her father, so had she almost become his victim. She immediately depicted him to herself as wearing the cowl, from under which his demoniacal eyes gleamed at her, as her own had terrified her at that time from under the "Mirror of remembrance."

"Why have you accused those two men?" asked Erastus hoa.r.s.ely of the Italian.

Laurenzano contemptuously shrugged his shoulders. "I know not what the good people mean. They took out in the Hirsch all kinds of papers and whispered together, whilst my brother Felix was relating his adventures to me, then they suddenly arose, cast an angry look at us and left without greeting. Had they forbidden secrets, it was not necessary for them to mention them in a tavern."

Erastus looked in silence at the Italian, but Paul continued calmly in a tone of slight reproof: "Moreover I only went to these evening gatherings because you advised me not to hold myself aloof from the country clergy. After my experience of to-day I shall deny myself that pleasure."

"Pardon me," answered Erastus with a feeling of shame, holding out his hand to Paul, "in that case the matter will be cleared up. And you have no idea of the contents of these papers?"

"I heard the names Transylvania, and that of the Woywode mentioned several times, but the secrets of these vulgar men did not seem to me worth listening to."

Erastus shook his head thoughtfully. "They wished to emigrate, so said Sylvan.... To Transylvania, therefore to the Unitarians, Sylvan's old idea. That may turn out badly," and he became buried in deep thought.

Lydia was not so easily appeased as her father. Her woman's instinct told her that Paul was guilty. That said by the prisoners agreed but too well with what she knew of the cowled monk, of his efforts for papistry, of his secret ma.s.ses and _exercitia_, and with what the good Abbess had said to her. It was clear he was the same man to-day that he had ever been, and the heartless monk had wished to carry on a bold game with her. Angrily rejecting any attempted approach made by Paul she walked on hastily before them. Thus even the Magister was pleased when they separated at the head of the Bridge.

When father and daughter entered the town they found it in a state of great excitement. "They wanted to make Turks of us," called out an old woman as she descended the steps of the Heiligengeist. "They would betray the empire to the Sultan! The Church Counsellor has just told us so from the pulpit!"

"Speak no nonsense, Quadin," called out a l.u.s.ty citizen. "Parson Neuser was an honorable man, and I preferred his red nose to all the pale-faced men, who gave themselves no rest, till they have wrought his destruction."

"What has happened to Parson Neuser," asked Erastus of the speaker.

"Do you not know, Sir Counsellor?" rejoined Neuser's advocate.

"Magistrate Hartmann Hartmanni received the order of the Kurfurst to arrest him, but the Magistrate tarried too long at the gaming-table, and by the time he had said something pretty to all the waitresses the black bird was over the hills. His wife lied in saying he was only gone out, but in searching the house they found burnt papers and a packed up knapsack; his money he must have taken with him, for not a single penny was to be found. He is away leaving wife and child, and mounted men are searching for him along the roads."

"The Church Counsellor says he wanted to hand the empire over to the Turks," cried out the old woman once more.

"Parson Neuser?" said Erastus laughing, "on that score you can sleep in peace, my good woman. If the Turk wants to make war, he requires no Heidelberg Parson to help him." Shaking his head he went on. But at the next corner met with another group.

"They have also arrested Parsons Suter and Vehe," cried a hoa.r.s.e voice, which Erastus immediately recognized to be Klaus' of the golden Stag.

"All natives of the Palatinate must give way to the Belgian dogs."

"Sylvan and Neuser are no Palatines," said another voice.

"But they love our Palatinate, and have made front for us against the French, the Italians, and Dutch, who would be our masters."

"Let us burn down Olevia.n.u.s' house," cried out a voice.

"And Zanchi's also," echoed another.

"And that of Dathen the court preacher," added Klaus.

"Be quiet good folks," now said Erastus. "Do not say anything that you might regret should you be ever heard by the Magistrate." The speakers already began to look about them in terror. "Get thee to thy tavern, Klaus, and attend to thy guests. No one has heard thee, but do not help to make matters worse."

