Part 58 (1/2)

Boris wheeled about with fell intent on his face. He would have caught the teasing minx in his arms, but Anna skipped round behind a chair and threatened him with her finger.

”Not till you engage us,” she cried. ”Hands off, there! We are to array you--not you to disarray us!”

Whereat the two gamesome Southlanders stood together in ludicrous imitation of Boris and Jorian's military stiffness, folding their hands meekly and casting their eyes downward like a pair of most ingenuous novices listening to the monitions of their Lady Superior. Then Anna's voice was heard speaking with almost incredible humility.

”Will my lord with the hook nose so great and n.o.ble deign to express a preference which of us shall be his handmaid?”

But they had ventured an inch too far. The string was effectually pulled now.

”I will have this one--she is so merry!” cried solemn Boris, seizing Anna Pappenheim about the waist.

”And I this! She pretendeth melancholy, yet has tricks like a monkey!”

said Jorian, quickly following his example. The girls fended them gallantly, yet, as mayhap they desired, their case was hopeless.

”Hands off! I will not be called 'this one,'” cried Anna, though she did not struggle too vehemently.

”Nor I a monkey! Let me go, great Wend!” chimed Martha, resigning herself as soon as she had said it.

In this prosperous estate was the courts.h.i.+p of Franconia and Pla.s.senburg, when some instinct drew the eyes of Jorian to the door of the officers' guard-room, which Anna had carefully left open at her entrance, in order to secure their retreat.

The d.u.c.h.ess Joan stood there silent and regardant.

”Boris!” cried Jorian warningly. Boris lifted his eyes from the smiling challenge upon Anna's upturned lips, which, after the manner of your war-captains, he was stooping to kiss.

Unwillingly Boris lifted his eyes. The next moment both the late envoys of Pla.s.senburg were saluting as stiffly as if they had still been men-at-arms, while Anna and Martha, blus.h.i.+ng divinely, were busy with their needlework in the corner, as demure as cats caught sipping cream.

Joan looked at the four for a while without speaking.

”Captains Boris and Jorian,” she said sternly, ”a messenger has come from Prince Conrad to say that the Muscovites press him hard. He asks for instant reinforcements. There is not a man fit for duty within the city saving your command. Will you take them to the Prince's a.s.sistance immediately? Werner von Orseln fights by his side. Maurice and my Kernsbergers are already on their way.”

The countenances of the two Pla.s.senburg captains fell as the leathern screen drops across a cathedral door through which the evening suns.h.i.+ne has been streaming.

”My lady, it is heartbreaking, but we cannot,” said Boris dolefully.

”Our Lord Prince Hugo bade us keep the city till he should arrive!”

”But I am Governor. I will keep the city,” cried Joan; ”the women will mount halberd and carry pike. Go to the Prince! Were Hugo of Pla.s.senburg here he would be the first to march! Go, I order you! Go, I beseech you!”

She said the last words in so changed a tone that Boris looked at her in surprise.

But still he shook his head.

”It is certain that if Prince Hugo were here he would be the first to ride to the rescue. But Prince Hugo is not here, and my comrade and I are soldiers under orders!”

”Cowards!” flashed Joan, ”I will go myself. The cripples, the halt, and the blind shall follow me. Thora of Bornheim and these maidens there, they shall follow me to the rescue of their Prince. Do you, brave men of Pla.s.senburg, cower behind the walls while the Muscovite overwhelms all and the true Prince is slain!”

And at this her voice broke and she sobbed out, ”Cowards! cowards!

cowards! G.o.d preserve me from cowardly men!”