The Dove in the Eagle's Nest

zzling freshness of new white stone, the lacework fabric of a half-built minster spire, with a mason's crane on the summit, bending as though craving

the slope of a gently-rising hill, clothed with vineyards blushing into autumn richness. Below, the view was closed by the gray wall of a court-yard, laden with fruit-trees in full bearing, an

carcely shaped out, and others in perfect completion. And the subjects were equally various. Here was an adoring angel with folded wings, clasped hands, and rapt face; here a majestic head of an apostle or prophet; here a lovely virgin saint, seeming to play smilingly with the instrument of her martyrdom; here a grotesque miserere group, illustrating a fairy tale, or caricaturing a popular fable here a beauteous festoon of flowers and fruit, emulating nature in all save colour; and on the work-table itself,

ssimilar in hue from those of all her friends and kindred, except perhaps the bright, quick ones of her uncle, the master-carver. Otherwise, his portly form, open visage, and good-natured stateliness, as well as his furred cap and gold chain, were thoroughly those of the German burgomaster of the fifteenth century; but those glittering black eyes had not ceased to betray their French, or rather Walloon, origin, though for several generations back the family had been settled at Ulm. Perhaps, too, it was Walloon quickness and

t the paternal mansion at Ulm, half dead with intermittent fever, and with a young, broken-hearted, and nearly expiring wife, his spoil in his Italian campaigns. His rude affection had utterly failed to console her for her desolated home and slaughtered kindred, and it had so soon turned to brutality that, when brought to comparative

nd, making her supply the place at once of son and daughter, they bred her up in all the refinements and accomplishments in which the free citizens of Germany took the lead in the middle and latter part of the fifteenth century. To aid her aunt in all house-wifely arts, to prepare dainty food and varied liquors, and to spin, weave, and broider, was only a part of Christina's training; her uncle likewise set great store by her sweet Italian voice, and caused her to be carefully taught to sing and play on the lute, and he likewise delighted in hearing her read aloud to him from the hereditary store of MSS. and from the dark volumes that began to proceed from the press. Nay, Master Gottfried had made experiments in printing and wood-engraving on his own account,

hild, hast thou found me fruits enou

t shield of the moonwort, and a pea-pod, and more whose

wreath shall speak of the good

ost beautiful, as it ought to be;" then, after a little pause, and some reckoning, "I have scarce seed-pods enough in store, uncle; migh

country beyond the walls, and seek the

r," faltered Chr

ear not, little coward; if we go beyond the suburbs we will take Hans and Peter with their halberts. But I believe

would not vex thee by my folly, and I might

of the mouse-trap barons. He is hoping to form a league of us free imperial cities with all the more reasonable and honest nobles, to preserve the peace of the country. Even now

d by Schlangenwald or Adlerstein; and our wares will come safely, and there will be wealth enough to raise

her uncle, "unless the hearts of the burghers of Ulm return to the liberal

iming in a hasty whisper, "Housefather, O Housefather, there are a troop of reitern at the door, dismounting already;" and, as the master came forward, b

st time he came; and it may be he is ready to seek peace among us after his wanderings. Come hither, Chr

eded, and reached the stone hall that lay beyond it, just as there entered from the trellised porch, that covered the steps into the street, a thin wiry man, in a worn and greasy buff suit, guarded on the breast and arms with rusty steel, and a battered helmet with the vizor up, disclosing a weather-beaten bronzed face, with somewhat wild dark eyes, and a huge grizzled moustache forming a straight line over his lips. Altogether he was a c

t to give the other sort of blessing! Now, give me a kiss, girl, and let me see thee! How now!" as he folded her in his rough arms; "thou art a mere feather, as slight as our

een so harassed and wasted with long journeys and hardships, that with all our care of ou

added her uncle, reassuringly taking her

he were fair enough to set all our fellows together by the ears for her. Camilla, I say-no, what's h

y; and Christina would have dropped on the floor but for her uncle's sust

other," said Master Gottfried, gravely. "Fill the cup of greeting,

senburg. Is it all gone yet, brother Goetz? No? I reckon there would not

, the reception-room of the house. It had tapestry hangings to the wall, and cushions both to the carved chairs and deep windows, which looked out into the street, the whole storey projecting into close proximity with the corresponding apartment of the Syndic Moritz, th

himself into the housefather's chair. "A handful of Lanzknechts w

. There's more sense in a chair like this-that does rest a man's bones. Here, Camilla, girl, unlace my helmet! What, know'st not how?

