Volker

“ Then Volker the viol-minstrel cried from the stairway’s height:
“Forasmuch as my comrade Hagen his peace unto thee doth plight,
That same shall be moreover assured thee from mine hand.
Of a surety well didst thou earn it at our coming into this land.
Take thou, O noble Margrave, the message I leave with thee:
These ruddy golden armlets Dame Gotlind gave unto me
To wear them at this great high-tide, a memorial of her love,
I do it, thyself beholdest: be thou my witness thereof.”
“Now would to God in Heaven,” earnestly Rüdiger cried,
“That the Margravine might give thee as many more beside! ”

“ He was led to the studio in rear of the house, and asked to wait.
He turned round several long canvases and was astonished to find dashing ladies in large hats before him.
“Ha ha! Well, I’m damned! Bravo, Ernst!” he exploded in his dull solitude, extremely amused.
Volker had not done this in Rome.—Even there he had given indications of latent virtuosity, but had been curbed by classic presences. Since arriving in Paris he had blossomed prodigiously. He dealt out a vulgar vitality by the peck to each sitter, and they forgave him for making them comparatively “ugly.” ”

“ Kreisler had not intended going to Soler’s that day. Yet there he was, presumably got there now to avoid Ernst Volker. He saw himself starting up from the Berne a quarter of an hour before, steaming away in pursuit of a skulking friend—impetus of angry thought carrying him far beyond his destination; [111] then Volker comes along and runs him into the painting school. He compared himself to one of those little steam toys that go straight ahead without stopping; that any one can take up and send puffing away in the opposite direction. ”

“ From shield and eke from helmet / borne by the Fiddler keen;
Therewith the doughty Volker / reft of life at last had been.
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Pressed eager to the combat / Dietrich's warriors true,
Smiting that the mail-rings / afar from harness flew,
And that the broken sword-points / soaring aloft ye saw,
The while that reeking blood-stains / did they from riven helmets draw.
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There of Tronje Hagen / beheld Volker dead.
In that so bloody carnage / 'twas far the sorest need
Of all that did befall him / in death of friend and man.
Alack! for him what vengeance / Hagen then to wreak began! ”

“ And through many a shield and helmet did the flashing steel-edge hew.
“Give back from the door,” cried Volker, “and let these enter in!
Ha, but the prize that they look for not a man of them all shall win!
One and all shall they perish—ay, and that full soon.
With death shall they earn their guerdon, Queen Kriemhild’s golden boon!”
Into the hall of slaughter those men high-hearted pressed,
But soon did many a warrior stoop to the earth his crest.
Fast, fast by the lightning sword-strokes of its warders were they slain.
Well fought the dauntless Gernot, well Giselher the thane. ”

“ Volker stirred his coffee. He immediately showed his hand, for he looked up and with transparent innocence asked:
“By the way, Otto, you remember Blauenstein at Münich⸺?”
“You mean the little Jew from whom everybody used to borrow money?” Kreisler fixed him severely and significantly with his eye and spoke with heavy deliberation.
“Did people borrow money from him? I had forgotten. Yes, that’s the man. He has turned up here; who do you think with? With Irma, the Bohemian girl. They are living together—round the corner there.” ”

“ Fräulein Lipmann had been looking at him with indecision.
“I am glad Herr Volker’s coming. I haven’t seen him for some weeks. You’ve plenty of time to change, you know, if you like. Herr Ekhart and several others haven’t turned up yet. You live quite near, don’t you, Herr Kreisler?” ”

“ Volker went on: “I don’t know whether I told you about my show.”
“What show?” Kreisler asked rudely.
“In Berlin, you know. It has not gone badly. Our compatriots improve. I’ve got a commission to paint the Countess Wort. What have you been doing lately?” There was a forbidding pause. “I’ve intended coming round to see you; but I’ve been sticking at home working. Have you been round at the Berne?” He spoke rapidly and confidentially, as two business men meeting in the street and always in a hurry might try and compress into a few minutes, between two handshakes, a lot of personal news. ”

