CHAPTER VI. UTA. When we two meet, we meet like rushing torrents, like warring winds, like flames from various points, that mate each other's fury. There is not of elemental strife, where fiends, to guide it, can match the wrath of man. Frenaud. The elder of our two travelers, though a strong man, and familiar with fatigue, slept sounder and longer than usual on the morning, which was now beginning to dawn. But his son Arthur had that upon his mind, which early interrupted his repose. The encounter with the bold Switzer, a chosen man of a renowned race of warriors, was an engagement which, in the opinion of the period in which he lived, was not to be delayed or broken. He left his father's side, avoiding as much as possible the risk of disturbing him, though even in that case the circumstance would not have excited any attention, as he was in the habit of rising early in order to make preparations for the day's journey, to see that the guide was on his duty, and that the mule had his provinder, and to discharge similar offices, which might otherwise have given trouble to his father. The old man, however, fatigued with the exertions of the preceding day, slept, as we have said, more soundly than his want, and Arthur, arming himself with his good sword, sallied out to the lawn, in front of the Landermans dwelling, amid the magic dawn of a beautiful harvest morning in the Swiss mountains. The sun was just about to kiss the top of the most gigantic of that race of titans, though the long shadows still lay on the rough grass, which crisped under the young man's feet, with a strong intimation of frost. But Arthur looked not round on the landscape, however lovely, which lay waiting one flash from the orb of day to start into brilliant existence. He drew the belt of his trusty sword, which he was in the act of fastening when he left the house, and ere he had secured the buckle he was many paces on his way towards the place where he was to use it. It was still the custom of that military period to regard as summons to combat as a sacred engagement, preferable to all others which could be formed, and stifling whatever inward feelings of reluctance nature might oppose to the dictates of fashion. The step of a gallant to the place of encounter was required to be as free and steady as if he had been going to a bridle. I do not know whether this alacrity was altogether real on the part of Arthur Philipson, but if it were otherwise neither his look nor pace betrayed the secret. Having hastily traversed the fields and groves, which separated the landmen's residents from the old castle of Geyerstein, he entered the courtyard from this side where the castle overlooked the land, and nearly in the same instant his almost gigantic antagonist, who looked yet more tall and burly by the pale morning light than he had seemed the preceding evening, appeared ascending from the precarious bridge beside the torrent, having reached Geyerstein by a different route from that pursued by the Englishman. The young champion of Bern had hanging along his back one of those huge two-handed swords, the blade of which measured five feet, and which were wielded with both hands. These were almost universally used by the Swiss, for besides the impression which such weapons were calculated to make upon the array of the German men-at-arms, whose armor was impenetrable to lighter swords, they were also well calculated to defend mountain passes, where the great bodily strength and agility of those who bore them enabled the combatants, in spite of their weight and length, to use them with much address and effect. One of these gigantic swords hung round Rudolph Donnerhugel's neck, the point rattling against his heel, and the handle extending itself over his left shoulder considerably above his head. He carried another in his hand, Thou art punctual, he called out to Arthur Philipson, in a voice which was distinctly heard above the roar of the waterfall, which it seemed to rival in sullen force, but I judged Thou what's come without a two-handed sword. There is my kinsman, Ernest, he said, throwing on the ground the weapon which he carried with the hilt towards the young Englishman. Look, stranger, that Thou disgrace it not, for my kinsman will never forgive me if Thou dost, or Thou mayest have mine if Thou likeest it better. The Englishman looked at the weapon, with some surprise, to the use of which he was totally unaccustomed. The challenger, he said, in all countries where honor is known, accepts the arms of the challenged. He who fights on a Swiss mountain, fights with a Swiss brand, answered Rudolph, think you our hands are made to handle pen knives, nor are ours made to wield scythes, said Arthur, and muttered betwixt his teeth, as he looked at the sword which the Swiss continued to offer him. Usum non-hobbio, I have not proved the weapon. Do you repent the bargain you have made, said the Swiss, if so cry craven, and return in safety, speak plainly, instead of prattling Latin like a clerk or a shaven monk? No, proud man, replied the Englishman, I ask thee no forbearance, I thought but of a combat between a shepherd and a giant in which God gave the victory to him who had worse odds of weapons than falls to my lot to-day. I will fight as I stand, my own good sword shall serve my need now, as it has done before. Content, but blame me not, who offered the equality of weapons, said the Mountaineer, and now hear me, this is a fight for life or death, yawn waterfall sounds the alarm for our conflict, yes, old bellower, he continued, looking back, it is long since thou hast heard the noise of battle, and look at it ere we begin, stranger, for if you fall I will commit your body to its waters, and if thou fallest, proud Swiss, answered Arthur, as well I trust thy presumption leads to destruction, I will have thee buried in the church at Ensedlan, where the priests shall sing masses for thy soul, thy two-handed sword shall be displayed above thy grave, and a scroll shall tell the passenger, here lies a bear's cub of burn slain by Arthur, the Englishman. The stone is not in Switzerland rocky as it is, said Rudolph scornfully, that shall bear that inscription, prepare thy self for battle. The Englishman cast a calm and deliberate glance around the scene of action, a court yard partly open, partly encumbered with ruins, in less and larger masses. Methinks said he to himself, a master of his weapon, with the instructions of Badaferma of Florence in his remembrance, a light heart, a good blade, a firm hand, and a just cause, might make up a worse odds than two feet of steel. Seeing thus and imprinting on his mind as much as the time would permit, every circumstance of the locality around him which promised advantage in the combat, and taking his station in the middle of the court yard where the ground was entirely clear, he flung his cloak from him and drew his sword. Rudolph had at first believed that his foreign antagonist was an effeminate youth who would be swept from before him at the first flourish of his tremendous weapon, but the firm and watchful attitude assumed by the young man reminded the Swiss of the deficiencies of his own unwieldy implement and made him determined to avoid any precipitation which might give advantage to an enemy who seemed both daring and vigilant. He unsheathed his huge sword by drawing it over the left shoulder, an operation which required some little time, and might have offered formidable advantage to his antagonist had Arthur's sense of honor permitted him to begin the attack ere it was completed. The Englishman remained firm, however, till the Swiss, displaying his bright brand to the morning sun, made three or four flourishes as if to prove its weight, and the facility with which he wielded it then stood firm within sword stroke of his adversary grasping his weapon with both hands and advancing it a little before his body with the blade pointed straight upwards. The Englishman on the contrary carried his sword in one hand holding it across his face in a horizontal position so as to be at once ready to strike, thrust, or parry. Strike, Englishman, said the Switzer, after they had confronted each other in this manner for about a minute. The longest sword should strike first, said Arthur, and the words had not left his mouth when the Swiss sword rose and descended with a rapidity which the weight and size of the weapon considered appeared portentous. No parry, however dexterously interposed, could have baffled the ruinous descent of that dreadful weapon by which the champion of Bern had hoped at once to begin the battle and end it. But young Philipson had not overestimated the justice of his own eye or the activity of his limbs ere the blade descended a sudden spring to one side carried him from beneath its heavy sway and before the Swiss could again raise his sword aloft he received a wound, though a slight one, upon the left arm. Irritated at the failure and at the wound the Switzer heaved up his sword once more and availing himself of a strength corresponding to his size he discharged towards his adversary a succession of blows downright, a thwart horizontal, and from left to right with such surprising strength and velocity that it required all the address of the young Englishman by parrying, shifting, eluding, or retreating to evade a storm of which every individual blow seemed sufficient to cleave a solid rock. The Englishman was compelled to give ground now backwards, now swerving to the one side or the other now availing himself of the fragments of the ruins but watching all the while with the utmost composure the moment when the strength of his enraged enemy might become somewhat exhausted or when by some improvident or furious blow he might again lay himself open to a close attack the latter of these advantages had nearly occurred for in the middle of his headlong charge the Switzer stumbled over a large stone concealed among the long grass and ere he could recover himself received a severe blow across the head from his antagonist it lighted upon his bonnet the lining of which enclosed a small steel cap so that he escaped unwounded and springing up renewed the battle with unabated fury though it seemed to the young Englishman with breath somewhat short and blows dealt with more caution they were still contending with equal fortune when a stern voice rising over the clash of swords as well as the roar of waters called out in a commanding tone on your lives forbearer the two combatants sank the points of their swords not very sorry perhaps for the interruption of a strife which must otherwise have had a deadly termination they looked round and the landman stood before them with anger frowning on his broad and expressive forehead how now boys he said are you guests of Arnold Biederman and do you dishonor his house by acts of violence more becoming the wolves of the mountains than beings to whom the great creator has given a form after his own likeness and an immortal soul to be saved by penance and repentance Arthur said the elder Phillipson who had come up at the same time with their host what frenzy is this are your duties of so light and heedless a nature as to give time and place for quarrels and combats with every idle bore who chances to be boastful at once and bullheaded the young man whose strife had ceased at the entrance of these unexpected spectators stood looking at each other and resting on their swords Rudolph Donner-Hughel said the landman give thy sword to me to me the owner of this ground the master of this family and magistrate of the canton and which is more answered Rudolph submissively to you who are Arnold Biederman at whose command every native of these mountains draws his sword or sheaths it he gave his two-handed sword to the landman now by my honest word said Biederman it is the same with which thy father Stephen fought so gloriously at Sempak abreast with the famous DeWinkle read shame it is that it should be drawn on a helpless stranger and you young sir continued the swiss addressing Arthur while his father said at the same