The Dove in the Eagle's Nest

ing that the Barons, instead of molesting the pedlars, merchants, and others who attended it, contented themselves with demanding a toll from every one who passed the Kohler's hut on th

e ford did not always include all even of the few requirements of the inmates of the c

he had stalked round to show his indifference to the sentence; and the Freiherrinn snarled out such sentences of disdain towards the concourse, that it might be supposed that she hated the sight

been her weeping through all the early light hours of the long morning-weeping that she tried to think was all for Ermentrude; and all, amid prayers she could scarce trust herself to offer, that the generous, kindly nature might yet work free of these evil surroundings, and fulfil the sister's dying wish, she should never see it; but, when she should hear that the Debate

uresque dresses. Women and girls were exchanging the yarn of their winter's spinning for bright handkerchiefs; men drove sheep, goats, or pigs to barter for knives, spades, or weapons; others were gazing at simple shows-a dancing bear or ape-or clustering round a Minnesinger; many even then congregating in booths for the sale of beer. F

r, on the step of the Altar; also poor Friedmund's bones, dressed up in a new serge amice and hood; the stone from Nic?a was in a gilded box, ready in due time to be kissed; and a preaching friar (not one of the monks of St. Ruprecht's) was in the midst of a sermon, telling how St. John presided at the Council of Nic?a till the Emperor Maximius cut off his head at the instance of Herodius-full justice being done to the dancing-and that the blood was sprinkled

o well instructed not to be scandalized at the profane deception which was ripening fast for Luther, only thirty years later; and, when the stone was held up by the f

trust in indulgenc

more than half a mind to get one. Five hundred years is no joke, and I am

seen him perform. Other purchasers came forward-several, of the castle knappen, and a few peasant women who offered yar

been hitherto rather diverted by the man's gestures and persuasions, now decided on going out into the fair in quest of an escort for his daughter, but as she saw Father Norbert and another

t her taste unnatural; and, promising to return

ng confessions, and Christina's next hour was the mos

tle lonely church, hearing the various sounds without, and imagining that her father had forgotten her, and that

eard steps coming up the hermit's cell, and a head rose above the pavement which she recognized with a

wo lay assistants. Then, as Christina turned on him her startled, terrified eyes in dismay and reproach for such thoughtlessness, he came towards her, a

she faintly said, "this is no

. The brother here

rgher maid is not

etter than any lady in the land; thou canst make me what she-the blessed one who lies there-would have me. I love thee as never knight loved lady. I love

ped with a so

han let thee go. No, not so," he said, as he saw how little those words served his cause; "but without thee I were

d only betroth me, and woo me like an

ords were most pleading, had worn a look and manner of determined authority and strength, go

od-humoured, easy-going man, who came prepared to do any office that came in his way on such festival days at the villa

ter, pardon me; but if this be the breaki

Eberhard; "she is to

oly mass yonder, both of you?" s

rhard, "and so dos

population; but the horror and shame of being found in such a situation, even more than the probability that she might meet with vengeance rather than protection, withheld her. Even the friar could hardly have removed her, and this was her only chance of saf

it should be in the porch, but-ach, I understand!" as Eberhard quietly drew the bolt within. "No, no, little one, I have no time for

g," to her great joy, said Eberhard, and, in her sati

hortest form. Christina had, by very force of surprise and dismay, gone through all without signs of agitation, except the

and own him indeed as a protector to be loved instead of shunned. When all was over, and he gathered the two little cold hands into his

t Brother Peter asked, when he had concluded, "Well, my son, whic

shall befall you if you are wise, but remember, against the day I call you to bear witness, that you have this d

Eberhard, who, as Christina now saw, had divested himself of his gilt spurs, gold chain, silvered belt and h

ed," said Eb

r slyly; "the little bird so cunningly nestled in the church to fly out my Lady Baroness!

