My Lady Rotha: A Romance

by Stanley John Weyman

  CHAPTER XVI.

  THE GENERAL'S BANQUET.

  I suppose it was not love only that enabled the Waldgrave to carryhimself so prudently at this time; but with it a sense of the peril inwhich we all stood. He was so far from betraying this, however, thatno one could have worn an air more gallant or seemed in every way morefree from care. General Tzerclas had supplied us with a couple oftailors, and there were rich stuffs to be bought in the camp; and theyoung lord did not neglect these opportunities. When he came on themorning of the great day to attend my lady to the banquet, he wore asuit of dark-blue velvet with a falling collar of white lace, and sashand points of lighter blue--the latter setting off his fair complexionto advantage. His hair, which had grown somewhat, flowed from under abroad-leafed hat decked with an ostrich feather, and he wore goldenspurs, and high boots with the tops turned down. As he caracoled upand down before the house, with the sun shining on his fair head, helooked to my eyes as beautiful as Apollo. What the women thought ofhim, I do not know, but I saw my lady gazing at him from a window whenhis back was turned, and then, again, when he looked towards thehouse, she was gone. And I thought I knew what that meant.

  She wore, herself, a grey riding-coat with a little silver braid aboutit, and a silver belt; and we all made what show we could; so thatwhen we started to the general's quarters we were something to lookat. The camp itself nothing could cleanse, but the village had beenswept and the street watered. Pennons and cornets waved here and therein the sunshine, and green boughs garnished the fronts of the houses.Two tall poles, painted after the Venetian fashion and hung withstreamers, stood before the general's quarters, the windows of whichwere almost hidden by a large trophy formed of glittering pikes andflags of many colours. The road here was strewn with green rushes, andopposite the house were ranked twelve trumpeters, who proclaimed mylady's arrival with a blare which shook the village.

  On either side of the door a guard of honour was drawn up. I was notdisposed to admire anything much, but it must be confessed that thesun shining on pike and corselet and steel cap, and on all the gay andgaudy colours and green leaves, produced a lively and striking effect.The moment my lady's horse stopped, four officers stepped from thedoorway and stood at attention; after whom the general himselfappeared bare-headed, and held my lady's stirrup while she dismounted.The Waldgrave performed a like service for Fraulein Anna, and I andJacob for Marie Wort and the women.

  Our host first conducted my lady into a withdrawing-room, where wereonly Count Waska and three colonels. This room, which was small, wasfitted with a rich carpet and chairs covered with Spanish leather, asgood as any my lady had in the castle at Heritzburg; and the wallswere hidden behind Cordovan hangings. Here among other things were alarge cage of larks and a strange, misshapen dwarf that stood hardlyas high as my waist-belt, but was rumoured to be forty years old. Hesaid several witty things to my lady, and one or two that I fancy thegeneral had taught him, for they brought the blood to her cheeks. On atable stood another very rare and curious thing--a gold or silver-giltfountain that threw up distilled waters, and continually cooled andsweetened the air. There were besides, gold cups and plates andjewelled arms and Venice glass, which fairly dazzled me; so that as Istood at the door with Jacob and the two maids I wondered at therichness and splendour of everything, and yet could not get out of myhead the squalor of the hot, seething camp outside, and the poverty ofthe country round, which the army had eaten as bare as my hand.

  After a short interval spent in listening to the dwarfs quips andcranks, General Tzerclas conducted my lady with much ceremony to thenext room, where the banquet was laid. The floor of this larger roomwas strewn with scented rushes, the walls being adorned with trophiesof arms and heads of deer and wolves, peering from ambushes of greenleaves. At the upper end, where was the private door of entrance, wasa dais table laid for eight persons; below were tables for forty ormore. On the dais the general sat in the middle, having my lady on theright, and next to her Count Waska; on his left he had the Waldgrave,and beyond him Fraulein Anna. The two women stood behind my lady,holding her fan and vinaigrette. At the lower end of the room thegeneral's band, placed in a kind of cage, played soft airs, whilebetween the courses a gipsy girl danced very prettily, and a jugglerdiverted the company with his tricks.

