The Woodcutter of Gutech Part 4

"You surmise too rightly, count, that your daughter is dead," answered the woodcutter. "She died in this humble cottage, and in these arms; but before she died she had given birth to a child,--a girl,--who was brought up by my poor daughter, till she herself was also carried to the grave, leaving behind her a son,--young Karl yonder."

"And my grandchild? Where is she?" exclaimed the count, casting a glance at Meta.

"You see her there, count," answered the woodcutter. They were seated in the porch of the cottage. Below it ran a stream, where Meta, aided by Karl, was busily washing. The first thing, perhaps, in the once proud n.o.ble's mind was:--

"And can a descendant of mine be thus employed?" The next instant, however, rising from his seat, he hurried down the bank, calling Meta to him. She was quickly by his side. "Child," he said, "which of us is your grandfather, think you?" As he spoke he drew her towards him, and gazed in her face. "Yes, yes, I recognise the features of my own lost daughter!" he exclaimed. "We will ever love old Moretz, and be grateful to him," he said, pressing a kiss on Meta's brow. "But I am your grandfather, and you must try and give me some of the love you bear him."

Again and again the count expressed his grat.i.tude to old Moreu. "And above all things," he added, "that you have brought her up as a true Christian Protestant. Had you returned her to me as an ignorant Papist, as I was long ago, my happiness would have been far less complete."

It was some time before Meta could understand the change in her circ.u.mstances, never having indeed been told who was her mother, and believing always that she was Karl's sister. The poor lad was the only one whose spirits sunk at what he heard, when he was told that he should lose his companion. A right feeling, however, soon rose in his bosom, and he rejoiced at Meta's change of fortune.

The peasant-army meantime increased in numbers, and a vast concourse, under a fanatical leader, Thomas Munser, marched through the land, burning castles and towns which refused to admit them, and committing all sorts of atrocities. There were several similar bands. The people in the Black Forest rallied round John Muller of Bulgenbach. Wearing a red cap and a red cloak, he rode from village to village, ordering the church bells to summon the people to his standard. Several n.o.blemen were compelled to join them. Among others, the famous Geotz von Ber Lichengen was forced to put himself at the head of the rebel army. Many towns, unable to withstand them, opened their gates, and the citizens received them with acclamations. Dr Martin Luther and many other leaders of the Reformation exerted all their influence to induce the peasants to return to their homes. They wrote, they preached, and showed how such proceedings were opposed to the principles of the gospel. At length a large army, raised by the Ex-Emperor of Germany, was sent against the insurgents, while the n.o.bles, in every direction taking courage, banded together to put down the insurrection. Fearfully did they retaliate on the unhappy people for the insults they had received. Seldom could the insurgent bands withstand the well-trained forces sent against them, and a large part of the country was deluged in blood, the fugitives in most instances being slaughtered without mercy.

CHAPTER NINE.

The band which set forth from the neighbourhood of Gutech was not more successful than others. Although at first they captured and burned a number of castles and entered several towns, in which they levied contributions from the inhabitants, they at length encountered the imperial forces. Not an instant could they withstand the well-trained troops of Germany, but fled before them like chaff before the wind. On reaching the neighbourhood of their own homes they, gathering courage, showed a bolder front than before. It would have been happier for the misguided men had they continued their flight. Old Moretz would not consent to eat the bread of idleness, and had declined the bounty freely offered him by the count. He and Karl had gone farther from home than usual on their daily avocation, when their ears were attracted by what appeared to be the din of battle in the distance. They climbed a height in the neighbourhood, whence, from between the trees, they could look down on an open s.p.a.ce in the distance, with a rapid stream on one side.

Here a large body of peasants were collected, while another body in front were desperately engaged with some imperial troops, as they appeared to be by their glittering arms and closely serried ranks.

"May G.o.d have mercy on them!--for they will have no mercy on each other," exclaimed Moretz, as, leaning his hand on Karl's shoulder, he stood gazing eagerly down on the raging fight, and scarcely able to retain the young lad, who, had he been alone, would probably have rushed down and joined it. The peasants who had hitherto borne the brunt of the battle--being evidently the best armed and bravest--were now driven back on the main body. The latter, seized with a panic, gave way, the imperialists pursuing them, cutting to pieces with their sharp swords, or running through with their pikes, all they overtook. Moretz and his grandson watched the fugitives and their pursuers. The latter, like a devastating conflagration or a fierce torrent, swept all before them, till they disappeared in the distance.

"We may be able to help some of the unfortunate people who may yet survive," observed the old man.

"Oh, yes--yes. Let us hurry on, grandfather," exclaimed Karl. "I fancy that even at this distance I have seen more than one attempt to rise, and then fall back again to the ground."

