Tales from the German. Volume I.

by C. F. van der Velde

CHAPTER XVIII.

Every effort to move, to win, to alarm, which the eloquence of the soul could inspire, had Arwed lavished upon landmarshal Ribbing. But powerless as the waves against the rocks, were his words with the immovable man; and, with anger at the refusal rankling at his heart, the young man now stood in the high arched basement story of the council house upon the Suedermalm, where Goertz was held in confinement, seeking, with his open purse in his hand, and not without secret reluctance, to try the effect of gross corruption upon the gaoler.

But the gaoler shook his head suspiciously. 'God knows,' said he, clinking the keys attached to his waist-belt, 'God knows how willingly I would take your gold. But one must have discretion, captain, and use the little judgment God has given him. Your purse would be very useful to me, but my head is still more so, and it is that which I should peril. Therefore have the goodness to retire, that I may not suffer inconvenience from being seen talking to you here.' With this he opened a little wicket by the side of the great gate, and pointing the way out, made at the same time a very low bow.

Arwed angrily complied with the hard necessity, and, as he now considered the rejected purse as unworthy of being returned to his pocket, he threw it to an invalid soldier who limped past him on his crutches, and was on the point of hastening away.

'Take me with you, count Gyllenstierna!' cried a low, melodious voice, behind him. He turned around, and saw a man of about forty years of age, with an intelligent, bold and honest face, in a clerical dress, who had followed him out of the house.

'Do you know me, reverend sir?' asked Arwed with surprise.

'Only from the conversations of the unfortunate man to whom you just now wished to purchase admission,' answered the clergyman, proceeding with him towards the city. 'But your whole manner and bearing told me that you must be captain Gyllenstierna, and there is no one to whom I could better appeal than you. I am preacher to the German community in this place. Baron von Goertz has requested my spiritual assistance, which I have truly rendered to him with both joy and sorrow. But the undeserved fate of my unhappy countryman has so affected me that I am determined to do something more for him. His immortal soul is well prepared by a blameless life, and by a true and genuine faith which I have perceived in him. I would also gladly save his mortal body, that the intelligent and well disposed man may be enabled yet further to labor for the benefit of this country, or for some other, if Sweden is unwise enough to repudiate him.'

'Worthy servant of God!' exclaimed Arwed, with a sudden pressure of his hand.

'First of all,' proceeded the preacher, 'I will make an effort with the queen. I have been to the palace three times already. Her majesty, however, was never to be spoken with, which I attribute to the numerous enemies which Goertz has made amongst the courtiers.'

'You might as well attribute it to the ill will of the queen herself,' said Arwed.

'So much the better!' cried the preacher. 'That would be a good sign for me. Then does she shun the truth, which she would hear from me; and if I can only succeed in obtaining an audience, I augur the happiest consequences. You are well acquainted at the palace, count. Procure me an audience of the queen, and the rest shall be my care. She is, at any rate, a woman, and must have a compassionate heart.'

'You have chosen a bad protector, sir pastor,' said Arwed, with a sad smile. 'But I will procure for you an audience with the queen, if I have to open a path to her with my sword.'

While they were thus conversing they had passed the bridge connecting the Suedermalm with the city, the streets of which they threaded until they approached the Ritterholm.

'Announce us to the queen,' begged Arwed of the valet-de-chambre whom they found before the door of the queen's apartments, flipping some pieces of gold into his hands. 'The count Gyllenstierna and pastor Conradi beg that she will graciously grant them a short audience upon a most pressing concern.'

'I will do my best,' said the valet-de-chambre in the most friendly manner, going in.

After a short time he returned. 'It was all succeeding well,' said he, 'but the name of the black coat spoiled all. By that was the attention of her majesty arrested, and she then asked whether it was the younger or elder Gyllenstierna who had requested to be announced. She cannot see you now, and the gentlemen may hand in their request in writing, by the chamberlain in waiting.'

'Perdition!' cried Arwed, indignant at his own helplessness.

'This amounts to a refusal,' stammered Conradi. 'When the great of the earth demand that a petitioner shall put the all-powerful words of his mouth into cold, dead characters upon paper, and hamper the strength of his good cause by a submission to prescribed formulas, it is because they are determined not to grant his request, and wish to avoid pronouncing with their lips the refusal of which in their hearts they are ashamed.' Meanwhile it had become night, and the servants lighted the lamps in the ante-chamber.

A high officer entered the ante-room for the purpose of passing through it into the audience chamber.

'Who is this gentleman?' whispered Conradi to the valet-de-chambre.

'Lieutenant general Rank,' answered the latter.

'Goertz has named him to me as his last friend,' said Conradi to Arwed; 'perhaps he can do something for us.'

'Have the goodness to grant us a word, general,' said Arwed hastily to him.--He turned and approached them.

'We are here,' said Arwed in a moving tone, 'to present a petition in favor of baron Goertz. The queen has refused us an audience. You are going directly to her majesty, and therefore we beg of you to endeavor, if possible, to obtain for us a hearing. We are indeed unknown to you, but your own heart will be our advocate.'

'To whom is the brave Gyllenstierna unknown,' said Rank in the kindest manner; 'neither is this worthy pastor a stranger to me. What little influence I may have, I will willingly exert for you; but I know the queen, and doubt a favorable result.'

He went in. The two confederates stood waiting in the ante-room until he returned. 'The queen,' said he, 'will pass through here when she repairs to the grand hall, and will hear you as she passes. Speak submissively and briefly, and may God guide your tongues.'

The folding doors flew open. Two bedizened pages lighted the way with torches. Between two richly embroidered and highly scented chamberlains, rustled forth the proud Ulrika, oppressed by a heavy silken and gold-embroidered hoop petticoat, with clouds of lace about her bosom, and her arms, hands, breast and ears overloaded with jewels, and above her high, frizzed curls glistened the little crown of brilliants. Pages bore her long train, and her maids of honor followed. The queen looked displeasedly towards the unwelcome petitioners. Conradi approached, fell upon one knee, pressed the hem of her robe to his lips, and then with a soft and winning dignity of manner said, 'I beg a hearing of your majesty upon a question of mercy.'

'Stand up and speak,' answered Ulrika, stopping, and causing her train of attendants to halt.

'Your majesty,' said Conradi, without changing his position, 'has inherited the crown of Sweden from your deceased royal brother....'

'Inherited! quite right!' interposed Ulrika quickly: 'and it is unaccountable to us,' she proceeded, looking at her companions, 'that doubt upon that subject can yet be entertained in any quarter.'

'It is not to be doubted,' said the pastor, astonished at this unexpected episode, 'that your majesty heartily honors the memory of our late glorious king, as you were so nearly connected with him by the ties of blood. Nevertheless, his truest servant, the man upon whom he bestowed unlimited confidence, now languishes in undeserved chains. A criminal court is now sitting upon him, and all, who are convinced of his innocence, shudder at the possibility: that Sweden may be guilty of shedding that noble blood.'

'The number of them will not be great,' said Ulrika, coolly. 'Have you any thing further to say to us?'

'I beg of your majesty mercy for unhappy Goertz,' said Conradi with increasing warmth. 'I appeal to the softer feelings of your sex, to the magnanimity of the princess, to the forgiving spirit of the christian. By the God in whom we all believe, Goertz is innocent. And if he has done any thing wrong, and so brought any misfortune upon Sweden, which I do not know, he has but acted in obedience to his lord, like a true vassal, and that lord was entitled to the unreserved obedience of all, whilst he reigned over this land as an absolute sovereign.'

'Sweden will have cause to remember that unlimited sovereignty for some generations,' remarked Ulrika, glancing at the splendid watch hanging at her girdle. 'Please to come to an end.'

'I have nothing more to add,' said the preacher dejectedly, 'except to implore your majesty to signalize the commencement of your reign by an act of mercy, rather than by the shedding of blood.'

'Mercy for Goertz!' cried Arwed, throwing himself at the queen's feet, and pressing her once scorned hand passionately to his lips.

Ulrika, surprised by the sudden movement, withdrew her hand with a look of pride and scorn, and motioned him to rise. Without deigning to answer him, she turned again to the still kneeling preacher. 'My good man,' said she, with cold friendliness, 'I would willingly forgive the baron for all the evil he has done to me. The queen has no memory for injuries suffered by the princess. But the decision lies not with me. Next to God, have I from my true states received the crown, and without their voice I neither can nor will decide upon crimes against the nation, of which Goertz is accused.' She made a sign to her attendants, and moved proudly forward.

'All in vain!' cried Conradi, rising. 'And this affected mildness, beneath which the queen conceals her implacable hatred, is to me more frightful than if she had poured forth her anger in passionate words. Here is a coolly devised plan to destroy an innocent man, against which even the eloquence of the apostle Paul himself would fail to succeed. Let us go.'

Sadly they turned towards the door. Fieldmarshal, the prince of Hesse, entering at that moment, met them.

'Is my wife yet here?' asked he of lieutenant general Rank. 'I come to lead her to the court.'

'She has just gone,' answered Rank. 'Her majesty was pleased to grant an audience here before she went.'

The prince looked at both of the supplicants. 'Captain Gyllenstierna!' said he, playfully, 'what affair could bring you to the ante-chamber, which is certainly a ground upon which you have not yet learned to manœuvre?'

'So our ill-success has proved,' answered Arwed, with suppressed rage. 'We have been vainly pleading for the life of the unhappy Goertz.'

'For Goertz's life?' asked the prince with an appearance of interest. 'I can guess what prompts you to the effort, and pity you from the bottom of my heart. It is a very bad case.'

'If your royal highness will graciously condescend to interest yourself, we shall have new grounds for hope, and all may yet end well,' said Conradi.

'Trouble not his royal highness with your intercessions, Conradi,' said Arwed bitterly. 'Upon his high command was the baron arrested; consequently he has already decided upon his guilt, and mercy here is not to be thought of.'

'You deceive yourself, captain,' said the prince, mildly correcting the excited youth. 'I hate not the unfortunate man. Powerless he must become, and powerless he must remain, but his death would be contrary to my wish and my advice. If his sentence depended upon me, I would banish him from the country, and so settle all.'

'Ah, if your royal highness will exert your influence in favor of a mild sentence,' cried Conradi in raptures, 'God will be your rich rewarder.'

'My dear pastor,' answered the prince graciously, 'this case will probably be decided by the diet. The power of my wife is circumscribed, and I am only her first subject.'

'Yet,' interposed Arwed, 'the delightful privilege remains to your royal highness of alleviating the last hours of the unhappy man whom you cannot save. His daughter wishes to be permitted to speak to him. I wish to conduct her there, but the president of the special commission is inexorable.'

'That is hard!' said the prince. 'A criminal is still a man. Go directly to Ribbing, my dear Rank, and say to him that it is my wish.'

'God bless your royal highness for the deed!' cried the preacher.

'But that no trouble may arise from this exercise of my kind feelings,' proceeded the prince, 'I require your word of honor, and your knightly hand, Gyllenstierna, that this permission shall in no way be abused.'

Arwed started. The thought, how advantage might be taken of such a permission, now for the first time arose in his honest soul.

His hand shrunk as if he would have drawn it back; but the prince extended his, and Arwed finally took it.

'Adieu,' said the prince, dismissing them in the most friendly manner, and the two petitioners left the palace.