time young man yield up your sword to the landman it shall not need sir replied the young Englishman since for my part I hold our strife at an end this gallant gentleman called me hither on a trial as I conceive of courage I can give my unqualified testimony to his gallantry and swordsmanship and as I trust he will say nothing to the shame of my manhood I think our strife has lasted long enough for the purpose which gave rise to it too long for me said Rudolph frankly the green sleeve of my doublet which I wore of that color out of my love to the forest cantons is now stained into as dirty a crimson as could have been done by any dire in Ipris or Ghent but I heartily forgive the brave stranger who has spoiled my jerkin and given its master a lesson he will not soon forget had all Englishman been like your guest worthy kinsman me thinks the mound at butthole's had hardly risen so high cousin Rudolph said the landman smoothing his brow as his kinsman spoke I have never thought thee as generous as thou art hairbrained and quarrelsome and you my young guest may rely that when a swiss says the quarrel is over there is no chance of it being renewed we are not like the men of the valleys to the eastward who nurse revenge as if it were a favorite child and now join hands my children and let us forget this foolish feud here is my hand brave stranger said donner hugel thou has taught me a trick of fence and when we have broken our fast we will buy your leave to the forest where I will teach you a trick of woodcraft in return when your foot hath half the experience of your hand and your eye hath gained a portion of the steadiness of your heart you will not find many hunters to match you Arthur with all the ready confidence of youth readily embraced a proposition so frankly made and before they reached the house various subjects of sport were eagerly discussed between them with as much corgeality as if no disturbance of their concord had taken place now this said the landman is as it should be I am ever ready to forgive the headlong impetuosity of our youth if they will be but manly and open in their reconciliation and bear their heart on their tongue as a true swiss should these two youths had made but wild work of it however said Phillipson had not your care my worthy host learned of their rendezvous and called me to assist in breaking their purpose may I ask how it came to your knowledge so opportunely it was even through the means of my domestic fairy answered Arnold Biederman who seems born for the good luck of my family I mean my niece Anne who had observed a glove exchanged betwixt the two young braggadocios and heard them mention Geyerstein and break of day oh sir it is much to see a woman's sharpness of wit it would have been long enough ere any of my thick-headed sons had shown themselves so apprehensive I think I see our propitious protectress peeping at us from yonder high ground said Phillipson but it seems as if she would willingly observe us without being seen in return I said the lenderman she has been looking out to see that there has been no hurt done and now I warrant me the foolish girl is ashamed of having shown such a laudable degree of interest in a matter of the kind me thinks said the Englishman I would willingly return my thanks in your presence to the fair maiden to whom I have been so highly indebted there can be no better time than the present said the lenderman and he sent through the groves the maiden's name in one of those shrilly accented tones which we have already noticed Anne of Geyerstein as Phillipson had before observed was stationed upon a knoll at some distance and concealed as she thought from notice by a screen of brushwood she started at her uncle's summons therefore but presently obeyed it and avoiding the young men who passed on foremost she joined the lenderman and Phillipson by a circuitous path through the woods my worthy friend and guest would speak with you Anne said the lenderman so soon as the morning greeting had been exchanged the Swiss maiden colored over brow as well as cheek when Phillipson with a grace which seemed beyond his calling addressed her in these words it happened sometimes to us merchants my fair young friend that we are unlucky enough not to possess means for the instant defraying of our debts but he is justly held amongst us as the meanest of mankind who does not acknowledge them except therefore the thanks of a father whose son your courage only yesterday saved from destruction and whom your prudence has this very morning rescued from a great danger and grieve me not by refusing to wear these earrings he added producing a small jewel case which he opened as he spoke they are it is true only of pearls but they have not been thought unworthy the ears of a countess and must therefore said the old lenderman show misplaced on the person of a Swiss maiden of Unterwalden for such and no more is my niece Anne while she resides in my solitude me thanks good master Phillipson you display less than your usual judgment in matching the quality of your gifts with the rank of her on whom they are bestowed as a merchant too you should remember that large gardens will lighten your gains let me crave your pardon my good host answered the Englishman while I reply that at least I have consulted my own sense of the obligation under which I labor and have chosen out of what I have at my free disposal that which I thought might best express it I trust the host whom I have found hitherto so kind will not prevent this young maiden from accepting what is at least not unbecoming the rank she is born to and you will judge me unjustly if you think me capable of doing either myself or you the wrong of offering any token of a value beyond what I can well spare the lenderman took the jewel case into his own hand I have ever set my countenance he said against gaudy gems which are leading us daily further astray from the simplicity of our fathers and mothers and yet he added with a good humored smile and holding one of the earrings close to his relation's face the ornaments do set off the wench rarely and they say girls have more pleasure in wearing such toys than gray haired men can comprehend wherefore dear Anne as thou hast deserved a dear trust in a greater matter I refer thee entirely to thine own wisdom to accept of our good friends costly present and wear it or not as thou thinkest fit since such is your pleasure my best friend and kinsman said the young maiden blushing as she spoke I will not give pain to our valued guest by refusing what he desires so earnestly that I should accept but by his leave good uncle and yours I will bestow these splendid earrings on the shrine of our lady of ensedlan to express our general gratitude to her protecting favor which has been around us in the terrors of yesterday's storm and the alarms of this morning's discord by our lady the wench speaks sensibly said the lenderman and her wisdom has applied the bounty well my good guest to bespeak prayers for thy family and mine and for the general peace of under Walden go to Anne thou shalt have a necklace of jet at next sharing feast if our fleeces bear any price in the market end of chapter six chapter seven of Anne of Geyerstein by Sir Walter Scott this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Dion Giants Salt Lake City, Utah let him who will not proffered peace receive be sated with the plagues which war can give and well thy hatred of the peace is known if now thy soul reject the friendship shown hools tosso the confidence betwixt the lenderman and the English merchant appeared to increase during the course of a few busy days which occurred before that appointed for the commencement of their journey to the court of Charles of Burgundy the state of Europe and of the Helvetian Confederacy has been already alluded to but for the distinct explanation of our story may be here briefly recapitulated in the interval of a week whilst the English travelers remained at Geyerstein meetings or deets were held as well of the city cantons of the Confederacy as of those of the forest the former aggrieved by the taxes imposed on their commerce by the Duke of Burgundy rendered yet more intolerable by the violence of the agents whom he employed in such oppression were eager for war in which they had hitherto uniformly found victory and wealth many of them were also privately instigated to arms by the largesies of Louis the 11th who spared neither intrigues nor gold to effect a breach betwixt these dauntless Confederates and his formidable enemy Charles the Bold on the other hand there were many reasons which appeared to render it in politic for the switzers to engage in war with one of the most wealthy most obstinate and most powerful princes in Europe for such unquestionably was Charles of Burgundy without the existence of some strong reason affecting their own honor and independence every day brought fresh intelligence from the interior that Edward the Fourth of England had entered into a strict and intimate alliance offensive and defensive with the Duke of Burgundy and that it was the purpose of the English king renowned for his numerous victories over the rival house of Lancaster by which after various reverses he had obtained undisputed possession of the throne to reassert his claims to those provinces of France so long held by his ancestors it seemed as if this alone were wanting to his fame and that having subdued his internal enemies he now turned his eyes to the regaining of those rich and valuable foreign possessions which had been lost during the administration of the feeble Henry the Sixth and the civil discords so dreadfully prosecuted in the wars of the white and red roses it was universally known that throughout England generally the loss of the French provinces was felt as a national degradation and that not only the nobility who had in consequence been deprived of the large thieves which they had held in Normandy Gascony Maine and endu but the warlike gentry accustomed to gain both fame and wealth at the expense of France and the fiery yeomanry whose bows had decided so many fatal battles were as eager to renew the conflict as their ancestors of Cressy, Poitiers, and Agincourt had been to follow their sovereign to the fields of victory on which their deeds had conferred deathless renown. The latest and most authentic intelligence bore that the king of England was on the point of passing to France in person an invasion rendered easy by his possession of Calais with an army superior in numbers and discipline to any with which an English monarch had ever before entered that kingdom that all the hostile preparations were completed and that the arrival of Edward might instantly be expected whilst the powerful cooperation of the Duke of Burgundy and the assistance of numerous disaffected French noblemen in the provinces which had been so long under the English dominion threatened a fearful issue of the war to Louis XI Sagesius wise and powerful as that prince unquestionably was it would no doubt have been the wisest policy of Charles of Burgundy when thus engaging in an alliance against his most formidable neighbor and hereditary as well as personal enemy to have avoided all cause of quarrel with the Helvetian Confederacy a poor but most warlike people who already had been taught by repeated successes to feel that their hearty infantry could if necessary engage on terms of equality or even of advantage the flower of that chivalry which had hitherto been considered as forming the strength of European battle but the measures of Charles whom fortune had opposed to the most astucious and politic monarch of his time were always dictated by passionate feeling and impulse rather than by a judicious consideration of the circumstances in which he stood haughty proud and uncompromising though neither destitute of honor nor generosity he despised and hated what he termed the paltry associations of herdsmen and shepherds united with a few towns which subsisted chiefly by commerce and instead of courting the Helvetian cantons like his