It was the boundary
between the lands of Schlangenwald and Adlerstein, but it had within
the last sixty years burst forth in a flood, and had then declined to
return to its own bed, but had flowed in a fresh channel to the right
of the former one. The Freiherren von Adlerstein claimed the ground
to the old channel, the Graffen von Schlangenwald held that the river
was the landmark; and the dispute had a greater importance than
seemed explained from the worth of the rushy space of ground in
question, for this was the passage of the Italian merchants on their
way from Constance, and every load that was overthrown in the river
was regarded as the lawful prey of the noble on whose banks the
catastrophe befell.
Any freight of goods was anxiously watched by both nobles, and it was
not their fault if no disaster befell the travellers. Hugh talked of
the Schlangenwald marauders with the bitterness of a deadly feud, but
manifestly did not breathe freely till his whole convoy were safe
across both the wet and the dry channel.
Christina supposed they should now ascend to the castle; but her
father laughed, saying that the castle was not such a step off as she
fancied, and that they must have daylight for the Eagle's Stairs.
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