Hugues-le-Loup. English Page 4

  CHAPTER II.

  Following Sperver, who ascended the staircase with rapid steps, I wasstill able to convince myself that the Castle of Nideck had not anundeserved reputation.

  It was a true stronghold, partly cut out of the rock, such as usedformerly to be called a _chateau d'ambuscade_. Its lofty vaulted archesre-echoed afar with our steps, and the outside air blowing with sharpgusts through the loopholes--narrow slits made for the archers of formerdays--caused our torches to flare and flicker from space to space overthe faintly-illuminated protruding lines of the arches as they caught theuncertain light.

  Sperver knew every nook and corner of this vast place. He turned now tothe right and now to the left, and I followed him breathless. At last hestopped on a spacious landing, and said to me--

  "Now, Fritz, I will leave you for a minute with the people of the castleto inform the young Countess Odile of your arrival."

  "Do just what you think right."

  "Then you will find the head butler, Tobias Offenloch, an old soldier ofthe regiment of Nideck. He campaigned in France under the count; and youwill see his wife, a Frenchwoman, Marie Lagoutte, who pretends that shecomes of a high family."

  "And why should she not?"

  "Of course she might; but, between ourselves, she was nothing but a_cantiniere_ in the Grande Armee. She brought in Tobias Offenloch uponher cart, with one of his legs gone, and he has married her out ofgratitude. You understand?"

  "That will do, but open, for I am numb with cold."

  And I was about to push on; but Sperver, as obstinate as any other goodGerman, was not going to let me off without edifying me upon the historyof the people with whom my lot was going to be cast for awhile, andholding me by the frogs of my fur coat he went on--

  "There's, besides, Sebalt Kraft, the master of the hounds; he is rathera dismal fellow, but he has not his equal at sounding the horn; and therewill be Karl Trumpf, the butler, and Christian Becker, and everybody,unless they have all gone to bed."

  Thereupon Sperver pushed open the door, and I stood in some surprise onthe threshold of a high, dark hall, the guard room of the old lords ofNideck.

  My eyes fell at first upon the three windows at the farther end, lookingout upon the sheer rocky precipice. On the right stood an old sideboardin dark oak, and upon it a cask, glasses, and bottles; on the left aGothic chimney overhung with its heavy massive mantelpiece, empurpled bythe brilliant roaring fire underneath, and ornamented on both front andsides with wood-carvings representing scenes from boar-hunts in theMiddle Ages, and along the centre of the apartment a long table, uponwhich stood a huge lamp throwing its light upon a dozen pewter tankards.

  At one glance I saw all this; but the human portion of the sceneinterested me most.

  I recognised the major-domo, or head butler, by his wooden leg, of whichI had already heard; he was of low stature, round, fat, and rosy, and hisknees seldom coming within an easy range of his eyesight; a nose red andbulbous like a ripe raspberry; on his head he wore a huge hemp-colouredwig, bulging out over his fat poll; a coat of light green plush, withsteel buttons as large as a five-franc piece; velvet breeches, silkstockings, and shoes garnished with silver buckles. He was just with hishand upon the top of the cask, with an air of inexpressible satisfactionbeaming upon his ruddy features, and his eyes glowing in profile, fromthe reflection of the fire, like a couple of watch-glasses.

  His wife, the worthy Marie Lagoutte, her spare figure draped involuminous folds, her long and sallow face like a skin of chamoisleather, was playing at cards with two servants who were gravely seatedon straight-backed arm-chairs. Certain small split pegs were seatedastride across the nose of the old woman and that of another player,whilst the third was significantly and cunningly winking his eye andseeming to enjoy seeing them victimised upon these new Caudine Forks.

  "How many cards?" he was asking.

  "Two," answered the old woman.

  "And you, Christian?"

  "Two."

  "Aha! now I have got you, then. Cut the king--now the ace--here's one,here's another. Another peg, mother! This will teach you once more notto brag about French games."

  "Monsieur Christian, you don't treat the fair sex with proper respect."