crafty enemy or at least affording them no ostensible pretense of quarrel he omitted no opportunity of showing the disregard and contempt in which he held their upstart consequence and of evincing the secret longing which he entertained to take vengeance upon them for the quantity of noble blood which they had shed and to compensate the repeated successes they had gained over the feudal lords of whom he imagined himself the destined Avenger the Duke of Burgundy's possessions in the Alsatian territory afforded him many opportunities for wreaking his displeasure upon the swiss league the little castle and town of ferret lying within 10 or 11 miles of bale served as a thoroughfare to the traffic of burn and solar the two principal towns of the confederation in this place the duke posted a governor or seneschal who was also an administrator of the revenue and seemed born on purpose to be the plague and scourge of his republican neighbors Archibald von Hagenbach was a german noble whose possessions lay in swabia and was universally esteemed one of the fiercest and most lawless of that frontier nobility known by the name of robber knights and robber counts these dignitaries because they held their thieves of the holy roman empire claimed as complete sovereignty within their territories of a mild square as any reigning prince of germany in his more extended dominions they levied tolls and taxes on strangers and imprisoned tried and executed those who as they alleged had committed offenses within their petty domains but especially and in further exercise of their senorial privileges they made war on each other and on the free cities of the empire attacking and plundering without mercy the caravans or large trains of wagons by which the internal commerce of germany was carried on a succession of injuries done and received by archibald of Hagenbach who had been one of the fiercest sticklers for this privilege of fastrack or club law as it may be termed had ended in his being obliged though somewhat advanced in life to leave a country where his tenure of existence was become extremely precarious and to engage in the service of the duke of burgundy who willingly employed him as he was a man of high descent and proved valor and not the less perhaps that he was sure to find in a man of Hagenbach's fierce rapacious and haughty disposition the unscrupulous executioner of whatsoever severities it might be his master's pleasure to enjoin the traitors of burn and salore accordingly made loud and violent complaints of Hagenbach's exactions the impositions laid on commodities which passed through his district of la ferrette to whatever place they might be ultimately bound were arbitrarily increased and the merchants and traitors who hesitated to make instant payment of what was demanded were exposed to imprisonment and personal punishment the commercial towns of germany appealed to the duke against this iniquitous conduct on the part of the governor of la ferrette and requested of his graces goodness that he would withdraw von Hagenbach from their neighborhood but the duke treated their complaints with contempt the swiss league carried their remonstrances higher and required that justice should be done on the governor of la ferrette as having offended against the law of nations but they were equally unable to attract attention or obtain redress at length the diet of the confederation determined to send the solemn deputation which has been repeatedly mentioned one or two of these envoys joined with the calm and prudent arnold bederman in the hope that so solemn a measure might open the eyes of the duke to the wicked injustice of his representatives others among the deputies having no such peaceful views were determined by this resolute remonstrance to pave the way for hostilities arnold bederman was and a special advocate for peace while its preservation was compatible with national independence and the honor of the confederacy but the younger philipson soon discovered that the landomen alone of all his family cherished these moderate views the opinion of his sons had been swayed and seduced by the impetuous eloquence and overbearing influence of rudolf of donner hugel who by some feats of peculiar gallantry and the consideration due to the merit of his ancestors had acquired an influence in the councils of his native canton and with the youth of the league in general beyond what was usually yielded by these wise republicans to men of his early age arthur who was now an acceptable and welcome companion of all their hunting parties and other sports heard nothing among the young men but anticipations of war rendered delightful by the hopes of booty and of distinction which were to be obtained by the switzers the feats of their ancestors against the germans had been so wonderful as to realize the fabulous victories of romance and while the present race possessed the same hearty limbs and the same inflexible courage they eagerly anticipated the same distinguished success when the governor of la ferrette was mentioned in the conversation he was usually spoken of as the band dog of burgundy or the Alsatian mastiff and intimations were openly given that if his course were not instantly checked by his master and he himself withdrawn from the frontiers of switzerland archibald of haugenbach would find his fortress no protection from the awakened indignation of the wronged inhabitants of solar and particularly of those of burn this general disposition to war among the young switzers was reported to the elder philipsen by his son and led him at one time to hesitate whether he ought not rather to resume all the inconveniences and dangers of a journey accompanied only by arthur then run the risk of the quarrels in which he might be involved by the unruly conduct of these fierce mountain youths after they should have left their own frontiers such an event would have had in a peculiar degree the effect of destroying every purpose of his journey but respected as arnold bederman was by his family and countrymen the english merchant concluded upon the whole that his influence would be able to restrain his companions until the great question of peace or war should be determined and especially until they should have discharged their commission by obtaining an audience of the duke of burgundy and after this he should be separated from their society and not liable to be engaged in any responsibility for their ulterior measures after a delay of about 10 days the deputation commissioned to remonstrate with the duke on the aggressions and exactions of archibald of haugenbach at length assembled at geierstein once the members were to journey forth together they were three in number besides the young bernese and the lendemen of underwelden one was like arnold a proprietor from the forest cantons wearing a dress scarcely handsomer than that of a common herdsman but distinguished by the beauty and size of his long silvery beard his name was nicolas bonstetten melchior sternthal banner bearer of bern a man of middle age and as soldier of distinguished courage with adam zimmerman a burgess of soler who was considerably older completed the number of the envoys each was dressed after his best fashion but notwithstanding that the severe eye of arnold bederman censured one or two silver belt buckles as well as a chain of the same metal which decorated the portly person of the burgess of soler it seemed that a powerful and victorious people for such the swiss were now to be esteemed were never represented by an embassy of such patriarchal simplicity the deputies traveled on foot with their piped staves in their hands like pilgrims bound for some place of devotion two mules which bore their little stalk of baggage were led by young lads sons or cousins of members of the embassy who had obtained permission in this manner to get such a glance of the world beyond the mountains as this journey promised to afford but although their retinue was small so far as respected either state or personal attendance and accommodation the dangerous circumstances of the times and the very unsettled state of the country beyond their own territories did not permit men charged with affairs of such importance to travel without a guard even the danger arising from the wolves which when pinched by the approach of winter have been known to descend from their mountain fastnesses into open villages such as those the travelers might choose to quarter in rendered the presence of some escort necessary and the bands of deserters from various services who formed parties of bandidi on the frontiers of alcacia and germany combined to recommend such a precaution accordingly about 20 of these selected youth from the various swiss cantons including rutiger earnest and sigismand arnold's three oldest sons attended upon the deputation they did not however observe any military order or march close or near to the patriarchal train on the contrary they formed hunting parties of five or six together who explored the rocks woods and passes of the mountains through which the envoys journeyed their slower pace allowed the active young men who were accompanied by their large shaggy dogs full time to destroy wolves and bears or occasionally to surprise a shammy among the cliffs while the hunters even while in pursuit of their sport were careful to examine such places as might afford opportunity for ambush and thus ascertain the safety of the party whom they escorted more securely than if they had attended close on their train a peculiar note on the huge swiss bugle before described formed of the horn of the mountain bull was the signal agreed upon for collecting in abadi should danger occur rudolf donner hugel so much younger than his brethren in this same important commission took the command of this mountain bodyguard whom he usually accompanied in their sportive excursions in point of arms they were well provided bearing two-handed swords long partisans and spears as well as both cross and longbows short cutlaces and huntsman's knives the heavier weapons as impeding their activity were carried with the baggage but were ready to be assumed on the slightest alarm Arthur Phillipson like his late antagonist naturally preferred the company and sports of the younger men to the grave conversation and slow pace of the fathers of the mountain commonwealth there was however one temptation to loiter with the baggage which had other circumstances permitted might have reconciled the young Englishman to forego the opportunities of sport which the swiss youth so eagerly sought after and endure the slow pace and grave conversation of the elders of the party in a word and of geierstein accompanied by a swiss girl her attendant traveled in the rear of the deputation the two females were mounted upon asses whose slow step hardly kept pace with the baggage mules and it may be fairly suspected that Arthur Phillipson in requital of the important services which he had received from that beautiful and interesting young woman would have deemed it no extreme hardship to have afforded her occasionally his assistance on the journey and the advantage of his conversation to relieve the tediousness of the way but he dared not presume to offer attentions which the customs of the country did not seem to permit since they were not attempted by any of the maidens cousins or even by Rudolph Donner-Hughel who certainly had hitherto appeared to neglect no opportunity to recommend himself to his fair cousin besides Arthur had reflection enough to be convinced that in yielding to the feelings which impelled him to cultivate the acquaintance of this amiable young person he would certainly incur the serious displeasure of his father and probably also that of her uncle by whose hospitality they had profited and whose safe conduct they were in the act of enjoying the young Englishman therefore pursued the same amusements which interested the other young men of the party managing only as frequently as their halts permitted to venture upon offering to the maiden such marks of courtesy as