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Page 22
"I have heard," resumed the knight, in a careless tone, "that the young
lady possesses much virtue, intelligence, and beauty, and is wise enough
to prefer the cloister to the court."
"You have not been misinformed; yet her health is so feeble, that the
grave will probably anticipate her choice of either."
It was not until the close of the meal that the Lord of Hers was
informed of the death of the Archbishop of Cologne, and from that time
until they rose the conversation turned wholly upon the venerated and
saintly prelate.
Toward sunset they descended the hill and walked along the picturesque
banks of the lake. The noble sheet of water stretched away to the south
far as the eye could reach, burnished by the sun, and forming part of
the horizon.
"This lake of ours," said the baron, "has obtained a reputation which
the best man cannot expect--and, indeed, would not desire: no one has
ever breathed a word against it."
"There is a boat!" interposed Gilbert, pointing to a speck in the
distance, which his father discovered after a long search, and was
invisible to their two older companions. They stood in the shadow of
some trees, and watched the object as it increased in size and gradually
assumed the undeniable outline of a boat. It came from the direction of
Zurich, and pointed directly to the castle. As it neared, they could
distinguish four stout rowers and a person seated in the stern. With
increased speed it seemed--for it was now within hailing distance--the
boat darted straight to where they were standing; and, before it was
made fast, the gentleman in the stern sprang ashore, and, removing the
cloak in which he had been enveloped, discovered the princely features
of Rodolph, Duke of Suabia. Rodolph was descended from the counts of
Hapsburg, on the father's side--and, on the mother's, from the
illustrious family of Otto the Great. He was styled King of Arles, and
resided for the most part at Zurich. He was connected with Henry of
Austria by a double tie, Matilda, his first wife, having been the sister
of the king, and Adelaide, to whom he was then married, being the sister
of the queen. But, though thus allied to Henry, he neither loved nor
respected him. Once, indeed, the emperor had summoned him to court, on
the charge of entertaining projects hostile to the house of Franconia,
but Rodolph, well knowing the treacherous character of the monarch, and
always a hero, boldly refused, preferring the fortune of arms to the
fate of an investigation. Subsequently, filled with horror at the
impiety of the Saxons in burning the Cathedral at Hartzburg, hallowed by
numerous relics, and filled with the rich offerings of the faithful, he
had united with Henry to chastise their sacrilege. At the battle of
Hohenburg, in the van--the privilege of Suabia--he distinguished himself
above all others by his impetuous valor, and only left the field when
covered with wounds. Rodolph was equally remarkable for the size and
beauty of his person, and the elevation of his soul. The Teutonic
antiquities contain many songs of the Minnesingers, in which he is
invested with all the qualities of mind and heart and body that can
adorn the knight; but one fault is imputed to him--ambition. His
subjects almost worshipped him, and his power is said to have been built
upon their hearts. So conspicuous was he among his brother dukes, that,
at the Diet of Gerstungen, in 1073, he had been offered the imperial
crown, but he declined it unless awarded by the unanimous suffrages of
the confederation.
Between him and the Baron of Hers a close friendship of long standing
had existed, which had been interrupted by the baron's refusal to
accompany him the preceding year in the expedition against Saxony. This
refusal had been dictated by the knight's invincible repugnance to
Henry, and by the politic move of conciliating all who opposed the
emperor. Since the battle of Hohenburg they had not met.
After receiving the formal salutation due to his rank, Rodolph cordially
embraced the Lord of Hers, and extended his regards to Gilbert, who
could not sufficiently admire the hero of Hohenburg.
"But for your father's obstinacy," he said to the youth, "you would now
be a knight. But I will see you win your spurs yet."
The greetings over, they all began to ascend the hill. The duke would
not pass the chapel without entering. The pavement upon which they knelt
had been worked with many a rich and curious device; but time and the
knees of the faithful had worn away most of the finest tracery. At the
foot of one of the columns still remained this fragment of an
inscription:
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