  As for the diversity of meats and fishes, and especially of birds,which was set on, it surprised me beyond measure; nor can I understandwhence, in the wasted condition of the country, it was procured. Forwines, Burgundy, Frontignac, and Tokay were served at the high table,and Rhine wines below. The courses continued to succeed one anotherfor nearly three hours, but such was the skill of the musicians thatthe time seemed short. One man in particular won my lady'sapprobation. He played on a new instrument, shaped somewhat like aviol, but smaller and more roundly framed. Though it had three stringsonly and was a trifle shrill, it had a wonderful power of touching theheart, arousing the memory and producing a sweet melancholy. Thegeneral would have had my lady accept it, and said that he couldeasily procure another from the Milanese; but she declined gracefully,on the ground that without the player it would be a dumb boon.

  There was so much gaiety in all this--and decent observance too, forthe general's presence kept good order--that I did not wonder that mylady's eyes sparkled and betrayed the gratification she felt. All wasfor her, all in her honour. Even I, who looked at the scene throughgreen glasses and could not hear a word the general said withoutstriving to place some ill construction on it--even I felt myselfsomewhat carried away, when the first toast, that of the Emperor, wasgiven in the midst of cheering, partly serious, partly ironical. Itwas followed by that of the Elector of Saxony. The King of Sweden camenext, and was received in an equally equivocal manner. Not so,however, the fourth, which was given by General Tzerclas standing,with his plumed hat in his hand.

  'All in Tokay!' he cried in his deep voice. 'The most noble andhigh-born, the Countess Rotha of Heritzburg, who honours us with herpresence! Hoch! Hoch! Hoch!'

  And draining his goblet, which was of green Nuremberg glass, and of nomean value, he dashed it to the floor, an example which wasimmediately followed by all present, so that the crash of glass andclang of sword-hilts filled the room with high-pitched sounds thatseemed to intoxicate the ear.

  My lady rose and bowed thrice, with her cheek crimson and her eyessoft. Then she turned to retire, while all remained standing. Thegeneral accompanied her as far as the door of the withdrawing-room,the Waldgrave following with Fraulein Anna; while the dwarf marchedside by side with me, keeping step with an absurd gravity which filledthe room with laughter. On the threshold the general and hiscompanions left us with low bows; but in a trice Tzerclas came back tosay a word in my ear.

  'See to the other door,' he muttered, flashing a grim look at me.'There may be deep drinking. If any offer so much as a word ofrudeness here, he shall hang, drunk or sober. Have a care, therefore,that no one has the chance.'

  Then my heart sank, for I knew, hearing his tone and seeing his face,as he said that, that Fraulein Anna was right. He loved my mistress.He loved her! I went away to my place by the door, feeling as if hehad struck me in the face. For if she loved him in return that werebad enough; and if she did not, what then, seeing that we were in hispower?

  Certainly he had omitted nothing on this occasion that might charmher. I thought the feast over; but in the withdrawing-room a freshcollation of dainty sweets and syrups awaited my lady, with a greatgold bowl of rosewater. The man, too, who had played on the Italianviol brought it in, that she might see and examine it more closely.From my post at the door, I saw Fraulein Anna flitting about, bringingher short-sighted eyes down to everything, thrusting her face into therose-water, and peering at the weapons and stuffs as if she would eatthem. All the while, too, I could hear her prattling ceaseless praiseof everything--the general's taste, the general's wealth, hisgenerosity, his skill in Latin, his love for Caesar--the fat book I hadseen him studying
by the fire--above all, his appreciation of Voetius,of whom I shrewdly believe he had never heard before.

