Читать книгу The Outlaw and the Lady and Other Stories - Рафаэль Сабатини - Страница 4

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Stoffel and I spent the night in a dismal dungeon of the old castle, and dawn saw us cold and despondent. We were ready to meet the end we thought in store for us, but our preparations differed somewhat. I sat upon the solitary wooden bench and strove to remember an odd prayer or two which my mother had taught me in childhood. Stoffel stalked the chamber with bent head and racked his mind for long forgotten imprecations.

But, when presently my mind wandered back to things material, my thoughts naturally reverted to my lady, and I groaned aloud at my folly in allowing her to accompany us. For us--Stoffel and I--it mattered little. A short shrift is reckoned in a soldier's wage, and death--although not over sweet when one is young--is soon dealt with. For her, however, it was different. She would not even be vouchsafed the mercy of dying. She would be bidden to live--to live in the power of the lawless bandit of Falkensteig.

Vainly did I try to console myself with the argument that Kervenheim was of noble blood and a gentleman. I realised in all its fullness that a man who for two years had led the reckless life of the Lord of Falkensteig, and mingled with such associates as had been his, would scarcely be over nice in his ways and manners.

My wretched brooding was at last cut short by the opening of our door, and the advent of him who officiated as our gaoler.

"Which of you calls himself Otto von Ronshausen?" the outlaw inquired rudely. And when I told him that 'twas I, he bid me go with him to wait upon the Lord of Falkensteig.

Kervenheim nodded pleasantly as I entered the Rittersaal where he awaited me.

"Welcome to Falkensteig, my dear Ronshausen." he cried in a jovial voice. "This visit of His Majesty's prime favourite is an honour I had never dared to hope for, albeit I had often thought of it as one thinks of a castle in Spain. Come, we'll crack a bottle over it."

"'Twould suit my mood better to crack a head over it." I answered surlily. "Herrgott, sir, are you so lost to all sense of decency, and to the principles taught you, and bred in you, that you can make a jest of it? If there is a spark of honour left beneath that doublet, which I make no doubt you have filched from the packhorse of some travelling tailor, let us settle this matter between ourselves. Give me my sword, and take a turn with me outside."

He answered me with a burst of laughter.

"Plague take you, sir," he cried. "I am not minded to kill you; you are worth more to me alive. For the rest, if you are tired of life, there are other means of being rid of it besides my sword--although 'twould be a scurvy trick to die before you have served your turn with me."

"And what may that be?" I inquired, curiosity overcoming the anger which his taunt excited.

"'Tis said that the King loves you very dearly."

"I have heard it said," I answered idly.

"And, therefore, it is to be supposed that he would pay a high ransom for you."

"Kervenheim, you disgust me," I cried. "Himmel! I have associated with you, I have sat at table with you, I have thrown a main with you, but perdition take me if I would willingly stand in the same room with one who can think of such a Judas bargain--a traffic of flesh and blood that a Jew would scorn!"

A dark flush mounted to his brow, and his blue eyes grew hard and terrible. For a moment I thought he would have struck me.

"Silence, you fool!" he muttered harshly. "And if the wines of Ludwig's table have not addled your brains utterly, reflect. Who was the first to enter upon the game you and I have played? You have sat at table with me, say you. Yet you did not scruple to ask the King for a troop of horse, that you might come and capture your former associate, for whom a maid who pleased your fancy had set a trap. Did I ever wrong you, Ronshausen? What grudge had you against me? Think you that had you been outlawed and left at war with all the world to fight bitterly for your existence--think you that I would have done what you have done at a mere woman's bidding? Faugh! my lord, methinks the Judas bargain lay with you."

What could I answer him? Every word he spoke was true, although until then I had not seen the matter so. I had regarded him merely as an enemy of King and State, against whom I was justified, as a loyal subject, to wage war, without pausing to think that my action was dictated by neither loyalty nor honour, but by a woman's tongue.

Strangely enough, as I realised all this, the Lady Hilda seemed to sink in my estimation, and I loved her less from that moment for having dragged me into so unworthy an enterprise. My thoughts flew to Freda von Horst--so gentle, so good, so innocent. She would not have brought me to play the tipstaff.

And yet was I not more to blame than the Lady Hilda? Was it not I, myself, who proffered to undertake this business? She had not bidden me; she had not even suggested that I should. What were her words? Yes, I remembered them--

"Until he whom they call the lord of Falkensteig be brought to Schwerlingen, Hilda von Barnabatt will listen to no wooings."

I was unjust; she was not to blame. And then the memory of her own unfortunate position rushed in upon my mind, and almost unconsciously, "What have you done with her?" I blurted out.

"With whom?"

"The Countess of Barnabatt. Where is she?"

He laughed softly.

"On her way to Schwerlingen," he answered.

"You have set her free!" I exclaimed eagerly.

He picked up his hat from the table and pressed it over his locks.

"She has gone to dictate the terms of your ransom to the King. 'Tis said he loves you. I trust he does, for the lands of Kervenheim, my name and honour are your ransom. Within three days either I ride to Schwerlingen to receive my pardon from His Majesty, or you, my friend, will hang from yonder pine tree."

I began to understand.

"She has gone to propose these terms?" I gasped.

"And to crave the King's permission to become my wife," he said.

My senses swam beneath that terrific blow of disillusionment. "God's curse!" I cried, "I have been fooled?"

He looked at me sadly for a moment, then uttered a sigh.

"I would that it had been otherwise, Ronshausen, yet what is done is done. Do not blame her. She loved me very dearly, and so forgot her pride to help me seize the one man in all Sachsenberg for whom I could demand the ransom I have mentioned. Still"--he sighed again--"I would that it had been otherwise."