  "At cards you respect nobody."

  "But you see I have no room left!"

  "Pooh, on a nose like yours there's always room for more!"

  At that moment Sperver cried--

  "Mates, here I am!"

  "Ha! Gideon, back already?"

  Marie Lagoutte shook off her numerous pegs with a jerk of her head. Thebig butler drank off his glass. Everybody turned our way.

  "Is monseigneur better?"

  The butler answered with a doubtful ejaculation.

  "Is he just the same?"

  "Much about," answered Marie Lagoutte, who never took her eyes off me.

  Sperver noticed this.

  "Let me introduce to you my foster-son, Doctor Fritz, from the BlackForest," he answered proudly. "Now we shall see a change, Master Tobie.Now that Fritz has come the abominable fits will be put an end to. If Ihad but been listened to earlier--but better late than never."

  Marie Lagoutte was still watching us, and her scrutiny seemedsatisfactory, for, addressing the major-domo, she said--

  "Now, Monsieur Offenloch, hand the doctor a chair; move about a little,do! There you stand with your mouth wide open, just like a fish. Ah, sir,these Germans!"

  And the good man, jumping up as if moved by a spring, came to take off mycloak.

  "Permit me, sir."

  "You are very kind, my dear lady."

  "Give it to me. What terrible weather! Ah, monsieur, what a dreadfulcountry this is!"

  "So monseigneur is neither better nor worse," said Sperver, shaking thesnow off his cap; "we are not too late, then. Ho, Kasper! Kasper!"

  A little man, who had one shoulder higher than the other, and his facespotted with innumerable freckles, came out of the chimney corner.

  "Here I am!"

  "Very good; now get ready for this gentleman the bedroom at the end ofthe long gallery--Hugh's room; you know which I mean."

  "Yes, Sperver, in a minute."

  "And you will take with you, as you go, the doctor's knapsack. Knapwurstwill give it you. As for supper--"

  "Never you mind. That is my business."

  "Very well, then. I will depend upon you."

  The little man went out, and Gideon, after taking off his cape, left usto go and inform the young countess of my arrival.

  I was rather overpowered with the attentions of Marie Lagoutte.

  "Give up that place of yours, Sebalt," she cried to the kennel-keeper."You are roasted enough by this time. Sit near the fire, monsieur ledocteur; you must have very cold feet. Stretch out your legs; that's theway."

  Then, holding out her snuff-box to me--

  "Do you take snuff?"

  "No, dear madam, with many thanks."

  "That is a pity," she answered, filling both nostrils. "It is the mostdelightful habit."

  She slipped her snuff-box back into her apron pocket, and went on--

  "You are come not a bit too soon. Monseigneur had his second attackyesterday; it was an awful attack, was it not, Monsieur Offenloch?"

  "Furious indeed," answered the head butler gravely.

  "It is not surprising," she continued, "when a man takes no nourishment.Fancy, monsieur, that for two days he has never tasted broth!"

  "Nor a glass of wine," added the major-domo, crossing his hands over hisportly, well-lined person.

  As it seemed expected of me, I expressed my surprise, on which TobiasOffenloch came to sit at my right hand, and said--

  "Doctor, take my advice; order him a bottle a day of Marcobrunner."

  "And," chimed in Marie Lagoutte, "a wing of a chicken at every meal. Thepoor man is frightfully thin."

  "We have got Marcobrunner sixty years in bottle," added the major-domo,"for it is a mistake of Madame Offenloch's to suppose that the Frenc
hdrank it all. And you had better order, while you are about it, now andthen, a good bottle of Johannisberg. That is the best wine to set a manup again."

  "Time was," remarked the master of the hounds in a dismal voice--"timewas when monseigneur hunted twice a week; then he was well; when he leftoff hunting, then he fell ill."

  "Of course it could not be otherwise," observed Marie Lagoutte. "The openair gives you an appetite. The doctor had better order him to hunt threetimes a week to make up for lost time."