  My lady sat almost silent under the steady shower of words, listeningand thinking, and now and then touching the strings of the viol whichlay forgotten on her lap. Perhaps she was dreaming of her twoadmirers, perhaps only giving ear to the growing tumult in the room wehad left, where the revellers were still at their wine. By-and-by weheard them break into song, and then in thunder the chorus camerolling out--

  'Hoch! Who rides with old Pappenheim knee to knee The sword is his title, the world is his fee! He knows nor Monarch, nor Sire, nor clime Who follows the banner of bold Pappenheim!'

  My lady's lip curled. 'Is there no one on our side they can sing?' shemuttered, tapping the viol impatiently with her fingers. 'Have we noheroes? Has Count Bernard never headed a charge or won a fight?Pappenheim? I am tired of the man.'

  The note jarred on her, as it had on me when I first heard these men,paid by the north, singing the praises of the great southern raider.But a moment later she turned her head to hear better, and her facegrew thoughtful. A great shout of 'Waska! Waska!' rang above thejingling of glasses and snatches of song; and then, 'The Waldgrave!The Waldgrave!' This time the cry was less boisterous, the voices werefewer.

  My lady turned to me. 'What is it?' she said, a note of anxiety in hervoice.

  I was unable to tell her and I listened. By-and-by a roar of laughtermade itself heard, and was followed by a cry of 'Waska!' as before.And then, 'The Thuringian Code! The Thuringian Code! It is his turn!'

  'They are drinking, your excellency,' I said reluctantly. 'It is adrinking match, I think!'

  She rose with a grand gesture, and set the little viol back on thetable. 'I am going,' she said, almost fiercely. 'Let the horses becalled.'

  Fraulein Max looked scared, but my lady's face forbade argument orreply; and for my part I was not a whit unwilling. I turned and gavethe order to Jacob. While he was away the Countess remained standing,tapping the floor with her foot.

  'On this day--on this day they might have abstained!' she mutteredwrathfully, as the chorus of riot and laughter grew each moment louderand wilder.

  I thought so too, and was glad besides of anything which might work abreach between her and the general. But I little knew what was goingto happen. It came upon us while we waited, with no more warning thanI have described. The door by which we had left the banqueting chamberflew suddenly open, and three men, borne in on a wave of cheering anduproar, staggered in upon us, the leader reeling under the blows whichhis applauding followers rained upon his shoulders.

  'There! Said I not so?' he cried thickly, lurching to one side toescape them, and almost falling. 'Where ish your Waska. Your Waska nowI'd like to know! Waska is great, but I am--greater--greater, you see.I can shoot, drink, fight, and make love better than any man here! Eh!Who shays I can't? Eh? Itsh the Countesh! My cousin the Countesh! Ah!'

  Alas, it was the Waldgrave! And yet not the Waldgrave. This man's facewas pale and swollen and covered with perspiration. His eyes wereheavy and sodden, and his hair strayed over them. His collar and hiscoat were open at the neck, and his sash and the front of his dresswere stained and reeking with wine. His hands trembled, his legsreeled, his tongue was too large for his mouth. He smiled fatuously atus. Yet it _was_ the Waldgrave--drunk!

  My lady's face froze as she looked at him. She raised her hand, andthe men behind him fell back abashed and left him standing there,propping himself uncertainly against the wall.

  'Well, your excellenshy,' he stuttered with a hiccough--the suddensilence surprised him--'you don't congratulatsh me! Waska is undertable. Under table, I shay!'

  My lady looked at him, her eyes blazing with scorn. But she saidnothing; only her fingers opened and closed convulsively. I turned tosee if Jacob had come back. He entered at that moment and GeneralTzerclas with him.

  'Your excellency's horses are coming,' the general said in his usualtone. Then he saw the Waldgrave and the open door, and he started withsurprise. 'What is this?' he said. His face was flushed and his eyeswere bright. But he was sober.

  The drunken man tried to straighten himself. 'Ashk Waska!' he said.Alas! his good looks were gone. I regarded him with horror, I knewwhat he had done.

  'The horses?' the general muttered.

