The Dove in the Eagle's Nest

chivalry, and its squalor and coarseness, magnified into absurdity by haughtiness and violence, were almost inconceivable. Fortunately for her,

rmentrude, unable to bear the oppressive confusion below stairs, had escaped thither for quietness' sake. No one else wished to inhabit it. The chamber above was filled with the various appliances for the defence of the castle; and no on

e only daughter was the darling of both father and brother, who were ready to do anything to gratify the girl's sick fancies, and hailed with delight her pleasure in her new attendant. Old Ursel was at first rather envious and contemptuous of the childish, fragile stranger, but her gentleness disarmed the old woman; and, when it was plain that the young lady's sufferings were greatly l

rves. Her father's authority guarded her from rude actions, but from rough tongues he neither could nor would guard her, nor understand that what to some would have been a compliment seemed to her an alarming insult; a

the neighbourhood of the hearth, and cushions were made of these skins, and stuffed from Ursel's stores of feathers. All these embellishments were watched with great delight by Ermentrude, who had never been made of so much importance, and was as much surprised as relieved by such attentions. She was too young and too delicate to reject civilization, and she let Christina braid her hair, bathe her, and arrange her dress, with sensations of comfort that were almost like health. To train her into occupying h

sighing at the thought of Master Gottfried's wreath when she met with the asphodel seed-vessels. Once the quiet mule was brought into requisition; and, with her brother walking by her, and Sorel and his daughter in attendance, Ermentrude rode towards the village of Adlerstein. It was a collection of miserable huts, on a sheltered slope towards the south, where there was earth enough to grow some wretched rye and buckwheat, subject to severe toll from the lord of the soil. Perched on a hollow rock above the sl

from the council chamber of Nic?a, which he had presented to the little church that he had built over the cavern. He had named his son Friedmund; a

under the same sentence, "Sunday didna come abune the pass." Christina's entreaty obtained permission to enter the little building, but she had knelt there only a few moments before her father came to hurry her away, and her supplications that he would some day take her to mass there were whistled down the wind; and indeed the hermit was a layman, and the church was only served on great fe

civilities. His son she viewed as one of the thickwitted giants meant to be food for the heroism of good knights of romance. Except that he was fairly conversant with the use of weapons, and had occasionally ridden beyond the shadow of his own m

he used to listen with a pleased awkward amazement at his little Ermentrude's astonishing cleverness, joined sometimes with real interest, which was evinced by his inquiries of Christina. He certainly did not admire the little, slight, pale bower-maiden, but he seemed to look upon

stle of a convoy of waggons, and all was excitement. Men-at-arms were mustered, horses led down the Eagle's Ladder, and an ambush prepared in the wo

ation, but she knew enough of her maiden to expect no sympathy from her, and loved her well enough not to bring down on her her mother's attention; so Christina crept into her turre

. She saw the overthrow, the struggle, the flight of a few scattered dark figures on the farther side, the drawing out of the goods on the nearer

huddering with grief and indignation, and telling her beads alike for murdered and murderers, till, after the sounds of welcome

els; and now will the drunkards down stairs make good cheer. But Ebbo could onl

Christina aske

ad him down and got the prize, and that was enough for me.

hing, Stina," continued Erment

aid Eberhard, holding out a brooch that had doubtless fa

not take it," said Christina, t

thinking himself,-"They are no townsf

, or you will anger my f

th, but it were sin in me," said

orial right-to all the goods of every wayfarer that may be over

dignant in all her terror. "The true knight's part is to aid,

remity of her amazement, "know you what you

taken by surprise, and letting hi

ling with tears. "You may drive me from the castle-I only long to be away from it; but

assionately, ready to fly to the head of the s

hy tongue still, child!

er father hurl her down the rocks rather than return her to Ulm? Could she escape? Climb down the dizzy rocks, it might be, succour the merchant lying half dead on the meadows, protect and be protected, be once more among God-feari

l my mother! Come out, and finish my ker

would bring harm on me. But oh! I would I were at home! I grieve for the

for him! I saw his own folk return and lif

y to such an auditor as poor little Ermentrude against the deeds of her own father and brother, which had in reality

ed to thank the Freiherr for his gift. But, fortunately, manners were too rare at Adlerstein for any such omission to be remarkable, and the whole establis

draughts by both father and brother, and presently Sir Eberhard exclaimed, turning tow

head, and framed a n

father, close to whom s

a fast-day much more than the lives or goods of

rd, evidently wishing to avert any ill co

ce of her captivity. Ermentrude, too, was soon in such a state of excitement, that not only was Christina's womanhood bitterly ashamed and grieved f

ad begun before hers, and his step was far from steady; he stumbled more than once on the steps, shook and frightened his sister, and set her down weeping petulantly. And then ca

n her father! But extremity of terror gave her strength. She spoke resolutely-"Sir Eberhard,

nough to be subdued, almost cowed, by resistance of a description unlike all he had ever seen; his alarm at Christina's superior power returned in full force, he staggered to the

ious in matters of this kind. She was quite willing to take Christina's view of the case, and not resent the excl

thout interval, except for sleep; and they took their sleep just where they happened to sink down, then returned again to the liquor. The old baroness repaired to the kitchen when the revelry went beyond even her bearing; but all the time the wine held out, the swine in the court were, as Ursel averred, better company than the men in the hall. Yet there might have been worse even

f the debauch failed, and the household began to return to its usual state. She was soon restlessly pining for her brother; and when her father came up to see her, received him with scant welcome, and entreaties for Ebbo. She knew she should

even take refuge in her turret, for Ermentrude was leaning against her. Somehow, the step was less assured than usual; he absolutely knocked at the door; and, when he came in, he acknowledged her by a slight inclination of the head. If she only had known it, this was the first time that head had ever been bent to any be

few days more, in their common cares for the sister, Christina lost her newly-acquired horror of the brother, and could not but