east, was answer enough; and he held out half a dozen links of his go

rother Peter, on receiving this marriage fee;

erhard. "Silence, that i

e will you hear of me, if you find me not. And now, fare thee well, my gracious lady. I hope o

fires on Midsummer night shining red on every hill around Ulm. Loud shouts were greeting the uprising flame, and the people gathering thicker and thicker on the slope. The friar undid the door to hasten out into the throng, and Eberhard said he had left his spurs and belt in the hermit's cell, and must return thither, after which he would walk home with his bride, moving at the same time towards the stair, and thereby causing a sudden scuffle and fa

tane fire, whose like was blazing everywhere in the Alps, in the Hartz, nay, even in England, Scotland, and on the granite points of Ireland. Heaped up for many previous days with faggots from the forest, then apparently inexhaustible, the fire roared and crackled, and rose high, red and smoky, into the air, paling the moon, and obscuring the stars. Round it, completely hiding the bonfire itself, were hosts of dark figures swarming to approach it-all with a purpose. All held old shoes or superannuated garments in their hands to feed the flame; for it was esteemed needful that every villager should contribut

ork. Christina shuddered, and felt as if she had fallen upon a Pagan ceremony; as indeed was true enough, on

shouts of laughter and either admiration or derision; and, in the meantime, a variety of odd, recusant noises, grunts, squeaks, and lowings proceeding from the darkness were expl

h at the other end to turn them back, with their flame-dazzled eyes, from going unawares down the precipice, a fate from which the passing through the fire was evidently not supposed to ensure them. The swine, those special German delights, were of course the most refractory of all. Some, by dint of being pulled away from the lane of fire, were induced to rush through it; but about half-way they generally made a bolt, either sidelong through the flaming fence or backwards among the legs of their persecutors, who were upset amid loud imprecations. One huge, old, lean, high-backed

ights, and stood on his guard, made a sudden short run and butted down old Hatto, then skipped off like a chamois into the darkness, unheeding, the old rogue, the whispers that connected his unlucky hue with the doings o

apart, was using her whole strength for resistance; and, when a heavy blow fell on her, only plunged backwards, and kicked without advancing. It was more than Eberhard could endure, and Christina's i

tumult of warning voices around him assured him that it would be a fatal thing to spare the steed the passage through the fire, and he strove by encouragements and caresses with voice and hand to get her forward, leading her himself; but the poor

of old Bauer Ulrich, the sacrificer of the horse's head. "Heaven f

never developed into sausages, the sheep who had only escaped to be eaten

to conclude the festivities by being propelled down the hill-figuring, only that no one present knew it, the sun's declension from his solstitial height? Eberhard made no objection; and Christina, in her shelter by the cave, felt no

came extinguished by leaping into the water, the village would flourish; and prosperity above all was expected if it should spring over the narrow channel, and attempt to run up the other side. Such things had happened in the d

ering of the idlers who had crowded full into the very path of the fiery circle, which flamed up brilliantly for the moment as it met the current of air. But either there was an obstacle in the way, or the young Baron's push had not been quite straight: the wheel suddenly swerved aside, its co

had a vague sense of wrong in consulting or trusting them. It seemed to her all one frightened, uncomprehended dream ever since her father had left her in the chapel; and, though conscious of her inability to have prevented her marriage, yet she blamed herself, felt despairing as she thought of the future, and, above all, dreaded the Baron and the Baroness and their anger. Eberhard, after his first few words, was silent, and seemed solely absorbed in leading her safely

put it into his bosom, and taking his bride's hand in his, did the sa

Christina, "you wou

darling. Were it only my father, I could make him love thee; but my mother-I could not trust her where she thought the honour of our house concerned. It shall not be for long. Thou know'st we are

been a great sin!" sig

e-who knows how many deadly ones it may hinder? Cheer up,

ome in shrinking terror; with the threat of the oubliette before her, and with a sense of shame and dece

negotiations; the troth plight before the circle of ceremonious kindred and merry maidens, of whom she had often been one-the subsequent attentions of the betrothed on all festival days, the piles of linen and all plenishings accumulated since babyhood, and all reviewed and laid out for general admiration (Ah! poor Aunt Johanna still sp

her life before the Reformation, as rather the ornament of a noble marriage than as essential to the civil contract; and a marriage by a priest was regarded by the citizens rather as a means of eluding the need of obtaining the parent's consent, than as a more regular and devout manner of wedding. However, Christina felt this the one drop of peace. The blessings and prayers were warm at her