  "Two would be enough," replied the man of dogs with the same gravity;"quite enough. The hounds must have their rest. Dogs have just as muchright to rest as we have."

  There was a few moments' silence, during which I could hear the windbeating against the window-panes, and rush, sighing and wailing, throughthe loopholes into the towers.

  Sebalt sat with legs across, and his elbow resting on his knee, gazinginto the fire with unspeakable dolefulness. Marie Lagoutte, after havingrefreshed herself with a fresh pinch, was settling her snuff into shapein its box, while I sat thinking on the strange habit people indulge inof pressing their advice upon those who don't want it.

  At this moment the major-domo rose.

  "Will you have a glass of wine, doctor?" said he, leaning over the backof my arm-chair.

  "Thank you, but I never drink before seeing a patient."

  "What! not even one little glass?"

  "Not the smallest glass you could offer me."

  He opened his eyes wide and looked with astonishment at his wife.

  "The doctor is right," she said. "I am quite of his opinion. I preferto drink with my meat, and to take a glass of cognac afterwards. Thatis what the ladies do in France. Cognac is more fashionable thankirschwasser!"

  Marie Lagoutte had hardly finished with her dissertation when Sperveropened the door quietly and beckoned me to follow him.

  I bowed to the "honourable company," and as I was entering the passageI could hear that lady saying to her husband--

  "That is a nice young man. He would have made a good-looking soldier."

  Sperver looked uneasy, but said nothing. I was full of my own thoughts.

  A few steps under the darkling vaults of Nideck completely effaced frommy memory the queer figures of Tobias and Marie Lagoutte, poor harmlesscreatures, existing like bats under the mighty wing of the vulture.

  Soon Gideon brought me into a sumptuous apartment hung withviolet-coloured velvet, relieved with gold. A bronze lamp stood in acorner, its brightness toned down by a globe of ground crystal; thickcarpets, soft as the turf on the hills, made our steps noiseless. Itseemed a fit abode for silence and meditation.

  On entering Sperver lifted the heavy draperies which fell around an ogeewindow. I observed him straining his eyes to discover something in thedarkened distance; he was trying to make out whether the witch still laythere crouching down upon the snow in the midst of the plain; but hecould see nothing, for there was deep darkness over all.

  But I had gone on a few steps, and came in sight, by the faint rays ofthe lamp, of a pale, delicate figure seated in a Gothic chair not farfrom the sick man. It was Odile of Nideck. Her long black silk dress, hergentle expression of calm self-devotion and complete resignation, theideal angel-like cast of her sweet features, recalled to one's mind thosemysterious creations of the pencil in the Middle Ages when painting waspursued as a true art, but which modern imitators have found themselvesobliged to give up in despair, while at the same time they never canforget them.

  I cannot say what thoughts passed rapidly through my mind at the sightof this fair creature, but certainly much of devotion mingled with mysentiments. A sense of music and harmony swept sadly through by soul,with faint impressions of the old ballads of my childhood--of those pioussongs with which the kind nurses of the Black Forest rock to peacefulsleep our infant sorrows.

  At my approach Odile rose.

  "You are very welcome, monsieur le docteur," she said with touchingkindness and simplicity; then, pointing with her finger to a recess wherelay the count, she added, "There is my father."

  I bowed respectfully and without answering, for I felt deeply affected,and drew near to my patient.

  Sperver, standing at the head of the bed, held up the lamp with one hand,holding his far cap in the other. Odile stood at my left hand. The light,softened by the subdued light of the globe of ground crystal, fell softlyon the face of the count.

  At once I was struck with a strangeness in the physiognomy of the Countof Nideck, and in spite of all the admiration which his lovely daughterhad at once obtained from me, my first conclusion was, "What an oldwolf!"

