Barbarossa; An Historical Novel of the XII Century. by Conrad von Bolanden
_CHAPTER XLI_.
_A HARDENED SINNER_.
The Duke of Austria had scarcely dismounted, when he was informed thatGaldini Sala requested an audience. At the time of the siege of Milan,Galdini's name had been so often mentioned that the Duke felt almost asentiment of pride at being thus brought into personal relations withone who had exercised so weighty an influence over the besieged.Consequently, he hastened to the tent where Sala was awaiting him.
The Archdeacon held in his hand a roll of parchment to which a seal wasattached. This was the usual form of correspondence between persons ofdistinction. "With a low bow, Galdini presented the letters, butscarcely had Henry opened the roll and glanced at the seal, when hisface assumed an expression of astonishment.
"What do I see? a letter from His Holiness! to me!" he cried. "Theremust be a mistake here; this letter must be for the Emperor, or theKing of France!"
"It is addressed to Henry, Duke of Austria, and is highly important,"said Galdini, respectfully.
The Duke cut the silken thread, and to the great surprise of theprelate, read over the Latin brief; for his studies in the Convent ofFulva had enabled him to do without a secretary.
"Clemence at the Papal Court! I thought she was in Germany! HisHoliness is enraged at this criminal act--_scelus et flagitium_; yes,it is indeed a crime," said the Duke, continuing to read, andaccompanying the reading with his own commentaries. "The divorce isdeclared null and void. The Lion is excommunicated and banished. By myfaith, these are the words of a true Pope! I must speak to the Duke onthe subject. I fear it will be labor in vain!"
"Your Highness will be faithful to the voice of the Holy Father,"replied Sala. "Your Highness alone, among all the princes in theImperial camp, is worthy of the Pope's confidence, and he charges youto protest against this sinful deed. It should be the Emperor's duty toprotect the unhappy Duchess, but Frederic is not opposed to thedivorce!"
"It is most true; it is a miserable measure of political expediency inthe interest of territorial aggrandizement," said Henry, warmly. "TheEmperor's villainous Chancellor has directed the whole business. Mycousin's daughter lived on the best possible terms with her husband,before the interference of that felon. Ah! princes will not see to whattheir ambition leads them, until the halter is around their necks."
"What has all this to do with the divorce?"
"You do not understand the plot," resumed Henry; "the repudiation ofClemence must make trouble between Saxony and her relations; the unionof those two houses would have thwarted all Frederic's designs againstthe liberties of the people, the clergy and the nobility."
"Frederic evidently seeks to assure his supremacy," said Galdini,endeavoring to excite the Duke to a fuller confession.
"There is no doubt about it. Why does he not assign incumbents to thevacant fiefs? He keeps them for himself. He owns already all theterritory from Rottemburg to Besancon. He sows discord among thenobles, adds the fiefs to the crown, and has organized in the Church anarmy of corrupt Bishops! Tell me, is not that one way of assuring hisImperial supremacy?"
"It seems so to me."
"That is not all. The Empire is to be divided according to the oldEastern system. One of my followers, who was with Barbarossa during thelast crusade, has heard him express his admiration for the ByzantineEmpire. Barbarossa needs a capital, another Constantinople, and he hasalready made his selection. It is Mayence! Wait until he returns toGermany, and you will see whether this city be not deprived of all herliberties, as a punishment for Arnold's murder, and if he does not makeher his capital!"
"But why do you aid him with your troops?"
"Because I am alone in my way of thinking! Besides, I have alreadyspoken frankly to the Emperor, and he is well aware that I will notfurther his guilty projects. I have spoken frankly to you, that you mayrepeat my words to the Holy Father. Alexander must not yield; he is theonly protector of right and liberty!--I am going to fulfil yourmessage, and that, too, in your presence."
The Duke raised the curtain, and left the tent; a moment afterwards hereturned with the Saxon prince.
"This is a messenger from His Holiness, Pope Alexander III.," said theAustrian; "he has given me this letter."
And he began to read it off in German.
"This is perfectly useless," said the Lion; "neither you, my dear Duke,nor Alexander, are called upon for an opinion; the sentence has beenpronounced; the affair is concluded."
"The sentence has been pronounced, and by whom?"
"By Pope Victor, the legitimate chief of Christendom."
"Is it Henry the Lion who speaks thus?" said the Duke of Austria, withmore dissatisfaction than surprise. "No one ever despised Victor morethan you have done! Who has ever called him the Imperial puppet asoften as you? and yet, to-day, he is for you the chief of Christendom!"
"The last reasons are often the best!"
"Because you need some excuse to justify your misdeeds!"
"Misdeeds? Duke, what does this mean!" said the Lion, with an air ofmenace.
"Must I then call evil good, and good evil? No, Duke of Saxony, notyet; not even in Frederic's camp! Do not misunderstand my frankness,Henry; your divorce is a wrong, a crying injustice, a stain upon yourname."
