Part 31 (1/2)
”We have: I rode through the gates with twelve hors.e.m.e.n, before they were aware of our coming. Though the garrison were somewhat stronger than us, they were dispirited and dissatisfied. I treated with them in the Duke's name, and made them believe that he was coming up with a large body of troops, upon which they surrendered: thus far are we in Wurtemberg. But in what state is the road before us?”
”Open, into the heart of the country, open. I have important news for the Duke from the knight of Lichtenstein, namely, that the men in power are out of the land, do you know----”
”Is it the meeting they now hold at Nordlingen you mean?” interrupted Albert. ”Oh! yes, we know it, for it was that news which determined the Duke to commence operations.”
”Well, when the cats are away, the mice will play,” said the fifer; ”the garrisons are every where careless. None of the League think any more of the Duke, their attention being wholly taken up with the meeting at Nordlingen, where it will be decided, whether Austria, or Bavaria, or Prince Christoph, or the Leaguist towns Augsburg and Aalen, Nurnberg, and Bopfinger, will reign over us.”
”What long faces they will make,” exclaimed Albert, smiling, ”when they hear that the chair about which they are quarrelling is already possessed:
'The frog jumps into the muddy pool, Tho' he may set upon a golden stool!'
says the proverb; they may shoulder their guns and give up governing now. And the Wurtembergers, what are their feelings towards the Duke at present? Do you believe many will come to his a.s.sistance?”
”He may reckon upon the citizens and peasantry,” replied the fifer.
”How it stands with the knights, I don't know; for when I asked the old man of Lichtenstein, he shrugged up his shoulders and muttered a couple of curses: I fear that matter is not so well as it should be. But citizens and peasants hold to a man for their Prince. Many extraordinary signs have appeared, which encourage the people. Lately in the valley of the Rems a stone fell from the sky, on one side of which a stag's horn and the following words were engraved, 'Here's to good Wurtemberg for ever,' and on the reverse, in Latin, 'Long live Duke Ulerich.'”
”Did you say it fell from the sky?”
”So it was said. The peasantry were overjoyed at it, but the officers of the League put the magistrate of the place where it had fallen into prison, and wanted to extort from him the name of the person who had engraved the letters. And when it was proclaimed, upon pain of severe punishment, that no one was to speak of the Duke, the men only laughed, and said, 'We dream of him now.' They all wish him back again, and would rather be oppressed by their legitimate Lord than be flayed by strangers.”
”That's as it should be,” said Albert. ”The Duke and his cavalry may be here in a few hours. His intention is, to cut his way straight through the country to Stuttgardt. The capital once ours, the rest will soon follow. But how is it with these lansquenets--will they join us?”
”I had almost forgotten them,” said Hans, ”we had better go to them; else they will become impatient if we keep them waiting. You must be cautious how you treat them, for they are proud fellows, and have no small idea of their own importance. By winning these five to our interests, the whole twelve companies are sure to follow. With their General, Long Peter, mind and be very civil and courteous.”
”Which is Long Peter?”
”The big man, sitting under the oak; he with the stiff mustachios and hat of distinction on his head. He is the commander in chief.”
”I will talk to him, and follow your advice,” Albert answered, and proceeded towards them. The long conversation which they had held had somewhat displeased the men, and little Muckerle in particular eyed the amba.s.sador of the Duke with a penetrating glance. But when the young knight appeared among them his n.o.ble demeanour disconcerted them, they became shy and embarra.s.sed before him, so much so, that the courteous words which he addressed to them soon had the desired effect of bringing them over to the Duke's cause. They listened to him in respectful silence.
”Most experienced general and brave commanders of the a.s.sembled lansquenet,” said Albert, ”the Duke of Wurtemberg having approached the boundary of his country, and captured Heimsheim, is determined in the same way to recover his whole dukedom.”
”May my soul be punished, but he is right!” said Long Peter; ”I would do the same.”
”He has already experienced the courage and military science of the lansquenet, when they fought on the side of his enemies, and he trusts they will manifest the same bravery in his cause, promising upon his princely word, faithfully to fulfil the engagements he has proposed.”
”A pious man,” murmured the commanders among themselves, with approving nods; ”a gold florin a month, and, _morbleu_! four measures of wine a day for the superior officers.”
The general rose from his seat, saluted him by uncovering his bald head, and said, though often interrupted by many coughs of embarra.s.sment, ”We thank you, most n.o.ble sir; we agree--we'll join you. We'll give back to the Swabian League what they gave us, that we will--hard usage. The very best and most courageous, as well as the most excellent of men, have they dismissed, as if they did not value our services. There stands, for example, Captain Loffler: if there is a braver lansquenet in all Christendom, I'll allow my skin to be peeled off and walk about in my bones the rest of my life! Look at Staberl of Vienna: the sun and moon have never shone upon his equal! And the Magdeburger there, no Turk ever fought like him; and as for little Muckerle, though he does not look it, he is the best shot in the world, and can hit the bull's eye in the target at forty paces. I won't say anything of myself; self praise does not sound well. But, _ba.s.sa manelka_! I have served in Spain and Holland--and, _canto cacramento_--also in Italy and Germany! _Morbleu!_ Long Peter is known in every army. May my soul be punished, when I and the others get behind the Swabian dogs, _diavolo maledetto_, they'll take to their hareskin, and be off as fast as their heels can carry them!”
This was the longest speech Long Peter had ever made; and when many years after he sealed the renown of the German lansquenet with his death before Pavia, his companions, in relating to their young comrades the events of his life, always mentioned this moment as the most glorious of his career. He was described as standing before his audience, leaning upon his long sword, his large hat with the red feathers c.o.c.ked over his ear, the right hand resting upon his side, and his legs spread out, wanting nothing to complete his pretensions to a regular general than a better jerkin and the chain of honour.
The commanders, after the flattering speech of their general, invited their new guest to pa.s.s their army in review. The hollow sound of enormous drums soon roused the men from their rest. They appeared still to be under the influence of Fronsberg's military genius and strict discipline, by the activity they displayed in forming themselves, in a few moments, into three great circles, each composed of four companies.
To an eye accustomed, as in our times, to the rapid but steady movements of regiments, and the beautiful appearance of their uniformity of dress, the sight of this heterogeneous mult.i.tude would cause surprise if not ridicule. Though the lansquenets were generally clothed according to their own taste, there was still a semblance of an attempt to uniformity after the fas.h.i.+on of those days. For the most part they wore jerkins of leather setting tight to the body, or leather waistcoats with arms of coa.r.s.e cloth, and enormous wide trousers tied under the knee, and falling by their own weight a little below it. The legs were covered with coa.r.s.e stockings of a light colour, and the feet with shoes of untanned leather. A hat, leather or metal cap, probably articles of plunder rather than of purchase, covered the head; and the bearded faces of these men, many of whom had served twenty years in all the armies and under every climate in Europe, gave them a very bold and martial appearance. They were armed with a dagger and halberd, and some with guns, which were fired with a match.
Standing with outstretched legs, and foot to foot meeting, they presented a bold front; and Albert's military spirit rejoiced at the sight of these experienced warriors, who, however, were well aware, that in single combat they had no confidence, but formed in ma.s.s they were formidable even to a more numerous enemy.
The commanders had carefully retained all the man[oe]uvres and words of command of their former leader. They walked into the middle of one of the circles, followed by their new acquaintance, when the deep and loud-toned voice of Long Peter gave the word ”Attention! face about.”