“Sire, it is true,” said Schlangenwald; and “It is true,” said Ebbo.
“That is well,” replied Maximilian. “Nor can our reign better begin than by the closing of a breach that has cost the land some of its bravest sons. Dankwart von Schlangenwald, art thou willing to pardon the heir of Adlerstein for having slain thy father in free and honourable combat, as well as, doubtless, for other deeds of his ancestors, more than I know or can specify?”
“Yea, truly; I pardon him, my liege, as befits my vow.”
“And thou, Eberhard von Adlerstein, dost thou put from thee vengeance for thy twin brother’s death, and all the other wrongs that thine house has suffered?”
“I put revenge from me for ever.”
“Ye agree, further, then, instead of striving as to your rights to the piece of meadow called the Debateable Strand, and to the wrecks of burthens there cast up by the stream, ye will unite with the citizens of Ulm in building a bridge over the Braunwasser, where, your mutual portions thereof being decided by the Swabian League, toll may be taken from all vehicles and beasts passing there over?”
“We agree,” said both knights.
“And I, also, on behalf of the two guilds of Ulm,” added Moritz Schleiermacher.
“Likewise,” continued the Emperor, “for avoidance of debate, and to consecrate the spot that has caused so much contention, ye will jointly erect a church, where may be buried both the relatives who fell in the late unhappy skirmish, and where ye will endow a perpetual mass for their souls, and those of others of your two races.”
“Thereto I willingly agree,” said the Teutonic knight. But to Ebbo it was a shock that the pure, gentle Friedmund should thus be classed with his treacherous assassin; and he had almost declared that it would be sacrilege, when he received from the Emperor a look of stern, surprised command, which reminded him that concession must not be all on one side, and that he could not do Friedel a greater wrong than to make him a cause of strife. So, though they half choked him, he contrived to utter the words, “I consent.”