The crowd in the market became visibly greater. Men poured forth from every house, and the voices sounded like the humming of a swarm of bees. Here Erastus remarked two of the bitterest of the nuns of the Stift at Neuburg, who were exciting the people by telling them, that the calvinistic church council was responsible for all this oppression.

"Only come out to us on St. John's day," he heard Sister Anastasia, a withered up yellow old maid say, "then can you dance in the mill, and we shall soon see if the Calvinists dare prevent our good people from enjoying a proper amus.e.m.e.nt." The host of the Hirsch was relating in a side street to an astonished crowd of young villagers, that Olevia.n.u.s intended closing all public houses; Parson Willing was making his way through the crowd with a ready smile, letting a word here and there be heard against the Professors. At the corner of the gable-house opposite the church, Erastus saw the baptist Werner standing, looking down from some raised steps, with socratic irony on the mob. He also met Xylander in the crowd, whose jolly brown eyes gleamed with pleasure at the turmoil going on around him.

"What are the people crying about?" he asked Erastus.

"If they only knew themselves. Crying seems to be to them the great object of life." Even the haggard philosopher Pithopous, who overtopped by a head all his neighbours, was threading his way through the throng to his usual Tusculum. The cause of the concourse did not appear to him worthy of inquiring. What did it matter to him, that those ants swarmed. He only thought to himself: "Mankind would have been more supportable, had the Deity set a limit to the quantum." As the great man reached the Hirsch, Parson Willing whispered to him: "Philosopher!

the movement is taking place, let us endow it with thought." Horrified at such familiarity, the Aristotelian knit his brows, but had not quite come to an end with this awe-inspiring performance ere the nimble Parson had ascended the front steps leading to the Hirsch and requested silence by signs and gestures. "The town preacher wishes to speak," was now heard on all sides. "Silence, silence for Parson Willing."

"Beloved Countrymen! Palatines! Citizens of Heidelberg!" began the Parson in a stentorian tone, his wrinkled face beaming with humor, whilst at the same time he rubbed his hands together with that soaping movement peculiar to him in the pulpit.

"He washes his hands in innocence," said the Baptist Werner to his neighbours.

"I have only asked for a hearing, my dear friends," cried the Parson, "to beg you to return quietly to your homes." A mocking laugh followed those words evidently spoken ironically. "Remember," continued the Parson, "that it is Sat.u.r.day, and that Olevia.n.u.s wishes to study his sermon of to-morrow, and if you make such a noise it is impossible for him to prepare himself and you know that a Professor must learn everything by heart before that he can speak in public." A fresh burst of laughter followed. "Thus you can plainly see, my dear children that you must be quiet. You also know well that Herr Olevia.n.u.s is a pompous man, and that in the whole land none, but those he will, dare snort." A hail-storm of abusive words was now heard on all sides. "Then remember likewise that another clerical gentleman dwells in the neighbourhood.

Parson Zankus ..."[2] "Zanchius," corrected the tall Aristotelian in his magisterial voice.

"Well, I mean the little mannikin, who always begins a row, and then weeps in the pulpit; I cannot keep all their foreign names in my head, but he is just now taking his midday nap, so as to be better able to spy out at night, who may be tippling over much, therefore be still, else he will wake up and begin to cry. You know very well what is prescribed by the new discipline of the Church."

"No, we know nothing about it, we want no Church discipline," was shouted on all sides.

"Well," cried the Parson, taking a small book out of his pocket, "it is written in the thirteenth section: 'We decree also, that the parading of the streets at night, which up to the present time has led in a great measure to disorder, breaking of the peace, and immorality, be from this time forth done away with.' So that if you do not want to be fined thirty kreutzers per man, you must go to bed at sunset, so soon as the fowls of Herr Garnix[3] go to roost." "Marnix!" shouted the Professor. "Marnix, quite right, but who can remember all the foreign names? But on the other hand Herr Olevia.n.u.s grants you a concession,"

cried the Parson holding up his paper. "He whose health permits must go twice to Church on Sundays, and he who on Sundays or holidays is seen standing outside his door, or in a tavern or on the public places will be flogged. Thus, none must dare go to the Wolfsbrunnen on a Sunday or to the Mill at Bergheim, otherwise Miller Ulrich will trounce him with his broom." Mad shouts were heard on all sides. "Silence, my beloved brethren, lest you disturb Herrn Datterich." "Dathen," corrected the irrepressible Professor. "No, I meant in reality Herr Tremellius, but I keep confounding the numerous foreign names, and what is worse we must give our children outlandish names, as decreed by Herr Olevia.n.u.s."

