The Count of Nideck Part 7

"Well, by Jove; what is this interesting question?"

"It is to find out under what circ.u.mstances Ludwig of Nideck discovered my ancestor, Otto the Dwarf, in the forests of Thuringia. You should know, Sperver, that my ancestor Otto was only an arm's length high; that is, about two feet and a half. He delighted the world with his wisdom, and figured honorably in the coronation of the Emperor Rodolph.

Count Ludwig had him enclosed in a cold roast peac.o.c.k, served up with all its plumage. During the feast, Otto spread out the peac.o.c.k's tail, and all the n.o.bles, courtiers, and great ladies were astonished at this ingenious piece of mechanism. At last Otto emerged, sword in hand, and cried in a thundering voice, 'Long live the Emperor, Rodolph of Hapsburg!' which was repeated on all sides with shouts and rejoicings.

Bernard Hertzog mentions this circ.u.mstance, but fails to inform us as to the family origin of the dwarf, whether he was of n.o.ble descent, or of base extraction; the latter hypothesis being highly improbable, as the common herd are rarely possessed of so much wit."

I was amazed at the conceit of this little creature, my curiosity, however, leading me to dissemble my feelings; for he alone could furnish me with the facts concerning the two portraits that hung on the right of Hugh the Wolf.

"Monsieur Knapwurst," I said, in a tone of profound respect, "would you have the kindness to enlighten me upon a certain subject?"

Flattered by these words, the little fellow replied:

"Speak, monsieur; if it is a question of family history, I shall be glad to inform you. In other subjects I take but little interest."

"It is precisely that. I should like to learn something about the n.o.ble ladies whose pictures hang on the wall yonder."

"Aha!" cried Knapwurst, his face lighting up; "you mean Elfreda and Huldine, the two wives of Hugh, the founder of Nideck."

Laying down his volume, he descended the ladder to talk more at his ease. His eyes glistened, and an air of gratification at this opportunity of displaying his learning shone out all over him.

Having reached my side, he saluted me with a grave bow. Sperver stood behind us, seemingly well satisfied to see me admiring the dwarf of Nideck. In spite of the ill luck which he averred attached to the presence of the pigmy, he admired and boasted of his great learning.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "IN THE PORTRAIT GALLERY."]

"Monsieur," said Knapwurst, pointing with his long, yellow hand towards the portraits, "Hugh of Nideck, the founder of his race, married in 832 Elfreda of Lutzelbourg, who brought to him as dowry the counties of Giromani and Haut Barr, the Castles of Geroldsdeck and Teufelshorn, and others. Hugh had no children by his first wife, who died young in the year of our Lord 837. Thereupon, Hugh, now lord and master of the dowry, refused to yield possession of it, and there followed terrible battles between himself and his brothers-in-law. His second wife, Huldine, whom you see in the steel breastplate, aided him by her wise counsels. She was a woman of indomitable courage, but her origin remains a mystery.

One thing is certain, however: she rescued her husband, who had been taken prisoner by Frantz of Lutzelbourg. He was to have been hanged that very day, and the iron bar had already been stretched across the battlements in preparation for the execution, when Huldine, at the head of a band of the Count's va.s.sals whom she had inspired by her brave example, burst into the courtyard by a rear entrance, rescued Hugh, and had Frantz hung in his place. Hugh the Wolf married his second wife in 842, and by her he had three children."

"So," I resumed meditatively, "the first of these wives was called Elfreda, and the descendants of Nideck are not related to her?"

"No."

"Are you sure of this?"

"I can show you our genealogical tree. Elfreda had no children; Huldine, the second wife, had three."

"That is very surprising!"

"Why so?"

"I thought I noticed a resemblance."

"Ha, ha! resemblances!" exclaimed the dwarf with a harsh laugh; "wait a moment. Just look at this wooden snuff-box that lies beside the plaster greyhound! It represents my ancestor, Hanswurst. He has a nose like an extinguisher, and a sharp chin, while I have a flat nose and an agreeable mouth; and yet this does not prevent my being his great-great-grandson."

"No, certainly not."

"Well, it is the same with the Nidecks. They may have certain characteristics in common with Elfreda, but Huldine is the head of the line. Look at this genealogical tree, monsieur. Have I not informed you correctly?"

Then we separated,--Knapwurst and I,--the best of friends.

CHAPTER V.

I BREAKFAST WITH ODILE.

