Suzerain

“ Shall I be able to hold on?"
"If you don't mind my saying it, Herr Baron," replied the old man, "when a man is what the Herr Baron is, such a question is ridiculous. A man like the Herr Baron has only to say, 'I'll do this or that,' and he can compass what he likes. And in addition, when he has a friend like the Herr Baron of Uhlenfelde, who is the wealthiest man in the district, well, then, he can hold on to the day of judgment."
Leo felt the blood mount to his temples. ”

“ Not in this dark hour, when he was completely overpowered by a sense of having had the remnants of all that was good and noble in him shattered and laid in the dust.
"If they are become wild beasts, I can become one too," he thought, as he thrust his hand in the breast-pocket that held his pistols, and walked towards the Schrandeners. The old pastor was right. Though they danced, whooped, and jostled around him with the lust of murder gleaming in their savage eyes, they dared not lay a finger on him. ”

“ You haven't dined with us in an age. I've always fancied that the estrangement between your brother and yourself might be the cause of our seeing so little of you.
Baron Ludwig.
My dear Countess, those eyes of yours see through everything; and I read in them all the answers I might make to that question. Ah, well--Richard had the good luck, the unspeakable good luck, to win your friendship, and under your influence, to develop into the man he is!
Beata.
I know how to listen when clever men are talking. That is the secret of what you call my influence. ”

“ You found a woman, Herr Baron, on your estate who had been your father's mistress. You found her degraded, defiled, dragged through the mire of wickedness and vice. Year-long slavery had robbed her of the respect of every living creature. She was treated as a mere animal by animals. This wretched woman belonged to my parish and to me. I reared her in the way she should go. It was my hand that sprinkled the baptismal water on her brow; my hand that held the chalice to her lips at the Holy Sacrament ”

“ To-day you have been honoured before all men by our King; but, Boleslav von Schranden, look to it that God holds you in equal esteem. What should you have done, you ask? This impure, abandoned creature ought to have been more awful, more sacred to you than any other earthly being. What have you done to atone for the guilt your father heaped on her? Have you freed her from the bondage into which she had sunk, loosed her from the chain of her sin? ”

“ An ugly word, which was suppressed with difficulty, was on the tip of his tongue.
"Leo, I am desperate without you," she complained, in a subdued tone. "Why have you forsaken me?"
"How can you talk of forsaking?" he muttered. "While Ulrich is away, I can't come. That is all."
"Why not?"
"How can you ask?"
"But I do ask. We have repented and confessed. We have expiated our sin before God and man. We know that we are on the right footing now."
"Indeed! That is how you feel about it?"
"Yes; and don't you feel the same?" she asked, looking up at him innocently.
His answer stuck in his throat. ”

“ The shepherd may drive his flock through thorns or flowers. I pine for the wilderness, for my rocky fastnesses.
JOSAPHAT
[Dismayed.] Rabbi!
JOHN
I have awakened the slumbering conscience, scourged and roused the idle, shown the erring the right road. One great burst of indignation against Herod now flames towards heaven. So now they may let me go my way, or send their spies after me. But no priest has yet dared to stand in my path. It is well. My work in Jerusalem is at an end.
MATTHIAS
Not so, Rabbi. Thy work only beginneth. We have to face the Prince's entry. The people want a leader. ”

“ But I say unto thee, Sire, thou wilt not laugh. He Who cometh requireth me not. That is why He cast me down.... Gaze into His eyes when He comes, and thou wilt not laugh, even at me.
HEROD
It seems to me thy reasoning is poor, and revolves in a circle.... And yet there is something that attracts me to thee. Baptist, thou hast so long been my enemy, couldst thou not possibly be my friend?
JOHN
Sire, meseemeth that to be nobody's enemy and nobody's friend is the right of the lonely. It is their all. Let me keep it. ”

“ Thou shouldst strengthen weak knees and mould trembling hands to the sword's hilt. Thy work was wrath, Rabbi, but thou hast made of it a sophistry and a weakness.
JOHN
Thou art not to know what my work was. Had I known myself, I should not be here. Truly the time of my fall is come, when enemies sing my praises and friends speak ill of me. What would ye have me do? My end must be in solitude and silence.
JOSAPHAT
Thy end, Rabbi, is no concern of ours. It is for Israel's end that I fear. Thou tookest the law from us. What hast thou given us instead? ”