  And such he seemed to be indeed. A grey head, covered with short, closehair, strangely full behind the ears, and drawn out in the face to aportentous length, the narrowness of his forehead up to its summitwidening over the eyebrows, which were shaggy and met, pointing downwardsover the bridge of the nose, imperfectly shading with their sable outlinethe cold and inexpressive eyes; the short, rough beard, irregularlyspread over the angular and bony outline of the mouth--every feature ofthis man's dreadful countenance made me shudder, and strange notionscrossed my mind about the mysterious affinities between man and the lowercreation.

  But I resisted my first impressions and took the sick man's hand. It wasdry and wiry, yet small and strong; I found the pulse quick, feverish,and denoting great irritability.

  What was I to do?

  I stood considering; on the one side stood the young lady, anxiouslytrying to read a little hope in my face; on the other Sperver, equallyanxious and watching my every movement. A painful constraint lay,therefore, upon me, yet I saw that there was nothing definite thatcould be attempted yet.

  I dropped the arm and listened to the breathing. From time to time aconvulsive sob heaved the sick man's heart, after which followed asuccession of quick, short respirations. A kind of nightmare wasevidently weighing him down--epilepsy, perhaps, or tetanus. But whatcould be the cause or origin?

  I turned round full of painful thoughts.

  "Is there any hope, sir?" asked the young countess.

  "Yesterday's crisis is drawing to its close," I answered; "we must see ifwe can prevent its recurrence."

  "Is there any possibility of it, sir?"

  I was about to answer in general medical terms, not daring to venture anypositive assertions, when the distant sound of the bell at the gate fellupon our ears.

  "Visitors," said Sperver.

  There was a moment's silence.

  "Go and see who it is," said Odile, whose brow was for a minute shadedwith anxiety. "How can one be hospitable to strangers at such a time? Itis hardly possible!"

  But the door opened, and a rosy face, with golden hair, appeared in theshadow, and said in a whisper--

  "It is the Baron of Zimmer-Bluderich, with a servant, and he asks forshelter in the Nideck. He has lost his way among the mountains."

  "Very well, Gretchen," answered the young countess, kindly; "go and tellthe steward to attend to the Baron de Zimmer. Inform him that the countis very ill, and that this alone prevents him from doing the honours ashe would wish. Wake up some of our people to wait on him, and leteverything be done properly."

  Nothing could exceed the sweet and noble simplicity of the youngchatelaine in giving her orders. If an air of distinction seemshereditary in some families it is surely because the exercise of theduties conferred by the possession of wealth has a natural tendency toennoble the whole character and bearing.

  These thoughts passed through my mind whilst admiring the grace andgentleness in every movement of Odile of Nideck, and that clearness andpurity of outline which is only found marked in the features of thehigher aristocracy, and I could recall nothing to my recollection equalto this ideal beauty.

  "Go now, Gretchen," said the young countess, "and make haste."

  The attendant went out, and I stood a few seconds under the influence ofthe charm of her manner.

  Odile turned round, and addressing me, "You see, sir,"
said she with asad smile, "one may not indulge in grief without a pause; we must divideourselves between our affection within and the world without."

  "True, madam," I replied; "souls of the highest order are for the commonproperty and advantage of the unhappy--the lost wayfarer, the sick, thehungry poor--each has his claim for a share, for God has made them likethe stars of heaven to give light and pleasure to all."

  The deep-fringed eyelids veiled the blue eyes for a moment, while Sperverpressed my hand.

  Presently she pursued--

  "Ah, if you could but restore my father's health!"

  "As I have had the pleasure to inform you, madam, the crisis is past; thereturn must be anticipated, if possible."

  "Do you hope that it may?"

  "With God's help, madam, it is not impossible; I will think carefullyover it."

  Odile, much moved, came with me to the door. Sperver and I crossed theante-room, where a few servants were waiting for the orders of theirmistress. We had just entered the corridor when Gideon, who was walkingfirst, turned quickly round, and, placing both his hands on my shoulders,said--

  "Come, Fritz; I am to be depended upon for keeping a secret; what is youropinion?"

  "I think there is no cause of apprehension for to-night."

  "I know that--so you told the countess--but how about to-morrow?"