“ The confusion was so great that often those who wished to meet could not find each other. Thus Volker and Wolfhart were kept apart; the minstrel fell upon Sigestap, who had slain many of the Burgundians, and gave him his death-blow, only to meet Hildebrand a little later and himself to fall under his hand. Dankwart was slain by Helfrich; Wolfhart did many a deed of valour, until Giselher attacked him. After a tremendous struggle, the young king thrust him through the breast, but even then, though in mortal agony, he grasped his sword in both hands, and slew his adversary. ”

“ Straightway then unto them / aloud did Volker call:
"How go ye thus in armor, / ye valiant warriors all?
Or forth, perchance, a-robbing, / Kriemhild's men, go ye?
Myself and my companion / shall ye then have for company."
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Thereto no man gave answer. / Wrathful grew his mood:
"Fie, ye caitiff villains," / spake the hero good,
"Would ye us so foully / have murdered while we slept?
With knights so high in honor / full seldom thus hath faith been kept."
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Then unto Queen Kriemhild / were the tidings borne,
How her men did fail their purpose: / 'twas cause for her to mourn. ”

“ And with Gernot the valiant hero was Irnfried handed there;
And with Giselher to the palace went the noble Rüdiger.
But, howsoe’er companioned were the rest, to the hall as they hied,
Never did Volker and Hagen leave one another’s side,
Save only in one grim conflict, until on their death they came,
Which was cause of sorrow and weeping unto many a noble dame.
On passed to the hall of the presence with the Princes a gallant train,
A thousand of their vassals, each man a valiant thane. ”

“ Kreisler was pleased to find a permanent vat of German always on tap. His roots mixed sluggishly with Ernst’s in this living lump of the soil of the Fatherland dumped down at the head of the Boulevard Pfeiffer.
The Germans he met here spoke a language and expressed opinions he could not agree with, but with which Volker evidently did. They argued genially over glasses of beer and champagne. He found his ticket at once. He was the vielle barbe of the party.
“Yes, I’ve seen Gauguins. But why go so far as the South Sea Islands unless you are going to make people more beautiful? ”

“ With great gravity he set forth his attachment for a “beautiful girl,” the discreditable behaviour of the Russian in seeking to prejudice her against him. In fact, he gave an entirely false picture of the whole situation. His honour must now be satisfied. He would accept nothing less than reparation by arms. Such was Kreisler, but he was himself very cynically. He had explained this to Volker after the following manner: “I am a hundred different things; I am as many people as the different types of people I have lived amongst. ”

“ When he was governor of Yorke we had no trouble to land, but the present earl sets close watch upon the ports. You’ll find the city as full of brawls as tobacco is of smoke. There are Jacobites and Earl’s men and the devil knows what besides. You may be sure of one thing: whatever is at 43stake, Kilian Van Volkenberg will be at logger-heads with the new earl. When you get there, show these buttons to Kilian. He brought them to me from Fletcher. I’ll stake my ship and cargo he’ll do all that the love of a good fat bargain can make a Dutch merchant do. ”

“ By ten o’clock a splendid retinue was ready to set out for New York. Van Volkenberg was at the head with Louis upon one side and me upon the other. Behind us, in rows of four, came one hundred and fifty chosen men in the full livery of the Red Band. They wore cloth of a dark olive green, and on the left arm the band of brilliant red, which was their distinctive badge of service. The English flag and the patroon’s banner flapped merrily as we galloped over the half-frozen ground. This was the very road over which I had followed Louis to the printing shop of Bradford. ”

“ But, come what will, Volktman, come all that you foretell to me; crosses in my love, disappointment in my life, melancholy in my blood, and a violent death in the very flush of my manhood,—Me: at least, Me! my soul, my heart, my better part, you shall never cast down, nor darken, nor deject. I move in a certain and serene circle; ambition cannot tempt me above it, nor misfortune cast me below!”
Volktman looked at the speaker with surprise and admiration; the enthusiasm of a brave mind is the only fire broader and brighter than that of a fanatical one. ”

“ Patroon Van Volkenberg was too wary a man to disclose his inmost thoughts.
I knew all this was passing in his mind, and that in my replies about the appearance of my assailants, he hoped to recognize himself or Louis. But I took care of that and managed to allay his suspicions for the moment, though what his future plans were I never knew.
248“We must complain of this treatment to the Earl,” he said. “Now, tell me what happened before, when you rode to the city with my daughter. How did you fare? What did you hear? Did she learn anything of what is said of me in Yorke?” ”