“ She rose deliberately, stretching her stiff limbs. A dreamy languor seemed to pervade her whole being. Since last night she was completely transformed.
Directly he had shut the door after her, he tore the letter from his pocket, and read it to reassure himself of is happiness. It ran:--
"Dear Friend Of My Youth,--I hear from papa that you have been highly honoured by our wise and noble King--that he has made you captain of your division, and given you the Iron Cross. ”

“ HEROD
To whom hast thou sent these messengers?... Thou art silent.... As I said before. I am from my heart sorry. So much might have been made of thee.... Still ... [He shrugs his shoulders.]
JOHN
[Holding out his arms distressed.] I beseech thee, Sire!
VITELLIUS
Did not I tell you? All kinds of people struggle to live, only the Roman understands how to die.
HEROD
Thou must ask the maiden, Baptist. Know that in her hands rests what chance thou hast of the thing called life.
SALOME
Master, now see'st thou how powerful I am? Now ask me! Ask me! ”

“ Beata.
By and by, at Rossitsch, I'll tell you. When we sit together in the big hall, over the fire, with the wind singing in the chimney. You'll like that, won't you, dear? We'll be so jolly together, you and I. And now, darling, go. (Passionately.) No, come back-- (kissing her) and now-- (smiling at her) go dear, go! (Ellen goes out.)
Enter Conrad.
Beata.
Has every one come?
Conrad.
All but Baron Richard.
Beata.
You may announce luncheon, then. (Conrad goes out. A moment later he throws open the doors, and Baron Ludwig, Prince Usingen, Baron Brachtmann, and Kellinghausen enter.) ”

“ Brachtmann.
Thank God! (They all seat themselves.)
Prince (to Baron Ludwig) .
I can't make your brother out. You know him better than we do. Look at his face--what's the matter with him?
Baron Ludwig.
We are such complicated machines, your Highness. It's impossible to explain any one with a word.
Beata.
Take a hundred, then. (With a short excited laugh.) Life is long enough!
Kellinghausen (to himself) .
Yes. Life is long enough.
Richard.
Instead of discussing my appearance I wish you would criticise my speech.
Prince.
What a gourmet he is, Countess! ”

“ Baron Ludwig.
I shall wait for my brother. (He shakes hands with them.)
Prince.
H'm. (He and Brachtmann go out. Baron Ludwig walks up and down the room shaking his head.)
Enter Conrad.
Baron Ludwig.
Well?
Conrad.
I can't say yet, your Excellency. (He goes to the table.) We are looking for the drops. Countess Ellen gave them to the Countess herself before luncheon.
Baron Ludwig.
I thought I saw something in her hand at luncheon. Has any one looked in her hand?
Conrad.
No. (He goes out. There is a pause.)
Enter Richard and a doctor.
Richard.
Well? Has anything----
Baron Ludwig. ”

“ Amongst these connections, made and continued by force, I must not omit the only one that was agreeable to me, and in which my heart was really interested: this was that I had with a young Hungarian who came to live at Neuchatel, and from that place to Motiers, a few months after I had taken up my residence there. He was called by the people of the country the Baron de Sauttern, by which name he had been recommended from Zurich. He was tall, well made, had an agreeable countenance, and mild and social qualities. ”

“ Bishop Saurin was a descendant of Jean Saurin, Sieur de la Blaquier, mestre-de-camp to the Duke de Rohan’s army in 1622, who was the brother of Saurin, the Huguenot envoy to our Charles I. in 1628, and father of Jean Saurin, advocate in Nismes. The latter (by Hippolyte Tournier, his wife) had three sons, Jacques, the pulpit orator (the Saurin par excellence) ; Captain Saurin, [1] refugee in England ”

“ After what manner may his Grace the Duke of Sutherland be most effectually met in this matter, so that the 443 cause of toleration and freedom of conscience may be maintained in the extensive district which God, in His providence, has consigned to his stewardship? We shall in our next chapter attempt giving the question an answer. Meanwhile, we trust the people of Sutherland will continue, as hitherto, to stand firm. The strong repugnance which they feel against being driven into churches which all their better ministers have left, is not ill founded. ”