could afford no room for remark or censure and his character as a sportsman being now well established he sometimes permitted himself even when the game was afoot to loiter in the vicinity of the path on which he could at least mark the flutter of the gray wimple of Anne of Geierstein and the outline of the form which it shrouded this indolence as it seemed was not unfavorably construed by his companions being only accounted and in difference to the less noble or less dangerous game for when the object was a bear wolf or other animal of prey no spear cutlass or bow of the party not even those of Rudolf Donnerhughel were so prompt in the chase as those of the young Englishman meantime the elder Philipson had other and more serious subjects of consideration he was a man as the reader must have already seen of much acquaintance with the world in which he had acted parts different from that which he now sustained former feelings were recalled and awakened by the view of sports familiar to his early years the clamor of the hounds echoing from the wild hills and dark forests through which they traveled the sight of the gallant young huntsmen appearing as they brought the object of their chase to bay amid airy cliffs and profound precipices which seemed impervious to the human foot the sounds of halloe and horn reverberating from hill to hill had more than once well nigh impelled him to take a share in the hazardous but animating amusement which next to war was then in most parts of Europe the most serious occupation of life but the feeling was transient and he became yet more deeply interested in studying the manners and opinions of the persons with whom he was traveling they seemed to be all colored with the same downright and blunt simplicity which characterized Arnold Biedermann although it was in none of them elevated by the same dignity of thought or profound suggestivity in speaking of the political state of their country they affected no secrecy and although with the exception of Rudolph their own young men were not admitted into their councils the exclusion seemed only adopted with a view to the necessary subordination of youth to age and not for the purpose of observing any mystery in the presence of the elder Philipson they freely discussed the pretensions of the Duke of Burgundy the means which their country possessed of maintaining her independence and the firm resolution of the Helvetian League to bid defiance to the utmost force the world could bring against it rather than submit to the slightest insult in other respects their views appeared wise and moderate although both the bannerette of Bern and the consequential burger of Salor seemed to hold the consequences of war more lightly than they were viewed by the cautious landmen of Unterwalden and his venerable companion Nicholas Bonstetten who subscribed to all his opinions it frequently happened that quitting these subjects the conversation turned on such as were less attractive to their fellow traveler the signs of the weather the comparative fertility of recent seasons the most advantageous mode of managing their orchards and rearing their crops though interesting to the mountaineers themselves gave Philipson slender amusement and notwithstanding that the excellent minehair Zimmerman of Salor would feign have joined with him in conversation respecting trade and merchandise yet the Englishman who dealt in articles of small bulk and considerable value and traversed sea and land to carry on his traffic could find few mutual topics to discuss with the Swiss trader whose commerce only extended into the neighboring districts of Burgundy and Germany and whose goods consisted of course woolen cloths, fustian hides, peltry and such ordinary articles but ever and anon while the switzers were discussing some peltry interests of trade or describing some process of rude cultivation or speaking of blights in grain and the muraine amongst cattle with all the dull minuteness of petty farmers and traders met at a country fair a well-known spot would recall the name and story of a battle in which some of them had served for there were none of the party who had not been repeatedly in arms and the military details which in other countries were only the theme of knights and squires who had acted their part in them or have learned clerks who labored to record them were in this singular region the familiar and intimate subjects of discussion with men whose peaceful occupations seemed to place them at an immeasurable distance from the profession of a soldier this led the Englishman to think of the ancient inhabitants of Rome where the plow was so readily exchanged for the sword and the cultivation of a rude farm for the management of public affairs he hinted this resemblance to the landman who was naturally gratified with the compliment to his country but presently replied may heaven continue among us the homebred virtues of the Romans and preserve us from their lust of conquest and love of foreign luxuries the slow pace of the travelers with various causes of delay which it is unnecessary to dwell upon occasioned the deputation spending two nights on the road before they reached Bale the small towns or villages in which they quartered received them with such marks of respectful hospitality as they had the means to bestow and their arrival was a signal for a little feast with which the heads of the community uniformly regaled them on such occasions while the elders of the village entertained the deputies of the confederation the young men of the escort were provided for by those of their own age several of whom usually aware of their approach were accustomed to join in the chase of the day and made the strangers acquainted with the spots where game was most plenty these feasts were never prolonged to access and the most special dainties which composed them were kids lambs and game the produce of the mountains yet it seemed both to Arthur Phillipson and his father that the advantages of good cheer were more prized by the bannerette of burn and the Burgess of Solor than by their host the landmen and the deputy of Schwitz there was no excess committed as we have already said but the deputies first mentioned obviously understood the art of selecting the choicest morsels and were connoisseurs in the good wine chiefly of foreign growth with which they freely washed it down Arnold was too wise to censure what he had no means of amending he contented himself by observing in his own person a rigorous diet living indeed almost entirely upon vegetables and fair water in which he was closely imitated by the old gray bearded Nicholas Bonsteaden who seemed to make it his principal object to follow the landmen's example in everything it was as we have already said the third day after the commencement of their journey before the swiss deputation reached the vicinity of Bale in which city then one of the largest in the southwestern extremity of Germany they proposed taking up their abode for the evening nothing doubting a friendly reception the town it is true was not then nor till about 30 years afterwards a part of the swiss confederation to which it was only joined in 1501 but it was a free imperial city connected with burn soler lucerne and other towns of switzerland by mutual interests and constant intercourse it was the object of the deputation to negotiate if possible a peace which could not be more useful to themselves than to the city of Bale considering the interruptions of commerce which must be occasioned by a rupture between the duke of burgundy and the cantons and the great advantage which that city would derive by preserving a neutrality situated as it was betwixt these two hostile powers they anticipated therefore as welcome a reception from the authorities of Bale as they had received while in the bounds of their own confederation since the interests of that city were so deeply concerned in the objects of their mission the next chapter will show how far these expectations were realized end of chapter seven chapter eight of an of geierstein by sir walter scott this libravox recording is in the public domain recording by dion giants salt lake city utah they saw that city welcoming the rine as from his mountain heritage he bursts as purposed proud orgatorics of yore leaving the desert region of the hills to lord it or the fertile plains of gall helvedia the eyes of the english travelers wearied with a succession of wild mountainous scenery now gazed with pleasure upon a country still indeed irregular and hilly in its surface but capable of high cultivation and adorned with cornfields and vineyards the rine a broad and large river poured its gray stream in a huge sweep through the landscape and divided into two portions the city of bale which is situated on its banks the southern part to which the path of the swiss deputies conducted them displayed the celebrated cathedral and the lofty terrace which runs in front of it and seemed to remind the travelers that they now approached a country in which the operations of man could make themselves distinguished even among the works of nature instead of being lost as the fate of the most splendid efforts of human labor must have been among those tremendous mountains which they had so lately traversed they were yet a mile from the entrance of the city when the party was met by one of the magistrates attended by two or three citizens mounted on mules the velvet housings of which expressed wealth and quality they greeted the landman of underwater and his party in a respectful manner and the latter prepared themselves to hear and make a suitable reply to the hospitable invitation which they naturally expected to receive the message of the community of bale was however diametrically opposite to what they had anticipated it was delivered with a good deal of diffidence and hesitation by the functionary who met them and who certainly while discharging his commission did not appear to consider it as the most respectable which he might have borne there were many professions of the most profound and fraternal regard for the cities of the helvedian league with whom the orator of bale declared his own state to be united in friendship and interests but he ended by intimating that on account of certain cogent and weighty reasons which should be satisfactorily explained at more leisure the free city of bale could not this evening receive within its walls the highly respected deputies who were traveling at the command of the helvedian diet to the court of the duke of burgundy philips son marked with much interest the effect which this most unexpected intimation produced on the members of the embossage rudolf donner hugel who had joined their company as they approached bale appeared less surprised than his associates and while he remained perfectly silent seemed rather anxious to penetrate their sentiments then disposed to express his own it was not the first time the sagacious merchant had observed that this bold and fiery young man could when his purposes required it place a strong constraint upon the natural impetuosity of his temper for the others the bannerettes brow darkened the face of the burgess of solour became flushed like the moon when rising in the northwest the gray bearded deputy of schwitz looked anxiously on arnold bederman and the landman himself seemed more moved than was usual in a person of his equanimity at length he replied to the functionary of bale in a voice somewhat altered by his feelings this is a singular message to the deputies of the swiss confederacy bound as we are upon an amicable mission on which depends the interest of the good citizens of bale whom we have always treated as our good friends and who's still professed to be so the shelter of their roofs the protection of their walls the wanted intercourse of hospitality is what no friendly state hath a right to refuse to the inhabitants of another nor is it with their will that the community of bale refuse it were the landmen replied the magistrate not you alone and your worthy associates but your