"You speak in riddles; what have you to fear from plain answers?"
"I fear nothing. My duty is not to answer questions but to arrest your progress toward Bruttig. If you have questions to ask, ask them of Count Beilstein."
"Oh ho! Then it is to Count Beilstein I owe this midnight discourtesy. I thank you for that much information, which is to me entirely unexpected. Where is the Count?"
"He is at Bruttig."
"How far is that from where we stand?"
"Something more than a league."
"I cannot comprehend why Count Beilstein should endeavour to prevent my reaching Bruttig, nor how he can be aware of an expedition of which neither the Archbishop nor myself knew aught this morning. In addition to this, Bruttig is under the joint jurisdiction of my master and yours and the Count of Winneburg, therefore the retainers of each over-lord have free entrance to the place."
"Such was indeed the case until the Archbishop broke the truce. Now Beilstein and Winneburg have combined, overthrown the Archbishop's jurisdiction, and they hold Bruttig together, with the men of the Elector prisoners."
"In the Fiend's name when did this take place? We knew nothing of it at Treves. How broke the Archbishop the truce?"