The chief looked at the little man calmly, as if he thought that, after all, he might be right; and taking out a purse, he handed its glittering contents to his attendant.
"Here! don't get angry, Cocco! At least you cannot say that you have ever done me a service without receiving a reward for it."
"Great service, worthy reward, upon my word!" said Cocco, weighing the purse. "I must smother my intelligence, in order to look at things in the same light as you do. We will see whether our marauders will ever reach the city. I am afraid that they are in mortal danger of falling into Hesso's clutches!"
The knight ordered his men to follow him as silently as possible, and they crept forward to where Erwin and the lady were talking with Hedwige. Suddenly Hedwige uttered a piercing shriek, and at the same moment, Rechberg was thrown backwards upon the ground. Wido put his knee upon his chest, and the other varlets tied him hand and foot, so that he could not move. Hermengarde had scarcely time to understand what had happened, when the Unknown seized her by the arm and dragged her through the wood. Behind them ran Hedwige, screaming with terror, and Gero, who came up to his master's aid, was speedily put in a condition to make no resistance.
Still it was no easy matter to tie up the knight, whose powerful arm resisted manfully; and could he have but gained his feet, his sword would have rendered the success of the attempt at least doubtful.
"Thunder!" exclaimed Wido, "are not eight valiant Lombards a match for this German wild boar? Nozi, pass that strap under his left arm,--good!--now pull tight, comrade! Slip this one more to the right! Come, I think he is well tied up now--we will see whether he can break these triple knots. Be careful about the feet too, for you can never tell when these wild beasts are securely fastened!"
"And now, I think we can let him wriggle, like a fish out of water."
"Wretches, caitiffs, scoundrels!" cried Erwin.
"Hold your tongue!" said one of the soldiers; "it won't untie you, and it is only a useless fatigue. Try to die quietly."
"Is my life threatened?"