Ekkehard. Vol. II (of II).

the Clois

cloister-wine, his mistress and Praxedis sat in their private room, spelling out Gunzo's libel. Ekkehard's pupils had learned enough Latin to understand the ch

ed into an elephant, and then a great war is made against the self-created monster! The present from the Reich

d her, that the spirit which pervaded Gunzo's libel was not a good

as deserved this r

awkwardness, then we shall have done him a good service; but if someone who carries a beam in his own eye, reproaches his neighbour with the

tion, nor to throw a present we have received, out of the w

er courtyard. Not to be understood in a moment of excited feeling, is like being disdained. The sting remains for ever in the heart. Whenever her eyes now chanced to light on him, it did not make her heart bea

at was there now left to admire? The silent working and dreaming of his soul, was not understood by the Duchess, and a delicate timidity is but too often con

ng ha

urned home yet?"

. "Neither has Mast

rry up the parchment-leaves to Ekkehard's tower. He must

s close and hot. In picturesque disorder, books and other things were strewn abou

pt, the daughter of Herodias danc

ith an oath to give her

of her mother, said, 'Give me here

eside it. Its golden fringes were hanging over the little bottle wi

g, she felt sorry. Just about to go, she turned back once more, opened the window, and gathering a branch

tears had been dried, her speech until sunset had been nothing but one great curse against the convent-farmer; and when she raised her strong arms and spoke of scratching hi

d succeed

is table. His hand played with a wild rose, which he had culled in the fir-wood whe

much that is written with ink, cannot deny its origin? All ink is made of the

ndustrious good work!--well, the peewit is also an important personage amongst the feathered tr

e-chapel the next morning, he

n sea-crab had swum up the Rhine, and from the Rhine into the Bodensee, and from thence, he came up to our castle; and he had got a pa

ard s

please me either," said he. "He, who comes into conta

xedis. "You ought to be thinking already about the reply. Boil t

: 'whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the cou

ld with that. Whoever does not defend his skin, will be flayed, and even a miserable enemy

nworthy antagonist, is easily interpreted into we

ack, now added: "Shall I give you another piece of advice,

e moon and stars. We are now in the middle of summer, and your habit must be exceedingly warm. Get yourself some linen garment, and perhaps it would not ha

t moment, Master Spazzo on horseback, entered the courtyard at a slow and lingering pace. His head

rday," called out Praxedis to him. "Why do the spar

ked down at her. Everything

siderable smart-money, Sir c

whom?" stolidly

u have eaten a handful of poppy-seed, not to kn

e. "Poppy-seed? No. But wine of Meersburg, red wine of

he result of his mission, was not given. Praxedis cast an astonished look at the departing cha

rd, smilingly. "But even as the Jewish prophet boy said to King Darius, when his generals and officers were quarrelling around his throne, a

ched the wall, and

w said to Ekkehard, "who may that dainty eccle

up to the castle, walked a boy with wavy brown locks, wearing a monk's habit, coming down to his ankles; sandals on his naked f

autiful landscape, stretching out before him. Then he entered the courtyard and approached Ekkehard with measured steps. It was Burk

ronounced his greeting as if

ind messages from St. Gall, as well as of an epistle of Master Ratpert, who, being busy just then with some translation, asked Ekkehard's advice, in what styl

his nephew about all the brothers

e, is not adapted for speech. Come with me, my little man, thou shalt

exclaimed the boy

t to know him?"

o the Abbot, as well as a treatise, which they say contains a great

ar!" said

at he could crouch down unseen in a dark corner. But at midnight, Father Notker Peppercorn, came to make the round and to inspect whether everyone had fastened his girdle tidily round his garment, and whether no knife or other dangerous weapon was perchance in the bedroom. He drew out the stranger from his hiding-place; and the brothers woke up, and the big lanthorn

ds and feet; but now, when chance has delivered me into your hands, mind that you do not heap insults on the head of your guest!' Then they all got quite furious, and dragged him out into the

which the driver told me were a present from the cellarer of the R

esterday," said Praxedis. "For that recital, thou verily deservest a piece o

rite a poem about it, entitled, 'the wolf's invasion of the sheep-fold, and subse

oems, my young nephew?

