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old　age！　　But；　hark！　the　guests　are　arriving。　　An　ye　will　not　empty

another　flask　of　claret；　let　us　join　the　ladyes　i'　the　withdrawing

chamber。　　When　there；　mark　HILDEBRANDT　AND　OTTO！〃





CHAPTER　III。



THE　FESTIVAL。





The　festival　was　indeed　begun。　　Coming　on　horseback；　or　in　their

caroches；　knights　and　ladies　of　the　highest　rank　were　assembled　in

the　grand　saloon　of　Godesberg；　which　was　splendidly　illuminated　to

receive　them。　　Servitors；　in　rich　liveries；　（they　were　attired　in

doublets　of　the　sky…blue　broadcloth　of　Ypres；　and　hose　of　the

richest　yellow　sammitthe　colors　of　the　house　of　Godesberg；）　bore

about　various　refreshments　on　trays　of　silvercakes；　baked　in　the

oven；　and　swimming　in　melted　butter；　manchets　of　bread；　smeared

with　the　same　delicious　condiment；　and　carved　so　thin　that　you

might　have　expected　them　to　take　wing　and　fly　to　the　ceiling；

coffee；　introduced　by　Peter　the　Hermit；　after　his　excursion　into

Arabia；　and　tea　such　as　only　Bohemia　could　produce；　circulated

amidst　the　festive　throng；　and　were　eagerly　devoured　by　the　guests。

The　Margrave's　gloom　was　unheeded　by　themhow　little　indeed　is　the

smiling　crowd　aware　of　the　pangs　that　are　lurking　in　the　breasts　of

those　who　bid　them　to　the　feast！　　The　Margravine　was　pale；　but

woman　knows　how　to　deceive；　she　was　more　than　ordinarily　courteous

to　her　friends；　and　laughed；　though　the　laugh　was　hollow；　and

talked；　though　the　talk　was　loathsome　to　her。



〃The　two　are　together；〃　said　the　Margrave；　clutching　his　friend's

shoulder。　　〃NOW　LOOK！〃



Sir　Ludwig　turned　towards　a　quadrille；　and　there；　sure　enough；　were

Sir　Hildebrandt　and　young　Otto　standing　side　by　side　in　the　dance。

Two　eggs　were　not　more　like！　　The　reason　of　the　Margrave's　horrid

suspicion　at　once　flashed　across　his　friend's　mind。



〃'Tis　clear　as　the　staff　of　a　pike；〃　said　the　poor　Margrave；

mournfully。　　〃Come；　brother；　away　from　the　scene；　let　us　go　play　a

game　at　cribbage！〃　and　retiring　to　the　Margravine's　boudoir；　the

two　warriors　sat　down　to　the　game。



But　though　'tis　an　interesting　one；　and　though　the　Margrave　won；

yet　he　could　not　keep　his　attention　on　the　cards：　so　agitated　was

his　mind　by　the　dreadful　secret　which　weighed　upon　it。　　In　the

midst　of　their　play；　the　obsequious　Gottfried　came　to　whisper　a

word　in　his　patron's　ear；　which　threw　the　latter　into　such　a　fury；

that　apoplexy　was　apprehended　by　the　two　lookers…on。　　But　the

Margrave　mastered　his　emotion。　　〃AT　WHAT　TIME；　did　you　say？〃　said

he　to　Gottfried。