  My lady drew a deep breath, as a person recovering consciousness does,and turned slowly towards him. 'Yes,' she said, shuddering from headto foot, 'if you please. I wish to go.'

  The young lord heard the horses come to the door, and staggeredforward. 'Yesh, letsh go. I'll go too,' he stuttered with a foolishlaugh. 'Letsh all go. Except Waska! He is under the table. Letsh allgo, I say! Eh? Whatsh thish?'

  I pushed him back and held him against the wall while the general ledmy lady out. But, oh the pity of it, the wrath, the disappointmentthat filled my breast as I did so! This was the end of my duel! Thiswas the stay to which I had trusted! The Waldgrave's influence with mylady? It was gone--gone as if it had never been. A spider's web, arope of sand, a straw were after this a stronger thing to depend upon,a more sure safeguard, a stouter holdfast for a man in peril!

  * * * * *

  He came to my lady next morning about two hours after sunrise, whenthe dew was still on the grass and the birds--such as had lost theirfirst broods or were mating late--were in full song. The camp wassleeping off its debauch, and the village street was bright and empty,with a dog here and there gnawing a bone, or sneaking round the cornerof a building. My lady had gone out early to the fallen tree with herpsalm book; and was sitting there in the freshness of the morning,with her back to the house and the street, when his shadow fell acrossthe page and she looked up and saw him.

  She said 'good morning' very coldly, and he for a moment said nothing,but stood, sullenly making a hole in the dust with his toe and lookingdown at it. His face was pale, where it was not red with shame, andhis eyes were heavy and dull; but otherwise the wine he had taken hadleft no mark on his vigorous youth.

  My lady after speaking looked down at her book again, and he continuedto stand before her like a whipped schoolboy, stealing every now andthen a furtive look at her. At length she looked up again.

  'Do you want anything?' she said.

  This time he returned her gaze, with his face on fire, trying to melther. And I think that there were not many more unhappy men at thatmoment than he. His fancy, liking, love were centred in the womanbefore him; in a mad freak he had outraged, insulted, estranged her.He did not know what to do, how to begin, what plan to put forward. Hecould for the moment only look, with shame and misery in his face.

  It was a plea that would have melted many, but my lady only grewharder. 'Did you hear me?' she said proudly. 'Do you want anything?'

  'You know!' he cried impetuously, and his voice broke out fiercely andseemed to beat against her impassiveness as a bird against the bars ofits cage. 'I was a beast last night. But, oh, Rotha, forgive me.'

  'I think that we had better not talk about it,' my lady answered himstonily. 'It is past, and we need not quarrel over it. I shall bewiser next time,' she added. 'That is all.'

  'Wiser?' he muttered.

  'Yes; wiser than to trust myself to your protection,' she repliedruthlessly.

  He shrank back as if she had struck him, and for a moment pain andrage brought the blood surging to his cheeks. He even took a step asif to leave her; but when love and pride struggle in a young man, lovecommonly has it, and he turned again and stood hesitating, the pictureof misery.

  'Is that all you will say to me?' he muttered, his voice unsteady.

  My lady moved her feet uneasily. Then she shut her book, and lookedround as if she would have willingly escaped. But she was not stone;and when at length she turned to him, her face was changed.

  'What do you want me to say?' she asked gently.

  'That some day you will forgive me.'

  'I forgive you now,' she rejoined firmly. 'Bu
t I cannot forget. I donot think I ever can,' she went on. 'Last night I was in your chargeamong strangers. If danger had arisen, whose arm was to shield me, ifnot yours? If any had insulted me, to whom was I to look, if not toyou? Yes, you may well hide your face,' my lady continued, waxingbitter, despite herself. 'I am not at Heritzburg now, and you shouldhave remembered that. I am here with scanty protection, with few meansto exact respect, a refugee, if you like, a mark for scandal, and yourkinswoman. And you? for shame, Rupert!'

  He fell on his knees and seized her hand. 'You are killing me!' hecried in a choking voice, his face pale, his breath coming quickly.'For I love you, Rotha, I love you! And every word of reproach youutter is death to me.'

