"If thou art remorseful for thy sins, proclaim thy wrong. Be thyself, John of Leyden, the innkeeper, my son!"
"Desert my soldiers?" he asked, in a frightened voice. "I have led others into danger—dare I desert them?"
"Thy mother demands it: it is the only way to right thy wrongdoing. The blessing of God will only then descend upon thee." The Prophet, overwhelmed by her command, opened his arms to Heaven as a sign that he would obey, and Faith threw herself upon his breast.
Now Bertha, utterly distracted by her troubles, had disguised herself as a pilgrim, and in her madness she had determined to set fire to the stores of wood beneath the palace. She found her way into the dungeon just as John and his mother were embracing. As the iron doors were heard to open again, John turned around and saw a woman enter. As she saw John she cried bitterly:
"Behold the Prophet!" Both John and Faith cried out upon recognizing her voice.
"Now, let us perish together!" Bertha said, wildly, approaching John. Then suddenly recognizing him she stifled a scream:
"Thou! the Prophet is thou? My God, my God! Then let us perish now!" She stared in horror at the man she loved, who was also the man she had cursed and despised—the famous Prophet.
"Oh, my child, speak low, speak low!" Faith implored, looking anxiously toward the iron door. "Abandon thy hate. I have found my son. He will do right. Have pity upon him," the old mother pleaded. Bertha looking at him, felt all the love of her heart enfold him again. The madness died out her eyes.
"Yes. Let us not hate. Let us curse no more. Far from this dread city, we three were to have been happy. Yes, I love thee still; but still thou art the infamous man whom I have cursed. Since I love thee, let this atone for thee," and before he could answer, she had plunged a dagger into her heart and fallen dead at his feet.
Then John summoned the guard. He no longer cared to live. The officer of the guard, who was faithful to him, told him, when he entered, of the plot to give him over to the Emperor, while the coronation feast was in progress.