Red Axe | Page 7

that Hanne also owed
her life to my father's care. I had noticed, indeed, when he had upon
him the red headman's dress, which fitted him like a flame climbing up
a tall back log on the winter's fire, that old Hanne trembled from head
to foot and shrank away into her den under the stairs. Many a time have
I seen her peeping round the corner of the kitchen-door and tottering
back when she heard him come down the stair from the garret. And I
guessed so well the reason of her fear that I used to cry to her:
"Come out, good Hanne; the Red Axe is gone."
Then would she run, pattering like a scared rabbit over the uneven floor,
to the window, and watch my father stalking, grim and tall, across the
open spaces of the yard towards the Judgment Hall of Duke Casimir,
the men-at-arms avoiding him with deft reverence. For though they
hated him almost as much as did the fat burghers, they feared him, too.
And that because Gottfried Gottfried was deep in the confidence of the
Duke; and, besides, was no man to stand in the ill-graces of when one
lived within the walls of the Wolfsberg.
So this morning it was to the ancient Hanne that I ran down and told
her how, as quickly as she might, she must bring milk and bread to the
little one.

"But," said she, "there is none save that which is to be sodden for your
father's breakfast and your own."
"Do as you are bid, bad Hanne!" cried I, being, like all solitary children,
quickly made angry, "or I will tell my father to drive you before him
when next he goes forth clad in red to the Hall of Justice."
At which the poor old woman gave vent to a sharp, screechy cry and
caught at her skinny throat with twitching, bony fingers.
"Oh, but you know not what you say, cruel boy!" she gasped. "For the
love of God, speak not such words in the house of the Red Axe!"
But, like an ill-governed child, I was cruel because I knew my power,
and so made sure that Hanne would do what I asked.
"Well, then, bring the sop quickly," said I, "or by Peter-and-Paul I will
speak to my father. He and I can well be doing with beaten cakes made
crisp on the iron girdle. In these you have great skill."
This last I said to cheer her, for she loved compliments on her cooking.
Though, strange to tell, I never saw her eat anything herself all the
years she remained in our house.
When I was gone up-stairs again I looked about for the Little Playmate.
She was not to be seen anywhere. There was only a tiny cosey-hole
down among the blankets, which was yet warm when I thrust my hand
within it. But it was empty and the top a little fallen in, as if the
occupant had set her knee on it when she crawled out. A baby stocking
lay outside it on the floor.
"Little maid!" I cried, "where are you?"
But I heard nothing except a hissing up on the roof, and then a great
slithering rumble down below, which boomed like the distant cannons
the Margraf sent to besiege us. I listened and shuddered; but it was only
the snow from the tall roof of the Red Tower which had slipped off and
fallen to the ground. Then I had a vision of a slender little figure

clambering on the leads and the treacherous snow striking her out into
the air, and then--the cruel stones of the pavement.
"Little maid, little maid!" I cried out again, beginning to weep myself
for pity at my thought, "where are you? Speak to me. You are my
playmate."
Then I ran to the roof, and, though the stones chilled me to the bone
and the frost-bitten iron hasps of the fastenings burned me like fire, I
opened the trap-door and looked out. There above me was the
crow-stepped gable of the Red Tower, with the axe set on the pinnacle
rustily bright in the coming light of the morning--all swept clean of
snow. But no little maid.
I ran to the verge and peered down. I saw a great heap of frozen snow
fallen on its edge and partly canted over, half covering a deep red stain
which was turning black and horrid in the daylight. But no little maid.
Then I ran all over the house calling to her, but could not find her
anywhere. I was just beginning to bethink me that she might be a fairy
child, one that came at night and vanished like the dream gold which is
forever turning to withered