escort and your very beasts of burden should be entertained with all the kindness which the citizens of bale could bestow but we act under constraint and by whom exercised said the bannerette bursting out into passion has the emperor sigismund profited so little by the example of his predecessors the emperor replied the delegate of bale interrupting the bannerette is a well-intentioned and peaceful monarch as he has been ever but there are burgundian troops of late marched into the sangha and messages have been sent to our state from count archibald of haugenbach enough said replied the landmen draw not farther the veil from a weakness for which you blush i comprehend you entirely bale lies too near the citadel of la ferrette to permit its citizens to consult their own inclinations brother we see where your difficulty lies we pity you and we forgive you your in hospitality nay but hear me to an end where the landmen answered the magistrate there is here in the vicinity an old hunting-seat of the counts of falkenstein called graph slust which the ruinous yet may afford better lodgings than the open air and is capable of some defense though heaven forbid that anyone should dare to intrude upon your repose and harkey hither my worthy friends if you find in the old place some refreshments as wine beer and the like use them without scruple for they are there for your accommodation i do not refuse to occupy a place of security said the landmen for although the causing us to be excluded from bail may be only done in the spirit of petty insolence and malice yet it may also for what we can tell be connected with some purpose of violence your provisions we thank you for but we will not with my consent feed at the cost of friends who are ashamed to own us unless by stealth one thing more my worthy sir said the official of bail you have a maiden in company who i presume to think is your daughter there is but rough accommodation where you are going even for men for women there is little better though what we could we have done to arrange matters as well as may be but rather let your daughter go with us back to bail where my dame will be a mother to her until next morning when i will bring her to your camp in safety we promise to shut our gates against the men of the confederacy but the women were not mentioned you are subtle cautious you men of bail answered the landmen but know that from the time in which the helvedians saled forth to encounter Caesar down to the present hour the women of switzerland in the press of danger have had their abode in the camp of their fathers brothers and husbands and sought no further safety than they might find in the courage of their relations we have enough of men to protect our women and my knees shall remain with us and take the fate which heaven may send us adieu then worthy friend said the magistrate of bail it grieves me to part with you thus but evil fate will have it so yonder grassy avenue will conduct you to the old hunting seat where heaven send that you may pass a quiet night for apart from other risks men say that these ruins have no good name will you yet permit your niece since such the young person is to pass to bail for the night in my company if we are disturbed by beings like ourselves said arnold bederman we have strong arms and heavy partisans if we should be visited as your words would imply by those of a different description we have or should have good consciences and confidence in heaven good friends my brethren on this embassy have I spoken your sentiments as well as mine own the other deputies intimated their ascent to what their companion had said and the citizens of bail took a courteous farewell of their guests endeavoring by the excess of civility to atone for their deficiency in effective hospitality after their departure rudolf was the first to express his sense of their pusillanimous behavior on which he had been silent during their presence cowered dogs he said may the butcher of burgundy flay the very skins from them with his exactions to teach them to disown old friendships rather than abide the lightest blast of a tyrant's anger and not even their own tyrant either said another of the group for several of the young men had gathered round their seniors to hear the welcome which they expected from the magistrates of bail no replied earnest one of arnold beterman's sons they do not pretend that their own prints the emperor hath interfered with them but a word of the duke of burgundy which should be no more to them than a breath of wind from the west is sufficient to stir them to such brutal in hospitality it were well to march to the city and compel them at the sword's point to give a shelter a murmur of applause arose amongst the youth around which awakened the displeasure of arnold beterman did i hear he said the tongue of a son of mine or was it that of a brutish landsnecked who has no pleasure but in battle or violence where is the modesty of the youth of switzerland who were want to wait the signal for action till it pleased the elders of the canton to give it and were as gentle as maidens till the voice of their patriarchs bade them be bold as lions i meant no harm father said earnest abashed with this rebuke far less any slight toward you but i must need say say not a word my son replied arnold but leave our camp tomorrow by break of day and as thou takest thy way back to geierstein to which i command thine instant return remember that he is not fit to visit strange countries who cannot rule his tongue before his own countrymen and to his own father the bannerette of burn the burges of soler even the long bearded deputy from swiss endeavored to intercede for the offender and obtain a remission of his banishment but it was in vain no my good friends and brethren no replied arnold these young men require an example and though i am grieved in one sense that the offense has chanced within my own family yet i am pleased in another light that the delinquent should be one over whom i can exercise full authority without suspicion of partiality earnest my son thou hast heard my commands return to geierstein with the morning's light and let me find thee an altered man when i return thither the young swiss who was evidently much hurt and shocked at this public affront placed one knee on the ground and kissed the father's right hand while arnold without the slightest sign of anger bestowed his blessing upon him and earnest without a word of remonstrance fell into the rear of the party the deputation then proceeded down the avenue which had been pointed out to them and at the bottom of which arose the massy ruins of graff's lust but there was not enough of daylight remaining to discern their exact form they could observe as they drew nearer and as the night became darker that three or four windows were lighted up while the rest of the front remained obscured in gloom when they arrived at the place they perceived it was surrounded by a large and deep moat this cell and surface of which reflected though faintly the glimmer of the lights within end of chapter eight chapter nine of an of geierstein by sir walter scott this libra vox recording is in the public domain recording by dion johns celic city utah francisco give you good night marcellus oh farewell honest soldier who hath relieved you francisco give you good night bernardo hath my place hamlet the first occupation of our travelers was to find the means of crossing the moat and they were not long of discovering the tate de pant on which the drawbridge when lowered had formerly rusted the bridge itself had been long decayed but a temporary passage of fir trees and planks had been constructed apparently very lately which admitted them to the chief entrance of the castle on entering it they found a wicket opening under the archway which glimmering with light served to guide them to a hall prepared evidently for their accommodation as well as circumstances had admitted of a large fire of well seasoned wood burned blithely in the chimney and had been maintained so long there that the air of the hall notwithstanding its great size and somewhat ruinous aspect felt mild and genial there was also at the end of the apartment a stack of wood large enough to maintain the fire had they been to remain there a week two or three long tables in the hall stood covered and ready for their reception and on looking more closely several large hampers were found in a corner containing cold provisions of every kind prepared with great care for their immediate use the eyes of the good Burgess of Soler twinkled when he beheld the young man in the act of transferring the supper from the hampers and arranging it on the table well said he these poor men of Bale have saved their character since if they have fallen short and welcome they have abounded in good cheer ah friend said Arnold Biedermann the absence of the landlord is a great deduction from the entertainment better half an apple from the hand of your host than a bridal feast without his company we owe them the less for their banquet said the bannerette but from the doubtful language they held I should judge it me to keep a strong guard tonight and even that some of our young men should from time to time patrol around the old ruins the place is strong and defensible and so far our thanks are due to those who have acted as our quarter masters we will however with your permission my honored brethren examine the house within and then arrange regular guards and patrols to your duty then young men and search these ruins carefully they may per chance contain more than ourselves for we are now near one who like a pilfering fox moves more willingly by night than by day and seeks his prey amidst ruins and wildernesses rather than in the open field all agreed to this proposal the young men took torches of which a good provision had been left for their use and made a strict search through the ruins the greater part of the castle was much more wasted and ruinous than the portion which the citizens of bail seemed to have destined for the accommodation of the embassy some parts were ruthless and the whole desolate the glare of light the gleam of arms the sound of the human voice and echoes of mortal tread startled from their dark recesses bats owls and other birds of ill omen the usual inhabitants of such time worn edifices whose flight through the desolate chambers repeatedly occasioned alarm amongst those who heard the noise without seeing the cause and shouts of laughter when it became known they discovered that the deep moat surrounded their place of retreat on all sides and of course that they were in safety against any attack which could be made from without except it was attempted by the main entrance which it was easy to barricade and guard with sentinels they also ascertained by strict search that though it was possible an individual might be concealed amid such a waste of ruins yet it was altogether impossible that any number which might be formidable to so large a party as their own could have remained there without a certainty of discovery these particulars were reported to the bannerette who directed donner hugel to take charge of a body of six of the young man such as he should himself choose to patrol on the outside of the building till the first cock crowing and at that hour to return to the castle when the same number were to take the duty till morning dawn and then be relieved in their turn rudolf declared his own intention to remain on guard the whole night and as he was equally remarkable for vigilance as for strength and courage the external watch was considered as safely provided for it being subtle that in the case of any sudden re-encounter the deep and hoarse sound of the swiss bugle should be the signal for sending support to the patrolling party within side the castle the precautions were taken with equal vigilance a sentinel to be relieved every two hours was appointed to take post at the principal gate and other two kept watch on the other side of the castle although the moat appeared to ensure