"How is that, what mean you?"

"Yes, citizens, you must re-christen your children. None shall be called Alexander nor Julius, those names are heathenish, nor Barbara nor Ursula, because they sound catholic, not even Franciscus nor Catherine;--Katie and Bab are not allowed, only such names as Sarah, Rebecca, Mardochaeus, Abraham, Gideon, Melchisedec, Zerubbabel, Zacharias. Biblical names alone are permitted, and the dragoon must call his sweetheart Abigail, and Bab her dragoon Habakuk. Thus is it decreed by the Church counsellors Olesinus and--now what is the name of the other."

"Olevia.n.u.s and Ursinus," called out the Professor.

"Right, Olevia.n.u.s and Urschelinus decree."

"It appears to me that this common fellow wishes to make fools of us,"

said the huge Pithopous, entering the tavern with a look of withering contempt at Parson Willing. The Parson continued: "Neither can you marry when you will, Lupinus and Citronia.n.u.s have ordered that no man over 60 dare marry a woman under 30."

"If the man however is Kurfurst?" said a voice from the crowd, amidst shouts of laughter. "Yes, little peasant, that is quite another matter, for that are we Frederic the Pious. Moreover President Beileger ..."

"Zuleger is he called ..." "Well Zuleger, or Hinleger, or Ableger, as you will, he sticks his nose even in the Kurfurst's pie. Dinners must not be in the Castle as they formerly were. Hear only what the mouse-trap dealer says on page 98: 'We order also, that in our district the extravagantly big dinners given at the coronation or at other times, and which have generally led to prodigality, causing drunkenness and dissipation, be abolished from this time on.' Thus no more money is to be made out of the castle, and foreign guests will keep away, if they are to be told by the Council, how many 'costumes' they shall be permitted to wear. Money, profit, pleasure all must stop, only Sunday schools and preaching are to be sanctioned in Heidelberg." A shout of rage arose from all sides. "Shooting for prizes, processions, theatres, dancing, bowls, dice, cards are all forbidden, only psalms, psalms, and yet more psalms." The growls became more threatening, more intense.

Here and there was heard the crash of broken windowpanes. "I therefore exhort you, beloved friends, to go home quietly. The Calvinistic gentlemen don't joke. Fines, lock and key will punish all church offences, other crimes mean the rack, burning, or beheading. Above all send the children home. You well know that Master Calvin ordered girls of nine, and boys of twelve to be beheaded, so that the town might be kept in good order and in the fear of G.o.d. When I was in Geneva in the year 45, thirty-four people were beheaded between February and May, because they would not acknowledge Calvin as their Master, and refused to profess the dogmas of his Church, among the latter was the executioner's own mother."

After these words things became more quiet. Certain street boys put their hands in their pockets and let the stones which they had stored up, quietly drop on the ground. At the same moment the crowd at the east-end of the market began to disperse. The sound of trumpets was heard in the direction of the cornmarket. "I now repeat," cried Willing in stentorian tones, "he who is an obedient subject of His Highness the Kurfurst will hasten home at once, and go quietly to bed. The Church Council will take heed of everything else. And now I call you all to witness, that I said these words only to exhort you to be quiet and to summon you to go home peacefully, and have not said a word about freeing the prisoners." Saying this he got down and disappeared within the tavern, where Xylander laughingly greeted him. His audience followed his example and dispersed. At the same time the trotting of horses was heard, and an officer's guard of infantry moreover appeared on the Burgway, coming towards the town at the double. Immediately the crowd in the other squares began to break up, at first hesitatingly, growling, and slowly, then by degrees quicker, and when the soldiers appeared they found the market place deserted and empty, and only laughing faces were seen at the windows above looking down at the horses' tails, as they disappeared round the corner of the Heiligengeist towards the Hauptstra.s.se.