The Sword Maker

e streets all was turbulence and disorder; a frenzy on the part of the populace taxing to the utmost the efforts of the city authorities to keep it within bounds, and prevent the developme

l shopkeepers, for no one now possessed the money to buy more than the bare necessities of life. Yet the warehouses of Frankfort were full to overflowing, with every kind of store that might have supplied the needs of the people, and to the unlearned man it seemed unjust that he

is elbow. Laxity of rule in the beginning allowed his nobles to get the upper hand, and now it would require a civil war to bring them into subjection again. They, sitting snug in their strongholds, with plenty of wine in their cellars and corn in their bins, cared nothing for the troubles of the city. Indeed, those who inhabited either bank of the Rhine, watching from thei

of nearly a hundred boats, which, gathering at Frankfort and Mayence, proceeded together down the river, convoyed by a fleet containing armed men, and thus they thought to win through to Cologne, and so dispose of their goods. But the robber Barons combined a

panic; and those not cut to pieces by their savage adversaries became themselves marauders on a small scale, scattered throughout the la

f the river as a warning, lest the merchants of Frankfort and Mayence should imagine the Rhine belonged to them. Meantime, all petitions to the Emperor being in vain, the merch

obably the Archbishops also, benefited directly or indirectly by the piracies on the Rhine. The answer to this request was the prompt hanging of three leading merchants, the imprisonment of a score of others, and a warning to the rest that the shoemaker should stick to his last, leaving high politics to those born to rule. This misguided effort caused the three Archbishops to arrest Prince Roland, the Emperor's only son, and incarcerate him in Ehrenfels, a strong castle on the Rhine belongi

to the roaring of song and the telling of story. They formed a close coterie, admitting no stranger to their circle if one dissenting voice was raised against his acceptance, yet in spite of this exclusiveness there was not a drop of noble blood in the company. They belonged, however, to the aristocracy of craftsmen; metal-workers for the most part, ingenious artificers in iron, beaters of copper, fashioners of gold a

bers within hearing. Belonging neither to the military nor the aristocracy, they were not allowed to wear swords, and to obtain this privilege was one of the objects of their organization. Indeed, each m

ce with the theories of an amateur; but this young fellow, whose ambition it was to invent a sword, possessed such intimate knowledge of the weapon as it was used, not only in Germany, but also in France and Italy, that the sword maker introduced him to fellow-craftsmen at other shops, and they taught him how to construct a

low refused their money, and somewhat haughtily declined the r?le of fencing-master, whereupon they unanimously elected him a member of the coterie, waiving for this one occasion the rule which forbade the choice of any but a metal-worker. When the stranger accepted the election, he was informed that it was the duty of each member t

new where he lodged. It was feared that the authorities had arrested him with the sword in his possession, for he grew more reckless than any of the others in carrying the weapon. One night, however, he reappeared, and took his seat at the hea

the exception of the three sword makers, whose trade the uncertainty of the times augmented rather than diminished. To cheer up Roland, who w

pine Government, and on the rapacious Rhine lords. But the bestowal of even black bread and the least expensive of wine could not continue indefinitely. They owed a bill to the landlord upon which that worthy, patient as he had proved himself, always hoping for better times, wished for at least something on ac

he table, "and I will make an effort to get enough gold to settle th

flagons on the table, so palpably empty that the eve

it would be premature to disclose. If it succeeds, none of us will ever need to bend back over a workman's bench again, or hammer metal except for our own pleasure. But a

proar at this, and

cloak over shoulders, so that it completely concealed the forbidden we

tened to the rousing chorus he knew so well. From the direction of the Palace a more sinister echo floated on the night air; the unmistakable howl of anger, pain, and terror; the noise that a pursued and stricken mob

d walked rapidly in an opposite direction to that from which the tumult of the rabble came, until he arrived at the wide Fahrgasse, a street

of them would best answer his purpose. They all seemed uninviting enough, for their windows were dark, most of them tightly shuttered; and, indeed, the

quiet, dignified architectural beauty, seemed the abode of wealth. Although the shutters were closed, his intent inspection showed him thin shafts of light from the chinks, and h

rsuasion of a group, he forbore, but noted in his mind the position and designation of the house, resolving to select this

t directly up the street, but the houses to the west stood in its radiance, while those in the east were still in shadow. Roland pressed himself back against the darkened wall to his left, near the partially opened door; between it and the ri

to believe that deeply I appreciate your welcome escort. And now, enter with me, and we

amily, and at that reunion there should be no intruders. But to-morrow night, if yo

nvitation, bowed in acquiescence, and bade them good-by. When the door closed the delegation separated

ut may I ask what ceremony is this

ce singularly gentle and winning; a face that in spite of its youth inspired instinctive conf

legate, "but merely the return

en, been on

ng, and probably unacq

l my life," said Rola

nkf

ld know that Herr Goebel is one of the leading merchants of the city, a man honorable, enlightened, and ene

tion, mein Herr, coming I judge, from one to

ly at this compliment, b

ontinued the young man, "but fro

ld prove a better ruler than his father, our Emperor, and but that the Archbishops feared a riot i

r questioning you is this. I am moved by a desire to enter the employ of such a man as Herr Goebe