safety in that quarter these precautions being taken the remainder of the party sat down to refresh themselves the deputies occupying the upper part of the hall while those of their escort modestly arranged themselves in the lower end of the same large apartment quantities of hay and straw which were left piled in the wide castle were put to the purpose for which undoubtedly they had been destined by the citizens of bail and with the aid of cloaks and mantles were judged excellent good betting by a hardy race who in war or the chase were often well satisfied with a much worse night's lair the attention of the bailese had even gone so far as to provide for an of geierstein separate accommodation more suitable to her use than that assigned to the men of the party an apartment which had probably been the buttery of the castle entered from the hall and had also a doorway leading out into a passage connected with the ruins but this last had hastily yet carefully been built up with large cune stones taken from the ruins without murder indeed or any other cement but so well secured by their own weight that an attempt to displace them must have alarmed not only anyone who might be in the apartment itself but also those who were in the hall adjacent or indeed in any part of the castle in the small room thus carefully arranged and secured there were two palette beds and a large fire which blazed on the hearth and gave warmth and comfort to the apartment even the means of devotion were not forgotten a small crucifix of bronze being hung over a table on which lay a breviary those who first discovered this little place of retreat came back loud in praise of the delicacy of the citizens of bail who while preparing for the general accommodation of the strangers had not failed to provide separately and peculiarly for that of their female companion Arnold Biederman felt the kindness of this conduct we should pity our friends of bail and not nourish resentment against them he said they have stretched their kindness towards us as far as their personal apprehensions permitted and that is saying no small matter for them my masters for no passion is so unutterably selfish as that of fear and my love thou art fatigued go to the retreat provided for you and Lisette shall bring you from this abundant mass of provisions what will be fittest for your evening meal so saying he led his knees into the little bedroom and looking round with an air of complacency wished her good repose but there was something on the maiden's brow which seemed to augur that her uncle's wishes would not be fulfilled from the moment she had loved Switzerland her looks had become clouded her intercourse with those who approached her had grown more brief and rare her whole appearance was marked with secret anxiety or secret sorrow this did not escape her uncle who naturally imputed it to the pain of parting from him which was probably soon to take place and to her regret at leaving the tranquil spot in which so many years of her youth had been spent but Anne of Geyerstein had no sooner entered the apartment than her whole frame trembled violently and the color leaving her cheeks entirely she sank down on one of the pallets where resting her elbows on her knees and pressing her hands on her forehead she rather resembled a person born down by mental distress or oppressed by some severe illness than one who tired with a journey was in haste to be take herself to needful rest Arnold was not quick-sighted as to the many sources of female passion he saw that his knees suffered but imputing it only to the causes already mentioned augmented by the hysterical effects often produced by fatigue he gently blamed her for having departed from her character of a swiss maiden ere she was yet out of reach of a swiss breeze of wind thou must not let the dames of germany or flanders think that our daughters have degenerated from their mothers else must we fight the battles of sempak and lop in over again to convince the emperor and this haughty duke of burgundy that our men are of the same metal with their forefathers and as for our parting i do not fear it my brother is a count of the empire indeed and therefore he must need satisfy himself that everything over which he possesses any title shall be at his command and sends for thee to prove his right of doing so but i know him well he will no sooner be satisfied that he may command thy attendance at pleasure than he will concern himself about thee no more thee alas poor thing in what couldst thou aid his courtly intrigues and ambitious plans no no thou art not for the noble count's purpose and must be content to trudge back to rule the dairy at geierstein and be the darling of thine old peasant like uncle would to god we were there even now said the maiden in a tone of wretchedness which she strove in vain to conceal or suppress that may hardly be till we have executed the purpose which brought us hither said the literal landman but lay thee on thy pallet and take a morsel of food and three drops of wine and thou wilt wake tomorrow as gay as on a swiss holiday when the pipe sounds the revelry and was now able to plead a severe headache and declining all refreshment which she declared herself incapable of tasting she bade her uncle good night she then desired lasette to get some food for herself cautioning her as she returned to make as little noise as possible and not to break her repose if she should have the good fortune to fall asleep arnold bederman then kissed his niece and returned to the hall where his colleagues in office were impatient to commence an attack on the provisions which were in readiness to which the escort of young men diminished by the patrols and sentinels were no less disposed than their seniors the signal of assault was given by the deputy from schwitz the eldest of the party pronouncing in patriarchal form a benediction over the meal the travelers then commenced their operations with a vivacity which showed that the uncertainty whether they should get any food and the delays which had occurred in arranging themselves in their quarters had infinitely increased their appetites even the landmen whose moderation sometimes approached to abstinence seemed that night in a more genial humor than ordinary his friend of schwitz after his example ate drank and spoke more than usual while the rest of the deputies pushed their meal to the verge of a carousel the elder philipsen marked the scene with an attentive and anxious eye confining his applications to the wine cup to such pledges as the politeness of the times called upon him to reply to his son had left the hall just as the banquet began in the manner which we are now to relate arthur had proposed to himself to join the youths who were to perform the duty of sentinels within or patrols on the outside of their place of repose and had indeed made some arrangement for that purpose with sigismond the third of the landmen's sons but while about to steal a parting glance at ann of geierstein before offering his service as he proposed there appeared on her brow such a deep and solemn expression as diverted his thoughts from every other subject accepting the anxious doubts as to what could possibly have given rise to such a change the placid openness of brow the eye which expressed conscious and fearless innocence the lips which seconded by a look as frank as her words seemed ever ready to speak in kindness and in confidence that which the heart dictated were for the moment entirely changed in character and expression and in a degree and manner for which no ordinary cause could satisfactorily account fatigue might have banished the rose from the maiden's beautiful complexion and sickness or pain might have dimmed her eye and clouded her brow but the look of deep dejection with which she fixed her eyes at times on the ground and the startled and terrified glance which she cast around her at other intervals must have had their rise in some different source neither could illness or weariness explain the manner in which her lips were contracted or compressed together like one who makes up her mind to act or behold something that is fearful or account for the tremor which seemed at times to steal over her insensibly though by a strong effort she was able at intervals to throw it off for this change of expression there must be in the heart some deeply melancholy and afflicting cause what could that cause be it is dangerous for youth to behold beauty in the pomp of all her charms with every look bent upon conquest more dangerous to see her in the hour of unaffected and unapprehensive ease and simplicity yielding herself to the graceful whim of the moment and as willing to be pleased as desirous of pleasing there are minds which may be still more affected by gazing on beauty in sorrow and feeling that pity that desire of comforting the lovely mourner which the poet has described as so nearly akin to love but to a spirit of that romantic and adventurous cast which the middle ages frequently produced the sight of a young and amiable person evidently in a state of terror and suffering which had no visible cause was perhaps still more impressive than beauty in her pride her tenderness or her sorrow such sentiments it must be remembered were not confined to the highest ranks only but might then be found in all classes of society which were raised above the mere peasant or artisan young Phillipson gazed on Anne of Geyerstein with such intense curiosity mingled with pity and tenderness that the bustling scene around him seemed to vanish from his eyes and leave no one in the noisy hall save himself and the object of his interest what could it be that so evidently oppressed and almost quailed a spirit so well balanced and a courage so well tempered when being guarded by the swords of the bravest men perhaps to be found in Europe and lodged in a place of strength even the most timid of her sex might have found confidence surely if an attack were to be made upon them the clamor of a conflict in such circumstances could scarce be more terrific than the roar of those cataracts which he had seen her despise at least he thought she ought to be aware that there is one who is bound by friendship and gratitude to fight to the death in her defense would to heaven he continued in the same reverie it were possible to convey to her without sign or speech the assurance of my unalterable resolution to protect her in the worst of perils as such thoughts streamed through his mind and raised her eyes in one of those fits of deep feeling which seemed to overwhelm her and while she cast them around the hall with a look of apprehension as if she expected to see amid the well-known companions of her journey some strange and unwelcome apparition they encountered the fixed and anxious gaze of young Phillipson they were instantly bent on the ground while a deep blush showed how much she was conscious of having attracted his attention by her previous deportment Arthur on his part with equal consciousness blushed as deeply as the maiden herself and drew himself back from her observation but when Anne rose up and was escorted by her uncle to her bedchamber in the manner we have already mentioned it seemed to Phillipson as if she had carried with her from the apartment the lights with which it was illuminated and left it in the twilight melancholy of some funeral hall his deep musings were pursuing the subject which occupied them thus anxiously when the manly voice of Donner Hügel spoke close in his ear what comrade has our journey today fatigued you so much that you go to sleep upon your feet now heaven forbid hopped men said the Englishman starting from his reverie and addressing Rudolph by this name signifying captain or literally headman which the youth of the expedition had by unanimous consent bestowed on him heaven forbid i should sleep if there be ought like action in the wind where dust thou proposed to be at cock crow said the swiss where duty shall call me or your experience noble hopped men shall appoint replied arthur but with your