"Nevertheless," I said to myself, "the resemblance is there! Is it chance? Nonsense! What is chance, anyway, save that for which we fail to grasp the reason? No; there must be some other explanation of it!"

Buried in these reflections, I followed my friend Sperver, who had resumed his walk down the corridor. The portrait of Elfreda, that pure, artless face, blended in my fancy with that of the young Countess.

Suddenly Gideon stopped. I looked up; we were standing before the Count's room.

"Go in, Gaston," he said; "I will see, meanwhile, if breakfast is ready, and be with you again in a minute."

I entered noiselessly, and made out, in the dim light, the broad figure of Becker, the forester, sprawled out leisurely in his armchair beside the bed and drowsing over his vigil.

The Count was sleeping quietly, with every indication that this desirable state of things would continue. Seeing no reason for remaining longer, I directed Becker to let me know at once if the master should wake, and I withdrew to the hall, where I met Sperver returning to get me.

"The Countess is waiting for you in the dining-room. She is overjoyed at the news of her father. Poor woman! It has been a hard strain upon her, for she insists on remaining close beside the Count, and her strength is not equal to the task."

"So it seemed to me," I replied; and I secretly regretted that I saw no way in which I could properly suggest to the Countess that she should share her watchfulness more with others.

We reached the dining-room. Sperver announced me and departed.

My eyes fell first upon Odile, seated at the head of the table in a high-backed oaken chair. She was dressed in a gown of gray stuff, simply fashioned, with a bodice of white velvet worked in gold. Her superb figure was perfectly set off by the almost severe outlines of the dress.

"It is she," I thought: "Hugh's first wife. There is the n.o.ble forehead; there are the long lashes, the somewhat languid bearing, and the indescribable smile."

And as I gazed, the dream of last night recurred to me in all its charming vividness, and I felt that, far from entering upon her world but a few hours since, I had known her--aye, and loved her, too!--for years.

"Good morning, monsieur!" she said in answer to my salutation, as she rose and rested one hand on the chair-back. "It seems that your presence here has already worked a change for the better. Our good Sperver tells me that my father's condition is improved."

"I am delighted to be able to a.s.sure you that it is so, mademoiselle. We must endeavor to confirm these bettered conditions."

"I am so thankful!" she exclaimed. "Who knows but it was Providence that brought you here?" and she indicated my seat at the end of the table opposite her.

Bowing to the housekeeper, who sat before the broad fireplace, with her spectacles thrust back on her forehead, plying her busy needles, her lap filled with knitting-work which momentarily grew as she rocked back and forth in time to the ticking of the tall clock, I took the seat which Odile designated, experiencing a sense of rare contentment as I reflected upon my surroundings. Decidedly, my present employment combined pleasure with the exactions of duty.

No further mention of the Count's condition was made during the repast, Odile preferring apparently to confine herself to other subjects.

"Sperver," she said presently, "has often spoken of you to us with much pride and affection. Your relationship with the old steward is a romantic one, is it not?"

"Rather," I replied. "It began some twenty years ago with his pulling me out of a swamp into which I got myself, through my desire to imitate his custom of roaming the forest."

Then, as Odile smiled and seemed to be waiting for me to continue, I resumed:

"I distinctly remember how, one morning, I escaped the vigilance of my old nurse, Gideon's wife Gertrude, and arming myself with my father's old sabre, I sallied into the forest with a vague notion of performing some similar exploits to those which Gideon was never tired of telling me. I had not gone far when, finding the forest very dark and lonely, and quite unlike what I had fancied it, I began to repent of my resolution and to wish I was safely at home again. The sabre, too, had grown very heavy, and everything about the undertaking having fallen far short of my antic.i.p.ation, I turned around and began to retrace my steps.

Having only such knowledge of direction as a boy of eight would be likely to have, I soon lost my way, and in attempting to cross the swamp of the Losser by picking my path along the tufts of gra.s.s above its surface, I lost my footing and slipped into the mud. Fortunately Sperver happened to be pa.s.sing in the neighborhood. He heard my cries, and promptly coming to my aid, he pulled me out and carried me to safer ground. Meanwhile my absence from home had been discovered, and the men servants had been sent in all directions to search for me. My father was so delighted at seeing me again, unharmed, in Sperver's arms, that he rewarded his ranger with a brand-new carbine and a brace of his favorite hounds."

I laughed as I recalled this incident, and the Countess joined me in it, continuing after a little: