THE TIMELY WARNING.
It was Carnival in Coblence—all the world was there; the streets were thronged with masks, shows and processions were in all the public places; music, dancing, and merriment, reigned supreme.
Walter, the adopted son of the Count of Ehrenburg, longed to visit the gay scene, but the Count had never yet permitted him to go so far away; at length, by dint of importunity, he got leave to set out, but was strongly cautioned to meddle with no one, and avoid all disputes or quarrels: with two stout men-at-arms he went forth.
When arrived at Coblence, he went first to an hotel by the shore; in the windows of this hotel stood the young Count of Isenburg with a beautiful girl, and many of the Count’s servants were loitering about the doors of the inn.
The Count of Isenburg, on seeing young Walter, commenced forthwith to mock him, and sneered at the lad’s scanty retinue. Walter was angry, but, remembering his promise not to quarrel or fight, strode into the house without saying a word.
Walter had nearly forgotten the incident, and was gazing on the gay crowd that moved to and fro over the old Moselle bridge and in the road under his windows, when a soft low knock came to the door. On opening he found the beautiful girl that he had seen by the side of Count Isenburg; she hastily entered, and said, “Noble youth, you must hasten away, for the Count is now gone into the town to excite the townspeople against you, and unless you depart with great speed, the people, who hate your family, will certainly seize you.” She added that, like him she addressed, she did not belong to a noble family, but her father being Count Isenburg’s vassal, she was forced to dissimulate and receive his attentions till she could make her escape.
She had scarcely done speaking when the Count appeared in the doorway, his naked sword in his hand, and fury flashing out from his eyes. “What dost thou here, venal wench!” he cried out; “how darest thou speak to this Bastard?” Then, running at Walter, he sought to slay him while off his guard.
But Walter, hastily drawing his sword, not only parried his thrusts, but wounded him sorely; then, whispering adieu to the girl Wallrade, who had given him so kind and timely a warning, he sought out his servants, and rode forth from the town, not without some sharp exchanges of blows between them and the Coblencers, who were collecting in haste to oppose their outgoing.
The Count of Isenburg and a party of citizens followed soon after, and besieged the castle of Ehrenburg; but the garrison mocked them, and when the besiegers retired, they advanced upon Coblence, and burnt down the suburbs.
Walter contrived to rescue from durance the girl Wallrade, who, together with her father, had been thrown into prison; but the chronicle does not relate whether he married his fair preserver or no.
After an afternoon spent at Ehrenburg we returned to the village of Brodenbach, where there are several clean little inns.
The great castle of Thuron well merits its name of “the Throne Castle;” it stands on the heights above Alken, which is a considerable village at a short distance from Brodenbach.
At Alken.
At Alken, and in the vicinity, many Roman coins, coffins, and pieces of armour, have been found; so it is probably a place of considerable antiquity. It is sheltered by a bold rock that juts into the stream, and was connected with the castle of Thuron by a line of towers, which still remain standing in the surrounding vineyards.
On the preceding page we have given a sketch of one of the little chapels, with a line of shrines on each side of the steps that lead up to it; these shrines and chapels form a leading feature in the Moselle scenery. Nestled under the side of the hill on which the great castle of Thuron stands, this little chapel, with its sharp-pointed spire, is in fine contrast to the huge cliff and massive walls; but there is a look of age about it and the old houses near which renders the whole scene in perfect keeping.
On leaving the river to explore our way up to Thuron, we enter one of those beautiful valleys into which the hills so constantly break; a clear trout-stream runs through it, and the mountains close it in on all sides.
One or two labourers are past, a “good day” exchanged, and then we commence the ascent, which is long and steep. The path lies through a wood, and not a single person did we meet in our walk, after leaving the valley, until on the top of the hill we found some wood-gatherers. Here the castle with its two towers appeared; it is the most stately ruin we ever saw, very extensive, grandly placed, and so inaccessible, that when we arrived at the base of its outer wall we could not get in.
Thuron Castle.
At last we managed to scramble through a window, and then luxuriated in the great ruin; blocks of stone and bushes usurp the ancient place of knights and ladies, and no sound is heard but the song of birds. This castle was built by the Count Palatine Henry, in 1209, after he came back from the Holy Land; he was the delegate of his brother, the Emperor Otho IV., and he exercised a sovereign power over the countries adjoining the Moselle. He often resided in his new castle, and had many feuds with the Archbishops of Trèves and Cologne, who enjoyed certain rights of sovereignty in Alken.
These discords gave rise to the celebrated siege of Thuron. It is celebrated, not so much for the deeds of valour there carried on, as for the extraordinary quantity of wine there drunk,—no less than three thousand cartloads having been consumed by the besiegers alone.