leave i purposed to take Sigismund's guard on the bridge till midnight or morning dawn he still feels the sprain which he received in his spring after yonder shammy and i persuaded him to take some uninterrupted rest as the best mode of restoring his strength he will do well to keep his counsel then again whispered Donner Hügel the old lendman is not a man to make allowances for mishaps when they interfere with duty those who are under his orders should have as few brains as a bull as strong limbs as a bear and be as impassable as lead or iron to all the casualties of life and all the weaknesses of humanity arthur replied in the same tone i have been the landman's guest for some time and have seen no specimens of any such rigid discipline you are a stranger said the swiss and the old man has too much hospitality to lay you under the least restraint you are a volunteer too in whatever share you choose to take in our sports or our military duty and therefore when i ask you to walk abroad with me at the first cock crowing it is only in the event that such exercise shall entirely consist with your own pleasure i consider myself as under your command for the time said philipson but not to bandy courtesy at cock crow i shall be relieved from my watch on the drawbridge and will be by that time glad to exchange the post for a more extended walk do you not choose more of this fatiguing and probably unnecessary duty then may be fit your strength said rudolf i take no more than you do said arthur as you propose not to take rest till morning true answered donner hugel but i am a swiss and i answered philipson quickly am an englishman i did not mean what i said in the sense you take it said rudolf laughing i only meant that i am more interested in this matter than you can be who are a stranger to the cause in which we are personally engaged i am a stranger no doubt replied arthur but a stranger who has enjoyed your hospitality and who therefore claims a right while with you to share in your labors and dangers be it so said rudolf donner hugel i shall have finished my first rounds at the hour when the sentinels at the castle are relieved and shall be ready to recommence them in your good company content said the englishman and now i will to my post for i suspect sigisman is blaming me already as oblivious of my promise they hasten together to the gate where sigisman willingly yielded up his weapon and his guard to young philipson confirming the idea sometimes entertained of him that he was the most indolent and least spirited of the family of geierstein rudolf could not suppress his displeasure what would the landmen say he demanded if he saw the thus quietly yield a post and partisan to a stranger he would say i did well answered the young man nothing daunted for he is forever reminding us to let the stranger have his own way in everything and english arthur stands on this bridge by his own wish and no asking of mine therefore kind arthur since thou wilt barter warm straw and a sound sleep for frosty air and a clear moonlight i make thee welcome with all my heart hear your duty you are to stop all who enter or attempt to enter or till they give the password if they are strangers you must give alarm but you will suffer such of our friends as are known to you to pass outwards without challenge or alarm because the deputation may find occasion to send messengers abroad a muraine on the thou lazy lossal said rudolf thou art the only sluggard of thy kin then am i the only wise man of them all said the youth hark ye brave hopman ye have supped this evening have ye not it is a point of wisdom ye owl answered the bernese not to go into the forest fasting if it is wisdom to eat when we are hungry answered sigisman there can be no folly in sleeping when we are weary so saying and after a desperate yawn or two the relieved sentinel halted off giving full effect to the sprain of which he complained yet there is strength in those loitering glimpse and valor in that indolent and sluggish spirit said rudolf to the englishman but it is time that i who censor others should be take me to my own task hither comrades of the watch hither the bernese accompanied these words with a whistle which brought from within six young men whom he had previously chosen for the duty and who after a hurried supper now waited his summons one or two of them had large bloodhounds or limedogs which though usually employed in the pursuit of animals of chase were also excellent for discovering ambuscades in which duty their services were now to be employed one of these animals was held in a leash by the person who forming the advance of the party went about 20 yards in front of them a second was the property of donner hugel himself who had the creature singularly under command three of his companions attended him closely and the two others followed one of whom bore a horn of the bernese wild bull by way of bugle this little party crossed them out by the temporary bridge and moved on to the verge of the forest which lay adjacent to the castle and the skirts of which were most likely to conceal any ambuscade that could be apprehended the moon was now up and near the full so that arthur from the elevation on which the castle stood could trace their slow cautious march amid the broad silver light until they were lost in the depths of the forest when this object had ceased to occupy his eyes the thoughts of his lonely watch again returned to and of geierstein and to the singular expression of distress and apprehension which had that evening clouded her beautiful features then the blush which had chased for the moment paleness and terror from her countenance at the instant his eyes encountered hers was it anger was it modesty was it some softer feeling more gentle than the one more tender than the other young philipsen who like chaucer squire was as modest as a maid almost trembled to give that look the favorable interpretation which a more self-satisfied gallant would have applied to it without scruple no cue of rising or setting day was ever so lovely in the eyes of the young man as that blush was in his recollection nor did ever enthusiastic visionary or poetical dreamer find out so many fanciful forms in the clouds as arthur divined various interpretations from the indications of interest which had passed over the beautiful countenance of the swiss maiden in the meantime the thought suddenly burst on his reverie that it could little concern him what was the cause of the perturbation she had exhibited they had met at no distant period for the first time they must soon part forever she could be nothing more to him than the remembrance of a beautiful vision and he could have no other part in her memory save as a stranger from a foreign land who had been a sojourner for a season in her uncle's house but whom she could never expect to see again when this idea intruded on the train of romantic visions which agitated him it was like the sharp stroke of the harpoon which awakens the whale from slumbering torpedoity into violent action the gateway in which the young soldier kept his watch seemed suddenly too narrow for him he rushed across the temporary bridge and hastily traversed a short space of ground in front of the tate de pant or defensive work on which its outer extremity rested here for a time he paced the narrow extent to which he was confined by his duty as a sentinel with long and rapid strides as if he had been engaged by vow to take the greatest possible quantity of exercise upon that limited space of ground his exertion however produced the effect of in some degree composing his mind recalling him to himself and reminding him of the numerous reasons which prohibited his fixing his attention much more his affections upon this young person however fascinating she was I have surely he thought as he slackened his pace and shouldered his heavy partisan sense enough left to recollect my condition and my duties to think of my father to whom I am all in all and to think also on the dishonor which must accrue to me were I capable of winning the affections of a frank-hearted and confiding girl to whom I could never do justice by dedicating my life to return them no he said to himself she will soon forget me and I will study to remember her no otherwise than I would a pleasing dream which hath for a moment crossed a night of perils and dangers such as my life seems doomed to be as he spoke he stopped short in his walk and as he rested on his weapon a tear rose unbidden to his eye and stole down his cheek without being wiped away but he combatted this gentler mood of passion as he had formerly battled with that which was of a wilder and more desperate character shaking off the dejection and sinking of spirit which he felt creeping upon him he resumed at the same time the air and attitude of an attentive sentinel and recalled his mind to the duties of his watch which in the tumult of his feelings he had almost forgotten but what was his astonishment when as he looked out on the clear landscape there passed from the bridge towards the forest crossing him in the broad moonlight the living and moving likeness of Anne of Geyerstein End of chapter nine


What's going on guys, welcome to a new video. So first of all then, everybody who's following my channel or has followed my channel do apologize for lack of uploads over the past few weeks. It's been a good few weeks in fact. If you're new to the channel, then I sell quite a lot of seasonal products. So busy periods for me tend to be kind of like the beginning of summer and then the end of summer pretty much when the clocks change here in the UK. And then add coronavirus to that. People's buying behaviors have completely changed. Some product ranges have completely tanked. Some have been bigger and better than ever. So what I'm trying to say I guess is the last few weeks have been pretty manic, but seeing as things are somewhat returning to normal now, things are starting to open up. Delivery times are starting to improve. They're also getting a bit cheaper too. Then basically what I'm trying to say is you can expect regular content from me again. Now three to four times a week may be more, but let's see how we go. I don't want to make any false promises. In terms of the video topic as well, I thought it'd be good to do a video like this because I run a free Facebook group. It's got over 10,000 members in and probably almost on a daily basis I would say. I see people posting saying what's the current state of drop shipping e-commerce? Are people still buying online? What are delivery times currently like? So I thought I'd do this video, address all those kind of comments and questions and hesitations, answer the question, give you my honest opinion to whether drop shipping is a good idea right now. And if there are, by the way, any questions that don't get answered in this video, please do make sure you just comment them down below. I do go through my YouTube comments every kind of probably two to three days. So we'll get back to you. I do read every single comment. And yeah, that being said, thanks for tuning in. If you enjoyed the video, please do make sure you subscribe. Please do make sure you like the video as well if you do, of course, and let's jump straight into it.  It was probably the number one biggest thing that was affected. But probably people's buying behaviors, people went into panic mode and they were less willing to spend their money on those luxuries. So they were only spending their money saving the money because they weren't really sure financially how secure they were going to be. Alongside that then, deliveries obviously took a massive hit.  