“ No, no, Patroon Van Volkenberg. You have a man to deal with this time. “Thy head or my head,” saith the King.
At last he spoke to me.
“If you are to cut a figure in the Red Band, you must know somewhat of my affairs. I spoke a while ago of a man Le Bourse.” He kept his eyes fiercely on me. “I have cause to hate this dog, for I hold him little better than a dog. If I ever have him in arm’s reach—you saw how I dealt with Ronald Guy?” ”

“ A moment later Pierre was sipping rum to his satisfaction and I was secretly a shilling out to the landlord.
“Where was I?” continued Pierre, whose memory was improving now that I had got him some liquor without offending his dignity with money. “Where was I? Oh, yes, Van Volkenberg. He is in the room above this one—president of the Jacobite Club. If you wait here you will see him. They always come in for a sup all worn out and dry with thinking.”
Pierre soon fell asleep and I awaited the appearance of the patroon. ”

“ I said. “I remember how he drew his cutlass and cursed it roundly as a clumsy tool for such a service. ‘Take the button,’ he said. 'It’s a high price I pay you, for I value the name that’s scratched on the back. By my soul! If Tommy Tew is ever taken, there’ll be some damning tales in Yorke about the governor when they come to examine the buttons on his coat.'”
“Fletcher was a fool to send him those buttons,” exclaimed Van Volkenberg. “But give me your hand, St. Vincent. You shall be my man. In the morning, if you still desire it, you shall put the red band upon your sleeve.” ”

“ I was now, or should be in the morning, a member of the Red Band. I should be able to ferret out the patroon’s secrets. I hoped to be able to trip him up and thus put an end to his evil practices forever. Yet when we clasped hands in final agreement, I felt instinctively that I had met my match. Could it be that there were two play-actors in Van Volkenberg manor that night when I thought that there was but one? Did he see deeper than he pretended to see? Was he, as well as I, playing a part? Time alone could tell. But nothing is ever mended by worry ”

“ We had gone down stairs and were in the tavern doorway when who should ride up but the man of all men we wanted most at that moment—Van Volkenberg. He saw us standing there with the priest a prisoner. He took in the situation at a glance. 346He shook his fist at me and spat in the governor’s face.
“Zounds! Dogs!” he cried. “You think you have me. But the fort is mine. Do you take me there!”
He clapped spurs to his horse and was off like an arrow.
“After him, Le Bourse,” cried the Earl. “You have the best horse. Stop him alive or dead.”
The patroon had the start of me by five hundred yards. ”

“ They followed out across the open ground. But, as might have been expected, he gained on them fast and they saw that they would lose him. With that they turned back. The house, at least, was at their mercy. But as they turned back, Van Volkenberg turned back also. He rode gallantly, and I could hear his powerful voice taunting them for cowards.
“Is it the leader of the Red Band you seek? Come on, you scum of Yorke. Here is a man. Come on, you dogs.”
They were after him again, pell-mell. It was then that I lifted up my voice and cried with a will: “God save the good patroon!” ”

“ Several times during this conversation Van Volkenberg had spoken again of his change of heart. Often a low chuckle escaped him on the occasion of such a reference. His spirits were evidently rising, and, for the present, all thoughts of Louis and his absence must have been forgotten.
When we arrived at the manor-house, the patroon led his guest to the door of the dining room.
“St. Vincent,” he said, “stand here on guard. No one is to come in or to interrupt us in any way till we come out again.”
With that he opened the door and motioned Captain Kidd to enter. ”

“ AN INTERVIEW WITH THE EARL The French pastor met me at his door with a cordial welcome. I laid my case before him without reservation, telling him how I had joined in with the weaker party in the street attack that morning, and how I had encountered Van Volkenberg in the tavern.
“It is a bad business,” he said. “I wish it had not happened. What can be done? Let me see. What can be done?” He was thoughtful for a few moments. “We must go to the Earl. He is a fine gentleman and a kind man. He sets great value on the city officers. Yes, he will do what he can for you. ”