The Sword Maker Part 33

"The question is, Commander, what have you done with the gold we captured yesterday?"

"A very proper inquiry," replied Roland, "that it gives me much pleasure to answer. I have placed the money in a custody which I believe to be absolute, arranging that if nothing happens to me, this money shall be properly divided in my presence."

"Do you deny, sir, that the money belongs to us?"

"Part of it undoubtedly does, but I, as leader of the expedition, am morally, if not legally, responsible to you all for its safe keeping.

Our barge has stopped three times so far, and Captain Blumenfels tells me that he has had no real violence to complain of, but as we progress farther down the river, we are bound to encounter some Baron who is not so punctilious; for instance, the Margrave von Katznellenbogenstahleck, whose stronghold you doubtless saw from the latest meeting-place of the guild. Such a man as the Margrave is certain to do what you yourselves did without hesitation last night, that is, break open the lockers, and if gold were there you may depend it would not long remain in our possession after the discovery."

"You miss, or rather, evade the point, Commander. Is the gold ours, or is it yours?"

"I have admitted that part of it is yours."

"Then by what right do you a.s.sert the power to deal with it, lacking our consent? If you will pardon me for saying so, you, the youngest of our company, treat the rest of us as though we were children."

"If I possessed a child that acted at once so obstreperously and in so cowardly a manner as you did last night, I should cut a stick from the forest here, and thrash him with such severity that he would never forget it. As I have not done this to you, I deny that I treat you like children. The truth is that, although the youngest, I am your commander.

We are engaged in acts of war, therefore military law prevails, and not the code of Justinian. It is my duty to protect your treasure and my own, and ensure that each man shall receive his share. After the division you may do what you please with the money, for you will then be under the common law, and I should not presume even to advise concerning its disposal."

"You refuse to tell us, then, what you have done with the gold?"

"I do. Now proceed with your suggestion."

"I fear I put the case too mildly when I called it a suggestion, considering the unsatisfactory nature of your reply to my question, therefore I withdraw the word 'suggestion,' and subst.i.tute the word 'command.'"

Kurzbold paused, to give his ultimatum the greater force. Behind him rose a murmur of approval.

"Words do not matter in the least. I deal with deeds. Out, then, with your command!" cried Roland, for the first time exhibiting impatience.

"The command unanimously adopted is this: the Castle of Furstenberg must be left alone. We know more of that Castle than you do, especially about its owner and his garrison. We have been gathering information as we journeyed, and have not remained sulking in the barge."

"Well, that is encouraging news to hear," said Roland. "I thought you were engaged in sampling wine."

"You hear the command. Will you obey?"

"I will not," said Roland decisively.

Ebearhard took a step forward to the side of his chief, and glanced at him reproachfully. Greusel remained where he was, but neither man spoke.

"You intend to attack Furstenberg?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"This afternoon."

Kurzbold turned to his following:

"Brethren," he said, "you have heard this conversation, and it needs no comment from me."

Apparently the discussion was to receive no comment from the others either. They stood there glum and disconcerted, as if the trend of affairs had taken an unexpected turn.

"I think," said one, "we had better retire and consult again."

This was unanimously agreed to, and once more they disembarked upon the island, and moved forward to their Witenagemot. Still Greusel and Ebearhard said nothing, but watched the men disappear through the trees.

Roland looked at one after another with a smile.

"I see," he said, "that you disapprove of my conduct."

Greusel remained silent, but Ebearhard laughed and spoke.

"You came deliberately to the conclusion that it was unwise to attack Furstenberg. Now, because of Kurzbold's lack of courtesy, you deflect from your own mature judgment, and hastily jump into a course opposite to that which you marked out for yourself after sober, unbiased thought."

"My dear Ebearhard, the duty of a commander is to give, and not to receive, commands."

"Quite so. Command and suggestion are merely words, as you yourself pointed out, saying that they did not matter."

"In that, Ebearhard, I was wrong. Words do matter, although Kurzbold wasn't clever enough to correct me. For example, I hold no man in higher esteem than yourself, yet you might use words that would cause me instantly to draw my sword upon you, and fight until one or other of us succ.u.mbed."

Ebearhard laughed.

"You put it very flatteringly, Roland. Truth is, you'd fight till I succ.u.mbed, my swordsmanship being no match for yours. I shall say the words, however, that will cause you to draw your sword, and they are: Commander, I will stand by you whatever you do."

"And I," said Greusel curtly.

Roland shook hands in turn with the two men.

"Right," he cried. "If we are fated to go down, we will fall with banners flying."

After a time the captain returned with his supplies, but still the majority of the guild remained engaged in deliberation. Evidently discussion was not proceeding with that unanimity which Kurzbold always insisted was the case.

At noon Roland requested the captain to send some of his men with a meal for those in prolonged session, and also to carry them a cask which had been half-emptied either that morning or the night before.

"They will enjoy a picnic under the trees by the margin of the river,"

said Roland, as he and his two backers sat down in the empty cabin to their own repast.

"Do you think they are purposely delaying, so that you cannot cross over this afternoon?"

"'Tis very likely," said Roland. "I'll wait here until the sun sets, and then when they realize that I am about to leave them on an uninhabited island, without anything to eat, I think you will see them scramble aboard."

"But suppose they don't," suggested Greusel. "There are at least three of them able to swim across this narrow branch of the Rhine, and engage a boatman to take them off, should their signaling be un.o.bserved."

"Again no matter. My plan for the undoing of the castles does not depend on force, but on craft. We three cannot carry away as much gold as can twenty-one, but our shares will be the same, and then we are not likely to find again so full a treasury as that at Rheinstein. My belief that these chaps would fight was dispelled by their conduct last night. Think of eighteen armed men flying before one sword!"

"Ah, you are scarce just in your estimate, Commander. They were under the influence of wine."

"True; but a brave man will fight, drunk or sober."

Although the sun sank out of sight, the men did not return. There had been more wine in the cask than Roland supposed, for the cheery songs of the guild echoed through the sylvan solitude. Roland told the captain to set his men at work and row round the top of the island into the main stream of the Rhine. The revelers had evidently appointed watchmen, for they speedily came running through the woods, and followed the movements of the boat from the sh.o.r.e, keeping pace with it. When the craft reached the opposite side of the island, the rowers drew in to the beach.