And in my opinion, it still is nowhere near where it used to be. ePacket was always for China to the UK and China to the US as well. The go-to shipping method, in my opinion, if you were buying and drop shipping from Aliexpress, it was the most reliable. And generally speaking, it was the quickest too. As far as things go right now, I'm gonna show you a couple of resources. I'm gonna show you some comments as well from different Facebook groups and part of just to show and prove to you or at least give you my recommendation enough of the best shipping methods to use right now from Aliexpress to the UK. In terms of what they are, number one has to be Aliexpress standard shipping. The reason being is because so far for me, it's been the most reliable. Now it still isn't as reliable in my opinion as ePacket was before all this happened, but in comparison to the other shipping methods that I've tested, plus it's also still the number one recommended shipping method from a lot of couriers that I've spoken to, a lot of suppliers, sorry, not couriers. So number one is Aliexpress standard shipping. The second one is special line YW. It's by a company called Yangwen, which is the YW. You might find a lot of suppliers recommend this one to you, but what you also might find as well is this one's quite expensive. All shipping methods have increased in price. Some are still pretty reasonable. Some you can still build into the cost of your product so you can still offer free shipping. But if there is one that you just can't get the price down to, then you will just have to pass that cost onto your customers, unfortunately. But Yangwen special line, again, it's pretty quick actually. It's pretty reliable. The only thing that really lets it down is the price. A lot of suppliers are still quite expensive in that regard. You don't just have to take my word for this either. Obviously, well, not obviously, I guess I could have a biased approach because I do dropship and I sell a course, but you don't just have to take my word for it. So here's three different people part of the Ecom Academy that I created. First, we have Imran. If we have a look at his post here, he was concerned about shipping times, asking about E-Packet and AliExpress standard shipping. And one of the other members, so this wasn't just me, this is another member who said he's had good experience with AliExpress standard shipping and he's getting around 12 to 15 days delivery to the UK, which is pretty good. I mean, back in the day, well, I say back in the day, probably six months ago, E-Packet, you were looking at anywhere from kind of maybe pretty similar in fact. So it's at that point or just as good at the moment. The only thing that lets it down, like I said earlier, is its reliability. By me recommending these, I'm not making any guarantees whatsoever in terms of orders that just never show up. The percentage of orders that never show up that is still increased and shipping is nowhere near as reliable as it used to be. So still just be wary of this. The best advice I can always give you is to speak to your supplier. They are the ones shipping these orders day in, day out, using all the different shipping methods to all the different countries around the world. They will be able to advise you better than anybody else. Next up then, I want to show you this post from Kerry. So this was June 3rd, about a month ago now. And she placed 15 orders, half and half AliExpress standard shipping versus E-Packet. And she came back and she said that AliExpress standard shipping was by far most reliable as you can see on screen. And they arrived, they took anywhere between kind of nine and 23 days. So even worst case scenario, you're looking at three weeks. I think given the current situation with coronavirus, customers expect delays. So if you're saying anywhere from one to two weeks and it comes a week later, then I think in the majority of the cases you'll be able to negotiate that by or at least sweeten the deal by offering some form of a discount or something along those lines. The final example then to show you guys, I don't want to make this video too long, so I'll just show you three. But the final one then is from Sam and just to kind of summarize this post here, Sam AliExpress standard shipping with this supplier. Most of the orders have taken 10 to 14 days, so less than two weeks, which is awesome. You also recommend special line YW, which is the one I mentioned earlier in the video. And this is all from his experience too. So like I said, you don't just have to take my word for it, but then also take my advice, I guess, with a pinch of salt. The best thing you can always do is speak to the supplier about a specific product, ask them what shipping method, what carrier they're going to be using and ask them what the delivery time realistically will be to the country that you're shipping to. That being said then, let's move on to the second biggest hesitation people are having and that is people's buying behaviors. So I see it all the time, people questioning the facts whether people are buying online actually spending their money or are they keeping it safe under their mattress for a rainy day because they're still not quite sure of their financial security moving forwards. So I guess to kind of summarize this, so I don't make the video too long, is that people's buying behaviors are continuing to change and they're no longer what they used to be at the beginning of the coronavirus, the beginning of lockdown. And the best way I can illustrate this is if we take the home workout niche, so this is Google Trends that we're looking at, we can see if I just hover here in February and March. So when lockdown was first brought in when the coronavirus was announced, people who got into home workout gear at this particular time made a ton of cash because everybody was buying it. All those people that went to the gym that could no longer go to the gym and could only work out at home were buying home workout equipment. And this is proven by the fact of how many people were searching for it. So this is in the UK in the past 16 years. In the last 16 years, it was the most popular it ever has been by long way. But what we can also see is now that things are starting to open up, gyms have got a date to open up, which I believe is the 24th next week that the popularity or demand for these types of products has dropped off considerably. So there is a clear illustration of how people's buying behaviors are changing. And if you ask me, I'm more or less returning to normal and I think they will be back to normal in the next kind of three to four weeks. And I also think what will come from this is there'll be loads of niches. For example, the gift niche, I think will explode because people haven't had the chance to spend time with their relatives. They haven't seen them. They've missed birthdays and other special occasions like, well, births, for example, weddings. So there's gonna be loads of people buying gifts to send to people or to bring to people to say how much they've missed them. So that's just one niche as an example, which I think is going to explode. And if we look at also the search term of things to do at home, we can see again how this just kind of rocketed sky rocketed exploded around lockdown, people forced to stay in their homes. So they were looking for things to do at home. And again, as we saw with the homework, our niche is just completely tanked now. So any kind of niche that really falls into that is going to be dropping off in popularity. And one of those that fits the bill quite nicely is baking. So again, as illustrated, kind of February March time exploded, people staying at home looking for things to do. Baking is one of those things and we can also see how it's dropped off now that people can go out. So there's gonna be less and less people cooking at home in my opinion now because restaurants are opening up or they already are open because all of that time, people haven't had a chance to eat out. They're gonna start making up for that now by eating out more than they ever have been, especially since the government are bringing in certain regulations to encourage people to do so. And with that being said guys, to summarize the video or to answer the question that is, is now a good time to start drop shipping or e-commerce Shopify, whatever you wanna call it, is now a good time to start sending things online. I think now is a great time. And for the following reasons, number one, we are coming towards Christmas. We're coming up to Q4. Now is a great time to get a store together so you can start testing products. And the more time you have between now and kind of, well, the beginning of Q4, then the more time you have to, the more freedoms and flexibilities you'll have. You'll have the option to start sourcing products in bulk if you choose to. You'll have the option to test a dozen products and find out which one is selling well before you commit to it so you can capitalize on Q4. So that's one big reason. Honestly, if you see my earlier YouTube videos, one good Q4 as corny as it sounds really is good enough to completely change your life. The second reason being is because as people buying behaviors change, as long as you go into the right, as long as you follow those behaviors and go into the right niches, then you can make lots and lots of money. Now take that with a pinch of salt. I don't wanna sit here and say it's easy. This is not easy. In the best of times, drop shipping is not easy. Nothing is ever guaranteed. It's a business at the end of the day but it increases your likelihood and chances and it makes the opportunity bigger. So if I had to summarize the answer to this question in a few sentences without going on for hours and hours and hours and just blabbling on, then I would say yes is a really good time to start but you have to go into the right things. And when I say the right things then, I mean the trends. I mean the things that people are gonna be actively spending their money on due to the current climate, not necessarily the weather, but certain things, how people's lives are changing. That's always the best way to think is if your product can serve somebody's life in the way it's changing. So let's take the weather for example, here in the UK as it starts to improve, what do people do when the weather gets better? They spend more time outside. So what do they do outside? They play certain sports. They do barbecues.  So just make sure you think along those lines and make sure you go into a niche or a product range that is in demand. And the best way, hands down to check this is to use Google Trends. And with that being said then guys, I'm gonna wrap the video up there.  I will finish the video off by saying thank you very much for watching. I really do appreciate the support. So please do make sure you subscribe to keep watching my videos. Please make sure you hit that like button if you did, of course, enjoy the video. And finally, if you are looking for a program that comes with my full support and guidance, check out my Ecom Academy. The results from the students has been pretty awesome, if I may say so. So the link will be down below. Just check out the info. There is a callback service as well. So if you wanna hop on a call with me and go through any questions before joining we can do so. And apart from that, have a great day and I'll see you in the next video. This is the end of this video. Thanks for watching. I hope you enjoyed it. I'll see you in the next video. Bye.


You know, I think this kind of video advocacy is incredibly important in changing minds whether it's effective in changing policies I think it's too much of a burden to place on a video alone I think the question is what do we do after seeing these videos and where do we carry these videos? And how do we spread the word about these videos, but do I think the videos are important incredibly? Do I think they're enough in and of themselves? No I think one of the other really important things about these videos is what we used to say in the activist movement Don't watch television make television that you're actually representing issues from a frame that you have decided is important And I hope that many more people and many more Organizations are able to do that and I hope that you guys actually work to help them do that because what you've done has been Brilliant and a real inspiration