. Ignorant though you are of civic affairs, you must be aware that all business is at a standstill in Frankfort. Although Herr Goebel has said nothing about it, I learn fr

e privilege of acquaintance with any merchant in this city, so one object of my accosting you was to learn, if possible, how I might secure some

nteer such a note, he quite underestima

o far as entrance to the house is concerned. May I ta

" replie

Herr Goebel will receive you without demur. He will listen patiently, and give a definite decision regarding the f

ty of his late companion. The youth proceeded alone through the Romerberg, and down directly to the river, reaching the spot where the huge Saalhof faced its flood. Roland saw that triple guards surrounded the Emperor's Palace. The mob had been cleared away, but no one was allowed to linger in its precincts, and the youth was gruffly ordered to take himself

ruin of Frankfort. The young man gazed at this melancholy accumulation of useless floating stock, and breathed the deeper when

g himself with the remembrance that the great King Charlemagne had made this his own place of residence. Here, before retiring to bed, he wrot

ing in the hall longer than he expected, but at last the venerable porter appeared, and said Herr Goebel would be pleased to receive him. He was conducted up the stair to the first floor, and i

ght, and it struck Roland that there came into them an expression of

n. "My time is very completely occupied to-day," continued the elder man, "for although there is little business af

stood by your doorcheek last

so? May I

at I walked down the Fahrgasse, endeavoring to

I received t

ll others in the door being ajar, I lingered before it last night with some inclination to enter. Then the procession which accompanied you came along. I heard your address to

n Frankfort when you need

ast night used, and he seemed astonished when I replied th

he thinks he is, but I venture to assert t

I fear I have hitherto led a

ed by some one

the river, and coming to and fro each day, the sight of all those useless barge

han yours have been meditating u

ratified, Herr Goebel, if

for a brief instant round the s

ould have referred to the age, and not to the equipment of your head. It occurs to me

ntil very recently I have been absorbed in m

norant of my name and standing in this city, you are probably unawa

was promoted at enormous expense, and that the empty barges, numberin

ll it an exped

esult shows i

e best we could, and if the men we had paid for the protection of the flotilla had no

ed and untrained, would stand up against the fearless fighters of the Barons, swashbucklers, hardened to the use of sword and pike. What

ot know, that several hundred

endeavoring to show you that the heads you spoke of a moment ago were only older, but not neces

uld we ha

have gone yourselves, and

m for it, he would have known that his remarks were entirely lacking in tact, and that he was making no progress, but rather the

his hands to the t

y flung wide his cloak, displaying the prohibited weapon hanging fr

ence in me," he said. "What if I

outh

d much about you from your friend last

ce more over the weap

upation, sir?" as

smanship. I practice the

s are aristo

m now engaged contains twenty ski

acy, your instruction must be surrepti

vantages, my twenty pupils are the best swordsmen in Frankfort, and I woul

"You are acquainted with

essons, and naturally, as you indicated, a fencing-master must look to the nobles for his bread. I used the word acquaintance hastily. I am acquainted wi

Rhine depends for its success on those twenty metal-work

es

what your

o disclose my pl

d further your project, and perhaps fin

oviso is that you pay to me across t

gain to the lips

g else?"

largest barges, and fill it with w

what class of

I do

uld come in thus boldly and demand a thousand thalers in gold from a man whose occupation he did not know, se

ers little one way or another when I am eng

uld accept if the boat reached Cologne intact. I agree to pay you that

ill that be

e than I. I do not know, for instance, how long it

ct in July, and premising that there a

back from Cologne to Frankfort r

trong current, I should say the horseman woul

, I promise to pay the money one month fro

e eminently s

tain and an efficient crew for the manning of the barge. I should like men who understand the currents of

rovide such a s

ose are my requirements. Wi

tic friend, provided that you comply with on

is that, m

if I never see you again, the value of the goods, plus the t

man, "you impose an i

n, signed by three r

is city except yourself, how could I hope to ob

consent to a project which I know can

comrades risk our lives. You risk

, to fight your w

y. How

y only twent

es

ceed where a thousan

bination at public meetings, called together by the burgomaster. There was no secrecy about their deliberations. Every robber Baron along the Rhine knew what you were going to attempt, and

osal, but I am a business man, and not an adventurer. Unless you can furnish me

the merchant, with a sigh, seemed

you deeply d

ing of your good opinion, but despite that d

ts, and if you are chief among them; yet I cannot forget that you risked life and liberty on

half? What

only son of the Emperor, and that you placed yo