Farina | Page 7

exclaimed Gottlieb, low in his throat; 'the arms of Werner!
Where got he money to mount his men? Why, this is daring all Cologne
in our very teeth! 'Fend that he visit me now! Ruin smokes in that
ruffian's track. I 've felt hot and cold by turns all day.'
The horsemen came jingling carelessly along the street in scattered
twos and threes, laughing together, and singling out the maidens at the
gable- shadowed windows with hawking eyes. The good citizens of
Cologne did not look on them favourably. Some showed their backs
and gruffly banged their doors: others scowled and pocketed their fists:
not a few slunk into the side alleys like well-licked curs, and scurried
off with forebent knees. They were in truth ferocious-looking fellows
these trusty servants of the robber Baron Werner, of Werner's Eck,
behind Andernach. Leather, steel, and dust, clad them from head to foot;
big and black as bears; wolf-eyed, fox-nosed. They glistened bravely in
the falling beams of the sun, and Margarita thrust her fair braided
yellow head a little forward over her father's shoulder to catch the
whole length of the grim cavalcade. One of the troop was not long in
discerning the young beauty. He pointed her boldly out to a comrade,
who approved his appetite, and referred her to a third. The rest
followed lead, and Margarita was as one spell-struck when she became
aware that all those hungry eyes were preying on hers. Old Gottlieb
was too full of his own fears to think for her, and when he drew in his
head rather suddenly, it was with a dismal foreboding that Werner's
destination in Cologne was direct to the house of Gottlieb Groschen,
for purposes only too well to be divined.
'Devil's breeches!' muttered Gottlieb; 'look again, Grete, and see if that
hell-troop stop the way outside.'

Margarita's cheeks were overflowing with the offended rose.
'I will not look at them again, father.'
Gottlieb stared, and then patted her.
'I would I were a man, father!'
Gottlieb smiled, and stroked his beard.
'Oh! how I burn!'
And the girl shivered visibly.
'Grete! mind to be as much of a woman as you can, and soon such raff
as this you may sweep away, like cobwebs, and no harm done.'
He was startled by a violent thumping at the streetdoor, and as brazen a
blast as if the dead were being summoned. Aunt Lisbeth entered, and
flitted duskily round the room, crying:
'We are lost: they are upon us! better death with a bodkin! Never shall
it be said of me; never! the monsters!'
Then admonishing them to lock, bar, bolt, and block up every room in
the house, Aunt Lisbeth perched herself on the edge of a chair, and
reversed the habits of the screech-owl, by being silent when stationary.
'There's nothing to fear for you, Lisbeth,' said Gottlieb, with
discourteous emphasis.
'Gottlieb! do you remember what happened at the siege of Mainz? and
poor Marthe Herbstblum, who had hoped to die as she was; and Dame
Altknopfchen, and Frau Kaltblut, and the old baker, Hans Topf's sister,
all of them as holy as abbesses, and that did not save them! and nothing
will from such godless devourers.'
Gottlieb was gone, having often before heard mention of the calamity
experienced by these fated women.
'Comfort thee, good heart, on my breast,' said Margarita, taking Lisbeth
to that sweet nest of peace and fortitude.
'Margarita! 'tis your doing! have I not said--lure them not, for they
swarm too early upon us! And here they are! and, perhaps, in five
minutes all will be over!
Herr Je!--What, you are laughing! Heavens of goodness, the girl is
delighted!'
Here a mocking ha-ha! accompanied by a thundering snack at the door,
shook the whole house, and again the trumpet burst the ears with fury.
This summons, which seemed to Aunt Lisbeth final, wrought a strange
composure in her countenance. She was very pale, but spread her dress

decently, as if fear had departed, and clasped her hands on her knees.
'The will of the Lord above must be done,' said she; 'it is impious to
complain when we are given into the hand of the Philistines. Others
have been martyred, and were yet acceptable.'
To this heroic speech she added, with cold energy: 'Let them come!'
'Aunt,' cried Margarita, 'I hear my father's voice with those men. Aunty!
I will not let him be alone. I must go down to him. You will be safe
here. I shall come to you if there's cause for alarm.'
And in spite of Aunt Lisbeth's astonished shriek of remonstrance, she
hurried off to rejoin Gottlieb.

THE WAGER
Ere Margarita had reached the landing of the stairs, she repented her
haste and shrank back. Wrapt in a