Moretz and Karl soon reached the spot where the conflict began. From thence, far, far away, was one long broad road covered thickly with the dead and dying and badly wounded. The old man and boy moved among the ghastly heaps, giving such a.s.sistance as they were able to those who most needed it. Karl ran to the stream to bring water, for which many were crying out, while Moretz, kneeling down, bound up the poor fellows'

wounds. He had thus tended several of the unfortunate men, when he saw a person at a little distance trying to lift himself up on his arm. He had several times made the attempt, when he once more fell back with a groan. Moretz hurried towards him. In the features, pallid from loss of blood and racked with pain, he recognised those of Herr Herder.

"Ah, old man! have you come to mock at me?" exclaimed the latter, as he saw Moretz approaching.

Moretz made no answer, but kneeling down, lifted up the farmer's head, and put the bowl of water he carried to his lips. Herder eagerly took a draught of the refreshing liquid.

"Where are you hurt?" asked Moretz, "that I may wash and bind up your wounds."

Herder pointed to his side and then to one of his legs.

Aided by Karl, who now came up, Moretz took off Herder's clothes, and with the linen which he had collected from the slain, having first washed his wounds, he bound them carefully up.

"We must carry you out of this, for the imperialists returning, will too likely kill all they find alive," said Moretz.

"You cannot carry me," said Herder, faintly: "you would sink under my weight."

"I will try," answered Moretz. "Karl will help me."

With a strength of which the old man seemed incapable, he lifted the bulky form of the farmer on his shoulders, and telling Karl to support his wounded leg, he hurried towards the hill from which he had lately descended.

"But you can never carry me up that hill," said Herder, as he gazed at the height above their heads.

"No," answered Moretz; "but there is a cave near its foot. I can there conceal you till your enemies have gone away; and I will then get some friend to a.s.sist me in carrying you to my hut. You will be safe in the cave, at all events, for few know of it; and as soon as the soldiers have disappeared I will get the a.s.sistance of a friend to carry you on."

Old Moretz, as he staggered on, had several times to stop and recover strength, for the farmer's body was very heavy. At length, however, he reached the cavern he spoke of. Having deposited his burden, and left Karl to watch him, he climbed the height, whence he could observe the proceedings of the imperialists. He had not long to wait. As he had seen them advancing like a rushing torrent, now they returned like the ebb of the ocean. As he had feared, they appeared to be slaughtering those they found still stretched alive on the ground. On they went, till there were none to kill, and then, the trumpet collecting them in more compact order, they marched onwards in the direction whence they had come. Moretz, having found a neighbour in whom he had confidence, he returned to the cavern, and together they carried Herder up to his cottage.

"I have but poor fare to offer you, Herr Herder," he said, "but such as it is I freely present it to you."

"What makes you thus take care of me?" said Herder, scarcely noticing the remark. "I never did you any good. I have been your enemy for many years."

"G.o.d's blessed word says--'Love your enemies, do good to them who hate and ill-use you.' If you had treated me far worse than you have done, still I should desire to help you."

"Ah! you conquer me, Moretz," said Herder, after a long silence. "I have no doubt that the Bible says as you tell me; but I did not think that any one would thus act according to its commands."

"Nor would they," answered Moretz, "unless the Holy Spirit had changed their hearts. The natural man may read the commands over and over again, but he takes no heed of them."

Thus Moretz frequently spoke to his guest. Karl also often read the Bible to him. One day they received a visit from Gottlieb Spena. He was on his way to the castle of Furstenburg. Before he left the woodcutter's hut Herder declared that he now understood how Christ had died to save him from the just consequences of his sin.

Meta grew into a n.o.ble-looking young lady, and married a Protestant baron, who ever stood up boldly for the faith. She never forgot her kind guardian nor her foster-brother--Karl. She provided a comfortable house for old Moretz, and watched over him affectionately till, in extreme old age, he quitted this world for one far better.

Karl became the head steward of her estates, and ever proved himself a true and faithful man, as he had been an honest and good boy. Spena was greatly instrumental in spreading the glorious truths of the gospel throughout the country, but at length, venturing into a part of Europe where the papists were supreme, he was seized and accused of being a recreant monk. Refusing to abjure the faith, he--as were many others at that time--was condemned to the flames, and became one of the n.o.ble army of martyrs who will one day rise up in judgment against that fearful system of imposture and tyranny which condemned them to suffering and death.

There was one district where the insurrection was put down without bloodshed. It was that of the truly pious and Protestant prince, the Elector of Saxony. The power of the word there produced its effect.

Luther, Friedrich Myconius, and others went boldly among them, and, by their eloquent arguments, induced them to abandon their designs. Thus, at length, peace was restored to the land of Luther, although these proceedings of the misguided peasants for a time greatly impeded the progress of the Reformation.

THE END.