he Archangel Michael, with double-rhymed hexametres, I was permitted to read out to the Abbot, who was pleased to call my verses, 'a g

one merely drops down into our courtyard to begin at o

rivium and quadrivium, and as the Hohentwiel just then threw a delicately drawn shadow on the plain below, the cloister-pupil indulged in a prolix discussion about the caus

o the praise of Zoroaster, and King Ptolem?us of Egypt. Further he had to undergo a strict examination himself, about the shape and application of the astrolabe, and finally

about the basis and classification of theoretical philosophy, before him,--namely he yawned. At that critical moment, Praxedis reappeared with a delicious cherry-tart and a basket filled with various fruits, and these good things speedily gave a more natural turn to the t

to learn the final fate of Queen Dido,--and so we are to begin again this very evening. Remember that you are to wear a more cheerful expression than the present one," a

be again together with the two women as he used to be,--the mere thought

not come here to spend thy holidays merely with fishing and bird-catching, Burkhard. This

y like a shield between th

ess to teach me some Greek. After that visit when they took you away with them, the cloister-pupils often said, that she knew more Greek tha

ty, holy father at Rome," said Praxedis mockingly. "Meanwhil

ading of the ?neid. More than six months had gone by, during which Virgil had been laid aside. Ekkehard fe

turning over the leaves

he replied with a complacent air: "with such a grand lady, I shall only speak

f the head. Without appearing to notice the boy, she sat down in her richly carved arm-cha

en the Duchess said indiffer

ish to learn the Greek language, ventures to approach such a noble t

hed the Duchess. With eyes cast down, and a mixture of shyness

s, cum vix sim, do

faultless

metre, was an unheard-of thing in the Allemannic lands then. And moreover he had impro

as charmed with him, for he had a lovely boyish face, with a red and white com

lips, as if it were mocking their utterance. Then, Dame Hadwig put her arms round the boy, and kissing him on both lips and c

om from my lips," said she jestingly, giving him another kiss. "

e not discomposed even by the kiss of a Duchess. Ekkehard had stepped up to the window, where

orsus dignos c

avi duce me l

oduced two faul

ight of this world with a Latin verse, at thy birth? That flows from thy lips as i

and, and proud and bea

e fresh kiss yet burning on his lips, can improvise

she asked him: "And why art th

e ready answer. "Ever since my fellow-pupil Notker with the large lip, has vaunted himself, that he were

us begin then? Dost thou know the antiph

said Bu

Greek: Thalassi kai potam

y repe

g it!" H

hfully at them. The Duchess

as thou wilt ask for it in hexametres, thou shalt be taught some more. For the pr

who is ever beset by thoughts of the noble Trojan guest, whose words and looks are al

ed, in the depth of m

contract, with any

f Hymen, and bridal

aps, to give way to t

fess, that since

is heart, at the feet of

ded in touching my h

l, that is changed into

wed queen. She leaned back in her arm-chair and looked up at the ceiling. She f

written by a man. He wants to humiliate women! It is all false!

" said Ekkehard. "History no dou

to continue. She was almost offended with Virgil's description. Perhaps because she was reminded of certai

n; and how,--though peace and rest might be implored for, by sacrifices on the altars of the migh

queen, desires to hear of t

alone, and the rays of t

couch, and the stars

rief, which, excluding t

ght, when she though

ude her heart, and

he boy, the image

ost to touch her wavy robes, had listened attentively until now, when he struggled in vain to stifle a

ow, young verse-maker

that if my gracious mistress were the queen Dido, I should have been

be naughty? Well 'tis no wonder," added she, pointing at his curls

but could not, as the Duchess sharply continued: "That comes from thy forwardness, wh

he stool, and stood

ishment, all thy grey hairs are to be cut off, and beg her to

he went up to Praxedis, who had some sympathy for him, since she ha

knelt down before her, bending his young head over her lap, whilst she took a big

dered to be deeply dishonoured,--but Praxedis's soft little hand caressingly patted his cheeks, after having ruffled his

as hurt that the Duchess had thus interrupted his reading. Looking up into her eyes, he found no comfort there. "

ong. Dido ought to laugh, and ?neas to go and kill hi

steady look. "What is the m

ad any more,

ss had ri

us some graceful tale,--you might choose whatever you liked. There are still many grand and beautiful things, besides your Virgil. Or, you might invent something yourself. I see that you are o

be the echo of a master, like Virgil?" He looked with a veiled eye at

the world, and have they not fought battles as grand as those of ?neas? Do you believe that the great Emperor Charles would have had al

ing," repeat

roduce something more than the whole of the ?ne?d contains? 'Tis true that the pious son of the Emperor Charles, did not care any more for the old heroic songs, and preferred listening to whining

e differently occupied. He shook

re you. Praxedis, prepare thyself, and likewise tell our chamberlain, that we are going to en

under the table, as a sign that

loister-pupil who had rested his head on Praxedis's lap, wh

, gracious mistress?" asked he. [

rown again," said she gail

the hall wit