〃At　daybreak；　at　the　outer　gate。〃



〃I　will　be　there。〃



〃AND　SO　WILL　I　TOO；〃　thought　Count　Ludwig；　the　good　Knight　of

Hombourg。





CHAPTER　IV。



THE　FLIGHT。





How　often　does　man；　proud　man；　make　calculations　for　the　future；

and　think　he　can　bend　stern　fate　to　his　will！　　Alas；　we　are　but

creatures　in　its　hands！　　How　many　a　slip　between　the　lip　and　the

lifted　wine…cup！　　How　often；　though　seemingly　with　a　choice　of

couches　to　repose　upon；　do　we　find　ourselves　dashed　to　earth；　and

then　we　are　fain　to　say　the　grapes　are　sour；　because　we　cannot

attain　them；　or　worse；　to　yield　to　anger　in　consequence　of　our　own

fault。　　Sir　Ludwig；　the　Hombourger；　was　NOT　AT　THE　OUTER　GATE　at

daybreak。



He　slept　until　ten　of　the　clock。　　The　previous　night's　potations

had　been　heavy；　the　day's　journey　had　been　long　and　rough。　　The

knight　slept　as　a　soldier　would；　to　whom　a　featherbed　is　a　rarity；

and　who　wakes　not　till　he　hears　the　blast　of　the　reveille。



He　looked　up　as　he　woke。　　At　his　bedside　sat　the　Margrave。　　He　had

been　there　for　hours　watching　his　slumbering　comrade。　　Watching？

no；　not　watching；　but　awake　by　his　side；　brooding　over　thoughts

unutterably　bitterover　feelings　inexpressibly　wretched。



〃What's　o'clock？〃　was　the　first　natural　exclamation　of　the

Hombourger。



〃I　believe　it　is　five　o'clock；〃　said　his　friend。　　It　was　ten。　　It

might　have　been　twelve；　two；　half…past　four；　twenty　minutes　to　six；

the　Margrave　would　still　have　said；　〃I　BELIEVE　IT　IS　FIVE　O'CLOCK。〃

The　wretched　take　no　count　of　time：　it　flies　with　unequal　pinions；

indeed；　for　THEM。



〃Is　breakfast　over？〃　inquired　the　crusader。



〃Ask　the　butler；〃　said　the　Margrave；　nodding　his　head　wildly；

rolling　his　eyes　wildly；　smiling　wildly。



〃Gracious　Bugo！〃　said　the　Knight　of　Hombourg；　〃what　has　ailed　thee；

my　friend？　　It　is　ten　o'clock　by　my　horologe。　　Your　regular　hour　is

nine。　　You　are　notno；　by　heavens！　you　are　not　shaved！　　You　wear

the　tights　and　silken　hose　of　last　evening's　banquet。　　Your　collar

is　all　rumpled'tis　that　of　yesterday。　　YOU　HAVE　NOT　BEEN　TO　BED！

What　has　chanced；　brother　of　mine：　what　has　chanced？〃



〃A　common　chance；　Louis　of　Hombourg；〃　said　the　Margrave：　〃one　that

chances　every　day。　　A　false　woman；　a　false　friend；　a　broken　heart。

THIS　has　chanced。　　I　have　not　been　to　bed。〃



〃What　mean　ye？〃　cried　Count　Ludwig；　deeply　affected。　　〃A　false

friend？　　I　am　not　a　false　friend。　　A　false　woman？　　Surely　the

lovely　Theodora；　your　wife〃



〃I　have　no　wife；　Louis；　now；　I　have　no　wife　and　no　son。〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