  "To-morrow?"

  "Yes; don't turn round. I suppose you cannot prevent the return of thecomplaint; do you think, Fritz, he will die of it?"

  "It is possible, but hardly probable."

  "Well done!" cried the good man, springing from the ground with joy; "ifyou don't think so, that means that you are sure."

  And taking my arm, he drew me into the gallery. We had just reached itwhen the Baron of Zimmer-Bluderich and his groom appeared there also,marshalled by Sebalt with a lighted torch in his hand. They were on theirway to their chambers, and those two figures, with their cloaks flungover their shoulders, their loose Hungarian boots up to the knees, thebody closely girt with long dark-green laced and frogged tunics, and thebear-skin cap closely and warmly covering the head, were very picturesqueobjects by the flickering light of the pine-torch.

  "There," whispered Sperver, "if I am not very much mistaken, those areour Fribourg friends; they have followed very close upon our heels."

  "You are quite right: they are the men; I recognise the younger by histall, slender figure, his aquiline nose, and his long, droopingmoustache."

  They disappeared through a side passage.

  Gideon took a torch from the wall, and guided me through quite a maze ofcorridors, aisles, narrow and wide passages, under high vaulted roofs andunder low-built arches; who could remember? There seemed no end.

  "Here is the hall of the margraves," said he; "here is theportrait-gallery, and this is the chapel, where no mass has beensaid since Louis the Bold became a Protestant."

  All these particulars had very little interest for me.

  After reaching the end we had again to go down steps; at last we happilycame to the end of our journey before a low massive door. Sperver took ahuge key out of his pocket, and handing me the torch, said--

  "Mind the light--look out!"

  At the same time he pushed open the door, and the cold outside air rushedinto the narrow passage. The torch flared and sent out a volley of sparksin all directions. I thought I saw a dark abyss before me, and recoiledwith fear.

  "Ha, ha, ha!" cried the huntsman, opening his mouth from ear to ear, "youare surely not afraid, Fritz? Come on; don't be frightened! We are uponthe parapet between the castle and the old tower."

  And my friend advanced to set me the example.

  The narrow granite-walled platform was deep in snow, swept in swirlingbanks by the angry winds. Any one who had seen our flaring torch frombelow would have asked, "What are they doing up there in the clouds? whatcan they want at this time of the night?"

  Perhaps, I thought within myself, the witch is looking up at us, and thatidea gave me a fit of shuddering. I drew closer together the folds of myhorseman's cloak, and with my hand upon my hat, I set off after Sperverat a run; he was raising the light above his head to show me the road,and was moving forward rapidly.

  We rushed into the tower and then into Hugh Lupus's chamber. A brightfire saluted us here with its cheerful rays; how delightful to be oncemore sheltered by thick walls!

  I had stopped while Sperver closed the door, and contemplating thisancient abode, I cried--

  "Thank God! we shall rest now!"

  "With a well-furnished table before us," added Gideon. "Don't stand therewith your nose in the air, but rather consider what is before you--a legof a kid, a couple of roast fowls, a pike fresh caught, with parsleysauce; cold meats and hot wines, that's what I like. Kasper has attendedto my orders like a real good fellow."

  Gideon spoke the truth. The meats were cold and the wines were warm, forin front of the fire stood a row of small bottles under the gentleinfluence of the heat.

  At the sight of these good things my appetite rose in me wonderfully. ButSperver, who understood what is comfortable, stopped me.

  "Fritz," said he, "don't let us be in too great a hurry; we have plentyof time; the fowls won't fly away. Your boots must hurt you. After eighthours on horseback it is pleasant to take off one's boots, that's myprinciple. Now sit down, put your boot between my knees; there goes oneoff, now the other, that's the way; now put your feet into theseslippers, take off your cloak and throw this lighter coat over yourshoulders. Now we are ready."

  And with his cheery summons I sat down with him to work, one on each sideof the table, remembering the German proverb--"Thirst comes from the evilone, but good wine from the Powers above."