  'Hush, Rupert!' she said quickly. And she tried to withdraw her hand.He had taken her by surprise.

  But he was not to be silenced; he kept her hand, though he rose to hisfeet. 'It is true,' he answered. 'I have waited long enough. I mustspeak now, or it may be too late. I tell you, I love you!'

  The Countess's face was crimson, her brow dark with vexation. 'Hush!'she said again, and more imperatively. 'I have heard enough. It isuseless.'

  'You have not heard me!' he answered. 'Don't say so until you haveheard me.' And he sat down suddenly on the tree beside her, and lookedinto her face with pleading eyes. 'You are letting last night weighagainst me,' he went on. 'If that be all, I will never drink more thanthree cups of wine at a time as long as I live. I swear it.'

  She shook her head rather sadly. 'That is not all, Rupert,' she said.

  'Then what will you have?' he answered eagerly. He saw the change inher, and his eyes began to burn with hope as he looked. Her mildertone, her downcast head, her altered aspect, all encouraged him. 'Ilove you, Rotha!' he cried, raising her hand to his lips. 'What morewill you have? Tell me. All I have, and all I ever shall have--and Iam young and may do great things--are yours. I have been riding behindyou day by day, until I know every turn of your head, and every noteof your voice. I know your step when you walk, and the rustle of yourskirt among a hundred! And there is no other woman in the world forme! What if I am the youngest cadet of my house?' he continued,leaning towards her; 'this war will last many a year yet, and I willcarve you a second county with my sword. Wallenstein did. Who was he?A simple gentleman. Now he is Duke of Friedland. And that Englishmanwho married a king's sister? They succeeded, why should not I? Onlygive me your love, Rotha! Trust me; trust me once more and always, andI will not fail you.'

  He tried to draw her nearer to him, but the Countess shook her head,and looked at him with tears in her eyes. 'Poor boy,' she said slowly.'Poor boy! I am sorry, but it cannot be. It can never be.'

  'Why?' he cried, starting as if she had stung him.

  'Because I do not love you,' she said.

  He dropped her hand and sat glaring at her. 'You are thinking of lastnight!' he muttered.

  She shook her head. 'I am not,' she said simply. 'I suppose that if Iloved you, that and worse would go for nothing. But I do not.'

  Her calmness, her even tone went to his heart and chilled it. Hewinced, and uttering a low cry turned from her and hid his face in hishands.

  'Why not?' he said thickly, after an interval. 'Why can you not loveme?'

  'Why does the swallow nest here and not there?' the Countess answeredgently. 'I do not know. Why did my father love a foreigner and not oneof his own people? I do not know. Neither do I know why I do not loveyou. Unless,' she added, with rising colour, 'it is that you areyoung, younger than I am; and a woman turns naturally to one olderthan herself.'

  Her words seemed to point so surely to General Tzerclas that the youngman ground his teeth together. But he had not spirit to turn andreproach her then; and after remaining silent for some minutes, herose.

  'Good-bye,' he said in a broken voice. And he lifted her hand to hislips and kissed it.

  The Countess started. The words, the action impressed herdisagreeably. 'You are not going--away I mean?' she said.

  'No,' he answered slowly. 'But things are--changed. When we meet againit will be as----'

  'Friends!' she cried, her voice tender almost to yearning. 'Say itshall be so. Let it be so always. You will not leave me alone here?'

  'No,' he said simply, and with dignity. 'I shall not.'

  Then he went away, quite quietly; and if the beginning of theinterview had shown him to small advantage, the same could not be saidof the end. He went down the street and through the camp with his headon his breast and a mist before his eyes. The light was gone out ofthe sunshine, the greenness from the trees. The day was grey anddreary and miserable. The blight was on all he saw. So it is with men.When they cannot have that which seems to them the best and fairestand most desirable thing in the world, nothing is good or pleasant orto be desired any longer.