l quivering hands at the long steel-guarded boot-a task to which she would have been utterly inadequate, but for some lazy assistance from her father's other foot. She further brought a pair of her uncle's furred slippers, while Reiter Hugh proceeded to dang

irl herself knelt on the floor, her head on her aunt's knees, trying to derive comfort from Dame Johanna's clasping hands, and vehement murmurs that they would

r up as my child and intended he

with wood and wire to make gauds for the fair-day! Hast got him here? If

istina is not yet seventeen, and I would take my time to find an h

Hugh grimly, but manifestly somewhat influenced by the notion of

er, then, brother, my wealth, after myself and my good housewife, shall be hers, with due provision for thee, if thou shouldst weary of thy

rl that should hinder her from being the very same fat, sour

ugh, save that thou wouldst take her to Adlerstein, wh

r jolly merchants tingle as well as they could through their well-

also that the Emperor is about to make a combination against all the Swa

and spindle! 'Tis a free barony, Master Gottfried, I tell thee-has never sworn allegiance to Kaiser or Duke of Swabia either! Freiherr Eberhard is as much a king on his own rock as Kaiser Fritz

ied, "and I scarce think I can understand thee aright when I h

hing for her. They thought she was bewitched, so we took old Mother Ilsebill and tried her with the ordeal of water; but, look you, she sank as innocent as a puppy dog, and Ursel was at fault to fix on any one else. Then one day, when I looked into the chamber, I saw the poor maiden sitting, with her head hanging down, as if 'twas too heavy for her, on a high-backed chair, no rest for her feet, and the wind blowing keen all round her, and nothing to taste but scorched beef, or black bread and sour wine, and her mother rating her for foolish fancies that gave trouble. And, when my young Freiherr was bemoaning himself that we could not hear of a Jew physician passing our way to catch and bring up to cure her, I said to him at last that no doctor could do for her what gentle tenda

erstein, and it was no use to wait for the hopes of capturing one by raid or foray. His daughter was at his own disposal, and her services would be repaid by perso

stand the nearer claim, except by representations; and these fell utterly disregarded, as in truth every counsel had hitherto done, upon the ears of Reiter Hugh, ever since he had emerged from his swaddling clothes. The plentiful supper, full cup of wine, the confections

ood Johanna's knees. The dame was indignant and resolute: "Take the child back with him into a very nest of robbers!-her own innocent dove whom they had shielde

r, housewife," sai

anna. "What said the kid in the fable to the goat that claimed her from the sheep tha

and he bent to smooth back the silken hair, and kiss the ivory brow; "but Heaven also knows that I see no means of withholding

the dame, sharply,

the Adlerstein retainers who robbed Philipp der

o that, good man, but wherefore not threaten him therewith? Stand at his bedside in early dawn, and te

d nor would perform, mother?

s, and wet, flushed cheeks. "It must be thus," she said, in a low, but not unsteady voice. "I can bear it better since I have heard of the poor young lady, si

med her aunt; "from thee who ar

and you will pray for me," sa

end thou shouldst!" exclaimed her aunt. "Go only to Father Balthazar, hous

for Father Balthazar's own ora

I talk of our child!" sa

t his niece, who not only understood the quotation, but well remembered the carv

not an apost

ame hand that sends thee forth," answered

ld among that herd of evil men, and women yet worse, with a good-for-nothing father,