"Your interference in my private affairs is insulting to me, my lord!"said the Lion, sullenly.
"Is not Clemence my relative?"
"Too distant to warrant such excessive interest."
"The duty of every knight is to defend the rights of helpless woman,"replied the Austrian. "Besides, I am fulfilling the Pope's mission. Hehas excommunicated you; is that of no moment?"
"Very well! your message has been delivered; the rest is my ownbusiness."
"What! You will put yourself in opposition to the whole Church, youwill endanger your own soul, while you violate the rights of chivalry?"
"Enough of this; spare me these superfluous representations. At my ownformal request, the Holy Father has annulled my marriage; neither you,nor any one, even Alexander, can make me reverse my decision."
As he spoke he turned his back upon the Duke, and hastily left thetent.
"You see there a fair instance of the respect paid to one's conscience,and the sanctity of marriage, in the Imperial court," said the Duke,sadly. "Frederic set the first example of a divorce, and he will findscores of imitators."
"Alas!" Galdini exclaimed.
"I am uneasy for Clemence's safety. The fate of the unfortunate EmpressAdelaide is still unknown; she has disappeared, and Clemence too mightbe spirited away, if I did not prevent it. I will go to-day, andsolicit from the French King a strong escort to conduct her to herrelatives. The unfortunate princess will travel through Lorraine andBavaria to Austria under the protection of my troops. She will there beable to end in peace her blighted existence; for, even should Henryreturn to kinder sentiments, she can scarcely look for much happinessin her husband's society."
Galdini Sala thanked the Duke, and they separated after the latter hadrepeated his assurance of unalterable fidelity to Pope Alexander.
"Recommend me, my house, and my country to the blessing of HisHoliness--and comfort poor Clemence."
Whilst the archdeacon was on his way to the tent where the nobles wereassembled, Barbarossa was taking leave of the Count of Champagne, andtheir parting was so affectionately cordial that Sala was astonished.
"I will soon make a visit to that beautiful castle of yours, of whichmy cousin appears so fond," said Frederic to the Count, as he wasmounting on his horse.
"I thank your Majesty for the honor you will then favor me with," saidthe Count, bowing respectfully and dashing off, followed by hisretinue.
Without a moment's loss of time, the Count of Champagne returned to hiscastle, and Nevers presented the Imperial despatch to the King.
The same evening Manases and Champagne held a long and secretinterview. The Emperor's letter had greatly embarrassed Louis, forRinaldo had rather exaggerated Frederic's
"This is my opinion," said the latter, after a perusal of thecommunication; "if you continue to support Roland, war is inevitable;besides, I have learned from another source, that an alliance is aboutto be concluded between Frederic and the English King. We consequentlyare in danger of being attacked on both sides at once."
The King's anxiety increased.
"We have fulfilled the duties of a Christian," he said. "I havedefended the Pope as far as I am able. No one can compel me to subjectmy kingdom to all the horrors of a merciless war."
The wily courtier expected this conclusion, and it was decided to senda message, couched in very emphatic language, to the Holy Father atCluny.
The Chancellor recommended that it should be intrusted to a partisan ofAlexander, and the Archbishop of Tarantasia was selected. It isprobable that some other choice had been made by Manases and the Countof Champagne; for when the prelate arrived at Court, on the next day,the Count announced boldly to the King that Peter neither would norcould bear the despatch.
"Have I then no longer a right to choose my own ambassadors?" askedLouis. "What have you against the Archbishop?"
"This holy man cannot suit you, Sire," he replied. "He will kissAlexander's hand and will address him, with every mark of respect, arequest which ought to be communicated as an order. The Pope will beunder a false impression; he will refuse to come, and war will breakout. Rather send a man in armor with a strong escort, that he may, ifneeds be, enforce the execution of your orders."
"Employ violence!" exclaimed the King.
"Why are you astonished, Sire? gentle measures have been tried withoutresult, there is nothing left but compulsion."
"It would be an unheard of crime to drag the Chief of Christendom,against his will, before a tribunal composed exclusively of hisenemies!" said Louis. "I will not permit it!"
"Very well; but in that case, the Count Henry of Troyes and Champagnewill keep his oath."
"One moment, Count, for the love of God! Do not be so hasty, cried theterrified prince. I know your unfortunate oath, but you have scarcelyreflected that it would be treason!"
"My oath is an oath even when pledged to an enemy; and yet, Sire, youwould make me a perjurer and a felon? Either you will send a propermessage to Alexander, or I will go over to the Emperor."
"Since your Majesty cannot resist the Count's arguments," interruptedManases, "would it not be well to intrust him with this mission? Thesituation is delicate; it is necessary not to render it still moredangerous."
After a moment's hesitation, the King consented.
"Go, in God's name," he said; "but I adjure you, on your conscience,respect the Pope, respect the Chief of Christendom."