After some time the good Rolf returned with slow and soft steps, and started with surprise at finding the hall deserted.The chamber where he had been occupied in quieting and soothing the unhappy child was in so distant a part of the castle that he had heard nothing of the knight's hasty departure.The chaplain related to him all that had passed, and then said, "But, my good Rolf, I much wish to ask you concerning those strange words with which you seemed to lull poor Sintram to rest.They sounded like sacred words, and no doubt they are; but I could not understand them.'I believe, and yet I cannot believe.'""Reverend sir," answered Rolf, "I remember that from my earliest years no history in the Gospels has taken such hold of me as that of the child possessed with a devil, which the disciples were not able to cast out; but when our Saviour came down from the mountain where He had been transfigured, He broke the bonds wherewith the evil spirit had held the miserable child bound.I always felt as if Imust have known and loved that boy, and been his play-fellow in his happy days; and when I grew older, then the distress of the father on account of his lunatic son lay heavy at my heart.It must surely have all been a foreboding of our poor young Lord Sintram, whom Ilove as if he were my own child; and now the words of the weeping father in the Gospel often come into my mind,--'Lord, I believe; help Thou my unbelief;' and something similar I may very likely have repeated to-day as a chant or a prayer.Reverend father, when Iconsider how one dreadful imprecation of the father has kept its withering hold on the son, all seems dark before me; but, God be praised! my faith and my hope remain above.""Good Rolf," said the priest, "I cannot clearly understand what you say about the unhappy Sintram; for I do not know when and how this affliction came upon him.If no oath or solemn promise bind you to secrecy, will you make known to me all that is connected with it?""Most willingly," replied Rolf."I have long desired to have an opportunity of so doing; but you have been almost always separated from us.I dare not now leave the sleeping boy any longer alone; and to-morrow, at the earliest dawn, I must take him to his father.Will you come with me, dear sir, to our poor Sintram?"The chaplain at once took up the small lamp which Rolf had brought with him, and they set off together through the long vaulted passages.In the small distant chamber they found the poor boy fast asleep.The light of the lamp fell strangely on his very pale face.
The chaplain stood gazing at him for some time, and at length said:
"Certainly from his birth his features were always sharp and strongly marked, but now they are almost fearfully so for such a child; and yet no one can help having a kindly feeling towards him, whether he will or not.""Most true, dear sir," answered Rolf.And it was evident how his whole heart rejoiced at any word which betokened affection for his beloved young lord.Thereupon he placed the lamp where its light could not disturb the boy, and seating himself close by the priest, he began to speak in the following terms:--"During that Christmas feast of which my lord was talking to you, he and his followers discoursed much concerning the German merchants, and the best means of keeping down the increasing pride and power of the trading-towns.
At length Biorn laid his impious hand on the golden boar's head, and swore to put to death without mercy every German trader whom fate, in what way soever, might bring alive into his power.The gentle Verena turned pale, and would have interposed--but it was too late, the bloody word was uttered.And immediately afterwards, as though the great enemy of souls were determined at once to secure with fresh bonds the vassal thus devoted to him, a warder came into the hall to announce that two citizens of a trading-town in Germany, an old man and his son, had been shipwrecked on this coast, and were now within the gates, asking hospitality of the lord of the castle.The knight could not refrain from shuddering; but he thought himself bound by his rash vow and by that accursed heathenish golden boar.We, his retainers, were commanded to assemble in the castle-yard, armed with sharp spears, which were to be hurled at the defenceless strangers at the first signal made to us.For the first, and I trust the last time in my life, I said 'No' to the commands of my lord; and that Isaid in a loud voice, and with the heartiest determination.The Almighty, who alone knows whom He will accept and whom He will reject, armed me with resolution and strength.And Biorn might perceive whence the refusal of his faithful old servant arose, and that it was worthy of respect.He said to me, half in anger and half in scorn: 'Go up to my wife's apartments; her attendants are running to and fro, perhaps she is ill.Go up, Rolf the Good, I say to thee, and so women shall be with women.' I thought to myself, 'Jeer on, then;' and I went silently the way that he had pointed out to me.
On the stairs there met me two strange and right fearful beings, whom I had never seen before; and I know not how they got into the castle.
