Barbarossa; An Historical Novel of the XII Century.
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_CHAPTER LIII_.
_BARBAROSSA IN ROME_.
Alexander was in safety at Gaeta before his flight was discovered bythe Romans. Frederic's anger knew no bounds.
"He has succeeded, after all, in eluding your guards and yourBrabancons," he said to Rinaldo, who communicated the fact to him.
"If we were unable to seize the Pope in Rome, we shall be moresuccessful at Beneventon or Naples," replied the Chancellor. "It isprobably a piece of good luck by which not only Alexander but also hischampion, King William, will together swell the triumph of the RomanEmperor."
The news spread rapidly through the city, and a thousand details wereadded, all in favor of the Pope's sanctity. Some even asserted that hehad penetrated unseen the line of sentinels, and that Guerrazzi hadperceived and tried to seize him, but had been thrown by invisiblehands into the Tiber. As he was going, added the crowd, the Holy Fatherhad fulminated the anathema against Barbarossa, and had called down thevengeance of Heaven upon the head of the wicked Emperor, while a flashof lightning had pierced the clouds, announcing the most diremisfortunes.
These marvels were related everywhere, and acquired additional creditfrom their very circulation.
Frederic determined to make his triumphal entry into Rome on the 3d ofAugust, when he and Beatrice would be crowned in the Church of StPeter, and receive the allegiance of the inhabitants. It was necessarythat Frederic should enter Rome with becoming pomp, and immensepreparations were being made for the reception. St. Peter's Square andits vicinity was profusely decked with flags, and flowers, and laurelcrowns; and tall poles, hung with streamers and appropriate emblems,were set up in all the streets through which the procession was topass. Frederic had announced three days of popular festivity, duringwhich he was to appear in public, robed in the Imperial purple, anddispense his bounties in person. The Romans were favorably disposed;all the avenues were alive with crowds of citizens in their holidayattire, and in each house everything was being made ready for thebanquet.
In the army, too, every one was busy; the squires and men-at-armsbrightened up their armor and polished their lances and bucklers; inthe ecclesiastical quarter, the chaplains were preparing the sumptuousvestments of the prelates, while the nobles were assembled in Councilnear their sovereign, deeply intent upon the organization of thecavalcade.
Heaven alone appeared unwilling to take part in the festival. Untilthen the burning sky had diffused a stifling heat, but on the eve ofthe ceremony heavy clouds began to collect upon the distant horizon,and pile up in dark masses, whence flashed lurid sheets of fire, whilethe thunder rolled menacingly. Still the air was calm, and scarcely apuff of wind fluttered the gay pennons of the knights. All natureseemed hushed in dread expectancy.
Goswin was seated at his door, watching the darkening sky, and as theweather became more overcast and the lightning blazed more fiercely, heshook his head uneasily.
"Tighten the tent-cords, Bruno," he said, turning to his squire; "weshall have a storm soon."
Hardly was the order given before the tempest burst forth in all itsfury. The tents were prostrated or else whirled away by the wind; andon all sides were heard the shouts and cries of the soldiers strugglingamidst a deluge of rain to repair the wild confusion.
Fortunately the hurricane was of short duration, and subsided asrapidly as it had arisen; but it seemed as though a threat from Heavenweighed down the army and the city. The lightning had ceased, and thethunder rolled no longer, but the clouds, which had been chasingrapidly through the air, suddenly stopped, as though they had reachedtheir destination, and hung over Rome, gloomy and mournful as afuneral-pall.
Knights and pages looked with apprehension upon this ominous calm. Tomost it seemed as though the storm was only massing its strength inorder the better to destroy all within its reach.
"What a singular tempest!" exclaimed Frederic, who had been driven fromhis tent by the violence of the gale; "it is as though chaos had comeagain."
As if in answer to the Emperor, a dazzling flash furrowed the sky, andextended from above the camp to the Eternal City, as though to presageits destruction, and then the lightning again blazed forth, and crashsucceeded crash, while the rain poured down in torrents. Then there wasa pause, followed by three deafening peals, at regular intervals, andall was still.
