Part 17 (1/2)
The priest so addressed stood erect and said: ”Because we should not tempt G.o.d. Not that the Lord needed my arm or the s.h.i.+eld to extinguish the fire.”
”It has never yet happened,” said the Duke, thoughtfully nodding his head, ”that one of you Christian priests was at a loss for an answer.
You have--and thou especially hast--power over souls, more than my sword over the conquered, use it ever as at this time. I know well how powerful you are, ye men of the cross, on the Danube there rules one, Severinus by name; he has more authority by his word than Rome and the barbarians. We shall be good friends; I shall respect thee. But hear this. I shall allow you to wors.h.i.+p Christ as you will; take thou care not to hinder my people from sacrificing as they will. No, no, old man, do not shake thy head; I suffer no contradiction!” And he lifted his finger threateningly.
But undaunted, Johannes said:
”If the Lord will call the wanderers to Himself through my mouth, fear of thee will not close it. Thy d.u.c.h.ess is already won to the Lord.
Verily, I tell thee--thou, and thy people--you will not escape Him. But you, rise,” said he, turning to the slaves. ”I will entreat for you with the victors, who are now the rulers of this land. I will teach them, that ye also, created in the image of G.o.d, are also their brethren, and that your immortal souls are redeemed by the death of Christ. I will teach them, that he who sets his slaves free wins the warmest place in the heart of the Father of heaven.”
”But he who has still to remain in servitude,” interrupted the Duke, ”let him know, that we Germans are n.o.ble-minded masters; we do not burden and punish the slave according to the caprice and temper of the master; as our free people are judged by the free, so the bond people are judged by their fellows--in the court of justice, according to the law. You stand henceforth under the protection of the strongest judicial fortress--the law, and the tribunal of your own comrades! So be comforted: you serve n.o.ble masters.”
CHAPTER XVI.
Soon after the slave insurrection had been quelled in the manner above described, two Germans walked through the Porta Vindelica on to the great military road, in the direction of the Mercurius Hill.
”See, the evening twilight is fading and the stars are already appearing,” said the one, and, balancing his spear on his shoulder, he raised both hands to heaven. ”I greet you, ye watchers of Asgard, ye all-seeing eyes. Send me happiness! I divine that _you_ know,” added he in low tones, ”what happiness my heart desires. It aches, this heart--I think because it is empty.”
He then again seized his spear and stepped forwards, his eyes directed into the mist-veiled distance, as if searching and longing: his white mantle floating in the wind. He was very handsome, the young son of the king; and this dreaming manner gave to his n.o.ble, serious features a heart-winning charm.
”If the stars wish to show _me_ what is most pleasing,” grumbled his companion, throwing back his wolfs skin, ”let them show me quickly a wine-shop. It is long, long since I had what I wanted. My throat smarts, because it is empty, I think. Vestralp and his men, they hit it off well. Some Christians were in their troop, and, I suppose as a reward for their faith, the brave Christian Baldur took them into his church; there, or close by, they found and drank a whole flood of wine, as if they had been in the halls of Thor. But I have only swallowed a few drops in a deserted house, where the meal had just been served as the Bajuvaren forced their way into the town. Listen, their Duke is right: it is too strict, the way thou dost carry out thy vow.”
”Can one interpret a vow, a duty, too strictly, old man? Thou thyself hast taught me better.”
”Truly, thy father made thee swear never to sleep a night in a Roman town, snaring-pits spread over with nets for n.o.ble game the king calls them--but Juvavum, as Garibrand justly said, is now a town of the Bajuvaren.”
”King Liutbert himself can alone permit me so to interpret the vow. But be comforted: thou shalt soon drink wine, as much as thou wilt.”
”Where?”
”In the house where we will now seek hospitality.”
”But in which?”
”For my sake in the nearest, in order to quench thy thirst. Look there, on the right of the road stands a hill with a house upon it; one can see the white statues of the G.o.ds on the roof, gleaming through the bushes.”
”But down there, to the left of the road, lies another; it seems larger, more stately, more promising.”
”It is all one to me.”
”Then we will choose the larger--that on the left.”
”But look, there shot a star from heaven! and it fell immediately on the roof of the house to the right, on the hill. That is a hint from the G.o.ds. I will gladly follow the star. We will go to the house on the right.”
He thereupon sprang from the high road on to the little foot-path that led to the stonemason's house.
”We shall also come short at the division of the booty, because of thy foolish strictness,” grumbled the old man, following him.
”No,” cried Liuthari, ”Duke Garibrand will summon me thereto early in the morning; he promised me that, when he bade us farewell at the Vindelician gate. Besides, the chief gain of this victory to us is not a few gold vessels or a tract of land, but that henceforth we have for our trusty frontier neighbours on the east, instead of the Romans, the faithful Bajuvaren. It has become too narrow and shut in for them in Bajuhemum and along the Danube, since the East-Goths increased so powerfully, so they have spread out towards the north and west.