“ JOHN
[Eagerly.] Who is it, of whom thou speakest?
HEROD
Master, I do not know. Thou seest thus that I too have a burden of secret anxiety oppressing me, and await the sunrise.... But let me speak with thee seriously, Baptist. Thou hurlest thy arrows of reproach at me on account of the woman I stole.... I could almost pity thee for that. Thou, a great man, mightst have chosen a greater subject than a woman. And knowest thou every day she sharpens those arrows herself for me?... But enough of that. The smiths say that good metal rings true even when it is cracked, and thou ringest true. ”

“ He set his teeth and went--went to his guardian angel.
CHAPTER XVII
The Schrandeners, as many as could leave their homes and property, were meanwhile gathered together at the Black Eagle, engaged in a farewell orgie.
Old Merckel served them himself. He stood behind the bar, refilling unceasingly the empty glasses, with the melancholy smile, which to-day there was every reason to believe was not put on.
"Drink, dear friends," he exhorted; "don't let the unhappy event in my family prevent you! What does it matter even if he is shot? He will die a noble death for his honour and his Fatherland!" ”

“ Even before this booty was thine, thou hast betrayed it?
HERODIAS
I fancied that I heard thee crying out just now for a sword. [Smiling.] When thou art king, thou wilt, of course, kill all whom thou hast promised not to be king! That is the same thing as if thou hadst never promised it.
HEROD
[Staring at her.] Woman!
HERODIAS
Believest thou still that I hurried here only for the sake of a kiss?
HEROD
I shudder at thee. But even if the priests be won over, there remains the people, the hydra-headed; thou knowest not the people. ”

“ And when Leo was ready for the gymnasium, a bright-eyed, plucky boy in his teens, thoroughly well trained and prepared, Herr von Sellenthin bestowed on the convivial clergyman the living of Wengern, of which he was the patron. On the strength of this the pastor at once made haste to renew an old attachment, the existence of which no one had had any suspicion, and with the love of his youth as his bride, and a bonus which his squire had given him, began to populate the empty old parsonage as speedily as possible. ”

“ With her perpetual smile, she folded her hands and said--
"I deceive him every day and every hour, Leo. My life is a disgraceful sham. Ulrich at my side is in hell."
"Who is the scoundrel?" he asked, grinding his teeth. "Tell me his name? You shall not go away from here alive, unless you tell me his name."
"Well, why shouldn't I tell you," she answered, with the same mysterious smile. "His name is Leo Sellenthin."
He fell back against the wall of the temple with a deep sigh of relief. After all she was only acting. Thank God! Thank God!
"Listen, Felicitas," he said then. ”

“ But willingly would we starve and die of hunger for him, if thou hadst not estranged his heart from us, and stolen his love for thyself.
JOHN
Art thou, too, one of those who say, Greater than the law and sacrifice is love?
JAEL
[Anxiously.] I did not say that, Rabbi.... Thou wouldst not get me into trouble with the priests?
JOHN
But thou thinkst so in thy heart!
JAEL
Rabbi!
JOHN
Hadst thou come to me in my wilderness, I would have shown thee the way to One Who shall bring food to the hungry. Here, I am powerless. Go; I have nothing to do with thee! ”

“ We’ll do all you want!” cried Ulrich; and Fritz, who tried to hide behind his brother, seemed suddenly speechless.
“You shall keep your promise, as I will keep mine,” said Paul. “I wish you could find courage to defend yourselves, so that at last there might be a clear account between us.... But perhaps it is best as it is.... And now repeat after me what I say: ‘We swear before God and by the memory of our mother that we will redeem within three days our promise given to your sisters.’” Trembling and faltering, they repeated the words after him. ”

“ The stage has become half-filled with people, who gesticulate in excitement, looking up at Herod's Palace. Among them Hachmoni; later, the soldiers.
ELIAKIM
What is going on there? Hachmoni, thou shalt speak. What ails the people?
HACHMONI
Hast thou not heard? John is in the town!
ELIAKIM
There are many Johns.
HACHMONI
The Baptist, man!
ELIAKIM
The Baptist; enemy of the Priests and of the Pharisees; to whom every Rechabite hath sworn death. Is he caught at last?
HACHMONI
Thou speakest like one in his sleep! If there is a man in Jerusalem safe and untouched by the curse of the Romans, it is he. ”