Marjorie Bowen

“ There was no human being in sight. She had dwelt here for three days; at every sunrise a peasant girl, daring the excommunication, had brought her food, then fled with a frightened face. Ysabeau saw nothing before her save death, but she did not mean to die by the ignoble way of starvation. She had not heard of the defeat of Balthasar at Tivoli, nor of the election of Theirry to the crown; day and night she thought on her husband, and pondered how she might still possibly serve him. ”

“ Dirk slowly turned his darkening eyes on Nathalie. "She must not."
The witch fondled her fingers. "We can control many things—not love nor hate."
Dirk pressed a swelling bosom. "Her heart is in the hand of another man—and that man is her steward, ambitious, poor and married." ”

“ THE WITCH In a back street of the city of Frankfort stood an old one-storied house, placed a little apart from the others, and surrounded by a beautiful garden. Here lived Nathalie, a woman more than suspected of being a witch, but of such outward quiet and secretive ways that there never had been the slightest excuse for even those most convinced of her real character to interfere with her. ”

“ Balthasar looked at his wife; neither dared to speak, but Wencelaus gave a panting sigh of relief at the lifting of the darkness.
"My lord," he said, striving out of his mother's arms, "a goodly company comes across the marsh——"
A great awe and fear held them silent, and the wonderful silver shine of the moon lay over them like a spell. They saw, slowly approaching them, two knights and two ladies, who seemed to advance without motion across the marsh-land. The knights wore armour that shone like glass, and long mantles of white samite ”

“ Theirry's voice suddenly strengthened.
"Now, turn against Rome, for all men will join you—a force of Lombards marches up from Trastevere, and the Saxons gather without the walls of the accursed city."
A blue flash showed them his face ... they heard him fall....
After a while Balthasar made his way to him through the dark. "He has fainted," he said fearfully; "is he, belike, mad?"
"He speaks the hideous truth," whispered Ysabeau. ”

“ Dirk braced himself. "Do not go," he said. "There is everything before us if we stay together ... if you ... " His words choked him, and he was silent.
"All your reasoning cannot stay me," answered Theirry, his hand on the door. "She smiled at me and I saw her yellow hair ... and I am stifled here and useless."
He opened the door and went out.
Dirk sank on the brilliant gold cushions and twisted his fingers together; through the half-closed shutters he could see that marvellous blaze of red roses and their sharp green leaves, the garden wall and the blue August sky ”

“ Suddenly, at its very height the storm ceased, the air became cool and fragrant, and a bright moon floated from the clouds. The first moon and the first stars that had shone since Michael II.'s reign in the Vatican. ”

“ And he also smiled, but grimly.
"Every man in Frankfort is not priest-beridden," said Dirk quickly. "They would not meddle with me just because I do not preach the laws of the Church. I teach my scholars rhetoric, logic and philosophy ... they are well pleased." ”

“ Theirry shivered and crouched like one very cold.
"Of my own will I fled from Rome, that city of the Devil!"
Balthasar stared at him.
"You are the Emperor," said Theirry faintly, "and I pretend no longer to these wrongful honours, nor serve I any longer Antichrist——"
"He is mad!" cried Balthasar.
"Nay," Ysabeau spoke eagerly—"listen to him."
Theirry moaned.
"I have nothing to say—give me a place to rest in."
"Through you we have no place ourselves to rest in," answered Balthasar grimly. "No shelter save these broken walls you see ”