Nor do I think so ill of Hugh as thou dost, mother. And, for the rest, Heaven and

er when you are flying in its face by no

Gottfried, held greatly by the views left by the famous Strasburg preacher, Master John Tauler. After the good housemother had, in strong terms, laid the case before him, she expected a trenchant decision on her own side, but, to her surprise and disappointment, he declared that Master Gottfried was right, and that, unless Hugh Sorel demanded anything absolutely sinful of his daughter, it was needful that she should submit. He repeated, in stronger terms, the assurance that she would be protected in the endeavour to do right, and the Divine promises which he

saints that her Stina was likely only to be lovely in affectionate home eyes; but, for that matter, idle men, shut up in a castle, with nothing but mischief to think of, would be dangerous to Little Three Eyes herself, and Christina had best never stir a yard from her lady's chair, when forced to meet them. All this was interspersed with motherly advice how to treat the sick lady, and receipts for cordials and possets; for Johanna began to regard the case as a sort o

about to don his greasy buff, a handsome new suit, finished point devic

to the Stube, "I see thy game. Thou wouldst make i

ed, if thou bringest me back my wh

pping reiter son-in-law?" laughed Hugh.

is buff suit, and by an eye to a heavy purse that lay by his brother's hand on the table, added, "Little fear of that. Our fellows

to do your bidding," re

, so long as thou art good daughter to me, thou shalt find me good father to thee;" and for a moment there was a kindliness in his eye which made it sufficiently like that of his brother to give some

f he had battened in a citizen's stall; but, if thine aunt can find thee some sort of pillion, I'l

eplied her uncle, "without trou

first sight of the Eagle's Ladder! However, he may carry her so far, and, if we cann

e her lute hung by a silken string on her arm. Both she and her aunt thought she had been extremely moderate; but his cry was, What could she want with so much? Her mother had never been allowed more than would go into a pair of saddle-bag

old habits, and perhaps likewise in the submission he had met with from his daughter. The attendants, too, who had been pleased with their quarters, readily undertook to carry their share of the burthen

he latter the myrtle, which, like every German maiden, she cherished in her window, to supply her future bridal wreath. Now pale as death, but so resolutely composed as to be almost disappointing to her demonstrative aunt, she quietly went through her home partings; while Hausfrau Johanna adjured her father by all that was sacred to

wild-eyed Nibelung, all dappled with misty grey, as was the stately, substantial burgher to his lean, hungry-looking brother, or Dame Johanna's dignified, curled, white poodle, which was forcibly withheld from

ain adorned with arches and statues, past the rising Dome Kirk, where the swarms of workmen unbonneted to the master-carver, and the reiter paused with an irreverent sneer at the small progress made since he could first remember the building. How poor little Christina's soul clung to every cusp of the lacework spire,

ense of the kind of protection she would require, and she kept out of earshot. It was enough for her to see her uncle still, and feel that his tender

e, and kneeling on the grass to receive his blessing, her fac

ts; "bless thee, and bring thee back in His own good time. Thou hast been a good

bosom, and then with a last kiss he lifted her again on her mule,

meadow lands and then through more broken, open ground, where at mid-day they halted, and dined upon the plentiful fare with which the housemot

well as

and thou wilt win fa

Debateable Ford ere dark. It was, however, twilight when they came to an open space, where, at the foot of thickly forest-clad rising ground, lay an expanse of turf and rich grass, through which a stream made its way, standing in a wide tranquil pool as if to rest after its rough course from the m

o its own bed, but had flowed in a fresh channel to the right of the former one. The Freiherren von Adlerstein claimed the ground to the old channel, the Graffen von Schlangenwald held that the river was the landmark; and the dispute had a greater importance than seemed ex

ll the travellers. Hugh talked of the Schlangenwald marauders with the bitterness of a deadly feud, but m

tep off as she fancied, and that they must have daylight for the Eagle's Stairs. He led the way through the trees, up gr

on of a wild, rough-looking peasant woman, who stared at her like something from another world, but at length showed her a nook behind a mud partition, where she could spread he

who might have helped her than even at the beast, she tried to smooth him with her trembling hand, whispered his name of "Festhol

ill not let me be hurt?" she tho