In　accents　broken　by　grief；　the　Margrave　explained　what　had

occurred。　　Gottfried's　information　was　but　too　correct。　　There　was

a　CAUSE　for　the　likeness　between　Otto　and　Sir　Hildebrandt：　a　fatal

cause！　　Hildebrandt　and　Theodora　had　met　at　dawn　at　the　outer　gate。

The　Margrave　had　seen　them。　　They　walked　long　together；　they

embraced。　　Ah！　how　the　husband's；　the　father's；　feelings　were

harrowed　at　that　embrace！　　They　parted；　and　then　the　Margrave；

coming　forward；　coldly　signified　to　his　lady　that　she　was　to　retire

to　a　convent　for　life；　and　gave　orders　that　the　boy　should　be　sent

too；　to　take　the　vows　at　a　monastery。



Both　sentences　had　been　executed。　　Otto；　in　a　boat；　and　guarded　by

a　company　of　his　father's　men…at…arms；　was　on　the　river　going

towards　Cologne；　to　the　monastery　of　Saint　Buffo　there。　　The　Lady

Theodora；　under　the　guard　of　Sir　Gottfried　and　an　attendant；　were

on　their　way　to　the　convent　of　Nonnenwerth；　which　many　of　our

readers　have　seenthe　beautiful　Green　Island　Convent；　laved　by　the

bright　waters　of　the　Rhine！



〃What　road　did　Gottfried　take？〃　asked　the　Knight　of　Hombourg；

grinding　his　teeth。



〃You　cannot　overtake　him；〃　said　the　Margrave。　　〃My　good　Gottfried；

he　is　my　only　comfort　now：　he　is　my　kinsman；　and　shall　be　my　heir。

He　will　be　back　anon。〃



〃Will　he　so？〃　thought　Sir　Ludwig。　　〃I　will　ask　him　a　few　questions

ere　he　return。〃　　And　springing　from　his　couch；　he　began　forthwith

to　put　on　his　usual　morning　dress　of　complete　armor；　and；　after　a

hasty　ablution；　donned；　not　his　cap　of　maintenance；　but　his　helmet

of　battle。　　He　rang　the　bell　violently。



〃A　cup　of　coffee；　straight；〃　said　he；　to　the　servitor　who　answered

the　summons；　〃bid　the　cook　pack　me　a　sausage　and　bread　in　paper；

and　the　groom　saddle　Streithengst；　we　have　far　to　ride。〃



The　various　orders　were　obeyed。　　The　horse　was　brought；　the

refreshments　disposed　of；　the　clattering　steps　of　the　departing

steed　were　heard　in　the　court…yard；　but　the　Margrave　took　no　notice

of　his　friend；　and　sat；　plunged　in　silent　grief；　quite　motionless

by　the　empty　bedside。





CHAPTER　V。



THE　TRAITOR'S　DOOM。





The　Hombourger　led　his　horse　down　the　winding　path　which　conducts

from　the　hill　and　castle　of　Godesberg　into　the　beautiful　green

plain　below。　　Who　has　not　seen　that　lovely　plain；　and　who　that　has

seen　it　has　not　loved　it？　　A　thousand　sunny　vineyards　and

cornfields　stretch　around　in　peaceful　luxuriance；　the　mighty　Rhine

floats　by　it　in　silver　magnificence；　and　on　the　opposite　bank　rise

the　seven　mountains　robed　in　majestic　purple；　the　monarchs　of　the

royal　scene。



A　pleasing　poet；　Lord　Byron；　in　describing　this　very　scene；　has

mentioned　that　〃peasant　girls；　with　dark　blue　eyes；　and　hands　that

offer　cake　and　wine；〃　are　perpetually　crowding　round　the　traveller

in　this　delicious　district；　and　proffering　to　him　their　rustic

presents。　　This　was　no　doubt　the　case　in　former　days；　when　the

noble　bard　wrote　his　elegant　poemsin　the　happy　ancient　days！　when

maidens　were　as　yet　generous；　and　men　kindly！　　Now　the　degenerate

peasantry　of　the　district　are　much　more　inclined　to　ask　than　to

give；　and　their　blue　eyes　seem　to　have　disappeared　with　their

generosity。



But　as　it　was　a　long　time　ago　that　the　events　of　our　story

occurred；　'tis　probable　that　the　good　Knight　Ludwig　of　Hombourg　was

greeted　upon　his　path　by　this　fascinating　peasantry；　though　we　know

not　how　he　accepted　their　welcome。　　He　continued　his　ride　across

the　flat　green　country　until　he　came　to　Rolandseck；　whence　he　could

command　the　Island　of　Nonnenwerth　（that　lies　in　the　Rhine　opposite

that　place）；　and　all　who　went　to　it　or　passed　from　it。



Over　the　entrance　of　a　little　cavern　in　one　of　the　rocks　hanging

above　the　Rhine…stream　at　Rolandseck；　and　covered　with　odoriferous

cactuses　and　silvery　magnolias；　the　traveller　of　the　present　day

may　perceive　a　rude　broken　image　of　a　saint：　that　image　represented

the　venerable　Saint　Buffo　of　Bonn；　the　patron　of　the　Margrave；　and

Sir　Ludwig；　kneeling　on　the　greensward；　and　reciting　a　censer；　an

ave；　and　a　couple　of　acolytes　before　it；　felt　encouraged　to　think

that　the　deed　he　meditated　was　about　to　be　performed　under　the　very

eyes　of　his　friend's　sanctified　patron。　　His　devotion　done　（and　the

knight　of　those　days　was　as　pious　as　he　was　brave）；　Sir　Ludwig；　the

gallant　Hombourger；　exclaimed　with　a　loud　voice：



〃Ho！　hermit！　holy　hermit；　art　thou　in　thy　cell？〃



〃Who　calls　the　poor　servant　of　heaven　and　Saint　Buffo？〃　exclaimed　a

voice　from　the　cavern；　and　presently；　from　beneath　the　wreaths　of

geranium　and　magnolia；　appeared　an　intensely　venerable；　ancient；

and　majestic　head'twas　that；　we　need　not　say；　of　Saint　Buffo's

solitary。　　A　silver　beard　hanging　to　his　knees　gave