The statue of the Archangel no longer guarded the summit of SaintAngelo; the tempest had hurled it from its pedestal. All was wilduproar; and the affrightened soldiers sought shelter where they couldfrom the violence of the storm.
"Woe to us!" they cried; "our last day is at hand; we must all perishin this deluge!"
But although the environs of the city were laid waste, no one wasfatally injured, and soon the clouds rolled away, and the stars shoneout brightly in the dark azure of the cloudless sky.
During the height of the storm, two soldiers were riding towards thecamp, but it was in vain that they spurred on their jaded steeds; theterrified animals tumbled and stood still, as each flash burst forth.
So far as his appearance went, one of these horsemen belonged to thehighest rank of the aristocracy; his armor was costly and richlyarabesqued in gold, and his helmet bore a Count's coronet; but on theshield the only device was a simple cross, the emblem of the crusaders.His face, half hidden under his casque, was bronzed by the suns ofAsia, and his eyes shone brightly, as if he would have defied the furyof the elements. He rode on calmly, with loosened rein, and at timespatted his charger's neck, with words of encouragement.
"What is the matter, my good Velox?" he said; "we have braved many astorm before. Courage, good horse, we will soon be there."
On his arrival at camp, the stranger requested to be taken at once tothe Imperial tent.
Frederic was seated at a table; before him a parchment was spread out,which he was reading attentively, and occasionally crossing out wordsand writing marginal notes. He was correcting the sermon which his Popewas to deliver next day in the Church of St. Peter.
A heavy step was heard, and the Emperor looked up, angrily, for he hadexpressly forbidden all intrusion. But when the curtain of the tent wasdrawn aside, and a man of tall stature and noble bearing entered,Frederic uttered an exclamation of glad surprise. Throwing down hispen, he sprang forward and caught Rechberg in his arms.
"God be thanked! You are back at last.--Come here, my boy, and let melook at you!" and the Emperor led him to the table. "Why, you havegrown to be a man, Erwin! Your eyes glow with the fire of the Easternsun, and your face has gained a look of energy and resolution."
He again embraced him, and laying aside the sermon, ordered in somerefreshments.
"You are wet to the skin, Erwin; change your clothes first," saidFrederic. "Why did you travel in this horrible weather?"
"The storm broke upon me suddenly, and as far as I can judge, it hasdone some damage in the camp. All I need do is to change my surcoat."
The powerful figure of the young man stood out in bold relief beforethe Emperor, who looked upon him with an expression of almost paternalinterest, which softened his stern features.
"How does it happen that we have had no news of you for the last twoyears?"
"The Infidels captured me while I was asleep, and for eighteen months Ihave been in a dungeon, with scarcely a hope of release, for the ransomwhich they demanded was exorbitant."
"I don't blame them," said Frederic, laughing; "you cost them dearenough. All the pilgrims returning from the Holy Land relate marvels ofyour prowess."
"At last the Knights of the Temple stormed the fortress where I wasconfined, and delivered me."
"Ah! the Templars!--Valiant warriors! Their courage is wonderful, andtheir daring amounts wellnigh to rashness; but how did you get back toEurope?"
"On a Norman ship, which landed me at Tarentum."
"Well! you will tell me all your adventures when we have more leisure.I look forward with pleasure to their recital. But you arrived mostopportunely for the celebrat
ions of our late victories. We are to crownPascal to-morrow in the Church of St. Peter."
Rechberg made no answer, but his face wore a pained expression.
"As I have just returned from Palestine," he said, after a brief pause,"I trust, my dear godfather, that you will excuse me from taking partin Pascal's glorification."
"Very good! I understand," exclaimed the Emperor, with a slight frown."The Crusader is not inclined to recognize our Pope! Well, well, be itso! you shall be entirely free to act in everything which concerns yourconscience."
The two kinsmen continued their conversation until a late hour of thenight.