From Ulm! The very sound was joy; and Christina with trembling hands
unfastened the cords and stitches that secured the canvas covering,
within which lay folds on folds of linen, and in the midst a rich
silver goblet, long ago brought by her father from Italy, a few of
her own possessions, and a letter from her uncle secured with black
floss silk, with a black seal.
She kissed it with transport, but the contents were somewhat chilling
by their grave formality. The opening address to the "honour-worthy
Lady Baroness and love-worthy niece," conveyed to her a doubt on good
Master Gottfried's part whether she were still truly worthy of love
or honour. The slaughter at Jacob Muller's had been already known to
him, and he expressed himself as relieved, but greatly amazed, at the
information he had received from the Baron of Adlerstein Wildschloss,
who had visited him at Ulm, after having verified what had been
alleged at Schloss Adlerstein by application to the friar at
Offingen.
Freiherr von Adlerstein Wildschloss had further requested him to make
known that, feud-briefs having regularly passed between Schlangenwald
and Adlerstein, and the two Barons not having been within the peace
of the empire, no justice could be exacted for their deaths; yet, in
consideration of the tender age of the present heirs, the question of
forfeiture or submission should be waived till they could act for
themselves, and Schlangenwald should be withheld from injuring them
so long as no molestation was offered to travellers.
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